#1 Problem - Our center depth

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Thinking about our team's roster...when you really look at it, you realize it has more holes than one would have thought they'd have this season. The biggest reason being players failing to live up to expectations.

Stepan has been the saving grace of our center man. He has produced consistently, and plays in every situation. He has been, IMO, the team's best all-around player by far this season.

Richards is producing at a very below average 2nd line rate - he's on pace for 45 points over and 82 games schedule. He brings nothing defensively, he brings nothing on the PK, and he over 19 minutes per game. He is being overplayed, and is producing about half as well as he should.

Boyle had a terrible start to the year, and was clearly out of shape. He's still struggling to produce, and he's been more of a 4th line center this season. Honestly, I think he'll be able to comeback next year and produce better numbers. 3rd line caliber numbers like last year. But, for now, he is really struggling, and that too has hurt the team offensively.

What does this mean? It means that, at our most important position, we have 1 player producing, and 3 others that don't. That means that the players on the wing suffer, as the center is generally the focal point of a line offensively. It's bringing our wingers down, therefore nearly neutering the team offensively.

Maybe it is Tortorella. But, facts are facts, and the facts say that the Rangers centers are under-producing this season, and that is a major problem.

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[ecemleafs]

i dont think its a depth problem. its just 2 of the players are playing horrible that depth cant replace and wud cripple any team.

 

[SA16]

Combination.
1. Richards has been playing horribly which really drags down the offensive performance.
2. We do lack a legitimate 3rd line center. Boyle/Newbury provide nothing offensively and while Miller does create he hasn't put points on the board.

 

[RangerBlues]

Boyle has been horrific and FatRichie sipped too much fine wine during the extended off season.
Gabby has been invisible.
Not shooting the puck. Not finding open ice.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

System sucks. Lack of competent depth. Scoring stagnates here. There's your problems.

 

[Zamboner]

Pretty early into the season, when everybody wanted another D-Man, I wanted to get a 2nd-3rd Line Center instead. I was told "it would be a redundancy," by a couple people.

I think it's by far the biggest problem. Stepan has been a hero, but I don't think he can keep this pace up (who can?). And when his production dips just a little bit, we're going to be in severe trouble. I have no faith Richards will step up, and then we're looking to Miller/Boyle as the 3rd option, which is terrifying. If we can only make one move, a 3rd Center who can put some points up is the one to make.

 

[Riverdale]

Pretty early into the season, when everybody wanted another D-Man, I wanted to get a 2nd-3rd Line Center instead. I was told "it would be a redundancy," by a couple people.

I think it's by far the biggest problem. Stepan has been a hero, but I don't think he can keep this pace up (who can?). And when his production dips just a little bit, we're going to be in severe trouble. I have no faith Richards will step up, and then we're looking to Miller/Boyle as the 3rd option, which is terrifying. If we can only make one move, a 3rd Center who can put some points up is the one to make.

Nailed it

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

Richards has disappeared.. boyle is giving us zilch. Ya think its a problem?

 

[5 4 Fighting]

A 3rd line center is the glaring need on this team, behind a righty D who can play top 4 minutes with a hard shot.

 

[Zil]

This is why I don't understand why they were reportedly looking for grinders and a defenseman in exchange for Gaborik. They should be looking for a young offensively talented center.

 

[NYR Sting]

It's not a problem, Zenith. It's a franchise curse, and its wrath is rarely escaped. Like so many things about this team, it inspires a chuckle, because of how many of the best forwards to ever play the game happened to play the center position. Because of the center's importance in the grand scheme of the actual game on the ice.

 

[Boruto]

There are teams with lesser centers, worse depth, lower ceilings of potential that are producing at twice the rate of our centers this year. If it wasn't for the occasional HSN high offense nights, our centers production would rank as the worst in the league. Stepan has shown what he can do. Richards is a veteran who can put up 90 points. Options between Boyle, Miller, Halpern should have at least yielded 1 productive center at the 3C position (which is all any team could ask for) while the 4C would be adequate in their role as 4C. The problem isn't with our personnel or depth. Actually, yes it is. Yes, yes it is but I don't want to sound like a broken record all over HFNYR like a messy child that puts ketchup on everything he's served.

 

[Kreider Typical]

coaching sucks. leadership sucks. system sucks. no motivation. too much pressure.

THIS IS A BAD HOCKEY CLUB

our management likes acquiring manic depressives. can be happy with a game, still play like they just got dumped by sarah, their 5th grade girlfriend the next

def is not a depth issue as much as a performance one. miller is fine at center. boyle is fine in a 4th role. richards is the only MAJOR issue right now. when you're #1 plays like a #3 there's a problem on any team in this league minus maybe pitts

 

[Boruto]

moved to Torts thread.

 

[cd211]

Combination.
1. Richards has been playing horribly which really drags down the offensive performance.
2. We do lack a legitimate 3rd line center. Boyle/Newbury provide nothing offensively and while Miller does create he hasn't put points on the board.

thats why i think its imperative that Callahan plays with Miller.. he could help that young fellow out and provide more offense in that role

Hags-Stepan-Nash
Kreids-Richards- Gaborik
MZA-Miller-Callahan
Powe-Boyle-Asham

hopefully we can trade Pyatt and get Torres type back.. Id place him where powe is..

 

[Ail]

It's not a problem, Zenith. It's a franchise curse, and its wrath is rarely escaped. Like so many things about this team, it inspires a chuckle, because of how many of the best forwards to ever play the game happened to play the center position. Because of the center's importance in the grand scheme of the actual game on the ice.

Sure seems that way sometimes.

 

[gary laser eyes]

I'm not convinced Richards will keep up his horrendous play. He's looked better recently. Any thoughts on Lombardi as a deadline pick up? Slim pickings on the market.

 

[JimmyG89]

Been calling for a legit 3rd line center for a few weeks now. Look at last season. Richards did not have a great year. Stepan was not as good as he was this year. We had Dubinsky and Anisimov playing the 3rd line center role. They produced 30+ points. That's roughly 18 points in this truncated season. Do we have someone doing that this season on the 3rd line? Richards is producing just below a 2C and step is producing as a lower 1C.

They really need another center for the 3rd line. Thing is options will be limited at the deadline. The potential big seller don't have pending UFA's as a center. Florida had Weiss. I would not mind getting Marcel Goc at 1.7 for next season as well. Calgary does not although getting Stajan would be ideal imo for another year, plus they can trade him if they want as a pending UFA next season. Would Buffalo deal us Ott? There are limited options that could cost us a lot.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Did my post get removed I could swear I had one here. Depth indicates you have a top line to work with/top players. Our prob is less about depth and more about our top players no showing the season. (Gabs and Richards.)

 

[MTrangers]

This is why I don't understand why they were reportedly looking for grinders and a defenseman in exchange for Gaborik. They should be looking for a young offensively talented center.

We would be looking for that if that were even a possibility but who the heck would trade a young talented center for a more expensive struggling and soft winger.

 

[Zil]

We would be looking for that if that were even a possibility but who the heck would trade a young talented center for a more expensive struggling and soft winger.

You never know. Gaborik is an established 40 goal scorer. A team looking to go for it might make that kind of offer, especially if the kid hasn't played much or at all at the NHL level yet.

 

[RangerFan10]

I don't understand how depth is a problem when you've generally got centers in the roles they're meant to play.

Richards is a top line center on most teams. This season he's been atrocious, but in terms of his career, he's a #1 center.

Stepan is a good #2 center. On and off this year, but again, probably a 2C on a good chunk of clubs.

JT Miller has come onto the scene as a good option as a third line center. I can't believe he didn't score against the Habs tonight. Most impressive thing about him is his physical play and his faceoff ability, two things young centers usually struggle with early and often.

Boyle can play center and does a lot.

Newbury is an OK option on the fourth line. At this point, I don't think we can afford to not play him. This team lacks grit. It desperately needs more of it. Not less. Newbury has a good track record with faceoffs, too.


It's not depth. It's lack of production. Blame it on the system, the players, whatever. The players are in the roles they're meant to play.

 

[Callagraves]

And it could all be fixed with a simple surgery removing Richards's head from his rectum.

 

[JayQueensNY88*]

I think Miller been invisible,minus a good play here or there. Hasn't impressed me.

 

[Bluenote13]

It's not a problem, Zenith. It's a franchise curse, and its wrath is rarely escaped. Like so many things about this team, it inspires a chuckle, because of how many of the best forwards to ever play the game happened to play the center position. Because of the center's importance in the grand scheme of the actual game on the ice.

This is probably why I am such a fan of the draft, it's our only hope at landing quality Centers not past their prime.