Rangers-Canes home-and-home wrap...

The Rangers responded with a 2-1 win in Carolina on New Year's Eve only to come back to the Garden, and fail to score again. Here's some thoughts on both games:

Rangers-Canes wrap


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Wow.... Happy New Year!!!

The Rangers showed up last night and glided around, losing every battle in the game and initiating none. The Philadelphia Flyers blew them out 6-0 with Simon Gagne picking up a hat-trick. I didn't feel like writing so take a listen to the new aspect of The Beat....

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Rangers-Devils...

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.

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.

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.

Dubinsky's Worth...

Still quiet on the Brandon Dubinsky contract front and you can't help but wonder... what is the hold up? Though the Rangers only have a few million left under the cap, they should be able to get a deal done unless Dubinsky is asking for more than he deserves. After an impressive rookie season of 40 points he followed up with 41 last season. Ryan Callahan, recently rewarded with $2.3 million, only had 40 . Perhaps Dubinsky feels he should get the same type of deal... I'm going to tell you why he shouldn't.

Don't get me wrong, I love Dubinsky. He's a gritty player who plays with his heart on every shift. He's exactly the type of player the Rangers, their fans, and John Tortorella want as part of the core of this team. But how big is his upside? Are we expecting that he'll be a 100 point Center? I don't see it. Here's some comparable players to Brandon Dubinsky and what they're making:

RW Colby Armstrong, Atlanta-
22 G, 18 A, 40 PTS---- $1.2 a year (just signed)
C Steve Ott, Dallas-
19 G, 27 A, 46 PTS---- $1.4 a year
C Curtis Glencross, Calgary-
13 G, 27 A, 41 PTS---- $1.2 a year
C Eric Belanger, Minnesota-
13 G, 23 A, 36 PTS---- $1.75 a year

These players are of all of the same age group and potential of Dubinsky. The Rangers shouldn't offer more than a couple of years at no more than $1.3. He should take it as an opportunity to prove he's worth more. Otherwise he can play this year for $698,500. At this point it's also possible the Blueshirts are waiting til the season starts to work on a long term deal that won't effect this year's cap... which is probably the best play.

Scotty Don't!!! We'll Miss you???

Much was expected when Scott Gomez signed his gigantic contract with the Rangers in 2007. He was viewed as a young leader who could explode given the freedom to play HIS style of game. A style many believed he was prevented from playing in New Jersey. Dominant on the puck with impressive speed, stick-handling ability and vision on the ice... the power play quarterback the Rangers had sought since the departure of Brian Leetch. Now with the opportunity to play with one of the best wingers in NHL history in Jaromir Jagr, the sky was the limit. No doubt the Rangers had found their number 1 Center for the foreseeable future...

Yeah... about that...

In Gomez' two seasons with the Blueshirts he did show flashes of all those things but could never put it all together. Nor did he click with Jagr, who quickly turned into everyone's reason why the Rangers were unsuccessful. Turning the team over to new leaders Chris Drury and Gomez was the answer right? Well that happened too... and the result? Not good. Gomez did lead the team with 58 points last year including 3 goals and 14 assists on the power play. Certainly not numbers worthy of his status as a number 1 or his $7+ million a year contract. Yes he could transport the puck but had an uncanny ability to make his teammates wait for him, eventually dragging them offsides with ill advised moves at the blue line. The most difficult and least likely to succeed pass on the ice would be the first one he would attempt. His turnovers just inside the opposition's blue line constantly hung his teammates out to dry.

Quite frankly, it's a mystery how GM Glen Sather was able to move him for more than a bag of pucks and maybe a stick or two. Sather has been under constant scrutiny more for his contracts than his trades but if you asked me if I'd move Scott Gomez for Marian Gaborik and Christopher Higgins, both with something to prove and I'd do that deal everyday and 9 times on Sunday. Throw in defensive prospects Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko and you've gotta be kidding me... 38 times on Sunday.

The potential of Scott Gomez was that of a go to guy. His desire and work ethic limited him to be a decent number 2 or 3 center man, only one time eclipsing the 80 point mark in 9 seasons. That's what Scott Gomez is... what he has been... and what he will be. The Rangers and their fans will miss him dearly until Marian Gaborik pumps in his first goal against the Penguins on October 2nd.

The Captain Returns... Prospal Arrives... Dubinsky moving?

Mark Messier is returning to the Rangers as a special assistant to Glen Sather. Messier has been pretty open about his desire to work for the Blueshirts and this could be the perfect situation for him. Obviously he will not be under the pressure to perform as he would if he landed a head coaching job. He is without question one of the greatest leaders in sports and it will be great to have him back in the organization. Though it's unclear what his day-to-day duties will be he has said he'll be attending the prospects tournament in Michigan before arriving at camp. Messier now gets a chance to learn from the first man to coach him in the NHL.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post is reporting that the Rangers have signed Vaclav Prospal to a one year $1.1 million dollar contract. He adds some depth and scoring at a steal of a price. Prospal had 19 goals and 26 assists last year. He's definitely a "Tortorella guy" having his best year under him with 25 goals and 55 assists in 2005-2006. Prospal could be an option at center for Marian Gaborik if Brandon Dubinsky isn't up to the challenge... or even playing here.

Speaking of which, Brooks also reported that talks with Dubinsky on a long-term deal have cooled. Unless he gets an offer sheet elsewhere he'll be playing for the $698,500 qualifier this year. Might not be a bad move for cap purposes and they can always sign him during the season to a multi-year deal. But don't be surprised if he's included in a deal for Dany Heatley.