All-time Draft First Round: #4 New York Rangers vs. #5 Boston Bruins with RESULTS

[God Bless Canada]

Evil Sather's New York Rangers will face Evil Speaker's Boston Bruins in an all-Evil first round match-up in the ultra-competitive Don Cherry Division.

ROSTERS​

NEW YORK RANGERS​

Coach: Glen Sather

Brian Propp - Marcel Dionne - Guy LaFleur
Vladimir Krutov - Sidney Crosby - Pavel Bure
Shayne Corson - Edgar Laprade - Jere Lehtinen
Steve Vickers - Craig Conroy - Kevin Dineen
Jan Erixon

Paul Coffey - Kevin Lowe
Ron Greschner - Gary Suter
Mike Ramsey - Mathieu Schneider
Dave Ellet

Ed Belfour
Harry Lumley
Olaf Kolzig​

BOSTON BRUINS​

Coach: Roger Neilson

Rick Martin - Mark Messier(C) - Andy Bathgate
Cecil Dillon - Dave Keon (A) - Theoren Fleury
Dean Prentice - Vincent Damphousse - Bob Nystrom
Gerard Gallant - Orland Kurtenbach - Murray Balfour
Brad Richards

Pierre Pilote(A) - Ted Green
Babe Pratt - Cy Wentworth
Sergei Gonchar - Jerry Korab
Paul Reinhart

Frank Brimsek
Curtis Joseph
J.S. Giguere​

Click to read more...

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

My head hurts...

Is it just me or does Evil Speaker have the inferior defence?

 

[raleh]

My head hurts...

Is it just me or does Evil Speaker have the inferior defence?

I think it's just you. I would definitely give the defensive edge to Speaker. On the other hand, I don't think I give Coffey or Lowe their due, so maybe it's just ME.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

I think it's just you. I would definitely give the defensive edge to Speaker. On the other hand, I don't think I give Coffey or Lowe their due, so maybe it's just ME.

And I don't give Gonchar his due, not a fan at all...

 

[Murphy]

My head hurts as well.

I think while the top three of either defense bring different skills to the table how can one rate a top three of Coffey/Lowe/Suter any better than Pilote/Green/Pratt or vise versa.

Wherever this series goes its going to be close and take seven games to do so. Its another series I can't judge a winner on first glance.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Wherever this series goes its going to be close and take seven games to do so. Its another series I can't judge a winner on first glance.

Me either, Boston was the grit heart and defence up-front. But New York has overwhelming speed and skill and the perfect coach for such a team.

 

[God Bless Canada]

I'll save my comments for tomorrow. While you'd expect me to dump all over NYR's intangibles, as this is the time of year when those things start to show through, I don't think Boston has a big edge. Not with the Neilson/Messier tandem reunited. I think it's their biggest weakness. Boston has some excellent leaders in their room, guys you would expect to be able to minimize that situation. If they can't, it'll be too bad, because Boston could be every bit as good as Buffalo and New Jersey.

 

[Know Your Enemy]

It's playoff time, therfore Reinhart will be used as our 6th defenceman. Reinhart was able to step up his play up significantly in the playoffs. In 82 games he scored a very impressive 23 goals 54 assists for 77 points and finished 2nd in scoring by defenceman three times, twice without reaching the finals.

 

[Know Your Enemy]

I'll save my comments for tomorrow. While you'd expect me to dump all over NYR's intangibles, as this is the time of year when those things start to show through, I don't think Boston has a big edge. Not with the Neilson/Messier tandem reunited. I think it's their biggest weakness. Boston has some excellent leaders in their room, guys you would expect to be able to minimize that situation. If they can't, it'll be too bad, because Boston could be every bit as good as Buffalo and New Jersey.

I think these two care to much about winning for their differences to get in the way.

 

[God Bless Canada]

I think these two care to much about winning for their differences to get in the way.

It didn't make a difference when they were together in 1992-93. NYR lost in the 1992 playoffs to Pittsburgh, and big things were expected the following year. Instead, Messier spent his time conspiring to get Neilson fired, dividing the Rangers locker room. Messier really worked on the younger players in his effort to get Neilson fired.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

It didn't make a difference when they were together in 1992-93. NYR lost in the 1992 playoffs to Pittsburgh, and big things were expected the following year. Instead, Messier spent his time conspiring to get Neilson fired, dividing the Rangers locker room. Messier really worked on the younger players in his effort to get Neilson fired.

That's why I fear Messier, he's a toxic leader. If he has his way, he one of the best leaders ever, but, if not, he's a cancer.

 

[Evil Sather]

It didn't make a difference when they were together in 1992-93. NYR lost in the 1992 playoffs to Pittsburgh, and big things were expected the following year. Instead, Messier spent his time conspiring to get Neilson fired, dividing the Rangers locker room. Messier really worked on the younger players in his effort to get Neilson fired.

Messier really, REALLY didn't like Neilson. Personality wise, personnel wise, tactically, just the exact opposite. If I can dig it up, even a decade later there was significant animosity.

BTW, my thoughts/etc. tomorrow as well. Possibly minor lineup changes.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

A quick search netted a series of articles from '93... But they are just snippets...
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/refer.../index.html?offset=30&s=oldest&inline=nyt-per

 

[pitseleh]

I think people are underrating Wentworth here. He was one of the best positional defensemen of the 30's. I do agree that the top-3's are very close, but I think Wentworth is better than any of New York's other defensemen.

Assuming Neilson matches up the Keon/Damphousse lines, they'll be able to put some solid pressure on New York's top-2 lines. But I also like the Lehtinen line matchup with the Messier line.

One of the keys for Boston will be their defensemen like Pilote, Pratt and Reinhart stepping up and matching the offensive contribution that New York will get from Coffey, Greschner, Suter and Schneider.

One of the keys for New York will be their first line fighting through Boston's checking line and producing. If they aren't able to shut them down, New York will take this one rather easily.

 

[kruezer]

I definitely prefer Speaker's D, Gonchar is a far superior player to Schneider IMO, and Reinhart is even better come PO time. Pilote/Green is just as useful and Coffey/Lowe I think, and I would take Pratt/Wentworth over Greschner/Suter in a heartbeat, no matter how much I love Greschner/Suter.

I believe Speaker's biggest problem is definitely the Nielson/Messier tandem.

 

[God Bless Canada]

I kind of feel responsible for the Neilson-Messier mess. When E-Speak PM'ed his list to me in Round 23, the first name was JS Giguere. The second name? Coach Roger Neilson. The third name? Another coach who wasn't picked. When E-Speak's turn came up in Round 24, and he wasn't around, and Neilson was still available, I nabbed him for the Speaker, and thought it was a great pick. I didn't even notice the Neilson-Messier combo until writing Boston's evaluation.

I think this series will boil down to which locker room can keep it together? Can Boston set aside the potentially ugly Messier-Neilson feud, while keeping Theo Fleury from returning to his old New York haunts? A lot of strong leaders, good characters in that Boston room, but those are two big hurdles.

On the other hand, there's never been a collection of characters quite like the Rangers. If Krutov isn't downing Big Macs, you'll have Corson getting into bar fights in New York with Fleury. If Bure isn't chatting with his mafia buddies, Lafleur is driving his Ferrari 130 in a school zone.

The press should have a field day with this one.

Outside of intangibles, these could be two of the top five teams in the draft. They have deep and excellent goaltending. They have well-constructed defences. I love NY's top four. E-Speak, as always, has one of the best defence corps in the draft, and Reinhart is a big step up from Gonchar. They have talented forwards, but they also have the potential to shut you down. I really like the all-round nature of Boston's forwards, and guys like Messier, Keon and Fleury will need to be at their well-rounded best against the dynamite Ranger forwards.

I don't think Sather is that much better at coaching than Neilson, but I think he's a much better fit for his team than Neilson. Yes, there was acrimony when Coffey left Edmonton, but by all accounts, Sather and Coffey were able to repair their relationship.

 

[raleh]

Speaker's got my vote because of the number of winners on his team. Messier, Keon, Richards, Giguere, and Pilote (retroactive) make 5 Conn Smythe winners. New York's only got one in Lafleur. Their top centre is one of the worst playoff performers of all time compared to regular season statistics.

If this series goes the distance, and I think it will, the playoff warriors in Boston will start to take over. Pilote will completely own Coffey by the end of the series and emerges as Boston's threat for the Conn Smythe.

 

[Know Your Enemy]

Speaker's got my vote because of the number of winners on his team. Messier, Keon, Richards, Giguere, and Pilote (retroactive) make 5 Conn Smythe winners. New York's only got one in Lafleur. Their top centre is one of the worst playoff performers of all time compared to regular season statistics.

If this series goes the distance, and I think it will, the playoff warriors in Boston will start to take over. Pilote will completely own Coffey by the end of the series and emerges as Boston's threat for the Conn Smythe.

You forgot Cecil Dillon, the 1933 retroactive winner.

Cecil Dillon-NY Rangers
Winger from the checking line was the dominant player in the playoffs. He had goals in his first five playoff games including the winner in the opener of the finals against Toronto, then picked up the first goal in a 3-2 loss to the Leafs and was selected one of the games stars in a 1-0 overtime winner for his work in holding the Primeau-Conacher-Jackson line to no goals in the final.

I also think Cy Wentworth could have won it in 1935. He was a two-way defenceman that led the league in playoff in scoring and wasknow as one of the best positional defenceman of his era.

 

[raleh]

Sorry

 

[Know Your Enemy]

One of the keys for Boston will be their defensemen like Pilote, Pratt and Reinhart stepping up and matching the offensive contribution that New York will get from Coffey, Greschner, Suter and Schneider.

This is one of the least of my worries. Pratt, Pilote and Reinhart are all proven playoff performers. Babe Pratt finished in the top 3 in playoff scoirng by defenceman 6 times in 9 playoff seasons, he finished 1st tiwce 2nd once and 3rd three times. Pierre Pilote actually stepped up his points per game average in the playoffs while the rest of his Blackhawks team during the 60's usually fell in that catagory. Pilote finished 1st in playoffs scoring three times and was runner up three more times, and ws awarded the Conn Smythe trophy in 1961. And as stated before Reinhart averaged almost a point per game during his etire playoff career, 77 points in 82 games. Also Cy Wentworth has an underrated offensive game, he has proved that he can be an offensive force in the playoffs. Really when you look at it, all my defencmen have the ability to produce offensivly.

One of the keys for New York will be their first line fighting through Boston's checking line and producing. If they aren't able to shut them down, New York will take this one rather easily.

I beileve my bottom three lines give The Rangers scoring lines difficulty, especially my 2nd and 3rd lines. Keon, Dillon, Fleury, Prentice, Damphousse were all great two-way players.. a couple of them were some of the best shutdown players of their era. Also i believe my 4th line will be the most physically active line in the series, which will make them hard to play against. Overall I belive my team has the physical advantage.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

I also think Cy Wentworth could have won it in 1935. He was a two-way defenceman that led the league in playoff in scoring and wasknow as one of the best positional defenceman of his era.

It looks like the HHOF's justification for picking Northcott is that he had so many game-winning goals (3 GWG, and the team went 5-0-2). He was a defensive forward so, like Wentworth, he must have been very good defensively.

I'll add comments about this series soon.

 

[Know Your Enemy]

I kind of feel responsible for the Neilson-Messier mess. When E-Speak PM'ed his list to me in Round 23, the first name was JS Giguere. The second name? Coach Roger Neilson. The third name? Another coach who wasn't picked. When E-Speak's turn came up in Round 24, and he wasn't around, and Neilson was still available, I nabbed him for the Speaker, and thought it was a great pick. I didn't even notice the Neilson-Messier combo until writing Boston's evaluation.

Dont worry about it, you totally followed procedure. I chose Neilson of Dit Calpper as my coach because my team is going to be judged so i thought it would be better to have a more framiliar coach who also has acomplished more in his career. Not a big deal.

I think this series will boil down to which locker room can keep it together? Can Boston set aside the potentially ugly Messier-Neilson feud, while keeping Theo Fleury from returning to his old New York haunts? A lot of strong leaders, good characters in that Boston room, but those are two big hurdles.

On the other hand, there's never been a collection of characters quite like the Rangers. If Krutov isn't downing Big Macs, you'll have Corson getting into bar fights in New York with Fleury. If Bure isn't chatting with his mafia buddies, Lafleur is driving his Ferrari 130 in a school zone.

The press should have a field day with this one.

I think you put way too much emphasis on this Mr. newspaper reporter. Our teams are not full of children, they are men and proven winners that wont let garbage outside the rink effect the way they play on the ice.
Messier is my go to guy, he's my leader, and will lead on the ice as he wishes. If he wants to win he wont let his relationship with Roger get in the way, and I know he wants to win.

 

[vancityluongo]

That's why I fear Messier, he's a toxic leader. If he has his way, he one of the best leaders ever, but, if not, he's a cancer.

Ah, spoken like a true Canucks fan.

I really like Sather's top two lines, but I think Boston is more solid overall.

 

[Evil Sather]

I'm beyond exhausted from work and can barely put together two coherent thoughts. Eval/writeup to come in the morning but jeez it's not looking good so far!

 

[Know Your Enemy]

One thing that really jumps out at you when compraing the two teams is the Centers. I believe I have one of the best 1-2-3 punches down the middle in the draft with Messier, Keon and Damphousse. who together have a combined 11 Stanley Cup rings. Messier and Keon are both winners of hockeys most prestigous award the Conn Smythe trophy, and Damphousse was easily one of the best players in the 1993 playoffs. When you look at The Rangers top 3 i dont think it compares, yes the talent is there but they are not proven winers, in fact Dionne is a proven playoff loser with zero cups. Crosby hasnt had the chance to prove himself in the playoffs, And Laprade has 0 cups as well. In terms of style of play my centers can excel at both ends of the ice and are terrific leaders..including Kurtenbach.