Let's Get Dirty

There's been alot of talk about the lack of offense coming out of a pretty well pedigreed Rangers group of forwards. The team is still mired in dead last in the NHL in terms of goal production. Many of them seem too gun shy to pull the trigger in prime shooting positions. Is it a lack of skill? I don't think so. Is it a lack of chances? I don't think so.

The biggest problem with the Rangers, offensively right now is the inability to get to the front of the net and create screens and rebound opportunities. There does not seem to be a soul amongst the corps that has any willingness to camp out in front and take the punishment that is distributed while trying to score the "Dirty" goal. The only player on the Rangers that even attempts to "Get Dirty" is the all 4'3" 67lbs of Peter Prucha. And we all know he pays a hefty price when he tries to play like a big boy.

It's not like this team doesn't have a bit of size on it. There are guys, Marcel Hossa 6'3" 220 lbs, Bredan Shanahan 6'3" 220, Jaromir Jagr 6'3" 245lbs, Brandon Dubinsky 6'1" 224lbs and, Blair Betts 6'3" 210lbs, all have the size and save for Betts, the ability to pop home a lose puck in front. So why don't they do it? Let's put aside for a minute that they don't camp out in front in 5 on 5 situations. Why in the hell don't they park someone there on the Power Play? The only players that we see in front of the net, in either situation, are Peter Prucha, Sean Avery and, Chris Drury, all of which are undersized and can't withstand the punishment that is given out for trying to score from the Dirty Zone.

I hear a phrase "The Pussification of America" every now and then. Well I think somehow it has gone from the suburban soccer fields of the U.S. and now I declare that with the lack of cajones shown by the Rangers forwards it is in fact the Pussification of the New York Rangers.