Offseason Recap (through June)

• At the end of May, the team learned that Don Maloney was headed out west to become the Pheonix Coyotes GM. This was a big loss for the Rangers, because Maloney was a key contributor in the most recent success of the organization. He is also considered to be one of the guys that keeps Glen Sather's insanity (as some would say) in check. He will be missed.
• At the end of June, the team made headlines at the NHL Draft by selecting Russian prospect Alexei Cherepanov. The reason for the hype was that they ended up with a top 5 prospect in their laps at #17 overall. Some say it was because of the US-Russian transfer agreement and others allude to the kid's poor work ethic. I have never been one to have a strong opinion about draft picks, because nobody really knows how they will pan out. But, it is clear that the Rangers 'might' have gotten a steal, quite possibly as a result of their deep pockets. Some other draft picks of note are Antoine Lafleur, who adds another goalie prospect to the organization. This was a necessary draft selection, because there isn't much depth after Hartford Wolfpack starter and former first round pick Al Montoya. The Rangers also supposedly got another steal in round 7 when they selected center David Skokan. Time will tell.