I said it in the game thread but Tortorella has to stop relying on guys like Prust so much. Yes, I get it, he works hard and is a good player for what he can do, but he just should not be on a scoring line. He looks completely out of place on one and all he does is hang out on the boards to cycle the puck, he has no offensive ability on the cycle at all.
This team isn't that bad offensively, Tortorella needs to figure out what the problem is at the moment because they can't just keep getting good offensive players and developing guys with good upside and then saying "whelp we're just not a good offensive team gotta win 1 goal games". Stop it. Gaborik and Richards and to a lesser extent Callahan and Dubinsky and Stepan and Anisimov are all skilled enough to make this a pretty decent team on offense, but they're all struggling and it does not help them to be put with guys who can't score at all.
I said it in the game thread but Tortorella has to stop relying on guys like Prust so much. Yes, I get it, he works hard and is a good player for what he can do, but he just should not be on a scoring line. He looks completely out of place on one and all he does is hang out on the boards to cycle the puck, he has no offensive ability on the cycle at all.
This team isn't that bad offensively, Tortorella needs to figure out what the problem is at the moment because they can't just keep getting good offensive players and developing guys with good upside and then saying "whelp we're just not a good offensive team gotta win 1 goal games". Stop it. Gaborik and Richards and to a lesser extent Callahan and Dubinsky and Stepan and Anisimov are all skilled enough to make this a pretty decent team on offense, but they're all struggling and it does not help them to be put with guys who can't score at all.
Torts needs to start using players where they're succesful. Not everyone is a grinder like he seems to think. This team is good when we grind, but not everyone has to do it. We need to find a way to carry the puck in and get good chances.
Just got back from the game. Don't let the stretch of the game where it was 1-1 fool you; the Rangers were never in this one. Staal, Richards, and Lundqvist were not in the game mentally. The only good pass in the game was the team's only goal.
Obviously, every team goes through tough stretches, and the dead of January is a hell of a time for one, but it's time to start giving some people the game off.
Not a lot of Pitt fans at the game, but the ones that were there were ********. Their team worked hard; ours didn't. The end.
True but those 5 losses have come over a month and a half stretch.
Exactly.
I was cracking up at the guy who said "HERE'S OUT LAST 5 LOSSES, LOOK AT HOW BAD WE GET BLOWN OUT!' and then went on to list the St. Louis game as the first one from god knows how long ago.
We're seeing our biggest slump of the season right now and it's showing we probably need offense...but we're not a bad team by any stretch of the imagination unless you're stupid.
I'm not happy with our performance lately, but to be fair, when is the last time this team lost a close game? Maybe once all season? When they lose, they ****in lose. They've been that way all season. It doesn't necessarily mean they're a bad team.
Why? They bounce back well. They're still first in the league and they're not going to win every game. It's just not possible with the parity in the league.
A lot of hate for Malkin in the GDT today but I have to say, I would have given up the FARM to get Malkin in any year of his career. Now with him setting the world on fire and Crosby out indefinitely, he's as untouchable as he's ever been in his career, but there were moments where his *perceived* value was at a low and Sid was healthy and dominant where people talked about trading Malkin, letting Staal have the #2C spot and getting wingers and I would have given up anything outside of Lundqvist to get him here. He has to be my absolute favorite player to watch in the world.
A lot of hate for Malkin in the GDT today but I have to say, I would have given up the FARM to get Malkin in any year of his career. Now with him setting the world on fire and Crosby out indefinitely, he's as untouchable as he's ever been in his career, but there were moments where his *perceived* value was at a low and Sid was healthy and dominant where people talked about trading Malkin, letting Staal have the #2C spot and getting wingers and I would have given up anything outside of Lundqvist to get him here. He has to be my absolute favorite player to watch in the world.
AA, Staal, Kreider, Dubinsky, 1st for Malkin!
We need a player like Malkin; someone who can just create offense.
Someone in the GDT or PGT said that we need a player who can create offense from nothing, not just another top-6 player.
Then again, Malkin is probably the best player in the league now that Crosby is out.
Let's hope that in the future Kreider can be an offensive force.
Gaborik, Richie, and even Cally haven't played up to their capabilities lately. So long as they struggle this team will continue to have trouble offensively.
Staal's play has been disappointing but Rangers fans need to be more patient. Every individual recovers from a concussion differently so to say that he should have returned to form by now is nonsense. He missed training camp and didn't play in a real hockey game for almost 9 months. Staal's timing is off right now and he's more unsure of himself as he was prior to the concussion, but hopefully he will improve as the season progresses.
To the guy complaining about torts not critiquing players that's his standard answer. He always says he won't do it without seeing the film.
That said this loss is on Torts.
WHY ON EARTH would you move MDZ? Move Staal! He's not ready to play above third pair anyways so let him get used to playing RHD in limited minutes. Moving a guy who's playing his best hockey & is very young as well is asinine IMO.
We need a player like Malkin; someone who can just create offense.
Someone in the GDT or PGT said that we need a player who can create offense from nothing, not just another top-6 player.
Then again, Malkin is probably the best player in the league now that Crosby is out.
Let's hope that in the future Kreider can be an offensive force.
That was me in the GDT lol
But yes, while getting Malkin is virtually impossible value/divisional rival/etc. we need a player of his ilk. Obviously, you're not going to get someone on the level even, but we need a player who can generate offense. Richards is far from "dangerous" every time he steps on the ice. Gaborik is closer, but only because he's an opportunist; he's not going to just decide to own you. We need a player who can just decide "screw it, I'm going end to end" and actually do it with reasonable success.
Staal's play has been disappointing but Rangers fans need to be more patient. Every individual recovers from a concussion differently so to say that he should have returned to form by now is nonsense. He missed training camp and didn't play in a real hockey game for almost 9 months. Staal's timing is off right now and he's more unsure of himself as he was prior to the concussion, but hopefully he will improve as the season progresses.
Gaborik, Richie, and even Cally haven't played up to their capabilities lately. So long as they struggle this team will continue to have trouble offensively.
Staal's play has been disappointing but Rangers fans need to be more patient. Every individual recovers from a concussion differently so to say that he should have returned to form by now is nonsense. He missed training camp and didn't play in a real hockey game for almost 9 months. Staal's timing is off right now and he's more unsure of himself as he was prior to the concussion, but hopefully he will improve as the season progresses.
Agreed. Like Sam and Joe said, there were moments where he looked like the "old" Staal, but other moments where you could tell he wasn't fully ready yet.
