Larry Brooks: Rangers season at crossroads--already

[Raspewtin]

I can't say I disagree with Brooks but god DAMN is this article premature.

 

[bobbop]

So let's see...Monday night we were planning the Stanley Cup parade. Tuesday night we're facing Armegeddon. The truth is somewhere in between.

I'm not getting worked up either way until we've played 10-12 games and start to see how this settles out. If this was January, I would be stringing up the coach. Right now, I'm just not going to get too worked up. That's dangerous at my age.

 

[ponzu4u]

Agreed in that I'm enjoying Brook's stuff a lot less these days.

 

[BBKers]

We’re told by an individual who knows Vigneault very well the coach will address the Rangers’ issues with a stern hand behind closed doors; that he will take an unemotional, tactical approach to correcting the Rangers’ problems.
If the team fails to respond, well, they’re not firing another coach, that’s for sure.

Hate to say so, since I was very much for dumping Tortorella, that I have heard some incredibly negative things about AV the past month. Simply horrible stuff. Cannot elaborate on this really - as I am not in the locker room... I have not yet to comment this here nor on AV as a coach/person on these boards as I feel there has not been enough time to do so yet. HE needs to be given a fair and ample chance with his clean slate and we are far from that here.

I guess that is all I can say for now, but it has been brought forth.

BTW - The source to these comments are 2 professional NHL players that previously have played under AV.

 

[Kwayry]

There will be growing pains while the team adjusts to the system. I will be more interested to see how the team is playing in November.
The game they played against the Kings is how the system is supposed to be played and they played for full 60 minutes, can they sustain that on a consistent basis? That's the question that will be answered in November.
The game against the Ducks is a good test on how they, the players and AV, react to adversity.

 

[RangerBoy]

Zipay is also pressing the panic button

Yes, it's three games into a season with a new coaching staff and a new system.

Struggles were expected. Three of the top six forwards missed training camp and one won't be back until the home opener, around Halloween.

The schedule is ghastly due to the renovations at the Garden. Nine roadies to begin.

And now there's a question about Rick Nash's health after the high hit from Brad Stuart that snapped back his head, drawing a three-game suspension.

Nothing's in synch.

Panic, meet button?

Well, we can say this: The roster won't be the same in November.

Carl Hagelin, for one, will be back. Not that he's a savior, but he'll add speed and forechecking. J.T. Miller and Chris Kreider, you would think, will be up from Hartford to add some legs and grit.

There will be waivers, and maybe a trade, as GM Glen Sather and head coach Alain Vigneault work through the rough spots.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/hocke...angers-evolution-off-to-tough-start-1.6230335

None of this is a surprise.

The Garden renovations. Is the Garden having trouble selling tickets by hawking mini plans on their website? The coaching change and the new system. The injuries to Callahan and Hagelin.

 

[jniklast]

If they stay at, or very close to, .500 for the entire road trip, they are fine standings wise at least.

 

[bubba5]

I love how people say how it's only 3 games into the season. How are they so certain it
Won't get worse? I mean this thing that time will fix everything is not a standard. If they were losing games that they competed fairly well in I get it but they have been outplayed in every game this
Season and preseason. And lets be real. If Quick does not let in that fluke goal in LA, is there a Rangers fan out there that did not expect LA to score on that power play and go on to win that game?

 

[NikC]

If his article serves no other purpose but to wake up certain players and move management to make moves
To harden this lineup.... so be it.

No way a team should lay down like that at anytime in the season. Especially after one of your guys gets a headshot.

Against SJ no less, a team who's captain openly called us soft to the media?!!

Disgraceful. This franchise runs like any corporate PC machine. Maybe they should have hired the head of HR to coach this team.....

 

[GordonGecko]

Yes its early in the season, and its easy to make excuses, but to be blown out like that three games into the season is really bad.

yeah I guess they should be blown out during the run to the playoffs after everyone knows the system, right???

looooooooooooooool

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

No need for the panic in the article, but the underlying themes are 100% spot on -- specifically, the question of if this team is strong enough to succeed with more freedom

 

[Old Blueser]

Seems like the Rangers are rolling three lines of grinders and that's not going to win a lot of games in the NHL. The SJ game felt like Pyatt was on the ice for 20 mins. That's not going to win a lot of games either. Somewhere between Vigneault and Sather they need to make better decisions about who's on the ice. I like Asham, Dorsett, Pyatt, Boyle, etc. ok in certain limited roles, but they should be competing with each other for 4th line minutes not constituting most of your lineup. Where are the younger, faster players? Hagelin will help but he's not the total answer. Vigneault's system requires more overall skill than they are putting out there.

 

[Vickers8]

Uncle Larry takes his role as part of the "withering spotlight" of the New York sports press way too seriously. As if he were covering the Yankees or the Giants.

As always, read him for the scoops - ignore his commentary.

Haven't even played a home game, how could you possibly be at a crossroads, no wonder Torts hated him...

 

[Ail]

No need for the panic in the article, but the underlying themes are 100% spot on -- specifically, the question of if this team is strong enough to succeed with more freedom

The other inconvenient truth being that if they aren't it just solidifies the fact it is the GM, and his roster, not the coaches. Which is actually what has been suspected for years, but will everyone finally be able to accept that maybe this team just isn't as good as it is on paper?

This year will say a lot, imo.

 

[NYR2007]

yeah I guess they should be blown out during the run to the playoffs after everyone knows the system, right???

looooooooooooooool

You guys act like they have been taught defense first hockey since the day they were born. You know these guys have played under many coaches in their career . Hockey is hockey.

You guys wanna make the excuse " new system" are kidding your selves.

These guys should be hungry right now . The season just started. They stopped playing !!

Again that's on leadership and character

 

[pld459666]

Hate to say so, since I was very much for dumping Tortorella, that I have heard some incredibly negative things about AV the past month. Simply horrible stuff. Cannot elaborate on this really - as I am not in the locker room... I have not yet to comment this here nor on AV as a coach/person on these boards as I feel there has not been enough time to do so yet. HE needs to be given a fair and ample chance with his clean slate and we are far from that here.

I guess that is all I can say for now, but it has been brought forth.

BTW - The source to these comments are 2 professional NHL players that previously have played under AV.

Why post the above if you aren't going to state what it is you heard, regardless of who it was from.

"I heard some things....cant really say what it was that I heard, or from whom I heard it, but I heard some things"

REALLY?

 

[True Blue]

Uncle Larry takes his role as part of the "withering spotlight" of the New York sports press way too seriously. As if he were covering the Yankees or the Giants.

As always, read him for the scoops - ignore his commentary.

We all know who Brook is, BRF. But he is right. It is early. And the team is small and not nearly gritty enough. However, the utter lack of effort and the "quit" that was exhibited is alarming. Couple that with not being prepared to play in Phoenix and the sheer lack of hustle that was exhibited that game, it is not too early to be alarmed.

The team would have NEVER played like this under Torts. The players feared stepping onto the ice and not giving 100%. If they did, they would have been either benched, demoted or scratched.

Now, I do not see the fear. The "feel-good" approach of AV does not have the players fearing not to hustle.

The floating has been evident in preaseason and in 2 out of 3 games. Torts was fired because the players decided that he stifles their creativity. Turns out, they do not have the creativity that they thought they did.

 

[mulli25]

Larry panders to a reactionist overdramatic New York fanbase

always has, always will

Pump. The. Brakes.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

This season may not be at a crossroad per se, but the franchise is. Is it more of the same (finish in the bottom four of the East and possibly win a round) or do you stop trying to cut corners and build a team properly?

You could argue that the crossroad came when they fired Tortorella — because everything they had done personnel-wise was to ice a team in his mold.

 

[tailgunner]

I know its 3 games into the season but this was NOT a normal loss...this was a disgrace to the sweater....Callahan is not a leader...after that circus goal was scored someone on the ice should of went over and pummeled this guy...no one did a thing...no one on the bench did anything....remember a few yrs ago when anisimov did that shotgun pump celebration, well what happened? vinny lecavilier went over over and pummeled anisimov and rightly so...our whole bench did nothing...torts would of never stood for this...he would of sent a message on the ice or on the next shift...we stood by like chickens and did nothing...Callahan was quiet like a mouse, that 'C' should be ripped off his chest....messier in that situation would of ko'ed the kid and anyone on the ice...this is a soft pathetic bunch now with a softie coach to go with it

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

We all know who Brook is, BRF. But he is right. It is early. And the team is small and not nearly gritty enough. However, the utter lack of effort and the "quit" that was exhibited is alarming. Couple that with not being prepared to play in Phoenix and the sheer lack of hustle that was exhibited that game, it is not too early to be alarmed.

The team would have NEVER played like this under Torts. The players feared stepping onto the ice and not giving 100%. If they did, they would have been either benched, demoted or scratched.

Now, I do not see the fear. The "feel-good" approach of AV does not have the players fearing not to hustle.

The floating has been evident in preaseason and in 2 out of 3 games. Torts was fired because the players decided that he stifles their creativity. Turns out, they do not have the creativity that they thought they did.

The Torts firing and hiring of AV with the thought that he would take the shackles off his players is reminiscent of Neil Smith, after Messier left and losing out on Joe Sakic, signing Keane and Skrudland (and LaFontaine) and deciding the Rangers were going to be a defensive, trap team. It comes down to the personnel and creating a system that maximizes their strengths.

Look at where AV was coming from? Do you see that kind of offensive talent on this team? What's also concerning is the big knock on AV's Vancouver teams was that were soft. We've seen a soft team so far (outside of the LA game).

It's this team's mindset and demeanor that has carried over from the pre-season that I was alluding to as being a concern. The results in the preseason don't matter. How you go about your business does.

 

[Mikos87]

This season may not be at a crossroad per se, but the franchise is. Is it more of the same (finish in the bottom four of the East and possibly win a round) or do you stop trying to cut corners and build a team properly?

You could argue that the crossroad came when they fired Tortorella — because everything they had done personnel-wise was to ice a team in his mold.

Two seasons ago yes, but not last year, Torts went to the press complaining about the "middle of the lineup" several times.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

The Torts firing and hiring of AV with the thought that he would take the shackles off his players is reminiscent of Neil Smith, after Messier left and losing out on Joe Sakic, signing Keane and Skrudland (and LaFontaine) and deciding the Rangers were going to be a defensive, trap team. It comes down to the personnel and creating a system that maximizes their strengths.

Truth be told, I wish more fans had a historic viewpoint on this matter. The roster construction and downright refusal to strongly commit to a long-term plan has been plaguing this franchise since I can remember.

Instead, far too many people will continue to preach patience for Vigneault, get sick of Vigneault, and turn this into yet another referendum on the coach. How much longer before they get out of that vicious cycle?

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

So let's see...Monday night we were planning the Stanley Cup parade. Tuesday night we're facing Armegeddon. The truth is somewhere in between.

I'm not getting worked up either way until we've played 10-12 games and start to see how this settles out. If this was January, I would be stringing up the coach. Right now, I'm just not going to get too worked up. That's dangerous at my age.

Appreciate the level headed reason. It's easy to get a little wrapped up.

BBKers, interesting stuff.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Two seasons ago yes, but not last year, Torts went to the press complaining about the "middle of the lineup" several times.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.