I'm from the Bronx. Luckily most of the Ranger fans I know personally are pretty level-headed. This site also has a nice group of level-headed fans.

But for every level-headed fan there's three guys who will tell you things like Evgeny Grachev will be a first-line forward, Brandon Dubinsky can be a 40-goal scorer and Ryan McDonagh is as fast as Brian Campbell. All of these gems happened on this site at various points through the years. One even happened today. A very Ranger-centric point of view without much regard for what the rest of the league has to offer. All teams' fans are guilty of this sort of thing at times. But let's face it. Certain teams' fans do it much more than others.

I also read that the Rangers top 4 D are the "best in the league". Which actually is not all THAT bad an assessment. But Keith-Seabrook-Leddy-Hjarmalsson is a pretty good argument against that. And I could make a case for Doughty-Scuderi-Mitchell-Voynov as well. That's not even taking into account the core top 3's that some teams have...such as Nashville's 3 of Weber, Suter and Klein. Do I think they would trade that 3 for the Rangers top 4? Unlikely. There ARE some really good players outside of NY. The Rangers did not have an easy time with their two playoff opponents. I bet John Carlson is on the radar of more than a few fans now if he wasn't before. And if he was in NY I bet in the eyes of some he and Girardi or McD would be the "top D pair in the league." And trust me, I know some of you are NOT like that. But man. Those who are...

It's tiresome after awhile.

NOBODY, not 1 of the dozens of Ranger fans I talked to last night think that, this will be 6 or 7 for sure, maybe you hang out with a lot of pot smokers?
- RustyKuntz

I'm not sure how many of them smoke but I'm sure a bunch of them do but I'm being very honest here. At my job I work with 5 close Ranger fans alone who all think the same way....Devils are no match for them. I also deal with my accounts daily, a lot of them Ranger fans, and they been calling for this over a week now. I will say one little story, one of my friends from work made a bet with me on game 7 with the Rangers, the funny part is I took the Rangers and he took Washington for $100 (he was really nervous about the Rangers losing to Washington). After the game last night I called him tio have some fun, I told him he can try and win his money back and that I would take the Rangers and he would have to take the Devils. He started to laugh and said NO WAY, I thought he was just joking too (again I wouldn't bet against my team anyway) but then he told me the Rangers would beat the Devils in 5 and started to explain to me how Washington was much better then the Devils. My main point is the Devils NEVER get respected no matter what they do or accomplish. (like being the 2nd best team in hockey since 1990 - only behind Detroit)

I'm not sure how many of them smoke but I'm sure a bunch of them do but I'm being very honest here. At my job I work with 5 close Ranger fans alone who all think the same way....Devils are no match for them. I also deal with my accounts daily, a lot of them Ranger fans, and they been calling for this over a week now. I will say one little story, one of my friends from work made a bet with me on game 7 with the Rangers, the funny part is I took the Rangers and he took Washington for $100 (he was really nervous about the Rangers losing to Washington). After the game last night I called him tio have some fun, I told him he can try and win his money back and that I would take the Rangers and he would have to take the Devils. He started to laugh and said NO WAY, I thought he was just joking too (again I wouldn't bet against my team anyway) but then he told me the Rangers would beat the Devils in 5 and started to explain to me how Washington was much better then the Devils. My main point is the Devils NEVER get respected no matter what they do or accomplish. (like being the 2nd best team in hockey since 1990 - only behind Detroit)
- Gambi99

Agreed. And not only in terms of accomplishment, but even in terms of their style. The 2000 (Cup winners) and 2001 (ECF champs) teams were two of the most talented NHL teams of the decade. They had size, speed, skill, depth and goaltending. The 2001 Avalanche were mega-talented, and we had them on the ropes in that series. Yet the perception was that we were just a boring trapping team. Yet we scored an awful lot and had an awful lot of firepower during those two seasons. It never gets respected. But those were two truly great teams. Back then and probably even now we simply get associated with words like "system" and "trap". If it was that easy to play a given system and win, everyone would do it with the same results.

Agreed. And not only in terms of accomplishment, but even in terms of their style. The 2000 (Cup winners) and 2001 (ECF champs) teams were two of the most talented NHL teams of the decade. They had size, speed, skill, depth and goaltending. The 2001 Avalanche were mega-talented, and we had them on the ropes in that series. Yet the perception was that we were just a boring trapping team. Yet we scored an awful lot and had an awful lot of firepower during those two seasons. It never gets respected. But those were two truly great teams. Back then and probably even now we simply get associated with words like "system" and "trap". If it was that easy to play a given system and win, everyone would do it with the same results.
- BarryB1124

It's a joke. We lead the league in scoring in at least one of those years. Possibly 2003 as well. If you play great defense, you are a trapping team. God forbid you are great on defense AND offense

Well, let me just say this...I am a very realistic Rangers fan. When they suck, I am the first one to say it.

This team has been a great joy to watch this season. They play together, as a team, at all times. They block shots like maniacs, they dig in the corners, they do the things that good teams do to win. Do I wish they would score more? Hell yes I do, but in the end, this is the hand we were dealt this season. No one in their right mind would have predicted we would be first in the conference, let alone in the Eastern Conference. Our team is extremely young, and will hopefully be even better in the future.

So, I am looking at this run as one fantastic gift. We weren't supposed to be here at the beginning of the season. We weren't going to get past Ottowa, because we did not match up well...but we did. Washington brought everything they could, and I gotta be honest, in Game 5...I thought we were DONE. But, somehow, we pulled it out, and went on to win the series, even though they had Ovechkin and Backstrom, and a goalie playing out of his mind.

Now, we get the Devils. As tough a matchup as either of the other two teams we beat. They have Kovalchuk, and Parise, and Marty Brodeur trying to turn what may be his swan song into a story for the ages. This is a different team from the regular season. They are clicking, and we have played 14 games already. A lot of people are saying we are in trouble.

But, this team...they find a way.

So, I will say Rangers in 7. If the Devils beat us...it won't shock me. I don't see it being a short series in any way, no matter who wins.

Good luck guys.

Well, let me just say this...I am a very realistic Rangers fan. When they suck, I am the first one to say it.

This team has been a great joy to watch this season. They play together, as a team, at all times. They block shots like maniacs, they dig in the corners, they do the things that good teams do to win. Do I wish they would score more? Hell yes I do, but in the end, this is the hand we were dealt this season. No one in their right mind would have predicted we would be first in the conference, let alone in the Eastern Conference. Our team is extremely young, and will hopefully be even better in the future.

So, I am looking at this run as one fantastic gift. We weren't supposed to be here at the beginning of the season. We weren't going to get past Ottowa, because we did not match up well...but we did. Washington brought everything they could, and I gotta be honest, in Game 5...I thought we were DONE. But, somehow, we pulled it out, and went on to win the series, even though they had Ovechkin and Backstrom, and a goalie playing out of his mind.

Now, we get the Devils. As tough a matchup as either of the other two teams we beat. They have Kovalchuk, and Parise, and Marty Brodeur trying to turn what may be his swan song into a story for the ages. This is a different team from the regular season. They are clicking, and we have played 14 games already. A lot of people are saying we are in trouble.

But, this team...they find a way.

So, I will say Rangers in 7. If the Devils beat us...it won't shock me. I don't see it being a short series in any way, no matter who wins.

Good luck guys.
- Blueshirt44

Great post. Talk to you in two weeks.

It's a joke. We lead the league in scoring in at least one of those years. Possibly 2003 as well. If you play great defense, you are a trapping team. God forbid you are great on defense AND offense
- Jeffrey7146

First in goals in 2001, second in 2000, if my quick glance is correct.

And 14th in scoring in '03 I think. The '03 team was different from '00 and '01. VERY tight defensively and exceptionally clutch. Friesen and Langenbrunner were big game players back then and that definitely propelled us along with a fantastic team defensive effort. That team was incredible defensively in the playoffs.

First in goals in 2001, second in 2000, if my quick glance is correct.
- BarryB1124

can someone please photoshop tort's face into this

Barry, Pomegrant, Wayne etc., trust me, none of us true Rangers fans believe this will be a quick and easy series. NJ so far has had much better offensive balance, though some of that may be attributed to who they faced as neither Florida or Philly are stellar defensively, but that matters little as NJ did what they had to do. As Barry wrote, the forechecking style on each team will be interesting to watch, as the Rangers won Game 7 against Wash by turning up their intensity and tacking the game to the Capitals. NJ beat Philly by not falling prey to their stupidity and constantly attacking their weak D and lack of consistent forward back checking. I will touch on this in my blog tomorrow, but I think a major key is how the Rangers' second and third D pairings match up against the 2nd-4th line of NJ. If it's a wash, the Rangers have a great chance of winning. In addition, I think NY scores a lot more than what has been expected as the first two series were played very close to the vest due to matching styles, this one will be slightly more open, which should allow the Rangers' speed on the top two lines to be effective.

As Wayne and Pomegrant know, I welcome all the comments in my blog and will do my best to make sure as long as it's hockey talk, it doesn't get out of hand. Can't wait until the series starts.

I'm sorry to say, the Rangers are going to the cup final this year and winning it. Copy and paste it if you must-- either way I'm rooting for the devils!

Favorite Ranger fan quote so far (and he was dead serious):

"The Rangers have already beaten their toughest 2 opponents. The Cup is Ours!!!

Is it 8 o'clock yet?

Favorite Ranger fan quote so far (and he was dead serious):

"The Rangers have already beaten their toughest 2 opponents. The Cup is Ours!!!




- Kovaltron

How dare Barry say Campbell and Kulikov are faster than McDonough. Lidstrom wishes he was as good as McDonough.

well.. here we go.

Just got 2 tickets from a Ranger fan for tonights game..... shibby!