2 keys for me:
1) Dolan had begun to question the administration of the program whose long view does not exactly jibe with the roster whose marquee players Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, will be between 28 and 30 when next season commences and are likely to be diminished by the time the promise coalesces.
2) There is a Part B to this, and that is there is no question that the meek manner in which the Rangers were manhandled by the Islanders when the playoffs were still in sight added to Dolan’s urgency here. The prioritization of skill guys over will guys was noted. So was an absence of push-back.
Jim Dolan’s Rangers vision clashed with John Davidson, Jeff Gorton blueprint - (
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I'm not disagreeing, but I been watching hockey long enough to know when I see a team that doesn't want to get dirty
I had to check to make sure he was still alive, but would anyone doubt my theory that Glen Sather is all over this? Especially with Messier's name floating around?
Sather probably has a LOT of pull with Dolan. HE wasn't fired here. He left on his own accord and I would think the latter stages of his tenure here left a much better taste in Dolan's mouth than his beginning.
Mark Messier on the way the #NYR are currently built: "In my opinion, if you're going to win, you got to be able to win in the street and the alley. I particularly would not have built the team that didn't have answers in this regard."
That's a statement.
Mark Messier on the way the #NYR are currently built: "In my opinion, if you're going to win, you got to be able to win in the street and the alley. I particularly would not have built the team that didn't have answers in this regard."
That's a statement.
Man some things are too obvious to even believe, this is LOL obvious.
So when is the PC?
It's doesn't mean it permanent, Drury could stay on as GM and Messier take over as team president
Louis were soft, the team Gorton started building in Boston was soft? Anyone who is buying this load of shit is pretty stupid.
it's a little bit of an identity crisis - some on here said things like Panarin and Trouba were a year too early. Maybe they were right.
Overall though I like the *roster* progress the Rangers are making but I do think they probably underachieved. Partly because of COVID and it's impact on their top line center.
Partly because I don't believe in their coach.
it's a little bit of an identity crisis - some on here said things like Panarin and Trouba were a year too early. Maybe they were right.
Overall though I like the *roster* progress the Rangers are making but I do think they probably underachieved. Partly because of COVID and it's impact on their top line center.
Partly because I don't believe in their coach.
I think underachieving with this group is an interesting word. Sure, Dolan probably demanded the playoffs from this team, but did anyone realistically expect the Rangers to place in the top 4 of a division that also houses Boston, NYI, Pittsburgh, and the Caps? With the youngest team in hockey (until the Devils sell off), we battled until the last handful of games.
The start of the season obviously was sour, but what could we have expected with a D group that barely ever played with each other, with all the youth, and COVID effects rendering Zbinejad a shell of his last season self. Losing Panarin for multiple weeks for a still unknown Russian entanglement (where would we be if he had played in those 10-12 games?). I understand that we made our hay down the stretch beating the likes of NJD and Buffalo, but this was all valuable and meaningful games to kids that still haven't even experienced what a regular/full NHL season is like. We want to look at the poor starts of Kakko, Laf, Chytil as NHL players, but look at all their draft class counterparts, these guys aren't outliers to the group, the exceptions are the guys that are killing it. They need time, and I think everyone would agree that they've looked like better players these last few weeks.
I think this is a sad day for the Rangers. There is no one now between Dolan, and the organizational executives at the team level. I am not at a complete loss of faith because Drury is sticking around, and has been involved in this process for a while, but at what could happen if we hand Messier a Presidency (a guy with barely any coaching experience let alone team building). What players and picks will be dealt at the expense of toughness and grit. We seemingly had a long term plan, we had a ton of buyout cap coming off the books, and next year really felt like the time for this team to contend for the cup. Now I'm not sure what players/picks will be dangled all at rectifying this Wilson and toughness situation.
"I've made it very clear that I've been standing by ready to help out in any way for many years," Messier said, according to Walker. "I don't really know what else to say."
Horton was utterly mediocre
And JD assembled a roster with no toughness. Then traded away the one tough guy in Lemieux. He gave Tony D 9 million and then got rid of him after a few games. Kept the awful Quinn as coach. JD was basically a disaster.
And how is the Coach left standing? Quinn may have been the right guy to work with the you g players but he cant just flip now into a playoff winning type of Coach. Especially when the AHL Coach was able to step in for him with no dip in play.
And how is the Coach left standing? Quinn may have been the right guy to work with the you g players but he cant just flip now into a playoff winning type of Coach. Especially when the AHL Coach was able to step in for him with no dip in play.
for 3 games its easier to just let him finish
Drury will remain President and maybe handoff the GM title in time. He'll be both thru the draft and Free Agency i'm guessing.
That leaves Messier as either a VP of Hockey Ops, GM/Asst GM to Coach. Take your pick really.
You'd think he would go outside the organization.
The Rangers haven't had a real General Manager search in over 20 years.
Not according to Drury.
"I don’t think it’s anything too drastic. I really believe in what we’ve accomplished since the letter. What we’ve been able to do in not only adding some good young assets and making some key trades and signing a marquee free agent (Panarin)"
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I actually don't blame Dolan for being upset at JD/Gorton apparently putting out whispers that they disagreed with the statement. No reason not to wait a few days, though.