The Rangers’ first two victories of the John Tortorella era came against what you might call inferior opponents: the Colorado Avalanche and New York Islanders. Of course that doesn’t take away from the fact that they were solid victories, each in its own way (the blowout over Colorado was fun and needed; the win over the Islanders was clutch and satisfying). But those are games a playoff team, even a suspect one, needs to win.

Today’s opponent at Madison Square Garden, the Boston Bruins, are a different animal. Yes the B’s only had one win in their last three games coming into the game, but we’re nevertheless talking about the top team in the Eastern Conference. It would be a solid test for the new Rangers, while also giving the team a chance to redeem itself after its last two embarrassing outings on national TV.

Test passed with (almost) flying colors. Redemption achieved. The Blueshirts beat the Bruins 4-3 for their third victory in a row and second in as many games since Tuesday’s NHL trade deadline brought them Sean Avery, Nik Antropov and Derek Morris.

Just like they did in the midweek victory over the New York Islanders, the new players made their impact felt. None more than Avery, who assisted one goal (the Rangers’ third) in vintage fashion and who seemed to energize the team (and the crowd) every time he stepped onto the ice.

Asked if he was a different hockey player, Avery said “no.” A different human being? “Maybe.”

In the first two periods especially, the Rangers at time dominating the visitors through aggressive forechecking schemes. The B’s were able to answer the Rangers first tally when they did finally break through (courtesy of Antropov, who has been stellar in his first two games as a Ranger) but after going down 3-1 were only able to get back in the game due to some stupid double minors picked up by Dan Girardi and Chris Drury. They did so in the first minutes of the third period.

What was most impressive to me was that the Rangers were able to rally to score the winning goal after suffering such a clear shift in momentum. Yes, they got lucky on the winner, but as Tortorella said after the game, “You need to work for your luck.” Amen, Torts. The team is finally doing that now. How far will it take them? Impossible to say at this point, but you have to figure the playoffs are definitely in the cards.

Posted under Uncategorized

Since the draft’s conclusion, most Ranger fans have been desperately trying to gain insight into what the team’s strategy was heading into Tuesday’s free agency period.

Then comes this article, from the Post’s Larry Brooks, on just that topic.

Brooks claims that, ideally, the Rangers would love nothing more than to retain Jaromir Jagr and pair him with Toronto captain Mats Sundinas the team’s top offensive duo, with Chris Drury moving over to the wing on Scotty Gomez’s line. Brooks also mentions that the team would like to retain the services of Sean Avery and Michal Rozsival.

This line of thinking is pretty close to what I’d like to see this team do myself, actually. Signing Jagr and Sundin to one, or even two, year deals worth around $5 million each would be a much smarter idea than overpaying a guy like Marian Hossa for the next seven years. With Sundin and Jagr in the lineup, the Rangers would be able to stay competitive for the next season or two, while continuing to groom young players.

If the Rangers could manage to sign both Jagr and Sundin, even to two-year deals, then by the time their contracts expired, the Rangers would be a deep team full of quality young players and with enough cap room to sign a franchise player, like Ilya Kovalchuk, for example, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2009-10 season. The Rangers would still have veterans like Drury, Gomez, Henrik Lundqvist and Blair Betts to go with a score of young players, like Brandon Dubinsky, Nigel Dawes, Dan Girardi, Ryan Callahan, Marc Staal, Bobby Sanguinetti, Mike Sauer, Artem Anisimov, Alexei Cherepanov and others, who have already either had some NHL experience at that point or are would be ready to step in.

Even if Sundin goes elsewhere, I’d stick with essentially the same plan. Signing Hossa won’t make the Rangers a contender, and he isn’t a franchise player. Hossa is a great, great player, but he’s more of a compliment than a main piece. Thanks to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Rangers won’t have the opportunity to highly overpay for a player like Ryan Malone, after the former Penguin signed with the Lightning yesterday, but the Rangers must be sure to avoid similar temptation from the likes of Hossa and many of the other top free agents available this summer.

I’d much rather see the team go after a cheaper player like Michael Ryder. Give Ryder three years at $3 million per season and maybe he goes back to scoring 30 goals again. It’s a better risk than paying Hossa $8 million.

If there is one free agent from the top crop this season that I wouldn’t mind seeing in Broadway Blue next season, it’s Wade Redden. I’ve never been a big fan of Rozsival, and if teams are going to offer him $5 million (or even more), I’d rather pay a little more for a guy like Redden. His last couple of seasons in Ottawa weren’t great, but I believe he’s still got it. He’s only 31. I’d give him a 5 year deal at $5.5 million per, though I don’t know if I would go past that.

Truth be told, what I’d really love is to see the Rangers send a second or third round pick and a player to Anaheim for former Ranger Mathieu Schneider. Due to salary cap constraints, the Ducks are likely to move Schneider, who can still put up points from the blueline despite his age. Yeah, he’s 39, but he only has a year left on his deal, and he wasn’t bad last season. He’s still a solid offensive defenseman, and he could hold the fort until Sanguinetti is ready for duty.

I must take umbrage with Brooks’ claim that the Rangers want to keep Avery, however. Granted, I’m not an “insider,” but from what has been made public, nothing that the Rangers have done so far shows me that they want to retain the Annoying One’s services. Personally, I think they should, as long as he earns no more than $3.25 million per season. That figure is overpayment as it is, but anything more would be too much.

Obviously, we’ll see what happens on Tuesday, but I’ll be hoping that the Rangers resist temptation and go for the smart, affordable personnel.

Posted under 2008 Off-Season

I know a guy on the board of this charity and went to this event a number of years ago. I recomend it.

New York, February 8, 2008 – The New York Rangers’ Blair Betts, Dan Girardi, Colton Orr and Marc Staal join alumnus and honorary chairman Adam Graves at the 11^th Annual Family Dynamics fundraising event on Tuesday, February 12^th from 6:00 – 8:30 PM at the “Play by Play” restaurant at Madison Square Garden. Family Dynamics, a member of SCO Family of Services, is dedicated to strengthening families and preventing child abuse and neglect. Rangers team members will host a series of activities, including kids games, a live Rangers sports memorabilia auction, an autograph session and a street hockey clinic.

Family Dynamics is supported by the Rangers and the Garden of Dreams Foundation, a non-profit charity that works closely with all areas of Madison Square Garden to “make dreams come true for kids in crisis.” Attending children will receive goodie bags from Garden of Dreams and the Rangers.

For more information, please contact Family Dynamics at (718) 895-2555, ext. 113 or the New York Rangers at www.newyorkrangers.com and 212 465 6486.

 

Posted under Blog

After the 2-1 win over the Devils, I was able to poll a few Blueshirts on their picks. While some didn’t really follow football enough to give a pick, others fearlessly forecasted a Giant win.

Here are the results:

Henrik Lundqvist: First went with the Pats 24-15, but then changed it to Giants 32-24

Jason Strudwick: 24-14 Pats

Fedor Tyutin: Giants 24-21

Stephen Valiquette: Giants 24-14

Dan Girardi: Giants 30-21

Scott Gomez: Giants 28-17

Tom Renney: Giants 26-23

 

Posted under Blog

Usually I have it scheduled out to not to miss a game, and I am at all the home game. But on the road at 1 p.m. in Ottawa, you must forgive me for being a bad beat writer. Well, not so bad since I was with my son. 

Anyway, the Blueshirts did win 5-2 with Brendan Shanahan scoing two, Jaromir Jagr one with Dan Girardi and Blair Betts chipping in as well.

This is a game the Rangers needed. They took advantage of a slumping Ottawa squad while breaking out of their own scoring slump. It’s important to win a game like this because if the Rangers do meet Ottawa in the playoffs, they will want a win or two during the season.

Also by scoring five and spreading it around, the team can rest can gain a little confidence going into a tough stretch in December. Remember, this time last season, they went into a big slump that alomost torpedoed the season.

But that’s done now and now the Rangers have the third most points in the league, two away from the conference top and four from Detroits NHL pacing 36. Oh and the Rangers no longer have the fewest goals in the league. That honor now goes to the New York Islanders.

Who would have thunk that?

On a different note, I am off to Nashville tomorrow to cover the Winter Meetings for Baseball. I will not be at the game on Monday, but John Buro will cover for me. I will be posting on this blog if any Ranger news happens. But if you like baseball and want to know the latest news and notes check out the Amazin Scene and Bronx Scene for all the updates.

See you in a few!!! 

Posted under Blog

I know this is the moment all the Ranger fans are waiting for when Marek Malik returns, but according to Steve Zipay, Tom Renney may not want to put him back in the lineup on Thursday against the Isles.

Now, he will be coming back, so expect No. 8 to be back there over the weekend. The question is where he will play.

Expect Jason Strudwick to get scratched as Malik filters back into the lineup, but it’s questionable if he will be lining up with Michal Rozsival. Marc Stall fits very nicely at the top and deserves to stay up there, while Malik, who at times can be the Garden pariah, makes some mistakes which cost the Blueshirts.

Breaking up Dan Girardi and Fedor Tyutin doesn’t make sense, so that leaves Paul Mara. Now, Mara has played much better as of late and seems to be getting his stride on. Both he and Strudwick have chemistry together and will that translate with Malik? Or does Renney put Marc Staal back with Mara and Malik with Rozsival, so they can work together.

Believe it or not, the Malik – Rozsival pair worked well together over the past few years and Malik, who has a greak reach does make up for his speed deficiencies.

Also by showcasing Malik, the Rangers may look to trade him towards the deadline and let Strudick play or even bring up someone like Ivan Baranka, who played well last week against Tampa.

The bottom line, no matter how much the fans don’t like him, Malik is here for now.

And I will be at practice tomorrow, so there will be an update from there on this blog.

Posted under Blog

Blair Betts and Marty Straka scored for the Blueshirts while Dainius Zubrus and Zack Parise scored for Jersey as the Rangers lead 4-2 after 2.

Both netminders look good and the youngsters, like Marc Staal, High Jessiman, Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi all are skating strong.

The key though are the netminders. Tom Renney is looking to keep one, which Valiquette leading the younger Montoya just because they don’t want the former first round pick to waste on the bench. It will be interesting to see what the coach has to say.

Let’s talk after the game.

 

Posted under Blog

Power play goals from Dane Byers and Ryan Callahan paced the Rangers to a 2-0 lead.

But more than that was the injuey to Kevin Weekes, who hit his head on the crossbar ad he went down after Sean Avery pushed Johnny Oduya into the former Ranger. After several minutes down on the ice, he was helpped off.

The Byers goal was scored off Weekes and the Callahan tally was off his Jordan Parise, Zack’s brother.

Otherwhise the Rangers look good as they have had a solid attack and Anisimov blends well with Avery and Shanahan.

Also Dan Girardi with 2 assists. Brandon Dubinsky and Marc Staal both with one.

More after 2…. 

Posted under Blog