Confirmed with Link: McIlrath and NYR settle on 1yr $800k contract

[KreiderHouseRules*]

It's really not that and it's really not that complex of a situation the kids either going to earn his ice timeor eventually he's going to be traded.

Not too many teams invest six years of a guy's development and then just trade him after he performs like a rookie, they know what he is, it's time to start putting up on his end, forget about all the other problems with injuries and coaches and bad veterans, that's all in the past.

I'm fine with the contract. It's the fact that the coach immediately benched him as soon as Girardi was at 70% and didn't even attempt to rest Boyle like he said he was; all of this after McIlrath played his best hockey of the season and formed a very good pair with Yandle.

Why?

I've yet to see one good reason why. It's just AV playing his favorites (veterans) regardless of performance. And in my opinion, that's not how you earn the respect of your team. If he pulls that crap again, I guarantee the team will subconsciously or consciously tune his empty rhetoric out and he'll be fired before January.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

I still think he can be a top 4 guy

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I'm fine with the contract. It's the fact that the coach immediately benched him as soon as Girardi was at 70% and didn't even attempt to rest Boyle like he said he was; all of this after McIlrath played his best hockey of the season and formed a very good pair with Yandle.

Why?

I've yet to see one good reason why. It's just AV playing his favorites (veterans) regardless of performance. And in my opinion, that's not how you earn the respect of your team. If he pulls that crap again, I guarantee the team will subconsciously or consciously tune his empty rhetoric out and he'll be fired before January.

I think a lot of people, yourself included, forget what McIlrath looked like the last several games before he took a seat for good.

Anyway, in the situation the Rangers were in last season, tie goes to the vets. Its about as simple as that. Theres no such pretenses this season and McIlrath has a spot to lose, it looks like. Lets see if he takes it.

 

[MarkMessyay11]

This is a great **** or get off the pot contract. IMO he'll definitely get a shot to be a top 6 guy this year, otherwise why did they not bring in a cheap veteran. Clendening has an outside shot, I guess, but IMO he's just a depth signing. The organization has too much invested in Dylan to give up on him at this point, especially after all the encouraging signs he displayed last season.

 

[Bluenote13]

I think a lot of people, yourself included, forget what McIlrath looked like the last several games before he took a seat for good.

Anyway, in the situation the Rangers were in last season, tie goes to the vets. Its about as simple as that. Theres no such pretenses this season and McIlrath has a spot to lose, it looks like. Lets see if he takes it.

Tie goes to the vet, that's a good way of putting it actually. It's only been happening in hockey since forever.

But no, AV has it out for them !!!

 

[Beer League Sniper]

Tie goes to the vet, that's a good way of putting it actually. It's only been happening in hockey since forever.

But no, AV has it out for them !!!

If you think last season was in any way, shape, or form, a tie between McIlrath and either of Boyle or Girardi, I don't know what to tell you. McIlrath easily outplayed both of them in his stints, and still got banished to the press box for long, long stretches.

 

[Bluenote13]

If you think last season was in any way, shape, or form, a tie between McIlrath and either of Boyle or Girardi, I don't know what to tell you. McIlrath easily outplayed both of them in his stints, and still got banished to the press box for long, long stretches.

I don't think he easily outplayed them I don't think it is as black and white as you're making it.

Also you can actually understand why a coach does something and also disagree with him.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

I don't think he easily outplayed them I don't think it is as black and white as you're making it.

Also you can actually understand why a coach does something and also disagree with him.

Fair enough. I guess my wording was a little strong. Sorry about that.

 

[Levitate]

I don't think he easily outplayed them I don't think it is as black and white as you're making it.

Also you can actually understand why a coach does something and also disagree with him.

I think in his first stint in the lineup McIlrath was playing some better hockey than Girardi and to some extent Boyle (Boyle was always so up and down), but near the end of the season when he got into the lineup he wasn't as good.

That said, I really didn't expect him to force an established vet out of the lineup. The trick is that this year there is (currently) a right D spot up for grabs and it's up to McIlrath to grab that spot from the likes of Paliotta and Clendenning. If he can't do that then there's some trouble with his future with the Rangers I think.

 

[silverfish]

Quick to blame competition on poor advanced statistics.

Quick to ignore a d-partner as a potential cause of the fall in McIlrath's game.

People remembering the 80 trainwreck minutes that was the pairing Boyle-McIlrath and ignoring the bonafide 2nd pairing that was Yandle-McIlrath, and the good work that McIlrath put together with Staal in their (very) brief time together.

 

[Irishguy42]

Quick to blame competition on poor advanced statistics.

Quick to ignore a d-partner as a potential cause of the fall in McIlrath's game.

People remembering the 80 trainwreck minutes that was the pairing Boyle-McIlrath and ignoring the bonafide 2nd pairing that was Yandle-McIlrath, and the good work that McIlrath put together with Staal in their (very) brief time together.

Part of me wants to think that was a train wreck because Boyle was playing on his off-side.

At the very least, it didn't help.

 

[Dagoon44]

I don't think he easily outplayed them I don't think it is as black and white as you're making it.

Also you can actually understand why a coach does something and also disagree with him.

I think your very wrong here. He easily outplayed Grand Pa Boyle in his brief stretch of uninterrupted games played the kid looked great.. Then the once a month stuff was avg at best

 

[Inferno]

The Yandle-Mcilrath pairing this season was legitimately the best pairing the Rangers iced all year

 

[Bluenote13]

I think your very wrong here. He easily outplayed Grand Pa Boyle in his brief stretch of uninterrupted games played the kid looked great.. Then the once a month stuff was avg at best

Easily outplayed and looked great are not terms I'm ready to use.

He's not all the way there, and the teams makeup was not going to be a ready made fit for him anyway.

In hindsight 'the right thing to do' was keeping the kid gloves on like they have done for 6 years, every Ranger fan should be glad he wasn't thrown into last seasons **** storm. Whether that's on Gorton, AV, Ulfie or whoever, I think his development was always in consideration. He progressed nicely from his brief stint the year before and he's on schedule (actually a bit ahead) of recent nhl comparables.

 

[Levitate]

Part of me wants to think that was a train wreck because Boyle was playing on his off-side.

At the very least, it didn't help.

I mean Boyle playing his off side and the fact that Boyle only passingly plays positional hockey and McIlrath was a rookie trying to get comfortable at the NHL level and yeah

Easily outplayed and looked great are not terms I'm ready to use.

He's not all the way there, and the teams makeup was not going to be a ready made fit for him anyway.

In hindsight 'the right thing to do' was keeping the kid gloves on like they have done for 6 years, every Ranger fan should be glad he wasn't thrown into last seasons **** storm. Whether that's on Gorton, AV, Ulfie or whoever, I think his development was always in consideration. He progressed nicely from his brief stint the year before and he's on schedule (actually a bit ahead) of recent nhl comparables.

Like I said I think it's honestly not surprising he didn't boot one of the vets from a lineup spot, just wasn't likely to happen, but ultimately I think more people are upset because of Dagoon's reports that AV hates him and wants to get rid of him. Whether you want to believe that or not, it's still a pretty inflamatory idea that gets people riled up when they already were upset at watching a hobbled Girardi screw up all over the place and Dan Boyle play pond hockey

 

[Raspewtin]

"we owe it to the veterans" nonsense aside playing a clearly broken Dan Girardi over McIlrath was dumb at first but reached points of pure idiocy by the end of the year, when he was played at forward and with Boyle by Clowneualt.

Had a great start to the year and proceeded to do nothing at all to help him.

 

[NickyFotiu]

I think a lot of people, yourself included, forget what McIlrath looked like the last several games before he took a seat for good.

Anyway, in the situation the Rangers were in last season, tie goes to the vets. Its about as simple as that. Theres no such pretenses this season and McIlrath has a spot to lose, it looks like. Lets see if he takes it.

When he played 17 games straight I would say he looked good to very good in 14 of them and less than good in 3 of them. I do not see that as a tie.

 

[Bluenote13]

I don't think Dagoons interpretation is correct.

Every nhl coach would love to upgrade, and we have so few trading chips. God forbid he act like any other pro coach.

I think anything less than a coach begging to keep MCI is a vote to trade him !

 

[offdacrossbar]

brady skjei has been playing the right side alot.

doesnt bode well for mcilrath imo.

we all know skjei will play. girardi and klein too- atleast to start the season.

there isn't a spot for mcilrath if it goes down like this.


mcd/klein
staal/skjei
holden/girardi

mcilrath

thats the reality right now.

 

[KreiderHouseRules*]

brady skjei has been playing the right side alot.

doesnt bode well for mcilrath imo.

we all know skjei will play. girardi and klein too- atleast to start the season.

there isn't a spot for mcilrath if it goes down like this.


mcd/klein
staal/skjei
holden/girardi

mcilrath

thats the reality right now.

Exactly.

And since we know AV/Gorton won't do the right thing and scratch their $5.5M defenseman as the 7th D, it's either Klein or McIlrath as the odd man out. I think it's too early to give up on McIlrath. I still believe he has Shea Weber-lite potential.

That's why I've suggested trading Klein for a gritty middle-6 forward or a promising young NHL-ready prospect. Klein's value likely will never be higher, after a strong season production-wise. A proven top-4 RIGHT handed defenseman on an extremely affordable contract has a ton of value right now period.

I'm sure there are many teams that would trade something of value for Klein.

 

[Inferno]

Skjei is going to play the left side.

They should go with..

McD-Klein
Staal-McIlrath
Skjei-Girardi

 

[NickyFotiu]

Skjei is going to play the left side.

They should go with..

McD-Klein
Staal-McIlrath
Skjei-Girardi

Playing a rookie dman on his off side is just forcing a square peg in to a round hole and their is no reason for it. Now when Brady is trying to clear the puck up the boards with forwards/dmen pinching in Brady will be on his backhand.

I would go with:

Mcd-Klein
Staal-TBD
Brady-Dylan

Then hopefully as the season progresses Brady-Dylan move up to the second pairing as a unit.

 

[Inferno]

Playing a rookie dman on his off side is just forcing a square peg in to a round hole and their is no reason for it. Now when Brady is trying to clear the puck up the boards with forwards/dmen pinching in Brady will be on his backhand.

I would go with:

Mcd-Klein
Staal-TBD
Brady-Dylan

Then hopefully as the season progresses Brady-Dylan move up to the second pairing as a unit.

yeah theres no need to do it.

i dont expect Girardi to not play...AV would play him if he had no legs and no arms.

 

[offdacrossbar]

Skjei is going to play the left side.

They should go with..

McD-Klein
Staal-McIlrath
Skjei-Girardi

mcilrath at the 2 RD is just not smart.

so take the guy- brady skjei, who's shown the ability, smarts, skating and defensive awareness to play 2nd pair minutes and shackle him to girardi on the 3rd pair ?? seriously.

this is a kid who played great end of last season, seems like he's getting better and better and has shown top 4 skills. kid average over 18 min of ice in the 5 playoffs games vs pitts and showed he's not only ready but able. his skating is top notch as is his defensive awareness and somehow he's on the 3rd pair ?

he played the right side in hartford and also in the worlds.

so then we take mcilrath and put him on the 2nd pair where hell be exposed against the speed of top line wingers. terrific.

and to make it worse, you are playing him with a guy who's another stay at home type who handles the pill like a live hand grenade. that pair will feature:

turnovers deep in the zone after forwards attack with speed.

bad passes for the same reason.

an inability to move the puck forward via the quick pass

and an alarming inability to skate it from the zone.

dont like that pair at all.

heres your defense going into camp

mcd/klein
staal/skjei
holden/girardi
mcilrath


still weak as hell but no where near as bad as mcilrath at the 2RD.

still need a big time upgrade.

 

[Jxmarts]

Still potentially my favorite sequence from 15-16

This type of sequence used to happen several times a game back in the day. Hockey was a sweet balance of physicality and grace. Now we're lucky if we see this once at all throughout the season.