Post-Game Talk: Rangers @ Canes - 3/11/14

[Callagraves]

Yeah, I saw that game last night, he looked great. Sadly I can't remember the last time Cally looked that good as a Ranger. Certainly haven't seen it this season

Reasons why:

AV's system is kryptonite to that kind of player. It's based off of extended puck possession, offense off the rush, and quick, cute passes. Cally's good at owning the puck on the boards, but that's it as far as AV hockey goes. It's not a coincidence Callahan, Stepan, and Hags have struggled this year: They're really suited for a North-South style, while a guy like Brass is suited better to it.

Richards: Great on the powerplay, useless elsewhere. Too slow, too soft on the puck, and uninvolved in the play

Hags will be the next to go. It's been made clear that this team has no use or place for a 2-way forward. Only lazy, underachiving, enigmatic, or reclamation players will be accepted at forward.

Except Zucc.

 

[Doctyl]

Reasons why:

AV's system is kryptonite to that kind of player. It's based off of extended puck possession, offense off the rush, and quick, cute passes. Cally's good at owning the puck on the boards, but that's it as far as AV hockey goes. It's not a coincidence Callahan, Stepan, and Hags have struggled this year: They're really suited for a North-South style, while a guy like Brass is suited better to it.

Richards: Great on the powerplay, useless elsewhere. Too slow, too soft on the puck, and uninvolved in the play

Hags will be the next to go. It's been made clear that this team has no use or place for a 2-way forward. Only lazy, underachiving, enigmatic, or reclamation players will be accepted at forward.

Except Zucc.

This might make more sense if Cally actually played well last year.

 

[noupf]

hows that marty st louis guy doing?

4 or 5 points in his first 4 games as a ranger right?

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

How dare he lead this team in goals. That ****ing bum

Being the leading goal scorer on this team is like being the smartest kid in special needs class

 

[Doctyl]

hows that marty st louis guy doing?

4 or 5 points in his first 4 games as a ranger right?

Yup MSL sucks and Callahan is a better player.

 

[Leonardo87]

Yeah, I saw that game last night, he looked great. Sadly I can't remember the last time Cally looked that good as a Ranger. Certainly haven't seen it this season

The injuries have kept him from getting into a groove, the game before he also played very well, fought that game hard and helped them get a point against Boston.

Seen 'me? I've practically posted weekly updates of them on here, but that gets me yelled at usually. I'll always miss those two, and, honestly I don't think Nash with his cap hit will ever be worth both, but that's a very unpopular stance and I'm not in the mood to argue over it. If anyone disagrees, that's fine, just disagree but let's not debate it. It's been beaten to death and it's just my opinion. We turned on Dubinsky way too quickly over one poor season. He's much better than a lot of our fans give credit for. Unfortunately, Rychel is looking like a nice prospect as well, but hindsight is always 20/20 I guess.

I wish they were still here, along with Cally. Too many of these guys get thrown overboard when they are having an off season.

This might make more sense if Cally actually played well last year.

So 31 points in 45 games is not playing well? I just can't agree with that statement. Agree to disagree.

 

[Doctyl]

So 31 points in 45 games is not playing well? I just can't agree with that statement. Agree to disagree.

He put up points but he didn't play like the Callahan we are used to seeing. I think he's on the decline, just my opinion.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Well, THAT was bad.

They were so off I couldn't even get mad about it. They really need to take the "put that one in the rearview mirror and move on to the next one" approach here. I'll be concerned if I see the same thing next game.

 

[Callagraves]

Agreed. This pretty much sums up my overall dislike towards him as well. He's like a lesser Ovechkin. At least Ovie scores constantly. Nash either scores or might as well not be dressed. And sometimes even when he scores it's in a blowout, either for or against us, and doesn't change the outcome.

OV is prone to stretches of "IDGAF", and slumps, and it's well documented.

But when someone hits him, or lights him up, or ANYTHING to provoke him, he lights himself on fire and makes an impact. Sometimes it's a penalty, sometimes its a dirty hit, SOMETIMES it's a goal. But he responds.

Rick Nash has no response. He has no push-back, no resiliancy. He's a glass cannon.

Nash isn't the worst forward on the ice at all. He's just invisible. He isn't hurting the team, he's just not helping us. MSL should be better than he has been, really hope he's just adjusting. I'm actually excited to see if AV keeps the MSL-Stepan-Nash line together. FWIW I think Richards is more consistently terrible than Nash.

See, to me, what you just described was Gaborik. He was the invisble man. He would go for games at a time without getting a stick on the puck.

I WISH Nash would go games without the puck on his stick, sometimes. Unless he's in Beast mode (Which I admit, he has), he's a walking turnover. You put the puck on his stick, and you're practically rolling the dice. Either he turns it over, he shoots into shinpads, or he scores. He hasn't been scoring lately.

Nash played differently last year. I know this name is like beetlejuice around here, but I think playing for Torts was a reason why. If he played for Tortorella the way he has for AV, he'd be in the pressbox until he was ready to fight for a spot.

Torts did ALOT wrong, but that accountability made a difference. Nash knew Gaborik had been benched. He knew he could be benched.

That's not there anymore.


And yeah, MSL has been disappointing. I'm concerned, and confused. I think it might be Richards, or it might be adjustment, or pressure. Either way, I was hoping that MSL lighting the world on fire would make me feel better about him replacing my favorite Ranger, and I'm still waiting. He'll have to be better for this team to even make the playoffs.

 

[Callagraves]

This might make more sense if Cally actually played well last year.

Point of interest: 2nd half of the season and playoffs with a seperated shoulder.

 

[TheTakedown]

Something is going on. The guys looked especially distracted. Maybe locker room problems? I'm just speculating.

I agree... Other than Hank MCD zucc and brass I saw nothing to even note...

So yeah. Something is weird. Kreider played with a nice edge though.

 

[Leonardo87]

And yeah, MSL has been disappointing. I'm concerned, and confused. I think it might be Richards, or it might be adjustment, or pressure. Either way, I was hoping that MSL lighting the world on fire would make me feel better about him replacing my favorite Ranger, and I'm still waiting. He'll have to be better for this team to even make the playoffs.

I don't even think Richards has a point since Callahan was traded, which was that goal against Boston.

 

[Crease]

I don't even think Richards has a point since Callahan was traded, which was that goal against Boston.

Off the top of my head, he got the secondary assist on the Stepan winner.

 

[Callagraves]

Off the top of my head, he got the secondary assist on the Stepan winner.

I'm curious of how many points Richards has on the powerplay.

His head is still there, it's his legs I worry about.

 

[Doctyl]

I'm curious of how many points Richards has on the powerplay.

His head is still there, it's his legs I worry about.

17 of his 45 points came from the pp

 

[Samuel Culper III]

OV is prone to stretches of "IDGAF", and slumps, and it's well documented.

But when someone hits him, or lights him up, or ANYTHING to provoke him, he lights himself on fire and makes an impact. Sometimes it's a penalty, sometimes its a dirty hit, SOMETIMES it's a goal. But he responds.

Rick Nash has no response. He has no push-back, no resiliancy. He's a glass cannon.



See, to me, what you just described was Gaborik. He was the invisble man. He would go for games at a time without getting a stick on the puck.

I WISH Nash would go games without the puck on his stick, sometimes. Unless he's in Beast mode (Which I admit, he has), he's a walking turnover. You put the puck on his stick, and you're practically rolling the dice. Either he turns it over, he shoots into shinpads, or he scores. He hasn't been scoring lately.

Nash played differently last year. I know this name is like beetlejuice around here, but I think playing for Torts was a reason why. If he played for Tortorella the way he has for AV, he'd be in the pressbox until he was ready to fight for a spot.

Torts did ALOT wrong, but that accountability made a difference. Nash knew Gaborik had been benched. He knew he could be benched.

That's not there anymore.


And yeah, MSL has been disappointing. I'm concerned, and confused. I think it might be Richards, or it might be adjustment, or pressure. Either way, I was hoping that MSL lighting the world on fire would make me feel better about him replacing my favorite Ranger, and I'm still waiting. He'll have to be better for this team to even make the playoffs.

This is a good post. I agree with pretty much all of it.

 

[member 116805]

I'm curious of how many points Richards has on the powerplay.

His head is still there, it's his legs I worry about.

17 (3g 14a)

 

[SnowblindNYR]

What the ****? I turned off my DVR after the first goal. We had 25 shots on goal and got outshot 35-25. This team just didn't show up. They pretty much carry the play every game and it looks like they just didn't show up at all today. This is the kind of effort I'm expecting against an elite team that makes us look bad, the Rangers just looked like they said "**** it". I can't remember another game like this. Seriously, not since early December. Even when they lost to Philly and Boston, they had great moments. 25 shots? How do you embarrass yourself like this in a playoff hunt? What an embarrassment. This team should return any money they got from this game. They didn't take the Canes seriously and phoned it in. An embarrassing effort. They've looked like this only a handful of times since their start. This team seems to think they can take games off and win. Embarrassing.

 

[PromNite]

Zucc has Gretzky-like vision. I swear, if he had played in the 80's he'd be putting up 100+ points a season.

Other than that, we blew chunks. What a crappy game. MSL needs to make his presence known. An assist on a 5 on 3 isn't gonna cut it, man. Need to bury some pucks.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

1st round exit.

This team has none of what it takes. They play hockey, but they don't compete.

They outcompete most teams, the one game they mailed it in and here you are with your garbage.

 

[PromNite]

Still early but this is the second straight game where MSL looked like absolute dog ****. Fumbling pucks, turning it over, and just not creating anything.

Agreed. He has not adjusted to the team yet. I hope it's just a "getting to know you" phase, because if he thinks he came here to ride into retirement ala the old Ranger model he can get the **** out.

And this is from a guy who grew up in Tampa. He is like a God to me.

He has done nothing since joining the team but make me say "what the **** was he doing there?"

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

Hopefully a line shake up
Hag-step-nash
Kreider-Richards-MSL

Please do this

 

[Callagraves]

They outcompete most teams, the one game they mailed it in and here you are with your garbage.

Really Snowblind?

You've been posting here a while. You've seen my posts. I'm the "It's still a 1 goal game" or "They played well and didn't get the bounces" Guy.

I haven't been this down on the team since 2009.

They don't outcompete other teams. They outskate other teams, they might out-score other teams, but I can't think of many games recently that this team won on guts and determination.

It's GREAT that we have skill. It's fantastic that we have the defensive group that we do. And, mentioning Hank to Snowblind is like asking Don Cherry how he feels about Russians, but, we've got arguably the best tender in the world.

But we're missing competition. We're missing the role players, the "glue" guys, the "heart and soul", the "all guts no glory" guys. I can spout cliche after cliche at you, but I think you get my point.

We tried to win on those kinds of players alone, and that style, and it didn't work. Sather has now overcorrected so hard that we went from being the hardest working team in the league with limited skill to a highly skilled, enigmatic team with the work ethic of a drunken house-cat.

They've mailed it in alot. They've gotten away with it a few times. You can chalk it up to not being big enough up front, or bad coaching (Have I mentioned I think AV is the worst possible choice?), but the fact is that this group, on a regular basis, doesn't want it bad enough. Players in post-game interviews have even commented that there isn't nearly enough desperation in their game.

Clean slate my ass. This isn't a team that can get away with missing the playoffs, or a 1st round exit. They don't get a fresh start. They're playing like they don't have expectations on them, and that's why they are never, EVER the hungrier team on the ice.

 

[Callagraves]

17 of his 45 points came from the pp

That's a pretty decent chunk. Not exactly half, but it shows where he's most effective.

I don't mean that against him: I think he's been instrumental to the turnaround of the powerplay. But you'd hope for better even strength production.

This is a good post. I agree with pretty much all of it.

Well thank you.

 

[JaeTM]

I'm not sure why the lines haven't been shaken up at all. The Kreider-Stepan-Nash line hasn't looked good all season. Try Hags back in that line. That was our best line last year. Give it another shot.