Pat Leonard @NYDNRangers Of Kreider, Tortorella said "I don't think there's a faster skater on either team."
Been reading around the net (non-local) on the Rangers, and was pretty shocked at how little respect the team gets. Nobody gives them any chance, I'm hearing writers claim that they're nothing special, all they do is block shots and it's been done before they're just more committed to it than any other team. Then there's the camp that say Rangers winning would be bad for hockey, nobody wants to see New York win, etc etc. What the fuck man, Rangers need to finish the job off this year to shut everyone up for good
Most years I'd agree with them, your offense isn't good enough to win a Stanley Cup but this year is a bit mental so anything could happen.
Tortorella named as a finalist for the Jack Adams, along with Ken Hitchcock and Paul MacLean. My vote's for Hitchcock, he's done amazing things in St Louis.
Rangers have been geting no repsect all year, they've only rode that to division champs, #1 in the conference and a round 1 win. They've been doing it the same way all year, close games, tight hard hitting and disciplined play with timely goal scoring and outstanding goalkeeping. Every opponent and opposition fan thinks they "outplayed" them after every game, yet most of the time the Rangers end up on the positive side of the scoreboard (56 times so far). Ther Rangers O is good enough, good enough to fit their style of play within their system and good enough to win games. admittedly I have watched many games this year and been like, damn how did they win that one......They're the best at the style they play and fortunately that style is well suited for playoff hockey. I have no idea what to expect from this series or where they might go from here...but I do know that it's a good thing that they get no respsect/credit.....hopefully they ride that. It's hilarious watching Milbury on the NBC sports network, his face getts a little more red with each Ranger win.
Three well-deserved nominations. Gotta almost list Kevin Dineen as a runner-up to the nominees. He did an incredible job as well. I think this is a lock for Hitchcock. Can't deny how well that team has played under him. Kind of think of them as Rangers-West a bit. Young, strong defensively, stellar goaltending.
you would think Torts should win it considering the Rangers are so "average" and match that up with their accomplishments thus far
Seems anybody who is left could win it, by the same token if fortune was reversed and the Sens won and got that great goaltending from Craig Anderson they could have won...
No chance. We were just a bad matchup for the Rangers, a team with better offense would have put a lot more goals on us. I don't see the Caps or Devils being good enough to win it, but anyone else stands a chance this year. Philly need Bryzgalov to wake the fuck up if they're going to do it though, and I'm still struggling with the idea of Brian Elliott going to the SCF.
Hitchcock has got the Blues there with castoffs in goal and no real stars in the team - he has some excellent players, but bar Pietrangelo there's no-one there who's making it into a dream team. St Louis are where they are thanks to an incredible team ethic - Tortorella has done a great job, but he does have fairly significant assistance from true elite players like Lundqvist and Callahan. I don't think the Blues have the talent that the Rangers do.
I see major issues with every team remaining in the playoffs...Even the Rangers have problems with that powerplay...But if that is clicking which it seems to be a little right now, then they have to be the favorite. Devils are always a problem for the Rangers and are a worse matchup then the Flyers. In the west, I think Nashville could be a problem if they make it. Cant tell with St Louis, but they are a great home team.