Post-Game Talk: Blackhawks at Rangers - December 13

[Bluenote13]

When was the last time Zuccarello had a good game?

Few games ago vs the Jets, and before that he was very good in the Carolina game.

The point is that Torts was never the problem with the Rangers power play. It was the personnel.

It was both. Torts never adjusted the PP strategy to fit the players he had. It's basically the same issue I had with AV and the PK last year.

It is interesting to see that AV did change up the Rangers PP this year.

Agreed Tawnos, bit of both. We have long suffered from not having puckmovers at the point. MCD can't do it all.

 

[Irishguy42]

 

[Bluenote13]

I've gotten hit with a puck in the face twice, one broke my nose(3rd time), but never got hit in the teeth with a skate blade, thats gotta be a different level of pain. Hope hes okay.

Lots of respect for Bill Dineen, RIP.

 

[Irishguy42]

 

[Doctor King Schultz]

Does Matty Pumps even get a spot when he's healthy?

 

[Anthony5967]

When the heck is Buchnevich coming back? They pumpin him full of roids so he don't break? That guy is so dynamic and a huge piece for this club. Getting Nash back should help. Saw this before, somebody McD a top d partner and they would be Cup contenders. I agree. Is not easy though and I do not even know who you can get without sending a Hayes/Miller and I would avoid that at all costs. I would deal any prospects and picks because I do believe they have a shot. The draft this year is weak, some of you have to decide, do you want to be on here in June talking Cup champs or do you wanna be discussing who you are gonna take with pick ~22 where that player will not be ready until like 2019?

 

[Anthony5967]

The 2013-14 club had the Pouliot-Brass-Zucc line shred opposing third d pairs. Should have similar effect when we get guys back. I mean you could be looking at,

Vesey-Stepan-Nash
Kreider-Zibanejad-Zuccarello
Miller-Hayes-Buchnevich
Grabner-Lindberg-Fast

Scratch: Pirri, Puemps

 

[Loff]

Few games ago vs the Jets, and before that he was very good in the Carolina game.

The NJ game two days ago. He could easily have had three assists. Some of our guys couldn't score if they found themselves in a 1800's brothel (Zucc included, right now).

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

The 2013-14 club had the Pouliot-Brass-Zucc line shred opposing third d pairs. Should have similar effect when we get guys back. I mean you could be looking at,

Vesey-Stepan-Nash
Kreider-Zibanejad-Zuccarello
Miller-Hayes-Buchnevich
Grabner-Lindberg-Fast

Scratch: Pirri, Puemps

honestly Hrivik should be priority over Pirri and Puempel IMO

 

[Anthony5967]

honestly Hrivik should be priority over Pirri and Puempel IMO

Totally agree. Can Hrivik go to the AHL without being waived? Could depend on that. I like Hrivik over Puempel for sure.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

Totally agree. Can Hrivik go to the AHL without being waived? Could depend on that. I like Hrivik over Puempel for sure.

I don't think so. I think Puempel gets waived when everybody gets back

 

[Anthony5967]

I don't think so. I think Puempel gets waived when everybody gets back

He should be too. Not that good. Better guys here. Pirri goes to the bench too IMO. Take him off the PP too and let Buch patrol the wall on that unit.

 

[chosen]

I was comparing the 6-on-5 last night to our god-awful PP we had years ago, under Torts. I referred to it as the "Torts PP". Then you brought up that the current PP by Columbus is the best in the league.

By calling it the Torts PP when it sucked sure sounds like you're blaming Torts, else you would have called it the Rangers PP during those seasons, or something like that. That was how it sounded to me.

My bringing up the team currently using the Torts PP being the best in the league was to refute that it was the fault of Torts.

Talent always triumphs over coach. Same as in baseball and basketball. Coaching matters more in football.

 

[The Gloaming]

I'd like to see Hrivik keep up the level of play he showed. He had a couple of really good games last year when he was called up but he fizzled out soon after. He could be a great forechecking 4th liner in the NHL if he's consistent.

 

[chosen]

TBF, wasn't it also the coaching under him? I didn't notice any adjustments being made. I agree that it was the personnel, but I don't really think that Torts did as much as he could have coaching-wise. At the end of the day, the assistant coaching falls at his feet.

Do you think Torts was good in TB, bad here, and in Vancouver, and now good again in Columbus?

That doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Do you think Torts was good in TB, bad here, and in Vancouver, and no good again in Columbus?

That doesn't make sense to me.

No, but I don't know if he knew how to adapt to the personnel around him. That's part of coaching, too. You know me, man. I'm all for blaming Sather for everything and Torts is probably my favorite Rangers coach of my lifetime (Keenan should be for the sake of 1994, but he was such a complete scum bag that it's hard to rank him higher than Torts). But I was disappointed with Torts with the floundering PP. I can't just blame the GM for that.

 

[Anthony5967]

I cannot believe too that Philly, Pitt, CBJ and WSH cannot lose a game at all either. Rangers out here battling down 5 key guys and those teams are winning one after another. They gonna go cold soon?

 

[Tawnos]

No, but I don't know if he knew how to adapt to the personnel around him. That's part of coaching, too. You know me, man. I'm all for blaming Sather for everything and Torts is probably my favorite Rangers coach of my lifetime (Keenan should be for the sake of 1994, but he was such a complete scum bag that it's hard to rank him higher than Torts). But I was disappointed with Torts with the floundering PP. I can't just blame the GM for that.

Tortorella definitely adapted at even strength to the team's personnel. The lack of high end offensive talent is why he went away from "safe is death" to "six goalie." He never adjusted the PP into an overload system, which is what we needed with all our good board guys.

People act like he was a bad coach here, but with the exception of his first full year, which is also the worst roster we've iced post-lockout, his teams were greater than the sum of their parts. Even in 2013, which got him fired.

 

[Crease]

The one thing I could do with less of is the limp wrist shots from the blue line off the back foot. It's the Girardi special but others are guilty of it too.

 

[Doctor King Schultz]

The one thing I could do with less of is the limp wrist shots from the blue line off the back foot. It's the Girardi special but others are guilty of it too.

Most of the time they can't even get the shot to travel 3 feet before it gets blocked by an opposing team's player. They are terrible at identifying shooting lanes.

 

[Crease]

Most of the time they can't even get the shot to travel 3 feet before it gets blocked by an opposing team's player. They are terrible at identifying shooting lanes.

That but I think also there is amongst our dmen--aside from McD and Skjei--a lack in confidence and ability to control the puck along the blue line. So when guys like G and Klein and to a lesser degree Staal, Holden, and Clendening keep the puck in, or receive a pass without much time and space, they just instinctively whip it back down the sideboards or towards the net. Anything to avoid turning the puck over at the blue line.

Watching Keith and Seabrook dance along the blue line last night made me green with envy. I know we can't stack a team with six of those guys but the more the merrier I say.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

That but I think also there is amongst our dmen--aside from McD and Skjei--a lack in confidence and ability to control the puck along the blue line. So when guys like G and Klein and to a lesser degree Staal, Holden, and Clendening keep the puck in, or receive a pass without much time and space, they just instinctively whip it back down the sideboards or towards the net. Anything to avoid turning the puck over at the blue line.

yea watch staal with the puck on the blue line.. he's visibly shaking. then he throws the same limp wrist shot wide. hes the worst offensively of all our dmen

 

[silverfish]

yea watch staal with the puck on the blue line.. he's visibly shaking. then he throws the same limp wrist shot wide. hes the worst offensively of all our dmen

Staal has the highest ixG/60 among Rangers D right now. 22nd in the league among D with 250 or more minutes.

 

[Raspewtin]

Staal has the highest ixG/60 among Rangers D right now. 22nd in the league among D with 250 or more minutes.

somehow.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Staal has the highest ixG/60 among Rangers D right now. 22nd in the league among D with 250 or more minutes.

"Staal's been setup on a silver platter, but can't finish" is how I read this... also 'Marc Staal should score more goals than Ryan McDonagh, Brady Skeij and Nick Holden'

He's been pretty decent at joining the rush as the 3rd/4th guy this year and has banked on being a recipient of some of the quality rush chances the Rangers create, but that's about it.

He has 0 finish and 0 ability to get the puck to the net unless it's a rush chance with a clear lane to the net. He's actually worse than Girardi with the puck on his stick at the point.