Confirmed with Link: Assistant Coaches: Ulf Samuelsson, Scott Arniel, Dan Lacroix

[Thesensation19*]

According to NYRangersblog, the coaches have already had several coaching meetings. The assistants have been quoted as saying that they really like AV as a coach and that he is well organized.

Ulf Sammuelsson has said he has already watched most tapes regarding the defense from last season. Thoroughly impressed with his dedication and I am glad he is on board. It must be great for the players to have him on the bench, someone who not only played in the NHL but also with the Rangers. And for many of our Swedish players and prospects, it must be cherry on the cake.

I like his resume too. Starts off with youth hockey, AAA. Coached an academy team then assistant coach with the Wolf Pack. So he has experience with younger players and with our organization. He then becomes assistant coach of the Great One. Regardless of their success, I am sure he learned a load over there. He was then elected to remain as assistant when Tippet replaced Gretzky. Tippet turned around that franchise while Ulf learned even more as a coach. He then leaves his assistant position to become coach for a top flight team in Sweden. The team improved under his play but still had many issues, I truly believe they are in a rebuilding phase. I like that he got that head coaching experience, and of all places it was in Europe so that is awesome. I like the diversity this guy has and I like what he can bring to the table.




Arniel concerns me the most. He had a year and a half in Columbus. In his first year I believe the teams offense improved. But still fell short of playoffs, and in his second year he was fired mid season. He also has a past with Brassard, the two never saw eye to eye. So this concerns me but I am sure he was picked by AV (who I do trust) for a reason.

The issue between Brassard and Arniel occured throughout Arniels time there where Brassard did not play every game and when he did he was forced on the bottom 6 roles with minimal minutes. Brassard did not like this and when things got worse for the team, Brassards agent spoke out against the coach.

I assume Brassard did not play enough because he was not experienced enough. Arniel simply did not trust the young first round pick in those bigger roles and that is kind of expected as a young player. No need to rush players. The issue was that the team was going no where with his original plan, and you think he would have gave him more and more time but it did not happen. Its almost similar to Torts not playing Kreider a lot. Talented, but lacks other aspects of the game deemed more important.

Brassard though has seemed to mature from it and become a better player overall since then deserving those top 6 minutes/roles. The issue is how Arniel will handle having Richards, Brassard and Stepan as centers and how he handles their roles and playing time now. I am confident in our organization and coaching staff now to assure the best thing for our team. NOTE: Arniels offense did improve in Columbus, and though his track record there STUNK... its more to do with how bad the team was. They were a team surrounded by 1 superstar. No goalie, no reliable defense, and a lack of offense and depth. Not a recipe for success.

 

[Thesensation19*]

Andre Lacroix is apprently our 3rd assistant coach. I will again repeat this... I love the idea of this type of coach. It may not work for every head coach, but I like where our staff is leading the Rangers. If you have the funds to do so, why not properly manage your team.

I cannot seem to find anything on the guy though besides he was a legendary hockey player who played in the NHL and WHA. He was an assistant coach in TB and for the NYI but besides that I know nothing.

Would love to see more on how he will handle his job.

 

[Tawnos]

Dan Lacroix, not Andre

 

[Chimpradamus]

Arniel will work with the forwards too.

http://blueshirtsunited.com/event/314





Nice to know he hasn't watched NHL hockey since he retired...

What do you mean? Having as a defensive gameplan to always allow Hank to see the puck sounds like a great change. To perhaps play a little bit more like the Bruins, who allow more shots and focus on the play around the net instead. Not to mention less injuries on players.

The passive shot blocking strategy wasn't working and killed our momentum.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

What do you mean? Having as a defensive gameplan to always allow Hank to see the puck sounds like a great change. To perhaps play a little bit more like the Bruins, who allow more shots and focus on the play around the net instead. Not to mention less injuries on players.

The passive shot blocking strategy wasn't working and killed our momentum.

Absolutely x100.

Killed momentum because our guys were flopping down to block the shots and they were gassed/dead by the time it was offense time.

 

[eco's bones]

Absolutely x100.

Killed momentum because our guys were flopping down to block the shots and they were gassed/dead by the time it was offense time.

So are all of our players to avoid blocking shots from now on?

Rangers do not have great skill at forward. So when we wind up around middle of the pack when it comes to goals scored it shouldn't be a big surprise. The 11-12 team I'd daresay (without looking at the stats) blocked more shots than the 12-13 team (on average or pro rate away). That team came within a point of winning the President's trophy for best regular season record and then went 20 games into the playoffs. Considering they got off to a rocky start--started in Europe with two games vs. the Kings and the Ducks and few if any of us thought it was going to be any more than a squeak into the playoffs teams that team was very successful.

Sometimes players get gassed because they're not in good enough shape. Last year with no training camp it was more on the players to get ready than on the coaching staff. We all had a good look at Mr. Richards who hardly ever blocks shots and ran around gassed all the time towards the end of the season. That guy should have been let go.

As far as this particular coaching group goes--what they find if it works--it works. If we score lots more goals then fine. If we have to (more than likely) depend on our defense more to win games--that's fine too as long as the team wins enough. I don't get too swept away with the goals scored. My concern is more that we score 1 more goal than the opposition in any given game. The players on this team are pretty much the same as last year's. AV does not have the Sedin's. We may score more goals but more than likely the styles of last year's team and this year's are going to be pretty close.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

So are all of our players to avoid blocking shots from now on?

Rangers do not have great skill at forward. So when we wind up around middle of the pack when it comes to goals scored it shouldn't be a big surprise. The 11-12 team I'd daresay (without looking at the stats) blocked more shots than the 12-13 team (on average or pro rate away). That team came within a point of winning the President's trophy for best regular season record and then went 20 games into the playoffs. Considering they got off to a rocky start--started in Europe with two games vs. the Kings and the Ducks and few if any of us thought it was going to be any more than a squeak into the playoffs teams that team was very successful.

Sometimes players get gassed because they're not in good enough shape. Last year with no training camp it was more on the players to get ready than on the coaching staff. We all had a good look at Mr. Richards who hardly ever blocks shots and ran around gassed all the time towards the end of the season. That guy should have been let go.

As far as this particular coaching group goes--what they find if it works--it works. If we score lots more goals then fine. If we have to (more than likely) depend on our defense more to win games--that's fine too as long as the team wins enough. I don't get too swept away with the goals scored. My concern is more that we score 1 more goal than the opposition in any given game. The players on this team are pretty much the same as last year's. AV does not have the Sedin's. We may score more goals but more than likely the styles of last year's team and this year's are going to be pretty close.

Good post. The bolded is something that a lot of fans just refuse to accept.

 

[Raspewtin]

Good post. The bolded is something that a lot of fans just refuse to accept.

But why does not having elite skill at forward lead directly to play shot blocking, collapsing defense? I think most fans know our forwards aren't elite, but they're deep and very skilled.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

But why does not having elite skill at forward lead directly to play shot blocking, collapsing defense? I think most fans know our forwards aren't elite, but they're deep and very skilled.

1) You play to your strengths. The defense and goaltending is leaps and bounds better than the forwards.

2) They had their best success in almost 20 years playing that style/system.

3) They're deep? They lacked depth to the point where they had to deal one of their purported best forwards, had to bring back an unproven player, and were still playing the likes of Powe, Newbury and Haley in the playoffs

 

[Raspewtin]

1) You play to your strengths. The defense and goaltending is leaps and bounds better than the forwards.

2) They had their best success in almost 20 years playing that style/system.

3) They're deep? They lacked depth to the point where they had to deal one of their purported best forwards, had to bring back an unproven player, and were still playing the likes of Powe, Newbury and Haley in the playoffs

well they're deep NOW. Cause that's what I'm talking about, now. Everyone on the roster is capable of scoring (assuming Pyatt and Powe stay off the roster, which they should), we don't have any more Halpern players that can only do one job and not score on top of it. Well yeah the defense and goaltending is better than the forwards, but that doesn't mean the team has to commit to shotblocking all the time. Take a team like Boston where their strengths are D and Goal, they don't play block every shot and throw the puck up the boards to enter the offensive zone hockey, because you can't play to one strength to the point where a weakness is even weaker. And that's what dump and chase block every shot hockey did with the forwards. More importantly, they completely fall apart in the playoffs. We deserved to lose to Ottawa last year, and even moreso Washington, but Hank dragged them kicking and screaming throughout both series'. Same with Washington this year, Brassard and Hank dragged them kicking and screaming again to the second round. I don't care about their regular season success, Torts and his system failed this roster come playoff time.

 

[eco's bones]

well they're deep NOW. Cause that's what I'm talking about, now. Everyone on the roster is capable of scoring (assuming Pyatt and Powe stay off the roster, which they should), we don't have any more Halpern players that can only do one job and not score on top of it. Well yeah the defense and goaltending is better than the forwards, but that doesn't mean the team has to commit to shotblocking all the time. Take a team like Boston where their strengths are D and Goal, they don't play block every shot and throw the puck up the boards to enter the offensive zone hockey, because you can't play to one strength to the point where a weakness is even weaker. And that's what dump and chase block every shot hockey did with the forwards. More importantly, they completely fall apart in the playoffs. We deserved to lose to Ottawa last year, and even moreso Washington, but Hank dragged them kicking and screaming throughout both series'. Same with Washington this year, Brassard and Hank dragged them kicking and screaming again to the second round. I don't care about their regular season success, Torts and his system failed this roster come playoff time.

I agree that we should be a much deeper team at forward this year. I kind of think that if you have a 3rd and 4th line that can score it takes a lot of pressure off of your scoring lines and probably means you won't have to always be regaining momentum nearly as much. Having versatile players on your bottom lines--guys who can pk, fight or can step up a line or two in a pinch is a good thing to have--something that the Nash trade kind of depleted us of at the beginning of last year. Having said that this is still all paper projections. We have to wait and see. For now the Rangers strongest point is in goal and the top 3-4 defenders around the goal.

In any case for even the best offensive teams most games are tight. One goal differences are not a rarity for anybody--or two goal differences with an empty netter. The main thing is to win more often than not.