Panic at the disco

Even Margot Robbie is worried

I was going to post a picture of your average Rangers fan, but I figured Margot Robbie would yield more pageviews. Yes, you’re all suckers.

Other than the fact that she’s hot, I think her reaction is probably synonymous with how most of this fan base reacted to the org’s first week of free agency. Mass panic!

It’s amazing how everyone always derides the Rangers organization for throwing Jim Dolan’s money around this time of the year, yet another summer of keeping his wallet in their pockets and everyone acts like it’s the end of the world. Life of a sports fan I suppose.

Me? I am not worried. I’ll even go out on a limb and say that I actually like the moves our organization made this past week. There’s still work to be done for sure. I mean we are three months away from opening night. But so far, we’re building the roster AV wants.

Last summer, I warned you all that this was going to be the offseason of change. The premise behind this notion was that Sather/Gorton left the roster largely intact last year. The big splash was hiring AV. However, the previous regime and the current one have diametrically opposed systems and philosophies. Change was inevitable. AV was going to keep his guys. The rest we’re going to be shown the door.

The previous regime valued three zone play, heavy forechecking/backchecking and determination. The new regime values playingmaking, neutral zone counters and quickness. When I say quickness, I’m not just talking about quick skating, but quick thinking. This is something scouts look for, #fancystat nerds never think of, and hopefully something we’re finding with each acquisition.

When you look at the moves we’ve made over the last several months, you are seeing a metamorphous from meat and potatoes hockey to the AV squad. Callahan, Brian Boyle, Dorsett, Stralman, and others who will follow them out the door, are the old “right way”. St. Louis, Danny Boyle, Glass, Hunwick and whomever else they bring in, are the new “right way”.

Brad Richards? Well he was neither way, but you get the point. Guys who are quick and can make plays are replacing the lunchpail guys. Certainly not my type of hockey, but I’m not the coach.

AV said it himself, he wants to play up-tempo hockey. Of course, up-tempo hockey is supposed to yield an uptick in offense. Except that his system didn’t yield more offense. In fact, our offense was down vs. the 2011-12 season (2.6 goals per game vs. 2.7 goals per game). That’s not a shot at AV. No coach can squeeze more goals out of a grit squad based on x’s and o’s alone. You need skill.

MSL will provide more offense than Cally. Dan Boyle will provide more offense than Stralman. Miller will provide more offense than Brian Boyle. Glass essentially replaces Dorsie’s role, but has more speed, size and PK work. Corsi doesn’t matter for that role. Whoever replaces Richie, whether the organization has tabbed Lindberg or an external option, will undoubtedly be able to play fast.

Defense will be sacrificed for sure, but that’s the risk you take when you want your team to bring more offense. Something had to be sacrificed. Now, whether or not this all works is an entirely different story, but that’s a result. And as I have said in the past, it’s not about results, it’s about the process. The process is changing for their new coach. Changes that I’m personally not a huge fan of, but the process is changing none the less. Hold fast.