Who Knew?

I'll be honest... I gave up on this team, this coach and this General Manager a long time ago. The first two are making me believe again. This team is starting to come together. The fourth line of Brandon Prust, Jody Shelley and Artem Anisimov has been amazing. They've brought excitement back. Coincidence that Sean Avery hasn't been playing for most of this 7-1-1 run?

The game and the team became very boring to me and I was actually rooting for them to lose so they could either get a good draft pick or get Glen Sather fired. I have since realized as Joe Benigno of SNY and WFAN says, Sather will be fired 5 years after he dies.

The Blueshirts battled last night, got the lead, lost the lead, but prevailed. They started down :40 in after a Marc Staal turnover (pretty much the only one I remember him making this year) was converted by Mike Richards. Chris Drury ($2 million per goal this season now) responded on the power play off a beautiful feed from Eric Christensen (Sather makes great moves... just has no concept of contracts). The fourth line then struck again off a faceoff with under 7 minutes left in the first. Brandon Prust battled through a check to feed Jody Shelley who scored his first of the season and first as a Ranger, igniting the Garden.

Marian Gaborik got the second period going with a brilliant rush and feed to Brandon Dubinsky for his 20th of the season and a career high 44 points. But you know it couldn't be easy. Danny Briere and Mike Richards then sucked the life out of the building with goals to tie it. It didn't look good... but then again... the Rangers have Gaborik. 2:13 after Richards tied it, Gaborik stole the puck in center and walked in on a semi-breakaway. His wrist shot deflected off Matt Carle and over Brian Boucher giving the Rangers the lead... the win... and life.

Sunday at 3 in Philadelphia... it's win and in.

Notes:
Marian Gaborik has hit his career high in goals, assists and points in his first year as a Ranger... Brandon Dubinsky also has set new career highs in goals and points...

Deadline Day...

The Rangers should be sellers this year on deadline day but of course now that they have won 3 straight... they won't be. This team is not one or two players away from a Stanley Cup so why bother buying? The answer is the raising price of tickets at the Garden. They simply have to make the playoffs even though they'll get knocked out in the first round.

If you're a Ranger fan like me you can feel where this is going. They'll pick up a Pavol Demitra or some other scrub like that and try to squeak into the playoffs. This year they won't make it and if they do it's a waste of time.

Ryan Callahan's stock will never be higher than it is right now. Would trade him provided the team involved takes Wade Redden in the deal? I might but then again, I'd rather not see Glen Sather rescue his cap disaster by trading away the one guy who gives his all on every shift, every night.

Updates throughout....

** Rangers get 28-year-old F Kris Newbury from Detroit for 23-year-old F Jordan Owens... Awesome!

The Return...

The word in New York yesterday was that if the Rangers had lost the second of their home-and-home with the Islanders, Glen Sather's job could be in jeopardy. Hard not to root for a loss with that news but the Rangers won 5-2.

John Tortorella flipping out may have had something to do with that. He sat Wade Redden and Ales Kotalik in an attempt to wake these guys up. Chris Drury did wake up with his first goal since October 19th. Ryan Callahan continued his hot play with 2 goals and 2 assists (5 goals in last 7). Marian Gaborik assisted on both of Callahan's power play goals and added one of his own. Vinny Prospal fed Gaborik for a one-time canon on a 5-on3. Whenever Tortorella employs the 5 forward look, Prospal and Gaborik always line up on the off point, unable to shoot the puck off the pass. Thankfully for once they switched and the puck was in the net :03 later.

Michal Rozsival led the team with 26:37 of ice time and had 2 assists. Artem Anismov added a beauty in the third going wide and powering his way in front to slam it past Dwayne Roloson. But it was Henrik Lundqvist who set the tone again. The Rangers took two early penalties and were out shot 14-4 in the first. He made the saves he had to and gave the Blueshirts a chance to ease into this one.

So for one day talk of Glen Sather being fired will die down... but hopefully only for a day.

Notes:
Donald Brashear took another stupid penalty and played only 4:36. Another Sather special at $1.4 a year... Bobby Sanguinetti was shaky playing just 8:46 and did take a penalty... Rangers face the Flyers in Philadelphia Saturday afternoon.

Another one...

The Rangers fell again at the Garden 2-1 to the Islanders last night and now have lost 8 of 9 in the World's Most Famous Arena. The good thing for them is they only had to play 2 periods. They didn't show up for the irst at all getting out shot 10-3. They were outworked all night. Strange effort from a team that is now rocking a 5-game losing streak going to the Coliseum tonight.

John Tortorella threatened that change are coming. "There has to be something done and we'll see along the way here before [tonight's] game what we go with." Not sure what there is he could do but one thing I can think of is sitting down Sean Avery. Avery lazily tried to handle a Henrik Lundqvist rebound of a Matt Moulson shot. Problem is Blake Comeau was next to him and literally shot the puck from Avery's stick into the top corner for what became the game winner.

Of course the Rangers got a goal late as you knew they would to get it close. Enver Lisin, who only played 9:14 got the goal.But this team just doesn't have enough. That's thanks to their General Manager Glen Sather, who is responsible for the 5 worst contracts in the history of the sport. Somehow it's never even talked about that he should lose his job.

Fading Fast...

The 7-1 start for the Rangers is long gone... as are the hopes most of us had at that time. They dropped their third straight to Florida Saturday night by again playing the only second half of the game. Apparently they don't realize the games start at 7.

This team is a disaster and that starts with GM Glen Sather. The coach hasn't been much better though. I've always liked John Tortorella from afar. He seemed like the kind of coach who would hold people accountable. But what has he done? They played a more aggressive style toward the end of last year and in the beginning of this one. Now they appear not good enough or scared to play it. If Tortorella was the guy I thought he was, Rozsival would have been sent down or released already.

Sather seems to be doing just fine though. No talk of him being released. Let's see, he signs a second and a third line center for $7 million + a year. Gomez scored over 80 points once while Drury has never scored 70. Then he signs Wade Redden for 6 years and $39 million and Michal Rozsival coming off hip surgery for 4 years at $20 million. 4 horrible players taking up half the salary cap. Somehow he moved Scott Gomez and got something in return other than a bag of pucks. He also went after Donald Brashear (2 years and $2.8 million) who has been awful. He can't fight, skate, or hit anymore. But hey that's how you spend $20 million on 4 useless players. Ok maybe Drury isn't useless... but Blair Betts could do all the things he does... for a lot less. And why not give Patrick Rissmiller a million to play in Hartford?

They have absolutely no offense except for Marian Gaborik (points in 18 of 20 games) and Vinny Prospal. Don't expect that to change anytime soon. It's nice that Sather signed 2 good players but they don't have one that plays with an edge. Sean Avery is just not who he was. They don't stick up for one another to the point it's embarrassing. Paul Mara would stand up but of course they let him walk. Marc Staal and Dan Girardi seem to be regressing. No one on defense can clear the front of the net or prevent their franchise goalie from being run over regularly. This is a horribly constructed team built by a guy who should've been fired a long time ago. Somehow it's never even talked about though.

I guess I'll continue watching the least physical team in the league get pummeled every night. Even if they somehow made the playoffs they would have no chance against bigger teams like Philadelphia and Washington (See 6'7" Brian Boyle who falls over if the AC kicks on in the building). I picked a good year to start a blog... even when they play a game there's nothing to write about.

Power Surge...

It's no secret the Rangers power play was an unmitigated disaster the last couple of years. GM Glen Sather tried to address it last year by bringing in Wade Redden to quarterback it... Redden helped spearhead the team to almost dead last with the man advantage. Only the Columbus Blue Jackets were worse. Most fans would be pleased to never see Redden again. It's not all his fault but he will have to be better than his 2 PP goals and 6 PP assists last year. Due to his ridiculous contract, Redden is like a Snickers... he's not going anywhere for a while.



Sather is trying to address the situation again this year. He's picked up Ales Kotalik (9 PPG and 12 PPA) and Vinny Prospal (7 PPG and 8 PPA). Chris Drury led the Rangers last year with only 10 PPG and 10 PPA. Christopher Higgins will make a difference as well. He put up 25 power play points the year before last. Not to mention Marian Gaborik who when healthy can easily put up over 20 with the man advantage.

The Rangers scored 48 power play goals in 346 attempts while the Detroit Red Wings led the league with 90 in 353 opportunities. They had nothing but perimeter players who would not go to the net or put shots there. Will the new players make a difference? Is Glen Sather done tinkering with the roster? Ales Kotalik has admitted Coach John Tortorella has already discussed the him manning the point on the power play with his rocket of a shot so changes are coming... and change is good.

The Rangers power play was their Achilles' heal and this game is about momentum. Not scoring and giving up a league leading 14 short handed goals against did nothing but sap whatever momentum the team had going. It got to the point you were almost hoping they wouldn't call penalties. The power play lost the series against the Washington Capitals. Sather has addressed one of the main weaknesses of the team bringing in some snipers who will shoot and put up numbers. Has he done enough? If the stats don't lie, the Rangers will advance beyond the first round of the playoffs this year... and the puck will get to the net.

The Marian Factor

Glen Sather is no stranger to giving monstrous contracts to players who just can't live up to them. Scott Gomez and Chris Drury were two of the worst ever... until old Wade Redden got to town. Somehow Sather convinced Montreal to take Gomez and moved one of the most un-moveable contracts ever. Gomez (5 years left at $7.5 per) was immediately replaced "potential" superstar Marian Gaborik for the same terms. But why would we expect this signing to pan out being that Sather hasn't had one in 8 years as the GM?

Back, hip and groin problems have caused the 27-year-old Gaborik to miss chunks of time through his first 8 seasons including missing all but 17 (he did have 23 points) last year. The Slovak has declared himself fully healthy for this season. Make no mistake, he is an explosive player with a wicked shot who can take over a game and carry his team. He is a leader who put up big numbers playing for a defensive club. He's everything you'd want and more... if he stays in the lineup.

The potential of seeing this missile playing John Tortorella's up-tempo style is what has Ranger fans salivating. Gaborik is arguably the most gifted athlete to skate for the Rangers in the last 25 years and should put up 80-100 points... again... if he's healthy.

Gaborik needs to make a statement this year and you can sense he wants to. Will he explode to put up the best numbers of his career under the bright lights of Broadway? Can he blossom into the superstar everyone thinks he can be and emerge as the young leader of the New York Rangers? Can he play 82 games for the first time in his career?

He can... he will.... he must.