Bleacher Report - Articles by Ryan McFadden

Will Del Zotto Make the Jump to Broadway?

Ryan McFadden — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:01:51 -0400

With only four returning veteran defensemen on the roster, the Rangers have two vacant roster spots up for grabs on defense. One of those spots could fall into the hands of last year's first round pick Michael Del Zotto, who turned some heads with an impressive showing at training camp last September.

At last year's camp, Del Zotto knew he had little to no shot at making the club. He knew his fate was another season in the OHL, he wasn't under pressure to make the team. This year is an entirely different story.

With the two spots on defense open, DZ will have every bit the opportunity as Matt Gilroy, Bobby Sanguinetti, Corey Potter, Michael Sauer, and Finnish import Ikka Heikenen (yes, yes the one whose last name sounds like that delicious beer) to make the big club.The pressure will be very real this time around.

When Del Zotto was traded along with teammate John Tavares (the second coming of Alexander Daigle—well, let's hope so anyways) to the London Knights, he silenced some critics who questioned his conditioning and defensive ability. With the Knights, Del Zotto regularly logged 30 minutes of ice time along with eventual first round pick John Carlson. He also notched 6 goals and 24 points during 28 regular season games with his new team. Former NHLer and London Knights head coach Dale Hunter was impressed with Del Zotto's play.

"You know he's talented but until the trade, you didn't really know how good he was. You'd only see him two times a year and it's hard to get an impression. But he came here and it wasn't just the offense. He hit hard. He did a great job for us and I think he can help a team."

Del Zotto was also more than a point per game player during the Knights playoff run, tallying 19 points in 14 playoff games. Jess Rubenstein of The Prospect Park is a big proponent of a Rangers prospect dominating his current league (in this case the OHL) before moving up. Although Del Zotto didn't flat out dominate the OHL because of his pedestrian first half with the Oshawa Generals, he was excellent down the stretch run with the Knights. Rubenstein was on the money when he said that Del Zotto being traded to a playoff team was the best thing that could happen for his development.

In order for Del Zotto to make the Rangers, he's going to have to elevate his play to the point where it makes it impossible for the Rangers to return him to London. He will then have to erase any uncertainty about his ability to compete at the NHL level for a full season during his first 10 games. Since Del Zotto is only 19, he can't play in the AHL. He therefor has 10 games to stick in the NHL before he has to be returned to his OHL club.

The Rangers in the past few years have not rushed their young players. There isn't a whole lot of urgency in the organization for Del Zotto to make the jump to the NHL. With a plethora of young defenseman in their system who already have pro hockey experience, the Rangers can afford to have Del Zotto develop for one more season with the Knights. Then again, it would be great to see Del Zotto force the Rangers to the keep him.

Article also featured on The Manic Ranger

Sidney Crosby Is a Whiner

Ryan McFadden — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:11:18 -0500

This article is also featured on The Manic Ranger.

It's a boring Saturday afternoon for me, so what better way to pass the time than pay homage to Sidney Crosby, the poster child of the NHL? The league is getting exactly what it wants in a heating up Ovechkin vs. Crosby rivalry.

After a game in which the Caps demolished the Penguins 5-2, Crosby once again showed his true colors. He acted like a baby not getting what he wanted on the ice and then cried about Ovechkin to the media.

"Like it or lump it, that's what he does. Some people like it, some people don't. Personally, I don't like it. I was just skating to the bench and he pushed me from behind, so I just gave him a shot back. That's hockey, and he likes to run around these days, so that was it."

First of all, I'm not exactly sure what "lump" means. Probably some crazy Canadian jargon that I don't care to be familiar with. But if you have seen the "push" from behind, it's hysterical that Crosby got his panties in a twist over that.

Ovechkin slightly brushed by Crosby as they both were heading to their respective benches. Even though Crosby acted like he had questioned his manhood, it really was not a big deal at all. But then again, this is Crosby, so he cried about it.

"What I can say about him?" Ovechkin said. "He is a good player, but he talks too much."

Well, Crosby said what we already know: Crosby is a whiner and a baby. Nothing new there.

As annoying as Crosby's whining antics are to watch on the ice, that's much more acceptable than crying to the media about something that happened. Especially something as insignificant as what happened with Ovechkin.

Now this is old news.

And so is this, in a recent ESPN players poll Crosby was voted by a whopping 52 percent as the biggest "complainer" on the ice. Complainer and whiner are interchangeable, of course. The next closest players were Chris Pronger at eight percent and Sean Avery at seven percent. Now that says something.

Fans like myself can say whatever they wish, but they don't know the whole story. They are not the ones who are out on the ice. The players know the real story. They are the ones who are on the ice seeing and hearing what Crosby does and doesn't do. Recently Adam Burish chimed in about Crosby and his whining.

And what does Ilya Kovachuk have to say about Crosby?

"These are emotions. Ovechkin did everything right. You have to play hockey. Show on the ice what you are capable of. And the weak talk a lot. Ovechkin proved everything—scored a goal and Washington won. He had a full right to his gesture."

When he was asked about how Crosby thinks Ovechkin is a dirty player, he said this:

"Then no one at all should play hockey! The rules in the NHL after the lockout changed considerably. Let Crosby see how [players] played in the league before. Ovechkin's style is emotional, clean hockey. That's why he is the best player in the NHL right now."

Now Kovalchuk and Crosby do have a bit of a history. The "Kid" was up to his usual business and took a penalty. Kovalchuk promptly rifled a one timer home from the point—unreal how he does that so well— and then pointed directly at Crosby, who was still sitting in the box.

The players know and the fans know that Crosby is a baby. He is a great player, but some of his antics on the ice are disgraceful. His flopping around the ice against the Rangers in the playoffs—yes living in the past a bit—last year was ridiculous and it was made even worse because the league allowed him to get away with it.

This rant is mostly out of frustration. I'm sick and tired of hearing about Crosby on the NBC broadcasts, seeing Crosby in every hockey commercial, watching him take no accountability for his teams troubles, seeing his dives, watching him whine on the ice, and listening to the NHL slobber their poster boy with unwarranted love.

I'm also tired of reading the garbage that the writers on NHL.com and The Hockey News have to say about him. He has been shoved down everyone's throats and I don't think I'm the only one whose tired of it.

Now of course, Crosby didn't choose to be the poster boy or the "savior" of the NHL. But knowing that he is, don't you think he should realize he's under the spotlight and quit his yapping?

Stop acting like Olympic diving is an acceptable part of the sport? Maybe he can try showing some class every once and a while?

Crosby IS a BABY.

But after this long post, everyone already knew that as well.

Vinny Lecavalier and the New York Rangers

Ryan McFadden — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:28:22 -0500

There isn't anything all that concrete about this trade in terms of actual discussions between the Rangers and the Lightning, but I enjoy speculating on trades and things of that nature, so I'm going to put my two cents in.

Pure Speculation

Although there has been speculation between the Lightning and Canadians regarding Lecavalier, Tampa's GM Brian Lawton and the ownership group have held strong that they won't trade their franchise player.

But what if they did?

There has been some talk in the blogging world that the Rangers could get involved in the Lecavalier sweepstakes. If you think about it, the Rangers do have a very enticing group of players that the Lightning could seek in return. The most prominent being Marc Staal, who is routinely matched up against the opposing teams top player despite the fact that he just turned 22 this month.

The Rangers could then add in Brandon Dubinsky, who despite being in the midst of a sophomore slump, is still only 22 years old and shows promise after a very successful rookie campaign. The Rangers then could add in either Petr Prucha, Ryan Callahan, or Nigel Dawes.

Also, the Rangers have bluechip prospects Artem Anisimov and Bobby Sanguinetti that could also be put in the mix. Plus, they also could trade the rights of Evgeny Grachev and Michael Del Zotto.

So the Rangers certainly have the means to pull off a trade of that caliber even though they would most definitely have to include Scott Gomez to offset the cap space.

But should they?

Hell NO!

The resources it would most likely require would be entirely outweigh the benefit of receiving Lecavalier. As fantastic of a player he is, the Rangers would most definitely be required to send Marc Staal in return.

In doing so the Rangers would be trading their best defenseman, who is not only cheap at the moment, but also has not even come close to reaching his potential. It is not out of the realm of possibility that he could one day be a Norris Trophy winner as his game fully develops.

With the Rangers current situation in mind, I don't think I would even want to trade Staal for Vinny straight up, nevermind with others included.

For the Rangers to pull off a trade for Lecavalier, they would have to compete with the Canadians, who would create immense competition since they covet him so deeply, thus driving up the price even higher for him.

Even though he has averaged 42 goals and nearly 100 points in the past three seasons, a trade for him would hurt the Rangers untapped talent in Hartford and also take away valuable NHLers like Nigel Dawes or Ryan Callahan on top of Marc Staal.

Lecavalier is also about to enter his prime years, which is great, but he's signed until he's 39 with a $7.7 million cap hit. So in the long run, the Rangers would be nearly as hamstrung as they already are with the salary cap and they would have lost significant young talent in the deal.

As great of a player he is, I would have to say no deal to Vinny.

This article is also featured on The Manic Ranger.

Why Fighting Needs To Stay in Hockey

Ryan McFadden — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 12:26:18 -0500

The debate has been raging of whether or not fighting has to be removed from hockey after 21-year-old Don Sanderson of the storied Whitby Dunlops tragically passed away as a result of an on-ice fight. His helmet was removed during the fight and he fell to the ice, landing on his head. He lapsed into a coma and passed away few weeks later. It's truly a heartbreaking story.

Last night during an AHL game with the Philadelphia Phantoms playing the Manchester Monarchs, Phantoms player Garrett Klotz had a seizure on the ice after a fight with forward Kevin Westcott. The two players decided to drop the gloves right off the opening face off and square off, both removing their helmets. Klotz didn't hit his head on the ice and is supposed to be released from the hospital today.

The practice of taking your helmet off during a fight has already been banned by the CHL in response to Don Sanderson's tragic death, but in the AHL all players are required to wear visors which makes fighting difficult. This incident will surely only add more fuel to the fire on the topic of fighting in hockey and the NHL.

It needs to be stated though that these are two isolated incidents and are an extremely rare occurrence. The NHL cannot have a knee jerk reaction and take fighting away from the sport, in fact I think they need to get rid of the instigator rule, but that's for another time.

Fighting protects players. One would be hard pressed to find a hockey player who thinks fighting needs be removed from the sport. The Whitby Dunlops who would have the biggest reason not to continue fighting, received fighting majors in 5 of their 8 games following their teammate's death.

The majority of the people who are going to get on their respective soap boxes and call for fighting's removal from the sport most likely have never played any serious hockey in their day. Fighting keeps players in line and polices the game in a way referees cannot. What's more likely to keep a player cheap-shotting his opponent with a dangerous hit from behind or a stick to the face, a penalty or the guarantee that the other team's big guy is going to drop the gloves with him as a result?

Or how about the skill players in the game who for the sake of all those involved including the fans just should never fight (I'm looking at you Alexander Semin). A few games ago Phil Kessel was being chased down by some goon on the Panthers, being slashed up and down the ice trying to instigate a fight with, so as a good teammate and captain should Zdeno Chara stepped in and taught the guy a lesson.

Not only that, a fight is a cheap way to swing the momentum in a hockey game. Players like Colton Orr, Mitch Fritz, Donald Brashear, George Laraque and Derek Boogard have made a career out of this. Here's an interesting question, what happens to these players if fighting is removed? If fighting is taken out of the sport, your basically taking away these players jobs and their livelihoods.

Fighting needs to stay in the sport and most importantly in the NHL. Those for removing it would point to international competition where fighting is banned. I would say that their is a different mentality in those games, especially since European countries are involved because fighting is more popular among North American players and isn't generally practiced by European players.

Don't take fighting out of the sport. It's what makes hockey unique, it serves a purpose and it's been apart of the sport since it was created, there's no need to take it away now.

This article is also featured on The Manic Ranger.

Why Wade Redden Isn't Overpaid

Ryan McFadden — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:45:50 -0500

Most sports fans' biggest gripes are against players who they consider to be "overpaid."

For baseball fans, it's Alex Rodriguez or C.C. Sabathia.

For Rangers fans, it's Wade Redden, who signed a six-year, $39 million contract this summer at the age of 31.

This season he has a whopping 16 points in 43 games in his first season in New York. He has two goals (one more than bruiser Colton Orr) and although he is the highest paid defenseman on the Rangers roster, he isn't even their best.

In fact Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Paul Mara, and Michal Rozsival have all out-performed Redden. He's soft defensively and has seemed at times like he doesn't even enjoy playing hockey.

But he isn't overpaid.

Redden's contract is similar to other defensemen who have had comparable careers. In 2007 Sheldon Souray signed a five-year, $27 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers. Also in that year, Lubomir Visnovsky inked a five-year, $28.25 million contract extension with the LA Kings.

In comparison, Redden's contract is one more year and an average of $1.5 a season more. It needs to be said that the reason for his slightly bigger contract is directly related to the fact that the salary cap rose significantly between the 2007 and 2008 seasons, thus allowing teams to allocate more resources to a single player than they previously could in 2007, when Visnovsky and Souray inked their deals.

Add in a bidding war with the Calgary Flames and that's how Redden comes to terms with a $39 million contract. He was the second highest paid defenseman in his free agent class. Brian Campbell, who is three years younger, signed an eight-year, $56.8 million deal with the Chicago Blackhawks. He was considered to be the best available offensive defenseman available that year, with Redden being the second.

It's supply and demand. In free agency, a club will almost always "overpay." That is the price and danger of relying on free agency for players.

With every one of these players mentioned, if their respective club didn't offer them those contracts, another club most certainly would have. The same goes for Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, two other Rangers players that many fans consider to be "overpaid."

It is up to the discretion of general managers to make a rational decision in the free agent market. In the case of Wade Redden, Rangers general manager Glen Sather completely failed. He didn't overpay Redden; Calgary's offer for him was almost identical. He just made a terrible decision to sign him.

This article is also featured on The Manic Ranger.

Ilya Kovalchuk Must be Traded by the Thrashers Soon

Ryan McFadden — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:30:47 -0500

The Atlanta Thrashers are a struggling franchise and a losing team. They are in the process of a slow, arduous rebuilding phase, and don't have a realistic chance of making the playoffs in the next few seasons. Since they aren't ready to win anytime soon, they need to trade their most valuable asset, Ilya Kovalchuk.

The prized sniper would return a tremendous yield for the Thrashers if he were dealt. He would certainly bring in return a first round pick and multiple blue chip prospects. The reason why he needs to be traded this season is because his trade value is at his highest.

There are plenty of teams in contention that would be seething to acquire a player of Kovalchuk's caliber. Especially because there isn't any first line offensive talent that is going to be available at the trade deadline this year.

It should be noted that although Marian Gaborik will most likely be dealt, he is not going to be heavily sought after due to his mid-season surgery.

The main reason why Kovalchuk's trade value is at its highest right now, is that he still has another year remaining on his contract. This makes him much more desirable and valuable for the teams interested, because he would be more than just a rental player.

The Thrashers need to be realistic, Kovalchuk is not going to re-sign with the club. They won't be able to bring in the talent needed through free agency this summer for him to feel like they will be contenders next season.

The main reason being very simple, Atlanta is not a very desirable place for players to sign with. Although the Thrashers have plenty of cap space, they won't be able to significantly improve through free agency. This summers most valuable free agents Marian Hossa, Henrik Zetterberg, and Marian Gaborik wouldn't even consider signing in the ATL regardless of how much money they get thrown their way. Also, the Thrashers will most likely have to overpay free agents to join the club. They need to rebuild from within to succeed.

The bottom line is that Ilya Kovalchuk is not going to be a piece of Atlanta's future. He is not going to re-sign with the club and the team needs to let their franchise player go this year and look ahead. They need to cut their losses this season and increase their chances of acquiring John Tavares or Victor Hedman in the upcoming draft.

To the Thrashers GM Don Waddell: It's time to make a move.

This article is also featured on The Manic Ranger

Trade Speculation: Marian Gaborik for Scott Gomez?

Ryan McFadden — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 12:31:31 -0500

ESPN's Pierre LeBrun's Blog (here).

However, one NHL executive told us Saturday that perhaps the Wild could still move him to a team that's desperately trying to move a long-term salary. The theory is that some NHL GMs are feeling the heat from ownership to cut payroll moving forward because of the economic downturn. The trade would be apples for apples this season in terms of salary, but, obviously, Gaborik comes off the books after the season. Food for thought.

Remember, this is pure speculation.

If this theory proved to be true, the Rangers could use it as an opportunity to remove one of their large contracts from the books. It could be one of four players, Drury, Redden, Rozsival, or Gomez. It is my belief that Drury has a full NTC, with Redden and Gomez having limited no movement clauses.

Rangers Give—In my opinion, the most likely candidate for this trade would be Scott Gomez. To be fair, I really like Gomez, always have. I like his style of play and I think he's a good guy.

But since day one, he hasn't been a fit in NY. He couldn't mesh with Jagr, and this season he has played the worst hockey of his career. Also, removing one or two (Rozsival) large contracts is essential to the Rangers' future success.

Gomez could fit into the Wild's plans. He's familiar with head coach Jacques Lemaire's system and style from his days in NJ. He's making the kind of money the Wild had reportedly offered Gaborik in the beginning of the year. It could make sense for them. I wonder what Wild fans would have to say about this?

Wild Give—Gaborik is having surgery and will be out for around 10 weeks. That puts him to return somewhere around mid-March. The Wild may be desperate to get something in return for Gaborik. It's funny how Gab's injuries have once again found a way to screw the Wild.

Everyone knew he was going to get dealt up until the time he got hurt for the 14359th time. So instead of getting a first round pick, a quality prospect, and maybe another player or two, the Wild may get nothing for him.

So, the Rangers get Gaborik who's going to be UFA next season. In my opinion, that's the best part of the deal. If Gaborik is healthy enough to play, they get a high scoring winger that the team needs for a playoff run.

Even if Gaborik isn't able to complete the season with the Rangers, it's still a good deal. They clear a boat-load of cap space for the future and free up a spot at center that next year should belong to Artem Anisimov.

Maybe the Rangers re-sign Gaborik at the end of the year to a one or two year deal for reasonable money. That would be fine for the Rangers. But if they didn't re-sign him, they would have enough cap space to go after Henrik Zetterberg and Marian Hossa.

This article is also featured on The Manic Ranger

Sidney Crosby Throws A Temper Tantrum

Ryan McFadden — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:12:02 -0500

Sidney Crosby let his superstar hormones get the best of him tonight. Instead of worrying about putting the puck in the net to try and lead his team out of their slump like a good captain should, he threw a temper tantrum and jumped Brett Mclean. Very effective Sidney, well done.

Let's first all take a step back and realize that no matter what, this "fight" is going to be viewed as Sid the Kid doing everything he can to be the hero and lead his team to victory. To quote a bad movie "bullshit bullshit bullshit."

All Crosby did was once again show his true colors. He didn't man up and throw down with Brett Mclean, he jumped him right off a face off like the classless player the so called "face of the NHL" truly is. But no, you won't hear that. Nobody in the media is going to say how it really is. There's a different set of rules for Sidney Crosby.

After the game Crosby said “I asked him to go, and he said yes. And usually, yes means yes. I mean, I wouldn’t have wasted 20 minutes in the box for that. I guess he didn’t take me serious. I don’t know, it wasn’t worth 20 minutes, though, that’s for sure.” It sure wasn't worth 20 minutes Sidney. Especially since there was still a period of hockey to play and your team was down a few goals.

Don't you think your more valuable to the team playing than sitting in the locker room? I'm not sure what his logic there was. Regardless, yes Sidney I don't think he took you seriously. I mean who would take a whiny player like you in a fight seriously? Don't you normally let somebody else fight your battles for you anyways? Like how Maxim Talbot did earlier in the first period?

Although he did get ejected from the game, if his name were Sean Avery you better believe that Gary Bettman would be handing out a suspension for his actions. There's no need to even wait and see how things will play out with the NHL. Everyone knows how things will go.

This article is also featured on The Manic Ranger

What a Slap Fest, Rangers Lose 2-1 to Caps

Ryan McFadden — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 14:28:57 -0500

Another game, yet another embarrassing loss. The Rangers continued their trend of sucking tonight, losing to the Caps 2-1.

As a team ,they played with little to no emotion, despite the two fights. Well, one fight and one slap and tickle with Alexander Semin (here). Sure, Glen Sather made some poor personnel decisions this summer, but other teams do a lot more with significantly less than what the Rangers have.

This team simply does not play with any passion. They seem to float around the ice and go through the motions. They seem indifferent to losing. Someone needs to light a fire under this team's ass and straighten things out.

They need to have a sense of urgency, they can't be complacent. A few more losses and they may not even be in the playoff picture.

Watching this team play the past month or so has been like dropping the soap in the Essex County Jail, long, painful, and not the least bit enjoyable (except for whomever the Rangers are playing).

-Alexander Ovechkin once again showed he's the best player in the world. But what was impressive was Marc Staal's play against him. He was physical, he took away Ovechkin's space, and did a nice job against him. Staal was one of the few Rangers players who actually had a good game.

-The f'ing power play. Another mother f'ing short-handed goal. TWELVE SHORTHANDED GOALS. It's the most embarrassing part of their game. Everyone in the league knows how horrible they are on the PP.

A perfect example is Ovy's goal tonight.

Last week at the garden, he wasn't out killing penalties against the Rangers. Tonight, he was out there for all three Rangers power plays. Our power play doesn't even remotely concern whomever the Rangers play, teams are starting to play their offensive players against their power play and more and more and more f'ing shorthanded goals are coming the Rangers way.

Their power play is like a blackhole of pain. I bet if you polled the Rangers right now if they could have the opportunity to decline a power play (like so many Rangers fans joke around at the garden about), I would bet my car that the majority would secretly say yes.

This power play needs a boost, maybe some viagra could do the trick. I dont know, but the Rangers' lack of confidence really shows when they have the extra man. They absolutely will not make the playoffs if their power play continues in this fashion.

-Petr Prucha was another Ranger that actually had a nice game. He drew two penalties that were born out of his pure hard work along the boards. He notched a nice goal off a Dubinsky pass that reminded me of his rookie year on the power play with Jagr.

A little one-timer in front of the net from a pass on the boards. Here's an idea Tom, put f'ing Prucha on the power play. It's nice to see Prucha gaining a little bit of his confidence back. Good for him.

-"I'm gunna slap you silly" That must have been what Alexander Semin said to Marc Staal when he unleashed his furry on him. He really handed out a beating with that barrage of open palm slaps. I hope Marc Staal's ok. According to Ron Duguay, the bone jarring fight was like "my sister beating me up." That beat down must have brought back some bad family memories for Dugy. You're so silly Semin. So so silly.

-Wade Redden showed why Glen Sather signed him to that big contract this summer. He has a mean right hook. His fighting skills add $6.5 million of value to the team. Fanf'ingtastic. Oh and while were on the fighting topic, Sidney Crosby had a temper tantrum tonight.

I use to think that the Rangers were a good power play away from winning a Cup. But now that Jagr's gone and the way the teams playing, I'm just no sure anymore. Especially after watching teams like Detroit, San Jose, Boston, Chicago, and yes the Capitals.

And yeah, I left the Pens out, they can sit on it.

But seriously, when will enough be enough?

This article is also featured on The Manic Ranger.

The Pond at Fenway Park, The Winter Classic 2010

Ryan McFadden — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:19:02 -0500

This year's Winter Classic at Wrigley Field only gave credence to the idea of making the game an annual New Years Day tradition. If there's one good thing Gary Bettman and the rest of the NHL big whigs have done over the past few years, it's creating this outdoor event that showcases the league and the sport of hockey as a whole.

In continuing the new tradition of the Winter Classic, the NHL needs to carefully decide where and with what teams next year's Classic will include. It is important the league decides on two teams that represent a large market. It is also important that the two teams they choose are doing well.

Sorry that leaves you out Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Phoenix and the rest of the bottom feeders.

The league also needs to continue to use the Winter Classic for showcasing its stars. Last year in Buffalo it was Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. This year it was Patrick Kane, Johnathan Toews, Pavel Datsuyk, Henrik Zetterberg, and Nickolas Lidstrom.

So what two teams and what venue should the NHL choose for next year's game?

The New York Rangers and the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park.

The reasoning for this choice is sound. The Rangers and the Bruins are both original six teams, they both will be in contention for the playoffs, they represent large markets, and their is already an existing rivalry between New York and Boston.

In addition to that, both rosters have plenty of star power. The Bruins have Phil Kessel, Patrice Bergeron, Marc Savard, Zdeno Chara, and Blake Wheeler. The Rangers have Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Marc Staal, Nikolai Zherdev, and of course Henrik Lundqvist.

This year's Classic showed that baseball stadiums are a better venue for an outdoor game. The smaller confines naturally allow the fans to be closer to the playing surface, making them more a part of the game.

Fenway Park would be perfect for an outdoor game. It's a smaller ballpark that's just as storied as Wrigley Field is. Plus how cool would it be too see the green monster overlooking an NHL rink?

Naturally, Ranger fans would like this game to be played at the new Yankee Stadium. And although this also would be a nice idea, the weather in New York is too unpredictable. The game needs to be played in a city where it's consistently cold outside and the winters in New York fluctuate too often.

NY Rangers vs. the Boston Bruins

Fenway Park

New Years Day 2010

Make it happen Gary Bettman.

Who Doesn't Love Sidney Crosby?

Ryan McFadden — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 22:53:00 -0500

Before Sidney Crosby even played in a professional hockey game, he was appointed the "golden child" of the NHL.

He was given comparisons to Wayne Gretzky and was expected to be the savior of the league following an embarrassing lockout.

The NHL put all its eggs in one basket with an all-Crosby, all-the-time marketing machine.

And why wouldn't they?

In the NHL's and the media's eyes, they saw a good-looking, polite, young Canadian hockey player who scored inthe juniors at a rate only comparable to the greats of the past.

More importantly, they thought they saw the next Wayne Gretzky.

Too bad they were wrong.

Crosby would become a great hockey player, an All-Star, one of the best players in the league. But he was in many ways no different than any other superstars that had already been in the league.

However, if you weren't more than a casual hockey fan, the media bonanza created by the NHL and the media for Crosby would lead one to believe otherwise.

Crosby isn't even hands down the best player on his team. In fact, Evgeni Malkin is consistently a much more dangerous threat when he's on the ice.

Even worse is that Crosby is a less than classy player. He bickers with referees and is a notorious diver. I know Penguins fans will come up with some b.s. excuse, but it is undeniable that Crosby takes dives whenever he can.

The best evidence was last year's playoffs where he made a mockery of hockey flopping onto the ice whenever he was given the slightest contact. To makes matters worse, the Penguins capitalized off these unwarranted opportunities on the power play.

Sean Avery has his antics, but Sidney Crosby has his own. A perfect example showed in a game against the Atlanta Thrashers this season, where Crosby, while in a scuffle infront of the Thrashers net, continuously punched an Atlanta player in his ass/balls region.

It was a pitiful display, but the completely unbiased Canadien personalities on TSN thought it was funny. If that was any other player in the NHL, something would be s

aid about it.

A matter of fact, a perfect example of this is the much hated Sean Avery. Avery and Crosby both share something in common—they both take dives. But only one of them has been suspended for it. Only one of them has been sounded off on by the media.

Something's wrong with that. Crosby is held to a double standard, regardless of how he behaves he can do no wrong.

The sad thing is, I think he acts like he knows this.

No other league uses nearly all their resources marketing one player. The only league that even comes close to doing so is the NBA with LeBron James, but that pales in comparison because a large portion of LeBron's marketing is through Nike.

There are other star players in the NHL worthy of being mentioned. Does Crosby deserve recognition? Of course, he's a great hockey player, but his dominate 'Gretzky-like" greatness is a figment of the media's imagination.

He's portrayed as the best player in a league where clearly he is not. That title goes to Alexander Ovechkin, who is not only one of the most prolific goal scorers ever to play the game but also plays a more complete game. He's just as creative as Crosby, covers his own end defensively, but is also a fierce physical player. Something Crosby absolutely is not.

Also, Ovechkin didn't have the luxury of being surrounded by other talent the past few seasons. Whereas Crosby has had Malkin and Marian Hossa, Ovechkin has always been the primary threat for the Capitals since he came over from the Russian Super League.

Not to mention that Ovechkin has much more personality than Crosby, and is the most exciting hockey player to watch in the league.

But then again, the NHL has other stars that should also be marketed. How about Phil Kessel or Mike Richards? What about Joe Thornton, Ryan Getzlaf, or Anze Kopitar? What about Henrik Lundqvist?

The NHL's use of Crosby as the face of the "new" NHL is despicable and in the long run will only weaken the league's image. There are nearly a thousand other hockey players in the NHL whose names aren't Sidney Crosby.

But don't tell that to the NHL—and heaven forbid the hockey writers talk about anyone besides the great Sid The Kid.

But hey, at least the NHL's marketing campaign has been affective. Crosby has nearly two-thirds more All-Star votes than Alexander Ovechkin, who truly is the best player in the NHL. For what other reason would Crosby have so many more votes than him?

Note to Tom Renney: Keep Petr Prucha in the Rangers Lineup

Ryan McFadden — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:08:00 -0500

By the skin of their teeth, the Rangers managed to pull out a 5-4 victory against the lowly New York Islanders Monday.

Although it was a much-needed two points, it was not quite the assurance Rangers fans may have wanted. They continued their trend of playing mediocre defense and—no surprise here—DimitriKalinen and Wade Redden were responsible for a goal apiece.

Regardless, if there's one thing Tom Renney can take away from this game, it's that his inhumane treatment of Petr Prucha, who scored a big goal tonight, has gone on long enough.

Prucha once again showed he deserves to be in the lineup. More importantly, he showed that his energetic style of play can help this struggling Rangers team. If there's anything Renney must do in the coming weeks, it's keepPrucha regularly in the lineup.

Prucha is much more valuable to the Rangers donning his No. 25 that sitting in a press box in a shirt and tie for weeks at a time. He's a player who scored 30 goals his rookie season, followed by 22 in his sophomore year.

His production fell last year as he was removed from the power play and began occupying a spot on the fourth line. Nonetheless, he still has the ability and, more importantly, the desire to be a good NHL player.

The Rangers need a confident, scoring Petr Prucha. If he is given the opportunity to return to his previous form, he will give the team everything he has.

And if he fails? He's still a better option than Dan Fritsche, Patrick Rissmiller, or Freddy Sjostrom on the third line.

The only question is whether Renney will keep Prucha in the lineup, or will he once again return him to his spot as a permanent fixture in the doghouse?

If Renney knows what's good for the team, he will keep playing him. But, then again, I don't think many Rangers fans would be surprised if he isn't in the lineup once again in the new few games.

Brendan Shanahan: The Rangers Need to Sign Him

Ryan McFadden — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 04:44:38 -0500

The Rangers are struggling to find leadership in their locker room.

Their power play continues to fail them in key situations and they're struggling to put pucks in the back of the net. Glen Sather needs to do what he should have done before training camp opened this season. He needs to sign Brendan Shanahan.

Shanahan continues to skate as he hopes to find a home in the near future. His desire to play one last season with the Rangers, or at the very least to play somewhere on the East Coast, is well known.

The Rangers missed out on Mats Sundin because they couldn't free up enough cap space. The beauty about signing Shanahan is that he wouldn't require a major cap clearing move at this point in the season. He could provide a jolt to a team that is in the midst of a tailspin.

Shanahan is one of the true leaders in hockey. He's an old school hockey player, and he wouldn't be afraid to let loose in the locker room after a debacle like the game against Ovechkin and the Capitals last week. He wouldn't have had a problem calling players out in between periods in that heartless performance against the Devils on Saturday.

Chris Drury and Scott Gomez are respected players, but they are not the kind of leader this team needs. Drury's personality is too mild mannered and along with Tom Renney, this team has no sense of urgency. Shanahan could fix that.

Brandon Dubinsky has struggled for most of the season. He couldn't escape the sophomore slump that seems to grab most players. Last season he centered a hall of famer in Jaromir Jagr. This year he's centering the likes of Aaron Voros, Lauri Korpikoski, and Freddy Sjostrom.

No offense to these players, but they're no Jagr. Dubinsky could use Shanahan on his line. He needs some veteran guidance and a proven goal scorer on his wing.

There are doubts that Shanahan still has any good hockey in him. The skeptics point to his poor performance in the playoffs last year as evidence that he wouldn't be able to help an NHL team. People forget that towards the end of last year, Shanahan collided with Dion Phaneuf and was badly hurt. He played through the injury but his performance suffered. This was the cause of his drop off, not his age.

There's still plenty of hockey left in those legs.

Do The Rangers Need Sean Avery?

Ryan McFadden — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:38:25 -0500

This Rangers team is a throwback to two years ago before they acquired Sean Avery. They’re a vanilla team with no rough edges, no attitude. Their play reflects their lack of personality as a team. They have yet to establish any sort of identity.They’re in a tailspin, everyone is seemingly reaching for answers, explanations and solutions of how to fix the problem. Is Sean Avery once again the answer to the Rangers troubles?

Avery’s problems in Dallas were well documented. The fact of the matter is, Brett Hull should never have brought him into that locker room. Despite his personal feelings about Sean Avery, he would never have been welcome in the Stars room.

The Stars knew full well of Avery’s antics before he even arrived in the Lonestar state. Avery fought captain Brendan Morrow on numerous occasions. Even if Avery was a perfect gentleman, he most likely never would have been a good fit with the Stars.

Unlike the Stars, the Rangers were a perfect fit for Sean Avery. Most of players had never played against him since he was playing in LA. They never actually had faced his antics, only heard of them.

But is Sean Avery right for this Rangers team?

Yes.

The Rangers need a guy whose going to play with an attitude. They need someone whose going to get under the opponents' skin. Aaron Voros is suppose to be that player, but he’s no Sean Avery. He might not be readily welcome in the Rangers locker room, but right now they need a spark. Avery provided it once already for the Rangers and it would be a good bet to say he can do it again.

Devils Burn Rangers, Another Poor Performance by Rangers

Ryan McFadden — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 01:02:16 -0500

Flashes of individual efforts do not win games in the NHL. The Rangers were outplayed in every aspect of the game by a Devils team that played with a sense of urgency and intensity the Rangers did not seem to care to match. They were beaten to the majority of the loose pucks and were outworked at both ends of the ice for the large majority of the game. The Rangers seem to be caught in sinkhole of incompetence and indifference. They are a team desperate for a leader to emerge or they will continue to sink into the depths of mediocrity.

There is a laundry list of things the Rangers did wrong tonight. But the most disheartening mistake they committed was they were outworked as a team. In that regard, they were dominated by the blue collar Devils. Although there was some positive plays by Lauri Korpikoski, Marc Staal and Nigel Dawes, they were totally outplayed. It was disheartening to see another poor performance of this magnitude by a team that looks to be spiraling down the drain.

Changes need to be made. Last night's game only gave credence to this idea. A trade of some kind is required. As an outsider, it is difficult to say for who, since knowledge of which players might be readily available is limited. But some new blood needs to be brought into that locker room. Brendan Shanahan needs to be signed. If he has not already thought about retiring, this team could use his leadership in the locker room and on the ice. The inhumane treatment of Petr Prucha needs to be stopped for the team's own good. A performing Petr Prucha would be a big pick-me-up for the team.

There have been no rumblings about Renney’s job security (except among Ranger fans) that would indicate he is in any danger of being canned. But it is becoming more and more evident that he is wrong for this team. From his incompetent coaching staff to his bogus line combinations, everything he does of late seems to have a negative impact on the Rangers performance.

This team needs help.

NHL Trade Deadline Deals That The New York Rangers Could Make

Ryan McFadden — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:40:30 -0500

The Rangers have of wholes that need to be filled before the trade deadline. In my opinion the first thing on their wish list should be Jay Bouwmeester. Its sad that the three guys on their back line who are being paid the most, Kalinen, Redden, and Rozsival, are their three weakest and most unreliable defenseman.

One of them needs to go for the Rangers to have a chance.

I’m not sure why Bobby Sanguinetti or Corey Potter aren’t being given a chance over Redden and Kalinen at this point. Kalinen has done NOTHING for the team and is one of those guys who next year will end up playing in Europe because he cant get an NHL job. Maybe a nice fix to the defensive problems would be to sit him or Redden in the press box for a game or two and let Sanguinetti or Kalinen have a shot at it.

Of course the Rangers also need a scoring winger and the obvious candidates are Marian Gaborik and Ilya Kovalchuk. Of course before the deadline I want the Rangers to sign Shanahan to play with Dubinsky, but I’ll have a seperate post for that. I think the Rangers would love to take a shot at Kovalchuk.

He’s the pure scoring winger the Rangers dont have and desperately need. The price tag for him I think would be too large since he still has a year on his contract. To this point, Atlanta’s GM hasn’t made him available, but I would expect he would at least field some offers.

The price tag for Gaborik I expect would be lower, the two sides seem like they can’t wait for this divorce to happen. He’s notoriously injury prone and has missed a large chunk of the season already with that mysterious groin injury. Maybe the Rangers can swap Rozsival and Dawes along with a draft pick for him? I would like that trade, Minnesota probably wouldn’t but who asked them.

Regardless of who becomes available and who the Rangers want to trade for, they need to make some cap clearing moves sooner rather than later. A trade that would have sent Rozsival to Dallas fell through shortly before Sundin took the money and headed out west.

I don’t think that Rozsival will be a Ranger after the deadline. He doesnt have a NTC and he’s the player with the largest contract that the Rangers would be able to generate interest in. If the Rangers aren’t going to play Petr Prucha, he needs to be given a shot somewhere else. Hes played three times in the last 20 games. And what for?

Renney cannot sit there and tell me that Freddy Sjostrom is a more viable option to play with Dubinsky. But that’s for another time.

Just for the record, these trades are all speculation based on my own knowledge of what I think the Rangers need and what will probably be available..

Glen Sather: Fire The Old Man

Ryan McFadden — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:42:13 -0500

Glen Sather, you are currently in the process of seemingly doing everything you can to destroy my favorite team, the New York Rangers. For this reason you need to be fucking fired before a fellow fan hunts you down and throws you down the stairs in Penn Station.

It needs to be said first that Sather has made a few good decisions in the past few years. Trading up to draft Marc Staal, drafting Cherepanov when nobody else wanted to (RIP), trading for Nikky Zherdev, and Sean Avery. All very good decisions improving the team.

But—and I mean a huge fucking—but he signed Wade Redden, re-signed Michal Rozsival, made Christian Backman and Freddy Sjostrom his deadline improvements last season, didn’t sign Brendan Shanahan, signed both Drury and Gomez when he only needed one, drafted Al Montoya and Hugh Jessimen with first-round picks, signed a surplus of third-liners, and the list goes on and on.

Oh, and did I mention he completely screwed the Rangers salary cap?

Wade Fucking Redden. What more is there to say? I was pissed when he signed him to that deal, and now words can’t even describe the absolute disgust. He is the Rangers' highest-paid defenseman, yet he is a liability every time he's on the ice, has probably made the power play worse—if that's possible—and he is probably the softest player in the NHL. All the while not looking like he really gives a shit.

This signing is going to handcuff the team for years to come—more so than the other big contracts the team has—because he gives the team absofuckinglutely nothing in return! He his putrid, there is no better way to describe him. Putrid. Six years, $6.5 million in cap hit per—the old man is on PCP. There is no way to justify this signing. Hopefully some GM who's more delusional than Sather will give the Rangers a bag of pucks for him.

He never should have signed both Scott Gomez and Chris Drury. He really only needed one. There was no reason to go and commit $14 million a year on two players of their caliber. Don’t get me wrong, they’re both great players—but they’re not difference makers. They’re no Henrik Zetterberg or Marian Hossa, both of which are UFA this summer and the Rangers have no chance of signing.

He drafted Michael Del Zotto and Bobby Sanguinetti with first-round picks. Fantastic, so far it looks like that was a good decision. The Rangers have Marc Staal, who is shaping into the one of the top five defensemen in the league, and Dan Girardi, who is one of the most underrated defensemen in the NHL. Both young, Rangers-produced defensemen who are making an impact right now in the NHL.

So why in the hell would he sign Wade Redden and Michael Rozsival? Committing $11.5 million dollars long term to players who are probably the two weakest defenseman on the team. What was the point of drafting both Del Zotto and Sanguinetti? why seemingly give up on both of them before they are even given an opportunity?

Now the team has two expensive sub par defenseman who may lead to the Rangers to be unable to re-sign Marc Staal when his time comes, and put a question mark on whether the Rangers will be able to re-sign Nikky Zherdev when he goes RFA this summer. Dumb-ass decisions. At the very least he could have just signed one of them, once again NOT both.

The salary cap, in my opinion, is the Rangers' biggest issue. It has already caused problems with their inability to sign Mats Sundin because they have no space. It most likely will leave the Rangers without the option to make a difference making trade at the deadline. It will leave them out of the running for Zetterberg, Gaborik, Bouwmeester, and Hossa this summer.

But my biggest problem with the salary cap relates to the economy. The cap has gone up significantly every year since the lockout. I think Glen Sather was banking on the increase to allow space after signing these large contracts.

But now that the country is in a recession, the excessively ticket-sales-reliant NHL most likely will not have a cap increase this summer, and maybe for the next couple of seasons. Futhermore, its going to make the Gomez, Drury, Redden and Rozsival contracts look even worse, because players like Zetterberg and Hossa—who are significantly better players—are going to be taking pay cuts this summer.

If Major League Baseball is cutting back on salary, with the exception of the Yankees, the NHL will also be doing so.

New York Rangers Need a Change

Ryan McFadden — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:04:46 -0500

Regardless of the Rangers' record, things need to change.

Their record is nothing more than a smokescreen, a figment of the imagination.

I generally do not want to be negative about the Rangers, but I just can’t help myself at this point in the season—especially after watching that disaster against Washington the other night.

The third period was truly the Alexander Ovechkin show—and as much as I enjoy watching him play, it was excruciating to watch the Rangers collapse and look indifferent.

I have been a huge advocate for Tom Renney. I appreciate everything he’s done for the team. Three consecutive playoff appearances after the lockout—impressive and noteworthy.

However, I begin to wonder how much of that success should be attributed to his coaching, versus Jaromir Jagr’s record-setting season following the lockout and the emergence of the King himself, Henrik Lundqvist.

I have come to the conclusion that Renney, although he was a part of that, cannot be given all the credit, and at this point, he is hurting the Rangers.

His line combinations are laughable. How can he justify playing Chris Drury with Nigel Dawes and Ryan Callahan flanking him? I am a huge Ryan Callahan fan—I think he's earned those minutes and that opportunity.

But Nigel Dawes? It’s a waste of Drury. At the very least he needs to move Naslund to play alongside Drury, and I would like to see Callahan play with Gomez and Zherdev.

It’s hard to justify firing a coach with Renney’s record, but in my opinion, if the Rangers don't at the very least advance to the semi-finals, he needs to be let go. They need a different coach, one who, in-between periods during a game, like the one against the Capitals, will unleash hell on the team and wake them up.

They need a coach with a definite and strong voice. Maybe John Tortorella is the right answer. I can’t be sure, but I do know that this is a different Rangers team.

They have no clear leadership, no voice in the locker room. Chris Drury is a class act; an example of how a professional athlete should behave, and an example of how the game should be played—but he’s not the right leader for this team.

This brings me to my next point—the Rangers need to sign Brendan Shanahan. For all the skeptics out there, let me ask you a question. Who is going to score more goals this season—Lauri Korpikoski, Nigel Dawes, Aaron Voros, Dan Fritsche, Petr Prucha, or Brendan Shanahan? The question practically answers itself.

Shanny would have exploded after the game last night. He's a throwback veteran who would have had no problem standing up in the center of the room and saying what needs to be said. He can play on the third line with Dubinsky, which would give him a veteran to play with, and maybe will help him move on from his sophomore slump.

Why Sather didn’t sign him after training camp is beyond me. Instead, he collected a surplus of third-line players who are clogging up cap space and giving next to nothing in return. Well done Glen, well done.

Tom Renney Mixes Things Up for Rangers

Ryan McFadden — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:12:31 -0400

From Rangers Report:

Tom Renney looks like he’ll be jumbling his lines for tomorrow in Columbus, most notably by putting Nikolai Zherdev with Chris Drury and Markus Naslund.

Here’s what was practicing together today:

Dawes-Gomez-Callahan

Naslund-Drury-Zherdev

Voros-Dubinsky-Fritsche

Sjostrom-Betts-Orr

In order for the Rangers to have a successful season, they need Naslund and Drury to pick things up and become real scoring threats. I’m not sure that moving Zherdev on their line is going to solve their problems.

I also don’t think that having Ryan Callahan and Nigel Dawes on the first line is going to keep any sustained offense throughout the season. I like both players, especially Callahan, but I just can’t see the team being successful for an extended period of time with both of them on the first line.

I think that Renney at some point is going to move Zherdev alongside Gomez and put Callahan with Dubinsky and Voros. I would prefer Renney to give Prucha a shot with Drury and Naslund, but being that it looks like Prucha once again is not going to be dressed, I don't see that happening in the near future.

Let Petr Prucha Play: Rangers Need to Try Something Else

Ryan McFadden — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:45:14 -0400

The Rangers are struggling to find the right combination with Naslund and Drury. Lauri Korpikoski has been given a chance, as has Patrick Rissmiller, who has since been put on waivers (why he was signed in the first place still boggles my mind).

Why not give Petr Prucha a real shot at making an impact on the team and developing chemistry with those two for a few games? And, yes, give him a few games to work things out and get his game back. Not one game and then put him in the press box for a week. Prucha could be an invaluable asset to the team if he can return to the 30-goal form he showed when he was a rookie.

Prucha would fit nicely alongside Drury and Gomez. He has speed, he works hard in the tough parts of the ice, and he has the ability to finish. Why is he sitting in the press box when a guy like Rissmiller is getting playing time with Drury and Naslund?

Last night against the Stars, Rissmiller did nothing but get in the way of those two. If Renney isn’t going to play Prucha, they should trade him to a team that will. It’s not fair to have him become more and more demoralized dressing in street clothes every night for really no reason at all.

In the three games he's dressed for, he hasn't played poorly. He made some things happen and had some chances, but just didn’t finish. If you're going to scratch a player for not being able to finish the play, why not bench Naslund or Drury? If you wouldn’t bench them for that reason, then it makes zero sense to bench Prucha.

I hope to see Prucha dressed for Friday's game against the Jackets. Not buried on the fourth line, either—playing quality minutes and given a real opportunity.

Red Wings Edge Blueshirts 5-4 In OT

Ryan McFadden — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:29:04 -0400

The Rangers played a great game, but once again it was an incomplete performance. They were sleep walking through the first eight minutes and in the end that was the difference in the game. They allowed the first Wings goal 23 seconds into the game on a dramatic deflection that Lundqvist simply didn’t have a chance to stop.

When the Rangers finally woke up they were down 2-0. When they finally started playing their game they came storming back and built a 4-3 lead. They were an awful ‘too many men on the ice’ call away from winning the game. Although there were some negatives in the Rangers game, they cant take away plenty of positives from their biggest test to date.

The new line of Dawes Gomez Callahan excelled. They were able to keep the puck in the Wings zone and outwork them in the corners. Dawes and Callahan both scored nice goals off nifty passes from Gomez who played fantastic and aside from Lundqvist was the Rangers best player throughout the game.

Henrik Lundqvist and Marian Hossa

The Zherdev Dubinsky Voros line played well again with Voros tallying two goals. This line is going to be a staple throughout the season, they have natural chemistry and Aaron Voros is looking to be an absolute steal in FA.

Zherdev is starting to look more comfortable and is beginning to handle the puck more efficiently and played well. As for Dubinsky, well as I’ve been saying since the playoffs last year, this kids going to be something very special.

The one major concern that become evident during the game, is the lack of production/chemistry from Drury and Naslund. The Rangers are excelling offensively even without them doing much of anything. But they’re going need production from those two as the season progresses.

At some point the Dubinsky line is going to slow down and if Drury and Naslund aren’t there to pick up the slack theres going to be a serious issue. Renney had Korpikoski playing the wing along side them but he seemed to be holding the stick too tightly and doesn’t look to be the answer.

Despite the loss, the Rangers showed they can compete and IMO win against the improved Stanley Cup Champions. I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing this matchup again sometime later in the year.

New York Rangers Beat Metallurg For Victoria Cup Championship

Ryan McFadden — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:33:39 -0400

Ryan Callahan scored with 20 seconds left in the game to complete a 4-3 comeback victory over Metallurg Magnitogorsk. The Rangers fell behind 3-0 in the second period, partly due to the shaky play of Henrik Lundqvist, but managed to score three third period goals to seal the victory. Chris Drury notched two power play goals. Dan Fritsche also added a tally.

In a very classy move, Gomez and Drury had Zherdev and Kalinin go out to accept the Victoria Cup trophy. Kalinin played for Metallurg and Zherdev is the lone Russian on the team. It was good to see the Rangers get the victory but the play of Lundy is somewhat concerning.

At certain points during the game he did not look comfortable at all in net and let in a few softies. Some fans may say that the Rangers should be embarrassed the game was so close but Metallurg is a good team. The NHL maybe the best league in the world, but the KHL is bighting at its heels. Add in the unfamiliarly large ice surface, a crazy Finnish ref and large amounts of travel and the playing field gets equaled.

The Victoria Cup was a good overall experience. I hope the IIHF and the NHL get together again next year to do something similar.

Rangers Bash SC Bern 8-1

Ryan McFadden — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:22:35 -0400

The Rangers scored six goals in the third period to complete an 8-1 victory over SC Bern in PostFinance Arena.

Brandon Dubinsky continued his excellent play, notching two goals. One of these was an absolute beaut. He toe dragged his way around a Bern d-man and then waited out the goalie to slip in a backhand.

The Rangers also got goals from Drury, Redden, Prucha, Korpikoski, Potter, and Girardi. The power play had plenty of chances and was very dominant against the weaker Bern PK.

It was very exciting to see the Rangers play a European team. Although the NHLers are the only ones with anything to lose in these exhibition games, it’s interesting to see them play teams you otherwise would never hear about.

Plus, the European fans really know how to watch a hockey game. They cram into standing room only areas, singing in unison and banging drums throughout the game.

The only negative is that the NHL teams that had these games on their schedule had to accelerate their normal preseason games with NHL teams and then add on additional overseas travel.

New York Rangers Let The Cuts Begin

Ryan McFadden — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:26:06 -0400

Its being reported that Petr Nedved has been released by the Rangers. Although I hoped he would make the team, the logistics of the situation not his play was the reason for his release.

There simply was not a spot available at center for him to take. The only possible spot would have been on the fourth line, a role his game is not at all suited for. The team is also pressed against the cap and it would have been difficult to make a fair offer. Maybe Nedved will catch on elsewhere with another NHL team.

Its also being reported that Artem Anisimov, Greg Moore, Dale Weise, Andreas Jamtin, Hugh Jessimen, Bobby Sanguinetti, Mike Sauer, Vladimir Denisov, Maxim Kondratiev, Thomas Zaborsky, Matt Zaba, Tom Pyatt, P.A. Parenteau, Justin Soryal and Thomas Pock were re-assigned to Hartford.

Michael Del Zotto was very impressive during his stay with the Rangers but along with Tomas Kundratek, he was destined to return to Juniors. I’m looking forward to seeing his performance this year in the OHL, I fully expect him to tear the league up.

Evgeny Grachev whose going to play for Brampton this year was re-assigned to Hartford. This leaves a handful of forwards still vying for a job. Dan Fritsche, Patrick Rissmiller, Freddy Sjostrom, Aaron Voros and Lauri Korpikoski. I think that Korpikoski, thus far has earned himself a spot and will make the team.

Aaron Voros also looks like he may be a lock. I like Sjostrom's playing style but I think he may be the odd man out. Patrick Rissmiller and his $1 million cap hit, along with his invisible play, could become a casualty.

The New York Rangers Re-Tool Their Roster For a New Approach

Ryan McFadden — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:35:58 -0400

Almost a week after free agency began, the Rangers roster seems to be near completion. The Rangers have moved on leaving their captain behind and have entered a new era, a Jagr-less era. The team has a completely revamped roster following the mass exodus that included Jagr and fan favorite Sean Avery.

The team has several new faces; Wade Redden, Nikolai Zherdev, Markus Naslund, Dimitri Kalinin and Dan Fritsche. The likes of Michael Rozsival, Paul Mara and Stephen Valiquette returned for another season with the Blueshirts. Although the make up of the salaries and contracts are not ideal for a number of players, I think I like this team.

Although Jagr has left for Russia and Avery is heading to Dallas, the new team has promise and just may be better than it was when Marian Hossa ended the Rangers Cup dreams a few months ago.

The young players like Marc Staal, Brandon Dubinsky, Nigel Dawes and Ryan Callahan are no longer rookies hoping to stay on the roster. The front office and Rangers fans a like have high hopes for this group that also includes Artem Anisimov and Lauri Korpikoski who spent last season with the Wolfpack.

Brandon Dubinsky has the most potential of all the Rangers young guns. I just hope that without Jagr at his hip he doesn’t forget everything he learned from him.

Some may say that Markus Naslund is washed up after two poor seasons in Vancouver, but I disagree. Naslund was playing in a Devils like system with the Canucks after Crawford left and his production decreased.

He also didn’t have a highly talented center like Scott Gomez or Chris Drury to play alongside. I fully expect Naslund to solidly contribute to the team. Hopefully he won’t have that meet and greet period that slows his play because he has played for Renney in the past.

Im not expecting him to score over 40 goals and return to his prime, but if he could notch 25 or more he would fulfill his role in my eyes. Canucks fans are heartbroken that he is no longer in Vancouver, there must be a reason.

I personally have extremely high expectations for Nikolai Zherdev, very very high. It would be a true shame if he doesn’t realize his full potential as a hockey player. He has the most upside of any new acquisition to the team and maybe even more than Staal or Dubinsky.

Zherdev has the talent to be a perennial all-star, but he also has the attitude that can forever hide that talent. It’s known that he did not enjoy playing for Ken Hitchcock, maybe Renney will help him develop.

The defence on paper is stronger than it was last season. Girardi and Staal have a full season under their belts and they now have the power play threat they’ve desperately needed in Wade Redden. He may be overpaid but a change in scenery will do him good and he can elevate his play.

Rozsival is better suited to be number two or three defenceman (even though his contract is as if he is a true number 1) and with Mara re-signing it gives the blue line great depth. Although currently there is no open spot for Sanguinetti, it may be best for the moment.

It removes any added pressure that may be put on him to perform and if he does make the team, it only adds to the defences great depth. There is no true bruiser on defence, but that is a mindset that every D-man should adopt. Mara and Staal are both big bodied players they should try to incorporate that into their game more this season.

This team is new and it will take awhile to get use to the loss of Jagr. Rangers fans should be forever thankful for what he as done for the organization. But the team has real potential and that’s all one can hope for at the end of free agency.

Jaromir Jagr Has $35M Reasons To Leave The Rangers

Ryan McFadden — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:56:14 -0400

Jaromir Jagr has had a very successful tenure in New York. He has made the playoffs three years in a row, he became only the third Ranger ever to score 50 or more goals in a season, and he won the Lester B. Pearson Award (given to the league's most outstanding player).

During the first season after the lockout, Jagr carried the Rangers on his back and led them to the playoffs. Even though he struggled mightily this past season, he returned to form during the playoffs and showed he can still play at a high level.

However, with a $35M after-tax offer from Omsk-Avangard, the Russian team he played with during the lockout, his return to Broadway seems to be highly doubtful.

Jagr let it be known after the Rangers were eliminated from the playoffs that he had a number of family considerations to factor into his decision of whether or not he would return to the NHL and the Rangers. This offer definitely makes it seem more attractive to play closer to home.

Jagr has repeatedly said he wants to return to New York—but he wants a multi-year contract. At this point, Glenn Sather's offer is for one year, with incentive-laden parameters similar to Brendan Shanahan's contract last season.

It has been relatively clear that Jagr wants to know that the Rangers will still be his team when he returns. This notion is one of the reasons why Sather signed the 'Czech Brigade' (Straka, Roszival, etc) following the lockout—to make Jagr feel comfortable. That plan has worked thus far, but it's time to move in a different direction with Gomez and Drury in their prime.

If Jagr takes a one-year offer, he would help the Rangers—especially if they can't sign Marian Hossa. But, signing him for two or three years is only prolonging the inevitable end of the Jagr era in New York. It is unlikely that Jagr will accept a one-year offer, as it only cements the idea in his mind that the Rangers are preparing to move on with plans that do not include him.

A stubborn-as-a-mule Glenn Sather, combined with a $35M offer on the table from Omsk-Avangard, makes it very likely that Jagr will be saying goodbye to Broadway and saying hello to Russia.

The New York Rangers and Free Agency: Who Should They Target?

Ryan McFadden — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:25:56 -0400

The New York Rangers are quite a possibly a few free agent signings away from making a serious bid for the Stanley Cup. They were ousted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the conference semi-finals last season when a number of weaknesses within their lineup became glaringly evident.

The Rangers power play was ineffective in vital situations throughout the series and they also had inopportune defensive lapses, both of which cost them the series.

In addition to deciding which free agents should be signed, Rangers General Manager Glenn Sather needs to choose the fate of free agents from his own squad. The team's captain Jaromir Jagr, along with Sean Avery, Brendan Shanahan, Michael Roszival, Marek Malik, Martin Straka, Stephen Valliquete, and Paul Mara are all soon to be free agents.

It is already apparent that Sather is unwisely going to allow Sean Avery loose on the market. Straka, Roszival, Malik, and Mara also appear to be hitting the market. This will leave Sather and the Rangers with a number of roster spots to fill while improving the make-up of the team.

The Rangers are also going to have to pick and choose the free agents they are going to target while keeping in the mind the young talent they have in their own system.

The Rangers have defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti and quite a few young forwards who are set to make an impact in the 2008-2009 season.

With all of this in mind, who should the Rangers target?

It is obvious that they need a defenseman who can quarterback the powerplay. The two top free agents to fill that void are Wade Redden and Brian Campbell.

Redden's price, which could be around $7M, could not justify his signing. Even though Campbell could be demanding a similar salary, he would immensely help the Rangers by filling two voids: their need for a power play quarterback and a defenseman capable of shutting down the opposing team's best player.

However, if the Rangers believe that offensive defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti will fulfill his hype, the Rangers could target a cheaper alternative to Brian Campbell. They could look to sign John Michael-Liles, who wouldn't demand a contract larger then $3M and would be a nice stopgap until Sanguinetti is ready.

The Rangers also need to target a hard hitting defenseman like Brooks Orpik to the fill the void left by Paul Mara. However, Orpik may be overpriced. A better alternative could be Mike Commodore, who is essentially the same player as Orpik, but has less hype and should be cheaper. Either way, the Rangers need somebody who actually fully understands what "clearing the crease" means.

In addition to defense, the Rangers have holes to fill up front.

Even though players like Lauri Korpikoski and Artem Anisimov appear to be NHL ready, they still need a marquee forward who isn't Jagr to play with Scott Gomez. Assuming Jagr signs, he is not the future of the organization and the team needs a player who can mesh with Gomez for the next couple of seasons.

Marian Hossa has a lot of Rangers fans excited. The simple fact is that unless he truly desires to wear blue and takes less money, the Rangers will not be able to fit him under the cap while fulfilling their other needs.

Did I mention Sather needs to settle any differences he has with Sean Avery and just give the man his $3.5M? The Rangers record with and without Avery speaks for itself.

The Rangers have a lot of options to think about and at the moment nothing is certain. The one thing that is, is this offseason is going to determine the Rangers future for the next few years and it hinges on the decisions made by Glenn Sather.

New York Rangers and Mats Sundin Talking Contract

Ryan McFadden — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:02:28 -0400

The New York Rangers are one of the few teams who have been given permission by Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher to start contract talks with free-agent-to-be Mats Sundin.

The Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens are believed to be Sundin's top two choices if he decides to leave the Toronto Maple Leafs after twelve Hall of Fame seasons. The Detroit Red Wings are also believed to be interested in making a move for Sundin, but have yet to contact the Maple Leafs about speaking with him before July 1.

As wonderful a player as he is, a Sundin signing would be a step back in the Rangers progress as an organization. The New York Rangers are no longer a retirement home for the league's aging stars. Not only do the Rangers not have an opening for Sundin, they have better options within the organization.

Last offseason they signed Scott Gomez and Chris Drury. They also have a rising star in a young Brandon Dubinsky, and a Selke award-worthy Blair Betts. There is no need to overpay for an unneeded center.

The Rangers should be pursuing a defenseman who can solve their woes on the power play, and a high scoring winger to play alongside Scott Gomez—not going after an old NHL star who is a few years past his prime.

New York Rangers: Michael Del Zotto Headed To Broadway As 20th Overall Pick

Ryan McFadden — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 03:23:35 -0400

The Rangers took Michael Del Zotto of the OHL's Oshawa Generals with the 20th overall pick.

To put it simply, Del Zotto is an offensive defenseman who has a world of talent. He is capable of effectively quarterbacking the power play and is a solid puck-moving defenseman. In the past two years, he's played alongside phenom Johnathan Tavares, who many consider to be the next Sidney Crosby.

For all the capabilities Del Zotto has offensively, he lacks them on defense. In order for him to make the leap to Broadway Blue, he will need to work on his positioning and defensive skills.

He has a tendency to be taken out of position when he tries to jump into the play. Even though he isn't a particularly big defenseman (5-foot-11) he's a hard nosed player who looks for the big open ice hit. Although his love of hitting is a good thing, it often draws him out of the play.

Del Zotto will be a project. He's only 18 years old and will most likely be heading back to Oshawa for a third season. He'll then probably catch the back end of the Wolfpack season when his OHL season ends.

The Rangers took Bobby Sanguinetti last year in the first round, so they were not in desperate need of a player like Del Zotto. Both players are excellent offensive defensemen with power play skills.

However, at the 20th pick, Del Zotto was the best player available and should prove to be a solid future NHL player.

Bronx Bombers' Three Up, Three Down

Ryan McFadden — Mon, 12 May 2008 05:20:58 -0400

Three Up

Darrell Rasner

The 29-year-old right hander once again turned in a quality start going six innings and allowing two runs against the powerful Detroit Tigers' lineup.

Although he doesn't have the hype and attention that surrounds his counterparts Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, he is earning himself a spot in the rotation for the time being.

Rasner has good command of all his pitches, especially his curve ball which he consistently threw for strikes against the Tiger hitters.

He also attacks hitters and does not shy away from contact, something that Hughes and Kennedy need to adopt.

Robinson Cano

Although Cano has struggled mightily at the plate this year, he seems to be turning things around.

He went seven for 18 with a home run and three runs batted in. He looks to have his swing back. The Yankees need Cano to get going, especially with A-Rod and Posada on the DL.

Jason Giambi

Another struggling Yankee slugger who appears to have found his swing is Giambi. He went five for 13 with two home runs and six RBI.

Even when Giambi made outs, he was hitting the ball hard.

In what will most likely be his last season in pinstripes, it would be nice to see a guy with Giambi's power contribute to the offense.

Three Down

Kei Igawa

A $46 million bust who replaces Carl Pavano as the grossly overpaid pitcher that always seems to be on the Yankees' staff.

Igawa was pounded by Tiger bats in what hopefully will be his only start of the season. Igawa went three innings, giving up eleven hits, six earned runs, and didn't strike out a single batter.

This start, along with his woes last season, cements the fact that Igawa never will be an effective major league starter.

Everyone Involved in Signing Kei Igawa

Enough said.

Wilson Betemit

He was Swiss cheese at third base during Igawa's start. There were a few balls that he watched bounce by him into the outfield for singles or doubles that were playable. He also had an error and landed on the DL for the second time this season with a strained hamstring.