Just wanted to echo this sentiment. Based on the small sample size we get to see with Torts in the media and on 24/7 I feel I would love to play for a coach like that. He is definitely "direct", he's not going to hint at what he's trying to tell you. He's going to tell you in clear and plain terms. This doesn't necessarly mean he puts his players down, clear and plain can be positive as well.
I have played for coaches that were more in the Beudreau mold, ie a lot of yelling and screaming about nothing in particular. I don't want a coach to tell me I need to play harder, I can figure that out on my own. I want a coach that tells me specifically what I am or am not doing well.
Boudreau sounded like a fat blubbering idiot last year. All he did was curse and yell, with really no strategy coming out of his mouth in between. Torts is all business and tells his players what they're doing wrong, and how to fix it. The cursing just happens to be a part of his vocabulary.
I actually liked the way he and Peter Laviolette came across in this series. Lavs is a good coach..similar to Torts as far as intensity goes. But he comes across in the media as a lot calmer then Torts, who comes across as a hot head mostly (by his own doing of course), which makes it a lot more entertaining for us.
Boudreau sounded like a fat blubbering idiot last year. All he did was curse and yell, with really no strategy coming out of his mouth in between. Torts is all business and tells his players what they're doing wrong, and how to fix it. The cursing just happens to be a part of his vocabulary.
I actually liked the way he and Peter Laviolette came across in this series. Lavs is a good coach..similar to Torts as far as intensity goes. But he comes across in the media as a lot calmer then Torts, who comes across as a hot head mostly (by his own doing of course), which makes it a lot more entertaining for us.
I think the funny thing is that Torts seems calmer and more composed behind closed doors while Lavi seems a bit more firey and wild.
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"Of course giving Sather cap space is like giving teenagers whiskey and car keys." - SBOB "Watching Sather build a team is like watching a blind man with no fingers trying to put together an elaborate puzzle." - Shadowtron
Sestito still on the make a wish tour. - rholt168
Torts is a typical godfather - caring, helpful and lovable with some members of the family... Yet brutal killer with others, family or not. If the running a gangster ring is similar to coaching the hockey team, he is a perfect fit.
I think the funny thing is that Torts seems calmer and more composed behind closed doors while Lavi seems a bit more firey and wild.
Yeah, I noticed that a lil too..but Lavs definitely had his calm side as well. But the best line of that whole series was him screaming at the players that the goal that period was to get the pucks at the net "with a full f**king assault!!" during the Classic. That sent chills up my spine when he said that!
Torts is a typical godfather - caring, helpful and lovable with some members of the family... Yet brutal killer with others, family or not. If the running a gangster ring is similar to coaching the hockey team, he is a perfect fit.
Many of his former players are quoted as saying the reason they respect him so much is because he treats everyone the same, regardless of contract, standing in the league, etc. Care to provide an example for your latest conspiracy theory?
And please dont say Sean Avery, because he got a 2nd chance here...and likely just kept on being Sean Avery.
My biggest thing with this team is the defense. This young and improving defense has stopped almost every major scoring team in the NHL in its path and now Staal returns which makes the defense better and his large amounts of minutes puts less pressure on the young talents of del zotto and mcdonaugh. A great time for a comeback as well because of the injury to Sauer
wins bring more and more attention.. January 21 can't come sooner..
it's a big game...the rangers have gotten a lot of attention in the last week or so and i think the bruuuuns'll come to play. the rangers have faced some tough challenges this ear, but this will be the toughest so far. they can't look past the leafs and sens and whomever...but the 21st is a big deal looming. they can make a real statement.
I still feel that we need some more scoring. The biggest difference between us and Boston is that Boston drubs other teams by 5+ on a regular basis. We also need some more consistency. I've been seeing too many 40 minute games. We need to play all 3 periods with authority.
I still feel that we need some more scoring. The biggest difference between us and Boston is that Boston drubs other teams by 5+ on a regular basis. We also need some more consistency. I've been seeing too many 40 minute games. We need to play all 3 periods with authority.
I agree we need more scoring, but if Hank is letting in at the most 2 goals a night and we're consistently scoring 3, that's just as good.
I still feel that we need some more scoring. The biggest difference between us and Boston is that Boston drubs other teams by 5+ on a regular basis. We also need some more consistency. I've been seeing too many 40 minute games. We need to play all 3 periods with authority.
Eh, a win by 3 goals is no more of a win than a win by 1 goal. Let's see what happens when they take on the second best defensive team in the league.
Eh, a win by 3 goals is no more of a win than a win by 1 goal. Let's see what happens when they take on the second best defensive team in the league.
Don't get me wrong, I never underestimate Lundqvists' super beastliness, but we can't expect him to keep opposing teams at >3 goals all the time. Insurance is nice and we could use a little more.
The best season the NHL ever had was 1993-1994. Those were the Halcyon days for Bettman. The NFL was struggling and baseball was cooked and fried from the strike.
Tremendous ratings on ESPN, who took the cable contract away from Sportschannel in the fall of 1992. Gretzky in the Finals in June 1993 , then the Rangers in an epic SCF a year later. The ratings were through the roof on ESPN, let alone in the NYC area. Two expansion teams in South Florida and Orange County. 20 different hockey video games. Rappers wearing Chris Gratton jerseys in videos, rinks were being built in LA and Dallas, and roller hockey leagues all over the place.
Fox picked up the national NHL contract that offseason.
Then the roof collapsed and the NHL never recovered. The strike. The trap. Wayne and Mario retired, more expansion and relocation watered down the talent, and then most importantly, NYC had a perennial loser.
The NHL needs the Rangers to be elite. MSG was THE place to be from 1990 to 1999.
I sense that is coming around again. A lot of us around here in the middle of the 2009 lost season of Redden said 2012 or 2013 was when we should mark the calendar for the return to elite status. In 1994, the Hockey News, USA Today, the Sporting News, Inside Sports all jumped on the NYR bandwagon. I think ESPN and ESPN played 35 Rangers games that year before the playoffs.
That was a fun time. I'm enjoying every second of this no matter what happens at season's end.
Totally agree. I don't think he was "bullying" the team at all. I still loved that one part in the third episode of 24/7 when Torts and Cally we're discussing a play, and you could see how much Torts appreciated what Callahan was saying, and even smiling and enthusiastically telling him, "I'll go look at the tape right now!" and then running into the next room like a kid going to open gifts on Christmas day. I just thought it was a really nice moment between player and coach.
If anything, the way Torts is running this team, is very similar to what Herb Brooks did with the US Olympic team in 1980. He's assembled a team better then the sum of it's parts, with a emphasis on extreme conditioning and hard work, all with an eye on a common goal: a championship.
I can't freaking wait for the playoffs. The hell with Boston on the 21st, I want April, and I want it now.
One hell of a post and I agree with you 100% on the team being/playing better than the sum of it's parts. There is really something special going on with this team and I also don't place much emphasis on our regular season games that remain vs. the Bruins or even against the Black Hawks and Red Wings even though they may provide a gauge as to where we stand. I just hope that we stay the course for the remainder of the regular season and prepare ourselves for the grind of the playoffs.
Don't get me wrong, I never underestimate Lundqvists' super beastliness, but we can't expect him to keep opposing teams at >3 goals all the time. Insurance is nice and we could use a little more.
I agree. The Bruins are not going to hang a crooked number on Hank, but we could definitely use another goal scorer at the deadline.
One hell of a post and I agree with you 100% on the team being/playing better than the sum of it's parts. There is really something special going on with this team and I also don't place much emphasis on our regular season games that remain vs. the Bruins or even against the Black Hawks and Red Wings even though they may provide a gauge as to where we stand. I just hope that we stay the course for the remainder of the regular season and prepare ourselves for the grind of the playoffs.
Thanks..it was just something that has really become apparent to me in watching 24/7. And yes, while not winning against the Bruins or the Hawks in the regular season isn't the end of the world, we definitely don't wanna be embarrassed by them. They need to prove to themselves and the rest of the NHL, that they CAN play with them, can beat them, and are not just some fluke team. Something I have a lot confidence in their ability to do.
The "**** the Rangers!" articles will be coming very, very soon, too. Be prepared. When we are good, we are hated.
I never sensed too much hate for Det and if we become top we'll be in that model. The Rangers entire organization handles itself with complete class on and off the ice although players seem to dislike Dubs who is an agitator but thats a given with any team even det has bertuzzi. Plus I think at least in these first few years people will be happy seeing teams like Wsh and Pitt being dethroned. Tank or die can go eff itself. ANyway people will hate on em but I think it'll be a milder form
