Post-Game Talk: New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins - January 14 (Warning in OP)

[ReggieDunlop68]

Generational players are heads and shoulder above their competition. They're top scorers year in and year out like Crosby, numerous Richard wins/scoring bazillion more goals than his closest peer (who also happens to be gerearional) like Ovechkin, Gretzky, Mario etc. Lunqvist, while consistently great to elite year in and year out, has one Vezina, doesn't lead the league each year, and sometimes hasn't even finished top 5. Great HOFer but calling him generational is a stretch I think.

There's a difference between calling him this generation's best goalie (which he may or may not be) and generational.

LMFAO!

The Penguins get a 5-peat if they had Ludqvist during this era.

 

[aufheben]

The 6 goalie system with an outside cycle is almost certainly a better option for this roster, as presently constructed, than the AV transition game. People gave me **** before for saying Tortorella is a good coach, and I think we'd probably have a better record with him here right now.

With Nash no longer a major scoring threat, and Kreider out long term, the team doesn't have enough offensive talent to play an open skating game.

Play better defense and try to earn some penalties moving the puck around. The PP still has the capability to win this team games if given the proper opportunity.

I don't remember were I left off personally wit Torts, but one thing is for sure, we wiouldn't need Hank to yell at the team when they're playing like shit.

 

[Gordon Bombay]

The 6 goalie system with an outside cycle is almost certainly a better option for this roster, as presently constructed, than the AV transition game. People gave me **** before for saying Tortorella is a good coach, and I think we'd probably have a better record with him here right now.

With Nash no longer a major scoring threat, and Kreider out long term, the team doesn't have enough offensive talent to play an open skating game.

Play better defense and try to earn some penalties moving the puck around. The PP still has the capability to win this team games if given the proper opportunity.

I agree with this completely.

The ironic thing is Torts was just as stubborn as AV is now. He started with a roster lacking skill and ended with more a skilled roster, yet kept the same system and never opened it up.

AV now has what Torts started out with and continues to slam the square peg into the round hole just like Torts did.

Different personalities yet the same result, it's pretty weird. Even weirder this team has made a 9 year cycle and it seems like we need another Torts like personality in there.

 

[Synergy27]

I agree with this completely.

The ironic thing is Torts was just as stubborn as AV is now. He started with a roster lacking skill and ended with more a skilled roster, yet kept the same system and never opened it up.

AV now has what Torts started out with and continues to slam the square peg into the round hole just like Torts did.

Different personalities yet the same result, it's pretty weird. Even weirder this team has made a 9 year cycle and it seems like we need another Torts like personality in there.

Spot on. I will say though, I don't recall having as many issues with player usage with Torts as I do with AV. His refusal to evolve from caveman hockey drove me insane but he was reasonable fair and smart with ice time.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

I agree with this completely.

The ironic thing is Torts was just as stubborn as AV is now. He started with a roster lacking skill and ended with more a skilled roster, yet kept the same system and never opened it up.

AV now has what Torts started out with and continues to slam the square peg into the round hole just like Torts did.

Different personalities yet the same result, it's pretty weird. Even weirder this team has made a 9 year cycle and it seems like we need another Torts like personality in there.

We need Muckler.

 

[Fitzy]

Spot on. I will say though, I don't recall having as many issues with player usage with Torts as I do with AV. His refusal to evolve from caveman hockey drove me insane but he was reasonable fair and smart with ice time.

The biggest issue I had with Tort's player management was his excessive in-game line juggling.

One thing he did do a lot of which I think would benefit this NYR squad was shorten the bench to 9F and 5 D in important situations. Overplaying guys like Zucc and McDonagh might not be a bad plan.

 

[nyrleetch]

The biggest issue I had with Tort's player management was his excessive in-game line juggling.

One thing he did do a lot of which I think would benefit this NYR squad was shorten the bench to 9F and 5 D in important situations. Overplaying guys like Zucc and McDonagh might not be a bad plan.

 

[Cheapshot]

Stu, always felt bad for the guy when torts stapled him to the bench like that. He was not a good hockey player but if he wasn't really going to let him play there was no need for his toughness.

 

[Kaapo di tutti capi]

Spot on. I will say though, I don't recall having as many issues with player usage with Torts as I do with AV. His refusal to evolve from caveman hockey drove me insane but he was reasonable fair and smart with ice time.

Stu Bickel says hi. I actually agree with you, but his man crush on Bickel drove me insane.

 

[NYR]

We need Muckler.

 

[aufheben]

The biggest issue I had with Tort's player management was his excessive in-game line juggling.

One thing he did do a lot of which I think would benefit this NYR squad was shorten the bench to 9F and 5 D in important situations. Overplaying guys like Zucc and McDonagh might not be a bad plan.

For sure Fitzy. AV did that during 2013-14, but really hasn't since. It became kind of ridiculous in 2015-16:

 

[mrmovies779]

We need Muckler.

Lowe.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Lowe.

He can take Ruff's job in the cup run which is guaranteed after firing AV.

 

[Gordon Bombay]

Spot on. I will say though, I don't recall having as many issues with player usage with Torts as I do with AV. His refusal to evolve from caveman hockey drove me insane but he was reasonable fair and smart with ice time.

Agreed, the ice time was was given to the best players that night. Accountability is one of the many things missing right now.

 

[chosen]

When the GM makes a pretty decent attempt at changing the personnel in his first two years here (Zibanejad, Smith, Shattenkirk, buying out Girardi, trading Stepan, etc.), you can't say he's not trying to see if different personnel would help.

When there's a high turnover in personnel and the same, if not worse results ensue, it's a pretty damning indictment on the coaching staff.

Turnover does not necessarily mean better.

 

[chosen]

Can't disagree MORE

Okay. Who is a consistently good coach beloved by their fanbases?

 

[chosen]

This is obviously a flawed and over-simplistic way to look at it, but there are still examples of positive/negative impacts related to coaching changes. I don't think many expect a different coach turn this team into a contender, but not getting their asses handed to them every night would probably be good.

2016-17: Dallas Stars | 11th in West | -39 (Lindy Ruff)
2017-18: Dallas Stars | 8th in West | +11 (Ken Hitchcock)

2015-16: Florida Panthers | 3rd in East | +36 (Gerard Gellant)
2016-17: Florida Panthers | 13th in East | -27 (Gerard Gellant[22]/Tom Rowe[60])
2017-18: Vegas Golden Knights | 1st in West | +29 (Gerard Gellant)

2015-16: Pittsburgh Penguins | 10th in East | -5 (Mike Johnston)
2015-16: Pittsburgh Penguins | 2nd in East | +42 (Mike Sullivan) Cup
2016-17: Pittsburgh Penguins | 2nd in East | +48 (Mike Sullivan) Cup

2013-14: Nashville Predators | 10th in West | -26 (Barry Trotz)
2014-15: Nashville Predators | 3rd in West | +24 (Peter Laviolette) SCF

2014-15: San Jose Sharks | 12th in West | -4 (Todd McLellan)
2015-16: San Jose Sharks | 6th in West | +31 (Peter DeBoer) SCF

2016-17: Los Angeles Kings| 10th in West | -4 (Daryl Sutter)
2017-18: Los Angeles Kings| 6th in West | +25 (John Stevens)

Team success and failures change just as often year to year without changing coaches.

 

[darko]

The 6 goalie system with an outside cycle is almost certainly a better option for this roster, as presently constructed, than the AV transition game. People gave me **** before for saying Tortorella is a good coach, and I think we'd probably have a better record with him here right now.

With Nash no longer a major scoring threat, and Kreider out long term, the team doesn't have enough offensive talent to play an open skating game.

Play better defense and try to earn some penalties moving the puck around. The PP still has the capability to win this team games if given the proper opportunity.

Torts lost the locker room. He had to go.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

blessing in disguise.

id rather us be in a bad position and sell than be on the fence.

AV getting fired is the first step, but it doesn't really matter because he is not taking us anywhere, and will be fired at the end of the season anyway.

I do worry that the East is mediocre enough for us to sneak in on the strength of 40+ save performances, OT losses, and shootout wins, only to be stomped on by whoever has the fortune to draw us in the first round

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

I think AV gets fired at the end of the year... they’re just letting him finish out the year because there’s no one in house they see as a replacement

 

[Realize]

So, at least the only team in the west I like has a good streak and is worth watching.. the AVs.

Did turn of this game after the 2nd, unhappy with the last ~7 games without a clear win. Hopefully it will be enough for #2 wild card in the east at the end.