I think you and I differ on the definition of the word "great"

I also think you and I differ on the definition of the word "young" too
- jambodelta99

26 year old rookie.

Pretty young as far as NHL goalies go.

Bingo. You don't need "that one guy." It's a team concept. That's the mistake that Buffalo made. They went out and got Steve Ott and Jon Scott (that's some rhyming right there) and assumed that they were tough. 2 tough players does not make a team tough. It's a mindset of the entire team, with each player not allowing the other team to take liberties against them and their teammates.

Again, not saying the Rangers are bad, but if I were a Rangers fan, I'd want to at least see some shred of toughness last night.
- jmatchett383

Rangers showed toughness against Columbus, it's kind of tough to exact revenge with 40 seconds left and the player you want to pummel has been tossed, I guess it's easier when you're losing 3-1 and there's 3 seconds left on the clock to start swinging sticks

Lack > Crawford
- Scooby_Doo

lol

I think there is a distinction between toughness and looking for retribution. You can't tell me guys like DG, Mac, Staal, Kreider, Boyle (yes that Boyle), are not tough. I think the Flyers toughness is a bit overstated, where was it last Wednesday? If there was ever a time to exert this supposed physical advantage wasn't that as good as any? In fact, that win looks real damn good when you consider the Flyers recent run of good results. Toughness is overcoming all that extra garbage as a team. The best way to handle a pitcher that throws inside is to hit the ball out of the park, if we start making these teams pay on the scoreboard then what does this perceived physicality get them?

Boston is a great team not because they're tough but because they have crazy underrated skill to go along with size and speed. They are a complete hockey team. Thats why they win, not because they are tougher.
- Blueshirts4ever

Well the Flyers seem to not play to well against us (thank god) for whatever reason. Did you see their games against Boston & the Blues. That was some good tough hockey. I honestly don't think we could match up at the level the way both those games were played imo. Yes those guys you listed are tough. But not in the sense of sticking up for teammates, we don't have a team toughness that says, you cant destroy our best player against the boards. You take Boston, Blues, Flyers etc. and have that same play last night to their overall best player, no way those teams stand around like we did.

I think you and I differ on the definition of the word "great"

I also think you and I differ on the definition of the word "young" too
- jambodelta99

Give you credit, you come in here stirring up stuff while your team is in a rut minus two of your best players.

Lack is more than a decent goalie.

He's a great young ROOKIE goalie who's being relied on way too much to try to hold together these scraps of an NHL team right now.
- Fosco

Far from great, if he's great we've got the greatest tandem of all time, Talbot's been better than Lack

Give you credit, you come in here stirring up stuff while your team is in a rut minus two of your best players.
- Blueshirts4ever

yep, I am a maverick like that

hopefully he only misses a game or two for the Rag$ and is at full strength by the time the playoffs begin

would love to play you guys in the finals because I think we'd tear you up
- jambodelta99

I smell you from here Hawk fan. Are you from Farmingdale, LI?

Far from great, if he's great we've got the greatest tandem of all time, Talbot's been better than Lack
- cranford93

Talbot is also a great young goalie.

He's also playing for a much better team. And hasn't been overworked in his rookie season.

I smell you from here Hawk fan. Are you from Farmingdale, LI?
- B2B76

where the hell is that?

sounds like a place steers and queers comes from

Talbot is also a great young goalie.

He's also playing for a much better team. And hasn't been overworked in his rookie season.
- Fosco

The canucks will do whatever they can to improve their goaltending in the off season

I smell you from here Hawk fan. Are you from Farmingdale, LI?
- B2B76

someone get a timeout?

The canucks will do whatever they can to improve their goaltending in the off season
- jambodelta99

I hope they do.

Lack's not ready to shoulder this much responsibility.

But he's shown enough promise to be optimistic about.

Well the Flyers seem to not play to well against us (thank god) for whatever reason. Did you see their games against Boston & the Blues. That was some good tough hockey. I honestly don't think we could match up at the level the way both those games were played imo. Yes those guys you listed are tough. But not in the sense of sticking up for teammates, we don't have a team toughness that says, you cant destroy our best player against the boards. You take Boston, Blues, Flyers etc. and have that same play last night to their overall best player, no way those teams stand around like we did.
- mdw7413

I did, and yes, good tough hockey but when the Rangers beat the Flyers and they stand up to them, or when they go to Columbus and then NJ, two teams with a significant size advantage and win those tough type games in hostile environments, you won't convince me the Rangers aren't tough, maybe they are tougher than we give them credit for, gooning it up is not tough to me and its overstated somewhat. I will say they miss Kreider bc he gives them a nice balance of size, skill and speed, he is the closest thing we have to a Lucic IMO and he has a way to go to reach that.

yep, I am a maverick like that
- jambodelta99

OH wait, you're TJ lol

OH wait, you're TJ lol
- Blueshirts4ever

- jambodelta99

Or the sibling of TJ that must have been given a game misconduct

Here is my view. You don't pick a fight on the opponents terms that you can't win. If some Bruin takes a run at one of the better players, how much of a deterrent do you think it is that that player would have to answer the call for a fight? It's not much of a deterrrent, because very few players, actually get injured in fights. The fight aspect of hockey is something that makes us all feel really good, but really doesn't accomplish much of anything in terms of detering back conduct.

You want to deter bad conduct? Then you fight the battle on terms you can win. You take a hack at one of by better players with a stick? You better believe that the same thing is going to happen to your better players. You want to take a headshot at one of my better players? Well, then your better players better keep their head up, because revenge is a dish best served gold. Fights don't deter anything, especially when you can't win them. But, being willing to retaliate in manner that creates the same risk of injury for the opposition as they have created for your better players does.

All I am saying is I don't think that having a couple of goons in the lineup that can win a fight doesn't do much to deter.
- Pete V

You mean like the Rangers dressing John Scott?

Or the sibling of TJ that must have been given a game misconduct
- Blueshirts4ever

- jambodelta99

I won't ask what you're in for

I did, and yes, good tough hockey but when the Rangers beat the Flyers and they stand up to them, or when they go to Columbus and then NJ, two teams with a significant size advantage and win those tough type games in hostile environments, you won't convince me the Rangers aren't tough, maybe they are tougher than we give them credit for, gooning it up is not tough to me and its overstated somewhat. I will say they miss Kreider bc he gives them a nice balance of size, skill and speed, he is the closest thing we have to a Lucic IMO and he has a way to go to reach that.
- Blueshirts4ever

I agree, we show some team toughness every blue moon. And if you saw my previous posts, I don't want to change the lineup, or try to sign a goon at all. I want the mindset of the players to change, depending on the situation, and i believe last night was a situation where we looked weak.

where the hell is that?

sounds like a place steers and queers comes from
- jambodelta99

It's Islander country.

I agree, we show some team toughness every blue moon. And if you saw my previous posts, I don't want to change the lineup, or try to sign a goon at all. I want the mindset of the players to change, depending on the situation, and i believe last night was a situation where we looked weak.
- mdw7413

So what should they have done? I don't think anyone right after it happened really knew exactly what happened? What if AV sends Carcillo or Dorsett out and gets whipped? Or as Jan pointed out disciplinary action is taken by the league for basically escalating it? I am not saying I think this team is perfect and can't use some additional size and grit, but I'm not sure what they could have done last night to look stronger. Thats all, we just have different definitions of toughness and we all do. Its all good.

Rangers showed toughness against Columbus, it's kind of tough to exact revenge with 40 seconds left and the player you want to pummel has been tossed, I guess it's easier when you're losing 3-1 and there's 3 seconds left on the clock to start swinging sticks
- cranford93

You know, I come in here with an open mind, start having a civil conversation with some good back-and-forth, and then you gotta come in here being a douchebag and try to start something. Way to troll your own thread.

So what should they have done? I don't think anyone right after it happened really knew exactly what happened? What if AV sends Carcillo or Dorsett out and gets whipped? Or as Jan pointed out disciplinary action is taken by the league for basically escalating it? I am not saying I think this team is perfect and can't use some additional size and grit, but I'm not sure what they could have done last night to look stronger. Thats all, we just have different definitions of toughness and we all do. Its all good.
- Blueshirts4ever

I actually agree nothing should have been done after Burrows left the ice. What last night reminded me of was Gaborik getting pummeled by Carcillo & Girardi standing there watching. I look at it this way, if I am on the ice when that happened, and saw my best player lying on the ice on a cheap hit with 40 seconds left, I am not challenging anyone, I am going to drop the gloves and start pounding Burrows. I just hate seeing our best player lying on the ice & our team standing around.