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Time to Fire Mike Sullivan?

Dump. Chase.Turnover.

OR

Dump. Chase. Barely set up zone control. Take a crappy shot into a completely blocked lane. Turnover.

We run an overload offense WAYYY too much. When we do actually set up the zone, intead of taking a horrible shot from the point immediately, we need to work on passing to open up the slot for a juicy one timer here and there. Actually crashing the net would be great too.
 
MPF24 said:
I do believe the strategy on the PP and the way they're drawing it up and practicing it is a big part of the problem. That said, it seems to be a NYR curse as much as a symptom of the coaches/players. I don't know what to think.
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I've done a lot of thinking and soul searching too, and I think I have arrived at the same destination.

Puzzling, even for a great mind like me. (har har)
Seriously, I have seen so many 5-on-3 situations in which there are probably no more serious threats than a regular 5-on-5. That makes no sense in the game of hockey, not when the skill level is so obviously top level. We know it has nothing to do with skating, puck handling and shooting ability. At least not with the forwards on the first unit.
I keep coming back to the question of an anchor on the blueline, a commanding presence, a Markov or a Souray of the past, a Lidstrom.

After all that thinking, I go back to the part I bolded, above.
 
Sullivan runs the PP and the PP has stunk now for every year Torts has been here. Sure it can straighten out, but if dont learn from past mistakes, you are doomed to repeat it.

Torts will never fire Sullivan unless Sullivan is asked to head coach somewhere,. The only hope is the possibility off adding a PP coach. but Torts circle of trust is so small.

Maybe adam oates will be available if he gets fired from Washington
 
Just watched a replay of the 5 on 3. Man, am I happy I went to bed.
He shouldn't coach the PP.

2009-10 season this was a mediocre powerplay, ranked 13th (18% rate) in the league. We added Gaborik, who's skills should have made it better, DZ emerged and looked like a capable PMD - the PP dropped to to 17th (17% rate). We added Richards, a known PP specialist and Stralman, a very capable offensive D, the rate dropped further to 15.7%. We added Nash, who looked great so far, right now our rating is around 11%. I know it's damn early in the season, but seeing the players we added it's simply inexplicable.

That being sad, I don't think he should be fired/whatever right now, as it lets the players off the hook for giving s**t efforts so far. Something has to be done, I'm just not sure if that would be the right decision.
 
we need to get someone to help with the PP. Doesn't have to result in the firing of Sully. Someone needs to be brought in to help the Powerplay. I don't care if it's mark messier or if it's the hotdog guy that stands 2 blocks from MSG. Someone. Jesus. Buddha. Shiva. Me.
 
if we were to work the PP better, would be have at least 4 points right now, 5 points probably and 6 points not unlikely considering how well we played in OT and SO with our big players.
 
A few proposals for this team:

1. Do not fire Sullivan. Like it or not, the team doesn't need a shake up that major. I would suggest bringing a 2nd assistant coach on the bench. This guy has to be more tactical. Tortorella is a great motivator but tactically he sucks. They need to bring in a hockey brain to formulate some additional strategies besides put five forwards on the ice and pray they score or shuffle the lines and pray they score.

2. Depth: Nash is great. Losing 3 guys who knew the system and were great two way players was not. Depth needs to be added quickly, even if expiring contracts. I propose 1 scorer (we really should have signed Jagr for a year. With Jagr we'd have a power play.) and 2 depth guys. We really need to replace 1 of Anisimov and Dubinsky and Prust.

3. Right Hand D: Bickel simply shouldn't play regularly. He should be there for injury. We need a RH D with a good slapshot. I would kick the tires on Subban despite his potential cost. Otherwise, fine an older guy who can shoot the puck. In terms of player types, James Wisniewski is what Id be looking for...obviously not him specifically due to contract and term.
 
GaBorat said:
A few proposals for this team:

1. Do not fire Sullivan. Like it or not, the team doesn't need a shake up that major. I would suggest bringing a 2nd assistant coach on the bench. This guy has to be more tactical. Tortorella is a great motivator but tactically he sucks. They need to bring in a hockey brain to formulate some additional strategies besides put five forwards on the ice and pray they score or shuffle the lines and pray they score.

2. Depth: Nash is great. Losing 3 guys who knew the system and were great two way players was not. Depth needs to be added quickly, even if expiring contracts. I propose 1 scorer (we really should have signed Jagr for a year. With Jagr we'd have a power play.) and 2 depth guys. We really need to replace 1 of Anisimov and Dubinsky and Prust.

3. Right Hand D: Bickel simply shouldn't play regularly. He should be there for injury. We need a RH D with a good slapshot. I would kick the tires on Subban despite his potential cost. Otherwise, fine an older guy who can shoot the puck. In terms of player types, James Wisniewski is what Id be looking for...obviously not him specifically due to contract and term.
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wtf does any of this have to do with the ***** PP that stands still and pass's back and forth?
 
I was never a fan of so many Massachusetts guys running the team. Sully just looks like such a M*******.

No, it's not time to fire anyone. I agree though that it is incredibly frustrating that our PP still sucks.
 
Zil said:
Whoever is drawing it up should let someone else do it. Nobody ever moves on our PP. It is incredibly stationary. How are they supposed to open up a hole when we send five guys out there who just stand around in their spots and pass? They should bring Leetch in for a few practices and let him give them some tips.
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This is exactly right. They stand around pass the puck back and forth and do not force the defenders to move around. 5-on-4, it is obvious the only thing the opponent needs to do is set up their box and wait, slide maybe 2-3 feet in one direction with each pass. 5-on-3 is the same, but the opponents sets up in a triangle.
 
If only there was a guy that used to qb the only successful rangers pp, has his numbers in the rafters and already works for the organization. A guy like that could probably help
 
The Mouth said:
Sullivan runs the PP and the PP has stunk now for every year Torts has been here. Sure it can straighten out, but if dont learn from past mistakes, you are doomed to repeat it.

Torts will never fire Sullivan unless Sullivan is asked to head coach somewhere,. The only hope is the possibility off adding a PP coach. but Torts circle of trust is so small.

Maybe adam oates will be available if he gets fired from Washington
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this is exactly the problem. A PP Specialist coach needs to br brought in.....but Torts is too pig-headed to even consider bringing one in:sarcasm::shakehead
 
CM PUNK said:
If only there was a guy that used to qb the only successful rangers pp, has his numbers in the rafters and already works for the organization. A guy like that could probably help
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yes that guy....but if you think about it, when our Power Play was lethal, it was not only Leetch but it was coupled with another PP Wiz in Zubov at the other point. That pairing was all-world and a dream fr any PP
 
Zenith said:
Why is it always fire? Why can't it be hire?

...hire another assistant coach, relegate Sullivan to strictly defense. win-win.
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Yeah this. I think Sullivan is a good assistant, but it seems he can't fix the powerplay, so it might be time to hire someone else for that.
 
The powerplay really puts a magnifying glass over a teams chemistry. Teams like Pitt who have been using the same unit for years are normally very good. Same with Vancouver. The Rangers have been changing personnel year-after-year. Give it time. It's more about knowing what your teammates are going to do than skill, but given time, skill will win out.
 
You mean fire the guy that helped bring along a stable of thoroughbreds on defense?

Do the losses not have anything to do with four roster spots being needed to be filled with guys that can give quality minutes? or is it the coaching?
 
GaBorat said:
A few proposals for this team:

1. Do not fire Sullivan. Like it or not, the team doesn't need a shake up that major. I would suggest bringing a 2nd assistant coach on the bench. This guy has to be more tactical. Tortorella is a great motivator but tactically he sucks. They need to bring in a hockey brain to formulate some additional strategies besides put five forwards on the ice and pray they score or shuffle the lines and pray they score.

2. Depth: Nash is great. Losing 3 guys who knew the system and were great two way players was not. Depth needs to be added quickly, even if expiring contracts. I propose 1 scorer (we really should have signed Jagr for a year. With Jagr we'd have a power play.) and 2 depth guys. We really need to replace 1 of Anisimov and Dubinsky and Prust.

3. Right Hand D: Bickel simply shouldn't play regularly. He should be there for injury. We need a RH D with a good slapshot. I would kick the tires on Subban despite his potential cost. Otherwise, fine an older guy who can shoot the puck. In terms of player types, James Wisniewski is what Id be looking for...obviously not him specifically due to contract and term.
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Been clamouring for added depth up front for a long time
But I do not really get the argument that the newcomers are not fitting in, we miss the old guys, blah,blah,blah

Our 2 best forwards so far have been Nash & Pyatt imo (replacing Dubinsky & fedotenko). Halpern is no worse than Mitchell IMO. Asham has only played one game - so Brandon Prusts eventual replacement has not been there. That is a problem - yes indeed. The only downgrade I see so far is Kreider taking Anisimovs spot. This has been quite negative - so far.
So basically our replacements are two plus - two minus and one equal. It is instead the other 7 forwards that were here last year that have not at all played up to reasonable expectations. Look tired, slow, disinterested and well off on the timing. Not the same intensity as last year. This means Richards, Callahan, Hagelin, Rupp especially but also Stepan, Gaborik & Boyle. These guys have played well under par to given capacity so far. All of them! There is the real problem. Cally needs to step up as the captain now and lead the way. Richards has been pretty bad, and if you get into what he is getting paid, well you get the point...
The power play has been a disgrace. Dump and chase on PP should rendition in an immediate benching. The gap between fwd & d has been either too big or too small. Not finding the right formula here. Yet. Use Stralman more here, last year he was not bad at all when given a bigger PP role. I would also really consider trying to sign The Hobbit asap and get him over here (yeah, yeah bring it on). Last year (a pretty small sample size but nonetheless statistically proven) The Rangers were at 24% conversion on PP (would have been #1) when Zuccarello "ran it" and without him they were at 15% conversion (#27 in the league). Pretty telling if you ask me.
Replace Kreider with a new signing asap and let him develop at his pace in CT (Shoney??). Maybe 6 weeks from now he finds his game and can be brought back to tear it up.
No more Bickel, Segal or Newbury as NYR fwds please. Rupp - Halpern - Asham on the 4th line might suffice. They have really not played together, but putting Rupp on the 3rd line is also madness. Our top 9 should be a mix of Gaborik, Richards, Nash, Cally, Stepan, Pyatt, Boyle, Hagelin and a newcomer replacing Kreider. Bottom 3 a mix of Rupp, Asham, Halpern and a new pure PP specialist (Zuccarello) to be inserted when on the PP. Halpern and Rupp alternate on center depending on who we are playing...
As for who the new guy we should get up front taking Kreiders spot - sure it is being worked on. Sykora?? Arnott?? D Moore?? Blake?? Langkow?? Rolston?? Morrisson?? Dvorak??? Most of these guys might have given there best shot though - and seem to be washed up. A trade??? Not sure we have/wanna give up the assets we need to right now to do that. Hrivik?? Maybe worth a shot...
 
Fanned On It said:
What the were doing tonight was pretty standard as far as power-plays go. There's really not much to "draw up". Like I said in the power-play thread, a power-play's success is based more on the personnel's creativity than what the coach is drawing up. Usually with the set-up they were running you're either going to end up with a nice cross-crease back-door tap-in (mad hyphens) or a seem pass to the far-side D-man who is sneaking in for the one-timer. They went for the cross-crease shot a couple times and also went for the point-shot but every attempt was stifled by whoever was shooting's inability to finish.

I kind of think we should go back to the Umbrella set-up and have to guys parked right in front of the goalie. One of these guys would be Pyatt (obviously he's good around the net) and probably Nash or Cally as well. The three point-men for me would be Stralman, Del Zotto (playing their off-side for the one-timer) and I guess Richards since we're going to need a center-man for faceoffs (although Cally could take them apparently.)

Thoughts? I just feel like the biggest thing lacking in our power-play tonight was two huge bodies parked in front of Bryz... ESPECIALLY on a 5 on 3 where the defensemen are forced to worry about them.
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I'm in full agreement with this. Stralman should be shooting from the point and the 2 wingers should converge on the net just as the shot arrives. And I agree that the Rangers need another asst coach to draw up the powerplay - Sullivan isn't getting the job done.
 
bouds said:
Richards isn't what he was, dude is on the decline, fans overvalue him.

I don't care if they keep him or fire him, don't think much will change either way.
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I'm a bit worried this might be true.

Richards looks awful. He went through periods last year looking awful. The signs of decline are there.

They better not waste that extra buyout on Rupp. If Richards doesn't wake up by next summer it should be used on him before its too late.

Unless folks are OK with a mid-30's center who plays like crap? He's getting points because of Nash and Gaborik right now.
 
SupersonicMonkey said:
I'm a bit worried this might be true.

Richards looks awful. He went through periods last year looking awful. The signs of decline are there.

They better not waste that extra buyout on Rupp. If Richards doesn't wake up by next summer it should be used on him before its too late.

Unless folks are OK with a mid-30's center who plays like crap? He's getting points because of Nash and Gaborik right now.
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Season is young, but yeah... Gotta agree with you there. Sadly...
 
not disagreeing that we can use a 2nd assistant to help things about...but lets be fair our pp has sucked for the same reasons long before torts or sully got here...outside of 93-94 with leetch and zubov running the point. and maybe one year with jagr, what other time in franchise history has the pp not underacheived?

coachs and players keep changing but results don't
 
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