Thursday, October 11, 2007
Rangers Acquire More Youth
The Rangers have acquired right winger Pierre Parenteau from Chicago in exchange for a conditional 2008 7th round draft pick. Parenteau is 24, 5'11-195, and was drafted by Anaheim in the ninth round in 2001. This appears to be a trade that has more to do with the Rangers affiliates, Hartford or Charlotte, than the parent club itself.
Rangers Workout Scratchard
The Rangers practice had a new face today. They are presently having 31-year old center Dave Scratchard in for a tryout. Apparently he played for Tom Renney in Vancouver and had talked to the Rangers over the summer about signing in New York. It looks like the Brandon Dubinsky experiment is ending quicker than anyone thought or maybe the club thinks they need a little more depth at center. Lets see if he signs.
Rangers Fall to Islanders 2-1
Saying that the Rangers are struggling is definitely and understatement. Gomez and Drury are not showing chemistry with their respective wingers and the only two players that have showed a ton of energy, Prucha and Callahan, have the least offensive center on the team centering them. I can't say that I am surprised about the start, but I didn't quite think that the chemistry would be that bad.
My observations:
1) Malik had a terrible game... the type of game that warrants the abuse that he gets.
2) Gomez played a pretty good final half of the game, but he still tends to be on his own out there.
3) Rosival needs to shoot the puck more, but that is nothing new.
4) I reiterate that Hollweg is biggest pile of garbage out there. Call up a younger player that is just as gritty, takes less terrible penalties, can actually fight, and at least has some scoring ability.
My suggestion for lines:
Shanny-Gomez-Jagr
Prucha-Drury-Callahan
Hossa-Dubinsky-Straka
Orr-Betts-Anybody but Hollweg
My observations:
1) Malik had a terrible game... the type of game that warrants the abuse that he gets.
2) Gomez played a pretty good final half of the game, but he still tends to be on his own out there.
3) Rosival needs to shoot the puck more, but that is nothing new.
4) I reiterate that Hollweg is biggest pile of garbage out there. Call up a younger player that is just as gritty, takes less terrible penalties, can actually fight, and at least has some scoring ability.
My suggestion for lines:
Shanny-Gomez-Jagr
Prucha-Drury-Callahan
Hossa-Dubinsky-Straka
Orr-Betts-Anybody but Hollweg
Monday, October 8, 2007
Avery Out a Month
Sean Avery has a grade two shoulder separation that will keep him out of the lineup for 4 weeks. Expect the team to either bring Marcel Hossa into the lineup to replace him or call up Nigel Dawes. Also don't be surprised if Renney shakes up the lines a bit.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Rangers Fall to Ottawa 2-0
All you really need to know about this game occured early in the first period when the Rangers gave up two terrible goals. First, shorthanded, Alfredsson beats out two Rangers defenseman to the puck and throws the puck through the middle of the ice. None of the Ranger forwards decided to help out and an Ottawa defenseman was wide open directly in front of Lundqvist for the score. Soon thereafter, Drury was trying to rush up ice when he decided to backtrack because of a Rangers line change. Unfortunately, he backtracks right into the group of changing players and gets knocked over (by his own team). It looked terrible and Ottawa capitalized after a breakaway save by Lundqvist and another terrible defensive breakdown. Guess who... Alfredsson... he is just an unreal player. Renney follows with a timeout. Avery also hurt his shoulder on a terrible Chris Neil hit in the first and never returned.
For the remainder of the game, the Rangers had short bursts of offense, but not any glorious scoring chances. Tyutin did hit the post on what seemed like a harmless, bad angle shot. Ottawa pretty much shut down New York with their version of the trap. Ottawa's group of talented forwards had several pretty good scoring chances, but Lundqvist stopped everything for the rest of the game. The unbearable early goals were tough to swallow when you see that this game should have been a scoreless tie going into overtime.
My observations:
1) Staal looked pretty darn good out there. He was put in all situations including on the penalty kill against Ottawa's number one unit.
2) Gomez just doesn't look like he belongs. He has some great rushes into the zone, but there is never anyone there with him, so he always loses the puck to the opposing defense. But even when somebody happens to be around him, he can't keep the puck on this stick or even make a pass. I'm sure it will get better but he has been unbearable to watch.
3) Drury had a rough game, producing nothing on offense himself or for his teammates.
4) Jagr was visibly frustrated all night, because he has zero chemistry with any center on the team so far. He created a couple of his own scoring chances, but otherwise there was nothing.
5) The Rangers didn't play like five-man defensive unit like they were at the end of last year. The forwards, especially Jagr and Shanny, are leaving the zone extremely early and not helping out the defense.
6) The best player on the ice was Callahan, but he didn't get any help.
7) Hollweg is a waste of roster space. All his does is hit... he doesn't fight... he doesn't score. And most of the time he gets penalized for his hits. So what is the point in having him?
Next game @ NY Islanders (7 pm)
For the remainder of the game, the Rangers had short bursts of offense, but not any glorious scoring chances. Tyutin did hit the post on what seemed like a harmless, bad angle shot. Ottawa pretty much shut down New York with their version of the trap. Ottawa's group of talented forwards had several pretty good scoring chances, but Lundqvist stopped everything for the rest of the game. The unbearable early goals were tough to swallow when you see that this game should have been a scoreless tie going into overtime.
My observations:
1) Staal looked pretty darn good out there. He was put in all situations including on the penalty kill against Ottawa's number one unit.
2) Gomez just doesn't look like he belongs. He has some great rushes into the zone, but there is never anyone there with him, so he always loses the puck to the opposing defense. But even when somebody happens to be around him, he can't keep the puck on this stick or even make a pass. I'm sure it will get better but he has been unbearable to watch.
3) Drury had a rough game, producing nothing on offense himself or for his teammates.
4) Jagr was visibly frustrated all night, because he has zero chemistry with any center on the team so far. He created a couple of his own scoring chances, but otherwise there was nothing.
5) The Rangers didn't play like five-man defensive unit like they were at the end of last year. The forwards, especially Jagr and Shanny, are leaving the zone extremely early and not helping out the defense.
6) The best player on the ice was Callahan, but he didn't get any help.
7) Hollweg is a waste of roster space. All his does is hit... he doesn't fight... he doesn't score. And most of the time he gets penalized for his hits. So what is the point in having him?
Next game @ NY Islanders (7 pm)
Friday, October 5, 2007
Rangers Down Panthers 5-2
In an interesting twist, Michael Rosival scored 37 seconds into the game (much like Jagr did last year at the 20 second mark) on a bang-bang play from the slot. At that point, I think that a lot of Ranger fans thought that this was going to be a blowout, but that was pretty much the only good scoring chance the team got for the first two periods. Although the team did not play necessarily bad in the first period, it seemed that both teams were getting a feel for each other... which resulted in a period with very little flow of any kind. The first period ended at 1-0.
The Panthers came out in the second period and skated circles around a very slow, low energy Rangers squad. It was so tough to watch, that the fans almost booed the Ranger's players out of the building as Florida built a 2-1 lead. Think about when Nylander and Jagr used to own the puck in the offensive zone in some games and that is what was happening to the Rangers. When the second period ended, thankfully the Panthers didn't build on that lead due to Lundqvist's solid goaltending.
You could see that the dynamic of the game started to change when the teams came out in the third period. The Rangers started pressuring the younger Panthers into giveaways, but still weren't getting clean scoring chances. The big fluctuation in momentum occured at about 6 minutes into the third when Marek Malik (of all people) intercepts a Florida pass at mid-ice and counters into the offensive zone (a 3 on 2) with Callahan and Prucha to his right. Malik then fed Prucha with a beautiful backhand pass through Callahan and his man. Prucha was basically all alone to the left of the goaltender and shot the puck under Vokoun's left arm for a goal. MSG when absolutely ballistic and the whole dynamic of the game changed. All of a sudden the Rangers start pressuring Florida into horrible passes. Two minutes later, Drury scores his first off a rebound from Jagr's backhand shot... it is 3-2. Twelve seconds later (yes 12), Callahan intercepts a terrible pass by a Flordia defenseman through center ice, fakes a shot to get the defenseman out of the way and the goalie to commit... then blasts a major league wrist shot over Vokoun's left shoulder for a 4-2 lead. Straka put the game away with a knock in goal off a beautiful feed from Malik off the boards to the left of the goal. What a game!
Important things about the game that I noticed:
1) Malik had a fantastic game, with the exception of one stick-handling move into this own crease that would have put him on the first train out of gotham if it resulted in a goal against.
2) Dubinsky was plain terrible in his first game as third line center. Betts took his spot in the third period. He just couldn't get anything going.
3) Both Drury and Gomez and a difficult time meshing with their respective lines, which is pretty much to be expected. In some way, I would have hoped that there was some natural chemistry, but there clearly wasn't. Individually, each looked pretty good with Gomez darting up and down the ice with tremendous speed and Drury doing all the little things right.
4) Staal got beat a couple times and gave the puck away a couple times, but he made the right plays just as much. He should get better and better.
5) Jagr and Shanny were invisible for the whole game.
6) Prucha and Calahan were energy juggernauts. They are part of the reason why the Rangers won the game. If Dubinsky could match them, that would be quite a line.
7) Avery instigated and played well, but couldn't finish off a couple of excellent goal scoring opportunities given to him by Gomez.
Next game is Saturday @ Ottawa (7 pm). Tough matchup!
The Panthers came out in the second period and skated circles around a very slow, low energy Rangers squad. It was so tough to watch, that the fans almost booed the Ranger's players out of the building as Florida built a 2-1 lead. Think about when Nylander and Jagr used to own the puck in the offensive zone in some games and that is what was happening to the Rangers. When the second period ended, thankfully the Panthers didn't build on that lead due to Lundqvist's solid goaltending.
You could see that the dynamic of the game started to change when the teams came out in the third period. The Rangers started pressuring the younger Panthers into giveaways, but still weren't getting clean scoring chances. The big fluctuation in momentum occured at about 6 minutes into the third when Marek Malik (of all people) intercepts a Florida pass at mid-ice and counters into the offensive zone (a 3 on 2) with Callahan and Prucha to his right. Malik then fed Prucha with a beautiful backhand pass through Callahan and his man. Prucha was basically all alone to the left of the goaltender and shot the puck under Vokoun's left arm for a goal. MSG when absolutely ballistic and the whole dynamic of the game changed. All of a sudden the Rangers start pressuring Florida into horrible passes. Two minutes later, Drury scores his first off a rebound from Jagr's backhand shot... it is 3-2. Twelve seconds later (yes 12), Callahan intercepts a terrible pass by a Flordia defenseman through center ice, fakes a shot to get the defenseman out of the way and the goalie to commit... then blasts a major league wrist shot over Vokoun's left shoulder for a 4-2 lead. Straka put the game away with a knock in goal off a beautiful feed from Malik off the boards to the left of the goal. What a game!
Important things about the game that I noticed:
1) Malik had a fantastic game, with the exception of one stick-handling move into this own crease that would have put him on the first train out of gotham if it resulted in a goal against.
2) Dubinsky was plain terrible in his first game as third line center. Betts took his spot in the third period. He just couldn't get anything going.
3) Both Drury and Gomez and a difficult time meshing with their respective lines, which is pretty much to be expected. In some way, I would have hoped that there was some natural chemistry, but there clearly wasn't. Individually, each looked pretty good with Gomez darting up and down the ice with tremendous speed and Drury doing all the little things right.
4) Staal got beat a couple times and gave the puck away a couple times, but he made the right plays just as much. He should get better and better.
5) Jagr and Shanny were invisible for the whole game.
6) Prucha and Calahan were energy juggernauts. They are part of the reason why the Rangers won the game. If Dubinsky could match them, that would be quite a line.
7) Avery instigated and played well, but couldn't finish off a couple of excellent goal scoring opportunities given to him by Gomez.
Next game is Saturday @ Ottawa (7 pm). Tough matchup!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Third Defenseman Pairing (update)
After the previous, confusing pairings of Mara/Pock and Strudwick/Staal, practice yesterday revealed what most likely will be the team's third defenseman pairing tonight... Mara and Staal. I was hoping that Staal got his shot.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Third Defenseman Pairing
It appears that Strudwick and Staal have been paired in practice, while Mara and Pock have been together as the other option. I want to say that Mara and Pock will be the ones who play tomorrow night as the third pair, but wouldn't it be interesting if it was Strudwick and Staal.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Roster Down to 23
As expected Artem Anisimov (too green), Nigel Daves (played well but no spot available), and Al Montoya (contract too big) were all sent back to Hartford. This means that the team chose to go with 8 defenseman, including Marc Staal and Thomas Pock, after waiving Andrew Hutchinson. This also means that Brandon Dubinsky has won the third-line center role between Peter Prucha and Ryan Callahan. Although you probably have to worry about the defensive responsibility of a third line like that, they will be awfuly fun to watch considering all three throw their bodies around like bowling balls. As for Montoya's demotion, that means that Stephen Valiquette will indeed start out as Lundqvist's backup in net, despite the presence of Robert Esche in the free agency pool.
The lines for opening night appear to be:
Straka, Drury, Jagr
Avery, Gomez, Shanny
Prucha, Dubinsky, Callahan
Hollweg, Betts, Hossa/Orr
The question of who Gomez and Drury center has still not been answered, but I got the impression that Tom Renney was going to stay with Gomez centering Shanny as a result of the chemistry they had playing together. Also, expect Hollweg, Hossa, and Orr to be in and out of the lineup depending on the matchup. There is also a possibility that Hossa plays on a more offensive line, but that will probably happen only if one of the current players starts underachieving.
The defensive pairs appear to be:
Rozsival, Malik
Girardi, Tyutin
Mara, unknown
Right now, the Mara will either be playing with Jason Strudwick, Thomas Pock, or Marc Staal. My money is on Staal playing opening night.
The lines for opening night appear to be:
Straka, Drury, Jagr
Avery, Gomez, Shanny
Prucha, Dubinsky, Callahan
Hollweg, Betts, Hossa/Orr
The question of who Gomez and Drury center has still not been answered, but I got the impression that Tom Renney was going to stay with Gomez centering Shanny as a result of the chemistry they had playing together. Also, expect Hollweg, Hossa, and Orr to be in and out of the lineup depending on the matchup. There is also a possibility that Hossa plays on a more offensive line, but that will probably happen only if one of the current players starts underachieving.
The defensive pairs appear to be:
Rozsival, Malik
Girardi, Tyutin
Mara, unknown
Right now, the Mara will either be playing with Jason Strudwick, Thomas Pock, or Marc Staal. My money is on Staal playing opening night.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Tidbits
The Rangers lost to the Islanders 5-4 in overtime last night in what was a rough game. The game was so intense that DiPietro and Montoya actually got in a brawl. Funny stuff.
Darius Kasparitis was waived and passed through due to his ridiculous contract.
The Blueshirts have another game against Detroit tonight, but it is also not televised.
Darius Kasparitis was waived and passed through due to his ridiculous contract.
The Blueshirts have another game against Detroit tonight, but it is also not televised.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Tale of Two Nights
The Rangers looked pretty impressive against the Devils the other night, but tonight's game against the Flyers was a whole different story. We were all looking forward to the debuts of Jagr, Gomez, and Drury, but what we weren't hoping for was a showcase of how much the Flyers improved their lineup. With most of Philadelphia's starters in the lineup, the Flyers pressured the Rangers all night long... causing turnover after turnover... goal after goal. It is only the preseason and their were still a lot of rookies in the lineup, so I wouldn't look too much into this game.
Here are some of the things that I noticed. Nigel Dawes looked very good throughout the game. He made at least three phenomenal passes to set up point blank scoring chances by his teammates. He also had a few scoring chances of his own, but he could not finish. Gomez and Jagr weren't as dominating as they had been in practice, but it was clear that they will get a lot scoring chances strictly from their speed on the ice. I must say that it was quite weird not to see the usual Jagr/Nylander puck possession game on the ice. Prucha looked just as energetic as he has been in practice and played very well with Drury, who sacrifices his body on shots just as much as Ortmeyer used to. Hossa looked pretty much useless, as he often does some nights. The bottem two lines of Korpikoski, Betts, Jessiman, Byers, Smith, and Orr were pretty much invisible and outplayed by the Flyers bottom two lines. The Rangers defense was like swiss cheese as all six of them made terrible plays the whole night. Mara started the evening off with a point blank giveaway in his own zone. Lundqvist looked fine, but he just didn't have support from his D.
Here are some of the things that I noticed. Nigel Dawes looked very good throughout the game. He made at least three phenomenal passes to set up point blank scoring chances by his teammates. He also had a few scoring chances of his own, but he could not finish. Gomez and Jagr weren't as dominating as they had been in practice, but it was clear that they will get a lot scoring chances strictly from their speed on the ice. I must say that it was quite weird not to see the usual Jagr/Nylander puck possession game on the ice. Prucha looked just as energetic as he has been in practice and played very well with Drury, who sacrifices his body on shots just as much as Ortmeyer used to. Hossa looked pretty much useless, as he often does some nights. The bottem two lines of Korpikoski, Betts, Jessiman, Byers, Smith, and Orr were pretty much invisible and outplayed by the Flyers bottom two lines. The Rangers defense was like swiss cheese as all six of them made terrible plays the whole night. Mara started the evening off with a point blank giveaway in his own zone. Lundqvist looked fine, but he just didn't have support from his D.
Flyers Tonight
It appears (tentatively) that these will be the lines tonight:
Forwards:
Dawes-Gomez-Jagr
Hossa-Drury-Prucha
Korpikoski-Betts-Jessiman
Byers-Smith-Orr
Defense:
Tyutin-Rozsival
Baranka-Mara
Pock-Liffiton
Goal:
Lundqvist
Wiikman
If there are some changes at game time, I will update.
Forwards:
Dawes-Gomez-Jagr
Hossa-Drury-Prucha
Korpikoski-Betts-Jessiman
Byers-Smith-Orr
Defense:
Tyutin-Rozsival
Baranka-Mara
Pock-Liffiton
Goal:
Lundqvist
Wiikman
If there are some changes at game time, I will update.
Rangers Down Devils
Last night, in the first exhibition game of the season, the Rangers topped the Devils 4 to 3. Although most preseason outcomes are far from noteworthy, this one was at least somewhat interesting considering the Rangers had a lineup full of prospects and the Devils had what should amount to be their opening night lineup (sans Brodeur) on the ice. It was clear that besides a few snippets of the game, the Rangers lineup outworked their rivals all over the ice. I just hope that the disciplined play continues, because it reminded me of the team's play at the end of the season last year. The Rangers ran the following lines:
Forwards:
Avery-Anisimov-Shanahan
Straka-Dubinsky-Callahan
Hollweg-Betts-Lessard
Byers-Smith-Jessiman
Defense:
Staal-Girardi
Strudwick-Sauer
Kasparaitis-Hutchinson
Goal: Montoya, Valiquette
Montoya played the first half of the game and looked very solid. He only gave up one goal on a deflection by this own teammate. Valiquette played the second half of the game, making some fantastic saves, but he also let in a couple bad goals. Just of note, Robert Esche is still out there... waiting for a team to sign him. I am sure that the team is considering him as their backup.
The Rangers announcers (and broadcast team) did a good job of taking chunks of time to go through stories about every player on the ice. They players that took up the most air time were Anisimov, Dubinsky, Jessiman, Staal, Sauer, and Strudwick (because he wore a mic). Anisimov looked phenomenal with and without the puck, but I think everyone pretty much knows that he will spend a year in Hartford to adjust to the North American game. Dubinsky was the best Ranger on the ice as he set up two of the goals by his linemates, Straka and Callahan. He also set up a few that other players couldn't finish. He mentioned in the second intermission interview that he is gunning for the third line center job. Well he certainly made a statement tonight. Jessiman also stood out, mainly because he was the player that took up so much broadcast time. To be fair to Hugh, he was on the ice for the first two goals... parked in front of the net like a big rock. The announcers and Rangers brass took a lot of that Jessiman broadcast time to make excuses for why he hasn't developed quicker (injuries). To be honest, I practically vomited in my brain when Zack Parise (taken several spots after Jessiman in the same draft) scored a ridiculously awesome goal on Valiquette late in the game. The broadcast team also talked about Stall and Sauer a lot and how they are so different in their games. My instincts say that neither make the team and that they start the year (possibly paired together) in Hartford.
Some other tidbits of note... Hutchinson looked very slick on the offensive side of the puck and Kaspar looked just plain terrible. He made only one big hit the entire night and constantly passed the puck through the middle of the ice in his own zone. Byers and Lessard are ridiculously large on the ice. Byers scored the first goal and is a monster in front of the net. Lessard, who looks like he is 90 years old, hit anything that moved on the ice. He looks to be Hartford's enforcer again. Former San Jose Shark, Mark Smith, had almost zero air time and was practically invisible on the ice. I don't think he will make the team, but there is a possibility that he makes the team and earns his money in the luxury boxes.
As for the regulars that were playing... Avery, being his usual self, gave Weekes (now a Devil) a concussion, Straka was very good and scored a goal, Callahan was the energizer bunny and scored a goal, Shanny was visible but did little in the game, Betts did well and scored a goal on some hard work, Hollweg hit like crazy but as usual generated zero offense, and Girardi looked like his usual calm and defensively responsible self.
I am looking forward to tonight's game against the revamped Flyers. Even if you hate them, you have to admit they did a pretty awesome job of restocking their team. More importantly though, Gomez, Drury, and Jagr will play tonight. The rest of the players that are still with the team will also get a shot tonight, but a few players from tonight should play (not enough players in camp to fill two lineups). I'll update when I know the definite lines and pairings.
Forwards:
Avery-Anisimov-Shanahan
Straka-Dubinsky-Callahan
Hollweg-Betts-Lessard
Byers-Smith-Jessiman
Defense:
Staal-Girardi
Strudwick-Sauer
Kasparaitis-Hutchinson
Goal: Montoya, Valiquette
Montoya played the first half of the game and looked very solid. He only gave up one goal on a deflection by this own teammate. Valiquette played the second half of the game, making some fantastic saves, but he also let in a couple bad goals. Just of note, Robert Esche is still out there... waiting for a team to sign him. I am sure that the team is considering him as their backup.
The Rangers announcers (and broadcast team) did a good job of taking chunks of time to go through stories about every player on the ice. They players that took up the most air time were Anisimov, Dubinsky, Jessiman, Staal, Sauer, and Strudwick (because he wore a mic). Anisimov looked phenomenal with and without the puck, but I think everyone pretty much knows that he will spend a year in Hartford to adjust to the North American game. Dubinsky was the best Ranger on the ice as he set up two of the goals by his linemates, Straka and Callahan. He also set up a few that other players couldn't finish. He mentioned in the second intermission interview that he is gunning for the third line center job. Well he certainly made a statement tonight. Jessiman also stood out, mainly because he was the player that took up so much broadcast time. To be fair to Hugh, he was on the ice for the first two goals... parked in front of the net like a big rock. The announcers and Rangers brass took a lot of that Jessiman broadcast time to make excuses for why he hasn't developed quicker (injuries). To be honest, I practically vomited in my brain when Zack Parise (taken several spots after Jessiman in the same draft) scored a ridiculously awesome goal on Valiquette late in the game. The broadcast team also talked about Stall and Sauer a lot and how they are so different in their games. My instincts say that neither make the team and that they start the year (possibly paired together) in Hartford.
Some other tidbits of note... Hutchinson looked very slick on the offensive side of the puck and Kaspar looked just plain terrible. He made only one big hit the entire night and constantly passed the puck through the middle of the ice in his own zone. Byers and Lessard are ridiculously large on the ice. Byers scored the first goal and is a monster in front of the net. Lessard, who looks like he is 90 years old, hit anything that moved on the ice. He looks to be Hartford's enforcer again. Former San Jose Shark, Mark Smith, had almost zero air time and was practically invisible on the ice. I don't think he will make the team, but there is a possibility that he makes the team and earns his money in the luxury boxes.
As for the regulars that were playing... Avery, being his usual self, gave Weekes (now a Devil) a concussion, Straka was very good and scored a goal, Callahan was the energizer bunny and scored a goal, Shanny was visible but did little in the game, Betts did well and scored a goal on some hard work, Hollweg hit like crazy but as usual generated zero offense, and Girardi looked like his usual calm and defensively responsible self.
I am looking forward to tonight's game against the revamped Flyers. Even if you hate them, you have to admit they did a pretty awesome job of restocking their team. More importantly though, Gomez, Drury, and Jagr will play tonight. The rest of the players that are still with the team will also get a shot tonight, but a few players from tonight should play (not enough players in camp to fill two lineups). I'll update when I know the definite lines and pairings.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
First Team Cuts; Burke Retires
Twelve players weren't sent to Hartford today. They are:
Goalies: Chris Holt, Matt Zaba
Defensemen: Clayton Barthel, Corey Potter, Jake Taylor
Forwards: Joe Barnes, Alex Bourret, Brodie Dupont, Mitch Fritz, Bruce Graham, Greg Moore, Jordan Owens
The only surprise for me from that list is Bourret. Apparently he has some type of injury though.
----------------
In other news, goaltender Sean Burke has hung up his skates and retired. The list of possible free agent goalies to sign (to backup Henrik) is dwindling.
Goalies: Chris Holt, Matt Zaba
Defensemen: Clayton Barthel, Corey Potter, Jake Taylor
Forwards: Joe Barnes, Alex Bourret, Brodie Dupont, Mitch Fritz, Bruce Graham, Greg Moore, Jordan Owens
The only surprise for me from that list is Bourret. Apparently he has some type of injury though.
----------------
In other news, goaltender Sean Burke has hung up his skates and retired. The list of possible free agent goalies to sign (to backup Henrik) is dwindling.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Lines On The First Day of Camp
It looks like the top 4 forward lines are looking like:
Hossa-Gomez-Jagr
Avery-Drury-Shanahan
Straka-Callahan-Prucha
Hollweg-Betts-Orr
And no, I didn't mistype the order of the third line. Callahan used to play center in juniors and the team is indeed going to see if he can handle that role. I honestly didn't see that coming. But then again, you can't get very carried away with anything that happens in training camp. The whole point is to experiment to see what works and doesn't. I will update you guys on any interesting camp developments as they happen.
Preseason Opener: Next Friday agains the Devils
Regular Season Opener: Thursday, October 4th @ MSG vs Florida
Hossa-Gomez-Jagr
Avery-Drury-Shanahan
Straka-Callahan-Prucha
Hollweg-Betts-Orr
And no, I didn't mistype the order of the third line. Callahan used to play center in juniors and the team is indeed going to see if he can handle that role. I honestly didn't see that coming. But then again, you can't get very carried away with anything that happens in training camp. The whole point is to experiment to see what works and doesn't. I will update you guys on any interesting camp developments as they happen.
Preseason Opener: Next Friday agains the Devils
Regular Season Opener: Thursday, October 4th @ MSG vs Florida
Poll Results
Which forward would you like to stay permanently with the Rangers this season? The following scouting reports are courtesy of hockeysfuture.com.
1) Brandon Dubinsky (46%) - Dubinsky has bulked up, which has accentuated his tough aggressive style of play. He tends to be an agitator, but his offensive game is his best attribute. Dubinsky has become an excellent playmaker.
*My take: He looked good last season, but seemed to be overpowered at times by much stronger NHL players. I still think he might be another year away from making this team full time, but I hope I am wrong.
2) Artem Anisimov (33%) - "A decent skater for a player of his size [who] displays adequate bursts of speed [and] solid balance on his skates." Anisimov displays "nifty stickhandling skills [and] can handle the puck in traffic well." He has "decent vision and hockey sense[, is] a crafty passer who can make long accurate feeds[, and] fires a quick slap shot."
*My take: He has been a hot topic lately after playing very well in the Russian Super Series and the Traverse City Prospects Tournament. It would be terrific for this team if he could play right away, but it might take time for Artem to get used to North American hockey. My guess is that the organization would want him to learn the game and mature in Hartford.
3) Nigel Dawes (13%) - Despite his short stature, Dawes has offensive intangibles that make him a top candidate for an NHL roster spot. He is a prolific goal scorer with incredible hands, who can make some very good moves at top speed. Dawes is also a very hard worker, and he never hesitates to sacrifice his body to make plays in the slot.
*My take: Dawes is without a doubt the most NHL ready prospect the team has. He made the team out of training camp last year and even scored some goals, but the team was struggling badly and the younger inexperienced players are often the first ones to go. He has scored goals (lots of them) at every level he has played at and I am looking forward to him doing the same in New York. Although he is not a center, he is prospect I want to make this team.
4) Alex Bourret (6%) - Bourret is a strong skater , who combines skill with physical play, and is a tireless worker. Beyond his offensive ability, the most dominant aspect of Bourret’s game is his physical play. He is more than willing to get his nose dirty, and stick up for his teammates. What Bourret needs to improve upon is his consistency. Flashes of brilliance were interspersed with poor decision making at times during the 2006-07 season. If Bourret can become a consistent player, he has the potential to be a top-line forward.
*My take: Atlanta gave this kid up to the Rangers for a bag of potatoes. After overcoming a head injury and adjusting to a different style of play with the Wolfpack, Bourret started to show his magic in Hartford. He is one of the few players that are of the 'power forward' variety in the Rangers organization. I have a feeling that the team thinks he is one more year away (similar to Dubinsky) from making the team.
5) Tom Pyatt (0%) - He can bring you out of your seat. He has great abilities and great hands but after making some awesome plays, he’ll disappear for three games. He made some moves with the puck this year that were just outstanding but I just don’t know where his consistency was. He looks smaller than he is; he’s really strong on his skates and when he runs into somebody you realize that he’s not small. There is more here than we saw all year but at the U18’s he was very good.
*My take: His lack of votes is most likely from the fact that nobody knows who he is and there is not a lot of hype surrounding his name. He probably will play in Hartford this year, because he is still very young. I have heard some great things about him. Basically a Jed Ortmeyer that can score.
1) Brandon Dubinsky (46%) - Dubinsky has bulked up, which has accentuated his tough aggressive style of play. He tends to be an agitator, but his offensive game is his best attribute. Dubinsky has become an excellent playmaker.
*My take: He looked good last season, but seemed to be overpowered at times by much stronger NHL players. I still think he might be another year away from making this team full time, but I hope I am wrong.
2) Artem Anisimov (33%) - "A decent skater for a player of his size [who] displays adequate bursts of speed [and] solid balance on his skates." Anisimov displays "nifty stickhandling skills [and] can handle the puck in traffic well." He has "decent vision and hockey sense[, is] a crafty passer who can make long accurate feeds[, and] fires a quick slap shot."
*My take: He has been a hot topic lately after playing very well in the Russian Super Series and the Traverse City Prospects Tournament. It would be terrific for this team if he could play right away, but it might take time for Artem to get used to North American hockey. My guess is that the organization would want him to learn the game and mature in Hartford.
3) Nigel Dawes (13%) - Despite his short stature, Dawes has offensive intangibles that make him a top candidate for an NHL roster spot. He is a prolific goal scorer with incredible hands, who can make some very good moves at top speed. Dawes is also a very hard worker, and he never hesitates to sacrifice his body to make plays in the slot.
*My take: Dawes is without a doubt the most NHL ready prospect the team has. He made the team out of training camp last year and even scored some goals, but the team was struggling badly and the younger inexperienced players are often the first ones to go. He has scored goals (lots of them) at every level he has played at and I am looking forward to him doing the same in New York. Although he is not a center, he is prospect I want to make this team.
4) Alex Bourret (6%) - Bourret is a strong skater , who combines skill with physical play, and is a tireless worker. Beyond his offensive ability, the most dominant aspect of Bourret’s game is his physical play. He is more than willing to get his nose dirty, and stick up for his teammates. What Bourret needs to improve upon is his consistency. Flashes of brilliance were interspersed with poor decision making at times during the 2006-07 season. If Bourret can become a consistent player, he has the potential to be a top-line forward.
*My take: Atlanta gave this kid up to the Rangers for a bag of potatoes. After overcoming a head injury and adjusting to a different style of play with the Wolfpack, Bourret started to show his magic in Hartford. He is one of the few players that are of the 'power forward' variety in the Rangers organization. I have a feeling that the team thinks he is one more year away (similar to Dubinsky) from making the team.
5) Tom Pyatt (0%) - He can bring you out of your seat. He has great abilities and great hands but after making some awesome plays, he’ll disappear for three games. He made some moves with the puck this year that were just outstanding but I just don’t know where his consistency was. He looks smaller than he is; he’s really strong on his skates and when he runs into somebody you realize that he’s not small. There is more here than we saw all year but at the U18’s he was very good.
*My take: His lack of votes is most likely from the fact that nobody knows who he is and there is not a lot of hype surrounding his name. He probably will play in Hartford this year, because he is still very young. I have heard some great things about him. Basically a Jed Ortmeyer that can score.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Camp Opens Tomorrow
Here is a list of players that are invited to camp. Very exciting!
Goalies: Lundqvist, Valiquette, Montoya, Lafleur, Wiikman, Zaba, Chris Holt
Defensemen: Rozsival, Malik, Mara, Tyutin, Girardi, Kasparaitis, Pock, Strudwick, Staal, Sauer, Sanguinetti, Hutchinson, Baranka, Busto, Liffiton, Taylor, Potter, Barthel.
Forwards: Jagr, Shanahan, Drury, Gomez, Avery, Straka, Prucha, Callahan, Betts, Hossa, Hollweg, Orr, Dubinsky, Dawes, Dupont, Bourret, Korpikoski, Anisimov, Pyatt, Jessiman, Byers, Moore, Lessard, Fritz, Barnes, Graham, Owens.
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The Rangers prospects also won the Traverse City Prospects Tournament that was mentioned here on Saturday. The organization was elated about how well they played.
Goalies: Lundqvist, Valiquette, Montoya, Lafleur, Wiikman, Zaba, Chris Holt
Defensemen: Rozsival, Malik, Mara, Tyutin, Girardi, Kasparaitis, Pock, Strudwick, Staal, Sauer, Sanguinetti, Hutchinson, Baranka, Busto, Liffiton, Taylor, Potter, Barthel.
Forwards: Jagr, Shanahan, Drury, Gomez, Avery, Straka, Prucha, Callahan, Betts, Hossa, Hollweg, Orr, Dubinsky, Dawes, Dupont, Bourret, Korpikoski, Anisimov, Pyatt, Jessiman, Byers, Moore, Lessard, Fritz, Barnes, Graham, Owens.
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The Rangers prospects also won the Traverse City Prospects Tournament that was mentioned here on Saturday. The organization was elated about how well they played.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Prospects Tournament
The majority of the Rangers top prospects are playing together in the Traverse City Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan. Here is the team's roster.
http://newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2997
http://newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2997
Brian Leetch Night
The Rangers organization have officially announced that their game on January 24th (against Atlanta) will be "Brian Leetch Night". I am very happy for Leetch, who is one of the best defenseman to every play the game. I would expect a teary evening for many, with former teammates such as Messier, Richter, and Graves participating or even making speeches. For me, 1994 seems like yesterday even though it is soooo far away.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Fantasy Insanity
The only thing that matches my love for NY Rangers hockey is fantasy football. I just finished my draft and I am ready for tonight's opening game (Colts vs. Saints). I am also very much ready for the opening of training camp, so that we can see not only see Gomez and Drury in Ranger blue, but some of those talented prospects. It won't be long.
It has been pretty quiet on the Rangers front, as it has for most of the NHL. Most GMs are waiting until training camp to see how the younger players in their respective organizations perform before reaching out to any more free agents or making trades. Teams like the Rangers might have holes (third line center, defenseman, etc.) to fill, but it would be much more cost efficient for them to be filled by a prospect. Interestingly enough, the Devils seem to have a large amount of holes to fill with Gomez and Rafalski gone. I would be really surprised if Lou doesn't pull off some type of trade over the next month to bring in a playmaker.
It has been pretty quiet on the Rangers front, as it has for most of the NHL. Most GMs are waiting until training camp to see how the younger players in their respective organizations perform before reaching out to any more free agents or making trades. Teams like the Rangers might have holes (third line center, defenseman, etc.) to fill, but it would be much more cost efficient for them to be filled by a prospect. Interestingly enough, the Devils seem to have a large amount of holes to fill with Gomez and Rafalski gone. I would be really surprised if Lou doesn't pull off some type of trade over the next month to bring in a playmaker.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Brandon Sutter Nails Alexei Cherepanov
This looks like a case of retaliation. You might notice that Cherepanov and Sutter had some contact at the beginning of the clip that could have pissed off Sutter.
Cherepanov and Anisimov Injured
Presently, there is a tournament going on called the "Super Series" in which NHL prospects from Canada and Russia are facing off. Unfortunately, there have been several injuries to Russian players during the tournament.
Alexei Cherepanov was ousted from the series after receiving and elbow in the head from Brandon Sutter. He was not doing well after the game and may have a serious concussion.
Artem Anisimov has left the game today with a knee injury after what was described as the dreaded "knee-on-knee" hit. Considering that Anisimov was leaving for America after the series to get ready for Rangers training camp, a serious knee injury would be a big disappointment for Artem and the Rangers organization. I'll keep you posted.
Alexei Cherepanov was ousted from the series after receiving and elbow in the head from Brandon Sutter. He was not doing well after the game and may have a serious concussion.
Artem Anisimov has left the game today with a knee injury after what was described as the dreaded "knee-on-knee" hit. Considering that Anisimov was leaving for America after the series to get ready for Rangers training camp, a serious knee injury would be a big disappointment for Artem and the Rangers organization. I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Belfour to Sweden; Aubin to L.A. Kings
It looks like the only goalies left on the market are Curtis Joseph, Sean Burke, and Robert Esche. As mentioned in yesterday's article, if the Rangers are serious about signing a backup goaltender for Henrik Lundqvist, it would be better if it happened soon due to the dwindling options.
Updated: Aubin signed for 525K a season. That gives you an idea of how little it would take to sign a goaltender.
Updated: Aubin signed for 525K a season. That gives you an idea of how little it would take to sign a goaltender.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Poll Results: Backup Goalie
For those of you who might have missed it a couple weeks ago, I wrote an article about the available backup goalies on the market right now. Here it is... http://blue-review.blogspot.com/2007/08/available-backup-goalies.html. I used the article as a starting off point for the most recent poll on what backup goalie that YOU would want the Rangers organization to sign. The results where as follows:
Ed Belfour (0%)
Curtis Joseph (25%)
Robert Esche (50%)
Sean Burke (12%)
Stick with Valiquette (12%)
*Note that there were two goalies in the article I wrote, Alex Auld and JS Aubin, that weren't included in the poll. Auld was not included because he signed with Pheonix recently. And Aubin has never been a full season starter for any team and therefore he is most likely the weakest of the group.
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The results of the poll were quite logical to me for many reasons. First, I expected Robert Esche to get the most votes (50%), because he is the youngest goalie, he has been the Olympic goaltender for the USA, and he is quite familiar to Rangers fans. As a member of the Flyer's organization, he put up several impressive perfomances against the Rangers over the years. Not to mention the fact that he won't take a whole lot of money to sign.
It was clear why Ed Belfour got zero votes. The organization just can't spend that kind of money on a backup goaltender, given their salary cap restraints. Hence why that rookie bonus will be the reason why you probably won't see Al Montoya this year as Lundqvist's backup. Not to mention the fact that Belfour wants to be a starter.
One out of every four of you thought that CuJo would be a good option. Although I am a fan of Joseph, I have a feeling that his agent would use his stoic career as a reason to drive up his salary demands. I also think he wants to go to a team where he would play the most and obviously this would not be that place. I wouldn't rule him out, but I would say that his signing is unlikely.
Sean Burke garnered 12% of the reader vote. My opinion of Burke at this point in his career is that he is a journeyman backup goaltender. He is a decent option for the blueshirts, but he is not a spring chicken. Optimists would say that he is experienced... pessimists would say that he should have retired years ago.
The remaining percentage (12%) voted to let Steve Valiquette handle the role of backup to King Henrik. I am guessing that readers who voted for this option, probably don't want any more salary added to the team's already bloated payroll. I respect the opinions of those readers, but I do believe that Sather is trying to win the Cup while Jagr is still around and you CANNOT have Steve Valiquette as your backup goaltender in that scenario. Although goalies have a less chance of getting injured compared to fowards and defenseman, it happens nonetheless. Rangers fans should be extra sensitive to this considering what has happend to Mike Richter and Dan Blackburn over the last decade (or so). If the team is serious in their Cup run, they need someone that the team can trust behind Lundqvist. As noted above, there are several options out there right now that would be feasible. Most of us just wish that Sather would sign one of them soon, before they become unavailable.
By the way, I agree with the majority of the readers and believe that Robert Esche would be the most ideal signing for the Rangers organization.
Ed Belfour (0%)
Curtis Joseph (25%)
Robert Esche (50%)
Sean Burke (12%)
Stick with Valiquette (12%)
*Note that there were two goalies in the article I wrote, Alex Auld and JS Aubin, that weren't included in the poll. Auld was not included because he signed with Pheonix recently. And Aubin has never been a full season starter for any team and therefore he is most likely the weakest of the group.
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The results of the poll were quite logical to me for many reasons. First, I expected Robert Esche to get the most votes (50%), because he is the youngest goalie, he has been the Olympic goaltender for the USA, and he is quite familiar to Rangers fans. As a member of the Flyer's organization, he put up several impressive perfomances against the Rangers over the years. Not to mention the fact that he won't take a whole lot of money to sign.
It was clear why Ed Belfour got zero votes. The organization just can't spend that kind of money on a backup goaltender, given their salary cap restraints. Hence why that rookie bonus will be the reason why you probably won't see Al Montoya this year as Lundqvist's backup. Not to mention the fact that Belfour wants to be a starter.
One out of every four of you thought that CuJo would be a good option. Although I am a fan of Joseph, I have a feeling that his agent would use his stoic career as a reason to drive up his salary demands. I also think he wants to go to a team where he would play the most and obviously this would not be that place. I wouldn't rule him out, but I would say that his signing is unlikely.
Sean Burke garnered 12% of the reader vote. My opinion of Burke at this point in his career is that he is a journeyman backup goaltender. He is a decent option for the blueshirts, but he is not a spring chicken. Optimists would say that he is experienced... pessimists would say that he should have retired years ago.
The remaining percentage (12%) voted to let Steve Valiquette handle the role of backup to King Henrik. I am guessing that readers who voted for this option, probably don't want any more salary added to the team's already bloated payroll. I respect the opinions of those readers, but I do believe that Sather is trying to win the Cup while Jagr is still around and you CANNOT have Steve Valiquette as your backup goaltender in that scenario. Although goalies have a less chance of getting injured compared to fowards and defenseman, it happens nonetheless. Rangers fans should be extra sensitive to this considering what has happend to Mike Richter and Dan Blackburn over the last decade (or so). If the team is serious in their Cup run, they need someone that the team can trust behind Lundqvist. As noted above, there are several options out there right now that would be feasible. Most of us just wish that Sather would sign one of them soon, before they become unavailable.
By the way, I agree with the majority of the readers and believe that Robert Esche would be the most ideal signing for the Rangers organization.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Preseason Tickets
For those of you that want to go to some preseason games, tickets go on sale this Monday. Click the link for more information.
http://newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2985
Although preseason games can be a snore due to the lack of actual star players in the lineups, I often enjoy them because it is one of the rare times I get to see the prospects play. I am looking forward to seeing Marc Staal on the ice again and I hope he makes the team.
http://newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2985
Although preseason games can be a snore due to the lack of actual star players in the lineups, I often enjoy them because it is one of the rare times I get to see the prospects play. I am looking forward to seeing Marc Staal on the ice again and I hope he makes the team.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Ghost Town
I must say, the Peca situation definitely filled up the dead time that usually occurs during the last half of the summer. Now that the organization passed on Peca and he signed in Columbus, it seems that all is quiet on the Rangers front. I would not expect to see any more non-goalie free agent signings, as evident by the organization's insistance that they will give their young kids a chance. I am starting to question whether the team really is going to sign a goalie or actually stick with the unproven Steve Valiquette in net. I strongly believe that the team needs a proven goalie behind King Henrik that the team will have confidence in. The poll has been showing some interesting results thus far.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Rangers Don't Offer Peca Contract
John Dellapina of Daily News just reported on his blog that Don Meehan, Peca's agent, has just confirmed (per telephone interview) that the Rangers have decided NOT to offer a contract to his client. A Rangers spokesman added that the decision was made, because the organization wanted "to give our young guys a chance (at the vacant 3rd line center position)."
Although I do believe that Peca would have helped the team, I am quite impressed by the organizations continued commitment to its youth. Whether this means that a center like Dubinsky or Anisimov makes the team to fill that center spot or whether another winger like Dawes or Pyatt makes the team with Straka centering the third line, we won't know until training camp.
Although I do believe that Peca would have helped the team, I am quite impressed by the organizations continued commitment to its youth. Whether this means that a center like Dubinsky or Anisimov makes the team to fill that center spot or whether another winger like Dawes or Pyatt makes the team with Straka centering the third line, we won't know until training camp.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Prospect Article
NHL.com has a well-written article on the top New York Rangers prospects, with a lot of commentary by the team's Director of Player Personnel Gordie Clark. It is worth the read.
http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=336074
http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=336074
Quick Update on Straka
Apparently, the reason for Martin Straka's surgery is a slightly torn meniscus. The surgery is minor and he will be ready for the season.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Rangers Add Goaltender
Don't get too excited by the headline. Similar to the three free agents that the Rangers did not sign by the August 15th deadline (http://blue-review.blogspot.com/2007/08/news-tidbit.html), the Los Angeles Kings did not sign 24 year old goalie propect Matt Zaba either. Today the Rangers took one of those three remaining professional contracts (out of 50) and signed Zaba to one year deal to increase their goaltending depth. There is a good story here (http://www.gazette.com/sports/zaba_26211___article.html/rangers_hockey.html) that talks about how he is expected to compete for a job with the Hartford Wolfpack or the Charlette Checkers. There is also a profile about him at hockeysfuture (http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospect/matt_zaba), but I can't say it gets you too excited about this kid.
Folks, once again I find it very interesting that the Rangers organization is loading up on young goaltenders (drafting Lafleur and now signing Zaba). The Montoya trade watch is still on...
Folks, once again I find it very interesting that the Rangers organization is loading up on young goaltenders (drafting Lafleur and now signing Zaba). The Montoya trade watch is still on...
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Straka Has Surgery (Peca/Sather Humor)
Several Czech sources have said that Martin Straka has undergone knee surgery. The only injury I was aware of was Straka's shoulder, so this is quite an interesting story. The sources claim that he will be ready for training camp, so it must have a been a minor procedure.
I wonder if some other teams are going to start calling Peca while Sather is vacationing? At least Glen is relaxing. We wouldn't want him to go a month without a vacation.
I wonder if some other teams are going to start calling Peca while Sather is vacationing? At least Glen is relaxing. We wouldn't want him to go a month without a vacation.
Friday, August 17, 2007
News Tidbit
For those of you that like to know everything or might know something about one of these players, Rangers prospects Ken Roche, Dylan Reese, and Darin Olver are no longer part of the organization. All three players had to be signed by August 15th of this year or they would become unrestricted free agents. Roche was drafted in the third round of the 2003 draft, Reese was drafted in the seventh round of the same draft, and Olver was selected in the second round of the 2004 draft. The NHL institutes a 50 contract limit on all franchises and the Rangers currently have 47 professional contracts. The organization obviously concluded that none of the three players had enough potential to take up another one of those limited contracts.
No Peca news to report.
No Peca news to report.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Poll Results (and Peca Update)
My original intention of the poll was to see how many people would feel that we need an experienced player to fill the third role position or whether it would be a better idea just to go with youth. The results were pretty much split down the middle.
Michael Peca - 43%
Brandon Dubinsky - 43%
Martin Straka - 8%
Artem Anisimov - 4%
I did not expect Anisimov to get many votes, because fans how never seen a glimpse of him playing in a live game, so he was more of an unknown. I would expect that Artem needs a year in Hartford to adjust to the North American game. In the prospect camp a couple months ago, many of the defensive prospects manhandled him a bit, because he is not used to that up and in your face game that North American hockey brings to the table.
I was a bit surprised by the low vote total for Straka. He has played center many times for the Rangers, either centering Jagr's line or centering Shanny and Avery on the second line. I am not sure if the lack of votes is because people don't see him as a two-way player (offensive and defensive-minded) or if they assume he will play left wing on the top line with Jagr and Gomez/Drury. I suppose it also could be because he struggled mightily for the second half of the year with the shoulder injury. But don't forget that he carried the team on his stick the first half of the season, scoring many timely goals when Jagr was physically unable. Hopefully Straka has rehabbed his injury throughout the summer and can get back to his scoring ways.
There was an early string of votes for Brandon Dubinsky, who I expected to cleanly win the voting. Ranger fans got to see his speed and skill on the ice last year when Straka was out, so he definitely is a player that can help this organization. I think that many fans would hope that Sather decided to fill the empty third line center role by going within the organization and reaching down to Hartford for help. This not only would save the team some salary cap space, but it would give another Hartford kid a shot, something that has been quite successful (Girardi, Callahan, etc.) for the organization as of late. Although this could still happen, but I believe that the organization would prefer to have an experienced, gritty two-way forward centering that line, considering that the wings are most likely going to be younger, less experienced players such as Prucha and Callahan.
That brings us to Michael Peca. According to the NY Daily News, as of 10 pm last night, Peca's agent said that Sather has not gotten back to him yet. This was Peca's response:
Michael Peca - 43%
Brandon Dubinsky - 43%
Martin Straka - 8%
Artem Anisimov - 4%
I did not expect Anisimov to get many votes, because fans how never seen a glimpse of him playing in a live game, so he was more of an unknown. I would expect that Artem needs a year in Hartford to adjust to the North American game. In the prospect camp a couple months ago, many of the defensive prospects manhandled him a bit, because he is not used to that up and in your face game that North American hockey brings to the table.
I was a bit surprised by the low vote total for Straka. He has played center many times for the Rangers, either centering Jagr's line or centering Shanny and Avery on the second line. I am not sure if the lack of votes is because people don't see him as a two-way player (offensive and defensive-minded) or if they assume he will play left wing on the top line with Jagr and Gomez/Drury. I suppose it also could be because he struggled mightily for the second half of the year with the shoulder injury. But don't forget that he carried the team on his stick the first half of the season, scoring many timely goals when Jagr was physically unable. Hopefully Straka has rehabbed his injury throughout the summer and can get back to his scoring ways.
There was an early string of votes for Brandon Dubinsky, who I expected to cleanly win the voting. Ranger fans got to see his speed and skill on the ice last year when Straka was out, so he definitely is a player that can help this organization. I think that many fans would hope that Sather decided to fill the empty third line center role by going within the organization and reaching down to Hartford for help. This not only would save the team some salary cap space, but it would give another Hartford kid a shot, something that has been quite successful (Girardi, Callahan, etc.) for the organization as of late. Although this could still happen, but I believe that the organization would prefer to have an experienced, gritty two-way forward centering that line, considering that the wings are most likely going to be younger, less experienced players such as Prucha and Callahan.
That brings us to Michael Peca. According to the NY Daily News, as of 10 pm last night, Peca's agent said that Sather has not gotten back to him yet. This was Peca's response:
"They're doing their due diligence on this, as they should," he said. "It really isn't time-sensitive for them," he said. "It is a little bit more time-sensitive for me because of my kids and schooling."You can see that Peca understands why the process is taking so long, but the clearest thing is that he wants to be a Ranger. And that is why I believe that Peca got so many votes in the poll, simply that he wants to be here. Fans remember how many stories there were about players that the Rangers just bought off the free agent market, but really were only here for the money. That usually would scare off fans from voting for Peca, especially considering his injury history. But it is clear that Peca wants badly to sign here, just like Gomez and Drury did, which is music to everyone's ears. In general, I do believe that the organization has locked in on Peca as the ideal center for the third line. This would give Renney the option of playing the third line against the other team's best line, giving the top two scoring lines better line matchups in games. Peca is also a suberb penalty killer and a real instigater/irritant (a la Avery) on the ice, qualities that are both great fits for this team. We will just have to wait and see what happens.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Peca Close?
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/2007/08/15/2007-08-15_peca_rangers_nearing_a_deal.html
Although TSN, the NY Post, and NY Newsday are all running stories of Peca's imminent signing, it looks like John Dellapina at the NY Daily News got the biggest scoop. Apparently Michael Peca has already met the Rangers training staff for a physical, as well as chatted with Ranger's brass about this role on the team.
Although TSN, the NY Post, and NY Newsday are all running stories of Peca's imminent signing, it looks like John Dellapina at the NY Daily News got the biggest scoop. Apparently Michael Peca has already met the Rangers training staff for a physical, as well as chatted with Ranger's brass about this role on the team.
"I think it went as well as can be expected," Peca said of a two-day visit that included tests on the right leg that was fractured and surgically repaired last December and conversations with team officials, including assistant GM Jim Schoenfeld.
Peca also had some candid comments about his interest in playing for the Rangers, his contract, and the state of his surgically repaired leg.
"How can one not want to play there?" the former Islanders captain said. "Obviously, over the last few years they've added some players that can contribute to a pretty good squad. I think anybody on the outside would look at that situation and hope there's a fit."
Peca's edgy, defense-first game seems to fit on a Rangers roster suddenly loaded with talent at center. "It does," he said. "And I know I'm not going to hurt them as far as the salary cap."
Peca is similarly confident that his leg, broken in a collision with Chicago's Jim Vandermeer last Dec. 22, is sufficiently healed. "It's a non-issue," he said. "I've been skating for the better part of 2-1/2 months now. My speed and anything I can do on the ice is where I want it."
Peca's agent Don Meehan acknowledged his client's presence at the Rangers facility and added more about contract negotiations.
"I sense they've made the decision that they'd like to have him," agent Don Meehan said. "The first steps were the physical and discussions with the coaches, which he had.
Then, finally our discussion regarding a contract. "I don't expect we'd have a major issue in that regard. I thought the first two steps were more significant."
On a side note... what a fantastic job by John Dellapina in getting the entire story. I don't think there are any more questions to ask anyone, except the Rangers themselves and they always deny everything.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Interesting Development
Yesterday, the Pheonix Coyotes signed 26 year old goaltender Alex Auld. You might remember Auld from my 8/9 article (http://blue-review.blogspot.com/2007/08/available-backup-goalies.html) where he was listed as one of the possible backup goalies available in the free agent market. On the surface, this might appear as a meaningless signing to some, but this might end up having an effect on the Rangers if my theory in yesterday's article (http://blue-review.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-own-theory.html) had any truth to it. The signing of Auld gives the Yotes a young goaltender that might have a promising future in their organization, based on Auld's fairly impressive performance in 05-06 as Vancouver's starting goalie. At the very most, this could have a profound negative effect on the Yote's possible interest in Montoya. And at the very least, this takes one less goaltender off the market to back up King Henrik. Either way, I am standing firmly on the belief that Sather has to be shopping Montoya and his monster rookie bonus at a time when his value is as good as its going to get.
Monday, August 13, 2007
My Own Theory
This is 100% speculation on my part, but I feel like a there might be a fairly significant trade coming. I am not one that tends to spread trade rumors or spin conspiracy theories, but it seems to me that the 'stars seem to be aligning' for some type of trade... most likely involving Gretzky's (and Maloney's) Pheonix Coyotes. Here is why:
- First, I feel that there is no better time than now to trade Al Montoya. He has played extremely will at the AHL level and showed why he was selected 6th overall in the 2004 NHL entry draft. Not only do the Rangers not want to pay a huge rookie bonus to a backup goaltender in the future, but Maloney knows how good this kid could be and that he is ready for the NHL. Plus, the Coyotes do not have any top end goalie prospects in their system and have recently signed David Aebischer to start for them. He cannot be their long term answer in net.
- Second, I am thinking that there is a reason why the Rangers are stalling in their process of signing (or not signing) Michael Peca. I firmly believe that Sather wants Peca as their third center, but it is not that easy. I think that Sather IS looking for an upgrade at backup goaltender and he IS looking at a possible trade with Pheonix (or maybe someone else). All of this makes a complex situation with the cap, which makes it quite difficult to dedicate cap money to a checking center Sather might want, but might have to let go due to financial constraints.
- Lastly, I think Sather knows that the team's defense is not good enough to go all the way. He probably has been searching for an elite defenseman, something that this team hasn't had since Brian Leetch. The problem is... he needs to find a team that actually doesn't mind dealing an elite defenseman, which most teams would want to keep. You need to find a team that is rebuilding and willing to shed the large contract that an elite defenseman is most likely earning. Right now there is no better match than the Pheonix Coyotes. They presently have three defenseman, Ed Jovanowski, Derek Morris, and Nick Boyton, who all have larger contracts than they should have and are signed until at least the 08-09 season. Since Jovo is the most elite of the three, I would expect him to be the target.
If there are negotiations going on right now between these clubs, it won't be an easy trade to complete. There are just way too many variables involved. First, the Rangers have a serious cap problem and they would have to unload salary to bring in a contract as hefty as (lets say) Jovo's. Second, the Yotes are presently below the salary cap minimum of 34.3 million... with only approximately 30 million in contracts for next year. So basically, the Yotes would want/need just as much money back as they are dumping. It is quite an odd cap scenario indeed. Lastly, the next variable has to do with the fact that the Yotes are clearly the team working from a power position here, not Sather. The Yotes could just keep Jovo, sign a couple free agents to get over the cap, and play out the season without an issue. Sather is the one that needs to pay (in prospects, assets, etc) to get Maloney to not only trade Jovo, but take larger (and probably unwanted) contracts off of the Ranger's hands. I could only assume that those contracts would have to be Malik, Mara, and possibly (but not likely) Kasparitis. That means parting with more than must just their #1 prospect in Montoya, but possibly more prospects/draft picks. If these negotiations are indeed ongoing, it would take an awful lot to get it done, but I believe both sides are in a position of want here. The Rangers want an elite defenseman (Jovo) and the Coyotes need a future in goal (Montoya). And as long as that is true, their is a possibility, although rather small because of the unique scenarios involved, that this deal could get completed.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Marc Staal Hit
Keeping with the subject of recent posts, lets take a look at why the Rangers are so high on Marc Staal. I am really hoping this kid makes the big club this year.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Artem Anisimov clip
Next year should be quite interesting with both Anisimov and Cherepanov in the fold. You never really know whether players will actually pan out, but they sure do look like the real deal.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Peca wants Rangers
Peca's agent, Don Meehan, told the Daily News last night that he has been talking to only the Rangers in recent weeks regarding a deal for the two-time Selke Trophy winner. And Meehan said he expected Rangers GM Glen Sather to inform him today whether the club wanted to slot in Peca, 33, as the checking center behind free-agent prizes Scott Gomez and Chris Drury.
"I'm talking to Glen," Meehan said. "If you ask me, I'd say the chances are 50-50 that he'll sign with the Rangers. Michael is extremely interested in them. And we're not really talking to anybody else." At the NHL Players Association's annual charity golf tournament outside Toronto on Wednesday, Peca told the Canadian Press that he believed he'd mesh nicely with the Rangers' retooled roster. "I think there's been some interest," said Peca, the former Islanders captain who played last season with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. "That would be a great fit. Is it going to happen? I'm not 100% sure. We'll see what happens."
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/2007/08/10/2007-08-10_exisle_peca_looks_for_blueshirts_fit.html
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***ZEN***
Peca definitely has gas left in his tank and he would definitely help the Rangers because he has a lot of grit and he can score. Can you imagine Peca and Avery on the same line? Other teams would be driven out of their minds. It definitely would be fun to watch. On the other hand, this would be the ideal situation for the team to let a younger player (Dubinsky, Aminisov, etc.) come up and earn that job (at third line center). Especially considering how close the team is to the cap. There are a couple things that puzzle me about this situation. Where on Earth is Toronto in this negotiation? I thought they were going hardcore for resigning Peca. And... is there going to be another trade that will make more wiggle room under the cap? Why don't we wait and see what happens today (according to Peca's agent) first.
"I'm talking to Glen," Meehan said. "If you ask me, I'd say the chances are 50-50 that he'll sign with the Rangers. Michael is extremely interested in them. And we're not really talking to anybody else." At the NHL Players Association's annual charity golf tournament outside Toronto on Wednesday, Peca told the Canadian Press that he believed he'd mesh nicely with the Rangers' retooled roster. "I think there's been some interest," said Peca, the former Islanders captain who played last season with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. "That would be a great fit. Is it going to happen? I'm not 100% sure. We'll see what happens."
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/2007/08/10/2007-08-10_exisle_peca_looks_for_blueshirts_fit.html
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***ZEN***
Peca definitely has gas left in his tank and he would definitely help the Rangers because he has a lot of grit and he can score. Can you imagine Peca and Avery on the same line? Other teams would be driven out of their minds. It definitely would be fun to watch. On the other hand, this would be the ideal situation for the team to let a younger player (Dubinsky, Aminisov, etc.) come up and earn that job (at third line center). Especially considering how close the team is to the cap. There are a couple things that puzzle me about this situation. Where on Earth is Toronto in this negotiation? I thought they were going hardcore for resigning Peca. And... is there going to be another trade that will make more wiggle room under the cap? Why don't we wait and see what happens today (according to Peca's agent) first.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Available Backup Goalies
The following are unrestricted free agents that could backup King Henrik in goal:
Ed Belfour (42 years old) - He appeared in 58 games for the Florida Panthers last year. He had a 27-17 record with a 2.77 GAA and a .911 save %. He will take the most money to sign out of the six because of the stellar numbers he had as a starter last year, despite his age. If Sather is serious of about backing up Henrik, then this would be the way to go. The problem is that there are still a couple teams that might want him as a starter, which means he would sign for more money in that scenario.
Curtis Joseph (40 years old) - He appeared in 55 games for the Pheonix Coyotes last year. He had a 18-31 record with a 3.19 GAA and .903 save %. CuJo's numbers were not as impressive as a starter last year, because the the team struggled badly. He wouldn't take as much money as Belfour to sign, but he was a starter last year and his agent will use that to drive up his price tag.
Sean Burke (40 years old) - He appeared in 23 games for the LA Kings last year. He had a 6-10 record with a 3.11 GAA and .910 save %. At this point in his career, Burke is a journeyman backup. He split time with Cloutier and Garon last year. He has a pretty good save % and would sign at a reasonable price because of his age.
J-S Aubin (30 years old) - He appeared in 20 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs last year. He had a 3-5 record with a 3.43 GAA and .890 save %. Aubin backed up Raycroft last year, but the trade that brought Toskala in means that Aubin won't be signed. This might change if Raycroft is traded soon, but Aubin didn't play that well last year. It wouldn't take too much of the cap to sign Aubin.
Robert Esche (29 years old) - He appeared in 18 games for the Philadelphia Flyers last year. He had a 5-9 record with a 4.33 GAA and .886 save %. After the team resigned Niittymaki, to backup their new #1 Biron, it meant the end of Esche's career as a Flyer. His numbers last year are pretty bad, but so was the team. After his numbers last season, he should come cheaply.
Alex Auld (26 years old) - He appeared in 27 games for the Florida Panthers last year. He had a 7-13 record with a 3.34 GAA and .899 save %. Auld was the starter for Vancouver in 2005 and put up pretty good numbers, but his tenure in Florida did not work out as well. His age makes him an intriguing option, but sometimes I think that I would rather have a more experienced goalie to backup King Henrik. His age will inflate his price tag, but his numbers last year won't allow it to go too high.
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***ZEN***
I find it difficult to have an opinion about who to sign, because goalies are so inconsistent year-to-year. Belfour would be ideal, but I don't think we have enough cap space "comfortability" to get that done unless Ed realizes he has a chance at the Cup again. CuJo seems to still have gas in the tank and makes an interesting option. Considering the signings of American-born Gomez and Drury, I could definitely see Esche wanting to come here and being a good fit. Signing Auld to more than a one year deal would also be an option assuming that Montoya is a goner, which I think HAS to happen at some point.
Ed Belfour (42 years old) - He appeared in 58 games for the Florida Panthers last year. He had a 27-17 record with a 2.77 GAA and a .911 save %. He will take the most money to sign out of the six because of the stellar numbers he had as a starter last year, despite his age. If Sather is serious of about backing up Henrik, then this would be the way to go. The problem is that there are still a couple teams that might want him as a starter, which means he would sign for more money in that scenario.
Curtis Joseph (40 years old) - He appeared in 55 games for the Pheonix Coyotes last year. He had a 18-31 record with a 3.19 GAA and .903 save %. CuJo's numbers were not as impressive as a starter last year, because the the team struggled badly. He wouldn't take as much money as Belfour to sign, but he was a starter last year and his agent will use that to drive up his price tag.
Sean Burke (40 years old) - He appeared in 23 games for the LA Kings last year. He had a 6-10 record with a 3.11 GAA and .910 save %. At this point in his career, Burke is a journeyman backup. He split time with Cloutier and Garon last year. He has a pretty good save % and would sign at a reasonable price because of his age.
J-S Aubin (30 years old) - He appeared in 20 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs last year. He had a 3-5 record with a 3.43 GAA and .890 save %. Aubin backed up Raycroft last year, but the trade that brought Toskala in means that Aubin won't be signed. This might change if Raycroft is traded soon, but Aubin didn't play that well last year. It wouldn't take too much of the cap to sign Aubin.
Robert Esche (29 years old) - He appeared in 18 games for the Philadelphia Flyers last year. He had a 5-9 record with a 4.33 GAA and .886 save %. After the team resigned Niittymaki, to backup their new #1 Biron, it meant the end of Esche's career as a Flyer. His numbers last year are pretty bad, but so was the team. After his numbers last season, he should come cheaply.
Alex Auld (26 years old) - He appeared in 27 games for the Florida Panthers last year. He had a 7-13 record with a 3.34 GAA and .899 save %. Auld was the starter for Vancouver in 2005 and put up pretty good numbers, but his tenure in Florida did not work out as well. His age makes him an intriguing option, but sometimes I think that I would rather have a more experienced goalie to backup King Henrik. His age will inflate his price tag, but his numbers last year won't allow it to go too high.
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***ZEN***
I find it difficult to have an opinion about who to sign, because goalies are so inconsistent year-to-year. Belfour would be ideal, but I don't think we have enough cap space "comfortability" to get that done unless Ed realizes he has a chance at the Cup again. CuJo seems to still have gas in the tank and makes an interesting option. Considering the signings of American-born Gomez and Drury, I could definitely see Esche wanting to come here and being a good fit. Signing Auld to more than a one year deal would also be an option assuming that Montoya is a goner, which I think HAS to happen at some point.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
A Look at Alexei Cherepanov.
Another slow day. I saw this video of the Ranger's first round draft choice on YouTube. Only time will tell if he is the real deal, but he looks pretty damn good.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Why we overpaid for Gomez and Drury...
Chris Drury
06-07: Buffalo, 77 games, 37 goals, 32 assists, 69 points, +1
05-06: Buffalo, 81 games, 30 goals, 37 assists, 67 points, +11
03-04: Buffalo, 76 games, 18 goals, 35 assists, 53 points, +8
02-03: Calgary, 80 games, 23 goals, 30 assists, 53 points, -9
01-02: Colorado, 82 games, 21 goals, 25 assists, 46 points, +1
00-01: Colorado, 71 games, 24 goals, 41 assists, 65 points, +6
99-00: Colorado, 82 games, 20 goals, 47 assists, 67 points, +8
98-99: Colorado, 79 games, 20 goals, 24 assists, 44 points, +9
It is safe to say that Drury is as consistent as you can get as an NHL player, especially considering that this is his 4th NHL team in nine seasons. It is also clear that he is a playmaker and has increased his goal scoring ability over his career. His consistent positive plus-minus (besides his one season in Calgary) also shows that he is a solid two-way centerman who can take care of things in this own end. He appears to be the ideal #2 centerman who can check the other team's top offensive line.
----------------------------------------------------
Scott Gomez
06-07: NJ, 72 games, 13 goals, 47 assists, 60 points, +7
05-06: NJ, 82 games, 33 goals, 51 assists, 84 points, +8
03-04: NJ, 80 games, 14 goals, 56 assists, 70 points, +18
02-03: NJ, 80 games, 13 goals, 42 assists, 55 points, +17
01-02: NJ, 76 games, 10 goals, 38 assists, 48 points, -1
00-01: NJ, 76 games, 14 goals, 49 assists, 63 points, -4
99-00: NJ, 82 games, 19 goals, 51 assists, 70 points, +14
To me, Gomez is a completely different story. His point totals are very inconsistent year-to-year and he has only scored more then 19 goals once (33 in 05-06). It appears that Sather signed this guy to be the team's #1 center with Jagr on his wing, yet Gomez has only showed first line scoring ability in one season of his career (once again, 05-06). His plus-minus is definitely impressive, but I would expect that considering that the Devils have been trapping their opponents to death for a very long time. But, to be honest, has Gomez every played with a player the caliber of Jagr? Clearly he hasn't. So, although Gomez appears to be a #2 centerman stats-wise, we won't know until he actually plays with Jagr, whether he will succeed.
---------------------------------------------------
So basically, Sather gave out two very long 7+ million dollar contracts that are basically ironclad due to no movement/trade clauses (or a variation of)... to two players that appear to be second-line centerman. So lets talk about why Sather did this. Much like what I talked about in the salary cap post, (http://blue-review.blogspot.com/2007/08/rangers-cap-situation.html) this team is only one year away from having quite a makeover. The team's main core of players, Jagr (option year), Shanny, Straka, Avery, and almost the entire defense, are all most likely going to be free agents next year. Even if a few important players sign up for just one more Cup run, that will only push off the inevitable... this team will go from Jagr's team to starting all over again with youth. And that is why Sather signed Gomez (age 27) and Drury (age 30). It meant that we now are set up the middle (at center) for the next 5+ years, which is pretty much the most important position other than goaltender (which we also happen to be set at with Henrik). Did Sather have to overpay to do it? Yeah. Should he have overpaid? We will find out.
06-07: Buffalo, 77 games, 37 goals, 32 assists, 69 points, +1
05-06: Buffalo, 81 games, 30 goals, 37 assists, 67 points, +11
03-04: Buffalo, 76 games, 18 goals, 35 assists, 53 points, +8
02-03: Calgary, 80 games, 23 goals, 30 assists, 53 points, -9
01-02: Colorado, 82 games, 21 goals, 25 assists, 46 points, +1
00-01: Colorado, 71 games, 24 goals, 41 assists, 65 points, +6
99-00: Colorado, 82 games, 20 goals, 47 assists, 67 points, +8
98-99: Colorado, 79 games, 20 goals, 24 assists, 44 points, +9
It is safe to say that Drury is as consistent as you can get as an NHL player, especially considering that this is his 4th NHL team in nine seasons. It is also clear that he is a playmaker and has increased his goal scoring ability over his career. His consistent positive plus-minus (besides his one season in Calgary) also shows that he is a solid two-way centerman who can take care of things in this own end. He appears to be the ideal #2 centerman who can check the other team's top offensive line.
----------------------------------------------------
Scott Gomez
06-07: NJ, 72 games, 13 goals, 47 assists, 60 points, +7
05-06: NJ, 82 games, 33 goals, 51 assists, 84 points, +8
03-04: NJ, 80 games, 14 goals, 56 assists, 70 points, +18
02-03: NJ, 80 games, 13 goals, 42 assists, 55 points, +17
01-02: NJ, 76 games, 10 goals, 38 assists, 48 points, -1
00-01: NJ, 76 games, 14 goals, 49 assists, 63 points, -4
99-00: NJ, 82 games, 19 goals, 51 assists, 70 points, +14
To me, Gomez is a completely different story. His point totals are very inconsistent year-to-year and he has only scored more then 19 goals once (33 in 05-06). It appears that Sather signed this guy to be the team's #1 center with Jagr on his wing, yet Gomez has only showed first line scoring ability in one season of his career (once again, 05-06). His plus-minus is definitely impressive, but I would expect that considering that the Devils have been trapping their opponents to death for a very long time. But, to be honest, has Gomez every played with a player the caliber of Jagr? Clearly he hasn't. So, although Gomez appears to be a #2 centerman stats-wise, we won't know until he actually plays with Jagr, whether he will succeed.
---------------------------------------------------
So basically, Sather gave out two very long 7+ million dollar contracts that are basically ironclad due to no movement/trade clauses (or a variation of)... to two players that appear to be second-line centerman. So lets talk about why Sather did this. Much like what I talked about in the salary cap post, (http://blue-review.blogspot.com/2007/08/rangers-cap-situation.html) this team is only one year away from having quite a makeover. The team's main core of players, Jagr (option year), Shanny, Straka, Avery, and almost the entire defense, are all most likely going to be free agents next year. Even if a few important players sign up for just one more Cup run, that will only push off the inevitable... this team will go from Jagr's team to starting all over again with youth. And that is why Sather signed Gomez (age 27) and Drury (age 30). It meant that we now are set up the middle (at center) for the next 5+ years, which is pretty much the most important position other than goaltender (which we also happen to be set at with Henrik). Did Sather have to overpay to do it? Yeah. Should he have overpaid? We will find out.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Who is Andrew Hutchinson?
Some people have been asking me about this guy and it has been slow in the news department the last couple days, so here is what I know about him.
- Age: 27 years old
- Height: 6 foot 2 inches
- Weight: 205 pounds
- Shoots: Right-Handed
- Drafted in the second round of the 1999 draft by the Nashville Predators.
- Played at Michigan State in CCHA for 4 years, collecting 19 goals and 78 points in 160 games. In his second year, he won the award for "Best Defensive Defenseman" and was also was named to a couple All-Star/Tournament teams.
- He started the 02-03 season playing for Toledo of the ECHL. After scoring 2 goals, 7 points, and earning a plus/minus of +8 in 10 games, he was called up to Milwaukee of the AHL. For the remaining 63 games of that season, he scored 9 goals, 16 points, and had plus-minus of -10. Four of the goals were on the power play.
- He made his NHL debut with the Predators in 03-04, scoring 4 goals, 8 points, and had a plus-minus of +1 in 18 sporadic games. He spent the remaining 46 games with Milwaukee of the AHL, scoring 12 goals (4 PP), 24 points, and had a plus-minus of +7.
- That summer, Nashville traded Hutchinson to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a third round pick.
- He played the entire 04-05 season in Milwaukee, scoring 10 goals (4 PP), 45 points, and had a plus-minus of +1 in 76 games.
- In 05-06, Hutchinson finally caught on with the Hurricanes, but his career since then has been riddled with injuries. In the 36 games he did play that season, he scored 3 goals (2 PP), 11 points, and had a plus-minus of -2. In 06-07, he scored 3 goals (2 PP), 14 points, and had a plus-minus of 0 in the 41 games he was healthy.
- From what I have read further about this guy, his most appropriate assignment would be the quarterback of a power play. Carolina had a glut of defenseman (much like we do now) and could afford to let him go, considering he was either the 7th or 8th on the depth chart. There were games where he actually played as the 7th defenseman just so he could be used as the power play quarterback. That means one of two things. The Canes had a six defenseman that were really good or Hutchinson has some issues with the defensive part of his game. I am thinking that the latter is most likely the answer to that question. I am not sure what the Rangers defense will look like when training camp starts, but I am sure that Hutchinson will be given the chance to contribute, considering the team doesn't really have a natural power play QB.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Goaltending Concerns
I know there has been a lot of talk about acquiring a solid D-man and signing a third line center, but one of the positions that cannot be overlooked is Henrik Lundqvist's backup in goal. Although it is very nice that Steve Valiquette makes so little money, he is just not the guy this team wants backing up Lundqvist. He just does not have enough NHL experience. If Sather is serious about making a strong Cup run this year, he has to find another goaltender that the team will feel confident with, if called upon to rest Lundqvist or (knock on wood) if an injury occurs.
You might ask, "Why not Al Montoya?"
- I would love for this to happen, but it won't. The problem is that Montoya has a $1 million dollar base salary and a whopping rookie bonus of 2.5 million dollars that the team can absolutely not have on their cap number. This is actually why I believe that Montoya will be part of a major deal at some point this summer (or year). You cannot pay a guy that much money if you already have your starter (Lundqvist) for the conceivable future.
You might ask, "Won't a goaltender be expensive to obtain?"
-At one point, there were a lot of teams that didn't have a starting goalie and teams were getting a ransom for them. Presently, pretty much all the teams have already obtained some type of quality starter over the last several months, so the market for goalies has pretty much dried up, with the exception of a random team here or there. It should be fairly cheap to acquire and pay a backup goalie.
My hunch is that Sather has been and will be working the phone lines for the next month, trying to acquire a quality defensemen and a backup goaltender. I am not as sure about the third line center position, as that is the only spot that can be reasonably filled by someone (Straka, a prospect, etc.) already in the organization. Lets hope he can find Lundqvist a crease mate.
You might ask, "Why not Al Montoya?"
- I would love for this to happen, but it won't. The problem is that Montoya has a $1 million dollar base salary and a whopping rookie bonus of 2.5 million dollars that the team can absolutely not have on their cap number. This is actually why I believe that Montoya will be part of a major deal at some point this summer (or year). You cannot pay a guy that much money if you already have your starter (Lundqvist) for the conceivable future.
You might ask, "Won't a goaltender be expensive to obtain?"
-At one point, there were a lot of teams that didn't have a starting goalie and teams were getting a ransom for them. Presently, pretty much all the teams have already obtained some type of quality starter over the last several months, so the market for goalies has pretty much dried up, with the exception of a random team here or there. It should be fairly cheap to acquire and pay a backup goalie.
My hunch is that Sather has been and will be working the phone lines for the next month, trying to acquire a quality defensemen and a backup goaltender. I am not as sure about the third line center position, as that is the only spot that can be reasonably filled by someone (Straka, a prospect, etc.) already in the organization. Lets hope he can find Lundqvist a crease mate.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Artem Anisimov Signs
Russian prospect Artem Anisimov has signed a professional contract with the New York Rangers. The 19 year-old center looked good alongside first round pick Alexei Cherepanov at the prospect camp. Anisimov was the Ranger's second round pick in the 2006 NHL draft. There is an outside chance that this kid can fill the Ranger's vacant third line center position, if the team does not decide to sign a free agent to do so.
http://www.nyrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2978
http://www.nyrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2978
Ranger's Cap Situation
Now that all restricted free agents are finally signed, lets take a look at how the Rangers are shaping up in reference to the salary cap.
I. The team presently has 12 forwards (assuming Callahan sticks with the team again):
I. The team presently has 12 forwards (assuming Callahan sticks with the team again):
- Gomez - 7,357,143
- Drury - 7,050,000
- Jagr - 4,940,000
- Straka - 3,300,000
- Shanahan - 2,500,000 (Brendan has 2.8 million in bonuses that can count towards next year's cap. Unless something drastic changes, the team will most likely do that.)
- Avery - 1,900,000
- Prucha - 1,600,000
- Hossa - 780,000
- Betts - 615,000
- Callahan - 575,000
- Orr - 537,500
- Hollweg - 512,500
Total = 31,667,143
II. The team presently has 8 defenseman (assuming Girardi sticks with the team again and Kasparitis is let go):
- Mara - 3,000,000
- Malik - 2,500,000
- Rozsival - 2,100,000
- Tyutin - 987,500
- Girardi - 750,000
- Pock - 667,500
- Strudwick - 500,000
- Hutchinson - 475,000
Total = 10,980,000
III. The team looks to be keeping 2 goalies.
- Lundqvist - 4,250,000
- Valiquette - 617,500
Total = 4,867,500
If you add up all the salaries, we are looking at a cap total of $47,514,643. The league wide salary cap is presently hovering at $50,300,300, so the Rangers are actually looking pretty good for all of the big free agent signings over the past month. That makes wiggle room under the cap of $2,785,357.
Lets look at some other important topics involved with this. Although I don't believe that the team will include Shanny's bonuses (which he has to meet unless he gets injured) in this year's cap, it does fit almost perfectly. I can also see the argument of why you wouldn't want to go into next year already 2.8 million down. But, the team has almost their entire defense as free agents next year and it is highly unlikely that we will see Straka, Shanny himself, or even Jagr (he has an option) for that matter back. Don't forget about Avery being unrestricted after how the arbitration meetings went either. What I am getting at is that a lot of that salary will be replaced by younger players who don't make as much money, so next year will be a better fit.
It is also important to note that the team has a hole at the third line center position (isn't that Cullen trade looking good for cap now?) that needs to be filled. It might be filled by Straka, but other younger players like Brandon Dubinsky (633,333) might fit the bill. There are also a couple free agents out there that would fit nicely if they took anywhere from 1.0 - 1.5 millions to sign. There have been many rumors about Michael Peca wanting a contract in that range for only one year, so that would be a nice fit, but leave even smaller breathing room under the cap.
The last important topic is the possibility of Marc Staal (826,667) making the team out of training camp. I am thinking that if this starts to look like a real possibility, it will be even more likely that Sather will be looking for a trade considering that the team will then have 9 defenseman counting against the cap. I also think that both Mara's and Malik's salaries are glaring at the top of that salary list and Sather probably thinks the same thing. I wouldn't be surprised if one or both is moved (assuming they can be) at some point to create more flexibility under the cap.
Of course, this entire article could be for nothing if Sather looks to trade for another high profile player, most likely a defenseman. It would take quite a strategic deal to bring on a higher salary player and not have issues with the salary cap.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Avery's Award
The decision has just come in that the arbitrator awarded Avery 1.9 million for the upcoming season. Sather has 48 hours to accept the decision or walk away from the contract and make Avery a free agent.
I have just got confirmation that Sather has accepted the contract. Here are some well-placed comments. "We are pleased to have Sean under contract and are looking forward to him returning with the same passion and enthusiasm he brought to our team last year," stated Sather. "He is a terrific competitor, who we expect to play a significant role in a successful season."
http://newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2977
I have just got confirmation that Sather has accepted the contract. Here are some well-placed comments. "We are pleased to have Sean under contract and are looking forward to him returning with the same passion and enthusiasm he brought to our team last year," stated Sather. "He is a terrific competitor, who we expect to play a significant role in a successful season."
http://newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2977
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Hossa signs
Apparently Marcel doesn't want to hear what Sather has to say about him. He resigned with the Rangers for own year, reportedly worth 780K. Smart move by Hossa, who is as inconsistent as they come.
http://newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2976
http://newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2976
Monday, July 30, 2007
Sather: Avery is a "detriment to the team"?
This is what I dislike about Glen Sather. He is a very bitter man and does not like when players reject his contract offers that he deems fair. According to Larry Brooks of the NY Post, Avery was offered a one-year deal at $1.3 million, which is only $200,ooo more than he made last year. Considering how much Avery's presence changed the team's fortunes (17-6-6 with him in the lineup), you would think that Sather wouldn't lowball him that much. Unfortunately, instead of Avery's agent asking for a reasonable reward, he went and asked for a ridiculous $2.6 million when they know that the team is having cap problems. This is probably when things started to go wrong between the two sides. Although it is clear that the reward should be somewhere in the middle of those two amounts, Sather is pulling out all the stops in making sure that the amount is closer to his offer. According to Brooks, Ranger's management called Avery "a reasonably effective player as well as a detriment to the team" in the salary arbitration brief that will be read at the hearing in Toronto. This is what Avery said to the post in response to learning of this.
"It's hard not to take something like that personally and not to be emotional about it," Avery told The Post yesterday. "I know this is part of the business, I know this is part of the process, but it's extremely disappointing to read something like that coming from Slats [GM Glen Sather] and not to be offended by it. They talk about me taking, 'unnecessary penalties,' and make a lot of references about me that I don't want to go into but that I don't think are fair. I certainly don't think I was a detriment to the team."
"At the end of the season, my hope was to sign a long-term deal," said Avery, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. "I would have loved that. . . . But that never became a legitimate possibility. It became obvious pretty quickly that I was going to wind up going to arbitration. That's OK, I understand the situation with the cap and I understand that this is a business, but not only aren't we anywhere close, they've decided to really go after me in this brief. I don't think that's necessary."
The good news is that Avery isn't going off the deep end and asking for a trade like many players would. Avery also reiterated his interest in playing for Rangers.
"The arbitration hasn't changed my opinion at all about wanting to be a Ranger and being excited about this season. I'm really high on the team. I just wish Slats hadn't said these things about me. That's hard to take."
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07302007/sports/rangers/slats_not_fair__rangers_call_avery_detriment_in_brief_rangers_larry_brooks.htm
ZEN says: Folks, arbritration briefings are known to be nasty. The farther the two sides are apart, the worse they are going to get. Sather is facing cap problems and still wants to strengthen his team (bring more players in), so he will say anything to get this reward to be as low as possible. This includes bringing up Avery's awful past with other teams. Although Avery said he was still interested in coming back, I just hope he really feels that way down the road and ultimately signs a long term offer. These situations can easily make a player feel unwanted.
"It's hard not to take something like that personally and not to be emotional about it," Avery told The Post yesterday. "I know this is part of the business, I know this is part of the process, but it's extremely disappointing to read something like that coming from Slats [GM Glen Sather] and not to be offended by it. They talk about me taking, 'unnecessary penalties,' and make a lot of references about me that I don't want to go into but that I don't think are fair. I certainly don't think I was a detriment to the team."
"At the end of the season, my hope was to sign a long-term deal," said Avery, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. "I would have loved that. . . . But that never became a legitimate possibility. It became obvious pretty quickly that I was going to wind up going to arbitration. That's OK, I understand the situation with the cap and I understand that this is a business, but not only aren't we anywhere close, they've decided to really go after me in this brief. I don't think that's necessary."
The good news is that Avery isn't going off the deep end and asking for a trade like many players would. Avery also reiterated his interest in playing for Rangers.
"The arbitration hasn't changed my opinion at all about wanting to be a Ranger and being excited about this season. I'm really high on the team. I just wish Slats hadn't said these things about me. That's hard to take."
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07302007/sports/rangers/slats_not_fair__rangers_call_avery_detriment_in_brief_rangers_larry_brooks.htm
ZEN says: Folks, arbritration briefings are known to be nasty. The farther the two sides are apart, the worse they are going to get. Sather is facing cap problems and still wants to strengthen his team (bring more players in), so he will say anything to get this reward to be as low as possible. This includes bringing up Avery's awful past with other teams. Although Avery said he was still interested in coming back, I just hope he really feels that way down the road and ultimately signs a long term offer. These situations can easily make a player feel unwanted.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Jovanovski?
It has been a very quiet in Rangerland this week. There hasn't been any real news to report, but I have been hearing that there might be something to the Ed Jovanovski rumors that have been floating around the internet. Apparently, Pheonix is trying to find a way to get Jovo and his 6.5 million dollar cap hit through the 2011/12 season off their books. I do think that Sather is gearing up for a huge Cup run with Jagr coming to the end of his career and having a solid d-man like Jovo would be a huge asset to the club. There are two problems with this trade though:
1) Jovo has a no-trade clause.
2) The Rangers have some cap issues.
There is nothing to really talk about with the clause, so lets concentrate on the money. The NYR don't have a lot of cap room and most, if not all of it, will be going to Avery (and maybe Hossa). As a result, there would have to be a lot of salary going back to Pheonix in a deal like this, but the key is that the deals would be up after this year and off the Yotes cap quickly. For example, both Malik and Mara have deals in the 2.5 to 3 million a year range and are unrestricted free agents after this year. One or both could be part of a deal like this and I would expect that Sather would have to part with some assets as well. It is also important to mention that Pheonix is trying to get to the cap minimum, so they do not mind having short term salary on their books.
Remember, rumors are just what they are... rumors. Fun to talk about, but there could be no truth to them, even when they sound logical.
1) Jovo has a no-trade clause.
2) The Rangers have some cap issues.
There is nothing to really talk about with the clause, so lets concentrate on the money. The NYR don't have a lot of cap room and most, if not all of it, will be going to Avery (and maybe Hossa). As a result, there would have to be a lot of salary going back to Pheonix in a deal like this, but the key is that the deals would be up after this year and off the Yotes cap quickly. For example, both Malik and Mara have deals in the 2.5 to 3 million a year range and are unrestricted free agents after this year. One or both could be part of a deal like this and I would expect that Sather would have to part with some assets as well. It is also important to mention that Pheonix is trying to get to the cap minimum, so they do not mind having short term salary on their books.
Remember, rumors are just what they are... rumors. Fun to talk about, but there could be no truth to them, even when they sound logical.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Peca rumor true?
There seems to be mutual interest:
"I think's there been some interest (from the Rangers)," said Peca, an 11-year NHL veteran. "That would be a great fit. Is it going to happen? I'm not 100 per cent sure. We'll see what happens."
The Leafs seem to very interested as well:
"Considering how many phone calls I get from Jason Blake in a week, yes," Peca said of his former Islanders teammate. "But you know what? There are options out there. I need to consider everyone and look at each situation both professionally and personally."
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2007/07/25/4367639-cp.html
"I think's there been some interest (from the Rangers)," said Peca, an 11-year NHL veteran. "That would be a great fit. Is it going to happen? I'm not 100 per cent sure. We'll see what happens."
The Leafs seem to very interested as well:
"Considering how many phone calls I get from Jason Blake in a week, yes," Peca said of his former Islanders teammate. "But you know what? There are options out there. I need to consider everyone and look at each situation both professionally and personally."
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2007/07/25/4367639-cp.html
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
State of the Defenseman
Much has been written about this group of Rangers defenseman and after the Cullen trade, it is even more confusing. Right now it appears that Rozsival and Malik will repeat as the top pairing on defense. Malik is not a popular player with fans due to his lack of speed and propensity for the turnover, but it appears that the organization still has confidence in him. Either that or there is just no trade market for him. During the course of last year, Tyutin and Girardi began to form a nice tandem and often played against opposing team's top lines. Although Tom Renney has gone on record stating that neither Girardi nor Callahan were a lock to make the team, be aware that he has to say that or the kids will lack motivation. Assuming that Paul Mara continues his solid play on the blueline making up the third pair, that only leaves one spot open for several different players. Let's take a look at them.
- Thomas Pock - His up and down play has always left him on the outside looking in. He has the knack for scoring goals, but his errors are glaring and often cost the team wins.
- Jason Strudwick - The organization seems to have a love affair with this guy, probably because he is a stay-at-home defenseman that has played well when the team needed it badly (due to injuries).
- Andrew Hutchinson - This guy is 27 and hasn't played a full season for an NHL club, so I am not exactly excited about him. From what I have read, he is an ideal quarterback for a power-play, but lacks the strength to consistently succeed in his own end. There were times when Carolina actually played him as a 7th defenseman only to be used on the power play. This doesn't sound promising, but hopefully Renney and his staff can work with him.
- Marc Staal - This is the ideal situation for the Rangers as an organization, having the kid win the job. He is one of the top defensive propects in the league and has shined at every level he has played at. The only negative is that he would add another million dollars in salary to the cap if he makes the team. I hope that doesn't have an effect on the outcome.
- Darius Kasparitis - I know, I know, wasn't he supposed to be gone? Some recent news has revealed that the mighty cannonball is in the greatest shape of his life and wants to return to the Rangers. I'll believe it when I see it. It is important to note that if he does indeed make comeback, he is expensive at 3 million dollars. The deck is definitely stacked against him. To further complicate matters for not only Kaspar, but all Rangers D-men, I believe that Pock and Hutchinson must clear waivers to be sent down to Hartford.
- The final possibility is that the final spot is not even on the team yet. Due to cap restraints, the team doesn't have a lot of options for signing free agents. Just about everyone will be too expensive and there are already 10 defenseman listed above. The only other option is a trade and I am sure Sather has been working the phone lines looking for an quality D-man that some team is trying to dump due to budgetary reasons. I have heard many rumorered names connected to the Rangers (ie. Jovanowski), but these are just what they are... rumors.
All I can say is that training camp and the preseason definitely will have at least one storyline to watch. I am thinking that all eyes will be on Marc Staal.
Schoenfeld Promoted
Harford Wolfpack coach and GM Jim Schoenfeld was promoted to New York Rangers Assistant GM. He replaces the departed Don Maloney who is now the Pheonix Coyotes GM.
http://newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2973
I think that this is a logical move by Glen Sather. Schoenfeld is a great hockey mind who has helped turn around a formerly pathetic New York Rangers farm system into one of the best in the league (#6 according to http://www.hockeysfuture.com/nhl_organisation_rankings/). The Harford Wolfpack has been producing solid NHL-ready players (Prucha, Callahan, Girardi, etc.) the last couple years by showing them what it takes it be successful in the NHL. They even have the same offensive/defensive systems as the Rangers club, so that there is an easy transition between clubs. It seems that Schoenfeld has an eye for talent, so the promotion was a no brainer.
http://newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2973
I think that this is a logical move by Glen Sather. Schoenfeld is a great hockey mind who has helped turn around a formerly pathetic New York Rangers farm system into one of the best in the league (#6 according to http://www.hockeysfuture.com/nhl_organisation_rankings/). The Harford Wolfpack has been producing solid NHL-ready players (Prucha, Callahan, Girardi, etc.) the last couple years by showing them what it takes it be successful in the NHL. They even have the same offensive/defensive systems as the Rangers club, so that there is an easy transition between clubs. It seems that Schoenfeld has an eye for talent, so the promotion was a no brainer.
Offseason Recap (July, thus far)
- The Rangers made a gigantic splash in the free agent market by signing centers Scott Gomez (age 27) and Chris Drury (age 30). Both players are American born and proven winners who wanted to play for the Rangers. As a result of these signings, the team let the much older Michael Nylander (age 35) sign with the (Oilers... errr) Capitals. The Gomez deal was for 7 years at approx. 7 million a year and the Drury deal was for 5 years at approx. 7 million a year. Both deals also include either a no movement clause or some variation of the clause, so these are some serious contracts that weight heavily against the salary cap. My opinion on the signings completely centers on Nylander. If he asked for more than 3 years at more than 5 million a year, then the organization had to let him go, given his age. If he could have settled for 2 years at (or below) 5 million, then the Rangers blew it. The ideal situation would have been to resign Nylander to play with Jagr and to sign Gomez to play with Shanny. This no knock on Drury, who is a dynamic two-way centerman with a knack for the clutch goal. It is just difficult to match the chemistry that Nylander and Jagr had.
- Soon after the signings, the organization took care of their own free agents and resigned Strudwick, Prucha, Shanahan, and Lundqvist over the last several weeks. The only players left to sign, Avery and Hossa, have arbitration cases in the next few weeks.
- The most recent move that might have come as a surprise to some, was the trading of Matt Cullen back to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Rangers received jorneyman power play defenseman Andrew Hutchinson, a prospect, and a third round pick in return. I personally think that Cullen's fate was etched in stone after he failed to produce as a second line center with Shanny last year. Don't get me wrong, Cullen turned into a successful third line center with Peter Prucha and Ryan Callahan, as well as a key penalty killer, but he was being paid way too much money for that role. Especially considering the outrageous but necessary cash handed out to Gomez and Drury. The Rangers were floating way too close to the salary cap and Cullen was the odd man out. Either the team will look within (possibly Brandon Dubinsky) to replace Cullen or sign a cheaper third line center (a lot of rumors about Mike Peca). I just hope it isn't Blair Betts, because although he is a great penalty killer and role player, he sometimes has trouble completing a pass.
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.
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