Chris Drury Knows What's Best...

Courtesy of Sam Weinman at LoHud Rangers Blog...

“That could be the point that gets us home-ice advantage,” Drury said. “I’m certainly not going to let it ruin my Christmas and I don’t think anyone here is going to let it ruin their break, either.

“There are 24 others teams in this league who would be dying to have our record, with all the points we’ve accumulated over a tough schedule. It’s certainly not a good way to get a point. But it’s over and done with. It’s already in the garbage can as far as I’m concerned.”

No Chris, the 2nd point you gave away by playing atrocious hockey for the final 36 minutes in last night's game could be point that makes your team MISS the playoffs entirely, forget home-ice advantage. Playing the way did last night for an extended period of time will be their demise. Let's not forget, there are teams below the rangers with anywhere between 3-5 games IN HAND on the Blueshirts.

But, we should be happy we came away with a point. Merry Christmas to you to, Chris. Have fun counting your money...


Until next time...MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

J.W.

Clutch Time

Good road win for the Rangers against a solid NHL team. Rangers continue their Anaheim dominance as they haven't lost a game out there since of March 2000. 

The line of Callahan-Drury-Dawes had a stirling game. I counted at least 4 intercepted passes that lead to direct scoring chances, 2 for goals. Nigel Dawes' clutch goal with 3 minutes to go in a 1-1 tie gave Tom Renney a bit of vindication for sticking with the young forward. Not only did it provide the game winner for the Rangers, it prompted a few ohhs, worthy of ESPN's Top 10 plays.

You still aren't happy with the amount of point blank chances the Rangers D gives up on a nightly basis right now, however, tonight's performance (1 GA, 3-3 PK, 20 SOG ) against a top offensive team is a step in the right direction.

Next up is L.A. Despite being 4th in Pacific, The Kings boast a solid PP and usually play the Rangers tough. We'll see if tonight's game acts as a catalyst.

Until next time...

J.W.

Sundin Saga Revisitied

If you recall, one my first posts on here was in regards to Mats Sundin and why the Rangers should stay away. My basic point was that, besides not having enough cap room, why bring in someone with an apparent lack of desire to play, especially if you're trying to change to your teams identity to a younger, speedier team?

After a quarter plus of the season gone, yes the Rangers are that identity but add another phrase to it; an abysmal offense. Try 28th in the league at a 2.42 GFA.

So while I agree that a Mats Sundin addition would definitely boost a sagging offense and an even worse PP, does that mean he's the missing piece to a Stanley Cup puzzle? My answer is still no. Despite being a physical presence as well as a leader, Sundin cannot fix the slow-footed, often out-of-position, finesse defense the Rangers have.

Also to consider, how can the Rangers afford him? They are right underneath the salary cap for the year. Numerous rumors suggest the Rangers are trying to move Michal Rosival, even Scott Gomezto clear space. While the Gomez rumors have some logic to it; The Rangers would be shedding a 7+ mm contract over the next 4 seasons and adding flexibility for UFA's down the road - I find it highly unlikey it will happen. A trade of Gomez would be percieved as a mistake by Rangers management, and, judging the situation, I think they would much rather admit Rosival's contract was more of a mistake than Gomez'

Until next time...

J.W.

Thrash the Net

No, really I mean thrash. Not crash. Look at the goals scored by Callahan and Gomez tonight. They did a lot more than just simply crash the net for a rebound. They made it their ultimate mission even if it mean gong through innocent bystander Johan Hedberg. 

You had to have liked what you saw from the Rangers on this night to not have much offensive flow yet find a way to put the puck in the net. That is what the Rangers need to do more of on a consistent basis if they want to continue their winning ways.

Post-game thoughts...

- Congrats to Colton Orr on scoring his first goal in 83 games. No confirmation that after the game he texted Wayne Gretzky saying "I'm comin' for your record."

- Despite the win, I have to get on Tom Renney's case. Once again, we saw sloppy changes by the Blueshirts and their bench boss. It lead to a goal in the Calgary game, lead to another goal tonight, and at least 2 prime scoring chances as well. Unacceptable but fixable.

- The newly constructed line of Voros-Dubinsky-Sjostrom had an excellent game; keeping pucks deep and constantly pressuring Atlanta defenders. I will get a petition by tomorrow with 10,000 signatures requesting Tom Renney to keep these lines for more than a game.

Until next time...

J.W.

Hot Stove is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Not Christmas...Alright I'm lying but there's something about Hot Stove Baseball rumors that makes me feel giddy like a child on Christmas morning. The winter meetings are underway out in Sin City, Las Vegas. Not much action yet (Laird to DET is big news so far) however that will change as time ticks away.

- Looks like the Mets are closing in a deal with K-Rod. I've said numerous times on my radio show that I felt the Mets would end up with Brian Fuentes instead, thinking another team (Indians) might emerge as the dark horse and snatch K-Rod up and that K-Rod's asking price would be too rick for Fred Wilpon's blood. Did not happen, as the Mets played the market brilliantly and now are in a position to choose whomever they want to close games for them.

*How devastating would it be if Fuentes decided he'd like to come to the Mets and be a set-up man and not another team's closer. A 1-2 punch of Fuentes and K-Rod at the end of games would make EVERY Mets fan giddy. We can all dream...

"Sloppy Seconds" Avery and Harris Smith; the Dynamic Duo

What rhymes with Burress? Dumb-ass does, however, it's a stretch. And, if I'm allowed one expletive, I'm taking it here. Not just for the fact that it's considered a harsh word, but, perfectly sums up the actions of Plaxico Burress this past week. To walk in to a public place with a loaded gun and every piece of jewelry you own to not only have the weapon misfire and clip your own leg, but, to then admit yourself to the hospital under the name Harris Smith and say you were shot while at an Applebees' is downright laughable. Despite being a great player, Plaxico deserves everything that happens in the coming months for his foolish off the field actions.

Which leads me to the next character in the media spotlight today, Sean Avery. His comments regarding ex squeeze Elisha Cuthbert (think shes happy she left, or was dumped - who knows the story there) and Flames D Dion Phaneuf have gotten the always interesting Avery in hot water with the NHL, now with an indefinite suspension.

Look, Sean Avery always looks for the opportunity to make his verbal presence known and never shys away from a particular topic. However, his comments while being insensitive should not be punishable by an indefinite suspension by the league. Sean Avery was suspended indefinitely for being Sean Avery; not for his words. If every player was suspended for their comments then the NHL would have no players to present. 

Check out Arthur Staple's article at Newsday.com where he makes a case for the Rangers to bring him back. Highly unlikely but an interesting read to say the least.

Until next time...

J.W.

I Step Away For One Second....

See what happens when I take a week off in between posts? A pitiful 6-3 loss to Vancouver, a troublesome 4-1 beating by the hands of Ottawa, followed by a decisive 4-1 win over Phoenix. You'll be rest assured knowing I'll be posting every hour on the hour if it means the Rangers play well.

Quick Hits...

- This Scott Gomez guy is pretty good, eh? I think Valeri Kamensky might have a say in that... Scott Gomez was more than good for the Blueshirts Mon. night, he was EXACTLY what the team needed and it showed. Logged the most ice-time by forwards, 19 of 23 on draws (17-1 at one point). As I'm saying this, Jim Ramsay is reading a book on the magical healing powers of exotic plants & ankle injuries. He borrowed it from Terrell Owens.

- Nice to see Brandon Dubinsky bounce back after a month-long decline in play and a lengthy 14-game goal drought. On my radio show last Thursday, I hinted at how concerning his poor play was and it seemed, to me, that he was tuning our Tom Renney a bit. Not by choice, however, but by sheer frustration at his own play. Nothing like a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist, and a fight) to rejuvenate your game, right Brandon??

Rangers will hope to contain the Lightning in a bottle known as their top 5 ranked D tonight as they square off with Tampa Bay in their final match-up of the year. It's not even December and the Rangers are finished with Tampa Bay. I wish we could say the Rangers were finished with tougher teams like Buffalo but I'd be pushing my luck too much.

Until next time...

J.W.

Familair Faces in Familiar Places...

Markus Naslund, step right up its your turn to face your former team mates tonight. Do you think there's an added incentive for Naslund tonight to stick it to the organization that blasted him in the papers towards the end of last season and subsequently forced him out of Vancouver? I think so and I hope the soft-spoken Swede goes out and has a hell of a game. Once again, the Rangers get the luck of the draw and face the 4th best Vancouver D in the NHL, thanks largely to the human brick wall Roberto Luongo.

Quick hits...

- Wonder if Zherdev and Voros, benched for periods of time in the 3rd period of Monday night's game, got Tom Renney's message? Tonight is their chance to get back on the saddle. Voros I'm not too worried about. He seems to have a head on his shoulders and plays a team game. Having said that, he needs to maintain the level he had at the beginning of the season for the rest of the season otherwise other players (Sjostrom is knocking on the door) will move up. On the other hand, Zherdev is the one to worry about, considering his past of laziness, moodiness, and sulking.

- Scott Gomez will be out again from tonight's game with a faulty ankle. The Rangers are 3-0 with him out of the line-up. So, there isnt a rush to bring him back, but you'd like to have him back soon. Scott, we all miss your gorgeous end to end rushes.


Until next time...

J.W.

Rangers can Sens a challenge...

- Ottawa invades the Garden tonight at 7pm. Despite being 6-9-2 in the early going, the Senators don't give up much offensively(2.59 GAA, 3rd in the East behind NYR although far behind 2.15 GAA), sport the 10th best PP and 7th best PK in the East. Keeping them out of the box will be essential for a Rangers win; Sens have had trouble scoring 5-on-5. Plus Ottawa has won the last 5 games at MSG, 15 0f 20 overall (courtesy of Kukla's Korner).

- And of importance, Wade Redden gets a chance of redemption against his former team of whom he played 11 season for tonight as well. Think he'll be pumped for the game tonight-coming off arguable his most complete game of the season? Next in line to stick it to their former team? Markus Naslund on Wed. when the Nucks' come in.


Until next time...

J.W.

Steamrollin'

The New York Football Giants pummeled the Baltimore Ravens yesterday 30-10 to improve to 9-1 on the season. The defending champions cannot go unnoticed any longer and must be considered the best team, not only in the NFC, but the entire league. I understand the Titans are undefeated at 10-0, but the way the Giants have just completely dominated some of their opponents this year has been the edge I would give to the G-Men. The Giants roll out a 3-headed monster at the RB position; what team can say that in the league and be productive? Their D suffocates the life out of the other teams' offense and constantly bring pressure to the QB. Last year they didn't receive any respect, this year they're not giving any hope.

More later...

J.W.

Pick a Door...Any Door

The title describe what you can expect on any given night with the Rangers; leaving everything up to chance rather than making your own destiny. Last night's game against the Devils showed the polar extremes of the Rangers so far this year.

During most of the 1st period they were sluggish and uninspired (Dubinsky's altercation with Parise not withstanding). This patterns has gone on through most of the early season. But, once the 2nd period came around, like a flick of the switch, your boys in blue began to aggressively pursue the Devils and completely overwhelmed them. It seems it takes the team an entire period before the next gear kicks in.

It's still early to tell what type of team the Rangers will be and where they'll end up in the standings. We know they have the potential to be a good team but we all know how reliable potential can be (I'm talking to you Pavel Brendl).



Until next time...

J.W.

Consistently Inconsistent

In the early going the Rangers have played a season that resembles more the ride Kingda Ka than anything close to even-keeled play. Prime examples are their last 2 games; a 5-2 drubbing of Tampa Bay (although King Hank was the difference maker in that game which could have easily been a much closer) followed by a let-down in D.C. against The Capitals. The team has created a Jekyll and Hyde effect; some games playing with tenacity and fire; aggressive to the puck and other games laid-back, being beaten to pucks, and an unwillingness to get their hands dirty. Tom Renney's top priority will be to discover the medium between the 2 extremes and quickly; it is his job after all.

Some quick hits...

- Explain to me where in the NHL rule books it states players are allowed free runs at the goaltenders with no consequence. Alexander Semin's collision into Lundqvist during Saturday night's game was not called when replays show Semin make no attempt to avoid the collision. The game was chock full of missed calls (Caps second goal came with the net definitively off its moorings, a no-no) and shoddy officiating. The highlight was Lundqvist skating all the way to center ice to argue with the refs... classic.

- In following with Washington's penchant for taking liberties on Saturday, no Rangers player felt the need to stick up for their goaltender? A taste of ungratefulness if you ask me, considering Henrik Lundqvist, not the defense, is the main reason why the Rangers have won games this year.

- I honestly feel for Petr Prucha. It must kill him inside to try so hard and not be rewarded then punished for his lack of production. The best solution for him is to GET OUT OF NY and on to another team to play quality minutes. A change of scenery; where have we heard that idea before? hmm...

Next game is tonight vs Edmonton 7pm



Until next time...

J.W.

Injuries are part of the game....

The Devils were dealt a devastating blow today with news of Marty Broduer having a torn tendon in his elbow and requiring surgery that will sideline him 3-4 months. This is uncharted waters for Broduer; he's never missed more than 5 games at one time in his 16 year career. The Devils have a massive hole to fill in his absence. The question is whether they try to internally or go outside for help (Jocelyn Thibault is a UFA, and there's a log-jam of goalies in Chicago last time I checked.)

Update 11/7/08:

Upon further research, I realized I forgot to add one piece of crucial information regarding the Devils and the possibility of acquiring Khabibulin or another goalie to fill Brodeur's spot. As per the CBA, since Brodeur is on long-term IR and his 5.2 mil salary will not count against the cap, giving the Devs a chance to acquire a goalie should Kevin Weekes prove not capable.

Until next time....

J.W.

Dawes vs. Prucha; The Battle for Mediocrity

A lot has been said for Petr Prucha's banishment to the press box and Dawes' continued play of periods of invisibility on the ice and Tom Renney's insistence on the latter, not the former. Aside from a 3rd period flurry Thursday night against Atlanta, Dawes hasn't done much offensively or defensively to merit more playing time. On the other hand, when Prucha's been in the line-up he's provided energy and hustle (his trademarks). But, he's failed to bury any of the scoring chances he has created from his spirited play (his trademark). If Tom Renney wants to send the correct messages to his young kids, sit Dawes to clear his head and give Prucha an honest chance. Plus, if you're still trying to showcase Prucha and his 1.6 mil contract for a trade, he needs to play, correct?

Quick hits....

- Normally I take anything I read from Larry Brooks with a grain of salt, except for today's article at www.nypost.com. I agree with him that Gomez' talents, which netted him his big pay-day, are not being used properly. Not to discredit the job Callahan has done so far this year on Gomez' wing but his ceiling looks to be a 3rd line gritty, checking winger with a touch of offenseive ability. In my earlier posts, I've mentioned Gomez should be playing along side more talented wingers (Naslund and/or Zherdev sound good to me). If the Rangers continue to struggle offensively, especially the always outstanding 26th ranked PP, the question needs to be asked if he should be moved off of what looks likes a 3rd line and to the spot he was brought in to play, the 1st line.

Until next time....

J.W.

Comeback Kids

How riveting were the finishes to both Ranger games this weekend??? 1-0 deficit to Columbus on Friday and a 2-0 deficit on Saturday against Pittsburgh. For anyone who doubts the excitement or passion of this sport, show them the finish to Saturday's game. If they're not convinced otherwise, check for a pulse, or a brain for that matter. Some quick hits...

- Nikolai Zherdev is quickly becoming my favorite Ranger(Drury and Dubinsky get honorable mention) . He is off to a good start on Broadway (3g, 5A) and absolutely took it to his former Blue Jacket team on Friday. Plus, made the Garden erupt with his tying goal with less than 8 seconds to go on Saturday. I hope these past 2 games act as a springboard for him to move forward and play exceptional.

- So much for the lines staying intact. In my last post, I said let's give some time for the lines to gel. Scratch that idea says Tom Renney. Gomez with Callahan and Gomez is good together, but to me, it seems like a waste of Gomez' superior talents. Drury between Naslund and whomever isn't clicking right now. Dubinsky-Voros-Zherdev have somewhat cooled from their white hot start. The SOB line (good name?) Sjostrom-Betts-Orr might be the best 4th line in hockey this year. Moving foward, don't be surprised if Tom Renney sticks with these lines...

Naslund-Gomez-Zherdev
Dawes-Drury-Callahan
Voros-Dubinsky-Prucha/Fristche
Sjostrom-Betts-Orr

The 1st line played in pre-season, and, besides from lookin a bit too fancy, seemd to have some chemistry. The 2nd lines was the 3rd line last year, and, on most nights, was the rangers most effecitve line. The 3rd line has been together the past 2 games and have been getting pucks deep and to the net (What more could Renney ask for?!). The 4th line stays intact.

- Watch out for the Islanders tonight. This is the perverbial "trap-game" in every sense of the word. The Islanders might not be as talented as the Blueshirts, but they'll work their butts off. They always play up the the level of the Rangers and relish beating them.


Until next time...

J.W.

Back away from the ledge....

I apologize for being away for nearly 3 weeks again. The Rangers fantastic start just had me so enamored I completely lost touch with everything around me! If after reading that you'd like to stone me publicly, good, it was meant to be dripped with sarcasm. Some quick hits:

- Please let's not trash the Rangers and start pounding the panic button like a piece of chicken you're about to cook. Renney will not be fired. Gomez won't be traded. Malik is the answer! They're allowed to lose and, frankly, it's a good thing they did. It exposed what they were doing wrong during their hot start. Now, they can re-evaluate what to do to move forward and play better. Having said that, you'd rather them lose to a team that thoroughly beat them not the Rangers beating themselves. Plenty of hockey left...

- Drury-Gomez-Naslund need more time to gel. It's to early on to start line swapping. If after the next week or 2 of games they're still under performing together THEN make the switch. Continuity and chemistry are the keys.

- Speed kills. This team has plenty of it. Once they utilize it to max potential, teams better WATCH OUT!

- Is Jagr secretly coaching this PP?? I kid, of course, but if you look at past games and see how the 1st unit isn't getting shots to the net and would rather play an expensive game of patty-cake then you understand my comment. The only way this PP will be a force this year is if they aren't predictable. Player and puck movement, shots to the nets, and crashing rebounds is the way to go.

- In continuing with my last comment, give Wade Redden some time. For years, he quaterbacked a sometimes lethal PP up in Ottowa. He will find his game and will hopefully show us why he was given $39 mil. Please....show us?

Until next time...

JW

Did I predict the Mets' fateful demise???

I recently found 2 pod-casting episodes I had to do for my Audio Production class last year. To be funny, I chose to talk about why the Mets would not Win the World Series (at the time, the Mets were considered favorites with the Johan Santana edition). 

They proved me wrong, didnt they? I'll be uploading them to my Youtube channel hopefully this week and since I only know how to upload movies with audio, you may crack on me for not being more tech-savvy. Take a listen...

www.youtube.com/thexultimatex

Shea Goodbye, You Didn't Deserve This...

Sorry for not posting in a while, it's been pretty hectic around here. With the Ranger pre-season games, work, and of course, the glorious 2nd Mets collapse in 2 years. 

Let me comment on this...

- The Mets owe their entire fan base a sincere apology for absolutely going out and gagging the final 7 games at Shea, ever. Its a disservice to any fan who puts their entire soul into a team that some of the members could care less of the outcome. 

- Who was the genius that decided to have the final Shea ceremonies AFTER the game and not before it? It's one thing to have it after a game maybe in August or in the beginning of September. But, on the last game of the year that could decide a playoff berth, and if you lose you go home?!?!?! Utter nonsense...

-Fred Wilpon, cut me a break. You have the audacity to come out a day after your team proved what a bunch of choke-artists they really are and say your team OVERachieved??? This team was built for a Championship! You underachieved...big time!!

I'm a Mets fan and the quotes I've read and just the overall state of this team sickens me to my core. I'm glad their season is over and I'm looking forward to change in the off-season. The core of the team needs an extreme facelift. The face of the franchise needs to be cleansed of the mess it has stumbled upon. You CANNOT come back in 09, in a new stadium, with the same team.

Until next time...

Giving New Meaning to Doubt

All summer I've read countless articles about arguably the best free agent left on the market at this point whose name we all know as Mats Sundin. Everyone, including myself, thought on July 1st, when free agency began, he'd have a home right away. If you had told me by Sept. 16th he'd still remained unsigned and unsure of where or if he even wanted to play, I'd say you're nuts. So, to all the head cases out there? Kudos to you...

Most of those articles named the Rangers as a likely suitor for Sundin's services, but the idea seemed too far fetched. Sundin, on Broadway, playing along side Jagr (a Ranger at the time), Gomez, and Drury? To me it felt too familiar to the Rangers of old; spending beyond their intelligence and basically buying their tee-times for May. However, in the days to follow, Jagr would leave along with his fellow friend Martin Straka, and always controversial and Vogue's best summer intern, Sean Avery. So, the Sundin notion started to make a bit more sense. Then, Glen Sather kicked the tires off on one the busier Rangers off-seasons in a while; a cleansing of sorts, getting younger, grittier, and faster by adding the likes of Zherdev, Voros, Rismiller, Kalinin etc. Now, the identity of the Rangers has changed. Other than Markus Naslund, another key off-season addition (the new Jagr if you play addition by subtraction here), no one is over the age of 31. The Rangers have become one of the youngest teams in the league in basically a blink of an eye. And, factoring the bonuses still owed to players, including Brendan Shanahan's from last season, Sather's expenses are right near the threshold of the Salary Cap ceiling. Once again, Sundin to NYR seems unlikely.

It's nearly 3 weeks till opening night in Prauge on Oct 4th. The Rangers are just beginning training camp. They're still right under the cap. Sundin is still in doubt about playing. All interesting factors to keep an eye on until the season starts. That aside, let me tell you what the Rangers should and NEED to do regarding Sundin; stay away from him. Buyer beware and here's why...

Despite the fact that he's 37, he can still produce (a 30g, 30a man last year). A team leader (captain of the Leafs for years). The possible missing piece to make this team an elite force in the East some experts say. But those aren't the reasons why I dont want him. It's very simple. He has shown no desire, no hunger, to play this season and win a Stanley Cup. Its nearly October and he still hasn't made up his mind and pretty soon it'll be too late. The Rangers need guys passionate about winning and have the desire to compete night in and night out. This season has a lot of outside variables seemingly working against the Rangers success this season. Too many things have to work out just right. At this point, I question Mats Sundin's desire. You have to if you're serious about winning. Plus, like I mentioned before, this team's identity has shifted to a younger, hungrier team. Mats Sundin doesn't fit into that. He's your veteran presence that you're hoping has enough left to provide enough production to win you games. It's another "what if" on the already hefty list and not close enough to a sure thing. Mats, despite your great talents and accomplishments, you're giving new meaning to the word doubt. I'll have to pass on you.

Until next time...

J. W.

My Welcome Post-Ranger Musings

Hey Readers,

My name is James Wrabel. I'm a 21 year old student at Kean University in Union, NJ, looking to get into either sports broadcasting or sports radio. Let me first say that I'm really excited to be writing a blog about what I'm passionate about-sports. I hope that you will continue to come back and read because you were able to feel how passionate I am through my writing and liked what you read. For the record, I don't claim to be an expert in any field, I just post my opinion on the matter, that's all. It may be something you disagree with or have never heard someone say before, but that's the whole point of reading; stimulate the mind and learn something. So be prepared for edgy, intriguing, and though-provoking material.

My teams of choice are The New York Giants, New York Mets, and New York Rangers. The latter is my personal favorite and will be what I mostly will blog about. On occasion I'll post something about the other 2 but be prepared to read about the Rangers.

So let's begin....

The NHL regular season is about 3 weeks away from beginning and time couldn't be going slower. I'm growing increasingly impatient waiting for that puck to drop. It's almost as if my life stops from June till October and the only way to bring me back is the feel of the chill in air from the fresh sheet of ice and the energy of a MSG crowd.

The Rangers were plenty busy this off-season, practically renovating their entire roster. Out are the likes of Straka, Avery, and the always enigmatic Jaromir Jagr. Coming to Broadway are a set of new faces to usher in a different era; one of speed, skill, and tenacity. The main offensive threat? A 24 year old phenom in Nikolai Zherdev. The PP QB to run the dismal and inefficient Rangers power-play of past years? 31 year old Wade Redden, coming off his worst statistical year in 07-08. The Veteran Leadership? Besides Drury and Gomez, 35 year old Markus Naslund, former captain of the Vancouver Canucks, the team he spent most of his career with.

You'll notice theres a few of many questions that can be asked about this new Rangers team. No one can be certain how well or poorly the Rangers will do this season. A significant portion of their success will ride on the theory that a change of scenery does an athlete good. Sometimes being put in with a different mix of guys and escaping the demons and failures of another team can revitalize a player and invigorate him with a new sense of confidence. But there's a reason its called a theory, its not an exact science. Sometimes a change of scenery does nothing or in worst cases is detrimental to that player. The Rangers are relying heavily on the change of scenery theory for Zherdev, Naslund, and Redden, who are needed to produce for the Rangers in order for them to win games this season. The spectrum of success and failure is so broad because there are so many uncertainties. Being a fan, my only hope is the Rangers play with heart and effort every night because if they do, no matter the outcome, you can feel good about the team you put enormous faith in.

Until next time...