News Article: Brooks speaks with Dolan.

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

I don't think conventional wisdom really turned on the Hall-Larsson trade until this season when the Devils were much better than the Oilers. The Subban-Weber trade was a laughingstock from the beginning.

 

[Nopuckluck]

What would get you banned by appreciating hockey culture?

You misunderstood. I’d get banned if I posted why today’s younger fans don’t apreciste hockey culture as it relates to physicality, intimidation and bullying

 

[Nopuckluck]

Let's see, they traded away Hall and Eberle for well ... NOTHING. Signed Lucic who sucks to an awful long term deal, Talbot is not very good, and Klefbom was injured a good part of the year. You take McDavid off that team and they are comfortably worse than the Buffalo Sabres. The problem w/ Edmonton is they have a generational player and have no CLUE what they are doing.

Um who said anything about physical play not being important in the NHL? This is a contact sport bro.

I've played hockey and basketball as a kid, and competitive martial arts in my older years so yes I have, please don't label me.

This entire discussion results from Machinehead saying Messier is a cancer and devaluing leadership and emotion. You guys are going waaaaaaay overboard in your analysis

 

[SnowblindNYR]

In a vacuum, I might agree with you. In a situation where my team is bottom-5 in GA, I might not.

It's a lot easier to find a guy like Larsson than a guy like Hall. So I'd keep Hall and try to find a Larsson anoter way.

 

[Inferno]

Edmonton issue is they havent really hit on many players in any of the rounds on the draft...1oa to the 7th round they really don't draft well at all. If I was the owner is be overhauling my scouting department first.

 

[Gresch04]

So much talk about talent/strategy/luck being more critical than what I would call team culture. This is similar to corporate culture. The attitude and atmosphere of working at a company or being on a team are critical to success in both arenas - even more so in sports given the risks and effort and commitment needed to succeed. This is WHY Vegas won so quickly. Decent talent, great strategy, a little luck and an amazing team culture. No prima donnas. A real belief they could beat anyone, probably based on the sentiment: "we are the rejects and will prove everyone wrong". This is precisely how the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team won the gold. Belief, confidence, leadership, and passion - talent/strategy/luck played a part as well but not nearly 90% of the reason.

There's an amazing power that comes with great team dynamics. It's all based on research in positive psychology. A great environment brings out the best in people - literally based on our brain chemistry. Under the right conditions people perform far better. They have more energy, work harder, are more creative, are more confident. All essential to success anywhere - including sports. This is a reason why the NY Football Giants underperformed before the injuries. A toxic locker room did them in long before Odell's ankle. A toxic, talented team might win once in a while but it's not sustainable. That's why hostile coaches wear out their welcome quicker than more balanced or positive coaches. Tom Coughlin, a legendary curmudgeon, actually adapted his style to be less negative/hostile and it lead to one of the best underdog wins in sports history - beating the 18-0 Patriots.

Story about it here:

For Giants’ Tom Coughlin, Live and Learn, Change and Win

Team culture - which is intangible - is as important as talent/strategy/luck.

 

[GregSirico]

You misunderstood. I’d get banned if I posted why today’s younger fans don’t apreciste hockey culture as it relates to physicality, intimidation and bullying

If it's something you would get banned for, then it's not "hockey culture" it's something that I wouldn't want my hockey team a part of. Being fair.

 

[Machinehead]

You misunderstood. I’d get banned if I posted why today’s younger fans don’t apreciste hockey culture as it relates to physicality, intimidation and bullying

Be my f***ing guest

 

[Nopuckluck]

Be my ****ing guest

I’ll put it here in a more PC way. The same fans who claim character, leadership, and toughness or intimidation is not as important as skill are the same posters that sat quietly by on February 3rd. IMO that is the night the Rangers season ended, and the night management realized what was missing. (Also the home drubbing to the Islanders after a week off).

Staal and Vesey we’re knocked out of the game vs the Predators with vicious, dirty, predatory hits. The rest of the game our boys did NOTHING GO RETALIATE. NOTHING. I was asking for retaliation. Begging for it actually, and some on here agreed while a few others VEHEMENTLY disagreed. It’s those that disagreed and continue to think just skill matters that I was referencing. I’m not going to use the language towards them I believe they deserve to be called

By the way skill IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, but Chemistry, character, and having a set of balls is equally important. Thank God our management and owner finally see that.

 

[Machinehead]

I’ll put it here in a more PC way. The same fans who claim character, leadership, and toughness or intimidation is not as important as skill are the same posters that sat quietly by on February 3rd. IMO that is the night the Rangers season ended, and the night management realized what was missing. (Also the home drubbing to the Islanders after a week off).

Staal and Vesey we’re knocked out of the game vs the Predators with vicious, dirty, predatory hits. The rest of the game our boys did NOTHING GO RETALIATE. NOTHING. I was asking for retaliation. Begging for it actually, and some on here agreed while a few others VEHEMENTLY disagreed. It’s those that disagreed and continue to think just skill matters that I was referencing. I’m not going to use the language towards them I believe they deserve to be called

By the way skill IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, but Chemistry, character, and having a set of balls is equally important. Thank God our management and owner finally see that.

Yes, we've all seen how you beg for opponents to get severely injured and that's why almost nobody respects you. It has nothing to do with age.

Our season ended in April 2017 when we brought back the coach responsible for the worst defensive team of this era. The final nail was put in the coffin when we traded our best defenseman in 25 years because he didn't have enough roid rage to be our captain.

This team just sucks at hockey and has for years, but you have to convince yourself it has to do with balls and emotion because that's probably the sort of useless player you were.

 

[Hire Sather]

Lol yeah that's why our season ended.

I actually do agree that in that particular instance something should've been done.

Too bad Cody McLeod will spend his shifts begging for a staged fight but didn't actually do anything when a real situation presented itself. That guy flew up my most hated Rangers this season. I had to flip games off when he found a fight because I cannot stand a hockey fight without a reason for it.

Anyway, yeah i wouldve liked to see a little pushback in Nashville. Laughable to say it "ended our season" though.

 

[Hire Sather]

What ended our season was a medicore roster and losing our best forward for 2 months.

 

[Machinehead]

Lol yeah that's why our season ended.

I actually do agree that in that particular instance something should've been done.

Too bad Cody McLeod will spend his shifts begging for a staged fight but didn't actually do anything when a real situation presented itself. That guy flew up my most hated Rangers this season. I had to flip games off when he found a fight because I cannot stand a hockey fight without a reason for it.

Anyway, yeah i wouldve liked to see a little pushback in Nashville. Laughable to say it "ended our season" though.

I also would have liked to see more there but that culture was instilled by Coach Prometheus. We're fixing that.

Your point about McLeod speaks to how silly it is to bring guys in to do that or give certain guys letters to do that. That's something the 18 guys in the room have to decide for themselves. I want all of our roster moves to be based on hockey and hockey alone.

I have faith that the existing talent will step up when given a coach that doesn't insult their leadership to the media. Because we have a great captain and his name is Lundqvist.

 

[Machinehead]

'16, '17, and '18 the Rangers were a bad team.

This was the first year of Hank's career he posted below average stats and look what happened to the team.

We've had some good all-around teams, no question, but we've been bad at defense since like 1996. And people continue to blame literally anything but our defense.

 

[Machinehead]

We've had exactly two top pairing defensemen since Leetch left and we let the biggest threat in the conference have both of them.

Somehow, that doesn't get criticized but our character does.

 

[McRanger]

Character and work ethic are important.

But character and work ethic aren’t synonymous with hitting and fighting.

 

[Machinehead]

Character and work ethic are important.

But character and work ethic aren’t synonymous with hitting and fighting.

Sure, and I'm not saying we shouldn't address it. I just don't wanna be stupid and make the team worse for the sake of character.

Taking Andersson over BPA and trading McDonagh because of leadership indicates to me that that ship already sailed.

Dolan only mentioning the captaincy as an explanation for the McDonagh trade is a massive red flag.

 

[jratelle19]

Regarding Hank and his decision to not lift his no trade clause, I think the organization should have pushed harder for him to reconsider. I have a feeling Hank said no because there really isn't a true Cup contender out there that would be willing to take on his salary and are in dire need of a goalie. That said, if Hank is really on board for this rebuild, then I don't want to hear him criticize his team in front of him when he gets shelled. Many of the players will be young and developing and will make mistakes. They don't need Lundqvist throwing them under the bus in the media with some of his comments which he has been known to do. You don't want to waive the no-trade? Then live with the team you have in front of you....just shut up and play.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Sure, and I'm not saying we shouldn't address it. I just don't wanna be stupid and make the team worse for the sake of character.

Taking Andersson over BPA and trading McDonagh because of leadership indicates to me that that ship already sailed.

Dolan only mentioning the captaincy as an explanation for the McDonagh trade is a massive red flag.

Andersson WAS the BPA according to Rangers scouts

 

[Machinehead]

Andersson WAS the BPA according to Rangers scouts

They seem to be the only ones who thought so.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

They seem to be the only ones who thought so.

And your knowledge of where other NHL scouts had players ranked comes from? I'm sure there were at least a few teams that had him ranked similarly.
Bob Mckenzie's final rankings, which are based off a survey from 10 NHL scouts, had Andersson 13 hardly this gigantic reach you continually make it out to be.

 

[Machinehead]

And your knowledge of where other NHL scouts had players ranked comes from? I'm sure there were at least a few teams that had him ranked similarly.
Bob Mckenzie's final rankings, which are based off a survey from 10 NHL scouts, had Andersson 13 hardly this gigantic reach you continually make it out to be.

Not a gigantic reach but 13 is not the BPA at 7.

If he was that high on their list, it's because of the wrong reasons - character, competes hard, future captain, etc.

 

[Machinehead]

Regarding Hank and his decision to not lift his no trade clause, I think the organization should have pushed harder for him to reconsider. I have a feeling Hank said no because there really isn't a true Cup contender out there that would be willing to take on his salary and are in dire need of a goalie. That said, if Hank is really on board for this rebuild, then I don't want to hear him criticize his team in front of him when he gets shelled. Many of the players will be young and developing and will make mistakes. They don't need Lundqvist throwing them under the bus in the media with some of his comments which he has been known to do. You don't want to waive the no-trade? Then live with the team you have in front of you....just shut up and play.

We read that Messier was awesome for bullying his teammates, but then we read that Hank has to be sweet to them all the time.

Which is it?

 

[nyr2k2]

Regarding Hank and his decision to not lift his no trade clause, I think the organization should have pushed harder for him to reconsider. I have a feeling Hank said no because there really isn't a true Cup contender out there that would be willing to take on his salary and are in dire need of a goalie. That said, if Hank is really on board for this rebuild, then I don't want to hear him criticize his team in front of him when he gets shelled. Many of the players will be young and developing and will make mistakes. They don't need Lundqvist throwing them under the bus in the media with some of his comments which he has been known to do. You don't want to waive the no-trade? Then live with the team you have in front of you....just shut up and play.

I don't recall anyone saying Henrik was asked to lift his NTC and didn't. The way I saw it written was the team asked him if he wanted to be moved somewhere competitive or if he wanted to stay, and he said he wanted to say.

(I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm mistaken)

Who has he thrown under the bus in the media? I know he's demonstrative on the ice but I don't recall him naming names or anything like that.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Not a gigantic reach but 13 is not the BPA at 7.

If he was that high on their list, it's because of the wrong reasons - character, competes hard, future captain, etc.

They took him because he was the best player available on their draft board. Whether you agree or not they believe he is the best player still left on the board. Reasons like these may play in but they weren't the deciding factor between taking CM or taking Lias