Post-Game Talk: Rangers @ Lightning: Live from the Lair of Manbearpig

[RangersHank*]

Whether 1/5 or 2/5 Moore has barely 1/10 the points DZ has put up and isn't THAT much of a difference defensively. I think DZ needs a change of scenery but the ONLY reason Moore gets a pass is because he hasn't been here as long. Another 90 games here and he'll be a whipping boy.

Moore is the shiny new toy. He sucks

 

[fredrikstad]

Zucc and Kreider have been the two best forwards. Who would have guessed that this past summer?

Those two and McD are the only three Rangers that make this team worth watching.

BleeedRangerBlue and SignBluesOnBroadway? ;O)

 

[smoneil]

speaking of which, looks like MDZ is scratched tomorrow:

http://snyrangersblog.com/2013-14/read-the-defense-for-tomorrow-isnt-sethenrik-lundqvist-in-net/

Have they changed the article since this afternoon? The link you posted says that the defense isn't set yet.

As for Del Zotto, I am completely baffled by how they are handling the situation with him. You are correct. Del Zotto does have a longer track record in this league, and that track record shows that, when used properly (ie- in the right system and on the left side), Michael Del Zotto can be a regular 35-40 point defenseman. We haven't had many of those in the last ten years (and it ain't from lack of trying).

People have tried to claim that the fall-off started last year. It didn't. For the first half of last season, Del Zotto was our best defenseman (period--he was even better than McD at the start of the year right out of the lockout). Then he picked up a hernia.

A player doesn't go from developing star D to trash in one off-season. I don't know what it is, but there are plenty of possibilities. It could be a confidence issue (repeated scratchings when worse players have been dressed, trashed by coach in the media, CONSTANT trade rumors). It could be playing on his off side (which has exacerbated an issue I've had with how they have developed MDZ from the start. Almost every other D, you can give a name or two for their regular partner. McD and Girardi. Staal and Stral. Staal and Girardi. Now try and figure out MDZ. He's had about a dozen partners since he came into the league, and I think the most consistent was Sauer, who was with him for about 20% of a season). It could be lingering issues with his hernia surgery (I don't think so, but hey, every time Cally and Nash suck, this board assumes they are hurt, even when they state otherwise). It could just be a down year--they happen.

If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that the biggest two issues have been playing his off side (he isn't a good enough skater to adjust quickly enough over on the right. It's why he has so much trouble keeping the puck in the zone on the right) and the new man to man defense. If the latter IS an issue, I don't understand why AV doesn't just adjust his system to suit his new players. MDZ, Staal and Girardi have all thrived while playing zone D and they look significantly worse in the new system (particularly Staal). McD looks better in the new system, and Stralman has generally looked better as well (though he was struggling a bit the last few games before he got hurt), but they (particularly McD) also did quite well in the zone.

It just seems like idiotic asset management to move a guy (who, just a year and a half ago, was getting Norris votes) for peanuts. Why not try going back to Zone D? 3/4's of our top 5 defense played much better in that system (not calling for a full return to Torts hockey--just the zone D).

 

[I Eat Crow]

^

That would make too much sense. Surely there's a way to play zone D and be quick on the breakout. In fact, wouldn't it be easier, since you would generally know where everyone on the ice is since they're assigned to a zone? My team plays zone D and while we're not the most talented, we usually know where to find each other. Man D causes too much running around in your own zone, and if someone is able to steal the puck, you never know where to find anyone.

Am I crazy and way off base here?

Tortorella adjusted his "Safe is Death" mantra, why can't AV make an adjustment?

 

[smoneil]

Whether 1/5 or 2/5 Moore has barely 1/10 the points DZ has put up and isn't THAT much of a difference defensively. I think DZ needs a change of scenery but the ONLY reason Moore gets a pass is because he hasn't been here as long. Another 90 games here and he'll be a whipping boy.

No need to wait 90 games. It's already starting. Connor Allen has stolen the new shiny shell (Allen didn't embarrass himself or anything, but he has 7 votes in this poll. That's absurd).

The biggest difference between MDZ and Moore is that MDZ has a positive track record. He's been inconsistent this season (while really struggling with his offense), but he has enough games where we can see that this level of play is an aberration. There is something that can be fixed because we have seen him do much better for extended periods of time. Moore? He had a decent stretch of 13 games when he came over from Columbus last season. He was nothing before that, and he's been nothing since. Not ready to give up on him as an NHL player or anything, but I haven't seen anything that would give him close to the value that MDZ has earned.

Again, there is still time for him to figure things out, but there was a fairly decent sized portion of this fanbase that had him listed as one of our few "untouchable" players. He just doesn't seem that special to me. Never has. If he wants a long NHL career, he should stick to Stralman. I can't see Moore ever putting up enough production to be a legit offensive defenseman. He needs to learn how to use his skating to be a good possession defenseman.

 

[Machinehead]

Everyone here knows MDZ isn't my favorite, but at this point I think scratching him and leaving Moore in should be punishable by law.

Not only is MDZ > Moore, but MDZ has had a decent stretch here and it seems like Moore is on the ice for every goal against. So its not as if you can even argue he'd be playing the hot hand; quite the opposite in fact.

 

[Idlerlee]

Everyone here knows MDZ isn't my favorite, but at this point I think scratching him and leaving Moore in should be punishable by law.

Not only is MDZ > Moore, but MDZ has had a decent stretch here and it seems like Moore is on the ice for every goal against. So its not as if you can even argue he'd be playing the hot hand; quite the opposite in fact.

This. For all DZ's faults, I genuinely think he's been decent lately. Moore on the other hand has more than one crime of hockey to answer for.

OT: Where is the GDT Loffen

 

[OverTheCap]

My issue with Moore is that he really isn't doing anything offensively. I'm more inclined to live with defensive gaffes if he can put up some points every now and then. Nice skater, but it hasn't translated offensively and he has been very mediocre on both sides of the ice.