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| John Tortorella (New York Rangers) |
That said basically the only time I will read anyone else is when a friend posts a link as was the case on Thursday night when a Facebook friend sent me a link to a Post article. After reading it, I was drawn to a link to a different article which had these remarks from John Tortorella on J.T. Miller and Chris Kreider.
It was after the Rangers’ 4-2 over the Jets on Monday that coach John Tortorella expressed his concern for Miller and Kreider, both of whom he played sparingly that night.Not sure which part angered me more, the "Do I trust them" or the "development of Kreider would be best suited in the minors." The first question I would ask John Tortorella is "Why should Miller, Kreider or any other young player trust you?"
“Quite honestly, I’m worried about the two kids,” Tortorella said after the game. “Not that I’m upset with them, I just think the stakes are high, we play so many close games, and I just have to watch how they go through the game and, ‘Do I trust them?’ ”
Kreider has been sent down now twice this season, and though before the last call-up Tortorella said he doesn’t want to be “knee jerking him around,” it seems the philosophy is the development of Kreider would be best suited in the minors.
“I never said he was here to stay,” Tortorella said about Kreider before the game. “I would never say that about a kid that’s still learning to be a pro.”
Ken Gernander is a good coach and has done a solid job preparing the younger Ranger prospect for NHL duty but what Gernander can't do is teach them how to play in the NHL. The person who is supposed to do that just so happens to be John Tortorella but that seems to be something Tortorella doesn't think he is supposed to do.
Before anyone calls this another "Anti-Tortorella" rant; ask yourself who is supposed to help a Chris Kreider become an NHL player? Why do you have a coaching staff if it isn't part of their responsibilities to help the team's best prospects adapt to the NHL game?
People are forgetting that it was about this time last year when John Tortorella was talking about adding Chris Kreider to the Ranger lineup for the playoffs. To listen to Tortorella talk at the time it sure looked like the coach had no trust "issues" thrusting a very green kid into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
This year the coach appears to have forgotten who was the person that wanted the Rangers to burn a year of Kreider's Entry Level Contract. And while he doesn't want to be "knee jerking him around" that is very much the case as year 2 of Kreider's ELC is being wasted.
And for those who want to say Kreider was over-hyped please remember that nobody hyped Chris Kreider more than the Rangers themselves. Now it is dumping him onto Ken Gernander and his assistants and expecting them to fix Kreider.
At some point someone needs to "fix" John Tortorella and remind him that a good coach does more than scream at his players.
Hopefully before a prized prospect is ruined.
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Thankfully the prospects are back to work on Friday as the second round of the CHL playoffs gets underway.
QMJHL-- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar take on the Victoriaville Tigre as the Tigre will remember that last year the Drakkar shocked them with a 4 game sweep. The Tigre was the 4th seed and huge favorites to knock off the 13th seeded Drakkar.
This year the roles are reversed and the Drakkar need to remember that if they want to advance to the QMJHL semifinals. Samuel Noreau (NYR 2011 5th) is going to miss the start of this series but rumor has it that the 6'5 defender is almost ready to return to the "Viking Ship" lineup.
OHL- Mitchell Theoret (NYI 2011 7th) and his Barrie Colts look to take a 2-0 series lead on the Oshawa Generals on Friday night. The Colts will need to do a much better job on their power play than the 1 for 7 in the series opener.
We will get our first look at the "fearless" one Tommy Hughes as his London Knights open their 2nd round series against the Kitchener Rangers. London also boasts the son of former Ranger Tie Domi Max who is a top NHL prospect with way more talent than his dad had.
WHL- Griffin Reinhart (NYI 2011 1st) and Michael St. Croix (NYR 2011 4th) will lead their Edmonton Oil Kings against the Medicine Hat Tigers in their WHL 2nd round matchup. The Oil Kings are well aware what the Tigers did to the Saskatoon Blades and while nobody else is giving the Tigers a chance; Oil King coach Derek Laxdal is going to make sure his Oil Kings don't overlook the Tigers.
Brenden Kichton (NYI 2011 5th) and his Spokane Chiefs are going to face the WHL's "Evil Empire" AKA the Portland Winterhawks and people need to stop looking at how Portland went 7-1-1 against Spokane during the regular season. Everett didn't win a game against Portland in the regular season but took 2 in the playoffs.
Spokane is experienced and has Don Nachbaur behind the bench which makes them a dangerous team for Portland not to take lightly.
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