This isn't a bad pairing because Vernace is good offensively and McIlrath is good defensively. Kind of like Leetch-Beukeboom. But Vernace got injured last game.
Vernace needs a quality defensive guy to cover for him as he's taking chances offensively. He can't be paired with Collins, who should be in the ECHL. That pairing, which Kenny G insisted on using for over half a season, is a disaster. Since moving away Vernace from Collins, his game has turned around.
He's on our first PK team. You have a guy who's big, fast and smart, so why wouldn't he be on the PK?
I don't remember many hip checks because usually smaller, chippier guys do that (think Kasparaitis, Tikkanen, Ulf Samuelsson - all of them 5-11 to 6-1), but his body checks are great. He finishes the checks instead of just shoving the opponent, then quickly gets back in position. It's clear that as soon as he hits a guy, he thinks about making sure he goalie gets help.
Honestly, I am having a hard time pointing to a flaw on defense by McIlrath in the last couple of weeks. He's just been dominant defensively. If he played yesterday in the NHL the same way he did in Hartford, there would be a mass celebration on this forum.
A young Rob Blake used to hip check people in the head...
how does McIlrath only have 1 pt with an assist in 21 games even for a big hitting defensive dman that is not that good at all. even Brooks Orpik put up points in the AHL. same type of player...
how does McIlrath only have 1 pt with an assist in 21 games even for a big hitting defensive dman that is not that good at all. even Brooks Orpik put up points in the AHL. same type of player...
Got a month of hockey streams. Going to watch the Whale stream tonight and see how it goes.
__________________
"I used to pray for good things . I used to ask the Hockey Gods for puck luck for the NYR .
Now all I want is Torts the smug stupid goatee clown to be fired , . I hate Torts . Please hockey gods make him get fired. Please Sean punch him in face" -- Dorado
McIlrath will get called up at least once this year. Will he actually play? I doubt it, but Torts is going to complain about toughness/responsibility in the third pair and he'll use McIlrath as motivation to get DZ/Gilroy/Bickel to play better.
Not a lovely night for the Whale. Not at all. Being in the arena for tonight's game was like watching last night's NYR game, except it was out of hand a lot quicker. Boring and sad. Whale scored to make it 3-1, then put pressure on at end of the second to try and make it 3-2 but couldn't. Ice Caps scored two more in the third to get up 5-1.
But at least we got to see Carroll and McIlrath fight Patrice Cormier. McIlrath's fight was textbook, in case you are curious.
Talbot pulled after one, but not really his fault. The Mission played great in relief considering the ass effort of the team in front of him.
Also Our Lord and Savior Jyri Niemi played. First time I've got to see him play this season. He moved up to fourth line forward late in the game. I like him. Don't ask why.
McIlrath will get called up at least once this year. Will he actually play? I doubt it, but Torts is going to complain about toughness/responsibility in the third pair and he'll use McIlrath as motivation to get DZ/Gilroy/Bickel to play better.
McIlrath is playing better than Bickel ever did in Hartford. So there's that.
One thing I have noticed about McI through the first half of the season, he has not so good balance and falls down a lot when he hits, gets hit or goes in the corners... Guy with his size must be firm on the ice and not fall on the ice so much.
Also, his shot from the point is... damn, has he shot from the point this season already? I don't remember that a single time! lol...
McI and Klassen have been the best Dmen when it comes to defense, Blake Zubov..err Parlett, Logan Letang...err Pyett and Mike Blake.. err Vernace are better offensively. Sean Collins is this generation's Rick Zombo and Niemi is just lost out there..
1 point isnt good enough at all... so basically Rangers drafted their own John Erskine
Michael Sauer had 2 points in his first 30 AHL games. He wasn't an offensive dynamo by any stretch, but that's okay as he was focusing on refining his defense. He had 15 points his rookie season with the Rangers, and you could tell he had enough poise and ability to become a 25-point guy on a regular basis. He was tasked first and foremost with becoming an adept defender, which is why the offense was slower to develop.
McIlrath is much the same. He's a defensive defenseman that's clearly focused on that side of the puck. We drafted him to crush people and lock down the opposition. That's what he's learning to do. The offense will come. He's already showing an increased willingness to join the rush and to pinch, and though he has nothing to show for it has occasionally exhibited a good, hard shot. To become a successful pro, he needed to improve his positioning and gap control. He has developed quite a bit in just a season's time in those areas. I promise you that no one in the organization is the least bit concerned by his point totals.
Look, I HATED the pick. Couldn't believe it. I got over that and started evaluating him for what he was. He's developing well. The kid is going to be a bigger, nastier Brooks Orpik. He'll be a player for us, for sure.
One thing I have noticed about McI through the first half of the season, he has not so good balance and falls down a lot when he hits, gets hit or goes in the corners... Guy with his size must be firm on the ice and not fall on the ice so much.
Also, his shot from the point is... damn, has he shot from the point this season already? I don't remember that a single time! lol...
McI and Klassen have been the best Dmen when it comes to defense, Blake Zubov..err Parlett, Logan Letang...err Pyett and Mike Blake.. err Vernace are better offensively. Sean Collins is this generation's Rick Zombo and Niemi is just lost out there..
Falling down on hits, not taking that huge slapper of his. Both can be improved on.
These are two things that have not been said much, thank you.
Michael Sauer had 2 points in his first 30 AHL games. He wasn't an offensive dynamo by any stretch, but that's okay as he was focusing on refining his defense. He had 15 points his rookie season with the Rangers, and you could tell he had enough poise and ability to become a 25-point guy on a regular basis. He was tasked first and foremost with becoming an adept defender, which is why the offense was slower to develop.
McIlrath is much the same. He's a defensive defenseman that's clearly focused on that side of the puck. We drafted him to crush people and lock down the opposition. That's what he's learning to do. The offense will come. He's already showing an increased willingness to join the rush and to pinch, and though he has nothing to show for it has occasionally exhibited a good, hard shot. To become a successful pro, he needed to improve his positioning and gap control. He has developed quite a bit in just a season's time in those areas. I promise you that no one in the organization is the least bit concerned by his point totals.
Look, I HATED the pick. Couldn't believe it. I got over that and started evaluating him for what he was. He's developing well. The kid is going to be a bigger, nastier Brooks Orpik. He'll be a player for us, for sure.
I really respect you for keeping an open mind. There are a handful of Ranger fans that are so invested in being right that it becomes obvious they really want the kid to fail.
Look, I HATED the pick. Couldn't believe it. I got over that and started evaluating him for what he was. He's developing well. The kid is going to be a bigger, nastier Brooks Orpik. He'll be a player for us, for sure.
I'm with yu up until the bold. We really can't say for certain that we are developing him well. And I fully agree with you about how he's coming along. But you can't say it as a certain. Nor can you say he's going to be a bigger and nastier Orpik, thats going a little too far and just as bad as people who say he's a bust. Both extremes don't apply to this prospect yet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NickyFotiu
I really respect you for keeping an open mind. There are a handful of Ranger fans that are so invested in being right that it becomes obvious they really want the kid to fail.
No serious Ranger fan hopes to be 'right' over the team succeeding.
I'm with yu up until the bold. We really can't say for certain that we are developing him well. And I fully agree with you about how he's coming along. But you can't say it as a certain. Nor can you say he's going to be a bigger and nastier Orpik, thats going a little too far and just as bad as people who say he's a bust. Both extremes don't apply to this prospect yet.
He is developing well. I've seen a big improvement in his game over the past year. I don't see the harm in stating that. Could his development stall, or could he regress? Absolutely. He's on the right track though and I'm comfortable sharing my belief that he's becoming a very good defenseman.
There are never any certainties in projections. He's not Brooks Orpik and may never become him. That's my projection though. He is already bigger and nastier. The former is fact, the latter is an opinion supported by plenty of empirical evidence. Will he become a player the overall quality of Orpik? Obviously I cannot say. Again though, I feel like he's on the right path.
I stand by everything I said in my previous post 100%.
He is developing well. I've seen a big improvement in his game over the past year.
Ok, lay it on me, what have you seen that makes you say that.
Again, I don't disagree, but when you say for certain I have to ask why.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nyr2k2
There are never any certainties in projections. He's not Brooks Orpik and may never become him. That's my projection though. He is already bigger and nastier. The former is fact, the latter is an opinion supported by plenty of empirical evidence. Will he become a player the overall quality of Orpik? Obviously I cannot say. Again though, I feel like he's on the right path.
I stand by everything I said in my previous post 100%.
You said 'he kid is going to be a bigger, nastier Brooks Orpik. He'll be a player for us, for sure'
even for a big hitting defensive dman that is not that good at all. even Brooks Orpik put up points in the AHL. same type of player...
