Rangers drop into bottom 5

[Profet]

that's funny, a ranger fan bashing the penguins like that.

rangers havent made the playoffs in 7 years.

Which is why you shouldn't be so opposed to the Rangers grabbing Ovechkin. Thank you for proving my point.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Which is why you shouldn't be so opposed to the Rangers grabbing Ovechkin. Thank you for proving my point.

i'm not opposed the the rangers drafting him. i'm opposed to you saying there's no interest in the penguins(when they have 4th highest tv ratings), and that they can't develop players(straka, lang, kovalev, etc.).

 

[Profet]

kovalev was a complete disappointment in NY. the penguins developed him into a superstar.

9 goals, 12 assists, 21 points in 23 playoff games from a 20 year old on the road to a Stanley Cup Championship.

What a complete disappointment.

 

[Til the End of Time]

Please

Any hockey fan knows that Kovalev was a dissapointment in both his stints in New York.

 

[Profet]

i'm not opposed the the rangers drafting him. i'm opposed to you saying there's no interest in the penguins(when they have 4th highest tv ratings), and that they can't develop players(straka, lang, kovalev, etc.).

'

I think the attendance numbers speak for themselves.

And I am going to insist that Kovalev was a NY developed talent. You can disagree...but you'd be wrong.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

9 goals, 12 assists, 21 points in 23 playoff games from a 20 year old on the road to a Stanley Cup Championship.

What a complete disappointment.

he never had over 60 pts before coming to the pens.

ok fine, the rangers developed him into an nhl player, the pens developed him into a superstar.

 

[Profet]

he never had over 60 pts before coming to the pens.

ok fine, the rangers developed him into an nhl player, the pens developed him into a superstar.

He also never played with Mario Lemieux.

And no...Kovalev did not play with Gretzky.

 

[Til the End of Time]

OK you say Kovalev didn't play with Gretzky.

Nor did Kovalev play much with Mario in his most productive season '00-'01. The only time Kovie and Lemeiux were regularly together was on the PP, for only half a season that Mario played

So you can't attribute Kovalev's success to Lemeiux, at least that year.

 

[Grave77digger]

If we wanna throw stats around the Pens are 5-2-1 in there last 8 games with a 3 game winning streak, beating Dallas 4-0 tonite... but ya there obviously trying to
tank the season and have no NHL talent (sarcasm)

BTW the average attendence in 83-84 was roughly 6k for the Pens, they had no probs selling out in the 90's... now this season they average 5k+ more fans a game with an equally bad team... the fan base is bigger and stronger than before and when the team starts winning the fans will show up

 

[ddheyman]

straka, lang, kovalev, tarnstrom, and now jackman have all been groomed into excellent players in PITTSBURGH

Jackman??? How many games has he played ... lets give him oh a whole season before we annoint him an "excellent player"

 

[NewYorkStranger]

If we wanna throw stats around the Pens are 5-2-1 in there last 8 games with a 3 game winning streak, beating Dallas 4-0 tonite... but ya there obviously trying to
tank the season and have no NHL talent (sarcasm)

BTW the average attendence in 83-84 was roughly 6k for the Pens, they had no probs selling out in the 90's... now this season they average 5k+ more fans a game with an equally bad team... the fan base is bigger and stronger than before and when the team starts winning the fans will show up

Rangers haven't made the playoffs in 7 years and the fans still come. Pittsburgh is not properly supporting its franchise and if they dont the pens should be moved or retracted.

He also never played with Mario Lemieux.

And no...Kovalev did not play with Gretzky.

Kovalev played with greztky and sundstrom in the 1997-98 season.

http://nhlstars.kulichki.net/players/kovalev/1.html

""I really think that as much fun and as enjoyable as it's been for me, it's been interesting to watch how Alex has developed. Alex has been just phenomenal to this point," Gretzky said. "Since the Olympic break, he might be one of the best wingers in hockey right now. He's just playing solid hockey."

That being said Kovalev was a dynamic playoff performer for the rangers, he just didnt have what it takes to succeed here during the regular season. Perhaps by the penguin fan theorem we "un-developed" him back into a scrub the second time around?

 

[Jacob]

If the penguins didnt tank there season to get Lemiuex there wouldnt be a lottery.

That's probably why the lottery was instituted 11 years later.

Rangers and Penguins fans bickering is pretty pointless. Both teams are horrendous in their own way.

The big thing though is that one of the two spends 100 million dollars for a lottery pick. If the Rangers can't buy a cup contender, I don't see how they are ever going to build one.

Pittsburgh is not properly supporting its franchise and if they dont the pens should be moved or retracted.

You can't even compare the two. The New York area has what, 20 million people? Maybe more? Say that's divided up evenly between the Isles, Rangers, and Devils (it isn't), their fan base is way, way bigger than pretty much any other market other than maybe Toronto.

The Penguins are amongst the worst in attendance in the league, but you know what? They're also by far the worst team in the league. In the oldest building in the league. With their most marketable player out for the season. With their second most marketable player riding buses in the maritimes.

All things considered, the Penguins are way, WAY better off than at least 10 other franchises in the NHL in terms of fan support. I promise.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

If the penguins didnt tank there season to get Lemiuex there wouldnt be a lottery. It is not the Rangers fault that the city of pittsburgh doesnt care enough to support the team. Its the people of pittsburgh's fault and ownerships. Go buy season tickets then ill cry for you.

No, it's because of Ottawa tanking to get Daigle.

There's a reason the lottery was implemented in 1995 and not 1985.

 

[tom_servo]

the Rangers are example of how not to build a team. What's wrong with the league is an entirely different matter - overexpansion, short-sided greed of the owners, dilution of talent, little exposure in the US, not to mention the obstruction on the ice, the reduction of star player power in the league - none of this stems from the Rangers.

You're right; the Rangers can't be blamed for exploiting the rules of the system. I just hope the new CBA can give the small-markets (or small owners) a fighting chance. If such a CBA is in place, then I wouldn't have much problem seeing the Rangers win the lottery (except for the fact that they're a hated division rival).

 

[Barnabyboy]

Thank you Mr. Wonderful

All i have to say is thank you Handsome B. Wonderful. I was reading all those posts, looking at the comments of Pittsburgh being the reason for the draft lottery. (Because of Lemieux)

You don't even need to be a diehard hockey fan to know that there was no draft lottery in 1985, it was Ottawa tanking the season for Daigle that made the NHL implement the draft lottery.

And if the Rangers won the draft lottery............i'd definitely have to smash something........or two or three..............

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

did ottawa really tank though? they were really really horrible for a few years...they deserved the top pick.

 

[Grave77digger]

and why would they implement a lottery? they tanked the season and for a player who is considered a bust....thats on them, there free to draft who they want with that 1st... a lottery just doesnt make sense... teams dont just tank seasons, they have to be bad enough to tank it in the 1st place

 

[NYR2]

these comments baffle me.. and here i thought the rangers sucked all these years but some how this team after missing the playoffs for 7 straight years does not deserve to win the lottery.. greed is sad.. jealousy is even sadder.....

Amen.

Seriously the Rangers have been a poster child of what's wrong with the league for years. I realize that you're a fan but take the blinders off.

Believe me, NONE of us have blinders on. Those people would be our owner and GM, and it looks like our GM finally saw the light (I hope).

First the Rag$ try to buy their way into the playoffs... that didn't work, so now they're gonna try to steal their way into the playoffs. By stealing Ovechkin from the poor little Penguins. Can't you big bad New Yorkers just GO BACK HOME!!

K.

 

[Epsilon]

I feel the Rangers and Capitals are more deserving of the 1st overall pick than the other bottom teams, because at least they came into the season hoping to win and spending money to offer their fans a product they could be interested in following. Sure it didn't work out, but at least they tried BEFORE giving up. Teams that have already resigned to defeat before the first puck has been dropped get no love from me.

 

[Grave77digger]

Teams that have already resigned to defeat before the first puck has been dropped get no love from me.

you need to pay better attention, its pretty damn obvious you have no clue what your talking about if your reffering to the Pens... the are one of the hardest working teams out there, not alot of skill but hard working and never quits is how you would describe them... how else do you explain there wins against playoff bound teams... easy they had the same perception as you... and it cost them

read the game recaps after a team loses to the Pens they all say the same thing..."they surprised us with there aggressiveness" or "they outworked us" or " they played with a sense of urgency"

The Pens dont just rollover for everyteam, the youngsters respect the Penguin crest on there uniform and are making it a point other teams start respecting it also.

 

[Epsilon]

you need to pay better attention, its pretty damn obvious you have no clue what your talking about if your reffering to the Pens... the are one of the hardest working teams out there, not alot of skill but hard working and never quits is how you would describe them... how else do you explain there wins against playoff bound teams... easy they had the same perception as you... and it cost them

read the game recaps after a team loses to the Pens they all say the same thing..."they surprised us with there aggressiveness" or "they outworked us" or " they played with a sense of urgency"

The Pens dont just rollover for everyteam, the youngsters respect the Penguin crest on there uniform and are making it a point other teams start respecting it also.

I am talking about the management and ownership of the team, not the players.

 

[Dr.Sens(e)]

Ottawa didn't tank to get Daigle, but their owner made some coy drunken comments the night of drafting Daigle to some reporters that gave the impression the team being brutal was all part of a master plan. This lead to the lottery. He was drunk though, and it was pretty clear he was just trying to find something to brag about over a hapless team, because the Sens were just plain bad. Really bad.

However, the reality is that management knew the fans would be patient, and in a smaller arena, they were going to sell-out every night anyway - especially in a market blood thirsty for NHL hockey. They didn't have the pressure to build a quick winner like Tampa and Florida did, and the result was a longer stay in the lottery, and the accumulation of top-end talent. The reality is though, that while the lottery picks were nice, the Sens drafting outside the lottery is where the franchise was turned around.

And I have no problem if the Rags win the lottery. They have been the worst team in the Eastern conference over the last 6 or 7 years, and while they've brought in a number of B prospects, they still don't have the foundation to build a consistent winner. And let's face it - the tempation of having that budget will be the end of each GM, because they can't help but buy UFA's with retirement contracts and then the team implodes.

 

[Steve Latin*]

If the penguins didnt tank there season to get Lemiuex there wouldnt be a lottery. It is not the Rangers fault that the city of pittsburgh doesnt care enough to support the team. Its the people of pittsburgh's fault and ownerships. Go buy season tickets then ill cry for you.

Enough with the trolling.

S L

 

[klingsor]

Enough with the trolling.

S L

Why do you consider NewYorkStranger's post trolling?

It's Pen's fans amongst others who continually remind us that the Rangers are ruining hockey and howmuch they hate the Rangers.

Fact of the matter is that when the league was only six teams the Rangers were usually either out of the playoffs or first round losers. Many reasons for this not the least of which was a system based on territorial rights that denied them the opportunity to sign the best Canadian kids.

And you know what? MSG was sold out every game with diehard fans on a waiting list for season tickets.
Maybe if Penguin fans were as loyal as Ranger fans were, Pittsburgh wouldn't be in the situation they are now.

 

[Steve Latin*]

Why do you consider NewYorkStranger's post trolling?

It's Pen's fans amongst others who continually remind us that the Rangers are ruining hockey and howmuch they hate the Rangers.

Fact of the matter is that when the league was only six teams the Rangers were usually either out of the playoffs or first round losers. Many reasons for this not the least of which was a system based on territorial rights that denied them the opportunity to sign the best Canadian kids.

And you know what? MSG was sold out every game with diehard fans on a waiting list for season tickets.
Maybe if Penguin fans were as loyal as Ranger fans were, Pittsburgh wouldn't be in the situation they are now.

Calling Pittsburgh fans out is totally ignorant, and IMO qualifies as trolling. Do you live in Pittsburgh? Do you understand the economic situation here? Do you understand the arena situation here? My guess is the answer to all those questions is "No".

Then you people have the nerve to compare NYC to Pittsburgh. Give me a break. There's *so* many more people in NYC with *so* much more money. Hell, even if you take the fans out of it, the luxury boxes used by businessmen to entertain clients could probably single-handedly pay for the entire Pens roster. We don't have as thriving a business community in Pittsburgh, nor do we have an incredibly large fan base. What we do have is a lot of devouted fans that are plucking down their hard earned cash to see a team with the worst record in the NHL play meaningless games in a crumbling arena. We also have a lot of fans who can't afford to go to the games and watch them on TV, which makes Pittsburgh one of the largest local hockey-viewing markets in the country.

So, if you want to, blame the Penguins financial woes on the fact that Pittsburgh is a blue-collar town where you're more likely to bump into a steelworker than some ******* investment banker. Blame the city's dwindling population and young people who move away to Philly, D.C., and (yes) NYC. But don't go and call out the fans that care. There is no question in my mind that the average Pittsburgh loves hockey a lot more than the average New Yorker, who would prefer to spend the day at Moma than to see the Rangers.

S L