Rangers Analysis: Pressure's On Gabby
by Nick Montemagno on Jul 26, 2010 1:00 PM EDT
in Rangers Analysis
20 comments
In his recent piece on NHL.com where he named a player from each club that will be under the most pressure, John Kreiser hit the nail on the head when it comes to star winger Marian Gaborik. Of course, you could make a case for Henrik Lundqvist also carrying a lot of weight on his shoulders, but goaltending is never the problem, offense is and Gaborik was brought here last July to help solve that.
Here's a scary thought for Rangers fans: Gaborik had 42 goals, stayed healthy enough to play 76 games -- and the team still missed the playoffs. With no new offensive savior on the horizon and no one else on the roster who scored more than 20 goals, Gaborik will have to do at least as well (and stay at least as healthy) in his second season in the Big Apple as he did in his first for the Rangers to get back into the playoffs.
Could not have said that any better myself. Gaborik played in one of his best seasons health-wise and numbers-wise this past year, yet the Rangers still found themselves on the outside looking in wen it came to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. His 42 goals, which tied a career high, were not enough for the Blueshirts to be an offensive force, especially when he went through a minor slump in the month of January.
Like I have said over and over again, this year's team is shaping up to look a lot like that of last year's so I would not plan on Marian getting any extra help or support once again. It is his job to carry the load, and God forbid he gets injured seriously, head coach John Tortorella and his squad are in deep trouble.
The recent rumor of Alexander Frolov possibly coming to the Rangers would help Gaborik on offense somewhat, but Frolov is no 40-goal scorer. Actually, he has only notched 30 goals twice in his career and I am unsure as to whether or not he could even do that again.
So Gaborik will again be "the man" up front for New York. Tortorella needs to preserve his leading scorer and preserve him well, something I do give Torts credit for doing in 2009-10. If that means taking practices off or sitting out a game here and there, so be it. He is too valuable to risk, and if he goes down, the Rangers are a team of second and third liners with no go-to scorer.
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You can’t be saying all the thingsTortorella said after last year about the type of players you need and don’t need and then go and sign Frolov imo
Since the face been revealed the game got real
wouldnt be the first or fourth time Tortorella has contradicted himself while in NY
Favre 4 Ever
I Believe In Chris Drury
Torts isn't the GM
although he has input on who to sign, he is not the final authority. Sometimes you have to work with what you are given not what you ask for
Not what Im talking about. lets review some of the things Torts has said & promised here in NY:
- “Safe is DEATH!” .. Team used basic survival strategy in many games which cost them (look at the collapse vs Pitt)
- Playing time is based upon skill not contract….why are Redden & Rozy on the ice when were down by 1 w/ 60 secs to go in the 3rd? I cant believe how many times I asked myself that last year
- “Were gonna play fast & aggressive” … sure, yawn.
& many many more….I dont believe much that I hear from this guy anymore
Favre 4 Ever
I Believe In Chris Drury
you are making excuses for the players not playing well. Blame the coach. that is typical NY speak. How about the professional athletes take responsibility for their play.
Also, I know everyone hates Redden, but if he doesn’t play, who does? redden was at least a good player ONCe upon a time. Who in the AHL was gonna step in? sevral had the chance and none shined when given the opportunity. 1 was traded (to CAR) and another was let go and signed by someone else (Potter, Pit) If the team didn’t see fit to resign them, perhaps it was because they were not happy with their play. Redden was a plus 8. That was good for #2 on the team for a D-Man. So we bench him for who? does the -20 rookie get more ice time? Or Gilroy who was benched later in the season? Oh yeah, Del Zotto did get more ice time than redden. Redden was 2nd least in ice time for D, above only Gilroy. I think that does fit into the earn your ice time philosophy.
Safe is death requires certain personnel. You have said yourself that rosi and redden can’t play that style, and Del Zotto seems to be the only D-man that can truly start a rush with his passing. Until other players can be added, you adjust your style to what your players can play.
Rosi is not That bad a player, just overpayed.
Sometimes the coach is limited by the options he has at his disposal.
Talk up the prospects all you want, NONE of them have proven anything in professional hockey yet.
The Rams were 1-15 last year, does that make their coch the worst? or is it the personnel?
Everyone here, I believe yourself included believes the roster last year had zero chance to win the cup.
Maybe
Considering the rumor is that the KHL has offered a 4 year deal and the rangers only have offered a 2 Year deal worth “significantly less money”. Maybe the rangers don’t feel the youth is ready to make the jump? This move would mainly be to protect a guy like grachev from spending the majority of his time on the 3rd or 4th lines where he’d see significantly less time… I’m fine with a two year stop gap winger, remember Drury will also be gone at the end of frolov’s two year deal if it happens that a 7 mil cap hit coming off the books and possibly frolov’s contract coming in around 4 mil… I see no problem if the organization feels youth isn’t ready… I’m all for throwing the prospects into the nhl and letting them play, but we’ve done taht a lot in the past and many of our prospects have been major busts… give them time to play together in the minors and when the guys like drury roszival frolov prospal are all gone youth will be served with valued positions… Defense is a different story…
Actually, he has only notched 30 goals twice in his career and I am unsure as to whether or not he could even do that again.
how many rangers not named gaborik have done that one? prospal – once and drury – twice
i think frolov would be a tremendous help offensively
+1
Not to mention the fact that sather seems to have the right perception of what frolov is worth. if sather was willing to overpay him, frolov would have been a ranger on july 2. sather new the 5 mil being asked for was simply to much and he seems to have bided his time nicely (knock on wood). getting frolov for 2yrs/7-8 mil would be a nice addition to this team provided he can stay out of torts’ doghouse (no guarentees i know). gabby would obviously remain our go to guy, but frolov would give this team a 5th potential 20+ goal guy after cally, dubi, prospal and hopefully AA. It would also allow dru to settle on the third line and feel the pressure of having to produce offensively.
by BronxBeliever on Jul 26, 2010 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Ugly Reality
We are now officially The Mets of the NHL.We have a terrible owner,a CLUELESS G.M.,the coach sucks,the players are lazy and we are regressing at an alarming rate.
Hank deserves better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by Stroker Ace on Jul 26, 2010 2:37 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
easy there… haha i wouldn’t say we are the mets yet… The rangers actually turned over the lineup a few times… while the mets have stayed with the same lineup overtime still living in 2006… plus we don’t have to worry about having a closer, considering the mets can’t get anybody to close out a game these days… plus Jerry Manuel is a far worse coach than Tortorella… Torts has actually won, Manuel hasn’t won… The rangers are just looking for a cheap stop gap… in my opinion if we have any youth on the team, getting knocked out int he first round isn’t a bad thing considering those kids will get the playoff experience also, being in the chase also gives them other kinds of experience which is very valuable…
The coach is so bad that he has won a stanley cup with a team in florida? You may not like his style, but the facts say he is at least a decent coach
here is what he has done since becoming the head coach of “Our” New York Rangers" that i didn’t like.1) Inherited the team Renney took to the playoffs, added Gaborik and then missed the playoffs. 2)expected nothing but discipline from his players,than displayed absolutely none of his own to the point HE gets himself suspended for a playoff game.(think about that). 3) juggled every line combination mathmatically possible,than screamed at his players for “too many men on the ice” penalties.How could you possibly remember when your up,and who with? 4)He benched Enver Lisin,before he could even get on the ice to deserve it! 5)He over used Hank(Renney was also guilty of this.) 6) He berated Brooksie(alright i had no problem with the “bus stop” comment) but his post-game and press conferences are not even close to being on an amateur level,much less a prestigious Original 6 franchise,we may not always win but at least we were a classy team.his trailer park persona has got to go.Wake up dude,your in N.Y.
Hank deserves better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Actually, he has only notched 30 goals twice in his career…”. OK, now please someone tell me who is on this Rangers team besides Gaborik will score 30 goals… Silence… I thought so. Nobody. So please STFU and just accept Frolov as a long needed help to Gaborik and all of us.
MZA could score 30
if Prucha could, MZA sure can.
I don’t think Frolov can be made to work with current cap limitations.
I still think trading Prucha was a dumb move.
It was obvious what his strengths were and Renney just completely failed to use them and let him waste away until Sather had no choice but to trade him. Prucha was good at getting to open ice, could read more skilled players, and could pick his spots while shooting. Thats why he worked with Jagr and then suddenly that combination stopped being used.
It's not Gaborik....
who is under pressure, it is Tortorella, whose abrasive manners don’t sit well with the players. His preconceived oppinions about players like Avery, will affect the team performance in a negative way. If Redden is sent to Hartford and Mcdonagh makes the team, he will have a much better defense and with addition of Frolov I expect an impovement in the offensive department too. A lot depends on the coaching.
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| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Jersey
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82 | 48 | 27 | 7 | 103 |
|
Pittsburgh
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82 | 47 | 28 | 7 | 101 |
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Philadelphia
|
82 | 41 | 35 | 6 | 88 |
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New York Rangers
|
82 | 38 | 33 | 11 | 87 |
|
New York Islanders
|
82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 79 |
(updated 4.12.2010 at 9:21 AM EDT)
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