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.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Getting A Raw Deal
This title is two-fold and here's why..
For starters, I wish Dan Fritsche the best in Minnesota. He was never given a fair shot to succeed here, I believe. Say what you want that, in the games he did play, he didn't make enough of an impact to stay in the lineup; it's a fair argument. However, look at the players he played with. Drury was terrible early on in the year. Dawes goes through stretches where he thinks he's Harry Houdini. Plus, Fritsche was also a victim of falling into the same mold as almost every Rangers forward on the team; undersized, 3rd line caliber players. He never had a spot on the team and it was unfortunate...
The player the Rangers did get back for Fritsche, D Erik Reitz, isn't getting the shaft, so to speak. He was brought to be the Rangers 7th defenseman in case one of the Rangers All-Star Defensemen miraculously doesn't play well enough (hmm). Plus, from various reports, Reitz has a reputation of playing with toughness and a physical edge to his game, something rangers fans aren't used to when hearing about Rangers defensemen. The one who's getting the raw deal is Corey Potter.
In the few times Potter did play this season, he played the game calm and poised, much like his teammate Dan Girardi. He didn't make any glaring mistakes where you could question his effort. he also recorded his first NHL assist It makes me question what the Rangers coaching staff didn't see in him to at least give Potter a shot at being the team's 7th defensemen.
For starters, I wish Dan Fritsche the best in Minnesota. He was never given a fair shot to succeed here, I believe. Say what you want that, in the games he did play, he didn't make enough of an impact to stay in the lineup; it's a fair argument. However, look at the players he played with. Drury was terrible early on in the year. Dawes goes through stretches where he thinks he's Harry Houdini. Plus, Fritsche was also a victim of falling into the same mold as almost every Rangers forward on the team; undersized, 3rd line caliber players. He never had a spot on the team and it was unfortunate...
The player the Rangers did get back for Fritsche, D Erik Reitz, isn't getting the shaft, so to speak. He was brought to be the Rangers 7th defenseman in case one of the Rangers All-Star Defensemen miraculously doesn't play well enough (hmm). Plus, from various reports, Reitz has a reputation of playing with toughness and a physical edge to his game, something rangers fans aren't used to when hearing about Rangers defensemen. The one who's getting the raw deal is Corey Potter.
In the few times Potter did play this season, he played the game calm and poised, much like his teammate Dan Girardi. He didn't make any glaring mistakes where you could question his effort. he also recorded his first NHL assist It makes me question what the Rangers coaching staff didn't see in him to at least give Potter a shot at being the team's 7th defensemen.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
It Is Alive!!
After a month long hiatus, I think its time to get back to this blogging thing I do...
By the way, I have debuted a new radio show at my University called The Neutral Zone with my classmate James Peterson. It'll be primarily Hockey talk with other sports mixed in. So, expect lots of tid-bits to complement the show. Hopefully we don't make fools of ourselves, either.
As for the Rangers, their season begins tonight at the garden against The Gale Force Winds...eh, excuse me Hurricanes. Forget the hot start they had. Forget the defense's struggles early on. Forget it all. What matters now is what the Rangers do from here on out. Under perform and they're out. Play solid hockey and they'll be in the playoffs. They have the benefit of being in a better position than the last 2 years at this point in the season. However, they don't Have Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan, and Sean Avery on the team.
My x-factor for the rest of the season is Nik Zherdev. If he can start to put the puck in the back of the net consistently, he'll open up space for other players and give the Rangers the offensive threat they desperately need.
Until next time...
J.W.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
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.
“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.
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