It's on Hank to win the Cup

[panzerporter]

If the Rangers are going to win the Cup Hank is going to need to step up his play, last year there were too many bad goals early in too many games. The Rangers kept their end of the bargain by paying Hank, now he needs to keep his end of the deal. Gorton has upgraded the defensive unit to aid Hank along with prospects from the farm. Need to see the Hank that is always there for team Sweden play the same way for the Rangers. Last year Hank had the worst GAA and save % of his career, need a big rebound to go deep in the playoffs.

 

[RangersFan]

I truly believe if the Rangers can swing a deal for a top 9 C/forward (Holden plus for Bozak) they are as good as any team out there. Maybe they will be behind CBJ, the Pens and TB in points, but I don't see any reason why with our improved D we wouldn't be a top team. I think we have a top 5 or so D in the league now from 1-6 with depth. And if we can add another top 9 forward I think we'll be a deep as any team 1-12, and have some young guys who can hopefully improve into next season.

At that point we do need Hank to be very good still. I don't think we need all world epic Hank, but we do obviously need very good top level goalie play from him. I am confident he can do it, but no way can we say for sure and you have to have some uncertainty about it for the first time in a decade.

 

[panzerporter]

I'd call it more a reason for concern than a matter of uncertainty. Hank posted the worst numbers of his NHL career last season and has 4 years left on a contract with an $8.5 mil cap hit. Hank's backups have put up better numbers the last 3 seasons. The Rangers are not going to win the Cup let alone get deep in the playoffs unless all world epic Hank shows up this year. I like the moves Gorton made, I've been much more concerned over the past years about the softness of the Rangers defense than I am about center this upcoming year. While Stepan's offensive prowess will be missed, his inability to win a faceoff and disappearing act in physical games won't.

 

[RangersFan]

I'll stay with uncertainty more than concern for me. I have a lot of belief in Hank to be very good next season. Not certain it will happen of course, but I believe it can/will.

And C/forward is an easier spot to fill than D, so yes I agree on the feeling into next season. Clearly upgrading the D was a must. We have now done that, so I feel good into the season knowing that we can add a forward and improve there much easier than on D.

Last season our top 4 had Girardi and Staal and Holden in it. That has been upgraded to Shatt and Skjei and Smith. Huge upgrade, with great D depth also, and I am excited to see how it plays out on the ice.

Go make a deal for a C/forward Gorton and I'll see you in October.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

I'd say it's more of a team effort. Team lost important playoff games because they could hardly get the puck on net, never mind score

 

[RangersFan]

It is a team effort, but the past two seasons and playoff exits had more to do with the D than the O. Overall during this 6 year run the O has let us down big time in the playoffs, but recently that has changed a little. We lost to Ottawa because of D not O. So we needed an upgrade there for sure. But we also need kids like Vesey and Buch to have solid 2nd seasons. So yes full team effort for sure.

 

[kreidertime]

Nonsense. It's not on Hank. He's 36 this season. Our center defense has sucked ass the past 2 years. Brassard and Stepan were pathetic.

 

[panzerporter]

Hank negotiated a very generous contract which the Rangers agreed to pay, I thought it was too much at the time but he was an elite goalie and he played at a level that took the Rangers to the Cup. I like their team going into this year but looking at things from a business perspective the Rangers have over 10% of their cap invested in one player whose stats are in the bottom 10% among goalies. If you watch any international hockey whether it's the Olympics or World Cup Hank's intensity and effort for the Swedish team is always 100%, not too much to ask for the same every night he puts on the Rangers jersey. I also have a problem with Hank making no attempt to improve his stick play over his career - inexcusable. I have thought the Rangers defense was lacking for over a decade but this year they have a solid top to bottom defensive unit. Hank has been hung out to dry by poor defensive players too many times and it has definitely had a negative effect on his numbers but that's why he's getting paid. Hank needs to rebound this year and get back among the top 10.

 

[kreidertime]

Again. Ridiculous. Get over his contract. Almost all long term contracts are bad towards the end. He owes you, every fan and the organization nothing. The only thing owed is an apology from bitching fans like you who didn't appreciate the years he bailed this sorry team out of trouble. His past teams owe him an apology for never scoring any fucking goals for him in the playoffs. Hank owes this team jack shit. He played well enough vs. Ottawa for the team to win. However, as usual the PP fucking sucked and the defensive play from retards like Stepan was atrocious. As were AV's decisions to not put Skjei out late in games. There wasn't a goalie in the playoffs that didn't have some bad games. Difference is the teams that advanced score on the PP and have forwards covering players late in games.

 

[panzerporter]

Coming from a pussy who bails on this team every year around Thanksgiving your opinion means nothing to me Dumbp, go do your minor league research and write a post as if you have a finger on the pulse of this organization loser. I know what I'm writing is beyond the grasp of an athletically challenged simp like yourself so read slowly and carefully I never said Hank owed me anything, he owes the Rangers his best effort. I wrote that this is the first year they've had a legitimate defensive unit in a long time dummy so Hank needs to bring his A game. If a simple statistically provable criticism of Hank makes the candles on your King shrine flicker then just block my posts.

 

[kool1]

its not on hank to win cup now at it his age. The org. messed up years ago only thinking offense instead of the specialty players, players who play physical with skill! Our defense, was the most overrated defense in the NHL because of hank!

 

[kreidertime]

Agreed. This blame Hank crap has been going on for years. If the dumbasses made an effort to add some right handed shots that were snipers over the years, they probably have a cup by now. They had chances to add Ryder many times over the years. They pass up right handed shots on offense time and time again in the draft. Not to mention in FA. Hank is the only reason this team has won playoff series. No, he didn't play great vs. Ottawa. However, if that dog Stepan actually covered his man and moron AV put Skjei out there in the last minutes, they most likely get to the conference finals.

 

[Ranger71]

I think he's going to have a very good year. Maybe not back to his peak level but top 5-7 isn't out of the question.