What Is Wrong With The Rangers Power Play?
by Bryan Winters on Jan 14, 2012 10:01 AM EST
in New York Rangers Analysis
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The New York Rangers officially hit the halfway point with their last game against the Ottawa Senators. While the Rangers still sit on top of the Eastern Conference, there is still some glaring issues that need to be addressed. Here is the mid-way analysis of the New York Rangers power play struggles.
First off, the biggest issue as of right now, as throughout the season has been the power play. While there has been some occasional sparks of brilliance, the Rangers power play has not been the greatest. Whether proven by stats or not, special teams can win games. We saw this in the last game against the Ottawa Senators. The Rangers had handfuls of chances, but didn't capitalize and wound up losing the game.
The problem that I noticed was that the players remain motionless on the power play. There is little to no movement going on when someone has the puck. Thus, the team killing the penalty doesn't have to move very much either, and has an easier time clogging up the passing and/or shooting lanes.
That is just my take on what I see wrong with the power play, what do you guys think?
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Deadspin says Avery spit on Gernander..
Unconfirmed but rumor is rampant on twitter.
by Gabby the Gutless Sniper on Jan 14, 2012 10:45 AM EST via Android app reply actions
They linked a twitter of a random dude/tennis coach who seems to ZERO access/credentials. Guessing it was the first guy they could find who DIDN’T credit Incarcerated Bob in their tweet.
by BuckarooClub on Jan 14, 2012 1:08 PM EST up reply actions
Even scrolled through his followers, trying to find if he had some sort of link to the team (wives of Rangers/MSG people he might coach in tennis) but it’s pretty much all Porn Bots following him.
by BuckarooClub on Jan 14, 2012 1:11 PM EST up reply actions
Actually I know the guy & he heard it through others via Twitter – hence ‘’allegedly.’ Plus, one of the ESPN reporters did say he was scratched for disciplinary reasons. Obviously that doesn’t mean he spat on anyone, but it was going around & I think that’s how it started. No need to be rude about it. Nice Rangers fans in here…No.
Actually I know the guy & he heard it through others via Twitter – hence ‘’allegedly.’
Which, pretty much means we’re back to the incarcerated bob quote.
This just up from Darren Drager
“Rangers say Avery did not spit on coach and did not refuse to play with AHL team. Discipline based on combination of other matters.”
Still no idea who was being rude.
by BuckarooClub on Jan 14, 2012 2:31 PM EST up reply actions
Well let’s put it this way – Avery did SOMETHING that upset a coach other than Torts. I am sure Gernander “just has it out for Avery and is not giving him a fair chance”, some will undoubtedly say! :P
Not defending whatever it is that got Aves suspended, just pointing out no one knows what happened. Look at the LAPD thing in the summer, that turned out to be alot of hub bub over nothing. At the end of the day, it all goes back to an Incarcerated Bob tweet, and how often do they pan out?
by BuckarooClub on Jan 14, 2012 2:06 PM EST up reply actions
Rumor turns out to be false.
Avery reportedly swallowed and never spit.
by Gabby the Gutless Sniper on Jan 14, 2012 3:47 PM EST via Android app up reply actions
The PP Is Abysmal
For two plus years now the PP has been dreadful. BRICH has been brought in to help bolster the PP and still no luck. I believe the pieces are there especially with this team’s identity to outwork their opponent, yet this has not been the case with the PP. Its frustrating as fans to watch 2 minutes being wasted. Where is their desire to score on the man advantage?
Perhaps we need a new PP coach.
I thought the PP was better with Richards and DZ on the point.
Haven’t seen much of that configuration in the last month.
by It may HAVE to Last a Lifetime on Jan 14, 2012 11:00 AM EST reply actions
Karma's a bitch
Carcillo out for the season for ACL surgery from the injury he got when he cheap-shotted EDM’s Gilbert.
PP
From what I see, we’re having trouble just getting through the neutral zone without a poke check or intercepted pass. Hate to say it, but I’d almost rather see some more dump and chase here – leverage the speed of a Hags, Gabby, Cally etc. to race into the corner, dig it out and shuffle back to the point.
Have another doughnut
Thank You!
I’ve been saying that for weeks and its driving me crazy that no one else sees it. We must be dead bottom in the league in faceoff percentage to begin power plays and we therefore almost always start each power play behind our own net trying to come up ice. Then it takes us three rushes through the neautral zone to finally cross the blueline with a play established. For the Rangers, a two minute power play equals only 30 seconds where we’re actually passing the puck to each other in the offensive zone. No wonmder our numbers suck.
by jetrangermetfan on Jan 14, 2012 11:44 AM EST up reply actions
The reason we’re probably not seeing it is Torts is all about puck possession – which I don’t disagree from a theoretical standpoint. But in this case, it’s simply not working and we’re left unable to establish any sort of sustained pressure or even presence with the man advantage. Time after time, we’re chasing down pucks in our own end and starting over. We’ve got a great down low game – our guys can grind in the corners all night long. Just wish we’d try and leverage that more on the PP and see if it yields a different result. We’re going on three years of this… time for a different approach.
Have another doughnut
I agree
I mentioned our inconsistent ability to win PP faceoffs in a previous post. We rarely win that first draw and therefore immediately lose possession and have to chase it all the way down.
Also our zone entry is horrible. The player with the puck doesn’t seem to make up his mind whether he wants to carry it in or dump and chase until the last possible moment. When this happens either nobody is in position to chase the puck down first or they go offsides/ lose possession on the blueline.
As for when they finally get in, Bryan is right and there is no movement. Everyone mostly stands around like pillars. Also, everyone tries to go for perfect, pinpoint passes that are difficult to squeeze through the PK guys. Maybe shorter, quicker passes to open up the PK box?
One thing we desperately need is someone (a D or forward) that can shoot from the point with a nice, low, hard, accurate shot for deflections or rebounds without getting the puck blocked right out of the zone (and often for an odd-man rush) every time. As much as I love our D-men, none of them really have that ability.
Homo homini lupus est - Human beings are wolves to each other
Dubi out tonight, Biron in net.
Power play needs to start clicking. Would like to see McD and MDZ with Richards Stepan and Boyle.
by Gabby the Gutless Sniper on Jan 14, 2012 11:31 AM EST via Android app reply actions
The problem is Mike Sullivan
Cut the head off the snake.
by Section 336 on Jan 14, 2012 11:43 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I’d agree if I thought Sully was operating independent of torts… we all know that’s not the case. Torts was once an assistant coach, too, and this was his primary gig. Sully isn’t standing in the way of fixing this – or I’m sure after this long he’d already be gone.
Have another doughnut
From what I saw against the Yotes at MSG
(The only game I’ve been able to watch) The power play looks tense…like guys are afraid to make a mistake and that forces them to make mistakes, they know the power play is a problem and they are trying too hard to correct them that things get worse for them
"Don't look now, but there's one too many people in this room and I think it's you." Groucho Marx
In Prust We Trust
"Kovalev would work with Tortorella like a kitty would work in a microwave.
A lot of smoke and desperate clawing at the door. It wouldn’t work. It would just be a big, hot mess." -Dig Deep
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We need to shoot the damn puck on the man advantage and find someone who will take a shot from the blueline. When all we are doing is looking for the one timer or the tap-in on the doorstep teams can easily defend to our trends.
Got to keep PK units honest by cranking a few shots from the blueline.
@DigDeepNYR
"It's just pain." -Brandon Prust | "In Prust we Trust."
Blueshirt Banter
We need to shoot the damn puck on the man advantage and find someone who will take a shot from the blueline.
by BuckarooClub on Jan 14, 2012 3:56 PM EST up reply actions
Sure, just have to fit his one-year 7 mill cap hit deal onto the already tight salary cap. No big deal.
@DigDeepNYR
"It's just pain." -Brandon Prust | "In Prust we Trust."
Blueshirt Banter
One of our top 4 d men is going to go back to Nashville in that deal, so that opens between 2 and 4 mil. You can put WW on top of any deal we agree too to get another 4 mil in cap room. Pretty sure the Preds would need to take back a large chunk of that 7 mil salary in some form to stay at the floor, so it certainly can be done.
by BuckarooClub on Jan 14, 2012 6:00 PM EST up reply actions
All of that sounds great Buck, but there is the little problem of having the Predators submit to our desires.
Why would they want to move Weber? He is an RFA at the end of the year, he’s on the right side of 30, he is the captain of the team, and he has the best point shot in the league (perhaps).
@DigDeepNYR
"It's just pain." -Brandon Prust | "In Prust we Trust."
Blueshirt Banter
Cause they can't afford him
It’s come up over the past year or so, and it’s been speculation, but with both Weber and Suter needing deals going into the off season, it seems more likely to happen. While Weber is the protected RFA, and Suter the UFA, Weber is going to be the more expensive of the the two, and Nashville is short on cash.
Poile has made comments that he’ll keep them both if the teams in the hunt, but if we could offer a solid D-man to plug the hole for them now, a cap hit savior in WW so that they’re above the floor for the rest of the season, and some prospects/picks for the future, we’d be able to make them a deal that would keep them in the hunt now, AND give them something for the future.
by BuckarooClub on Jan 14, 2012 8:51 PM EST up reply actions
I would love for it to happen, really I would.
I just don’t think it is as plausible as you think it is. There isn’t a team in the league that isn’t interested in landing Weber. It will become a bidding war, one that I don’t want the Rangers to get wrapped up in.
@DigDeepNYR
"It's just pain." -Brandon Prust | "In Prust we Trust."
Blueshirt Banter
Heres a few things i see we always dump it in then we have to chase the puck down ice. Time off the clock from the start of almost every pp. Importain face offs to keep possesion. No one is ever in front of the net screnning the goalie. Puck aleays gets by the blueline cant keep it in were motionless and when we do move we bunch up and last but not lest get rid of the fucking loser sullivan. why not try rupp in front of the net
The thing I'm worried about
Is when do teams realize they will start seeing better results if trap on the forecheck, and run a box + 1 on D, and see if that slows us down 5v5 too.
Its really a total system problems on the PP.
First off we have tons of issues getting it into the zone. Whether it is because we dump and chase or try to deke guys one on one it never changes.
Second we do not move from our PP which is spread out. One missed pass and that’s when the scramble starts which usually leadds to a clearing or sometimes a scoring chance. The thing is with the spread style of play you need to move and make lanes for it to work. I don’t mean one guy I mean 3 of 4 with cuts to the net and such.
3rd. I wish we could have a guy who gets in the front of the net consistently and who can do it well. The last guy was over two years ago and is now it Atlanta Winnipeg. The only other guy just spit on his coach. Remember the Avery Rule… it was on the PP where he was in front of the net. If we do go forward I would really want a true power forward who camps in front of the net.
This Is Gonna Sound Ridiculous
But you already know me for being ridiculous, and you are free to ridicule me for being ridiculous.
If we are going to dump the puck in, how ‘bout looping way up high so it lands three or four or five feet in front to the opp. goaltender? If it doesn’t take an erratic bounce past him, into the net, it will force him to stick it or kick it or blocker it somewhere, anywhere he can. This might leave a juicy rebound for Hagelin or Gabby or Cally. Or confuse the D coverage. If the goalie manages to glove the puck, we get an offensive zone draw.
I coach this tactic in doubles tennis. Surprise the opposition and force a weak response. Then pounce. It works beautifully!
dump and chase rarely works for anyone (turns it over most times) as well as the perimeter passing (allows the other team to set up and none of the rangers who play the point have a cannon). the times they are successful is when they carry it in, maintain control, and attack quickly before the PK has time to set up and block the lanes. but it’s rare to see them do this and i don’t understand why.
Shoot the puck Barry!!!
Stop me if you heard this before...
The Rangers pass too much, and shoot too less. A symptom of past issues. The team needs a power-play shooter, and an adjustment inward on the advantage. Players aren’t close enough to the net…even at the point.
Move in, tighten the lanes and pass less.
"Fart like a man! It's hockey!"
by Danz10 on Jan 14, 2012 4:08 PM EST via mobile reply actions
I think I might be the only Ranger fan not overly concerned by our PP. Sure it could be better but 15% isn’t exact horrible and bottom of the league. And it isn’t like they are loosing a ton of game because of it.
AS far as making a trade I think our ‘money’ is better spent in other places. Doing the math it looks like if we were able add 5% to the PP, which would be some feat and assuming the problem with the PP can be fixed by one player, it would equal about and extra 1.4 goals in a 7 game series.
Wouldn’t you rather add someone that can put in those goals at 5on5 and also play defense to prevent some? If you lose a 7 game playoff series because of 1.4 goals, you had bigger issues then a mediocre PP.
Aucune clause de Mouvement
by Blueshirt in Paris on Jan 14, 2012 9:22 PM EST reply actions
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