Jan,

Good blog. It is very frustrating to watch your team play like this, believe me, i know. The Penguins were in a similar boat for the past few years.

The first step is to drop the coach. It clearly isnt working and wont start working. every day you keep him around, you're wasting. Bylsma overstayed his welcome by about 2 years. We wasted 2 years of playoff failure and our core's prime trying to save the coach's head. I can only imagine if we had found Sullivan years ago.

The second step is to cut down the passengers on the team. The Penguins were lucky because most of them were free agents and all we had to do was not resign them. We cut guys like Neal, who were fun to watch, but didnt get the job done. Instead, we brought in guys like Hornqvist who not only played the game we needed, but they gave it everything they had every night.

Third step is to embrace an identity. I have no idea what identity the Rangers play now. Sometimes they have tried to match the Penguins's speed, other times they mercilessly hit them. Cant always be both. Penguins embraced speed and brought up AHL guys who could play that style.

I dont think the Rangers are as bad off as you guys think. The main problem is the division. The Caps arent going anywhere, the Islanders and Flyers look better than what many thought, the Blue Jackets are only going to get better, and the Penguins look like they've bought themselves some more years.

https://twitter.com/Buccigross/status/723515852646154240
- Anthony5967

18-3 Jesus Mary and Joseph

You have that little matter of Marc-Andre Fleury's three years at $5.75 mil remaining to resolve as well. Pricey for a backup.
- airjan23

The negotiations have already started (even if only in my own mind! ).

Seriously though, he appears to be the future for the organisation, & with Jarry also coming through Flower may become a piece that in a business world is too good to keep from trading. It is a business as we all know.

https://twitter.com/Buccigross/status/723515852646154240
- Anthony5967

18-3 is as bad as it gets

You have that little matter of Marc-Andre Fleury's three years at $5.75 mil remaining to resolve as well. Pricey for a backup.
- airjan23

Considering you will only be allowed to protect one goalie in the expansion draft this "problem" will not last long. Flower and Murray can split starts till then. Not to mention how good of a problem that is to have considering both of the goalies are above average starters.

The negotiations have already started (even if only in my own mind! ).

Seriously though, he appears to be the future for the organisation, & with Jarry also coming through Flower may become a piece that in a business world is too good to keep from trading. It is a business as we all know.
- Aussiepenguin

No one wants Fluery

most of you guys, whether we agree or disagree, are cool in my book. A lot of loyal, die hard, knowledgable fans of this team and I respect the majority of your opinions.

After last night I think we can unifiably agree, this team is toast and Gorton needs to be extremely busy working the phones.

It's not a matter of not having talent, it's having the right pieces, the right leadership and the right balance.

This team, while still skilled, is horribly flawed in just about every facet of the game. Last night, with their season hanging in the balance, the Rangers laid an enormous egg and went out like chumps.

Not a single Ranger, player personnel or coach, can hang their head high after watching the Penguins completely dismantle them like Beverly Hills surgeons.

Sometimes you have to take your medicine, this Ranger team just doesn't have it, it's fairly clear.

And for those that think the results would be different if they drew Florida, no it wouldn't.
- MidnightMarauder

Rangers need to find a way to obtain a 1st round pick or else they're going to be in major trouble in a few years. I get why they don't have any, they went for it while Lundqvist was in his prime, but now they're going to have to face reality that once Buchnevich and Skjei are full-time NHL'ers there is going to be very little top-tier talent in the prospect pool. Almost none, really.

I'm not sure if there are any guys on the current roster that they could afford to lose that are worth a 1st, but if there were I think you'd have to seriously consider selling them to try and stop the bleeding and secure some sort of future.

Yesterday's compete level was trash, but the compete level the first 3 games of this series was very good.
- rangerdanger94

Game three I don't agree with. The Kreider goal gets taken away, they get a good goal later on yea but after that the pens totally dominated that game man. Rangers were skating around for what seemed like hours just passing the puck and their unwillingness to drive to the net was their downfall. They never adjusted and neither did the great head coach. He has been out coached by a guy who inherited a club, made some changes and took this team over around the holidays. I heard it last night in their voices. They ask AV about the pk and he gave some dumb clueless answer. "Oh we got to figure it out and be better". Something like that. Oh yea? You think AV? They interview Hank and he looks like he knows deep down this team's glory days have past. There are too many guys not on the same page.

18-3 is as bad as it gets
- KreiderBomb

The folks that truly are taking it on the chin are the actual fans of the team that pay a ticket to see this garbage as of late.

Staal is coming back to u guys.....
- Ur Not Me

I suddenly very much doubt that.

I hope the Caps roll them

Rangers will be better come October, the team will only get younger and adding Skjei to the D is only a positive while losing Boyle
- KreiderBomb

Bizarro world here today, your going w positives & I am doom & gloom. Idk about the future being so bright. It all falls on Hank, he has taken a step back & will be 35 next Feb, very concerned.

The negotiations have already started (even if only in my own mind! ).

Seriously though, he appears to be the future for the organisation, & with Jarry also coming through Flower may become a piece that in a business world is too good to keep from trading. It is a business as we all know.
- Aussiepenguin

Agreed, why I thought MAF could be moved last off-season, knowing how the organization was on Murray.

Handing over the torch of never winning a cup?

Here ya go, Matt.
- MidnightMarauder

I could/should have expressed it better!

You have that little matter of Marc-Andre Fleury's three years at $5.75 mil remaining to resolve as well. Pricey for a backup.
- airjan23

I'm just curious how bad of shape MAF is in. I dont believe he's skated at all this week. I'm guessing he had a pretty bad setback.

Murray plays like a 30+ veteran. He is just such a calm goalie with his play. Zatkoff was flying all over the place to make saves. Murray has such great positioning.

If/When the expansion draft hits, I would think the Penguins protect Murray and put MAF out there. Future looks bright with him, but it's too early to predict what he can do.

The folks that truly are taking it on the chin are the actual fans of the team that pay a ticket to see this garbage as of late.
- MidnightMarauder

Considering you will only be allowed to protect one goalie in the expansion draft this "problem" will not last long. Flower and Murray can split starts till then. Not to mention how good of a problem that is to have considering both of the goalies are above average starters.
- Zac_O

Let;s first actually get to expansion. Not disagreeing, just saying that's a lot of cash in a cap world to pay a back up, cognizant that the starter would be very underpaid initially.

Brandon, good post. I have to call out the Coach after a debacle lime that. He said the team was very ready to go yesterday morning. Really? Really Alain, so what gives ten with that performance?

Like I said above Mac & Hank too have to take the brunt of criticism here. I mean 5 straight home ice playoff losses, disgrace.
- B2B76

B, Gorton needs to seriously recoup some of the assets the team has shipped out in the sake of going for it since 2012.

While there is some decent talent, in their 20s, still on the team, there is little left in the pipeline outside of maybe a handful of prospects.

For a team transitioning, there needs to be more than that.

I seriously think it's time to think about moving him this summer. He's still got some juice left but he can't be the focal point of the team, going forward, if they ever expect to turn things around.
- MidnightMarauder

Hank?

No one wants Fluery
- KreiderBomb

I truly believe we will find out if that's true sooner rather than later!

Bizarro world here today, your going w positives & I am doom & gloom. Idk about the future being so bright. It all falls on Hank, he has taken a step back & will be 35 next Feb, very concerned.
- B2B76

As i tweeted yesterday, only good news is that because of Passover, I can't watch Game 5.

No one wants Fluery
- KreiderBomb

We would gladly take Fleury.

For (frank)s sake we gotta spend $20 million next year just to reach the cap floor and only like 4 open roster spots.

Jan,

Good blog. It is very frustrating to watch your team play like this, believe me, i know. The Penguins were in a similar boat for the past few years.
...
I dont think the Rangers are as bad off as you guys think. The main problem is the division. The Caps arent going anywhere, the Islanders and Flyers look better than what many thought, the Blue Jackets are only going to get better, and the Penguins look like they've bought themselves some more years.
- SuperHenderson13

I agree with this. You guys are rightfully upset but your team has played more games than anybody else over the last 5 seasons. It takes a toll both physically and mentally.

Right now, I think that's what you are seeing.

The Pens were a dumspter fire for the first half of this season. Crosby looked less motivated than I have ever seen him.

Things can change quickly.

That said...hope the hell it doesn't start for the Rangers until after Game 5

Nice work, Jan. Your efforts, insights and info over the season are much appreciated. I am saying this now because, as we all realize, this season is over. If it's not over on Saturday, I will copy and paste this into the next blog.
While I always try to remember in the back of my mind that the guys calling the shots for the team know the game better than I do and see the players on a personal level that I don't, it sure seems like they could benefit from taking our opinions to heart.
And for any of those people who may be reading this - Heart: spirit, courage or enthusiasm. - Dictionary.com
It really is mind-boggling that the coaching/management staff can be so blind to problems (and solutions) that are so obvious.

We would gladly take Fleury.

For (frank)s sake we gotta spend $20 million next year just to reach the cap floor and only like 4 open roster spots.
- BINGO!

Fleury, EStaal, Mstaal, and Nash sounds like a good start.

As i tweeted yesterday, only good news is that because of Passover, I can't watch Game 5.
- airjan23

Well I'm on my way to Bermuda on a 7 day vaca starting Sun morning. I got that to look forwRd to!

Happy Passover Jan.