As the team is getting healthier, amazingly they aren't improving. I have no idea at this point what they should do. What I do know is the team needs more than one deal to fix this mess. The third line has been total crap all season. The 4th line isn't much better. Tampa is this year what the Rangers were last year. A 4 line time. This is a two line team that can't always finish with it's top 2 lines. I'm starting to warm to a Staal, Bodie, Glass and Fast deal to the Canes deal for a second, Sekera and Riley Nash in return. Helps out cap out a ton. Canes seem to love the Staal's.
Sekera and Riley Nash still do not carry close to the value of Staal. Staal to me would sign with the Canes if he did get traded there. It's a risk because neither Nash or Sekera has been a significant player other than brief time in their careers. However, the second makes it enticing.
You are right, he is awful also. 4 games have shown us that clearly I think. Can't argue with you on this. 4 games and training camp, after which he had 5 weeks off due to injury, make a clear case. Agree 100%.
Our top 4 suck, our 3rd line sucks, our 4th line sucks, Girardi sucks, McD was bad when he played, Boyle sucks clearly after 4 games (he did have training camp 6 weeks ago though), Staal needs to be gone now, Glass is awful, AV has done a poor job this season, on and on. Considering all that, how the hell is this team right there tied for 3rd in the division after a whopping 22% of the season is over (which I agree is pretty much 98% of the season in reality and we might as well pack it in). Now I agree it is done. We stink. Season is just about over. Let's all come on here and bi*ch and whine after EVERY SINGLE BAD PLAY...we agree...but it does confuse me how we are tied for 3rd despite all of the clear suckiness we are putting on the ice. Weird...but I agree guys.
And BTW...no one is saying be positive after last night. They played like crap and simply didn't show up, which is sad and inexcusable, but perspective please people. We have some issues that need to be worked out. But after every bad play and every bad loss the board goes into meltdown and everyone stinks. Not saying we don't have issues and things we need to correct...but perspective....
With Stamkos back Tampa has a great team and they played the Rangers hard last year without him, shouldn't be surprising that they came to play last night. I still think the Rangers roster is better than last year's but for some reason the intensity is lacking recently. A trade shook things up last year and I still can't see them resigning Staal for what he's going to want so they might as well package him with a few prospects to bolster the lineup.
Plus Bishop owns them for whatever reason. This seems to me to be the typical SCF loser hangover. There have been too many games where we have lacked passion and intensity so far this season. When we have played with that passion we look real good, but it has been lacking way too often through 18 games. We need to get the fire burning and play much harder than we have been outside of the two Pen games. My call is we come out with a big effort tomorrow night against the Flyers. That would be par for the course this season, so I expect a big game tomorrow night similar to the Pen game last week at MSG.
Nobody and that includes Hank has found any consistency to their game. Perhaps Nash who has been solid right out of the gate. Kreider is at the point where he needs to up his fame and finish. Or else he has Kovalev written all over him.
We could only dream of Kreider becoming Kovalev, a 400+gl scorer in the NHL but really, i agree that he needs to step it up.
I have not posted yet this year but I have read all posts. We cannot change team every year and be successful. Our goal is to win the SC, right? Look at every team that won the cup. Key players have chemistry with each other year after year because players stay with the team. At least two lines are the same year after year. I am not going to dissect each trade that Sather made last year or year before. But Sather cannot change the team every year and win SC. This has to stop. I do think this team not going to win SC this year and anything short of SC is a failure. It is time to press the panic button. And I do agree that Staal is garbage right now. He does not deserve 1M right now, let alone 5M. Girardi is pretty bad too. I think Sather seriously needs to go. It is time.
Girardi is absolutely mediocre. I made a point yesterday that he is so overvalued by this franchise and fan base - well, here you go, he's getting PP minutes! Hate that contract when it was signed, hated it when he was getting burned and giving away games in the playoffs and hate it today.
You're forgetting that all those teams minus Detroit all had at least one (sometimes two) top 5 picks within the previous few seasons before winning the cup. Not saying those picks were always the difference, but picking that high the adds the elite talent you need to win a cup. If we don't trade for it or pay for it, we can't get it unless we find a diamond in the rough.
If the core of the kings changes every year like our team, they would have never won. Carter and Gaborik were those role players that gave them the win. There were in addition to. We have nothing to add to. And again, I am not giving any particular examples, like Cali vs St.Louis or Strallman choice vs Boyle. Whatever! I don't think that matters much to be honest. Strallman has his advantages and Boyle has his. Arguments can be made on both sides. My problem is that no lines stay the same. I would rather keep Strallman than Staal. I said that last year as he is cheaper and better. Staal sucks!
I just want to add, that I believe we have great players on this team. I am complaining about constant change in the "core".
I think the salary cap has been the main factor influencing trades. Callahan wanted salary in the area of $6.5+ so Glen made a good trade for MSL. No way the Rangers could keep Richards and resign the many free agents key to last year's Cup run. Pouliot, Boyle and Stralman received better offers the Rangers couldn't afford to match. With the upcoming group of free agents Glen is going to run into similar issues. Staal, MSL, Zuccarello, Stempniak, Hunwick and Talbot are UFA's while Stepan, Hagelin, Fast, J. Moore, Allen, McIlrath, Miller and Lindberg are RFA's. I think a trade is inevitable because it will be difficult to keep everyone and retain some cap flexibility.
The team just needs a little better balancing, with too many smallish guys who can't do anything in the middle of the ice. Speed is great but it's a tradeoff if that's all your built on. And they sure don't get enough offense from the blueline. Boyle and the return of McDonagh help but they probably could use one more bomber.
Good point. Why can't we get a guy like Boychuk? We never have a good shot from the point. Plus we desperately need a center. Hayes is great IMO, and will be awesome but he is horrible on faceoffs. This needs to be addressed ASAP.
