At What Point Do We Start Giving Gallant Some Credit?

[ThirtyONE]

Is it too early?

David Quinn took a lot of shit, and IMO rightfully so, but I don't know if anyone has seen Kakko's recent quotes, but it's obvious the players are enjoying a longer leash this year. There seems to be a very very positive feeling around the team and in the locker room. They have 10 more points this year than they had at the same time last year. Gallant seems to know how to protect his players in the media. He picks his words carefully. His players have seemingly bought in to everything he's trying to do and they've taken on a whole new persona as a group. 

So, when is it time to start praising the mustachioed man?

[Valriera]

I give him around 40% of the credit for the start so far. It’s hard because we will never know how much impact the coach really has, but a few things are clear from the start:

a) this is a different team than last year, with a different culture, style, and gameplay. I still don’t know if they’re better but they’re different.

b) the coach was willing to sit geo in a game where he was playing badly but we were tied 4-4. This in itself is rare, but the message it sends is the important one.

c) our bottom six has an identity and is playing with one. Some of that is on the personnel there, some on the coach

 

so yeah, I give him a good amount of credit for the start so far. And we all said last year the most important thing this season was to deal with Quinn, so pretty clear that this has been done successfully. Even if all gallant is doing is being a real, grown up, actual nhl coach, that is enough.

[josh]

Once they put together 60 minutes.

 

[Pete]

He gets credit for starting Shesty, and Shesty gets credit for everything.

The Rangers are one of the worst statistical teams in the league and they look a lot like they've looked the past few seasons.

Kakko, Kreider, and Fox are going...no one else is.

What's he getting credit for? The record? It's smoke and mirrors right now. 

[Albatrosss]

56 minutes ago, Valriera said:

I give him around 40% of the credit for the start so far. It’s hard because we will never know how much impact the coach really has, but a few things are clear from the start:

a) this is a different team than last year, with a different culture, style, and gameplay. I still don’t know if they’re better but they’re different.

b) the coach was willing to sit geo in a game where he was playing badly but we were tied 4-4. This in itself is rare, but the message it sends is the important one.

c) our bottom six has an identity and is playing with one. Some of that is on the personnel there, some on the coach

 

so yeah, I give him a good amount of credit for the start so far. And we all said last year the most important thing this season was to deal with Quinn, so pretty clear that this has been done successfully. Even if all gallant is doing is being a real, grown up, actual nhl coach, that is enough.

dont think Quinn would've done the same

[Keirik]

Well one is an NHL coach and the other is Quinnless

[jsm7302]

NOW. This guy turned a whirlwind, directionless bunch of guys into a winning team. He brought in Reaves who is teaching these guys how to protect themselves. My god.....Drury, Gallant and Reaves changed this team around. Maybe we could've kept Buch but Blais was doing well before getting hurt. Im impressed and im fucking happy.

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

Wrong thread.

Edited November 26, 2021 by Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc

[Valriera]

1 hour ago, Keirik said:

Well one is an NHL coach and the other is Quinnless

Even if that’s all it is the difference is very noticeable. Do we maybe discuss the possibility that Quinn was just really bad? 

[Go Blue]

Gallant and Drury 

not getting beaten up every game is nice

[ThirtyONE]

2 hours ago, Pete said:

He gets credit for starting Shesty, and Shesty gets credit for everything.

The Rangers are one of the worst statistical teams in the league and they look a lot like they've looked the past few seasons.

Kakko, Kreider, and Fox are going...no one else is.

What's he getting credit for? The record? It's smoke and mirrors right now. 

Never forget when David Quinn decided there was a goalie competition to start last season, both guys were out of sync because of it, and the Rangers tanked the opening 10 games and therefore missed the playoffs.

I haven't seen smoke and mirrors last 20 games but I guess there's a first time for everything. Kakko and Kreider are two players who sucked with the last coach. Most of us wanted Kreider demoted to the 3rd line if not bought out in the next few years.

Yeah, the goalie has been very good. But there's no denying the team is a lot better as a whole than they were the last two years. 

[Keirik]

22 minutes ago, Valriera said:

Even if that’s all it is the difference is very noticeable. Do we maybe discuss the possibility that Quinn was just really bad? 

I thought Quinn was horrible. Ive always though that and made many many references to it. Drury gets a ton of credit for finally addressing the 4th line even if it was a bit overkill with some names. 

   Quinn, in my mind, was fortunate that on paper they had a very very good top 6. His job was extended because despite his lack of NHL caliber coaching, the talent was high enough to just win games and keep us sort of relevant late into seasons. 

[Jdog99]

Kakkos comments are pretty damning. Now you have not only Kakko stepping up, but Gauthier, and hopefully Laf to follow. 

Gallant also mentioned he sees Chytil as a high end center - im excited about the confidence these guys may start to show.

More importantly, winning games when your not playing all that particularly well speaks to a culture in which players dont get down on themselves and do what it takes to at least pull out the W's. Coaching is a huge part of that.

Edited November 26, 2021 by Jdog99

[ThirtyONE]

5 minutes ago, Keirik said:

I thought Quinn was horrible. Ive always though that and made many many references to it. Drury gets a ton of credit for finally addressing the 4th line even if it was a bit overkill with some names. 

   Quinn, in my mind, was fortunate that on paper they had a very very good top 6. His job was extended because despite his lack of NHL caliber coaching, the talent was high enough to just win games and keep us sort of relevant late into seasons. 

Fact is SOMETHING is different about the team. Everyone bitched that they got worse over the summer and yet here we are, tied for 2nd in the league 1/4 of the way through. 

Lot of work to do, clearly. But what gives? 

IMO Gallant deserves some credit. 

[Pete]

38 minutes ago, Keirik said:

I thought Quinn was horrible. Ive always though that and made many many references to it. Drury gets a ton of credit for finally addressing the 4th line even if it was a bit overkill with some names. 

   Quinn, in my mind, was fortunate that on paper they had a very very good top 6. His job was extended because despite his lack of NHL caliber coaching, the talent was high enough to just win games and keep us sort of relevant late into seasons. 

And yet here we are with the same talent not producing the same rate under GG when they produced under Quinn.

And here we are with GG using almost the same lines that Quinn had.

So let's not act like everything was right under GG and wrong under DQ

[ThirtyONE]

9 minutes ago, Pete said:

And yet here we are with the same talent not producing the same rate under GG when they produced under Quinn.

And here we are with GG using almost the same lines that Quinn had.

So let's not act like everything was right under GG and wrong under DQ

DQ's players did their own thing, scored at will, and lost games. 

GG's players (the same players) play the game he asks them to, score less, and win games.

 

IMO there's really only one stat that matters: wins. And for a team that hasn't fully put it together yet, it's pretty insane how well they're doing.

 

 

[josh]

I don't think Gallant does much of anything, lol 

Quinn overcoached a group of guys that didn't fit his style. 

I think we still have to see how this team plays defense over the season.  That will determine how far they can go. You can see the style of getting in the way can be successful, but only when they are in defensive position. They still get killed in transition and Oldman rushes - some.because Gallant allows D to carry into the zone and out of position 

[Dunny]

I just don't buy it. It's a quarter way through the season and they've beat Florida, and TO, on Shesterkins back.

It feels like their schedule has been ridiculously easy. It still looks easy for most of December, too.

Obviously have to take what is given to you, but I can't bring myself to buy in. Shesterkin tweaks a groin and it's all over, in a hurry. I don't think I'd lay $100 down for them to even make the playoffs.

It remains smoke and mirrors for me. Let's see how December goes. End of December/early Jaunary look tough.

 

[Valriera]

2 hours ago, Dunny said:

I just don't buy it. It's a quarter way through the season and they've beat Florida, and TO, on Shesterkins back.

It feels like their schedule has been ridiculously easy. It still looks easy for most of December, too.

Obviously have to take what is given to you, but I can't bring myself to buy in. Shesterkin tweaks a groin and it's all over, in a hurry. I don't think I'd lay $100 down for them to even make the playoffs.

It remains smoke and mirrors for me. Let's see how December goes. End of December/early Jaunary look tough.

 

The fairest critique of the team right now is our goalie bus count, which you’re right about 

[The Dude]

I agree its all been smoke and mirrors.  The top players aren't producing much. The D is horrible.  

BUT, I think the team is about to finally take off and put it together. 

Panarin has woke up. He's engaged in games now. Strome has been on the cusp and Kakko is playing a bit more offensive minded.

Kreiders play will get Zibanejad going.  I see Zibanejad is finally trying different stuff. Not seeing that god damn off wing onetimer every time.  He's going to the net. He's trying the right hand side. They need a real RW. 

That Chytil line is dangerous as fuck. If Lafreniere wakes up, holy shit. Gauthier really needs to sustain this play. I believe he can.  Always did. What he can do offensively is enough to cover the warts in the rest of his game.  Players bashing through defenders with the puck and going to the net, sets tones and gets team mates amped.  It becomes contagious. 

This 4th line is what I was expecting from our "hard to play against" acquisitions.  They can be trusted to go out against some upper lines and be a disturbance. I for one don't want to see the lower level talent spread out. Put these guys on one line and use them in roles they are accustomed to. 

The fucking D sucks though. Fox and Lindgren are fine. Everyone else is playing as if they have just missed half the season from injury and can't get it together. It's time to try some new combinations with the bottom 4. That may have to include bringing in someone from the A, or making a trade. Miller and Trouba just isn't working.  

Until Gallant makes a change with the D, I won't be sold. But I give him credit for having a long leash on just about everyone.  The lines aren't jumbled every period,  he sees who works best with who except on D. 

He's a players coach. One of the boys. They just need a little more fire and direction on D. I feel as if he favors the grinders more than he should. Thinking that he can place any schmoe on a scoring line and it will click.   Example being Goodrow and now Hunt. Obviously his choices are limited, but I almost feel like he wants it this way.  

 

As bad as they've been, they ARE winning and I think the team is just getting started. If they can put together a full games worth of effort from top to bottom,  they can be very dangerous.  

 

I give him props. Not credit.  Too early.  

[shestYORKin]

14 hours ago, Valriera said:

a) this is a different team than last year, with a different culture, style, and gameplay. I still don’t know if they’re better but they’re different.

they’re better. not a finished product by any means but off on the right foot with all the things they set out to be. more of a team mindset, tougher to play against, etc. fucks sake Laf and Foxy are throwing gloves. Kakko looks unshackled, Kreider thinks he’s on Edmonton, Trouba’s stepped it up, the Chytil line is gelling hard, Hunt is becoming the Goodrow we all wanted. it just looks off that Mika and Panarin aren’t leading the highlights but that corner will turn. we have 3rd pair D issues, need a fix at RW, and have to stay healthy. but Gallant should get plenty of credit for the things that are going well. 

14 hours ago, josh said:

Once they put together 60 minutes.

that one time when we first played Columbus.

[Pete]

12 hours ago, ThirtyONE said:

DQ's players did their own thing, scored at will, and lost games. 

GG's players (the same players) play the game he asks them to, score less, and win games.

 

IMO there's really only one stat that matters: wins. And for a team that hasn't fully put it together yet, it's pretty insane how well they're doing.

 

 

His name is Shesterkin, not Gallant. 

[Dunny]

I don't want to sound completely cynical. They have the points. They have a tonne of short term cap space. They can add some help. This could be fun.

[Valriera]

1 hour ago, Dunny said:

I don't want to sound completely cynical. They have the points. They have a tonne of short term cap space. They can add some help. This could be fun.

Deadline will be v interesting if we’re still in this spot, prime rental location for rw or 4-d

[Vodka Drunkenski]

They’re winning, mostly because of Shesterkin but I see times where they are really really good.  I think/hope they are close to figuring it out and being a playoff team.  The 3rd pair and Trouba need to improve before anything

Edited November 27, 2021 by Vodka Drunkenski