If I asked you....
by dbmaven on Feb 15, 2012 12:06 AM EST
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Printwhich defenseman in the NHL is in the top ten (in that mostly useless statistic) in Plus/Minus, and plays top pair, with an average 25:21 Time On Ice per game - would you be able to name him?
Don't go looking it up. Just sit back and think about it.
At the beginning of the season when Marc Staal was out, many of us were dreading what was to come. He was clearly the No. 1, and 'that other guy', you know, Girardi, was his partner. A good player to be sure, but not the #1. "Woe is Us!" we cried.
And maybe a month into the season, we saw that Danny G. - without the shadow of Marc Staal, had significantly elevated his game.
Then there was his partner. Oh yeah....Ryan McDonagh. A second year player - well you really could call him a rookie since it's his first FULL season in the bigs. Who just quietly goes about his business (not terribly unlike either Girardi or Staal, if you think about it), plays a superbly smart game, gets his stick in the right position more often than not,
(continues)
...and yes - is now 8th in the NHL in Plus/Minus at PLUS-25, and averages 25:21 total TOI per game (currently 12th in the league).
Thank you Scott Gomez, thank you Les Canadiens. And thank you, Glen Sather.
And did you realize that Danny G. is Plus-16? Your top d-pair, both of whom are top 12 in the league in minutes played, against the other teams top players, are a combined Plus-41? Of course, don't forget that Michael DelZotto, he of the DelZero, DelNada, DelTurnover jokes in the not so distant past, is number 3 league-wide at Plus-27.
And King Henrik is having the Vezina year we've known was in him. With Marty B. the best one-two goaltending combo in the league.
Now Glen - whatever you do - don't blow up this team before Feb. 27th. Don't mess with the chemistry. Let it ride. You've got a good prospect pipeline - you're getting unbelievable contributions from unlikely sources (think Hagelin, Bickel, etc.) and Strahlman may end up being the best 'safe and smart' move ever - the guy gets better every game.
I'll be the first to admit that pre-season I would have been happy with 4th or 5th in the conference, and felt that was realistic. Never would I have said "1st in the conference and challenging for the President's Cup" - not a prayer. And as tempting as some big move would be to make a push for the Cup, it would be the single most egregious error - ever. Because it would be just as likely to backfire as work out.
Trust the team. Trust the system. Trust in Prust. (Hey, I had to get that one in there, c'mon!). I don't care if they don't win the Cup this year. I wasn't expecting them to be real contenders - would have been happy with a 2nd round (Conference Semi's) appearance and maybe a Conference Final.
Build for a dynasty - don't give up what it would take to get a name in here who may or may not work out. Stay the course.
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We all are pretty sure the Rangers are going to go out and get a top 6 forward. At what cost is the only question.
Absolute Worst Ranger Fan!!!!!!....yet incredibly realistic and usually correct.
No we are not.
Does not fit with the long-stated policy of building from within and strategically signing free agents at reasonable cap hits.
by Blueshirts Rock on Feb 15, 2012 8:53 AM EST up reply actions
Was there in '94
Not fair. We’ve been in this mode for at least 5 years now. The BS signings of Drury, Gomer and Redden were supposed to bridge the gap to our home grown talent. That clearly did not work, but at least one of them resulted in something better than wasted cap space/cash.
by Blueshirts Rock on Feb 15, 2012 6:40 PM EST up reply actions
amen!
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Signed
Spelled out many of my thoughts. How many people expected NYR to be in 1st this year? I know I didn’t, although I was optimistic for having a good year.
The defense is terrific. Staal is playing more, and better every game. If Sauer makes it back that’s another boon.
The goaltending is terrific. Lundqvist has been stellar and Biron’s been a great backup, keeping him fresh.
The offense is getting the job done. Starting from the defensive zone, and playing as a team. They don’t seem to be concerned about individual goals. Those will come as a result. Several players will wind up topping Dubinsky’s team-leading (modest) point total from last year.
Everyone shipping Dubinsky out of town due to his low numbers, let me ask. Would you rather he had 15 goals instead of 6, in exchange for more losses, fewer wins? He’s still hustling, still playing responsibly. How badly do you think he wanted to shoot on that 2-on-1 with Prust? The right play was the pass, and Prust was both struggling and deserving just the same.
They seem to have great leadership, work ethic, and understanding of each other. If you go back to early in the season, everyone was getting involved and relied upon. Gaborik dishing off to Woywitka for a big goal. Seeing the hat passed around and showing appreciation for those little things that mean so much, to the individual as well as the team.
Perhaps they could use a touch more scoring. But I completely agree with dbmaven – let it ride. Chances are we’d have to give up some guys that have set the tone and created the identity the players and fans take so much pride in. What sort of message would that send? They’re playing the right way. Hopefully Glen manages the right way, too.
yes!
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Rec'd hard.
@DigDeepNYR
"It's just pain." -Brandon Prust | "The arsonist has oddly shaped feet." - Ron Burgundy
Blueshirt Banter
You can rec as hard as you want, he won’t be oiling any himmers for you.
by MyFavBaseballSquadron on Feb 15, 2012 9:54 AM EST up reply actions
If I put on my Hank mask, I might get my himmer oiled up real nice.
@DigDeepNYR
"It's just pain." -Brandon Prust | "The arsonist has oddly shaped feet." - Ron Burgundy
Blueshirt Banter
If only I could send this post directly to Sather's office
To all those saying our prosepects are several years away, I’ll agree but ask, in the short term how many spots do we truly need? Over the next two seasons there will be one or two open roster spots for forwards, and maybe one d spot.
Do the math, we have more prospects than can fill the holes. Let them pan out and pick the gems.
Stay the course Glen, for once don’t go out and re-sign Bure, Lindros, Holik, Jagr, Naslund, Carpenter, Gretzky, Gomez, Drury, Redden, Kasparitis, etc.
"There are some people who, if they don't already know, you can't tell 'em." - Yogi
It seems like the past few games have changed a few tones, no?
Good to here in general. We’re first place for a reason.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
*hear
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Whitney, Smyth or Doan
These are the guys I’d love to see wearing the Ranger sweater. I don’t think any would cost anything we’d miss and there is something to be said for veterans who are still hungry for greatness. This applies more to Doan and Smyth as they’ve yet to win a cup. I think all 3 would fit in perfectly with this group while adding a lot in the areas this team needs improvement on. Whitney is the guy I actually want most. Such an underrated player, especially on the PP. Was a huge part of that Hurricane team that won the cup. I think NY would bring out his best.
"You're playing worse every day and right now you're playing like the middle of next week." Herb Brooks
It all depends on the cost.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Not just the cost – but whose place in the lineup do any of these guys take (besides the fact that Smyth is off the market as of last night – not that he was ever really available).
Well, I’d hope Torts would take out Rupp in favor of whoever we bring in.
AA Step Gabs
xx BR Cally
Hags Dubi Mitchell
Feds Boyle Prust
Something like that. Most likely though Torts takes out Mitchell, and who knows how much of an improvement if is anymore.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
I have a feeling you’ll come to appreciate Rupp a lot more come late May – if they survive that long.
Look at the WC – the guy has a brilliant but nasty habit of stepping up in big games….
He stepped up in 1 big game, but has literally done nothing else.
He isn’t strong defensively, doesn’t have an offensive game, and isn’t fast enough to be an energy guy.
I just think Mitchell brings more to the team on the ice than Rupp does. But playoffs are different, so we’ll see.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
12 Recs tells me one thing
We want more dbmaven.
@DigDeepNYR
"It's just pain." -Brandon Prust | "The arsonist has oddly shaped feet." - Ron Burgundy
Blueshirt Banter
by Dig Deep on Feb 16, 2012 4:47 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
DelTurnover
kinda still exists although it is not as prominent this season.
When a guy has a plus-20 something rating and is in the top 5 in the entire league in the category, it kinda makes that argument moot, doesn’t it?
Staal has had more turnovers in the last month that DelZ.
It is a little bit unfair to be picking on Staal right now, the guy just got back from a long time of no real hockey. DZ is getting better, I definitely like what I see it just doesn’t help that his mistakes are accentuated by goals against.
Girardi not so much, but from watching 99% of the games this season, the times that DZ does turn it over or miss coverage the other team seems to capitalize on it as opposed to others. DZ has around half of Girardi’s giveaways but he does play less.
Not picking on Staal for exactly the reason(s) you cite. Just saying that since he came back he has more giveaways that MDZ.
What I AM saying is that a guy who’s something like 3rd in the NHL in Plus/Minus creeping towards a plus-30 isn’t giving away many pucks that end up in the back of our net…….
yea but that doesn’t necessarily mean he is not giving them away, we do have Hank back there and that +30 is as much a reflection of Hanks’ ability as it is of DZ but I digress from my original statement.
I do not have numbers to prove it but from watching the majority of the games , only missed 4 or so, I can remember scoring chances against/goals against from a few plays by DZ. More so than any other player on the rangers at least over the course of this season. I am talking people who played at least as many games as Hagelin, so Staal/Woywittka do not count.
If you are going to talk about giveaways why not look at the giveaway stat? Its not perfect and a bit subjective but much better then +/-
McD is the only NYR defensmen that has more takeaways then giveaways 38TkA 36GvA (btw, his takeaways place him 4th in the entire league for dmen)
MDZ would be next with 24TkA, 25GvA
Girardi is 30TkA, 48GvA
Obviously then does not factor in TOI or QoC but you can still see MDZ isnt really a giveaway monster.
Worth noting to keep things in perspective and I don’t understand exactly why but Chara has 52GvA and only 16TkA
Aucune clause de Mouvement
by Blueshirt in Paris on Feb 21, 2012 6:49 AM EST up reply actions
Worth noting to keep things in perspective and I don’t understand exactly why but Chara has 52GvA and only 16TkA
Because all of the RTSS stats are unbelieveably biased in recording and there’s no consistent definition from one official scorer to the next.
Using any of them across teams for comparison is futile, and even within teams requires a monstrous helping of salt.
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by George E. Ays on Feb 21, 2012 6:17 PM EST up reply actions
I knew they were biased but would assume they would have home team bias in favor of the player. Unless they do that to influence contract talks against the players demands ;)
Aucune clause de Mouvement
by Blueshirt in Paris on Feb 22, 2012 4:02 AM EST up reply actions
Nah, some of them are actually incredibly road biased. For give/takeaways though, the issue is more definition bias than actual teams.
Blueshirt Banter - Where Rangers' Fans Matter
Tracking the Rangers - Numbers don't lie. They just don't agree with you.
Twitter: RangerSmurf
"Oh, that sensible and sober* Rangers fan guy who is cool, actually" - Dominik, Lighthouse Hockey
*Statement has not been verified nor regressed
by George E. Ays on Feb 22, 2012 5:29 PM EST up reply actions
rec'd
word, how we got McD for Gomez is a gift from god
thank you Scott Gomez, you bum
Anthony Spencer is not the Egg McMuffin of 3-4 OLB's
by Archie Barberio on Feb 17, 2012 7:38 PM EST reply actions
And --
we win.
Sather may or may not have offered too much for Nash – but he did NOT panic and sell the farm. Faith in the roster, faith in the farm, and faith in the organization and draft picks.
Building a long-term winner the RIGHT WAY.
Bravo, Glen. Bravo
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