Softest team in the NHL

[Kel Varnsen]

Speaking of myths growing, how about the one where the coach will be able to unleash some sort of offensive machine when the roster doesn't contain players of that sort.

Renney was holding back the offense (and lost the team) . Torts was going to take the constraints off. Then Torts was holding back the offense (and lost the team). Now AV is going to foster this offensive juggernaut.

No way that Torts went from "safe is death", to a defense first approach because the lineup dictated that that would be the only way to win. It's definitely that Torts and Renney just didn't like scoring goals or playing offense. Hell, Torts didn't even practice offense he hated watching it so much. That's why he quit his job in Tampa, he was getting sick watching all that offense.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Exactly! This team as presently constructed looks more and more like a 10th seed and no playoffs unless their "Teflon GM" grows some balls and pulls off a one sided blockbuster trade for say, an Evander Kane!

They don't have the pieces to get a player like Evander Kane.

 

[OverTheCap]

Exactly. Where around the league do you see any team, let alone a successful one spoonfeeding icetime to young players despite not producing past a healthy scratch rate? And people want that player in a top 6 role?

Look at Chicago's Jeremy Morin, a former USA WJC player who shattered 30g barrier in just 67 GP in AHL season, plays the same position as Kreider, just as fast. Do you see the Blackhawks contemplating to place him on their first line? Absolutely not.

Heck, look at the Rangers roster over the years. Did Callahan or Anisimov start in the top 6? Dubinsky quickly got moved into the top 6 with Jagr, but that's because he was producing in the minors and was playing well in the bottom 6 to earn that promotion. Hagelin started on a line with John Mitchell and got moved into the top line role, only to never look back. Kreider has done absolutely nothing to warrant top line or top 6 minutes.

The irony here is that people are expecting THE Alain Vigneault to change things up with prospects when he is in fact one of the toughest coaches on young players. See Grabner, Hodgson, Kassian, Schroeder.

Agreed, it even took Stepan some time to play in the top 6 consistently. He played a lot on the 3rd line during his rookie year and found himself in the bottom 6 in the 2011-12 playoffs in his second NHL year.

A young player always has to earn his minutes. But, not surprisingly, I have seen some Rangers fans suggest that Kreider's pedigree and potential is reason alone for his placement in the top 6 or even the 1st line. It's a ridiculous notion.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

They don't have the pieces to get a player like Evander Kane.

Unless you try, you never know. How about starting with a package built around DZ, Boyle, Miller and/or Kreider +pick(s) for Kane? Possibly expand it to try and pry Begosian loose? Food for thought!

Most of the really good teams have management that is significantly more proactive than our's is.

 

[chosen]

It's much easier, faster, and fan-friendly to blame the coach. He's not a Ranger.

Torts had a pretty damn awful season, but it's not like the team gave him any help.

The awful season by Torts was better than about 75% of all the coaches.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

They don't have the pieces to get a player like Evander Kane.

Del Zotto, Boyle, Zuccarello, Pyatt, Powe, Asham......and a 5th.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

The awful season by Torts was better than about 75% of all the coaches.

Exactly. As the summer drags on, I sense there will be a "tempuring of the high expectations a coaching change will have on a flawed roster."

 

[Orr Nightmare]

I know you like him, but you used to complain that he shouldn't be fighting the big guys and that we needed heavyweights to fight Prust's fights.

This is where you and I fundamentally disagree. I love Prust too, and see no need to bring in guys just to fight. What made Prust valuable was that he offered other things. A lot of the players you are fond of only fight. In today's NHL, they are worse than useless, because they take up roster spots and when the games get big, they don't dress anyway, as you have already pointed out.

Really, I am fond of Milan Lucic, Ryan Clowe, James Neal, Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, the list goes on and on and on...Messier, Graves, Buekeboom, Scott Stevens, Wayne Gretzky, Jarri Kurri, Mike Gartner, Pat Verbeek, the list goes on and on and on.

Did I like Prust fighting heavies? No. He was too valuable to the team...that is why I would have ideally liked to have a guy like Shawn Thornton on the team. When the Ducks didn't resign Thornton...i was hoping the Rangers signed him but I got lambasted

 

[Bluenote13]

Del Zotto, Boyle, Zuccarello, Pyatt, Powe, Asham......and a 5th.

What also makes me shake my head is all the Kreider mentions in trade 'proposals' around here. You don't trade that kid right now, that'd be a big mistake. We are all in with him at this point.

 

[Dagoon44]

Kreider is the next John LaClair you don't dare trade him .. People wake up

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

What also makes me shake my head is all the Kreider mentions in trade 'proposals' around here. You don't trade that kid right now, that'd be a big mistake. We are all in with him at this point.

I agree, and this is coming from someone who has unfairly been labeled a Kreider hater just for criticizing his performance (or lack thereof) last season. He seemed to gain some semblance of a footing late in the playoffs. Hopefully he carries that momentum into next season.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

Kreider is the next John LaClair you don't dare trade him .. People wake up

There is nothing remotely resembling John LeClair in Chris Kreider's game. While I believe he can become a very good goal scorer, LeClair was a great goal scorer!
You need to lower your expectations a little.

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

There is nothing remotely resembling John LeClair in Chris Kreider's game. While I believe he can become a very good goal scorer, LeClair was a great goal scorer!
You need to lower your expectations a little.

John LeClair was one of the best American born players of all time. Kreider will never sniff 50 goals in a year.

 

[Mikos87]

John LeClair was one of the best American born players of all time. Kreider will never sniff 50 goals in a year.

LeClair was also one of the worst skaters in the dead puck era, and that is saying something. Guy was willing to park himself in front, pay a price, and use his hands to score.

 

[eco's bones]

I'm a big Kreider fan but you trade him dependent on what you get back. It's just that unless you're getting some really excellent young stud or a legit fairly young 1st liner (like in the case of the Silfverberg + for Ryan deal) there's no point at all and those kind of deals aren't very likely to happen--so the best thing is to stick with Chris and hope he'll become an impact player sooner rather than later.

 

[TheDirtyH]

The good thing about that line it makes it easy to tell who knows nothing about the Rangers and/or hockey.

And comments like this make it very easy to tell who is obnoxious and pompous and who isn't.

For the record, I was very disappointed that Torts was fired and I do agree that he was not the reason for our lack of firepower. I was only commenting on the fact that while he certainly adjusted to the roster he had, and did a great job getting us more wins than we deserved, he did have to play a system dedicated to capitalizing on other teams' mistakes, not taking risks of our own. Do I think AV is the "solution" to everything? No. All I'm saying is that we should call a spade a spade: this roster is not built to score in bundles, but I never saw Torts trying for that, and I do believe there is potential and room for improvement, if only because moving away for Tort's style may lead to a healthier team.

 

[Punxrocknyc19*]

John LeClair was one of the best American born players of all time. Kreider will never sniff 50 goals in a year.

still shocked he isnt in the hall of fame yet and his number isnt retired by the Flyers.

 

[eco's bones]

LeClair was a very good offensive player. He blossomed after the Canadiens sent him to the Flyers and the Flyers put him on a line with Lindros. LeClair was an average at best skater. A huge and very strong player with good hands and a great release and extremely hard to move away from the front of the net when he set up there. He would have a more difficult time playing today. He'd be more like Ryane Clowe only less physical in a pro-active sense. Clowe will look for the big hit and will drop the gloves no problem. LeClair wasn't really like that.

I think Kreider's still trying to figure out just what kind of player he's going to be. He is a tremendous skater though and considering his size that's bordering on freakish. I've got the sense he's still figuring out the game at the pro level. It's the main thing holding him back and it's the main reason Tortorella didn't trust him.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

still shocked he isnt in the hall of fame yet and his number isnt retired by the Flyers.

Because he's not a Hall of Famer. And I liked LeClair.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

John LeClair was one of the best American born players of all time. Kreider will never sniff 50 goals in a year.

Exactly. While I like Kreider and I believe if he finally get's it by playing hard and smart enough, he can become a legit 1st line player with 25-30 goal potential but classifying him as the next John LeClair is ridiculous and an insult to LeClair who scored 50 twice and was part of one of the best lines in the last 30 years in the NHL!

 

[Drewbackatu*]

still shocked he isnt in the hall of fame yet and his number isnt retired by the Flyers.

Exactly but worse than that, Lindros isn't in the hall of fame yet either!

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

John LeClair was one of the best American born players of all time. Kreider will never sniff 50 goals in a year.

I'm not sure he's even one top 10 American players of all time. Certainly not ahead of the likes of Chelios, Leetch, Lafontaine, Modano, Mullen, Tkachuk, Housley, Roenick, Langway, Richter, Barasso. Or possibly even Amonte and Weight.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

LeClair was a very good offensive player. He blossomed after the Canadiens sent him to the Flyers and the Flyers put him on a line with Lindros. LeClair was an average at best skater. A huge and very strong player with good hands and a great release and extremely hard to move away from the front of the net when he set up there. He would have a more difficult time playing today. He'd be more like Ryane Clowe only less physical in a pro-active sense. Clowe will look for the big hit and will drop the gloves no problem. LeClair wasn't really like that.

I think Kreider's still trying to figure out just what kind of player he's going to be. He is a tremendous skater though and considering his size that's bordering on freakish. I've got the sense he's still figuring out the game at the pro level. It's the main thing holding him back and it's the main reason Tortorella didn't trust him.

You're 100% on the money with your comments. Kreider needs to go out, win a spot as the 1st or 2nd(no worse ) line left wing and put up 15-20 goals; no ifs, ands or buts about it because the team really needs production from him!

He needs to figure it out quickly and he'll do just fine.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

John LeClair was one of the best American born players of all time. Kreider will never sniff 50 goals in a year.

Exactly right and on one of the best lines in the last 30 years in the NHL.

 

[eco's bones]

LeClair was a very good player but borderline HOF at best. No Steve Larmer. As far as power forwards go I think Graves is very borderline too and I'd take Graves as a player over LeClair any day. Tougher and more versatile. A real leader as well. Lindros helped make LeClair. It could be said that Messier helped make Graves--even so I think Graves > LeClair. Lindros by the way is not HOF yet either. He definitely belongs before LeClair.