Rangers Look To Turn It Around Against the Lightning Tonight

After two less than stellar performances this past Saturday and Tuesday night against the Leafs and Islanders, respectively, the Garden faithful have already managed to find a new scapegoat to replace Marek Malik (who, by the way, makes his triumphant return to the Garden as a member of the Lightning tonight). It now appears that Michal Rozsival is the new target of the boo birds. Rozy has earned the jeers not only for his horrific play, namely in the most recent game Tuesday night against the Islanders, but also for the amount that he is being paid after signing a 4 year extension worth $20 million with the Rangers in the offseason. With the signing of Redden for six years at $39 million, signing both of these defensemen was not a smart move on Sather's part to begin with.

For the record, I did not like the signing in the offseason when it was first made public. With contract extensions due for Dubinsky and Zherdev this offseason and for Staal and Girardi next offseason, the Rangers are in for a very tricky financial future where the cap will most likely not increase substantially when the players I listed above are due for raises.

In regards to Rozsival's most recent play, I will be the first to defend him and say that while in the defensive zone, he makes the smart play and clears the puck out of the zone in a very swift manner. However, when it comes to the power play in the offensive zone, it is a complete different story. Rozy has a rocket of a shot, but instantly holds off on the shot and passes it off if a penalty killer on the opposing team even breathes into his shooting lane. Also, as evidenced by the most recent game, I would say that Rozsival is among the worst point men in the Eastern Conference in terms of puck control and positioning. I will go on record and say that he was directly responsible for both goals that the Islanders scored on Tuesday night. Giveaways at the blue line that lead to odd man rushes for the shorthanded team are inexcusable. These giveaways were caused most in part due to poor positioning, and could have easily been prevented.

This leads me to my next point. The power play for the Rangers has been abysmal. Guys such as Dubinsky and Voros that are comfortable crashing the net for rebounds and working in the corners become useless when anyone out on the ice refuses to shoot. Although it may be due to an elbow injury, Redden has all of a sudden stopped firing hard shots from the point. I described the situation with Rozsival above, and while Mara has intentions of shooting, his shots have not been hitting the net recently and have often led to the opposing team clearing the puck out of the zone. You may ask me why a guy like Voros has gone on a multiple game dry streak for points. This is mostly due to the fact that not many quality shots are getting to the opposing team's goalie where a guy like Voros, Callahan, or Dubinsky could knock in a rebound. Start shooting on the power play guys, you're almost making me miss the days of Jagr running the power play from the right half boards.

However, the ultimate problem that I feel has contributed to the team's poor play as of late is a complete 180 in terms of style of game played. This team went from a free wheeling, hard working, aggressive forechecking team in the first 5 games to reverting to the old trap system employed the past couple of years when the old guard of Jagr, Shanahan, Straka, and Nylander were still on the team. The days of being that type of team are older. I feel that the talents of guys like Redden, Drury, Gomez, and Zherdev are being wasted to an extent because of this relapse in team philosophy. The type of game that these players play will thrive more in a system of a quick North-South game that allows defensemen to join the fast breakout and rushes that a guy like Gomez is notorious for. Believe me, it is no coincidence that the Rangers were 5-0 during the stretch of time where they played this system.

Perhaps playing Tampa Bay again tonight will revive old memories of how the Rangers played this style of game earlier this season. We as a fanbase just need to have faith that our Blueshirts will turn things around before things start to get ugly.

Rissmiller Waived by the Rangers

As per http://tsn.ca, Rissmiller has been waived by the New York Rangers. All I have to say is that it's about damn time. His signing has been a head-scratcher from the start, as it took place right after Aaros Voros was signed to a 3 year deal by the Rangers. I'm not saying that he is a bad player, but the $1 million cap hit that he carries is a very tough pill to swallow given the Rangers' tight salary cap situation.

Best of luck Pat!

RUMOR: Shanahan Signing With the Rangers "Imminent"

From Darren Dreger of TSN, it appears that the Rangers will sign Shanahan for one more run this year on the New York Rangers.

I'll update with more information as I have it, but I don't like this move for a few reasons. This means that Prucha will almost certainly be shipped out of town with his salary number with rock bottom value. Also, Shanny will probably be playing in the top 6 if he is signed, somewhere he does not belong considering his age and speed.

Put him on the 4th line with power play and penalty kill time and I'm all for this signing, but using him in any other way is a mistake if you ask this Ranger fan.

Rangers' Two Game Series in Prague Offers A Taste of What To Expect This Season

As all of you loyal Ranger fans know, the Rangers played a two game series in Prague over this past weekend, both of which were won by the Rangers 2-1. With a game on Saturday and Sunday, residents of the Czech Republic were able to see what the "new" post lockout NHL is about. Although the games were very fun and exciting to watch, there were certain points when fellow Ranger fans and I watching the games were already in mid-season form criticizing certain individuals and the play of the team. Here are some things that stood out to me during the course of both games:

• Nigel Dawes looks invisible- While Dawes may be notorious for starting off the season slowly, he is picking the wrong season to do so. With Dubinsky, Zherdev, Gomez, Naslund, and Drury filling the other top 6 forward hole, the 2nd line LW slot is wide open. I hae always defended Nigel, but I feel that he is on the 2nd line with Dubinsky and Zherdev by default based on his performance last season. So far, he has been less than spectacular and not noticeable on the ice. Dawes has to get it going, and quickly.

• The line of Naslund-Gomez-Drury looks phenomenal- I have not seen a Rangers line move the puck this well since the old combination of Straka, Nylander, and Jagr back in 2005. Gomez's pinpoint pass to Naslund that resulted in the first Rangers goal of the season was absolutely amazing. Although this line may not be the biggest, I think that this line will continue to prove the old mantra that "speed kills" in the NHL.

• The Rangers Power Play looks a lot better without Jagr- With no more Jagr to QB the power play from the right end boards, other players on the team are now able to be more creative and work the puck faster. The game tying goal for the Rangers on Sunday is a prime example of the new Rangers power play. The Rangers were able to cycle the puck around in the offensive zone and keep it in there for over a minute and a half before Redden finished off a great feed from Naslund in the slot. The power play this season should surely see an improvement from 22nd overall in the league last season.

• Kalinin is this year's Malik- But not in the way most of you may think. This guy will be the best bottom pairing defenseman this team has had since the lockout. He is sound positionally, and makes good decisions with the puck. He is apt to make a mistake or two, but what defenseman hasn't made a boneheaded move? The way some people are jumping on him and trying to make him the scapegoat of the team TWO GAMES INTO THE SEASON is unbelievable (Yes, I'm talking to you guys over at HF). Wait until this guy legitimately costs the Rangers a couple of wins this season before you guys burn him in effigy over Section 420.

As for a general observation, the team went into Prague with 15 forwards and 6 defenders. Now, only 12 forwards are able to be dressed each game, meaning 3 will take a seat each game. This is occurring while Corey Potter and Brian Fahey, both of whom made strong cases to earn the 7th defenseman job at the very least, are down in Hartford while the team carries only 6 defenders. This has lead me to believe that a trade is in the works involving the movement of some of the team's excess 3rd line players for draft picks or even an upgrade for someone that can possibly play on the second line. Maybe it's a pipe dream, but Patrick O'Sullivan anyone?

That's all from me for now. Be sure to watch the home opener against the Blackhawks on Friday at 7pm!

New York Rangers Preseason: Cutting Nedved was the Right Decision

When I found out that Petr Nedved had been invited to New York Rangers training camp back in August, my first reaction was to laugh. Right after that, I started to think if Petr actually did have a shot to play in a limited role with the Rangers. Watching a few of the Rangers' preseason games a week ago, it appeared that he exhibited some of the best skating that I can remember from him. Nedved also helped his own case by scoring a couple of nice goals in the course of the week. However, this was not enough to earn Petr a spot on the Rangers' roster, as the Rangers brass cut him over the weekend.

Some may argue that Nedved would bring some veteran leadership to a team that needs it, all the while chipping in a goal every now and then on the team's 4th line. I wholeheartedly disagree. While Nedved would bring some offense to the 4th line, he has never been known to be very strong on the defensive side of the puck, something that is all but required to be an effective checking line forward.

In addition to this, a move of Nedved to the 4th line would beg the question of where Blair Betts would play. The answer would be not on the Rangers if this were the case. In my opinion, this would have been an awful move to inject Nedved into the Rangers lineup at the expense of one of the best defensive centers in the game. Betts is the type of player that teams win championships with. Take the most recent Cup winners. Detroit has Draper, Anaheim has Pahlsson, and Carolina has Brind'Amour. Every team that has won a cup in the post-lockout era has a good defensive center that is a key part of the team's penalty killing unit, and is also able to win a key faceoff when called upon. You simply do not get rid of a player like that, especially if the guy replacing him is over 35 years old and hasn't played a full NHL season since before the lockout.

For my final point, every person that follows the Rangers very well knows that they have an abundance of forward prospects that are knocking on the NHL's door. After watching the Rangers' exhibition against SC Bern, it is clear to me that Korpikoski in particular should be a part of the NHL club right now. If Nedved had still been around, Lauri's shot at the NHL this season all but goes out the window. It also appears that players like Anisimov and Paranteau would be the first call-ups in case of injury this season. Both of these guys, in my opinion, are close to if not NHL ready right now. Adding Nedved to the Rangers' roster would have done nothing but further clog up the pipeline of Rangers forward prospects. For the reasons above, I am glad that the Rangers brass made what in my mind was the right call, and as a result allow for the progression of letting some of the Rangers prospects play a role in the big club's success in the near future.

New York Rangers Training Camp: Prucha, Dawes, Sjostrom Among Others Should Look to Impress

With a short six days until training camp, many Ranger fans, including myself, are eagerly awaiting the start of the 2008-2009 NHL season. Similar to the situation last year, there will be many new faces on the team, while some old familiar ones have moved on for one reason or another. While some argue that this team will not contend for a playoff spot next April, I tend to disagree. This season will be a matter of how the new members of the team will mesh with the existing core of players remaining from the previous couple of seasons. If all goes well, I will not be surprised to see playoff hockey in New York for the 4th consecutive season. However, I will not be surprised if the opposite comes true.

As for the issues the team is facing now, there are a few spots on the roster to be had, with the departures of Jagr, Straka, and Shanahan (or maybe not). With the rumors of Sundin becoming a New York Ranger finally cooling down (thank God), there are holes to be filled, most notably among the top 6 forward group. With the signing of Naslund for two years, and the acquisition of Zherdev in the offseason, two wing spots in the top 6 are all but cemented for them. With Gomez and Drury likely candidates to be the top two line centers, that leaves 2 wing spots to be played for.

Towards the final part of the season and the playoffs, Nigel Dawes was the 2nd line left winger on a line with Shanahan and Gomez. With Shanahan not likely to return, some shuffling of the lines is bound to happen. In my mind, one left wing and one right wing spot is open on the top 6. Although I see Nigel as a favorite to win the left wing spot, whether or not he gets it will hinge on many factors. For one, guys like Sjostrom, Fritsche, and Callahan will be fighting very hard for spots on a team deep with 2nd/3rd line talent. If one of these guys make a convincing case and plays outstanding during training camp, Tom Renney will find himself having to make a couple of pretty difficult decisions.

On top of this, believe it or not, I see Artem Anisimov, of all players, deciding how the rest of the top 6 will fill out. Tom Renney has gone on record stating that the only thing separating the 20 year old Russian from the show is his weight. At 6'4" and a reported 200 pounds, Renney would like to see Ani fill out his frame a little bit more so he would be able to endure the grind and more physically demanding NHL game. However, almost none of us expected Staal to go from training camp walk on to the team's #2, or arguably #1 defenseman as a 20 year old down the stretch last season. If Anisimov has a good training camp and Traverse City tournament, I can see him being a New York Ranger playing the games in Prague against the Lightning.

If Anisimov makes the team, you may ask, what about Dubinsky? Great question. We all saw the surge of Brandon last season centering two very experienced and skilled players in Straka and Jagr on the first line. Some have even said they see future captain material in him. One poster on HF even went as far as to compare Dubinsky's style of play to shades of Messier. That, my friends, is a scary thought. While I do by no means endorse Dubinsky as the next Messiah, I believe that he has a lot of potential as a top 6 forward, and being a key player to the organization for years to come. However, with the log jam at centers that the Rangers have, I believe that playing him on the 3rd line with checking forwards would hinder his development. My suggestion? If Anisimov makes the team, put him on the left wing of a line with Drury and Zherdev. Dubi's big body and prowess along the boards would free up space for Zherdev to do his magic and score and set-up a lot of goals. This would also immensely help out his development playing with two very skilled players while Anisimov gets his feet wet on the 3rd line.

With this scenario, this would only leave one more spot on the top 6. My personal opinion is that it should be Petr Prucha's spot to lose. Playing on a line with Gomez and Naslund would be filled with such speed and skill that Petr would pay out big time. Combine Naslund's experience and Gomez's playmaking abilites, and I truly believe that we will see the Prucha of 05-06 show up to the Garden again, and not the shell of his 07-08 self. This, however, would demote Dawes to the 3rd line, where his soft stick and finishing roles on the team would be greatly diminished. You never know what will happen in training camp, and obviously, I am not the coach of the team. Tom Renney and Co. know a lot more about the players in the organization than you and I would ever dream to know.

Without further ado, my projected forward lines for the opening games in Prague:

Naslund-Gomez-Prucha

Dawes-Drury-Zherdev

Fritsche-Dubinsky-Sjostrom

Voros-Betts-Callahan

Orr

As for the defense, I believe that the 6 defensemen who make the team are all but set in stone. It is a matter of seeing what combinations work and which one's do not. This may take some time, but overall, this group of defensemen is a lot more skilled and mature than last year's. What is up for debate, however, is who the 7th defenseman that the team carries will be. Thomas Pock in my mind is the most logical and cap friendly option, but guys like Corey Potter, although I believe is overrated, and Brian Fahey will all draw consideration. To be honest, I cannot say who will be the 7th defenseman on Opening Night, as it is too much of a crapshoot to say one guy for sure.

Some may say that Sanguinetti is ready for the big show. I respectfully disagree. While there is no denying his talent, his play in his own end leaves a lot to be desired. Working towards this, as well as serving as the power play QB of running Hartford's power play from the point, will prove to be very valuable experience for him. I have hopes that Bobby will be an absolute power play monster from the point for the Rangers, so there is no point is rushing him and throwing him into the fire of the NHL too early. I do, however, believe that he is all but a lock for the team next year if he shows encouraging signs of development in Hartford. I also would not put a brief NHL call up out of the question this season in case of injury.

The defensive pairings on Opening Night (or what they should be anyway):

Staal-Redden

Mara-Girardi

Kalinin-Rozsival

Pock/Fahey/Potter

As for the goalies...you really don't need to ask.

Lundqvist

Valiquette

That's it from me for now. Let the countdown for training camp and the regular season begin!

Traverse City Tournament for New York Rangers Prospects Announced

As per Zipay over at Newaday, the Rangers look to be sending another solid group of young players in an attempt to defend the Traverse City Championship that the team won last season. There are some interesting selections, with players such as Lauri Korpikoski and Brandon Dubinsky no longer eligible, having seen action in the NHL last season. The tournament takes place during the big club's training camp, so it will be interesting to see who in this tournament gets a long look from the big club. Here is the roster for the tournament:

G Matt Zaba
G Antoine LaFleur (unsigned)

C Artem Anisimov
C Joe Barnes
C Chris Doyle (unsigned)
C Evgeny Grachev (unsigned)
C Thomas Pyatt
C Tomas Zaborsky

F Brodie Dupont
F Siarhei Dzemahin
F Justin Soryal
F Mike Taylor
F Ryan Hillier (injured)
F David Skokan
F Dale Weise (unsigned)

D Michael Del Zotto (unsigned)
D Vladimir Denisov
D Tomas Kundratek
D Bobby Sanguinetti
D David Urquhart

Speculation: Mats Sundin to the Rangers?

After Larry Brooks' article this past Sunday that stated that Sundin has the desire to play in New York, I figured that I'd interrupt my Prospect Profiles series and sound off on the issue. This is especially a hot topic on HF Boards where I post regularly. Below is what I wrote, word for word, about the issue, including the positives and negatives of Sundin signing in New York, along with what would need to be done in order to fit Mats under the salary cap. In addition to this, I offer some insight on what can happen, both this season, and in the near future as a result of Sundin signing. Enjoy!

The way I see it, the scenario of signing Sundin will greatly affect the team, and in addition has its positive and negative impacts.

I'll start out by saying Rozsival will likely be the guy to get dealt in order to free up cap space. Some in this thread have said that it will decimate the Rangers' defense. I respectfully disagree. Trading Rozsival will free up 5 million dollars in cap space. The return for Rozy would probably be a middle to low pairing defenseman and a draft pick. The way I see it, a team like the Los Angeles Kings would make a great trading partner for the Rangers. Consider this....To LA:Rozsival (Cap hit: 5 million/year)Pittsburgh 5th the Rangers got in the Hollweg tradeTo NYR:Tom Preissing (Cap hit: 2.7 million/year for 3 more seasons)LA 2nd rounder in 2009

The Rangers in return get a servicable middle pairing guy that can man the 2nd power play unit that is signed to a cap friendly deal for the near future, and get what will probably be equivalent to a late 1st round pick in a very deep draft. If Sundin signs and the deal I outlined goes through, the team looks like this....

Drury-Gomez-Zherdev

Naslund-Sundin-Sjostrom

Dawes-Dubinsky-Prucha

Voros/Fritsche-Betts/Fritsche-Callahan/Orr

Staal-Redden

Preissing-Girardi

Mara-Kalinin

That's a damn good team if you ask me.

Now onto the negatives. The defense I just outlined looks very suspect outside of the first pairing. The bottom 4 defenseman, however, are all capable of playing middle pairing minutes in my mind, so it would be interesting to see how that would turn out. With the departure of Rozsival, the Rangers defenseman with the most experience playing the Rangers system would be Paul Mara, albeit NHL experience outside of Girardi and Staal will not be a problem. By trading Rozsival, you mortgage a very solid defensive corps and hope that what you have will work out. As we've seen last season, it took a while for the team to develop some chemistry, and I fear that the defense will encounter some of the same growing pains this season that the offense had last season.

Also, signing Sundin to a contract will greatly hinder the Rangers' ability to make a big move at the trading deadline if necessary. As the poster before me mentioned, injuries happen, and finding a placement will not be too easy unless the Rangers promote some players from Hartford.

In conclusion, I would be very happy if Sundin signed here, but for no more than a year. I absolutely love what he brings to the table, and having a guy like Naslund on his wing can potentially get him back up to the 90 point echelon again. I really believe in my heart that a team with Sundin this season can bring the cup back to the Garden. If he is signed to a one year deal, Sundin's salary comes off the books, and by the 09 season, Sanguinetti will be ready for the big club, in addition to Sauer and maybe even Del Zotto on defense. On offense, re-signing Zherdev if he performs well would be key. Once that happens, the Red Army era of the New York Rangers can begin with Anisimov and hopefully Cherepanov being ready for the big club.

New York Rangers Prospect Profiles: Hugh Jessiman

I have finally amassed the courage to write about the most enigmatic Rangers prospect, Hugh Jessiman, dubbed "Huge Specimen" by some Ranger fans for his 6'6" 225 pound frame. From that fateful day in June of 2003, Jessiman has been a mystery. After registering 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points for Dartmouth as a freshman, the Rangers decided to take a huge gamble, no pun intended, at 12th overall in the 2003 NHL Draft. In a draft that saw the likes of Parise, Getzlaf, Richards, Brown, Seabrook, Burns, and Perry be taken after Jessiman, this pick flat out hurts the Ranger fan in me. But I digress.

Jessiman played two more seasons at Dartmouth, in which he only managed 35 points in 46 games in two years despite an injury in his junior year of college. Hugh then decided to attempt to turn pro at age 20 in hopes of making the Rangers big club, but he would have no such luck. Things got steadily worse for Hugh, as he registered a lukewarm 19 points in 46 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the 2005-2006 season. As a result, he got sent down to the ECHL for further work on his game. The 2006-2007 season was no different, as he registered a disappointing 13 points in 49 games with Hartford, resulting in another demotion to the ECHL. At this point, most Ranger fans have written Hugh off as a huge bust. This previous season, however, a new hope was found as Hugh was able to stick with Hartford all season and register 18 goals and 24 assists for 42 points in 71 games, most of the time playing top 6 minutes for the team. In addition to this, Hugh also earned 154 penalty minutes, proving that he is also a force to be respected physcially as well.

In this offseason, Hugh accepted the Rangers' one year qualifying offer, meaning he has at least one more year to prove his worth to the Rangers coaching staff. In my opinion, this is the "make or break" year for Hugh. If he fails to show any type of improvement this season, he most likely will not be re-signed by the Rangers organization. Although many if not most Ranger fans have already written off Hugh as a bust, I have not personally given up on him yet. A power forward type of player that Hugh is needs a great deal of development, and usually do not crack the NHL club until their mid-twenties. Right now, Jessiman is 24, giving him at least 2 more years in my book to prove himself. Think about this Ranger fans; Todd Bertuzzi did not have a 50 point until he was 25 years old.

Despite this, Jessiman still has a lot to work on before he can have a shot with the New York Rangers. Although he has a lot of raw talent and still oozes potential, his skating and hockey sense still leave a lot to be desired. Speed is key in the "new" NHL, and if Hugh can find a way to keep up with the pace of the game on a consistent basis, I don't think an NHL call-up is out of the question in the near future.

New York Rangers Prospect Profiles: Bobby Sanguinetti

The Garden State native is the next prospect covered in my "Prospect Profiles" series. In the year before his draft eligibility, he had a breakout year, registering 14 goals and 51 assists for 65 points as a member of the Owen Sound Attack, high among point totals for OHL defensemen. However, due to worries about his defensive positioning, he was able to slip to 21st overall in the 2006 NHL Draft where the Rangers were able to take him. Growing up a Ranger fan his entire life, he wears number 22 to pay homage to the great #2.

This previous year, he was sent back to the Canadian juniors to further polish his skills, and he did not disappoint. He notched 29 goals along with 41 assists to raise his point total on the season to 70, all the while registering a pretty low 38 PIM as a member of the Brampton Battalion. After the OHL season, he was sent to Hartford and was able to register an assist with low ice time in 11 games. Despite this, his more than point per-game pace in the OHL is very encouraging for his development.

At the prospect camp after this year's NHL draft, he has shown big signs in maturity, both in physical appearance and play on the ice. My bet is that he spends a year in the AHL as a member of the Hartford Wolf Pack, but I believe that we will be able to see Bobby in the NHL sooner rather than later. In my mind, he can become that power play quarterback that the Rangers have desperately needed on the point for some time now. He certainly has the offensive capability to do so, but how he performs defensively at a higher level remains to be seen, and will be the determination of whether or not he becomes a bottom pairing, PP specialist, or a bonafide first pairing defenseman just like #2.

New York Rangers Prospect Profiles: Artem Anisimov

With the Traverse City prospect tournament in six weeks, we are getting closer day by day to the drop of the puck to inaugurate the 2008-2009 season. As a hardcore hockey fan, the summer has to be the absolute worst time of year. In order to pass the time, I thought it would be a unique concept to give you my analysis on the Rangers' prospects one by one until the Traverse City tournament. Keep in mind that I am not writing about each prospect in any particular order. For my first installment of "Prospect Profiles", I give my opinion on Russian prospect Artem Anisimov.

As a junior player, Anisimov played for Lokamotiv of the then RSL. In those days, he showed promise of one day becoming a great center, although he saw limited action during this time. Widely ragarded as a first round talent, the Rangers were able to grab him in the 2nd round at 54th overall in the 2006 NHL Draft due to the lack of a transfer agreement. However, all of these fears were quelled when he announced that he intended to come to play in North America as soon as possible. One year later, he is a member of the Hartford Wolfpack as a top 6 forward and one of the most interesting Rangers prospects.

In one season of AHL action, he scored 16 goals and added 27 assists for 43 points in his first season of the AHL as the youngest player in the league. He has shown that he is a reliable two-way center that has drawn comparisons to Sergei Federov and Keith Primeau by some Ranger fans. He reasonably projects in my mind to be an excellent third line center or a good second line center. Tom Renney has been quoted to say that the only thing holding Anisimov back from a roster spot this upcoming season is his particularly thin frame. At 6'4" and 190 pounds, Artem has a little bit of growing to do to fill out a potentially big frame so he can dish out and take NHL level punishment. With the acquisition of Zherdev and the possibility of Cherepanov coming to New York sooner rather than later, I certainly have high hopes for the mini Red Army that the Rangers have assembled.

What do you all think? How do you think Artem will pan out? A profile on another prospect will be up in the very near future, so be sure to keep an eye out for that.

Rangers trade Hollweg

...To the Leafs for Pittsburgh's 5th rounder next year. It never hurts to get picks in next year's VERY deep draft, and Hollweg was very expendable after signing Voros and Rissmiller. Overall, I'm very happy with the return that we got for Holly.

Radulov bolts the NHL for Russia, what does this mean for Cherepanov and the New York Rangers?

As I'm waking up on this Friday afternoon, I read something that is very disturbing. Even with one year left on his entry level contract with the Nashville Predators, Alexander Radulov has defected to the KHL and signed a 3 year, 12 million dollar deal with Russian club Salavat Yulaev Ufa.

This move is despicable on Radulov's part. However, the first thing that I immediately thought of is how this move impacts the Rangers' crowned jewel prospect, Alexei Cherepanov. Although Cherepanov has expressed the desire on many accounts to play in the NHL, he is set to honor the last year on his contract with Avangard Omsk this upcoming season. This Radulov move has me very worried. It is evident that Radulov went back to his home country to not only play closer to home, but for a bigger payday as well. Who is to say that Cherepanov won't do the same thing, and take home a large check rather than go to the NHL? The lack of transfer agreement between the NHL and KHL makes moves such as this hypothetical one and the move Radulov just pulled off.

I loved the day of the 2007 NHL Draft when Alexei Cherepanov fell into the laps of the New York Rangers. Talent wise, he should have been a top 5 pick, but the possibility that he may never come to play in the NHL is what caused him to fall like a rock on draft day. Now I am really starting to see why this happened. I have cautious optimism that we will see Alexei in a Blueshirt starting in the 09-10 season, but ladies and gentlemen, count me as one worried Ranger fan in light of Radulov's signing in regard to Cherepanov.

2008 Free Agency Review

Well, I'm writing this sooner than I thought I would, but I had a few thoughts that I had to type here before I forgot them. Despite the Rangers' conservative NHL Draft, Glen Sather sure wasn't tight during the first week of July. The only thing that I could think of as I was sitting at work checking TSN religiously on July 1st was how different this team was going to be this season. However, I can honestly say that I didn't see any of the moves that Slats made coming (except for the Naslund and Mara signings, scroll down to earlier posts in my blog to back that up). Some of the moves made me wonder what the hell Slats was thinking, and because of this, I can confidently say that some Ranger fans I know wanted to hang him from the rafters of Section 420. However, some of the moves he pulled off made me tip his cap to him, showing us a couple business strokes of brilliance we still know him to be capable of. Here is my take on the free agent signings and moves of free agency thus far:

- Signing Aaron Voros to a 3 year, 3 million dollar deal: The first signing by the Rangers of Free Agency, this move, although unspectacular looking at first, I think will turn into a great signing. Voros is a big bottom six forward that surely can replace Hollweg on the fourth line and bring a similar game with more offense (I really hope so anyway). He scored 7 goals, more than Hollweg's career total, and added 7 assists to Minnesota's trap-system game. I think he can blossom here into a legitimate 4th liner that is a threat to score when on the ice. It doesn't hurt that he isn't afraid to drop the gloves either.

- Signing Patrick Rissmiller: This is one of the few moves that made me scratch my head. However, with the recent departure of Josh Gratton, this turns into a very wise signing by Sather. To be honest, I don't know much about him aside from the fact that he played for the San Jose Sharks and played his college hockey at Holy Cross. He looks like the same type of player as Aaron Voros, minus the willingness to fight. My bet is that he starts the season in Hartford.

-Re-signing Michal Rozsival to a 4 year, 20 million dollar contract: To be clear, I was never Rozsival's biggest fan to begin with. Although I do believe Rozy is a very serviceable middle pairing D-man, his offseason hip surgery and horrendous 2nd half of the 2007-08 season raise a couple of concerns for me. I hope he plays like the Rozsival in the first half of last season for the majority of his contract, for his own sake. Although I believe $5 million/year is overpayment for Rozsival, he was a good alternative to other high priced D-men on the market at that price, which brings me to....

-Signing Wade Redden to a 6 year, 39 million dollar contract: OUCH. That was my first thought when I got wind of the terms of the contract. Redden is a legitimate number 1 defenseman that the Rangers have desperately needed since Leetch retired. However, I do not believe that Redden was the answer at this point of his career. At 31, he is in his prime years as a player, but the depreciation value on defensemen in the new NHL has been steadily declining recently. This makes me worry that the Rangers could potentially be stuck with his albatross of a contract for a good 2 to 3 years. I do have faith that Wade will bounce back in New York and be a defensive leader that the Rangers need. Add this to the fact that he would be a GREAT mentor to Marc Staal, Redden could very well end up being worth every penny.

-Re-signing Steve Valiquette to a new contract: I like Steve, and think he is a very serviceable back-up. He also appears to be a well liked figure in the locker room, and is a great team player. Great signing.

-Acquiring Dan Fritsche and Nikolai Zherdev for Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman: You have to go back four years to the 2004 trade deadline to see a better deal for the New York Rangers if all goes according to plan. Simply put: Sather fleeced Columbus in this trade. Zherdev is a potential superstar in this league, and Fritsche is an upgraded version of Callahan. Although I am very sad to see Tyuts go, sending Backman and his salary with him, AND getting Zherdev and Fritsche in return dulls the pain. I have read some scouting reports and commentary on Zherdev that hails him as having the potential to one day be as skilled as the likes of fellow Russians Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin, albeit not as complete of a player. This makes most Ranger fans, including myself, very excited for his debut on Broadway. Seeing him overcome knocks on his work ethic and defensive game at the Garden will make me even happier.

-Signing Markus Naslund to a 2 year, 8 million dollar deal: Questions about his age arose as soon as he was signed, but I for one have no problem with the signing at all. He provides more offense to a team that I think will outscore last year's goal totals this season, as well as some needed veteran leadership. Scoring 55 points on an anemic Vancouver offensive squad is no easy feat. With the right linemates, I see Nazzy lighting up the lamp a lot more than he did this past year.

-Signing Dimitri Kalinin to a 1 year, $2.1 million dollar contract: With the departure of Tyutin and Backman, another defensive signing was necessary. His scouting report reminds me of Backman all over again, but playing on the 3rd pair with a limited role should help him overcome his alleged confidence issues. Touted as a potential franchise defenseman since the day he was drafted, maybe this is the year when he lives up to the hype.

-Re-signing Paul Mara to a 1 year, 1.95 million dollar deal: My favorite signing of all. Mara had an excellent playoffs this past season to go along with the best playoff beard on the Rangers. Possessing an underrated mean streak and offensive game, getting him at less than 2 million dollars is a huge steal. This is the same guy that scored 47 points with Phoenix 3 seasons ago the first season after the lockout. I have no doubt in my mind that he has the potential to do it again if given the opportunity. Under the pressure of a one year deal, Mara is at the crossroads of his career, as I'll be one of his biggest fans this year rooting for him to have a monster of a year.

Of course, with all of these new faces, we also had to say goodbye to a lot of familiar ones. First there is Martin Straka, who agreed to return to his native Czech Republic to become a player/representative for his hometown club. Best wishes Marty, you busted your tail every shift as a Ranger.

Then there's Sean Avery. He simply left New York for a bigger payday. Nothing wrong with that. I have no further comment on him.

Brendan Shanahan, although as of now unsigned, looks to be done as a New York Ranger, and possibly with his career. He is one of the greatest talents of our generation, but it is his time to hang them up. Although he still possesses the wrist shot of a 20 year old, he looks like his age skating. You had an awesome career Shanny, nothing but a class act the whole way. I look forward to your Hall of Fame induction.

Finally, there is Jaromir Jagr. What can I say? He is one of the top 20, maybe top 10 best players of all time to play the game. After the signing of Markus Naslund, Jagr saw the writing on the wall and took the 3 year deal worth over 30 million dollars to go play along side Rangers top prospect Alexei Cherepanov in the KHL as a member of Avangard Omsk. I have my hopes that Jagr passes along some great advice to Alexei, and talks to him about coming to New York sooner rather than later. At least I hope so anyway.

But I digress. Although being accused frequently of being a lazy primadonna, he has done nothing to show that. In his days as a New York Ranger, he has done nothing but give 100% on the ice, even going as far as playing through injuries for long stretches. I will never forget his strength, skill, and imagination with the puck along with his patented wrister from the right circle right into the upper corner. I wish you nothing but the best Jags, and along with Shanny, I look forward to your day in the Hall of Fame. In tribute, you are my newest jersey purchase.

That is all for now from me. I will be writing more occasionally this offseason if a Rangers related thought pops into my mind. Please leave comments! I love to hear feedback!

Some Quick Notes

Josh Gratton has signed with Nashville

Chris Holt has signed an AHL contract with St. Louis

Jordan Owens re-signed by Rangers to minor league deal



For those of you reading over at Bleacher Report, I apologize for the fact that I have nothing of value to write at the moment. The offseason is the absolute worst part of the year. Feel free, however, to check out some of my old articles on my home blog at http://truebluetestimony.blogspot.com. Be sure to keep an eye out for my take on how the Rangers fared in free agency as well as some of my personal analysis on some of the Rangers prospects in the very near future.

Jagr Agrees to go to Russia, Quick Hits

Jagr's days as a Ranger and NHL player seem to be over. Jaromir Jagr has agreed to take the 3 year deal from Avangard Omsk to play in the KHL. On the bright side, he will be able to mentor Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov, who also plays for the Russian club.

To be honest for a minute...not a single hockey fan has the right to badmouth this guy for his actions on or off the ice. He put Rangers hockey back on the map, plain and simple. However, it is time this team went in another direction. Thanks for all the memories Jags, we'll all be rooting for you in Omsk.





In addition, the Rangers reportedly have an offer on the table for Pavol Demitra (God I hope not), and the Rangers have re-signed Paul Mara to a one year, $1.95 million deal. This is by far my favorite signing of the free agency period so far. Mara has an untapped mean streak and offensive talent. If the Rangers are lucky, perhaps he can have another career year next season and earn a long term contract with the Rangers.

Naslund and Kalinin the Newest Faces

Naslund I am told has agreed to a one year deal worth $4.5 million with the Rangers according to Steve Zipay of Newsday, despite a report from TSN that states the deal is two years in length.

Kalinin has also been signed by the Rangers. Terms of the deal are unknown at this time.

Rangers Acquire Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche

For Fedor Tyutin and Christian "Send 'em" Backman. I love this deal at first sight. Something tells me Glen Sather and the Rangers aren't done today.

Redden signs with Rangers

6 years, 6.5 million/year. More as I have it

More Signings

BREAKING: Zidlicky to Wild for Ryan Jones and a 2nd

Brunette signs with Wild

Vermette also rumored to Wild.....more as I have it

Kings have picked up Denis Gauthier
............................................................................


Vrbata to TB for 3 million per year

Dupuis Re-signed by PIT for 3 years

Rene Bourque traded to Calgary for 2nd rounder

A Flurry of Trades and Signings

Edmonton has traded Torres to CLB for Brule

Edmonton acquired Erik Cole in exchange for Joni Pitkanen

Green has extended with Washington: 4 years, 5.25 per I am told

Devils have re-signed Salvador and Pandolfo

Red Wings have re-signed Brad Stuart

Rolston to test the market

Ducks have signed Perry to a 5 year, 26.625 million deal

Penguins are close to extending Malkin

Sundin is rumored to choose between Rangers and Red Wings

2008 Rangers Free Agency Preview

After the smoke that the NHL Draft created has cleared, we are now in for another hectic time in the NHL. The opportunity for all NHL clubs to sign unrestricted free agents starts at exactly 12:00 noon Eastern Time tomorrow. With the amount of free agents the New York Rangers have, the next 24-48 hours are going to be very interesting to say the least. There are bound to be new faces added to the Rangers organization, as well as familar faces packing their bags. Although this year's free agent class is weak in relation to other years, I fully expect the Rangers to make a run at some of the big names available.

There are many needs that need to be addressed on the roster that need to be filled, whether it be from within the organization or via free agency. The Rangers have roughly $21 million dollars in cap space to work with, and they should spend it wisely. Here is what I think they should do:

1. Sign Brooks Orpik (D): Orpik's stock has gone up due to a very stellar performance in the playoffs this past year. Keeping this in mind, Orpik recently rejected a contract offer worth over 3.5 million/year from Pittsburgh, and instead opted for free agency. Orpik is the no nonsense, tough as nails defenseman the Rangers lack. Signing him would make opposing forwards think twice about crashing the net or messing with King Henrik.

Expected deal: 4 years, 15 million

2. Sign Michael Ryder (RW): Ryder has practically been run out of Montreal due to his inconsistent play with the Habs. In tpart due to the media circus that exists north of the border, Ryder's stock is at an all time low. As a Ranger fan, I want to take a flyer on this guy. He has scored 30 goals more than once in his career, showing that he is a capable top 6 forward. Give him time to bounce back. Sather and co. will be very happy they pursued him if he turns it around, which I think he will.

Expected deal: 3 years, 8 million

3. Sign Markus Naslund (W): Perhaps my most controversial idea, Naslund is still an excellent goal scorer. Scoring 57 points on an anemic offensive team in Vancouver shows that he still has some gas left in the tank. Naslund has gone on record saying that he would accept a discounted deal in order to go to a contender. This team is ready to move on from Jagr, and as a result, Naslund will be a great short term solution to replace Jagr's point production. It also cannot hurt to have another Swede on the team to keep King Henrik happy. While I believe the Rangers are a great team, I have a hunch that he will go to a team within the Rangers' division that wears black and gold.

Expected deal: 1 year, 3 million

4. Re-sign Paul Mara (D): On HF (the hockey board I frequent), many people are writing Mara off along with the other free agents that are unlikely to return to New York. I am not one of those people. I believe that Mara is still a very effective defenseman at the NHL level. The guy scored 47 points only a couple years ago with the Phoenix Coyotes. He has an absolute cannon of a slap shot from the point, and with some good conditioning and luck, he can very well match that point total again. Mara also has the capability to exhibit a dangerous mean streak, as the playoffs this previous season are a good testament to that. I will be very sad to see Mara go if he signs elsewhere.

Expected deal: 3 years, 8.5 million

Total Cap Hit: Approximately 52 million

With Sean Avery, Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanhan, Martin Straka, Michal Rozsival, Paul Mara, and Stephen Valiquette all possibly not returning to New York, the Rangers will certainly have many holes to fill, whether from within or by free agency. These signings I think will keep the Rangers contenders for the near future.

That is all I have to say about free agent signings, but then again, what I think should happen and what actually happens is very different. The mock draft that I wrote a couple weeks ago does nothing but prove this idea (wow, what a disaster that mock draft was). Based on my ideas, the Rangers will have roughly 5.5 million left under the cap after the deferred bonuses from the cap last year. Due to this, I expect Slats to pull the trigger on a trade this offseason that will bring another good player into town. What will actually happen, however, we will find out within the next couple days. My predictions for what headlines we may soon see:

Rangers re-sign Jaromir Jagr- 2 years, 12 million

Rangers sign Mats Sundin- 1 year, 5.5 million

Rangers sign Brooks Orpik- 5 years, 21 million

Rangers re-sign Paul Mara- 1 year, 2.5 million

Total Cap Hit: Approximately 55 million

I know my predictions will most likely be way off, but it can't hurt to speculate, right? We'll certainly see what happens in the coming days. I will share my thoughts on some of the Rangers prospects throughout the summer, as well as offer some perspective on what the Opening Night lineup in Prague will be once we know of all of the free agent signings. Even though I am scheduled to be at work tomorrow, I will have my laptop with me at all times, checking TSN for updates religiously. I will post all signings here as soon as I find out about them. Until tomorrow, cheers, and try to stay sane enough to get through the next couple of days!

Minor Signings

Gaustad back to Buffalo- 4 years, 9.2 million

Lilja back to Red Wings- 2 years, 2 million

Shelley back to SJ- 2 years, financial terms undisclosed

Nokelainen back to Bruins- 2 years, 850K cap hit

BREAKING: Zaba Re-signed by Rangers, Olesz Re-signed by Florida,

The Rangers have reportedly come to terms with G Matt Zaba. A minor signing, but it can never hurt to have depth at goalie. I'll post the terms once I have them.

As for the Olesz signing, terms are for 18.75 million over 6 years. I guess Florida wanted to lock up a potential star for the team. Although I like Olesz and the potential he has, he is still unproven in my book in respect to earning a contract worth over 3 million per year.

More later...

BREAKING: Rolston's Rights Traded to TB

More as I have it....

Edmonton Acquires Visnovsky for Greene and Stoll

Breaking trade: Confirmed by TSN. Edmonton wins this trade at first glance, but I won't pass judgement before seeing if Stoll can bounce back and if Greene pans out.

In the coming days, my blog will become more of a reporting hub for breaking the latest trades and free agent signings. Due to being dead tired from playing over an hour and a half of soccer earlier today (my first 90 minutes of consecutive soccer in over a year), my offseason preview for the Blueshirts will be up tomorrow. I apologize for the delay in posting this; psychology essays and discussions take more thought and time than I initially thought.

2008 Rangers Draft Review

Well the 2008 NHL Entry Draft is all set and done. What we saw this past Friday night and Saturday morning was arguably one of the most interesting drafts that I have ever seen. Between the blockbuster trades and puzzling moves (Garth Snow, I'm looking at you), there were many topics of discussion. Although my New York Rangers were relatively quiet, Glen Sather, Gordie Clark and co. made some very interesting picks. Here is my review of each Ranger pick:

1st round, 20th overall- Michael Del Zotto (D): Picked 2nd overall in the OHL entry draft two years ago, ahead of the likes of Drew Doughty and Zach Bogosian, he is arguably the best offensive defenseman to come out of this draft, scoring the most points among defenseman in the OHL this past season. An obvious BPA choice at 20th overall, the only knock on him is his 1 vs 1 play on defense and his affinity for committing a bad give away. Time will tell if DZ and Sanguinetti will be one of the best 1-2 offensive punches from the back end in the NHL.

Comparable: Brian Campbell

2nd round, 51st overall- Derek Stepan (F): I'll be honest, I had no idea of who he was before he was selected by the Rangers Saturday morning. At 6 foot and 170 pounds, he needs to gain muscle, but his willingness to drive to the next and quick stickhandling make him a potential sleeper for the Rangers. He is said to have top 6 forward potential, a need in the Rangers' prospect cupboard.

Comparable: A poor man's Ron Francis

3rd round, 75th overall- Evgeny Grachev (F): My favorite pick of this draft by the Rangers. At 6'2" and 200+ pounds, he already has an NHL body, and it is only a matter of time before skill accompanies it. Said to be in the mold of Anisimov, he could be the banger that crashes the net that the Rangers desperately need. The breaking rumor that he gained his American visa, he very well could play in Hartford next season, making this pick even better.

Comparable: Dustin Brown

3rd round, 90th overall- Tomas Kundratek (D): My first thought when the Rangers gave up Alex Bourret to trade and get this pick: A Michal Rozsival clone. Built in a similar way, he is a solid puck moving defenseman who is ranked the best Czech prospect in this draft. His horrendous showing at the World Junior Classic made his stock drop, but if he can put all of his talent together, he can end up being a solid player.

Comparable: Michal Rozsival

4th round, 111th overall- Dale Weise (RW): A late bloomer at 20 years old, a solid season in Canadian Juniors made his 3rd draft a charm. Another big forward, he is likely heading to Hartford next season to see what he can do. A very safe pick in the 4th round.

Comparable: A lesser Corey Perry

5th round, 141st overall- Chris Doyle (F): Another potential steal in this draft, he is already said to possess an NHL calibur shot. Weak in his own end, he will need work in that aspect of his game. If he puts it all together, he projects to be an effective energy player.

Comparable: Could be the next Nigel Dawes

6th round, 171st overall- Mitch Gaulton (D): Another pick that I fell in love with once I read about him. Going 4th overall in the OHL draft in the same year as Del Zotto, yes, again, ahead of the likes of Bogosian, Doughty, and Pietrangelo, he is a hard hitting, crease clearing defenseman who has been very unlucky with injuries. Rumor has it that some teams had him in their plans as early as the second round if his injuries did not happen, making this pick a potential huge steal in the 6th round if he is fortunate with his health.

Comparable: A scary player if he stays healthy- Mike Commodore



Synopsis: A solid draft by the Rangers that addressed a lot of needs if some of the prospects picked pan out to be NHL level players. While some picks were a bit off the board, Gordie Clark has picked out some late sleepers, albeit not many recently. Only time will tell, however, before this draft can be considered a flop or success.

Be sure to keep an eye out for my Offseason Preview for the Blueshirts in the coming days!

2008 NHL Mock Draft

Well ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of year again. In exactly two days, the 2008 NHL Draft will commence, and we will see 30 NHL prospects being drafted onto their first professional teams. This draft is widely regarded as a very deep one, especially on the defensive side. Aside from the sure fire first overall pick, there is great debate of the picks that come after. Throughout this mock draft, I will give reasoning and rationale for each draft pick corresponding to the needs of the team for the first round. For the second round, I will simply list the picks, due to not having as much knowledge as I do for the higher heralded prospects. Without further ado: my 2008 NHL Mock Draft.

1. Tampa Bay- Steven Stamkos (C)

No surprise here. Drawing comparisons to Steve Yzerman, he’ll step right onto the Bolts’ 2nd line center position. Does everything at top speed and can play defense well. Has franchise potential and as a result is an insurance policy in case Vinny decides to leave the Bay.

2. LA- Drew Doughty (D)

It will be a tough decision between Doughty and Bogosian for the pick, but LA has shown interest in Doughty in the past, and in my opinion would be the perfect defensive partner for Jack Johnson. Has Scott Niedermayer like potential.

3. Atlanta- Zach Bogosian (D)

Atlanta goes for the BPA with their pick. Has a nasty streak to his game, with some offense to go along with it. His great performance at the combine shows that he has a desire to play the game, and will only work to better his game. Could perhaps become the best defenseman taken in the draft.

4. St. Louis- Nikita Filatov (LW/C)

What transfer agreement? JD will comparatively speaking go off the board with this pick. Filatov has expressed his open desire to play in Canada next year, heading to the Junior League there to round out his game. Filatov is too dynamic of a talent for St. Louis to pass up, adding even more to the offensive juggernaut that St. Louis is slowly building.

5. NY Islanders- Colin Wilson (C)

Relatively speaking, another off the board pick. However, the Islanders need help in every position but goalie, and Garth Snow has openly expressed his praise for the BU product. Another prospect whose good combine helped their draft stock. Will be formidable with Kyle Okposo on a line in a couple of years time.

6. Columbus- Luke Schenn (D)

Columbus has a recent history of taking quick and dynamic forwards with their first round picks. This year, however, will be different. It’s time that Columbus picks a defensive cornerstone to anchor their defense. Schenn is a good start.

7. Toronto- Mikkel Boedker (W)

The most surprising pick in this mock. Toronto sees something in this guy that will make them snag him at 7th overall. He would certainly help give a Toronto offense that will be in need of an identity after Sundin retires. Toronto is more in need of a forward prospect, and they go with the next best available winger in the draft.

8. Phoenix- Alex Pietrangelo (D)

An obvious BPA scenario here. Phoenix is shocked that Pietrangelo is still available at their pick, causing Don Maloney to rush to the podium to make this pick. Phoenix’s draft starts off with a bang, and in a big way. A tall, puck moving defenseman, Phoenix possibly drafts Ed Jovanowski’s successor on Phoenix’s back line.

9. Nashville- Kyle Beach (C)

With two first rounders within 6 spots of each other, Nashville rolls the dice with this pick. With the defensive pipeline full, Nashville will most likely take two forwards in the first round. Kyle Beach has very high potential, but his past concussions and alleged attitude issues make him the biggest question mark in the first round.

10. Vancouver- Cody Hodgson (C)

Vancouver needs offensive help, badly. With no noteworthy O prospects besides Grabner, the Canucks need another sure-fire top 6 forward in the system. A second line center for sure, he has the potential to be more if he can play the body well at the NHL level.

11. Chicago-Tyler Myers (D)

With a very strong farm system, the Hawks can afford to take a risk with this selection. Has Chara like potential, but the bust factor is also very high. Skill level is described as very raw, and will need several years before he can be considered for the big club. Could turn into the defensive steal of the draft if he turns into the late bloomer most scouts are dreaming of.

12. Anaheim- Josh Bailey (C)

Disappointed that Kyle Beach is taken, Burke opts for the safe pick. Bailey is a very quick and slick playmaker that will be a good second line center in this league one day. Complements Getzlaf’s power game very well. I can see a line of Perry, Bailey, and Bobby Ryan tearing up the Pacific division in a few years.
13. Buffalo- Colby Robak (D)

In lieu of the departure of Cambell, the Sabres will need a replacement on the back end that has the capability of playing big minutes. Although I believe Buffalo needs a forward prospect, they always have a way of puzzling me with their picks. Robak can one day turn into a solid defenseman in the league that will be able to QB the power play.

14. Carolina- Zach Boychuk (C)

If not for a bare prospects cupboard, Carolina would have liked to trade up and grab this guy. They find themselves very fortunate to see Boychuk fall into their laps. Though smallish in size, he fits Carolina’s style of hard forechecking offense very well.

15. Nashville- Mattias Tedenby (W)

Taking Kyle Beach at 9th overall, the Preds select the polar opposite in Tedenby. A small, skilled forward with top 6 potential, he reminds many of Saku Koivu back in the day. Watch out for this guy. He could very well turn into the second coming of Martin St. Louis that has similar success in the NHL.

16. Boston- Zac Dalpe (C)

Boston takes a flyer on this late riser. He would fit nicely on a line with Bergeron or Savard, adding to the recent signing of Blake Wheeler. His hard work ethic, defensive prowess, and good attitude fit right into what Claude Julien wants in a player and in the system that he employs in Boston.

17. Calgary- Jordan Eberle (C)

Calgary goes a bit off the board with this pick. The intrigue of a player that topped 90 points in a defensive WHL intrigues Calgary into using their first rounder on him. I expect him to be a very solid sniper that can regularly score 25 goals per year, in turn would help provide secondary scoring to a lineup that needs it.

18. Ottawa- Colten Teubert (D)

This guy can hit, period. He plays defense very well, and will make forwards think twice about their actions when he is on the ice. Questions about his hockey sense and offensive upside cause him to drop. Komisarek vs. Teubert can very well headline a slugfest every time Ottawa faces Montreal in the very near future.

19. Columbus- Michael Del Zotto (D)

Columbus goes BPA with their second first rounder, and is very happy to see Del Zotto still on the board. As an offensive defenseman, he complements the earlier picking of Schenn very well. A big kid at 6’ and 200 pounds, he projects to fill out very nicely, and will end up being a very effective NHL’er in the mold of Sandis Ozolinsh.

20. NY Rangers- John Carlson (D)

As a Ranger fan, I am very happy with this pick. Molding his game after Scott Stevens, he has a knack for getting his shot to the net and has the ability to throw a nasty hit and play a responsible defensive game. At 6’2” and 212 pounds right now, he will be a monster when he is ready to turn pro.

21. New Jersey- Anton Gustafsson (C)

The Devils need a center, and they will go with a Lou Lamoriello special, and draft Sweden’s answer to John Madden. Gustaffson has the ability to play a great two way game, though his ceiling is limited compared to the other first round forward prospects.

22. Edmonton- Greg Nemisz (C)

With the BPA’s remaining on the defensive end of the board, Edmonton goes for a team need with this pick. He is a power forward that is described as a poor man’s Rick Nash. He needs work on skating, but he can turn into a nice pick if he can put it all together.

23. Washington- Joe Colborne (C/W)

With a good prospect pool, Washington can afford to gamble with this pick. Nylander and Fedorov are not getting any younger, so Washington will be in need of another center in the near future. Colborne is a project, but can be this year’s bonafide sleeper in the draft if he improves his physical play, and proves that he can carry his skill set to the next level.

24. Minnesota- Luca Sbisa (D)

I’d be shocked to see Sbisa fall this low, but based on the needs of previous teams, he can fall like a rock on the 20th of June. Minnesota pounces on the opportunity to draft him, and get a future middle pair defenseman at the worst. Although he exhibit above average poise, he needs to prove that he can keep his cool under pressure at the NHL level.

25. Montreal- Nicholas Deschamps (C)

Montreal goes ahead and picks the local kid born in Quebec. Very calm and quick with the puck, he reminds many of another French Canadian in Boston named Bergeron. Will end up being a fan favorite in Montreal.

26. Buffalo- Danny Kristo (RW)

Buffalo loves drafting American kids, and the pattern continues with the 1st rounder Buffalo acquired in the Campbell trade. Quick with the puck, although not very physical, is a winger version of Tim Connolly, minus the injury problems (or I hope so for Buffalo’s sake).

27. Philadelphia- Thomas McCollum (G)

Philly has no glaring needs, so they draft an insurance policy for Martin Biron and Antero Nittymaki. With good positioning and a quick butterfly, he has number one potential for sure, it’s only a matter of when he’ll get his shot with the big club.

28. LA- Jake Gardiner (D)

Recently converting from forward to defense, his versatility will attract LA for their 2nd first rounder of the day. Although I will not surprised to see LA trade up with this pick along with one of their second rounders, Gardiner will be a solid mid level defenseman or a great energy guy if LA chooses to convert him back to forward.

29. Atlanta- Maxime Sauve (C)

Atlanta drafts a guy that can help jumpstart their offense. A very quick and dynamic player, he can be a nice addition to Atlanta’s forward prospects cupboard.

30. Detroit- Erik Karlsson (D)

The Wings have a good history of drafting Scandanavians, and they will opt for another Swedish national with the closing pick in Day 1. He is very quick, and has a good shot that shows shades of a young Sergei Zubov. Could very well end up as Lidstrom’s successor as a point man on the Detroit power play. He will, however, need to hit the gym in order to not get pushed around in the NHL.

31. Florida- Chet Pickard (G)

32. LA- Kirill Petrov (LW)

33. St. Louis- Tyler Cuma (D)

34. St. Louis- Matt Calvert (LW)

35. Phoenix- Jared Staal (W)

36. NY Islanders- Jyri Niemi (D)

37. Columbus- Cody Goloubef (D)

38. Phoenix- Yann Sauve (D)

39. Phoenix-Tyler Ennis (C/LW)

40. Florida- Aaron Ness (D)

41. Vancouver- Shawn Lalonde (D)

42. Ottawa- Luke Adam (C)

43. Anaheim- Cory Fienhage (D)

44. Buffalo- Jamie Arniel (C)

45. Carolina- Brandon Burlon (D)

46. Nashville- Jacob Markstrom (G)

47. Boston- Adam Comrie (D)

48. LA- Justin Schultz (D)

49. Phoenix- James Livingston (RW)

50. Colorado- Kruise Reddick (C)

51. NY Rangers- Danick Paquette (W)

52. New Jersey- Harri Sateri (G)

53. NY Islanders- Eric O’Dell (C/RW)

54. Washington- AJ Jenks (LW)

55. Minnesota- Justin Jokinen (RW)

56. Montreal-David Carle (D)

57. Washington-Victor Tikhanov (W)

58. Washington-Michael Stone (D)

59. Dallas- Mikhail Stefanovich (C)

60. Toronto-Evgeny Gratchev (C)

2008 NHL Draft Preview: New York Rangers

Well, it’s that time of year again. The time when all of the rinks have closed for the summer, and the NHL Entry Draft and free agency loom. With the possible losses of Jagr, Shanahan, Straka, Rozsival, and Avery, it is shaping up to be a very interesting offseason for the New York Rangers.

However, the draft comes before the time when GM Glen Sather has to worry about losing key players from the team. There are immediate needs for the Rangers, and there are long term needs that the team needs to be successful in the future.

Right now, it is obvious that they need a mean, crease-clearing defenseman who will make opponents think twice about running Henrik Lundqvist. A guy like this can be found in free agency, but I’ll address this at a later date. I will admit that this year’s free agent selection is one of the most shallow in recent memory. A sniper for Gomez to replace the potential departures of Shanahan and Straka would be nice going into next season, but again, I’ll address this in my offseason preview to be written after the NHL draft.

Now for long term needs, the Rangers will need a suitor for Jaromir Jagr. Alexei Cherepanov (last year’s 1st round pick), may or may not be that guy. Besides Cherepanov, Anisimov, Hillier, and Korpikoski, the Rangers prospect depth at top 6 potential forwards is very shallow. Although this year’s draft is reputably deep at defense, the Rangers need forward prospects. Good defense prospects can be found in the middle rounds, so I believe that the Rangers should draft offense early, then focus on defense in the later rounds. Keep your eyes on players like Mattias Tedenby, Jared Staal, Zac Dalpe, Tyler Ennis, and Kyle Beach as potential early round targets for the Rangers in the 1st round that I would like to see drafted.

However, as always, the Rangers organization has the potential to do something that no one ever thought possible (see Cherepanov falling into the Rangers’ laps at 17th overall last year). What I wrote above is what I want to see happen. What I think will actually happen is that the Rangers will go with the best player available when it’s Sather’s turn to approach the podium. Look for any of the following as potential Ranger picks: Colten Teubert, Michael Del Zotto, Josh Bailey, Kirill Petrov, and John Carlson. As for John Carlson, even though I advocate for a forward to be taken with the 1st rounder, I’d be ecstatic if he lasted until the Rangers’ pick at 20. He has almost the complete package, as I believe to see a bit of a poor man’s Scott Stevens in him, with more offensive potential. Another bonus to drafting Carlson: Sather doesn’t allow Devils GM Lou Lamoriello to draft the homegrown kid from Colonia, New Jersey that could very well turn out to be the second coming of Scott Stevens. Same goes for Michael Del Zotto, whom I believe draws comparisons to Brian Campbell.

Depending on who the Rangers pick in the first round, I believe that they should pick a player from another position in the second round. There are a lot of players in the second round that could turn out to be very special players. Some names that I wouldn’t mind seeing drafted by the Rangers in the 2nd round are Aaron Ness (probably won’t last to 50 overall though), Danick Paquette, Matt Calvert, James Livingston, Erik Karlsson, David Toews, and David Carle.

In summary, my want list for the New York Rangers in the first couple of rounds, ranked in order:

1st Round:
Tedenby
Carlson
Dalpe
Ennis
Teubert

2nd Round:
Ness
Staal
Paquette
Karlsson
Livingston


I figured that I will try something and do something special for my first blog post in over a month. If you leave a comment or e-mail me with some questions regarding the draft for the Rangers, I will post them in a separate blog post and write detailed answers for each question. Regardless, I have something special planned that I am thinking of posting in the near future, so be sure to keep an eye out for that!

On hiatus for final exams

I'll be back writing in the coming week, after my final exams are finished.

A lot to discuss, coming later this week.....

An uphill climb...

With the Rangers now down 2-0 in the series against the Penguins, they now face a very daunting obstacle in order to have a chance to win the series. I will touch on that later. What I feel needs to be addressed is NBC's blatant favoritism towards the Penguins. Not once did I hear Emrick, McGuire, or any of the announcing crew say anything positive about the Rangers.

Here are some of my thoughts on the game overall:

-NBC's favoritism towards the Penguins is UNBELIEVABLE...I'm listening to the radio feed the next time a game is on NBC

-without that quick whistle, overtime hockey will be in progress right now

-MAF never had control of the puck on that particular play....it should have been 1-1 Rangers; anyone who knows hockey knows that should have been a goal, and the referee was simply not in the right position to see that the puck was still loose

-the Penguins PP is unstopable, the Rangers need to find an answer for that and fast
-this series is over unless the Rangers win both at the Garden. I still stick by my prediction of Rangers in 6, you still have to like the Rangers chances if they win Game 3, and with 3 of the next 4 potential games in the series at the Garden.

LET'S GO RANGERS!!!! Keep the faith!!

Rangers vs. Penguins Series Preview

As the start of the series swiftly approaches, I will break down each aspect of the series that will determine the outcome. First off, the matchups between the two teams:

Jagr vs. Self: Pittsburgh fans will most definitely be booing him after leaving Pittsburgh a few years ago. Historically, he has not played well in Pittsburgh. If Jagr can get over the personal demons that he left in Pittsburgh, and continues his very stellar play, things could get difficult for the Penguins.

Pittsburgh offense vs. Henrik Lundqvist: If Henrik shows up to play this series and plays his A game, the Rangers will certainly be the favorites to overcome the Penguins. However, if Lundqvist is just average this series, the Rangers are heading for a quick exit. Henrik Lundqvist needs to exhibit his Vezina finalist game if the Rangers are to contend.

Rangers offensive depth vs. Pittsburgh defense: Pittsburgh has a very solid defensive core, whom are very tight, yet are very beatable. Facing three New York offensive lines that are very capable of scoring will test the strength of the Pittsburgh defense, as well as Marc Andre Fleury, the young goaltender of the Penguins. Pittsburgh has the firepower to score 3 goals in an average game. The Rangers' top guns need to come out firing as well.

Now for advantages:

Offense-You have to love the balanced scoring that the Rangers have, but the hard work of Crosby and the pure skill of Malkin merely headline the very high-octane Pittsburgh offense. High scoring games are definitely in store this series

Edge: Pittsburgh

Defense-The Rangers play a very solid team defense, often with the forwards helping out on the backcheck. The Penguins defensive corps is very experienced save Letang, but they are getting slower.

Let's call this one even-Push

Goaltending: Lundqvist is a Vezina nominee in his first three years that he has been in the league. Any questions?

Edge: New York



Final Prediction: Sean Avery was definitely a huge part of the Rangers success against the Devils in the Conference quarterfinals. He threw Brodeur off his game enough that he gave up 3 or more goals in 4 of the 5 games in the series. It is hard to say who Avery's target will be this time around, but with Colton Orr slated to be in the lineup tonight, Avery will be able to focus his attention towards the star players on Pittsburgh. Who will it be? Crosby? Malkin? Hossa?Fleury? Gonchar? Only time will tell. However, bank on him chatting amicably with one of these players.

On the big picture, both teams are coming off an extended rest, so I expect the rust factor to be a prevalent theme in the first 2 games of the series. The Pittsburgh offense will come out firing early, but if the Rangers defense and Lundqvist do their job, I can see the Rangers stealing a couple of games at the Mellon Arena. This will be a very hard, fought out series that will be determined by defense and goaltending. Mistakes in the defensive end will determine the outcomes of most games. I would not be a Ranger fan if I didn't say that the referees will play an integral part in the series as well. The Rangers better be careful when the poster boy of the league Sidney Crosby has the puck. The Rangers will most likely be on the penalty kill if any them do as much as sneeze on Crosby. Conspiracy theories aside, staying out of the box and penalty killing will be very important for the Rangers.

As for how I think it will play out, the first couple of games will be very hardly fought, but the Rangers will lose either Game 1 or 2. Marian Hossa will put on his disappearing act again in the playoffs against the Rangers, but secondary scorers like Staal and Sykora will step up in a big way for the Penguins. Lundqvist will continue his amazing play, and the Rangers will be for the most part average offensively.....until they lose a game on a questionable penalty, most likely in Game 3 or 4 at the Garden. The Rangers, however, will rally around this game and not put their heads in the sand. They will put it together, courtesy of some timely scoring from the Rangers vets in the closing games. The first Stanley Cup for Sidney Crosby will have to wait at least one more year.

Rangers in 6

Pittsburgh it is

Game 1: Friday, April 25th at The Mellon Arena. It begins...

UPDATE: 4:12 pm April 23rd

The rest of the schedule is as follows...

*if necessary

Sunday, April 27, 2008 2 p.m. NY Rangers at Pittsburgh NBC, CBC
Tuesday, April 29, 2008 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at NY Rangers VERSUS, CBC
Thursday, May 1, 2008 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at NY Rangers VERSUS, CBC
*Sunday, May 4, 2008 2 p.m. NY Rangers at Pittsburgh NBC, CBC
*Monday, May 5, 2008 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at NY Rangers VERSUS, CBC
*Wednesday, May 7, 2008 TBD NY Rangers at Pittsburgh

And now we wait.....

I apologize for my mini-sabbatical from writing this blog, but I was so excited about the Rangers playoff win on Friday night that I just drank myself into a coma until now in celebration. Well, not really anyway. Although there is much reason to celebrate the exorcism of the demon of the dreadful '06 playoff first round sweep, the road to the Stanley Cup is far from over.

With Boston forcing a Game 7 at Montreal, they are one team to keep an eye on if they steal another game in Montreal as they did for Game 5. Not only would they have a lot of confidence after beating the best team in the East, they have played the Rangers to two 0-0 draws that ended up as 1-0 victories, one for each team, in the shootout this season. Two teams with similar styles of play would certainly make for a very interesting Eastern Conference Finals down the road, but the Rangers are by far not guaranteed to get there looking at possible opponents for the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Here are the possible opponents for Round 2:

Montreal- The scenario: Rangers go to Montreal if the Habs beat Boston in Game 7,and the Caps top the Flyers completing an improbable comeback. Despite the February 19th nightmare in Montreal that every Ranger fan would like to forget, I really like the Rangers chances against a Montreal team that the Rangers got 7 out of an 8 possible points against this season. While Montreal has it's fair threats on offense, a Montreal back-end is not to be so worried about if Mike Komisarek is not playing his best hockey. An otherwise average defensive corps held by a rookie 20-year old goalie in the first playoff games of his career is the perfect recipe for an upset. I have an itch that Bob Gainey will regret trading Huet to the Caps. Bank on a Montreal exit from the playoffs next round or sooner, regardless of who they play.

Pittsburgh- The scenario: The most likely of all scenarios, the Rangers start off in Pittsburgh if Montreal wins Game 7, and the Flyers finish off the Caps. While Pittsburgh boasts the best offensive corps in the East, they have a potentially lights out defensive crew along with another young goaltender that has the ability to steal games. The forecheck will definitely be key if the Rangers meet the Penguins. As long as the Rangers bring the heavy offensive pressure, play a consistent defense, and Lundqvist continues his Vezina caliber play, I can see the Rangers advancing without too much difficulty. Staying out of the penalty box wouldn't hurt either. Pierre McGuire, NBC, Versus, and all of the other Sidney Crosby lovers, eat your heart out.

Philadelphia- The scenario: If Montreal chokes at home in Game 7 and the Flyers beat the Caps, the Rangers will start on home ice against the Flyers. You may say. "Wouldn't it be great to have home ice advantage in a playoff series?" The answer is not necessarily, especially when you are playing the Flyers. I will go on the record and say that out of the 3 likely playoff opponents, the Flyers are the team that scares me the most. With a pretty steady defense, a good goaltender, and young guns on the offense, they have the style of play that can wear down and beat a team in a best of 7 series. We saw very good games between the two teams during the regular season, including a couple of contests that went to a shootout, suggesting a very close series that would go down to the wire if the two teams were to meet in the postseason.

Right now, I believe that the Rangers are capable of beating any team in the Eastern Conference in a 7 game series, but as we saw in the Devils series, all it takes for a series to completely change is one lucky goal that came off of a deflection or odd bounce. As fans, all we can do is wait for the next opponent, and hope that the hockey gods are on our team's side.

The "Sean Avery" Rule

As most of you know, the technique that Sean Avery used to distract Devils goalie Martin Brodeur last night during a 5 on 3 power play has stirred quite a lot of controversy. Many say that Avery's antics were "Bush League", and that it has no place in the sport, but conversely, others say that it was an ingenious way to cause a distraction for an opposing goalie within the rules of the game. However, as mandated by the NHL, rule 75, describing unsportsmanlike conduct, has been amended. Here is the actual text of the updated rule.....

“An unsportsmanlike conduct minor penalty (Rule 75) will be interpreted and applied, effective immediately, to a situation when an offensive player positions himself facing the opposition goaltender and engages in actions such as waving his arms or stick in front of the goaltender’s face, for the purpose of improperly interfering with and/or distracting the goaltender as opposed to positioning himself to try to make a play.”

Now you may ask my personal opinion on the rule change, and here it is: Absolute bull****......to put it nicely. While such an instance may be distracting to an opposing goaltender, isn't the purpose of the goaltender screen the same? To prevent the goaltender from getting a clear view of the shot? Yes, I will admit Avery's antics last night were Bush league, but until today, it was within the rules and perfectly legal. It is players like Avery who bring excitement and attention to the game, something the NHL needs to put itself on the map here in America. To add to that, old style hockey that we see today is what sets the NHL apart from other North American major league sports. In what other sport is assaulting another person only punishable by 5 minute timeout from the game? In what other sport can you hit a guy on the other team with the puck as hard as you can against glass boards? This is why people love hockey and the NHL over other sports.

While the NFL is gaining the reputation as the "No Fun League" for considering the regulation of how long an athlete can grow out his hair, hockey players are putting their bodies on the line and doing whatever it takes for just a chance to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. Even as a fan of a rival team, you have to appreciate what each and every player does on a day in and day out basis to prepare for that chance. However, when people don't appreciate hockey players that are unorthodox, namely Sean Avery in this case, for doing something innovative and new, and complain that the player is a disgrace to the game, then ladies and gentlemen, we have a problem.

For your viewing pleasure, attached is a video of Sean Avery doing what has caused this controversy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec_2oKWe2Gw

Keys to Game 4

I won't dare to comment on Game 3, so I will sum it up in one sentence: The hockey gods did not allow the Rangers to win this game. Instead, this is a series again, where the Devils have cut the series lead the Rangers have to 1 game. The last thing the Rangers want to happen is to go back to Newark with the series tied 2-2. Here are some important points that will most likely determine the outcome of Wednesday night's Game 4 at the Garden:

• STAY OUT OF THE PENALTY BOX- This absolutely killed the Rangers in Game 3. Two power play goals, legit or not, made the game tightly contested. If the Rangers play smart and don't take bad penalties, I guarantee a 3-1 lead in the series for the Rangers 72 hours from now.

• Defensive coverage- On the game clinching goal, Madden was not checked, and the puck shot from his stick proceded to go off of a Ranger skate and into the net. Playing more tight down low will surely limit the scoring opportunities that the Devils get.

• Keep up the intensity- The Devils are going to come out on fire for Game 4, so the intensity of their team must be matched. However, as I mentioned before, the Rangers need to be very careful to not take stupid penalties that could jeopardize any momentum that they may have.

• Play the game- As a team, the Rangers are playing brilliant hockey right now, but there are the small things that they must do to beat a very well rounded opponent. Their offense seems to be clicking, and as long as the Garden Faithful and the Rangers skaters get into the head of Brodeur, they should have no problem closing out this series.

So there you have it, Game 4, Wednesday, April 16th, 7 pm at the Garden. Believe in Blue! Until then...

What if.....

On this warm and balmy mid-April afternoon, one cannot help but to think of hockey, most specifically the Game 2 contest between the Rangers and Devils that we witnessed last night. The first 2 periods of the game were played very conservatively by both teams, as we were treated to a very even contest between the two teams during this time. However, during the third period, there are so many things that could have happened that could have had implications on the rest of the series. Here are just a few:

What if....

-Colin White didn't screen Brodeur, and Brodeur was able to get on the post to prevent the first Ranger goal from going in?

-Chris Drury was illegally taken out of the play when the Devils scored with less than 2 minutes left?

-The Lagenbrunner penalty wasn't called?

-Betts was called for hooking on Paul Martin?

Speculation aside, I believe that we would have seen a similar result in the end, with the Rangers going ahead on Avery's perfect shot into the upper-right corner. If, however, the opposite of some things I listed above occurred, we could be looking at a different series going into tomorrow's game at the Garden. I do believe that there were questionable calls and non-calls by the referees last night, but as a Rangers fan, I'll take the 2-0 lead in the series that they have.

Game 1 to the Blueshirts

What we witnessed tonight was a very close game. The Rangers came out somewhat flat in the first period, and were fortunate to end the period at a tie. However, the Rangers came out firing in the second and third periods, and they were able to put the game away and win the game 4-1. Tonight's win was due in the most part to something the Rangers are not known for, and that is to crash the net for a rebound. Two of the most crucial goals in the game for the Rangers came off of rebound opportunities, much to the disdain of Martin Brodeur. Despite giving up one power play goal in the second period, the Rangers penalty kill came up big in the third period, killing off two key penalties.

The game ended with Shanahan unselfishly sliding the puck to Dawes to allow him to score his first career playoff goal into the empty net to make the score 4-1 and end the game.

Either way, we will all be treated to another entertaining and exciting game between the two

Metro-area teams two days from now this upcoming Friday in Game 2 at the Prudential Center.

*Picture courtesy of tsn.ca*

Here we are...

One day before the most highly anticipated series of this year's playoffs. After the Rangers' impressive stretch run, they look more than ready to make some noise in the playoffs this year after an early exit in '06 and a second round loss last season. I can guarantee one thing, and that is that the series between the Devils and Rangers will not be a sweep as it was two years ago.

Lundqvist is more mature than he ever was, and is already a veteran to playoff hockey in only his 3rd season of NHL competition. Add that to the playoff minded signings of Gomez and Drury, supplemented by solid play from the young players on the team, and you have a serious Stanley Cup Contender.

Martin Brodeur, is, well, Martin Broduer. Even at his age, he still has the ability to steal games for his team. The emergence of Zach Parise as a 1st liner and the continued consistent play of Patrik Elias and the Devils' defense will make for a barnburner of a series against the Rangers.

My prediction: This series will be the closest of all 7 other playoff series going on this year. Both teams have excellent goaltending and team defense, so the result of the series will be dependent on the offense of each team. You have to go with experience in a series like this. Rangers in 7



On a side note, Tampa Bay won the Stamkos Lottery...ahem...the Draft Lottery last night. However, I believe that Tampa is really hurting on defense. and they just might trade the #1 pick to get some help. Teams like Columbus and Minnesota would kill for a #1 center next season, and I see them as possible suitors that have trading chips that the Lightning would be interested in. If they do, this, however, the Lightning should be wise and lock up Vinny to a contract extension before considering a trade including their #1 pick.

The Playoff Push of 2008

I'll be honest with you, if you had told me 2 months ago today that the Rangers would be the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, I would have laughed thinking of such an occurence. The investments of Gomez and Drury were looking to be busts, and the 6 year, $6.875 million contract extension Henrik Lundqvist was given looked to be a mistake. Once 10th in the East, many of us were calling for the heads of Tom Renney and even Rangers GM Glen Sather. But here we are, in the beginning of April, with our team looking primed to be a tough team to beat in this year's playoffs. Here are a couple of factors that I attribute to the Rangers' surge in the past few weeks:

• The resurgence of Henrik Lundqvist as a top 3 goalie in the Eastern Conference: This guy has been playing out of his mind lately; a sub 1.00 GAA against key rival New Jersey, and most recently, earning his 10th shutout of the year, the best in the NHL and the most by a Ranger since the time of Bun Cook and Lester Patrick. In the contest today versus the Devils, he gave the Rangers a fighting chance to earn home ice advantage against the Devils in the upcoming Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Playoff series. With the exception of dropping a couple of eggs along the way, this man has been the team MVP next to Scott Gomez this calendar year.

• Trading for Christian Backman and the play of Marek Malik: Before you all bash me, let me say a few things. At the time of the trade deadline, the Rangers were wearing thin defensively with the injury to Paul Mara and the slight injury to Michal Rozsival. For a 4th round pick, the Rangers acquired their 3rd best defenseman in the past couple of weeks. After shaking off early nerves. Backman has turned into a reliable defenseman with some offensive upside. He is mistake prone, but there has only been one instance in which Backman could have cost the Rangers the game. Overall, a good trade by Sather, since mid-round draft picks are all relative in value. Onto Marek Malik, after being declared an "enemy of the people" by the Garden Faithful, he has stepped in the past few games and has done a solid job on defense. No glaring mistakes have been made, and that ever dangerous outlet pass has led to many Rangers scoring opportunities. Despite this, Malik is likely to be shown the door this offseason for salary cap reasons.

• Scott Gomez and Chris Drury earning their paychecks: What can I say, Scott Gomez has been the Rangers' best skater and leading point getter all season. He is a quick, dyamic player that creates a scoring chance on almost every end to end rush across the ice that he has become known for. With a bonafide sniper on his wing, Gomez is easily a point per game player, coming close to that rate with the likes of Nigel Dawes, Brendan Shanahan, and Petr Prucha as his linemates. Chris Drury has more than held up his reputation as "Captain Clutch" as a New York Ranger. Most recently with an OT game winner against Pittsburgh, his tendency for heroics will come in handy during the playoff run. Perhaps if he continues to maintain his reputation during this year's playoffs, it is possible that he will be awarded with a certain important letter on his sweater next year.

• The emergence of Nigel Dawes and Brandon Dubinsky: I always knew that Nigel Dawes would earn a roster spot on this team, it was just a matter of when. After this year, Nigel has rightfully earned his top 9 spot on the Rangers after toiling in Hartford for the past couple of years. I first witnessed his game in person at the first Rangers-Devils game at MSG this season. He scored 2 brilliant goals to give the Rangers a 2-0 win against Brodeur's Devils. At this point, I knew that he had earned his spot. He is a sniper with a very quick release that I believe is capable of reaching the 30 goal/65 point range in the very near future. Count me a very unhappy Ranger fan if he is at any point traded by Sather. As for Dubinsky, I don't think that any Ranger fan can say that this guy was going to come out of the gate like he did this season. He has been a very pleasant surprise for the Rangers this season, coming as close to a "five tool player" as you would call in baseball as any Ranger I can think of. His speed, shot, stickhandling, toughness (not to mention his willingness to drop the gloves), and responsibility in the defensive zone have catapulted him to the first line center job with Jagr. If he keeps improving, I see Dubinsky as a #2 center on this team with an A on his jersey in 4-5 years.

Outside of Staal's amazing rookie campaign and the consistent play of Tyutin and Girardi, that just about accounts for the improvement among the Rangers in the past couple of months.

I look to be posting again soon, probably in the next couple of days before Game 1.