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Mike Sullivan snaps at the media and blames them for being a factor in the Rangers continuous slump
Photo credit: Peter Carr/The Journal News
NHL Insider Vince Mercogliano detailed a portion of the New York Rangers' pregame conference. During the meeting with the media, Mike Sullivan took a subtle shot at the press, blaming them for their ongoing slump.
The New York Rangers' slump has seen the team go 0-4-0 in their last four, with a record of 10-11-2, good enough for 8th in the Metropolitan Division.
The team suffered a disappointing 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth in what should've been a road win. However, it seems that the Rangers are having issues piecing together wins, while JT Miller and Vinnie Trocheck (game-time decision) are out of the lineup.
Instead of accepting the fact that there is something wrong with the team or his coaching schemes, he pointed his fingers at the media.
This was the first time I can recall Sullivan pointing outward (in this case, toward the media) as part of the reason he thinks the #NYR are pressing:
"There's a lot of noise around it. You guys make a lot of noise around it. I acknowledge that we didn't score goals, but what I will tell you is that we generated offense. We track the process and detail, and as I've said to you guys all along, you can't always control whether it goes in the net or it doesn't. But what you can control is your ability to create offense and opportunity, and we were creating a fair amount. The puck wasn't going in the net for us. It's amazing how when you chase offense, you don't get as much. When you play the game the right way, the byproduct is you create offense. That was the message."
"There's a lot of noise around it. You guys make a lot of noise around it. I acknowledge that we didn't score goals, but what I will tell you is that we generated offense. We track the process and detail, and as I've said to you guys all along, you can't always control whether it goes in the net or it doesn't. But what you can control is your ability to create offense and opportunity, and we were creating a fair amount. The puck wasn't going in the net for us. It's amazing how when you chase offense, you don't get as much. When you play the game the right way, the byproduct is you create offense. That was the message."
The New York Rangers Need To Improve Their Overall Play
With JT Miller considered day-to-day, the Rangers lack urgency, and having to patch up the lineup with callups, this could spell trouble if Mike Sullivan isn't careful.
Instead of addressing the realities behind the skid, he's opted to shift the blame to the people who cover the team. An amateurish response for a two-time Stanley Cup winner.
Other weaknesses in the lineup we've seen lately are the power play, which they went 0-2 against the Utah Mammoth that night. An ultimately lethargic performance against the Mammoth.
Not good enough for a team that believes they're bound for better things.
Instead, they're scraping the bottom of the barrel at this point.
Previously on NY Hockey Insider
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