How do I say this? Well, when AV was first hired I was excited. As days went on during the pre-season and I had time to assess the woes of last season and the new chapter of the Rangers I became worried. Worried that maybe Torts made us a playoff team. He let us play a simple game which was good for the young guys and a very defensive system which is good for any winning team. I brushed it off, I saw what AV did in Vancouver and said that is a similar team to us. We can be just as good if not better!
I now am tired of brushing it off. After the first game and watching some pre-season, I realized that this team has one big error for its entire team. NO DEFENSE. You give up 6 or 9 goals, 1 game FINE. But you give up at least 3 goals every game, thats not Ranger hockey. You give up more than 5 goals every game.... That is humiliating.
I brushed off the Phoenix game after the LA game. If the Rangers can play like that. They can win every game. But the Rangers cant play like that every game. That is sprints for 60 minutes. That energy and sprinting allowed us to mask our biggest flaw. Defensive zone issues. No team can do that every game and expect to make the playoffs, let alone make the playoffs and be ready to win a game.
Now every assessment I made of every game has been the same.
- Back door is wide open. 70% of the time we leave the back of the net open, 10% of the time its closed and the final pct is that we have a guy back there but he doesnt know how to cover a man, clear the slot or how to play defense properly. This is the easiest way to score goals in hockey. Henrik might be able to stop 7 out of 10 shots on this depending where the puck is and where the opponents are set up but if you give them 10 chances on this... there gonna score 3 times. Last night was a perfect example of this. Correy Perry and Getzlaf did their homework and back door goals is there forte. AV apparently didnt do his hw.
_ Looking Lost.
Players literally have no idea where to guy. I saw it so far about 70% of the game and all season so far. The defense is all over the place. There always in the way of the guy with the puck and no one is giving options to the playmaker (guy with the puck). Its already costed us about 4-5 goals all season and last night about 1 or 2. It makes us turn the puck over, worst of all... in our own zone.
_Toughness is not as big of an issue as everyone (especially the team) thinks it is.
You cant send out Asham and Dorsett and have them fight everyone and expect that this is what improves our toughness. First of all, having Asham go out there and have a staged fight where they plan on fighting... then say good job... thats a staged fight. It doesnt pump anyone up. It doesnt show toughness. It shows that we are putting on a boxing match out there between whistles. And dorsett ****. He has no hockey responsibility. They ask him to forecheck hard and for two seasons now I am not impressed. Fighting 2x a game Dorsett and slew footing everyone you miss, is not hockey and we look horrible. Oh yea, and good job Asham on not taking your helmet off. I am glad your a veteran when it comes to the sport and fighting.
Clearing the zone
Because were out of position and we dont know how to create passing opportunities. We force ourselves back and back and back. We might have a good break out here and there... but mostly we force ourselves into corners. NONE OF THE TEAM knows how to clear the zone and change properly.
PROS.
There are none for this game. We had 5 quality shots as far as im cocnerned. Why? Because of bad break outs, bad defense, and no studying our opponents.
Honestly
after watching Vancouver lose last night (though they put on a better show than the Rangers) I believe that the change of system and the change of coaches are harder to adapt to than I thought. I am sure it is tough. And gets confusing. More of a reason why I hated the firing of Torts.
I think AV could make some moves. I think he could be a solid coach. Right now I have no faith in him though to have us win a Stanley Cup though. We might be able to make playoffs. But defense is first in my mind. And all contenders play strong defense one way or another... You think after 2 back doorgoals you would do a better job on covering it.
Now how many goals have gone back door? I counted 3 yesterday, maybe 3 more on SJ, and 2 in Phoenix. Good job
Maybe we suck so bad we go draft Conner McDavid.