Paul Ranger

[613Leafer]

He was a very solid Dman in TB. Playing top shutdown minutes for about 2.5-3 years, and doing a decent job at it too.

If he can even be 80% as effective as he was 4-5 years ago, he should be able to solidify the second pairing, help out on the PK, and help out on the secondary PP unit. Really help take the load off Phaneufs shoulders.

We'll see how he works out though, he was gone for a while.

 

[Faltorvo]

Sorry, but he has looked absolutely horrible in the first two games.

 

[janesy12]

It'll take a few games for him to come back into his own.
However, he hasn't looked good as a whole these past two games. He shows moments of solidity, and then makes a gaff.
I was thinking he'd sit the next game and allow Rielly to come in, but now with Fraser's injury I'm not sure he'll be sitting.

 

[Ciao]

Sorry, but he has looked absolutely horrible in the first two games.

I didn't see the first period of the Montreal game (and I later heard there were some issues) but I really liked what I saw in periods 2 and 3: tough around the net; quick with the puck; good hard accurate passes (maybe a little too hard on a couple, but und Wilson the Leafs had not passed nearly hard enough); and quick, effective shot-blocking. If there were gaffes or deficiencies in that stretch of play, I didn't see them. I am quite impressed.

 

[LeafsRReady]

Leaf fans always have to have a whipping boy. Who did Carlyle have on the ice over the last few minutes of last night's game? Ranger or Gardiner. While he may not have played up to his full potential yet, his skating, size and physical game are superior to Gunnarson's. I like Gunnar but just don't seem him as a top 2 dman. If Ranger becomes more consistent, I could actually see him playing with Phaneuf as a pretty high end top pairing.

Point is it will never happen with Gunnar but it might with Ranger.

 

[Diatomic]

Sorry, but he has looked absolutely horrible in the first two games.

Agreed.

I'm hoping he isn't the next kostka.

 

[thebear]

He has made a few gaffs trying to pass or clear the puck. What I like is his toughness in the D zone, along the boards and in front of the net. He is unpleasant to play against, rough, hits and lots of stick work. He has already shown Galchenyuk and Matt Read what happens when you go near our goalie. I like it and I like a defensive corps that makes it unpleasant for forwards to be around the net or down low.

He has had a few close shots from the point, I expect an overall improvement in a few games.

 

[jmart21]

It's a shame that his time with the leafs is all but ruined now that he's our whipping boy.

Never given a chance.

 

[Porn*]

he could be a top 4 but he still needs a lot of work. we need to remember that a) he's been out of the league for a few years and b) the AHL isn't the NHL. the game is much more intense now and he'll have to adjust, keep things simple until he gets his feet under him.

 

[Funk21]

Sorry, but he has looked absolutely horrible in the first two games.

Agreed he has not looked good. I just hope he is working out some jitters!

 

[Chandrashekhar Limit]

Sorry, but he has looked absolutely horrible in the first two games.

Yea that tends to happen when you return to the league after FOUR years.

 

[Big Papa Cheese]

I don't think he's used to the nhl speed right now. He seems lost out there and is always trying to get back and cover up for his own mistake. Him and Gardiner are disappointing thus far. Phaneuf is actually our best D by far

 

[coupe93]

Leaf fans always have to have a whipping boy. Who did Carlyle have on the ice over the last few minutes of last night's game? Ranger or Gardiner. While he may not have played up to his full potential yet, his skating, size and physical game are superior to Gunnarson's. I like Gunnar but just don't seem him as a top 2 dman. If Ranger becomes more consistent, I could actually see him playing with Phaneuf as a pretty high end top pairing.

Point is it will never happen with Gunnar but it might with Ranger.

I agree.

 

[613Leafer]

Leaf fans always have to have a whipping boy. Who did Carlyle have on the ice over the last few minutes of last night's game? Ranger or Gardiner. While he may not have played up to his full potential yet, his skating, size and physical game are superior to Gunnarson's. I like Gunnar but just don't seem him as a top 2 dman. If Ranger becomes more consistent, I could actually see him playing with Phaneuf as a pretty high end top pairing.

Point is it will never happen with Gunnar but it might with Ranger.

Key key point.

Ranger has a 1M caphit. If he only plays as a bottom pairing guy, who cares? That's what he's getting paid.

But he also has in the past shown he can play tough top pairing minutes more effectively than Gunnarsson can. Will he get back to that level? None of us know. But at least he has the CHANCE to, or at least get close to it.

It's been two games, two games we WON. I won't be concerned unless he's still playing like this in a month.

 

[Mystifo]

Sorry, but he has looked absolutely horrible in the first two games.

Horrible is an overstatement. He has had some poor plays but I can think of times he made beautiful defensive plays as well. Give him 10 to 15 games before you get down on the guy.

 

[jmart21]

Horrible is an overstatement. He has had some poor plays but I can think of times he made beautiful defensive plays as well. Give him 10 to 15 games before you get down on the guy.

Agreed.

One thing I've really noticed from him is that he's always trying to block shots and has a very active stick. Once he gets his legs beneath him again, he'll be a more well-rounded guy.

 

[ToneBone03]

It's two games into the season and people are already down the throat of a guy who hasn't played an NHL game for nearly four years. /no, he hasn't been the best he can be, but that is to be expected for a little while. You can see flashes of brilliance in his game. Hopefully as the season goes on we will see more and more flashes of brilliance and less rust. People need to calm down and not be so quick to pass judgment.

 

[TimeZone]

He's made some horrible plays but also made a few nice ones as well.

He's performed below expectations through the first two games of the season, but plenty of time to turn it around.

 

[jmart21]

He's made some horrible plays but also made a few nice ones as well.

He's performed below expectations through the first two games of the season, but plenty of time to turn it around.

This is what happens when Leaf fans spend a summer touting a guy around the boards without actually stopping and thinking; "hey, it might take a few games to get in the groove".

 

[blue82]

Ranger with 4 years of non nhl rust > kostka

 

[Antropovsky]

Horrible is an overstatement. He has had some poor plays but I can think of times he made beautiful defensive plays as well. Give him 10 to 15 games before you get down on the guy.

This, Ranger's miscues appear to be a result of him not sure of the timing of the game, and also due to nerves. He's fanning on pucks, and moving them too fast when he has room and time to skate. These are things he'll slowly get back. The good news is that you see flashes of a very smart defenseman, and surprisingly tough one too. He's build like an ox, and filled in Simmonds a few times in the corner. He's been our next most physical after Fraser. Although, I'll admit, the way he crosschecks in corner scrums, reminds me of the old NHL. I think he's going to get into some penalty trouble in that area.

 

[Hockeylaw]

He has been a step too slow for my liking in the first two games. His positional play has been fair to good, though. As others have suggested, I think he needs time to recover his old form, and adapt to the speed of hockey at the NHL level.

He seems to have retained his hockey IQ. His body needs to catch up to his brain.

 

[Diatomic]

Since he's rusty Carlyle should put him on the 3rd pairing to play ~15mins a game to get back into the groove. Instead he's been paired with Franson or Gardiner and has been playing 19mins on back to back nights. Poor guy.

 

[TieClark]

It's very clear to anyone who understands what they're watching that he knows how to play defence very, very well. He gets it, he knows what he's supposed to do in any given situation and he executes it well. The problem people are seeing and confusing for lack of skill is his speed. He hasn't played an NHL game in 4 years, his mind and legs aren't at the same quickness level as the other guys. That will come back with playing time.

 

[Anth93]

I said it all off season. The fascination with Paul Ranger is unwarranted and just flat out weird. He wasn't very good last year with the Marlies and since he can't skate, why would you expect a smooth transition?

He'll be in the press box soon and frankly that's okay because he's paid appropriately.