New York Ranger Orthodoxy?

I had promised to write something about the Ranger Offense at some point this week, but it doesn't really make sense now since we'll be switching coaches and, presumably systems.  So instead, I thought I'd write something about us fans, and what I've come to think of as the Ranger Orthodoxy.  We've run into it quite a bit in the past 12 months, and it's an interesting phenomena, born or at least coalesced by the internet and the dozens of Ranger and hockey sites we frequent as fans.  It's a dogmatic set of positions that aren't necessarily supportable but are widely held in our internet community, and though I wouldn't advocate suppressing anyone's thoughts, feelings or speech, I think we'd all do better by maintaining some objectivity and remembering our thoughts are just our thoughts.

Here's what I noticed over the last year.   According to the orthodoxy, the Nash trade wasn't going to happen.  Someone else would offer more, and the Rangers just weren't going to do it.  No matter that they had tried hard to get him at last year's deadline.   He was just going somewhere else.  Of course, he soon became a Ranger for what was a good deal, though it robbed us of some depth for much of the season.

Then Gaborik was not getting traded, not after the season and certainly not at the deadline.   The reasoning for this was that he was our only true sniper or something like that.  One couldn't really bring it up on the boards without getting shouted down by the apostles of the orthodoxy.   Of course, he was traded and sooner than later.   Anyone watching the Rangers with any degree of objectivity, saw that was a real possibility.  He had high trade value, they weren't going to re-sign him, the coach didn't like him and he wasn't helping much this season. Of course he was trade bait.  And traded he was for a pretty good haul, though we didn't get our first round pick back from Columbus.

The most recent example was Coach Tortorella.  The orthodoxy, who had assured us he wasn't being fired seemed absolutely dumbfounded when he was.   Now this happened not because it wasn't a surprise, it was because these people, including reporters - who risk credibility - had invested too much in him staying on as coach - regardless of trends and results.   Some have written mea culpa's while others continue to defend an indefensible position.  He's gone and he punched his own ticket with his performance.

So here's my idea, and that's all it is, my idea.   This offseason,  let's try to be a little less authoritative when giving our opinions on the Rangers.  Everything the orthodoxy said they wouldn't do, they did.  So let's be a little more flexible than that, both in what we'll say and in our tolerance of conflicting ideas.   If we're patient and patient with each other, we'll see what happens and all get it right.

Btw, my current predictions are that the Rangers will try to get a first or second round pick in next month's draft, and that they might be willing to trade Michael Del Zotto, in that process or for something else.  He's an under achiever with upside, who was probably suppressed by the system, but he should have some trade value, and Moore is already on the roster.   We'll see.  But honestly who knows what's next?  Not me and not the Shadow!  Let's Go, Rangers!