Discussion: What sparked the season turnaround?

[Fitzy]

On December 15th, the Rangers were 15-17-1. They had lost 4 straight games. There were discussions amongst the fans about an early coaching change.

On the 15th, they went to their first shootout of the season and beat Calgary 4-3. Since then, in a quarter season (21 games) the Rangers have gone 13-6-2. While t hasn't been a perfect stretch, what are the reasons for this change?

Was it Kreider's emergence? Henrik's improvement? The Power Play finding its groove?

I'm interested to hear fans perspective on why the sudden change in quality, and what they might expect over the last third of the season.

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[aufheben]

Carcillo.

 

[Cassano]

Better puckluck.

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

Everyone playing to their expectation

 

[Gardner McKay]

Carcillo.

I don't know that sarcasm is really true here. Look what happened when we acquired Sean Avery. Not going off the nostalgic bit here but Carcillo has definitely had a minor impact on this team whether people want to believe it or not. Is he the sole reason for the turnaround? Absolutely not. Is it foolish to discount the effect he has had on this team? I think so as well.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Henrik getting his head out of his ass helped for sure. Mostly though, I credit the defense for getting their act together and figuring out man defense. Kreider and Zuccarello breaking out have been big reasons too.

 

[nyr2k2]

I think the team just began to settle into the new system. Part of that was better defensive play, which helped Henke start to turn his season around. The PP started to click as well. What AV asks the guys to do is very different from what Torts drilled into them. It was an adjustment, and it still is. The guys aren't there yet, but they're getting better.

As someone else mentioned, better puck luck as well. Today is a good example--a couple months ago, we don't get those bounces and maybe this is a different game.

 

[OverTheCap]

Lundqvist started to look like his old self, and Nash finally pulled his head out of his ass in recent weeks.

Also, don't discount Staal's return to the lineup right before the new year. He has really helped stabilize the defense and is playing some great hockey since he came back from his concussion.

 

[JohnC]

I don't see how it's any answer that isn't the #CarcilloEffect

 

[SlingshotVv]

kinda all happened right around the time that Callahan came back, right? or is my memory off?

 

[Placid]

While there are many "small" things that has contributed, new blood, etc, the biggest is probably the players performing better under AV's system (this we knew would take time.. we just didnt think it would take nearly this long), as well as Hank getting back to his old self.

And as has been mentioned.. puck luck. Now i know people say there is no such thing as luck, or "you make your own luck", etc.. but during a normal season, if a puck hit the post, you'd know it would go post --> out. It generally had a better chance of ending up behind Hank rather than into the opponents goal. Now a lot of those bounces are going in, they rarely did before.

Or the ever popular "he shoots....wide".. we are now if nothing else mostly hitting the goalie on our shots...lol

 

[ecemleafs]

just a lot of things clicking at a similar time. henke has been better of late. the team was absolutely lost defenisvely at times early in the year, but now look like legitimate NHL players in their own zone. the better defense and puck transition has led to more scoring chances and shots as well.

 

[darko]

Bit of everything. Getting more familiar with the system. The D has played better along with Hank. Nash has stepped it up and so has Stepan. As much as I hate Carcillo his addition has helped some.

 

[Thirty One]

I don't know that sarcasm is really true here. Look what happened when we acquired Sean Avery. Not going off the nostalgic bit here but Carcillo has definitely had a minor impact on this team whether people want to believe it or not. Is he the sole reason for the turnaround? Absolutely not. Is it foolish to discount the effect he has had on this team? I think so as well.

The difference of course being that Avery was a good hockey player at the time of the trade.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

special teams and depth scoring.

 

[Callagraves]

On December 15th, the Rangers were 15-17-1. They had lost 4 straight games. There were discussions amongst the fans about an early coaching change.

On the 15th, they went to their first shootout of the season and beat Calgary 4-3. Since then, in a quarter season (21 games) the Rangers have gone 13-6-2. While t hasn't been a perfect stretch, what are the reasons for this change?

Was it Kreider's emergence? Henrik's improvement? The Power Play finding its groove?
I'm interested to hear fans perspective on why the sudden change in quality, and what they might expect over the last third of the season.

Yes.


But really, I think a good deal has to do with that we are entirely healthy, and managed to pick up enough momentum that everyone's confidence is flying now. They have the expectation of themselves that they can win any game they play. Especially after Chicago.

 

[Kherron]

Carcillo.

Beat me to it

 

[Kovalev27]

Think the Chicago win gave hank some confidence

That to me gave everyone some confidence

Hank and the PP are the reason for the turn around

 

[Thirty One]

Whatever this graph measures, that's the difference:

 

[Machinehead]

Probably something about fenwick

 

[Thirty One]

Probably something about fenwick

It's PDO, an approximate measure of puck luck

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

I thought it was an attempt to quantify the Amount of Carcillo (AoC)

 

[slipknottin]

I think the Chicago game gave them confidence in themselves and the system they were being asked to play.

 

[JohnC]

I thought it was an attempt to quantify the Amount of Carcillo (AoC)

 

[Florida Ranger]

Confidence