This is a good team

[Machinehead]

Allow for me to remind you. This started as a referendum on Quinn. I have stated possible reasoning for what he has done and you have stated that is not him. I then pointed out to you the fallacy of the statement, to which you came back with "what does this have to do with Quinn".

Ok

 

[Larrybiv]

It is definitely a team

Imo, hockey isnt what it used to be....but it is "still" hockey. In what other major sport is fighting allowed? Yes, of course there are penalties that come along with it.....but, is still part of the game along with the pushing and shoving. Do that in any other sport there are serious repercussions. Anyway....

This is more of a "Team" than at any point under AV and his "fancy free, non fighting, no in between whistle, fairy thinking".
I never liked AV from the getgo, excepting the fact that he was nicer in his pressers, and frankly had enough of Torts at that point.
I'm fully supportive of our new regime and his "anti AV thinking" in which his players "have to" support one another" because that initiates and puts a stranglehold on everything that is the meaning of a "team" in this sport that we love. HOCKEY.

 

[Edge]

Balancing Hayes with 3 young centers (maybe a fourth after the draft) would incredibly difficult. I get the desire to keep him, I just struggle to see a good scenario.

But moving Zucc for assets seems like a no-brainer to me.

If Zucc and the Rangers both love each other so much, than they can talk about reuniting a few months later. Then Zucc can play alongside and mentor the young players the Rangers received/drafted for him.

But getting more assets for a 31 year old pending UFA is the way to go.

 

[Larrybiv]

Yes, this thread was made to poke fun at the threads of previous years when we expected to be good, but got out of the gate slowly. That said, I think there is some truth to it. Defensively, we are better than we were last year. Scoring is down, but we've been in almost every game until the end.

This is probably still a bottom 5 team once we start selling. It's just ironic that we can never seem to get out of our own way.

Damn dude. I got it, the second I read the thread title. But damn dude.....what is happening here?
Last nights 4th consecutive win (as I was getting hammered) and the siren ends the game......I stood up laughing hysterically and almost in tears.....yelling at the TV......"we are supposed to suck this year" "what in the hell are you doing?" Funny stuff, or at least I thought so.

 

[nyr2k2]

I said in a game a little while back, before this win streak, that we weren't a good team, but we were doing some good stuff and I thought we were pretty close to being mediocre--which could present trouble down the road (as in, not the draft position many want to see). I still don't think we're good, but we're definitely getting close to where I can firmly say we're at least mediocre! And I really like Quinn, his way of managing his guys, his way of motivating his guys, and how he has them playing. We're not going to be the Cinderella Golden Knights, but I think the potential exists to be a pesky team that's hanging around a playoff spot. I mean--I feel like if we were able to get the PK to "average," that alone would give us a huge bump.

 

[Larrybiv]

The problem some of us had about gutting the roster (not speaking for the OP here, just me) is that last year's team WAS a playoff team if Kreider didn't get disabled and Shattenkirk wasn't damaged goods from day one. Were they Cup contenders? No, but they were were probably a second round squad, even without buying at the deadline (which I would have been vehemently opposed to). And that's all with AV as coach.

Reality was the roster was gutted. There's a coach who seems to get more out of players than AV did and doesn't play favorites. The players now work harder and there's a lot more structure. We have to let this play out a little longer to see exactly what we have. The fear I have is that the moves made have put this team INTO the dreaded middle. There's too much talent and too many prospects for this group to bottom out, but there is no top level talent to actually take this group out of the first round, at best.

And this is why its tantamount that we follow through with this 2nd year of gutting the team. If they DON'T then everything they have already done should be called "half assed" and probably in that "bubble team mode" in a couple of years. Not to mention stuck with players that dont fit the rebuild and are too good that will make us further away from the best chance at getting that one special player or those best players available.

 

[Rangerfans]

Confidentially, I still think we are a terrible team. They will work hard, they may even go on winning streaks like this. But I firmly believe that when all is said and done they will be a bottom-5 team (or close to it).

 

[Larrybiv]

More likely than ever that both Zucc and Hayes will get an extension. Trade is the last option.

God I hope not......not the way to go. We have to do EVERYTHING possible to ensure a high draft pick. Not happy about moving either or both and include Shatty, Spoons and McQuaid. Keep Hayes till deadline. Dont want to suck BEFORE the deadline too much......keep it interesting.

 

[Larrybiv]

I also think it’s possible that the coach wants to win now since this is his first NHL head coaching job, and since he seems to want to do this for a living instead of forming a REO Speedwagon covergroup, it would behoove him to build his resume.

Where is Doogie, btw?

 

[Larrybiv]

Who is this "ton"? And what does it not look like they will trade him? Only because they have not already?

Zucc has been a nice player for this organization. But you are making him out to be Eddie Giacomin or Brian Leetch here. He can be traded with zero risk of some sort of public relations disaster.

I think NOW more than ever, fans of the Rangers (the majority anyway) understand what is going on here, and trading Zuccha is something that is "understood" and a byproduct of that letter sent last year. That letter wasnt intended just for last season, this season as well. They traded who they could at the time, they still had time to move Zuccha and bought some time in the Hayes scenario. Getting Shatty was good asset mgmt. as now they can get something "for nothing".
Technically speaking......same can be said for Hayes AND Vesey if they try and move him as well.

Imo, they've done a very good job in flipping this head on collision they were gonna have, with an ever growing younger and more talented NHL, then what we had BEFORE Gorton took over.

 

[Larrybiv]

Balancing Hayes with 3 young centers (maybe a fourth after the draft) would incredibly difficult. I get the desire to keep him, I just struggle to see a good scenario.

But moving Zucc for assets seems like a no-brainer to me.

If Zucc and the Rangers both love each other so much, than they can talk about reuniting a few months later. Then Zucc can play alongside and mentor the young players the Rangers received/drafted for him.

But getting more assets for a 31 year old pending UFA is the way to go.

Yeah Edge.....with ya' man. Get those assets, and usually our players get that cup they've wanted while with the Rangers. Still rooting for TB.....hey ya' never know! That would be an extra 1st!