Pre-Game Talk: Caps @ Rangers - Metro Division Finals

[Algernop Kreider]

What about your boy Dan Boyle? The guy has his warts, but he's definitely creative/assertive offensively. How would you rank the defenseman in this series (including Caps defenseman) in order of offensive creativity? Here's my list:

Yandle
Carlson
Green
McDonagh
Boyle
Niskanen
Alzner
Klein
Girardi
Staal
Orpik
Gleason

Not seeing how that is a problem the Rangers need t be concerned about. Are your rankings a lot different than mine?

Staal > Girardi

 

[jniklast]

Staal > Girardi

In terms of offense? I don't think so, Girardi has regularly outscored Staal. I'd say Girardi's passing is actually a little underrated. He definitely has problems when he's pressured, but given time and space he is pretty decent at it. Our first playoff goal is just one example and there's a reason while he already has 3 assists.

The difference isn't big, but I'd definitely take Girardi over Staal on offense. While he has gotten better in the last couple of years, his offense had completely disappeared after his first concussion.

 

[Miamipuck]

Girardi's offense consists of a good point shot. As far as creativity goes, I think Staal is on the rush more and has better offensive instincts.

 

[beastly115]

Girardi's offense consists of a good point shot. As far as creativity goes, I think Staal is on the rush more and has better offensive instincts.

And by good point shot you mean a weak wrister from the blue line?

 

[Doctyl]

Creativity? Girardi?

 

[Kakko]

i've noticed something after watching a ton of series and reg. season highlights that's been bugging me.

i've seen that many times, the reason the rangers don't sustain offensive zone pressure, is because the defense can never ever make a simple play. start watching for it and you'll notice, every play they make is either a pass or an attempted shot. there's never one of those "intentionally miss the net so you can get the puck deep" plays, you know, the goal that won us the penguins series. marc staal is especially aggravating with this, he's a slow offensive decision maker as is, but he either forces a pass that is/isn't there, or takes a terrible shin-shot only for the puck to go right out. girardi, boyle, and yes klein too are all egregious offenders of this. always looking for plays that aren't there rather just cycle the puck.

of course, this wouldn't be a problem if these d-men had any semblance of offensive creativity minus mcdonagh and yandle, but they don't, so ****ing keep it simple.

I just wanna know where this Staal is

 

[Miamipuck]

And by good point shot you mean a weak wrister from the blue line?

He gets his shots through, which is a quality I wish more defenseman had. Any shot, weak or not, that gets through is good. I am not saying he's Al McInnis, don't infer anything that's not there.

 

[charliemurphy]

In terms of offense? I don't think so, Girardi has regularly outscored Staal. I'd say Girardi's passing is actually a little underrated. He definitely has problems when he's pressured, but given time and space he is pretty decent at it. Our first playoff goal is just one example and there's a reason while he already has 3 assists.

The difference isn't big, but I'd definitely take Girardi over Staal on offense. While he has gotten better in the last couple of years, his offense had completely disappeared after his first concussion.

Declined. Sure but that had to have been as expected. He currently has 3 less goals this season then his season best of a whopping 8 goals in 09-10.
You could easily just as argue that his stats are getting better since his concussion.
Saying "his offense had completely disappeared after his first concussion" is nonsense. Offense has always been a bonus to Staal's game. Not a secret.

 

[TheTakedown]

I just wanna know where this Staal is

oh my... if we could have that again--My goodness.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I always thought the best stretch of hockey in Staal's career was the 10-15 games before the eye injury.

Real shame.

 

[Tawnos]

oh my... if we could have that again--My goodness.

He made a couple of plays like that this year that I hadn't seen in a while. Thought for sure he would score on them, but he didn't.

 

[silverfish]

I always thought the best stretch of hockey in Staal's career was the 10-15 games before the eye injury.

Real shame.

Agreed.

I still think he's our 2nd best defensemen, which says a ton, and for a large portion of the season I felt he was our best defensemen.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

I just wanna know where this Staal is

What about this Staal


Who's this ovechkin guy?

 

[Levitate]

Boyle is definitely more offensive than McDonagh. Mike Green is also a shell of a shell of a shell of his former self i wouldn't rate him that high TBH.

McDonagh produces more than Boyle though...

Green can still produce, especially on the power play, so I wouldn't discount him entirely.

Girardi's offense consists of a good point shot. As far as creativity goes, I think Staal is on the rush more and has better offensive instincts.

Staal's definitely better at jumping into the play but rarely does much with the puck once in the offensive zone

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

President's Trophy only coach?

He has made the Stanley Cup final twice! He has been quite successful in the play-offs. He took the Bruins to 7 games and was close to winning it in 2011. Last year we lost games in OT. We weren't dominated. AV is a coach who just needs a bit of luck and bounces going the right way

My bad! I forgot about his Stanley Cup rings.

Seriously, I know you're an informed poster, but do you even read my posts for more than 7 seconds? The one to which you responded wasn't any form of sarcasm.

You don't think it bothers AV that he hasn't gotten the final prize considering his regular season success?

Do you not think his coaching career will be viewed by a good part whether this team flops?

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Not to mention, he took the Bruins to 7 games with a completely depleted lineup. Look at the amount of injuries that team had that year in the playoffs..

You missed my point.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Agreed.

I still think he's our 2nd best defensemen, which says a ton, and for a large portion of the season I felt he was our best defensemen.

I agree he is the #2 in my mind as well. Has his warts for sure...for as much of an asset as his reach is defensively it holds him back a bit in terms of stick handling. A little slow & awkward sometimes adjusting passing/shooting angles which can allow the opposition time to react and stifle him.

But his ability to read plays is underrated, and his positioning/stickwork has to be among the elite of the league.

 

[nevesis]

Where you at Loffen....

 

[AIexisLafreniereNYR]

WHERE THE HEFF lS THE GDT LOFFEN?!!

 

[Ex Officer Friendly]

GDT is up
This is closed
Lgr!

 

[Raspewtin]

What about your boy Dan Boyle? The guy has his warts, but he's definitely creative/assertive offensively. How would you rank the defenseman in this series (including Caps defenseman) in order of offensive creativity? Here's my list:

his shot has been horribly inaccurate this year.

Yandle
Carlson
Green
McDonagh
Boyle
Niskanen
Alzner
Klein
Girardi
Staal
Orpik
Gleason

Not seeing how that is a problem the Rangers need t be concerned about. Are your rankings a lot different than mine?

i'm concerned because their over-reliance on making a play rather than keeping a forecheck going kills offensive zone time. it has nothing to do with the other team.