He did not play third line center all year; see many games? Boyle cannot produce offense; period. And therefore he cannot play on the third line if we intend to have a balanced attack. I think Torts is smart enough to see that even if others cannot.
Yeah I watched 82 regular season games and attended multiple road and home playoff games... how about you?
Please tell me who else played 3rd line center because you must be thinking of the 2010-11 season where Boyle played some wing as HE DID NOT play 4th line center all year. The only time Boyle did not play 3rd line center was when he was injured vs the Sens.
Dubinsky played wing the entire year, and some 4th line center when he was struggling except during the Senator series
Anisimov played with Stepan and Gaborik, then was demoted to 4th line before returning to the top 6
Who played 3rd line center?
The stupidity on this board can be overwhelming at times, Boyle was the 3rd line center the entire season. Torts and Sather made it very clear who they want to be the 3rd line center as they traded Dubinsky and Anisimov, the only 2 players who could possibly fill that role.
Stop it. Every Ranger fan knows that he had two months where the sun shined on him. And then he went back to being Brian Boyle a guy who can't score and more importantly for a center cannot distribute the puck AT ALL. What are his assist totals? My expectations are a third line that can threaten the other team offensively especially since they should be playing against a weaker defensive pair. Brian possesses no such abilities and never will.
So you want a cookie cutter approach down the middle? Every centerman needs to have above par offensive abilities and needs to distribute the puck (like the 2 guys we already have, Richards and Stepan).
You do realize that Boyle spent a good majority of last season in a checking role against other team's top forward lines, right? There are certain roles that need to be filled on a team. If you're looking for Brian Boyle to be a constant offensive threat, than you're completely missing that point.
He scored 21 goals 2 seasons ago with a high shooting percentage, 11 goals this past season with a low shooting percentage. Wisdom says it'll regress to the mean and I dont see any reason he cant put up 15-17 goals.
So, my question is, what exactly do you expect out of your third line center? Because, it sure looks like your expectations are inflated when it comes to 3rd line production around the league.
Stop using evidence and logic. The only argument that is acceptable is Boyle makes me feel
Stop it. Every Ranger fan knows that he had two months where the sun shined on him. And then he went back to being Brian Boyle a guy who can't score and more importantly for a center cannot distribute the puck AT ALL. What are his assist totals? My expectations are a third line that can threaten the other team offensively especially since they should be playing against a weaker defensive pair. Brian possesses no such abilities and never will.
Oh the old assist totals comment about Brian Boyle
Lets look at his "scoring wingers"
Prust
Fedotenko
Mitchell
Dubinsky
total of 29 goals for all 4 of them, what are you expecting?
When you can grasp the concept that Torts plays 3 lines, 2 of them provide offense, the 3rd line does the heavy lifting defensively and is not expected to score then we can have a discussion.
The element about Brian Boyle that everyone seems to forget about is that he has Tortorella's trust. People may like seeing Boyle on the 4th line, but, Torts has shown a great deal of faith in Boyle in key moments.
Boyle is to Tortorella as Betts was to Renney, only Boyle is the better player.
Whether you like Boyle or not, or you feel he is overused or not, the fact remains that the Rangers lack depth at center.
The current bottom six is worse than last year's bottom six heading into the playoffs. Obviously that changes when Gaborik returns, but there is a lack of veteran presence up front and on the back end in the event of a critical injury.
Disagree. We need a 3rd line center. Boyle is not the answer. He and Halpern can play on the 4th line together with Halpern on the wing taking most of the defensive draws. We need more offensive ability in our 3rd line center. I don't know if Arnott is the answer; hopefully it's JT Miller.
Agree with this post 100%
Would have loved to have kept AA and used him as the 3rd line center.
Boyle is defensively active; not necessarily responsible. He never has the puck so he plays alot of defense. But everyone overrates his abilities. He mishandles the puck on a regular basis and loses his balance on a very regular basis. He blocks shots with the best of them and has a great reach but let's not make him out to be Guy Carboneau. And his faceoff abilities are not great.
I believe that we are the only two who share the same opinion on Boyle. He is fine as a 4th line player getting 8-10 minutes a night/pk specialist.
But if we want to win a Stanley Cup, he simply cannot be our third line center.
Oh the old assist totals comment about Brian Boyle
Lets look at his "scoring wingers"
Prust
Fedotenko
Mitchell
Dubinsky
total of 29 goals for all 4 of them, what are you expecting?
When you can grasp the concept that Torts plays 3 lines, 2 of them provide offense, the 3rd line does the heavy lifting defensively and is not expected to score then we can have a discussion.
That is what your 4th line is supposed to do, your third line is supposed to provide offense as well. At the very least, the third line is supposed to keep the puck in offensive zone. Something that Boyle is not good at.
I'm loving the excuses people are making for why Boyle had 5 goals in his first 61 games, when the season before (with the same linemates) he had 18 goals in 52 games.
No matter how much syrup you pour on the first 3/4 of Boyle's steaming turd of a 2012 season, it was still a steaming turd.
Boyle is not a 3rd line center and has no business on a PP. But Torts loves him, so there's no point fighting it.
Jarrett Stoll was LA's 3rd line center. 6 goals last season.
Care to try again?
I'm not expecting a third line center to score 50 pts, that isn't the point. Jared Stoll keeps the puck in the offensive zone, Brian Boyle does not.
Jared Stoll is a better skater, better passer, and more physical than Boyle. If you guys want to obsess on the point thing, Jared Stoll also had multiple 40+ seasons. Boyle hasn't even done that once.
I'm loving the excuses people are making for why Boyle had 5 goals in his first 61 games, when the season before (with the same linemates) he had 18 goals in 52 games.
No matter how much syrup you pour on the first 3/4 of Boyle's steaming turd of a 2012 season, it was still a steaming turd.
Boyle is not a 3rd line center and has no business on a PP. But Torts loves him, so there's no point fighting it.
Ok, I'll bite. How many goals/points do you think a 3rd line center should have?
Then let's look around the league and see how many actual 3rd line centers reached that mark.
I'm not expecting a third line center to score 50 pts, that isn't the point. Jared Stoll keeps the puck in the offensive zone, Brian Boyle does not.
Jared Stoll is a better skater, better passer, and more physical than Boyle. If you guys want to obsess on the point thing, Jared Stoll also had multiple 40+ seasons. Boyle hasn't even done that once.
Boyle started 28.8% of his shifts in the offensive zone, finished 43.9% there
Stoll started 47.2% and fininshed 55.9%
Appreciate those defending Boyle. So many people who follow the Rangers just jump to the notion that if a big guy doesn't play overly physical (even though Boyle is somewhat physical) or fight all of the time then they get bashed.
Fortunately Torts loves him and he's the most important guy in this situation. And he knows better than everyone on this forum. The guy brings aspects to the team that other players don't. Not to mention he's great in the lockerroom which is unbelievably underrated in all sports.
That is what your 4th line is supposed to do, your third line is supposed to provide offense as well. At the very least, the third line is supposed to keep the puck in offensive zone. Something that Boyle is not good at.
Well now it's clear you just don't watch the games.
Ok, I'll bite. How many goals/points do you think a 3rd line center should have?
Then let's look around the league and see how many actual 3rd line centers reached that mark.
Boyle has a role on this team, I just don't think he should be playing 16 mins a night up the middle when he doesnt create plays, is marginal on d-zone faceoffs and turns the puck over.
From a 3rd line center standpoint, I dont care about stats as much as I care about creating plays for your wingers, winning key defensive zone faceoffs more times than not, and not turning the puck over.
Boyle is great at using his body, blocking shots and getting a quick shot off. The problem is that offensively, he's rarely doing much of anything on the ice.
A 3rd line center should be able to do a bit of both on a consistent basis. Boyle didnt for almost a full season.
I'd much rather see Boyle playing the wing on the 4th line with Halpern as the center, but the fact is the team doesn't have a legit option to play the 3rd line center spot right now. I think Miller needs time in the AHL. At least a few months, if not the whole season.
Well now it's clear you just don't watch the games.
How many times did we see Brian Boyle turnover the puck on the cycle in the offensive zone(many of them unforced)? Get knocked on his butt by a defender retrieving the puck along the half wall?
How many times did we see him try to establish a forecheck, but was either late to engaging the puck carrier, or completely missed his check?
How many times did we see a guy who, because he can't pivot very well, be forced to take medicore shots despite the fact he would have positioning in prime scoring areas?
