Post-Game Talk: Rangers @ Jets 3/14/13 - Tort-O-Rella

[HatTrick Swayze]

What I learned from this thread:

It's perfectly ok to criticize a 19 y/o kid for turnovers and missed scoring chances.

But the team's 7.5M scorer who is barely showing a pulse should be free of all negative remarks.

 

[Jabroni]

Don't know why Gaby didn't just shoot on the penalty shot.

 

[*Bob Richards*]

What I learned from this thread:

It's perfectly ok to criticize a 19 y/o kid for turnovers and missed scoring chances.

But the team's 7.5M scorer who is barely showing a pulse should be free of all negative remarks.

Is this serious?

 

[nevesis]

Everyone needs to relax.

Please do yourselves a favor and look at the Flyers record right now. If that was us, I would truly be concerned, but as long as we are above .500 and start winning a few games, we can easily get right back on track.

This happens to every team in every season. You go through rough periods. Its pulls you together and makes you a tighter unit.

There are lots of problems with this team right now, and not all teams are perfect.

I look at it this way...

This year is HOUSE MONEY. 48 game season following a lockout? Whatever man...

Whatever happens this year, happens. Next year, with a full 82 game season will be the true test of whether or not we can make something good. Hopefully with some dead weight cut, and new players added who can score goals.

I want to see the team do well and be successful this season, but if they don't I won't be as upset as I was last year after that entire 82 game ride, and going all the way to the ECF, one game away from the SCF. That hurt, and took a long time to get over.

This season (however it turns out) will hopefully be a good test to show what direction the team is heading for the near future.

I am hoping for a compliance buy out of Brad Richards during the summer. Dump that horrible contract, and sign someone who can actually skate, and make plays. All he was is a big name star that is physically and mentally finished. Torts doesn't agree, but he needs to realize, this isn't 2004 anymore.

A few other tweaks here and there (especially in regards to secondary scoring) and I think we have a great team.

Tortorella does not need to be fired, he will be here at the end of this year, and for all of next season. (barring a complete collapse) But he needs to change up the way this team plays. He is a good coach, and great motivator, but his stubbornness in areas, and MOAR JAM/GRIND style gets old quick. You need that in your game, but it can't be your entire game either. That style needs to compliment an offensive attack, not be your entire game plan night in, night out.

Bottom line, relax everyone. Just be happy hockey is back, and lets hope this team can start to get hot at the right time and go on a run.

Does everyone remember Los Angeles last year? They were the 8th and final playoff spot. Got hot at the right time, and won the Stanley Cup. It can happen to anyone. The only thing we can do is hope for the best.

 

[WhiskeyDeke]

The true Rangers fan motto: "Just wait til' Next year, man..."

 

[NYR Viper]

Everyone needs to relax.

Please do yourselves a favor and look at the Flyers record right now. If that was us, I would truly be concerned, but as long as we are above .500 and start winning a few games, we can easily get right back on track.

This happens to every team in every season. You go through rough periods. Its pulls you together and makes you a tighter unit.

There are lots of problems with this team right now, and not all teams are perfect.

I look at it this way...

This year is HOUSE MONEY. 48 game season following a lockout? Whatever man...

Whatever happens this year, happens. Next year, with a full 82 game season will be the true test of whether or not we can make something good. Hopefully with some dead weight cut, and new players added who can score goals.

I want to see the team do well and be successful this season, but if they don't I won't be as upset as I was last year after that entire 82 game ride, and going all the way to the ECF, one game away from the SCF. That hurt, and took a long time to get over.

This season (however it turns out) will hopefully be a good test to show what direction the team is heading for the near future.

I am hoping for a compliance buy out of Brad Richards during the summer. Dump that horrible contract, and sign someone who can actually skate, and make plays. All he was is a big name star that is physically and mentally finished. Torts doesn't agree, but he needs to realize, this isn't 2004 anymore.

A few other tweaks here and there (especially in regards to secondary scoring) and I think we have a great team.

Tortorella does not need to be fired, he will be here at the end of this year, and for all of next season. (barring a complete collapse) But he needs to change up the way this team plays. He is a good coach, and great motivator, but his stubbornness in areas, and MOAR JAM/GRIND style gets old quick. You need that in your game, but it can't be your entire game either. That style needs to compliment an offensive attack, not be your entire game plan night in, night out.

Bottom line, relax everyone. Just be happy hockey is back, and lets hope this team can start to get hot at the right time and go on a run.

Does everyone remember Los Angeles last year? They were the 8th and final playoff spot. Got hot at the right time, and won the Stanley Cup. It can happen to anyone. The only thing we can do is hope for the best.

Not to be a jerk, but when is it okay to start making changes/panic? The Rangers are 2 points out of 8th, true. They are also 8 points out of last in the East. They are 12 points behind Pittsburgh for 1st in the division.

Not a good place to be. At all.

 

[WeWillWinTonight]

5 points out of 14th as well.

With permanent ink on your body you should be more positive

 

[WeWillWinTonight]

It's only a " game in hand " if you win it

So don't watch if you know what's going to happen

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I've been extremely patient with the Rangers and even-keeled regarding the ups and downs thus far, but the last two losses are troublesome. However you want to spin it, lockout hurting certain players, no training camp, player turnover, etc... this isn't the same team as last year. I think that's more than painfully obvious now.

Last year there was a "feeling" that was with this team. Even with losses. They had an identity. Watching this team is like watching an 8 year old in a swimming pool for the first time - timid, frightened and always on the wall. Specifically Gaborik, who probably had the game on his stick, not once - but twice. If hes strong on the puck, there isn't a need to go to center ice for a penalty shot. But theres no play in the middle of the ice, none. The past two games have been incredibly drab, it seems like the same shift over and over and over again.

The blame needs to be spread around, and the coach is part of it, but I cant put it all on him. Glen Sather constructed this team, and as much as we want to believe that guys like Richards and Gaborik will suddenly snap back into top form - its a sad truth that these guys are just average forwards right now. And thats all Torts has to parade out there. If you want to put blame somewhere, put it at the feet of the architect. We can make excuses for these players all we want, but the fact of the matter is Sather's decisions havent panned out well - at least up to this point - and the shelf life of those decisions are expiring. (Again). Other support players value like Fedetenko's, Prust's and Mitchell's - probably shouldve been examined a little closer.

We had our shot last year and we missed the boat. Its looking more and more like Sather should have spilled the beans and picked up Nash then. I hate to sound this way because its very unlike me but I believe that now. To make matters worse it was a defeat at the hand of the Devils, which stings more from an historical perspective.

On a side note, I think what we are seeing is how important Marc Staal is to this franchise. His presence is sorely missed both in the defensive zone in front, on the walls and springing a rush up ice.

Am I being over-emotional? Maybe. But im not liking what im seeing and it doesnt seem to be getting better. There are players that are underperforming big time on this club and its a real shame because a kid like Stepan is coming into his own with points in what, 8-9 straight? Imagine in the Gabbys and Richards of the world were being themselves... Im sick of the Rangers being the same ole Rangers. And to top it all off - they lose two in a row and now have to go to Pittsburgh, thats the birthday present the Rangers gave me last night...

 

[nevesis]

Not to be a jerk, but when is it okay to start making changes/panic? The Rangers are 2 points out of 8th, true. They are also 8 points out of last in the East. They are 12 points behind Pittsburgh for 1st in the division.

Not a good place to be. At all.

Read the last sentence of my post. It doesn't matter where you are in the standings, as long as you're one of the 8 teams. Refer back to L.A. of last year. They were 8th in the conference and went all the way with an anemic power-play.

Its a crapshoot once you get to the playoffs. Any team can get hot, go on a streak and win the cup. It can happen with us too.

You start to panic when you become what the Flyers are right now.

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

Everyone needs to relax.

Please do yourselves a favor and look at the Flyers record right now. If that was us, I would truly be concerned, but as long as we are above .500 and start winning a few games, we can easily get right back on track.

This happens to every team in every season. You go through rough periods. Its pulls you together and makes you a tighter unit.

I don't know. They look awful. Their offense last night was unwatchable. They didn't know what to do with the puck. Their passing was weak. All they did in the O-zone is dump it randomly behind the net, effectively giving possession back to the Jets.

That was hard to watch. Especially after the Buffalo game.

How much of this is the coach and how much the players? And how much the other team? It didn't seem like the Jets were playing great, but at least they could hold the puck from time to time and get real pressure. The Rangers got nothing.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

The lack of offense is frustrating to say the least, but the lack of any scoring threat or even a scoring chance on the bottom lines is outright unacceptable for a team that finished in 1st in the Conference last season.

For me, that has nothing to with the coach or the players.

 

[Dorado*]

So don't watch if you know what's going to happen

Yeah now that's great . State a fact about a game in hand being a bullet in you gun only If its won and you answer don't watch . Ok super fan whatever you say .

 

[Trxjw]

Wasn't this the part of the season where the team was supposed to be hitting it's stride? Ya know, when Richards shook off the rust from doing nothing all summer, Gaborik got his shoulder back in shape, Torts nailed down the line combinations, and Hank was back to his old self?

Nothing I see with this team really inspires confidence as a fan. Last year we lived and died by Hank, and this year we seem to live and die by Nash. What gives?

 

[NYR Viper]

They don't really have many players who can go out there and change the momentum or gain momentum by having a big hit or something like that. It's been missing all season.

 

[nevesis]

I don't know. They look awful. Their offense last night was unwatchable. They didn't know what to do with the puck. Their passing was weak. All they did in the O-zone is dump it randomly behind the net, effectively giving possession back to the Jets.

That was hard to watch. Especially after the Buffalo game.

How much of this is the coach and how much the players? And how much the other team? It didn't seem like the Jets were playing great, but at least they could hold the puck from time to time and get real pressure. The Rangers got nothing.

The coach teaches a system, and the players have to play it. They have to follow orders. Unfortunately, I wish we played a more attack style, and took more offensive chances because we have the best goalie in the league, and a quality defense, but Tortorella is smart enough to know we aren't offensively talented enough to play that style. So he is forming a style that fits what the majority of the talent is on this team. Grind the other team down, and have our offensive talent take advantage of the other teams mistakes. When that doesn't happen, we lose.

 

[Kreider Typical]

Don't know why Gaby didn't just shoot on the penalty shot.

clearly was settling the puck 2 feet or after losing it 3 feet out

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

The coach teaches a system, and the players have to play it. They have to follow orders. Unfortunately, I wish we played a more attack style, and took more offensive chances because we have the best goalie in the league, and a quality defense, but Tortorella is smart enough to know we aren't offensively talented enough to play that style. So he is forming a style that fits what the majority of the talent is on this team. Grind the other team down, and have our offensive talent take advantage of the other teams mistakes. When that doesn't happen, we lose.

Agree, when odd man rushes, breakaways and penalty shots present themselves (on your star players sticks nonetheless) you have to capitalize. That goes for any system.

 

[cjc5103]

Back to the standard New York Ranger teams who can't score any goals.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Wasn't this the part of the season where the team was supposed to be hitting it's stride? Ya know, when Richards shook off the rust from doing nothing all summer, Gaborik got his shoulder back in shape, Torts nailed down the line combinations, and Hank was back to his old self?

Nothing I see with this team really inspires confidence as a fan. Last year we lived and died by Hank, and this year we seem to live and die by Nash. What gives?

In fairness to Hank, I think hes been his old self for a solid 15 games now. He was fantastic last night and the only reason that game was 2-1 for a while.

The other guys flat out stink, and the bottom 6, which Sather decided not to pay much attention to at all, has stunk too.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

They don't really have many players who can go out there and change the momentum or gain momentum by having a big hit or something like that. It's been missing all season.

I knew losing Prust would be a big hit to this team, but his presence may have been taken for granted here. He did all of that and and he did it at the right time.

 

[NYR Viper]

I knew losing Prust would be a big hit to this team, but his presence may have been taken for granted here. He did all of that and and he did it at the right time.

It wasn't just Prust though. Losing Dubinsky I think hurt in that department as well. And losing Rupp, while he was not a good hockey player, didn't help the situation.

The team needs 2-3 bottom-6ers who can drop the gloves and turn the momentum with a hit or create a spark.

Haley, right now, is all that is there and he has not been consistent.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

The other guys flat out stink, and the bottom 6, which Sather decided not to pay much attention to at all, has stunk too.

So true. The lack of foresight here has really hurt the Rangers.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

The coach teaches a system, and the players have to play it. They have to follow orders. Unfortunately, I wish we played a more attack style, and took more offensive chances because we have the best goalie in the league, and a quality defense, but Tortorella is smart enough to know we aren't offensively talented enough to play that style. So he is forming a style that fits what the majority of the talent is on this team. Grind the other team down, and have our offensive talent take advantage of the other teams mistakes. When that doesn't happen, we lose.

See, I dont think thats it. I dont think the majority of this team has the will or the ability to grind it out - especially the way last year's team did. They took pride in it.

This team is stuck in between and wondering what it should do. Sure, part of that is on Torts.

Part of it is on Richards and Gaborik for playing like **** when they played well in the same system last season.

A lot of it is on Sather for creating a bottom 6 that is a straight up debacle.

My point is theres plenty of blame to go around - so when I see the constant harping on one person (usually the coach) as some sort of magic bullet to fix things, it just comes off as nonsensical whining.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

It wasn't just Prust though. Losing Dubinsky I think hurt in that department as well. And losing Rupp, while he was not a good hockey player, didn't help the situation.

The team needs 2-3 bottom-6ers who can drop the gloves and turn the momentum with a hit or create a spark.

Haley, right now, is all that is there and he has not been consistent.

Agree. And Feds, And Mitchell... while they didnt drop them could score and make up for that lack of energy.

Can we have our old team back please?

I still make that deal for Nash 1,000 times though. For me its just Sather not finding creative ways to build depth on this team. Some are ragging on Miller. While I love the kid - if Sather makes the right moves he's in Hartford all season.