Confirmed with Link: Rangers hire Mike Sullivan to

[Machinehead]

Differey sport but we saw what happened to Joe Schoen who actually had some balls with Saquon Barkley.

Running backs are right down there with goaltenders.

 

[SA16]

You're not wrong and the problem is that they care about goaltending.

The entire last 20 years of this organization would be different if they didn't keep telling themselves "any year now we're gonna win with goaltending!" even though nobody ever does.

I agree. I just find it hard to specifically use it as a point of criticism against Drury when I think almost any GM in his position would have done the same thing.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

I get people saying we'd be running it back, and I get that, but if done correctly we could add from within and get better in the process. I think this whole team underachieved, I think the D were frustrated with the man on man and I think just whole mood was poor and it rubbed on everyone. For me, if we go back with essentially the same team we need to prioritize a youth movement, not just a half ass one, a full on one. Laf , Cuylle, Othmann, Edstrom, Perrault, Berard etc need to become real parts of this team.

Cuylle Miller Lafreniere
Panarin Trochek Othmann
Berard Zib Perrault
Edstrom Carrick whoever

Pp1
Panarin Miller Cuylle Laf and Fox
Pararin on left half wall shooter, Miller at bumper Cuylle net, Laf right half wall shooter, Fox

Pp2 Mika, Perrault, Othmann, Trochek, Miller/Jones

Pk1 Mika Edstrom
Pk2 Miller Berard
Pk3 Trochek Cuylle

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Also, even if you're huffing the copium that all this team needs to do to contend is get rid of two top six forwards because you don't like the vibes, it's borderline unrealistic that Drury 1) can do that or 2) wants to.

He's doubling down. He's doing it right in front of you. He wants to win the Cup 13 months from now. He's not shipping out multiple top six players.

Yeah, it’s interesting because i don’t think what needs to be done aligns with what will be done.

there’s been a ton of chatter that the team needs to get of Kreider, Mika, Panarin. Which is fine. But I have a hard time believing that Mike Sullivan signed up to have Drury trade away all these core pieces, and no clear path to replacing them.

Like Sullivan left the Pens because he didn’t want to deal with the rebuild (or whatever term you want to use) that Dubas is going to do.

 

[n8]

Yeah, it’s interesting because i don’t think what needs to be done aligns with what will be done.

there’s been a ton of chatter that the team needs to get of Kreider, Mika, Panarin. Which is fine. But I have a hard time believing that Mike Sullivan signed up to have Drury trade away all these core pieces, and no clear path to replacing them.

Like Sullivan left the Pens because he didn’t want to deal with the rebuild (or whatever term you want to use) that Dubas is going to do.

Three scenarios I see:
1) CK uses the summer to recover. Sullivan is given the chance to revive Ziba/CK putting them into the "their value is back up but now we don't want to trade them" category.
2) Drury makes an asinine asset management flub (like Nemeth) to get rid of CK who, having the summer to recover, has an epic 40 goal comeback season with his new team. When asked if he might have rushed the trade, Drury responds, "I've got a reputation to maintain."
3) CK wallows and the Rangers do nothing about because that would be the most Ranger thing to do. CK is scratched for all of one game all season.

 

[mas0764]

To be honest, the Igor extension was the death knell for me. It was when I realized that Drury has no direction and doesn’t see the team for what it is.

I said it in the beginning of the season and I’ll say it again, this team is closer to needing a rebuild than it is to contending.

I’m more than happy to be wrong about all of this, but I just don’t see it.

Some of us were calling this eventuality out years ago.

Boy I sure enjoyed those two relatively non competitive conference finals losses.

 

[mas0764]

I get people saying we'd be running it back, and I get that, but if done correctly we could add from within and get better in the process. I think this whole team underachieved, I think the D were frustrated with the man on man and I think just whole mood was poor and it rubbed on everyone. For me, if we go back with essentially the same team we need to prioritize a youth movement, not just a half ass one, a full on one. Laf , Cuylle, Othmann, Edstrom, Perrault, Berard etc need to become real parts of this team.

Cuylle Miller Lafreniere
Panarin Trochek Othmann
Berard Zib Perrault
Edstrom Carrick whoever

Pp1
Panarin Miller Cuylle Laf and Fox
Pararin on left half wall shooter, Miller at bumper Cuylle net, Laf right half wall shooter, Fox

Pp2 Mika, Perrault, Othmann, Trochek, Miller/Jones

Pk1 Mika Edstrom
Pk2 Miller Berard
Pk3 Trochek Cuylle

It can be true that by finishing 11th worst and out of the playoffs, the Rangers both underachieved but that even overachieving looks like a second round playoff loss.

And it is, in this case. That’s our ceiling.

 

[mas0764]

Yeah, it’s interesting because i don’t think what needs to be done aligns with what will be done.

there’s been a ton of chatter that the team needs to get of Kreider, Mika, Panarin. Which is fine. But I have a hard time believing that Mike Sullivan signed up to have Drury trade away all these core pieces, and no clear path to replacing them.

Like Sullivan left the Pens because he didn’t want to deal with the rebuild (or whatever term you want to use) that Dubas is going to do.

Yup.

We’re screwed.

I have no stomach for more mediocrity but that’s what we are about to get. I’m not of the opinion that an early playoff loss is worth it. Building a real competitor is more fun.

 

[JohnC]

I don't think the Igor extension is a Drury problem. I think it is a general league problem since I think pretty much all GMs would have done the same.

Fair. To me it’s the ultimate smoke signal of “I’m just trying to keep my job”.

 

[Riche16]

Yeah, it’s interesting because i don’t think what needs to be done aligns with what will be done.

there’s been a ton of chatter that the team needs to get of Kreider, Mika, Panarin. Which is fine. But I have a hard time believing that Mike Sullivan signed up to have Drury trade away all these core pieces, and no clear path to replacing them.

Like Sullivan left the Pens because he didn’t want to deal with the rebuild (or whatever term you want to use) that Dubas is going to do.

I mean it is always the same shit here

KK needed to be on PP1
Laf did
Kravtsov did

yadda yadda yadda

Not one coach ever would replace Z or Bread or Kreider or Tro for those kids when they NEVER showed anything of value in those spots or while on ice in other situations.

No brilliant passing
No brilliant shot
No brilliant creativity
No opening or using space

I get that the kids weren't developed correctly but sitting those players to force feed "maybe's" wasn't ever going to happen & probably shouldn't have.

 

[Riche16]

To be honest, the Igor extension was the death knell for me. It was when I realized that Drury has no direction and doesn’t see the team for what it is.

I said it in the beginning of the season and I’ll say it again, this team is closer to needing a rebuild than it is to contending.

I’m more than happy to be wrong about all of this, but I just don’t see it.

Perfectly said for me. Kudos

 

[McRanger92]

I really don’t see the issue with signing Igor

 

[Boris Zubov]

I really don’t see the issue with signing Igor

But why bid against ourselves so early & overpay him? Especially when his market would be extremely limited if he wanted to go to a contender.

 

[McRanger92]

But why bid against ourselves so early & overpay him? Especially when his market would be extremely limited if he wanted to go to a contender.

Teams wouldve made room for him and paid him more if he hit the market

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I really don’t see the issue with signing Igor

Did you have a blindfold on during games this year?

 

[McRanger92]

Did you have a blindfold on during games this year?

No I watched pretty much every game sadly. I saw a team that didn’t play any defense. Igor had a down year too, it happens. You bitched the same way about Hank who never had a down year so forgive me if I roll my eyes a bit at your analysis of goaltending.

 

[n8]

Fair. To me it’s the ultimate smoke signal of “I’m just trying to keep my job”.

I can see that as part of the formula. Drury's big mistake was he should have had the extension signed ages ago. Like priority #1 over the summer. I think he played hardball and Igor was GLAD to play along. The rumors of the NHL announcing such a big cap bump was also a factor too giving Igor's camp more leverage.

Connor Hellebuyck signed in 2023 at $8.5M
Jake Oettinger signed two months before Igor at $8.5M
I think the more relevant contract is Andrei Vasilevskiy's who signed back in 2019 for $9.5M

In the end, Igor expressed wanting to be the highest paid goalie ever so we were never going to get him for under $10.75m (Carey Price's previous record AAV was $10.5m). Igor's number is not great but I think some people see $11.5m as some enormous overpayment from what was likely our best case scenario.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

No I watched pretty much every game sadly. I saw a team that didn’t play any defense. Igor had a down year too, it happens. You bitched the same way about Hank who never had a down year so forgive me if I roll my eyes a bit at your analysis of goaltending.

I bitched about Hank for down stretches, Igor had an epically bad year with two mediocre at best years before that. Never has anyone had a better rep off one season and a couple of series he lost.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I bitched about Hank for down stretches, Igor had an epically bad year with two mediocre at best years before that. Never has anyone had a better rep off one season and a couple of series he lost.

Igor is #1 in GSAA over the 3 years he was in the playoffs.

He's more than doubled up (almost tripled up) Adin Hill who is at #2.

I don't think his numbers really captured how bad he was this year and signing him when they did was stupid but his playoff rep is earned. No one has even come close to doing what he's done in the post season. Those series that he lost were not even close to being on him.

 

[McRanger92]

I bitched about Hank for down stretches, Igor had an epically bad year with two mediocre at best years before that. Never has anyone had a better rep off one season and a couple of series he lost.

Igor is a top 5 goalie by ever measure in his mediocre years and always money in the playoffs.

 

[Kendo]

Running backs are right down there with goaltenders.

The parallel is wild. Often my among my favorites, but a volatile position and tricky to commit to. If the rest of your team is solid, then a good, very good, or great one will all do sort of the same thing. And yet a "Just A Guy" will be your downfall if everything else is in place.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Igor is a top 5 goalie by ever measure in his mediocre years and always money in the playoffs.

He absolutely was not this season, not even close

 

[Machinehead]

The parallel is wild. Often my among my favorites, but a volatile position and tricky to commit to. If the rest of your team is solid, then a good, very good, or great one will all do sort of the same thing. And yet a "Just A Guy" will be your downfall if everything else is in place.

Idk I feel like it's a downfall because 31 teams don't win the Cup and we just kind of ignore that a "just a guy" goalie wins the Cup every year.

I think a good, not great running back is necessary. Most teams that win the Cup could win it with their AHL starter. A handful of them did!

 

[Machinehead]

I bitched about Hank for down stretches, Igor had an epically bad year with two mediocre at best years before that. Never has anyone had a better rep off one season and a couple of series he lost.

You know I'm with you on goalies, but what series did he lose?

We haven't outplayed a team in the playoffs since maybe 2015 and the last time we were like, obviously the better team was the 2014 ECF.

Carolina in 2024 is the only series during Igor's career where we've even been close to keeping up with our opponent.

 

[McRanger92]

He absolutely was not this season, not even close

Snow said he was mediocre the last 2 years before this. I agreed that he had a down year this year, and it happens. I’m willing to throw out a lot of the results from this year with guys on this team. Everyone was bad except Cuylle pretty much.