What is your most unpopular Rangers opinion?

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Holik's contract was stupid, but it wasn't my money and there was no salary cap. The issue was playing him as a top-6 player and expecting him to be a big part of our scoring. Only the Dark Era Rangers would pay an elite defensive center to be a point producer....

Yeah, I dont know. One of the biggest sins of the dark ages is how they seemed to talk themselves into how bringing in over-the-hill big names to man the top lines was fine and it was a depth problem that was holding them back. It led to them throwing big $$$'s at Brian Skrudland and Mike Keane in the late 90's and Holik in the early 2000's. That contract was ridiculous, and Im not so sure they were overpaying for a perceived checking center extraordinaire - Messier, Lindros, and Nedved were also on the roster at the time and I think Holik had to carry a lot of water in a lot of areas to cover for a massively declining Lindros and Messier.

I hated Holik as a Devil, but he sort of has earned a soft spot with me during his brief Ranger tenure --- primarily because I remember him being one of the only players during those years that was honest about how bad those teams were, and still came off like he really wanted to win instead of collect an inflated paycheck.

 

[mike14]

Yeah, I dont know. One of the biggest sins of the dark ages is how they seemed to talk themselves into how bringing in over-the-hill big names to man the top lines was fine and it was a depth problem that was holding them back. It led to them throwing big $$$'s at Brian Skrudland and Mike Keane in the late 90's and Holik in the early 2000's. That contract was ridiculous, and Im not so sure they were overpaying for a perceived checking center extraordinaire - Messier, Lindros, and Nedved were also on the roster at the time and I think Holik had to carry a lot of water in a lot of areas to cover for a massively declining Lindros and Messier.

I hated Holik as a Devil, but he sort of has earned a soft spot with me during his brief Ranger tenure --- primarily because I remember him being one of the only players during those years that was honest about how bad those teams were, and still came off like he really wanted to win instead of collect an inflated paycheck.

My take at the time was that we were overpaying as much to deny an asset to a rival as because we wanted him at that price. $9m a year for a guy like Holik is insane, but the Rangers were just throwing at cash at anything.
It cracks me up that the salary cap is only now at point where we are matching the spending from the end of the Dark Ages

 

[Salsa Shark]

The Rangers are a pretty below average team historically, i thought this was known and understood.

The entire decade of the 1980s the NYR missed the playoffs once. It was still a bad decade for them. They were never a contender, many times a poor team. Besides beating the Caps in 85 or 86 is there even a moment that stands out?

My point is on the surface 9/10 playoff appearances look great. Too bad 80% the league made the playoffs in those years and were the NYR ever really a threat to do anything?

 

[Allan92]

Hank earned his contract and can call it quits when he wants.

Keenan was a terrible coach. He almost cost us the Cup in 94. The team won inspite of him and because of Messier's leadership.

Quinn is the right man for the team now. Whether he is the right coach for when they are ready to compete is a chapter that hasnt been written yet.

Every draft pick should play at a minimum of 1 year at the AHL.

agree with all this, especially the last one unless you have a Crosby on your hands

 

[Larrybiv]

Partly us focusing on what we could have had, partly on him not developing the way he could have and partly on the game changing. If the game today was similar to 2010 or earlier and McIlrath became a true skates well for his size guy, he would be an effective player. I think the beast that Tarasenko became really colors the pick, but he was passed on by a lot of teams. Was anyone crying when the Rangers drafted Cherepanov instead of a plug at 17 overall?

Good points. In regard to Cherepanov, I know I cried, but for different selfish reasons. Amazing what that one horrible accident did in regard to the Rangers. Same said for other organizations when they lose a talented player due to the "unexpected". Would quite possibly have changed many seasons and how the Rangers went about things. Wonder if anyone here played that "what if" but I dont wanna say "game".
But, you know what I mean.

 

[BKGooner]

Good points. In regard to Cherepanov, I know I cried, but for different selfish reasons. Amazing what that one horrible accident did in regard to the Rangers. Same said for other organizations when they lose a talented player due to the "unexpected". Would quite possibly have changed many seasons and how the Rangers went about things. Wonder if anyone here played that "what if" but I dont wanna say "game".
But, you know what I mean.

I wasn't referring to the tragic loss, but to other GM's feeling bad for the Rangers getting a potential gamebreaker at 17. Draft day we were the big winners because of the dreaded Russian factor.

 

[Baby Duck Homme]

I enjoyed Bobby Holik. I despised Luc Robatille’s tenure.

 

[HFBS]

I enjoyed Bobby Holik.

When the Rangers signed Holik as a free agent I thought, finally a big free agent signing that can't miss.

When the islanders play the flyers, I root for the roof to cave in.

 

[Maximus]

I could care less that he was a Devil, but the mistake was paying him like a top line player. Holik was a great third line center.

That was the glorious summer of Holik, Kasperitic & Oliwa.

Redden fell off a cliff, but was great in Ottawa. You know it is bad when the awards given around here after games were "The good, the bad & the Redden".

How quickly we forget the likes of Quintal, Kamensky, Driver, Ulanov......

Yeah we'll need to agree to disagree on this one TB. I couldn't stand either Holik or Driver. Yeah the two had some good moments but most of the time their aweful contracts got in the way of any type of good will from either of them.

Same with Redden as I said earlier...he was just so so bad here that it was really startling how bad he became overnight seemingly. As you say, he was quite good in Ottawa but here....wow.

Not sure I've seen too many players just lose it just like that. Combine the loss of skills with the huge amount of money Sather threw at him, Redden couldn't have had it any worse.

 

[Edge]

People will be surprised how by few players/prospects in the organization as of this post are on the roster when it peaks/plays for a Cup.

 

[Hinterland]

Very unpopular I guess, but in my view, Howden is useless as a Winger but deserves a larger role at Center. Also, Strome is a much better Winger than Center. Maybe try something like this:

Lemieux, Howden, Strome
Kreider, Zibanejad, Kakko
Panarin, Chytil, Buchnevich
DiGiuseppe, McKegg, Fast

 

[Machinehead]

Very unpopular I guess, but in my view, Howden is useless as a Winger but deserves a larger role at Center. Also, Strome is a much better Winger than Center. Maybe try something like this:

Lemieux, Howden, Strome
Kreider, Zibanejad, Kakko
Panarin, Chytil, Buchnevich
DiGiuseppe, McKegg, Fast

A 4th line at 1st line. Creative strategy.

 

[Machinehead]

Here's one you'll all love: Jesper Fast could play without a stick and be better than Brendan Lemieux offensively.

 

[Cmox]

A 4th line at 1st line. Creative strategy.

Creatively unpopular opinion. Because not one person would agree with that lineup. Maybe islander fans?