We'll have to start resting players relatively soon. It's only going to get worse. 18 games in 33 days remaining. Back to back games on 3 ocassions with 2nd game being a road game on all 3 ocassions. We get more than 1 day off only ONCE rest of the way. Talk about killer schedule.
They need to be able to rest their players, just like everyone has said. McDonagh and Girardi deserve a few days off. Hopefully Staal can start to take some more ice time and Torts gives them a day off here and there.
Also, I know this is far ahead, but a first round 4 or 5 game series would help a lot too.
Staal has led the Rangers in ice-time the last 2 games.
Marc Staal played 24:08 yesterday. Girardi played 21:56. McD played 22:56. DZ played 20:26. Bickel played 18:28. Stralman played 10 minutes.
Staal played 27:39 on Friday night. Stralman played 26 minutes. Girardi played almost 24 minutes. McD played almost 25 minutes. Cheeks played 8 minutes.
With Staal taking up major minutes and DZ in the line-up,fewer minutes for the other guys.
Kreider is inconsistent? There were moments in Stepan's sophomore year where he was inconsistent. He would look at tape with Mike Eaves trying to find out what's wrong with his game.
People love to complain too much. 5 months ago,it was Torts should be fired. This isn't a top seed in the east. Now its the Rangers need to rest players. Come on.
You can't see Kreider making a big play in a playoff game? One of those double OT games where everyone is exhausted and he uses his skating ability to make a big play.
Staal has led the Rangers in ice-time the last 2 games but no one noticed.
The Rangers are off today. Torts knows what he is doing. They have a light skate tomorrow morning before the Jersey game. Could even be an optional.
Yep, they have been balancing ice times pretty well.
Richards, and the Boyle line have shown some signs of fatigue. Hagelin is a machine but even he has started conserving a little more energy on shifts.
Guys like Dubinsky, Staal however should have plenty of gas in the tank and Cally's injury might actually be a blessing in disguise in terms of getting a break.
Physically and endurance wise, I don't think these guys need as much rest as some of you may think. And mentally, I think about it like this, they all WANT to play. They LOVE the game of hockey and are all striving for more minutes every game, so I don't see there being any problem with them getting mentally tired.
This is 100% wrong. You can know that that is wrong simply by watching the games.
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People love to complain too much. 5 months ago,it was Torts should be fired. This isn't a top seed in the east. Now its the Rangers need to rest players. Come on.
So the Rangers should just go balls-to-the-wall and not rest our weary players? Come on.
this. they should carry the puck into the zone every once and a while and give the dump and chase a rest
You mean, they should turn it over more. Because that's what they would be doing if they try to carry the puck in when the other team is standing up at the blue line.
The better we do in the neutral zone, the quicker we can go from defense to offense and the less chance the other team has to get set. That will result in more opportunities on the rush.
That's why speed is so important. It makes defenders back into the zone instead of standing up at the line. But we don't have that many fast guys, and all the speed in the world won't matter if you have to go 200 feet every time.
You start resting players and taking it easy,trouble is waiting. Torts has been very good with giving the players days off. They play Biron so much to keep Henrik fresh. They need Staal. Where are the trade Staal people? The other D can't keep playing 25 minutes per game. Staal is not back to where he was before the concussion but he is getting close. They're going to give major minutes to their top 4. They all like playing big minutes.
You start resting players and taking it easy,trouble is waiting. Torts has been very good with giving the players days off. They play Biron so much to keep Henrik fresh. They need Staal. Where are the trade Staal people? The other D can't keep playing 25 minutes per game. Staal is not back to where he was before the concussion but he is getting close. They're going to give major minutes to their top 4. They all like playing big minutes.
Im in total agreement here. Torts is already limiting minutes where he can. Thats fine.
You get into trouble when you start yanking healthy guys out of the lineup as the playoffs approach. This is a squad that has been battle-ready all year...Id be apprehensive to turn that switch off in the name of rest and expect it to be easily turned back on.
You start resting players and taking it easy,trouble is waiting. Torts has been very good with giving the players days off. They play Biron so much to keep Henrik fresh. They need Staal. Where are the trade Staal people? The other D can't keep playing 25 minutes per game. Staal is not back to where he was before the concussion but he is getting close. They're going to give major minutes to their top 4. They all like playing big minutes.
Simply not true. Detroit has rested guys during their Cup runs. You might not start this early, but you start resting guys in the last two weeks or so. Most of the top teams will start resting guys. It'd be idiotic to NOT start resting players. If you are at the top, you begin resting top guys once you have **** locked down. Any smart team would do that.
Im in total agreement here. Torts is already limiting minutes where he can. Thats fine.
You get into trouble when you start yanking healthy guys out of the lineup as the playoffs approach. This is a squad that has been battle-ready all year...Id be apprehensive to turn that switch off in the name of rest and expect it to be easily turned back on.
Even if he doesn't give some players a little bit of rest going into the playoffs, I expect to see some of the lower lines to start to get some minutes and possibly start playing players who are struggling a bit (Richards, Dubinsky, Boyle) A LOT to hopefully get them going.
Im in total agreement here. Torts is already limiting minutes where he can. Thats fine.
You get into trouble when you start yanking healthy guys out of the lineup as the playoffs approach. This is a squad that has been battle-ready all year...Id be apprehensive to turn that switch off in the name of rest and expect it to be easily turned back on.
Clearly Scotty Bowman was a moron for resting his players, then.
This isn't the NFL where you only play 16 games and really don't need to rest guys. This is the most vigorous sport on the planet where you DO have to rest players.
Clearly Scotty Bowman was a moron for resting his players, then.
This isn't the NFL where you only play 16 games and really don't need to rest guys. This is the most vigorous sport on the planet where you DO have to rest players.
Citing one example of a time that it worked isn't proof that it's the right thing to do. Keenan didn't rest players in 94, lemaire didn't rest guys in 95 (the devils didn't rest guys in 2000, 2001, or 2003 either, I don't recall Philly resting players when they went to the finals two years ago. For every example of a time it worked, there are many examples where it either was unnecessary or (in the case of Philly), not a luxury the team could afford. Giving practice days off and starting Biron a little bit should be more than enough.
Isn't it just possible that the reason the Rangers weren't as good the last few is because: a) they slumped, or b) they were tired from a standard 3 games in 4 days challenge. Not every problem is due to fatigue (people LOVE to blame fatigue when teams have issues that cannot be described by any other means). Sometimes it's just a slump. I expect them to come out in full force against NJ tomorrow and play well.
1. Sit guys.
2. Go EASY in practice.
3. Play the 4th line more.
4. Start trapping
I think Torts is doing all of the above, except for trap, since it is questionable recommendation that changes the style and team identity. If you replace that #4 with EASY ON FORECHECK that would be more accurate and in line with your explanation. But Torts does that too, although it costs us momentum in games, like second period yesterday.
Clearly Scotty Bowman was a moron for resting his players, then.
This isn't the NFL where you only play 16 games and really don't need to rest guys. This is the most vigorous sport on the planet where you DO have to rest players.
There is a delicate balance when you deal with such an issue. I can't believe we're talking about it, still. Last time we were facing it many posters weren't even born.
I'd trust Torts on that. I don't agree with Torts almost on everything, but Cup Run prep is his hands down.
Clearly Scotty Bowman was a moron for resting his players, then.
This isn't the NFL where you only play 16 games and really don't need to rest guys. This is the most vigorous sport on the planet where you DO have to rest players.
If we had more of a veteran-laden team with the pedigree of knowing what it takes in the playoffs (like Bowman generally had), I'd be more inclined to agree with you. Since the situation with this team is not even remotely similar, I guess we'll agree to disagree.
