Mixed emotions from players, Retiremnt talk and a battle between Dan Boyle and Media takes headlines
@RNYRF Staff Report
Defenseman Dan Boyle ended his tenure with Rangers cursing out NY Post reporters Larry Brooks and Brett Cyrgalis in public setting and trying to dictate who could be in on interview.
Before speaking to the media, Boyle said he wanted Brooks to leave the interview area, offering a personal criticism of his work as well.
“I don’t want him here,” said Boyle.
“What?” Brooks said. “You know, the feeling’s mutual, man.”
“Nobody likes you. Nobody respects you. Just so you know,” said Boyle.
“OK,” said Brooks.
“At least I’m leaving here with the respect of my teammates,” said Boyle.
There was some cross talk, before Boyle said, “I have no respect for you. I want you to get the [expletive] out.”
“I don’t care what you think,” said Brooks.
“I can tell you to get the [expletive] out if I want to!” said Boyle, his voice now raised.
“You can, but I don’t have to listen to you,” said Brooks.
“Yeah, ya do!” said Boyle. “I want him out. And that other [expletive] clown, Brett, or whatever the [expletive] his name is. Everyone else is fine. I want him out. It’s my right.”
And after a few more words were exchanged, Rangers staff stepped in to calm the scene down and Boyle began his interview with what was assume as his selected audience.
Dan Boyle: "It's a great group of guys. A great team...a great organization."
Boyle said he's likely retiring. He isn't ready to announce his retirement yet but he is leaning that way and it sounds as if he will, just wants to be 100% certain, his agent has informed him of interest from teams, likely to retire for family reasons.
Dan Girardi: Let know that he suffered a concussion at the end of the season.
Girardi suffered concussion on hit from Brian Boyle the last week of season. Said symptoms returned during Game 1, says he missed games late in season due to a concussion. Was cleared and played early playoffs but regressed and so sat out.
Marc Staal: I think everyone in this room believes they can be a part of a group to win the Stanley Cup.
Derick Brassard: "We expect a lot more from each other...we are going to try to learn from it and going to next season try to be better."
"It's an awful feeling right now talking to you guys (referring to reporters)." "I don't know if there will be major changes this offseason. Theirs no reason not to believe in our group." "The way we lost stinks"
Brassard will be leaving Friday for Russia. He will play for Canada in World Championships.
Derek Stepan: "I have full belief in this group. Maybe losing or maybe not will make us hungrier for next year." "I've got nothing but good things to say about this group. And I've got full belief in this group." "Our group feels everyone is safe. If someone feels a way to make the NYR better, than so be it. It's a business." "101 point season is no easy task." "It starts tomorrow" on the preparation for next season.
"I don't think we didn't give our best team effort, but our best team game."- Stepan on Pens Series
Rick Nash: "It will be up to us this summer to bring that compete level back." Nash: "It will be up to us this summer to bring that compete level back." "I love this city. I love this organization." "The last six years has been a wear and tear on the body, but that's no excuse for losing the way we did."
Eric Staal: "I've got nothing but positive things to say about this organization...I don't think they saw the best that I can be." E.Staal: I'm not going to close the doors on anything; On possible return to Carolina "I'll have some decisions to make. I don't think the Rangers saw the best that I could be." "As a group we didn't play well enough. We didn't defend well enough to go deep." "Obviously I came in to try and fit in,help them be a balanced team. I didn't find enough consistency in my game to produce."
Viktor Stalberg: "I liked it here. I thought it was a good for me. Great place to play, great organization." Said he will have teeth put back in before heading back to Sweden this summer. Said Kris Letang properly apologized to him in the handshake line. " If there's a way to come back here, I would definitely be open to that."
Mats Zuccarello: "I mean obviously it's disappointing. The guys want to play hockey when it's good weather outside." "I think everyone on the team is proud to be a Ranger...we have to come back stronger next year"
Ryan McDonagh: "No one can say we are happy about the way we played." McDonagh: "We probably won't have the exact same team.", talking about next year. "We lived a painful lesson this year." "Defense will definitely be a big focus going into next season." He also said no surgery on the hand. "You can probably expect a few changes. Will be interesting to see what happens." "They (Pens) looked faster than us."We saw every type of goal. They hit us from everywhere."On Pens series: "No ones happy about how they played individually."
On Rangers window closing "It's hard not to be human and question it."
Captain Ryan McDonagh was playing with broken hand, he had broken one of the metatarsals in his fingers.
Henrik Lundqvist: "Obviously today is tough. The next week will be tough, it's time to reflect." "We need this team to get to that level.", referring to Pens type of play. "They were playing good with a lot of confidence in every aspect of the game." on Pens. "I think this game is a lot about determination. I want it as bad now as I did 10 years ago.", on desire to win Cup. Lundqvist said he will take more time to look at this past season. "Their were times of ups and downs." "We have played a lot of hockey the last few years, that shouldn't be an excuse." "I believe so. We need to play better."- Lundqvist answer on if the Rangers can win cup with a few tweaks.
Lundqvist says he wants the Cup as much as he did when he first came in league, maybe even more.
Brady Skjei: "I'm looking forward to a good summer. I got more confidence as the year went on." "There's a few areas of my game I want to work. I want to be more physical."
JT Miller (RFA) getting married in July. Excited about his own season but says tough to focus on it now given how season has ended.
Keith Yandle: "The organization here is amazing...it's a pleasure to come to the rink." "I could definitely see myself here." Said he and the Rangers were going to wait till after the season to talk about possible contract.
