The biggest problem with this team is that AV seems to agree with you about the bold. I don't know if you've coached a sport at any competitive level (I have), but that's not how you succeed. You can HAVE a favored system/style of play. But you can't force it on a roster of guys who aren't built to play that system. It's like I said before--Staal and Girardi haven't just lost their talent. AV's system exposes their weaknesses and puts them out of position to utilize their strengths. That's bad for the team. But AV places "his system" over the reality of the team.
Torts' system was great for the team when he took over. He ultimately got fired for staying with that system when the dynamic of the team changed (ie: when he DID have the skill players and wanted them to play like a team full of fourth liners). Torts was fired for not adjusting his system to the reality of the roster. AV is in that exact scenario, with one exception--his system has NEVER been the right fit for many of these players, and it has cost us valuable assets.
Really good point and I agree with a lot here. I have coached a sport and continue to do so. I've been successful with coaching too. But coaching a youth sport is not equitable to coaching professional athletes. I will say this, any coach worth anything has a system( or plays) that he or she believes works best. If the coach chases a system to fit his players, than the coach is not running his team, the players are and I don't want a coach who adapts his system constantly.
As far as I can tell, AV's system relies on speedy forwards who can pressure the puck down low and create turnovers. His system also relies on speed through the neutral zone and quick outlet passes that moves the puck up the ice in a quick way. Notice the trend here? In every aspect of this situation, speed is essential to making this work. At some point, the players must execute this system with speed. If we honestly break down each Ranger and where his current skill set is out, we will most assuredly come to an agreement that the players are SLOWER and are more beat up from several successive years of long playoff runs! So that, to me, is essentially why the Rangers are less successful than prior years. It's not a flaw in AV's system, or a lack of adaptability-- it's simply the players are less able to execute his style of play because of all the success they have had in recent years and the toll that has taken on their bodies.
We can't now expect AV to take a step back and say, "ok well I've had success in the NHL for over 1,000 games. My current roster can't play the system as well as a few years ago. I guess I need to come up with a new system that I have no idea if it will work just to suit a temporary collection of players that could be disbanded at any time either by their choice or by the GM." That's honestly lossing total perspective of what a coach should do. AV's job is to make the players successful in his system- not adapt his system to make it more possible.
I'll also say this, a great deal of the NHL plays the same uptempo style the Rangers were successful playing. I believe that the Rangers success in recent years is a major influence on the other teams adopting a more uptempo style.
Now if we are talking player usage, then I will certainly struggle to defend some of his choices. Boyle is not a power play quarterback anymore and realistically barely scratches the top 6 and would not make the top 6 on many rosters. I'm not AV but I can only imagine he trusts him more than Yandle. Why Miller has not been played with Brassard all year is confusing but I'm certain he will now based on his latest streak. If AV pulls Miller off that line when Nash gets back I'll be stunned. Why AV picks fights with rookies, calling them out in public and all that seems to me to be an ok way of getting them motivated but may be an outdated tactic given it does not seem to work that well with Hayes. Yet, if you remember during the last 2 cup runs, the team has complemented AV on his steadiness.
I'm just asking people to consider that AV has had success( perhaps unprecedented was a bit much but 2 straight long playoff runs is incredible success for the New York Rangers) and success in the NHL is always earned and not often by luck!
