Player Discussion Worst Mistakes Made By Rangers

[McRanger]

Who should they have taken, then? That whole draft was a bust. The only good players were already taken. Zetterberg doesn't count, he's like the Lundqvist of forwards, complete dumb luck on Detroit's part.

They could have not gone all in on a horrific draft. Smith traded to the top in a draft that was suppose to be seriously weak at the top, especially compared to the previous 2 years. Its not like it was a surprise, I mean the team that won the lottery traded the pick and the team that had the 1st overall pick traded out of the 1st round completely.

 

[Riche16]

Really, so those 4 ~30th overall picks we're missing are why we suck today? Its not like we pulled a Maple Leaf and traded away Seguin and Hamilton. They were late picks, the kind that don't usually produce NHLers, let alone impact players. Best case we end up with a couple more Brady Skjei's. I'd take going to the SCF and a President's over that any day.

I must've missed the years we went to the finals other than 2014

But yeah, we don't need any more Skjei's... we have plenty of Smiths, Staals, Pionks, Shattys, ADAs, Cleassons...

I'd take the pics because losing in the finals and a f***ING President's Trophy don't do shit for me.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Brendan Smith must be the biggest bust, at 4.35M cap hit Quinn won't play him unless there is no other choice.

Some say Gorton is the worst GM in Rangers history. I don't know much about their history in the early days, but I'm not impressed.

I've literally haven't seen one person call Gorton the worst GM in Rangers history.

 

[McRanger]

I must've missed the years we went to the finals other than 2014

But yeah, we don't need any more Skjei's... we have plenty of Smiths, Staals, Pionks, Shattys, ADAs, Cleassons...

I'd take the pics because losing in the finals and a ****ING President's Trophy don't do **** for me.

Most people watch hockey for entertainment and find winning games, especially playoff games, entertaining. The idea that not winning the cup somehow removes the enjoyment from everything that came before it is a little odd.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I must've missed the years we went to the finals other than 2014

But yeah, we don't need any more Skjei's... we have plenty of Smiths, Staals, Pionks, Shattys, ADAs, Cleassons...

I'd take the pics because losing in the finals and a ****ING President's Trophy don't do **** for me.

idk. I know that the mentality is either you win the Cup or the season was an abject failure and didn't mean anything and you might as well not even suited up, but i'd still take what we accomplished over a couple more b-level prospects to wait 4 or 5 years to develop and then realize they were never anything special in the first place.

 

[Riche16]

Most people watch hockey for entertainment and find winning games, especially playoff games, entertaining. The idea that not winning the cup somehow removes the enjoyment from everything that came before it is a little odd.

Having seen 1994 first hand I'll agree that winning playoff games is fun... but the reason they are is when you have a chance of winning.

The "Another kick at the can" years were not fun IMO

Waiting to be eliminated isn't fun. Having a real chance is.

Actually doing it more than once in a lifetime would be nice. But this is the NYR so I guess I'm a lifelong fan of the wrong team

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Who should they have taken, then? That whole draft was a bust. The only good players were already taken. Zetterberg doesn't count, he's like the Lundqvist of forwards, complete dumb luck on Detroit's part.

Success!

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Having seen 1994 first hand I'll agree that winning playoff games is fun... but the reason they are is when you have a chance of winning.

The "Another kick at the can" years were not fun IMO

Waiting to be eliminated isn't fun. Having a real chance is.

Actually doing it more than once in a lifetime would be nice. But this is the NYR so I guess I'm a lifelong fan of the wrong team

Part of the problem with the "Another Kick At The Can" teams also came with the "one more move puts us over the top" trade(s).

 

[McRanger]

Having seen 1994 first hand I'll agree that winning playoff games is fun... but the reason they are is when you have a chance of winning.

The "Another kick at the can" years were not fun IMO

Waiting to be eliminated isn't fun. Having a real chance is.

Actually doing it more than once in a lifetime would be nice. But this is the NYR so I guess I'm a lifelong fan of the wrong team

I saw 94 as well. I was only a teenager so I wasn't the beaten down Ranger fan I am today but it was still most incredible to witness.

Anyway my point is that while the ultimate goal is always to win a cup, its tough to look back after you get eliminated that late in the game and consider all the moments before wasted. I mean no one watches a win and goes "well that was an amazing victory but I am going to hold off enjoyment until I see if they eventually win the cup." At no point in '14 or '15, not even down 3-1 against LA or in the waning moments of game 7 against TB, would I have traded the slim possibility of more playoff action for more prospects.

 

[True Blue]

UGH, is this your version of payback for me reminding you of all of those bad trades in the other thread???

We're Rangers fans. At least we could spread the misery around.

 

[McRanger]

Part of the problem with the "Another Kick At The Can" teams also came with the "one more move puts us over the top" trade(s).

The '14-'15 teams and '16-'17 "another kick in the can" team are really two completely different situations.

 

[True Blue]

Members of that team and several draft picks were jettisoned in search of a cup that never came, and it's perhaps the primary reason why the Rangers find themselves in the situation they are in today.

Sather decided that he wanted pond hockey and brought in AV.

 

[True Blue]

Really, so those 4 ~30th overall picks we're missing are why we suck today? Its not like we pulled a Maple Leaf and traded away Seguin and Hamilton. They were late picks, the kind that don't usually produce NHLers, let alone impact players. Best case we end up with a couple more Brady Skjei's. I'd take going to the SCF and a President's over that any day.

This again? There are NHL players who are not top-1o overall picks. Those 4 picks are a big part of the reason the team is where it is. But it is not just those 4. It's the assets traded with them, along with other draft picks.

Your statement makes one believe that only top 10-15 players taken in drafts become good players. That's just not true.

 

[True Blue]

Signing Skrudland to replace Messier... ugh..

And bringing in Mike Keane for grit.

Of course, no mistakes can be mentioned without mentioning Bobby freaking' Carpenter. Ridley and Miller should have been fixtures on the team for years to come.

 

[One Winged Angel]

We're Rangers fans. At least we could spread the misery around.

“The more we get together, the happier we’ll be”

Let’s play: Recreate this song

“The more we talk Rangers hockey, the more miserable we’ll be”

 

[True Blue]

I've literally haven't seen one person call Gorton the worst GM in Rangers history.

He's the worst in history because he is going to trade Zucc.

 

[True Blue]

idk. I know that the mentality is either you win the Cup or the season was an abject failure and didn't mean anything and you might as well not even suited up, but i'd still take what we accomplished over a couple more b-level prospects to wait 4 or 5 years to develop and then realize they were never anything special in the first place.

I forget. Where was Kreider taken?

 

[True Blue]

“The more we get together, the happier we’ll be”

Let’s play: Recreate this song

“The more we talk Rangers hockey, the more miserable we’ll be”

NICE!

 

[sbjnyc]

-While history will continue to forget it, cutting Gordie ****ing Howe should probably sit at the top of the list.

I never knew of the Rangers Howe connection before. When I looked at his wiki page, it says the rangers offered to sign him when he was 15 but he declined. The next year he signed the same offer from the Wings. According to this the reason he declined was being homesick and uncomfortable with all the vets. The rangers scout regretted was not having other local kids around.

 

[McRanger]

Signing Skrudland to replace Messier... ugh..

More accurately we traded for Lafontaine to replace Messier.

That was when the Rangers first dipped their toes in the "maybe this guy wont get any more concussions!" pool. Always a solid move.

 

[One Winged Angel]

NICE!

I have my creative moments. Just don’t ask me to do art. You’ll get solid stick figures, nothing more.

 

[gorangers0525]

Signing Girardi and Staal based almost entirely on Lundqvist’s work, not resigning Stralman.

 

[Machinehead]

I never knew of the Rangers Howe connection before. When I looked at his wiki page, it says the rangers offered to sign him when he was 15 but he declined. The next year he signed the same offer from the Wings. According to this the reason he declined was being homesick and uncomfortable with all the vets. The rangers scout regretted was not having other local kids around.

Depending on who you ask, there may have been an offer on the table, but the Rangers made it clear the relationship was not going to be a good one.

Our coach at the time kept forgetting his name.

 

[True Blue]

If we are rubbing salt into all of the old wounds, let's remember trading a first round pick for the privilege of Michel Bergeron.

 

[Off Sides]

I think after the 97 playoffs they made a ton of mistakes.

Salary cap happened

They kind of rebuilt/retooled but did not follow through, the Jagr era

Then they kept on with the eras, Gaborik, Richards, Nash, eras and the whole time it was like that game where you try to fit the different shaped pieces in before the playing surface pops up and they all go flying, and they just never could beat the buzzer.