The Rangers came into the Bell Center on Saturday night a bruised, battered and down team. They left much worse off than when the game started, dropping a 3-0 contest to the Eastern Conference leading Canadiens. So much to talk about, so I will get right to it, but just wanted to reiterate how great the comments and arguments have been. I went through all 700 or so comments and think the fan base, at least on the this site, has a heck of a lot more passion than the team has shown to date.
Lowlights:
Tortorella
I know Alex has been a major supporter of him as have I, and while that support is not gone, it is starting to waver a bit. I agree that the lockout contributed to the lack of chemistry and some of the meshing issues this team has shown to date. I will also agree that 17 games in is a small sample sample, even though if compared to a normal year, 17 games is like 30 games in a 82-game schedule.
We can sit hear and say that he needs someone to coach the offense and PP, but have we all forgotten the kind of offense that existed in Tampa when he coached that squad? Did he get stupider since then? No, but he did change stylistically in running this team and that's what I will get to here.
In the past, this was more a squad of lunch pail type players with top end ones like Gaborik thrown in. Now, the mix has changed, with the top end ones outweighing the bottom six. A good coach is one who adjusts his game plan to the talent around him. In this case, maybe there needs to a shift away from the shot-blocking and tight-checking style utilized the past several years to one that is a bit more wide open and can maximize the skills that exist on this team. In addition, players are so afraid of making a mistake that they don't appear to be skating or playing freely, which retards development and limits scoring chances. The lack of consistent effort and inability to string together solid shifts within a game, let alone a full game or consecutive games, has to fall on the coach. Defensive zone breakdowns occurring too frequently, special teams failures, the too many men on the ice penalties, all those also have to fall on Torts as well to a certain extent. But that said, I am still not yet ready to call for his ouster.
Torts has gotten some capital from leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals last year. But as other have pointed out, and something I am all too familiar with as a Jets fan and season-ticket holder, the comparison to Rex Ryan is somewhat accurate. When you win, you can be as arrogant as you want, when you lose, everyone will come after you and be happy to call you out. Ryan is a lot more bombastic and loud than Torts, whose arrogance is of a different type. In addition, you also have to look that the team under him has been one that was to move to the next level year bey year. They had two first round exits and missed the playoffs, but the style they played, and one could say there was some luck last year, did get them to the ECF. This year, nothing has gone right, and the coach does have to take some of the heat, but also, there has to be some heat on the players. But I will say, he needs to modify the style a bit, or else, the calls for his head will just get louder and louder.
Team Chemistry:
Last year's squad was one where the sum of the parts was greater than the actual total. Where, like the Untouchables, if you took out one of ours, they took out two of yours. Each player had the other's back. This year, that is not the case.
If you remember a few back with the incident against Philly, where we railed that no one stepped up to defend a defenseless teammate and how angry, we were, last night was the same. Max Pacioretty's hit on Ryan McDonagh (more on that later) and Travis Moen on Marty Biron both basically went without a response. Last year, that never would have happened. Dubinsky, Prust etc. would have pummeled the crap out of each of them for having the temerity to mess with a teammate, where is that passion this year? This is where they missed Prust, and the view that he received too rich of a contract and some of what we lost with him would be replaced by Asham was clearly off-base. That's not a slight on Asham, but the $1.25 million saved on Asham vs. Prust looks to be penny wise, pound foolish now.
As I wrote the other day, the Rangers lack the snarl they had the past few years. That chip on their shoulder and willingness to take and dish out punishment has been replaced with passivity. Maybe that's a function of the team composition that I wrote above about, but whatever the reason, it has to change and quickly.
McDonagh and Girardi:
The NHL tonight video with the CBC announcers is below. The McDonagh hit on Pacioretty is around the 40 seconds mark and then the return hit right after in which Pacioretty drives McDonagh's head into the glass. On the original hit, a penalty likely could have and should have been called, but it did look like McDonagh held up a bit as he realized that Pacioretty was in a vulnerable position. However, on the hit by Pacioretty, I love hearing the analysts say how could that be a penalty as McDonagh turned into the boards.=
It was pretty clear that Pacioretty left his feet and slammed McDonagh's head into the glass. In addition, I find it very ironic how a player whose career was almost ended on a hit that many felt was excessive now has two incidents on his ledger, Kris Letang in December 2011, for which he was suspended three games, and this one, where he made contact with the head. In general, it seems as if the players are getting worse in how they treat each other on the ice. We have Ken Hitchcock railing about hits to the head with Vladimir Tarasenko out with a concussion due to a hit to the head. You have the Bob Hartley pissed after Joey McDonald was run twice in the crease. Sooner or later, maybe the NHL will wake up and really crack down on these both in suspensions and fines so that the game actually gets cleaned up.
With just over one minute remaining in regulation time, Girardi blocked a P.K. Subban one-timer with his right ankle (about 1:50 mark on video) and had to be helped from the ice as he was unable to put any weight on his foot. The good news is that X-rays on Girardi's right foot were negative, but that's only part of the story. Girardi is a warrior and his instincts, regardless of the situation, is to try and block the shot. The question is why in god's name does Torts have him out there? This is a case where you have to protect the player, especially when your two of your top defensemen are out. This was a epic fail and coaching blunder by Torts and he is lucky that Girardi only has a bruise, though if a bone bruise, he still could be out a while.
Youth:
The only good news from last night, lately and this season is seeing the pipeline of players that has come up and the growth of several of them. In addition, next year we may see Jesper Fasth, Oscar Lindberg and Michael St. Croix all get cracks as well and hopefully Dylan McIlrath isn't far behind.
Hagelin. Stepan. Miller. Kreider. Thomas, who did not look out of place last night. The 1st and 2nd round pick from '08, he 1st round pick from '09, the 2nd round pick from '10, and the 1st round pick from '11 were all in the lineup against Montreal. Other than that, the year has been a major disappointment so far. But, because the team is so green, it will take them a bit of time to mesh. Plus, maybe Miller and Kreider really weren't ready, but injuries and ineffectiveness by others prompted an earlier than expected call up.
Some Random Thoughts:
I know several individuals want the team to be blown up, but again, it's 17 games into the season. If the pattern from the first 17 games continues, then I could see players moved. Many have discussed moving Kreider, but no way I do that for Bogosian as suggested. Staal could eventually be moved but the absence of Del Zotto and his struggles lately are also a big reason why the team has not had great breakouts and there is little O being generated from the blue line.
We have all discussed the possible amnesty for Richards and pros and cons associated with it, so there s no point in going through that again here.
Benching Gaborik made little sense when you are struggling to score and he is your main weapon. One goal in three games without Rick Nash is ridiculous. Maybe they get Mats Zuccarello back after the KHL playoffs? He has 28 points in a 44 game season, two points in 2 playoff games so far and he brings some speed which is sorely lacking right now. Plus, he has shown the ability to get dirty, as he will go to the net. Adding him would actually pay dividends and hopefully Sather is working on this.
Maybe the team did overachieve last year and we all got sucked into believing they were one piece away? As distasteful as it is for us to think that way, the season-long struggles and 10-10 mark in last year's playoffs do point to that having some truth to it. I still believe this team has underachieved but the longer that goes, the more the view in the first sentence gets justified.
It's time to stop whining about the injuries. Yes, they stink, but look at Ottawa. They lose several top pieces but go out, play heard nightly and have winning streak. This team, looks like it should have more talent that that one, which is why I think tweaks to the system are needed to maximize the talent that exists on the Rangers. That said, as others have pointed out, the numbers of passes that jump over a player's stick or fail to connect would make one think that the talent that we think is here is really a mirage. If you want to blame Torts for not altering the system, as I said above, than that's a valid claim. But whining about the injuries is a hollow argument. Yes, it has hurt the team and yes, lots of players are out, but suck it up and find a way to win. Stop shifting combinations every few shifts and allow some chemistry to build. It's time to stop wallowing in misery and for the grit and heart that we think existed and still exists on this team to shine through. If not, what we have seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg.
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