Post-Game Talk: Rangers @ MTL Oct 25

[Ragnarok14]

Wow, reading this thread you'd think we lost 8-0 to Buffalo. Are people really freaking out 8 games in when we're .500 (not good but not something terrible)?

I honestly don't think they played poorly at all tonight. The ghosting of Kreider-Hayes-Nash line was strange, but I think we just didn't get the breaks, and Price was good.
Outside of Staal's horrific night, we could have won.
Holy moly, that PK 2-0 goal though!
That was ridiculous.
Oh, and captain McDonagh has looked like poop so far. I'm not worried, but am a little surprised at his play. I mentioned earlier that he seems kinda slow and bloated. He's not skating like we all expect.

 

[Ragnarok14]

Unless it's a top 4 D-man then it's a lot worse. In you're lineup up there you have Klein up to the second pair and playing the wrong side and Moore paired with a "trade acquisition" or Hunwick. Who is that trade acquisition? 6/6 is less then he'd be getting on the open market.

Point taken. I think really the only way he gets traded is if somehow we are outside the playoff race. I'm just scared of signing him to 6/6. Any team signing him for that will regret it. I think riding out his contract and letting him walk may be the best bet.

 

[Ola]

The difference in this one was Staal and Price..

Subban also showed why he's a cheapshot artist throughout the game..

Zuke better get his head straight, season so far has been the pits..

I think the Zucc-Brass-MSL line is worthless, it's just way to small. They need to be mega cute and it ain't working... I mean they are not even close, if I saw intentions that might work it would be one thing but I see nothing. Break up.

Hayes need time in the AHL, he should be on next bus. I love his potential, but he had a disappointing showing again tonight and we don't want to wear in his confidence.

We could do a much better job protecting our own net. We have a pretty big blue line, but it ain't showing.

Duclair is a [ ] without a [ ]. He need a line to play on that is good for him, if he got that we could see magic.

 

[SixGoalieSystem]

They were 2-6-0 after eight last year.

I'm not happy with what happened last night, but it's way early to go off the rails. At this point last year we were waiving Zucc and trading Pouliot for a bag of pucks and Lundqvist sucked 'cause pads.

 

[jniklast]

You cannot sign a player to a 6 year, 6 million contract if the only reason is "what if I can't sign any of the potential replacements". Staal post injuries just hasn't been close to a 6 million defenseman. In my opinion he shouldn't even touch what Girardi got, as Girardi is both more consistent now and with no injury history.

I thought the game wasn't that bad, I have seen far worse from the Rangers in Montreal. I thought we carried play for the most part, but our inability to create many scoring opportunities and convert on the few we had is really frustrating. True, Price had a great game, but it also seemed like the Habs were always far more dangerous in our zone than we were in theirs. Of course our defensive mistakes might have helped that... Oh and the complete inability to win faceoffs is really killing the team. It seemed not even Moore could win a draw. Losing nearly every faceoff also makes our already bad PP even worse. That 2-on-0 really was a Rongos special...

To me positives were Girardi, Klein, Hags, Duke and Mueller. The 1st line was completely invisible unfortunately and Zucc seriously needs to wake up. Right now I think he is dragging his line down, which is the complete opposite of last season.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

MZA isnt costing them goals against. He starting to get better.

The Staal issue has been going on since 2012. Hes too inconsistent.

Guys like Stralman and Klein are consistent. It seemed like They have one bad game every four or five games, and in that bad game its only a handful of bad shifts.

Staal has bad nights in stretches, and if he's bad after the opening draw, he's usually bad all game. It used to be where he was at least reliable in his own end. He's not.

He's a guy I would be perfectly fine with keeping until the playoffs are over and parting ways. There is no way I commit to him long term. No way.

Callahan actually cost them 2 firsts, when most of us thought his trade would give assets in return. I don't think Sather can do the same with Staal. Not enough assets.

In my opinion, if the season gets out of hand, let Staal and MSL walk away. Maybe even MZA. You could be looking at 15 million combined in cap.

But I think they keep it together for another run this year.

 

[eco's bones]

I don't think all too many played all the well last night. One of Ryan McDonagh's worst games as a Ranger.

Girardi played well. I like Klein stepping up for Zucc. Hayes, Kreider, Nash were invisible. Brassard's line pressured the puck more but did not get a lot of good chances. IMO the most effective line last night was Moore-Duclair-Hagelin.

You can see the skill oozing out of Duclair. There are some things he needs to do. I remember watching him follow Subban (who had the puck) into the corner. Subban makes his play--Duclair pulls up short and doesn't hit him. Duclair needs to hit the guy. I know he's a kid and not that strong but even so. He had 0 hits in his 5 games coming into this game. He and Hayes have some of the same problem--for instance passing up good shooting opportunities. We already have Zucc doing the same. These are normal critiques for lots of young players but the sooner over them the better their chances of staying. If Duclair knocks in a goal or two in the next couple games his chances of staying in NYC get a lot better.

 

[Leetch66]

McD took quite a spill and hit his head hard when he was slew footed by PAP on the first shift ? of the game that went uncalled and of course nobody went back at PAP either as expected...so slew footing our top blueliner is now green light and go for any other team with no fear of retribution . Our team played very soft for the most part and with our speed game a non factor...the result was predictable .

 

[Fugazy]

Such a blah game. Price played pretty well but our speed was a non factor in this one

 

[Loff]

Not bad, not good. Just meh. No killer instinct and oppertunities wasted. Disappointing.

 

[Larrybiv]

Why the panic? Like someone said, haven't we learned anything from last season? This team is still very good, with or w/o Staal. It's a foregone conclusion that Staal should not be with this team much longer. It is time to move on w/o him. No way should we lock yet ANOTHER dman into ANOTHER long term.

No panic here for me, but Marc needs to go, because future signings like Hags, Zuccha(again) and Stepan are on the horizon. I believe Hags will be happy with a 3-3.25mil deal, even though he could probably get more (don't tell him). Zuccha will have to get quite a raise, considering he took less this year (gentleman's agreement with Sather), but Steps might be shown the door in exchange for that big center they need (if waiting for Hayes is not the option)

Once these guys are signed, Sather really will have succeeded in keeping his extended nucleus of a team signed into 2018 or so.(awesome job, imo)

Fwds: Nash, Stepan, Brass, Zuccha, Hags....... Kreider, Hayes and Dominic will have to be dealt with in 2016 (Dominic probably goes, at that time)

Defense: Dan, McD, Boyle and Klein are ALL locked up through 2016 (which is ANOTHER reason why they shouldn't lock up Marc (that would leave only 1 possible open defensive spot for a full 2 CAMPS, can't be limited that much ) he HAS TO GO!

If we get quality (at the very least good picks) for the likes of Staal, Hags and Stepan, this team will be solid for years, we'll into 2017 and beyond.

 

[Kovalev27]

Let's be honest mcdonagh staal and zuccarello have been awful big parts of this team and with boyle and Stepan out we are lucky to be .500 right now. Until those guys get this **** together we are going to struggle

The first and third goals against were absolutely laughable beer league mistakes

 

[haveandare]

Don't think the sky is falling or anything, but two negative things really stick with me from that game.

1. That 2 on 0 SHG was absolutely embarrassing. 2 on 1 on the PP is bad enough, but it happens, 2 on 0 is atrocious and there's just no excuse for it.

2. AV's mixed up lines were absolute garbage, and the distribution of minutes was incredibly questionable for game like this. Mueller with Nash and MSL? Why? That "line" that was on for the third goal against shouldn't exist ever, in any case, and them getting scored on like that was absolutely predictable.

Overall, I think the team is doing fine considering the injuries and some slow starts. These things happen. The mistakes above were almost wholly avoidable, which is what makes them bad to me.

 

[Roo Returns]

They didn't play a terrible game other then the SHG and a few mistakes.

I'm 50/50 on Staal right now. He's been a good soldier and his injuries are all freak things, nothing degenerative, but I don't know if he's the best fit for AV's style.

They didn't hit enough, the Habs are tiny.

It's early but MZA is losing money every game.

 

[Kovalev27]

U re-sign staal thT shouldn't even be a question. He's not getting 6 mil though he'll prob get slightly more than girardi

 

[RangersOwnNewYork*]

I hate the Canadians so last nights game was a bummer but not the end of the world. They didn't play poorly really. The game was even from a territorial standpoint but the Habs took advantage of their scoring opportunities more than the rangers and Price was good when he had to be making stellar saves on Zucc and Brassard. The way I look at this is the team is in decent shape considering the injuries to Stepan and Boyle and the intergration of new people in the lineup. The schedule is our friend and the less games we play with Stepan and Boyle out the better. People are overreacting. There are still 74 games left. The east is wide open and there is no doubt in my mind that this team will be a playoff team which is really all that matters. By the 20 game mark we will see this team settle down and playing consistent quality hockey for sure. No worries here.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

I'm not mad at the Rangers.

I'm just disappointed.

 

[Fugazy]

I'm not mad at the Rangers.

I'm just disappointed.

You know how to cut to the core of me, Baxter.

 

[Kovalev27]

Some guys just need to play a hell of a lot better

Mcdonagh
Staal
Zucc

These 3 especially

 

[Tawnos]

I didn't think the team as a whole had a great game, but I didn't think they were awful either, except for a couple of performances.

That building's always been tough for us, despite winning the first two in the ECF last year. Never expected all that much.

The team is 4-4, which is basically where I expected them to be/hoped they would be with Stepan out. When he got hurt, my basic idea was that we'd be fine if we were at .500 when he came back. I still feel that way.

Plus, Montreal is hot right now. We aren't. Basically, I can't be disappointed because it's completely expected.

 

[haohmaru]

U re-sign staal thT shouldn't even be a question. He's not getting 6 mil though he'll prob get slightly more than girardi

He doesn't deserve Girardi money.

 

[Kovalev27]

top 4 dmen hitting UFA get 5 plus mil a year staal will get it

 

[Riche16]

People are just going to have to be patient.

Nothing will happen until Sather & AV see what this team can do when healthy (or at least closer to healthy than missing #1C and 3/4D).

Staal won't be dealt right now, but I firmly believe he will if he doesn't sign on the dotted line. If Cally can be, Staal certainly can be.

There's a lot of hockey left.

 

[FLNYR]

He doesn't deserve Girardi money.

Neither did Girardi

 

[Doctyl]

Staal wasn't good but can we stop acting like he Kostka'd the game