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!