Its not easy being a NY Rangers fan, and last night’s performance was one for the ages, but not in a good way!
You have nothing to be proud of when you are a professional team that has won one championship in 85 years. As a fan of this team, which I have been for over 40 years, watching the NY Rangers performance last night had me reconsidering my fandom!
Let me preface this by saying my family has been season ticket holders of the NY Rangers for well over 30 years! We have spent a lot of blood sweat and tears, not to mention a crap load of money, on this team. Yes, there have been some bright spots, like winning a cup in 1994, but those bright spots have been few and far between.
Last season the Rangers had a great year. Not only did they win the Presidents trophy for the top team during the regualr season, but they came within two games of making to the Stanley Cup Final. Even though the Blueshirts were eliminated by the Florida Panthers, fans held out hope that this year would be a cup worthy season.
Well that cup has not runneth over, in fact, I think it has spilled over and the glass is broken. This season has been a debacle! Not only has the team not performed up to their capabilities, but they are in danger of not even making the playoffs!
With about 15 games to go, the team is in a dogfight with 5 other teams in the Eastern Conference to grab one of the final playoff berths. Last night, the Rangers were at home, and their opponent was the Calgary Flames. These are the same Calgary Flames that a night before were drubbed by Toronto 6-2, and we’re gonna be playing in back-to- back games. The same Flames are not even in a playoff position.
You would think with the Rangers desperate to get points, that this game would be an easy win. You would think wrong! Not only did the Rangers lose 2-1, they lost badly. When I say badly it was in the way the team performed.
Usually, a team will generate an average of 30 shots in a game. The Rangers supposedly have a vaunted offensive attack, and should easily do this on a nightly basis. So how many shots on goal did the Rangers have last night? Thirteen, no not thirteen for a period, but thirteen for the whole game!
Calgary had their backup goalie in last night, but honestly they could have had Justin Trudeau playing goal last night, and it wouldn’t have mattered. The old joke is the goalie could have had a cup of coffee and a sandwich while he was in goal because the other team didnt show up. Last night the Flames goalie could have had a five course meal!
How can a team, that supposedly has all this high-priced talent, put out a showing like this? It is inexcusable! I know we have to blame the players cause they are the ones who play. Yes, I do blame the players, but in this case, as well as many this season, I also blame the coach! Peter Laviolette was brought in last year because he was a veteran coach with a winning pedigree. Not only has he won a cup, but he brought a few other teams to the finals as well.
Based on last year’s performance, Rangers fans must have felt that was the one. He would be the next coach since Mike Keenan helped us win a Cup in 1994. Here is the problem with Laviolette, though. It seems in every place he has coached, he gets off to a great start. In the second season, however, his teams take a nosedive. Could the same thing be happening with him at the helm once again?
The Rangers have had 4 coaches in the past 8 years. They have been changing coaches like the soiled laundry I had last night! Do we go through this again and start all over again next year with a new leader? If it was up to me, the answer is YES!
Lets face it, sometimes star athletes in any sport will tune out their coach. It happens all the time. I think it has happened again here with Laviolette. Its time to move on from him and make a bold statement. Bring me a coach who has won multiple cups but is currently out of a job. I want Joel Quenneville!
Lets not stop there. Chris Drury has tried, as he might to help alter the Rangers chemistry this year, but it hasn’t worked. Drury, however, caused signifigant damage to the team chemistry when he publicly tried to trade former captain Jacob Trouba in the offseason. It has been a mess ever since!
Wait, let’s hold on a second. I will not let the inmates run the asylum. I never said the players should not be held at fault. They most certainly should. My two main culprits are Alex Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller. Both were former number one picks and both were being counted on to greatly improve this season. Well, the opposite has happened!
Lafrenierre was the top pick in the entire league in 2020, and finally had a breakout season last year , especially in the playoffs. So this season, Drury signs him to a rich long term contract and guess what happens? Lafrenierre suddenly joined the witness protection program. The guy has been invisible. So much so I was hoping the Rangers would trade him at the deadline, but he is still here. Without him contributing as was expected, the Rangers are in trouble.
Miller on the other hand will be a free agent at the end of the year and will want big bucks too! Unless the Rangers intend to sign a giveaway machine, I would think they should think twice. A player with great size, and a great skater should not have just 5 goals this year. Plus his defense is a major liability. I do not want to see either of these players on the team next year!
As a diehard fan, I always want to see my teams do well. In this case, I don’t even want to see the team make the playoffs this year. They will get bounced in the first round anyway, so spare me the embarrassment.
I dont know if Rangers management reads Stadium Rant, but I hope they do and see this column. You have a fan here who is seriously considering not renewing his tickets for next year. I know money talks and if it does, my money just said a mouthful! Don’t stand pat James Dolan, I want heads to roll after last night, and I want them done swiftly!
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
