Post-Game Talk: Lightning at Rangers - Game 7 - Lightning win series 4-3

[Rangerfan4life90]

I just worry about our window closing. 3 out of 4 years we've made at least the ECF finals, and made the cup finals last year.

 

[Petey Pucks]

Maybe we won't rebuild. Maybe it'll be a gradual process and we'll never be bad again like Detroit.

The Dark Ages are over. It's going to be a very long time before the Rangers go back to being completely irrelevant for a long stretch.

from your mouth to gods ears... i always say

edit...it's not so much i worry about going into another Dark age...I just worry this franchise fails to win the cup during their prime years when it's actually possible

Yes We could get into the playoffs every year for the next decade but if we aren't really contenders and just mediocre our chances are much less

don't want to be that team that gets barely in the playoffs every year to say " anything is possible "

 

[Edge]

This team doesn't need a rebuild - it needs some tweaks.

There are too many young pieces in place to need a rebuild.

I think one of the defensemen likely get moved, I think Talbot gets moved and I wouldn't be surprised if Miller gets moved (unfortunately). Sather will likely pull of a pretty surprising move when he does.

I'll almost guarantee that there are internal discussions about moving Nash, but he stays - for a variety of reasons.

The real challenge isn't next season, it's probably about a year or two down the road when trading the picks is felt a little more. That aspect, when coupled with a wait and see approach to team performance, means a re-tooling is probably more likely for 2017/2018.

But right now the Rangers are still in their window and the focus is going to be on finding the right combination.

 

[Petey Pucks]

Maybe we won't rebuild. Maybe it'll be a gradual process and we'll never be bad again like Detroit.

The Dark Ages are over. It's going to be a very long time before the Rangers go back to being completely irrelevant for a long stretch.

also a new and better GM would def help

thoughts on who best?

 

[Hunter Gathers]

This team doesn't need a rebuild - it needs some tweaks.

There are too many young pieces in place to need a rebuild.

I think one of the defensemen likely get moved, I think Talbot gets moved and I wouldn't be surprised if Miller gets moved (unfortunately). Sather will likely pull of a pretty surprising move when he does.

I'll almost guarantee that there are internal discussions about moving Nash, but he stays - for a variety of reasons.

The real challenge isn't next season, it's probably about a year or two down the road when trading the picks is felt a little more. That aspect, when coupled with a wait and see approach to team performance, means a re-tooling is probably more likely for 2017/2018.

But right now the Rangers are still in their window and the focus is going to be on finding the right combination.

I view us as having a three year window

 

[Steve Kournianos]

I don't understand the comment that they didn't need to draft well.

You always need to draft well, even if it's only to gain resources to trade. You can't draft that poorly over a 12 year period of time. That's not sustainable even if you're coming off several monster drafts.

It's also worth pointing out that Amonte, Kovalev, Savard were actually traded for players within their age range. Amonte for Matteau, Kovalev for Nedved, Savard for the pick that would become Lundmark.

But a lot of what you're speaking to is exactly what one of my points was - this team kept trying to plug in too many holes rather than rebuilding.

There were a lot of poor decisions that followed the cup victory. Trying to fit talent into a budget was never one of them. Trying to find the right talent, well, that's another story.

You said poor drafting hurt them and was part of the issue between 1998 and 2004. My point was that even if they hit home runs in 1991-1999 drafts, it wouldn't matter because the NHL level would be full and competitive with players they already drafted.

Plus, those draft years were very weak for almost everyone, 1992, 1996, 1997 and 1999 in particular.

The issue was trading away the young talent that was already drafted and developed. Doesn't matter how old the return players are if they're not as good.

Matteau was a plugger. Amonte was a dynamic goal scorer. Zubov and Weight are borderline HOF'ers traded for relics. Marchant and Zamuner were two of their generations best defensive forwards.

The current team has drafted well. Trading picks and prospects is part of contending. All four CF teams at some point traded a 1st rounder and top prospects to beef up.

 

[Petey Pucks]

St Louis had the record at one time for one of the longest stretches of making the playoffs in North American Sports....they are the only team from 6 teams in the original 1967 expansion that still hasn't won a cup

the oakland seals became the cleveland barons and folded after merging with the North Stars

pittsburgh has won 3 cups

philly has won 2

The North Stars became the Dallas stars and won once in 99

the kings have have won 2 cups recently

st louis still none

 

[MysticLeviathan]

St Louis had the record at one time for one of the longest stretches of making the playoffs in North American Sports....they are the only team from 6 teams in the original 1967 expansion that still hasn't won a cup

the oakland seals became the cleveland barons and folded after merging with the North Stars

pittsburgh has won 3 cups

philly has won 2

The North Stars became the Dallas stars and won once in 99

the kings have have won 2 cups recently

st louis still none

St. Louis has Tarasenko. nuff said.

 

[Petey Pucks]

St. Louis has Tarasenko. nuff said.

the question is ...is tarasenko enough

st louis even with some remarkable teams through the years has still yet to win a cup....since 1967 nhl entry in fact

 

[Steve Kournianos]

I guess I'll go in order on my disagreements and start by saying that Leetch was an awesome offensive defenseman who became a true game changing defenseman as part of a team with Messier. He became a guy who was more dedicated to his conditioning and overall game. He became the Brian Leetch that won two Norris Trophies, a Conn Smythe and one of the best defenseman of his generation.

You don't get what I complaining about? We got shut out, twice, by Ben Bishop. We've struggled against teams in the playoffs far more than more than just this year. Forget about blowing them away with four or five, some nights it wasn't a given that the second or third goal would come.

The point with 1992 is that they didn't have the mindset to overcome a 100 foot goal. It's not like it was a fluke in the second overtime of game 7. They were done after that. So unless that goal counted for 7 or 8 points, clearly it was the response, or lack thereof that was a key component to how that series went.

As for my solution, I think I've talked about that several times and in several threads. In a nutshell, I think they need some personalities that tend to light fires, I think they need guys who are going to scrape and scrap for points in the post season. I think they need to consistently set their tone and I don't think the solution is in adding a star. I think they will need to take MSL's salary and use it to resign some of the guys they have, and I think at least one core player is going to be moved out to both free up cap space and inject some new elements into the team.

I think they could use a veteran, or two, in their prime, who has won a cup - not a 40 year old. And no, it doesn't have to be a star. I think that's a very tangible objective and not cliché at all.

Health is a part of the game. The Rangers didn't lose tonight because their defense wasn't healthy. They lost tonight because they once again failed to put up any points. Now if Nash, Stepan, Kreider or Brassard was hurt, I could possibly understand that argument, but that wasn't the case. This isn't a team that was outgunned by a superior team, this was a team that didn't perform. Frankly, this was a team that came out on its heels and stayed there for the majority of the game.

I'm not disputing Messier's impact on Leetch but Leetch was destined to win multiple Norris trophies with or without him. He was a 2nd Team AS and 4th in Norris voting in 1991 at the age of 23. He struggled defensively in the playoffs alongside Messier in the three years post-Cup.

You're sounding like an idealist with their offense this postseason. It's the postseason. Goal scoring shrinks. Tampa mustered one goal in two of their losses and scored once in two periods in a loss in Game 6 before two meaning garbage goals. The couldn't score tonight until a weak backhander changed the game. Were you complaining about offense after Game 7 vs the Caps? Or Game 6 vs the Habs? Or the SCF last year?

What good did "winners" like Leddy and Boychuk do for the Isles in that atrocious Game 7? Where are Tampa's players who "know how to win"? What "winners" did the 2011 Bruins acquire to win the Cup? Recchi was older than MSL. That 3-0 choke did way more for that run than any guy with a Cup ring could have.

Again it's overused. There's nothing some Cup retread is going to "teach" Stepan or McDonagh that they don't already know.

"Hey Ryan. I'm here for you. This is how you win. You play hard and score more goals than they do. But the key is play harder".

Please.

These guys know what it takes to win. The Dynasty Isles lost so many crushing series before finally winning. Same with the Oilers. Same with every Cup champion. Why didn't the 1986 Oilers and all their winners rally to overcome Smith's own goal in Game 7 vs Calgary? They did. In 1987.

It's a gradual learning process for a group who have youth on their side.

Miller 21
Hayes 22
Fast 23
Stepan 25
Kreider 23
McDonagh 26
Hagelin 27
Brassard 28
Zuccarello 28
Staal 28

These guys aren't done. Far from it.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

The hurt has not subsided since last night.

 

[FultonReed]

The hurt has not subsided since last night.

don't think i'll be over this until camp opens again

 

[MysticLeviathan]

The hurt has not subsided since last night.

I don't really feel hurt, I just feel disappointed.

This is going to be a long, painful offseason, and with the Yankees looking like absolute garbage, I won't have much to watch until the NFL preseason begins in August :-/

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I would've much rather seen them lose 7-1.

Instead, they lost without offense and on an awful goal. UGH.

 

[MysticLeviathan]

I would've much rather seen them lose 7-1.

Instead, they lost without offense and on an awful goal. UGH.

I honestly don't mind the way they lost, they were clearly 100% totally outplayed. It's not nearly as painful as losing in OT in a very tight game. That's why I'm not upset or angry, TB deserved that win, they clearly came to play game 7 where we didn't. They were the better team last night and earned that victory. There were plenty of games in the playoffs where the better team didn't win, but this wasn't one of them. I'm not hurt or angry, I'm disappointed, because I know we could've won that game, we could've played so much better.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I honestly don't mind the way they lost, they were clearly 100% totally outplayed. It's not nearly as painful as losing in OT in a very tight game. That's why I'm not upset or angry, TB deserved that win, they clearly came to play game 7 where we didn't. They were the better team last night and earned that victory. There were plenty of games in the playoffs where the better team didn't win, but this wasn't one of them. I'm not hurt or angry, I'm disappointed, because I know we could've won that game, we could've played so much better.

Give me a blowout any day of the weak.

 

[nsvoyageurs]

Last night's result was disappointing as they were set up to win this year, I wish I could say I was surprised. Tampa Bay was the better team through most of the series and Bishop outplayed Lundqvist for the most part, especially when he had to. The Ranger offence was feast or famine; the defensive coverage was atrocious at times and Lundqvist let in some shaky goals. When you lose 3 home games in a series, you don't deserve to win anyway.

This will be discussed in the roster thread, but this team needs changes. There are too many NTC's and NMC's on this team and few early draft picks. I hated the MSL and Yandle trades when they happened and I hate them more now. I hope Sather retires.

Another wasted opportunity for Lundqvist and the Rangers. 1 Stanley Cup win in 75 years, which would be among the worst records in the 4 North American team sports leagues outside of the Chicago Cubs, who haven't won a World Series in over 100 years (1908?)

 

[eyedoc]

This team doesn't need a rebuild - it needs some tweaks.

There are too many young pieces in place to need a rebuild.

I think one of the defensemen likely get moved, I think Talbot gets moved and I wouldn't be surprised if Miller gets moved (unfortunately). Sather will likely pull of a pretty surprising move when he does.

I'll almost guarantee that there are internal discussions about moving Nash, but he stays - for a variety of reasons.

The real challenge isn't next season, it's probably about a year or two down the road when trading the picks is felt a little more. That aspect, when coupled with a wait and see approach to team performance, means a re-tooling is probably more likely for 2017/2018.

But right now the Rangers are still in their window and the focus is going to be on finding the right combination.

They don't need to change to much. But they need to start looking at all playoff games and start playing with some urgency in every game. They come out too complacent too often. Last night was an embarrassment! The team was collectively terrible. The Sabres would have even scored a goal last night. They played like a bunch of *******. You are only as good as your last game and they are **** right now. Just the reality if it.

You are 60 minutes from the SCF and you **** the bed. They laid 2 huge turds in Games 5 and 7 at home. Really?! You would never see Chicago do that. With the heart this team has, and the lack of killer instinct, they are far from being Cup champs. Good enough to give you a glimmer of hope each year and then under perform once again.

The only thing that makes this sting slightly less is the Zuccarello and McD injuries. Rangers without either would get smoked in the SCF just like last night.

 

[eyedoc]

To win the Stanley Cup you need to be playing your best hockey, have luck and be healthy. These things didn't align for the Rangers this year... going to be a long off season.


If MSL needs help packing his bags I will volunteer to drive to NY to make that happen even faster for him.

 

[Ori]

It was a very good regular season, but we had no luck with some injuries and some
players that didn't play to their potentials when we needed them most in this year playoffs.
It was a record season though.

 

[JHS]

I just want to publicly thank the Rangers for all the great moments and memories they gave me this year. I'm proud to be a fan of this team. It's very rare to make it to back to back conference finals. The team deserves respect for that!

Il have to wait till next year. I can't wait next season to begin!

 

[Ola]

Good series by Tampa, they had our numbers.

This is the golden year or years for them. In 3 years the players on Tampas roster could make up to 30m more compared to today. They have not had any casualties yet, instead they have been able to add 4 key members. That gives them depth.

But I think the biggest aspect is that they haven't been forced to rebuild a PP, PK or even a single line because they lost 2-3 players per year the last 3-4 years. NYR has faced that every year for some time. And when you experience it you notice just how much energy it takes and how long it takes to repair things.

Tampas game was just much more on track than NYR. They where more composed as a team.

 

[thenumbersdonotlie*]

The Rangers were outplayed the majority of the playoffs. They should have lost to Washington. They got what they deserved. AV killed the offense of the 4th line all year with his stupid loyalty to Glass. The organizations lack of commitment to develop McIlrath led to them signing Boyle which was a waste of 4.5 million for 2 years.

 

[Blueshirt Special]

I don't remember a playoff game more disgusting since Jagr hurt his shoulder trying to defend against Gomez and the Rangers got swept by the devils.

It was just putrid. I think that Cap's series (once again) took a lot out of us and we were to beat up to beat a really good team. And if you can't beat really good teams in the playoffs...

 

[Leetch Fan]

The Lightening were better, they dictated play a higher percentage of time than we did.