Game 38 Craps vs. Bumblings

[kreidertime]

I fully expect the Rangers to get their ass kicked today.

 

[Greyvtrayn]

Its so frustrating watching them play....they are constantly chasing the puck in the defensive zone, horrible with breaking up passes and clearing the puck out. I don't watch any other teams and barely watch an entire period of the Rangers anymore but I have to imagine they are among the bottom five in puck possession differential. If thats even a stat they measure. Its striking how much easier it is for their opponents to defend than it is for the Rangers.

 

[kreidertime]

They have zero clue how to forecheck. They dump the puck in and the other team comes right out with it. Honestly, just watch what Florida and Carolina do. Do the same fucking thing. It's not rocket science.

 

[Greyvtrayn]

It has to be a completely opposite coaching philosophy. Its amazing how hard the Rangers make hockey look. Most of the time I watch I cant imagine how they will ever put the puck in the net...just a complete lack of offensive ability coupled with incompetence in the defensive end.

 

[theProdigy223]

I am getting frustrated with Lav's offensive system. It can be effective, and it provided some needed structure after the free-wheeling Gallant, but it is boring and lacks creativity. Most glaringly it emphasizes board play and reversals. Our forward group - with few exceptions - is absolutely allergic to winning pucks that come around the boards. Make a note today to see how many times we whip it around the boards to a waiting Capital on the other side, while the winger or dman looks on or gives a half hearted poke check. It's infurating.

Defensively they are in shambles. Housley's man system has to go. Miller and Schneider are the only 2 with good enough skating to play this way. The problem is Miller is a moron and Schneider's constant motion compromises some of the edge he can play with around the net. Lindgren can't move. Fox isn't a great skater. The two new guys are ok but it does them no favors either. Let them claim some ice and stop running around like headless chickens.

 

[Greyvtrayn]

Surely Rempe is in the lineup today, right?

 

[theProdigy223]

Surely Rempe is in the lineup today, right?

Not unless he puts on a mustache and glasses, Bobby Valentine style. Hes still got several games of his suspension to go.

 

[Greyvtrayn]

Im stupid.

Also, that is still my favorite/the best Mets highlight in franchise history.

 

[kreidertime]

That power-play was a cluster fuck of mistakes and lazy play.

 

[kreidertime]

This team fucking sucks in the second period.

 

[kreidertime]

I hate that fucking bullshit. You shouldn’t be able to challenge an off sides if it’s 20 seconds later

 

[kreidertime]

The amount of stupid incompetent defensive plays as team makes every game is mind-boggling.

 

[NYR_94]

I have to give you guys credit, you are invested and taking about real game type stuff, I don't know how you guys do it (being serious not sarcastic). From where I sit it is a pretty easy summary:

The team is awful, they are currently the worst team in the NHL, every game is a comedy of errors and mistakes, the core is stale and done, the coach should be fired, and most importantly the afraid in over his head incompetent Pres/GM should be fired. I think that's the bottom line. So, the fact that you guys are still talking game stuff and results is a kudos to you, as I don't even see a point in entertaining that type of discussion for the worst team in the league. I cannot bring myself to do it.

On top of all that, it angers me to watch this team that was 100% predictably going to be bad this season knowing Drury decided to make no moves this past summer and keep the core together. It really pisses me off that we have to suffer because of his utter incompetence. We all should be pissed at him for that as this mess was totally predictable after his dereliction of duty this past summer. Sure, the team is worse than anyone could have thought, but anyone who thought this team would be more than a fringe WC/3rd place in their division team was kidding themselves I believe.

 

[PorterPanzer]

The Rangers aren't halfway through the season so it shouldn't be so surprising some are still rooting for the team, there are many perpetually negative posters so it's hard to say who predicted utter failure from President's Cup first. If this is the level of hockey the Rangers continue playing through the rest of the season then you will be correct. Drury's philosophy of grittiness when he was hired has disappeared, the Rangers look like boys among men size wise. Loved Mess and PK pointing out what a lazy dog fox is defensively during intermission and Subban is absolutely right about the repeated failure of a winger to get back defensively when a dman pinches.

 

[Stepupstepan]

I have to give you guys credit, you are invested and taking about real game type stuff, I don't know how you guys do it (being serious not sarcastic). From where I sit it is a pretty easy summary:

The team is awful, they are currently the worst team in the NHL, every game is a comedy of errors and mistakes, the core is stale and done, the coach should be fired, and most importantly the afraid in over his head incompetent Pres/GM should be fired. I think that's the bottom line. So, the fact that you guys are still talking game stuff and results is a kudos to you, as I don't even see a point in entertaining that type of discussion for the worst team in the league. I cannot bring myself to do it.

On top of all that, it angers me to watch this team that was 100% predictably going to be bad this season knowing Drury decided to make no moves this past summer and keep the core together. It really pisses me off that we have to suffer because of his utter incompetence. We all should be pissed at him for that as this mess was totally predictable after his dereliction of duty this past summer. Sure, the team is worse than anyone could have thought, but anyone who thought this team would be more than a fringe WC/3rd place in their division team was kidding themselves I believe.

Who are you to tell anyone what they should talk about. You’ve been repeating the same crap since the beginning of the season. We get it you hate Drury. Please shut the fuck up already. We’ve seen your summaries all season long

 

[kreidertime]

Lol. I said at the very beginning of the season before it started this team would struggle so I was a little surprised at their start, but it was due to goaltenders playing out of their mind. As soon as a veteran core lost a step we were fucked. Lafreniere obviously golfed all summer and went back to being shit.

 

[Stepupstepan]

On top of that he was gifted a brand new 7 year, 7mill per year contract by the dummy running the show.

 

[NYR_94]

Who are you to tell anyone what they should talk about. You’ve been repeating the same crap since the beginning of the season. We get it you hate Drury. Please shut the fuck up already. We’ve seen your summaries all season long

I think you are missing the point, no surprise. The 5 or 6 of you can talk about whatever the hell you want, I was giving you guys kudos that you are actually still engaged in strategy and game to game of it. I find it futile and I cannot bring myself to do it as the team is god awful and getting worse. It is the same thing every game, sloppy mistakes and no real effort. For you guys to hang in and seem to care game to game when the team is 100% out of it and done, is a credit, not a knock.

I'll also add, why do you think there are 5 or 6 posters on this board? Is that what you want, an echo chamber talking to 5 other people. Seriously, you need to chill out. If that is what you want, include 5 people and shut the board to anyone else. Give me a break, it really is ridiculous.

 

[NYR_94]

The Rangers aren't halfway through the season so it shouldn't be so surprising some are still rooting for the team, there are many perpetually negative posters so it's hard to say who predicted utter failure from President's Cup first. If this is the level of hockey the Rangers continue playing through the rest of the season then you will be correct. Drury's philosophy of grittiness when he was hired has disappeared, the Rangers look like boys among men size wise. Loved Mess and PK pointing out what a lazy dog fox is defensively during intermission and Subban is absolutely right about the repeated failure of a winger to get back defensively when a dman pinches.

I respect that POV. I appreciate you have the stomach to keep hope with this absolute mess. Why it is difficult for me this season, is I expected this season to be a mess after the terrible summer. Like I said, no way did I think they would be the worst team in the league, but I felt strongly they would be a fringe playoff team that most likely would be one and done unless they got a great matchup and then were out in the 2nd round. I am more angry than anything else, because it didn't have to be this way if we had a real Pres/GM.

You keep fighting the good fight....

 

[Ranger71]

It doesn't feel like they'll be a bottom 3 team at the end, so they may need some good fortune in the lottery again. Seems like they'll be in the 5-8 range.

 

[Stepupstepan]

I think you are missing the point, no surprise. The 5 or 6 of you can talk about whatever the hell you want, I was giving you guys kudos that you are actually still engaged in strategy and game to game of it. I find it futile and I cannot bring myself to do it as the team is god awful and getting worse. It is the same thing every game, sloppy mistakes and no real effort. For you guys to hang in and seem to care game to game when the team is 100% out of it and done, is a credit, not a knock.

I'll also add, why do you think there are 5 or 6 posters on this board? Is that what you want, an echo chamber talking to 5 other people. Seriously, you need to chill out. If that is what you want, include 5 people and shut the board to anyone else. Give me a break, it really is ridiculous.

Can you actually suggest how to improve the team and not just say the same shit over and over again. We know that Drury is a moron. If you were the GM, what would you do?

 

[kreidertime]

1. Get rid of Zibanejad as he has proven time and time again he can’t play with any young wingers they put with him, which is the strength of this farm system and current roster right now.
2. Get rid of Miller now before his value goes to shit. He’s just not very bright and he’s soft despite his high talent level.
3. Drury needs to sit Lafreniere down and tell him that he can either be a great player or he can be a lazy fuck and find out which one he wants to be.
4. I would see what’s out there for Fox. If the offer is right, consider it.
5. They need to get back high draft picks and NHL ready center prospects to go with their young wingers on the team or that are coming up soon.
6. I wouldn’t worry about bringing in an alpha male. You have to build a young core and one of those guys will eventually become the leader.

 

[Ranger71]

It's a good draft for C so they should be able to get a really good building block.

 

[kreidertime]

Garand is about ready so Quick with a Smith might bring back a couple picks and a physical role player prospect.

 

[NYR_94]

Can you actually suggest how to improve the team and not just say the same shit over and over again. We know that Drury is a moron. If you were the GM, what would you do?

It is a fair question.

I would have broken up the core during the summer, and this is not a second guess, I was maybe the loudest voice in here saying it from the second we lost to Florida until the season started.

Trouba would have been gone this past summer. If Drury could do it in season, he could have done it in July. Starting the season with Trouba on this team, after the way Drury mishandled his situation, was a terrible decision. Trouba was clearly bothered by what happened, and it showed in his play, plus he was the captain of the team.
I would have looked at Kreider, Fox, Zibanejad, Lindgren, Miller and worked the phones. There is ZERO % chance I would have brought them all back this season, ZERO.

Now that he missed his chance during the summer, I would do the same thing, but even more aggressively.

I won't sit here and make up fantasy trades that will never happen like some other posters do, but I promise you this, if I were Pres/GM moves would have been made, and again that is not a second guess from me. And moves would be made now.

Maybe Drury would have made a move that didn't work, that happens, but I'd give him credit (within reason - I say within reason because you can't trade Fox for a 4th liner and a 3rd round pick and say I did something give me credit) for changing this clearly done and stale core. In order for that to happen you have to be smart, have foresight, have balls, and take some chances, and Drury is very clearly lacking in all those areas.

I'll add something else that no one mentions, for Drury to do nothing expect make the team worse this past summer and expect anything but sh*t is comical and absolute dereliction of duty. He is now dealing from an absolute position of weakness, and in a terrible position because he's clueless. The time to get bold and reshape was this past summer after a good season when players values were high. Doing it now is not only dealing from a position of weakness, but it will also lead to less of a return for Drury's players. It is a total miss on his part. He is paid VERY WELL to be ahead of the curve, not behind it and reactive. And AGAIN, this is not a second guess by me, I said it all during the summer and before the season started. If I saw it plain as day, why didn't the Pres/GM.

At this point, because he didn't realize the situation during the summer, the Rangers are in a very difficult spot, dealing from weakness and trying to make bigger hockey moves in season, which are much tougher to get done than in the offseason.

 

[NYR_94]

It doesn't feel like they'll be a bottom 3 team at the end, so they may need some good fortune in the lottery again. Seems like they'll be in the 5-8 range.

I will say they finish bottom 5 when all is said and done. They are tied for the 5th fewest number of points currently, and since Nov 21 they have the lowest number of points in the league. Not about one game, but if they lose in Chicago tomorrow, I'll feel even stronger about them finishing bottom 5. Their next 4 games after the Hawks are all against very good teams. I'll stick with my 2 or 3 wins over 11 games prediction, as they currently sit at 1-5 during that stretch.

 

[NYR_94]

I have read a few articles about interest in JT Miller. I saw Zibanejad, Schneider, 2026 first rounder for Miller. Would Zibanejad really waive his NMC to play in Vancouver and would you give up Schneider. Sure, it will never happen, but I did read it.

 

[Ranger71]

They could still be a bottom 10 team next year, so that 2026 1st could be a steal for Vancouver in that scenario. I'd avoid Miller, even if it means dumping off Z. They should bite the bullet and start building from the ground up again, maybe adding in a FA here and there along the way. Maybe they find another way to move out Zib without having to take back another huge contract.