Is the window closing

[kreidertime]

After thinking about. Hell no it's not. I thought it was then I asked why. Because Hank is getting older? They have 2 excellent goalies in the system. Have you watched the teams winning cups? They basically are winning them with half-ass goalies compared to Lundqvist other than Quick. Tampa, Chicago and the Ducks goalies all suck compared to Lundqvist. Their teams just score goals for them. Rangers make every half-ass goalie look like a star. Osgood won 2 cups and he's a joke. Halak stinks and he won a cup.

Basically, all the teams winning cups tanked seasons and got a top 3 pick. Doughty with the Kings. Kane and Toews with the Hawks. Maybe Stamkos and Hedman with the lightning. Crosby with the Penguins. Vinny with Tampa. Even the Bruins had a young Seguin and Horton who was a high pick. Hurricanes with Staal. Rarely does it not happen. Part of the reason Nash is such a loser in the playoffs. He's the number 1 pick overall. Freaking score in the post season!

A main reason I think the NHL should penalize a team 5 million off the cap for a period of 5 years for every player that is a top 3 pick max up to 2 player penalty. So, if you are like the Oilers, pick in the top three forever, it recycles. Meaning, you take the last two years in the top three and you lose 10 million off your cap for the next five years. The NHL needs to start severely penalizing teams for being crap and tanking seasons. That is a good way to do it.

 

[Ranger71]

With Lundqvist having at least 3 highest level seasons ahead they should be fine, even though some guys like Girardi, Staal and even Nash will start declining. If their young guys can keep progressing and guys like Buch and Skjei live up to things that will obviously help alot. Maybe throw in one or two bigger FA along the way like a C or big winger. Not having a 1st for a few years shouldn't really affect them in this window.

 

[kreidertime]

Having AV adjust his system needs to be done and would help. The defense he built is way to turnover prone and soft. He needs to get rid of worthless Glass and build a 4th line that can score. I am amazed at how many posters on this board are completely ignorant to how important having a 4th line that can scores is to this team which doesn't have a powerful first scoring line or even a consistent second scoring line. It's crucial. It was nothing but stupidity from AV not to do that. He could have brought Lindberg up after game 50 and built that line. He refused because he's a stubborn jackass with Glass. Sather needs to take AV's toy away.

 

[Ranger71]

Signing Glass for 3y was just beyond silly but GS deserves blame as he does that and stunts the team here and there. One year of Glass might have been ok but no need for 3. I didn't even want him extending D,Moore but that worked out ok. Time for Lindberg to get his spot. Give the 4th line a little more youthful jolt of offense.
.

 

[kreidertime]

I guess Sather is confident that he can move guys like that. I don't think moving Glass will be tough. Getting Boyle to waive his NMC shouldn't be hard. If you tell a player you don't want him and he will be sitting in the stands, he most likely will waive it to go to a few places.

 

[Ranger71]

I can see them trying to deal or even buying out the last year of Boyle more than i can dealing Talbot, who's more useful as one more year of a solid backup. If he was signed for 3y i'd say heck yeah deal him but with one it's not worth it for a 2nd. I just don't see them going that route, they like him complimenting HL.

 

[chuckd3534]

Wait, dump AGAIN going on and on about our 12th foward Glass...LOL. It is almost insane now that no matter what dump posts he somehow will tie it back to 12th forward Glass. If we had Dorsett instead of Glass we win the cup for sure.

Funny thing is I totally agree with you on Glass dump, he is awful and Sather signing him for 3 years was ridiculous, as we all said when it happened. BUT I am also smart enough to realize Glass is not the deciding factor between us winning a cup or not, and given the fact that you obsess about him over and over again, you must think he is.

I would love to get rid of Glass. If we did I would resign Sheppard for that 4th line role. But I also know Glass wasn't awful in the playoffs, didn't really hurt us much, and while I don't think he adds much positive and adds zero O, he will not be the deciding factor between winning a cup or not.

The window is clearly not closed. This team has a lot of talent. We have a lot of talent 27 or under that will grow still with the experience of this run. The way I see it is 3 or 4 more good years from Hank is doable. That would bring him to 36 or 37, so he can clearly do that. So the window is open still. We need to make a few minor tweaks here, but we are close and should not go crazy changing this team or style.

 

[chuckd3534]

If we can get a 2nd round pick it is way worth it to deal Talbot. We can save 500 K going with a different backup, and Talbot is 100% gone after next season. So unless you want to prepare for Hank missing two months again, I am confident we can find someone else to play 20 games next season, and we'll be fine.

I think Boyle will most likely be gone because they want to save some money on the cap. Even a buyout I think saves them 3 mill next season. Then you maybe sign a vet for 1.5-2 mill and that is a savings of a 1 mill or a little more.

So you can save 1.5 mill or a little more on the cap by buying out Boyle and getting a cheaper backup than Talbot. That 1.5 mill can be used to sign a Williams for 4.5 or so per year.

Sign a vet for 1.5-2 mill to be the 6th dman, and let Skjei/McIlrath be in the 7th dman mix.

That's how I would play it.

 

[chuckd3534]

Dan Girardi said after Game 7 that he is ‘getting older and the window might be closing.” (NY Post)

Girardi said that the Rangers have “such a good group” that it’s “really disappointing” to not get another shot at the Stanley Cup. (NY Post)

He said that it’s “just tough” to deal with after finishing first in the league and feeling good about their game heading into Game 7. (NY Post)

Marc Staal said that the Rangers are not “finished yet” and that they were one period away from going back to the Final. Staal added, “we’ll be back in this position again.” (NY Post)

 

[chuckd3534]

As I have been saying in another thread, I think the biggest challenge next season will be mentally starting all over again and having to go through the whole grind again. Talent wise no doubt we have the horses, but mentally it is not easy to energize again and recharge the batteries again after all the close calls the past couple of seasons, and falling short after a great regular season this year.

Our biggest challenge next season will be mental not physical IMO. BUT with that said, I have a lot of faith in how mentally tough this team is, so if any team can overcome it, I believe it would be this team.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

Ill go with staal's comment and not worry about the drive or desire to keep pushing themselves thru another long drawn out season.

 

[chuckd3534]

Hey, I would say the same thing also. I wouldn't expect them to say no we are f'd...LOL. That's why it was interesting to see Girardi say what he said, but my guess is that was just frustration talking.

You and I disagree on this Al, which is cool of course. 100000000000000% I believe they can make another long run next season and they clearly have the talent. So we agree there. Where we disagree is I do think something to be aware of and think about is it's not easy to make long playoff runs season after season, there is a reason only one team has done it in the past 6 or 7 years. That could pose a problem for us next season. Hopefully we can overcome it. We are a very mentally tough team, so I wouldn't bet against this team, but it is something I am aware of for sure.

 

[Ranger71]

See Chuck, even Girardi himself admits he's turning into an old fart. Wish Staal would too.

 

[chuckd3534]

Girardi had a really strong playoffs, dude was a + 5 playing against Cindy/OV/triplets, so if that is him getting older...sign me up....

 

[Messiah717]

I just don't agree with comments coming out of that game that they played hard. When you have 11 shots after two periods you're not trying to score. They should be kicking themselves for this missed opportunity to get back to the finals.

 

[chuckd3534]

I kind of agree with you Mess. That was kind of my point when I mentioned the McD post game comments. I am over it, but it's almost like these guys are telling themselves they showed strong in game 7 despite all the evidence to the contrary. Not a lot of shots, a small handful of decent chances, not a lot of aggressive emotional play. Truth is the game was a mirror image of game 5, and after that game to a man they all said we need to be much better and bring it much harder. Fast forward to after game 7 and you would think they played well and had all these chances but couldn't finish.

To me Al, Ron, Vali said it best on the postgame...we don't have many Ranger hughlights to show you...there weren't many/any times you said wow that was close, or great save, or puck was right there in the crease to jam in.

That says it all. My guess is the players know it wasn't a good effort, but what is the point of saying it after you are elminated anyway. I guess give credit to TB and take the high road publically. Maybe Al is right on that one.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

No shyt the window is closing Girardi... He should shut his mouth because he tends to make bonehead plays in the playoffs. Him and McD were on for so many goals this postseason

 

[chuckd3534]

They were? Girardi was a +5 in the postseason. McD was a +2 in the postseason. That's playing against Cindy/OV/the triplets...some darn good players. Yeah they made mistakes, again look at the players they went against, but overall they were very good. And D was not our issue at all in these playoffs.

Good stuff strud....

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Good ole Chuck... U ever think about law school?

McD and Girardi got lit up by WSH and the Triplets when the games counted

Hey Sustr, the big immobile dman was a +6 and Nesterov was a +4 in the playoffs...

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Reading comprehension Chuck.. I know you are more than capable but I think sometimes you read a few words on a post and react.. McD and Girardi were on for a ton of goals this postseason and last year Girardi thought he was playing for the Kings... It's ok though I didn't say they were the reason why we lost, though you seem to think that... All good.
D was sort of an issue.. They gave up 12 goals in 2 games to the Lightning and had no answer for the triplet line or the Stamkos line... Only bottom 6 guy to score was Cally and Fillpula had only 1 goal. But yea, I think most is on the offense obviously

 

[chuckd3534]

They did...okay...LIT UP in the pair of 2-0 games that cost us a shot in the SCF's...LOL.

OV had ONE goal after game 2 of the Caps series...LIT UP.

After a real hot start the triplets weren't as good after game 3.

I know some people don't like to accept this, but there is another team on the ice with the Rangers. And to me when you go up against the best two players in the world, Cindy and OV, and then follow that up by playing against a red hot triplets line, yet end the postseason with the numbers G and McD have, that tells me they played some great hockey. But what do I know...

 

[chuckd3534]

Go look at the numbers strud. Go look at the players they played against. AGAIN I know you think the Rangers are the only team on the ice, but sadly the other team plays to win as well. Facing the players they faced from round 1 on I think they did great.

And NO we did not lose because of D. As a matter of fact we WON because of D in rounds 1 and 2. We won game 1 against TB because of D. We certainly didn't lose game 2 because of D. Game 3...I 1000000000000% agree, our D was AWFUL. And games 5 and 7 had nothing to do with D as we didn't score and lost each game 2-0. Those are the facts.

And we were talking about this years playoffs, not the SCF from last season when clearly G was awful and he said so. We all know that.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

12 goals in 2 games... On for Killorns back breaker... kucherovs 40 ft wrister... Picked great times to let the oppoisition score.

Rangers aren't the only team that versed good players.. Malkin was playing injured, Crosby won a game for PITT but wasn't playing good at all.. OV put WSH up 1-0 in a g7 in a tight series but other than that didn't do much.. No surprise the Rangers won the first two rounds

 

[chuckd3534]

Okay, so now we blame McD and G for the soft OT goal Hank allowed in game 3...PLEASE STOP you look foolish now. But I just said game 3 yes the D was awful and the co main reason we lost along with Hank who had his one bad playoff game that night. Outside of that game the D was very good overall.

Game 2, which I was at, was not on the D, the whole team didn't show. On the D when we take dumb penalties and allow a ton of special team goals? On the D when MSL turns the puck over for a 2-0 break on a 5 on 3? Stop please.

Game 3 the D was bad and is the biggest reason we lost...agree 100%. Outside of that game the D was very good overall all playoffs.

And looking at their final numbers, and playing against the players they played against from round 1 on, says it all about G and McD. If you want to call out a dman, save it with McD and G and focus on Staal who was terrible the last two rounds. Don't focus on McD and G.

 

[kreidertime]

Reading Zipay's article was hilarious. It's amazing how dumb and clueless the writers are who cover this team.

 

[chuckd3534]

Rangers aren't the only team that versed good players.. Malkin was playing injured, Crosby won a game for PITT but wasn't playing good at all.. OV put WSH up 1-0 in a g7 in a tight series but other than that didn't do much.. No surprise the Rangers won the first two rounds

Excuses much...LOL.

So Malkin was injured, somehow he flew right to Russia and played after the Pens were elminated, but he was injured. I thought he was injured also during the series, but after seeing him play in the World's after they lost maybe he wasn't. But even if he was hurting a little he was still shutdown AND McD and G weren't on against him, so I didn't even mention him, you did.

Crosby I guess wasn't playing good, so no credit to McD and G...LOL. He just wasn't playing good, nothing to do with McD and G.

OV was on FIRE through game 2 against us, and then boom he scored 1 goal in the last 5 games...no credit for McD and G?

I know the results and numbers don't matchup with what your point was, but that doesn't mean you can simply make stuff up...LOL. If these guys played against the 3rd and 4th lines of the other team I wouldn't be defending them as much as I am. But to end up with the numbers they ended up with playing against all these great players kind of speaks for itself. They both played very well, and the D clearly was not the reason we didn't beat TB. Game 3 was a mess, but outside of that the D played well overall.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Lol Man... Agree to disagree Chuck, it's ok.. U see it one why, I see it another... I don't think the D was any good against TB. This team is built on Goaltensing and Defense and they couldn't get it done along with the offense

 

[kreidertime]

The defenseman sucked ass in the Tampa series. You would have to have your head up your ass to think otherwise.

 

[chuckd3534]

Fair enough strud...agree to disagree. I can live with that....

And for the record Staal was bad. The rest of the D I think was solid to very good, and we didn't lose the series because of the D. To me game 3 was on the D, outside of that I don't see it. But I certainly respect your opinion to see it differently.

 

[chuckd3534]

How so dump? We lost games 5 & 7 by 2-0 scores...on the D? We won game 1 by a 2-1 score...on the D? Game 6 we were up 2-1 after two and 5-1 in the 3rd...on the D? Game 2 the whole team didn't show, so don't give me the D in that game...EVERYONE was bad in that game. I believe 4 of the 6 TB goals were on special teams.

Game 3 is the game...100% agree. The D was terrible that game and deserves a ton of blame for that L, I couldn't agree more. But outside of that game I don't see it.

In games 1, 5, and 7 we allowed 5 goals in total...D? In game 6 we were up 5-1 in the 3rd...D?

Come on now.