Rangers statement on Wilson non-suspension

[SnowblindNYR]

the reason NHL is and will remain a niche sport has notjibg to do with the hitting and fighting.

it has everything to do with it being so god damn expensive to play. Also lack of ice rinks and leagues. But mostly the barrier to entry is cost.

but keep thinking it has to do with fighting. Thats cute.

If you can't change how expensive it is to play you at least try look like a serious league in ways you CAN control. Instead of looking like a crazy third party candidate for president (don't want to make this political just the best analogy I can think of).

 

[NickyFotiu]

That's not fair to Smith either. Wilson is out of his weight class.

Wilson is a cheap shot artist so be dirty back. Break his ankle or forearm with slashes. Shoot the puck at him purposefully.

 

[JimmyG89]

Starting in the offseason, the Rangers need to find a center that can play with a bit more of a snarl. Ideally it's a top 6 C -- someone who can lead on the ice as well as off. But really any C would work for now. And then they need to find 2-3 vets with tons of jam, size, speed who can move up and down the lineup. 2 Fs and 1 D.

100% agreed. We added pieces that fit in with the cap and could hold spots down until the kids would eventually get there. This season was about finding out who is part of the future and who is not. Some players have made it abundantly clear they aren't going to be around, others are less clear.

I have a few players on my wishlist when it comes to free agency. Paquette is one of them. People will clamor over Coleman and Goodrow since Tampa got them and won a cup. They'll be overpaid, but I'd overpay for someone like Coleman since he provides a little more offensively than Goodrow. I think Paquette will be on the cheaper end and fills in on a 4th or potentially a 3rd line. Armia might be another player to go out and get. Tomas Nosek would be a good add as well. These are "tough guys", but they play that brand of hockey that is difficult to go against.

As for defense, Oleksiak is going to be on a ton of team's radars. If Jake McCabe is good to go after his knee injury, he'd be a player I would be interested in and he also might come cheap, even on a 1 year deal, to get away from Buffalo and build his value up. Jon Merrill is a very good player as well who I would look at.

I think some of these solutions will come from trade as well, and who knows who may be available going that route and the Rangers have the assets to get just about any player they really target. We talked about it this past offseason, but Max Domi is my target for this team. Yes, he is smaller, but he has the mindset this team needs and has the skill to play with our top talent and the grind needed to win games. I'm not sure if he sticks with Columbus, that team is set to transition to a completely different build.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Wilson is a cheap shot artist so be dirty back. Break his ankle or forearm with slashes. Shoot the puck at him purposefully.

do this but with more force

 

[Ruggs225]

If you can't change how expensive it is to play you at least try look like a serious league in ways you CAN control. Instead of looking like a crazy third party candidate for president (don't want to make this political just the best analogy I can think of).

but the game doesnt need to be changed. Fighting doesnt need to be taken out. Many paying people like it, players actually like it.

just because u dont like it doesnt mean it needs to be changed.

cheap shots need to be taken out. Not fighting.

 

[mcsauer2738]

But they didn't win anything. I liked Dubi and Prust and Rupp and Boyle and all those guys, but I would have liked winning a Cup a lot more.

We got to the conference finals and a cup. What has the franchise done since it went soft?

 

[WojtekWolski86]

for all that its worth. The NHL is the only sport that is better to watch now than 30 or 40 years ago. And its because they didnt change it too much.

Basketball is a joke, football is quickly becoming less interesting with all the roughing penalties and lack of any defense or running plays, and baseball has less action than golf now and a pitcher cant even throw inside without getting ejected or warned.

maybe, just maybe being stuck in the old ways means a better game.

fight has a place in the game, as long as its two willing combatants. Its fun, its interesting, emotional and completely optional. Even the players like it as per polls done in the past couple years.

cheap shots are what needs to be taken out of the game and dealt with. Especially those on non-hockey plays. The rats and repeat offenders need to be dealt with much quicker and more severely.

Parros failed to do that.

Baseball isn't boring because pitchers can't pitch inside. Baseball is boring because SLG% and OPS% matter more for contracts than any other stat. Baseball this year more than ever has been reduced to 3 true outcomes. The ball is in play barely 35% of the time. Then you add in the fact that umpires are the worst across the board in all facets of the game, even with replay (except on "Judgment" calls) you get the current state of the game.

NFL is chasing the money. Ground and pound and low scoring defensive/possession games aren't sexy. Remember that Rams vs Chiefs game where each team scored 40+ points and it went to OT? People were talking about that game like it was the game of the decade. It was fun and exciting. Who wants to pay $300 for nosebleeds to watch a RB run it for 3 yards 40+ times a game?

Basketball lost my interest physicality was all but eliminated from the game and players started to act like soccer players to draw fouls. Nothing will ever match the physical battles of Knicks vs Pacers in the playoffs.

The NHL is talking out of both sides of its mouth. "We want to eliminate head shots" and "you must immediately leave the ice surface if you lose your helmet" and "the fight must be stopped if a helmet comes off" except if Tom Wilson wants to ragdoll a top 5 player in the league. You have the 2 refs standing there with hands on there hips while Wilson lucks into not seriously hurting a player.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

but the game doesnt need to be changed. Fighting doesnt need to be taken out. Many paying people like it, players actually like it.

just because u dont like it doesnt mean it needs to be changed.

cheap shots need to be taken out. Not fighting.

I'm not going to lose sleep if they don't take it out. I personally think they can open up their fanbase to other people by eliminating fighting and I also think that fighting being part of the culture seeps into cheap shot culture. I also found an article about how fans prefer skill to fighting, so there's that. I can share if you want.

 

[mcsauer2738]

I read that apparently Dreger has talked to a few NHL execs who have called the Rangers' response "ridiculous", or words to that effect.

Now, assuming that's true, compare and contrast to the near universal support that the Rangers have been getting from fans and most of the talking heads. If NHL execs really think like that en masse, that really just goes to show how utterly out-of-touch the people who are in charge of the league are with current sensibilities and expectations around acceptable behaviours and consequences for stepping over the line.

Some serious introspection is in order on the massive backlash that the NHL has received for their handling of this incident.

The execs are right. The response is childish from the rangers. Call a spade a spade, it was a statement that a message board poster would make. JD dropped the ball and is pathetic for a) issuing such a ridiculous statement and b) not calling up geersten

 

[NickyFotiu]

do this but with more force

The stick and puck can even up things very fast if you can not beat the guy in a fight. I'd do it during the game. Instead of trying to score take slapshots repeatedly at Wilson.

 

[RangersFan1994]

this is what is sticking up for your teammates is all about



Rangers need to figure out how to learn this aspect of the game. Hyman got hit on a knee on knee in the prior game, so Simmons and Edler fought the next game to take care of business (Edler is not a fighter at all but stood up for what he done)

 

[Ruggs225]

I'm not going to lose sleep if they don't take it out. I personally think they can open up their fanbase to other people by eliminating fighting and I also think that fighting being part of the culture seeps into cheap shot culture. I also found an article about how fans prefer skill to fighting, so there's that. I can share if you want.

You will open up some fans but lose others. Also, players like it. They have been polled many times and they do not want to remove fighting.

again, two willing combatants is great.

cheap shots is not.

I do get your point about one leading to the other. But in all honesty if the penalties for cheap shots were severe it would put a halt to it. And might even reduce some fighting.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

You will open up some fans but lose others. Also, players like it. They have been polled many times and they do not want to remove fighting.

again, two willing combatants is great.

cheap shots is not.

I do get your point about one leading to the other. But in all honesty if the penalties for cheap shots were severe it would put a halt to it. And might even reduce some fighting.

I don't think players liking something should determine these high level decisions though.

 

[MysticLeviathan]

taking out fighting is ridiculous. taking out scrums near the goalie net is ridiculous. physicality, fighting, and the scrums are part of the game, and 95% of tge time everybody gets it from the players to the refs to the linesmen to the coaches to the league. You try and jab at the puck while the goalie has it, one of the goalie’s teammates shoves you a little. you shove back and one of your teammates comes to your side. the linesmen break things up, no penalty is called. Even with a little extra going on, the refs are smart enough to not call anything. both teams are happy with how that played out. both teams are happy with how the players handled things.

if wilson punched at buch’s ribs, I doubt anyone would care. wilson didn’t yank panarin by his hair down to the ice them throw a few punches, rather panarin fell after being hit by wilson then wilson let him go, no one would care.

these physical acts are healthy for the game, and it would be devastating if they removed them. the passion, the comradery, the unwritten rules. they’re the foundation of the game we love. but when a player steps over the line, he needs to be dealt with. that’s where the league failed. the fact he’s a repeat offender is a bigger issue.

all this talk about removing fighting is pathetic and showing how soft everyone is becoming.

 

[Rangerboy030]

The execs are right. The response is childish from the rangers. Call a spade a spade, it was a statement that a message board poster would make. JD dropped the ball and is pathetic for a) issuing such a ridiculous statement and b) not calling up geersten

It's pretty hard to take this line of thought seriously when looking at the outpour of support we've received from almost every fanbase in the league.

 

[Ruggs225]

I don't think players liking something should determine these high level decisions though.

they are the ones playing the game. And the ones who it will affect. They should definitely have a big say in it. They are the sport, not the fan.

And the game has never been more popular.

Why mess with what works? Right now i think the leagues has a great balance of skill and physicality.

But cheap cheap shots dont work and need to be severely punished.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

We got to the conference finals and a cup. What has the franchise done since it went soft?

So they a had a few good runs and won nothing? Curious, when did they officially turn soft?

 

[NickyFotiu]

When you remove the policeman (not goons) from the game guys like Wilson are left to terrorize guys. I hate dirty play but at some point you have to do what you have to do. Sadly looking at our roster I do not know an answer. If I was on the team I'd take one for the team and make sure the guy did not play in the playoffs. The Caps should be grateful that we went after Wilson and not their finesse guys for retribution.

 

[CLW]

The execs are right. The response is childish from the rangers. Call a spade a spade, it was a statement that a message board poster would make. JD dropped the ball and is pathetic for a) issuing such a ridiculous statement and b) not calling up geersten

Any idiot can be a roided up goon. Only a handful can be Panarin level talents. Neither 70s style goons or modern Wilson type assholes have a place in the game. Hockey is evolving out of the ape brain into the cortex, at least for most people.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

they are the ones playing the game. And the ones who it will affect. They should definitely have a big say in it. They are the sport, not the fan.

And the game has never been more popular.

Why mess with what works? Right now i think the leagues has a great balance of skill and physicality.

But cheap cheap shots dont work and need to be severely punished.

If it's the most popular it's been with the least fighting it's had maybe there's correlation. I also don't understand why "fighting" gets grouped in with taking the body as physical play. Taking the body and finishing checks is physical play. Also, if the players end up suing the league in some time due to fighting related CTE, will it matter than they answered they in favor of them on polls?

 

[SnowblindNYR]

The execs are right. The response is childish from the rangers. Call a spade a spade, it was a statement that a message board poster would make. JD dropped the ball and is pathetic for a) issuing such a ridiculous statement and b) not calling up geersten

With all due respect can you go root for another team? Normally I'd say Devils or Islanders but they've showed themselves to be decent human beings. I guess you can go join the Caps fans they love their "tough" sociopaths.

 

[Ruggs225]

If it's the most popular it's been with the least fighting it's had maybe there's correlation. I also don't understand why "fighting" gets grouped in with taking the body with physical play. Taking the body and finishing checks is physical play. Also, if the players end up suing the league in some time due to fighting related CTE, will it matter than they answered they in favor of them on polls?

bc physical play and fighting go hand in hand as well. One leads to another.

I dont think any current players can sue the league for fighting cte. Nobody is forcing them to fight and everyone is well informed now.

and in that case could the sue the league for checking? Bc some checks lead to concussions. Where does it stop? If it stops at how womens hockey is played then u pretty much have a shit spoet.

 

[NYR94]

Caps fans continue taking L's on the main board making awful topics steeped in whataboutism and bad faith arguments that keep getting locked. You hate to see it.

 

[Number8]

Bruins fan coming in peace. I think the Ranger's statement was excellent.

To all those who say "you handle it on the ice, not with words" I think you are living in the 80's. The League has almost completely eliminated team's ability to manage issues themselves, directly.

On top of that, they've always come down harder on revenge type penalties than any initial offense. That of course went into hyper mode with the Bertuzzi incident.

Bottom line is the League has a problem with Wilson that they don't know how to handle. He WILL hurt someone again, and the Rangers statement is going to put the League in a very difficult position when it happens.

Wilson is a psycho. Earlier this season when he mashed/concussed Carlo's head into the glass it wasn't because he was mad at Carlo, or the hit made particular sense, or it was just a hockey play. It was because he got smoked with a clean through the body check by Frederick earlier in the shift. He then went Roid Red... starting flying all over the ice trying to nail someone. Embarassed? Angry? Feeling Less Than? All of the above, probably.

The point is you cannot legally hit Wilson (or one of his teammates) without him going out and headhunting one of your guys. It's like having one of James Bond Villains Henchmen on permanent call.

Panarin is SOOOOOOOOO lucky he landed primarily shoulder first instead of having his bare head smashed on the ice. And that was nothing but pure luck. Without that luck we'd be having a very somber and very tragic discussion today.

One day someone will have their skull cracked open because Wilson snapped and didn't get as lucky as he did this time. As sad as that day will be, at least the Rangers will be able to tell Gary Bettman he didn't do his job and that he had already been formally and very publicly put on notice as to that fact.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

bc physical play and fighting go hand in hand as well. One leads to another.

I dont think any current players can sue the league for fighting cte. Nobody is forcing them to fight and everyone is well informed now.

and in that case could the sue the league for checking? Bc some checks lead to concussions. Where does it stop? If it stops at how womens hockey is played then u pretty much have a shit spoet.

Well NFL players are suing the NFL for CTE and the result is a less dangerous but less physical league.