Drury: Naming a Team Captain is "a priority" of Next Steps

Here's the presser fellas:

Ozzy for Captain

"...Hooper drives the boat, Chief!" :rofl:

I don’t think there’s a mandate to make the playoffs. But let’s be clear: this team will make the playoffs.

Kids will continue to take steps. Panarin will still be Panarin. Moves to improve our depth will be made. And we won’t be playing a schedule that sees us playing Boston, Washington, Pittsburgh and the Islanders for over 50% of our schedule.

This team wasn’t bad by any means. They played young. They lost games they should have won, and gained experience. We know their strengths and weaknesses. They exist. But both will be worked on, and it should result in at the very least a playoff berth.

I don’t think there’s a mandate to make the playoffs. But let’s be clear: this team will make the playoffs.

 

Kids will continue to take steps. Panarin will still be Panarin. Moves to improve our depth will be made. And we won’t be playing a schedule that sees us playing Boston, Washington, Pittsburgh and the Islanders for over 50% of our schedule.

 

This team wasn’t bad by any means. They played young. They lost games they should have won, and gained experience. We know their strengths and weaknesses. They exist. But both will be worked on, and it should result in at the very least a playoff berth.

+1

Drury and Gallant must be in the same mindset that the team needs leadership and fight. However they get there will be in Drurys hands but Gallant must make the tools work complementary to one another.

Don’t get me wrong I think this team should have made the playoffs THIS season- they certainly have the tools to be competitive. I just thought a big reason they were fired was dolans impatience with not making the post season on top of the other stuff.

I guess I’m just surprised to hear drury say it’s not a mandate is all.

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Don’t get me wrong I think this team should have made the playoffs THIS season- they certainly have the tools to be competitive. I just thought a big reason they were fired was dolans impatience with not making the post season on top of the other stuff.

 

I guess I’m just surprised to hear drury say it’s not a mandate is all.

 

 

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There's a reason JD and Gorton got fired when they did, and not before, same with Quinn. The timing around the Panarin thing, the tweet to the league ... doubt that was coincidental but no one knows. Could be cumulative, was a long year starting with the ADA thing, K'Andre collateral, etc.

There's just a growing habit here of people voicing their personal view, and tagging on "And that's why Quinn/Gorton got fired". But no one can say that with any certainty. It's all very dramatic and self serving.

We can’t get caught in the mindset of constantly saying this is a rebuild and writing seasons off as learning curves. Is this team still young? Yes. Finished product? Not even close. Still taking steps? Yes.

But with all of that being said, there is still enough in-house now to make moves to the playoffs, where even more lessons can be learned.

The leading in-house contenders are Jacob Trouba, whose leadership qualities were extolled throughout the year by then-coach David Quinn, and Ryan Lindgren.

 

 

But the concept of trading for a captain should not be ignored.

Link: https://nypost.com/2021/06/22/one-thing-from-gerard-gallants-rangers-intro-didnt-make-sense/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons

Lindgren is an interesting choice.

So is the idea of "trading for a Captain." Who the hell are they acquiring?

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https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/gerard-gallant-confronts-win-now-challenge-rangers-coach/

 

 

What? If it’s not a mandate that means jd and gorton really got fired for losing to the isles and Wilson slamming panarin

 

 

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Mandate implies that major changes will be made if it doesn't happen.

Changing coaches is a huge new variable. If they take a step back but progress in learning Gallant's system, Drury may give more time for things to sort themselves out. So say they struggle out of the gate while they learn a new system and Gallant figures out where he wants players to slot, figure it out, and surge at the end but still miss the playoffs? Heads don't have to roll then.

Compare that to where we just finished last season, JD, Gorton, and Quinn had time to get their guys and their system in place, but it wasn't providing results.

So is the idea of "trading for a Captain." Who the hell are they acquiring?

 

 

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Stamkos a few years too late?

So is the idea of "trading for a Captain." Who the hell are they acquiring?

 

 

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ADA for Couturier

:bravery:

imo out of those three scenarios Trouba would be the favorite by a wide margin. Lots of guys here had Lindgren fading away or being moved in the next couple of years because of the way he plays the game just within the last week or so. Yes he plays the game hard but I don't him being named capt. Based on what we heard about Trouba stepping up within the room last season I heavily lean towards it being him. Yes his contract still is far from ideal....

Still don't think Kreider would be out completely of the running. Bringing one in from the outside would require a major deal which would obviously shake things up on several levels. Can't wait for the off season to move along.

Stamkos a few years too late?

That's one way to do it, I suppose, but I was thinking more like Jamie Benn.

Who knows what materializes? Maybe we roll the dice on Toews if Chicago tries to trade him? If so, I’d imagine he’d be a Captain here. Again, totally just spitballing.

The off-season is going to be very intriguing. For a roster as desirable as the Rangers is, there are still tons of questions to it before it becomes a finished product ready for runs at the Cup.

ADA for Couturier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:bravery:

In a flash.

That's one way to do it, I suppose, but I was thinking more like Jamie Benn.

Dallas better be retaining a significant portion.

Seriously though. Imagine a top 6 of...

Panarin - Zib - Kakko

Laf - Couturier - Tkachuk

The key would be convincing Zib and Couturier to sign team friendly deals. If you could lock them both up at $8 million AAV? Way better use of $16 million in cap space than Eichel @ $10 and Strome @ $6+.

What a dream.

Trouba has never struck me as C material, but if they see it they see it. It was at least evident how much he means to the team on the ice when he wasn't playing.

I think that might’ve sealed the deal. He was missed.

Unlike Kreider

I think that might’ve sealed the deal. He was missed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unlike Kreider

Kreider's going to score 40 next yr. Getting some '21-22 ballsy predictions in early