Thank goodness the Rangers are able to beat the bottom feeders of the Conference, otherwise they would be in bigger trouble than they are now.
Tom Renney recently speculated that it would take a team about 94 points to make the playoffs. The Rangers currently have 54 points. So that would take 41 more in 31 games? This team would have to go 20-11 for the remainder of the season, and I just don't see it happening.
The news from last night is all about Brendan Shanahan's tirade regarding the referees' treatment of Jaromir Jagr. I don't know how productive this type of outburst is for the team. On one hand, maybe Colin Campbell and the league will take a closer look at the tapes, but on the other hand the team might be able to rule out any hope of having a close call go their way.
This isn't about officiating though, it's about a team that just isn't good enough most of the time. One thing is for sure: There isn't just a single "missing piece" to the puzzle that is the New York Rangers that can be obtained to "put them over the top". There are flaws throughout the lineup, and despite the frigid temperatures here in the Big Apple springtime is approaching fast. Too fast to expect a top-to-bottom turnaround.
Shanahan Quotes:
NY Post: "I've never seen a superstar player treated with so much disrespect in this league as Jaromir Jagr."
NY Daily News: "I don't know what the deal is," Shanahan said, standing in the same spot in the center of the locker room that Messier favored for such soliloquies. "Guys hit him late; guys hit him high; guys hook his hands. He doesn't complain. He just goes out and plays and plays. The referees just seem to have a different set of rules about the way people get to play against him."
Newsday: "It's like I always said, the NBA didn't let people grab Jordan by the waist every time he went up for a jump shot. Jags has to play through that all season long. I've been amazed by it all year. It's not just tonight's refs. I've played with other superstar players [he named Steve Yzerman and Mike Modano, among others] and they get a whole lot more respect than this guy."
The Journal News: "Not since (Slava) Fetisov came over from Russia have I seen a star player get ignored by the referees, and I know the reason they were ignoring him back then. But I don't know why they're ignoring the hooks and the holds and the chops on Jaromir Jagr. He's been a great player in this league for a long time."
NY SportsDay: “It's time to say something on his behalf. He's not going to complain, so I am going to do it for him.”
Sounds like a whole lotta whining to me. With all due respect to Shanahan and his opinions, teams should be able to get through some calls not being made. I was watching the game in person, so I didn't get a close up view, but I really didn't see anything that Jaromir didn't have to deal with during the first fourteen years of his career. I don't remember seeing anyone interefere with Jagr during the dozens of power plays on which they have recently been unable to convert.
The fact is they were beat last night by a team missing two key players in Darcy Tucker and Michael Peca. The fact is the team, top to bottom, is not good enough at this moment.
Shanny was not fined by the league for his comments, by the way.
Joe Mac also reports on the news that Marek Malik was placed on IR for a strained shoulder and Bryce Lampman was brought up from the Pack.
The Rodent shares his thoughts with us.
I got a late start today, but I'll check in bright and early with the news tomorrow.
HDH
Posted by Jim at February 01, 2007 08:12 PMeMail this entry!
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