Bleacher Report - Articles by Rob Cristino

For New York Rangers Fans, It's Going To Be a Long Season

Rob Cristino — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:40:51 -0500

The New York Rangers (13-13-1) are just 27 games into the 2009-10 season, yet many fans are beginning to lose all hope for their beloved Blueshirts.

After watching the Rangers' last three games—where they have been outscored by an 18-6 margin—who can really blame them?

The inconsistent Rangers were dominated by the Tampa Bay Lightning, and then were swept in a home-and-home matchup with the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

As stated in a previous story, the home-and-home matchup with the Penguins was an important test for the Rangers...to see if they can compete with one of the top teams in the NHL. Unfortunately, they failed that test and proved that their 7-1 start to the season was nothing more than a fluke.

The Rangers have just three wins in their last 10 games and continue to fall further down in the Eastern Conference standings.

During this low point of the season for the Rangers, they have lacked an ability to play a complete game, a similar problem when compared with former head coach Tom Renney’s Rangers from 2008-09.

"We’re searching for wins, we’re searching for us to play a complete game," Vinny Prospal said. "It’s in us. We almost did it tonight [Monday night's game]. We seem to make bad mistakes at crucial times. With all due respect, I don’t think they were much better than us."

Tortorella's conditioning system, which was raved and ranted about at the start of the season, seems to be nothing more than a myth now. In some games the effort is there, while others it simply isn’t.

Even more concerning has been the offensive play for the Rangers. The inability to score goals and receive secondary scoring has haunted New York through its first 27 games of the season.

Marian Gaborik continues to be the only player who can score on a consistent basis, but not even Gaborik can do it alone. In 25 games, Gaborik has scored 21 goals and contributed 16 assists for a total of 37 points and a plus/minus rating of eight.

With the exception of Gaborik (and Vinny Prospal who has 26 points in 27 games), the Rangers just can’t seem to find the back of the net. In the last 15 games, the Rangers have scored three or more goals in a game only four times.

As the Rangers continue down this dangerous path, it will be up to Henrik Lundqvist to steer the team in the right direction. But even Lundqvist hasn’t played his best hockey lately, giving up soft goals and allowing that momentum changing goal.

Though his GAA. remains a solid 2.74, his record is disappointing and stands at 11-10-1. Lundqvist has allowed four goals in a game in three of his last four starts.

Lundqvist is no stranger to this situation (playing for a team that doesn’t know how to score goals) and it will be all the more important for King Henrik to keep his head straight during the tough stretch awaiting New York in December, along with the grueling Olympic break later in the season.

Lundvist's play will make or break the Rangers' season and playoff hopes.

Chris Drury To Skate in First Game Since Concussion

Rob Cristino — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:01:40 -0500

Hopefully the New York Rangers and Chris Drury know what they’re doing.

Concussions are a very serious issue in not only hockey, but sports in general, and it’s never good for a player to rush back after sustaining such a dangerous blow to the head. There have been way too many athletes who have had careers end because of concussions.

The plan is for Drury, who has been symptom free for about a week, to play against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night; his first game back since sustaining a concussion from a blind-side hit by Calgary Flames’ Curtis Glencross on Nov. 7.

Drury feels ready to get back in the action, but is it too soon? After all, he's only missed five games this season.

That’s the plan, at least, but anything can change, especially since this wasn’t his first concussion.

"Barring anything, I would assume I’ll be in," Drury said to Andrew Gross of Ranger Rants on Tuesday. "I don't anticipate any issues."

Obviously Drury has been cleared by doctors, otherwise this wouldn’t even be a discussion, but Rangers fans know how easy it is for players to receive a second and third concussion.

Look at the careers of Pat LaFontaine, Mike Richter, Jeff Beukeboom, and Eric Lindros, players who have all had concussions end their careers.

Is it the right move or should the Rangers have waited just a little bit longer before bringing back their captain?

"If I don't think he's able to play in a certain situation, I'll rest him," Rangers coach John Tortorella said. "But he's going full-bore against Florida."

Perhaps if the Rangers were playing the type of hockey that led to their 7-1 start, Drury would still be recovering, but because of their recent play, he felt the need to come back sooner.

Along with a majority of the Rangers, Drury has struggled at the start of the 2009-10 season. In 18 games played, he has just six points (two goals and four assists). But even if most Rangers fans won’t admit it, Drury has been missed, at least in the faceoff circle.

One thing's for sure, having Drury take a faceoff will be much better than making Christopher Higgins or Ryan Callahan take it.

Maybe Drury's return to the ice will transfer into something positive for the team.

John Tortorella Shuffles Lines Again, Trying To Find Right Combo

Rob Cristino — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:06:06 -0500

As the New York Rangers continue to spiral out of control in November, head coach John Tortorella has once again changed his lines, looking for that perfect combination which will jump-start the struggling offense.

The latest experiment, which is likely to fall apart, puts Ryan Callahan on the third line, centering Enver Lisin and Ales Kotalik. No, that’s not a typo. Ryan Callahan will be playing center on Monday night (at least for the start of the first period).

Callahan, who has been primarily a right winger for a majority of his NHL career, is more than willing to try a new role with the Rangers.

"I think it shows he [Tortorella] has confidence in me,” Callahan said to Andrew Gross of Ranger Rants . "He's giving me a different role. I think I just have to step up and show I can do it. Guys have to step up and he’s looking at me to do it."

The offensively challenged Christopher Higgins will be back where he belongs at the left wing position, after a trial run at center failed miserably. Higgins hopes to get his game in order by playing the wing on the Rangers' top line, consisting of Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal.

Artem Anisimov will center Sean Avery and P.A. Parenteau on the second line, while the fourth line consists of Donald Brashear, Brian Boyle, and Aaron Voros.

Don’t get too attached to these lines though, as they are sure to change a few more times during tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Looking to salvage the final game of their three-game homestand, the Rangers (11-10-1) will be tested once again in a tough matchup. The Blueshirts have dropped the first two games, of this current homestand, with losses against the Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers.

As the Rangers have dropped four of their last five games and have just three wins in their last 10 games (3-7-0 in that stretch), they must find a way to score more goals and play a sound defensive game.

To put things into a better perspective, the Rangers are currently tied for last place with the rebuilding New York Islanders (23 points) in the Atlantic Division.

"Every good team has a balanced attack," said Prospal. "I don't want to throw anyone under the bus, but sure we need goals from other people to chip in."

Goals from players like Callahan, Higgins, Kotalik, and Avery would be a nice start.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets (12-6-3) are playing with confidence, despite a 4-3 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators this past Saturday. The Blue Jackets have at least a point in nine of their last 10 games (6-1-3 in that span) and should give the struggling Rangers a tough game.

The Rangers host the Blue Jackets tonight at 7:00 PM.

New York Rangers-Florida Panthers: The Start of a Tough Stretch for the Rangers

Rob Cristino — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:48:07 -0500

The New York Rangers (11-9-1) continue their three-game homestand on Saturday night in a matchup against the Florida Panthers (9-9-2).

Though this game doesn’t have the makings to become the Game of the Week, that doesn’t mean it’s not an important game for the Blueshirts. The Rangers have had a difficult stretch in November, struggling to put together any type of winning streak.

In fact, the Rangers haven’t put together back-to-back victories since Oct. 14 (4-2 win over the L.A. Kings) and Oct. 17 (4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs), the last two victories from the Rangers' 7-1 start to the 2009-10 season.

Since that seven-game win streak has come to an end, the Rangers have gone just 4-8-1, worrying many Rangers fans in the process.

Was the 7-1 start to the 2009-10 season too good to be true, similar to the 10-2-1 start during the 2008-09 season? Or are the Rangers simply in a rut that will eventually fix itself?

Head coach John Tortorella has said he wants his team to play more consistently, which has been one of biggest issues with the Rangers through the first 21 games of the season.

Saturday night's matchup against the Panthers could be the game that will put the Rangers back on the right track, but it won't be easy.

Though Florida is second to last in the Southeast Division, don’t let their record fool you. They have been a much better team as of late, going 7-2-1 in their last 10 games.

Through 20 games, the Panthers have been in overtime or a shootout seven times, including three straight shootouts before beating the Buffalo Sabres 6-2 this past Wednesday.

On Friday night, the Panthers beat the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in overtime with the help of backup goaltender Scott Clemmensen and Bryan McCabe's game-winner just 40 seconds into overtime.

The Panthers have been led by centers Steve Reinprecht and Nathan Horton. Reinprecht leads Florida in goals (nine) and is tied for the lead in points (16) and has also contributed seven assists, while Horton is tied for the lead in points and leads the Panthers in assists (nine), while netting five goals.

This game could go either way.

It will be the start of a tough stretch for the Blueshirts, as New York will play six games in 10 days. It could prove to be even more difficult if Marian Gaborik continues to be the only consistent player on the ice for New York. Gaborik has eight points in his last five games, leading the Rangers with 15 goals and 27 points.

The Rangers will close out this three-game homestand, which has already gotten off to a rocky start, by hosting the rolling Columbus Blue Jackets (12-6-2) on Monday night.

"We’re 21 games into it, it's way too early to look at standings," Tortorella said in an interview with Andrew Gross. "Having said that, we need to answer. We need to play more consistently, especially at home. When you have three of them at home and you lose that first one, you want to come back with a good effort and that's what we're looking to do."

Marian Gaborik Can't Carry the Rangers by Himself

Rob Cristino — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:01:03 -0500

Who would’ve thought that the New York Rangers would finally have a goal scorer that can actually score goals?

Rangers General Manager Glen Sather has been known to make plenty of poor decisions when it comes to signing big name free agents, but despite his poor track record, it appears he finally got it right looking in the direction of superstar Marian Gaborik .

Though Gaborik is always a risk, thanks to his very fragile past, he has been worth the high gamble (five-year deal, worth $37.5 million). Gaborik has skated in all but two games this season and has been a huge contributor whenever he is on the ice.He has been exactly as advertised, a player with a lightning-quick shot who can score goals in the blink of an eye.

Gaborik has scored 15 goals and has contributed 12 assists for a team high 27 points. He shares the league lead in goals with Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals.

Gaborik's debut season in New York has been a success (so far), but it’s becoming more and more evident that the Rangers need much more offense if they are to be a competitive team in the NHL.

Though Gaborik makes a difference every game, he can’t continue to be the only true goal scorer for the Rangers. Someone else needs to step up and help contribute to the team because right now, it’s becoming a one man show...similar to the time he spent with the Minnesota Wild.

The Rangers finally have that desperately needed goal scorer in Gaborik, but now lack a true supporting cast. Take a look at all of the successful teams in the league, just about every team has at least two guys who can get it done on a consistent basis.

Unfortunately, the Rangers still have a few missing pieces to this 1,000 piece puzzle.

Yes, Vinny Prospal has been great this season and has been very impressive with his on-ice vision. After all, he leads the team in assists with 16 helpers, but he is a playmaker not a goal scorer. He has helped make things happen offensively, but at times it can be tough when Gaborik is the only forward scoring on a consistent basis.

What about Ales Kotalik, who is currently third on the team with 17 points? Kotalik is a huge difference on the power play, leading the team in power play points, but there's the problem.

Of Kotalik’s 17 total points on the season, 13 have come from the power play, leaving just four points during even strength. Though it's nice to see the power play get more chances, Kotalik must improve his overall game by being more of a complete player.

It seems we are all on repeat, singing the same tired tune that the Rangers need more offense.

With Brandon Dubinsky out with an injury, the Rangers have just four players with ten points or more in their lineup through 21 games. After looking at an offensively potent team like the Capitals who have eight players with ten or more points, that’s certainly a big department to lack in.

The Capitals disposed of this offensively challenged Rangers team with a 4-2 win at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, where the only two goals for New York came from the stick of Gaborik.

The Capitals had four different goal scorers, including Brian Pothier’s empty netter, which ultimately sealed the win for Washington.

Gaborik almost matched Washington goal-for-goal, but eventually ran out of steam as a late Rangers’ turnover halted what was turning into a third period rally.

Now the Rangers fall to 11-9-1 and will have three days off to think about their latest loss, before hosting the Florida Panthers and Columbus Blue Jackets as part of their three-game homestand.

Can the Rangers use games against the Panthers and Blue Jackets to get back on track? Will Rangers fans see another player step up his game before this team falls further down in the Eastern Conference Standings?

New York Rangers: Trying To Find an Identity

Rob Cristino — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:29:20 -0500

Who are the New York Rangers?

Through 20 games in this young 2009-10 season, the Rangers seem to be barely hanging on in the Atlantic Division with 23 points and are slowly dropping in the Eastern Conference Standings with an 11-8-1 record. In the last 10 games, the Rangers are just 4-5-1 and have dealt with major inconsistencies on both the offensive and defensive sides of the puck.

It’s certainly no time to panic, but it would be nice to know what type of team to expect out on the ice game after game.

As of right now, that remains a mystery.

Aside from the play of superstar Marian Gaborik, veterans Vinny Prospal and Ales Kotalik, along with the play of rookie defenseman Michael Del Zotto, the offensive capability of the Rangers is unknown.

The Rangers are simply not getting enough offensive contributions from the rest of the lineup, including captain Chris Drury (before he sustained a concussion on Nov. 7), Christopher Higgins, Ryan Callahan, Artem Anisimov, Enver Lisin, etc…

The Rangers are coming off a 2-1 shootout victory over the Ottawa Senators this past Saturday night at Scotiabank Place, the first shootout for New York this season, and it was Hartford call-up P.A. Parenteau who had the game-winning shootout goal, not one of the regular starters.

Though Prospal and Kotalik scored in the shootout, Gaborik, Lisin, Anisimov, and Higgins had each failed in their shootout attempts.

Gaborik leads this offensively struggling team with 25 points and remains the Rangers' most dangerous threat on the ice with 13 goals and 12 assists in 18 games played. Prospal is second on the team with 21 points, Kotalik has 17 points, and Del Zotto has been a pleasant surprise collecting 15 points.

As for the rest of the team, it's a roster full of struggles.

Brandon Dubinsky wasn't playing as well as everyone had hoped, but he at least contributed 10 points in 18 games before he broke his right hand on Nov. 7.

Ryan Callahan has played hard every night and was a big part of this past win in Ottawa, but even he has had troubles finding the back of the net. Callahan has just three goals and four assists in 20 games played.

The captain of the team, Drury, had just six points before sustaining a concussion, while veteran Christopher Higgins has only five points, continuing to struggle in his debut season in New York. Sean Avery has also lacked an edge in his game and seems afraid to play his normal agitator style of hockey, which the Rangers desperately need.

Like the offense, the defensive side of the spectrum is also a cause for concern.

With two rookie defensemen on the team and two veteran defensemen who played very poorly last year, the defense of the Rangers was a major question mark at the start of the 2009-10 season.

The Rangers' two best defensemen from last season, Marc Staal and Dan Girardi, have yet to play to their full potential this year and have been inconsistent at times. Both defensemen did have monster games against the Senators on the penalty kill, especially in the overtime period where they helped stop a 4-on-3 power play, so hopefully that's a sign of good things to come.

Wade Redden looks better this season (Plus/Minus rating of three), but he still hesitates with the puck and is far from reliable, while Michal Rozsival’s game has completely deteriorated thus far.

The two rookie defensemen, Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy continue to log heavy minutes and are only getting better with more experience in the league, but they still have much to learn. Gilroy leads the team with a Plus/Minus rating of seven.

Then there is Henrik Lundqvist, who is not without fault, but remains the backbone of this team. King Henrik made 35 saves against the Senators and stopped five Ottawa shooters during the shootout.

Lundqvist will continue to be the most important player on the Rangers and will likely contribute to another playoff appearance for New York, but where they go from there depends not only on how much Lundqvist's shoulders can carry the load, but also how much the rest of the team can contribute as well.

The New York Rangers Lack Toughness

Rob Cristino — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:23:57 -0500

The New York Rangers have never been known for instilling fear in the competition, but there was a time when they actually stuck up for one another.

One of the biggest problems with the current 2009-10 Rangers is their lack of physical toughness.

That was all supposed to change with the signing of ex-Washington Capitals' enforcer Donald Brashear this past offseason.

"They know that he's going to be the man," General Manager Glen Sather said on the day of the Brashear signing. "That's a tough job to do, and he's a tough guy and he's very capable of doing it."

However, Brashear has been a non-factor in the first 18 games of the season. The Rangers' enforcer has had trouble staying healthy, including a lingering bruised right wrist, which has kept him out of seven of the last nine games. When he is on the ice, Brashear has barely been noticeably and has yet to convincingly win a fight for New York.

With players like Brashear, Brian Boyle, Dane Byers, Aaron Voros, and even the agitator Sean Avery on the roster, why does this team lack toughness? Where is the protection for the stars on the team?

When Calgary Flames' Curtis Glencross delivered a high blind-side hit to the head of Chris Drury this past Saturday night, where was the retribution? It wasn't like the Rangers were down by three goals already and afraid to take a penalty; the hit was put on Drury just 48 seconds into the game.

That's the captain of the Rangers going down to the ice with a concussion and not one Rangers player did anything about it. Wade Redden actually side stepped the fallen Drury, before gingerly skating over to Glencross after the whistle had already blown.

How about all of the times when Henrik Lundqvist and even Steve Valiquette have been run over while in net, an issue that at least dates back to last year (in terms of it consistently occurring). The Rangers don’t protect their goaltenders, the most important position player on the team, and prove once again they are one of the softer teams in the league.

Time after time, opponents have taken a run at Lundqvist and Valiquette, yet there has never been anything done about it.

Then there is the incident that happened during the 2009 NHL playoffs. No Rangers fan will ever forget the very late elbow that Brashear put on Blair Betts in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Unfortunately, Colton Orr, who is now with the Toronto Maple Leafs, was a healthy scratch that game, but the only other Ranger who reacted was Paul Mara, who is now skating with the Montreal Canadiens. Mara still didn't do much; he only pushed Brashear into the boards and chirped at him, collecting an unearned 2:00 roughing penalty in the process.

The Rangers need to play more physical and need to start protecting their players.

It was really disturbing to see Drury go down and not one player on the Rangers do anything about it. A statement must be made to the rest of the league.

New York Rangers: Remaining Key Dates for November

Rob Cristino — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:38:54 -0500

The New York Rangers opened the month of November with a 1-0 shutout victory against the Boston Bruins, but have won just one game sandwiched in between a pair of losses since.

With a three-game road trip across Western Canada now complete, the Rangers have a few days off before returning to action later this week.

The Rangers will need as much rest as possible.

It was a tough road trip for New York, as the Blueshirts sustained three injuries in Canada. Against the Calgary Flames on Saturday night, the Rangers lost their captain Chris Drury (due to a concussion) and Brandon Dubinsky (possibly broken right hand).

Henrik Lundqvist is also suffering from an undisclosed injury, but he isn’t expected to miss much time and could be back in goal on Thursday, while both Drury and Dubinsky could be out a while.

Here is a look at some key dates remaining for the Rangers during the month of November:

Thursday, Nov. 12—Rangers vs. Atlanta Thrashers 7:00 PM

This matchup would be a lot tougher if Ilya Kovalchuk wasn’t out with a broken foot. The captain of the Thrashers is expected to miss anywhere from three-to-five weeks with a broken bone in his right foot. While a Kovalchuk-less Thrashers team is good news for the Rangers, they are not without some key injuries of their own, as described above.

This will be the first time the Blueshirts face former Ranger Nik Antropov. Antropov was acquired by the Rangers at the trade deadline last season, as a rental, and signed with Atlanta this past offseason. He skated in 18 regular season games with New York, scoring seven goals and six assists.

While Antropov has yet to find the back of the net with the Thrashers, he does lead the team with 13 assists.

The Rangers will need to stop the big man in front of the net, but will also need to keep Rich Peverley off the board, who leads the Thrashers with 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists).

Tuesday, Nov. 17—Rangers vs. Washington Capitals 7:00 PM

This will be just the second meeting between the Rangers and the Capitals this season, after the two teams met last on Thursday, Oct. 8.

The first game ended when New York rallied for two late goals in the third period, both scored by Gaborik, as the Rangers skated to a 4-3 victory. The reigning MVP of the league, Alex Ovechkin, was held off the scoreboard, while Nicklas Backstrom did all he could, netting two goals for the Caps.

If the Rangers are to be successful for a second-straight game against Washington, the Rangers must limit Ovechkin’s scoring chances. Even though Ovechkin was held without a point in the first meeting, he still managed to get a game high nine shots-on-goal.

Stopping Ovechkin is only half the battle though, as the Caps have plenty of offensive weapons in Backstrom, Brooks Laich, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green.

The Rangers managed to beat the Capitals in Washington, so a win at MSG shouldn’t be impossible to achieve.

Friday, Nov. 27—Rangers at Tampa Bay Lightning 7:30 PM

The long-awaited visit to Tampa Bay will soon be here.

This will be the first visit for Rangers head coach John Tortorella, assistant coach Mike Sullivan, and alternate captain Vaclav Prospal to Tampa Bay as members of the Rangers organization.

Prospal played six seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning (three different spans), spending time also with the Ducks and Flyers organizations in between. Now, Prospal is the alternate captain of the Rangers and has much to prove to his former club.

Prospal has revived his game, netting four goals and adding 14 assists and he has contributed immensely with his great on-ice vision and leadership abilities.

The game might not mean as much to Tortorella and Sullivan, but for Prospal, it's very important. After all, it was Tampa Bay who bought out the final three years of Prospal's four-year $14 million deal.

"This is a huge opportunity to prove people wrong," Prospal said when he signed with New York back in August.

Saturday, Nov. 28—Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins 7:30 PM

This will be the second meeting of the season between the Rangers and Penguins. The defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins gave the Rangers their first loss of the season on Oct. 2, with a 3-2 defeat.

The Rangers played well in the season opener, but the Penguins were skating with a ton of emotion after raising their 2009 Stanley Cup Banner prior to the start of the game.

Beating the Penguins is no easy task, but if it's going to be done, the Rangers must stop both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who each had a goal in the season opener.

This will be another big test for New York and it should be an indicator whether or not the Rangers can compete with one of the top teams in the league.

Monday, Nov. 30—Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins 7:00 PM

In the first visit to Madison Square Garden this season, the Penguins will have either won both previous meetings against the Rangers or will be coming off a loss. Rangers fans can only hope it's the latter.

The Rangers need to play with toughness at home and keep the Penguins off the board early. The Penguins will want to take the MSG crowd out of the game, so it's imperative for the Rangers to score first and build that early lead.

Will the Rangers be able to close out the month of November with a victory?

NOTE: New York Rangers Full Schedule

Are the New York Rangers on the Right Track for a Parade of Their Own?

Rob Cristino — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:29:05 -0500

The New York City crowd was filled with excitement, while never-ending confetti fell from the sky during the New York Yankees' ticker-tape parade on Friday morning. The buzz generating from the crowd was incredible, as the Yankees rode down the Canyon of Heroes waving to the endless sea of supporters.

After watching the Yankees celebrate their 2009 World Series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, one can’t help but wonder when the next New York Rangers' Stanley Cup Parade might be.

How long will it take before the Rangers bring Lord Stanley back to New York?

It’s been quite a while since the Rangers have last hoisted the Stanley Cup over their heads, 15 years to be exact (going on 16 years, if the Rangers fail to capture the Cup in the 2009-10 season).

Do the Rangers currently have the right tools to compete with the top teams in the NHL?

General Manager Glen Sather reconstructed his team dramatically during the 2009 offseason, addressing the major need of the organization...the struggling offense. By adding scoring talent to the roster, it automatically helps the power play, which was another issue that needed to be tackled.

Sather showed his commitment to making the Rangers better by acquiring Marian Gaborik, one of the most prized free agents of this past offseason.

With Gaborik, the Rangers finally have that game changer, which they lacked all throughout the 2008-09 season. Gaborik has lived up to all of the hype and has had a successful debut in New York...so far. He is a dangerous force on the ice and can devastate any opponent with his lightning quick wrist shot and deadly speed.

Through 15 games, Gaborik has scored 12 goals and contributed nine assists, good for 21 points.

The Rangers have a nice mix of veterans and youth to go with one of the best goaltenders in the league in Henrik Lundqvist; however, despite this blend of talent, the Rangers still lack depth and experience in certain spots.

At first glance, the scoring depth doesn’t seem like an issue, especially not with the way Vaclav Prospal (19 points in 17 games) and Ales Kotalik (15 points in 17 games) have been producing to complement the play of Gaborik. However, looking beyond these three forwards, Chris Drury, Christopher Higgins, Ryan Callahan, and Brandon Dubinsky have all struggled at the start of the 2009-10 season.

Higgins, like Callahan and Dubinsky, has played hard, but he just has had trouble finishing, while Drury remains the biggest disappointment.

If Gaborik were to go down with a significant injury, the Rangers would be left with a huge hole in their lineup that can’t be filled by any current Ranger. Gaborik barely made it out of training camp alive and has already missed two games with a very minor lower-body injury. If he can’t stay healthy, the Rangers simply don’t have the scoring depth in their roster to fill his production.

When will the rest of this offense wake up and start to score on a consistent basis?

As far as the defense goes: the Rangers don't have the best defensemen in the league, but they are getting by with what they have.

Michal Rozsival and Wade Redden are not worth the contracts they were given, but they both have played considerably better at the start of the 2009-10 season as compared to last year.

Marc Staal and Dan Girardi get a lot of attention as being the top two defensemen in New York (at least last season they did), but the play of rookies Matt Gilroy and Michael Del Zotto are slowly taking away their thunder. Can the two rookies continue to play at this heightened level?

The Rangers are currently 10-6-1 and stand in second place in the Atlantic Division with 21 points.

While the Rangers certainly have a better shot at bringing a Stanley Cup Championship to New York as compared to the New York Islanders, it still could be a while before Rangers fans see their Blueshirts marching down the Canyon of Heroes.

The Messier Project: Mark Messier Leads Fight against Concussions in Hockey

Rob Cristino — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:17:52 -0400

Mark Messier is one of the greatest players to ever play in the National Hockey League and is often considered by many to be one of the greatest sports leaders of all-time.

Throughout his very impressive Hall-of-Fame career, 25 seasons in the NHL, Messier was not only the definition of a leader but a natural-born winner as well.

Messier’s credentials as a hockey player and ambassador for the game speaks for itself: 2007 Hall-of-Fame Inductee, six-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner, two-time Lester B. Pearson Award winner, Conn Smythe Award winner, four-time First Team All-Star, Second Team All-Star, 16 NHL All-Star appearances, and his most recent, Lester Patrick Trophy.

Messier ranks second to only Wayne Gretzky on the NHL's all-time scoring list with 1,887 points.

He became the first player to captain two different teams to a Stanley Cup championship (1990 Edmonton Oilers and the 1994 New York Rangers).

Now retired from the game, Messier’s leadership abilities continue to stand strong, as he is currently leading the fight against concussions in hockey (in addition to his role with the Rangers organization as a Special Assistant to General Manager Glen Sather).

Messier has partnered with Cascade Sports to create The Messier Project, whose main mission is to tackle the growing concussion issue throughout the world of hockey by product development and public awareness campaigns.

The creation of the new Cascade M11 Helmet (pictured above), which is designed to protect the head and absorb impact, reducing the chance of getting a concussion or other serious injury, has the makings to be the future of helmet protection in the sport of hockey.

“I was approached by Cascade to come on board and help them with instituting their new technology into a helmet that would meet the criteria for the NHL players,” Messier said during an interview at the NHL Offices. “They thought that with my experience in having been a player and my background in hockey, that I could provide them with some useful information on what would make the helmet worthy for the NHL players to wear and what things were necessary for that to happen.”

“I felt it would be a great opportunity for me to give something back to not only the NHL, but also to the grassroots level of hockey and minor [league] hockey where concussions have become such a big epidemic as well; it’s not only at the NHL level, but in youth hockey. That is why I’m here and that is why I’m part of the process here and joined the team of Cascade to hopefully do something that hasn’t been done...which is long overdue in the helmet area.”

Since 1996, concussions have ended the careers of at least 33 players in the NHL. It continues to be a serious issue that constantly puts more and more players’ careers in jeopardy. According to independent sources used in The Messier Project, since 1997, an astounding number of over 759 players have been diagnosed with concussion related symptoms.

The M11 Helmet was created with the latest technology to not only increase the protection of the head and help absorb impacts, but it was also designed to look sleeker and improve the comfort level for players, which was a main criticism that the CHX Helmet had received back in 2007.

“We never wanted to jeopardize the integrity of the helmet with what the helmet ultimately looked like, Messier said. “So we had to make sure that we were able to come up with a shell that not only looked good, but also didn’t take away from the protection aspect. I think we were able to do that. It’s light, comfortable, and it’s got a lot of ventilation in it, so it breathes well.”

The new ratchet system, which is part of the Pro Fit element of the helmet, allows you to adjust the helmet for a perfect fit.

“Because the other helmets are adjusted so high, so you get pressure points, you get tight side-to-side, but you don’t get a helmet that fits all the way around the head,” Mary-Kay Messier, Vice President of Business Development, said of the ratchet system. “But this system actually brings the entire helmet in, not just the front-to-back.”

Aside from the new attractive design and fit of the helmet, the Seven Technology gets a lot of the focus. Being what The Messier Project’s Web site calls its Secret Weapon, Seven Technology absorbs impact and resets for maximum protection from an addition blow (within five seconds). It provides the protection of two helmets in one.

Like any new piece of equipment that reaches the open market, there are some obstacles which stand in the way.

For The Messier Project and its new Cascade M11 Helmet, the main problem is trying to build credibility with the NHL players and also the younger hockey generation.

“Well, I think the thing that we need and know is that you get credibility with anything at the highest level," Messier said. “Meaning that if the kids see NHL players wearing the helmet, then that immediately will give the helmet or any other piece of equipment credibility. If it’s OK for the pros to wear, it’s OK for me to wear.”

“Hockey is a traditional game in the way that players have looked for the past 50 years or more. In order for us to gain access, we had to make a helmet that didn’t stand out from the rest of the helmets [from the almighty mirror test] and changing the mindset of all of the parents, players, and kids, right up to the NHL level, will not be easy.

"But we feel now that as we gain entrance into the National Hockey League and NHL players see it on the ice more and more, and they realize that it doesn’t look any differently, but it protects you in a far greater way, that ultimately, it’s going to feed itself down into the minor leagues...which is where we really need to start.”

“And more importantly, as we get more notice, the parents that are making the decisions of what their kids wear at an early age will look at this helmet and put their kids in that helmet. As they grow up, they will already be in the helmet. So, there is a long term plan in it as well, but the short term plan is that we needed to get access to the NHL players and entrance into the NHL to give it credibility to immediately start the process.”

So when will the Sidney Crosby’s and the Alex Ovechkin’s of the league start sporting the new M11 Helmet in the NHL?

“A lot of guys are under contract with specific companies, which we respect,” Messier said. “So, we went to every NHL training camp with our product and we introduced our product to the trainers, so the trainers and equipment managers are up-to-speed on it.”

“We want to educate the players and we want them to make the decisions themselves because, ultimately, they are the ones who have to make the decisions on what’s best for them as a player.”

This campaign is all about educating the hockey world about the dangers of concussions and what players can do to help prevent those types of injuries from happening. It's not meant to force the helmet on players, only educate them about the benefits of wearing it.

“Because of the statistics, you’re four or five times more likely to get a second concussion once you’ve had one," stated Mary-Kay. “That’s part of what we are trying to bring awareness for. You need to protect yourself up front and be proactive with it.”

To learn more about this campaign, please visit The Messier Project.

NOTE: I conducted this interview, along with NHL Representative Mike DiLorenzo. The quotes used are responses to a 30-minute interview that both Mr. DiLorenzo and I had with Mark Messier and Mary-Kay Messier on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009 about The Messier Project.

Enough of the Talks, Heatley Will Not Be a Ranger

Rob Cristino — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:23:29 -0400

There's no denying it, the New York Rangers need to bring in some offensive help during the offseason, but it just doesn't make sense to go after Dany Heatley of the Ottawa Senators.

Some rumors/suggestions that the Rangers should make a trade for Heatley have been flying around the web, but if you actually think about it, bringing Heatley to New York is virtually impossible to do.

After reading a post from Rangers Report, as well as even here on Bleacher Report, I have to respectfully disagree with making a trade for Heatley from a Rangers' standpoint.

First off, the Rangers have pretty much no cap room thanks to the wonderful job done by President and General Manager Glen Sather. By throwing a ridiculous amount of money at players such as Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Wade Redden, and Michal Rozsival, there isn't much cap space left to acquire an offensive juggernaut like Heatley.

The only way a trade would work out is if Ottawa agreed to bring in someone like Scott Gomez and Michal Rozsival, but why take on the unnecessary salaries? Gomez has a seven-year $51.5 million contract (five years remaining), while Rozsival has a four-year $20 million deal (three years remaining). No team in their right state of mind would want these contract mistakes that Sather has created. The Senators would be no different in this capacity.

In addition to the tight salary cap the Rangers are in, a wish list has just hit the web in regard to where the superstar forward wants to go. That list was reported on both Sens Buzz and also by a a fellow Bleacher Report writer. The list includes:

San Jose Sharks
Los Angeles Kings
Anaheim Ducks
Calgary Flames
Vancouver Canucks
Pittsburgh Penguins
Dallas Stars

Sorry to say, but the New York Rangers are nowhere to be found on that list. So, don't expect to see a blockbuster trade for Heatley involving the Rangers, if Heatley himself isn't even considering New York as an option right now.

New York will have to look elsewhere for their much needed offensive support. Where it comes from continues to remain the big question though.

Once again because of cap issues, the free agent market will prove to be difficult for the Rangers to snatch a top offensive player, so the upcoming NHL Draft becomes more and more valuable.