Rangers fans across the globe are asking Santa for their own chemistry set in the hopes they might have the right line-changing ingredients for Coach Tom Renney, as the once top-of-the-league New York Rangers continue to spiral downward in the standings.
As you all know (and this is like beating a dead horse over and over), our infamous Coach Tommy Boy over the past three seasons has NEVER found a line that worked, except for the inherited line of Nylander-Jagr-Straka post-lockout - which was soon destroyed by not re-signing any of them, as they dictated how the game would be played without his input. It worked. They won games. Not to suggest that this is the right path, I have always defended our coach in that he, or any coach for that matter, needs to lead and instill confidence in the players, not the other way around. So I agree that they all had to go, but.... The "Jagr stability line" was the last line that worked.
The very fact that our forwards Marcus Naslund, Scott Gomez, & Chris Drury - all All-Stars - and a handful of terrific hard-working newbies (Dubie, Callahan, Zherdev) cannot find the right chemistry to score goals is tragic. Our confidence is lost. Our delirious captain Drury is seeing the positives in getting shutout again, as opposed to motivating the locker room with fear of loss, is even more tragic. But when the players cannot get it together, they look to the coaching staff and this all comes down to the chemistry set of Tom Renney.
A rare victory against the Penguins gave us a front line of Naslund-Gomez-Zherdev and we saw results. The next game we didn't so Renney TORE UP THE LINE AND REVAMPED AGAIN.
This has been the story of the Rangers for years. Perhaps the Rangers won all their games in the beginning of the season and are now losing most of their games because other coaches on other teams have let the lines evolve and let the players grow accustomed to winning AND LOSING together on the same line....there are nuances in playing hockey, clues and hints to how you play with your fellow linemates - it's hockey-line evolution baby! Tom, we're in the relationship business here...not some experimental chemical orgy! For Christ's sake! The only non-moving parts on this team are your special teams coaching staff - who should have been removed many seasons ago.
More tragic is our blueline (Wade Redden and Rozsival are scary overpaid hooligans), but we all knew this going into the season.
So, soon The Dark Ranger will be calling for the removal of NYR Coach Tom Renney and the entire coaching staff as the decline is their fault! We've all had enough, the team has had enough and this display of coach narcissism is embarrassing for the history of the franchise. The economy is falling, the ticket prices are too high, the corporate seats are half-empty and unpaid and good hockey is all we might have left over the next couple of seasons.
If tonight yields an embarrassing loss to another losing team - the Atlanta Thrashers - I will officially call for our coach's head to be shipped back to Canada where a developing AHL team awaits.
TDR
I agree 100%! They've got to get this ship turned around. Our coaching staff is easily to blame for our teams current misfortune. The power play is pitiful! Is anyone else getting sick of listening to Perry Pearn talk all his BS on MSG during the 1st intermission of games? Alas, who is to say it is his fault though. In the end it all goes back to the head coach. If he sees a problem or a flaw in the team he is the person who is supposed to exert himself and turn the team in the right direction. I think it is obvious that right now Renney is asleep at the wheel.
ReplyDeleteThis team needs another bald headed savior!
ReplyDeleteWell they managed to beat a weak Atlanta club last night. Wasn't an impressive win in any way, but they did find a way to win off Orr's first goal in 83 games and two plays where Ranger players were actually GOING TO THE NET. How about that? A wonderful concept isn't it? Maybe this will get Gomez going. (Yeah right) But, hey, a man can dream can't he?
ReplyDeleteAny TNT in your chemistry kit?
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry TDR, I don't think Tom uses a chemistry set so much as a dart board ...
ReplyDeleteI still blame Slats for allowing Renney to change the lines every game. this crap is top-down and Renney is doing what he thinks is right, or just maybe he is already taking instruction from Slats and his line-changing direction.
ReplyDelete??????