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The Rangers lack of depth

Does anybody think with the Rangers lacking D depth maybe Marek Malik could help?
 
Yes, by far the worst bottom 6 in the league.

People are blaming the Gaboriks and Richards, largely warranted but they both had worst stretches last year. The difference is guys like Dubi Feds Prust AA stepped up in their lack of production for most of last year.
 
Fitzy said:
I've been pleased with the games of Halpern, Powe, Pyatt.

I think our whole team hasn't scored enough, and Tortorella has consequently been shifting the bottom six less. Less ive time= less production. The first 2 lines lack of consistent production has trickled down on the rest of the team
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The problem is, despite these guys playing well, there not playing well for the roles. That's not their fault, though. You just can't have two 4th lines on your hockey team. You need a 3rd line to provide some secondary scoring. This hasn't just been a problem this season, though.
 
Doakes said:
The Rangers are always needy of scoring.
He slipped away to the Isles and now with the Avs is hardly proving he was a leach off Tavares there.

How did the Rangers let a solid scoring talent go? Bad move Slats.
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This is useful.
 
Not Slats fault. P.A. couldnt crack our lineup, so he got spun...

looks like a FAIL right now... but thats what happened
 
Feds didn't do much last year either. That's just nostalgia talking. He was alright his first year and a 4th liner for the most part last year.

We need a couple things to complete a 3rd line. Miller, Pyatt on the left, and a decent 3rd line RW on the right. That's an acceptable third line in my mind.

Boyle, on the other hand has regressed back into a 4th line pivot, and frankly Halpern has been better than him this year.
 
Fitzy said:
Feds didn't do much last year either. That's just nostalgia talking. He was alright his first year and a 4th liner for the most part last year.

We need a couple things to complete a 3rd line. Miller, Pyatt on the left, and a decent 3rd line RW on the right. That's an acceptable third line in my mind.

Boyle, on the other hand has regressed back into a 4th line pivot, and frankly Halpern has been better than him this year.
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Feds is better than anyone on our bottom 6 right now and he was maybe the 11th/12th best forward last year.

Depressing.
 
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Dubinsky, Anisimov, Prust, and Fedotenko all regressed last season and yet here you guys are talking about them like if they were some important pieces to our team :laugh:. If anything, they held this team back. The guys that actually were behind this team's success last season were guys that frequently show up on the Trade Rumors section on the main boards: (Stepan, Del Zotto, Gaborik, etc.)
 
esidebill said:
The bottom six scoring is nice... but it would be great if the top lines could put up points consistently too.
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I just don't understand this.

Our bottom 6, let's be honest, is dreadful. I love the addition of Powe and Halpern has been playing well, but there is ZERO offense coming from the 3rd and 4th lines. We have two fourth lines and in the playoffs, its going to kill us. Now, the top lines need to be more consistent, I agree, but this team is especially desperate for a legitimate 3rd line.

There is about 4-5 guys on the team that if they are not scoring, we won't get ANY GOALS. That is SAD.
 
3rdlineglory said:
Dubinsky, Anisimov, Prust, and Fedotenko all regressed last season and yet here you guys are talking about them like if they were some important pieces to our team :laugh:. If anything, they held this team back. The guys that actually were behind this team's success last season were guys that frequently show up on the Trade Rumors section on the main boards: (Stepan, Del Zotto, Gaborik, etc.)
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Those were all guys who got in on the forecheck, forced turnovers, and worked their ***es off for every inch of the ice.

Look at last night's game. WPG had no trouble regaining control of the puck in their own zone, and then were usually able to make one easy pass and be on the attack. Last year, those were guys who helped set the tone for the game. Cally can't do it by himself. If you don't think this team would be better with those players in the bottom 6 than with our current bottom 6, I don't know what games you're watching.
 
Riverdale said:
I just don't understand this.

Our bottom 6, let's be honest, is dreadful. I love the addition of Powe and Halpern has been playing well, but there is ZERO offense coming from the 3rd and 4th lines. We have two fourth lines and in the playoffs, its going to kill us. Now, the top lines need to be more consistent, I agree, but this team is especially desperate for a legitimate 3rd line.

There is about 4-5 guys on the team that if they are not scoring, we won't get ANY GOALS. That is SAD.
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I meant more like: It would be nice if the bottom lines scored, but the top lines should be more consistent. Honestly, the Rangers are a season of luck away from having a really solid bottom line, but due to let downs in the prospect's readiness, we're stuck until then.

I figure if we get lucky, and the young kids develop, we'll have a great bottom side.
 
3rdlineglory said:
Dubinsky, Anisimov, Prust, and Fedotenko all regressed last season and yet here you guys are talking about them like if they were some important pieces to our team :laugh:. If anything, they held this team back. The guys that actually were behind this team's success last season were guys that frequently show up on the Trade Rumors section on the main boards: (Stepan, Del Zotto, Gaborik, etc.)
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If those players held us back last year, one would think we would be playing better without them this season. At least those players bought into the team concept and helped us forge a collective identity, something that this year's team is sorely lacking.
 
we want cup said:
Those were all guys who got in on the forecheck, forced turnovers, and worked their ***es off for every inch of the ice.

Look at last night's game. WPG had no trouble regaining control of the puck in their own zone, and then were usually able to make one easy pass and be on the attack. Last year, those were guys who helped set the tone for the game. Cally can't do it by himself. If you don't think this team would be better with those players in the bottom 6 than with our current bottom 6, I don't know what games you're watching.
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See that's a common misconception here. Of course our team would look better with Dubinsky and Anisimov on it, but that's not reality. We lost those players in the Nash trade, which I still think was the right move. Oh and I'm glad we let go of Prust and Fedotenko. I can't believe there are people that actually think we should have kept them :shakehead.
 
Fataldogg said:
I agree. But when those players aren't producing, you'd like your 3rd line to step up and score a goal on the rare occasion to keep the team in the game. And they just aren't doing that. If our top-6 isn't scoring, NO ONE is. And I think that's a big problem.
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I mentioned the 3rd line (2nd fourth line) and the lack of depth there as well. I've been saying for games it would be great to get a goal from the bottom 6. We got one from Boyle, and won.

But i can't put all of the blame on the players here really. Of course they need to generate more (shoot, from all angles - go to net, get to the middle of the ice for christssake), but I feel like it's more of an organizational thing (Slats, Gordon) that this area wasn't addressed as well as it should have considering the players that fled.

Then again, the cap situation and lockout may have had a lot to do with that, because they were limited in what they could have done especially considering the upcoming contracts that are looming.

Sometimes things just dont break right, especially when you put so much stock in two star players who underperform, not to mention some injury issues and losing a player like Staal.

But every argument you can come up with this team (currently constructed) usually mentions Gaborik and Richards. Theres a lot of blame to spread around, but to me not getting even 90% of what these guys can supply is killing this team right now. Especially Gaborik - he's been absolutely atrocious.
 
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OverTheCap said:
If those players held us back last year, one would think we would be playing better without them this season. At least those players bought into the team concept and helped us forge a collective identity, something that this year's team is sorely lacking.
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Well I guess it's time for a new identity.
 
HockeyBasedNYC said:
I mentioned the 3rd line (2nd fourth line) and the lack of depth there as well. I've been saying for games it would be great to get a goal from the bottom 6. We got one from Boyle, and won.

But i can't put all of the blame on the players here really. Of course they need to generate more (shoot, from all angles - go to net, get to the middle of the ice for christssake), but I feel like it's more of an organizational thing (Slats, Gordon) that this area wasn't addressed as well as it should have considering the players that fled.

Then again, the cap situation and lockout may have had a lot to do with that, because they were limited in what they can do especially considering the contracts theyll have to sign for some current players - not knowing what the cap will be, etc.

Sometimes things just dont break right, especially when you put so much stock in two star players who underperform, not to mention some injury issues and losing a player like Staal.
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This. A more effective bottom six would mean a more expensive bottom six. The organization was banking on our top end forwards to carry the offense and the gamble hasn't paid off so far.
 
esidebill said:
How many people can keep the puck on this team?
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Richards and Stepan are pivots suited towards cycling over counter attacking. Pyatt and Boyle are good along the boards, Nash is good at both styles, as is Hagelin.
 
3rdlineglory said:
This. A more effective bottom six would mean a more expensive bottom six. The organization was banking on our top end forwards to carry the offense and the gamble hasn't paid off so far.
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Exactly. They were handcuffed not knowing what the cap would be and all of the upcoming contracts that need to be signed...

They need the top 6 to perform. And once again we are back to square 1 and 2. Gabby and Richards. The Rangers will go as they go.

And what really sucks is that we are getting sound, consistent production from Stepan. If he was a second threat instead of a primary right now, things would look a hell of lot different and the 4th line wouldnt be talked about.
 
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