Rangers 2, Senators 4.

Rangers lose their only must win game of the season and lose the series in six games. Even though it was a poor performance, I think corporate Carp will have a review later today.

I’m sure I’m not alone in being pretty disgusted with the team. I just don’t have the appetite to think about them today, so I’ll see you all soon.

366 thoughts on “Rangers 2, Senators 4.”

  4. I used to get so upset when my favorite team lost that it affected me for days. Not any more. There are more important things to get upset over.

    As soon as Ottawa scored that third goal I knew the game was over. You could feel it. For a team with all of that “valuable playoff experience” they couldn’t hold a lead and couldn’t come back to tie when behind. Playoff experience is over rated.

    So, it’s on to the golf course and let’s win there.

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  5. Shame to lose to an inferior team and some bad bounces occurred for sure but good teams overcome that….Maddening inconsistency of this team carried over into playoffs and burned them. We needed Kreider, Miller and Hayes to step up to make some noise but didn’t happen…Still a good young core though and hope this loss forces some needed decisions on several veterans specifically Stephan, Nash, Girardi and Staal… More team speed needed especially on back end

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  6. Who should stay, and who should go?
    On D, only McD and Skjei should be guaranteed to be back. One of Staal or Girardi needs to be bought out. Klein, and Holden? Eh. Smith probably priced himself out of here.
    Stepan and Zucc need to be moved for help on D. Kreider and Miller? If AV stays, they both go. If AV goes they stay. Neither one will ever be the player they can be if the coach never trusts them, and continues to treat them like rookies. Hayes stays. Z stays. Nash if the value is good, trade him, if not keep him till deadline. They have no one else like him. Vesey, and Buch stay. Oscar, or Fast go to Vegas.

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  9. Good morning, boneheads!
    Disappointing because they lost to Ottawa. I think even if they lost to Montreal it wouldn’t be that upsetting. At the end of the day, they couldn’t contain Karlsson.
    Funny how they played their worst game of the series facing elimination.
    A lot of blame will go around, the truth is this team wasn’t good enough to win it all anyway.
    Still, considering this was supposed to be a step back for them, I have to say:”Thanks for the exciting season, boys!”
    Now it’s time for Alex Ovechkin to win the Cup.

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  10. There’s really only one player that I would be upset with if he’s traded and that’s McDonagh. All the rest, it’s thanks for the memories. While there are certain players that I would trade over others there’s not really one that I would get all worked up over if they are traded.

    Still, you have to have a willing partner in order to trade guys. Sure, a lot of people here want Stepan to go because of his contract, but there has to be a GM out there willing to take on that contract. I probably wouldn’t give up on Kreider or Miller. Hayes? Like I said before, I’d leave him unprotected and if Vegas takes him then good riddance. Maybe he can develop into a really good player, but despite his “vast improvement” this season he’s still a mediocre player.

    If you’re cleaning house, yes I would see if Vegas wants a bonafide #1 goalie.

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  12. Gorton kept working during the playoffs signing players. He is on it 24/7 unlike Slats. He didn’t extend AV to can him 3 months later. I assume just like last year he will listen to offers for anyone but won’t make a panic move. There will be changes (Hayes, Miller, Kreider, Staal, Girardi?) AV’s staff may get shuffled in hopes of helping the special teams. I think there is a chance they may expose Stepan since I don’t think he would be picked and it would allow them to protect Lindbderg, Fast or Grabner. One of those three will be the player Vegas picks. A succession plan for Hank has to be part of the future as well. Fahter time gets everyone eventually. He was mediocre during the regular season and against Ottawa after being lights out against the Habs. If Raanta isn’t picked by Vegas give him 35 games next year and try to get the Russian kid to come over. Raanta will probably go elsewhere to try to be a No 1 when his contract ends. Got to look for someone to take over like Schneider did with Brodeur. Can’t wait for him to completely crash and have to go with an AHL goalie.
    It won’t be long before Islander fans start chanting “1994.” It’s been a long while. I was watching one of the Bruin playoff games and they mentioned that Charlie McAvoy grew up idolizing Brian Leetch and that he was born in 1997.

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  13. ORF,
    Do you believe that AV is the guy to get them over the jump? If the answer is no, well then his contract status should not stand in the way of finding the coach who can.

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  15. BDL- every coach will have issues. Until he wins it all. Coaches with SC on their resume have issues too. I’m not convinced it’s all AV’s fault. Nor I’m convinced they are firing him. His extended contract has very little to do with it as it doesn’t count against the cap. I think they extended him because Gorton has a plan over the next few years. And I think AV is a part of it. Could be wrong, we’ll see.

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  18. Don’t see Zucc moving especially if AV stays.. good cap hit and production and he is one of the few forwards on this team that has any balls and plays hard on a consistent basis

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  21. Easy to say ‘fire the coach’ when your team loses, particularly to an ‘inferior’ team on paper but that’s why the best regular season teams don’t win the Cup every year. You need some luck and unfortunately for Rangers fans, Ottawa had all of it. All the lack of effort/drive talk is valid but to me the key ‘edge’ this team had on paper – Lundqvist – looked pretty pedestrian on a lot of goals including last night.

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  22. Zucc,s production was fake this year. He was not good in the regular season at all. Went two months without scoring with a goalie in the net. His numbers are as fake as Stepans.

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  25. Charlie – Agree with your 8:04am post completely. I was hoping the Rangers playoff run would have taken me beyond the first anniversary of my wife’s passing (May 20), but the boys no-show in Game 6 put the kibosh on that. I will admit that I was pretty torqued off after the Game 5 loss – not because they lost, but because of the way they lost. Looking back, the series slipped through our fingers in Game 2. I have a feeling that if we win Game 2 we don’t collapse in Game 5.

    It is funny how we pooh-pooh (yes, I said pooh-pooh and that matches last night’s effort) the idea of momentum holding over from game-to-game. However, I think there was a carry over from Game 2 to Game 5. It wasn’t so much a physical thing as it was a “mental momentum”.

    There will be plenty of time to discuss potential trades, buyouts, the Expansion Draft, the NHL Draft (hopefully I will be doing my regular previews – as long as the Hockey News can figure out why they can’t get my issues to me), but now is probably a time to just take a step back. It’s not like this is our first rodeo.

    As for me, I want to thank everyone for all you guys and gals have done to help distract me during the past year. I didn’t (and don’t) always agree with youse guys (and gals) but you have helped me to cope during the past year as I try to return to some type of normalcy – and for that I will be eternally appreciative. If I could, I would buy everyone a round of hot digs at Walter’s. Since I can’t, please accept my sincerest and deepest thanks.

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  26. BDL- careful what you ask for. Tell me which coach would you like instead of AV at the moment.
    In terms of trading everyone- easy to say that, especially after they got eliminated. But that requires careful evaluation of their assets and knowledge of salary cap implications. In other words, that’s what Gorton is being paid for. Last summer was a good one for him, I’m anxious to see how creative he is this summer

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  31. As Coos pointed out, until you win it, all coaches suck. Please go back to 2007. What were people saying about Tom C? (And Eli for that matter) The NYR have no superstars on their team, or anyone close to one. HL may have been one in goal in days past, he no longer is. They have a handful of very good players (HL, McD, Nash, Zuch) but two are on the bad side of the clock, one is probably never going to be better than he is now. They also have a few promising young guys (Skjei, Zib, Miller, Lindberg, Kreider) but of that group, will any be more than 2nd line material? Perhaps Skjei.

    GM has a difficult job as does the coach. Teams can and do with without a superstar, but it requires a certain player mindset and its often one and done (we would all take that I think). Time to get rid of the old and add some more new. Lets be the youngest team in the league, even if it means missing the playoffs a year or even two.

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  32. There will be changes, the D needs a refresh – will Girardi get bought out – i think he gets traded and half salary retained as it buys someone a big cap hit for not so much actual $$.
    Does Gorton try and move one or all of Klein, Staal and Holden, try to re-sign Smith? Will he be in on Shatty?

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  33. I can just imagine Vigneault giving Skjel on ice instructions at ‘practice’ (if they every have practices.) – “Kiddo, when a big wing with the puck comes bearing down on you, you have to be prepared, okay? Follow me? I want you to try it”

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  34. Step – trade for D
    Nash – Keep until deadline, if team playing well, end of season (and contract)
    VC – keeper
    Zika – keeper
    Zucc – keeper but on 3rd line; need those pts. in reg season, good contract
    Kreider – keeper but keep away from Zucc 😉
    Miller – keeper – my guess is playing hurt (at least I hope)
    Haze – keep; can’t get rid of every center, but question whether he is a pivot at all.
    Butch – keeper
    Oscar – keeper
    Grabner – keeper
    Fast – expose, if not exposed, Gorton should be fired immediately
    Glass – expose
    .
    McD – keep
    Shea – keeper
    Klein – expose
    Holden – expose
    Girardi – trade/LITR
    Staal – trade/LITR
    Smith – see what market bears; if reasonable – sign/keep
    .
    Henk – expose
    Rantaa – keep
    .
    AV – expose
    Arniel – cut
    Buek – whatever
    .
    LGR!

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  38. If we had played like rabid dogs and lost, I’d be fine with it. When we play shuffleboard and tiddlywinks and lose, that’s another story. We had our moments, but the good moments were crazy dog moments and AV called them off before they caught the fox.

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  39. plenty of coaches, strawman argument of ‘name one’ doesn’t make sense. For instance…look at Ottawa, not exactly the first choice to be their coach.

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  41. ILB – You point is on the mark about who would replace AV. Is bringing in a retread like a Marc Crawford the answer? Would the Rangers think outside the box and go after a collegiate coach like Jim Montgomery of the U of Denver or David Quinn of B.U.? It doesn’t make sense to fire a coach if you have no alternatives.

    I just did some quick research in terms of our special teams. People have been crabbing about how we need to fire this coach and bring in that type of player. On November 18, the Rangers were probably at their high point of the season with a 13-4-0 record when they visited Columbus. The PP was 4th in the NHL (24.1%) and the Pk was 8th in the NHL (85.1%). What the heck happened? Did the players forget how to play or did the coaches forget how to coach or was it a combination?

    .

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  44. BDL- my point is a coach, and more importantly, his system has to fit the personnel they have. It’s unreasonable to think they will turn over half of the team and change the system. They are built for certain style of play.

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  45. Alex, I’m afraid they will go hard after Shattenkirk. Agree, it’s a mistake. I hope I’m underestimating Gorton on this. Good news, they may not have enough cap space anyway.

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  47. What if that style of play doesn’t equate to anything but a whole lotta regular season points? Pittsburgh being the exception because they have more skill on their team than the Rangers have had in 5 years.

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  48. Shattenkirk is a 3rd pair d and pp specialist. That translates to an albatross contract for many years to come, or at least the next lockout where we’d be able to escape.

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  50. ilb – I hear what you are saying, but one could make the argument that they do NOT have the personnel to play a speed game. Maybe the wrong coach/system?
    Step, Haze and Lindberg are not ‘speedy players’.
    The entire D save for Shea and maybe McD is not built for speed.
    .
    AV’s system is to get out of the gate fast to build a big enough cushion in standings to withstand eventual mediocrity when teams get serious and the ice gets tighter post ASG. We have seen play out again and again.
    .
    The AV system is not build for the POs.

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  52. Ilb,
    If a coach is not getting it done, he has to go. Losing players on the bench, and having Tanner Glass on the ice in the last minute of a one goal game is not getting it done.

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  55. Shattenkirks will bother you soon enough. By next year at this time. Buyers remorse. Add that to buyout for Girardi or Staal.

    Maybe we can limit him to “only” 6 years and 7 /per.

    You’d be counting the days until the next lockout.

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  57. The problem with exposing Hank is that he would have to agree to it and I doubt he would do it (not sure how it would effect his overall NTC) and I don’t think the Rangers would ask him to do it.

    Trading Stepan is not going to be easy given his playoff performance. There is no way you get full value for him which is fine if you accept that going in. Most people mention the Wild given their d-men depth, but why would they give up a Dumba or Brodin (names we have all kicked around) for a player who would be their third line center behind Staal and Koivu?

    The Rangers might have to look towards another Brass/Ziba type deal with Stepan with the Rangers taking on the older player, be it a center/forward or d-man. Depending on the player and contract it might not be bad because the rangers could always trade that player if next season goes pear shaped.

    If the Rangers do deal Stepan for help on defense, they are going to need to bring in a center.

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  62. ilb – agree; just think they are hamstrung on the back line and thus options are limited. The challenge is always in the middle and continues to be so.
    .
    Gorton has his work cut out for him. Good thing he can rely on Slats for sage counsel….

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  63. Who in holy hell would want Stepan at his outlandish salary? The dope threw himself wildly into the boards at one point last night, not to avoid being hit, but rather to avoid legally hitting the opponent. He’s a real sweetheart.

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  65. BDL, you’re wrong. It’s Stepan by a country mile. He’s slow getting slower and can be moved now before his NTC kicks in. Because he’s a young center he will net you a higher return, while also saving you more in cap space.

    OK, that’s it, I’m out of here until at least tomorrow. This team makes me sick.

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  66. Great discussions boys love to join in but must head out to work, my cab calls! Talk to you all later Go Rangers never give up on this cotton candy team. Next season will be here sooner then we think. Gorton has a plan.

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  76. 15 and 44 for one guy who “produced”(Zucc). 17 and 38 for a guy who didn’t (Stepan). Both sets of numbers are fake. Neither guy played to those numbers. Both were mediocre at best in the regular season.

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  78. If the Rangers trade Zucc there will be a portion of Rangers nation that will be in open revolt. Stepan’s name is brought up because of the NTC and eventual partial NTC.

    I was kicking around a potential UFA replacement for Stepan if he is dealt for a defenseman. What about Jumbo Joe Thornton – only if it is a one-year deal at a team-friendly/cap-friendly contract? He is not going to be ready to start the season so his contract should not go anywhere near the $6.75 million he made last year. I am thinking $4 million tops. If he balks, then the Rangers walk.

    It is a HUGE gamble, but he gives a center who wins 53% of his faceoffs and might be the playmaking center to get something out of Rick Nash in his last year as a Ranger. They have had much success in international play. Thornton could help the PP. He didn’t have a great season, but he had 19 PP points – which would have ranked first on the Rangers.

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  79. No to Ayatollah Thornton. That’s what they would have done around the year 2002. They need a consistent scorer up front and he is definitely not a scorer. The Rangers have a few guys that can score, but it’s they’re not consistent. It’s score 4 goals in a week then don’t score for 15 games.

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  81. Anthony – keep in mind that Richards was acquired to get Gaborik going. Then Nash was acquired to get Richards and Gaborik going. It rarely works out to get an old vet to get another player going.

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  82. cannot go UFA; Brass type deal or promote from within. Over paying for end of career pivots is a fools errand. Wilburrr!!!!!!
    .
    Defense is where it starts and ends. If they do not upgrade there, everything else is just window dressing.

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  83. Someone put me out of misery. Outside of mcdonagh and skeji all these losers could go. This team makes me sick. This core will never ever ever win 16 games. This coach is a clown too. Please someone tell Stepan to not say your proud of this group. Figure out how to freaking skate you loser.

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  86. BDL, I still think Stepan is the better player for the Wild. Their centers are old. Koivu and Staal are old and Koivu has a bad injury history. Plus, as this deadline showed (huge overpayment for Hanzal), center is a position they are looking to upgrade. Plus, because it’s Minnesota, there’s added value of bringing one of their own home.

    Someone mentioned signing Thornton. Not a chance. But, if I were AV, I would find all of the tape I could of him and Clockwork Orange Kevin Hayes with the film until next season starts.

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  87. Before trading Zucc I’d like to make sure Buchnevich can replace his playmaking ability. Points aside, he was still their most creative forward during playoffs. Stepan will bring more, considering his position and age. May require eating up some salary, if need to.
    I’m not sure they can do much on defense in terms of Girardi/Staal contracts. Buying them out looks atrocious, especially considering the added AAV of a player who replace them. I think they are both staying

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  88. I am a Stepan fan, and to me there is no doubt it is time to move on from him. I am not a big Zucc fan, very overrated to me. I also have no doubt that it is time to move on from him as well.

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  89. I can’t imagine any other sport where you keep an expensive guy, growing older, who cannot produce or function well and send him out in a uniform to start night after night after night.

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  90. SN, quality is not expected to be great. A lot of 2nd and 3rd line players or high risk/reward guys. I haven’t dug into it too deeply this year compared to past years, but my initial impression is that the values will be on defense, and to a lesser extent on the wing. A lot of solid 2nd pairing guys are going to fall because there is such a premium across the league on centers right now. There would be more value in wings but this year’s crop is disappointing. After Tippett, Klostin, and Tolvanen, just a lot of question marks.

    As for the defense, guys like Liljegren, Makar, Hague, and Foote aren’t likely to be 1st pairing guys (Liljegren might), but they’re going to be good middle defensemen that you can cheaply control for 7 years. That’s how you get value out of the middle of the first round of this draft.

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  92. One of the reasons they need to replace Stepan is his inability to win faceoffs. That really hurt their PP. If you’re a center playing on PP and can’t win a faceoff, your team just lost 20-25 sec, and needs to reset

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  94. Its too early to say what will happen, but nothing wrong with speculating what we’d all do.
    The problem comes with trying to see what the return will be on some of these players. I think buyouts are not an option given the lack of capspace increase this year, maybe exploring a trade where we retain 25%-50% of salaries of Girardi & Staal might help them move, it also shortens the impact rather than having that deadspace for 6-8 years. I’m sure Klein and Holden could be moved for younger more suitable assets or picks. Smith i’m not sure on, i liked his snarl at times, but others he was just as guilty of watching the opposition glide into the crease unchecked.

    The changes need to be on D, but to achieve them we may see a forward or two make way.

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  98. Doodie- $2.6M, $3.6M, $3.6M cost of Girardi buyout first 3 years. What can you add so it’s worth it? Especially year 2 and 3. $1.9M buys you what? Not to mention, it’ll still cost them $1.1M for 3 years after.

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  103. Doodie – I knew you would have the insight. Fact is this franchise needs a top 5 pick and has some assets to trade to one of the perennial door mats to entice them.

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  104. Cooscoos

    Shattenkirk will definitely be paid like a star. He’s not though, far from it.

    Marc Staal has had a couple of concussions since he signed the deal. Hard to predict.

    Eric Staal was injured (shoulder) while here. That’s not on the coach.

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  105. ilb, year 1 is a problem. Years 2 and 3 are cushioned by Nash coming off the books. I think you can get equal value to what his production has become and will be by that time, as well as an improvement on Girardi, for the total cost of Girardi and Nash’s current contracts. Maybe he’s a better candidate for buyout next year when it drops slightly and the duration is cut by a year.

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  107. BDL – true now but he was the 2nd or 3rd best Dman on a team needing decent D and he was injured all season.
    Holden was the alternative who worked out in AV’s Legends of the Fall program but was exposed when the going got tough.

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  108. And you aren’t getting 1 or 2, not just because the teams that hold them are less likely to trade them away, but also because they’re both in our division, so even if they were inclined to trade and we were inclined to trade for them, the trade wouldn’t happen. Think of Edmonton not being able to trade for Schneider from Vancouver despite offering a much larger package than the Devils did.

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  109. SN

    we have nothing to interest a team near the top of the draft.

    ILB

    if we can get Staal or Girardi to waive no movement and we eat say $ 2 million then i think we can move one. Better than a buyout.

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  114. No way are we moving into the top of this draft with what we have and the holes we need to fill.
    I also think we’ll be in heavy on Shatty, but only if we can move one of the albatrosses or buy one out

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  115. Help me here… how can the roster that has all this playoff experience wasn’t expected to make the playoffs? How exactly did they overachieve? And now that they are out in the second round, having all that playoff experience and getting beaten by a team with almost no playoff experience, did they actually underachieve?

    I’m lost.

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  120. Fair question CCCP. I think the answer is they both overachieved, and underachieved. The regular season was supposed to be a downer this year. Possibly not making the playoffs. They overachieved in the regular season. The playoffs, based on the matchups, they underachieved. The ECF should have been a gimme.

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  121. I agree with ILB. The boys gave us a good season. We still beat the Habs…the team I have hated with all my heart since the late 70s. Thank you, jesus and thank you NYR for that. That said, this team has solid young core. Mika was derailed by injury and only recently seemed to look the same. How on earth do we keep Lindberg, Fast and Grabner!! How great were these there in the playoffs? Grabner skates like a kid in his early 20s. He’s so damn explosive. Doug Brown of the devils used to be super fast. Grabner is on a whole other level. People giving up on Kreider is just ridiculous. Every fan of every other team covets him. SHESTERKING signed on for a 3 year contract I think with SKA. Not sure if he can come here any sooner than 2020!??? He was 31-4 and dominant throughout. I said this many times over last two years. AV makes the team come out of the gate like its the playoffs. Hank should have been given a much lesser workload. I dont care how much Hank wants to play. He is still an upper echelon goalie making extraordinary saves that only few goalies can make. His positioning and strong mental makeup should be at least another two very good years. WE have to hope Ryan Graves come finally come in. Was hoping he would have been here at the middle of season. We needed desperately to get help like that to go deep. We also needed Vesey and Buch to BOTH make impacts. They did to an extent, but we needed Buch more than anything else to be bigger impact offensively. It was a big ‘if’ and both Vesey and Buch had good seasons. Both with upside! Vesey is like the Dubinsky and Rob Brindamour types. Guys that will have long NHL careers and be the types of guys you love having on your team. This team has been so much fun for 7 years. My only worry is suffering lean years. NYR playoff hockey is the best sporting event for me bar none. I have no interest in any other sport or team. I love the people who follow this team here, and that makes the NYR experience so much fun. Having Carp in our corner has been amazing….i love watching games with his twitter feed open. Hope we have him full time next year. IN MY MIND, he is the best hockey writer…no one is even close. I say that from a biased and unbiased viewpoint. He is a NY and hockey legend. When we lost RR it really was a blow to our community. I’m glad RR2 was here to sustain that. Thank you for keeping our community with a place to stay alive.

    These playoff losses are tough, but its harder not having any hockey until Sept. Very grateful that modern seasons are soooo long!! LGR!!! I love following this team…i got my cup in ’94…do i want more ? Of course, but i was in my 20s that year and fully experienced it. Don’t think a cup win at this age would feel the same. So happy that I got that one, and got to share it with my grandfather who started us all on hockey in the mid 70s.

    Thanks so much, Carpster!!! The respect and comraderie you built will be with all of us until we leave this earth and go to the skybox in the clouds! Lol

    You are all the best!

    Kindly regarding,
    Duckbill

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  124. Doodie

    It would be closer to a wash as the new contract would be for maybe 2 years and half the current contract cost. the buyout is paid over twice the remaining years and players like their money asap.

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  127. Well we could move up a lot in draft by trading Skjei or Zib but that would be beyond dumb.

    UK

    Shattenkirk would be another albatross

    Doodie

    Before the season I thought we’d miss the playoffs.

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  128. Alex, I disagree. Girardi being bought out would cost him only 3.33MM in salary. He easily makes that in a new contract, if not more. Two years for 2 million, for example. Plus he still has chance for lower cost 1 year deal after that. Staal would get even more and has more time left in his career to get it.

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  131. Alex, i agree that in a couple of years Shatty will be Albatross 3.0 but that won’t prevent them going all in on him. He’s the shiny new toy that the Rangers front office can’t resist

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  134. The only player that shouldn’t be traded wears #21. He could wear the “C” and both “A”s. A true leader. Who walks the walk and talks the talk. The room needs his brilliant quotes such as “we need to be physical and not lose sight of our speed game”

    That – exactly. A man who leads by example.

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  135. We’ve actually shown a lot of restraint over past 8 years or so on 7/1. It’s the trade deadline that usually kills us. Gaborik, Richards, and Boyle only UFA guys since 2008 we’ve signed with cap hits greater than 2 MM. Most of our other UFA signings in that time have been mostly harmless.

    Whether that’s by choice or by design of our cap is debatable, but the end result is the same.

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  137. https://www.capfriendly.com/buyout_calculator/marc-staal

    Doodie. He’d be giving up a lot of money in next couple of years and the replacement contract won’t cover that shortfall. i also think there’s a stigma and ego issue regarding a buyout.

    With Staals concussions and eye issue I don’t see him playing past 2-3 years tops.
    Same with Girardi due to his age (33) and wear and tear.

    The league is getting younger and cheaper.

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  138. Duckbill – great post. Agree on VC but think of him as a speed guy that can create his own shot that may have been held back by E3’s favorite pivot.
    The soph campaigns of VC, Butch and Shea are critical. Need to get JT and Kreider away from Zucc.
    Always thought Nash – Step – Zucc would be a good line as 2 don’t shoot and 1 doesn’t pass.

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  139. Ok guys I’m just going to put everything into one long post so sorry in advance and hope you’ll bear with me and read through it. The fact of the matter is that this team has more guys on it not worth their contracts than they do guys who are worth their contracts. We have one more year of Nash who if mostly healthy can produce respectable “real” numbers. I don’t believe he’s been healthy. The others are all going to be another year older and most likely that much worse come next year. Maybe the Rangers “cap guru” is the one that needs to lose his job?

    On Stepan: He’s part of the two biggest issues this team has stats wise- he can’t win faceoffs and he is a detriment to the power play. This team is long overdue for a legitimate number one center. Hayes obviously is what he is and had a good year for a 3c. Zibanejad didn’t have enough of a work sample for the regular season. Step’s contract= looming albatross

    On Shattenkirk: We’ve been giving large contracts to guys that are supposedly going to make a difference on defense and on the PP since Leetch was traded to Toronto for pete’s sake. It always proves to be a mistake. I don’t care about the “system” and the puck moving aspect. The Rangers elimination can be boiled down to A) Blown leads late in the third with questionable defensive decisions around their own net and B) An ineffectual PP- which by the way I feel like is the case every post season. You find me a defenseman that they can acquire that fixes both those things and I will say that player is worth a contract like Shattenkirk is going to get from some team.

    On the game last night: That is the third time I’ve watched them get eliminated in the last 3 years without putting up the kind of effort this team is supposedly so capable of. This reputation crap about playoff experience and elimination games is old news. The Rangers are like a bad, overpriced restaurant that stays popular by living off a reputation for having great food back in the early 90s. Over the last 3 years the faced elimination here’s what’s happened: They were shut out at home against Tampa, they imploded and got embarrassed in Pittsburgh, and now at home, they failed to match the effort of a team that they outplayed for 80% of the series up until last night. I no longer want to hear about how resilient this team has been in the post season. The players, the mental make up and the approach and capability are long gone.

    Liked by 6 people

  141. Doodie spot on with you 12:14pm. The deadline is usually where the damage has been done although they’ve stuck to mostly rentals in the last couple of years aside from Yandle. The extensions to Girardi and Staal and the decision to give Stepan on the 6×6 are the biggest detriments to this team and stand to be for a while unless they figure something out.

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  147. I’m also going to admit something. After being in total support of keeping patient with him since 2013, I’m officially on board with not committing to Kreider long term. The way he played in the third last night actually makes me angrier than if he was pedestrian again. Talk about too little too late. Where the hell were his effort his desperation his attributes through the other 35 + periods of hockey? WHERE?

    Liked by 2 people

  151. Agree with Carp, Doodie. You’ve had a full plate all year and given us a platform to keep doing what we do.

    And Carp, you fumbled nothing. You weathered a storm and landed on your feet and we’re all thankful that you’re still with us and on the job again. So thanks to you too.

    Liked by 4 people

  152. Ah. Vibin’…Doodie it was a lot of fun to pitch in. By the time next season rolls around I won’t be in school anymore and look forward to helping pick up the slack much more than I was able to this year.

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  162. Doodie

    There’s the time value of money aspect so more upfront in the contract. Also a possibility Staal or Girardi would not pass a physical for a new deal.

    On your side of things there’s the escrow effect where i don’t think the buyout has escrow and salary certainly does (10-15 %).

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  164. I think McD hurt his noodle in game 5 vs Habs when he was sandwiched between Ott and Radulov (?).

    JT definitely has an injury.

    It will be interesting if Stepan does win Conn Smyth. Has any player who’s team exited in the second round ever won MVP of the playoffs? Could be looking at history here….

    Liked by 1 person

  165. Alex, both would most definitely pass a physical. If there was any chance they would fail, the Rangers would use it as an excuse to put them on LTIR and eliminate their cap charge that way. And you are underestimating their value across the league.

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  166. BobbyO – I think you could have picked three better players to compare Zucc to in your 11:20am ppos. Eichel missed 21 games this season and was just two points behind Zucc who missed two games – and on a worse team.

    Giroux had his worst non-lockout scoring season (58 pts) since 2009/10, but won 55.9% of his faceoffs this year.

    Toews missed 10 games and was one point behind Zucc while winning just 54.9% of his faceoffs after winning over 56% of his faceoffs the last seven years – and don’t forget to factor in that Toews can actually find his own defensive zone without a map.

    Nobody is saying they should trade Zucc, but I just don’t get why he can’t be held to the same standard as the rest of the team.

    There are no untouchable players. I would listen to any and all offers for everyone on the roster. Granted, it would take a huge haul to get Ryan McDonagh, but a year ago would you have believed P.K. Subban and Shea WWeber would be swapped for each other?

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  167. Buy out or not, the Rangers need to find a way to get out from either Staal or Girardi. I don’t say that with hate in my heart. They have both given everything that they have to us. True Rangers. But it is time.

    Liked by 1 person

  168. BDL, I just don’t see it for next season aside from maybe a buyout for Girardi. Going into the season, it seemed likely so that they could protect Klein or Holden from expansion, but now I think they would gladly give Klein away and wouldn’t be crushed by losing Holden, especially in comparison with the forward they are likely to lose.

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  170. BDL

    they wouldn’t be getting out from either Staal or Girardi. On ice yes one would be gone. But a substantial cost is going to remain for twice the remaining years. Better option via trade even if we have to eat some money or throw in sweeteners.

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  171. Girardi is making 4, 3, 3 in last 3 years versus 5.5 cap hit. To a team not near the cap he has some value with a mild inducement of eating some cash or giving up a pick.

    Love Henrik and his career here. The contract going forward not so much.

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  172. Anthony, right on. Clearly there’s something deep in the core of this team that isn’t up to snuff. And thus no one is untouchable. Ryan Mcdonagh is probably last on the list of those I’d entertaining trading never the less.
    His cap hit, his age and his leadership skills are some of the only positives on this team’s list of long term promise.

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  174. doodie, C3, are you guys saying that last summer, after the trash fire of that season and playoffs, you were thinking that with the same lineup they would have over 100 points in the best division in the league and win two playoff rounds (they should have)? Seriously.

    Or is it selective/convenient memory?

    Or angry day-after fan-boy talk?

    Liked by 1 person

  176. 100 points, probably not, but I still expected them to finish 3rd in the division, which is why I envisioned a first round playoff exit to either Pittsburgh or Washington. So winning a round was a byproduct of Columbus finishing third in our place. I wouldn’t say they over or under achieved. They finished about what I thought they would, just not how I thought they would get there.

    Liked by 1 person

  178. So if Gorton was thinking of blowing it up last year but didn’t, is the presumption that it happens this offseason. To say the core is stale is an insult to cores.
    .
    Henk, Girardi, Step, Nash and Staal own the five largest Cap hits and would move/trade every one of them and keep the rest with a returns at D, esp RD, and Center.

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  186. I would call Calgary right now and have them pick anyone off our roster for Tkychuk…(sp)
    I am sick of #21
    Disgusted 62 y/o NYR fan here ,,I wish Frank Rizzo was their coach so he could rip into em during that disgrace of a start last night.

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  190. The pig-man! I saw a pig-man! He was just lying there and then he
    woke up. He looked up at me and made this horrible sound

    What the hell are you talking about?

    I’m talking about the pigman, . I went into the wrong room and there he was.

    A pigman?

    Yes, a pigman. Half pig, half man.

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  191. Yeah, I was late to the party. (wasnt invited, 🙂 But thanks for creating this place Doodie. Hope everyone has a peaceful/relaxing spring/summer.

    Step, Staal you guys will always be two of my favorite rangers. G, your right up there with Messier/Graves in my book, heart and soul/tough as nails and good. REAL GOOD, for a real long time.

    Thanks for all the moments.

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  194. I certainly believed they’d make the postseason. Don’t really care how they get in. 1st in Metro or 5th… but having practically the same core with all that postseason experience, plus Zika, who we all thought / think was / is better than Brass… plus, writing last year’s performance off on guys just being tired from all those games they played (maybe they were still tired this year too? [S]), plus motivated Lundqvist… I thought they could have a good run… but I guess we won our cup by beating the Habs…

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  195. Can I make a point that relates to the Dman convo and ties into the coaching questions? It’s one thing if Girardi or Staal are going to be here for the foreseeable future, It’s a whole other thing if just because they’re here they on the first and second D pairings playing 18 minutes a night playing on the top PK units and out there trying to protect a 1 goal lead late in the third period of critical games. The way these guys and others get deployed is almost a bigger issue then being stuck with them. When the coach is going to use his veterans no matter what, the choices for a GM in Gorton’s current position are A) get another coach or B) get some better veterans.
    Depending on future of other players and the cap hits involved, I don’t care if we are stuck with Girardi on a third pairing. but If Girardi is on the right side of McD in next years home opener there’s clearly a big problem.

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  197. Making the playoffs doesn’t mean the same thing anymore as it used to. If they finished 3rd like Doodie was saying they never would have made it past the first round. They finish fourth and play through the Atlantic and they beat Montreal and win 2 against the Sens while the guys that got them there were mostly no shows. They won 6 games because their secondary guys stepped up and Lundqvist played like the goalie of old. So I don’t know if you call it overachieving or what but with the way Stepan, Hayes, Kreider, Miller produced they’re lucky to have gotten as far as they did. If they had finished 3rd they would have had the same fate as Columbus

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  198. First, and most important contract for the next season is Tanner Glass’… no doubt he must be signed long term!

    and how AV-esque was the elimination game? With Tanner playing regular minutes…

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  199. And no offense to anyone but next season I really don’t want to hear about how they need to get bigger nastier and more physical. They proved they can play that way while having skill in round 1. Montreal went with the tough guy strategy and look how their season turned out.

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  200. JPP – Torts had more key guys in their prime like Henrik, Girardi, Staal. Plus guys no longer here also in their prime back then like Callahan.

    He hasn’t done much since he left here.

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  202. C3, here’s the thing. Skeji on the bench while Staal is on his knees in the crease while the Sens are tying the game? That’s a problem. Glass playing regular minutes while he’s producing 10x more than guys like Stepan, Miller and Hayes? That’s on the “top players” and not the coach.

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  203. I don’t think anyone is saying Zucc is mediocre (at least I wasn’t), but your comparing his best season with three guys who had their worst season. LINK is what he is – a 60-point scorer who is like the girl with the curl. When he is playing great, he is a world-beater. When he is not playing great, you tend to forget he is on the ice.

    Sadly, that can be said about pretty much every Ranger.

    Just got to read Carp’s review, which is far better than the team deserved. Then again, Carp’s job is definitely no HAV 🙂 However, last night’s first goal was a result of something I mentioned a day or two ago as the Rangers had all five skaters below the hashmarks and in between the circles when the sens player had the puck behind the net. Pass gets out to the point and it is a Keystone Kops drill with five Rangers out of position for a Hoffman deflection.

    If I could change one thing about the Rangers style (though there are a couple I’d like to change) it would be more attention the points than trying to block the box. I know most teams do that, but the Rangers forwards just don’t seem to be able to recover in time to pressure, never mind cut off the points.

    One other think that irks me is when the Rangers lose faceoffs if an opponent puts a body on them it as if they stop skating rather than power through the contact. To me that just compounds the loss of the faceoff.

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  206. I don’t buy it, C3. Yes, anyone can beat anyone. But let’s face it- just like in 2012, the Rangers had a chance to get through teams they matched up pretty well with, had a better goalie than and could have gotten passed without being as badly worn down physically as they have been in the past.

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  207. Tanner Glass and Jesper Fast are AVs reflex reaction when thing go bad. Fast to the third line, and Glass in the lineup. It is always to the harm of the team.

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  215. Don’t forget Staalled out on the ice. IMHO his use by AV was the downfall of this team. NYR was not good enough to overcome his play. Just putrid.

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  220. And obviously it goes beyond Nash, But you’re right Doodie. Team is at a point where most their top players aren’t worth what they’re making. And with a lot of term left in certain deals too.

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  224. Next year this coach can’t have a mentality that leads to Vesey on the 4th line and Buchnevich in street clothes with 4th liners playing top 9 minutes…Both are major pieces of the future.

    Liked by 1 person

  226. Zucc was tagged earlier as mediocre so that was what I was referring to…in addition you could say when any player is playing great you tend to forget he is on the ice.

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  227. Pre-season I for one saw a team that would win plenty and win more than one playoff series. I mean look at the realities: Hank in net, Auntie ready. A bunch of talented youths who should finally come into their own with gusto (THE, JT, Hayes. McDonuts maturing, Nash healthy, Klein (a proven inexpensive quantity) healthy, Zibby a younger, energetic, equally talented Brass, Buch, Skjei improving, Staal with a rebound year, Danny G healthy and cunning. What’s the shock with anticipating 100 points?

    Liked by 1 person

  234. I called Zucc season mediocre, and his STATS fake. If I tried to tell you that Stepan had a good season because he scored 50 puts again, you would all call BS, and you would be right. Well that how I feel about Zucc season, calling it a good season would be BS.

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  235. just saying, people seem to be grossly over-reading a lot about this item in my review.:

    Last summer, when the Rangers were pretty much cap-maxed out and losing Keith Yandle without adding any high-profile NHL free agents – they did win the Jimmy Vesey sweepstakes, which looks like an even bigger win now – I thought this season would be a step backward. Rangers GM Jeff Gorton admitted later that he thought about going with a more nuclear roster shakeup, but decided against it. I think part of the thought process was that they’d still be competitive this season, while they played a lot of young players (three rookies), but that they’d also be able to reload and get back into the fray next season. I thought they’d make the playoffs, still be one of the better teams in the East, maybe win a round or two, depending on the draw. I think, in hindsight, they overachieved to some degree.

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  236. One last thought on the Buchnevich, Glass thing. If AV felt that Buchnevich was not going to help in the playoffs, he should have relayed those thoughts to Gorton. This way, maybe Gorton could have gone out and gotten a top 9 forward for the playoff run.

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  237. Agree with BDL’s 1:43 One of the reasons I favor trading Zuc is I think you are selling high. There is no realistic expectation of significant improvment from him and quite a few already question the quality of his record point haul. Being a GM means knowing when to move, even if fan favorite. I forget who said it but better to sell a year early than a year late.

    Overall, not only do I want a younger team, I want one that is rid of the current stench brought by some of those older/”experienced” players. And that is not a diss on G, who is a warrior but one who just can’t do it anymore. The team needs a change in attitude and I really don’t think it is good for the younger players to continue to be exposed to what has been going on the past two years.

    Also, like others, a big thank you to the guys who have kept this blog going. And is there a line in Vegas yet on when Norm comes back?

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  240. I’m just going to toot my own horn for a second and point out that Grabner was my #1 free agent target. And that I also said we needed a right handed shooter in the top 6 and on the PP, which came in the form of Zibanejad.

    I also said we needed a top 4 defender/PP QB… that one went unaddressed.

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  242. Let’s agree they made the POs as they had the prior year; gang buster start followed by mediocrity in the 2nd half, ultimately leading to PO del zaster. Luckily the Metro was strong enough to push them over to the lower bracket to beat the toothless Habs.
    .
    AV cannot adjust in 2nd half when things change and relies on his vets too much. We have seen that back to back years. Ready for round 3 next year??

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  243. BobbyO -agree; there is talent. help needed on back end and down the middle but talent is there. year 2 of Butch, VC and Shea; continued progress of younger vets (please!) and sh!tcanning the dead wood vets.

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  244. Don’t know how the heck they don’t keep Grabner on the second year of that deal. All the more reason to dump the dead wood prior to expansion draft.

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  247. 3Cp – re: pyatt was responding to Doodie’s comment about signing expensive vets who don’t work out (Pyatt), not to be confused with signing vets and assigning them to Hartford who don’t work out (Paille) or not signing your own vets who end up playing well and beating you in Playoffs (BBoyle) which also does not work out.

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  249. BDL, I’d say Carp’s review is pretty clear on that point, that the Rangers should have won this series.

    Had they not choked away games 2 and 5, I would have been on the money with Rangers in 5. The series went largely how I thought it would, less the chokes at 6 on 5.

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  250. If they win the series as they should have and lose in say 6 to Craps or Piss, is it a great year? I mean, they made the ECF, so that is good, right?
    Are expectations too high or not high enough?

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  251. SN, it’s not like one can snap their fingers and make a championship team. This team was never going to win a championship this season unless the teams around them all crumbled under their own weight of injuries or incompetence. If they made it to the ECF, that would have portended good things for the future of this team because it would have required significant contributions from players who will be here in the future, when the team may once again be at a championship caliber.

    Choking away a series that it should have won does the exact opposite. It calls into question the value of the core players and whether a new direction is needed.

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  255. Even after Gorton and Drury landed Vesey and Zibanejad, Hayes lost 140 lbs. I thought this team would be lucky to make the playoffs. then the season started and Pirri and Buchnevich showed some spark.

    I think the Rangers overachieved this season. I also think they could have won this series. I
    I told my buddy yesterday before the game started that I had a bad feeling. When I saw it happening, I looked over at him and said, “I told you.”

    This doesn’t hurt nearly as bad as last year. With the moves Gorton has already made, and my confidence based on his recent actions, I feel pretty good about the 2017-18 Rangers. I don’t know what I am going to do Thursday though.

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  262. If we were in Metro first round exit would be appropriate.
    Once we end up in the Atlantic, Montreal was the only team that had a chance to beat us.
    Once we defeated Montreal it was for us to loose. And that is what we did.
    Ottawa didn’t win, we lost it.
    Overachieve or not, it is unforgivable for them to loose this series. They should’ve won in 5.

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  263. In Gorton we TRUST!

    He made some good moves last summer, our team is younger than most.

    We need to improve on D, and Shattenkirk “wants to be a Ranger”, so I see that as a possibility. Now will he be “worth” his paycheck….. I’m not so sure Nash or Lundqvist lived up to their paycheck this year.

    #1 C that can win a draw …… Joe soft shell is really good at that…… maybe he will take 1 year deal? That’s all he does is win draws, and dish out assist.

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  265. Cullen vs Oshie tonight, game 7.

    I’m not going to lie it was pretty fun, parting with the Cup last year.

    So you have to go with Cullen tonight!!!

    Who ever wins this series wins the Cup!!!!

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  266. would love a Nashville Ottawa final just to piss off Buttman and further damage his relationship with NBC ..thats if he watches the playoffs…appears his focus is on outdoor games and the next lockout

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  268. I agree Anthony! If he wants to be a Ranger, he will have to sign a “Ranger” contract. He will get $6x6M, and he has earned it, how much more over that will be the question.

    I just think with his skating ability, and as a PP QB, he is the perfect fit for AV system. He will be the perfect player to bring in on July 1st.

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  280. “6-7 for Shattenkirk too high ….he has looked like a defensive liability most of playoffs”

    He’s also been playing with Orpik, so he’s going to look bad when the puck goes in a lot because Orpik is just god awful. To me, he’s had one really bad game and a lot of pretty good ones. One great one.

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  281. If coming to the Rangers is as important to Shattenkirk as general media narrative says it is, then he should take a discount. If it’s not, stay away, not because I don’t think he’s a good player (I think he is) but because he won’t be worth anywhere near the contract he can get as the only worthwhile UFA defender on the market, especially as a right-handed one.

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  282. I thought Shattenkirk was weak in his own zone with St Louis.

    20 foot pole as 10 is not enough.

    Brian Monzo‏ @BMonzoWFAN

    This Mets loss is 100% on Alain Vigneault and Henrik Lundqvist.

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  283. Well Doodie it’s 50/50 …… if Shattenkirk is a Ranger. 50% he signs here, and 50% he doesn’t.

    Nash goes into his last year as a Ranger, and then will be dealt at the trade deadline. I’m ready for him to be done as a Ranger. What’s are the odds we can sign Tavaras with his money when he is done being an Islander?

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  287. If Tavares cares about winning then he won’t sign with the Islanders. If he cares more about making money, then he will sign with the Islanders. If the Islanders manage to resign him, it will be to the richest contract signed under the current CBA except potentially McDavid’s (who will be eligible for an extension at the same time as Tavares).

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  290. ok so if management goes after shattenkirk it’s bc they believe he’ll be effective well into his 30s. His game suits it, and it can be said even if he slows down, his strengths can still strive on. PP specialist, good 1st pass/passer in general.

    So what I would look to do is get him at an annual salary that is really fair, so that even in his later years, the # won’t be crippling or a thing that makes him public enemy #1 with the fans. And I’d give him 8 years as the compromise. 8yrs 4.7. 37.5 million. The captains Salary.

    Make him a lifelong ranger employee afterwards. Loyalty for loyalty.

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  292. Most Rangers can sign for is 7 yrs. He will get 7M somewhere. Probably Boston. Rangers will have a shot, just how close will they go to 49M????

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  295. McDavid and Ted Nugent Hopkins for Stepan.

    Another possibility is Toronto. I’m hearing that The leafs are looking to get slower and weaker on the PP:

    Harry Reams Van Dyke and Austin Matthews for Stepan

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  300. Keep in mind the term “discount” is relative to what other offers he receives. For instance, Brad Richards took a “discount” to play in NY but that didn’t exactly help make his deal a good one. Just meant that another team had an even worse contract on the table.

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  301. Listening to Milbury on the NHL on NBC pre-game show is akin to a hallucinogenic experience. He just described Lundqvist as “adequate” and said the Rangers should be looking to have him split time with Raanta going forward. This is about 2 weeks after the Habs series when he described him as “still one of the best ever.” He also basically said Nash, Staal, and Stepan suck and they need to move on from all of them. Ummm, who exactly is going to replace them? He is as bad as everyone here crowding on to that ledge!

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  303. I love this place I’d go nuts, no more nuts without it. I would be very surprised if Gorton does it but imo Faceoff Stepan & the Hobbit are the guys to move for blue line help. On another note we may never understand The Enigma. If he played they way he did in the 3rd period Tues. he would a constant defensive nightmare to opposing teams. And whatever is wrong with JT needs to be fixed!

    Liked by 1 person

  307. Tom Gulitti‏Verified account
    @TomGulitti

    . @BjurmanPer asked Lundqvist last night about worlds and he said ask him again in a couple days.
    . @BjurmanPer believes there’s decent chance Henrik Lundqvist joins Sweden at world championship to play with brother Joel, who is captain.

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  310. Sittoo I’m sure Milbury would do just that if he were rangers coach. That’s the man that traded Luongo and Joikenen for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha so he could draft Di Pietro instead of Heatley or Gaborik.

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  318. Where to start….someone said intangibles (or the lack there of in the rangers case) would be a big issue for this team….voila… that Jedi master was correct.
    –
    This team has a fragile psyche (gives up a goal and cracks like an egg and gives up more). And it has a lot to do with the overrated core and specifically guys that wear the “A”.
    –
    They quit hitting and grinding in the o zone and tried to play speedy…not the way to win. Speed is fine in transition, can’t win trying to play like it’s an all star game and it bit them in the butt.
    –
    Time for the participation award coach (oh but he has a good record) to be gone, sorry championships matter (they damn well better) and this guy is in lock step with Boudreau, all regular season all the time…cups….ZERO

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  326. A few of us here have been saying how overrated Stepan is for more than just a season or two…nice to see more of you realize this.
    –
    Top 3 guys to move…Stepan and staal (I’d absolutely buy him out) followed by Nash (I have no issue with Nash, but his contract makes him a must go).
    –
    No….absolute NO to shattenkirk.
    –
    I’m not against moving zucc, I just think he means a lot more to this team than his stat line, I feel the same way about Girardi.
    –
    I’d have zero problem with jumbo joe.
    –
    You have to move Stepan and I’d look at a forward for him. landeskog, duchene, Galchenyuk come to mind.
    –
    Trouba is the D the rangers should target, especially when you consider his current contract
    –
    If I add a higher profile guy via free agency, I go after oshie (oh man is that tough to say)
    –
    Can not win a cup with your goalie as the highest paid player…so far, so true

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  327. Ha, pens physicality and speed and goalie beat caps physicality and speed and goalie (and third member of the participation award coaching community)…if you’re being unbiased and honest about that series assessment

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  329. I understand some of you have an agenda, I really do. I’m sorry your agenda just isn’t right….pens #8 in league in hits aka physicality, caps #15. Nice try though.

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  335. Oh my god….I just look at the NHL stats, every team in the league had ZERO hits. It MUST be a speed league. No physicality, ZERO hits.
    –
    The thing is people that understand the 2017 NHL, get the fact that it is a physical, fast league.
    –
    People that try to sound like they know what they are talking about to fit an agenda say…it’s all about speed, only speed, it’s speed….ahahahahaha

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  336. No it’s not only speed especially in playoffs. But speed is huge. The league is going that route more and more.

    Funny a few days ago you and i agreed that we wanted too play Pittsburgh but for partly different reasons.

    You specifically wanted to play Pitt as you said we could dominate them physically and Washington would dominate us physically. I agreed with those sentiments along with my view that Crosby and others were hurt.

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  337. Hey boneheads, did you guys see the NHL stat “zoom”? It’s a speed only league so that is a “real” stat. I’m sure it replaced the “hits” stat. Just keep looking everyone I’m sure that “zoom” stat is there somewhere. LOL

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  338. I think you are cliff noting it a bit. If the rangers played physical, our size would trump the pens size, speed a wash, if we played the caps, they are bigger, so it would be more of a wash, speed again, would be a wash.

    Liked by 1 person

  339. So, I thought we matched up better with the pens because of size, the pens are a physicality team and it runs top to bottom in their line up. They are also a quick and determined team, they win a lot, A LOT, of one on one battles.

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  340. Like i said Pittsburgh’s speed and goalie beat the tougher Washington team. Washington spent a lot of time in the Pitt zone but the counter rushes for Pitt were effective in enough games to win the series.

    Has nothing to do with the Rangers. as I stated at 10:07

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  341. The rangers are a much better team when they play physical and nasty and actually use their size to their advantage, which is something they can’t do if they are playing just a “speed” game like it’s an all star event. Proof was in their playoff wins and losses.
    –
    Are players faster now than in the past, of course. Until you see a no contact NHL, physicality will always be the most important thing, speed will evolve with all players on all teams (unless you are the kings) with Players training and abilities evolving as well.

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  342. Doodie, – Would just like to extend my deep appreciation to you and the other contributors for keeping the RR going with this HAV. As Carp said, it would have been a very long season without this forum. I so enjoy reading all the banter that goes back and forth and appreciate the insight of so many very knowledgable hockey/Ranger fans. I have been truly impressed with all the boneheads knowledge of the game and so enjoy the many comedic exchanges.

    Carp – I would be remiss not to thank you for being the inspiration for keeping this HAV together. I truly believe you are by far the best hockey reporter around.

    Liked by 1 person

  343. Alex
    Actually you are incorrect, the pens had more offencive zone possession than the caps. Their fringing in the o zone led to the series win, not the occasional turnover transition goal, but nice try.

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  345. like i said the pens are a speed team. your statement just now that physicality is the most important thing? important yes. not to the extreme you portray.

    i’m not only for pure speed guys with no hands or hockey sense like rico fata. guys like hagelin and grabner i like a lot. i also like a smith who can play with an edge with the key words that he can play.

    joe thornton at this stage of his career is another 10 foot pole guy. just like for different reasons shattenkirk is.

    wicky229 says:
    May 3, 2017 at 11:12 PM

    I’m in complete agreement with Alex on this. To me it isn’t just what Alex has already pointed out, but we win the physicality match up vs the pens, we don’t vs the caps.

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  347. No one is saying speed certainly doesn’t help (least of all me). I have stated that speed is important, it just isn’t more important than physicality and it won’t be until the NHL becomes a non contact league. Just a fact, sorry kiddo.
    –
    On that note, I’m going to watch 2 physical teams with some speed play the rest of their game.
    Night wankers!!
    –
    LGR

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  348. Superior talent combined with superior speed should win out. Problem with this theory not working out more often than it does is that there is still a ton of social psychology integral to this game, meaning that if two teams are close in talent and speed, the most macho, keep bringing it, never back down 60 minute element can often prove the difference.

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  349. 31 teams and their scouts are approaching the game differently. More and more players are getting marginalized as they get older. example phaneuf. he even lost a race with stepan.

    the physical guys north of 30 have a very short shelf life. yes some exceptions like brett burns exist.

    but i would not go near long term deals for guys likes backes or thornton. bodies too beaten up.

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  351. Now I had to laurel….my statement (I knew you would go back and find it to try to prove a point…you didn’t btw). All you did was reinforce what I posted this thread…we win pens match up size /physicality, it’s a wash vs caps. Which is what I said on 03 may.
    –
    I know it’s tough for you, it’s ok Alex. The game isn’t just speed, you’ll be ok I promise.
    –
    It’s a combination of a few things, none holding decided edge over any other, I understand that, I’m really sorry you don’t get it.

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  354. I know coos, I appreciate it. I like Alex, I’m trying to help him understand how NHL hockey is played, but maybe I should just go all Stepan and mail it in. He will either figure it out at some point or stay lost like he is now.

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  357. Give me a break. I understand the game quite well thank you. I appreciate the speed and go along with leaguewide trends. Playoffs ramp it up for sure. Players can not play that way all year.

    Speed works both ways getting back on d and forechecking. if you can’t catch them you can’t hit them.

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  360. Had the Rangers beat Ottawa, Penguins, and Ducks/Preds, it would have been with a PP that would have gone 4-70. Amazing.

    Stepan for Perry, Gets-laugh, and Kesler

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  361. If Lucic and Stepan had a go, how bad does Step crush Lou Chee?

    If Stepan could be transported into the past, the battle I’d pay $$$$$$$ to see would be a brawl between Stepan and Nedved.

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  362. Time to see what Gorton (and Drury) is made of, did a great job last off-season to re-tool this team that but for 10 minutes of madness would have made it at least as far as the ECF, when a lot of people thought they couldnt even make the playoffs.
    The most importantly being revamping the D-corps. Staying away from Shatty would be a sign of a big change in philosophy upstairs. I wonder what it’d take to get Trouba or Vatanen? You’ve got to give to get, Ducks are old up front, Jets are lacking goals up front big time – expect Miller, Hayes and Kreider’s names to come up a lot.

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  363. Good morning, boneheads!
    Hate to say it, but the Penguins know how to win. Pretty impressive, if not a little boring, performance last night. Speed, skill, physicality, and superior goaltending.
    Too bad, I was hoping AV wins the Cup this year. But he looked very small last night. The Caps will have a lot of decisions to make this summer.

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  364. OV, not AV…
    Speaking of AV. I’d be shocked if he is fired. In fact, I believe he will be a huge part of their decision making. I think we should embrace ourselves and expect a good amount of unconventional moves, including moving people who we do not think should be moved or touched.

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  365. Morning ilb & fellow boneheads!
    Summer starts here for me, not sure if i can watch the rest of this after watching us give Ottawa a free pass.

    I think the biggest question is who mis-placed the “big boy pants” on the flight back from Montreal? Sack the equipment manager!!

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