Second impressions of Marty St. Louis (Mod warning in OP)

[aufheben]

I did not think he was good last night. Stats don't tell the whole story, he made a very nice pass to Stepan IIRC, but -1 with 1 ****ing shot on goal, and that penalty at the end of the game? Boyle, Dorsett, and D. Moore each had 3 shots in significantly less TOI.

He and Nash each had 1 shot on goal. Everyone else except Klein had at least 2. There's definitely been some games where he's looked great.

Dude has 4 shots in the last 5 games. 0 points. Beaver Brad had like 5 shots just last night. You wanna score Marty, you need more than 1 damn shot every game.

 

[Lexus Dog]

Personally - and this is around the same time we got St. Louis - it would have been much better if we picked up Frazer McLaren off of waivers, and kept Cally (even if not re-signing him in offseason he's good for stretch run).

McLaren would have provided the physicality and toughness we are lacking. You can tell teams aren't afraid of the Rangers and a big body guy like McLaren who can bang and check hard in deep would help a ton I think.

As far as St. Louis the stats speak for themselves. The guy has totally lost it and I wasn't for acquiring a 38-year-old in the first place. There's a slim chance he picks it up for the playoffs but I'm not holding my breath. At least Zuccarello would be back.

 

[RGY]

MSL needs to step up his game, needs to produce.

 

[Leonardo87]

Exactly.

Not executing is one thing.

Not executing for lack of effort is another.

Not executing for lack of effort, and then not caring, is another still, and it's by far the worst.

MSL falls into the first category IMO. Same as Hank on that last goal last night for example. It sucked that he let in such a softie, but we know Hank (as an athlete) enough to know that he didn't fall short by lack of effort, and enough to know that he's harder on himself than anyone.

MSL is trying, and you can tell that he's pissed off that he's failing. People with that attitude, and the skill to back it up, don't stay down for long.

1 shot on goal like in the last several games is not exactly showing an effort. He needs to be stepping up his game, he is just gliding out there, with not making anything happen, except taking penalties in crucial moments.

 

[haveandare]

1 shot on goal like in the last several games is not exactly showing an effort. He needs to be stepping up his game, he is just gliding out there, with not making anything happen, except taking penalties in crucial moments.

I disagree that he's gliding out there.

I'm not happy with his play, but it doesn't need to be a binary between scoring/being awesome and not scoring/ being terrible. He's not scoring, and it's frustrating as hell, but he's not been an bad player by any means in my opinion. He needs to score though and he will.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Personally - and this is around the same time we got St. Louis - it would have been much better if we picked up Frazer McLaren off of waivers, and kept Cally (even if not re-signing him in offseason he's good for stretch run).

McLaren would have provided the physicality and toughness we are lacking. You can tell teams aren't afraid of the Rangers and a big body guy like McLaren who can bang and check hard in deep would help a ton I think.

As far as St. Louis the stats speak for themselves. The guy has totally lost it and I wasn't for acquiring a 38-year-old in the first place. There's a slim chance he picks it up for the playoffs but I'm not holding my breath. At least Zuccarello would be back.

Where exactly would McClaren play? Our fourth line has been our most consistent line. We're going to break that up to get some toughness? What?

 

[Lexus Dog]

Where exactly would McClaren play? Our fourth line has been our most consistent line. We're going to break that up to get some toughness? What?

I was talking back then. I agree with you the 4th line is great I wouldn't do anything to it now.

 

[RGY]

Personally - and this is around the same time we got St. Louis - it would have been much better if we picked up Frazer McLaren off of waivers, and kept Cally (even if not re-signing him in offseason he's good for stretch run).

McLaren would have provided the physicality and toughness we are lacking. You can tell teams aren't afraid of the Rangers and a big body guy like McLaren who can bang and check hard in deep would help a ton I think.

As far as St. Louis the stats speak for themselves. The guy has totally lost it and I wasn't for acquiring a 38-year-old in the first place. There's a slim chance he picks it up for the playoffs but I'm not holding my breath. At least Zuccarello would be back.

The stats speak for themselves? He became our points leader when we traded for him. Lost it? 12 games and hes lost what? I hate mindless posts like these.

 

[SA16]

As I posted in the post game thread:

He already had a stretch of 12 games earlier this year from Oct 20 to Nov 22 where he had 1 goal and 6 assists.

He had a stretch last year where he 1 goal from Jan 22 to Feb 26 (17 games). He still finished that year with 17 in 48.

He had a stretch the year before where he had 2 goals in 15 games (11/17 to 10/10). That same year he had a stretch of 13 games with 0 goals. Still ended up with 25.

The year before that he had a stretch of 1 goal in 14 games (1/15 to 2/19 and that was in a 31 goal 99 point season!

If your argument he has lost it because he isn't scoring now then it only follows that if you watched him each year for the past 3 years at some point you would have made that same conclusion and been proven wrong time and time again.

 

[MrClutch86]

Once he gets one they will start coming.
I do think he was carried by the speed in TB and the system.

 

[The Macho King]

MSL is not a left winger. The Rangers. Nash and Zuccarello are not left wingers. Roster building for dummies.

Not trying to pile on, just informing. MSL can play either wing pretty well, so that shouldn't be a huge problem. MSL has somethings that you'll live and die with. He will make some high risk passes that when they work leave you with your jaw on the ground, but when they don't leave you cursing at the TV. The blind drop pass is the one that gave me the biggest headaches, especially as he was carrying the puck up on the PP. Defensively he's never been elite, but he's normally never outright bad (just less than good). As far as whether Palat-Johnson were carrying him - I think that's an over simplification, but there's some truth. They fit together really well - All have really good speed, so they were dangerous on the rush, and both TJ and Palat are strong in the corners (surprising for TJ since he's so small, but he gives zero ****s), which helped open up some space for Marty. It also helped that all three were willing to shoot, which helped open up more space. The penalties? That's weird - he normally has like... five penalties a season, and it's the last thing I'd expect to hear people complaining about with him.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

Once he gets one they will start coming.
I do think he was carried by the speed in TB and the system.

The Rangers are a pretty speedy team when they want to be. With a puck possession system constructed to play to strengths of players like MSL. Last year I wouldn't have been so surprised but this is downright shocking. Then again, we really do have trouble finishing plays, and if we didn't, MSL could have 7 or 8 points for us right now.

 

[TheDirtyH]

The Rangers are a pretty speedy team when they want to be. With a puck possession system constructed to play to strengths of players like MSL. Last year I wouldn't have been so surprised but this is downright shocking. Then again, we really do have trouble finishing plays, and if we didn't, MSL could have 7 or 8 points for us right now.

Main difference I see between our speed and Tampa's is that they skate the puck through the neutral zone, and gain the offensive zone with speed. There have been points this season where we've moved the puck really efficiently, but even through this win streak I've been totally unimpressed with our defensemen. Tampa's back end is in no way as defensively capable, but they're mobile and make clean, efficient breakout passes that send their forwards in with speed. Instead, we usually gain zone time in the corners through our forecheck, which is great and great to do, just gives way to a completely different offensive strategy.

 

[One Winged Angel]

Main difference I see between our speed and Tampa's is that they skate the puck through the neutral zone, and gain the offensive zone with speed. There have been points this season where we've moved the puck really efficiently, but even through this win streak I've been totally unimpressed with our defensemen. Tampa's back end is in no way as defensively capable, but they're mobile and make clean, efficient breakout passes that send their forwards in with speed. Instead, we usually gain zone time in the corners through our forecheck, which is great and great to do, just gives way to a completely different offensive strategy.

Great post.

However, still doesn't exactly cover MSL's ass. He simply needs to be better.

He's not just an average NHL'er, this is a guy that might be a hall of famer when it's said and done. He can learn to adjust. Look at the way Brassard and Clowe played when they came over last year.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

This is predictable. One loss after a 5 game winning streak.

He wasn't noticeable? I noticed him a lot last night. Particularly the waived off goal, another shot Ramo made a nice save on, and a few pretty nice passes. If you want to say he is not producing, okay fair enough, he's snake bit, but not noticeable?

In his tenure here, he's been largely unnoticeable.

He was supposed to b a difference maker and he's made no difference. And he has one point for every asset the Rangers gave up to get him.

How can anyone really defend him at this point or at any point unti he starts producing?

 

[Thirty One]

I don't think anyone is happy with the way he's playing, but to say he needs to justify the price immediately is a little silly, IMO.

The price the Rangers paid doesn't change the laws of random distribution or the fact that he's adjusting to a new atmosphere.

His point total is low. It could easily be double what it is with no change from him.

And just a pet peeve of mine, but saying you don't notice him is a reflection of you, not him.

 

[aufheben]

In his tenure here, he's been largely unnoticeable.

He was supposed to b a difference maker and he's made no difference. And he has one point for every asset the Rangers gave up to get him.

How can anyone really defend him at this point or at any point unti he starts producing?

Yep. There were a few games where he really made his presence felt, but not enough.

 

[Wolfy*]

This is all I can say about Marty...

 

[slipknottin]

His point total is low. It could easily be double what it is with no change from him.

So 6 points in twelve games? And that's supposed to be impressive?

 

[Thirty One]

So 6 points in twelve games? And that's supposed to be impressive?

No. But it's not 3 points.

 

[ThisYearsModel]

In his tenure here, he's been largely unnoticeable.

He was supposed to b a difference maker and he's made no difference. And he has one point for every asset the Rangers gave up to get him.

How can anyone really defend him at this point or at any point unti he starts producing?

This. The guy is not a difference maker at all so far. I am one of the fans that dislikes Sather throwing away picks, which he has done 2 consecutive deadlines in a row for, so far, no return. Would anyone trade 2#2's and a #3, plus a #1 and a #2 for a Ryane Clowe rental and 18 months of MSL?

 

[SKjEi o2]

This. The guy is not a difference maker at all so far. I am one of the fans that dislikes Sather throwing away picks, which he has done 2 consecutive deadlines in a row for, so far, no return. Would anyone trade 2#2's and a #3, plus a #1 and a #2 for a Ryane Clowe rental and 18 months of MSL?

That's skewd. We now know that Clowe's brain is mush. Back then it was not an issue. And we also gave up Callahan in the St. Louis trade.

 

[KingWantsCup]

Hey Marty



Really though he's going through basically what Iginla went through last year. Guy played for a century on one team then gets traded and is expected to seamlessly fit in. It's gonna take time.

 

[LittleKev6D9]

13th Impression of St. Louis - He didn't score a goal.

 

[Leonardo87]

13th Impression of St. Louis - He didn't score a goal.

Well technically he did, but then it was called off since this is not a Soccer league.