I sort of agree with you even though the way you wrote your post made it almost impossible to read. I don’t get where this sudden animosity towards Drury came from, he’s playing like he always has there’s just no one around for him to free load goals off of…he’s not a star, he plays good defense and scores garbage goals that result from people with great hands generating chances; it’s not like he signed this contract or became captain a month ago and it’s not like he held Glen Sather hostage for it either. Drury is playing with two guys currently who score by crashing, unfortunately none of them are good passers or particularly skilled so they don’t get anything done offensively. I don’t see how you can say Tortorella has ‘lost’ this team already, it’d be the fastest a coach has ever ‘lost’ a team before seeing as this team is completely different then the one he coached last season. The problem with the Rangers is that they’re just not that talented, they have a whole bunch of guys that just don’t do anything particularly well.

Have to agree with polishBLUE — Rosival played a pretty solid game last night and, despite recent lackluster performance, he does have the huge shot from the point that could jumpstart our powerplay. Most teams are focusing their defensive efforts on our pointment during the powerplay, since we don’t have anyone (other than perhaps Avery) who can dominate down low (calling Vincent Lecavalier!).

I think its still too soon to call for Tortorella’s head — we don’t want Laviolette syndrome (from the broadcast booth to the bench) — that would mean what, a return to Keenan? Unless Messier is ready to come down from the suites to the bench, we should stick with Torts (and I don’t think a rookie coach -even if its the Messiah! ;) – is the solution for all the rookies and youngsters on this squad.

I think Torts’ message is slowly sinking in — for example, Kotalik delivered more big hits last night than he has all season combined. My guess is that Torts’ hands are tied by Sather when it comes to benching Drury and other high-paid talent. I agree though that Anisimov shouldn’t be benched — he’s not having as much success as we’d hoped but I think his effort is there. I’d like to see him with Gaborik and Prospal on a line for more than just a couple of shifts — try it for 3-4 games and see if any chemistry develops — would give a big body that can handle the puck to create room for Gaborik on the cycle.

he didn’t give a shit who he benched, even if it was Lecavalier. Rozsival is playing like shit so is Drury and if they get all prissy with being scratched a game or two then they shouldn’t be playing

I’m a Met fan, so not nearly enough, pitchers and catchers can wait, LOL

If you look at the top teams in the league every year, and most Stanley Cup winners, there aren’t too many run-and-gun winners. Pittsburgh didn’t get over the top until they learned they still had to play tough D first, even with all their firepower. Capitals are still learning that lesson but they’re moving in the right direction. At the other end of the spectrum, look at the Devils or the Red Wings (well, maybe not this year but the last 10 years for the Wings) - the Devils would be perfectly comfortable playing 2 periods with a 1 goal lead. They basically built their team around having an elite goaltender - Martin Brodeur. Lundquist is certainly in the same league as Brodeur and if you build a system around that, goals will come or you go to the shootout every night where he will win most of those battles. We have decent team speed but not superior team speed — so an aggressive forecheck is doomed to fail — look how many times Campbell beat guys off the forecheck last night. I don’t think Redden and Rosival are the building blocks for that type of system though. Staal, Garardi definitely are; MDZ & Gilroy — probably can be but still young — need to get stronger physically — Hossa and Buttugly (Byfuglen) dominated them last night.

there is NO way you can say Chris Drury deserves to score. Higgins is at least around the net getting shots, Drury is usless

Yeah I suggested that to Joe, it was to reflect that Lundqvist seemed like the only one on the ice most of the night

I wouldn’t call Callahan’s extension FAT….

and i really cannot wait to see dubi back in the lineup…hopefully some heart and energy will be reinserted because like we all have been saying, a majority of them look so nonchalant and like they don’t care…and this IF dubi is in serious rumors (hopefully the cogliano one is just that, a rumor) and gets traded, i really don’t know what i would say or do

nylander feeding gabby,,how can the hurt?

the stress will affect your bowel movements,,lmao

you had to know it wouldn’t last

As for the “excellent defensive hockey” comment. Not even close. Look at the bottom of this link (its the NHL game recap) at the bottom of the page they dop a shot chart. Nearly 50% of the shots are taken from the slot or directly around the net. That is not good defense. The score should have been 6-1 at least.

As for my “do something” comment it was more along the lines of a crease clearing defenseman like you asked for.

And I don’t think you can argue that some players aren’t tuning Tortorella out. They are not playing Tortorella hockey

As for your Gaborik comment. He was back before Gilroy was and if you look at the replay he paused to see where the trailer was so that he can pick him up on the rush. Once he sees Gilroy lose his Byfuglien he abandons his Hawk (who flies in right after Byfuglien makes his first move) to try and make the play.

db, I definitely agree with you on the Torts losing the team stuff, its just not happening.

Guys, if you really want to look at coaches who have lost their teams, go look at the 2003 NY Giants, the 1997-98 Rangers, the Mets (pick any one of about 20 seasons)

Last night they did not play a great game, but they were in it until the end. They just aren’t scoring. That doesn’t mean the coach has lost the team, it just means they aren’t scoring.

I just don’t see how you give up on a coach after 50 games, when he still doesn’t have the right mix of players.

Name me a coach who is going to be better, honestly. Any coach that comes in still has liabilities on defense, and still has forwards that aren’t scoring.

I don’t agree with everything he’s done either. But you can’t fire him in December, and tear it all down again and start over.

If the Rangers mail it in in March and April, then I can understand the Dump Torts talk. But I think the guy deserves more than 50 games to prove he can turn it around, no?

Not only that, but hopefully (hands to God here) it will just help in the fact that the lines can settle down, and there won’t be so much mixing and matching with guys who aren’t centers playing the position

gilroy has been SOLID!!!!!!