The 2009-10 New York Rangers: Sure, Why Not?

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

I, personally, am still on the fence over whether or not to be excited that Marion Gaborik is a Ranger for the next five years. Just thinking about his offensive ability gives me the shakes. On the other hand, he has a history of injury and fragility, although the severity and long-term threat of this can be, and has been, debated.

According to Sather, the team doctors, and Gaborik himself, he’s as healthy as a horse, and we shouldn’t have to worry. But I’m a Ranger fan. I don’t know how to be confident about something my team has done. So judgment on whether or not signing Gabby was for the best will have to be withheld until around December. Or my next beer. Whichever comes first.

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While defense is a major concern for the Rangers this season, there’s also a huge need for more offense! The Rangers finished 28th in goals scored last season. Only the Islanders and the Avalanche scored fewer goals.

Getting rid of Scott Gomez and his laissez faire attitude was a step in the right direction for this team. The additions of Marian Gaborik and Christopher Higgins give the Rangers more depth at wing. But, as mentioned before, we only have two NHL centers on this team. On top of that, the free agent choices up the middle are pretty slim at this point.

John Tortorella has gone on record saying that he wants a lefty centering Gabby. This takes Chris Drury out of the running for that spot. Brandon Dubinsky is a lefty and Torts hasn’t ruled him out yet. Saku Koivu is one choice still on the market. He’s a lefty and according to former teammate Christopher Higgins, can still play well. The problem is that he is 34, and we all know Glen Sather’s propensity to sign aging players to contracts that are too long and too expensive.

The only other choices that I have heard are to try to trade for Brad Richards from the Stars or Patrick Marleau from the Sharks. I doubt lightning would strike twice for Sather, allowing him to unload Wade Redden for either of these centers. He would probably have to part with a Dubinsky or Callahan to sweeten the deal. I say they would have to trade Redden because Richards comes with a $7.8M cap hit and Marleau has a $6.3M cap hit. Getting Wade’s $6.5M cap hit off the books would have to be done.

While the Rangers have taken steps to improve the offense, I’d say it’s still a work in progress at this point. Once they finish retooling the offense, I’d go as far to say that their terrible, terrible power play would also improve! No more do we have to settle for Scott Gomez constantly holding the puck along the half-boards pretending he’s Jaromir Jagr. And hey, that’s a step in the right direction.

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Entering the 2009 Entry Draft, the Rangers were looking to add scoring and speed, as well as size with skill at the top of the draft. With Chris Kreider they believe they have found that answer. Kreider was graded out as the fastest skater among the prospects so the speed part has been addressed. Whether his talent will equal up to his speed remains to be seen. Kreider is going to a good Division I program at Boston College so in two to three years it is expected he will be ready for the jump to the NHL.

The rest of the Ranger picks were attempts to address holes within the prospect pipeline; Ethan Werek (2nd) brings a physical game, Ryan Bourque (3rd) is a playmaker, Roman Horak (5th) is unknown, Scott Stajcer (5th) adds depth to the goalie position, Daniel Maggio (6th) is a project stay at home defender, and Mikhail Pashnin (7th) is a smallish stay at home defender. Give the Rangers credit. They made an attempt to address needs while making the transition to the John Tortorella era.

Time will really be the final judge as to whether they addressed their needs.

So there you have it, ladies and germs—what Ranger fans will be freaking out about for the next three months, and probably the six months after that. I hope we’ve been able to put some of this into perspective, or at least make you feel better about your own team’s moves this off-season. Unless you’re a Habs fan, in which case, um, good luck with Gainey going absolutely bazonkers—and enjoy Scott Gomez! LGR!!!!

Eric Roitman and Rory Katharine of 5-hole.com, and Jess Rubenstein of The Prospect Park contributed to this article.

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