Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi: Should They Be Traded?

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

USA Today puts this out as a "case for"  and "case against"

 

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/12/should-rangers-trade-ryan-callahan-dan-girardi-nhl-preview/

 

Personally, I think Callahan and Girardi are quality players.

Players who are NOT being managed properly under Alain Vigneault.  But to me, this is no surprise.

Guys like Callahan and Girardi were PERFECT for the systems former Ranger coach John Tortorella employed....tough, defensive, shut down, in-your-face, and opportunistic on the offensive end.

 

Alain Vigneault is a completely different coach with his own ideas of what it takes to win hockey games.

Is one better than the other? Not necessarily...however, given how both coaches are very different from one another, it only makes sense that they  have players on the team that fit in with what the coach wants to get accomplished.

 

And that is where I believe the problem to keeping Callahan and Girardi comes in: they simply do NOT seem to fit the mold of "Vigneault Guys".

I will admit, I am not entirely sure what a "Vigneault Guy" is. But if I were to look back at his success with the Vancouver Canucks, it is probably a player who can transition very quickly from offense to defense, and vice versa....one who can skate AROUND most opposition, as opposed to meeting it head on (more Torts style), excels in special teams (on both ends), and if need be and depending on your point of view, excel in douchebaggery as well (see former Canucks Matt Cooke, Todd Bertuzzi, and Darcy Hordichuk, current Canuck Alex Burrows, and yes, even the Sedins, who were known to embellish calls and complain to officials when certain things didn't go their way).

 

Obviously, Vigneault was successful with that mix and style...not Stanley Cup successful, but very, very, VERY good nontheless.

Guys like Callahan and Girardi simply do not fit those molds. In fact, the article even points out how Girardi has regressed since Coach Vigneault came on.

 

Certainly both players can either stay or go, and someone, either the current Rangers coach or the two players themselves (or both) have to make some major adjustments to the other, but I think, in the grand scheme of things, the Rangers are probably better off seeing what they can get for those players before they become UFA's at the end of the year.

Whether its picks or some raw prospects that can be molded into "Vigneault Guys", or perhaps even an NHL ready player or two that better fits in with Vigneault's coaching style....though not necessarily "better" than either Callahan or Girardi.

 

Even if allowed to walk, I don't see either player being out of work for very long. Plenty of teams out there that can use a gritty two way forward, and a very sturdy shut down type D-man.....and the article speculates that Coach Torterella would love to have either one of them over in Vancouver.....I agree with that.

 

I know this particular site has no love for anything NY Rangers, but I still would like to hear from you guys: Are the Rangers better off gutting it out with these two guys, then attempt to re-sign them at year's end?

 

Or perhaps hang on to them for the current playoff push (the Metro division is anything but solid....many teams have a shot at that 3rd guaranteed playoff spot!), and see if these guys can really come alive in the post season?

 

Or get what they can for them, trade them as rentals to another team, and see if they can get further mold the team into a bunch of "Vigneault Guys"?

 

I say trade.

The NY Rangers that  made the EC Finals not so long ago were purposely built to play a certain way. I think Coach Torts did a HELL of a job with that group.

Despite that, I also realize, that Torts' style was very demanding, and there are many players who probably could not continue to play under his regime for very long without wanting to choke the guy.

 

But the bottom line is this:

Torts turned that team into a bunch of competitors who were no longer guys with "potential" but guys who were contenders.

From a bunch of rag tag 2nd and 3rd liners to a unified, single minded entity who just wanted to win in the worst way.

 

Coach Torts picked, one way or the other, and sometimes in heavy handed fashion, who would be part of that group of winners and who simply wouldn't cut it there.

Girardi and Callahan , IMO, were two that COULD......Vigneault brings a world of difference to the team....just seems to me, those two players are back to being 'rag tag second liner' or 'a second or third pair D-man' under him...simply because of the difference in styles of players and coaches.

 

Once ownership decided to replace Torts with Vigneault, they basically said " We are going in a completely different direction"......and while that is fine, and Coach Vigneault could STILL bring success to the Rangers, he would need guys he better understands.....apparently, Callahan and Girardi are not two of them.

 

Shipp'em out, better for the Rangers long term plans, and better for those two players, so that they may end up somewhere they can play the way they know best and be the most successful.

 

[jammer2]

@TropicalFruitGirl26  Well, a lot of variables in place here. As a Flyers fan, I'd love to see Girardi and Cally in different uniforms. In many ways, Callahan is the straw that stirs the drink in NY. He's basically the heart and soul of that team. Girardi used to be a very underrated player, now everyone knows how valuable he is.

 

 I guess it comes down to...are the NYR in a playoff race at the time of the deal...and if so, what is coming back?

[flyerrod]

Callahan has picked that team up and carried it so many times that I can't even begin to imagine the outcry were he let go. As a flyers fan, I would LOVE to see Callahan and Girardi for that matter out of NYC. Girardi is a solid player but he would not be missed like Callahan would. I can see Girardi being left go but Callahan.....not unless Vignault has lost his desire for a job......