Gootzhockey

Traverse City Closes and Training Camp Begins

2011-09-16T10:50:00.001-04:00

Someone looks good in blue (MSG Photos)

The New York Rangers were unfortunately unable to win the Traverse City Prospects Tournament as they lost in the finals by a score of 5-2 to a much bigger and more skilled Buffalo Sabres squad. However there were plenty of bright spots from the tournament and it shows in the training camp roster of the big club.

Today is the first day of training camp starting with John Tortorella's infamous conditioning tests. It may be obvious but conditioning in the NHL is important with such a long season and you can bet the Rangers are planning on being on the ice for a long time. Per Andrew Gross here is the entire training camp roster.

There are two things you will notice looking at that roster. The first is that there are no veteran invites. There may be different reasons for this but I see it as a good thing. The team and organization believes that they can fill their roster out with homegrown talent which has been a mantra for the last few seasons. I would have liked to have seen a veteran defenseman come in but with Tim Erixon impressing people at the prospects tournament I am not shocked none were invited.

The second thing that you will notice and has been reported over the last day or so is that Wade Redden was not invited to training camp. He has been sent to directly report to the Connecticut Whale of the AHL which I guess is not really a surprise to anyone. The thing to watch is whether or not he will report to that camp. If he does not his contract is void but there has been no reason to think that he will not report to that camp. The obvious thing here is that it seems Redden is destined to sit in Connecticut for the entire season.

The story lines involved with the main training camp are evident and I will be going through the bigger ones throughout the next week or so leading up the Rangers first preseason game on September 21st in Albany against the Devils (school work permitting). For now we will have to see who survives the conditioning tests and who will fall out of favor. I would suggest following the tweets of the beat writers for this information as well as their reports later for much more in depth coverage.

C is for Cally...Its Good Enough for Me

2011-09-12T20:59:00.002-04:00

C is for Cally

In the midst of the Traverse City Prospects Tournament the big club made a big announcement when they announced that Ryan Callahan will start the 2011-2012 season as the Captain of the NY Rangers. Marc Staal and newcomer Brad Richards were named the alternate captains. (Yes the title is a play on a Cookie Monster song).

We all know the connotations that come to mind when the captaincy of the Rangers is brought up but the last time a Rangers captain was a drafted player was Brian Leetch. Before that? Ron Greschner.

The point here is that the Rangers have decided to follow through on what they have been implying lately and that is the fact that the young core of players who have developed in NY are the core the organization is going to roll with as the leadership group for the long term. Callahan and Staal seem to have stepped up as the leaders of the room among the younger players and Head Coach John Tortorella has acknowledged it as such.

I have seen people say that Brad Richards does not deserve to have a letter on his jersey since he has not played a game nor been in NY. However I disagree. Yes, it is important to acknowledge your core and show that you trust them. However, an important part to any leadership group is experience and Richards certainly has that on his resume'. He has won a Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe trophy. He has been from the bottom to the top and experienced almost everything you can in the NHL. All of those experiences add up to become something that the Rangers young core will need at times. As much as Ranger fans don't want to admit it about Staal and Callahan, there will come a time where they will not be able to address a situation having never been in it. There is a good bet that Brad Richards will.

Many have asked about why Brandon Dubinsky did not receive a letter. Dubinsky is most likely a leader on this team. If anything he is the emotional and much more abrasive leader. His attitude is one that is very emotional and open. However I don't think that is the type of leader the Rangers are looking for. The last few NYR captains have been very soft spoken individuals in Chris Drury and Jaromir Jagr. Callahan isn't the most soft-spoken person but he is much more subdued than Dubinsky who is a guy not afraid to speak his mind. A captain shouldn't be afraid to speak his mind but at the same time they cannot allow their emotions to run them and that is something, as we have seen in the past, Dubinsky has been known to do.

Obviously everyone will be expected to provide some kind of leadership in NY this season but the coaching staff has chosen a strong trio to lead the team into a season that is one of the most anticipated in recent memory.

Another Dark Day in the Hockey World: Lokomotiv Charter Plane Crashes

2011-09-07T12:53:00.000-04:00

There are no words...

Waking up this morning and turning on Twitter I am usually looking for something good to get my day going. However, today was not the case...not at all.

The Russian Kontinental Hockey League team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl's plane was taking off in route to their opening game when, due to reasons that I am sure will be uncovered, the plane did not get high enough off the ground and crashed. The entire team basically gone in an instant.

Many players and personnel from the hockey world are flooding Twitter and the news wires with this information and condolences to the families of all of those involved. But really, what is there to say? As many have said, everyone is just in shock. No one knows how to react to such a tragedy.

The hockey world has endured the worst offseason in its history. With the passings of Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien, and Wade Belak this summer, this tragedy just adds to the pile of terrible tragedies. Knowing just how connected the hockey world is internally just about everyone has been affected personally by all of these tragedies. And while getting back on the ice as quickly as possible is something everyone wants, no one is ever going to forget how tragic this summer was.

For the Rangers many have been touched personally by this tragedy. As Steve Zipay has reported from Artem Anisimov, "I knew half the team. I didn't believe it at first...then I felt sick."Anisimov played in the Lokomotiv system before coming to North America and the NHL.

Rangers forward Marian Gaborik has lost two of his best friends this summer which is an unimaginable loss to anyone. The loss of one friend is tough enough but something like this just compounds it. Pavol Demitra was known as one of Gaborik's best friends.

Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was a teammate of Stefan Liv's during the 2006 Swedish Gold Medal run at the Olympics and had become close friends since then.

Reports about who was on the plane as well as if there are any survivors are still trying to be confirmed. Ruslan Salei, a member of the team, has been said to already have been in Minsk waiting for his team to arrive but it has not been confirmed by anyone. Only two from the plane itself are still alive including Alexander Galimov who has supposedly suffered burns to 80% of his body. The kid is still fighting and hopefully he pulls through. The other is a crew member who is fighting to stay alive as well.

But the damage has been done and many have been lost. I still can't believe it and its been about an hour. There is really nothing else to say.

Here is a list of the confirmed dead. Not everyone has been accounted for as of right now though (courtesy of Sovietsky Sport in Russia):

1.Anikeenko Vitaly
2.Bahvalov Yuri
3.Belyaev Alexander
4.Balandin Mikhail
5.Vasyunov Alexander
6.Vashichek Joseph
7.Vyuhin Alexander E.
8.Ditrih Robert Genrikhovich
9. Pavol Demitra
10.Zimin Andrey
11.Kalimulin Marat Natfullovich
12.Karpovtsev Alexander G.
13.Kalyanin Alexander I.
14.Kiryuhin Andrey
15.Klyukin Nikita
16.Korolev Igor Borisovich
17.Krivonosov Nikolai
18.Kunnov Evgeny
19.Kuznetsov Vyacheslav Mikhailovich
20.Liv Stephen Daniel Patrick
Jan 21.Marek
22.MakKrimmon Brad Byron
23.Ostapchuk Sergey I.
24.Piskunov Vladimir Leonidovich
25.Rahunek Karel
26.Sidorov Evgeny
27.Skrastinsh Karlis Martinovic
28.Snurnitsyn Pavel
29.Daniel E. Sobchenko
30.Tkachenko Ivan Leonidovich
31.Trahanov Pavel
32.Yuri O.Urychev
33.Churilov Gennady S.
34.Shuvalov Maxim A.
35.Yarchuk Artem Nikolaevich

Crew:

36.Solomentsev Andrey, Commander
37.Zhivelov Igor Konstantinovich, second pilot
38.Zhuravlev Sergey, bortmehanih
39.Sarmatova Elena, flight attendant
40.Maksumova Hope Murzafarovna, flight attendant
41.Shavina Elena, flight attendant
42.Matyushin Vladimir Yurevich, flight engineer

Condolences to the friends and families of all of these people. It doesn't get worse than this folks. If anything the hockey community will have to get together once again and offer support and comfort because everyone knows they need it.

Quiet End to A Career

2011-09-06T16:18:00.003-04:00

Drury leaves the NHL like he came in: Quietly (Goldfield/NY Daily News)

Going to take a minute to go back a few days. On August 19th, Chris Drury decided to call it a career and retire from the NHL.

Overall his career was an absolute pleasure to watch going from a star at Boston University all the way to being a Stanley Cup champion. He was a face for USA Hockey and a player that many people wish they could emulate.

When Drury got to the Rangers, the expectations that were lopped on him were great even if those expectations were ones that Drury had never met during his career. The toll of his style of play began to get to him last season as injuries started mounting, the result of a career played hurt and ignoring pain. From concussions to wrist injuries, Drury persevered and continued to play.

The buyout this offseason signaled the end of Drury's career as a New York Ranger but I don't think anyone expected it to be the end of a career, including Drury. There are some who believe that he intentionally waited until after the buyout to retire so he could receive the remaining money on his contract. Looking at the way things went I do not think this is the case. The reason for such a long delay, I believe, is that Drury believed he would find another team and would continue training during the summer. However, as the summer went on, he realized that his conditioning could not reach the level necessary that he believed is needed to be the kind of player he is. A degenerative knee condition like Drury makes it very difficult for any player to continue playing, especially one like Drury, whose style involves sacrificing his body.

What the truth is, no one may ever know but what is known is that a great career is over. Drury holds a special place for me being from Connecticut and having gone to prep school where my alma mater (Fairfield University) lies. I had the fortune of meeting his family on one occasion and wish him only the best in his future.

Eastern Conference Wild Gues...err...Preview

2011-09-05T21:36:00.002-04:00

Another crazy season in the East

The previews continue here on GootzHockey as I am going to widen the scope a little bit here and focus on the entire Eastern Conference which will have many story lines. Spent about 45 minutes looking at this list and going over it in my head but I have finally come out with a list I think I am happy with...not sure everyone will be quite happy though...here is a recap of last season's final regular season standings:

Washington
Philadelphia
Boston
Tampa
Montreal
Buffalo
NYR
Carolina
Toronto
New Jersey
Atlanta
Ottawa
NYI
Florida

But that was last season. We now have a whole new game. Lets take it from the bottom

15. Ottawa Senators
Key Additions: Nikita Filatov, David Rundblad, Zenon Konopka, Alex Auld
Key Departures: Ryan Shannon

It isn't going to be a fun year in the Canadian capital as it seems the Senators organization has committed to starting from scratch. Whether the rebuild will be starting a little further on than most other rebuilds remains to be seen but it looks like the Senators will be looking up at the Eastern Conference for most of the season. Having retained Jason Spezza and veteran captain Daniel Alfredsson means the Senators aren't completely hopeless. There are some young stars who could possibly add to hopes as Filatov and Rundblad and considered high end talents, joining a cast of youth which includes Nick Foligno, Peter Regin, and Erik Karlsson. Having veterans like Sergei Gonchar, Chris Phillips, and Filip Kuba makes for a solid veteran backend to help mentor some of the kids. Craig Anderson in between the pipes will help keep some games close, and may steal one or two, but its going to be a long season in Ottawa.

Threat to NYR: Alex Auld: If there is one guy in the entire NHL that I would hate to see the Rangers play any given night, it isn't going to be Sidney Crosby, or Ovechkin, the Sedins, or any other superstar. Nope...its going to be Alex Auld. We all know the unbelievable talent of NYR to turn backup goalies into Ken Dryden. In this case they have with Auld. His career averages overall? 2.77 GAA, .905 save percentage. However, when it comes to the New York Rangers, this guy has put up hall of fame type numbers. In seven career games against NYR (six starts) Auld is 4-0-2 with a 1.02 goals against and a .963 save percentage. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers don't even see the mask of Craig Anderson this season. If that is the case, I wouldn't be surprised at four losses to the Senators.

14. Winnipeg Jets
Key Additions: Eric Fehr
Key Departures: Anthony Stewart, Radek Dvorak, Eric Boulton

The celebration of a team returning to Winnipeg may still be going on right now but things are going to quickly change. A young team that has potential will be on the ice but the growing pains will be very evident. A youthful core including Evander Kane will need to find a way to vastly improve their numbers if Winnipeg has any hope of success. Veterans such as Andrew Ladd and Nik Antropov will help provide some veteran leadership up front. Zach Bogosian needs to have a bounce back season while Dustin Byfuglien will have to be as good if not better than last season as he will be key in trying to lead the team. Duties will be split in net between Ondrej Pavelec and Chris Mason but they will be counted on to stop a lot of shots, especially in the high-powered Southeast division.

13. New York Islanders
Key Additions: Brian Rolston, Marty Reasoner
Key Departures: Radek Martinek, Bruno Gervais, Zenon Konopka

A team budding with youthful talent will suffer another year of growing pains as this young core grows together. It won't be as bad as a stretch during last season where they lost 21 of 22 games. But there are many questions abound. John Tavares needs to take the next step if he is going to become the kind of player Islander fans are hoping he becomes while Matt Moulson will be counted on to provide another 30+ goal season. Michael Grabner's breakout season will need to be repeated. Can Josh Bailey bounce back after a low season along? Can Blake Comeau and PA Parenteau be counted on as consistent offensive threats? Those remain to be seen but the Islanders will gain two players who were gone for almost the whole season last year in Kyle Okposo and Mark Streit. Adding them into the mix will help support the other players.

On the blueline, Streit will lead the way while Mark Eaton and Andy MacDonald will have to provide some support. Can Travis Hamonic have a good sophomore season? As always the concern in net is there. With no more Dwayne Roloson, the burden will fall to Rick DiPietro and Al Montoya. We all know about DiPietro's injury problems so the burden will probably fall to Montoya. Is he going to get tattooed with goals? Sorry...couldn't resist.

12. New Jersey Devils
Key Additions: Eric Boulton, Adam Larsson
Key Departures: Brian Rolston, Colin White

Another year in New Jersey has led to another offseason where not much change was made from the end of the season. Rolston and White were sent out of Newark with the biggest name coming in being Adam Larsson who the Devils acquired at the NHL Draft and considered to be a top tier pick. Zach Parise will be back for a full season after losing most of last year to injury. Ilya Kovalchuk will begin another year with the Devils with plenty to go with the huge contract he signed last summer. Last year's rookies in Jacob Josefson and Mattias Tedenby will be the focus of Devils fans as this one-two punch will be counted on to take a big step. A big problem will be top center Travis Zajac missing some time at the beginning of the season, making the development of Josefson even more critical. Veterans Dainius Zubrus and Patrik Elias round out the offense up front.

The blueline will get Larsson in as a fresh face joining veterans like Andy Greene, Henrik Tallinder, and Anton Volchenkov. However, the bottom two spots will be up for grabs. Matt Taormina, Bryce Salvador, and Matt Corrente will vie for those spots. In goal it has always been about Martin Brodeur but as the age has gone up, things have finally started to fall. Injuries in recent seasons have slowed Marty down but he will be starting again this season with Johan Hedberg (another Ranger killer) right behind him. I have them at 12 but the Devils always seem to find a way to make things work and get the best out of their players...don't be surprised if they finish higher.

11. Florida Panthers
Key Additions: Kris Versteeg, Tomas Fleischmann, Scottie Upshall, Sean Bergenheim, Tomas Kopecky, Marcel Goc, Matt Bradley, Brian Campbell, Ed Jovanovski, Jose Theodore
Key Departures: Tomas Vokoun, Rostislav Olesz, Marty Reasoner

One of the biggest shakeups in the NHL this offseason, the Florida Panthers went into the free agent market and have completely reinvented their image going from a team that wasn't highly thought of to something totally different. There are seven new faces up front with three more likely on the backend. This is going to be a team that could be a big time spoiler later in the season and may even be clawing at that eighth and final playoff spot. All the names above join a few familiar faces in Stephen Weiss, David Booth, and Mike Santorelli. Throw in the continuing young development of players like Dmitry Kulikov, Erik Gudbranson, Keaton Ellerby, and Jacob Markstrom as well as a top notch developing coach with Kevin Dineen and the future is suddenly much brighter in Florida. For the record, this is where things started to get very difficult in terms of making the predictions.

10. Carolina Hurricanes
Key Additions: Anthony Stewart, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Tomas Kaberle, Brian Boucher
Key Departures: Erik Cole, Joe Corvo

The Hurricanes are another team in the Southeast division that really could end up anywhere. This is a team that finds ways to win behind the strength of superstar forward Eric Staal and goaltender Cam Ward. The backbone of the team, they will need more support this season with a tougher division. Last year's Calder Trophy winner, Jeff Skinner, will need to match last season, if not improve. Jussi Jokinen, Tuomo Ruutu, Brandon Sutter, and Alexei Ponikarovsky will have to support up front.

It is the defense where a lot of offense will come from. Offensive defensemen like Joni Pitkanen, Jamie McBain, and newcomer Tomas Kaberle will be counted on to help spark the scoring attack of the 'Canes especially on the power play. With Cam Ward in net and a capable veteran back up in Brian Boucher behind him, the Hurricanes could be poised to make it back to the playoffs and cause some havoc.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs
Key Additions: Tim Connolly, Matthew Lombardi, John-Michael Liles
Key Departures: JS Giguere

The Maple Leafs may finally be able to make it into the playoffs this season but it isn't going to be easy. They have helped bolster their offense with their key additions above as they join Phil Kessel, Mikhail Grabovski, Nik Kulemin, and other talents to form a decent offensive group that is deep and will take some of the pressure of young players like Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozak. Suddenly, the center group for Toronto looks very strong, if they stay healthy.
Brian Burke's teams are built from the blueline and he certainly has done that in Toronto. Liles and Cody Franson joins Dion Phaneuf, Luke Schenn, Keith Aulie, Mike Komisarek, and Carl Gunnarsson. No doubt there will be a tough battle during camp for spots on defense. Phaneuf will have more pressure to get his numbers up on offense, if there is anymore pressure that can be put on for being a captain in Toronto.
The key to this whole house is the goaltending and the hope that the Leafs have put in James Reimer. Optimus Reim came in last season and took Toronto by storm with his stellar play and lifted the hopes of Leaf fans about their goaltending prospects. If Reimer can get off to a good start and be the consistent starter Toronto has been looking for in recent years then there is no reason the Leafs can't jump up into the top eight.

8. Montreal Canadiens
Key Additions: Erik Cole
Key Departures: James Wisniewski, Roman Hamrlik, Jeff Halpern, Benoit Pouliot, Alex Auld

Montreal didn't make too many changes this offseason except adding some offensive depth up front with Cole. The familiar faces like Mike Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec will lead the charge up front with a small but speedy forward corps. that includes Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, and the recovered Max Pacioretty. The real power of the Canadiens is from their back end however and the return of Andrei Markov will be key to the success of the Canadiens. They have consistenly had one of the best power plays in the league and Markov is a big reason. PK Subban will be counted on to raise his level of play as he has now become a guy people are going to go after. Josh Gorges and Hal Gill will play key shutdown roles but the most concern will come down to Carey Price and whether or not he can replicate his stellar season from a year before. They will have a tough time hanging onto the last spot and even have a chance at missing the post-season.

7. Philadelphia Flyers
Key Additions: Ilya Bryzgalov, Jaromir Jagr, Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, Jakob Voracek, Maxime Talbot, Andreas Lilja
Key Departures: Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Kris Versteeg, Ville Leino, Sean O'Donnell, Danny Carcillo, Darrel Powe

What a summer it was in Philly as it was time for an overhaul. Whatever reason Paul Holmgren decided to do this there is a lot of uncertainty into how the season will play out. If there is anything that is certain, its that the expectation to be a top team in the Eastern Conference hasn't changed. Up front has been overhauled and has pushed young stars like James van Riemsdyk and Claude Giroux to the top of the list when it comes to production. The return of Jagr to the NHL has many people interested. Based on talent, Jagr will find a way to be productive but the extent to which he will be is unknown. Schenn and Simmonds come over from a deep roster over in Los Angeles and will now have the chance to be apart of the spotlight and a major part of the offense.

The defense did not change too much with Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen leading the charge. The real pressure will be behind them in Ilya Bryzgalov. Coming over from Phoenix, the Flyers are hoping they have finally found that number one goaltender that will get them over the hump. Fans will be expecting it with the big contract Bryz garnered. How will he fare in a system that is much more open than that of Dave Tippett in Phoenix?

6. New York Rangers
Key Additions: Brad Richards, Mike Rupp, Tim Erixon
Key Departures: Matt Gilroy

A team that scratched and clawed its way into the playoffs on the last day of the season (with some help) has added a couple of pieces and is hoping to do better. Richards I have talked about and the combination that is hoped will be created with Marian Gaborik. The core will be back with Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, and the rest of the supporting cast. Eyes will be on rookie Derek Stepan and whether or not he can improve on a solid rookie season. Rupp joins Brian Boyle, Brandon Prust, and Sean Avery as guys who bring jam and will be charged with shutting down the opposition along with Ruslan Fedotenko. Wojtek Wolski will get a chance to be on the top line. Erik Christensen and Mats Zuccarello will also be fighting for spots in the forward corps.

The defense is young but solid enough. Marc Staal and Dan Girardi are the top pairing while Ryan McDonagh and Michael Sauer will form a sophomore pair that is looking to be even better. It is assumed that Erixon will gain a spot with veteran Steve Eminger and Michael Del Zotto fighting for the final spot.

Goaltending is Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Biron...no competition there. Just have to hope Biron does not get hurt this season and will be able to spell Lundqvist down the stretch.

Tried to keep NYR short as I will be going into further depth on them but a small piece.

5. Boston Bruins
Key Additions: Joe Corvo, Benoit Pouliot
Key Departures: Michael Ryder, Mark Recchi, Tomas Kaberle

The defending Stanley Cup champions were not big spenders this offseason. If Recchi had not retired he may have even re-signed with the team which would have kept them much more the same. It will still be the similar cast of characters. Milan Lucic, David Krejci, Brad Marchand, and Patrice Bergeron will be the big leaders on offense with Nathan Horton returning from a concussion and Tyler Seguin certainly getting a larger role. The supporting cast of Daniel Paille, Chris Kelly, Greg Campbell, and Rich Peverley will have to be consistently effective at shutting down the opposition while Shawn Thornton provides the muscle.

The blueline will be an anchoring force once again with Zdeno Chara providing the calming presence. Him and Dennis Seidenberg have formed an effective two-way pair. Johnny Boychuk, Andrew Ference, and Adam McQuaid will be providing some tough defense as well but offense from the blueline will be at a premium this year. The reason being Chara and Boychuk already have bombs from the point. Adding Corvo to the mix adds yet another weapon and another power play specialist.

In net Tim Thomas will be reappearing and while it will be difficult to replicate what he did last season during the playoffs and regular season people will expect good things. Tuukka Rask will have to wait another season before getting the starting job. Can this team repeat? I will say yes because they do have the talent and personnel again but I am not counting on it.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning
Key Additions: Ryan Shannon, Matt Gilroy, Bruno Gervais, Mathieu Garon
Key Departures: Simon Gagne, Mike Smith, Sean Bergenheim

Another high scoring member of the Southeast division the Tampa Bay Lightning will be looking to get over the hump of the Eastern Conference Finals and back to the Cup. With Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis, and Vincent Lecavalier leading the way, there is no reason to think they can't do it. The Lightning were really about unsung heroes during the playoffs with players like Dominic Moore, Teddy Purcell, Nate Thompson, and Steve Downie showing their worth.

The defense is stacked as it is the same from the playoffs and it isn't short on size. Eric Brewer, Victor Hedman, Pavel Kubina, and Mattias Ohlund will be towering over the opposition to form the top four. Marc-Andre Bergeron is always the lethal power play weapon while Brett Clark, Matt Gilroy, and Bruno Gervais will be rotating into the last spot.

Dwayne Roloson will be starting again and hopefully can have another stellar season. Much like the Bruins, a poor season for Roloson will mean tougher times for the Lightning. However, with their offense, it should not be a concern as Roloson will not have to stand on his head like he has in the past.

3. Buffalo Sabres
Key Additions: Ville Leino, Ales Kotalik, Robyn Regehr, Christian Ehrhoff
Key Departures: Tim Connolly, Rob Niedermayer, Chris Butler, Steve Montador

With a new owner and a much larger checkbook, the Buffalo Sabres made some splashes as they ramped up the pressure to try and become a big force in the Eastern Conference again. Leino replaces Connolly and will be surrounded by many familiar faces to Sabres fans. Thomas Vanek, Derek Roy, Jason Pominville, and Drew Stafford are the front line offense along with Leino. With them are young stars Nathan Gerbe and Tyler Ennis who, despite their small statures, are finding success at the NHL level. Brad Boyes had a resurrection after being traded to the Sabres and will be counted on for goal-scoring as well.

The blueline is where Buffalo has improved most with the additions of Regehr and Ehrhoff. They join veteran Jordan Leopold and the big Tyler Myers who is looking to rebound from a rocky season. Andrej Sekera will be a defensive stalwart with the sixth spot open to a kid in the system. Toughness won't be missing from this back line.

Ryan Miller in net which won't be anything new. What the Sabres are hoping for is a bit of a rebound from last season after the stellar season before. He will not have to play as many games though with Jhonas Enroth proving last season he is a capable goalie in the NHL and a possible future starter.

2. Pittsburgh Penguins
Key Additions: Steve Sullivan
Key Departures, Eric Godard, Maxime Talbot, Mike Rupp

In a nut shell, the hope of the Penguins all depends on whether Sidney Crosby comes back to the lineup healthy. Offseason reports have suggested he will not be back in time and may have long term effects. If Crosby misses a significant amount of time, the Penguins will have to be creative and will then be leaning on Evgeni Malkin for offense with Chris Kunitz, James Neal, Jordan Staal, and Steve Sullivan providing support.

The defense is the same as last season with Kris Letang leading the blueline. Another strong offensive season from him will certainly get him into the Norris conversation and he will be backed up by Paul Martin, Zbynek Michalek, and Brooks Orpik. Matt Niskanen and Ben Lovejoy will round it out.

Marc-Andre Fleury was a big reason the Penguins finished as high as they did last season and he will be counted on again to provide stellar goaltending, especially if Crosby misses significant time.

1. Washington Capitals
Key Additions: Troy Brouwer, Joel Ward, Jeff Halpern, Roman Hamrlik, Tomas Vokoun
Key Departures: Semyon Varlamov, Jason Arnott, Marco Sturm, Eric Fehr, Matt Bradley, Boyd Gordon

The Capitals went through a little overhaul themselves but they have come out a much better team for it. Add the new additions to the usual cast of Alex Ovechkin, Niklas Backstrom, and Alex Semin and the team has become much deeper which may help them get over the playoff hump. After a down season for Ovechkin, know he will be back out with a vengeance and looking to solidify himself back atop the NHL when it comes to scoring.

The defense added Roman Hamrlik to help shore up the back end but it will rely on a young pairing in John Carlson and Karl Alzner to be the anchor. Of course Mike Green will provide much offense with Dennis Wideman, Jeff Schulz, Tom Poti, and John Erskine being cycled in based on the need of the team.

Tomas Vokoun has been on teams that were good and didn't quite make it while in Florida it was all his show. In Washington, Vokoun took less money and will be looking for a Stanley Cup. If he can play at his usual high level, he will win more games than he ever has with a strong offense in front of him.

So there you have it folks. After hours of deliberation, writing, re-ordering, and banging my head against the wall I came out with this. Am I going to be right with all of these? Nope. But hopefully it will give you a taste of what is to come this season. One thing I do know for certain is that these standings could end up in a completely different order by the time the season ends in April. The conference has tiers to it in terms of talent but how those tiers pan out by season's end is anyone's guess at this point. Its a mess.

Hope you enjoyed. I am always looking for feedback and want to hear your opinions as well. Also, if you would like me to write about a certain topic I would be happy to entertain any suggestions.

Pump The Brakes: Realistic Expectations for Brad Richards

2011-09-04T21:38:00.001-04:00

Pressure is on for Richie (Ozier Muhammad/ New York Times)

If you asked Rangers fans about the single thing that has them most excited for this upcoming season I am sure you would get many answers. Whether its seeing the young core continue to progress, if the sophomore seasons of Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, and Michael Sauer are better than their first, or maybe even what MSG will look like with the lower bowl transformed.

One answer you will most certainly hear involves two words: Brad Richards.

The ink hadn't begun to dry from Richards' signature on his brand new nine-year $60 million contract with New York and expectations for the team shot up to the stars by many fans. I saw people saying the Stanley Cup was a lock for New York this year and beyond. I also saw the other side of the spectrum with people believing this would be another botched contract by NYR management and Richards would be gone in a few years as an albatross.

I certainly don't think that it is going to be the latter. Richards has played at a very high level his whole career and it doesn't look like he is slowing down. Was I a fan of the fact that this deal was nine years? Not particularly but it could have been much worse. Ranger fans don't have to look far to see a contract that is even worse in terms of length (use your imagination).

I have been asked about Richards and what to expect. Am I excited? Absolutely. The day the Rangers signed him I went on NHL.com and watched every goal he has scored the last two seasons. I've watched countless highlight videos on Youtube. Of course I am hoping for him to click with Marian Gaborik and they become the best one-two punch in the NHL.

That being said things don't always work out exactly how we want. Ranger fans know this from a few different scenarios in recent history that we won't go back into.

For me I am keeping my expectations realistic and modest. Why you ask? The odds of Richards scoring 100+ points are small. Only one person scored 100 points last season with Daniel Sedin and the only other people scoring 100 or more points on anywhere near a consistent basis are Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby with Evgeni Malkin thrown in there a bit. Its probably not going to happen folks. Richards has not gotten to the 100-point threshold before and nor should we expect him to.

We also can't expect that Gaborik and Richards are a sure lock for the top line together as well. When the Rangers signed Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, everyone believed Gomez and Jagr were going to be an unstoppable force. What happened? Brandon Dubinsky, as a rookie, ended up being Jagr's center and did pretty well there.

So could Richards end up centering Ruslan Fedotenko and Ryan Callahan on a line? Sure. Head coach John Tortorella will find the best combinations. Who knows? Maybe Sean Avery will end up on the top line with Richards. It is all up in the air right now and until we see some training camp and people on the ice we won't know for sure what is going to happen.

My prediction for Richards? A happy medium: 75+ points. Then again, Richards could score one goal the whole season and if it happened to be the Stanley Cup clincher I would be an ecstatic man.

Honestly though if Richards can match and beat his total from last season (77 points) then I will be a happy man. Some people won't be happy but you can't please everyone all the time.

Traverse City Prospects Tournament: A Glimpse at the Fut-ure (Near and Far)

2011-09-03T21:35:00.000-04:00

Tim Erixon (NHL/Getty Images)

Before the NHL lockout everyone knew that the Rangers were about signing big name free agents and did very little when it came to developing their own players. My how things have changed.

For the last six seasons the Blueshirts have participated in the Traverse City Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan. This event has become so prominent that MSG will now be televising the four games NYR is involved in and will have an unprecedented amount of coverage for a fan base looking to learn more about a prospect pool that seems to be deep.

Why has it become so important? A significant reason has to do with the young players on the team right now. Players like Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Artem Anisimov, Marc Staal, Derek Stepan, and others on the team now all played in at least one of these tournaments. If you combine them with all the players from other organizations who have played in this tournament and are now NHLers, the number grows.

This season will showcase many intriguing prospects in the Ranger pool that NY fans have been excited about...some even to the extent of drooling. You can find the complete roster here but I will highlight a couple of names who will garner the most attention:

Ryan Bourque, F, (Quebec Remparts QMJHL)
It has been two years since the Rangers drafted Ryan Bourque but he is showing some potential. Having played for Patrick Roy in Quebec as well as on the United States World Junior Championship team two years ago, Ryan has plenty of experience. With no more years of junior eligibility left it is time to get into the professional circuit and take his game to the next level. There have been some injury concerns in recent times but that shouldn't be any reason why Bourque can't become a solid professional player. He will be considered a leader on this Traverse team considering it is his third go around at this event and is expected to start the year in Connecticut.

Carl Hagelin, F, (Michigan CCHA)
One of the more interesting players in the Ranger system is the speedy Swede who has spent the last four years at the University of Michigan. When originally drafted in the 6th round (168 overall) in 2007 there was probably not a lot of expectation when it came to Hagelin and his potential as a future NHLer. However, after the last two seasons scoring over a point per game and being one of the best players in all of college hockey, that has changed. Participating in his first tournament there is no doubt that the Rangers brass and fans are expecting big things from the former Wolverine. One of probably two players on the Traverse team that has a shot at making the NHL, everyone will be paying very close attention to every shift of Hagelin.

Christian Thomas, F, (Oshawa Generals OHL)
If anyone has been paying attention in Rangerland over the last year you will know that Christian Thomas has certainly rocketed up the charts in terms of fan excitement. How could it not happen? Thomas finished the season with 54 goals in the OHL, good for second in the league. Its understandable that people are getting riled up. However people need to temper things a bit. I have seen people say that he will make the Rangers much like Stepan did last season after a good season at Wisconsin and impressive showing at Traverse. Is it possible? Sure. I would love to see him come in and just light the lamp so much they have to change the bulb inside the light every game. Is it going to happen? I doubt it. This isn't a knock on Christian's ability but it is more about what the make up of the professional club is right now as well as how the Rangers have been treating their prospects recently. Slow and steady has been the policy for NY for the last few seasons. Add that to the fact it is either OHL or NHL for Christian, he will really have to wow the Rangers brass and head coach John Tortorella. I say he will be sent back to Oshawa and this tournament will be a determining factor.

Tim Erixon, D, (Skelleftea SEL)
The big trade that the Rangers made during the off season saw them acquire Erixon who is one of the more touted defensive prospects in the NHL. Having played the last two seasons in arguably the second best league in the world and being a noticeable player for his team, Erixon will get his first crack at making a NHL roster. The Rangers expect him to make the team and so do the fans as he would join a defense corps. that is already on the lower end of the age spectrum. He is a unique prospect in that while he hasn't played in the NHL, his experience is already very high and will hopefully help make the transition to the NHL much smoother. He will be expected to anchor the blue line for the Rangers at this tournament and be a significant force for the team from the back end.

Dylan McIlrath, D, (Moose Jaw Warriors WHL)
The last prospect I'm going to profile is one who has been surrounded by debate ever since the Rangers drafted him last summer. The big bruising defenseman will be going to his second tournament and the eyes of fans will be on him big time. However there are a lot of encouraging reports from the Rangers in their rookie camp they had in July saying his skating has improved as well as his overall game. Whether that translates onto the Traverse ice remains to be seen but I have faith that McIlrath is really going to impress people at the tournament and prove a lot of his critics wrong.

All of the draft choices from the 2011 draft will be attending the camp as well and they will all be scrutinized. The five I have gone into detail about will have the most focus as many fans are already imagining what each of them will look like someday playing on Garden ice. It is fun to imagine but the reality is that there are no guarantees when it comes to development. These tournaments are a measuring stick and provide yet another chance for team executives to see their future.

The tournament starts late next week and will certainly be viewed by all and everything will be analyzed. Is this a team that can win the whole thing? That remains to be seen as the other teams boast deep teams as well. However there is no doubt that fans will be expecting the organization's first tournament win since 2007.

Hopefully this works out...

2011-09-03T14:55:00.000-04:00

Well everyone I'm back at it now. The hiatus has been awhile but I figure that getting back to doing this and providing whatever opinions I have about hockey. I have changed the layout a bit and will mostly just be focusing on the New York Rangers and general hockey topics now.

I've graduated from Fairfield University and am now a graduate student at St. John's U in Queens, NY working on my sports management masters so now sports really is my life. I think beginning writing again may help me get some ideas out and, hopefully, I will be able to take some time every so often to provide readers with articles for your enjoyment.

Last season is gone and the new one is only weeks away so it is an exciting time, especially with the summer the NY Rangers have had. Unless you have been living under a rock you know that NYR has added Brad Richards and Mike Rupp through free agency while acquiring a top defensive prospect in Tim Erixon who is expected to jump right into NHL play.

Look for another article probably later tonight where I will start doing a bit of a season preview for the Rangers, beginning with next week's Traverse City Prospects tournament.

The Danbury Whalers are ramping up their team as we speak and have a tryout camp next Friday and Saturday. I can tell you from working on it that some good talent is coming in and will make it difficult for the Whalers to turn some of these players away. Whether any of them actually make the team remains to be seen but they will certainly help push the veterans to excel a bit more. Nothing less than a championship will do for the Whalers players and staff.

Hope everyone enjoys what I have to write and will provide some good feedback. Lets Go Rangers.

What a Season it Was

2011-03-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

For the people of Connecticut, hockey has always been a sport that is close to the heart of the state. When the Hartford Whalers were here the state had a professional sports team they could call their own. However years have passed since those Whalers came out onto the ice at the Hartford Civic Center (for the young ones, the XL Center).

The city of Danbury, CT has held host to a few hockey organizations over the last half decade and has seen each one of them come and go. It was because of this that a little skepticism about a new league called the Federal Hockey League and a new organization, the Danbury Whalers, was raised. However the fans of Danbury embraced the new organization and found they were embraced as well.

For those who do not know the recent result of the Whalers' season, it ended on Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn, NY after losing in overtime in the fifth and deciding game of the first round playoff series against the New York Aviators. Despite losing some of the best players to injury, the team stuck through to the end but fell just short.

However, this loss should not be the face of the season. If anything, this season was one to remember in Danbury on several fronts. Starting at the top it was clear this organization was serious about doing business in Danbury and being apart of the community. CEO Herm Sorcher came in and immediately established a credibility with the fans of Danbury and quickly earned their respect. I still remember being at the press conference a little over a year ago and seeing Herm officially announce the club in Danbury with tears in his eyes and with choked up words. It was there that I and the rest of the fans in Danbury knew this man was serious about his job and his objectives.

Herm's passion and perseverance for making this organization successful was evident in every sort of communication I had with him. He began to surround himself with people he knew would share in his passion and brought in Chris Firriolo as the first head coach of the team. A man with plenty of hockey experience, Chris came in and immediately went to work finding talent for the team that would not only fit his style of hockey but also the blue-collar work ethic of the city of Danbury.

The whole season was an absolute roller-coaster ride for the fans but it was filled with many more ups and downs. Danbury finished at the top of the league in terms of a home record going 21-5-1 and, thanks to the fans of Section 102, the Zoo Crew, and the rest of Danbury had the highest attendance by far in the league, averaging 1,733 fans a night...almost tripling the second place New York Aviators who averaged 602.

I personally only attended one game during the season due to my schooling. I knew that the team had been doing well at the gate and was expecting an excellent turn out but I was still amazed at the sight. Almost 2,000 screaming fans cheered on the Whalers with a fervor that reminded me of some playoff games I have been to. The first time I heard Brass Bonanza and the subsequent "Lets Go Whalers" chant chills were sent down my spine as I reminisced for just a brief moment of being back at the Civic Center. The taunting by Section 102 and the Zoo Crew was infectious and got the crowd going as the Whalers flew up and down the ice. I was very impressed with what I saw and was so happy to see that the Whalers were doing well after months of hard work by the organization.

While at school, I checked the results of every game and began to see the team take shape as some familiar hockey faces like Nick Niedert, Igor Karlov, and Chris Seifert led the way and new names like Alec Kirschner, Martin Moucha, and Leland Fidler rose to the top of the scoring charts for the team. Corey Fulton came to Danbury as just another name on the roster and ended up becoming a fan favorite who scored his first professional hockey goals. I followed some of the games online and jumped out of my desk chair a few times when the team scored in overtime to win a big game, like Game 3 against the Aviators.

With the season over, I am sure plenty of people are saddened by losing that last game in a tough way but its gives every Danbury fan hope for next season. The Federal Hockey League is looking to expand and the Whalers will certainly look to go much further next season and beyond that

The success of the season is a credit to everyone involved both inside and out. So here is to Herm, Chris, the rest of the front office, coaches, and staff, the players, and the fans for an absolutely outstanding season. It lifted the hearts and passions of the city of Danbury and surely will be a fixture in the city of Danbury for a long time.

To quote The Bravery:

So give me something to believe

Cause I am living just to breathe

And I need something more

To keep on breathing for

So give me something to believe

Well Danbury, Herm and the rest of the Whalers have certainly given you something to believe and they will give you something more next year when the Whalers come back ready to go all the way.

For a look at the season highlights put together by the team click here.

Wisniewski Suspended 2 Games....Hanrahan?

2010-10-13T10:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday the NHL suspended New York Islanders defenseman James Wisniewski for his gesture towards Sean Avery in Monday's game. For those who haven't seen it check it out here.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Personally I thought this was absolutely hilarious and I am a Ranger fan. It is these kinds of funny things that make hockey great and unique from other sports which have all but gotten rid of taunting all together. Hockey players show emotions and are known to be very funny guys. Wisniewski did do something somewhat obscene but honestly who cares? What is the difference if he says something to Avery or he makes the gesture? Imagine if players were getting suspended for things they said on the ice to other players? I am sure Sean Avery would be on indefinite suspension if that were the case.

But really the point here is the NHL continues its awful suspension policies. They suspend Wisniewski two games for a gesture and Niklas Hjalmarsson gets two games for concussing Jason Pominville of the Buffalo Sabres....something doesn't seem right with that. The inconsistency of Colin Campbell and the NHL's disciplinary team has been mind-boggling at times and this one is no different.

However, this is the NHL we live in...the NEW NHL. If this had happened before the lockout there wouldn't be any uproar at all. I am sure worse gestures and phrases have happened in the NHL and not even been addressed by anyone. Wisniewski just happened to get caught. We all know Sean Avery can be a pain in the behind and that is his game which I love. However, after reading some opinions from Ranger fans who think it was awful what Wisniewski did and that he should be suspended, I am reminded how being a fan for some puts on a lens that "Its okay if my players do it but if another team does then...".

Like I said, I love Sean and the way he plays, but if he is going to taunt other players and try to get them off their game then other teams have the right to do so as well. Its all part of the game of hockey and its personalities.

But what is done is done and Wisniewski has been suspended for two games...more funny moments to come this hockey season I am sure. Until then...lets ponder. How would the NHL handle something like this??

Two Young Defensemen Sent Down...Veteran Presence coming?

2010-10-03T21:31:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in the last post the Rangers had a big decision to make when it came to their defense and they made that decision today as Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko were sent to Hartford.
Matt Gilroy and Mike Sauer survive the cuts for now. Gilroy has shown alot of improvement from last season and certainly will be looked to show some of the potential he had while at Boston University. Sauer, who is the last holdover from the Brian Leetch trade way back when, will finally get his shot at the big time after being in Hartford for three seasons.
These two choices are not surprises to me and, as much as I may have wanted to see Valentenko, these make sense. These two players have had some NHL and professional experience. Valentenko is still adjusting to the smaller North American rink size while McDonagh needs to learn the transition from college to the professional ranks. The transition always takes awhile but for defensemen it is much more difficult. Reading plays and making the right decision must happen in a split second in the NHL, especially on defense, otherwise you are in trouble. Sending these guys down will help these guys develop that.
A rumor of sorts has been circling around the hockey world that the Rangers are in the market for a veteran defenseman. This makes sense but it was confirmed on Twitter today by TSN's Bob McKenzie with this tweet:

NYR in market for experienced d-man. Could Torts-Shane O'Brien be reunited? SOB may be claimed by another team. Will find out noon Monday.

I am on board with finding a veteran blueliner. With a very young defense coming together it will be important to have a veteran presence back there to steady these guys. Rozsival is a solid veteran but more is needed in terms of experience. Shane O'Brien is a guy I am not interested in at all. He used to be an intriguing player but has since fallen out of favor in Vancouver.

Nine Guys...Six Spots

2010-09-30T16:44:00.000-04:00

As the Rangers head into Friday's matchup with the Ottawa Senators and the last two preseason games for them the biggest question is on the blueline. After Wade Redden was sent down to Hartford (and will report) these are the names that are left for John Tortorella to construct a defense:

Michal Rozsival
Michael Del Zotto
Dan Girardi
Marc Staal

Steve Eminger

Matt Gilroy
Mike Sauer
Ryan McDonagh
Pavel Valentenko

I've separated the nine players out. The first four names listed are basic locks for the big club. Barring some unforeseen event these four guys will be the foundation of the defense with the coaching staff and management looking for improved play over last season.

Steve Eminger is an interesting case. The Rangers traded for him in July and the general consensus is that he is here to be a veteran seventh defenseman. Unfortunately, at least from the little that I have been able to watch of him, he has not done a great job and is sort of on the bubble. I expect him to the the seventh defenseman the entire season but he needs to be careful that he doesn't lose his spot to a younger players somewhere down the line.

The last group is the most interesting. Assuming the first four players and Steve Eminger make the team, that means two spots are open for these four players. All four of them have shown very good things this preseason and camp which is making it very difficult for the coaches to decide who stays and who goes. I myself am having trouble deciding who I want patrolling in front of Henrik Lundqvist. However, there are two more games left in the preseason to decide these things.

If I could pick one of these players to definitely make it, it would be Pavel Valentenko. Acquired in the Scott Gomez trade, "Tank" has lived up to his nickname. I cannot remember the last time the Rangers had a defenseman whose first thought was to plaster someone against the boards (Tomas Kloucek?) Sure he will make mistakes but what rookie doesn't? Tank has been playing in a very good league in the KHL with very skilled players. As noted on the Rangers broadcast last night, Tank said that he enjoys the smaller ice surface of North America because it suits his game more.

Out of the other three, it really is a tossup. Gilroy has played in the NHL and has looked much better after adding 10 lbs. of muscle in the offseason. Mike Sauer has been a stalwart down in Hartford the last few year and is the last hold over from the Brian Leetch trade with Toronto way back when.

I like what I have seen with McDonagh but I think sending him down to Hartford for awhile would not be a negative. There is no doubt he is a smart player but the transition from college or juniors to the NHL for a defenseman is much more difficult for a defenseman than it is for a forward. I think he will be a solid defenseman in the NHL someday but some seasoning in an important role will do him some good.

How does it all play out? We'll find out after this weekend's contests but it will be a battle and I am sure that John Tortorella will lose some sleep over the decision...if he hasn't already.

Wade Redden is Out

2010-09-25T11:13:00.000-04:00

Redden is on his way out

As confirmed by the beat writers of the Rangers Wade Redden will be waived at noon today.

This really comes to no surprise to anybody considering the NYR cap situation and Redden's play during his short tenure here. Don't be surprised to see some other big names on the waiver wire this afternoon as there are a few teams looking to shed some serious cap space in the hopes of getting some breathing room and having a chance at helping out in areas where the team is short.

What are Redden's options now? He could play the contract out in Hartford and be a nice veteran presence in the AHL...He could work out a deal with a team in Europe and head over there...or he could flat out retire which would terminate his contract with the Rangers. I highly doubt he will do the last one because I am sure there is some hockey team around the world who will take him.

For more cool stuff on this check out the beat writers. They have the low down on what is going on.

The Rangers do have another preseason game tonight against the Devils and the lineup will not be as offensive as the other night. Here is the projected lineup:

Fedotenko-White-Callahan,
Avery-Kennedy-Williams,
Grachev-Anisimov-Byers,
Boogaard-Newbury-Weise

Del Zotto-Eminger,
Semenov-Valentenko,
Exelby-Gilroy.

Lundqvist in net.

Thanks to Andrew Gross and Jesse Spector for the information. As I said, not as offensive as the other night but certainly capable of holding off the Devils. How it plays out tonight will be interesting as the Rangers will gear up for another preseason on Sunday when they head to Detroit.

Phoenix had a split squad matchup with Los Angeles the other night and ended up winning both of those games which is a good sign considering LA will be one of those teams the Yotes will be butting heads with all season. Tonight however they have split squad games with the Sharks. Click here to head to the Yotes website where Dave Vest has projected lineups for each of the teams.

Follow me on Twitter if you would like more up to date thoughts on what is going on in the hockey world. You can do that by going here and following me. I'll be tweeting information about waivers and the NYR game, at least, later.

Back in the Saddle

2010-09-22T16:18:00.000-04:00

Well people...I'm back. After a very long hiatus I am back for another season of hockey. It was a great summer and school is now in full swing (almost too much swing).

For those who know me personally knew I had an internship in the Public Relations department of the New York Rangers during the summer. Just a quick word on this: The next time you pick up a media guide for your team take a second and read the names of the editors and the staff who worked on it because without them the guide doesn't happen.

So the next time you happen to run into anyone in any public relations job just know they work their tails off, especially those in the NYR PR department. Public relations is tough anywhere, but in a market like NYC, it is unlike any other place in the world. Hats off to the people in the NYR PR department...you know who you are.

Getting to this season...how exciting things are going to be. The Coyotes are looking to improve on their surprise (not to me) season which ended with a tough Game 7 loss in the first round to Detroit...which is still sour. The Rangers are looking to get back in the playoff scene after missing out on the postseason dance for the first time since the lockout. NYR showed that, as corny as it sounds, every point really does count.

Both teams gained and lost a few faces but training camps are showing that everyone there is trying to grab a spot. The competition is high around the NHL and the Stanley Cup is pretty much up for grabs after the Chicago Blackhawks had a bit of a dismantling losing players like Kris Versteeg, Dustin Byfuglien, John Madden, and Antii Niemi due to salary cap constraints (How those Hossa, Campbell, and Huet deals looking now?).

Between school work and anything else I will do my best to keep this going all year. I will be using my Twitter account much more so you can follow me by going to my profile here and clicking the follow button. I will be posting any articles I write plus just random thoughts...Don't you want to know my random thoughts???

Danbury Hockey Returning

2009-12-21T14:10:00.000-05:00

For Danbury hockey fans, it seems hockey will be returning to the Hat City next season as Danbury is a charter member of the Federal Hockey League. The league had a press conference this past Thursday announcing their intentions and the teams who will be charter members will be having their own introductory press conferences over the next few weeks. The Danbury franchise will be the first team to hold one of these on December 29th at the Danbury Ice Arena. Here is the full press release:

DANBURY HOCKEY

PRESS CONFERENCE

On Tuesday, December 29th at 12 noon, the Danbury Hockey franchise of the new professional Federal Hockey League (www.thefederalhockeyleague.com) will be holding a press conference at the Danbury Ice Arena.

Danbury Hockey will be unveiling the team name, team colors, and introducing the head coach. In addition the ownership group will be on hand to answer questions and outline their plan for the coming months.

Federal Hockey League officials, Danbury community leaders, and partners of the team will also have speaking roles in the press conference.

All media are invited to attend. The event is also open to the general public. All are welcome.

The Danbury Ice Arena is located on One Independence Way, Danbury, Connecticut.

Special media requests should be directed to Herm Sorcher at 973-713-7547 or email hsorcher@aol.com.

I encourage all Danbury fans to attend this press conference if at all possible. From listening in on the press conference last Thursday this league seems to have things together. Couple that with the fact they are starting a full 10 months before the season and I would have to say this is the best shot Danbury has at a stable hockey team from the beginning since the Trashers. Check the league website for more information as well as minor league hockey message boards. There is a Facebook group for the league which you can see and join here.

World Juniors to Showcase the Future

2009-12-20T13:53:00.000-05:00

One thing about the sport of hockey that I love most is how players are drafted and developed. For big sports like football and basketball, once you are drafted you head straight to the pros. For hockey, it is a very different situation.

Players who are drafted do not have to be immediately signed to play. They have many options including major junior hockey, European leagues, NCAAs, USHL, and others. Because of this, many drafted players will take two, three, and even four years before joining the NHL team or anyone of its affiliates.

One of the most scouted and scrutinized prospect tournaments in the world is the under 20 World Junior Championships. It is here that future NHL players go up against the best people in their age group and players who they will most likely run into at the NHL level.

The New York Rangers and Phoenix Coyotes will be well represented at this tournament especially on Team USA where, barring any surprises, there will be five players representing the two teams.

For the Rangers three forwards will be an integral part of the offense for the United States.

Derek Stepan is a center at the University of Wisconsin drafted in the second round of the 2008 NHL Draft. Known for his playmaking abilities he is having a great year as a sophomore with five goals and 17 assists in 18 games for the Badgers. A solid skater Stepan will be a key piece to the United States attack. Team USA played an exhibition game last night against the University of North Dakota where Stepan had two assists in the 4-2 win for the United States. When Stepan will make his professional debut is unknown but there are some who believe he could be playing in the American Hockey League as soon as next season. His performance in this year's tournament will go a long way in making that decision.

Chris Kreider was the Rangers' first round pick in this past 2009 NHL draft. There was much skepticism surrounding him going into the draft. After playing at Andover Academy, scoring 33 goals and adding 23 assists in just 26 games the Rangers saw his talent and decided to take him. Many Blueshirt fans are skeptical of drafting kids out of prep schools after the Hugh Jessiman debacle but this kid has all the tools to be successful. He was considered the best skater in this past draft with explosive speed is showing major improvement this season as he is a freshman at Boston College. Scouts consider him the best prospect to come out of New England since Brian Leetch.

In the win over North Dakota, Kreider showed his value as he scored two goals to help lead Team USA to a win. There was some question as to whether he would make the team but I think he has solidified his position. He has two goals and three assists in 14 games this season for Boston College. The speedy forward will probably spend at least another season at Boston College before even considering moving on to a higher level.

The third Ranger looking to make Team USA is Ryan Bourque who was a third round selection in the past draft. The small forward is the son of Ray Bourque but plays a very different game. Despite his small stature he has the offensive abilities to be a scoring forward. He is a quick forward with a good shot playing for the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. With 12 goals and 15 assists in 31 games so far, he is having a solid rookie season in a strong major junior program. He did not play last night against North Dakota but has survived the first round of cuts.

The only other player in the Ranger organization who will be skating in the World Juniors is Czech forward Roman Horak. Playing for the Chiliwack Bruins of the Western Hockey League, the young left winger has developed into a talented forward who plays a strong two way game. In his rookie season in North America, the Czech has put up a respectable 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points in 36 games. He is a fifth round pick of the Rangers from the 2009 draft.

For the Coyotes they will have their eyes on the World Juniors. With so much being put on the future of the organization, there are many players who will be playing key roles for their countries.

On Team USA, the Coyotes have Chris Brown looking to lock up a forward spot. As a freshman Brown is tied for second in scoring for the University of Michigan Wolverines, which has been a breeding ground for Coyote prospects. A power play specialist Brown was a second round pick for the Coyotes at this past draft. A strong forward he will be looking to impress at these World Juniors.

One of the most important pieces to Team USA will be the starting goaltender and the likely candidate was a third round pick of the Coyotes. Mike Lee is the starting goaltender at St. Cloud State as a freshman and will most likely anchor the American goal crease. The big goalie is big and has good reflexes. Team USA will be relying on him to be a rock in goal, especially against so many high powered offensive teams in the tournament.

When the Coyotes picked Oliver Ekman-Larsson with their first round pick this season, the knew they were going to get a solid defenseman who some believe will end up being better than Victor Hedman. He will be an anchor on the blue line for the Tre Kronor at this tournament as they look to solve the Canadians who they have lost two in the last two finals. "OEL" has excellent offensive abilities while being solid in his own end. Phoenix will be hoping he has an impressive showing against the world's best young players.

There are going to be many players at this tournament to keep an eye on as well as the story line of whether or not Canada can win a sixth straight gold medal. For anyone keeping track, the last country to win a gold medal at this tournament besides Canada? The United States. You know this underdog team would love to do that.

Taking the Next Step

2009-12-15T13:28:00.000-05:00

*NOTE* All of these proposals are contingent upon Ice Edge getting the team and giving Don Maloney money to spend*

For years I have been waiting for the Coyotes to take the step of getting a solid head coach in control of the team. Now that this task was completed by hiring Dave Tippett it is time to take another step towards making this team into a serious contender.

I am very happy with how things have gone so far this season, in fact it is the first time in a long time that I am proud to call myself a Phoenix Coyotes fan. The team is playing well behind a new system, Ilya Bryzgalov, and a pack mentality. The defense has a snarl to it because of a mix of youth and veteran. Yet there is one thing that this team is missing which it will need if they want to become a bonafide contender for the Stanley Cup (Coyotes and Stanley Cup in the same sentence?).

Phoenix's struggles the last few years have been related to scoring. For the most part, Shane Doan has been the go to man for goal scoring the last few seasons, including a career best 31 tallies last season. But with his slow start the Coyotes have had to look to others for goal scoring help. Radim Vrbata, who scored 27 for the Coyotes two seasons ago, is at the top right now with ten goals. Behind him are Scottie Upshall with nine, then Doan and Robert Lang with seven apiece. The team is ranked 27th in the league with just 79 goals but holds a high standing in the Western Conference in the seven spot.

What needs to be done is the organization needs to go out and get a goal scorer. The team has two first round picks in the up-coming draft as well as two second round picks in the 2011 entry draft. With a plethora of young talent in the system the Coyotes can afford to sacrifice some of these picks for an elite scorer which may be available. Here are some names to consider:

Jeff Carter: The Philadelphia Flyers have been struggling recently despite the coaching change. With very little cap space and some key young players coming up to free agency in the next few years (Braydon Coburn, Ryan Parent, Claude Giroux, James van Riemsdyk) they will need room to keep them. Carter is signed for one more year at $5 million. With his wrist shot and other offensive talents he could be a valuable asset to the Coyotes.

Eric Staal: If you are asking yourself why the Carolina Hurricanes would possibly trade their top forward, then you are asking yourself the right question. It will take a very convincing package besides picks to pry the young star out of the Southeast. But if Don Maloney can create a package centered around the picks and a top six defenseman the Coyotes could add a very talented forward who is signed for the long term. A rumor here and there about Staal possibly being available has cropped up saying he may be available.

Nathan Horton: Horton may not be as big of a name as Staal or Carter, but he can put the puck in the net. Rumors of being available have been abound this season as the Panthers find themselves in the bottom of the standings again. He would be the least expensive out of these three but would definitely be worth the package.

As I noted at the beginning of this, these ideas are all contingent on the fact the Ice Edge group gets the team and allows Don Maloney to spend money. All signs point to this being true but I have learned to never take anything for granted.

The Sun Shining A Bit Brighter

2009-12-13T13:34:00.000-05:00

Taking a break from finals work because I love the fans and procrastination is at an all time high. I need to do something a bit more constructive.

For anyone in the northeast right now it is a cold and dreary day. But if you are a fan of the Phoenix Coyotes no weather can rain on this parade.

Where to start? On the ice the Coyotes are playing great hockey. Sitting in the six spot in the Western Conference Phoenix is one of the hottest teams in the NHL. They are 7-2-1 in their last ten games winning six of their last seven. The one game they did not win was a shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Six of the wins include last night's 2-1 win over San Jose as well as wins over Minnesota, Calgary, and Dallas.

What has been the key to their success? There are alot of things going right for Phoenix right now but, for me, it comes down to two specific areas:

One of the best goalies in the NHL so far this season, Ilya Bryzgalov is showing how good he can be. When general manager Don Maloney plucked Bryzgalov off the waiver wire two seasons ago, he was hoping that Ilya could become a solid starting goalie. The good humored Russian has been one of the best goalies in the league this season with a .928 save percentage and a 1.95 goals against average which is second only to Buffalo's Ryan Miller. With timely saves and a solid team in front of him "Breezy" is a very big reason of why the Coyotes are where they are right now.

If you go back and look at some of the articles that I have written in the past, I always said that this team could be much better if Wayne Gretzky was not the head coach and some changes were made to the coaching staff. Right now it looks like that is partly true. Dave Tippett has come in and completely changed the way this team believes. They have turned into a hard working, physical team that relies on a "pack" mentality, believing they can do anything as a team. A sense of constant improvement and accountability has been built with everyone doing their part to get this team forward. Yet there are men behind Tippett who are making a huge difference as well.

Long time hockey man Dave King has brought a calming and experienced presence to the Coyotes roster. This is one thing that has been absent from the Phoenix organization for a very long time. Having coached in the NHL, Russia, and in other places around the world King brings an invaluable wealth of knowledge that will have a long term effect on the success of the Phoenix Coyotes.

The other assistant coach who has played a large role in the high success of the Desert Dogs is the new goaltending coach, Sean Burke. The former Hartford Whalers goaltender has taken over for Grant Fuhr, who was the most useless coach in the organization. Having been a big time goaltender, both physically and on the stat sheet, Burke knows how to handle the pressure of being relied on. He was a main cog for Hartford, Phoenix, and other teams in the NHL for years and knows the pressures that come with it. Having been very technically sound during his career, Burke is helping Ilya Bryzgalov with his positioning and the stress of being a number one goaltender in the NHL.

If you throw in the defensive play of the blue-liners, you have a very formidable team. The one aspect of the team that needs to pick up is the scoring. No one has ten goals with Radim Vrbata and Scottie Upshall tied for the team lead at nine goals apiece. While the team is playing sound defense and have hot goaltending, scoring will need to increase at some point.

The other news that Coyotes fans can smile about comes off the ice as the ownership situation finally seems to be coming to conclusion. The Ice Edge group, which showed interest during the court proceedings over the summer has signed a letter of intent to purchase the Coyotes. The NHL signed a letter of intent to sell just a day later and the Board of Governors will vote on the issue at next week's meeting in Pebble Beach, California.

The key points here are that there is no "out" clause, meaning this group believes the franchise can be resurrected financially. They knew they could not be taken seriously by the fans of the Coyotes if there was one of these clauses present. Ice Edge is also assuming the lease agreement length, which has 26 years left on it. Despite the length, I am sure Ice Edge and the city of Glendale will have adjustments made to the lease to make it a bit more appealing to the new ownership. While it will take the sale, if approved, about two to three months to go through, it seems the end of this long saga has finally come.

What could this new ownership group do? The most obvious thing is provide general manager Don Maloney with more money to spend on improving the on-ice team. Phoenix could use some scoring help. With a solid ownership group, coaching staff, and team it finally looks like Coyotes fans can start holding their heads high.

Is the Answer Jesus?

2009-12-07T11:08:00.000-05:00

Little disclaimer before I start this one. I am not saying the season is over. It is far from it.

However it is time to start looking how to fix this team in an attempt to save the season. The New York Rangers are 4-6 in their last ten games and are tied for 9th in the Eastern Conference with the New York Islanders and just one point out of the top 8. That is why the season is not done yet.

But the long slide down the standings is continuing and something needs to be done to reverse it. This is where general manager Glen Sather needs to start to figure who has been naughty and who has been nice for this team.

First things first. John Tortorella is not being fired and Chris Drury is not going anywhere. Drury cannot be moved because of the no movement clause he has and frankly no one wants his cap hit of just over $7 million. We saw the frustration he was feeling last night after Detroit scored the empty net goal when he slammed his stick on the bench and snapped it like a twig.

I am not removing Tortorella because his system has worked. It worked during the seven game winning streak at the beginning of the season and it has worked at times during the last few games. The man won a Stanley Cup using the same system. With a very new team it takes time to implement it.

Now to the nitty gritty. Here is who I will not deal no matter what:

Marian Gaborik

Henrik Lundqvist

Michael Del Zotto

Matt Gilroy

Marc Staal

Sean Avery

Artem Anisimov

All of these players have earned the right to stay on this team. A GM would be very hard pressed to force me to let one of these guys go. Lets just say anything short of Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, or Patrick Roy is not going to work on this. And frankly, what other organization wants Sean Avery?

Here are people I would only give up in the right deal:

Vinny Prospal

Christopher Higgins

These two guys are ones I would rather not deal. Prospal has been very good for the Rangers and is one of the best free agent signings in the entire NHL from this past offseason. But his production and small salary will make him attractive to other teams looking for cheap offensive help. While Christopher Higgins has not put up the points that everyone has been looking for he has played very well the last two weeks or so. He is creating chances for others and getting plenty himself. Some people may see his inability to finish right now a s a reason to trade him but as a two way forward Higgins is looking very valuable.

I am not going to write down every other player on the team in this category because they don't all deserve to be here. This is the group of players who I really could care less if they were traded:

Ryan Callahan

Enver Lisin

Ales Kotalik

Aaron Voros

Dan Girardi

Brian Boyle

I know that I am going to be crucified to even THINK about letting Ryan Callahan go. He seems to be everyone's boy this season including John Tortorella's. I hate to be the bearer of bad news people but all Callahan is is a third liner. We all love effort and work ethic but when it comes down to it Callahan is relatively replaceable. Honestly, he does not belong on the powerplay. If he has such a high value then let him go and get us something useful in return. Have to give to get people.

Enver Lisin was my boy at the beginning of the season and I have been trying to defend the kid all season. He has been much better on the defensive side of things than at previous times in his career. Yet until he is out of Le Chateau Bow Wow, he will not be doing much. His offensive upside could attract teams.

Kotalik was brought in for the powerplay and he has done very well on that front. Yet his even strength play leaves much to be desired. I like the guy and would rather see him stay in New York but if a deal materializes around him then go for it Slats.

Voros? A for effort buddy but thats about it.

Dan Girardi has been up and down all season. He has his games where he looks like a solid shutdown defenseman and others where he looks just as bad as Michal Rozsival.

Speaking of Rozsival. Everyone who knows me knows how much I dislike him. I am convinced that he is a reason that Marek Malik was so bad. He is too slow in his decision making and often makes the wrong decision. His salary will be tough to move but even if Slats has to bite the bullet and just waive him, he should do it. $5 million in cap space would go a long way in improving the overall team. If there is one guy who definitely needs to go, it is him.

Wade Redden. I am sorry to most Ranger fans on this one but I am officially on the Wade Redden band wagon. Did he have an awful season last year? Yes. It was terrible and I found myself rooting against him. However I decided to give him another chance this season and he has done well. One thing people have to realize, and same goes with Drury, is that their contracts are a product of the free agent market that they were involved in. Drury will never be as good as the $7 million and Redden probably will not be worth his $6.5 million. Yet Redden has improved his play in the defensive zone and the Rangers have not done so well without him. Yes all this losing started before Redden went down to injury but look at how the defense has done without him.

What does the team need? As Ned Braden asks in Slapshot, "Is the answer Jesus?". Not quite but he would be a good start.

Pardon the expression but anyone with a pair of grapefruits will do fine in replacig Rozsival. The Rangers need a defenseman who is not afraid to mix it up and use the physical game. Too many times the last few games players have been allowed to skate all the way up the ice untouched and get a goal. See Mike Rupp and Jason Pominville for examples of this. Lundqvist has been run into too many times this season. New York needs someone with cajones.

The other thing the Rangers need is secondary scoring. The talent is there with people like Higgins, Drury, Callahan, and Avery but it is not happening. The possible return of Brandon Dubinsky in the near future may help spark some offense but Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal cannot do everything. Whether this scoring help comes from someone on the team already or someone is brought in to do it, it needs to appear fast.

Henrik Lundqvist needs to stop giving up soft goals. I love the man but he needs to be sharper. He played very well against Buffalo and made some good saves against Detroit. The team needs to put more goals up so he isn't forced to be nearly perfect every night but Henrik needs to be Henrik. Simple as that.

Like I said before it is not time to close the season down. The warning signs are there though and something needs to be planned if this team wants to be successful.

No More Mr. Sunshine

2009-11-30T21:42:00.000-05:00

I really tried. I really did.

I started this season off optimistic. The seven game winning streak was fun and then the Rangers fell into a rut and are still in it. I tried to keep hope even after the drubbing in Pittsburgh on Saturday night. I really thought tonight the team would respond.

But I was wrong...again. You think I would have learned to not put faith in this team ever by this point. However I tried being optimistic.

Well I'm done being optimistic. I'm done with my hopes being crushed. I'm done.

The Rangers just lost to the Penguins (again) giving up five or more goals for the third straight game. Sidney Crosby had two goals. But no, he wasn't the star of this game. Nope. It was former Danbury Trasher Mike Rupp...scored a hat trick. A HAT TRICK!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? HOW DO YOU LET MIKE RUPP SCORE A HAT TRICK? Unbelievable.

Of course the only Ranger to show up was Marian Gaborik as he scored both goals for the Rangers tonight. Props to Gabby, the only guy who has shown up all season. I really feel sorry for him. He has the league lead in goals and is tied for the league lead in points.

But back to the other side of things. This team is softer than a damn roll of Charmin. Gaborik, your leading man this season and a man known to be very injury prone...getting ganged up on by the Penguins. And where are the Rangers? Standing around sucking on their thumbs. STICK UP FOR YOUR TEAMMATES. The Coyotes have had success this season because they have had a PACK MENTALITY. They are in the Western Conference and are surviving, and doing well because of that.

Next up...how do you let Mike Rupp skate up the ice UNTOUCHED? I know he is Mike Rupp but its a basic of hockey. You do not let anyone skate all the way up the ice untouched and undefended. Rozsival is the softest defenseman that I have ever seen. I don't care what needs to happen to get rid of him. Just get it done.

THIS TEAM NEEDS TO GET TOUGHER. That is the difference right now. The system is not working other than for Gaborik.

I have nothing else to say. It is all self-explanatory. Something needs to happen with this team to change their mindset and get them going. I don't know what it is but John Tortorella, Glen Sather, and the rest of Rangers management needs to sit down and figure out what the hell to do...and they better do it quick.

Quarter Poll: Phoenix Coyotes

2009-11-27T16:34:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Was nice to see the Rangers get a big win the night before.

But I am going to focus on the Phoenix Coyotes for this post. This team has come out and surprised the hockey world after a tumultuous summer left the team in a state of financial limbo. With 27 points the Coyotes sit in 9th place in the Western Conference, a position much higher than many thought they would get to during the course of the season. But under the direction of a new head coach in Dave Tippett, the Coyotes have slowly begun to find their game and are turning some heads around the league. Honestly, who thought the Coyotes would be ahead of teams like the Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks, and Anaheim Ducks?

It all starts with Ilya Bryzgalov who has been the backbone of the team the entire season. He is in the top five of the goals against average category with a stellar 2.13 and a .918 save percentage. He is tied for the league lead in shutouts with three and has 12 of Phoenix's 13 wins. Some of this may be a product of the defense first system the Coyotes are running right now but either way Bryzgalov will have to continue his stellar play as he tries to establish him self as a bonafide starter in the National Hockey League.

Offense continues to be a source of concern for the Coyotes. Radim Vrbata and Scottie Upshall are tied for the team lead in goals with 7 apiece. With the Coyotes averaging just over two goals a game this season, it is making it hard on the team to get victories. Veteran players like Shane Doan, Robert Lang, along with youngster Peter Mueller will all need to step up and be the offensive leaders they can be. Doan leads the team in points with 16 while Lang is just three behind with 13.

One source of offense that has made itself known is the blue line where three defensemen have over ten points so far this season. Veterans Ed Jovanovski and Adrian Aucoin have been the big anchors for the team on the blue line. Jovocop has 13 points while Aucoin is right behind him with 12. Both armed with booming shots, look for them to continue to rain pucks down from the blue line.

The third defenseman is Keith Yandle who is really coming into his own this season. With 11 points so far the smooth skating youngster is making his mark not only on this team but around the league. His offensive abilities have never been under question but his defense has become much improved. As a quarterback on the power play Yandle will be expected to shoulder more responsibility as the season goes on.

Phoenix is on a two game skid right now and will welcome the division rival Dallas Stars into town tonight in what I consider to be an important game in the long run. Jovanovski and Zbynek Michalek are back from their injuries which puts the blue line all ahead full. The Stars are coming off a tough shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues and want to make a statement against the Coyotes.

The Coyotes close out the month of November on Sunday when they travel to Anaheim.

Thanksgiving Quarter Poll: New York Rangers

2009-11-25T16:55:00.000-05:00

With some free time over the next few days I want to take a look at the season thus far for the Rangers and Coyotes. Lets start with New York.

After a seven game winning streak spoiled Ranger fans everywhere, the Blueshirts have been brought back to reality as they have gone 5-9-1 since that point with injuries to Chris Drury and Brandon Dubinsky being apart of the problem.

Some rough defensive play and a lack of scoring outside Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal has made the Rangers tough to watch lately.

However due to my positive nature on this season, I am going to try and keep it to those. Starting with Gaborik and Prospal, the two of them have formed a great chemistry and are among the leaders in the NHL in scoring. Coming into tonight's contest Gaborik is tied for first in the NHL in goals with 18. San Jose's Dany Heatley also has 18. Gaborik is tied for second in total points, just one point behind Anze Kopitar who has 33 points...but in three more games played. Gaborik is the league leader in points per game.

Vinny Prospal has come in and put up 24 points next to Marian Gaborik. The veteran pivot has provided a solid anchor which New York's newest superstar has been able to launch from. His passing abilities are great while his shot is very underrated. There are some points where I wish he would shoot more but as long as he keeps putting up points, it does not matter.

On the back end, my two personal favorites have been rookies Matt Gilroy and Michael Del Zotto.

Del Zotto was rookie of the month for October as he got off to a hot start and was named the power play quarterback for the Rangers' top unit at just 19 years old. With 16 points, Del Zotto is showing his offensive prowess from the blueline with 5 goals and 11 assists so far. His passing is almost unbelievable for someone as young as he is. Almost every pass off his stick gets to the other player's right on the tape. His defensive play, which was the biggest concern coming into the season, has been a surprise as well as his physicality. If he keeps going at this pace, he will definitely be in every conversation when it comes to rookie of the year.

Matt Gilroy has come in and been a solid defenseman. He was brought in because of his offensive abilities but has not gotten on the scoresheet as much as he probably wants to, just three goals and two assists in 23 games. Yet his skating and defensive play has shown he is more than capable of being a NHL player. Being solid in his normal duties has given him confidence and he will only get better. His offense will come as he develops more and understands the professional game fully.

The Rangers do have a lot of work to do and their schedule does not make that easy. A short road trip starting tonight in Sunrise, Florida heads to Tampa Bay and then Pittsburgh. Chris Drury is expected to return tonight after getting a concussion in the game against Calgary. Having him back will help solidify the center position and hopefully get this team more faceoff wins, which has been making it hard for the Rangers to control the puck more.

The standings in the east are tight as usual with spots 4 through 13 within six points of each other. Every game counts now in the grind of the season and a big matchup like tonight's against the Panthers will go a long way in determining how the Rangers will end up this season. They broke their offensive woes against Columbus the other night but need to come out tonight and show that it was not a fluke.

Duty Calls

2009-11-15T17:53:00.001-05:00

As I noted in an earlier post, which seems like forever ago, school is getting busy which is the reason for the lack of posts. I apologize for this once again.

But a quick look at how the two main teams on this blog are doing.

It has been a rough go for the New York Rangers who have lost both Chris Drury and Brandon Dubinsky to injuries which will keep them out. Dubinsky has a broken hand and has 4 to 6 weeks to rest while Chris Drury's concussion symptoms will keep him out for an undetermined amount of time. With this new problem at center speculation by Ranger fans includes trading for a center or signing someone like Peter Forsberg.

Either way the Blueshirts will have to find a way to survive these next few weeks short changed down the middle where it was thought depth was not a problem. Vinny Prospal, Artem Anisimov, and Brian Boyle are the three natural centers left on the team right now. Christopher Higgins filled in at center yesterday against the Senators. Despite no points in the matchup, it seemed to do well. However offense needs to pick up from other sources than Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal. Losing a setup man like Dubinsky will severely increase that need but it is now a chance for young players like Anisimov and Boyle to show what they can do in a prime role.

The other issue for the Rangers is faceoffs. With Drury and Dubinsky out two of their top three faceoff men are gone leaving a void. Boyle and Higgins were not very good and it did not make things any easier for New York. Their next game is Tuesday night as Alexander Ovechkin is supposed to return when the Washington Capitals visit Madison Square Garden.

On the other side of the country the Phoenix Coyotes are right in the middle of the Western Conference after a big win at home Saturday night against the division rival Dallas Stars. The last few games have been up and down with injuries to Ed Jovanovski and Zbynek Michalek hurting the defense corps as Phoenix has won only two of their last six games.

The key to Phoenix's success this season has been the stellar play of Ilya Bryzgalov who was the third star for the month of October. With two defensemen out like Michalek and Jovanovski, he is even more important. The offense has not been able to muster more than three goals in a game since October 28th against Columbus. It is true that the system Phoenix is defensive in nature but they will need more production. Peter Mueller must get going as he is being relied on to provide a spark to the team offensively.

Their next game is tonight as they host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both are young teams with a few veterans to lead the way. They are up and coming and aggressive which will make for a very interesting matchup. Phoenix will definitely want a win before going on a tough stretch where they play five of seven games on the road. Tough matchups in places like Minnesota, Calgary, and St. Louis await them there with one of the home games against the Philadelphia Flyers.

JVR: Rookie of the Year?

2009-11-05T12:20:00.000-05:00

James van Riemsdyk is almost a local favorite in Philadelphia these days and I say almost because he is from New Jersey. Now yes, South New Jersey is just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia but van Riemsdyk is from Middletown, NJ, about 30 minutes west of where I grew up in North Jersey. But nonetheless fans have embraced him as one of their own. Local enough and getting points on the scoring sheet will make Flyers fan very happy. I would know because I am one of them.

James was originally picked 2nd overall by the Flyers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft but decided to play the next two years at the University of New Hampshire where in 31 games he racked up a consistent and offensive 11 goals and 23 assists. In 7 games with Philadelphia's AHL affiliate the Phantoms, James accumulated 2 points. This past offseason "JVR" had a very impressive rookie camp and showed Coach Stevens and ex-Broad Street Bully and current GM Paul Holmgren that he can be a reliable third liner with some scoring prowess.

But now, one month into this hockey season James finds himself in a new spot. Injuries to Simon Gagne and Danny Briere means James will be getting time on the first and second lines with offensive players such as Captain Mike Richards and high scoring center Jeff Carter. The defensive pairings of the top lines work very well to help young James because the top defensive line for the Flyers consists of young and offensive Matt Carle and a dependable and hard hitting Chris Pronger. Just a few games in James "had his bell rung" as described by GM Holmgren. Since that point van Riemsdyk has exploded to a NHL rookie leading 13 points (2 goals, 11 assists). His +/- is a plus 6 and with a strong team around him that can only go up. In his last 5 games van Riemsdyk has 2 goals and 6 assists for a total of 8 points. Not bad for someone who is just now being tossed into the top lines. Hopefully for the Flyers though Simon Gagne has a good recovery from surgery and Briere's groin no longer bothers him.

I was recently at one of Riemsdyk's games down here in South Florida against the Panthers and he did not play like a rookie. He was showing signs of maturity, passing the puck to open players and not giving it up on tight passes. JVR was taking up space in front of the net and shooting from good locations on the ice. Whenever he was knocked down in front of the net he would get right back up and jump back into the play.

As of now JVR is showing that he wants to play in Philadelphia for years to come and wants to be a foward that people will dread facing with his combination of speed, scoring and size. Seriously the kid is 6 foot 3 and 200 pounds .

Why Danbury Should Build a New Arena

2009-11-05T11:14:00.001-05:00

Going to do a bit of a different perspective today as I talk about Danbury hockey.

Over the last few years Danbury, CT has had some minor league hockey teams that have not worked out. The last two, the Danbury Mad Hatters and New England Stars, were one year wonders. The Stars were a a small step above men's beer league hockey and never drew much. The Mad Hatters had a chance to make something work but a combination of financial troubles and a small league brought them to a quick end.

Before that was the two best years of hockey. The Danbury Trashers were apart of the United Hockey League (UHL) and spent two great seasons in the city. They drew huge crowds and were very competitive as they made the playoffs both seasons, with a division title and league finals appearance in the second year. Names such as Dave MacIsaac, Mario Larocque, Bruce Richardson, Brent Gretzky, Drew and Mike Omicioli, and many more were great players and personalities on the ice that made Danbury fans stand up and cheer. The nightly cheering and chants of Section 102 always got the crowd going and the visiting team off their game.

I have been to alot of hockey games over the course of my life but these were some of the best ones I have been to. Being so close to the action and the play being so competitive it was almost too good to be true. I still remember walking out of the last game when Danbury lost to the Kalamazoo Wings in the finals thinking about the next year.

However that next year never came as criminal charges were put on the owner, James Galante, and others which led to the downfall of the team and the end of some unbelievable times at the DIA (Danbury Ice Arena).

The Stars and Mad Hatters tried to fill that void but could not. During this past summer, a new league (NEPHL) tried to start a team in Danbury but could not get it done. There really was no reason as the NEPHL is really just another EPHL with even less teams. If Danbury is really serious about getting a hockey team then they need to think a bit bigger.

Danbury is a large enough city that they could support a higher level league. The Danbury Ice Arena officially holds 2,100 people, even though there were Trasher games where there was easily 3,000 people. That is not enough for a minor pro hockey team. Leave the DIA to youth, college, and men's league hockey which is what it is perfect for.

What the city of Danbury needs to do, and something that I think there would be investors for, is to build a professional arena. I'm not talking about a Madison Square Garden or Prudential Center sized arena but more like a 7,000 seat arena that is built for hockey. Make it have beautiful sight lines and right on top of the ice. Take a page from old arenas like the Forum, Maple Leaf Gardens, or the old Chicago Stadium and give it a classic feel with all the modern amenities. Do that and attract a franchise for the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL).

A brand new arena plus quality investors will be more than enough to convince the ECHL, which has teams all over the country, does not have a team in New England. This makes complete sense for two reasons.

First, you have a city that knows what works and does not work with hockey. Danbury has tasted success and failure with the sport. The city would be able to support it and the team would be a complete hit. Knowing that a stable league like the ECHL would be in the city would draw more fans simply because it is a serious hockey league.

Second, why wouldn't the ECHL want to be in the Northeast which is a hockey hot bed in the USA? A rivalry would be automatically born between the Danbury team and the Elmira Jackals, who used to have quite the rivalry with the Danbury Trashers, not to mention the team would be in close proximity to the rest of the teams in the Eastern Division.

This seems almost too easy to put together. It makes too much sense for the city and the league itself. But knowing political circles and the economy right now, there would be almost an infinite number of hoops to jump through. But once that was all done and the first game started with a loud sold out crowd as Danbury took the ice, it would all be worth it to the city and the investors.

I am not basing this off anything, it is just my personal opinion. But thinking about the situation, I can't help but think that this has been seriously thought about at some point by someone. Just take a look at this penalty shot and the crowd reaction...it can work in Danbury.

A Whirlwind of Action

2009-11-01T20:11:00.000-05:00

As a college student now is the time the whirlwind begins. It is the second half of the semester where final projects are being assigned. It is because of this that my writing may or may not become more sporadic over the next few weeks so an apology in advance if this does happen.

For hockey players, the season is in full swing. The second full month of the schedule is beginning with the Coyotes and Rangers holding their own. The Rangers had a rough few games without Marian Gaborik before playing, in my opinion, their best defensive game of the season this afternoon against the Boston Bruins. Yes it may be frustrating to see a system that should be high scoring held to only one goal, but it is nice to see that this aggressive structure can be very effective at preventing goals.

Of course Gaborik had the lone goal in the contest...who else right? The more important aspect of this game was the defensive play. Young players Matt Gilroy and Michael Del Zotto both looked like veteran defensemen on the ice as they went up against some very gritty forwards from the Bruins. Dane Byers, playing his second game since being called up, returned the physical play in the other end when he had a solid forecheck. Even Enver Lisin, who has been known to have almost no defensive skill when he came to North America, made a few defensive plays that showed huge strides in his learning.

Christopher Higgins did not score a goal but he played very well on the penalty kill. Sometimes getting back to just playing defense will eventually get you scoring chances. He will score soon because everyone knows the Rangers need it from him.

Looking ahead at the schedule for this week, the Rangers hit the road and are going through the dreaded Western Canada trip. Tuesday night they will be in Vancouver to face off with the Canucks, Thursday in Edmonton as they go up against their old head coach, finishing off the road trip in Calgary before having 5 days off. While these out of conference games may not be as important as the divisional ones, two points are still up for grabs. This road trip is going to tell Ranger fans alot about this team.

These western games have even more meaning than usual because they are a chance for the Rangers to help out the Phoenix Coyotes. Phoenix ranks fourth in the Western Conference right now and will undoubtedly be fighting the three western Canadian teams as the season goes on. The Coyotes had a big win Halloween night as they came back from a late one goal deficit to defeat the Anaheim Ducks in a shootout. Since losing to the New York Rangers, the Coyotes have rolled off three consecutive victories and will look to continue their roll tomorrow night when the Los Angeles Kings visit. The rest of the week does not get any easier as the Avalanche, Blackhawks, and Ducks again are on the docket for Phoenix.

I was very impressed, through watching the highlights from Phoenix's game, that the team is standing up for itself. Shane Doan received an elbow to the head from Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski. Keith Yandle immediately jumped in to defend his Captain, who later took matters into his own hands and pounded Wisniewski into the ice. In past years the Coyotes would have been crushed by this and the late goal in the third period. But they were able to compose themselves and battle back to get the victory, something that has not been in their game for a long time. The Pack mentality that they are developing is a huge change from last season and will go a long way in determining the success they achieve this year.

A Few Good Minutes with Dancing Larry

2009-10-30T14:44:00.001-04:00

One of the biggest non-player celebrities for the New York Rangers is Dancing Larry. I caught up with Larry and he answered a few questions for the faithful here:

Gootz: How long have you been a season ticket holder?

Larry: Since 1988

G: What made you start dancing? Do you remember the first time you danced at a game?

L: Friends in my section wanted me to get up and I didn't want to but I did. I did it a couple of times and one night saw myself on the Gardenvision. First dance was '96.

G: Where did you learn all your dance moves?

L: Don't remember where I got my dance moves from...I am sure it was from someone haha

G: Who is your favorite Ranger on the team right now? All Time?

L: That is tough because I have alot of favorites. Right now a few are Avery, Henrik, and Cally. All time would have to be Messier-Graves and Richter.

G: What do you think of John Tortorella and his style of coaching?

L: Love Torts and his coaching style. The team needs a coach who doesn't take any *insert any four letter word*.

G: What other teams in the Eastern Conference should the Rangers be worried about the most?L: Pens and Caps for sure.

G: Do you have a soft spot for any other team in the NHL?

L: No because I can't worry about any other team than the Rangers.

G: How many jerseys do you have? Do you have a favorite one?

L: I have about 10 with my favorite one being Adam Graves.

G: What is your favorite moment at a Ranger game?

L: When I get up and dance and make the fans in the Garden happy. Also anytime the Rangers win and salute the crowd at center ice.

G: What do you think of the Dancing Granny?

L: I think she is cool. I hope I will still be able to get up and dance at that age.

Thanks again to Larry for taking the time to answer these questions.

Rangers are in Minnesota tonight. Marian Gaborik skated this morning but will not play tonight along with Christopher Higgins and Sean Avery. Gaborik is almost 100% and should be able to play Sunday afternoon when the Rangers host the Bruins. Henrik Lundqvist will be in net tonight as well...game time is 8PM.

Why Its Good Marian Gaborik is Hurt

2009-10-27T19:25:00.001-04:00

No I am not on anything as I write this article. You read the title right.

It is being reported out of Minnesota that Marian Gaborik is definitely not playing tomorrow night on Long Island and is questionable for his return to Minnesota when the New York Rangers visit the Wild on Friday. Read the article here.

Are Ranger fans calling the suicide hotline? Crowding the edge of the Brooklyn Bridge? Well they should not be. In fact it is a good thing that Gaborik has gotten a little hurt.

Every preview of the Rangers during the offseason said they would be fine as long as Gaborik stayed healthy. After a hot start it seemed all of this was forgotten. But after a collision in last night's game against the Phoenix Coyotes the issue has been thrust back to the forefront. So why do I think this is good?

Well now Ranger fans get to see how good this team really is. Gaborik adds an entirely different element to every game he is in and has saved the Rangers a couple of times already. Yet after the sloppy play of the last week or so the Rangers will now be forced to rely on each other rather than a superstar if they want to win. We are going to see what this Ranger team is really made of. Head Coach John Tortorella probably will never admit it but I bet there is a little bit of excitement in him knowing that this team will have to face adversity in playing without Marian Gaborik.

If the injury is just minor, keeping Gaborik out is a good idea. Missing two games like this will not be a major factor this early in the season. If this was the last week of the season and in a tight playoff race I would be worried but this is game 13. Ranger fans need to take a deep breath and realize the depth will be able to handle not having Gaborik. Enver Lisin has been coming on lately with five points in the last five games. Christopher Higgins is still looking for his first goal of the season. Getting him a chance on a top six line with someone like Vinny Prospal or Brandon Dubinsky may help him get off his slump.

So do not jump off the bridges Ranger fans. This team has plenty of talent to overcome the loss of Marian Gaborik for one or two games. If this was a long term injury then I may be worrying. But no Gaborik for two games against two teams at the bottom of the standings in the NHL? I'm not freaking out and neither should you.

As for last night, the Rangers took round 1 against Phoenix. The Coyotes showed up very little for the game, except for a stretch in the 2nd period. They showed how good they can be but also how terrible. I was hoping for a closer game but just to see the Coyotes live again was nice. Getting news that Jerry Moyes has agreed to sell the team to the NHL was another piece of news that came in. You can check out the details here. It is expected that Ice Edge will have control of the team by November 2nd.

Round 2 for the Coyotes and Rangers comes in January at Jobing.com Arena. Will be a much different matchup by then I am sure.

Head to Head: Round 1

2009-10-25T16:50:00.000-04:00

Monday night the New York Rangers will host the Phoenix Coyotes in the first of two matchups this season. The predicament I experience between these two teams will be continue but it is a little different this season. Instead of the two teams being on opposite sides of the spectrum, they are both in good places in the standings.

Both of them lost last night as the Rangers fell in overtime to the Montreal Canadiens while Phoenix were defeated by the Los Angeles Kings. Both teams have been playing sloppy as of late which is expected as both teams look to learn new systems after going on extended winning streaks.

Tomorrow's lineups are unknown as of right now. Henrik Lundqvist has a stiff foot after having it knocked into the goal post in yesterday's game. I would not be surprised to see Valiquette in goal tomorrow just to give Lundqvist a rest for Wednesday when the Rangers meet the New York Islanders for the first time this season.

Head Coach Dave Tippett usually sticks with one goalie and someone playing like Ilya Bryzgalov, there is no doubt he will continue to start in goal for Phoenix as they look to get back to winning.

The head coaches of these teams are very intense and believe their teams have been playing very poorly despite finding ways to win. The mistakes are catching up with these teams and both the coaches and players know it. It will be an interesting game where both teams will be looking to get back on the winning side of things.

For Ranger fans: Chill out. This team is going to take time to get completely used to each other. John Tortorella has won a Stanley Cup and knows how to run a team. He is the reason that Vincent Lecavalier is the player he has become and why that Tampa Bay team was able to be competitive. We have seen both the best and worst sides of this team. It was going to happen at some point during the season, just be happy it is early in the season.

Me? I will be wearing my Coyotes stuff tomorrow. I see this as possibly the last time I will see the Phoenix Coyotes live and in person so I will support them. I am ready for the ownership jokes and attendance jabs but if the Coyotes can win then it will be completely worth it.

Now To the Real Deal

2009-10-22T11:11:00.000-04:00

New York Rangers fans have been spoiled in this early season with seven straight wins and a quick rise to the top of the standings. The little fantasy world we all lived in was eradicated Monday night as the Sharks systematically tore the Rangers apart showing that this team was far from the top.

With the fantasy world and winning streak gone, its time to start the season. What do I mean. I mean the tension and grind where every game is as important as Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Every win counts as we know from the way playoff races turn out. The Eastern Conference is always hotly contested and that last two years has come down to the final games before the Rangers would clinch a spot in the playoffs.

Tonight is one of those games as New York hosts the rival New Jersey Devils. The Devils were one of the teams New York beat during their winning streak where Matt Gilroy scored the game winning goal, his first NHL goal. Head Coach John Tortorella would love for Gilroy to repeat that performance along with the rest of his team. After taking an early timeout in that game the Rangers got in gear and battled back for a big win at Prudential Center.

But what does this game mean? Sure it is the 100th game between these two teams at Madison Square Garden but it means more than that. New York has suffered its first big setback of the season and its first real adversity. How will they respond? History shows that long winning streaks are coupled with losing streaks and no doubt the players and staff of the Blueshirts know this. I would have believed this team would go on an extended losing streak the last few years, but not this team. This is not because of a fiery coach or the system that is in place (while these do contribute to that belief). It is because of enthusiasm and a work ethic. Its seeing Vinny Prospal celebrate like a 5 year old when he scores, Marian Gaborik giving an emphatic fist pump after a snipe, Donald Brashear fighting for fans he knows are not fond of him, Wade Redden playing much better and getting praise from fans, watching Michael Del Zotto look like a veteran defenseman on the point of the power play, or the emphatic leg pumps of Henrik Lundqvist. The signs of enthusiasm and team are refreshing to see from an organization that has long had to fight with the lure of New York City to get the players to focus on hockey first.

Will we see that tonight? This rivalry always brings out the passion from the fans. The players will certainly be ready to go. All eyes will be on Sean Avery and Martin Brodeur who have had some memorable encounters the last few years. Personally I would like to see Avery get under Marty's skin again. He has not been on that edge like we have seen before and the Rangers need a bit of that snarl and aggravation from Avery if they want to succeed.

The Coyotes are on the other side of the country and will take on the Detroit Red Wings for the first time this season. Phoenix will look to continue its winning streak and their surprising start.

Anyone see Willie Mitchell lay out Jonathan Toews last night? What a hit. Watch it here. That is the kind of physical play the Rangers need on their blue line and have been missing for awhile. An absolutely beautiful hit.

Ranger Fans? This is Earth...You Can Come Back Down Now

2009-10-20T20:41:00.001-04:00

I suppose that most Ranger fans have gotten over last night's debacle against the San Jose Sharks. I'm not going to give a recap because frankly it is not necessary. A 7-3 whooping of New York by one of the top teams in the league shows us one thing: The Rangers have alot of work to do.

This seven game winning streak was a nice way to get back into the season but it is time for everyone to come back down to reality. The Rangers are good but not great. With so many changes to the lineup and a new system being implemented it is not surprise that this kind of mess occurred. If you have been watching the two games leading up to this one it was pretty obvious that this team was going to lose. Better it be against a non-conference foe like San Jose and not against someone like the New Jersey Devils or Montreal Canadiens, the next two opponents for the Blueshirts.

Starting Steve Valiquette was probably the wrong move for head coach John Tortorella to do. I understand that Henrik Lundqvist needs to get games off so he stays fresh for the playoffs but letting him play against prime competition like the San Jose Sharks will do more good than harm in the long run. This was a bench marking game and the fact Steve Valiquette was a sieve makes it hard for Tortorella and the coaching staff to determine who would have won this game with the King in net. Granted San Jose did outplay the Rangers for long periods of time but many of the goals Valiquette gave up could have been stopped through simple technical fixes such as being out on top of the crease.

But what's done is done. The Rangers are moving on to Thursday night when they will be back at Madison Square Garden to host the New Jersey Devils for the first time this season. The last matchup saw Matt Gilroy score his first NHL goal which was the game winner. No doubt Martin Brodeur will be in net and Henrik Lundqvist will be back in the crease for New York. As always it is a goaltending showdown between two of the top netminders in the entire NHL. You can bet that John Tortorella and his staff will have broken down every minute detail of the loss to San Jose and try to fix what went wrong.

Without the pressure of a big winning streak going it may benefit the Rangers by making them get back to a simpler and more effective style of play. They have looked sloppy the last two games despite getting two wins. Now is the time to regroup and tighten up the structure of the system to get going again.

A tidbit that came in today is that veteran defenseman Mathieu Dandenault has signed a 25 game tryout with the Hartford Wolf Pack. It has been known the Rangers have been looking for a veteran seventh defenseman to carry on the roster and Dandenault would be able to provide that. He attended the training camp of the San Jose Sharks during the offseason but was cut. If he proves himself in the AHL then hopefully he will be able to come up and bring a much needed veteran presence on the Ranger blue line.

A Breeze to Bryz

2009-10-19T12:34:00.000-04:00

The National Hockey League announced their three stars of the week with Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov right at the top. Read the release here.

Arguably the hottest goaltender in the NHL right now Bryzgalov is fulfilling the role of a consistent goaltender that has been missing from the Phoenix Coyotes for a long time. He continued his impressive play with a huge week and three wins over three very good teams. He started the week off by shutting out the San Jose Sharks and helping Phoenix to a 1-0 shootout win over the Western powerhouse. He went on to hold St. Louis to just two goals in a 4-2 win and the Boston Bruins to one goal in a 4-1 win. Stopping 70 of 73 shots faced, Bryzgalov had a .95 goals against average and a .959 save percentage.

On the season Bryzgalov leads goaltenders in goals against average (1.14) and save percentage (.953). An absolutely terrific start for Bryzgalov, he will need to continue his great play to help Phoenix stay atop the Pacific Division in the West. They will certainly be cheering for the New York Rangers when they take on San Jose tonight. LA plays Dallas in a divisional matchup so for Phoenix it does not really matter. They are focuses on Thursday night's showdown with the Detroit Red Wings at Jobing.com Arena. Get out there and support a team that is playing very well right now.

A quick note about tonight's Rangers game. Steve Valiquette will be getting his second start of the season when the Rangers host the San Jose Sharks. His last start was against the Anaheim Ducks where he helped the Rangers to a 3-0 shutout win. Head Coach John Tortorella has said he would like to rest Lundqvist more this season than he has been the last few, especially with the Olympics in February. The Rangers have said they have been sloppy the last few games. Hopefully they can fix that tonight as they go for 8 in a row.

Rolling Right Along

2009-10-18T20:34:00.000-04:00

So far the ships are running right on course.

Both teams were in action last night. The New York Rangers brought their six game winning streak to Toronto to take on an awful Maple Leafs team that is just falling apart right now. Despite a physical brand of hockey from the Leafs New York came out on top again by a score of 4-1. Brandon Dubinsky, Marc Staal, Michael Del Zotto, and Enver Lisin scored the four Ranger goals as they continued to roll. Marian Gaborik continued his point streak with two assists on the night.

The key to this game was not the scoring but goaltending. Henrik Lundqvist was his usual self as he stopped 34 of 35 Toronto shots. While the final score was a three goal advantage in favor of the Rangers the Maple Leafs could have easily made this game interesting if the King was not sharp. He made some difficult saves and had to deal with Toronto's tendency to run the goaltender.

If anything the Rangers need to get meaner on the back end. When the man in net is as important as Lundqvist is to your team you need to protect him. I think it is only a matter of time before Lundqvist snaps and goes off on someone. Jason Blake would have been the perfect candidate for that but Staal took care of him with a big hit late. Either way New York needs to be more mindful of what is going on with Lundqvist and how the opponents are treating him.

One other thing that has been out of the picture because of the winning is Sean Avery. Avery has played very well since coming back from his knee injury early in the season. However, I just do not see that edge from him that made everyone fall in love with him. The Rangers are winning which is the most important thing but I would like to see Avery live a bit more on the edge than he has been.

Rookie Michael Del Zotto is now tied for the league lead among defensemen for points with 8.

For the Phoenix Coyotes they are now on a three game winning streak that has seen them defeat the Sharks, Blues, and the Boston Bruins. Defeating the Bruins last night was impressive as three of the Coyotes four goals were scored by defensemen. Ed Jovanovski, Adrian Aucoin, Keith Yandle, and Scottie Upshall all scored for the Coyotes as they get another win against a decent team. Coyotes captain Shane Doan finished with three assists as he tries to get his game going.

The story for the Coyotes was their defense and goaltending once again as Ilya Bryzgalov continues his great play stopping 22 of 23 shots faced. The Bruins only had two power plays in the game but Phoenix killed both of them off while the power play struck twice. I mentioned before that the special teams need to get going for Phoenix and this game shows just how much more dangerous they are when the special teams are clicking. If they want to stay where they are the great special teams need to continue.

Unfortunately for the Coyotes attendance has not been great at the last two home games. Just under 7,000 people showed up for the comeback win over St. Louis and just under 10,000 showed up last night with the Bruins in town. The bright side is that the attendance went up between the two games but realistically that is just not acceptable for a team looking to stay. I am hoping that the city of Phoenix has a change of heart and more people start going to games. Watching this team win is great. If they can keep winning and be a tough team to play against every night then the people will go to the games. If the Arizona Cardinals can turn their situation around then the Phoenix Coyotes most certainly can as well.

Only two games for the Coyotes this week as they are off until Thursday when the Detroit Red Wings come to Phoenix. If attendance is looking to go up then it will for this game as many Red Wings fans always turn out for the Coyotes home games. They finish their week off with a home game against the LA Kings before coming over to New York to play the Rangers.

The Rangers have a little bit of a tougher schedule with three games this week. They host the San Jose Sharks Monday night and the New Jersey Devils on Thursday before heading north of the border once again as they travel to Montreal to face Scott Gomez and the Canadiens.

Who will have the hot hand as we head towards the first clash of the season between my two teams? I have no clue how it will end up but it is distinctly possible that both of these teams will be very hot going into next Monday night at the Garden.

The Uglier Side of Winning

2009-10-15T11:19:00.001-04:00

The Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers faced off at Madison Square Garden last night as both were on hot streaks. Coming in the Rangers had won five straight, coming off a most recent seven goal performance against the woeful Toronto Maple Leafs. The LA Kings came in on a four game winning streak having most recently beaten the New York Islanders on Monday night by a score of 2-1.

Despite the fact that usual starter Jonathan Quick was not the starter last night, Erik Ersberg is no slouch of a goaltender and the LA Kings are one of those up and coming Western Conference teams who will be a force in the future. Their style of hard forechecking and being physical on the puck, not to mention being a physically big team, sort of reminds me of the Philadelphia Flyers. What happens in the future for them will only be told by time but Kings fans have plenty to be excited about.

But last night's game saw a Ranger team get lucky. Vinny Prospal scored two power play goals in the first period as he broke the 200 career goal mark on the first one. The first one came off a nice deflection setup by Michael Del Zotto who finished with two assists on the night. The rookie continues to light it up on the power play as well as Ales Kotalik who had two more assists, both on the powerplay goals. Brian Boyle made it 3-1 as he scored against his former team in what would prove to be the game winner.

Coming out of the first period with a one goal lead was a bit tough because from the 2nd period on it was a domination of puck possession by the LA Kings. They continued to battle the Rangers who were tired as they finished up a stretch of three games in four nights at home. Ryan Smyth scored their first goal off a nice deflection while Jack Johnson scored in the second period to make it 3-2. Being a Rangers fan I was prepared for a letdown. Why shouldn't I be considering the way the team has been the last few years?

That was until Marian Gaborik. When you are actually at a game you can appreciate plays much more because you see everything that is going on down on the ice and in the crowd. When Gaborik got the pass from Prospal and went over the line slow you could feel the buzz in the building. Starting off slow he came down the wing and released a shot like a rattlesnake. It was quick, sudden and deadly. The puck was in the net before Ersberg knew what had happened and oh my what a sick shot it was. You can call it a roof, snipe, or whatever else you want but it was a thing of beauty. I have watched the goal at least ten times and every time I cannot help but laugh and smile knowing how unbelievably sick that shot is. I tried watching it frame by frame and it is unbelievable to see him have the puck in one frame and the next its already bouncing out of the net. Poor Erik Ersberg. Click the link at the end of this post if you missed the goal.

That was the only shot the Rangers had in the third period. After that it was all Henrik Lundqvist as he had to preserve the win just as he had so many times before. He made a stellar save in the first period and had to make more by looking through screens and dealing with people barreling into him again. Lundqvist finished with 34 saves and was named the first star of the game.

The Rangers get a day off today and hopefully some much needed rest. It was an ugly win but, as John Tortorella said in the post game, good teams win these kinds of games. He certainly is right. New York will be in Toronto on Saturday night to take on the Maple Leafs once again.

The Phoenix Coyotes return home tonight after a big shootout win over the San Jose Sharks on Monday night. They will be looking to get their first win on home ice this season when they host the St. Louis Blues. Hopefully another big crowd will be on hand.

The Coyotes sent Mikkel Boedker to the AHL. While it is sad to see this, it is for the ebtter as Boedker was not getting much playing time in Phoenix. It makes more sense to put him in a position where he will get plenty of ice time and can develop some chemistry with some of the players who will make up the future of the franchise. I have a feeling Yotes fans will be seeing Mikkel back in Phoenix before the season is over.

Once again...an ugly win but one that Ranger fans will take...especially if Gaborik keeps on scoring pretty goals like this.

Wins on Both Coasts

2009-10-13T11:17:00.000-04:00

What night it was to be a hockey fan last night. Plenty of great games including a humiliating loss for the Calgary Flames who blew a five goal lead to lose in overtime (sound familiar Ranger fans?).

But for the two main teams victories were achieved albeit through very different means.

In New York the Rangers were coming off a big win over the Anaheim Ducks where Steve Valiquette stopped 18 shots for a 3-0 win. He filled in with a solid effort for Henrik Lundqvist who was back in the crease last night as the woeful Toronto Maple Leafs came into New York looking for their first win of the season. They could not have gone through a worse affair.

The Rangers put up a lucky 7 against the Maple Leafs as Dan Girardi and Sean Avery had two goals each. Wade Redden looked like the Redden the Rangers signed as he had a goal and two assists. What a snipe his goal was as another high performing Ranger, Vinny Prospal, fed Redden the puck and he drilled it short side high off the cross bar and behind frustrated Leafs goaltender Vesa Toskala (By the way Toskala suffered an injury last night making Joey MacDonald the starter for Toronto for the foreseeable future).

Prospal and Artem Anisimov finished with two assists each. Marian Gaborik had a goal and an assist to extend his point scoring streak. It was a dominating win for the boys in blue. Two points I want to make however:

1. As expected Donald Brashear and Colton Orr met up and dropped the gloves. Up until this point many people had been booing Brashear because of his prior history against the Rangers. Last night the two heavyweights met up as they have many times during their careers and it was a pretty good battle but the edge goes to big Brashear as he landed some good punches. If this win over Orr was not enough Brashear had his family hand out gloves with the finger tips cut off to certain sections in Madison Square Garden. One glove had his number and the nickname "Brash" on it while the other one was signed by him. Inside were plastic cups that made the gloves into noisemakers of sorts. It is sad that Brashear has had to try and win over fans like this but I think he has earned the respect for Ranger fans...at least I hope.

2. Last night Leafs forward Jason Blake ran Henrik Lundqvist twice and he did not get challenged. If you are the Rangers, you need to get on Blake and make sure he does not do that. Whether it is giving him a face wash or making him apart of the boards the Rangers cannot let that happen. Lundqvist is the most important piece to the Rangers and he needs to be protected. The Rangers need to get a little mean and make sure players know that if they run into Lundqvist they are going to pay for it.

The Rangers are practicing today and then are at home again on Wednesday when they take on the Los Angeles Kings who are coming off a win against the Islanders. They will pose a stiffer test than the Leafs did.

On the other coast you could say the Rangers won another game. The Phoenix Coyotes were coming off their shutout loss in their home opener and now were visiting the San Jose Sharks who are expected to be a major player in the Western Conference.

If you are a fan of high scoring games then this was not the matchup for you as good defensive play and goaltending made this game completely scoreless and forced a shootout. Evgeni Nabokov and Ilya Bryzgalov both earned a shutout but a winner still had to be decided.

The shootout came with both goalies hot as they both stopped the first shooters they faced.

Bryzgalov got lucky as Devin Setoguchi missed a wrist shot on his blocker side.

Peter Mueller gave Phoenix the lead when he used his nice wrist shot and slipped the puck under the glove of Nabokov.

Dan Boyle came in next and made a nice fake to avoid the poke check attempt from Bryzgalov and used a nice back hand up into the back of the net.

As I mentioned before the Rangers won two games last night. Lauri Korpikoski was the last man to go for the Coyotes. His first career shootout attempt would be a big one as he came up against Nabokov fast. A little bit of a change of the angle and a good wrist shot was enough to get it by the Sharks goaltender.

This was an absolutely monumental win for so early in the season for the Coyotes. They went up against a high powered offensive team and shut them down. The defense has really improved this season as the Coyotes have given up just two even strength goals this season. However they will need to get the offense going as well. They peppered Nabokov with 30 shots last night which means they are getting chances but they need to finish the job a bit more. Not having the speed of Matthew Lombardi was probably a big reason why the offense could not generate but regardless, they need to get going.

The power play needs to be more organized and more creative. Passing is key for a power play and Phoenix needs to get better at doing that. The power play did not convert on four chances last night. A big part of getting Phoenix's offense going will be converting while on the man advantage.

Bryzgalov played exactly how he needs to for the entire season. He was solid all night and stopped all the shots he should have to keep his team in the game.

A positive night overall in hockey with the two main teams on here. The Rangers play on Wednesday against the LA Kings (I will be there) while the Coyotes return home on Thursday to host the St. Louis Blues. If you are in Phoenix, make sure you get yourself to that home game. The Coyotes will be better.

Two Sides of the Coin

2009-10-11T13:53:00.000-04:00

The two main teams that I follow are on two very different sides of the coin right now.
The Phoenix Coyotes dropped their home opener in the worst fashion possible as they were shutout by the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0. The good news is that the arena was sold out and the crowd was into it. Unfortunately Phoenix could not get a win for them.
On the other side is the New York Rangers who are on a roll right now. After dropping the season opener in Pittsburgh the Rangers have rang off four straight wins including yesterday's 3-0 shutout over the Anaheim Ducks. Steve Valiquette stopped 18 shots for the first shutout by a Ranger goaltender this year. Tonight they welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs who have not won a game this season and have just one point. They will be looking to get a victory for sure.

Rangers and Coyotes seasons are in full swing and its a great time.

Coyotes Set for Sold Out Whiteout

2009-10-10T11:08:00.000-04:00

Tonight is the big night for the Phoenix Coyotes.

The team returns to Glendale with a 2-1 record and an arena that is officially sold out with more standing room tickets being sold. Kudos to the people of Phoenix and the staff of the Coyotes in getting this done. Yes I know people are criticizing the team since the tickets are discounted but that is not the point. The point is that people bought these tickets and are coming to the game meaning this team will have support if it stays.

But this game is also big for another reason. Phoenix is coming off its first loss of the season against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night and will be looking to impress the home crowd. Ilya Bryzgalov will be back in net after backup Jason LaBarbera played stellar in the recent loss. Petr Prucha is day to day after being hit by Patrick Kaleta and is hoping to play in tonight's opener. Prucha was an integral part of the victory over Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

The Coyotes welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets in who are coming off a 6-3 loss where newest San Jose Shark Dany Heatley had a hat trick. Like the Coyotes they will definitely be looking to get back on the winning side of things. As always the Coyotes will need to keep an eye on Rick Nash who can tear the opposition apart single handedly.

Phoenix will be wearing their white jerseys tonight to go along with the Whiteout. It is a big night for the Phoenix Coyotes and they will come out with a jump in their step. But if they play the game they did in the first two games then they will have success. Hopefully this is the first of many sellouts this season for Phoenix as they look to get respect around the NHL by winning big games and maybe, just maybe, getting a look at the post season. But for now they should be focusing on tonight's game. What a memorable one it should be.

Coyotes Shut Out Pittsburgh in an Early Statement Game

2009-10-07T22:51:00.000-04:00

I am finally coming down off the high of elation that I have just experienced and am still so excited.

The Phoenix Coyotes defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins by a score of 3-0 tonight in Pittsburgh. This was the first time that I got to watch Phoenix while under the guidance of Dave Tippett and I have to say that this looks like a completely different team.

The high pressure forecheck, good positioning, and physicality are aspects that I have not seen from a Phoenix team. They executed the Tippett system to perfection tonight as they limited the time and space of the opposition and forced them to mistakes. The players played a physical game, especially Ed Jovanovski who really showed up as his old self constantly punishing the Penguins when they came into the defensive zone.

Ilya Bryzgalov got his first shutout of the season. He did not have to be brilliant but he made some very big and timely saves in the third period. There were points in the third period where the Penguins were putting the pressure on and Phoenix was having trouble but Bryzgalov was there to keep Phoenix ahead. Bryz finished the game with 24 saves as he is off to a good start.

The last goal by Radim Vrbata was an empty net goal but the first two were powerplay goals. Petr Prucha showed why he should be on the ice during a man advantage situation as he played an important role in both tallies. Shane Doan made a nice cross ice pass to Ed Jovanovski who was down in the faceoff circle to the left of Penguins goalie Brent Johnson. Prucha stood in front screening Johnson while big Jovanovski sniped the short side corner to give Phoenix a 1-0 lead.

Prucha once again was a factor as he scored the second Phoenix goal on the power play. The young Czech got tangled up with Penguins defenseman Mark Eaton and fell to the ice. Radim Vrbata moved in and took a shot on Brent Johnson leaving the rebound right where Prucha was. Using his skill Prucha flipped the puck into the net while on his back. The hard work continued to pay off for the Coyotes.

While goals are impressive what the Coyotes did for the rest of the game was even more impressive. They systematically shut down the Penguin offense by being in good position and outworking the Penguins along the boards. Their sticks were right in the passing lanes and the players were sacrificing their bodies to block the puck before it even got on goal.

It was an impressive showing by the Phoenix Coyotes and win that a team can really use to become better. I know it is only the second game of a very long season but a win like this, no matter where it is in the season, can provide a confidence boost to more wins. I am trying to keep myself relatively calm but I cannot help but wonder if this team is going to make some noise this season.

Coyotes Getting an Early Test

2009-10-06T23:57:00.000-04:00

When a change is made to a team you want to put it up against a team that is rock solid and can be used as a measuring stick. The Phoenix Coyotes underwent some changes this offseason with a few new players and a new head coach in Dave Tippett.

Well Tippett is going to get his first real challenge on Wednesday night when the Coyotes visit the defending Stanley Cup champions at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. Phoenix has only played one game so far this season when they defeated the Los Angeles Kings 6-3 on Saturday night and will be facing a much more experienced and high powered team in the Penguins.

The Coyotes are starting this season off on a road trip that will take them to Pittsburgh and Buffalo before returning home to Phoenix on Saturday for the home opener.

But this game is a big deal for the team. No doubt they want to make a big impression by taking down Sidney Crosby and the rest of the defending champions. Phoenix actually defeated Pittsburgh last season by a score of 4-1 in Glendale but this is a much different team than that of last year. This season the Coyotes have a structure and system in place that will give them a chance to win every night whether it is against the LA Kings or someone like the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It is this system that will truly be tested when trying to defend Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, and the rest of the potent Penguin offense. Phoenix will need to be firing on all cylinders to get pucks by Marc-Andre Fleury. The power play got a good start against the LA Kings but will need to be a big factor. Pittsburgh will not give you many chances so you need to take advantage of the ones that you do find.

More importantly is limiting your mistakes. The Penguins feed off the mistakes of the other team and taking excessive penalties is where they can be deadly. The Coyotes gave up three power play goals against Los Angeles but were lucky enough to survive. If Phoenix's penalty kill has not improved they will have lost this game before it even started. I am hoping it has since they have had a few practices to work on the strategy and positioning they need to have in place to improve on a penalty kill that was dismal last season.

Ilya Bryzgalov will need to be sharp. Pittsburgh is a high pressure offensive team and will be bombarding the Coyotes defense and net with shots from all angles and directions. The Coyotes staff has said Bryzgalov will have to steal games that Phoenix probably should not win. Well this is one of those. Goaltending coach Sean Burke will look to have his main man ready for a big game.

It is tough to call early games like these big but for this organization it is. Putting up a team which is being questioned by alot of critics against the reigning champions is a good way to measure how well you are doing. I have no idea how this will turn out but am obviously hoping for a Coyotes win.

Enough with the Brash Bash

2009-10-05T11:39:00.001-04:00

Alright...enough is enough people.

When the New York Rangers signed veteran enforcer Donald Brashear this offseason many Ranger fans felt betrayed. Brashear has been on the top 10 most wanted list by Ranger fans for the last few years...and not the good most wanted list.

When I first heard of the signing I was a bit shocked like most fans and I felt a little weird knowing that I would see Donald Brashear in blue. But I have gotten over it and now prefer him to Colton Orr.

While many may not think it Brashear can actually play hockey. He can skate, hit and is a real benefit when he is in front of the net battling it out. He is very strong and provides a veteran presence in the locker room. Since the lockout he has had 36 points while Colton Orr has had 11. While Orr improved on his skating it was still pretty awful. Brashear is not the best either but he is better than Orr, not to mention he has a little bit of hockey sense knowing to go to the front of the net and trying to outmuscle the opposition.

It did suck what he did to Blair Betts in the playoffs last season but if he was a Ranger and did the same thing to someone on the Caps, Ranger fans would be on their feet. When he fought Brandon Sugden the second time the fans were going nuts as Brashear came on late in the fight. Don't believe me? Watch it here.

This guy lays it all out on the ice willing to take punches from some of the meanest goons in the NHL right now to defend his teammates. There are not many other players on the Rangers now willing to go toe to toe with people like Eric Godard. No doubt we will see Brashear fight the likes of Riley Cote, Colton Orr, and who knows. Maybe we will be luck to see him take on Sidney Crosby (please oh please just once).

I cannot guarantee that he will fight Crosby or score 50 goals. What I can guarantee is that he is laying it all out for his team and the fans every night and Ranger fans will come to love Donald Brashear very soon. So stop booing him.

Rangers and Coyotes Off to a Good Start

2009-10-04T15:06:00.000-04:00

The New York Rangers and the Phoenix Coyotes were both in action last night.

The Rangers returned to Madison Square Garden after dropping their first game in Pittsburgh by a score of 3-2. There were alot of positives out of the Penguins game but Ranger fans were expecting a win in the first home game. The new look Ottawa Senators came into to town looking to get their season started.

While there were points where the Rangers had trouble they dominated most of the game. It took until the second period for the scoring to get under way as Vinny Prospal got his first goal as a Ranger when he sniped the puck over the left shoulder of Senators goaltender Pascal LeClaire just over three minutes into the 2nd period. Brandon Dubinsky made it 2-0 halfway through the second when he roofed the puck on a semi-breakaway. Dubinsky had been working on his shot during the offseason and really showed it tonight.

Daniel Alfredsson managed to bring Ottawa within one after receiving a nice pass from Jason Spezza. Matt Gilroy was at the end of a very long shift and was beaten to the puck while the Rangers made a bad line change leaving him out to dry.

As the period was winding down Ranger fans got a boost of excitement when Michael Del Zotto slinged a wrist shot from the blue line through a maze of bodies and into the back of the net. The crowd at MSG exploded in elation as one of its young prospects made his mark. At just 19 years old Del Zotto has Ranger fans buzzing about his game.

Marian Gaborik scored and Dubinsky added an empty net goal at the end. Senators rookie Peter Regin scored his first NHL goal with just over 5 seconds left in the game as the Rangers won by a final score of 5-2. Dubinsky finished with two goals and an assist, Gaborik had a goal and assist, and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 32 of 34 shots for his first victory of the season.

On the other side of the country the Dave Tippett era was getting under way in Los Angeles as the Phoenix Coyotes visited the Kings. Radim Vrbata had a great return as he scored two goals for the Coyotes. Robert Lang, Scottie Upshall, Matthew Lombardi, and Daniel Winnik had the other three goals as Phoenix went into LA and got a big victory.

Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov, and Drew Doughty scored for the Kings. If there is one negative for the Phoenix Coyotes, it was their penalty kill as all three LA goals came on the man advantage. Special teams was a rough spot for the Coyotes and they will look to improve on it as the season goes on. Phoenix was one for four on the power play.

Not a bad start to the season. The Rangers head to New Jersey to take on the Devils Monday while the Coyotes go to visit the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. The two teams have things to work on but I like what I see and other fans should too.

Hockey Season Begins Tonight

2009-10-01T11:36:00.000-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen, the wait is finally over. After months of speculation about who is the best and how teams will play the first night of the NHL regular season is officially tonight. And it could not have come sooner. Actually it could have.

The New York Rangers and Phoenix Coyotes are not in action tonight but there is one thing that I would like to do and that is put the two in a head to head matchup by position and see who comes out on top. Lets get to it:

Forwards: Up front both of these teams have depth to talk about. In New York the Rangers have added Marian Gaborik, Christopher Higgins, Ales Kotalik, Enver Lisin, Vinny Prospal, and Donald Brashear through offseason acquisitions. Add in Russian rookie Artem Anisimov and you have a very different looking squad up front which saw the likes of Markus Naslund, Scott Gomez, and Nikolai Zherdev leave. Returning are names like Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Chris Drury, and Sean Avery who will look to be a foundation the team will build from. This is a very different looking team and will no doubt take some time to mesh but the talent is there.

For the Coyotes, they have decided to cut down a bit on the youth and try to add some veteran presence up front. The addition of Robert Lang is huge as this veteran pivot will look to create chemistry on the ice with who ever he is with and off the ice with some of the young Czech players on the upstart Coyotes. Other additions like Taylor Pyatt and Vernon Fiddler will add to the depth and hopefully a jump in the special teams where the Coyotes have been sorely lacking both on the power play and penalty kill in the last few seasons. Add in the return of Radim Vrbata from Tampa Bay and the Coyotes have brought in some players who can add to the offense that was ranked 26th in goals for last season.

The Coyotes will be looking to young players like Peter Mueller and Martin Hanzal to have big seasons in their third year. Mueller has come to camp in the best shape he has ever been in and is looking much better than last season. Hanzal will continue his development in his big body and will hopefully get some helpful pointers from someone like Robert Lang. The youth continues with players like Mikkel Boedker, Scottie Upshall, Petr Prucha, and Matthew Lombardi. Throw in the veteran Shane Doan and the offense has some serious potential to put up more goals.

However, what the Coyotes lack is what the Rangers have...a game breaker. While both teams have solid depth up front the lack of a game breaker in Phoenix puts the Rangers above them. Winner: RANGERS

Defense: The blue line is always key to any championship team. As the saying goes "Defense wins championships". Looking at New York the slight problem is a lack of experience. Four of the Rangers' six defensemen are 25 years old or younger. Rookies Matt Gilroy and Michael Del Zotto impressed enough in training camp to earn a starting spot at this position and certainly have the potential to become good NHL defensemen. Marc Staal and Dan Girardi return to the lineup and will need to have strong years considering the two veteran defensemen, Michal Rozsival and Wade Redden, will need to bounce back after pretty dismal seasons. If the preseason is any indication of what is to come, the blue line may be in trouble if the veterans cannot bounce back.

What New York lacks on defense the Coyotes do have. Veteran defense is a big advantage to the Coyotes as Adrian Aucoin and Ed Jovanovski will lead a solid defensive corps that is a good mix of young and old. "Jovocop" will need to have a rebound season and be a catalyst for starting the Coyotes play up the ice. If he can return to the form which has made him a good defenseman in the NHL, it will be a big boost to the team.

The Coyotes added some physicality by bringing in Jim Vandermeer who is known to be a very gritty blueliner. Phoenix lacked bite on its blue line last season and, with the combination of Kurt Sauer, Vandermeer may be able to make life hard for opposing offenses.

The future of the Coyotes blueline lies in Zbynek Michalek and Keith Yandle. Both took huge strides last season and will be looked to take on a bigger role. Michalek's two way play has been crucial to what little success Phoenix has had the last few years as he led the entire NHL in blocked shots last season. He will need to continue his stellar defensive play. Yandle had a decent season as he garnered 30 points and drastically improved his defensive play. He needs to continue to refine his play but it seems like the Coyotes may have found a decent offensive defenseman in Keith Yandle.

Who is better? This one has to go to Phoenix. The depth and veteran leadership on the Phoenix blue line outweighs that of the Rangers by a long shot. If Wade Redden and Michal Rozsival can turn things around then maybe this changes but right now with a structured defensive system like that of Dave Tippett's coming in, the Coyotes will really be relying on their blue line if they want to have success this season. Winner: Coyotes

Goaltending: And here is where the scale tips. I like Ilya Bryzgalov as a starting goalie and think he has the talent to be very good in the NHL. That being said, Henrik Lundqvist is one of the top goalies in the NHL right now. Having been a Vezina finalist three times and winning at least 30 games in every season so far Lundqvist is the backbone of the New York Rangers. Bryzgalov will have do well with a new technical coach like Sean Burke and a solid defense in front of him, but Lundqvist's raw talent and skill beats out Bryzgalov. Winner: Rangers.

So who wins in the head to head matchup? Well the Rangers have two of the three categories so I will give it to them. However, it will be interesting to see how these two teams matchup this season as they have two meetings. On paper it seems the Rangers would come out on top but with Phoenix having a solid head coach in Dave Tippett who knows how well they play in a structured system. We'll call it a shootout win for the Rangers at this point.

Here are my predictions for the first night of games:

WSH@BOS: Offense vs Defense. The Bruins are very good at defense and are much more physical than the Washington Ovechkins. If Tim Thomas continues his Vezina caliber play then look for the B's to come out on top. 4-2 Bruins

MTL@TOR: The classic NHL rivalry is apart of the opening night festivities. The new look Maple Leafs are going to be looking for a big first win to get their season going while Montreal looks to erase the horrible year last season that was their 100th anniversary. This is a tough one as I am rooting for the Maple Leafs to make a comeback but Montreal will take this one. 4-3 Habs

SJS@COL: It is Joe Sakic night in Denver as the Avalanche will raise 19 to the rafters after an unbelievable career. But that is going to be the end of the joyous time for Avs fans as the San Jose Sharks will pick apart a team that is systematic and talented. It will be a long season in Colorado and it will start tonight. 4-1 Sharks

VAN@CGY: This will be the matchup to watch in the Northwest division as these two teams will slug it out all season for the divisional crown. Roberto Luongo is looking to have another big season and will need to if the Canucks want this division. Calgary looks strong again with the usual suspects of Iginla, Phaneuf, Regehr, and Kiprusoff. A full season of Olli Jokinen will be a big boost along with the acquisition of Jay Bouwmeester. It is a clash of the titans in the Northwest and the Canucks will come out on top. 3-2 Canucks.

So there you have it. The opening night of the season is tonight with the Rangers' first game tomorrow night in Pittsburgh and Phoenix's first one on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings. Get the jerseys out and bundle up. ITS HOCKEY SEASON!

Return of the Rubber Rats

2009-09-30T18:17:00.000-04:00

By Jonathan Lungo

The cats of South Florida are finally awakening and are ready to jump back into the playoff scene. Last year revealed that the Panthers have a lot to look forward to. For example. an excellent blend of youth and experience is found from top to bottom on this Panthers roster up front. Coming off last year's nail biting race for the last playoff spot, the Panthers will be back ready to prove that last year's jump was not just a fluke. The Panthers finished the season with 93 points, tied with Montreal for eighth, but lost the tiebreaker and so were sent packing to the beaches of South Florida.

This season will be a trial of consistency for the Panthers forwards. The Panthers will only go as far as their forwards can take them making the forward corps their Achilles Heel. If there are too many injuries or shortcoming among the forwards it will be a long season in Sunrise. Veterans Radek Dvorak and Steven Reinprecht will be leading the young forwards who are hopefully the future of this respectful franchise. Among the youth is 24-year-old American David Booth who scored 31 goals and 29 assists in 72 games played last season. Expect this youngster to get more playing time and to lead the team in scoring. Booth is shaping up to become a team captain some day, possibly as soon as sometime during this season.

Last year’s rookie sensation in Sunrise was Michael Frolik. Another promising ray of light to the Panthers success and future in South Florida, Frolik is an extremely fast and agile center who totaled 45 points in 79 games played. Being that it was only his rookie season he did not play on the top line but his +/- was a plus 10 so expect Frolik to keep himself on the top two lines of the Panthers. The Panthers now have the energy back in the building, which will help energize this squad and help other young forwards like Stephen Weiss (14G, 47A), Gregory Campbell (13G, 19A). But not to worry, Head coach Peter DeBoer knows how to sculpt these players into winning shape...hopefully just not when my Flyers are in town because I have already purchased the tickets.

If I were Randy Sexton, the Panthers Assistant General Manager, all I would be worried about would be the depth on defense. The loss of Jay Bouwmeester was no doubt a huge loss of talent but the distraction brought by the Bouwmeester trade rumors was too big a distraction. Perhaps the best addition to this defensive corps is Jordon Leopold who came over during the offseason in a trade with Calgary. Leopold is looking for a place to settle down after his second stint with the Flames and what a better place to do it than here in Sunrise. The team around him is still young and blossoming and he has an opportunity to become a leader in the locker room and his postseason experience will play a crucial role in getting the Panthers into the playoffs. The other top defenseman positions for the Panthers this year will probably be Bryan McCabe, Keith Ballard, and newly acquired Dennis Seidenberg, who also has postseason experience with both the Flyers and Hurricanes. If one of these guys goes down the next guy up is not going to be as experienced and can prove to be a thorn in the paw for these Panthers.

Goaltending should be of little worry, since two excellent net minders are between the pipes. I say enough of Tomas Vokoun as the starter and put in Scott Clemmensen. Sexton brought in Clemmensen from the Devils this offseason and why not use what you acquired?The 32 year old Clemmensen showed amazing skill last year in New Jersey after Martin Brodeur went down with an injury. When Clemmensen stepped in the Devils were down in third place in the highly competitive Atlantic Division and led the Devils to an Atlantic Division title going 25-13 with two shutouts in 40 games and holding opponents to under three goals a game. Of course Brodeur came back at the end of the season to record his record breaking win and Scotty was tossed aside like chopped liver and the backup job was given back to a cheaper Kevin Weekes. Scotty is looking for revenge and this will only add to the Panthers fury this season.

My prediction: the Rubber Rats will be back and they will be numerous.

Coyotes Adding Some Veteran Leadership?

2009-09-29T16:36:00.000-04:00

For the last few years the Phoenix Coyotes have been all about young players and rebuilding. While developing young players is important a team needs veterans to help lead the youth of their team.

According to Jim Gintonio of the Arizona Republic and fan sightings at practice the Phoenix Coyotes have reached a contractual agreement with veteran center Robert Lang pending a physical. Lang is coming off an Achilles tendon injury suffered last season while playing for the Montreal Canadiens but it seems that he will be ready to go. Expect a formal announcement later from the Phoenix Coyotes.

Lang had 18 goals and 39 points in 50 games last season before being hurt. New York fans will remember when Robert Lang scored a hat trick at Madison Square Garden in January.

What does this do to the Coyotes? It adds a few things. First they get a great locker room veteran. Robert Lang is one of the best Czech players to ever lace them up in the NHL and he will be joining a team that already has a bit of a Czech flavor with Radim Vrbata, Martin Hanzal, Petr Prucha, and Zbynek Michalek all hailing from the eastern European nation. Having that sort of dynamic on and off the ice can really be a comforting factor for players.

Second is that Lang can still play. He has broken the 20 goal plateau seven times and the 30 goal plateau once. Obviously his main skill is in setting up players for goals and Phoenix has alot of talent on the wings. Players like Shane Doan, Mikkel Boedker, Peter Mueller, Petr Prucha, Scottie Upshall, and Radim Vrbata will benefit greatly from having a solid setup man like Robert Lang skating down the middle. Phoenix was sorely missing offense last season and a guy like Robert Lang can not only boost that with his own scoring abilities but by making others around him better.

This is a great signing if Lang passes his physical. The positive effects this will have both on and off the ice will only benefit the Coyotes as they try to get some wins and be competitive in the Western Conference. However let the Coyotes officially announce Lang's arrival.

In other NHL news the Chicago Blackhawks lost in the Victoria Cup to ZSC Zurich by a score of 2-1. The Lions were able to hold off Chicago in the third period as Zurich's goaltender Ari Sulander played outstanding. The Victoria Cup is out of the hands of the NHL until next season. The New York Rangers were the first winners of the Victoria Cup last season when they defeated Metallurg Magnitogorsk in a dramatic comeback.

Also the home opener for the Phoenix Coyotes is almost sold out. The entire lower bowl is sold and there are limited seats left in the upper bowl. Go out there and get them.

Rangers and Coyotes Make Final Trimmings

2009-09-27T21:26:00.000-04:00

Both the Phoenix Coyotes and New York Rangers made some more cuts today which has gotten them down to the amount of players needed to start the season.

Brett MacLean and David Schlemko were sent to the San Antonio Rampage by the Phoenix Coyotes to bring their roster number two 22 players while the New York Rangers sent Evgeny Grachev to Hartford and are now at 22 players.

Both teams are carrying seven defensemen and youngsters are apart of the mix on both teams. In the desert Kevin Porter will be looking to make an impact as he will try to stick with the team for the duration of the season. Porter started the year in Phoenix last season but was eventually sent to San Antonio to get more ice time.

In New York, the Rangers will have some young talent abound. Michael Del Zotto has earned his nine game tryout. Del Zotto can play nine NHL games and still be sent back to his major junior team, the London Knights. Because of his age Del Zotto cannot go to the Hartford Wolfpack.

Matt Gilroy has made a great case to stay in New York as he has been impressive on both ends of the ice. He will only get better as he learns more about the system and the rest of the NHL.

Technically each team can make one more cut as the minimum amount of players to be on your active roster is 21. Looking at the Phoenix Coyotes there is not really any one person who has stood out in a very bad way and should be cut. Keeping the roster as is gives Head Coach Dave Tippett plenty of options. This team has a very good mix of speed and skill that will be complemented by a very structured defensive system. Saturday night's preseason shutout over the San Jose Sharks was a good start but more will be learned and the Coyotes will be even better.

On the east coast there is one person who should be cut immediately. Michal Rozsival has been absolutely atrocious. During today's game against the Capitals Rozsival fumbled the puck right in front of Henrik Lundqvist and Brooks Laich took it and put it in. The entire preseason Rozsival has blown it in the defensive zone and has not looked that spectacular on the other side of the ice. He is not mobile enough for a high octane offensive system and is frequently caught making bad plays whether in the defensive or offensive zones. He is quickly becoming a turnover machine. Maybe no one noticed Rozsival was so bad because Marek Malik was worse.

If I was John Tortorella Rozsival would be on his way to Hartford regardless of how much he makes. The younger players have looked much better. Free up $5 million in cap space, sign a veteran defenseman like Alexei Semenov (He hasn't looked spectacular either but at least he would be cheaper) and get ready for Friday.

Whatever does end up happening over the next week should be very interesting. The Phoenix Coyotes and New York Rangers are making the finishing touches on their rosters and will now get into an intense week of learning new systems. The teams are now set roster wise but now is the time where they forge their identity on the ice. What do you think they will look like?

Some Hope in the Desert?

2009-09-27T10:10:00.000-04:00

The Phoenix Coyotes had their final preseason game Saturday night as new head coach Dave Tippett got to see his new team in action for the first time. With Joe Thornton and newly acquired Dany Heatley coming to town it was not going to be easy.

However the Coyotes did very well as they won a very tight game 2-0. There was no scoring until the third period when Martin Hanzal who will be looked to improve on his offensive totals in years got the Coyotes going scored just 15 seconds into the final frame. Matthew Lombardi scored on the power play just over 7 minutes later to add some insurance. From then on it was all about defense for the Coyotes as Ilya Bryzgalov stopped all 27 shots that came his way.

So what is there to take from this? Since it was the final preseason game the two teams fielded rosters that will be pretty close to what is on the ice come the start of the season. Am I saying the Coyotes are going to have the Sharks' number all season? Of course not. But it is a sign that maybe Phoenix will be much better with an actual structured system.

Since I was not at the game and nor could I watch it I do not have first hand account of what went well but reading what other people have said there are a couple of points that looked really good:

1. The special teams over the last few seasons have been absolutely atrocious but last night they did not. The Coyotes power play looked much more creative and, as one fan puts it, was "unpredictable and organized". Phoenix has the talent in the lineup to run a good power play. With a veteran defenseman like Adrian Aucoin at the point experience will help a young team. Add when Ed Jovanovski starts to play and you have a pretty solid back line on the power play. 2. One of the best players on the ice for Phoenix was Peter Mueller. Last season was a dismal sophomore year for Mueller as he struggled to find his game and avoid injury. Yet last night he led the team in shots with seven, most of which were quality shots according to fans. He looks much faster having dropped a few pounds and worked on his skating alot. Despite not ending up on the scoresheet, Mueller's play has Coyote fans excited.

3. Phoenix will be counting on Ilya Bryzgalov to be a foundation in the crease and will have to steal some games for the young Yotes. Stopping all 27 shots last night is a huge step in the right direction, ten of those in the third period. Facing a pretty good offensive team like San Jose has got to be promising.

4. The overall structure of the team was very evident. There was a difference on the ice that, while still learning a new system, there is a purpose and a method to the madness if you will. As one Coyotes fan put it, "I never had that nagging feeling that failure was inevitable that I had alot last year". Tippett's defensive system has already begun to work an with just under a week until next Saturday's first game against the Los Angeles Kings you can bet Phoenix will be working to perfect the system and it will be ready to go to start the season.

A little glimpse of hope that this team can be much better? I hope so but this is still preseason. If Phoenix can do this again next Saturday and do it consistently then who knows where the ceiling may be. Their opening schedule is tough considering they are on the road for three games before coming home. They begin in LA, then move to Pittsburgh and close out the short road trip in Buffalo before coming home to face the Columbus Blue Jackets. Coming home undefeated would be a nice little surprise for Coyotes fans and would help get fans in the seats for the opener but a 2-1 record is by no means out of the question.

Do not forget that for the Coyotes home opener tickets are very affordable on anyone's budget so everyone in Phoenix should go out and support the team. This is a good young team with alot of promise and motivation for this season. With a bonafide head coach and a strong system this team will be making alot of noise. I sound like an advertisement but click here to get opening night tickets.

Today the New York Rangers have their final preseason game as they visit Washington to visit the Capitals. Game time is Noon EST and will be on MSG. Look for the roster to be posted with the pre-game notes on the Ranger website at some point and the final cuts to be made within the next few days. Head Coach John Tortorella has said he wants his final team to be skating at the MSG Training Center on Tuesday.

Less than a week until the regular season folks. Get those jerseys out.

I'm A Little Pissed...

2009-09-24T23:03:00.000-04:00

There are a couple of things I want to address here when it comes to being a Phoenix Coyotes fan and about the organization.

First of all, stop bashing Coyotes fans. This whole financial mess has led to other hockey fans jumping on the back of the media in attacking the Coyotes and their fans. Whether it is saying that there are not enough fans in Phoenix or that Phoenix fans just are not as good as fans in other markets, it needs to stop. Everyone hockey fan is a hockey fan. Sure we may hate the teams they root for but you do not insult a fan's dedication to their team. I may hate teams but I do not hate fans who know their hockey and root for their team with pride. We are all hockey fans loving the same sport.

Secondly, the Coyotes can work in Phoenix. By letting Gretzky and his $8 million salary go, 1/5th of the $30 million lost by the Phoenix Coyotes is gone. Right off the bat. If the Coyotes can get a competent owner who will keep the team in Phoenix long term and makes good business decisions the organization can thrive. Yes the team needs to win but having a smart brain-trust in charge of the organization makes a huge difference. The marketing department won awards last year for Pierre the Snowman which is a good start. Now get someone in charge who will help make the organization a success off the ice. I have worked in sports organizations and no matter how good your team may be in the standings, if the internal workings are not going well it can affect every facet of the team including on the ice, field, court, or whatever you play on.

It takes time to build a fan base. This is not a traditional hockey market but that does not mean it cannot be successful. It takes time and effort to get a fan base built up. You start with drawing kids into the game and then as they grow up they pass the fandom (spell check accepts that word?) to their children. It is a process that is slow and can be painful at times but the signs are already showing. Arizona youth hockey programs are all over the Phoenix area and kids are playing hockey. David Spina, who is looking to make the Coyotes roster, is looking to be the first Arizona trained player to ever play in the NHL. Colten St. Clair, born and raised in Arizona, is a highly touted player and will be playing Division 1 hockey at Colorado College starting next season. The PF Chang's (Yes the Chinese restaurant) youth hockey organization is one of the best youth teams in the entire United States.

And where did all of this come from? Where did the funding, training, equipment, and even the ice rinks come from? The Phoenix Coyotes. Their involvement in the community over the years has laid down a very good foundation for hockey in the desert for the long term. Like rebuilding a franchise it takes time and alot of growing pains but it will work.

This was a bit more informal than the other posts but I felt like I needed to write this way to get my point across. A personal rule of mine that I have is to never wish a sports fan to lose their team because it will come back to haunt you some how. How would you feel if people were badgering you about how you should lose your team? Exactly, you would not like it. So stop doing it.

The Gretzky Experiment Is Over

2009-09-24T12:33:00.000-04:00

Well the day has finally come.

Wayne Gretzky has officially stepped down as the Head Coach and Director of Hockey Opertions of the Phoenix Coyotes. Anyone who has talked to me about the Coyotes situation or has read articles I have written know how against Gretzky I was in his position as head coach. He never got the Coyotes to the playoffs with the team always collapsing in the second half of the season. You can read the full press release from The Great One himself here.

According to the statement released by Gretzky, Maloney has found a replacement and it was only when Maloney had found this new candidate would Gretzky leave. No formal announcement has been made by the club but the recent hiring of veteran hockey coach Dave King seems to have rumors swirling it may be him. However, according to Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada (gotta love Twitter), the Coyotes are talking with former Dallas Stars head coach Dave Tippett about the position.

Out of those two choices I would have to pick Dave Tippett. In six years with the Dallas Stars his team never finished below a .500 record and he missed the playoffs just once (last season). His furthest accomplishments was the conference finals two seasons ago where Dallas lost to the eventual Cup champion Detroit Red Wings. The Stars won the division two times under Tippett's direction.

Outside of the actual accomplishments Tippett has been coaching in the NHL. Dave King never coached in the new NHL and has had very little success in terms of head coaching and winning. He has never made it beyond the first round, just like the Coyotes. However, I am very much in favor of keeping King around as an assistant coach. The man has knowledge of the game from all over the world and years of experience which will be a major asset to the young players within the Coyotes organization.

We can not forget Ulf Samuelsson in this equation. The interim head coach has been running the team's training camp and is really rising to the occasion. However Ulffy is not NHL head coach material. Keeping him as an assistant coach would not be a bad move considering he knows the players the best right now.

What does this do for the financial situation? Honestly I do not know nor do I care. All I know is that if Don Maloney has hired a competent replacement for Gretzky the Coyotes will win more games and will draw more people. It is as simple as that. The Coyotes will be in Phoenix all of this coming season no matter what happens in the courts but you can bet they will be out to prove everyone wrong and so will Coyotes fans.

It has been real Wayne...thanks for bearing the burden and taking the criticism...but it just was never meant to be.

The Enver Lisin Debate

2009-09-22T21:34:00.000-04:00

As many readers know, I patrol Hockey's Future message boards daily reading up on what fans around the NHL have to say about their teams.

Naturally I am a frequent visitor to the New York Rangers section of the site and the last few days there has been a subject which baffles me.

Of course the Rangers have a lot of depth up front. Right off the bat you can name some definite names who will make the team like Marian Gaborik, Vinny Prospal, Chris Drury, Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Christopher Higgins, Ales Kotalik, and Sean Avery. Then there are the names where you are really unsure of whether they will end up in New York or on call in Hartford. One of the names in that category seems to be Enver Lisin, the Russian winger who came over from the Phoenix Coyotes in the Lauri Korpikoski trade.

This preseason Lisin is trying to solidify his spot on the New York Rangers and has made a very good case. He is tied for the team lead in goals with Artem Anisimov this preseason with 3. He has consistently used his speed to help create offense and is not afraid to put the puck on net. With 10 shots on goal in three games Lisin is third on the team in that category.

The biggest problem for the Rangers last season was a lack of scoring talent. Lisin was brought in because of his offensive abilities but now some Ranger fans don't think that he will make the team? He has been one of the best players in camp.

Lisin does have some defensive deficiencies. His defensive play does need to improve but, watching the game vs Detroit Monday night, Lisin was seen on the penalty kill at one point. Head Coach John Tortorella wants his players to play a very aggressive game at both ends of the ice. Lisin is willing to learn that aspect because he wants to be in the NHL and knows if he does not this could be his last contract in North America.

But that is besides the point. Ranger fans want offense? You want potential game breaking talent up front besides Marian Gaborik? Then you want Enver Lisin. He will make the team and will be a twenty goal scorer if given his opportunity in the top six this season.

Gaborik to Play Tonight

2009-09-21T13:14:00.000-04:00

New York Rangers fans will finally get a glimpse of their new star.

Marian Gaborik who has been held out of preseason games as a precautionary measure will debut for the New York Rangers tonight at Madison Square Garden as the Blueshirts will host the Detroit Red Wings. Game time is 7 PM and the game will be televised on MSG.

Gaborik has been kept out of the first four preseason games due to tightness in his groin but has been skating the last few days and feels ready. After this morning's skate Gaborik mentioned he wants to play in the rest of the preseason games in order to get acclimated with his teammates and get ready for the regular season which is less than two weeks away.

Ranger fans are excited to see their new main man but a small nagging feeling sits in the back of their minds. Gaborik's first shift will be watched intently by the Ranger nation as he will skate with Vinny Prospal down the middle and Christopher Higgins on the opposite wing. Here is the full list of lines per Andrew Gross:

Higgins-Prospal-Gaborik

Kotalik-Drury-Lisin

Voros-Anisimov-Callahan

Grachev-Boyle-Parenteau

Semenov-Gilroy

Del Zotto-Girardi

Sanguinetti-Redden

Lundqvist and Valiquette will split the goaltending duties tonight.

Speaking of injuries, Sean Avery limped off the ice this morning after colliding with Ryan Callahan during a practice drill. It is unknown if Avery's injury is serious but he was being examined by one the Ranger doctors. He was supposed to play tonight but Voros as taken his spot. Better to let Avery rest and heal rather than risk worse injury.

Brandon Dubinsky skated this morning for the first time with the team after resolving his contract issues. He will not play tonight but will most certainly be put into the lineup on Thursday when the Rangers play the Washington Capitals. No doubt Ranger fans will be expecting Dubinsky and Gaborik to be paired together at some point to see if the chemistry can be formed to form a potent one-two punch on the top line of the Rangers.

Rangerland is beginning to heat up as we get closer to the season opener next Friday in Pittsburgh. Head Coach John Tortorella is looking to trim the roster down to 21 or 22 by Thursday's preseason game so the next few days should be interesting. Make sure you watch tonight's game with a keen eye as the roster rounds out. Players on the fringe will be playing with more vigor than ever before as they try to solidify a spot on the big club's roster.

If you would like to see the lineup for the Detroit Red Wings, check the HF Rangers board game day thread here.

A Big Day for the Rangers

2009-09-19T21:42:00.000-04:00

Today was a crazy day for the New York Rangers.

After an absolutely horrible loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night, the Rangers traveled to Boston to take on the Bruins for the second time this preseason.

However, before the game, the team was able to re-sign Brandon Dubinsky to a two year deal with a cap hit of $1.85 million each year. Not a terrible salary for Dubinsky who was supposedly looking for somewhere in the vicinity of four years $16 million. General Manager Glen Sather and the Rangers bumped themselves up about one million to meet Dubinsky's demands which are pretty reasonable. However he will have to prove that he is worth this money. The Rangers are putting faith in him to be an important piece to the team. No doubt this will help Head Coach John Tortorella round out his roster.

Speaking of rounding out the roster, the Rangers made a few more cuts after today's big win over the Bruins. Heading to the Hartford Wolf Pack training camp are Chad Johnson, Matt Zaba, Ilkka Heikkinen, Corey Potter, and Paul Crowder. It must have been tough to send down two defensemen like Heikkinen and Potter who both played very well in the preseason. However with the logjam on the blue line, Tortorella was forced to make a decision and he made the right one. The young blue liners left in the Ranger training camp are Matt Gilroy, Michael Del Zotto, and Bobby Sanguinetti.

Today's game was absolutely great. From Artem Anisimov's highlight reel goal, which you can see here, to the power play the Rangers had everything going well for them. You have to wonder if John Tortorella looked at today's defense, without Wade Redden and Michal Rozsival, and wishes they could maybe go away. It is wishful thinking those veteran defensemen will be gone before the beginning of the season but maybe a seed has been planted for the future seeing how the defense fared today.

It should now be an interesting week for Ranger fans. From waiting to see when Marian Gaborik plays in a preseason game (possibly Monday) to which of the young defensemen (Michael Del Zotto, Matt Gilroy, Bobby Sanguinetti) will make the team, and how Brandon Dubinsky will mesh with Gaborik. We are just under two weeks from starting the regular season. The air is beginning to get cold...it is almost hockey time.

First Round of Cuts for New York

2009-09-17T22:24:00.001-04:00

New York Rangers Head Coach John Tortorella made the first round of cuts from training camp this afternoon. To see a complete list of who is left in camp check out the Ranger website or you can check out Andrew Gross' blog here.

Not really alot of surprises as many of the younger players were sent back to their junior teams or the Hartford Wolf Pack. Among the young players surviving you have Matt Gilroy, Michael Del Zotto, and Evgeny Grachev. Surprisingly Ilkka Heikkinen survived the first round of cuts despite not having suited up in a Ranger uniform. He must have impressed while playing for the Wolf Pack against the Lowell Devils at the Prudential Center.

Also surviving is defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti who has yet to play in any preseason games after cramping up during conditioning skates in the first few days of camp. Sanguinetti will get his shot but he is on a very short leash and will have to seriously impress if he does not want to spend another season down in Hartford.

Returning to major junior hockey in Canada are Tomas Kundratek (Medicine Hat WHL), Ethan Werek (Kingston OHL), Ryan Bourque (Quebec QMJHL), Roman Horak (Chilliwack WHL), and Scott Stajcer (Owen Sound OHL). Bourque will be starting his rookie season in the Quebec Major Junior league under the direction of Patrick Roy with the Quebec Remparts. After an impressive Traverse City and preseason game with the Wolf Pack. Look for him to have a big year in the Q.

Tortorella said that the team will be down to two goalies by the end of the weekend. No doubt the two left standing will be Henrik Lundqvist and Steve Valiquette. However there is no question that Chad Johnson has impressed during camp and will be competing for the job in Hartford.

In other news Marian Gaborik will not play on Friday but is a possibility for Saturday. Either way Torts and Gaborik have both said he will play in the preseason at some point. Gaborik did skate in a scrimmage today and scored a goal so it seems he is on his way to being healthy. While it may be frustrating, it is good that the organization is handling this situation with care and not taking unnecessary risks with their new star player.

If there is one person I could throw off the roster right now it would be Michal Rozsival. He played absolutely horrible against the Devils being the main cause of both goals. Whether it would be through waivers or trading him away Rozsival must go. Considering the whole Dubinsky situation I hope the Rangers can package Rozsival in that deal and free up space while getting rid of someone who does not deserve the money.

I'm not expecting it to happen but with Glen Sather at the helm one never knows how this will turn out.

On the Coyotes front, they made a few cuts of their own, most notably Jared Staal (Sudbury OHL). They also sent back Michael Stone (Calgary WHL) and Mathieu Brodeur (Cape Breton QMJHL). Phoenix is not making the cuts as fast as the Rangers but both will get down to the required number just the same. Ulf Samuelsson is still running camp as Wayne Gretzky figures out his contract situation away from the ice.

The season is two weeks away and still so much needs to be sorted out. Should be an interesting couple of weeks to whittle the roster down.

Matt Gilroy: A Breath of Fresh Air

2009-09-17T13:25:00.000-04:00

One player who has got Ranger fans excited this coming season is former Boston University stand out Matt Gilroy. Even after just two preseason games fans of the New York Rangers are just drooling over Gilroy and the skill he has shown. Just watch his goal from the preseason game against New Jersey on Wednesday night. Click here and go to about the 30 second mark.

Gilroy displayed his offensive abilities by blazing by the two New Jersey defensemen and then faking goaltender Yann Danis out. Seeing the play develop you just knew this kid was going to put that puck in the net somehow. He managed to score in the shootout as well putting the puck under the left pad of Danis before the Devils won the shootout.

However there is something else much more important. Being a defenseman Gilroy's first responsibility is to stop the opposition from scoring. Duh right? An unfortunate trend among hockey players is the fact that offensive defenseman are usually not great in their own end. Whether you want to look as far as Mike Green of the Washington Capitals or right to the Rangers and Wade Redden, examples of defensively inept defensemen are abound.

For Gilroy it is a significant change between the NHL and the NCAAs. The speed of the game has increased almost exponentially as well as the skill of the players. But watching Gilroy the first few games he understands his defensive responsibilities. He pinches as much as possible and is aggressive on the puck but also knows when pinching is the wrong choice. He back-checks very well which is no doubt helped by his skating abilities.

Unlike his counterpart Michal Rozsival, who was the main cause of the two goals scored by the New Jersey Devils last night, Gilroy has been sound all over the ice. He does need to improve in his end but that will happen as he understands the NHL and the defensive system that John Tortorella wants to employ. While I am usually a pretty skeptical person, especially since I am a Ranger fan, I cannot help but be a little bit excited seeing Gilroy play this well.

I always loved the original # 97 Jeremy Roenick. But Matt Gilroy is making me like the number 97 for a different reason. Lets hope it continues.

Reaction to Ranger First Preseason Game

2009-09-15T23:57:00.000-04:00

The New York Rangers dropped the puck on their pre-season this evening as they hosted the Boston Bruins in an exhibition match. The Rangers lost the game 2-1 as Christopher Higgins scored the lone goal for New York.

Of course, because this is preseason, the score does not matter but rather how certain players performed on the ice. Here are a few that stuck out in my eyes:

Matt Gilroy- The Hobey Baker award winner looked a little shaky at the beginning of the game but really showed what he can do. His skating was phenomenal and seeing him carry the puck up the ice looked a little reminiscent of Brian Leetch flying through the neutral zone back in yesteryear. As the game went on Gilroy got much better as he had two big chances in the game to score but could not put it home. He does need to work on his play in his own zone but Ranger fans must be pleased with the way Gilroy has started things off.

Evgeny Grachev- The big Russian forward was put on a line with Artem Anisimov and Enver Lisin and did not look out of place out there on the ice. He had a few good chances including a turn around wrist shot that rookie goaltender Tuukka Rask somehow stopped. Grachev's speed was noticeable and he used his large size to his advantage. While I still do not think he will make the big club on opening night, it is clear that Grachev does not have very far to go.

Michael Del Zotto- Easily one of the best Rangers on the ice, Del Zotto played with poise and showed his skills at the point on the power play. While New York did not convert on the man advantage Del Zotto helped instill a puck moving game that forced the Bruins to be on their heels. Del Zotto has a chance to make this team.

Donald Brashear- I bet you were not expecting to see this name pop up. Despite getting booed every time he touched the puck, which fans really should stop, Brashear had a good Ranger debut. While it was a little weird to see him in Ranger blue Brashear won me over by his hard style and constantly driving to the net. He had a few chances to score and played a solid physical game. Hopefully he can do that and more consistently over the course of the season.

Matt Maccarone- Did you see that kid's mustache?

Those are a few who stood out to me and who I really was paying attention to the whole time. I liked the physical play that set the tone and when the Rangers were moving the puck around it was a beautiful sight. Seeing Ales Kotalik bomb shots from the point was great while the cycling and hard work of the team as the game went on was very refreshing.

Of course this is only one preseason game so the team can't be completely judged especially since the whole squad was not on the ice. The next preseason game is Wednesday night at the Rock in Newark as the Rangers will ice a different squad to take on the Devils in some preseason action. Game time is 7 PM. Look to the Ranger beat writers for a roster for tomorrow's game. Check out the recap of tonight's game over on the Ranger website by clicking here.

Ready or Not: Coyotes Hit Camp

2009-09-14T23:48:00.000-04:00

If there is one thing that the Phoenix Coyotes are happy about is that they are back to work.

After a summer filled with off ice distractions concerning the ownership situation the Coyotes began camp without Head Coach Wayne Gretzky who is waiting to see what happens in court considering his contract with the team as head coach is under dispute. In the interim, assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson is in charge.

For Coyotes fans, discussions can go from bottom lines to the forward lines and who will play where. With a few new faces the Coyotes have a radically different looking team than opening night this past season.

Up front Phoenix has brought back many of the young players they acquired at the deadline last season. Petr Prucha, Scottie Upshall, and Matthew Lombardi all return after showing their stuff after the deadline.

Another new face up front who was acquired via trade during the offseason was forward Lauri Korpikoski as the Coyotes sent Enver Lisin to the New York Rangers. While Phoenix sacrifices some offensive firepower in losing Lisin, they gain a more all around player in Korpikoski who can play both sides of the puck very well. His offensive abilities will continue to grow as his career goes on and General Manager Don Maloney is hoping that he can help on the defensive side of things as well.

Continuing the look at trades, the Coyotes re-acquired a familiar face in Radim Vrbata by shipping off Todd Fedoruk and David Hale to Tampa Bay. This trade was an absolute steal for the Phoenix Coyotes who got rid of two useless players while acquiring a guy who can score and be a threat in the shootout. Vrbata had 27 goals in his previous tour with Phoenix and the team will be looking for him to provide that and more.

There are a few other new names up front that were signed during the free agency period. The first, Vernon Fiddler, was brought in from Nashville. While he may not be putting the puck in the net much he is a great faceoff and defensive forward, two aspects that the team was lacking in this past season. The penalty kill was a weakness and Fiddler will no doubt be the spear head for the PK unit.

On the wing Don Maloney signed Taylor Pyatt from the Vancouver Canucks. A big body, Pyatt has relatively good speed and some offensive instincts. Considering his size it would behoove him to use it more often. If he could Pyatt may become a very good power forward. Hopefully Coyotes captain Shane Doan, who plays a power forward game, can help Pyatt hone his skills.

Throw in the usual suspects of Doan, Peter Mueller, Martin Hanzal, and Mikkel Boedker and the Coyotes forward corps rounds out nicely. Young players such as Kyle Turris, Kevin Porter, Daniel Winnik, and Viktor Tikhonov will have to show they belong with the big club.

On defense there have been big changes. Two new defensemen have joined the blue line group of the Coyotes and both of them are from Calgary. First they acquired Jim Vandermeer, a tough and physical defensive defenseman. The Coyotes have needed some more physicality on the back line ever since Keith Ballard was traded away in the Olli Jokinen deal.

However a more important addition is veteran defenseman Adrian Aucoin. Not only do you add a very talented blueliner who can play a good all around game but he is also a veteran and a leader. The Coyotes have been lacking in veteran leadership in recent seasons and adding someone like Aucoin to the mix helps to spread the responsibility around on a relatively young team. Having a mentor like Aucoin for young players like Keith Yandle and Zbynek Michalek will only help improve their games. Add in Ed Jovanovski and the Coyotes defense is the strongest it has been in years.

In goal, barring a big surprise, it seems that Ilya Bryzgalov will be the starter. However, Don Maloney went out and signed veteran Jason LaBarbera as a man who can push Bryzgalov to be better. The former New York Ranger draft pick has shown he can be a solid goalie at the NHL level and will certainly force Breezy to be on top of his game all the time.

Al Montoya had an impressive showing towards the end of the season last year and will no doubt get another shot to prove he is ready to move up from the AHL permanently.

Phoenix has their first preseason game tomorrow night against the LA Kings at Jobing.com Arena. If you are from the Phoenix area, go to the game. Support this team and show everyone that hockey does belong in the desert and can work. The roster for that game can be found here.

Look here later for another post about the Rangers upcoming pre-season matchup with the Bruins tomorrow night!

Tidbits Abound

2009-09-14T12:46:00.000-04:00

If you have not noticed it has been just about five days since I last posted on here and the news has come out flying all around the NHL. Lets get started:

Unless you have been under a rock for this whole summer Dany Heatley has been the man who has made you want to put a screwdriver to your head. From rumors that involved the New York Rangers, to his request for a trade and then blocking it with his no trade clause, the Heatley saga has seemed infinite. However, it finally came to an end two days ago. The Ottawa Senators traded Heatley and a fifth round pick in 2010 to the San Jose Sharks for Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo, and a 2nd round pick in 2010.

It looks like Bryan Murray got the kind of deal he wanted. He adds some much needed depth to his roster with two solid young players and gets rid of a potential problem in Heatley.

At first glance it seems the Sharks may be Stanley Cup contenders with this move...but not really. Yes they gain a very talented scorer in Heatley but to win the Cup you need the depth. With the departures of Michalek, Cheechoo, Marcel Goc, Jeremy Roenick, Travis Moen, and Mike Grier depth is becoming a serious issue for the Sharks.

The New York Rangers finished in third at the Traverse City prospects tournament by defeating the St. Louis Blues 5-4 in the third place game. Evgeny Grachev had two big goals in the game as he tied the game up at 1 with his first goal and gave the Rangers the lead for good on his second goal in the third period. Daniel Bartek had two assists while tournament invitee Luke Walker continued to impress as he scored a goal to tie the game at 3.

Overall the tournament was a huge improvement for the Rangers from last season. A third place finish shows improvement over last season where the Rangers finished in sixth place. Alot of development was shown as top prospects like Grachev and Michael Del Zotto improved from last year while 2009 draft picks like Ethan Werek and Ryan Bourque showed what they are capable of. It is showings like these that is making Ranger fans drool over the prospect of what these young guns will be able to do once they reach the NHL.

To the Coyotes fans who read this blog, an apology must come from me as I have not written anything about them in a decent amount of time even though alot has been happening. The entire financial situation has been an issue that is above and beyond my knowledge which is why I have not covered it very much. The business and legal lingo that has been thrown around is very complicated and is covered by more qualified people than myself.

Although some news that has happened on the ice is the fact Wayne Gretzky is not present at camp. Gretzky is waiting out the ownership situation which includes what will happen to him as the head coach of the team. Assistant head coach Ulf Samuelsson is running the camp as of now for a Coyotes team that is looking to get back on the ice and focusing on hockey.

From interviews done with players over the summer, it sounds like they are very ready to go and eager to prove to everyone that not only can hockey work in Phoenix but it can be successful. The players know they have to win and the veteran additions of Adrian Aucoin, Vernon Fiddler, and the return of Radim Vrbata should help boost the Coyotes.

So keep an eye out for a Coyotes piece later today as I balance school work, college work, and this. I may combine it with a bit on Brandon Dubinsky and that entire situation so keep an eye out!

Also I may not have mentioned this but Twitter seems to be a new way to get articles and other information out to alot of people at once. If you would like to follow me on Twitter you can click here and click "Follow". The only updates I do are for new articles so no spam. I also put these articles on Facebook.

Thanks again to everyone for reading and keep spreading the word. I really enjoy doing this for everyone and can't wait to do more as the season gets going.

Sean Avery: A Dying Breed

2009-09-09T20:33:00.000-04:00

There have been times in the history of the NHL when a player has come along and sparked a team to succeed when they did not have such an effect on their previous squad.

In the case of the New York Rangers, Sean Avery has been that player since he originally came to the Rangers in February of 2007. Playing in New York has brought out the best in Avery in terms of offensive production and being a fan favorite.

Avery showed last year that New York is the only place he is effective. After signing a four year deal worth $4 million a year with the Dallas Stars, it was hoped that he would have the same effect. Dallas' management could not have been more wrong as Avery created a rift in the Dallas locker room to the point where the team would not let Avery dress in the dressing room.

The last straw fell when Avery took a shot at Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf and his girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert who had previously been Avery's, as he called Cuthbert his "sloppy seconds". Avery was suspended and sent through the disciplinary system of the NHL, including being subject to therapy.

Avery came back to New York as the Rangers picked him up off re-entry waivers from the Stars. After having just 10 points in 23 games with Dallas, Avery had 12 points in 18 games for the Rangers to help them get into the playoffs.

The Grate One showed a weakness during the postseason as his emotions got the best of him and he hurt the Ranger cause. After being benched for a game by head coach John Tortorella he came back without his edge and the Rangers fell out of the playoffs.

The question now is if Avery can get back his edge without crossing the line. His aggressive style will fit into the system of John Tortorella well but he needs to know when to stop. In the last game of the regular season, Avery played superbly getting under the skin of the Philadelphia Flyers and led the Rangers to a victory with a goal.

Despite the new found depth the Rangers have up front, Avery will have to continue to play his game, one that it seems is slowly disappearing from the NHL. His style of play is similar to that of older players who used to drive the old rivalries that has helped make hockey so popular. Just as there were villains in the old days, Avery has become a villain for most of the hockey world.

Except of course in New York where Sean Avery has won over the fans of the Rangers with his hard work and "in your face" attitude. It is this kind of personality that the NHL needs more of. Whether it is someone like Sean Avery willing to cross lines or someone like Jeremy Roenick who was never afraid of speaking out, the NHL needs more antagonistic personalities if it wants to keep interest.

The Grate One will need to continue to do what he is good at...being the villain for the rest of the NHL and a positive force for the New York Rangers. If he can do that while putting up 30 points or so, Ranger fans will be chanting Avery's name non-stop in Madison Square Garden.

Halftime For the Baby Blueshirts

2009-09-08T19:06:00.000-04:00

The New York Rangers began play at the Traverse City prospects tournament two days ago where a handful of NHL teams send a team of prospects in the hope to gauge how ready their prospects are.

The Baby Blueshirts have played two games so far going up against the Carolina Hurricanes and Atlanta Thrashers, finishing the first two games with a 1-1 record.

Game 1 was a 5-3 loss to the Hurricanes where 2009 draftee Scott Stajcer started in net for the Rangers, giving up four goals. However, he played a solid enough game that allowed the Rangers to get even as fellow 2009 draftees Roman Horak and Ryan Bourque both scored quick to knot it all up in the third period. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes got a late goal and added an empty netter at the end to finish New York off 5-3.

Game 2 was a much more successful affair for the Blueshirts as they took on Evander Kane and the Atlanta Thrashers in a game New York needed to win if they wanted a chance at winning the whole tournament. Despite going down a goal early, the Rangers were able to roar back as Sam Klassen, Evgeny Grachev, Tomas Kundratek, and Dale Weise all scored to lead the Rangers to victory.

Chad Johnson, who was acquired from Pittsburgh at the 2009 Draft started in net for the Rangers and made 28 saves for the team's first win at the tournament.

If New York wants to have a shot at the tournament title, they will need to win their game against Detroit on Wednesday while Carolina will need to lose. The Ranger scouting staff has been very impressed so far with the 2009 draft class in the tournament and are hoping they will continue to lead the team to wins.

Also impressing the Ranger brass are two 2008 draftees in Michael Del Zotto and Evgeny Grachev. Both had great years in the OHL this past season and are close to being NHL ready. New York was hoping for Del Zotto to focus more on his defensive play and he certainly has shown he has improved.

Grachev had an explosive year in the OHL and the Rangers expect him to become a scoring winger in the future. Despite only one goal in the tournament so far, the Rangers have been impressed with the way he has created room for himself, with Ranger Director of Player Personnel Gordie Clark going as far to say that Grachev has been a "dominating force".

Grachev and the rest of the Baby Blueshirts will need to build on the momentum and confidence they got against Atlanta if they want to defeat a tough Detroit squad tomorrow. Look back here after the last game for a wrap up of the last few days. Click here and here to go to recaps of each game so far.

Also do not forget that training camp starts on the 12th with the first game on September 15th. Hockey is almost here folks. Start getting those jerseys out.

Ranger Leadership

2009-09-05T19:36:00.000-04:00

This past week the New York Rangers held voluntary informal workouts where many of the players came to the MSG Training Center to begin working out together. These informal workouts were not run by the Ranger coaching staff or the organization but by the players themselves.

The big names were all there as Chris Drury, Marian Gaborik, Brandon Dubinsky, Wade Redden, Marc Staal, and many more showed up for an entire week to get ready for what will be the toughest training camp they have ever gone through.

The new names like Gaborik, Chris Higgins, Donald Brashear, Ales Kotalik, and Enver Lisin all participated in the practices beginning a long process of conditioning for the club. However, they do serve another purpose that is just as, if not more important, than the physical conditioning.

Any team that has won the Stanley Cup has been a very tight knit group both on and off the ice. Last season the Rangers attributed much of their success early in the season from being able to become a close group while on their trip to Europe during the Premier Series. With many new players joining the Broadway Blueshirts and a relatively new coaching staff, any extra bonding time that the team can have is a plus.

One of the toughest jobs the team will face is figuring out the leadership group that will be at the forefront of the team this season. Chris Drury will retain the captain's C but with both alternates from last season, Scott Gomez and Markus Naslund, gone head coach John Tortorella will have to look for new leaders to emerge.

There are many candidates for the two positions so the running will be fierce for the titles. My guess is that at least one of the alternates will be someone who just joined this offseason. Marian Gaborik was a captain for a short time in Minnesota where they rotate the captaincy every month but he is the only newcomer with any captain experience in the NHL.

Although there is another route that the head coach could go and it would be consistent with what he said this offseason. Torts mentioned he is not afraid of putting youth into the lineup and in important positions on the team. Don't be surprised if you see a young player like Marc Staal, Brandon Dubinsky (if and when he signs), or Ryan Callahan don one of the letters on the shoulder. There is a young core developing with the team that is slowly becoming the foundation for the future. Like the Rangers of the early 1990s had Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Adam Graves, and Mike Richter the Rangers of now have Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Marc Staal, and Henrik Lundqvist for the future.

Of course I am not saying that this group is nearly or will be as good or have an impact as great as they did. But it seems that some parallels can be seen between the two different eras. Could a Stanley Cup be on the way? That takes alot of luck and a couple of bounces your way. But you never know.

2009-2010 NYR Training Camp Roster

2009-09-03T15:36:00.000-04:00

Just in the last half hour, the New York Rangers released the full training camp roster for the team's upcoming camp. Of course the usual suspects are on the list including unsigned center Brandon Dubinsky. However there is one name that will jump out at you as not a New York Ranger right now. Click here for the full roster.

It has been known that the Rangers are looking for a veteran defenseman to anchor the lower pairings so that John Tortorella is not forced to play two rookie defensemen. Rumors of going after players like Francis Bouillon and Dennis Seidenberg have been abound in recent weeks, but a new name has been thrown into the pot.

It seems Kyle McLaren has been given a tryout by the New York Rangers, as his name appears on the roster. Known for his highly physical play, McLaren used to be one of the biggest hitters in the NHL. Looking on Youtube you will see numerous examples of McLaren's hip check expertise as well as his infamous elbow to the head of Richard Zednik (he just has the worst luck).

Obviously McLaren has had problems with his conditioning in recent years and has not played in the NHL since the 2007-2008 season with the San Jose Sharks. He spent part of last season in the AHL with the Worcester Sharks. San Jose attempted to trade him to the Philadelphia Flyers but McLaren failed a physical and was not allowed to play for the Flyers because of an injured hand. He has had problems with his defensive positioning recently and is not a big point scorer.

However the Rangers are not looking for points from the blue line as they have Rozsival and Redden to do that. New York needs a guy who can go out and throw the big hits and be a physical force on the ice. If McLaren can show his hand has healed and is at 100% and he can still be a solid defenseman, do not be surprised to see him on the ice October 2nd.

THN: The Hypocrite News

2009-09-01T19:06:00.000-04:00

The Hockey News puts out a yearbook before every season with their predictions for the season along with a fantasy guide with point predictions for players of each team. Apparently some people were not on the same page.

Lets start with the yearbook. In here they do projections on how the final standings will look at the end of the regular season and even have a Stanley Cup prediction. In the yearbook, The Hockey News has the Rangers finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference in front of only the Islanders and Thrashers. That is 13th...3rd to last in the conference after four consecutive playoff trips.

Many Ranger fans, myself included, do not agree with this. Yes the Rangers have had a high turnover from last season with a brand new coach to start the season. Are their reservations? Yes. Could this actually happen? Of course. It is anyone's guess right now as to who will win the Stanley Cup.

But if you are going to make predictions like this, your prediction should be across the board. Lets look at the fantasy pool guide that The Hockey News put out as well. They did not do projections for every player but for the key guys on each team. Here are the Rangers:

Marian Gaborik 47 G-47A-94 P

Sean Avery 18G-20A-38 P

Brandon Dubinsky 17G-32A-49 P

Chris Drury 25G-38A-63 P

Ales Kotalik 20G-25A-45 P

Vaclav Prospal 25G-38A-63P

Chris Higgins 23G-20A-43P

Artem Anisimov 12G-22A-34P

Ryan Callahan 28G-23A-51P

Tyler Arnason 11G-20A-31P

Michal Rozsival 10G-22A-32P

Wade Redden 5G-25A-30P

Matt Gilroy 12G-33A-45P

Henrik Lundqvist 37W 2.45 GAA .915 SV% 5 SO

Steve Valiquette 8W 2.65 GAA .909 SV% 1 SO

If you read that and take a minute to think about these predictions you will notice certain things. Bear in mind that The Hockey News who did these predictions, also has the Rangers finishing in 13th in the Eastern Conference. So lets assume that this coming season plays out and these stats are what the players put up:

1. The Rangers will have six twenty goal scorers with Gaborik, Callahan, Drury, Prospal, Higgins, and Kotalik will all break the 20 goal plateau. For a point of reference, the Rangers only had four true 20 goal scorers (Nik Antropov had twenty goals but most were with the Toronto Maple Leafs).

2. The Rangers will have a 45+ goal scorer in Marian Gaborik.

3. Henrik Lundqvist will finish with 37 wins while Steve Valiquette will add for a total win column of 45 wins on the season. That is 90 points right there, not including extra points gained for losing in overtime or the shootout.

Lets start at point number one. When you add up all the goals from those projections for those players, you get 168 total goals. The entire Ranger team last season scored 200 goals even and made the playoffs. I am supposed to believe the Rangers will get 168 goals from six players and not make the playoffs? Right. Another goal scorer who will make this team, not included in these predictions, is Enver Lisin who has the potential to be another 20 goals scorer. If you add in Avery's 18 goals and Dubinsky's 17, the Rangers are already over last season's total goals.

Looking at Marian Gaborik, 47 is a healthy amount of goals. Of course he has the skill to score more than that but it would be the most since Jagr's record breaking 54 goals after the lockout. This past year, no team with a 45+ goal scorer missed the playoffs. Only two teams missed the playoffs when having at least one 40 goal scorer.

Last but not least, we take a look at the foundation of the New York Rangers, Henrik Lundqvist. The Hockey News has him finishing with 37 wins, which is a respectable amount. You throw in Steve Valiquette's 8 wins and you have a total of 45 wins on the season for 90 points. This does not include points gained from overtime and shootout losses. Who else had exactly 45 wins this past season? The Carolina Hurricanes and the Pittsburgh Penguins...the two Eastern Conference finalists and the Stanley Cup Champions.

So...the Rangers will finish in 13th with six 20 goal scorers, a 45+ goal scorer, and the same amount of wins as the final two teams in the Eastern Conference this past year? A nice cracker jack job by the Hockey News staff up there in Toronto actually thinking this through. Many people read the Hockey News and consider the people there as experts on the sport.

Don't get me wrong. I think The Hockey News has great writers and I enjoy their publication as a subscriber myself but this was a sub-par effort by one of the biggest hockey publications in the world.

Were these coordinately written and made? Probably not but the Hockey News looks like a huge hypocrite to Ranger fans right now.

Jonathan's Atlantic Division Preview - (Flyers Version)

2009-08-30T00:39:00.000-04:00

It is not so often that you see a Flyers fan writing for a Rangers blog. But for the first time in the known universe the impossible has become possible. Firstly I would like to thank my good friend Gootz who is giving me this opportunity to brain wash, I mean, give you my Atlantic division predictions.

Now just because I am a Flyers fan does not make me a biased, crying, and ever complaining fan. Nor am I a supporter of dirty play, and unsportsmanlike conduct.

I would like to begin by with another first, by congratulating the Pittsburgh Penguins on an extraordinary year and for winning Lord Stanley's Cup over the much favored Detroit Red Wings.

Second I would like to comment on what a wonderful year this division put together. The Atlantic Division has become the powerhouse of the Eastern Conference and can contend with the loaded roasters of the Western Conference. All in all this means just one thing for you Atlantic Div. fans: another season of intense, nail biting, heart pounding, glass shattering, bone crushing, high scoring, rivalry filled hockey. Just typing that line made my heart race and my hands sweat. Now on to the predictions which I promise will be neutral as can be:

1. Pittsburgh Penguins

As long as they hold the cup in their corner and not the corner of Section 420 then they must be favored. But the Pens should be aware that they don't make the same mistake they did last season and that is have a midseason collapse. They plummeted in the standings and were out of the top 8 for quite a number of weeks. They were lucky they were able to get their game together in time so they could make the cut. But another stretch like that this year could mean the difference between repeat and hitting the showers early. There are two reasons: The Atlantic division has made itself stronger than last year through free agent acquisitions, expert drafting and blockbuster trades. Secondly it isn't good for a team to think they can slack off and still make the playoffs because it is a horrible mentality for a game that demands full attention and full desire.

The Penguins still have a team with players that have made more than a name for themselves such as Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Marc Andre Fleury. But the team also has a Staal and a weapon like Jordan Staal, who is lethal on both sides of the puck, has no where to go but up. The team down the stretch showed its well roundedness and can put together another great season if they manage to stay healthy and Fleury stays consistent.

2. Philadelphia Flyers

I swear to you all I am not listing the Flyers second because they are my team. The Flyers had a year where they played wonderfully throughout but closed out the season horribly falling from 4th to 5th and having to play the Pens in Pittsburgh which some can argue ended the season for the Flyers. But the Flyers has a strong set of 4 lines and an improved defense which will be quite formidable. Stars like Captain Mike Richards, arguably one of the best two way players around and Jeff Carter, one of the best shooters in the league lead the way for Philadelphia. Not to mention a quick handling Simon Gagne and a finally healthy Daniel Briere give the Flyers plenty of firepower.

The defense will no longer be anchored around Kimmo Timonen and Brayden Coburn. The addition of Pronger and the emergence of Matt Carle and Ryan Parent give the Flyers a very complete team.

The Flyers pose something that many teams have lacked coming out of the lockout and that is an abundance of offense. This offseason the Flyers gave up some of that offense to make up for a porous defense by trading RW Joffery Lupul, first round pick Luca Sbisa (Italian Pride from Sardegna, Italy) a 2009 and 2010 first round pick for Anaheim's Chris Pronger and a minor leaguer. Pronger instantly brings power to a blue line that has been picked on by talented fowards along with a winning attitude having won a cup with the Ducks.

The Flyers also made a major adjustment to their goal tending by not signing either of last year's net minders and signing former troubled NHLer Ray Emery and former Flyer Brian Boucher. Emery's last season in the NHL was with the Ottawa Senators but he failed to follow a Stanley Cup visit with anything nearly as good so he was bought out and fled to Russia. Brian Boucher had an average year with the San Jose Sharks so there is no telling which of the two will be a clear starter by the Winter Classic (Flyers @ Bruins in Fenway Park January 1st 2010). But their is no doubt the Flyers season will depend on consistency with their goaltending.

3. New York Rangers

Scott Gomez, Marcus Naslund, Chris Drury, Nikolai Zerdev, and Petr Prucha sounds like a lineup of forwards assembled by a manger who wants to win. Too bad the coach wanted to play defense for 55 minutes and send 2 forwards into the offensive zone at a time. The Rangers excelled in defense, except for Wade Redden whose head many ranger fans are calling for. The Blue Shirts spent most of the year tumbling and trying to find an identity. There identity was not found until head coach Tom Renney was fired and John Tortorella was put in the driver's seat. And boy did Torts wake that team up. The team had a strong push into the playoffs but failed to make any noise after letting the series against the Capitals slip away.

This offseason was another filled with Glen Sather's desperation attempts to keep his job. No more Scott Gomez or Zherdev and a retired Marcus Naslund helps give the Rangers a new face. The addition of Christopher Higgins, a New York native can be a boost to the fan base and a shake up to the roster. Oh and did I mention the Rangers signed Marian Gaborik to hopefully be the player to knock the Rangers out of their offensive woes? The emergence of Brandon Dubinsky will also be a great help to a team that could fail just as easily as it can succeed.

4. New Jersey Devils

Is this team ever going to have another bad season? Even with an injured Martin Broduer this team finds ways to win and the swamps of New Jersey continue to spit out consistent well rounded teams. The Devils played a majority of their season with out Vezina Trophy winner Brodeur and still had an amazing year, they won the division for crying out loud! The Devils though have suffered a couple crushing loses this offseason with star forward Brian Gionta and always ready for a fight John Madden departing. Both were key players to the Devils success this year and it will be interesting to see how the Devils fare without them. But they still have the likes of Patrick Elias and Zack Parise.

The team has a great GM in Lou Lamorella, whom can be found every morning at the Starbucks in Edgewater, NJ. Thats insider information you will not get anywhere else other than here at the Corner of Section of 420 and Glendale. Lou is very devoted and knows what he is doing, and has no problem with coming down from his box to have to coach the team into the playoffs. Unfortunately the team is going to take a turn for the worst this year. Although they will not fall farther than 4th and won't have to worry about the Islanders they will not make the Top 8 at seasons end.

5. New York Islanders

Maybe a new arena will help out the Islanders because the Coliseum is getting pretty dingy and the team is starting to take a turn for the better. Well where else could they go they have been in dead end for the last few years all locked up with net minder Rick Dipietro for the next half century? But the team has a series of young goalies and newly acquired Martin Biron could spell the end of Ricky's injury filled days in Long Island.

Then there was the #1 Draft in the 2009 NHL entry Draft where the Islanders selected John Tavares, a highly skilled forward ready to see some intense NHL action to better improve his already high skills. The future is looking good for the Isles with young skaters such as Kyle Okposo and Sean Bergenhiem who can be great foundations for a team that needs some good youth. Don't expect the Islanders to be fighting for a playoff position but they certainly will not finish last in the Conference.

So there you have it fellow puck heads. The only problem was you could read these predictions and the ones from Gootz and say they are the same. They are which is weird because he is a Ranger and I a Flyer. So enjoy the rest of this gruesome offseason because soon you will be watching Atlantic Division stars like Crosby, Richards, Parise, Gaborik and Tavares making the highlight reel every night. Good Luck and God Bless.

Gootz' Atlantic Division Preview

2009-08-29T01:51:00.000-04:00

With only two days before I go back to school at Fairfield University and things begin getting busy again, I believe a preview that I can put time and effort into is in order.

The Atlantic Division of the NHL has no doubt become the best division in the league. With names such as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Chris Pronger, Marian Gaborik, Henrik Lundqvist, Martin Brodeur, Zach Parise, and Mark Streit the Atlantic division is absolutely stacked. From top to bottom the division is the strongest of the six divisions in the NHL.

The race for the division title has always been an interesting one. The rivalries in the Atlantic are intense and lead to playoff races that are as intense and nerve-wracking as any big rivalry in sports. With four of the five teams making it each of the last three years, the Atlantic has been able to be the powerhouse in the East.

In fact, dating back to 1979-1980, the Eastern Conference has won the Stanley Cup a total of 15 Stanley Cup championships. Of those fifteen championships, eleven of them have gone to a team in the Atlantic Division. Granted the Atlantic Division itself may not have actually existed for all of those championships but you can see that the Atlantic has been dominant. A breakdown plays out like this:

New York Islanders: 4 Cups

New Jersey Devils: 3 Cups

Pittsburgh Penguins: 3 Cups

New York Rangers: 1 Cup

Obviously the Rangers and Flyers have some catching up to do when it comes to championships but the fact is this division is tops in hockey right now.

So how will it play out? It is anyone's guess at this point but I will give it a crack. I mean who needs sleep at 2 AM right?

1. Pittsburgh Penguins

As much as I do not want to admit it, the Penguins will take the division. The reigning Stanley Cup champions have not changed much this offseason. They have added players like Jay McKee and Mike Rupp to their lineup. More importantly will be how they handle the loss of their big shutdown defensive pairing in Rob Scuderi who left for Los Angeles and Hal Gill who left for Montreal. Max Talbot will miss the beginning of the season after having shoulder surgery but with names like Crosby, Malkin, Staal, and Fleury leading the way, the Penguins should win the division title.

2. Philadelphia Flyers

This offseason has been a big one for the Flyers and they have let everyone know that they are gunning for the Stanley Cup now. Pronger was acquired by the Flyers from Anaheim in exchange for Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa, two first round picks, and another conditional pick in 2010 or 2011. The Flyers are sacrificing their future to try and get another Stanley Cup and adding Pronger will certainly do that. Someone with his impact will make a huge difference on the blue line for the Flyers. However, the one weakness that has been a constant for the Flyers in recent history has been their goaltending. Martin Biron left for the Islanders and was replaced by a tandem of Ray Emery and Brian Boucher.

It is in the crease that the Flyers season will be made or broken. However, a tough defense and an offense that has Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne, and a healthy Daniel Briere will be enough to get them second in the division. If one of the goalies can become a number one man, the Flyers will be able to challenge for the division title.

3. New York Rangers

In any fantasy world, the Rangers would be at the top of this list. But when it comes to reality, the Rangers are right in the middle. As has been noted on this site and everywhere else in creation, the Rangers have a very different team from last season. With new faces like Marian Gaborik, Chris Higgins, Vaclav Prospal, Ales Kotalik, and many more to go with a coach who will have his first training camp with the Rangers in John Tortorella, no one knows what to expect from the New York Rangers this season. There are alot of IFs that need to go right for the Rangers to have success.

But being the optimistic little man I am, the Rangers will have a tough team to play against on any given night. With a high octane system combined with a focus on physical play, the Rangers will be a real pain in the behind for any team to play against, especially with someone like Sean Avery running around. Offense was a problem last season but general manager Glen Sather has done alot to try and address this.

The weakness is on defense as the Rangers only have four NHL defensemen on the roster. Young guns like Matt Gilroy, Bobby Sanguinetti, Ilkka Heikkinen, and Mike Sauer will have a shot at filling the bottom two spots. But with Henrik Lundqvist in net, the Ranger defense will be solid.

The Rangers probably are the most volatile team on this list, meaning if everything goes right they could end up at the top. If everything goes wrong, well it will be a very long season on Broadway.

4. New Jersey Devils

In all of my years of following hockey and the Rangers, the one constant has been the New Jersey Devils. No matter who they lost or who they gained, they were always in the mix and a team that had success in the playoffs. But honestly, how long can this go on?

This offseason has been one of loss for the Devils as Brian Gionta, John Madden, and Bobby Holik have all left the team while they have not been replaced. Brent Sutter left to be the head coach for Calgary and is replaced by defensive minded Jacques Lemaire. With the offensive power of the team being reduced with the loss of Gionta, the Devils will have to fall back on defensive play and the back of Martin Brodeur for salvation.

At this point I am not counting this Devils team out of the playoffs yet because, like I said, they always find a way to make it work. But how long can they keep it up?

5. New York Islanders

Last but not least is the New York Islanders. I will say right now that I do not expect them to make the playoffs unless Rick DiPietro magically gets a new body to work with and many players have crazy career years. That being said, the Islanders do have a bright future. John Tavares has Islander fans filled with excitement as he joins young players like Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen, Trent Hunter, and Josh Bailey. Throw in a mix of veterans like Doug Weight, Mark Streit, and Brendan Witt you have a team that is poised for success in the future.

The crease is where things get interesting for the Islanders. Rick DiPietro's injury problems have been nagging him for years now. With the uncertainty in DP, Garth Snow went out and grabbed Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron to shore up the goaltending position for Long Island. A strong tandem, Roloson and Biron will be fighting for the number one spot after having that position at their previous employers.

The Islanders will have a better year than the last one, but the playoffs are probably another season or two away.

So for those of you who are lazy and were looking for the short short version of this:

1. Pittsburgh

2. Philadelphia

3. New York Rangers

4. New Jersey Devils

5. New York Islanders

At this point predictions are completely a guess and who knows what is going to happen. There is still time in the offseason for more changes to be made that could affect these standings.

However with training camp right around the corner, hockey fans are starting to gather up those jerseys. Even as I sit out here at just before 3 AM, the winter cold is starting to creep back into the air. Its almost hockey time folks!

Foppa Looking to Return

2009-08-28T13:48:00.000-04:00

I already know that this will not go over well with fans of the New York Rangers but you have to take some shots when you write articles.

The Rangers are in need of a number one center right now. With the roster the way it is, fans are assuming that Brandon Dubinsky will be the top center (if and when he signs) who will most likely have Marian Gaborik on his wing. I have faith that Dubinsky could be a dynamite player with Gaborik on his wing and believe that he has a high upside. He plays the same style of game that Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards plays and it is what the Rangers need.

However it is not ensured that A) Dubinsky re-signs with the Rangers and B) he will be a good fit with Gaborik. After all many fans believed Scott Gomez and Jaromir Jagr would be a good pairing and, well it never came to be.

So who could be a fallback to Dubinsky. In one of my earlier posts I said that Artem Anisimov would eventually become the number one center for the Rangers. I stand by that but that is only if the roster stays as is. With Glen Sather as the general manager, that is never a certainty.

Who is out there? Of course there is Mats Sundin who has been all over the map about coming back this season. But that is not the Swede I am looking at. The man I am looking at is Peter Forsberg.

I can sense the mobs trying to find my address and come to burn my house down. But hear me out.

Forsberg is attempting another comeback to the NHL as he is playing with MoDo in the Swedish Elite League. He played his first game last night, anchoring the top line of the team. He did not score any points in the 2-1 MoDo win but the more important piece of news was about his foot, which has nagged Forsberg for years now.

The news was that there was no news. The foot held up fine and he had no problems. Of course this is just one game and it is unknown how well the foot would hold up over an 82 game season.

But if Forsberg plays part of the season in Sweden with MoDo and then makes Team Sweden for the 2010 Olympics and has no problems with his foot, then why shouldn't the Rangers take a chance on him at the deadline? Signing him now would not be the best idea considering the amount of salary the Rangers have left and the foot needs to be put through more games. However this guy is one of the best players to ever play in the NHL and is certainly the best Swede ever. Hands down. Just ask some of the people that Forsberg completely embarrasses in this video.

It is unknown how much money Forsberg would be looking for if he does get offers. The man has made enough money to not have to worry about it for the rest of his life. If he is looking to come back to just win and get another Stanley cup win then the Rangers will be looking into this.

This is not based on any rumor that has gone around or any information from another source. All of this is just suggestion by me.

It can't hurt to give one of the best players of all time a shot at being a New York Ranger. The rumors were around last season and you can bet anything that if Forsberg is healthy and ready to go around the trade deadline, Glen Sather will be giving Foppa and his agent a call.

Where It All Matters: King Henrik's Castle

2009-08-27T17:21:00.000-04:00

Something that has been missing from the New York Ranger organization is a constant. Players come and go but with every team there has been a constant that has not been disturbed and is the identity of the team. Names like Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Mike Richter, and Adam Graves were the constants for the team for many years. Since they have left there has not been a constant...until now.

The success that the Rangers will have this year and for the foreseeable future comes down to how well Henrik Lundqvist plays every season. All the changes that have been made within the last six months will create a different looking team in 2009-2010, but Henrik Lundqvist will be the deciding factor in how this team finishes.

This past season the King had 38 wins to go with a 2.43 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. It was the first year that Lundqvist was not in the running for the Vezina trophy as the NHL's top goaltender but he continued his streak of 30+ wins. Henrik is the only goalie to start his first four NHL seasons with 30 wins or more each season. At this point it is expected that #30 will put up 30 wins every year for the rest of his career.

However, one thing that Lundqvist does need to improve on is being consistent over the entire season. He always starts off hot and then cools down in December, January, and early February before turning it back up and being amazing down the stretch. The Rangers need him to have a whole season where he plays at peak performance. This season will make Ranger fans especially nervous because of the Olympics, where Henrik will no doubt retain the starting goaltender position for Sweden, who he led to a gold medal back in 2006. When Lundqvist came back he faltered and fell apart. As expected, the Rangers did as well.

Coach John Tortorella has made it known that he wants Henrik to be fresh and ready all season, especially when it comes down to the big games at the end and playoffs. To do this, he may have to cut back on the amount of starts King Henrik will have, putting Steve Valiquette in the crease. Vally has shown he can be a capable goalie and is a great teammate. However confidence in him was some what lost by the fans after the debacle against Dallas. I don't think I need to remind everyone about that one.

Of course if the Rangers can provide more offense, they won't have to rely on the tandem of Lundqvist and Valiquette to stop every shot every night. But while the kinks in the Tortorella system get worked out Henrik Lundqvist will have to continue to be the rock solid foundation that the Rangers have relied on since the end of the 2004-2005 NHL Lockout.

In the NHL the goaltender can be your make or break position. It is the reason that the Flyers, who have had some good teams in recent memory, have been unable to win it all. Who knows where Devils would be with Martin Brodeur or where Vancouver would end up without Roberto Luongo. The Rangers have a bonafide goaltender in their cage and they will rely on him for years to come. The seasons of players like Marian Gaborik, Chris Drury, Ryan Callahan, and other will matter but it all comes down to one man...one King. Just ask Dan Carcillo how good Lundqvist is. He knows.

Lundqvist will need to continue that kind of play if the Stanley Cup hopes of the Rangers will become reality.

Line Juggling: Lets Play Guess Who

2009-08-25T15:43:00.000-04:00

One topic that has been a major point of discussion among New York Ranger fans is who John Tortorella will put together on the forward lines. With so many new players and a certain unfamiliarity in terms of skill and talent, it will be interesting to see how things play out. Most fans I have talked to think the lines will shake out to something like this:

Prospal-Dubinsky-Gaborik

Higgins-Drury-Kotalik

Avery-Anisimov-Callahan

Brashear-Boyle-Lisin

Arnason

Voros

Sure these lines seem sensible as they resemble the depth chart of the franchise right now. However, one flaw here is that things never end up the way the depth chart is on paper. Ranger fans saw the combination of Scott Gomez and Jaromir Jagr fail after hopes of always having them together on the top line. Brandon Dubinsky went on to be Jagr's center that year and the rest is history.

There are so many different combinations that could be put together because of the depth the Rangers have right now. I am going to attempt to put something together. These lines are not necessarily what will be the lines on opening night but what will shake out as the season goes on:

Higgins-Anisimov-Gaborik

Callahan-Dubinsky-Lisin

Prospal-Drury-Kotalik

Avery-Boyle-Brashear/Voros

I am guessing these are not the lines you were expecting. At this point it is anybody's guess as to how John Tortorella will use his forwards but here is an explanation why I think this.

Higgins-Anisimov-Gaborik

Most Ranger fans believe Dubinsky will be the top center for the team next season. While that may be true on the depth chart, someone with the playmaking ability of Artem Anisimov has to be considered on the top line. It is true that "Artie" will be a rookie in the NHL this coming season but that shouldn't make the coaching staff afraid to put him in a situation to succeed. Pairing Anisimov with someone like Marian Gaborik will allow the young Russian to find space on the ice to make plays.

Many people are under the impression that a winger needs to have a center who can set him up to score. However someone of Gaborik's talent, which there are few, can start, create, and finish plays all by himself. He does not need someone setting him up.

The rationale for Anisimov is that he can thrive in this situation. With a goal scorer in Higgins to his left, Anisimov will be able to create plays with him or have the space to make his own plays. If all else fails, just give the puck to Gaborik and get to open ice.

Having Higgins on the line will give the group a player who will grind it out along the boards and is not afraid to go to the front of the net, giving a playmaking option to Anisimov and Gaborik. Higgins will be determined to show that last season was just a fluke and that he is a consistent 20 goal scorer in the NHL.

Callahan-Dubinsky-Lisin

Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan played together in the playoffs and showed some chemistry forming. The two play a similar style as they are not afraid to grind out along the boards and fight for the puck. Dubinsky can dish the puck while Callahan can take it and put it on net. It only makes sense that the two players who succeeded the most under John Tortorella's system be put together. They will create space for themselves and their fellow linemate, Enver Lisin.

Coming over from Phoenix, Lisin's two biggest assets are speed and skill. He has a nose for the net and can be a big difference maker on the ice. One of the fastest skaters in the NHL, Lisin will be able to find areas for a playmaking center like Dubinsky to get him the puck.

The young Russian needs to work on his defensive play but putting him with two defensively responsible players in Callahan and Dubinsky may help him further his learning in the defensive zone. A combination of speed, physicality, and skill is what John Tortorella wants and that is what he has with this line.

Prospal-Drury-Kotalik

While the third line is usually reserved for a more defensive style, Torts will be expecting all of his lines to be playing defense. Chris Drury and Ales Kotalik played together in Buffalo years ago and they will be reunited after having good chemistry for the Sabres. Kotalik's main asset is his shot. Whether he is using a wrist or slap shot, Kotalik is a danger to score off the wing all the time. He would be an even better player if he used his size to his advantage more often.

However, Drury and Kotalik both like to shoot the puck and will need someone who can be a playmaker. Vaclav Prospal has played at the center and wing positions in his career. Having him on this line will allow for flexibility in having him either on the wing or moving Drury to the wing and having Prospal in the center. He is a playmaker who will be able to feed the forwards on his for shots. If he can't, then he has the scoring ability to finish off the play.

Prospal and Drury together will be a good shutdown unit for the Rangers as Prospal knows John Tortorella's system while Drury has been known for his good two way play. This is a solid third line that can provide scoring depth and solid defensive play.

Avery-Boyle-Brashear/Voros

I know many Ranger fans will not be a fan of having Sean Avery on the fourth line, but the fact is that he is outskilled by those in front of him. Ranger fans want scoring on all four lines and Avery will be able to provide that on a lower line playing against the lower lines of other teams. Throw in the fact Avery is the most annoying thing on skates and you have yourself a solid fourth liner.

New York acquired center Brian Boyle in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings at the draft this year and are hoping he can revive his career. The big center, who stands at 6'7 250 pounds, showed his offensive abilities in the NHL by scoring four goals in his first 7 games, including against the New York Rangers. If he can learn to use his body more, Boyle could become a surprise reclamation project for the organization and provide a big body down the middle.

The Rangers replaced Colton Orr with Donald Brashear this offseason in what many Ranger fans thought was a bit of an odd move. However, Brashear is a much better overall player than Colton Orr is. The veteran can mildly skate and is a very intimidating figure as one of the premier enforcers in the NHL. When he is not needed, the Rangers can sub in a player like Aaron Voros.

Like I mentioned before, all of this is a guessing game. Who goes where and with who is a mystery that will be solved in the coming month at training camp and during the preseason. Even more is that the offseason is not done yet and with many players still available and trade rumors floating around, it is almost moot at this point to make up lines, especially on defense.

But the forward lines I put above seem to me a reasonable place that the Rangers will end up. One thing that Ranger fans need to remember about the line combinations that will come about is that people need to keep an open mind. I highly doubt Donald Brashear and Marian Gaborik will be on the same line...but then again with such a new team and an open roster, don't be surprised if it is tried.

Rangers Talking to Dennis Seidenberg

2009-08-24T14:37:00.001-04:00

According to the German hockey website, Eishockey, the Rangers have interest in free agent defenseman Dennis Seidenberg. The full article can be found here in German.

In the interview with the German born defenseman, Seidenberg says that he is in daily talks with the New York Rangers as well as the Florida Panthers and is looking for a three year deal. However, neither the Rangers or the Panthers may be willing to give Seidenberg a three year deal.

It is understandable that Seidenberg is looking for a long term deal as he has been around the NHL in his short career. Having played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, and Carolina Hurricanes, Seidenberg wants to establish himself somewhere for he and his new wife. However, with the market being the way it has been, it has not been easy for him and he may have to take less than what he wants to sign with a NHL team.

However, from a Ranger perspective, a move like this would be a huge benefit. Seidenberg had a career year last season with Carolina with five goals and 25 assists for 30 points, adding six more points in the playoffs for the Hurricanes. The only defensemen with regular NHL experience for the Rangers right now are Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Marc Staal, and Dan Girardi. Personally, I'm not a fan of having two spots open to rookie defensemen and any team that has won the Stanley Cup the last few seasons has had serious depth at every position. Seidenberg would provide this for the Rangers.

I understand that the Rangers have serious depth in their prospect pipeline at the defensive position but that is all those players are, prospects. Glen Sather needs to make sure the NHL roster is ready to go this season and if that includes adding a player like Seidenberg then he should go for it. I like the stock of prospects the Rangers but there is no guarantee any of them will pan out like Ranger fans hope.

The 27 year old made $1.2 million with the Hurricanes last season. My guess at a salary figure for him would be $2 million or less considering the amount of money available to teams right now. However, adding a solid veteran like Dennis Seidenberg would only help to solidify the Rangers on the back end, something they need to do if they want any shot at being a contender in the Eastern Conference.

2009 Traverse City Roster Announced

2009-08-23T19:12:00.000-04:00

According to Red Wings Central, the New York Rangers have released their roster for the 2009 Traverse City Prospects Tournament, held every year in Traverse City, Michigan before training camp starts. See the full roster here.

With the success of Ranger prospects in recent years, more and more fans have turned their attention to these young players with this tournament as a way to see how they fare against others at their level. In 2007, the Rangers won the tournament as they went unbeaten in four games en route to the tournament title.

This season, New York will be looking to get back to the top of the heap as they send some of the top prospects in the organization.

Headlining the forwards is Evgeny Grachev, who played for the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) last season. The young Russian scored 40 goals and 40 assists in 60 games and will be looking to move up to the Hartford Wolf Pack this season, if not the New York Rangers. Personally, Grachev should probably spend a little bit of time in Hartford to see where he is but Ranger head coach John Tortorella has made it known he is not afraid of putting youth into the line up. If Grachev wants to make the New York Rangers this season, he will have to start by having a good showing in Traverse City.

The 2009 Draft class for the Rangers will be well represented in the forward corps. Second round pick, Ethan Werek, will be on the squad. The Kingston Frontenac will most likely be returned to his junior team this coming season regardless of his performance at Traverse City, but that is not a bad thing. The young center will be learning from one of the best in the history of the game in Doug Gilmour, who is the head coach of the Kingston junior team. In 66 games, Werek had 32 goals and 32 assists for the Frontenacs who were the worst team in the OHL last year.

The other headline from the 2009 class will be forward Ryan Bourque who was selected in the third round. The young forward had 54 points in 51 games for the US under 18 National Development team. The son of Ray Bourque, Ryan has been somewhat knocked for his small size but he will be out to prove those critics wrong when he goes up against players who are a few years older than he is and physically more mature. Bourque will be playing with the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), under the direction of Patrick Roy.

Invited as free agents in the forward corps are Craig Cunningham from the Vancouver Giants, Daniel Bartek from the Everett Silvertips, and Luke Walker from the Portland Winterhawks.

The strength of this team will be on the blue line and it is headlined by Michael Del Zotto. The first round pick in the 2008 draft for the Rangers, Del Zotto impressed many at Ranger camp last season before being sent back to the Oshawa Generals. The young defenseman continued to show his offensive skills by scoring 33 points in 34 games for the Generals before being traded to the London Knights. In 28 regular season games, he put up 30 points while he had 19 points in just 14 playoff games.

However, the aspect of Del Zotto's game that the Rangers were looking for improvement in was his defensive play and, according to scouts, Del Zotto has done that. Unfortunately for the young defenseman, he will need to make the New York Rangers this season or be sent back to the OHL for another junior season, as he is not old enough to play in the AHL. With spots open on the blue line, look for Del Zotto to make a push by having an impressive Traverse City tournament.

Other notables on the blue line include Tomas Kundratek, Mitch Gaulton, and 2009 6th round pick, Daniel Maggio.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, a few of their top prospects play in the NCAA, making them ineligible to play in this tournament. Players such as Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, and Ryan McDonagh are bound by the rules of college athletics to not participate in this tournament. However, the fact the Rangers are able to field a formidable roster without these talented players shows the depth the organization has achieved in its farm system.

In net, the Rangers will be looking to Chad Johnson, whom they acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2009 draft. Backing him up will be Scott Stajcer who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2009 draft.

The Rangers will be facing some formidable teams. They will play a round robin game against each team in the Eastern Division which includes the Detroit Red Wings, Atlanta Thrashers, and Carolina Hurricanes. The top team from this division will play the top team in the Western Division which includes the Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, and Dallas Stars.

The first game for the Rangers will be on September 6th when they open against the Carolina Hurricanes with the tournament lasting until September 10th, when the last games will be played.

John Tortorella Speaks at US Olympic Camp

2009-08-19T13:14:00.000-04:00

With the Olympics coming up in February this year in Vancouver, countries are beginning to get teams together and trying to figure out who will be on the team. One of the people who will be helping determine this is New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella who is an assistant coach from Team USA.

Jeff Klein from the New York Times caught up with Torts at the camp and asked a few questions that seemed interesting. You can read the full article here.

Concerning the newest Ranger, Vaclav Prospal, Tortorella believes "He’s ticked off. He was bought out. He has something to prove here. I think it’s a good situation on a one-year deal, and show us maybe for when another contract comes around. Some other people in the organization need to understand that too".

When a player has motivation it is often when they play at their best. Being bought out by Tampa seems to have lit a fire in Vinny Prospal and he is really looking to prove to teams in the NHL that they should not have passed up on him. Being under a coach that Prospal knows well and having a player that Torts knows how to get the best out of is a combination that can only lead to positive results.

On what the Rangers will be working on in training camp: "That’s where we can establish what our mindset is going to be, conditioning, which I think is a weakness of our club. As I’ve said, and I make no bones about it, I don’t think we’re a stiff team mentally. I think we have to be a little bit tougher in that area, in mental parts and preparation.”

Coach Tortorella has mentioned this in interviews from earlier in the offseason and continues to reiterate a mental softness to this team. Softness has been a concern by many fans over the last few years and the Rangers finally have a coach who will be trying to address this. While Tom Renney was big on conditioning, Tortorella will bring a whole new level to the Rangers, a team that will be playing a very aggressive system which will require a superior level of conditioning. Hopefully having a conditioning regimen such as this will help keep the Rangers a consistent team this season rather than fizzling out in the middle of the year and then coming back strong towards the end.

When it comes to who will be on what lines, "No one’s locked into any positions — people are going to earn their time, they’re always going to have to earn their time. Even if they get some, if they don’t keep on going they may get moved around a little bit. I think that makes it into more of a hard-type situation. This is a hard game. I just think we’re soft mentally, and I think we have to grow in that area."

This is what will make training camp so interesting. A combination of having such a different team and no one having a guaranteed position is what will make the players be more motivated this camp more than any other in recent memory. It has been made known that young players will have a chance to make the team and play key roles during the season. With so many new faces Ranger fans and the coaching staff are unfamiliar with how young guys like Enver Lisin and Brian Boyle play on a day to day basis, making it a very open training camp where every single position is open to anyone...except of course the starting goaltender position.

And as many Ranger fans are ready for the season, so is the head coach. "I’m ready to go — I’ve been ready to go for a couple of months now. I just want to get up to New York. Next week I’m going to be there and get going."

To be honest, not being excited as a Ranger fan this season would be a shock to me. New system, new players, new team. Then again you wouldn't be a Ranger fan if there was not some kind of doubt nagging at your emotions no matter how excited you may be.

Chris Drury: His Team, His Time

2009-08-18T14:59:00.000-04:00

When Chris Drury signed his five year deal two years ago for a whopping average of just over $7 million a year, many people were skeptical at the contract. Drury had only broken the 30 goal barrier twice in his career and never reached the 70 point plateau. Even now, Ranger fans complain about the large contract the 25th Ranger captain has, especially since it contains a full no movement clause meaning Chris Drury has to approve any move that happens with him, even if it means being sent down to Hartford.

One problem I have noticed with New York when it comes to sports is that people expect athletes to play better when they get here. I have heard many people say Drury should be putting in 40 goals with his contract. Why? He has never scored 40 goals in his career. Not even in his high school days at Fairfield Prep did Drury break the 40 goal mark.

Of course it would be nice if Drury could get over that hump but realistically it is a long shot to happen. All I am hoping for from Drury is to be a solid two way player who breaks the 25 goal barrier. He does not score as many goals as other players in the NHL but he scores the big ones. When you are tied in overtime of the playoffs or down by one late in the third period, Drury is the guy who you look at to put the puck in the net at the right time.

Another assumption that I have come to when it comes to New York fans regards being the captain of the team. When it comes to New York, especially Ranger fans, we have been spoiled. From Joe Namath to Mark Messier, captains in New York have always been very outspoken and even made guarantees for their teams to win big games.

Drury on the other hand is not someone who says alot to the media. When your team has the greatest captain in the history of hockey or even sports, you get spoiled about your image of "The Captain". While that title will always be reserved for Messier in the minds of Ranger fans, someone still has to wear the C on their chest. Fans are not in the locker room during intermissions or on the bench during the game so it is impossible for us to know what Chris Drury says. However, John Tortorella has tabbed Chris Drury as the Captain and will keep him as such.

As long as Drury is using his voice in the locker room around his players, then what do Ranger fans care about what he says to newspapers and the media? Drury is a man of action, not words. Maybe not that much action has happened but because of the large turnover this team has had this summer, the New York Rangers are Chris Drury's team now.

It remains to be seen what happens this coming season but Drury will be looking to bounce back after a rough year last season. I am hoping for a good season for the Trumbull, CT native. With more scoring talent on this team, Drury may be able to sneak under the radar a bit as he will not be looked to provide the bulk of the scoring.

This may be a dream but if Chris Drury is the man who puts the puck in the net to win the Stanley Cup, then he is worth every penny of that contract.

Red Rising: Young Russians Ready to Go

2009-08-17T15:51:00.000-04:00

One feature of the New York Rangers since the early 1990s has been their acceptance of Russian players. Sergei Zubov, Alex Kovalev, and Sergei Nemchinov were the first Russians to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup and ever since then Russian players have graced the Ranger lineup. From those three players, to Pavel Bure, to this year's young crop of Russians the New York Rangers have been a destination for those of the former Soviet Union.

This coming season a few more Russians will be with the Broadway Blueshirts and will be looking to make an impact.

Most likely to play at the center position, Artem Anisimov has been in the New York Ranger system for the last two seasons with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL). This past season was a breakout year for the skilled Anisimov as he tallied 81 points in 80 games (37 goals and 44 assists) to lead the team in scoring and rank 5th overall in the AHL.

A very skilled forward, Anisimov came out of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in Russia before coming over to adapt his game to the North American game.

Anisimov will have a unique opportunity in camp this season as Ranger head coach John Tortorella has made it clear that the lines are completely open in terms of who is playing where. From talking to Ranger fans this summer, many expect Anisimov to start at the third line center position behind Brandon Dubinsky and Chris Drury. Whether it is because they believe he is too young or Dubinsky and Drury are better than him, the fact is that Anisimov has pure skill and talent down the middle which the Rangers need.

Probably not on opening night but I expect to see Artem Anisimov centering the first line with Marian Gaborik on his wing. Tortorella will give Anisimov a shot in training camp to be successful.

The other Russian who will most likely be making the squad in New York came over in a trade that happened on July 13th. The Rangers traded forward Lauri Korpikoski to the Phoenix Coyotes for Enver Lisin.

Last season, Lisin scored 13 goals and added 8 assists while playing on Phoenix's fourth line in 48 games. Many Coyote fans, including myself, do not believe he was given a fair chance in Phoenix by head coach Wayne Gretzky but such is life in the NHL. There is no doubt that Lisin will get a chance in New York.

With John Tortorella's system based on speed, Enver Lisin will be a huge beneficiary of this. One of the fastest skaters in the entire NHL, Lisin combines that with the ability to put the puck in the net. I think of him as Nikolai Zherdev but with motivation and drive to play every game. His speed alone created chances for himself and his teammates as it threw opposing defense off balance. A strong wrist shot and quick hands will help young Enver become a quiet scorer on the Rangers.

Will these two Russians play together this coming season? Tortorella will try everything in training camp to see who plays well together. He likes to keep two people together on a line and then shift the third person around so don't be surprised if Lisin and Anisimov get paired together. The reason is not just because they are Russian players but because of their similar skill. While Anisimov is no where near as fast as Lisin, the two of them could form a secondary scoring dynamo for New York. Pair the both of them with Marian Gaborik on a line...well the speed and skill of the line would be able to speak for itself. Gaborik and Lisin come flying down the wing, hit the trailer in Anisimov...

One can dream. But there is no doubt that these two Russian players will be looked to provide scoring depth that was non-existent for the New York Rangers last season.

My Future Boss? Messier Appointed Special Assistant

2009-08-16T19:07:00.000-04:00

News keeps coming out of Ranger land. Along with the reported signing of Vaclav Prospal, Larry Brooks of the New York Post broke the news that Mark Messier has been hired as a special assistant to Ranger general manager Glen Sather.

It has long been speculated that Messier would eventually become the next general manager of the NY Rangers after Glen Sather decides to step down. However, while Messier does know his hockey and talent, being a general manager is more than that. By having this position Messier has the chance to learn everything from one of the best general managers in the history of the National Hockey League.

Other great players in recent memory have taken similar positions with their former organizations. Players such as Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings) and Al MacInnis (St. Louis Blues) have been appointed to similar posts in the hopes they will be able to use their hockey knowledge to build a team for the Stanley Cup.

People who know me know that I want to be a general manager in the NHL. Of course it is a long shot but if I am going to do it, I may be getting to Messier's position as a special assistant to the general manager someday. Who knows? Maybe I will be Messier's special assistant.

Right...time to put the rose colored glasses away.

Messier is one of the greatest leaders not only in the history of hockey, but in all of sports. He willed the New York Rangers to a Stanley Cup in 1993-1994 while also being apart of the dynasty years of the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s. He will now start a whole new career, one that Ranger fans hope is just as successful and storied as his playing career.

Rangers Ink Prospal: What Now for Dubinsky?

2009-08-16T15:16:00.000-04:00

Ranger fans woke up this morning to the news that Vaclav "Vinny" Prospal had been signed to a 1 year deal worth $1.1 million, according to Larry Brooks of the NY Post here.

Recently bought out by the Tampa Bay Lightning, it was known that the Czech forward was not going to be looking for a large contract as the Lightning owe him around $1.2 million every year until the 2014-2015 season. Instead Prospal was looking more for a place where he could get another crack at the Stanley Cup, and what better place than where your Stanley Cup winning head coach is?

Prospal played under John Tortorella with the Tampa Bay Lightning and certainly knows the style of play Torts likes and how to prepare for such a system. A very versatile forward, Prospal has been known to play both center and wing which gives some flexibility to the coaching staff looking for a number one pivot. This signing gives the Rangers some insurance in case Brandon Dubinsky cannot handle being the top line anchor.

Of course, Dubinsky's contract situation is still being ironed out. In the same article, Brooks mentions that Dubinsky may sign a one year deal and go through what Henrik Lundqvist did two years ago. Lundqvist signed a one year deal and was given a contract extension after January 1st so the extension didn't count on the salary cap during that year. Lundqvist got his money and extension and is now locked up to be a Ranger for a long time. Dubinsky should sign his qualifying offer, which is just under $700,000, and play this season to show what he has.

Then again, there is another possibility which is going through the minds of Ranger fans now. Bringing in Prospal means Dubinsky could be on his way out. Trade rumors have been abound this summer that teams are interested in getting Dubinsky for high priced talent including Ottawa Senators' winger Dany Heatley. If I am Glen Sather, however, I am only trading Dubinsky for a top line center. New York got its scoring winger in Marian Gaborik on July 1st and with young players like Ryan Callahan, Enver Lisin, and Christopher Higgins rising through the wing ranks, it seems unnecessary to get someone like Heatley.

On the other hand, a big name like Heatley would mean a big contract would have to go out. If it is for Heatley, the most likely candidate would be Michal Rozsival. I doubt the Senators would like Wade Redden back and Chris Drury will most likely not waive his no movement clause to allow such a trade.

We know Glen Sather to be very in touch with his head coach during the summer and will consult with the coach on what the team needs on the ice to succeed. A former player who may be available, like Brad Richards of the Dallas Stars, could be another target of the Rangers as has been hinted by Larry Brooks and others in the hockey world. Whether it is true or not, another big salary would be going back to Dallas and in this case, it could be Wade Redden. But then the issue of what to do on the blue line is raised.

Dubinsky will be signed and the Rangers then sign a depth defenseman, like Francis Bouillon, and go into training camp with a solid roster. Sather has said he will not give up young talent just to get a star so a trade will really have to wow the Ranger general manager, especially for someone like Brandon Dubinsky.

As for Prospal, this is a good signing at a cheap price. Prospal has been a consistent scorer in his career and will certainly make the Rangers a more dangerous team.