Hey Torts, Why again did you Rarely use McD on the PP?

Richter Scale

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Aug 4, 2012
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How's the PP in Vancouver?


And Torts isn't coaching the PP in Vancouver. Gulutzan is in charge of their PP. But keep talkin about something you clearly have no clue about.

Not even to mention that it really is mind blowing how much hate there still is for a former coach who was the first to help get this team to an ECF in over a decade. People tell the Torts 'apologists' to let it go / get over it... Really? Some people need to look in the mirror.
 

Draft Guru

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Always wanted to see McD with more PP time, but with his extensive even strength and PK minutes, I understood why Torts hardly used him. McD was always matched up against the other teams best player/s. Majority of the time those players do not kill penalties for their clubs. If McD is out for the PP then he has to sit on the bench after it expires to rest, while the other teams best player/s are now out there fully rested against our 2nd or 3rd pair.

AV doesn't seem to play the matchup game with 1 D pair like Torts did.
 

smoneil

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A bunch of us here who can understand hockey could tell he oozed with offensive potential, but yet good old johnny never wanted to put him on the PP to let the offensive potential start to develop at the NHL level...now that he's being using on the first unit most of the time all the potential is really showing its head.

He's already becoming our best defenseman on the PP, reads things well, moves the puck very well, is patient, and he gets his shot through traffic. Thats exactly what you want from your point men.

Keep it up McD, you are well on your way to a Norris trophy in a couple years with the offense starting to come around now that you are being giving the chance. On pace for a nice 40+ point season, could easily see 50+ point seasons in his prime.


This is premature. McD looked phenomenal tonight--it might have been the best game I've ever seen him play. That said, it was just two games ago that he looked like a disaster on the PP. Every season has its ups and downs. Hopefully, AV keeps on getting McD some time on the powerplay, and we'll have good reason for a thread like this by the end of the season.
 

RangerBoy

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The Rangers Duncan Keith. That guy should have won the Conn Smythe last season.

No worries about McDonagh breaking out and becoming a 40-50 point D. He is in the first year of a six year deal.

You see those passes on the PP. The cross the box pass to Stepan. McD isn't Brian Leetch but nobody is.
 

Kokoschka

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May 13, 2012
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It's damn early, but McD is on pace for a 40-45 point season. If he pulls that off, he's a top 10 defender in the league.
 

Levitate

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Jul 29, 2004
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I can get the reasoning by Torts, McDonagh is too valuable at Even Strength and on the PK, so that's why he never played PP.

However, I think the thought process leading up to that reasoning, was flawed. Torts did not trust defenders like Del Zotto, Stralman and Moore to play against top players. Hope that makes sense haha

Yup I was going to say this. Tortorella leaned hard on his top 4 and didn't give them enough of a breather so McDonagh playing on the power play would have probably meant like 28 minutes+ per night or something.

Doesn't totally explain why Girardi got time over McD though...

I like a lot of what Torts did but i still think he got too set in his ways of thinking with this team and that's what led to his firing. He had players with tools that he wasn't allowing them to use
 

McRanger

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Having Staal out for extended periods also made it more difficult; McD was absolutely racking up important ES/PK minutes on the left side.
 

we want cup

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Having Staal out for extended periods also made it more difficult; McD was absolutely racking up important ES/PK minutes on the left side.

Shhhh, there's no room for this type of basic reasoning. This is a Torts hatin' thread and you'd better start hatin' Torts!
 

Bardof425*

Guest
And Torts isn't coaching the PP in Vancouver. Gulutzan is in charge of their PP. But keep talkin about something you clearly have no clue about.
Not even to mention that it really is mind blowing how much hate there still is for a former coach who was the first to help get this team to an ECF in over a decade. People tell the Torts 'apologists' to let it go / get over it... Really? Some people need to look in the mirror.

Nice try. The PP is the head coach's responsibility even if he delegates the tactical decision making to an assistant coach. Torts scares players into choking their stick (no pun intended) and playing overly defensive. It's who he has become. And it's no coincidence that our PP is flourishing with the same personnel he had at his disposal (minus Rick friggin' Nash) and theirs is 26th.

I'm sorry that you feel he was doing a good job in that last year and a half but he wasn't and it's all starting to become obvious. Zucc and CK would never have played this well under the iron first of Torts the Clown; never. And guess what, we haven't given up more than 2 goals in 9 games without employing 6 goalies.
 

Drewbackatu*

Guest
The Rangers Duncan Keith. That guy should have won the Conn Smythe last season.

No worries about McDonagh breaking out and becoming a 40-50 point D. He is in the first year of a six year deal.

You see those passes on the PP. The cross the box pass to Stepan. McD isn't Brian Leetch but nobody is.

Slow down because he ain't Duncan Keith either.
 

Bardof425*

Guest
Always wanted to see McD with more PP time, but with his extensive even strength and PK minutes, I understood why Torts hardly used him. McD was always matched up against the other teams best player/s. Majority of the time those players do not kill penalties for their clubs. If McD is out for the PP then he has to sit on the bench after it expires to rest, while the other teams best player/s are now out there fully rested against our 2nd or 3rd pair.

AV doesn't seem to play the matchup game with 1 D pair like Torts did.

I think one reason we don't run into a problem in this scenario is that we have a healthy Marc Staal
 

Bardof425*

Guest
Slow down because he ain't Duncan Keith either.

Newsflash: If he gets 50 points this year and beyond he's better than Duncan Keith; who is one of the most overrated players in his own end. I fear he is the beneficiary of the same Canadian Olympian bias that makes everyone overrate Rick Nash.
 

Drewbackatu*

Guest
Newsflash: If he gets 50 points this year and beyond he's better than Duncan Keith; who is one of the most overrated players in his own end. I fear he is the beneficiary of the same Canadian Olympian bias that makes everyone overrate Rick Nash.

Back at ya: I love McDonagh but he isn't nor will he ever be confused with Duncan Keith who was other worldly in the playoffs last year!
 

LeetchisGod

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May 21, 2009
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Back at ya: I love McDonagh but he isn't nor will he ever be confused with Duncan Keith who was other worldly in the playoffs last year!

Keith is also older and more experienced than mcd. I believe they have similar skillsets and it's quite possible that mcd reaches his level.
 

Bleed Ranger Blue

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Jul 18, 2006
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Could Torts have used McDonagh on the power play?

Sure - but that would've meant limiting his even strength minutes and playing Stu Bickel and Steve Eminger more. The team was amongst the best in the league at even strength under Tortorella. That would've likely suffered at the expense of the PP improving a bit.

It kind of astounds me that people can watch the sport for years and not pick up on that sort of give and take.
 

Levitate

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Keith isn't exactly consistent in his play...he doesn't play like a Conn Smythe caliber player all the time. it's great he elevated his play in the playoffs, best time to do it, but he usually plays at a lower level than that
 

Drewbackatu*

Guest
:

Keith is also older and more experienced than mcd. I believe they have similar skillsets and it's quite possible that mcd reaches his level.

I'll repeat it; I love McDonagh but he will never ever come close to an elite level defender like Duncan Keith who has won a Norris trophy, 2 Stanley Cups and a Gold medal already at a young age. Believe me, this shouldn't be interpreted in any way, shape or form as a knock on McDonagh!
 

Drewbackatu*

Guest
See, this is where reading comes into play.

He said the RANGERS Duncan Keith. McDonagh is to the Rangers what Keith is to the Blackhawks.

I know what he said but you should also read the comments made later on on the thread.
 

Drewbackatu*

Guest
I think this is true with or without the 45 points. If he gets to 50, he's top 5.

Two things:
1) McDonagh won't get to 50 points
2) In the unlikelihood that he does,
he still won't ever be classified as
a top 5 defender in the league!
 

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