I dont think torts has anything to do with this... this team lacks talent and they played way above there ability in the first half. I think they are now tired and can no longer keep up with the demanding system...
I've just about had it with Gaborik. It's one thing to try and not get results, at least you're putting in the effort. It's another to completely loaf around the ice without a ****ing care in the world.
He doesn't have anyone to get him the puck. Unless Sather plans on making a serious run at Richards in the offseason, we should get what we can for him at this point.
His laziness enrages me as much as anyone else, but the man has made his living being a floater and sniping it off the pass.
In a few years, Stepan might be able to be the playmaker Gaborik needs to excel, but by that time Gabby's prime years are gone.
Again, this is no excuse for the lack of effort. However, if we have an appropriate center for him, this is not an issue.
Oh my effin God with all this Gaborik hate. The man CARRIED us last year.
He may be giving a half assed effort at times, but most of the time that's just the way he plays. We all know he was a floater, and we were all ok with that last year when he was scoring. Cut the guy a break, it's people like you guys who rid him so hard that he puts the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The man wants to turn it around, it's not like he is cashing in his check and just showing up--the man is giving it his effort.
Cut him some slack. If we bring in Richards next year and he is still playing like this then you have every right to be mad. For now, leave the man alone.
Watching them dump and chip the puck around on the PP makes me literally rage. Not to mention the odd shot wide from the point that bounces off the endboards to other team at the freakin hash marks and out.
I get it, we're not that skilled. But if you are going to chip it in with a man advantage you better get two in deep on the puck. It's absolutely pathetic.
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"Here we can see the agression of american people. They love fighting and guns. when they wont win they try to kill us all." -HalfOfFame
Torts has to take accountability for the recent failures of this team.
If this team falls out of a playoff spot by the trade deadline you have to let him go. This is back to back years where the Rangers may not make the playoffs.
We let go of Renney when we were in a playoff spot. No reason to give Tortorella the benefit of the doubt year after year.
The difference is, this team is still working hard. Sans Gaborik, they aren't floating around and giving up like they did towards the end of Renney's tenure.
They overachieved in the first half, and the lack of talent and skill is catching up with them. The growing pains from the kids are also hurting them, most notably on faceoffs.
No, so we have a player who replaces Drury when his cap comes off the books instead of just floundering without someone who can carry a team.
Richards isn't getting that much money.
We're not going to be able to go out and buy someone who can carry a team. We have to find him ourselves, in our own system. Messier happened once, and it's never happening again. Other than that, free agents don't just come in and carry the team by themselves. It doesn't work. That's why teams who go out and buy stars like the Rangers fail every year, and teams who grow their stars on their own like the Wings are winners.
I fail to see how Avery is the Player of the Game. He made one decent pass and took 2 high sticks to face and otherwise sucked the rest of the game.
Dude do you even watch the games? Avery had 6 shots on goal, created plays, actually hit players, dumped and chased, made a beautiful play on the back check to deflect a pass that would have been an easy goal, and drew 2 penalties.
I am getting tired of your hate for players you don't like. Avery was by far one of if not our best forwards.
Wow, exact opposite opinion of me. Biron is blamed for a textbook passing play by Detroit on the second goal? Please.
The third goal was a solid initial first save, maybe a so-so rebound but there was no defense man *cough* Del Zotto *cough* in front of the net to clear the puck. Detroit had free access to cash in a rebound in front of the crease.
Join Tortorella in blaming the goaltenders when this team clearly has more significant problems.
Biron was solid tonight.
Think he's just trying to take some pressure off a young team. Since both goalies are veterans, it's easy to point the finger at them.
I'm not worried about Torts. We're way higher in the standings than we should be, anyway.
Two major things that need to happen:
1) Gaborik. A message has to be sent. No way around it. Bench him, put him on 4th line, I don't care, he needs to know that what he's doing will not cut it.
2) The powerless play. They should practice absolutely nothing but the PP in practice for the next 3 days.
Torts has to take accountability for the recent failures of this team.
If this team falls out of a playoff spot by the trade deadline you have to let him go. This is back to back years where the Rangers may not make the playoffs.
We let go of Renney when we were in a playoff spot. No reason to give Tortorella the benefit of the doubt year after year.
It botthers me immensly that absolutely no change has been made to help the powerplay.
It bothers me greatly that Brandon Prust is on the ice, for a powerplay, down a goal with a minute left in the game.
It annoys me that he tries to send a message to Gaborik when we are down a goal, instead of just benching him a game flat out. Really, take the one guy who could snap a wrister past a goalie out of nowhere off the ice when were down a goal. Then blame him for the loss, like you do to the franchise goalie when the team hasn't put up more than 3 goals in the last 21 games against a team not named toronto or the islanders....
keep shuffling those lines buddy, its working great
The good; McD and Avery (gotta give him credit even though I don't like him), Atlanta is struggling just as bad
The bad: Slumping and can't buy a goal, Boyle and Prust seem to have lost their mojo.
The Redden: Gaborik..he just doesn't fit with this team and this whole no elite center excuse thing is lame, he had 42 goals last year with Prospal, Dubinsky, and Christensen. The PP still sucks..bring up Valentenko..I don't know. And I'm bleeping sick and tired of the Rangers going into Detroit and Montreal and always losing. It's old, I'd like to go into these buildings and just piss on the teams every once in a while.
The good: The work ethic, 47 shots on goal in Detroit, and basically outplayed the Red Wings on national TV.
The bad: Blame Gaborik all you want, but the inability to win the faceoff at the start of the 5 on 3 is what did it.
The Redden: This team is snakebit. They are not bad. One breakdown or unlucky bounce, the opponent scores. I mean WTF, Hudler carrying his stick a foot off the ice blocks Sauer's clearing attempt, leading to a goal, and then a puck takes a funny carom off Wolski's skate to Abdelkader, leading to another ridiculous goal. It's just gotten stupid.
The Redden junior: The reaction by so-called fans who want to blame the team for horrendous luck and really, really bad breaks.
Dude do you even watch the games? Avery had 6 shots on goal, created plays, actually hit players, dumped and chased, made a beautiful play on the back check to deflect a pass that would have been an easy goal, and drew 2 penalties.
I am getting tired of your hate for players you don't like. Avery was by far one of if not our best forwards.
Yes, I watch hockey. And I like Avery when he plays with his edge and he plays like the dominant puck possession cycler that he can be. Which he was not tonight. He did not have a bad game but it wasn't particularly good, and definitely not better than good performances by a select few D.
I am merely pointing out the blatant and unthinking mancrush half the people here have on Avery. He get accolades when he so much as farts in someone's general direction.
Yes, I watch hockey. And I like Avery when he plays with his edge and he plays like the dominant puck possession cycler that he can be. Which he was not tonight. He did not have a bad game but it wasn't particularly good, and definitely not better than good performances by a select few D.
I am merely pointing out the blatant and unthinking mancrush half the people here have on Avery. He get accolades when he so much as farts in someone's general direction.
Now that you mention it we could use a good fart to wake Gaborik up.
LOL. Did he even play 10 minutes? He actually made a decent play leading to Stepan's goal, but other than that, totally invisible. He surely isn't the answer to Gaborik's scoring woes.
Think he's just trying to take some pressure off a young team. Since both goalies are veterans, it's easy to point the finger at them.
No he's scrambling for excuses, gaborik-powerplay-sustained offense-goaltending in that order. Simply put goaltending is one thing john cannot control so he's going to point there as long as possible to keep the spotlight off himself when in all honestly this teams struggles are his fault, they've lost direction, sustained offense is a rarity and when it's here it's just a couple mins of board play no good shooting chances, and the powerplay in the end its his duty to get it going, do something different but like I said he's lost the direction of this team and as the coach he needs to direct the
, he's not doing that.