News Article: Rangers figure out Alain Vigneault at the perfect time

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

The team undoubtedly looks better schooled at what to do with the puck in the defensive and neutral zones.

They've come a long way since October.

 

[Flik]

He's the best coach the Canucks ever had and I'm happy to see him having great success with your team. You guys have a pretty awesome team over there, win a cup for AV!

 

[ajdj10]

He's the best coach the Canucks ever had and I'm happy to see him having great success with your team. You guys have a pretty awesome team over there, win a cup for AV!

People here wanted him fired after 7 games, so he can't be that good of a coach.
But thanks for giving us AV! He's made this team much more enjoyable to watch.

 

[Zil]

I'm not sure you watched the Ranger games because their performance on ice has been inspiring, stats be damned. and +/- stats? that is more of an indication of being on the ice for all of the Sedins' goals (and over 4 full series at that). Exhibit A, Marek Malik. IIRC Marleau could not be contained that series vs Van. They just outscored the Sharks with their potent scoring. Nashville was no legit offense threat. Chicago almost made them blow a 3-0 lead and made the Canucks look terrible in that process. blowouts IIRC. They barely managed to get out of that series. Thanks for clarifying all the injury statuses. I remember there were guys going down but not sure when.

So, yes, I have reconsidered and I have come to the same conclusion. Again, that was a good team and yes, we are definitely enjoying the benefits of a healthy roster (knock on wood). We are not better offensively but McD-G, Staal-Strals we HAVE contained the other teams. McD is playing at a Norris level right now (keep Ehrhoff!) Looking at the first two series, outside of checks, Hartnell was a non-factor. Giroux got his points but he was very invisible in that series. Same with Crosby. Malkin had a little more success but we are talking out the TOP scorers in the league that were neutralized.

I will agree Van was foolish to not retain Erhoff. $4M AAV is a great deal for a player of his caliber. Was wishing we could have got him that summer myself but we spent all our money on Beaver.

Yeah, judging anyone by +/- is patently absurd. It's a completely useless stat. The fact that he has Ehrhoff over McDonagh is laughable.

 

[Beacon]

I was watching a discussion of the Nucks losing in the Finals to the Bears and I caught myself thinking, "The Rangers are really lucky it happened because it meant he got fired eventually and we were able to get him."

AV is a better coach than I expected him to be. Also seems to be very likeable.

 

[PromNite]

I wanted AV from the second Torts was fired. And I didn't just want him, I kinda knew he'd be the one, and that Sather would do the right thing. It feels good to be right sometimes.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Anything is happeniiiiing!!!!!

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

I was watching a discussion of the Nucks losing in the Finals to the Bears and I caught myself thinking, "The Rangers are really lucky it happened because it meant he got fired eventually and we were able to get him."

AV is a better coach than I expected him to be. Also seems to be very likeable.

who? It's bruins! You say it right!

 

[Xref]

The team undoubtedly looks better schooled at what to do with the puck in the defensive and neutral zones.

They've come a long way since October.

^ that sums it up perfectly. No longer are our guys surprised when the puck hits their stickblade. They seem to know what they want to do with it before getting it. They are now pro-actively playing the game instead of re-actively playing. To me, it's a huge difference in their mindset.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Alain Vigneault: They are no longer Torts kinda guys, and they have now learned AV's system. Fire Renney!

 

[lolcatz]

I'm not sure you watched the Ranger games because their performance on ice has been inspiring, stats be damned. and +/- stats? that is more of an indication of being on the ice for all of the Sedins' goals (and over 4 full series at that). Exhibit A, Marek Malik. IIRC Marleau could not be contained that series vs Van. They just outscored the Sharks with their potent scoring. Nashville was no legit offense threat. Chicago almost made them blow a 3-0 lead and made the Canucks look terrible in that process. blowouts IIRC. They barely managed to get out of that series. Thanks for clarifying all the injury statuses. I remember there were guys going down but not sure when.

So, yes, I have reconsidered and I have come to the same conclusion. Again, that was a good team and yes, we are definitely enjoying the benefits of a healthy roster (knock on wood). We are not better offensively but McD-G, Staal-Strals we HAVE contained the other teams. McD is playing at a Norris level right now (keep Ehrhoff!) Looking at the first two series, outside of checks, Hartnell was a non-factor. Giroux got his points but he was very invisible in that series. Same with Crosby. Malkin had a little more success but we are talking out the TOP scorers in the league that were neutralized.

I will agree Van was foolish to not retain Erhoff. $4M AAV is a great deal for a player of his caliber. Was wishing we could have got him that summer myself but we spent all our money on Beaver.

Yea its too bad about Erhoff. If I recall he was a free agent after 2011 and wanted a bucket load of cash, so they let him go.

The stats I used to compare players in this discussion are all from the regular season. I think good defenceman tend to play consistently through out the season and +/- is a good indicator of performance if you're comparing teams of similar skill level. lol if a player was +30 from only 4 playoff rounds everyone would be ******** themselves.

My comment on Erhoff was based off some advanced stats and a bit of watching. I think because he plays for a below average team people scoff, but he's really evolved.

 

[n8]

Yea its too bad about Erhoff. If I recall he was a free agent after 2011 and wanted a bucket load of cash, so they let him go.

The stats I used to compare players in this discussion are all from the regular season. I think good defenceman tend to play consistently through out the season and +/- is a good indicator of performance if you're comparing teams of similar skill level. lol if a player was +30 from only 4 playoff rounds everyone would be ******** themselves.

My comment on Ehrhoff was based off some advanced stats and a bit of watching. I think because he plays for a below average team people scoff, but he's really evolved.

it is also difficult to compare Ehrhoff from his Vancouver days to McD today. And to my point about +/-, your budy Ehrhoff was -27 this season so you can see how misleading that can be and I think I was pretty clear, that Vancouver team and our Ranger team's offense? very hard to compare. All said and done, I take McD 10/10 times. Like the other poster said, it's not even close to me. McD is in the top 10 defenseman in the league category. Ehrhoff, even when he was soaking up easy +/- off the Sedins was like a top 40 player which I guess makes him a top pairing guy on some teams but not all teams. He'd probably be 4th with our stellar lineup.

 

[lolcatz]

it is also difficult to compare Ehrhoff from his Vancouver days to McD today. And to my point about +/-, your budy Ehrhoff was -27 this season so you can see how misleading that can be and I think I was pretty clear, that Vancouver team and our Ranger team's offense? very hard to compare. All said and done, I take McD 10/10 times. Like the other poster said, it's not even close to me. McD is in the top 10 defenseman in the league category. Ehrhoff, even when he was soaking up easy +/- off the Sedins was like a top 40 player which I guess makes him a top pairing guy on some teams but not all teams. He'd probably be 4th with our stellar lineup.

Man...I'm not talking about Ehrhoff from the vancouver days, I'm talking now. Also, you clearly didn't even bother to read my point about comparing +/- stats on teams that aren't comparable. Anyway, I try to have a debate with people on here and all I get is hyperbole.

 

[Zil]

Man...I'm not talking about Ehrhoff from the vancouver days, I'm talking now. Also, you clearly didn't even bother to read my point about comparing +/- stats on teams that aren't comparable. Anyway, I try to have a debate with people on here and all I get is hyperbole.

There's no point in using +/- at all. It's a terrible, terrible stat. It tells you nothing. There's a reason advanced stats people despise it.

 

[Inferno]

There's no point in using +/- at all. It's a terrible, terrible stat. It tells you nothing. There's a reason advanced stats people despise it.

again, i disagree. when +/- is an outlier, it is a very telling stat (ie everyone is a huge minus but one guy is plus...or the reverse).

 

[Cake or Death]

That was an excellent read. ESPN also ran a good article on AV today:

http://espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/10966103/new-york-rangers-alain-vigneault-does-way

 

[robwrx04]

As much as I love AV, we were down 3-1 on the Penguins.

In my opinion, I firmly believe the unfortunate life event of MSL really brought the team together putting us where we are now. Games 4 and 5 we did not look like a team, we looked like a chicken running around with its head cut off.

Did AV help the team? Of course, I just think he's getting a bit more credit than what he deserves.. for now.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

As much as I love AV, we were down 3-1 on the Penguins.

In my opinion, I firmly believe the unfortunate life event of MSL really brought the team together putting us where we are now. Games 4 and 5 we did not look like a team, we looked like a chicken running around with its head cut off.

Did AV help the team? Of course, I just think he's getting a bit more credit than what he deserves.. for now.

We won game 5, I think you mean games 3 and 4. That's IMO, wrong. Games 2 and 4, yes. Game 3, despite playing 5 games in 7 days, we outshot Pittsburgh 35-15 and that doesn't even include 3 posts.

 

[robwrx04]

We won game 5, I think you mean games 3 and 4. That's IMO, wrong. Games 2 and 4, yes. Game 3, despite playing 5 games in 7 days, we outshot Pittsburgh 35-15 and that doesn't even include 3 posts.

Yeah 3 and 4.

 

[Levitate]

As much as I love AV, we were down 3-1 on the Penguins.

In my opinion, I firmly believe the unfortunate life event of MSL really brought the team together putting us where we are now. Games 4 and 5 we did not look like a team, we looked like a chicken running around with its head cut off.

Did AV help the team? Of course, I just think he's getting a bit more credit than what he deserves.. for now.

I disagree, I think it was more about being exhausted and lack of practice time than anything. BUT that still kind of falls on the players and coaches for not putting away Philly earlier