Rangers problems?

Question

They need a coaching change and at least one puck moving DMan. They have good goaltending and good forwards but the transition play of their D is brutal. They should be getting more goals out of those forwards but they have absolutley nobody to move the puck up to them. Expect the Rangers to acquire a mobile defenceman soon. Actually, Bryan Berard may have been a good fit. Brian Leetch still in game shape? That is what they need.

Thoughts?

Funny you should say that LITY because another thought on my mind lately has been how abused Bryan McCabe has been by the posters here. Many chose him in a question yesterday as the most overpaid player, I don't agree. He has become the Toronto whipping boy and at 7million, 6 million, 4 million and 4 million he would be attractive to many teams. Don't get me wrong, he has the defensive lapses but he can play the transition game and is an asset on the PP. If the NYR acquired him, their scoring would be fixed. Good call.

Zam- Timonen perhaps??

CDN- Good points. Nylander had good chemistry with Jagr as well. The Gomez money probably would have been more well spent on a Dman or two. So, in turn, we must put some blame on Glen Sather. Seems to me he was a better coach than GM.

AKOZ- The Pens losing so much and getting #1 picks helped that theory I think. Come on.

Answer 1

Nylander sat on a NY contract offer for 8 weeks, so I don't see how that one can be put entirely on Sather. Jagr pouting over Nylander's absence is a reality, however. Straka going down with a broken finger isn't going to help JJ's demeanor either.

I've personally piled on Sather plenty, but this motley crew he's thrown together since the end of the lockout has far outperformed expectations. If Sather doesn't deserve credit for the team's success, Renney, who had to make heads and tails out of the mish-mash he was handed, certainly should get some of it.

As such, I won't touch the matter of coaching at this early stage. Renney has earned his buffer, but if the team is still reeling in utter disarray come X-Mas, many a Blueshirt fan will join you in the drumbeat for his head.

As for the Ranger D, I fully agree and accept that there is no playoff run (or maybe even playoffs) without an upgrade. Roszival has been delivering no. 1 minutes and performances out of a no. 3 or 4 talent level. Expecting that to continue without some ebb is foolish.

Additionaly, Girardi's in his first full season, Staal's not ready for the added responsibility and Malik is a ticking time bomb. There is very likely a multi-player trade on the near horizon in Ranger country. In exchange for that slick, dishing D-man you speak of, the Rangers will likely have to walk from multiple prospects and roster players.

NY needs to free up cap space to make room for this $5M - $6M which means shipping a Malik or Mara the other way as part of whatever transaction. Enticing a trade partner into such an arrangement will likely involve some variation of a barrel and Sather's pants in a compromising bunch around his Bruno Magli's.

Things begin looking even more bleak when you consider that Lundqvist needs to be locked into a healthy long-termer between January and June of next year.

By the way, I was shocked the team didn't bring Leetch back last year for one last lap and some pp minutes. It's obviously not an option now, but the defensive ailments were all there last year and Leetch really could've helped.

That's why I think there's something more there. Whether it's that he and Sather don't see eye to eye or some other political tug (Jagr, maybe), I don't know. Something is definitely fishy, though.

Thought provoking as usual, Bob.

Answer 2

I agree that the Rangers need help at the defensive position.  When you have Frankenstein on skates (Malik) as your top scorer after the first couple of games, things are bad.  I'm not sure I agree with a coaching change though.  Renney is coaching the way he always does with whatever people are playing for him.  Last year he had a lot of youth who acted like sponges when he talked.  I feel like with this years team, we are starting to slide back towards the Rangers of old.  Too many overpriced superstars who can't play together.  I do however love the two picups in Gomez and Drury.  They are still relatively young and can be molded into a certain system.Brian Leetch is done.  He was my favorite Ranger as I have been a fan of the team since 1979.  There are too many issues that weren't resolved for him to come back.  He was basically treated like s h i t by management.  Plus I think he is too old now to help any.  Maybe a management role in the future.I believe that if they want to make a legitimate run at the cup this year Jagr is the one and only person who needs to step up.  He needs to take this team on his shoulders and lead them to the holy grail.  By the way he shot the puck during the shootout the other day against the Bruins, I don't think he wants it that bad.  Try and find a tape of it but he shot it very lazyily and didn't even try and fake the goalie out.  What happened to his fancy moves.Jagr is the key to this team if they are going to do anything this year.  Jagr needs to realize this.  Defensemen problems yes.  But with a goalie like Henrik to keep you in games,  the Rangers need more offense.Thanks.

Answer 3

completely agree with the coaching change needed. They acquired great players in Drury and Gomez, retaned SHanahan, but even that is not helping them. Give the team some time to get some chemestry together. The other day, Drury played on all three lines plus 2 different PP units. How does that build some chemestry when you are playing with different people all the time.

The best lines in Hockey have a third sense with each other, knowing that the player is going to be there. Drury and Jagr should be lighting it up, but they are not playing with each other regularly. Change the coaches and pick up a defensman, I like Brian Campbell from the Sabres or Ferrands from Boston. THey move the puck, skate well and have a sense of where to put the puck, when to dump and chase, when to skate it in.

They have the potential to be a dangerous team, if and when they clique .

Answer 4

Your observations are right on but just as I ain't gonna get worked up over the Flyers, I'm not going to dismiss the Rangers either. Yeah, a coach can have a lot to do with a turnaround, and the Blueshirts can use a good coach, but they just need more time to gel. When they get all the cylinders clicking they are gonna be tough.

I am surprised though at their performance thus far. I felt that the Flyers would be in 3rd place looking up at New York and the Pens. One of my earlier answers said that the Rangers aren't a team of stars but rather a bunch of stars on a team. And some stars on that team are old and set in their ways. It's early yet and things could continue this way for a while before they get better.

Answer 5

They do need a good Dman, but I strongly doubt McCabe is the answer. He has a huge contract and the Rangers are only 800K under the cap. I don't think it would work out. I really don't think Timonen is going anywhere either. He too has a big contract and I think he will play great for the Flyers. Preissing on the other hand, would be a great fit in NY. They should definitely work something out.

Answer 6

Love the idea of the Rangers taking McCabe off the Leafs hands. What do the Rangers offer in return? Seems to me they would be hard pressed to move a body anyone would want because if there is any team that overpays for players more than the Leafs it is the Rangers.
I agree with awesome bill, the rangers are a bunch of stars wearing the same sweaters. Not a team with stars.

Answer 7

I agree on the D man, the coaching change I expect may be made but I don't think the fault lies with the coach.

I am not that surprised with the Rangers play because they did not address their biggest weakness on defense. They made the playoffs last year based on strong play from the goalie. The defense is not improved at all from last year and I feel the forwards have not improved that much. Dury and Gomez in, Gomez is as overrated as they come for UFA's. Nylander out and Shanahan and Jagr one year older. I don't see them as being that improved over last year.

Answer 8

The answer to the Ranger's problem wears #24 in Toronto.

One of the big differences with the Black Hawks this year is that Perreault wins the faceoffs, and allows them to gain control of the puck. Perreault is adequate otherwise.

McCabe would do the same job in NYC. He's not going to be a great defenceman, but like it or not, he knows how to get the puck from his own end of the ice to the offensive zone.

Possession is 9/10ths of the game.

Answer 9

well since we can all agree that they need some defense maybe NYR should DRAFT someone for a change instead of buying the team. we all know what good drafting can do for a team *Cough Cough Pittsburgh penguin's
I am sick of the NYR just for the fact that they buy. also you said they need a new coach. They need more then a new coach. Try all new Front office.

Answer 10

Agreed.
The way Gomez has looked so far, it would appear that a true powerplay quarterback would have been a much better investment.

***Absolutely. Hell, even a guy like Pressing would have been a better fit and much cheaper, like LA needed another offensive defensman anyway. They should work something out.