What is the Rangers' Identity?

I?ve heard it stated before that there is nothing more problematic for an nhl franchise than not having an identity. I don?t remember who said it maybe Pierre McGuire but I?m not sure.

So I?m not saying the rangers don?t have one, most would say they are built with speed. Yet team after team, game after game it seems to me like the rangers are the slower team chasing the game. So can anybody say what the rangers and what they are trying to be?

The Rangers are a quick transition team that looks for high-quality scoring chances over volume of shots.

The ideal application of this would be forcing a neutral zone turnover that leads to an odd-man rush. In the defensive zone, they try to use their sticks to cause a turnover, make an immediate short pass to relieve pressure and set up a quick breakout. In their controlled breakouts, they try to use longer passes to spring speedy players and back in the opposition. Once in the offensive zone, they try to use passing to move defenders out of position and keep the opposing goaltender moving as well. They'll forgo a low quality shot for an attempt at a higher quality one for the most part.

Obviously, that identity hasn't been realized lately.

Nobody, including the front office, knows what they are. They're "rebuilding on the fly" which doesn't exist. They're not built on speed. That hasn't been the case since 2014. Their identity is good goaltending. That's it.

Pretty much this. Their identity is "in flux" at the moment. Or maybe "in transition" is a better definition.

As a franchise, this is a team whose window has closed. A team who still has superstar contracts as if the window was wide open. A team at a fork in the road that needs to decide if giving it one more try at the expense of the future is smarter than the realization the clock has run out and trading all of its valuable assets is the only reasonable solution.

On the ice this is team that lacks a superstar offensive threat. It has many "nice" pieces required for a winning team but lacks the powerful force that championship teams have. Its a defensive unit that gets paid at a level much higher than it performs. The only true superstar is a 35 year old goaltender who can only be asked to do so much on a nightly basis. The team on the ice is broken, too many ill fitting parts and no fixes on the horizon in terms of youth.

Chytill and Andersson are a good start. Nothing guaranteed of course, but trading Nash and Zucc at the deadline could potentially bolster that. I think based on history though we all know they're going to go with the one in a thousand chance of actually winning something this season.

Either way, it ain't looking too good for the immediate future

As a franchise, this is a team whose window has closed. A team who still has superstar contracts as if the window was wide open. A team at a fork in the road that needs to decide if giving it one more try at the expense of the future is smarter than the realization the clock has run out and trading all of its valuable assets is the only reasonable solution.

 

On the ice this is team that lacks a superstar offensive threat. It has many "nice" pieces required for a winning team but lacks the powerful force that championship teams have. Its a defensive unit that gets paid at a level much higher than it performs. The only true superstar is a 35 year old goaltender who can only be asked to do so much on a nightly basis. The team on the ice is broken, too many ill fitting parts and no fixes on the horizon in terms of youth.

This right here, says it all.Based on the way they are playing this team has given up, and they are just waiting for the trade deadline to see who stays and who goes.

Nobody, including the front office, knows what they are. They're "rebuilding on the fly" which doesn't exist. They're not built on speed. That hasn't been the case since 2014. Their identity is good goaltending. That's it.

My only contention is that rebuilding on the fly *does* exist, it's just incredibly rare. A good example are the Toronto Raptors in (yes) the NBA.

As a franchise, this is a team whose window has closed. A team who still has superstar contracts as if the window was wide open. A team at a fork in the road that needs to decide if giving it one more try at the expense of the future is smarter than the realization the clock has run out and trading all of its valuable assets is the only reasonable solution.

 

On the ice this is team that lacks a superstar offensive threat. It has many "nice" pieces required for a winning team but lacks the powerful force that championship teams have. Its a defensive unit that gets paid at a level much higher than it performs. The only true superstar is a 35 year old goaltender who can only be asked to do so much on a nightly basis. The team on the ice is broken, too many ill fitting parts and no fixes on the horizon in terms of youth.

"Closed window"-by the design of the NHL's parity only takes 1. getting in and 2. making a run. They actually have the most critical part for that in Lundqvist. But right now the way they are playing, not plausible. SOMETHING has to change. And it's never going happen with AV.