Posts Tagged ‘New York Rangers’

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Is Marian Gaborik To Blame for the New York Rangers’ Scoring Problems?

9, Mar 2010

Yes, you just read that correctly. No, it’s not what you think.

While reading Newsday yesterday—yes, newspapers still exist and people still read them—I came across an interesting stat: The Rangers scored 16 goals in Gaborik’s four-game absence, and only one during the two since his return.

Now I’m not saying that Gaborik is to blame because he’s not putting the puck in the net. What I think is happening is that the players surrounding him are so accustomed to him scoring that they are playing with less assertiveness in the offensive zone.

Besides his freak injury in practice with the leg laceration, and the time he missed with a lower-body injury following the Olympics, Gaborik has had a pretty healthy first year in New York.

He’s pretty much been producing the way we all knew he could, with a dry spell here and there. There’s no way to say that he’s not holding up his end of the bargain.

While Gaborik was on the shelf, nine different Rangers helped pitch in for those 16 goals. Chris Drury, Sean Avery, Ryan Callahan, Vinny Prospal, and Erik Christensen all scored two goals, while Brandon Dubinsky netted three.

The problem is, when he is on one of those dry spells, which all players go through, nobody else steps up.

Gaborik hasn’t scored a goal since a 3-1 victory over the Devils on Feb. 6.

When was Gaborik’s last drought, you ask? From Jan. 21-27 he went pointless. During that stretch, the Rangers played four games: three goals, four losses, twice shutout.

It’s no secret that the Rangers lack serious secondary scoring. But when Gaborik isn’t in the lineup, it’s as if the Rangers magically have a new-found element of scoring.

This can’t be a coincidence.

By no means am I saying that Gaborik shouldn’t be playing, but it’s up to the coaching staff and the veteran leadership on this team to motivate these players the same way that they are when No. 10 isn’t dressed.

It’s almost as if they have a feeling that it’s okay if they don’t finish, or make that extra effort on a play when Gaborik is out there, because, after all, he’s Marian Gaborik and will put the team on his shoulders.

We saw the same thing with Jaromir Jagr. When he wasn’t producing, the Rangers might as well have not even come out on the ice.

It’s not a matter of having the secondary scoring, it’s using them to their full potential. 

It’s not like Capitals, Penguins, Sharks, and Blackhawks where they are four or five deep in potent scoring options. The Rangers need to grind their way into every opportunity they get.

If the Rangers want any success either now or in the future, they must take some of the pressure of Gaborik and play the way they do when he doesn’t take the ice.

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Day After Rally, New York Rangers GM Glen Sather is Still Here

8, Mar 2010

Yesterday was the day, the day for New York Rangers fans to vent their frustrations and angers at yet another lackluster season due to the front office ways of the organization.

 

But first let’s give credit to the organizer of “The Fire Glen Sather Rally” yesterday, Mike Zippo.

 

Zippo has had enough of watching seasons that are basically wasting his time, along with other Rangers fans, while the cash flow continues to mount up against the organization. There is a saying, at least for the Yankees, that money buys championships.

 

In hockey, that couldn’t be the farthest from the truth.

 

Hundreds of fans turned out, holding up signs and of course being the true New Yorkers they are, being extremely loud to get their points across. The fans of the New York Rangers have had enough—enough of the free spending by Glen Sather, or bringing in talentless players way past their primes, or signing a player who couldn’t even cut it on the worst team in hockey.

 

But when are the Rangers fans going to actually get smart about this and do the logical thing?

 

The rally happened and guess who is still the general manager of our Blueshirts today? You got it right, the man who is sitting in his office right now with his feet up on the desk and a cigar hanging from his mouth who never even does an interview for hockey outlets and even the teams home outlet Madison Square Garden Network.

 

Are you shocked that the rally had no effect? I’m not.

 

It’s time to do the logical thing, Rangers fans. You can scream out your chants all you want at the games, start rallies, sign petitions, and even make a web page, but it’s not going to yield any type of results.

 

It all starts with a wallet. Yes, a wallet. Effect their pockets and changes will happen.

 

The organization is loving this because even bad publicity from the fans is good publicity for hockey. It’s getting the sport into a limelight they rarely ever see.

 

Keep buying tickets and spending money at the arena and they will keep putting out this brand of terrible hockey because they feel the fans are okay with fighting for the playoffs and exiting after the first round.

 

I, for one, am definitely not happy with this brand of hockey which is why I have yet to go to a game this year and I won’t until changes are made.

 

Sather does not know how to put together a winning hockey club. This is not 1980s hockey. It is 2010 and with the rule changes the game of hockey also changed. It became faster, but also a tad bit weaker.

 

No money being made will equal to changes being made.

 

But money being made, and a lot of it, will equal to absolutely no changes being made. And of course, the same brand of hockey being put out on that Garden Ice that you, the fans, keep paying to see.

 

Get a clue, stop paying to see it.

 

Stay home from the next game, don’t even open your wallet to buy a ticket and you will see how fast theirs close.

 

 

Jonathan Ragus is an analyst for MVP Gotham. You can read more of his New York Rangers content at MVP GOTHAM

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Caps Clamp Down Defensively: Caps 2 / Rags 0

6, Mar 2010

©2010 On Frozen Blog. All Rights Reserved..

Steven Hindle: Caps Vs Rangers | Gabby Shuffling the Deck & Lucky No.13? Theo Starts

6, Mar 2010

Clinching is the Easy Part

Although it wasn’t pretty, the Caps did manage to squeak out a timely victory over the Lightning on Thursday, barely beating them 5-4.

Despite the rust, the Caps earned their 43rd win of the season thanks to a marathon 3rd period that saw newcomer Scott Walker provide the heroics. Walker’s back to back goals, his 4th and 5th of the year, came during an a…

Travis Yost: Video Time! – Lapierre Runs Nichol, Crosby Does His Best Louganis

5, Mar 2010

New at The Prose: Can the Hurricanes Make The Playoffs?

Two plays from last night’s action has drawn some criticism the way of Max Lapierre of the Montreal Canadiens, and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In the first video, Max Lapierre absolutely smokes Scott Nichol of the San Jose Sharks in a play that went unpenalized, seemingly against all odds. Todd McLellan called the play ext…

Henrik Lundqvist Stops 50, Rangers Lose

5, Mar 2010

Hank Lundqvist made a career-best 50 stops last night in a performance that drew comparisons to Mike Richter’s 59-save effort in Vancouver some 19 years ago (a feat which Adam Wodon was immediately reminded of). But then Wade Redden had to go and ruin it by hooking Jordan Staal in overtime. Staal scored the game winner on the resulting power play to give Pittsburgh two points and sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division.

The Rangers picked up a point in defeat and are now tied for eighth place in the Eastern Conference with Atlanta. Both teams have 66 points, but the Thrashers have a pair of games in hand. The blue shirts travel to Washington tomorrow night to face a Capitals club that hasn’t lost at home since Dec. 28.

DECEMBER 28TH!

On a positive note, Chris Drury’s backhand-from-his-knees goal in the first period made SportCenter’s top plays this morning. It was quite impressive.

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After the NHL Deadline: Five Ways the Rangers Can Make It into the Playoffs

3, Mar 2010

It was a quiet trade deadline for the Rangers and for most of the NHL.

The biggest move the Rangers made was grabbing defenseman Anders Eriksson from Phoenix for goaltender Miika Wiikman and a seventh round selection in the 2011 draft.

They also traded AHL players Jordan Owens for Kris Newbury.

So the Rangers stand tied for the final playoff spot with less than 20 games left in the season, no significant help on the way, and Marian Gaborik out with a tweaked groin.

Still, having said all that, the Rangers can make a strong push into the playoffs. Here are five ways they can solidify their place.

5. Make Marc Staal and Dan Girardi the permanent shut-down defensive pair.

Staal and Girardi have occasionally spent time together as a shut-down pair, playing against opponents top lines and making sure no one gets too out of hand in terms of goal-scoring.

Coach John Tortorella doesn’t always use the two defensemen together for purely defensive purposes. But with the Rangers struggling offense, it’s time to admit this is a team that’s only going to win games when they smother opposing teams defensively.

Tortorella doesn’t have to match forwards against forwards, but he should at least make sure his two best defensemen are always out against opponents’ top lines.

4. Give Chris Drury a job.

Drury came out of a strong Olympics mostly due to Team USA Coach Ron Wilson giving Drury some clearly defined responsibilities: forecheck hard, win faceoffs, and make life difficult for opponents wherever possible. Drury was asked to do everything but score and with the pressure of scoring gone, Drury actually scored.

Now, back in New York, Tortorella needs to give Drury the same responsibilities. Drury needs to be used defensively and freed of all scoring responsibilities. And hopefully, with the pressure off of Drury’s shoulders, he’ll find scoring opportunities, just like he did in Vancouver.

And if Drury doesn’t score, at least he’s keeping opponents off balance. There’s some value in that action alone.

3. Make the defense younger.

The Rangers already have a young defense. Remove the struggling Michal Rozsival and Wade Redden from the line-up, and their oldest defenseman is just 25. And now it’s time to give those young defensemen the keys to the Ranger kingdom, in the form of minutes.

Redden and Rozsival need to sit. Maybe not nightly, but frequently, so that players like Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy can get experience. But Tortorella also needs to bring up some of his young AHL defensemen.

Why not see what Corey Potter, Michael Sauer, Ilkka Heikkinen, and even Bobby Sanguinetti can do with regular NHL minutes. Even new acquisition Eriksson has some NHL experience.

Why not see how he does in New York?

None of those AHLers can be that much worse than Redden and Rozsival. The fact that the two senior defensemen have huge contracts doesn’t mean they deserve a permanent place in the Rangers line-up.

2. Rest goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

Lundqvist has played in 55 of the Rangers first 63 games. Only Martin Brodeur and Jonathan Quick have played more games this year. On top of those 55 games, Lundqvist is coming out of the Olympics.

Last season, Lundqvist played 70 games and the season before it was 72. It’s just a huge workload. Eventually Lundqvist will buckle under all of the playing time.

If the Rangers want Lundqvist to last, not just into the playoffs, but long-term, they need to get him some help.

The Rangers claimed Alex Auld off of re-entry waivers. He’s a solid, if unspectacular, NHL goalie.

He needs some starts so Lundqvist can rest.

The Rangers might be able to ride a tired Lundqvist into the playoffs, but what’s the point if Lundqvist then finds himself too tired to play well?

1. Go to the net.

Every NHL telecast features someone lauding the benefits of going to the net. It’s a cliche, but it’s also true.

The Rangers lack finesse. The only way they’re going to be able to score consistently down the stretch and in the playoffs are by going to the net, creating traffic in front of opposing goalies, and knocking in any loose pucks they can find.

The Rangers went to the net Tuesday night against Ottawa and wound up with four goals, an amazing feat given Marian Gaborik was out of the line-up.

Also, by creating traffic in front of the net, there’s more of an opportunity for their defensemen to get some goals off of deflections.

Historically, the Rangers haven’t gone to the net since Adam Graves left. Tuesday night’s performance in the Ottawa crease was a revelation. It’s a performance they’ll need to repeat if they want to make a serious playoff run.

But if they can make it a regular part of their game, the Rangers should find themselves coasting into the playoffs.

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Travis Yost: Well, That Was Ugly

2, Mar 2010

Anyone who knows my background is aware of how tough it is to watch a game between the Senators and Rangers. It’s a win/lose no matter which way you cut it, and more often than not, I just hope for a competitive game.

Unfortunately for myself and most of the Sens Army, we were subjugated to nearly sixty minutes of piss poor hockey and complete domination by the New York Rangers. It’s almost dep…

Rangers-Senators: Scouting Report for March 2, 2010

2, Mar 2010

The Olympic break couldn’t have ended fast enough for the Rangers.

After going 3-9 over a 12-game stretch leading up to the Olympics, they began to find their rhythm again at the end and won three out of the final four contests heading into the two-week respite.

The Rangers sent five players to the Olympics, and three of them came back with hardware.

Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan helped Team USA reach silver, only losing to the Canadians in the gold medal game two days ago, and Olli Jokinen helped Team Finland to a bronze medal versus Marian Gaborik and Slovakia.

Speaking of Gaborik, he suffered a leg laceration before the Olympics and decided to play through it. Only time will tell how well that healed.

Ottawa is heading into this game with a similar situation. They had built momentum going into the Olympic break, winning 14 out of 16 games heading into the break behind the hot hand of goalie Brian Elliot.

This matchup could go either way. It all is going to depend on who is suffering the biggest Olympic hangover.  

 

Keys to the game

The Rangers will again have two weapons to keep an eye on. Daniel Alfredsson came back from injury and immediately went on a scoring tear. Mike Fisher is the surprise this season, proving himself to be an extremely effective two-way player.

If Gaborik can play effectively and Henrik Lundqvist continues his return to a more solid form (3-1 with a 1.76 GAA), then the history between these two teams states that the Rangers will win.

My prediction: 3-2 Rangers

 

Also of note

Corey Potter was recalled from AHL Hartford to substitute for Michael Del Zotto. Del Zotto, who suffered an abdominal laceration before the break, will be a game-time decision.

Between these teams, 10 players were Olympians. However, only one of the Senators, Jarkko Ruutu for Finland, returned home with a medal.

Lundqvist has historically done very well against the Senators in Ottawa, winning all three career road games, while sporting a 0.98 GAA in those matches. 

Aaron Voros and Enver Lisin were both put on waivers today.

In order to give Lundquist some veteran backup, the Rangers picked up Alex Auld, who was placed on waivers by the Dallas Stars.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

NHL Trade Deadline: Assessing The New York Rangers

1, Mar 2010

Okay, it’s time to snap back to reality and dust off the Olympic break and jump back into the New York Rangers. Which, for those of you that don’t follow hockey, is like being married to Jessica Alba for two weeks, only to then be forced to come home and go back to your wife, while she’s sitting on the couch eating a pint of Haagan Dazs watching One Life to Live…

So, now that we’re done with that two-week fantasy that was the Olympics, it’s time to get down to business.

The trade deadline is just two days away, and quite frankly, it might be a boring one for the Rangers. In a perfect world, GM Glen Sather would trade away just about everything he could to stockpile for the future. But this isn’t a perfect world, it’s Sather’s world, and most likely he’ll bring in some spare parts to push for a bottom spot in the playoff race, while exiting within the first two rounds.

Like I said in an earlier article, the Rangers need to begin a semi-rebuilding process . Not completely stripping the team of everything, but staying competitive while allowing the younger players to accumulate experience. The kids need to play hard minutes at the NHL level if we’re ever going to see what they can do.

One step in this direction is to trade every player that would help us with this process. Sather started this by moving Christopher Higgins and Ales Kotalik last month. Higgins wasn’t as much of a concern since he was slated to be a free agent at season’s end, but shedding Kotalik and his remaining two years was key.

Trading your second-leading scorer while battling for a playoff spot, isn’t usually the gameplan for the trade deadline.

However, Vinny Prospal is the smartest option for Sather to move. Prospal has been tallying up a nice season so far in his first year with the Rangers. With 14 goals, 33 assists, and an expiring contract at season’s end, he’s lip-licking good for teams looking to bolster their offense.

Since Sather is a mastermind when it comes to trades (ahem, Jagr for Anson Carter, Gomez this past offseason, and Pavel Bure for Igor Ulanov), it wouldn’t surprise me to see Prospal get a return of a high prospect or a first rounder.

However, Prospal has made it no secret that he wants to stay in New York, and any chance the Rangers have of signing him next season, might lie in the balance should Sather pull the trigger.

“I hope I don’t have to think about anything like that,” Prospal told Arthur Staple of Newsday . “I just hope the aspect of us being in the playoff race is a big thing. I hope I’ll stay here and stay for a long time.”

I love the way Prospal plays, but let’s face it, he is aging and is going to want a significant raise over the peanuts he’s making this year. Getting something of value even if it’s a draft pick or two for him now, would be a much smarter option than holding onto him hoping that he’ll sign for close to what he’s making this year.

After Prospal, there aren’t too many options for the Rangers to ship off. Defensemen Dan Girardi is an interesting option, however.

Girardi is set to be an RFA at the end of the year, and honestly I’m not sure if he’ll be brought back. The Rangers have a studded defensive corps down in the AHL as well at the college and junior levels.

Unless Michal Rozsival and Wade Redden can be moved either by waivers or trade, it’s hard to find room for the younger blueliners next season.

Marc Staal, Michael Del Zotto, Matt Gilroy will all be locks for the team next year, and that leaves one slot open if Girardi is moved. It’s time to bring up a guy like Bobby Sanguinetti to see what he can actually do. He is slated to make $675,000 next season, and they need to see how he can progress at the next level, whether they think he’s ready or not.

Illka Heikkinen has already stated that he’s most likely going back to Europe next season after his contract expires. He’s spent most of the season in the AHL with a short stint with the Rangers in middle.

Hopefully Sather will realize that this team is simply not constructed to make a deep run in the playoffs and doesn’t jeopardize the youth in an effort to make a push. If he doesn’t realize this, well then we have a long four years until we get our next date with Jessica Alba.

Follow me on Twitter for deadline updates!

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Despite the Loss, Team USA Delivered a Generation’s Miracle on Ice

28, Feb 2010

It didn’t have a storybook ending. It may not be made into a movie or make its way through the decades on the tongues of those who were around to watch, but the 2010 USA men’s hockey team was my generation’s miracle on ice.

With all the bashing and critiques media outlets pushed onto the laps of the the young Americans, many of which had never played on the Olympic stage before, one would believe USA had no chance of succeeding, let alone reach the finals—but they were wrong.

Today, I was inspired that willpower exists in every one of us as long as we believe that the impossible is never the case.

With all eyes on Vancouver’s final day of action, USA showed that while they may not have been the most talented or experienced on paper, all the statistics and analysis means nothing when the puck is dropped.

All tournament long USA picked off teams supposedly “superior” to them in every way, icing world powers such as Finland and Switzerland, and even defeating Canada back in the early rounds.

As today’s game approached, Team USA gained some respect, and in some eyes, had a chance to win before falling short 3-2 in overtime.

Usually miracles have happy endings. In a Biblical reference, the sick were healed; in sports, the 1980 USA men’s hockey team defeated the USSR, but today’s game puts a different twist on the meaning.

It’s a sorrowful one rather than a joyous one.

That miracle did not just consist of one game, but carried the the U.S. through the tournament, and came full circle today when the Americans found themselves down 2-0 to the “Greatest Show on Ice”, and looked to be defeated midway through the second period.

But with no alarm, the U.S. tapped into some of that miraculous dust and not only cut the deficit to 2-1, but turned up the pressure on Canada, and made fans once again believe.

However, that belief must have wavered in some, if not all, as the clocked ticked down to the final seconds for the American Cinderellas.

But this team was not turning into any pumpkins, for their talent and determination was true, and proved so as they knotted the score and had the hockey giants’ eyes tied to their shoestrings.

However, things didn’t turn out favorably for the red, white, and blue, and that’s ok.

I was not around for the original “Miracle on Ice”, nor do I wish to have been, because today I got to see my own miracle: Not the garden variety type that ends with a smile, but the one that will give all kids, not just Americans, the belief that anything is possible, no matter how bad the odds look.

If you say a loss is a loss no matter how you view it, you’re wrong. This team has done more for American hockey than any other American could have done for their respective sport this Olympics.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

New York Rangers Claim Alex Auld Off Re-Entry Waivers

27, Feb 2010

Darren Dreger of TSN is reporting that the New York Rangers have claimed goaltender Alex Auld off of re-entry waivers from the Dallas Stars. Auld, 29, will become current starting netminder Henrik Lundqvist’s back-up, allowing Chad Johnson and Matt Zaba to remain with the Wolf Pack (AHL) and compete at that level on a nightly basis. Which is probably the best thing for their development right now.

In 21 games played this season with the Stars, Auld has recorded nine wins, along with a save percentage of .894 and a goals against average of 3.00. The Blueshirts will assume a $500,000 cap hit with the move, which saves them about $350,000 compared to what they were paying for Chad Johnson…

CONTINUE READING . 

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NHL Trade Deadline: What The Rangers Need To Do After The Olympics

26, Feb 2010

The Olympics are going to derail a lot of teams’ trade plans this year.

The deadline is March 3 at 3 PM, so teams and players will go straight from the Olympics or an Olympic-size break right into the heart of trade season.

So basically teams will be making decisions based on how everything was working two weeks ago. It’s not an ideal way to work.

For the Rangers, it’s an even more complex process because they’re right on the outside of the playoff bubble, a point behind Montreal for the eighth seed, with one game in hand.

Are the Rangers a playoff-bound team?

If GM Glen Sather believes that, he’ll need to take steps to make the team better, potentially surrendering draft picks and prospects in order to get in some proven veterans.

But Sather surely realizes the Rangers are not a playoff-bound team. And even if the Rangers do somehow stumble into the playoffs, they can’t possibly make much of a run deep into the postseason.

So the smart trade deadline choices involve standing pat or making moves to get better next year. Because short-term rental players aren’t going to help the Rangers very much.

But there are certain scenarios where a short-term rental might improve the team.

One interesting possibility is Pavol Demitra. An unrestricted free agent next season, Demitra is coming off of shoulder surgery and hasn’t been doing much as a Canuck this year, seeming to have fallen out of favor with coach Alain Vigneault. But Demitra has looked great in the Olympics and has shown a chemistry with a certain Solvakian compatriot by the name of Marian Gaborik.

The Canucks would probably be happy to give away Demitra in order to take on more expensive and useful players for their playoff run. And the Rangers might like seeing Demitra and Gaborik together again (they also played together in Minnesota) before deciding whether to offer Demitra a contract in the offseason.

It could potentially be a win-win for both teams, but at the very least, a low-risk gamble for the Rangers.

The Rangers also still have a defensive mess to clean up, what with their two prohibitively expensive defensemen also being their two worst players.

Heading into the Olympic break, the buzz around the Rangers was that they were close to severing ties with Wade Redden, either via a buyout or by sending him down to the AHL, never to return.

The struggling Michal Rozsival, with two years left on his contract, a cap hit of $5 million per year, and $7 million in total salary, can’t possibly draw much interest. Despite his fine offensive moments from time to time, contractually he’s a complete and total albatross.

The Rangers could sniff around any available defensemen, like the injured Sheldon Souray over in Edmonton, but they are probably better off standing pat until the offseason.

The Rangers still need to address their backup goalie situation, or, more to the point, the lack of a true backup for Henrik Lundqvist.

Lundqvist’s Olympic time was cut short with Sweden’s shocking loss to Slovakia, so he should be relatively rested when the NHL season resumes, but the Rangers have flown without a goalie safety net for far too long. They need an NHL-ready backup who can step in both to give Lundqvist rest and, in the worst case scenario, if Lundqvist goes down with an injury.

Tampa goalie Antero Niittymaki will be an unrestricted free agent next year. If the Lightning’s rental price isn’t too high, he would be a great player to grab and lock up before he hits the open market.

By most metrics, this has been a disappointing season for the Rangers and their fans. The upcoming trade deadline is a chance to right some of the more fixable wrongs. It’ll be interesting to see if the Rangers take advantage of the opportunity.

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2010 Winter Olympics: Henrik Lundqvist Sets Olympic Record

25, Feb 2010

Henrik Lundqvist’s dominance of the 2010 Winter Olympics ended late Wednesday night.

Coming into the quarterfinal matchup with Slovakia, Lundqvist had yet to allow a goal. It took over 172 minutes for the opposition to put a puck passed Sweden’s netminder. Ironically, it was Marian Gaborik, Lundqvist’s teammate on the New York Rangers, that fired a one-timer passed a stretching Lundqvist.

Lundqvist, who broke Don Head’s 50-year-old record, for longest time without allowing a goal, allowed two goals within 37 seconds during the second period.

Head, who set the previous record of 164:19 minutes, was Team Canada’s goalie in 1960 when they won the silver medal.

Neither of the goals could be placed directly on King Henrik, as Sweden had mental lapses that led to both tallies.

Gaborik’s, which put Slovakia up 1-0, was scored on a powerplay which resulted from Sweden taking a too-many men penalty. Lundqvist was also using a defensemen’s stick when the puck just snuck by his left pad, as his was lost behind the net.

A few short seconds later, Sweden had a defensive lapse as Slovakia broke down on Lundqvist on a two-on-one, and Andrej Sekera redirected a pass from Richard Zednik over Lundqvist’s shoulder.

Lundqvist entered the game with Slovakia holding a 7-1 Olympic record, which dates back to his 2006 gold-medal debut.

Henrik, having an off-year for his standards, is 25-22-6 with a 2.41 GAA for the Rangers this season.

Up until that second period, Lundqvist had stopped all 48 shots he faced through seven periods of action.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Why Jaromir Jagr Mathematically Makes Sense for the New York Rangers

20, Feb 2010

Fact: Jaromir Jagr plays his best hockey while sporting a mullet.

Fact: The New York Rangers‘ offense is weaker than David Spade.

Fact: Jaromir Jagr’s contract in the KHL is up this summer.

Fact: The Rangers will have a few million dollars to toy with during the offseason.

Now, Jagr’s mullet isn’t as luscious as it was during his prime, but it’s working it’s way back. So, figure Jagr’s mullet-magic is working at 80 percent.

It’s also no secret around the NHL that Jaromir tends to, well, take shifts off every now and then. So, figure Jagr will disappear once every three shifts. That leaves us with Jagr playing to his level 66 percent of the time.

With that being said, Jagr just celebrated his 38th birthday before the Olympics began. So, age is definitely going to play a factor in this equation. But from the looks of it, Jagr is still dominating at will. Key word: will.

So, let’s say for arguments sake, since he isn’t a young Czechkin (Ha, get it? Young chicken, he’s a Czech…anyway) anymore, he’s playing at 90 percent of what normal Jagrness is.

Add all of that together, carry the one, add shampoo, rinse, add conditioner, rinse, towel-dry and style the mullet, tuck in the jersey, divide by x, and what you have is a player that will be better than 99.9 percent of the Rangers’ offense.

The only player the 38-year-old Jagr wouldn’t trump is, of course, Marian Gaborik.

All of this is stemming from Jagr’s notion that he would be possibly, kinda interested in returning to the NHL.

“They treat me so well in Russia, but at the same time, maybe I want to try to play here,” said Jagr to the Associated Press.

Jagr also recognizes that he wouldn’t have the same role that he is use to having. Much like his role on the Czech Olympic team.

This was one of Jagr’s problems in the past; his desire to be the focal point of every aspect of the offense. Hey, who can blame him? When you’re Jaromir Jagr and can dominate the game at will, wouldn’t you want to be the focal point?

There has only been one person in the NHL that could consistently stop Jagr from doing what he does.

That person is…Jaromir Jagr.

A lot of people like to believe that he dogs it, or doesn’t extract 100 percent effort every shift. I think that he’s so dominating, that when he does drop to 90 percent, it magnifies so much because he’s so noticeable at all times.

Through the two games I’ve watched for the Czech Republic this Olympics, I can tell you one thing: Jagr still has it.

I was never a huge fan of his when he played for the Rangers, but I didn’t dislike him like some Ranger fans did. How you could dislike a man that was the only source of offense and could change a game at will is beyond me.

Now, we all know that Rangers’ GM Glen Sather is infatuated with big-name free agents. Well, name’s don’t get any bigger that Jagr’s.

Jagr was earning $7 million, tax free, for the previous two seasons with Omsk Avangard of the KHL.

Jagr knows that if he is going to come back, he can’t expect that amount of money.

I think a one-year deal at $4 million, or a two-year, $3.4-6 million contract would be very reasonable for both parties.

Jagr would not only have the familiarity of New York, a place he loved to play in, but he also wouldn’t have as much pressure as he did the first time around.

As long as Gaborik is around, Jagr will not be relied on as the only source of offense. Also, Jagr won’t have to have the stress of being the captain on his shoulders. All Jagr would have to do is, well, be Jagr.

Adding Jagr to the Rangers lineup does so many things.

For starters, they would have a much more balanced scoring attack. Especially if they could re-sign Vinny Prospal, and Evgeny Grachev is ready to make the jump the NHL.

Guys like Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan won’t be relied on to be primary scoring threats, which will allow them to do what they do best. If you don’t know what they do best, I suggest you watch the next Team USA game. It’s amazing how effective they can be when used correctly.

The powerplay also gets a much needed injection. I do not envy a defense that has to defend Jagr and Gaborik on the powerplay, while sophomore blueliner Michael Del Zotto mans the point.

“I think after the two years I’ve spent in Russia I can be a better player than I was when I left,” said Jagr. “I know that.”

Well, if that’s true, that’s amazing. It’s not like he was a bad player when he left. His last season in New York Jagr still had 25 goals and 46 assists. That would be second for the Rangers in goals this season, and first in assists. Not bad for a player that thinks he can do better.

He currently leads Omsk Avangard in goals, assists, and points, so there is no question the man can still play at a high level. Just look at his play thus far in the Olympics.

The question is: Will he return? And for how much? And will the Rangers kick the tires?

When Sather’s inevitable big-name equation is added up, Jagr’s name should be the only one left on the chalkboard.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

2010 Winter Olympics: Team USA Giving Rangers a Blueprint for Future Success

18, Feb 2010

New York Rangers coach John Tortorella is one of Team USA’s assistant coaches, which is very convenient, as head coach Ron Wilson has done what Tortorella has struggled with: found successful roles for Rangers Ryan Callahan and Chris Drury.

The U.S. easily beat Switzerland in Team USA’s Olympic opener. The American team is star-studded, but Callahan and Drury played more of an energy role, coming out in limited minutes to forecheck hard and just kind of punish the Swiss.

But Drury’s aggressive checking set-up Bobby Ryan’s first goal, giving the Anaheim Duck the space he needed to beat his NHL teammate, goaltender Jonas Hiller.

Under Tortorella’s Rangers coaching so far, Drury hasn’t had a consistently defined role. He’s bounced from line to line, sometimes expected to be an offensive player, sometimes being a fourth-liner, and in general, not playing up to his cap hit.

Callahan has had a more consistent role, expected to be an offensive player, despite the fact he’s never scored more than 22 goals in a season.

The fact of the matter is that while Callahan is an incredible forechecker, he’s not much of a finisher. He can penetrate deep into offensive zones, but he’s not much of a threat once he’s there.

Wilson looked at Drury and and Callahan’s skill set and saw an immediate role for them: a high-class energy line. Many NHL teams use an energy line to give the other three lines a break. Energy line players usually aren’t great offensive or defensive players, but check hard and aggressively. They don’t play huge minutes; most of the time they’re just trying to wear opponents down a little.

It’s not a glorious role, but it’s one Drury and Callahan thrived in. And the fact that the two players are much more talented than your average energy player means that if a scoring opportunity presented itself, the two would be very well equipped to take advantage. Since they can both play well defensively, it means there’s not much risk in having them on the ice.

It’ll be interesting to watch how Wilson treats Callahan and Drury as the Olympics progress. As the two prove their ability as energy guys, Wilson might give them more ice time and more responsibilities.

I’m guessing that as opponents get more challenging, Callahan and Drury will transition out of their energy role into more of a dedicated checking-line role, with the two (possibly with Ryan, but perhaps with checker extraordinaire Jamie Langenbrunner) spending some time trying to shut down top lines, although with teams as deep as Team Canada and Team Russia, it’s hard to decide which line is really the top one.

Tortorella doesn’t have many quality pieces on the New York Rangers, and he’s struggles managing the few good players he does have.

Drury and Callahan in the Olympics is a chance for Tortorella to see his familiar players in a new light and to get some ideas on how to use them effectively.

Hopefully he’s watching very closely from the bench and taking lots of notes.

The Olympics could be just the inspiration Tortorella needs to finally get the Rangers on some kind of roll.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Henrik Lundqvist Remains King for Team Sweden in Defeat of Germany

17, Feb 2010

Two goals might not seem like a lot, but considering what Henrik Lundqvist is used to, that’s a blowout.

The Olympic break could not have come at a better time for the often-tested New York Rangers netminder.

In his first Olympic action since capturing the gold medal in Torino at the 2006 Games, Lundqvist might have thought he was still on Broadway.

Even across the continent in Vancouver, Lundqvist had to be just about perfect to squeak out a victory for his team.

Lundqvist was tested early by the Germans, as they recorded the first five shots of the game. Most of them stemmed from an early 5-on-3 power play when defensemen Niklas Kronwall and Johnny Oduya were in the box for more than a minute.

King Henrik was there to answer the challenge on each occasion, however.

“In the first period, they had some chances; but after that, I think we played really solid,” said Lundqvist. “It felt like I faced 40 shots. It was so warm in there; I was sweating a lot.”

Lundqvist didn’t quite face 40 shots, but he was still perfect on the 15 that he did turn aside at the Canada Hockey Place Wednesday night.

Hank’s 15 saves led him to the first Olympic shutout of his career. Not only was it his first, but it was also the first shutout Sweden has had since 1994, when Tommy Salo was perfect against Germany—go figure.

The year 1994 also marked the first time the Swedes won Olympic gold—and the Rangers won the Stanley Cup.

Could this be foreshadowing of things to come?

For Sweden, maybe. For the Rangers…let’s just say the Germans have a better chance of winning the gold medal.

With that shutout, Lundqvist improved his Olympic record to 6-1, with a 2.00 GAA.

The King and Team Sweden’s next stop on their medal defense tour will be Friday against Belarus (0-1) at 3 p.m. EST.

 

Click here for a look at some players that might fly under the radar at the Olympics!

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Winter Olympics: Marian Gaborik to Miss First Two for Team Slovakia

17, Feb 2010

Yesterday the buzz around the Internet was that New York Rangers star Marian Gaborik would miss the first two games for Team Slovakia in the Olympics due to a laceration of the thigh suffered in practice a couple of weeks ago. The tournament opens up for Team Slovakia tonight when they face the Czech Republic over at Canada Place. Gaborik is very doubtful for that game, as he is against Russia on Thursday.

After watching Russia play last night, I noticed that they were a very physical team and when they got the chance to take the body they did not pass up the opportunity. So I think it would be best that Gaborik does sit those first two out and then jump into the lineup on Saturday when Slovakia clashes with Team Latvia.

Gaborik would never admit this, but the chances of Slovakia medaling in this tournament are slim. With that being said, there is no reason for Marian to take the chance of turning a laceration into something more serious. Right now, the Rangers should be his priority over the Slovaks and hopefully GM Glen Sather has made that clear to him.

Back with Sweden Pregame Preview in a bit….

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

NHL Fantasy Rankings: Goalies

15, Feb 2010

During the two weeks the NHL has off, it’s a great time to reevaluate your fantasy hockey roster and make the necessary changes to be ready for the stretch run.

In the net, most of your top net-minders are going to be taken on rosters already. Some teams, like Nashville, Boston and Chicago, will probably be flipping between goalies for a majority of the last six weeks of the season as well.

If you’re fortunate enough to have depth on your roster in net, but want to make sure you’re not wasting a spot on a guy that doesn’t end up starting, you should check out DailyFaceoff.com . It’s a great resource that updates the starting goalies, with confirmation, very quickly.

As we look toward the final six weeks, the rankings can, and should, be based on a number of factors. First, how has the goalie performed so far this year? Secondly, how has that goalie’s team performed in front of him? And third, how does the goalie project down the stretch?

There are few surprises at the top of the list, including Chicago’s Antti Niemi. Niemi hasn’t started many games this year, but appears to be ready to assume the top spot on the Blackhawks’ depth chart. In the last four games of the first half, three of which were won in a shootout, Niemi was superb.

Yes, he allowed roughly three goals per game over the four contests, but he boasted a save percentage of .920 and won all four contests. Considering that Niemi is owned in only 26.8 percent of ESPN leagues, he is without question someone you should grab off waivers immediately if he’s available.

Here are the Olympic Break rankings for goalies:

1. Ryan Miller, Buffalo – 30-14-7  2.16 GAA  .930 SV%

2. Roberto Luongo, Vancouver – 31-17-2  2.35  .919

3. Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose – 34-9-9  2.26  .928

4. Antti Niemi , Chicago – 17-4-1  .216  .913

5. Tuukka Rask, Boston – 14-7-4  2.08  .928

6. Martin Brodeur, New Jersey – 34-20-3  2.32  .915

7. Craig Anderson, Colorado – 31-16-5  2.42  .924

8. Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix – 32-17-4  2.30  .920

9. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles – 35-17-3  2.53  .907

10. Tomas Vokoun, Florida – 19-21-10  2.36  .931

11. Jimmy Howard, Detroit – 21-1-8  2.28  .927

12. Miikka Kipprusoff, Calgary – 27-19-9  2.18  .925

13. Jonas Hiller, Anaheim – 26-17-2  2.70  .919

14. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh – 29-16-4  2.65  .908

15. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers – 25-22-6  2.41  .920

16. Jaroslav Halak, Montreal – 17-10-2  2.56  .923

17. Jean-Sebastian Giguere, Toronto – 6-10-5  2.90  .907

18. Chris Mason, St. Louis - 20-17-8  2.53  .907

19. Dan Ellis, Nashville – 13-11-1  2.59  .913

20. Michael Leighton, Philadelphia – 13-7-1  2.73  .905

21. Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota – 23-18-4  2.74   .901

22. Pekka Rinne, Nashville – 20-12-4  2.80   .902

23. Brian Elliott, Ottawa – 22-13-2  2.59   .910

24. Kari Lehtonen, Dallas – N/A

25. Marty Turco, Dallas – 19-15-9  2.63   .915

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

NHL Fantasy Rankings: Goalies

15, Feb 2010

During the two weeks the NHL has off, it’s a great time to reevaluate your fantasy hockey roster and make the necessary changes to be ready for the stretch run.

In the net, most of your top net-minders are going to be taken on rosters already. Some teams, like Nashville, Boston and Chicago, will probably be flipping between goalies for a majority of the last six weeks of the season as well.

If you’re fortunate enough to have depth on your roster in net, but want to make sure you’re not wasting a spot on a guy that doesn’t end up starting, you should check out DailyFaceoff.com . It’s a great resource that updates the starting goalies, with confirmation, very quickly.

As we look toward the final six weeks, the rankings can, and should, be based on a number of factors. First, how has the goalie performed so far this year? Secondly, how has that goalie’s team performed in front of him? And third, how does the goalie project down the stretch?

There are few surprises at the top of the list, including Chicago’s Antti Niemi. Niemi hasn’t started many games this year, but appears to be ready to assume the top spot on the Blackhawks’ depth chart. In the last four games of the first half, three of which were won in a shootout, Niemi was superb.

Yes, he allowed roughly three goals per game over the four contests, but he boasted a save percentage of .920 and won all four contests. Considering that Niemi is owned in only 26.8 percent of ESPN leagues, he is without question someone you should grab off waivers immediately if he’s available.

Here are the Olympic Break rankings for goalies:

1. Ryan Miller, Buffalo – 30-14-7  2.16 GAA  .930 SV%

2. Roberto Luongo, Vancouver – 31-17-2  2.35  .919

3. Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose – 34-9-9  2.26  .928

4. Antti Niemi , Chicago – 17-4-1  .216  .913

5. Tuukka Rask, Boston – 14-7-4  2.08  .928

6. Martin Brodeur, New Jersey – 34-20-3  2.32  .915

7. Craig Anderson, Colorado – 31-16-5  2.42  .924

8. Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix – 32-17-4  2.30  .920

9. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles – 35-17-3  2.53  .907

10. Tomas Vokoun, Florida – 19-21-10  2.36  .931

11. Jimmy Howard, Detroit – 21-1-8  2.28  .927

12. Miikka Kipprusoff, Calgary – 27-19-9  2.18  .925

13. Jonas Hiller, Anaheim – 26-17-2  2.70  .919

14. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh – 29-16-4  2.65  .908

15. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers – 25-22-6  2.41  .920

16. Jaroslav Halak, Montreal – 17-10-2  2.56  .923

17. Jean-Sebastian Giguere, Toronto – 6-10-5  2.90  .907

18. Chris Mason, St. Louis - 20-17-8  2.53  .907

19. Dan Ellis, Nashville – 13-11-1  2.59  .913

20. Michael Leighton, Philadelphia – 13-7-1  2.73  .905

21. Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota – 23-18-4  2.74   .901

22. Pekka Rinne, Nashville – 20-12-4  2.80   .902

23. Brian Elliott, Ottawa – 22-13-2  2.59   .910

24. Kari Lehtonen, Dallas – N/A

25. Marty Turco, Dallas – 19-15-9  2.63   .915

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com


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