This board has been spoiled with Hank since 2007, so I won't even start an argument about that aspect. For this team to win, Lundqvist has to be the best player on the ice. Let that sink in for a second and then you can erase any illusions of how good this team really is. Frankly, our playoff run was a joke, we got as far as Hank could carry us. Then we started playing like we traditionally do in the playoffs (like bums) against the Devils in the ECF and we got manhandled. Nothing has changed since Hank arrived here. Sure, we got Nash, finally we got another legit franchise player who you can rely on to have a chance winning games. But it killed the pathetic depth we had in the first place.
The rebound Hank allowed is standard on good legit defensive teams, but this team can't manage to take care of a rebound where three guys have to take care of one forward. So sure, Hank has to stand on his head and swallow everything for this team to claw out a win in desperation, I agree with you there. We have a bunch of swivel head pups who can't track the puck and lose their mark in the process.
That Hank was "tired" or some crap like that is a joke, the first goal was a lucky bounce, he can't square up on a deflection to hug the frigging post. If you demand that, you're an idiot. Second he couldn't even see, third, well, sure, it's Hank's fault he had any illusions his teammates will ever do their job properly.
Scoring in the league has gone up, our scoring has gone down (2,71 -> 2,48 GF/ G). Last season we were one of the best shot blocking teams in the league, this season we're below average, or worse than mediocre if you want to write it out like that. Yet we still stand there like extras in a B-movie that our opponents are directing, we're still screening Hank's vision, not taking care of traffic and not taking care of rebounds. I have no clue what the hell they are doing out there. They don't score and they don't help Hank. So you can stop wonder why we're a playoff bubble team.
Pathetic offense (24th in the league), pathetic PP, bad PK, bad transition game, terrible at turnovers, bad at shot blocking, bad at breakout passes, good at screening our own goalie.
Torts needs to go. Last season he got out more of the sum of the parts than the names on the back. This season it feels more like he's getting out less of the team than the individuals on it. Last season we were at least a difficult team to defeat, this season we've been outplayed, outcoached, outmatched basically every game, regardless who we play. Nash got traded from one Columbus team to a better Columbus team, because this Columbus team at least has Hank and defensemen that are supposedly good. The offensive supporting cast is still trash, no change for Nash there.
It's getting to the point where Hank would have a better chance winning a Cup on the frigging Islanders. At least they know how to score and he can rely on the defense to not do much at all but put him in difficult situations, so that shouldn't be much of a change. Either dismantle this crap team or switch coach, because this is pathetic. We have better players than this, so we shouldn't be this pathetic.