lack of physical players. this has to change. not a playoff style of team, if they make it

[Jayan]

Gooning is so not Hockey in 2021.

Dont need someone to do dumb shit and make us be on the boxplay more than we already are.

Close this shit.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Gooning is so not Hockey in 2021.

Dont need someone to do dumb shit and make us be on the boxplay more than we already are.

Close this shit.

Grit/physicality doesn't mean Micheal Haley or Ross Johnston

 

[MysticLeviathan]

Even if we made the playoffs, I have no confidence that we’d do better than we did in the bubble. This team has no spine when it counts. We can compete against mediocre teams and teams with poor structure, but not against well coached teams with a structure that’s better than ours.

 

[nyr2k2]

So onto the fourth page, and the only real proposals I've seen as to how we should get tougher have been:

• We should have acquired Sam Bennett
• Jordan Greenway in the off-season would be nice
• A Matt Martin-type

I see a lot of complaining about what we are, but not really much in the way of actual solutions for addressing it.

 

[OrlandK]

So onto the fourth page, and the only real proposals I've seen as to how we should get tougher have been:
I see a lot of complaining about what we are, but not really much in the way of actual solutions for addressing it.

Sign Chara as the 7th dman and Nick Foligno for next season, to 1 year deals if possilbe. I think that's enough grit to add for where we will be in 21/22 and will still allow the young prospects to play and mature.

 

[nyr2k2]

Sign Chara as the 7th dman and Nick Foligno for next season, to 1 year deals if possilbe. I think that's enough grit to add for where we will be in 21/22 and will still allow the young prospects to play and mature.

I got the sense that this thread was advocating for a more substantial change to the roster and to the way we play. A 3/4C and 7D doesn't change much, IMO. Which, also in my opinion, is fine, as I don't really think we need to make wholesale changes.

 

[duhmetreE]

Willing to hit and be hit is not an option. It’s mandatory. It’s a mindset. We are soft mentally this year.

 

[NickyFotiu]

the fact that style of play changes is exactly why you need balance so you can play different ways...if you are built to play only one style, no matter how good you are at that styles eventually you'll run into a matchup that is bad for you.

That is what made the 1980's Islanders so good. They could adjust and play any style. They had the skilled guys like Bossy and Trottier to skate with anyone. They played defense. If teams tried to get rough the Isles had no problem adjusting with Gillies, Nystrom, Tonelli, the Suters, Potvin, Langevin, and Lang.

 

[Tawnos]

I got the sense that this thread was advocating for a more substantial change to the roster and to the way we play. A 3/4C and 7D doesn't change much, IMO. Which, also in my opinion, is fine, as I don't really think we need to make wholesale changes.

I think a player or two in a 3rd line/3rd pair role can change the mentality of everyone. That kind of play is infectious. I'm not saying we need this exact player, but look at the out-sized impact Avery had on the whole team.

 

[ponytrekker]

Even if we made the playoffs, I have no confidence that we’d do better than we did in the bubble. This team has no spine when it counts. We can compete against mediocre teams and teams with poor structure, but not against well coached teams with a structure that’s better than ours.

They can, but only occasionally, if they get a break or two. They can beat WAS or occasionally, the NYI if they score first but BOS and PIT will always find a way to come back and win.

 

[kovazub94]

Maybe this unexplained prolonged scratch of Gauthier was actually 4D chess to piss him off enough that the gentle giant comes out with a mean streak

Gauthier signed up for the martial arts and survivor camp in the offseason.

 

[kovazub94]

I'm all for having players who bring a more physical edge to the game, as long as you don't sacrifice talent and skill in the process.

At some point it could be a trade off. But there are degrees. I'd say hopefully it's not to the degree of moving Amonte and Weight to toughen up for '94

 

[RangersFan1994]

Willing to hit and be hit is not an option. It’s mandatory. It’s a mindset. We are soft mentally this year.

it was like this during the AV era, they just had a lot more talent to overcome that

 

[NickyFotiu]

For some reason this team is not as good as the sum of all its talented parts should be in my opinion. That is not me bashing the coach. I can not put my own finger on it. I think it is the styles of players not meshing correctly. People speak about how much talent this team has but right now it is not showing up on the ice. The Islanders handled us way too easy in a must win game. Carolina toyed with us in last seasons playoffs. This NYR team is so talented a guy like Kreider has become an afterthought where he would be a big trade prize for almost any team in the league so why isn't that talent meshing? Panarin and Strome mesh well. Fox and Lind mesh well. After that? Maybe Zibs and Buch? Are there any 3 man groups that you just say wow they have great chemistry? Need more guys that can play in a phone booth, carry the puck, create for others, etc. Laf showed some positive signs. So did Krav. Still not sure what style of player KK will be. Is his style suited for top 6 play?

 

[Tawnos]

it was like this during the AV era, they just had a lot more talent to overcome that

The AV teams were the opposite of mentally soft. Physically soft, maybe.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

I got the sense that this thread was advocating for a more substantial change to the roster and to the way we play. A 3/4C and 7D doesn't change much, IMO. Which, also in my opinion, is fine, as I don't really think we need to make wholesale changes.

With who they have in the top 9, there's really no other spots to address the issue unless they move someone like Buch or Strome. Even then you would have to think their replacement would be more offense oriented. I think Kakko and even Laff could bring some nastiness to go with their talent, but you want them scoring goals more than anything else. Trouba has been meaner this year. Kreider is difficult to play against sometimes. Maybe Schneider brings some of that in a year or two and I'd hope Miller's presence on the blue line gives the opposition something to think about. But I'd still want that one player in the lineup who the other team knows they can't f*** with.

 

[Zats Muccarello]

damn this thread was right on point considering last night's game

 

[JimmyG89]

Normally you're 3rd and 4th lines have a little more bite to their game than the ones this team has constructed, but that is because the majority of them are young, skilled players still finding their way. The 3rd line's average age tonight couldn't buy a beer outside MSG after the game if they wanted to.

Quinn talked about Lafreniere finding out what kind of effort he needs to put in to be an NHL player. Well, not only is he learning that, so is someone like Kravtsov and Kakko. Wouldn’t forget about Miller and to a lesser extent Jones since he just got on the team. Also wouldn't forget that Chytil began last season in Hartford, he is finding himself as well.

There are guys on the way though. Barron plays that style of game. Small ice, big body, work the corners, and he has skill. Even if he was just drafted, Berard is like that too. Robertson is a guy who will use his size as well on defense. We know that Schneider does too.

I do think it would be very foolish to ask these young guys to move away from their game, what got them to the NHL, to play a more physical style, all while they are learning what it takes to be an NHL player. That part of the game will come as they get more comfortable.

 

[Anthony5967]

Gooning is so not Hockey in 2021.

Dont need someone to do dumb shit and make us be on the boxplay more than we already are.

Close this shit.

You don't need physicality and grit and 110% effort players to win a Cup? That's called gooning? Tell that to the skilled TB teams the last few years that couldn't get over the hump until they went out and got "goons" like Pat Maroon, Barclay Goodrow, and Blake Coleman. What a foolish comment.

Also, not to be nasty but some will never understand that you aren't winning a Cup with three finesse lines that won't do what it takes to play a playoff-style game. Is. Not. Happening. So, yea, you can keep your finesse but if you don't bring in guys to show the young guys how to win, because the coach certainly isn't going to get them there, you will be complaining on these threads and ignoring the obvious problem for many more years.

 

[WojtekWolski86]

Gorts and JD last year: "We are concerned about the level of grit on this team"

Offseason transactions: Sign Jack Johnson and Kevin Rooney.

Don't get me wrong, Rooney has been a nice signing and does play a gritty game. However, outside the draft (which we won't see the benefits from for at least another season), Gorts really didn't address the #1 issue both management, coaching staff, and the fans can see clear as day.

 

[Doctyl]

Accrediting Tampa’s cup to Patrick f***ing Maroon

god damn just when you thought the troglodytes on this board couldn’t get any dumber

 

[Calad]

Gorts and JD last year: "We are concerned about the level of grit on this team"

Offseason transactions: Sign Jack Johnson and Kevin Rooney.

Don't get me wrong, Rooney has been a nice signing and does play a gritty game. However, outside the draft (which we won't see the benefits from for at least another season), Gorts really didn't address the #1 issue both management, coaching staff, and the fans can see clear as day.

They had next to no cap space to address any depth issues, which is why this year was going to be a wash anyways.

 

[RangersFan1994]

The AV teams were the opposite of mentally soft. Physically soft, maybe.

I dunno those teams were also not prepared so to me that is somewhat mentality soft. they had a lot of skill and they did come back and were more in the battle to get the tying goal and whatnot.

 

[TominNC]

Whenever we have guys who are useful forecheckers this board does nothing about complain about them in particular. You crucified Boyle, you gave birth every time Fast played more than 10 minutes, and Kreider got destroyed even when he was one of the most effective players in the league. As Kakko matures, he'll be getting it next, because he's *only* dominating the puck instead of committing murders, and we'll read all about how this 35-35 Selke winner would be actually good if he just cared.


You would be bitching about Bennett after half a season just like you were bitching about Lemieux after half a season because those guys spend 90% of their time taking regular hockey shifts (often not well!) instead of the things and stuff you want.

This team is consistently near the top in fights and PIM's and top half in hits over the last three seasons. What more should we be doing?

Forechecking better? Yes. But the people who complain about this never seem to be satisfied with strong, forechecking hockey. They just want fights and guys elbowing the f*** out of each other. That's what New Japan is for. This is hockey.

And just because hitting Like wasn't enough - good post.

 

[TominNC]

Gorts and JD last year: "We are concerned about the level of grit on this team"

Offseason transactions: Sign Jack Johnson and Kevin Rooney.

Don't get me wrong, Rooney has been a nice signing and does play a gritty game. However, outside the draft (which we won't see the benefits from for at least another season), Gorts really didn't address the #1 issue both management, coaching staff, and the fans can see clear as day.

You're forgetting the draft