not saying this is a great or accurate list, but i'll take what i can get... hungry for some puck and excited for the speed and continued youth movement on this team. Lindberg is COMPLETELY under-rated on this list. He got an Olympic invite, I believe...for TEAM SWEDEN. Not exactly Red China.
I agree with you Poll on Lindberg being way underrated, and I'm shocked Noreau is that high, I though he was a longshot project at best. Buchnevich could be an absolute steal if he makes it over from Russia, and another guy who is under the radar is Calle Andersson. Fogarty too.
We haven't won crap first and foremost because we haven't had a real offensive coach since Keenan who keeps lines together. Keenan would bench, scratch guys but then he would play them 30 minutes the next game. The talent on this team is definitely better than 90% of the league. Hopefully, Sather finally has a coach that can use it.
List was awful. Hrivik and Noreau should not even be on the list. Miller is still a prospect IMO. List should be as follows. 1. McIlrath 2. Miller 3. Fast 4. Lindberg 5. Skjei 6. Kristo 7. Nieves 8. Allen 9. St. Croix 10. Nicholls Nicholls is a guy that should be watched. He dominated at prospect camp. He's one of the power forwards that scored a ton of goals last year in juniors that nobody wants to give credit.
Getting pretty tired of the whole "our farm/youth is stacked" yet we don't win crap, ever. (I'm assuming you mean win a Cup)
The team's perhaps underachieved, but we've been spoiled recently. There was a 7-year stretch of NOTHING. So we have "won crap," just not the big prize of course.
Thanks for taking the time to do that Poll. While the rankings are subjective I really enjoyed the writeups on the players. i am really hoping McIlreith can make the team right out of camp. For those of you that ask why the first bruin game when lucic cheapshots somebody and Big Mac breaks his face will give you your answer. Very excited to see a real offensive coach like AV work some magic with the offense and turn friggin Kreider loose amongst others.
in what world does stating we haven't won anything in a while (which is a fact) translate to saying it's easy to do so?
I don't disagree with a word of that. I would like to see the snarl on this team increase dramatically. I would not have given him half of the contract that the Devils did, but Ryan Clowe sorta showed us what we would like to see on this club. He's slow as a turd, and he has a tendency to get snake-bit, but Clowe's the type of player we could use, no matter where he lines up. I don't know if people realize how good our existing D corps is at present, and then you factor in a hopefully healed / well-adjusted Marc Staal and a big Mac Daddy. You take an already fast and talented group of defenders and add physicality to it. Yum.
Lots of really good teams haven't won anything in a while (last 10 years?) or ever. Have the Devils? Isles? Flyers? even AV's 'Nucks?
Next year will be the 20th anniversary since the '94 Cup win. In those 20yrs we've seen: * 11 different teams win the SC * 19 different teams make the SCF's (let that one simmer for a bit, we're in the 1/3rd that hasn't made the finals in almost 20yrs) * 10 teams made the SCF's 2x or more (DET 6x, NJ 5x) * Had about 10yrs after the SC win where there was no cap and could buy our way into a Cup, but failed to do so, miserably * In the almost 20yrs since, we've made the ECF's TWICE, and this was almost 15yrs apart Yes, the past few years have been better but enough of this "farm is stacked" and lets see some winning. Can't blame the coach all the time. He's not the one on the ice making the plays.
Good post also 31 and I'll add that I think the difference is we're promoting our kids from the farm, their playing together with success, we're not trading them away and theres plenty more coming. This year I think the change will be a little more spirit and enthusiasm as they realize they don't have to eat a puck on every shift on ice to get another shift. Torts style was wearing thin and stymied some of our youngsters like like kreider and miller and he needed to go. Very excited to see AV with this group. The 9 games on the road to start the season doesn't bother me either. I remember 20 years ago a new ranger coach playing a million games on the road and around the world to start the season with a pretty good ending to the season. As a ranger fan since the mid 60's I much prefer the way this team is being built with kids and some sprinkled in veteran players and am willing to take the ups and downs for the ultimate goal. I think this team is well on the way to being one of the top teams for a long time and can't wait for the season to start.
we have forgotten the 7 yr. nightmare from which this team has emergerd over the last 6 years. haven't won the cup, but have becom a respected and solid franchise this past six years. lets hope AV can continue forging foward. very short memories of just how easy were to play against 2000-2006
i dont remember them signing pouliot, falk and moore are both solid depth signings. Moore should be better then boyle across the board, even add some scoring. Boyle is overpaid as a 4tth line center from his fluke year. they need to make a trade, but for prospects and picks or a solid body for depth?
