NICK FOTIU SAYS IT ALL

[Messiah717]

http://www.silive.com/rangers/index...es_on_rangers_game_7_effort.html#incart_river

 

[Ranger71]

Pretty much to a T(iu). I do think the crowd could be a little more energetic throughout the game, thats something places like Washington have over them.

 

[Messiah717]

Pretty much to a T(iu). I do think the crowd could be a little more energetic throughout the game, thats something places like Washington have over them.

Goals and solid play get the crowd going. Seven straight periods with nothing and frankly three straight home games with horrible play. I really can't blame the live crowd when they had nothing to cheer about.

 

[chuckd3534]

Totally agree. He said a lot of what I have said over the past two days.

We need a Hank of the skaters...as he said at the end Hank is the only one who got angry.

You need to give the crowd something. You need to come out and feed of that energy otherwise you play right into the road teams hands. They were flat and came out with nothing right from the start.

I said the exact same thing about Nash yesterday. Soft yes, but plays with no passion or fire and doesn't show any emotion and that is a huge issue. Doesn't have that attitude you need.

That's why I say again I now 100% know what the Rangers need to get over that hump. They must add that guy this summer. A firery gritty top 9 righty winger with some size. That is THE must have this summer if they want to get over the hump. Get rid of Hags or MSL and add that guy. Williams is perfect, but I don't think they can afford him. That's the need here. Not more D or a big crease clearer, the need is a firery gritty top 9 righty winger with some size...period.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

He said what Al, Ron, Steve, Sam, Joe, Kenny, and Dave are afraid to say on the air

 

[chuckd3534]

That's for sure. They all danced around it a little by saying you won't see many Ranger highlights, and there weren't even many close calls, and they didn't really test Bishop again like game 5, but they never come right out and say not enough effort or passion or want to. That's why I wasn't that upset after the game. If that's what they put out there in a game 7, especially after game 5 at home, am I really going to get all fired up...they didn't...LOL.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

I would have have much rather seen them go down in OT

 

[Messiah717]

I'd much rather of seen them pretend they had a game to play

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Lol it's funny the surprises u get in sports, nobody thought they were gonna play like that ... Once I saw Hunwick on the bench I knew there was something off about g7

 

[kreidertime]

Fotiu went off and I agree with most of it. He called Nash and Kreider pansies. Though, Kreider isn't. He stands in front all the time. However, he was pointing out to Kreider becoming invisible in many games. He's right. He also took a shot at AV and you could read thru the lines where he was saying the team needs a McIlrath out there. He mentioned nobody hitting any of the Lightning best players. He's right. The defense is freakin soft. The team needs more than a tweaking. They need to build a much tougher, meaner and more physical team. They need to do it by not trading every freakin draft pick.

 

[Messiah717]

Yup, I've said all year that Kreider takes far too many games off. He should be a 30 goal scorer if he commits himself.

 

[chuckd3534]

He didn't even mention the guys name but reading between the lines you could tell it was a knock on AV and a call for McIlrath...LOL. I would break it all down and start over. We need major moves. Oh dump...

I do think starting McIlrath here as the 7th dman might make some sense though. I think he would have to clear waivers and is owed a qualifying offer now, so let him stay up and see what he has. I wouldn't trust him enough to be the # 6 guy from day one, but I would keep him up and let him be a pro as the 7th dman. Doubt he can learn much more in the AHL at this point.

As for Kreider, he doesn't bring it every game. I'm not even sure he brings it mostly every game. That's the next step in his growth, to bring it consistently. Like we said yesterday Mess, it is criminal that he doesn't score 30 goals with his skills. I am hopeful he will get there as he continues to grow and mature.

 

[chuckd3534]

I will say one thing though, Sheppard should have been in there I think. Maybe Glass out. And you could argue MSL out, but that was never going to happen. I actually like Sheppard. I wish we could get rid of Glass and simply give Sheppard his deal. I think Shepp would fit in really well on the 4th line group with Lindberg/Moore/Fast.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

It's sucked he wasn't in... 4th liner but could have scored that first goal

 

[chuckd3534]

Crazy stuff...


First period, scoreless, and the Blueshirts not only went more than 9:30 without a shot from 10:03 to 19:37, but they had all of one attempt — a Ryan McDonagh try from 54 feet that missed the net, according to the official NHL sheet — while Tampa Bay amassed six shots on 11 tries.

Second period, still scoreless, and the Rangers were able to produce a total of two shots on a pair of power plays 4:05 apart — both from second-unit point-man McDonagh — on seven attempts.

Before deciding on a course moving forward, management and the coaching staff had better get to the crux of what was the matter on Friday, when the team laid a goose-egg one win away from the Stanley Cup finals.

 

[chuckd3534]

Rick Nash made an impact in two of the seven games in the conference final, which isn’t even close to good enough from the team’s best regular-season player.

Again. What does a team do when its leading goal-scorer three years running can’t be counted on to score goals at the most critical time of the year? Nash had the two best playoff games of his life in Games 4 and 6 of the conference finals, but came up empty in Game 7 — one shot, three attempts blocked — when a big game would have gone a long, long way to changing the narrative on his career.

 

[cagedlion]

So f'kn on point. No emotion. Players must make their own noise.
TOO SOFT. GS has some work to do....like every off
season.

 

[NYR2009]

Chuck, you contradict yourself. First you say you want MLS for 2M per year and then you say in Game 7 you would want MLS out. Why would you pay MLS one dollar if he is going to be out? I don't get it.

And in regards to lack of emotion, that's where coach has to come into play. Look at Joe Quenville. He constantly yelling at the bench. Not at the players in demeaning way, but with encouragement. I imaging when you come on the bench and listen to him you come out all fired up. Probably with AV they fall asleep while on the bench.

This is the same thing as in Vancouver. He left Vancouver, they had the worst farm out of entire NHL and no Cup. We will get there in 4 years when it will be time to fire him and Hank will be way past his window.

 

[Messiah717]

Rick Nash made an impact in two of the seven games in the conference final, which isn’t even close to good enough from the team’s best regular-season player.

Again. What does a team do when its leading goal-scorer three years running can’t be counted on to score goals at the most critical time of the year? Nash had the two best playoff games of his life in Games 4 and 6 of the conference finals, but came up empty in Game 7 — one shot, three attempts blocked — when a big game would have gone a long, long way to changing the narrative on his career.

That's why it was absurd for AV to stand up there and claim they played hard. Any player who said it should be laughed at as well. Ok, so perhaps you say they were just all protecting each other. Fine, I will buy that and understand nobody wants to toss people under the bus. That being said I agree with you Chuck. They have to look in the mirror and figure out what the hell happened and what they were doing out there Friday night. To not even attempt shots is criminal.

 

[chuckd3534]

Because having him here at 2 mill or less is way different than having him here at 5.6 mill. I also know he scored 20 goals this season, and while he was terrible in the playoffs at a very reduced cap number I would take a shot that maybe his career isn't over. Just know what he is though, a 3rd line winger who shouldn't be on the PP. At 1.7-2 mill I can live with that.

As for this game 7, he was awful all playoffs. It was clear he didn't have it. I think we would have been better off with the passion and drive of Sheppard. But I know there was no shot of that happening, so it is what it is.

 

[chuckd3534]

For sure Mess, and again it is why I was a little miffed about McD's comments after the game. It's like no one addressed the elephant in the room. After game 7 and the season ends maybe you don't need to publically and it gets addressed in private, I don't know, but I also think a vet leader with a firery personality would have called out the lack of anything publically after the game. What do I know though.

 

[NYR2009]

Who cares about the season. We need playoff performers. MLS hasn't won one board battle all playoffs. He kills energy of this team. I don't want him for free. He is done and won't be back. If MLS is back, I will not watch another game, because it will be season suicide if AV is the coaching MLS.

 

[NYR2009]

I'll take a guy who scores zero goals in the season but a plus player that clears the crease for lundqvist and knock few teeth out when needed.

 

[chuckd3534]

And he has always been a very good playoff performer. If he is back at a very reduced rate I wouldn't go crazy. Maybe he is done, and maybe he had a bad playoffs. Don't know, but I also don't want to 100% give up on him if he says I'll play for 1.7 mill next season. I rather have Hags, but if he gets crazy and wants too much money I could live with MSL as a 3rd line winger under 2 mill.

I don't think players in the crease or knocking someones teeth out was an issue...but I digress.

We should fire AV, fire Sather, get Phaneuf for McDonagh, and start over. That's the best bet...LOL.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

I don't doubt they played hard, they just couldn't get anything going... Don't forget that Hank did make 5-7 great saves in the 1st and 2nd so they were sucking defensively too. They tried to play the same game as Tampa and were the losers.. What they should have done was set screens and deflections, crash the net.... they didn't do that and also did not forcheck... Why? I think there's where you give stab credit. They tried to play a finese game and TB wouldn't allow it. don't forget that Garrison, Carle, Stralman, and Coburn have SCF experience.. hedman CF experience ... Chuck, I agree next year is their best year. I wouldn't be surprised if AV played the same lineup with MSL.., I'm on the fence with him. I want to believe he has one more postseason left in him but the lore I think about it, I think that playoff was last year.

 

[chuckd3534]

In a lot of ways it is strud. Like I mentioned, the very large majority of the team is signed. You resign the RFA's, which should be straight forward with Miller, Fast, and Stepan. You decide what your max is for Hags, I say 3 mill. And you make good use of the 5.6 mill off the books from MSL.

After next season though you lose the great advantage that is Yandle at 2.6 mill. You lose the great advantage that is Kreider at under 2.5 mill. And you need to give Hayes a raise as well.

You have Miller and Hayes with a full year and long playoff run under their belts. You have Kreider who you hope gets it even a little more next season at 24. And maybe you can roll in guys like Lindberg and McIlrath on the 4th line and as the 7th dman.

If you look at the contract situation I actually think we are in a good spot. We know the RFA's this summer as I mentioned. Next summer you lose Yandle as a UFA, but you only have Kreider and Hayes as RFA's. Everyone else locked up.

That's why I say it really needs to be the next two seasons. And I think next season is the best shot because you get such a huge bargin with Yandle at 2.6 and Kreider under 2.5. The season after you have to think keeping Yandle will be tough, and Kreider will go over 4 mill easy, if not more. So the next two seasons I think is the window, and truthfully speaking I think if this team is going to win a cup it will be 2016...I really believe that.

So many things are setup for next year to be the year if it is going to happen. That's why this summer is so huge. We need to be smart with Hags, and not go more than 3 mill +/-. And we need to get that top 9 firery gritty righty shot winger with some size to complete the team. And I would love to get rid of Glass and somehow keep Shepp for 1.4 or so to replace Glass.

I know people have mentioned the D, but I think it is fine. Yandle a full season. McD hopefully healthy. Staal and G solid as always. Klein back to full strength playing like he did prior to the injury. And in the 6 hole keep Boyle for one more year and let McIlrath stay up here as the 7th dman playing from time to time and learning to be a pro. OR you get rid of Boyle and sign a different vet for the 6 spot for less money and still let McIlrath be the 7th guy. I am fine either way.

 

[Ranger71]

I like Sheppard too and also wish he could swap out for Glass contract. As for Mcilrath maybe they can keep him by the gate and have him skate out whenever someone starts a fight then back off when play resumes. How come we aren't talking more about Skjei who's far more of a prospect and could compete for a spot this Sept? He could really make Boyle expendable.

 

[mrmel29]

um skjei is ld and boyle is rd and av does not deviate as to ld on left side and rd on right side so if you want to see ski up here yandle gets traded big mac is boyles replacement on the right side