What's Going on with the Rangers?

[Chimpradamus]

The Rangers are centered around a 8.5 million dollar aging goaltender. He has been average for the past 3 seasons. Last season he was below average. This season he is just about average. I think the writing is on the wall. His style of play does not age well, especially considering the league's overall skill has gone up. I don't think AV wants to play the system that Lundqvist wants and he will be gone.

Funny that you think the goalie is the big problem in New York. Even funnier you consider him below average to average as a goalie, especially since he's always at the top in the league in high danger scoring chances and save percentage on those shots.

Pretty good for an average goalie to be the best in the league at points contributed by his play in 14/15. What were the other goalies in the league then, terrible? But I forgot, he only became average after he didn't win such things.

Also pretty good for an average goalie to be 2nd in the league in high danger shots saved percentage, while facing 28 of them (the leader has faced 32). But, as you have been an avid Lundqvist hater since the day you set foot on this board and has been whining about how he sucks for a decade or so, it's not like your opinion on this matter holds any ground.

I would advocate the big problem in NYR is their idiotic man to man defense, that falls to shambles after some opponent cycling, leaving the slot unguarded every single time, while the defense is terrible at breaking up cross passes as well. But hey, it's solely the goalie's fault the team looks like a kindergarden in their own zone and has so for a long time now (ever since AV started as a coach).

The NYR defense can't handle speedy teams and basically every team in the league tries to focus more on speed nowadays. Nice combo. I would like to see which goalie would thrive playing behind this clown system.

I dont see Any discussion in why girardi was bought out and not staal?!? Was that the right decision

Staal's contract is longer and more expensive to buy out. In the ideal scenario, they would both have been bought out.

 

[BomaLightDevils]

Funny that you think the goalie is the big problem in New York. Even funnier you consider him below average to average as a goalie, especially since he's always at the top in the league in high danger scoring chances and save percentage on those shots.

Pretty good for an average goalie to be the best in the league at points contributed by his play in 14/15. What were the other goalies in the league then, terrible? But I forgot, he only became average after he didn't win such things.

Also pretty good for an average goalie to be 2nd in the league in high danger shots saved percentage, while facing 28 of them (the leader has faced 32). But, as you have been an avid Lundqvist hater since the day you set foot on this board and has been whining about how he sucks for a decade or so, it's not like your opinion on this matter holds any ground.

I would advocate the big problem in NYR is their idiotic man to man defense, that falls to shambles after some opponent cycling, leaving the slot unguarded every single time, while the defense is terrible at breaking up cross passes as well. But hey, it's solely the goalie's fault the team looks like a kindergarden in their own zone and has so for a long time now (ever since AV started as a coach).

The NYR defense can't handle speedy teams and basically every team in the league tries to focus more on speed nowadays. Nice combo. I would like to see which goalie would thrive playing behind this clown system.

Staal's contract is longer and more expensive to buy out. In the ideal scenario, they would both have been bought out.

What do you think looking back would be the right choice if boyout and the cap wasn't a problem.
You have seen both players more than me I think?

 

[haak84]

Funny that you think the goalie is the big problem in New York. Even funnier you consider him below average to average as a goalie, especially since he's always at the top in the league in high danger scoring chances and save percentage on those shots.

Pretty good for an average goalie to be the best in the league at points contributed by his play in 14/15. What were the other goalies in the league then, terrible? But I forgot, he only became average after he didn't win such things.

Also pretty good for an average goalie to be 2nd in the league in high danger shots saved percentage, while facing 28 of them (the leader has faced 32). But, as you have been an avid Lundqvist hater since the day you set foot on this board and has been whining about how he sucks for a decade or so, it's not like your opinion on this matter holds any ground.

I would advocate the big problem in NYR is their idiotic man to man defense, that falls to shambles after some opponent cycling, leaving the slot unguarded every single time, while the defense is terrible at breaking up cross passes as well. But hey, it's solely the goalie's fault the team looks like a kindergarden in their own zone and has so for a long time now (ever since AV started as a coach).

The NYR defense can't handle speedy teams and basically every team in the league tries to focus more on speed nowadays. Nice combo. I would like to see which goalie would thrive playing behind this clown system.

Staal's contract is longer and more expensive to buy out. In the ideal scenario, they would both have been bought out.

Hey Chimp, glad to hear from you. A few points in your post are inaccurate and I’ll address them below:

1) I was a member of this board before Lundqvist was in the league. Back then, I was arguing that Brodeur was in the same league as Hasek and Roy and a better netminder than Luongo.

2) I’ve never said Lundqvist sucks. I’ve always thought he was pre-ordained and never completely lived up to his lofty expectations. Ranger fans have and still use every excuse to pump up his credentials. It started with the sham top-3 Vezina finishes.

3) Although not inaccurate I’m suspicious of the high danger shots against. I also do not think it proves much considering Lundqvists’ style of play. He does not have the necessary skills to prevent HD shots and his butterfly/quick reflex style should prove it to be his best category. He also still needs to save LD and MD shots, which hes regressed in in recent years. I also believe MSG scorekeepers overcount shots, specifically high danger shots. I’ll provide follow up examples in a future post.

I will say after watching a lot of Ranger games and most of Lundqvist’s career that if you think last season he was anything but below average than you are blind homer.

 

[generalshepherd141]

What's the problem with the Rangers?
1. They're old.
2. Vigneault inexplicably plays his crappy vets 20+ a night.
3. They lack a #1 center.

 

[BMOK33]

I think their D is having a hard time adjusting to each other and the forwards with their being new guys there. Lundqvist is having a bad start which he has had before and they aren't getting the secondary scoring from fringe guys like they did early last year. I think most had to expect Grabner wouldn't be as good this year but they aren't getting help from other secondary guys either

 

[BMOK33]

The Rangers are centered around a 8.5 million dollar aging goaltender. He has been average for the past 3 seasons. Last season he was below average. This season he is just about average. I think the writing is on the wall. His style of play does not age well, especially considering the league's overall skill has gone up. I don't think AV wants to play the system that Lundqvist wants and he will be gone.

Lundqvist I think is a very capable goalie but he probably needs to be a 40-45 game regular season guy. We saw him just implode vs Ottawa last year as he reached around the 75 game mark. He was bad vs Pittsburgh the year before..again right as he neared 70-75 games. He made it through round 1 last year I think because he played 10 or so less games than he did in 15-16. The problem is the Rangers backup is Pavelec who you can't trust for 45 starts. They needed to sign a more elite backup

 

[haak84]

Regarding HDSA: (I would like to hear more advanced stats people's opinion on this). Every goaltender over the past 10 years has an even or lower High Danger Shots Average at home vs. away besides Lundqvist. I think this is due to the scorekeeper over counting shots as opposed to the Rangers playing worse at home.

 

[Machinehead]

Top six lines in the NHL by xGF%.

Take a wild guess which one got broken up by their coach.

That's what's f***ing going on with the Rangers.

 

[Levitate]

What's the problem with the Rangers?
1. They're old.
2. Vigneault inexplicably plays his crappy vets 20+ a night.
3. They lack a #1 center.

They're not really particularly old. They have a handful of older guys but the main core of the team is mid to late 20's.

The only player getting regular 20+ minutes per night is McDonagh and you want him getting those minutes.

Lacking a #1 center as many define it has been an issue for them since basically forever, yet they've been to a Cup Final, ECF, won a President's trophy, etc. Honestly Zibanejad can probably replace Stepan's point production just fine, maybe even exceed it, but where it hurts them is that having Stepan-Zibanejad as your 1-2 is a lot stronger than Zibanejad-Hayes.

But on the other hand those are sometimes the moves you have to make to be better down the road. They got a talented young defenseman and a high pick that could be a big part of their team in the future.

 

[WesMcCauley]

Top six lines in the NHL by xGF%.

Take a wild guess which one got broken up by their coach.

That's what's ****ing going on with the Rangers.

Tbf that was the right move because no other line was working and its not like the top line actually scored alot 5v5 either. Need to spread the scoring around, but playing Buch on the 4th line is just stupid....

 

[Chimpradamus]

What do you think looking back would be the right choice if boyout and the cap wasn't a problem.
You have seen both players more than me I think?

Both are horrendeus with the puck, but AV's system has magnified their short comings. Girardi is doing better in a lesser role in Tampa, while playing a traditional zone system, where his bad skating and terrible puck skills aren't as magnified. Girardi would probably still be a Ranger with a sensible defensive system.

As to who is worse, it's a tough question. They've both been terrible under Vigneault, only he can't see it. Disregarding contracts, I would flip a dime who to sack. They've both been extremely underwhelming in their own regard. Both could probably be servicable in a 5/6/7 role, but at $5.5m, that's a really tough pill to swallow. Add to that $ather gave them both NMC's for no apparent reason, it's not like they were franchise players by any stretch of the imagination, ever.

If you put a gun to my head, I would probably sack Staal before Girardi, but it's close. Both are bad skaters, terrible with the puck and somewhat ok defensively in a zone system, while looking like a circus in a man to man defense. Staal lost an eye, had some injuries and Girardi is just worn down. Girardi is like an old Chris Drury on defense, while Staal is just... done.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

What's the problem with the Rangers?
1. They're old.
2. Vigneault inexplicably plays his crappy vets 20+ a night.
3. They lack a #1 center.

They have four players who are exactly 30. One who is 31. And then Nash (33) and Lundqvist (35). They really are not an old team. The problem is their highest paid players are their oldest two and both have declined significantly compared to their salary. Factor Staal's contract and the fact that he skates like he's 35 and you've identified most of your personnel problems. Realistically, AV has not been a good coach these past couple of seasons either.

 

[NYR]

It is infuriating that you would think to mock someone else for knowing everything. You have strong opinions(or should I say irrefutable truths?) on every ****ing player in the league, constantly mock the notion that watching a player is anywhere near as important as advanced stats(ironic tho in this thread you cry wolf because no one is taking your word as a Rangers fan...something you are guilty of all the time, you won't find anyone in Boston who thinks Krug is a top 10 dman but sure), you also seem to value actual playoff success very minimally even though its literally what all of this is for....I could go on....for hours on your condescending history of "hockey god"-like posts but its just useless because, again, I don't think you've ever been wrong.

A bunch of little kids have taken over the NYR board.
Welcome to my world lol

 

[BrockLobster]

They are back to shooting 30% again so all is back to normal. Everyone can breathe easy now

 

[Machinehead]

They are back to shooting 30% again so all is back to normal. Everyone can breathe easy now

23rd in the league in PDO and 24th in shooting percentage, but hey, whatever floats your goat.

 

[GlitchMarner]

Well, I figured they would start scoring again.

Three games winning streak. They've scored 13 goals in their last three games and 17 in their last four.

I'm not sure why people have this impression that the Rangers are an offensively inept team.

Offense really shouldn't be an issue for this team long-term.

 

[Lays]

Well, I figured they would start scoring again.

Three games winning streak. They've scored 13 goals in their last three games and 17 in their last four.

I'm not sure why people have this impression that the Rangers are an offensively inept team.

Offense really shouldn't be an issue for this team long-term.

Yep, our offense is well above average. Defense was the real question but it’s starting to look better. Skjei and McDonagh look to be off their slumps and Marc Staal looks like the player he was before the eye injury, he’s skating so much better and is involved offensively, hopefully he keeps it up he’s looked very good. Still a playoff team

 

[Machinehead]

KZB is back together

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

KZB is back together

Holy shit, did they destroy the Barkov line this game. Boughner didn't do his homework thinking he could put his top line against ours and think that would work well for them. People look at that line and don't recognize any stars but they are all such good possession players who understand each others movements and have a variety of skills.

They are starting to have bad puck luck again though, I think only one goal in the last two games and it was a 4 on 4. If we didn't win this game, we probably would've seen something like Kreider and Buch relegated to another line because of the coach.