The Rangers haven't gotten it right lately. Forget these phony staged fights that Rupp and Prust get into. Thursday night in Pittsburgh was a reason for a fight. Right after Orpik kneed Stepan someone should have gone after him. Anyone. But no one did. You want to know why? Because they are not allowed to, that's why. Not with this coach. Don't believe me? Okay. Did you see anyone on the next line go after any Pen? Nope. It's not in the playbook of the coach or in the genes of the players.
Sean Avery was the last player to go after an opponent seriously when a teammate got cheap shoted and what happened? Christensen claimed Avery sucker punched the opponent. That's standing up for your teammate. And the coach? Indifference and annoyance at the misconduct penalty Avery took. This coach does not want retaliatory vengence. He'd rather have you turn the other cheek so the Rangers get a power play to practice their perimeter passing game.
Then he speaks of honor. Honor? Are you kidding me. He doesn't know what the word means. He has as much honor as Benedict Arnold had. Honor? He drove Avery off the Rangers that had nothing to do with hockey. He had it in for him when he was a hockey analyst and Avery made the comment about an ex-girlfriend. He claimed Avery did not belong in the NHL. So his main mission was accomplished. Avery no longer a Ranger. Honor?
Down in Hartford Avery scored three goals, as he had with the Rangers. It is ironic that his last goal was his last play in the Ranger organization. He had been hit scoring the goal and after the goal he beat up the guy who hit him. In keeping with Ranger tradition he was suspended from the team and never got another second on the ice.
Now I will not defend the Penguins. Crosby is a whiner and again this is in the genes, as Mario Lemieux was the king of the whiners. He was always working the refs for more penalties. Mario didn't like to be touched. He loved four-on-four hockey, miss a check and you are gone. That said, this is hockey and all situations should be handled on the ice.
Did you notice that the press conference was two questions and after the tirade Tortorella walked out. He learned that trick from the Russians, who did that in the UN, back in the 50's.
So now he is $20,000 poorer and and I imagine his lap dogs will do another fund raiser for him to help defray the costs of the fine because they feel he did the right thing. That's nonsense. He has distracted us from the real problems of a team that took the top spot in an over rated conference. A team that lacks depth. A team that lacks a consistent offense. A team that cannot play a 60 minute game. How can it have one with the many line changes. This team has been carried all season by Henrik Lundqvist and no bloviating by a egotistical blowhard will change that.
Honor? He can't even spell the word. Gimmee a break!
This is the best article I have read since coach embarrassment's latest 4th grade childish temper tantrum. I feel bad that I keep saying he's like a child because after a while it becomes an insult to children everywhere. The only other person who wrote an article telling the truth about the coach and what actually happened is Scotty Hockey. While I also agree that the Pens should not be defended and we all know the league is biased and corrupt, it sickens me to no end to see Ranger fans go out of their way to continue to defend the behavior of this coach calling him courageous, honorable and truth speaking. Please. This tirade was about the coach. It wasn't about anything or anyone else. It was deliberate and I agree with one thing Dan Bylsma said which was this was straight out of the coaches play book. Yup. He does this all the time and we should honor him because the league favors the Pens as they have since Bettman started in 1994? Please. Great stuff Pundit as always. You are a very wise man.
Right on, Tortorella's words mean nothing and his actions are weak.
If what you say it true, you do the same thing by what you've expressed above. It's about you, now, is it?
You're just a cynical, bitter old man, Mike. Go cheer for a different team, because if you're not on-board with Torts, how can you be on-board with the players who epitomize the attitude of the coach you so love to lambaste. What is a team, if not the embodiment of their coach? In this case, this applies even more so because of the way Torts has brought this bunch of individuals together to form a team. A group that functions as a whole, and is very much greater than the sum of its' parts.
Wanting Torts gone is like wanting a new team attitude and system. Is that indeed what you desire? Go back to being lucky to get 40 wins a season, let alone 50. Then settle for mediocrity. That's apparently what your ideal situation is, because you can be sure that this team would not be where it is without Torts.
Can you picture the Rangers having the same attitude (and consequent result) with a guy like Pete DeBoer at the helm? No, you can't, wanna know why? Because it'd NEVER HAPPEN.
In regard To Jeff L. comments. Cynical? Thats a depression era malady. Bitter? Too many one and dones. Old? No way Jose.
You mention that the team is an embodiment of their coach. They have trouble playing a sixty minute game. They never finish a period with the same combinations they started with. What does that say about the coach?
Pete DeBoer had a pretty decent season with a team that didn't have the Dmen or the goalie that the Rangers had.
In fact, name me one NHL coach in the East who would not have made a serious run for the top spot had he had Lundqvist in net? Do you notice how this well oiled machine of coach disagreeable functions when Lundqvist is on the bench.
Of course you don't notice. You are too busy admiring coach disagreeable's theatrics. Remember the bottle incident and the benching of Avery that led the Rangers to blow a 3-1 advantage against a woeful Cap team?
The Rangers are greater than the sum of their parts because they have the best money goalie in the NHL. The team would not be where it is because of Lundqvist not because of an egotistical blowhard. There it is again Jeff. Live with it, the coach is a blowhard and he shows it during a game, behind the bench and especially in a press conference.
You are right on the money "old man" lol! Pundit, you are anything but old to me. You've lived through just about every season the Rangers have ever had but yeah Jeff is right you're not a "real Ranger fan." I hate those kinds of comments.
Besides you want to talk about mediocrity? That should be the coaches middle name. Go look at his coaching record. Every so often he hits a successful season and every other year he is just about .500. He cant coach a power play to save his life and he NEVER EVER answers questions with regard to the system or the failed PP. EVER. He just throws a hissy fit and scares the media away.
In fact I will save Jeff from the research and the math because I have done it. Here it is, ready?
Over 10 seasons as a head coach his average finish is 14th. Right in the middle.
As a head coach his PP averaged a finish of 15th overall. Right in the middle.
As an assistant coach in Buffalo where he was considered a "Power Play Specialist" over 6 seasons with a great offense his average finish was 10th. Better but still not so great considering that was the team everyone gives him so much credit for PP coaching.
So what the Pundit says about our overgrown child of a coach along with the stats I just provided = you guessed it: MEDIOCRITY
tortorella is everything the pundit says..
the playoffs will demonstrate how incomplete this team is.
slow, no power play, little offense..
lundquist is looking tired now,,
ottawa may eliminate them in the first round..
bware
You have to be kidding right....Remember the penalty called on Martin Straka that gave Pittsburg all the momenum going into OT in game 2 of play-offs.....Renney took the beating like a rented mule. Torts is our best coach and motivator since Keenan
yes, keenan was a great coach
best since emile francis
I understand to disagree with some of the coaches decisions, but to just blanket lambast him is wrong. I know many of the fans and bloggers are self proclaimed experts, but the fact that the players buy into their coach 100% is far more telling than a very distant third party opinion.
The players rave over him, how many players have less than four years experience in the NHL?? Is the offense restrained to a degree? Yes, Power play weak? Very. BUT, Did the team lead the league for most of the season? Yes. Did they have a winning record against the top ten teams in the league? Yes. They are a stingy defense first team. One of the elite scorers in the league the last ten years, Gaborik, has bought into the system completely. If they happen to go deep into the playoffs, some people will rant and rave about the coach, if they win the Cup, the same people will say it was inspite of the coach.
Some people just like to complain, if you are such the expert, how come you are not coaching?
Anonymous-I'm not coaching beecause the NHL discriminates against guys who are over 80 years old.
Anonymous - This reply might be too late since it took me a couple of days to check back but I am hoping you can answer this for me. You said the players "rave" about the coach. People have been telling me this for 3 years. I very deliberately listen to the players comments on all things regarding the team and I have yet to hear any of them "rave" about him. They say all the right things for sure, all of the little slogans that catch on like we "play the right way" but I have yet to hear a player rave about the coach the system or what a difference he has made in a particular players life or career. If you have some example I would actually love to hear them. For the most part I find the players are very careful when they comment. They "buy in" because they are a special group of guys who want to win for each other. They ban together under the dictator. Its a very old school approach that many coaches still believe in but its an act that gets old after a while. As of now, the team is enjoying success and players understand their careers are short and they have only a few chances to win so they will soldier on and keep their mouths shut but it won't last forever. It goes against human nature. Just think of the last boss you had who acted like a dictator. Its the same for the players. Anyway, I am truly interested in some quotes or articles where our players rave about the coach. If you have any, please pass along.