New York Rangers Should Give Petr Nedved a Chance

"Oh God, how could Sather let this happen?"

"I can't believe we're bringing this guy back!"

"He's going to steal a spot from a deserving youngster if he makes the team!"

The aforementioned phrases are just some of the hundreds—not including the expletive-laden ones—in regards to Petr Nedved being invited to New York Rangers' training camp this fall.

In fact, it was Nedved who came to Glen Sather and the Rangers asking for a tryout. When he was granted permission, he became very excited to play for the team where he enjoyed the best success of his career. He knows he has to perform more than amazingly in order to convince the coaching staff he can play in the NHL again.

But getting back to the sentiments that led off this article—people just don't want to give Nedved a chance.

In his second and longest stint with the team, from 1998-2004, Nedved played on teams that never reached the playoffs.  The players were miserable, the coaches were miserable, and the fans were miserable. But even all of that didn't stop him from reaching thirty goals once and twenty goals four times.

In fact, in 478 games with the Rangers in his career, he has a total of 149 goals and 202 assists for 351 points. Not bad for a guy who was booed unmercifully in the latter stages of his career.

Why was he booed, you ask?

Well even though he showed success and had an excellent wrist shot, he did some things that more then a few European players are guilty of.  I don't mean to stereotype, but that's giving his all every night.

Nedved could have been a forty-goal scorer had he set his mind to it, but because of attitude and motivational problems, coupled with the constant pressure of playing in New York during a dark time in the history of the franchise, he couldn't perform.

Now, I know what you're thinking—even though he was decent back then, he's 37 now and hasn't been in the NHL for two seasons. What can he possibly bring to the team today?

Granted, he is older and won't score thirty goals, or even twenty—but I believe there is quite a lot he could bring to this team if he does in fact make it out of training camp.

He won't have any pressure to supply a lot of offense, as he is being brought in as a supporting player, not an offensive leader. There is also no more hooking, clutching, and grabbing—as there was when he last played here, in the pre-lockout NHL—and that much more open space could lead to more production.

And don't worry about the money because he will be signed for league minimum of a half-million dollars, as he already knows.

But where does he fit?

The Rangers have their top two centers in Gomez and Drury and a decent third-line center in Brandon Dubinsky. The fourth line seems to be set, although now it appears that Blair Betts' job is on the line. There seems to be no room for Nedved on this team, and that's where I have to try and get creative.

Nedved excels with players that complement his style of play, which is why the third line makes sense. The top two are set, and the fourth is for checkers—and Nedved never was and never will be a checker.

Which is why I suggest this as the new third line for the New York Rangers:

Petr Prucha - Petr Nedved - Fredrik Sjostrom

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