With 14 games left for the Rangers in the regular season, Mollie Walker, Larry Brooks and Brian Boyle evaluate the struggles of the Blueshirts’ power play, Peter Laviolette’s job security and share their thoughts on whether New York will stave off the crowded field in the race for the Eastern Conference’s final Wld Card spot and return to the Stanley Cup playoffs in the spring.
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29 Comments
My two cents:
Jones is looking good…
LGR
17 times this season we play back-to-back games… 4 times this month we play 8 games that are on back-to-back days. How is no one talking about this terrible schedule???
"It's peanuts!" Brian is the lifeblood of this podcast. I like Mollie. I respect Larry for the length of his career. But this is Boyler's podcast.
“I think Montreal has a better points percentage”. They’re a point behind with TWO game at hand. Everyone around then has two game at hand.
Ranger fan since 1971…..this has been the strangest year I can remember….will be nice though if we can make post season…
All three of you are speaking the hard truths in this one!
Q: Who on the NYR coaching staff runs the penalty kill?
I deeply disagree with Larry
I dunno what needs to be said. Since the Nov/Dec mutiny, the Rangers need every win to claw their way into the playoffs.
Last year, the electric power play obscured the mediocre 5 on 5 numbers. This season, the power play has been erratic. The elite penalty kill is all that’s keeping the Rangers competitive.
Boyle was part of that Rangers run which resembled lunch pail team. They weren’t as gifted offensively as this squad but their focus and refuse to lose attitude got them to the finals. This roster is more gifted offensively but the mental lapses have been costly.
Rangers/Oilers tied 1-1. Fox punches the rebound led to an odd man rush. K’Andre Miller can’t rotate over fast enough 2-1 Oilers. This is a familiar story. Teams are waiting for Fox to pinch because he’s not a fast skater. He’s a small defenseman that a power forward can dominate. This is where the Rangers miss Trouba and Lindgren, guys who know how to use their size.
This core is very fractured. I’m not sure you can find/afford the pieces to fit especially with Igor’s $11.5M/season contract. Seems like you hope to develop 3rd rounders and hope they stick around long enough to develop and boost the 3rd and 4th line.
Quick makes a much better HoF case than Eli does. Newsflash! Eli belongs!
K'Andre has to go I'm hoping that with this stock of D He's the odd man out and we're not going to pay him what he thinks he's worth. He's easily cost us six to eight points in egregious late game mistakes. Everybody makes a mistake he makes them at the worst time.
What a frustrating season, one of the most frustrating ever. I would like to be as optimistic as Brian Boyle but I don’t think the Rangers will make the playoffs this year…unless they start shooting the puck instead of overpassing, unless the power play starts producing, so…
Keep Zac Jones. Hes playing better than K'Andre Miller.
Trade or package K Miller for someone who is an upgrade to our forward group.
This org needs a major purge. Drury & Lavi gotta go more than anyone else. The scouting, development etc all need to go. Cant have guys like Tanner Glass & Marc Staal teaching the kids. Panarin needs to be traded for a major haul. Kreider cant be here anymore. Mika maybe can go. Miller & Schneider im like one day get rid next day keep.
I think Rangers will make it amd they will pea, during the playoffs just like St Louis Blues acouple of years ago
WHO IS THE CUTE GUY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN.
This is not a Cup team. They need an extended break this summer
Tomas Kloucek RIP!!!
Miller Cuylle Mika was working just fine… Trocheck and LafrenWho does not work. Kreider is poison to any line he's on. K'Andrea could've sat McDavid on his duff, but let him shoot instead. This season made me thankful I'm not a Sabers fan.
To everyone on or whos seeing this the Rangers are NOT going to make the playoffs this year .Going down as just a bad season all around .I feel bad for sam watching this as his last year
Laviolette had always started great with a new team and fizzled out the following seasons because he was Keenan-like which tuned out the locker room.
The Habs will beat out the Blueshirts for the final Wild Card berth.
Othmann scored a bunch on the PP in Hartford and does not get any PP ice time lately. Pathetic. Rangers are scared to change things up. They rather be predictable and that is a big issue with this organization
What are they going to do with K'Andre?
Brian Boyle is a national treasure
I agree with Larry that it’s hard to win consistently when only relying on a handful of players basically the top 6? You win as a team playing everyone when everyone is involved. Othmann should be moved to the top 9 get him more minutes put him on a 3rd line with Kreider & Brodzinski. (Kreider Brodzinski Othmann). Go with a 4th line of Berard Carrick Rempe!!! Laviolette should put Othmann on the power play. He’s succeeded on The PP in juniors and in Hartford, he has a snipers shot a nasty shot and by not using Othmann on the PP or at the very least TRY It is a Disservice to the team!! The kid is gotta get more than 5 minutes playing time a game & giving him more responsibility can not only help him but the team. They need the PP to win games consistently that’s why they haven’t won 3 in a row since November, special teams is a Big part of the game. Laviolette is stubborn so he’s gonna sink or swim doing what he’s doing, you get what you deserve!!! These are the lines I would go with –
Lafreniere Miller Zibanejad
Panarin Trocheck Cuylle
Kreider Brodzinski Othman
Berard Carrick Rempe
Gallant and Laviolette both had the same earlier impact on this team, but I think Larry hit it on the head. This cast of players were all good Rangers , but the window is closing fast. It's imperative they right Laffys ship. They cannot fail on a number 1, 2 and 16 overall. The organization won't be able to sustain itself.
That said, I think one overlooked aspect with this organization was letting Kris Knoblauch leave. A home grown, fresh approach is what's needed.
Peace
4:03 This. I also fail to understand Laviolette's in-game ice time decisions.