Friday, December 18, 2009

No More Entitlement

Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants reports that John Tortorella put the entire team on notice today...

“This isn’t to make an example out of Wade Redden, Wade Redden hasn’t played well enough to be in the lineup,” Tortorella said. “I’m not interested in making examples out of people. A coach’s responsibility is to put the best lineup on the ice. I felt I did that last night. It will be the same lineup going into Philly (tomorrow afternoon). For 25-30 games we tried to stay with him, we tried to bring confidence in with him and go about it that way and it hasn’t worked. It’s still trying to gain confidence but there’s going to be no entitlement around here. I think it kind of stinks of that around here. We’ve got kids and this coaching staff and manager want to infuse some kids into our lineup becase we feel that’s going to be the best way to build it. We’ll go through some bumps in the road with kids but not with underachieving veterans. I just don’t but it and it’s not going to work that way.”

...now we're talking. What took you so long to come around Torts?

Gross also notes Torts confusion with Redden's statements that he was singled out and the coach's conversation with Chris Drury on being demoted to the fourth line.

Line-up will stay the same for tomorrow's game in Philadelphia, meaning Redden and Ales Kotalik will again be healthy scratches.

6 comments:

XLJ said...

I hope Kotalik stays off the ice.

I was very happy that Torts put Drury on the 4th line. Honestly that is where he belongs. You got to take some of his 5 on 5 even strength ice time away. He is good on the pk and I dont mind him playing the point on the 2nd line power play.

It also is no surprise Callahan started to score more when he is not playing with Drury. Callahan isn't a playmaker he will score his 20 goals per season being around the net. Drury doesn't know how to set him up. I am amazed it took Torts till the end of december to break them up. They are great together on the pk though.

I like to see more Christensen as the center on the 2nd line. He is very good on faceoffs and has a nice wrist shot.

XLJ said...

One more thing about the
Rangers defense. The made a huge mistake letting Paul Mara go. He was a solid defensemen that wasn't a big cap hit. Poor Hank he has his work cut out for him with all these rookie defenseman on the team.

Instead of wasting money on Brashear they should of resigned Mara. Torts looks like a fool now saying Brashear can skate better and do more things than Orr.

Brashears looks like the slowest skater in the league and has done a horrible job as a enforecer. He doesn't even fight anymore as he even won a fight this year?

I know this sounds crazy but I rather have Voros as the enforcer in the lineup than Brashear. Voros was a better forechecker and he got became a better fighter this year. He won his last two fight

Unknown said...

"We’ll go through some bumps in the road with kids but not with underachieving veterans"

Like Gilroy. We all know Sanganetti will be Hartford before next week. All talk from Torterella.

Anonymous said...

There is no other way to look at this than positive.

The soft approach did not work. Lay it all out there and see who steps up. I see guys like Callahan already stepping up. Gaborik and Lundqvist are gold.

The responsibility bandwagon has not yet left the station, NYR. Lots of time for players to hop on.

Tortorella may not be the most eloquent, hell, he may not even be the best coach. But it is too early to render a verdict on him. That is not at all the case when you look at the lazy, take it easy play shown by the big $$ veterans. Drury needs a huge kick in the you know where.
What a drip he has been.

This is very welcome. I love it.

Anonymous said...

Brashear does not contribute. I did not believe he would be valuable when signed, and now I know it to be the case.

The man can barely skate. All the know-it-alls talked about how he is twice the player that Orr is.

I'm still waiting. Actually, I am now waiting for him to be unloaded.
Big useless lump that he is.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, sounds great but what about Drury, Rozival, and Brashear. Sure demoting Drury to the 4th line was good for him and not his ego but Drury can't be that dumb to belive he is still a first line center. If he does he must be high on dope or dog food. Really Brashear is a waste of cap space. What would Tort's do about that......? NADA