Player Discussion Jeff Gorton

[Ghost of jas]

Tkachuk isn’t my first choice but if they choose him at 8, so be it.

I mean, aside from Dahlin, I’d say my “guy” is Boqvist. I’d be happy with any of the top 10 guys at 8, though.

Boqvist and Svechnikov.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Gorton was clearly talking about buchnevich and Namestnikov zero doubt about that. Hard to find anyone else on this roster that dogged it after the deadline.

You forgot Georgiyev?

 

[GregSirico]

Also curious to know what players he was referring to during the past week. Hate to say it but feels like Zucc is in that group. Miller would have been the leader of the group.

I love that they want to address team toughness. No that doesnt necessarily mean fighting. To me that means not showing up flat in the first period for 75% of the season. Not looking ready to play. Getting blitzed and behind before people are settled in the seats.

I like Granato. Wouldnt mind Keefe. Peters as well. Those would be my three. MSL as an assistant would be great. CHARACTER. LEADERSHIP. Thats what this group will need moving forward.

Gorton has mentioned the word Character in literally every interview he has given since the trade deadline. And it's not by accident. He wants guys with high end skill, but if you have baggage or you don't have a strong compete level, I think you will find yourself off this team and I am all for that shit.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

He is looking for both. I think the character part has to do with a players work ethic, he mentioned how he was disappointed with players effort.

For sure, but I just feel like the conversation always focuses on the character part of his quote when I don’t think it’s ever been said alone

 

[GregSirico]

For sure, but I just feel like the conversation always focuses on the character part of his quote when I don’t think it’s ever been said alone

It's just a unique standout you don't hear it used often. All GM's want talented skilled players. That is nothing new, but when you hear other parts it becomes more clear what their vision is. When I think of the ideal player Jeff is after would be someone like Sidney Crosby. We all know how good he is but he's also someone that has a terrific work ethic, probably why his game has never regressed at all which is kind of crazy since he's been in the league over a decade now. You'd expect SOME regression but he's still a point per game player.

Or even a Jagr ... dude is a work a holic and never takes a shift off.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

It's just a unique standout you don't hear it used often. All GM's want talented skilled players. That is nothing new, but when you hear other parts it becomes more clear what their vision is. When I think of the ideal player Jeff is after would be someone like Sidney Crosby. We all know how good he is but he's also someone that has a terrific work ethic, probably why his game has never regressed at all which is kind of crazy since he's been in the league over a decade now. You'd expect SOME regression but he's still a point per game player.

Or even a Jagr ... dude is a work a holic and never takes a shift off.

All the quotes from teams like the Canadiens and Hurricanes from today about why their teams are bad were about how they lacked character and determination and all the intangible stuff but never mention how they lack skill (they don’t want to throw anyone under the bus, while also throwing everyone under the bus)

 

[GregSirico]

All the quotes from teams like the Canadiens and Hurricanes from today about why their teams are bad were about how they lacked character and determination and all the intangible stuff but never mention how they lack skill (they don’t want to throw anyone under the bus, while also throwing everyone under the bus)

That's a dangerous narrative to take for any pro team. Yeah let's get all the hardest workers ever irregardless of talent.

 

[Mikos87]

Didnt have a chance to watch the presser, but the quote I absolutely loved was the desire to build and identity.

 

[Mikos87]

That's a dangerous narrative to take for any pro team. Yeah let's get all the hardest workers ever irregardless of talent.

I dont know man, those teams mailed it in. CAR was primed to take a step, but they are soft and lack a compete level.

People will say goaltending, which yes cost them a few games, but they weren't in it to win it. I think you'll see a bunch of trades from them once a new GM is in place.

They've got a stacked farm.

 

[GregSirico]

Didnt have a chance to watch the presser, but the quote I absolutely loved was the desire to build and identity.

For me it was Jeff identifying that this team needs high end skill level and guys that can skate.

 

[Mikos87]

Early in his career, Jagr used to workout on a farm. Buckets of water on his shoulders, digging dirt, plowing fields, shoveling barrels of hay.

He was making millions but stuck to what he did in the old country. That guy worked his ass off.

 

[GregSirico]

I dont know man, those teams mailed it in. CAR was primed to take a step, but they are soft and lack a compete level.

People will say goaltending, which yes cost them a few games, but they weren't in it to win it. I think you'll see a bunch of trades from them once a new GM is in place.

They've got a stacked farm.

OH STOP! Primed to take a step? What step? That team is AWFUL and they literally have NO GOALIE. Cost them a few games? A goalie makes a world of a difference just look at what we have been icing for two decades.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Boqvist and Svechnikov.

homerdrool.gif

Only to be bested by Dahlin and Wahlstrom.

 

[Mikos87]

For me it was Jeff identifying that this team needs high end skill level and guys that can skate.

Thats a must, but you need character and leadership. Having a bunch of millionaires in their early 20s in NYC without appropriate mentorship isn't the best.

And you need good mentors that can serve as role models.

 

[Mikos87]

OH STOP! Primed to take a step? What step? That team is AWFUL and they literally have NO GOALIE. Cost them a few games? A goalie makes a world of a difference just look at what we have been icing for two decades.

Re-read the post. There's a quote among hockey guys: a good goalie doesn't garuntee victory, but a bad one almost always means you'll lose.

Those few games, 7-8 was the difference between playoffs and no playoffs for them.

Their young players did not take a step after showing good signs the last two years.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Didnt have a chance to watch the presser, but the quote I absolutely loved was the desire to build and identity.

They had one for the first two years under AV, and then it slowly started fading as the roster began declining and players got shipped out. This year was a lifeless sack. Having a hands-off coaching approach in the locker room didn't help the issue.

 

[Hire Sather]

OH STOP! Primed to take a step? What step? That team is AWFUL and they literally have NO GOALIE. Cost them a few games? A goalie makes a world of a difference just look at what we have been icing for two decades.

Every year with Carolina. Everyone says they have all these good players. They never win.

Goalie is part of the team as well, since everyone blames it on their goalies.

 

[gump116]

It's amazing how honest and genuine Jeff Gorton is in his interviews. Read somewhere he's the only GM who wasn't a former NHL player or the son of someone w/ connections to the NHL and it kind of shows. You really don't hear very often what front offices are really thinking and as a fan it makes it a lot more fun to follow this team. Some of the quotes from What Jeff Gorton said on the radio Monday about AV, Lundqvist and more are really enlightening:

"I'm certainly happy with the first round picks from last year. Chytil's speed and skill is pretty evident for an 18-year old player to make plays and skate like he does. Lias is a real competitive player that I think will have a bright future. When Georgiev came up and played so well in goal, I think that was a bright light. Pionk, to play over 20 minutes and get the points that he did and be on the plus side and be competitive, those are the guys that really stick out. On the other side, guys like Gilmour and O'Gara got a good taste and it will help them as they come to camp next year and see if they can crack it."

"I don't think we were a very good team, I think that Henrik covered a lot and I just didn't see where it was going or that we were a high level team that could compete with some of the better teams in the league. Could we have made it? Maybe but at the end of the day, it would have been tough for us to get 97 points the way we were playing."

On the lack of toughness, "I agree and it does have to be addressed. We do want to be a team that plays harder and in the last couple of months we were void in that area and it became more and more clear and it's something that will be addressed."

 

[GregSirico]

Listening to the interview on WFAN w/ Jeff again I wrote down some interesting stuff ...

We needed a fresh start and a new voice. – Why fire AV?

We will pick the coach and let them play. – Will you ask for player input on new coach?

It’s a very fast game, it gets faster every year. We want a fast, exciting, skilled team that competes hard every night. - What is your philosophy on how to build a team?

I think we’re going to look at everything. Non traditional, lately in the league there’s a few guys that have had a lot of success in their second go around we’re looking at those kind of guys we’re looking at people that have had success in other leagues. – Where will you look for a coach?

It has been well received by fans because we’re being honest and open about it and not just trying to make he the playoffs and get through a round. – On the open letter to the fans.

We feel like it’s a draft that has 10 or 11 really good players at the top and it’s a pretty deep first round and hopefully those other two picks give us a chance at a couple pretty good players. Our scouts are pretty happy with having three picks and having that opportunity, we think it’s a pretty deep draft. – On having 3 picks in the first round this year.

We’re watching every game. We’re watching every practice. We’re watching interaction. We’re around meetings and different types of scenarios where you see things happen. Watching the team on and off the ice. Watching the team during practice. Seeing players mannerisms. There’s a lot of indicators. – If you don’t talk to the players how did you know it was time?

 

[Miamipuck]

Early in his career, Jagr used to workout on a farm. Buckets of water on his shoulders, digging dirt, plowing fields, shoveling barrels of hay.

He was making millions but stuck to what he did in the old country. That guy worked his ass off.

He had keys to the practice rink of every team he played for. When I was living in Florida that maniac would skate after our late over-40 games. At midnight after games he would be skating with weights around his arms, legs etc. I saw it with my own eyes. That dude worked his ass off for sure.

 

[Irishguy42]

We feel like it’s a draft that has 10 or 11 really good players at the top and it’s a pretty deep first round and hopefully those other two picks give us a chance at a couple pretty good players. Our scouts are pretty happy with having three picks and having that opportunity, we think it’s a pretty deep draft. – On having 3 picks in the first round this year.

Interesting. Seems like a different tune than what we've been hearing lately. The whole "Rangers want to move up" that some insiders are saying.

Though I imagine they have several scenarios for staying put/moving up/moving down based on how April 28th unfolds.

 

[GregSirico]

Interesting. Seems like a different tune than what we've been hearing lately. The whole "Rangers want to move up" that some insiders are saying.

Though I imagine they have several scenarios for staying put/moving up/moving down based on how April 28th unfolds.

I think he likes the flexibility.

Plan A: win the draft
Plan B win the 2nd or 3rd slot
Plan C: draft at 8-10
Plan D: trade up

Lot of options.

 

[Mikos87]

Wanna bring to light a couple of quotes from Gorts. Things that I've posted here a bunch of times. Gorts says it nearly verbatim:

• On needing a coach with a 'name' factor, "It doesn't matter. We need to get the best person for the job and someone who can light a fire under these guys and give us an identity and hold these players accountable and get us on the right path."
• Where does analytics fit, "there is a place for it, we talk a lot about it, look at a lot of different things. Having been someone who scouted for a long time there is still something about an eye test and a feel that comes out but it is nice to look at and see another angle. It's not baseball where it' stoppage after every page. It's continuous, it's hard to listen to analytics 100% but we look at it and try to get every edge that we can."

 

[Mikos87]

He had keys to the practice rink of every team he played for. When I was living in Florida that maniac would skate after our late over-40 games. At midnight after games he would be skating with weights around his arms, legs etc. I saw it with my own eyes. That dude worked his ass off for sure.

Yeah he was a maniac. It was sad for me to see his body finally give out this year. He's struggled in the tier 2 Czech league after leaving Calgary. Guy was a horse and a good influence on players like Giroux, Voracek, Huberdeau, Barkov.

I don't think the game will ever see a guy like that again.

 

[Miamipuck]

Yeah he was a maniac. It was sad for me to see his body finally give out this year. He's struggled in the tier 2 Czech league after leaving Calgary. Guy was a horse and a good influence on players like Giroux, Voracek, Huberdeau, Barkov.

I don't think the game will ever see a guy like that again.

Ekblad as well, I heard that he would join Jagr during his midnight skates. When I saw Jagr (2x) skating late when he was with the Panthers, he was alone. Later on in the season the other young guys joined him.