Has the Present New York Rangers Team Peaked Last Year?

[Bluesbrother]

       It is quite evident that our beloved New York Rangers are in deep trouble. Has the current squad run its course, and the best they could do was achieved last year with the President's Trophy win, and losing to the Panthers in the conference finals? I see everyone pointing fingers in every direction placing blame on this player or that player, if we only trade for this player , or if we fire the present coach and get a new coach, all will be right. There are too many holes in this sinking ship that only one trade, or a new coach would plug the many holes. The main thing I see is the inability of the team to play a physical game, and play against teams that play that style of game. So, is it time to enter a rebuild mode? Thoughts?

Edited November 28 by Bluesbrother

[Vodka Drunkenski]

Idk what’s the answer but if they’re looking to replace the couch, they should take a serious look at Ray Flanigan

[crossfire]

7 minutes ago, Vodka Drunkenski said:

Idk what’s the answer but if they’re looking to replace the couch, they should take a serious look at Ray Flanigan

This one is nice but maybe too player friendly.

Edited November 26 by crossfire

[Blue Heaven]

They are not replacing Laviolette, even Gallant finished off his 2nd season as NYR coach.

[Mistercosmic]

Since their embarassing loss against the Devils in Round 1 two years ago I've got exactly zero confidence in this team and secretly just wait, that they finally part ways with the core group. Nice and (mostly) very talented guys, but simply not good and tough enough to ever climb the final mountain together.   

[4EverRangerFrank]

NYR need to assess what went wrong THIS year. I have a couple of thoughts:

 

1. Trouba's summertime rebuke.

IDK if Drury felt he needed to make his desire to move Trouba public to get him to waive his NTC or not, but it may have turned the spigot of 'negativity' on for this group.

2. $hesterkin wants the moon.

There is a pecking order in every locker room. The order can be set according to outright talent, player respect or salary -- or a combination of these things. Having moved on from Henrik's salary and the apparent freedom to buy other pieces to make the team better, along comes talk of Shesty's contract and demand. Love his ability to eat rubber but it can still tweak teammates when they look at their own bank deposits.

3. Philip Crystal goes down...again.

Cheats was having a great surge this season and we all felt like he was blossoming until he had an unfortunate run-in with a teammate. (It likely would have occurred at some point in the season from an opposing player, but that's just negative speculation. Maybe he doesn't get hurt again.) His loss is also our loss.

4. Mr. Duct Tape and Glue

Lidgren is breaking down faster and with less recovery as time goes on. Super applause for his heart and drive, but sport is brutal in that we don't win Cups based upon love and respect for a player.

5. Disco DJ

Zib. 'Nuf said.

6. NOT Millertime

This 6-pack of HighLife beer has warmed under the exposure of MSG lights. Maybe he can be chilled and brought back to life. IDK and you cannot blame this on a sophomore jinx.

7. Negativity breeds contempt

Once a boat begins to take on water, it becomes damn difficult to stay afloat.

 

I'm not a pessimist and always look for the sunshine behind the clouds. Our record alone should give people comfort that despite all the warts, we still have wins. It has become more difficult to watch though as this takes on the look of a slow-motion car wreck. Drury -- grab the freakin' wheel!

 

[LindG1000]

10 hours ago, crossfire said:

This one is nice but maybe too player friendly.

 

I recognize this couch. 

[Scott]

I think the couch would struggle like the last three coaches to motivate this group. I think as a group they've quit. 

[Br4d]

The Rangers peaked in '21-'22.  We're going on 3 seasons past the peak now.

[Sharpshooter]

Yes. Last season was the pinnacle of this group. This season is only 20 games old, so I'm not completely doom and gloom, but they clearly don't have the 'oomph' they had last year or the last couple of years.

[BrooksBurner]

1 hour ago, Br4d said:

The Rangers peaked in '21-'22.  We're going on 3 seasons past the peak now.

This is true, though they roughly matched the same peak last year. I think many fans were just giddy and optimistic about a new coach last year, and covered their eyes to the data. The reality is it was the same team playing at the same level where they already peaked in GG’s 1st year. The difference now is the fans know without a shadow of a doubt that it was never the coach.

[Sharpshooter]

Also with Laviolette coached teams, there tends to be a great first year, and then kind of a mixed bag after that. But yeah, this is not a coach issue anyway.

[Pete]

5 minutes ago, Sharpshooter said:

Also with Laviolette coached teams, there tends to be a great first year, and then kind of a mixed bag after that. But yeah, this is not a coach issue anyway.

It was never an "either or discussion". They had to remove GG because they couldn't change the roster, and Drury and GG weren't getting along for months (he was almost fired in November, just over a year after he was hired). Anyone with eyes realized this.

 

GG was also confirmed to have been a shitty coach. That's not a matter of opinion, it's a matter of fact. Media confirmed, he's not working now, he's never lasted 3 years. These are not hallmarks of good coaching.

 

As far as Lavvy and this team, I don't have a problem with him, but Housely needs to go. Even Boyle was commenting yesterday on his pod with Larry that the defensive scheme is bad. Whether or not the plan itself is the issue, the players can't execute it and they're not doing anything to address that. You have to coach to the level of the personnel you have, you can't install your system if the players can't play it. 

 

They should be trapping, blocking shots, and going into a Torts style shell right now, because it's all they are capable of handling.

Edited November 27 by Pete

[RangersIn7]

2 minutes ago, Pete said:

It was never an "either or discussion". They had to remove GG because they couldn't change the roster, and Drury and GG weren't getting along for months (he was almost fired in November, just over a year after he was hired). Anyone with eyes realized this.

 

GG was also confirmed to have been a shitty coach. That's not a matter of opinion, it's a matter of fact. Media confirmed, he's not working now, he's never lasted 3 years. These are not hallmarks of good coaching.

 

As far as Lavvy and this team, I don't have a problem with him, but Housely needs to go. Even Boyle was commenting yesterday on his pod with Larry that the defensive scheme is bad. Whether or not the plan itself is the issue, the players can't execute it and they're not doing anything to address that. You have to coach to the level of the personnel you have, you can't install your system if the players can't play it. 

 

They should be trapping, blocking shots, and going into a Torts style shell right now, because it's all they are capable of handling.

This.

 

A shakeup in terms of who is coaching this team on the defensive side and what system they are employing there is a really good place to start.

Simplify that. Get them to where they are defending first.

That at least probably stabilizes things. 
 

Not a Housley fan. He was an excellent offensive defenseman. But awful in his own end. Plus little to no physicality.

Change that up. 

[Sharpshooter]

10 minutes ago, Pete said:

It was never an "either or discussion". They had to remove GG because they couldn't change the roster, and Drury and GG weren't getting along for months (he was almost fired in November, just over a year after he was hired). Anyone with eyes realized this.

 

GG was also confirmed to have been a shitty coach. That's not a matter of opinion, it's a matter of fact. Media confirmed, he's not working now, he's never lasted 3 years. These are not hallmarks of good coaching.

 

As far as Lavvy and this team, I don't have a problem with him, but Housely needs to go. Even Boyle was commenting yesterday on his pod with Larry that the defensive scheme is bad. Whether or not the plan itself is the issue, the players can't execute it and they're not doing anything to address that. You have to coach to the level of the personnel you have, you can't install your system if the players can't play it. 

 

They should be trapping, blocking shots, and going into a Torts style shell right now, because it's all they are capable of handling.

Indeed. It kind of reminds me of when Lindy Ruff was coaching the defense, and it was a mess. Perhaps the roster then wasn't that great either, but the defense in general was just sloppy and this is reminisce of that for me. There is zero structure.

[Albatrosss]

4 hours ago, Pete said:

It was never an "either or discussion". They had to remove GG because they couldn't change the roster, and Drury and GG weren't getting along for months (he was almost fired in November, just over a year after he was hired). Anyone with eyes realized this.

 

GG was also confirmed to have been a shitty coach. That's not a matter of opinion, it's a matter of fact. Media confirmed, he's not working now, he's never lasted 3 years. These are not hallmarks of good coaching.

 

As far as Lavvy and this team, I don't have a problem with him, but Housely needs to go. Even Boyle was commenting yesterday on his pod with Larry that the defensive scheme is bad. Whether or not the plan itself is the issue, the players can't execute it and they're not doing anything to address that. You have to coach to the level of the personnel you have, you can't install your system if the players can't play it. 

 

They should be trapping, blocking shots, and going into a Torts style shell right now, because it's all they are capable of handling.

no guarantee Lavi will have another head coaching job after this.  

 

you think Zib, Kreider, Panarin, Fox are going to jump in front of shots?  I'm not even sure Torts would be capable to whip them up to play that kind of hockey

[Albatrosss]

4 hours ago, BrooksBurner said:

This is true, though they roughly matched the same peak last year. I think many fans were just giddy and optimistic about a new coach last year, and covered their eyes to the data. The reality is it was the same team playing at the same level where they already peaked in GG’s 1st year. The difference now is the fans know without a shadow of a doubt that it was never the coach.

exacto!!  This team's core sucks, no coach is going to fix it. 

[Bluesbrother]

On 11/26/2024 at 10:55 AM, crossfire said:

This one is nice but maybe too player friendly.

Nice couch... Yes, I did not notice that I had misspelled coach. I deserve the teasing.

 

[Ozzy]

Boys, this team swallows!

[Br4d]

Youth wave after the trades and Rangers on the bubble for the 8th spot in the East.

 

Igor actually needs a trade at this point.  The Rangers take him totally for granted and the effort in front of him is not what it should be.  Let the next team figure that out.

[Pete]

25 minutes ago, Br4d said:

Youth wave after the trades and Rangers on the bubble for the 8th spot in the East.

 

Igor actually needs a trade at this point.  The Rangers take him totally for granted and the effort in front of him is not what it should be.  Let the next team figure that out.

Igor sent his message to the team by demanding a contract that would not only cost them some good players, but keep them from adding some better ones. 

 

What do you think that does to a locker room?

[Br4d]

Just now, Pete said:

Igor sent his message to the team by demanding a contract that would not only cost them some good players, but keep them from adding some better ones. 

 

What do you think that does to a locker room?

 

I think it does nothing to a locker room.

 

The guys playing hard right now are the young guys looking for a big deal in a year or two and they're doing it in the context of Igor's demand.

[Pete]

1 minute ago, Br4d said:

 

I think it does nothing to a locker room.

 

I tend to disagree with this. 

 

Quote

The guys playing hard right now are the young guys looking for a big deal in a year or two and they're doing it in the context of Igor's demand.

I think the young guys are playing hard in spite of Igor's demand, not in context of it. 

[RJWantsTheCup]

There’s multiple problems with this team.  Most importantly they need more energy.  Team looks worn out and listless. Laviolette and Drury have to figure something out.  And for love of the Rangers have some balls with Trouba.  Strip the captaincy.  Make him the 7th D or play him very sparingly on 3rd pair.  He’s bring down anyone he’s paired with. Lindgren is lost.  Miller damaged his brain changing his hair color.  Trocheck is worse than his first season here.  Zibanejad has either a mental issue or some sickness.  

[Br4d]

5 hours ago, Pete said:

I tend to disagree with this. 

 

I think the young guys are playing hard in spite of Igor's demand, not in context of it. 

 

Who do you think is affected by Igor's contract talks then?

 

The young guys are either going to get paid at some point or get traded.  They're mostly playing hard and grinding.

 

The vets may be affected by Igor's contract talks but most of them are not getting another contract from the Rangers anyway.

 

Nobody is looking at Igor's demands and saying "oh that's going to cost us *this* trade or *that* free agent two years down the road.  No player thinks that way.