holly Christmas bells.... the season isn't even half over.... so much for Sather ripping off other GM's on trades.. so much for this team is only a real coach away from being a cup contending team so much for the all great defensemen we have..best in the league...but only when they play good, right? Funny Brad Richards is our best player...perhaps if he was in shape last season things may have been different. So glad the NHL season ends in December..... Oh wait..it doesn't. And this isn't about having Ranger Blue Glasses on this is about a team in a slump and has to find its way out. Is this team a great team, no. But it can be turned around. The division we are in BLOWS. Im putting my faith in the organization to turn it around. Im putting my faith in this new coach to turn it around. Im putting my faith that this team will come back to reality and play to what their talent level is. Slightly above 500.
I know Gabby is hurt, but i never considered that trade a HR because Brassard was/is nothing more than a solid complimentary player and value of the trade depended so heavily on what J. Moore would turn out to be. So far this year he has been nothing impressive.
Before the season began, Sather's priority was to improve the Hartford Whalers' roster. He's trying......to improve the farm system. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a Sather supporter. Do not expect any miracles this year. This franchise needs superior talent and he will not get it from other teams. Rangers do not own the best possible trading chips. Most of the players on the parent team are not top 6 players.
The best thing possible to come out of this season is they will have a chance at top 5 pick in the upcoming draft.
Hard to believe at the start of the season. However, if you really think about it. If you figured Staal to be done, that would be Staal and Sauer off our defense. That was a bad sign. Time to rebound. Sather has not gotten it done the past 2 years. Not much confidence in him. I was happy with his drafting and hoped he could put the final pieces together. He failed.
Told you guys this early in the season, that it wasnt just the road trip. Its a crossover season because the roster was half stuffed with filler ans castoffs.
NY is 29th in NHL in scoring. This goes way beyond Staal and Saurer getting those devestating injuries That said there are multiple problems from horrendous bottom 6 forwards to Hank having the worst 1H of his career. They can still grab an 8th spot especially in a horrible division but what is prudent is to get a high draft pick and restock in offseason. Team still has great pieces unlike most teams with this record.
That's the story. Just too much trash on this roster. You can't have a third and fourth line with absolutely no scoring at all.
I'm with you Al the season is far from over and the team that wins the President's Cup only wins the Stanley Cup about 1/3 of the time. Look at LA a few years ago, a couple of trades and a goalie getting red hot brought them the Cup. The Rangers current roster can be dramatically improved with a few moves because permanently removing a D. Moore, Pyatt or Boyle for an even average scorer with size makes the Rangers exponentially better. The Rangers are still in a coaching transition and seem to be falling back into their old ineffective ways with the pressure playing in the Garden. I think this is where AV has to establish himself as the new coach and he doesn't have to throw guys under the bus in the papers, a healthy scratch or two might wake up the guys who aren't getting it done.
Don't agree. There are an incredible amount of holes on this roster. The defenseman core which was a strength is no longer a strength. The third and fourth lines are horrible. I said it this week. There are about 8 roster spots that are not filled with good enough players on this roster. You aren't winning with that crap.
I think it's a combination of worst possible scenarios coming together, the Rangers defense is not that bad, just getting no support from Hank. Their defense is not that bad, they don't give up a ton of shots, just any little mistake made has been magnified by Hank's poor goaltending. Every team gives up breakaways, the Rangers get 2-3 every game but rarely score while its seems every time their opponent gets one the puck ends up in the back of the net. Priority one for AV is getting Hank's head straight now that he's locked up until 2020. I again point to LA as an example, they were plodding along outside the playoff hunt and were able to turn things around with two trades and Quick gaining confidence and playing his best hockey. You can't quit on the season with 49 games left, "fan"atics root for their team until mathematical inevitability. Go Rangers!
