So, after letting the disappointment of the Rangers season ending loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon seep in for a few days, I am now officially "over it", and am ready to talk off season moves.
Despite the fact that the Rangers struggled down the stretch just to make the playoffs, and bowed out in the first round, there were a lot of good things to come out of this season. The question now is what next? What do they have to do moving forward this off-season? How can they take that "next step", and go from a young team that barely made the playoffs, to an upper echelon team in the NHL? Do they stay the course as Glen Sather has continuously preached these past few years, and continue to build through the farm system? Do they explore the trade market, and try to trade some pieces for an impact player? Or do they dive into free agency, throw big money at another big name (let this read Brad Richards) and hope it works out?
I think we all know how well that last choice has worked out in the past. And while I don't think the Rangers should just open up the check book, and throw a king's ransom at another 30 plus year old player who has had big success elsewhere, I also don't think they should turn a blind eye to Richards either. Like many other free agents the Rangers have pursued in the past, he appears to be "the solution" to a lot of their problems. He is a legitimate # 1 center, a big time threat on the power play, and it does make sense to bring him here. The downside to all of that is, he is 31 years old, coming off a bad head injury, and has typical free agent bust written all over him for the Boys in Blue. That doesn't mean he can't be successful here, but the Rangers need to be very cautious in their pursuit of Richards and make sure that if they do bring him in they a.) don't hand out another ridiculous contract, and b.) give him the tools to be successful in New York.
The truth of the matter is the Rangers have done about as much as they can with rebuilding. All of the "home grown" elements are now in place. They have a top 5 goalie in the league in Henrik Lundqvist. Marc Staal and Dan Girardi are one of the best shut down defensive pairings in the league. Michael Sauer and Ryan McDonagh both had strong rookie seasons, and round out a very solid top 4 tandem, that are sound defensively, and very good at what they do. Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan have developed into the unquestioned leaders of this team, and from this point on should be consistent 23-27 goal scorers. Artem Anisimov, whom I thought might take a step back this year, actually progressed, and along with Derek Stepan, have the potential to develop into consistent 55 to 60 point players. The bottom line is the Rangers have produced more players since the lockout then in any period I can remember in recent memory, but at this point there really is nothing more that they can do through the farm system.
This team now needs difference makers.
They need to go out and acquire the players necessary to put them over the top and put them up there with the elite teams in the Eastern Conference, and eventually, the rest of the league. Teams like Washington, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia. These are the teams the Rangers need to be up there with, and in order for them to do that, they need a legitimate, #1 play making center, a legitimate power play quarterback, and most importantly, Marian Gaborik either needs to bounce back next season, or the Blueshirts need to trade for another legitimate scoring sniper, and get rid of him. That is most likely not going to happen, and in all honesty, it doesn’t need to. Get the right pieces in here and Gaborik can return to the 40 to 45 goal scorer he has been in previous seasons. So, as upset as everyone may be because he had an off year, and made that bone headed play in Game 3, get over it. When healthy, Marian Gaborik is an elite player in the National Hockey League, something not easy to come by, and a player the Rangers can’t afford to just give up on. Yes, he needs to stay healthy, but the Rangers need to help him out, and give him what he needs to be successful here.
They need difference makers, skilled players. Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust are grinding, balls out type players, who will do the grunt work, and provide a little scoring, but they’re not goal scorers. Boyle is more likely a 10-13 goal scorer, then the 20 he potted this season. Anyone else notice he hadn’t scored a goal since March 18th, and before that, February 25th? Cause I sure did.
Free agency is definitely a route, but trades are more what I am suggesting. Am I saying they mortgage the future? Not at all, but Glen Sather needs to be smart here. He has an awful track record with free agency, which has been well documented. For some reason however, he seems to do a lot better when it comes to trades, at least when it comes to getting rid of a big contract for an expiring one. So, instead of waiting until mid-season like he usually does, and trading a big contract for the Wojtek Wolskis and the Olli Jokinens of the world, perhaps he should explore the forbidden route of trading a few prospects for someone who is already established, but is still young and still in his prime. You can't hold on to every single piece in your farm system, and never take a gamble. And besides, not all of them are going to pan out anyway. They already have a nice established young core that is in place, and is very good.
But if the Rangers ever hope to be any higher than a 5th or 6th seed, and get past the 2nd round of the playoffs, they need to add to it. Last time I checked, Lundqvist is not getting any younger, nor is Gaborik. And as good as this current core is, they’re not difference makers. That’s not an indictment on any of them, it’s just reality. They need to get players in here that are going to compliment what they already have, and take them from a blue collar team, to a team that is a true Stanley Cup contender. Most likely, the farm system is not going to produce a player like that anytime soon.
So yes, get Brad Richards if you can. I’m sure all my fellow Blueshirt fans are already saving their pennies for a #91 home blue, or heritage jersey, and that’s fine (as long as it is not another a ridiculous contract). But more importantly, Sather needs to make some trades and get players in here who are REALLY going to make a difference. He can’t just open the check book July 1st, throw money at another big name, and say that’s it. That’s the reason free agents don't succeed here, because no one else is brought in to support them. Well, that’s not good enough anymore.
You have the pieces in the system to really improve this team Glen. So for once, be smart, and get some differences makers in here.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
An Open Letter to the Rangers
Dear New York Rangers,
In the past 3 weeks, I have had the following unfortunate events happen to me:
I lost my wallet, and had to get a new license, ATM card, and Firestone credit card.
I had a nasty finger infection, that kept me in pain for a week, and eventually required me going to the doctor, and getting the sucker popped.
And finally, yesterday morning on my day off, while making breakfast with the wife, I rammed my foot into our washer-dryer unit in the apartment, and now I have a broken freaking toe.
I still have to finish updating all my online accounts with my new ATM card information, so my bills will get paid, and I will not get hit with late charges.
I still have a band-aid on my finger from the infection.
I have to constantly ice and soak my foot, and tape my 2 toes together.
And, I am tired as hell from the Tylenol Codeine that kicked my butt last night.
I AM MISERABLE.
Don't make it worse today.
JUST WIN.
GO RANGERS!!!
In the past 3 weeks, I have had the following unfortunate events happen to me:
I lost my wallet, and had to get a new license, ATM card, and Firestone credit card.
I had a nasty finger infection, that kept me in pain for a week, and eventually required me going to the doctor, and getting the sucker popped.
And finally, yesterday morning on my day off, while making breakfast with the wife, I rammed my foot into our washer-dryer unit in the apartment, and now I have a broken freaking toe.
I still have to finish updating all my online accounts with my new ATM card information, so my bills will get paid, and I will not get hit with late charges.
I still have a band-aid on my finger from the infection.
I have to constantly ice and soak my foot, and tape my 2 toes together.
And, I am tired as hell from the Tylenol Codeine that kicked my butt last night.
I AM MISERABLE.
Don't make it worse today.
JUST WIN.
GO RANGERS!!!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Don’t Mess With the Garden Faithful
Seriously, don’t mess with the Garden faithful Boudreau.
In case anyone missed it, Bruce Boudreau, Head Coach for the Washington Capitals decided, after his team lost 3-2 to the Rangers on Sunday, to basically whine about everything. From bashing the visitor locker rooms at the Garden, to complaining about the benches being too small (gee, I wonder why), to the hit Marc Staal put on Mike Green on Sunday afternoon. And those are all fine Bruce. Whine all you want about the Garden, it’s not the most perfect building in the world, and Rangers fans know that. It’s old, the sight lines suck, the escalators shut down after games, and we all have to file out of the building either by walking down said turned off escalators, or down the urine smelling stairwell to the left. And cry all you want about a hit that was not even close to warranting a suspension. It just shows what a whiner you are, and how frustrated you are. And it also shows that you’re nervous. You know your job is on the line, and you know there’s a good chance that you will be fired, if you blow this series to the Rangers and bow out AGAIN in the first round.
But don’t mess with the Garden faithful.
Don’t say we were not loud enough on Sunday.
First of all, it’s not true. The place was absolutely rocking Sunday afternoon. From the drop of the puck, when loud, “Let’s Go Rangers” chants rained down from the rafters, to the eruption that ensued when Vinny Prospal put the Boys in Blue up 2-1 in the 2nd, to the pandemonium that engulfed the entire building when Brandon Dubinsky scored the game winner late in the 3rd, to the final buzzer that produced a mad, towel waving fury, the Garden was in typical playoff fashion on Sunday. It may not be what it once was back in the 70’s and 80’s, when rooting for an opposing team in the Blueseats could get you anything from a beer bath, to a jersey being forcefully removed, or even get you tossed over the balcony. It may be filled with a bunch of corporate yuppies down in the 100’s nowadays, and it may not be the mass hysteria that engulfs the Bell Centre on a nightly basis up in Montreal (what place is?), but we do not need any rooting tips from you Bruce.
Rangers fans are known as among the most loyal in all of sports, sell the building out when we suck (unlike Washington), and don’t need gimmicks like blow horns, or the jumbotron telling us when to make noise. And when it comes to the playoffs, we don’t need the Red C in Calgary, the White Out in Pittsburgh, or the Orange Crush in Philly. We’re Rangers fans. We’ve been around 85 years, and we can make plenty of noise. So if you think we weren’t loud enough on Sunday, you’d better bring a good supply of ear plugs tonight. Cause in case you weren’t aware, we have a long list of chants reserved for types just like you.
Chants for Dennis Potvin.
Chants for opposing goalies.
Chants for a large coach with an even larger mouth.
You name, we have it.
Don’t mess with us Bruce.
We weren’t loud enough on Sunday, you say? You have no clue what you’re in for tonight!
Garden faithful...kindly show Boudreau how loud 18,200 people can REALLY be.
Oh, and Blueshirts..please beat this team.
LET’S GO RANGERS!!!!
In case anyone missed it, Bruce Boudreau, Head Coach for the Washington Capitals decided, after his team lost 3-2 to the Rangers on Sunday, to basically whine about everything. From bashing the visitor locker rooms at the Garden, to complaining about the benches being too small (gee, I wonder why), to the hit Marc Staal put on Mike Green on Sunday afternoon. And those are all fine Bruce. Whine all you want about the Garden, it’s not the most perfect building in the world, and Rangers fans know that. It’s old, the sight lines suck, the escalators shut down after games, and we all have to file out of the building either by walking down said turned off escalators, or down the urine smelling stairwell to the left. And cry all you want about a hit that was not even close to warranting a suspension. It just shows what a whiner you are, and how frustrated you are. And it also shows that you’re nervous. You know your job is on the line, and you know there’s a good chance that you will be fired, if you blow this series to the Rangers and bow out AGAIN in the first round.
But don’t mess with the Garden faithful.
Don’t say we were not loud enough on Sunday.
First of all, it’s not true. The place was absolutely rocking Sunday afternoon. From the drop of the puck, when loud, “Let’s Go Rangers” chants rained down from the rafters, to the eruption that ensued when Vinny Prospal put the Boys in Blue up 2-1 in the 2nd, to the pandemonium that engulfed the entire building when Brandon Dubinsky scored the game winner late in the 3rd, to the final buzzer that produced a mad, towel waving fury, the Garden was in typical playoff fashion on Sunday. It may not be what it once was back in the 70’s and 80’s, when rooting for an opposing team in the Blueseats could get you anything from a beer bath, to a jersey being forcefully removed, or even get you tossed over the balcony. It may be filled with a bunch of corporate yuppies down in the 100’s nowadays, and it may not be the mass hysteria that engulfs the Bell Centre on a nightly basis up in Montreal (what place is?), but we do not need any rooting tips from you Bruce.
Rangers fans are known as among the most loyal in all of sports, sell the building out when we suck (unlike Washington), and don’t need gimmicks like blow horns, or the jumbotron telling us when to make noise. And when it comes to the playoffs, we don’t need the Red C in Calgary, the White Out in Pittsburgh, or the Orange Crush in Philly. We’re Rangers fans. We’ve been around 85 years, and we can make plenty of noise. So if you think we weren’t loud enough on Sunday, you’d better bring a good supply of ear plugs tonight. Cause in case you weren’t aware, we have a long list of chants reserved for types just like you.
Chants for Dennis Potvin.
Chants for opposing goalies.
Chants for a large coach with an even larger mouth.
You name, we have it.
Don’t mess with us Bruce.
We weren’t loud enough on Sunday, you say? You have no clue what you’re in for tonight!
Garden faithful...kindly show Boudreau how loud 18,200 people can REALLY be.
Oh, and Blueshirts..please beat this team.
LET’S GO RANGERS!!!!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
An Open Letter to Sean Avery
Dear Sean Avery,
Let me be the first to say to you Sean, that when you first came to the Rangers, I loved you. Loved the passion you played with, loved the way you got under the opposing teams skin, and I particularly loved how you made it a point to get under the skin of Devils goalie, Martin Brodeur. After that first Rangers-Devils game, when during a scramble in front of the net, you knocked the great Mar-tan on his rear-end, you won the hearts and affections of Rangers fans everywhere. And for a while, you pretty much could do no wrong. You became the most important player on the Rangers next to Henrik Lundqvist, himself. You would score timely goals, piss opposing teams off, get into fights. I even remember affectionately coining you, "the Little Bastard", and at one time was seriously considering getting a #16 jersey, personalized with that very name.
Boy, am I glad I saved that money.
And the reason for this Sean is because you have not been "Sean Avery" in a very long time. You've scored 2 goals this entire season, don't get under anybody's skin and you don't even get into fights anymore. You pretty much don't do anything you used to do. I mean seriously, when was the last time you had a "Sean Avery" type game? You know the type of game I'm talking about. Scoring a goal and doing that arrogant fist pumping celebration, getting in the goalie's face, maybe "accidentally" knocking him in the back of the head with your stick when you skate past him after a stoppage in play. How 'bout a little pre-game trash talking with someone during warm-ups, or saying something to a top player when you line up for the face-off? I used to LIVE for those moments, wishing I could be a fly on your jersey to hear what you said to them that would just completely unravel them seconds after the puck was dropped..when was the last that happened? Hmm?
For you to be affective Sean, you need to be a jerk. It's really that simple. Cause when you are, it elevates your WHOLE game. You score goals, your speed becomes an asset, and most of all..the opposing team wants to KILL you! You used to have that Sean. I still remember that playoff series against the Atlanta Thrashers a few years ago, where you threw Ilya Kovalchuk off his game so badly, he pretty much self-destructed trying to go after you, and it made that 4 game sweep by the Rangers that much easier. I also remember the next season in the playoffs against the Devils when your "screening" tactic against Marty resulted in a change of the unsportsmanlike conduct rule the very next day. Heck, it angered Brodeur so much he wouldn't even shake your hand at the end of that series. I mean, Rangers fans were sporting t-shirts that said the "Avery Rule" on the front, and the amendment to the unsportsmanlike conduct on the back..how cool was that??
My wife and I made the trip down to D.C. for Game 2 yesterday, after a long 5 hour plus car ride, just in time for warm-ups. During the day we had heard, via twitter, that you would be in the line up for the game. Now, if this was a few years ago, I would've been excited about that. But I gotta tell ya Sean, I was pretty ho-hum about it, cause you have given me no reason this whole season to be excited about you being in the line up. I was honestly a little ticked off that John Tortorella would remove a young, energetic player like Mats Zuccarello in favor of someone whom, right now, is a shell of his former self.
And seriously Rangers fans, get over the whole love affair with Sean Avery already. I really didn't get that whole scene down by the glass during warm ups yesterday. Here you have a bunch of Caps fans holding up signs that said, "Avery Sucks", and this one "Avery fangirl" is like, "Why do all these stupid Caps fans have 'Avery Sucks' posters? Do they really think that bothers him? He feeds off stuff like that".
Not anymore he doesn't honey.
Then this other young kid says to me right after warms ups ended and the Rangers headed off the ice, "We're gonna win tonight dude...we got Avery back in the line up..I can feel it!!"
I wanted to say to him, "No, we're really not...not because of Sean Avery anyway!"
Perhaps as an older fan I have become more cynical, or maybe just over the years I have gained that sense of perspective about the game that a seasoned fan eventually gets. Either way, there are times when you just know whether or not your team is gonna win, and truth be told..I had a bad feeling about last night. There also comes a time when you know a player is not "panning out" anymore, or when they have lost it. And that is the sense I have gotten about you Mr. Avery.
The bottom line is that if you are in the line up tomorrow Sean, you need to start acting like Sean Avery again. Otherwise, you are of little use to this team. You need to get under Alex Ovechkin's skin. You need to crash the net, and get in goalie, Michal Neuvirth's face. He's a young kid, he CAN be rattled. And who knows, if you actually start doing what you were brought in here to do, and what you've made a career out of, your offensive abilities may soon follow, and it may wake the rest of this Rangers team up. They need something, that's for sure. They're down 2-0 in this best of seven series, and you're one of the veterans on this team, Sean. You need to start leading, and you need to step up your game. Otherwise, you might as well just take a seat in the stands because your lack of "Sean Avery-ness" is killing this team!
Sincerely,
TheGr8Tony
Let me be the first to say to you Sean, that when you first came to the Rangers, I loved you. Loved the passion you played with, loved the way you got under the opposing teams skin, and I particularly loved how you made it a point to get under the skin of Devils goalie, Martin Brodeur. After that first Rangers-Devils game, when during a scramble in front of the net, you knocked the great Mar-tan on his rear-end, you won the hearts and affections of Rangers fans everywhere. And for a while, you pretty much could do no wrong. You became the most important player on the Rangers next to Henrik Lundqvist, himself. You would score timely goals, piss opposing teams off, get into fights. I even remember affectionately coining you, "the Little Bastard", and at one time was seriously considering getting a #16 jersey, personalized with that very name.
Boy, am I glad I saved that money.
And the reason for this Sean is because you have not been "Sean Avery" in a very long time. You've scored 2 goals this entire season, don't get under anybody's skin and you don't even get into fights anymore. You pretty much don't do anything you used to do. I mean seriously, when was the last time you had a "Sean Avery" type game? You know the type of game I'm talking about. Scoring a goal and doing that arrogant fist pumping celebration, getting in the goalie's face, maybe "accidentally" knocking him in the back of the head with your stick when you skate past him after a stoppage in play. How 'bout a little pre-game trash talking with someone during warm-ups, or saying something to a top player when you line up for the face-off? I used to LIVE for those moments, wishing I could be a fly on your jersey to hear what you said to them that would just completely unravel them seconds after the puck was dropped..when was the last that happened? Hmm?
For you to be affective Sean, you need to be a jerk. It's really that simple. Cause when you are, it elevates your WHOLE game. You score goals, your speed becomes an asset, and most of all..the opposing team wants to KILL you! You used to have that Sean. I still remember that playoff series against the Atlanta Thrashers a few years ago, where you threw Ilya Kovalchuk off his game so badly, he pretty much self-destructed trying to go after you, and it made that 4 game sweep by the Rangers that much easier. I also remember the next season in the playoffs against the Devils when your "screening" tactic against Marty resulted in a change of the unsportsmanlike conduct rule the very next day. Heck, it angered Brodeur so much he wouldn't even shake your hand at the end of that series. I mean, Rangers fans were sporting t-shirts that said the "Avery Rule" on the front, and the amendment to the unsportsmanlike conduct on the back..how cool was that??
My wife and I made the trip down to D.C. for Game 2 yesterday, after a long 5 hour plus car ride, just in time for warm-ups. During the day we had heard, via twitter, that you would be in the line up for the game. Now, if this was a few years ago, I would've been excited about that. But I gotta tell ya Sean, I was pretty ho-hum about it, cause you have given me no reason this whole season to be excited about you being in the line up. I was honestly a little ticked off that John Tortorella would remove a young, energetic player like Mats Zuccarello in favor of someone whom, right now, is a shell of his former self.
And seriously Rangers fans, get over the whole love affair with Sean Avery already. I really didn't get that whole scene down by the glass during warm ups yesterday. Here you have a bunch of Caps fans holding up signs that said, "Avery Sucks", and this one "Avery fangirl" is like, "Why do all these stupid Caps fans have 'Avery Sucks' posters? Do they really think that bothers him? He feeds off stuff like that".
Not anymore he doesn't honey.
Then this other young kid says to me right after warms ups ended and the Rangers headed off the ice, "We're gonna win tonight dude...we got Avery back in the line up..I can feel it!!"
I wanted to say to him, "No, we're really not...not because of Sean Avery anyway!"
Perhaps as an older fan I have become more cynical, or maybe just over the years I have gained that sense of perspective about the game that a seasoned fan eventually gets. Either way, there are times when you just know whether or not your team is gonna win, and truth be told..I had a bad feeling about last night. There also comes a time when you know a player is not "panning out" anymore, or when they have lost it. And that is the sense I have gotten about you Mr. Avery.
The bottom line is that if you are in the line up tomorrow Sean, you need to start acting like Sean Avery again. Otherwise, you are of little use to this team. You need to get under Alex Ovechkin's skin. You need to crash the net, and get in goalie, Michal Neuvirth's face. He's a young kid, he CAN be rattled. And who knows, if you actually start doing what you were brought in here to do, and what you've made a career out of, your offensive abilities may soon follow, and it may wake the rest of this Rangers team up. They need something, that's for sure. They're down 2-0 in this best of seven series, and you're one of the veterans on this team, Sean. You need to start leading, and you need to step up your game. Otherwise, you might as well just take a seat in the stands because your lack of "Sean Avery-ness" is killing this team!
Sincerely,
TheGr8Tony
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Pain - A Necessary Evil That Opens Door of Potential for Blueshirts
The New York Rangers fought, scratched and clawed their way into the NHL Playoffs this season, and it was not easy. It was an 82-game “grind” in the purest sense of the word. One that involved the Boys in Blue putting their bodies on the line on a nightly basis, with a defensive style that can best be described as painful. They had the 6th most man games lost to injury in the NHL, and towards the end of the season, John Tortorella was even questioned as to whether or not, this was the smartest strategy to employ, in order to secure victories.
The Head Coach balked at that mere notion that he should even think about changing the team’s style of play. This was the way the team played, this was who they were, and it wasn’t going to change. And in the end, it paid off with a post season berth.
As Brandon Prust put it after a game back in late January when asked if he was going to play after blocking a shot off his foot, “It’s just pain.”
That has been the mentality for this Blueshirts team this year. They are not the most talented group in the world, and they know it. The players themselves agreed early in the season that if they were going to be successful, this was how they would have to do it. They are not favored to win this opening round Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series against the Washington Capitals, which begins tonight at that the Verizon Center, and rightfully so. And if they do get through this series, they will be underdogs in the next round as well. But that is what this team does. They beat teams they shouldn’t beat. They win games no one expects them to win. And if any team is primed for a Cinderella run, it is the New York Rangers. They have that defense first mentality, they have a world class goaltender, and they believe in themselves. And they are willing to make the sacrifice with their arms, with their legs, with their ribs, and yes…even with their faces, in order to block a 99 mph slap shot from the point that is heading towards the net that Henrik Lundqvist can’t see, because he is being screened.
It’s just pain.
And if the Rangers are going to play deep into the post season this year, they will have to do it in the exact same fashion that got them here: By pouring molasses all over the ice, by fore checking, by taking the body, by fearlessly throwing their own in front of pucks, and by riding the coat tails of the King. And they will have to do all of this without the player most associated with this lunch pail, blue collar group, their captain in the making, Ryan Callahan.
It’s just pain.
But let’s also not be deceived here. If the Rangers are going to win this series, not only are they going to have to shut the Capitals down, they’re going to have to score. And that means Marian Gaborik, the man the Rangers are paying a lot of money to score a lot of goals, is going to have to shake off the cobwebs, and do just that. No small task considering Gaborik had no goals in the last 8 games of the regular season, and was benched in numerous 3rd periods by Tortorella. This cannot happen. He needs to put pucks on net, and he needs to finish. It’s just that simple.
The Rangers had no problem scoring goals in the season series against the Caps, outscoring Washington 18-6, and winning 3 of the 4 meetings, 2 of them by the scores of 7-0, and 6-0…the latter of those beat downs coming just 6 weeks ago. They also held superstar scorer, Alexander Ovechkin to zero goals and just 2 assists in the four meetings between the teams this season.
This will not be an easy series. It will be nasty, back and forth, will probably go at least 6 games, and possibly a seventh. The Capitals have been upset the last few seasons by lower seeds, have lost the last 3 of the last 4 Games 7’s in their building, and clearly have something to prove. Keep in mind also that the Rangers themselves took the Caps to a seventh game just two seasons ago, and blew a 3-1 series lead. That defeat is still fresh in their minds.
Breaking it down:
Offense: Edge to the Capitals
Defense: Edge to the Rangers
Goalies: Edge to the Rangers
Special Teams:
Power play – Edge to the Capitals
Penalty Kill – Edge to the Rangers
Coaching: Even
The potential for an upset against the top seed in the Eastern Conference is there, and waiting for the Blueshirts. And if they can get through this series, it will fill them with a lot of confidence. They already have tons of it. Brandon Dubinsky said the other day, "I think we're right there as far as Washington is concerned. We're a confident team and our group is not just happy to be in the first round.” Brandon Prust echoed those sentiments by stating, “We're not just satisfied with getting in. We want to make a move. The Stanley Cup isn't far off in our minds. It'll be a lot of work but it's attainable."
The potential is there, and the confidence is as well. But if the Rangers are going to do this, they will most likely have to endure a lot of pain in the process.
Nothing new for this team.
As Prust said, back in January:
It’s just pain.
The Head Coach balked at that mere notion that he should even think about changing the team’s style of play. This was the way the team played, this was who they were, and it wasn’t going to change. And in the end, it paid off with a post season berth.
As Brandon Prust put it after a game back in late January when asked if he was going to play after blocking a shot off his foot, “It’s just pain.”
That has been the mentality for this Blueshirts team this year. They are not the most talented group in the world, and they know it. The players themselves agreed early in the season that if they were going to be successful, this was how they would have to do it. They are not favored to win this opening round Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series against the Washington Capitals, which begins tonight at that the Verizon Center, and rightfully so. And if they do get through this series, they will be underdogs in the next round as well. But that is what this team does. They beat teams they shouldn’t beat. They win games no one expects them to win. And if any team is primed for a Cinderella run, it is the New York Rangers. They have that defense first mentality, they have a world class goaltender, and they believe in themselves. And they are willing to make the sacrifice with their arms, with their legs, with their ribs, and yes…even with their faces, in order to block a 99 mph slap shot from the point that is heading towards the net that Henrik Lundqvist can’t see, because he is being screened.
It’s just pain.
And if the Rangers are going to play deep into the post season this year, they will have to do it in the exact same fashion that got them here: By pouring molasses all over the ice, by fore checking, by taking the body, by fearlessly throwing their own in front of pucks, and by riding the coat tails of the King. And they will have to do all of this without the player most associated with this lunch pail, blue collar group, their captain in the making, Ryan Callahan.
It’s just pain.
But let’s also not be deceived here. If the Rangers are going to win this series, not only are they going to have to shut the Capitals down, they’re going to have to score. And that means Marian Gaborik, the man the Rangers are paying a lot of money to score a lot of goals, is going to have to shake off the cobwebs, and do just that. No small task considering Gaborik had no goals in the last 8 games of the regular season, and was benched in numerous 3rd periods by Tortorella. This cannot happen. He needs to put pucks on net, and he needs to finish. It’s just that simple.
The Rangers had no problem scoring goals in the season series against the Caps, outscoring Washington 18-6, and winning 3 of the 4 meetings, 2 of them by the scores of 7-0, and 6-0…the latter of those beat downs coming just 6 weeks ago. They also held superstar scorer, Alexander Ovechkin to zero goals and just 2 assists in the four meetings between the teams this season.
This will not be an easy series. It will be nasty, back and forth, will probably go at least 6 games, and possibly a seventh. The Capitals have been upset the last few seasons by lower seeds, have lost the last 3 of the last 4 Games 7’s in their building, and clearly have something to prove. Keep in mind also that the Rangers themselves took the Caps to a seventh game just two seasons ago, and blew a 3-1 series lead. That defeat is still fresh in their minds.
Breaking it down:
Offense: Edge to the Capitals
Defense: Edge to the Rangers
Goalies: Edge to the Rangers
Special Teams:
Power play – Edge to the Capitals
Penalty Kill – Edge to the Rangers
Coaching: Even
The potential for an upset against the top seed in the Eastern Conference is there, and waiting for the Blueshirts. And if they can get through this series, it will fill them with a lot of confidence. They already have tons of it. Brandon Dubinsky said the other day, "I think we're right there as far as Washington is concerned. We're a confident team and our group is not just happy to be in the first round.” Brandon Prust echoed those sentiments by stating, “We're not just satisfied with getting in. We want to make a move. The Stanley Cup isn't far off in our minds. It'll be a lot of work but it's attainable."
The potential is there, and the confidence is as well. But if the Rangers are going to do this, they will most likely have to endure a lot of pain in the process.
Nothing new for this team.
As Prust said, back in January:
It’s just pain.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Superstitions Abandoned
You suck Atlanta.
Really, really suck.
Hope your pathetic franchise folds and you never make the playoffs again.
Screw it.
Going with the Callahan USA Jersey today.
They win, it's because it was meant to be.
They lose..it had NOTHING to do with what I wore.
Don't let us down today boys.
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Really, really suck.
Hope your pathetic franchise folds and you never make the playoffs again.
Screw it.
Going with the Callahan USA Jersey today.
They win, it's because it was meant to be.
They lose..it had NOTHING to do with what I wore.
Don't let us down today boys.
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Friday, April 8, 2011
An Angry, Irrational Look at Last Night’s Hockey Event in New York
Ok, so before I go any further, let me just say that superstitions suck.
Yeah, that’s right...after that nice long blog yesterday proclaiming that they work…I’m here to tell you that they suck.
And ya know why? Not because they don’t work, because they do. But ya know what else they do? Mislead you. Cause after you’ve had success with them, you get all caught up in them, and it causes you to over think the next round of good karma. And that’s exactly what I did last night before the game.
I had it all planned out when I got home. It was going to be such a good night. The wife had an interview earlier in the day for a new position within her company that went very well, so she picked up sushi for dinner, and a bottle of wine to celebrate. A little hockey on tap, a mini celebration because of the interview, all the makings of an awesome night. We put the game on, Ryan Callahan had come out on crutches before the drop of the puck, and got a huge ovation from the sold out Garden crowd, and I was so pumped. So excited. So hopeful.
If only I hadn’t done the stupid thing I did before the game.
I had it in my mind all day. I wasn’t going to wear any Rangers related items during the game. It had already been established yesterday that it was bad luck. But searching for “good luck”, and “good karma”, and completely trying to force the issue, I decided it would be a good idea to take one of my Rangers jerseys out of the closet and lay in on the floor in the bedroom. For I had this stupid, ridiculous, WTF was I thinking idea in my head, that with each goal the Rangers scored, I would take another jersey out of the closet, and basically make a path of jerseys from the bedroom, to the living room.
Really Tony?
REALLY??
#1..Ya probably don’t have enough jerseys to do that...it’s a long freaking distance from the living room to the bedroom. That’s the first thing.
#2..Laying a jersey on the floor is (with all due respect to Old Glory) probably the hockey equivalent of laying the American flag on the ground…YA JUST DON’T DO IT!!
#3..What a stupid freaking idea…WHY on earth would you do that???
And as if to show you how RIDICULOUS this asinine idea was...the hockey gods made sure the Rangers didn’t score ONE goal last night.
Not one.
And why?
Because you are an idiot.
And now because of YOU, the Rangers basically have a do or die situation coming up tomorrow, at the Garden, against the Devils. That thing you wanted to avoid all season long? That fear you’ve lived with for the past 2 or 3 months, that it would all come down to this last freaking game? Well, it's here. And all because YOU decided to force a stupid, unfounded, idiotic idea down the throats of the hockey gods. And they saw it for all its ridiculousness, bent you over the couch, and shoved it where the sun doesn’t shine.
Idiot.
Ok...so, moving back to reality.
I do realize that my actions last night (most likely…probably…I GUESS), didn’t have any affect on the play of the Rangers last night. No, the only ones to blame for that complete and utter no show, that 60 minute disgrace, in the biggest game of the year (until of course, Saturday’s), is squarely upon the shoulders of the Boys in Blue. They had nothing. Absolutely NOTHING, and how on earth they could come out and play like that against the freaking Atlanta Thrashers, who by the way WILL get destroyed by the Carolina Hurricanes tonight, after that emotional win on Monday against the Bruins, is BEYOND my capacity for justification. And after watching that garbage last night, I am not very optimistic about Saturday’s upcoming tilt against New Jersey. Could they surprise me? Sure. Am I expecting it? Not really. And if they do win, and somehow hold off the Hurricanes, I think it will be more of a relief than anything. But whatever...heaven forbid they don’t get in, all I’ve really done is saved myself from a beat down against the Capitals in the first round, right? RIGHT??
No, not really. The truth is, I still believe in this team. And deep down, I truly believe that if they do get in, the Rangers could actually do some damage in the playoffs, or at the very least, scare the living daylights out of a top seed in the East. They have that aura about them. They’re a low seed with a great goaltender, a blue collar mentality, and are primed for a Cinderella run. And yes, I am just talking out of pure anger right now. Cause I was expecting A LOT more from them last night. After that great win Monday night, after Ryan Callahan literally sacrificed his season to secure that victory, I honestly had bought in to the whole, “Rally for Cally”, “Us against the world” mentality. And for them to come out like they did, against a team that has NOTHING to play for, was a slap in the face to Rangers fans, and to Callahan, for that matter. They needed to do better. And they need to be better moving forward, plain and simple.
They have one more chance tomorrow afternoon. Whether Carolina wins or loses tonight, they need to come out against the Devils and give a MUCH better showing then they did against the Thrashers.
They owe it to themselves, they owe it Callahan, and they owe it to us.
Yeah, that’s right...after that nice long blog yesterday proclaiming that they work…I’m here to tell you that they suck.
And ya know why? Not because they don’t work, because they do. But ya know what else they do? Mislead you. Cause after you’ve had success with them, you get all caught up in them, and it causes you to over think the next round of good karma. And that’s exactly what I did last night before the game.
I had it all planned out when I got home. It was going to be such a good night. The wife had an interview earlier in the day for a new position within her company that went very well, so she picked up sushi for dinner, and a bottle of wine to celebrate. A little hockey on tap, a mini celebration because of the interview, all the makings of an awesome night. We put the game on, Ryan Callahan had come out on crutches before the drop of the puck, and got a huge ovation from the sold out Garden crowd, and I was so pumped. So excited. So hopeful.
If only I hadn’t done the stupid thing I did before the game.
I had it in my mind all day. I wasn’t going to wear any Rangers related items during the game. It had already been established yesterday that it was bad luck. But searching for “good luck”, and “good karma”, and completely trying to force the issue, I decided it would be a good idea to take one of my Rangers jerseys out of the closet and lay in on the floor in the bedroom. For I had this stupid, ridiculous, WTF was I thinking idea in my head, that with each goal the Rangers scored, I would take another jersey out of the closet, and basically make a path of jerseys from the bedroom, to the living room.
Really Tony?
REALLY??
#1..Ya probably don’t have enough jerseys to do that...it’s a long freaking distance from the living room to the bedroom. That’s the first thing.
#2..Laying a jersey on the floor is (with all due respect to Old Glory) probably the hockey equivalent of laying the American flag on the ground…YA JUST DON’T DO IT!!
#3..What a stupid freaking idea…WHY on earth would you do that???
And as if to show you how RIDICULOUS this asinine idea was...the hockey gods made sure the Rangers didn’t score ONE goal last night.
Not one.
And why?
Because you are an idiot.
And now because of YOU, the Rangers basically have a do or die situation coming up tomorrow, at the Garden, against the Devils. That thing you wanted to avoid all season long? That fear you’ve lived with for the past 2 or 3 months, that it would all come down to this last freaking game? Well, it's here. And all because YOU decided to force a stupid, unfounded, idiotic idea down the throats of the hockey gods. And they saw it for all its ridiculousness, bent you over the couch, and shoved it where the sun doesn’t shine.
Idiot.
Ok...so, moving back to reality.
I do realize that my actions last night (most likely…probably…I GUESS), didn’t have any affect on the play of the Rangers last night. No, the only ones to blame for that complete and utter no show, that 60 minute disgrace, in the biggest game of the year (until of course, Saturday’s), is squarely upon the shoulders of the Boys in Blue. They had nothing. Absolutely NOTHING, and how on earth they could come out and play like that against the freaking Atlanta Thrashers, who by the way WILL get destroyed by the Carolina Hurricanes tonight, after that emotional win on Monday against the Bruins, is BEYOND my capacity for justification. And after watching that garbage last night, I am not very optimistic about Saturday’s upcoming tilt against New Jersey. Could they surprise me? Sure. Am I expecting it? Not really. And if they do win, and somehow hold off the Hurricanes, I think it will be more of a relief than anything. But whatever...heaven forbid they don’t get in, all I’ve really done is saved myself from a beat down against the Capitals in the first round, right? RIGHT??
No, not really. The truth is, I still believe in this team. And deep down, I truly believe that if they do get in, the Rangers could actually do some damage in the playoffs, or at the very least, scare the living daylights out of a top seed in the East. They have that aura about them. They’re a low seed with a great goaltender, a blue collar mentality, and are primed for a Cinderella run. And yes, I am just talking out of pure anger right now. Cause I was expecting A LOT more from them last night. After that great win Monday night, after Ryan Callahan literally sacrificed his season to secure that victory, I honestly had bought in to the whole, “Rally for Cally”, “Us against the world” mentality. And for them to come out like they did, against a team that has NOTHING to play for, was a slap in the face to Rangers fans, and to Callahan, for that matter. They needed to do better. And they need to be better moving forward, plain and simple.
They have one more chance tomorrow afternoon. Whether Carolina wins or loses tonight, they need to come out against the Devils and give a MUCH better showing then they did against the Thrashers.
They owe it to themselves, they owe it Callahan, and they owe it to us.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Superstitions…Not Just a Sports Fan’s Hollow Ritual!
Superstitions. We all have them as sports fans, and we all follow them to a tee.
And they work. I swear to you, they do.
My wife, for example, will wear the same jersey, same jeans, same hooded sweater, same t-shirt, and even the same socks after a win for her beloved team from Newark. Sometimes she will not even wash them. Think of the implications of that after a long winning streak. That can be unpleasant.
I, too, have had my own superstitions this year with the Rangers. Ranging from normal (at least from a sports fan's perspective), to bizarre, to downright outrageous. And Monday night was when it reached that point for me.
For a long time, wearing Rangers gear has not normally been a good idea for me on game days. It would seem whenever I would wear a Rangers t-shirt, or a sweat shirt, or anything bearing the emblem of the Boys in Blue, they would lose. So at one point this season, I just stopped wearing Rangers gear on games days. I would not even sleep in a t-shirt with a Rangers logo the night before, if I knew they had a game the next day. However, it reached a point in February of this year, when NOTHING I was doing was working for me.
So one Sunday afternoon, after a particularly disheartening defeat the night before (in which I did not wear a single thing Rangers related), and another game to follow that night, I angrily proclaimed to my wife that I did not care anymore. And that I was going to wear my Rangers t-shirts, sweat shirts, sweat pants, whenever I felt like it, and if they won, great. If they lost, whatever. It had nothing to do with me, or any of my silly superstitions, which was what they were to me at that moment. So that night I watched the Rangers, wearing my Original Six t-shirt, which bore the logos of the 6 classic teams from that era, including a very tiny Rangers logo. And wonder of wonders, they won.
However, feeling that victory was the only one I could get out of that shirt, I quickly discarded it, and switched to a different one the next game. This time with a full blown Rangers logo on it. And they won again. I wore that same shirt a few nights later, just to test it, and they lost. I switched to another one the next game, and they won.
I proceeded to spend the next few weeks going through my ENTIRE Rangers wardrobe, never wearing the same thing twice. Wearing whatever felt natural to me at that moment. Such as my old school Rangers sweater one night when I was at my best friend's house watching the game, to my 80's style Rangers jersey a few nights later when I was at the Garden, both of which I do not wear very often. I was now fully locked into my routine, and the Blueshirts kept on winning. I was so sure of this formula for success, I wouldn't even tell my wife what I was doing.
And then I made the mistake of telling her one night, and they lost. And you better believe I blamed her for that loss. It was all her fault. I swear to you it was.
After that, I tried going back to the beginning of the wardrobe cycle again, but with mixed results. Some wins, some losses. And then my biggest fears became reality, as my wardrobe suddenly betrayed me again. They started losing whenever I would wear an item with a Rangers logo on it, going back to my original theory that wearing Blueshirt gear on game days was indeed, bad luck.
Don't believe me? I did not wear anything Rangers related when they played the Flyers this past Sunday afternoon, and they won. I started off Monday's game against the Bruins wearing that same Original Six t-shirt that started the 7 game point streak, and they were losing 3-0, for almost the entire game. So, with under 4 minutes to go, and the Rangers still trailing 3-2, I angrily removed the shirt, flung it across the living room, and sat there on the couch in just my boxer shorts. I did that half thinking it might help, half not even caring what the results were.
And then, Dubinsky scored, and tied the game.
I jumped up off the couch, screaming at the top of my lungs, and in mid-celebration, grabbed that evil Original Six t-shirt off the floor, ran into the bedroom, and SLAMMED it into the hamper, all to the complete befuddlement of my wife, sitting on the bed, switching back and forth between the game and another program, and watching me...with utter amazement.
But whatever..running back into the living room, I then proceeded to remove my boxers, and throw them down the stairs. I watched the rest of the game in my underwear. No lie.
Until of course, 51 seconds later, when Michale Sauer scored to put the Rangers ahead with less then 3 minute to go in the game. And then complete BEDLAM occurred in my household. And my poor wife was witness to it ALL!
See my point here folks?
Superstitions work. No matter how strange, how odd, or how jaw dropping to another person they may seem. THEY WORK. So, whatever I feel is going to help the Rangers tonight, as they take on the Thrashers at the Garden, I will do. They need this win more than any tonight, with Carolina just 2 points behind them for the 8th, and final, playoff spot. A win tonight, and a Hurricane loss tomorrow against those same Thrashers, and the Boys in Blue are in the playoffs. A loss, and it all comes down to that final game at home, against the Devils. I do not want that. For my sake, for my wife's, and for my best friend, whom I will be watching the game with at his house at 12:30, Saturday afternoon. Do you really think he wants sit to there with me, while I watch the entire game in just my boxers?? No, he doesn't. Nor does his wife, but if that’s what it takes, then so be it. So, Tod and Amy…you’ve been warned!
Superstitions. We all have them. So, fellow Rangers fans… whatever rituals you have out there tonight…do ‘em. If you don’t, but have a gut feeling about doing something, but you’re a little trepidacious, don’t be. Sometimes the weirdest things can make a difference. Who in the world thought me throwing a t-shirt across the room Monday night, and watching the rest of the game in my boxers would work?
But it did…I swear to you, it did. And you can rest assured, whatever magic I have to weave tonight, whatever ritual I have to follow, whatever weird gut feeling, or sudden urge I get, I will do. Anything to assure victory for the New York Rangers tonight, and set up the possibility of a playoff clincher before Saturday’s final game.
Cause superstitions work.
I swear to you, they do.
And they work. I swear to you, they do.
My wife, for example, will wear the same jersey, same jeans, same hooded sweater, same t-shirt, and even the same socks after a win for her beloved team from Newark. Sometimes she will not even wash them. Think of the implications of that after a long winning streak. That can be unpleasant.
I, too, have had my own superstitions this year with the Rangers. Ranging from normal (at least from a sports fan's perspective), to bizarre, to downright outrageous. And Monday night was when it reached that point for me.
For a long time, wearing Rangers gear has not normally been a good idea for me on game days. It would seem whenever I would wear a Rangers t-shirt, or a sweat shirt, or anything bearing the emblem of the Boys in Blue, they would lose. So at one point this season, I just stopped wearing Rangers gear on games days. I would not even sleep in a t-shirt with a Rangers logo the night before, if I knew they had a game the next day. However, it reached a point in February of this year, when NOTHING I was doing was working for me.
So one Sunday afternoon, after a particularly disheartening defeat the night before (in which I did not wear a single thing Rangers related), and another game to follow that night, I angrily proclaimed to my wife that I did not care anymore. And that I was going to wear my Rangers t-shirts, sweat shirts, sweat pants, whenever I felt like it, and if they won, great. If they lost, whatever. It had nothing to do with me, or any of my silly superstitions, which was what they were to me at that moment. So that night I watched the Rangers, wearing my Original Six t-shirt, which bore the logos of the 6 classic teams from that era, including a very tiny Rangers logo. And wonder of wonders, they won.
However, feeling that victory was the only one I could get out of that shirt, I quickly discarded it, and switched to a different one the next game. This time with a full blown Rangers logo on it. And they won again. I wore that same shirt a few nights later, just to test it, and they lost. I switched to another one the next game, and they won.
I proceeded to spend the next few weeks going through my ENTIRE Rangers wardrobe, never wearing the same thing twice. Wearing whatever felt natural to me at that moment. Such as my old school Rangers sweater one night when I was at my best friend's house watching the game, to my 80's style Rangers jersey a few nights later when I was at the Garden, both of which I do not wear very often. I was now fully locked into my routine, and the Blueshirts kept on winning. I was so sure of this formula for success, I wouldn't even tell my wife what I was doing.
And then I made the mistake of telling her one night, and they lost. And you better believe I blamed her for that loss. It was all her fault. I swear to you it was.
After that, I tried going back to the beginning of the wardrobe cycle again, but with mixed results. Some wins, some losses. And then my biggest fears became reality, as my wardrobe suddenly betrayed me again. They started losing whenever I would wear an item with a Rangers logo on it, going back to my original theory that wearing Blueshirt gear on game days was indeed, bad luck.
Don't believe me? I did not wear anything Rangers related when they played the Flyers this past Sunday afternoon, and they won. I started off Monday's game against the Bruins wearing that same Original Six t-shirt that started the 7 game point streak, and they were losing 3-0, for almost the entire game. So, with under 4 minutes to go, and the Rangers still trailing 3-2, I angrily removed the shirt, flung it across the living room, and sat there on the couch in just my boxer shorts. I did that half thinking it might help, half not even caring what the results were.
And then, Dubinsky scored, and tied the game.
I jumped up off the couch, screaming at the top of my lungs, and in mid-celebration, grabbed that evil Original Six t-shirt off the floor, ran into the bedroom, and SLAMMED it into the hamper, all to the complete befuddlement of my wife, sitting on the bed, switching back and forth between the game and another program, and watching me...with utter amazement.
But whatever..running back into the living room, I then proceeded to remove my boxers, and throw them down the stairs. I watched the rest of the game in my underwear. No lie.
Until of course, 51 seconds later, when Michale Sauer scored to put the Rangers ahead with less then 3 minute to go in the game. And then complete BEDLAM occurred in my household. And my poor wife was witness to it ALL!
See my point here folks?
Superstitions work. No matter how strange, how odd, or how jaw dropping to another person they may seem. THEY WORK. So, whatever I feel is going to help the Rangers tonight, as they take on the Thrashers at the Garden, I will do. They need this win more than any tonight, with Carolina just 2 points behind them for the 8th, and final, playoff spot. A win tonight, and a Hurricane loss tomorrow against those same Thrashers, and the Boys in Blue are in the playoffs. A loss, and it all comes down to that final game at home, against the Devils. I do not want that. For my sake, for my wife's, and for my best friend, whom I will be watching the game with at his house at 12:30, Saturday afternoon. Do you really think he wants sit to there with me, while I watch the entire game in just my boxers?? No, he doesn't. Nor does his wife, but if that’s what it takes, then so be it. So, Tod and Amy…you’ve been warned!
Superstitions. We all have them. So, fellow Rangers fans… whatever rituals you have out there tonight…do ‘em. If you don’t, but have a gut feeling about doing something, but you’re a little trepidacious, don’t be. Sometimes the weirdest things can make a difference. Who in the world thought me throwing a t-shirt across the room Monday night, and watching the rest of the game in my boxers would work?
But it did…I swear to you, it did. And you can rest assured, whatever magic I have to weave tonight, whatever ritual I have to follow, whatever weird gut feeling, or sudden urge I get, I will do. Anything to assure victory for the New York Rangers tonight, and set up the possibility of a playoff clincher before Saturday’s final game.
Cause superstitions work.
I swear to you, they do.
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