Here's tonight's roster:
Sean Avery-Vinny Prospal-P.A. Parenteau
Aaron Voros-Tyler Arnason-Enver Lisin
Evgeny Grachev-Brian Boyle-Ales Kotalik
Patrick Rissmiller-Matt Maccarone-Dan LaCouture
Wade Redden-Matt Gilroy
Michael Del Zotto-Michal Rozsival
Brent Henley-Corey Potter
Henrik Lundqvist/Chad Johnson
Looking forward to seeing Grachev and Lisin again. Would've like to see Ilkka Heikkinen but he played for Hartford this afternoon. Henrik Lundqvist should play half th game and Sean Avery is reported to be in great shape. His training regimen was rigorous even prior to Tortorella's demands. Take a look here at what he was doing before he left the Rangers last year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8MwTA4bSZU
Brandon Dubinsky remains unsigned and the longer this goes the less of a chance he has to be a Ranger. He should take the $700,000 and prove himself this year... he'd get his money if he did that and it's silly to be holding out with no leverage.
9.16.2009
9.15.2009
Game Updates
Standouts tonight in the Rangers 2-1 loss to the Bruins were Gilroy, Grachev and del Zotto... Christopher Higgins parked in front of the net scored the lone goal on a rebound. We'll see who plays tomorrow but the Rangers clearly were the better conditioned team as they dominated the third.
A low light of the night was the fans booing Donald Brasheer the first time he touched the puck. People obviously are still angry with him about the late hit on Blair Betts last year in the playoffs that cracked Betts' orbital bone. Like it or not Brasheer is a Ranger and that hit arguably turned the series around for his team. He does whatever he needs to to win.
Boy I did so miss these refs who are in mid-season form. Rangers short-handed 4 times though none of the penalties were detectable in the first. Hard to say how they look as they were short-handed the whole period. Staal and Gilroy look good together and Michael del Zotto looked solid throwing a few good hits...
All Russian line of Artem Anismov centering Evgeny Grachev and Enver Lisin could be emplosive and they startes the game. Grachev drawing rave reviews in camp so far with a good chance to make the team....
Defensive pairs are:
Gilroy-Staal
Girardi-del Zotto
Semenov-Sauer
A low light of the night was the fans booing Donald Brasheer the first time he touched the puck. People obviously are still angry with him about the late hit on Blair Betts last year in the playoffs that cracked Betts' orbital bone. Like it or not Brasheer is a Ranger and that hit arguably turned the series around for his team. He does whatever he needs to to win.
Boy I did so miss these refs who are in mid-season form. Rangers short-handed 4 times though none of the penalties were detectable in the first. Hard to say how they look as they were short-handed the whole period. Staal and Gilroy look good together and Michael del Zotto looked solid throwing a few good hits...
All Russian line of Artem Anismov centering Evgeny Grachev and Enver Lisin could be emplosive and they startes the game. Grachev drawing rave reviews in camp so far with a good chance to make the team....
Defensive pairs are:
Gilroy-Staal
Girardi-del Zotto
Semenov-Sauer
Boston Line-up....
Here are the players scheduled to suit up tonight:
Chris Higgins
Chris Drury
Ales Kotalik
Enver Lisin
Artem Anisimov
Ryan Callahan
P.A. Parenteau
Evgeny Grachev
Donald Brasheer
Dane Byers
Brian Boyle
Matt Maccarone
On defense:
Marc Staal-Dan Girardi
Matt Gilroy-Michael Sauer
Michael del Zotto-Alexei Semenov
We'll see who plays with who but I'm excited to see Anisimov, Grachev, Gilroy, and del Zotto... updates throughout the game...
Chris Higgins
Chris Drury
Ales Kotalik
Enver Lisin
Artem Anisimov
Ryan Callahan
P.A. Parenteau
Evgeny Grachev
Donald Brasheer
Dane Byers
Brian Boyle
Matt Maccarone
On defense:
Marc Staal-Dan Girardi
Matt Gilroy-Michael Sauer
Michael del Zotto-Alexei Semenov
We'll see who plays with who but I'm excited to see Anisimov, Grachev, Gilroy, and del Zotto... updates throughout the game...
9.14.2009
Torts' Trials...
Camp Torts opened this weekend with some grueling aerobic tests but it's the Rangers fans who are trying to catch their breath.
First, there's unsigned restricted free agent Brandon Dubinsky. He's been with the team for weeks training and skating. Kurt Overhardt, Dubinsky's agent, flew in from Colorado last week in hopes of getting a deal done with Glen Sather. He's since left with no deal and Dubinsky has become the first Ranger to hold out of camp since Mark Messier in 1994. You know I'm not sure he's at that level just yet. Dubinsky said it's killing him not to be in camp but nonetheless, he's not. It seems John Tortorella is less than pleased about it. "It's stupid. He's a young man who needs to be in camp with his teammates and understand the process of becoming a pro. I'm hoping he realizes that." Torts also went on to call Dubinsky's agent "stupid". First camp of a coach who doesn't believe in excuses... yeah it might just be. The Rangers have offered Dubinsky $700,000 for this year and it's believed he wants twice that.
Next is Marian Gaborik. The explosive Slovakian winger who deemed himself fully healthy in the off-season after hip surgery and various groin problems over the years. He's apparently been skating hard at the Rangers training complex the last few weeks... which has left him sore... in the groin. He was held out of the first two days of camp. Everyone is saying it's precautionary but if you're a Ranger fan... you can't feel too great about it. If you're Glen Sather... even moreso. Sather took a chance and big dough on this guy being healthy. More as this progresses. The Rangers are supposed to have two scrimmages today and we'll see if Marian Gaborik is in them. The first pre-season game is tomorrow against Boston at MSG.
First, there's unsigned restricted free agent Brandon Dubinsky. He's been with the team for weeks training and skating. Kurt Overhardt, Dubinsky's agent, flew in from Colorado last week in hopes of getting a deal done with Glen Sather. He's since left with no deal and Dubinsky has become the first Ranger to hold out of camp since Mark Messier in 1994. You know I'm not sure he's at that level just yet. Dubinsky said it's killing him not to be in camp but nonetheless, he's not. It seems John Tortorella is less than pleased about it. "It's stupid. He's a young man who needs to be in camp with his teammates and understand the process of becoming a pro. I'm hoping he realizes that." Torts also went on to call Dubinsky's agent "stupid". First camp of a coach who doesn't believe in excuses... yeah it might just be. The Rangers have offered Dubinsky $700,000 for this year and it's believed he wants twice that.
Next is Marian Gaborik. The explosive Slovakian winger who deemed himself fully healthy in the off-season after hip surgery and various groin problems over the years. He's apparently been skating hard at the Rangers training complex the last few weeks... which has left him sore... in the groin. He was held out of the first two days of camp. Everyone is saying it's precautionary but if you're a Ranger fan... you can't feel too great about it. If you're Glen Sather... even moreso. Sather took a chance and big dough on this guy being healthy. More as this progresses. The Rangers are supposed to have two scrimmages today and we'll see if Marian Gaborik is in them. The first pre-season game is tomorrow against Boston at MSG.
9.11.2009
Get Ready For Hell... Dubinsky Burning?
Any hopes of this camp being fild with fireside stories and marshmallows will be smoked out first thing in the morning. Coach John Tortorella has been waiting for this camp to open since he took over for Tom Renney in late February last year. Camp opens with the emphasis squarely on conditioning... the players won't even touch a puck until the third day. The Rangers noticebly attacked more and dominated stretches of games under Tortorella but couldn't sustain it.
Vinny Prospal is the only one who's been through this camp calling it "the worst camp ever", as reported by Steve Zipay of Newsday. Prospal also addressed the clash he had with Tortorella that led to Prospal saying "in a way I hope to shove it up somebody's butt" in a post -game interview. He was angry after being benched and came back to score two goals in a come-from-behind win for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008. Prospal still thinks Tortorella always pushed the right buttons and got the best out of him.
Steve Zipay also is reporting that talks with Brandon Dubinsky's agent Kurt Overhardt and the Rangers over the last 2 days are going nowhere. Overhardt went on to say "expectations are not great" of the situation being resolved before camp opens on Saturday. If Dubinsky doesn't show up to the first Camp Torts... two words... not good. Two more more words... Phil Kessel. He's a name that was talked about on "The Beat" and could be the answer for the Rangers.
Vinny Prospal is the only one who's been through this camp calling it "the worst camp ever", as reported by Steve Zipay of Newsday. Prospal also addressed the clash he had with Tortorella that led to Prospal saying "in a way I hope to shove it up somebody's butt" in a post -game interview. He was angry after being benched and came back to score two goals in a come-from-behind win for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008. Prospal still thinks Tortorella always pushed the right buttons and got the best out of him.
Steve Zipay also is reporting that talks with Brandon Dubinsky's agent Kurt Overhardt and the Rangers over the last 2 days are going nowhere. Overhardt went on to say "expectations are not great" of the situation being resolved before camp opens on Saturday. If Dubinsky doesn't show up to the first Camp Torts... two words... not good. Two more more words... Phil Kessel. He's a name that was talked about on "The Beat" and could be the answer for the Rangers.
9.06.2009
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.
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.
9.02.2009
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.
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