With Don Maloney out, the Rangers will need a new second man in the front office. Both Mark Messier, who desired Glen Sather’s job back in February and Adam Graves are candidates. As is Jim Schoenfeld, the Hartford GM.

Of the candidates, Sather will look to retain someone who will do the legwork Maloney did over the past decade in teh front office. Both Messier and Graves are inexperienced, yet could get some sort of position to begin their careers, but Schoenfeld has the knowledge of the organization, so will also a considerable look.

Eventually Messier will probably work his way up to the job, The Captain said he was moving to New York and wanted to be Slats’ successor. So, it would be hard to fathom if he was left out in the cold.

As for Maloney, Sather may have a trading partner. Larry Brooks mentioned a possible Al Montoya for the third overall pick. We shall see what prospects Maloney liked more than Sather and if any deals come to pass.

You can read more about this on NY Sports Day.  

Posted under Blog

The July issue of New York Sportscene just went to press and if you subscribe today, it will be at your doorstep as it comes back from the printer.

In this issue, NYS contains:

• An exclusive interview with Tom Glavine about his upcoming 300th victory.
• A column by veteran baseball writer Marty Noble on his friend Ralph Kiner.
• A story on the Roger Clemens return to the Bronx.
• A preview of the Long Island Ducks.
• A review of the NFL Draft.
• And a look ahead to the Rangers upcoming off-season.

Plus, we have look back to 1977 and the Yankees, A Red Bulls story with a whole new set of Sports Babes and more.

It’s only $25.50 for 12 issues to subscribe go to http://www.nysportscene.com/subscribe.php and follow the instructions.

DON’T MISS OUT!

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After sitting out last season deciding what to do, Brian Leetch finally made it official and retired from the NHL after 18 seasons.

The Daily News reported today the Rangers all-time leader scorer for a defenseman finally packed it in. He finished up with 240 goals, with 741 assists in 1129 games as a Rangers, while winning the Calder, the Norris twice, and Conn Smythe trophies. He was a 10-time All-Star and won the Stanley Cup with the Blueshirts in 1994.

He is second only to Rod Gilbert in overall scoring for the franchise.

Leetch spent most of his career with the Blueshirts, but when sent packing to the Toronto Maple Leafs in March 2004 and then, after the lockout, played for the Boston Bruins in 2005-06.

It was rumored Leetch would come back to the Rangers last season, but that never materialized.

Yet, just remember the good times.

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Then checkout The Amazin’ Scene and The Bronx Scene, NYS’ baseball blog entries.

Come and check them out often.

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Today at Greenburgh another Ranger season comes to an end with the players getting exit interviews with Glen Sather and Tom Renney, while taking physicals.

Some key notes:

1) Brendan Shanahan seems to want to come back and said, “My instincts are that I will probably play but it’s something that I’m going to think over and you know as far as playing and coming here this year and being part of the Rangers., there’s nowhere else I’d rather play.”

2) Sean Avery was chirpy as usual and even blamed himself for losing the series. But he also felt that a second line center would be important. Specifically he mentioned Scott Gomez when names were tossed out.

Avery said: “I was going to use Patrick Marleau as an example, but I think Gomez would be, I certainly wouldn’t mind playing with him, that’s for sure. That would be big. That’s where the depth comes in. I think that’s the difference. As much as I can handle playing 18 minutes a night, a guy like that is a second line center or first line center, that’s his job. Then you just throw me on the wing to clean up all the dirty stuff.”

3) Jaromir Jagr was asked about his first year as a captain. His thoughts: “I was a captain when I was in Pittsburgh, but it’s kind of different. It’s a big city, and when you’re older, you’re more responsible for everything else. You kind of think more about the game, and about other people when you are older. You worry more about the young guys, and older players who haven’t won the Cup yet – you just want to make sure about the players who are free agents, because if you win, everything stays together; you don’t have to make any changes. If you lose, of course the organization might make changes. And if you have a contract, of course, you still have to work for other players who you play with. And when yhou were younger, you didn’t think like that. When you are older, you worry about other people, and you just want to make sure they got what they need.”

4) Marty Straka will not need surgery, contradicting a web blog report. He said he needs to rest it over the summer, since “it will do anything if I have the surgery.”

5) Jed Ortemeyer, who is a free agent, wants to be back, but hasn’t spoken to the team yet.

6) Michael Nylander, on the other hand, expects to get back into the contract talks with the Rangers in a week.

7) Tom Renney expressed his interest in a second line center, but also wanted to consult with Sather and Don Maloney before he started to name targets.

More later as I go through more tape.

 

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Up here now as the Rangers get their exit interviews. Will have live updates all day. Renney spoke already and we will be talking to the rest of the team in a few.

more later…

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Just because Blueshirt season is over does not mean I am not working.

At Yankee Stadium tonight and since “The Bronx Scene” – or “The Amazin’ Scene” for that matter – is not set up yet, I will use this for my baseball blogging for the time being.

Ok, today, Matt DeSalvo is making his big league debut with Kei Igawa going to Tampa for now to work on his mechanics. DeSalvo becomes the 10th starting pitcher for the Bombers this season, making them the first team in history to use 10 starters in 30 games.   

Before the game, though, no one was talking about the new guy, but rather the old guy. Roger Clemens dominated the converstaion with the players happy and Joe Torre and Brian Cashman trying to justify the move, since the Rocket has special features in his contract like missing games when he wants.

This moves proves a few things. First George Steinbrenners sons, Hal and Hank, are gaining powerin the organization, because they had a lot of influence over this deal. Also Cashman said this move allows the team to add a pitcher without getting the farm system raped. So from that perspective, it’s a good move. 

And with the way the Yankees are going through pitchers, Clemens is needed. At 44, you wonder how much he has left and the way they announced it was somewhat embarassing, but you can’t argue with the need for the Rocket, even if he costs an arm and a leg [estimated at $153,000 a day for every day he will be active if he starts on June 1] and can take a holiday if he wishes.

Enough on Clemens, who now can buy subscriptions to NY Sportscene with his new found wealth.

Speaking of that, the new issue of NYS is now out with articles on Jorge Posada, Tom Renney, the Mets, Gil Hodges and more. For $25.50 a year, you get 12 issues, so please subscribe at www.nysportscene.com/subscribe.php.

And stay tuned tomorrow as I will be at Ranger breakup day in Greenburgh.   

 

Posted under New York Yankees

Although they lost, this season proved the Rangers are back as a force in New York. No longer considered a joke, the Blueshirts showed they could do the city proud.

“In the big picture, it was a positive season for the New York Rangers and their development,” said Brendan Shanahan “It was a great learning experience. Buffalo has been through it last year. It is incredibly valuable experience for our young players to go through what we went through this year.”

And next year may get better. With only Michael Nylander – who will probably be back – and Shanahan – who will be back or will retire – as free agents, the team that jelled at the end of the year will be more or less the same next year. 

That’s good, because the Rangers can be the team to control the year for themselves, while making the 2007-08 Stanley Cup run.

Henrik Lundqvist is a championship goalie, while Jagr and Shanahan are Hall of Famers. Add to that veterans who never had a chance to win a cup, like Marty Straka and Nylander and the Rangers have the pieces there for next year.

So all that needs to be done is to say good bye. The Blueshirt Scene will be still up and running all summer and giving updates from the offseason. Also we will have draft coverage and some further playoff features.

But right now the 2006-07 season has ended in New York. But as they said in Brooklyn all those years ago….

“Wait ‘Til Next Year!” 

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Ouch. Four Buffalo goals means a 4-2 lead with 20 minutes to play. The Sabres looked like the team of old attacking on the transition and scoring at will.

Can the Rangers catch up?

Stay tuned….

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My adapter died on me. I do have another one at home, but I had to use one lent to me by Newsday’s Tom Rock, so I have enough juice for the game.

Anyway, Buffalo is playing their game, which doesn’t bode well for the Rangers. And it makes sense that it’s now 3-2 Sabres halfway through the second.

The Rangers have to slow this game down, so they will be able get the tying goal.

More later….

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