According to tsn.ca, GM Glen Sather has claimed F Mark Bell of re-entry waivers from Toronto
Details to follow...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Frustration breeds laziness
On my part anyway, since my creative juices to cover this team have been sucked dry by the uninspiring play of the Rangers lately. But, the title says it all for NY Rangers fans right now; Frustration...
Since my last post 2 weeks ago, the Rangers have won a total of 2 games in 8 tries. They have routinely played without any sense of desperation, considering their season and playoff hopes are spiraling out of control by the day. Yet, every loss has small success the team should be happy about and build off of.
Bullocks (as Gordon Ramsay would say). This team is in major trouble and not one single move can make anything better in short-term. The Rangers have severly hindered themselves to make any type of deadline miracles by have a farm-system devoid of any significant prospects to move and no financial wiggle room. The only moves to make are either swapping bad contracts or bringing in different lower end talent. Is Derek Morris really the answer to all the rangers' woes?...I dont need to answer that.
Rangers fan are the victims here. The die-hard true blue are left to helplessly watch their team play without any sense of confidence and direction and agonize when the players try to spin it positively.
Since my last post 2 weeks ago, the Rangers have won a total of 2 games in 8 tries. They have routinely played without any sense of desperation, considering their season and playoff hopes are spiraling out of control by the day. Yet, every loss has small success the team should be happy about and build off of.
Bullocks (as Gordon Ramsay would say). This team is in major trouble and not one single move can make anything better in short-term. The Rangers have severly hindered themselves to make any type of deadline miracles by have a farm-system devoid of any significant prospects to move and no financial wiggle room. The only moves to make are either swapping bad contracts or bringing in different lower end talent. Is Derek Morris really the answer to all the rangers' woes?...I dont need to answer that.
Rangers fan are the victims here. The die-hard true blue are left to helplessly watch their team play without any sense of confidence and direction and agonize when the players try to spin it positively.
Monday, February 9, 2009
The New York Red Wings
Amidst all the Sean Avery non-sense floating around the media right now (which all signs indicate, barring a miracle, Avery will be a Ranger once again) I got to thinking of the Ranger's future and how the big contracts Glen Sather has taken on will hamstring the team's needs come free agency this summer.
With the Rangers near the hard cap of 56 million and no room to maneuver at the trade deadline, with the possibility of the cap going down if the revenues slip as well, and with several FA's, including Dubinsky and Zherdev, the future inst as bright as it could be. To use an example, the Detroit Red Wings.
If you a prospect owner of an NHL team and you need a model to follow; this is your franchise to closely watch. Over the past 12 years, they've won 4 Stanly Cups. They've always drafted well and developed players remarkably (Datysuk, Zetterberg, Yzerman, Lidstrom...do I need to continue?) GM Ken Holland has always been shrewd with trades (Brad Stuart at the deadline last year to solidify the D) and free agents. Detroit signed Marian Hossa to a 1 yr deal for another Stanley Cup run and already has 30 goals. Take a look at their contracts and you'll notice a constant theme; not a bad one in the bunch. In essence, value for money.
Detroit's style of play is something to admire as well. They've perfected the art of puck possession to where its a study of grace in motion to watch. Granted, it takes years to perfect a system. However, its easier when you play solid, fundamental hockey, have the right players for the respective system, and keep the same core of players intact and change the spare parts season to season.
The Rangers have assumed too many big contracts for players who aren't worth their weight in gold. If you're being paid 7 million a year, there's no reason for you not to be in the top 10 in the NHL in any given offensive category.
The reality is the Rangers have too many B-list stars making A-list money. For the money the Rangers are paying D Wade Redden vs the statistics and performances he's put up so far, the Rangers would have benefited putting a rookie in his spot. At the very least, the only headache you could have is that it's a rookie and its part of the maturation process.
In the coming months, we shall see what Sather is truly made of if he wants the Rangers to have a bright future. The current state is rather bleak on the heels of a 10-2 embarrassment at the hands of the Dallas Stars coupled with the Avery reunion rumors...
Until next time....
J.W.
With the Rangers near the hard cap of 56 million and no room to maneuver at the trade deadline, with the possibility of the cap going down if the revenues slip as well, and with several FA's, including Dubinsky and Zherdev, the future inst as bright as it could be. To use an example, the Detroit Red Wings.
If you a prospect owner of an NHL team and you need a model to follow; this is your franchise to closely watch. Over the past 12 years, they've won 4 Stanly Cups. They've always drafted well and developed players remarkably (Datysuk, Zetterberg, Yzerman, Lidstrom...do I need to continue?) GM Ken Holland has always been shrewd with trades (Brad Stuart at the deadline last year to solidify the D) and free agents. Detroit signed Marian Hossa to a 1 yr deal for another Stanley Cup run and already has 30 goals. Take a look at their contracts and you'll notice a constant theme; not a bad one in the bunch. In essence, value for money.
Detroit's style of play is something to admire as well. They've perfected the art of puck possession to where its a study of grace in motion to watch. Granted, it takes years to perfect a system. However, its easier when you play solid, fundamental hockey, have the right players for the respective system, and keep the same core of players intact and change the spare parts season to season.
The Rangers have assumed too many big contracts for players who aren't worth their weight in gold. If you're being paid 7 million a year, there's no reason for you not to be in the top 10 in the NHL in any given offensive category.
The reality is the Rangers have too many B-list stars making A-list money. For the money the Rangers are paying D Wade Redden vs the statistics and performances he's put up so far, the Rangers would have benefited putting a rookie in his spot. At the very least, the only headache you could have is that it's a rookie and its part of the maturation process.
In the coming months, we shall see what Sather is truly made of if he wants the Rangers to have a bright future. The current state is rather bleak on the heels of a 10-2 embarrassment at the hands of the Dallas Stars coupled with the Avery reunion rumors...
Until next time....
J.W.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Riding Shotgun
If the lines stay the same from the previous practices, Aaron Voros, who hasn't scored since Nov 28th, will be thrust upon 1st line duties along with Markus Naslund and Scott Gomez. To what does Voros owe this dubious honor? According to Tom Renney, his size.
So then is Henrik Lundqvist our #1 goalie because of his good looks, Tom?
It's one thing to reward a player for their hard work during games and to bump them up to see if they can spark some offensive ingenuity. It's another to try and justfy someone's contract by rewarding them ice-time they may or may not deserve.
To this point in the season, Aaron Voros has been a major dissappointment. He was brought in to be a hassle in front of the opponent's goalie, gritty, and abrasive minus the antics a la Sean Avery. Despite a hot start, he has failed to deliver on any of those talents with consistency. Plus, he has a tendency to take penalties which, according to Voros, is needed for him to feel like he's in the game. I have a major problem with someone who NEEDS to take a penalty in order to feel as if he's in the game. Unfortunately, the way the season has progressed, Voros is now taking ice-time away from players who might show more consistency or, at the very least, more of a prudent effort.
If the Rangers go out and win 4-1 tonight and the newly formed line plays dominant and has 4 points between them, then maybe Renney was right to move him up. But, if the line looks disjointed and out-of-sync, who's left to blame?
Until next time...
J.W.
So then is Henrik Lundqvist our #1 goalie because of his good looks, Tom?
It's one thing to reward a player for their hard work during games and to bump them up to see if they can spark some offensive ingenuity. It's another to try and justfy someone's contract by rewarding them ice-time they may or may not deserve.
To this point in the season, Aaron Voros has been a major dissappointment. He was brought in to be a hassle in front of the opponent's goalie, gritty, and abrasive minus the antics a la Sean Avery. Despite a hot start, he has failed to deliver on any of those talents with consistency. Plus, he has a tendency to take penalties which, according to Voros, is needed for him to feel like he's in the game. I have a major problem with someone who NEEDS to take a penalty in order to feel as if he's in the game. Unfortunately, the way the season has progressed, Voros is now taking ice-time away from players who might show more consistency or, at the very least, more of a prudent effort.
If the Rangers go out and win 4-1 tonight and the newly formed line plays dominant and has 4 points between them, then maybe Renney was right to move him up. But, if the line looks disjointed and out-of-sync, who's left to blame?
Until next time...
J.W.
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