1)Try to keep him in some kind of game shape should he be needed later on.
2)Flexibility. Not really sure Torts is completely comfortable with current D? Torts style is to motivate players by benching someone who's not on top of their game. If a 7th D was available than you might see a D sit for a bit if he is having an off game.
Anyway, it's just an experiment which might be over by the weekend.
You want us to talk about Gilroy, and you don't want this to turn into a Gilroy bashing thread?
That's like starting a Flyers thread where we can't bash the Flyers.
i dont mind criticism of gilroy, there's a lot to be critical of for sure. just want to keep the tone civil. too often with gilroy (and mdz) people go over the line.
Its hard to believe that there isn't a single player on the WhalePack better at RW than Matt Gilroy right now. Is there a restriction to who you can call up this time of year?
NYP_Brooksie Larry Brooks
Read it and weep. Tortorella: Callahan has broken ankle, "Will be out indefinitely. It's longterm." Gilroy will move up to RW Thurs v Atl
Anyone see this?
not sure how I see this being a good thing. In an important game they have a Dman upfront for the first time ever in the NHL?..........jeebus
I rather have Drury back for crying out loud. BTW I think that happens Saturday
What exactly does Zucc bring to the table for the playoffs? Even if Drury isn't scoring goals, he's at least someone that can be trusted on the ice, can win a defensive zone faceoff when you need it, can kill penalties.
Not that Zuc doesn't, but Drury's style of play epitomizes what our identity is. He may not be in his prime anymore, and he may be a step behind with the injuries he's had this year, but I'd much rather have Drury on the roster than Zuc right now.
The time to try Gilroy at the wing was when he first got here, or at least I thought so, but then again, after about a week it seemed pretty clear he was destined to be a nobody as a blueliner.
At this point, I'm not sure it would do him much good. He's not very good.
I get that we want to give Gilroy a shot on the wing, and I'm not completely opposed to experimenting with him there. I'm just not seeing how he's going to fit with the system that we play.
All of our forwards play a hard forechecking style, which is the backbone of our system. The ones that don't? Gaborik, but he gets by on his elite talent. Wolski, who floats and has been benched repeatedly as a result. Christensen, who just sucks. Now Gilroy obviously is no Gaborik, so where does that leave him? Erik Christensen, Part Deux? Just what we need!
Gilroy has shown an aversion to physical contact, and when he is contacted, he folds like a napkin. Are we expecting him to magically become a legitimate forechecker? He obviously doesn't have elite offensive skills, or even superior offensive skills. If he did, he likely would have been able to get by at the NCAA level even at 5'9" or whatever he was. But he doesn't have that skill set...
He wasn't even good on defense as a defenseman. The one thing he had going for him was that when he made a stupid play up ice he could skate back really quick and occasionally cover for his mistakes. I think the largest reason that Zucca was sent down was due to being a liability defensively--but at least he tried to forecheck, and was often effective. So now we're going to take a defenseman that was a liability defensively, and hope he can learn to forecheck and play serviceable defense? It just seems like incredibly wishful thinking.
Whatever though, as Fitzy said, he'll probably skate for five minutes then be done.
All I know is that a line with EC and Gilroy on it is probably one of the softest lines in the NHL. The two of them get knocked off the puck so damn easily and go down like they were shot by a sniper whenever anyone touches them. Not even Avery's presence on that line can help them.
Gilroy will really have to toughen up in order to survive playoff hockey. He's a winger now, so he needs to forecheck hard and make a concerted effort to battle along the boards, just like the rest of the team. No more of this wimpy nonsense.
Why dont u add W2 on that line and we can officially call it the soft tissue line. I mean i just dont get W2 he chases the puck so hard yet when he gets it seems to uncomfortable.
Its hard to believe that there isn't a single player on the WhalePack better at RW than Matt Gilroy right now. Is there a restriction to who you can call up this time of year?
Yes. Only 4 players can be called up after trade deadline. I believe the Rangers have used these 4 call-ups. Zuccarello, Newbury and McDonagh was sent down to the Whale the 28th, and caledl right back up. This was done to make them able to play for the Whale after deadline. And the foruth call-up was Chad Johnson I believe.
But for injury replacement they can call up players from AHL. Newbury was called up as a precaution for the Bruins-game.
So I guess they can call up Zucc or someone else to officially replace Callahan.
IMO I think the decision to keep Zucc in Whale must have been difficult for the team. On one hand, it will be good for his developement to get the big minutes with the Whale. On the other hand, he has shown game after game that he is able to make an impact for the Rangers with only 7-10 minutes on the ice. I would say his points are impressive when you look at his ice time with the Rangers. I still think he could be a really valuable player for the Rangers in the playoffs, even with few minutes on ice. Doesn´t he lead the Rangers in PP assists?
Hopefully Zucc can get a huge boost from playing witht the Whale in the PO. He has already been dominant since coming back, 4 points in his 3 first return games is great.
I like the idea, I just don't like the time of year for the idea. I think Matt has a skill set that can certainly be tweaked for the offensive side of things. He seems to "want" to go down low in the other team's zone. I'm not sure this is a fair shot for him, though.
I don't understand the idea of moving Gilroy to forward. Its not as if he's been an offensive dynamo but a liability on defense. He's not doing anything offensively. Not sure why that will magically change with a move to forward.
I don't understand the idea of moving Gilroy to forward. Its not as if he's been an offensive dynamo but a liability on defense. He's not doing anything offensively. Not sure why that will magically change with a move to forward.
Its a bizarre move. Why not just call up a Zuccarello or Newbury? Gilroy is going to play about 4 shifts Thursday night, Torts is going to see hes just as soft an ineffective as he was on the blueline, and he'll be glued to the bench the rest of the game.
This decision makes me lean in 2 directions:
1. The coaching staff does not think Zuccarello can contribute at the NHL level right now.
Its a bizarre move. Why not just call up a Zuccarello or Newbury? Gilroy is going to play about 4 shifts Thursday night, Torts is going to see hes just as soft an ineffective as he was on the blueline, and he'll be glued to the bench the rest of the game.
This decision makes me lean in 2 directions:
1. The coaching staff does not think Zuccarello can contribute at the NHL level right now.
2. Chris Drury is going to return.
1. I think Zuccrello is more of the help for Wales than that for NYR. He has a unique property to go back and forth NY-Hartford.
2. Any D should have no problem to play wing on bottom 6. That is the least demanding position of all. He is not taking Cali spot on 1st line, someone else will. At the moment Gilroy is the best skater available to fill in.
3. Drury will play vs NJ.
