Bleacher Report - Articles by Michael Stein

What Ranger "Consistency?"

Michael Stein — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:54:34 -0500

Torts uttered that statement after the Rangers were DOMINATED 5 - 1 by the revamped Tampa Bay Lightning. He said his team had no consistency. Quite frankly (as Tom Renney used to say... constantly), he's right. We started the season losing to the Pens, dominated for the next 2 weeks, and have played average hockey since. What type of team do we have here? Are the 2009 - 2010 Rangers a team that'll miss the playoffs? Are they a team that can outwork their opposition? Who knows. But, here are the catalysts, good and bad, of our team.

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2009 - 2010 Ranger Predictions

Michael Stein — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 09:01:43 -0400

Last year, right around this time, I wrote: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/43716-eight-predictions-for-the-new-york-rangers-2008-09-season/show_full In it, I predicted things like Wade Redden's average season, the same for Dubinsky, the captaincy being ultimately given to Drury, and the trading of Petr Prucha. This year, again, a few more predictions for the New York Rangers:

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New York Rangers: Who's the Odd Ranger Out?

Michael Stein — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:26:55 -0400

As per my previous article, it seems as if finally, after years of begging, the prospects are being given the chance to shine in New York. Honestly... who's the over the hill hall of famer on this team being overpaid? No Guy Lafleur, no Luc Robitaille, no Jari Kurri. A majority of players on this team are extremely hard working, determined, hungry, and are fighting for their careers. Even our captain, who albeit can be much maligned, has made a career of being that solid second line pivot... not a finesse prima donna. Here is a list of players who I have to think, are on the bubble, due to solid performances by kids like Michael Del Zotto (above), or just due to the numbers game.

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Are You Willing to Lose Brandon Dubinsky?

Michael Stein — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:58:10 -0400

If you are a reader of my columns, you know that I am an avid Brandon Dubinsky fan. However, if you have been paying any attention, there has been all kinds of talk of Dubinsky being traded. It seems that Sather hasn't even offered Dubinsky a million a year. That means that Aaron Voros gets paid more than Brandon Dubinsky. That Dubinsky isn't even worth what a 13th forward makes. Absurd. So, this leads me to believe that Glen Sather honestly doesn't believe that Dubinsky will be in the Rangers' future as a number 1 center, something many have projected him as. Sadly... and this is a few months after I got a Brandon Dubinsky jersey... it seems as if his future is not one in Ranger blue. Here are a few scenarios of Dubinsky being moved that I kinda sorta would be alright with:

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Has Glen Sather Changed the Culture of the New York Rangers?

Michael Stein — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:07:43 -0400

For starters, you should probably check out this article on NHL.com.

In it—as you should be able to take from the headline, "Searching for Diamonds in the Rough,"—is a list of up-and-coming players who could make an impact this year: quiet acquisitions, unknowns to pick up at the end of your fantasy draft, and all-around "sleeper"-type players.

The Rangers lead the pack with 4 players listed. Artem Anisimov (pictured), Matt Gilroy, Brian Boyle and Bobby Sanguinetti are named. As a fan who is quite familar with the Rangers' minor league pool of prospects, I'd add Corey Potter and Evgeny Gratchev to that list (even though, for yet another year, I'll argue Dane Byers as a fourth-line guy).

Am I the only one who finds this to be tremendous? Ryan McDonagh and Mike Del Zotto—quite possibly our two best defensive prospects—aren't even listed! Nigel Williams, a very highly regarded defenseman we picked up from Colorado, could be there as well.

Unlike some other bloggers on this Web site, I am not 16 years old. I'm 30. I was there for the Stanley Cup run and the following decade of absolute futility. I saw the Rangers give tons of time to disappointments (in Ranger blue, not in their career) to the likes of Luc Robitaille, Russ Courtnall, Dave Karpa, Bruce Driver, Alexandre Daigle, Stephan Quintal, Valeri Kamensky, Bobby Holik, Kirk McLean and Guy Hebert. At NO TIME were the terms "Rangers" and "youth" ever found together in the same sentence. Unless it was sarcastic and the author was making fun of our team.

During that era, I watched TONS of promising prospects be given no chance or time to develop; and without that, most prospects fizzle out to become nothing. Jamie Lundmark, Pavel Brendl, Christian Dube, Jan Hlavac, Manny Malhotra, Tony Amonte, Doug Weight and Todd Marchant are just a small grouping of youth that the Rangers either traded away before we could ever get a good sense of what they could do, or players we just walked away from.

Some of these players went on to have great careers. Others did not. Who knows what would have happened if they would have been given a serious opportunity here on Broadway?

To my point: The Rangers are truly in uncharted territory. Have kids made it before here? Sure. Most, however, don't, and our drafting has been atrocious for the most part.

Those days seem to be over.

With the influx of talent we have—especially on defense—we should be proud of our team. And with talk of Sather pursuing Phil Kessel, we could be acquiring arguably one of the most exciting youngsters playing the game today. As many terrible moves and trades he's made—I'm sorry, but let's be honest—it seems as if Glen Sather really has started to change the culture here in Manhattan.

Is Glen Sather Finished Making Moves for the New York Rangers?

Michael Stein — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 22:29:34 -0400

Glen Sather...yet again...has totally changed the Rangers roster, from top to bottom. We have the toughest coach since the iconic Mike Keenan. The two best penalty killers on possibly the best penalty killing team are gone. Our free agent prize from two years back, Scott Gomez, was happily shipped up north.

Added to an anemic-like goal scoring team was quite possibly the most exciting Slokak ever. We picked up a few big ifs, like Tyler Arnason, Brian Boyle, and Enver Lisin. Our most exciting winger from last year is gone, and probably off to Russia. To me, none of these though are our biggest issue.

Without a doubt, our blueline is where questions remain. We are still, so far at least, left with two of the most questionable free agent acquisitions, being Michal Roszival and Wade Redden. Now, prior to last season, I have been a fan of Roszival's. He's shown me the potential to be a solid offensive defenseman.

Wade Redden on the other hand, has been a bust since he's been on Broadway. Because of that, Redden is unmovable (especially at $8 million per), but Roszival might be trade bait. At $6.5 million a year, for a No. 2 or 3 blueliner, he might be a solid option.

Normally, I'm a guy who believes that a team must have players who can get the puck to their forwards. The Rangers are stocked with youth who can almost certainly do that. Both Michael Del Zotto and Bobby Sanguinetti are billed as exceptionally skilled offensive defenseman.

I truly do not believe that while getting third pairing minutes, either one of them can come close to their potential. For them to get the minutes, the guys playing those minutes have to be shipped.

The Rangers also lack that tough blueliner to help play in the harder areas. Dan Girardi and Marc Staal are solid players, but they need some help. Interestingly enough, a guy who himself has a ridiculously bloated contract, Jeff Finger, might truly be the guy the Rangers should look at.

Finger is nothing more than a solid, team first, defensive defenseman. Will he man the point on the power play? No. Will he throw up that breakaway pass and hit the open man? No chance. However, will he block shots? Yes. Will he help to clear the crease? Absolutely.

These are skills that we lack, and truly need. In Toronto, with the acquisitions of Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin, Finger becomes expendable, and with only Tomas Kaberle as a top notch offensive blueliner, they could use another puck mover.

However, I really am not sure that we need anyone Toronto has to offer. We could use another solid piece up front though. Players like Prospal and Kotalik are iffy to say the least. At worst, Prospal's gone in a year if he puts up a duplicate of last season. Are players like Gratchev, Stepan, and Anisimov guarantees to succeed? Who knows.

I do know of one forward who has the ability to play all three positions, and is one of the most dynamic goal scorers in the game, and is definitely available. This is Phil Kessel.

Now, what do the Bruins need, to give up a player like Phil Kessel? They certainly want a puck moving defenseman; they almost gave up Kessel for Kaberle during the Entry Draft. Now however, they'd want a little more. This is what I propose:

Who's Moved:

Rangers trade Michal Roszival, Artem Anisimov, Ryan McDonagh, and a second round pick.

Bruins trade Phil Kessel and Byron Bitz

Toronto trades Ian White and Jeff Finger

Who's Acquired:

Rangers acquire Phil Kessel and Jeff Finger

Bruins acquire Ian White, Artem Anisimov, and Ryan McDonagh

Toronto acquires Michal Roszival, Byron Bitz, and the Rangers' second round pick.

The Rangers here are trading a lot of youth. However...when have they not? Also, have they ever had the depth of prospects they boast today? I don't believe so. I still think that they have plenty of youth going forward.

The Rangers traded an extra offensive defenseman that I don't believe they need with the prospects they have. Sanguinetti and/or Del Zotto will fill the void.

They also traded prospect McDonagh, who by all accounts, was acquired to be part of a Dany Heatley deal that since hasn't come to fruition. They are also trading from an area of depth, that being defense. They acquire the defensive stalwart they need in Finger, while adding that top six guarantee of a monster, to line up with Gaborik for the next decade.

This move also allows a guy like Chris Drury to go down to the third line, grinding it out where he belongs. If Dubinsky falters also for any reason, Kessel's right there to push him. Sad to lose Anisimov, but we trade a possible second line center, for a definite 2nd line center. I'll do it.

The Bruins here trade their salary problem in Kessel, for a probable second line center, a very interesting player in Ian White (who can be a great quarterback on defense, or a point producing forward up front), and an incredibly solid prospect in McDonagh.

In essence, they traded a second line center and a player who was a healthy scratch, for a top blueline prospect, a top forward prospect, and a player who can in October, play basically any position.

With a healthy Patrice Bergeron, and a continuing emerging Blake Wheeler, they might actually see their offensive numbers go up. And...they save some serious cash. Kessel wanted near $5 million, and all three players they acquired make under a million. They could even go out and sign another free agent if necessary.

Toronto, during this move, takes in a small amount of money, but also continues to build to the future. They are dealing two blueliners here, but with a guy like Frogren ready for a full time role, they can afford to do so.

Roszival and Kaberle is a very solid second and first powerplay quarterback option. Mike Van Ryn is a good third option. Add Beauchemin, Exelby, and Komisarek, and that is one balanced blueline.

Byron Bitz is a PERFECT Brian Burke kind of player...incredibly large, rugged, and willing to pay the price. He continues that trend. The second rounder only again, helps Toronto rebuild.

Roszival adds the dimension they truly lack, while trading two defenseman, who in all honestly, might have trouble cracking the stacked blueline Burke has masterfully put together. This is the icing on the cake.

Considering I bleed Ranger blue, here is what I believe the Ranger lineup should be, if this actually went down, in September:

Avery Dubinsky Gaborik

Prospal Kessel Callahan

Kotalik Drury Higgins

Brashear Boyle Arnason (extras: Lisin, Byers, Voros)

Redden Finger

Staal Girardi

Sanguinetti Potter (extras: Sauer, Heikkinen, Gilroy)

Not exactly Detroit yet, but a solid lineup nonetheless. A lot grittier than last year, for sure. Up front, Stepan, Ryan Bourque and Chris Kreider all impressed at the US hockey tryouts, while Dale Weise and Max Campell appear to have been solid picks.

Hopefully again with a core like Dubinsky, Kessel, Gaborik, and Callahan, we're solid for the next few seasons. If any of the top six falter, Lisin seems ready to step in. Major steps from the late 1990s, wouldn't you say?

On the blueline, again, we are stacked. Potter and Sauer could be good stay at home players for the future, while Sangs, and Gilroy help sooner rather than later. If they produce, and if God exists, Redden might be moved next summer, helping Del Zotto move up from Hartford.

However, with the way the defense has been crafted, Redden has the No. 1 spot to lose. And if he does...there are plenty of guys who seem to be ready to step in and kick him out.

Why Trading Lauri Korpikoski Doesn't Bother Me At All

Michael Stein — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:59:06 -0400

There has been a decent group of people, starting with Larry Brooks, who are upset that the Rangers traded yet another prospect of ours, before their full maturation. Whether it was Tony Amonte, Todd Marchant, Sergei Zubov, Alex Kovalev, Petr Prucha, Al Montoya, Mike Ridley, and so forth, the Rangers truly do have a solid tradition: draft a player, trade that player, acquire a has-been to replace him.

If you've ever read my other columns, you'd understand my utter disdain with regard to this. I truly do believe that to build not just a winner but a perennial winner you must draft well, teach properly, and integrate your talent wisely. Over the history of the New York Rangers franchise we have flat out failed in this department, therefore translating into only four Stanley Cups in what is approaching 100 years of existence.

However, I will say with confidence that our drafting as of late, while not being stellar by any means, has been somewhat better.

Henrik Lundqvist was a late round stud and Marc Staal is our cornerstone on the backline. Others like Michael Del Zotto, Bobby Sanguinetti, Corey Potter, and Mike Sauer could be crucial as well. Before his injury Dan Blackburn even looked like he had the potential to be a top 10 goalie in this league.

That's just discussing the blue line and the crease. How about up front?

I will say that in regards to finding offensive dynamos in the draft, Glen Sather is horrendous. Yes, Cherepanov fell into our laps a few years back, but he was always somewhat overrated, and sadly, we'll never find out just how good he could have been.

But for the most part, do we really have to look anywhere past two of our former first round picks, Jamie Lundmark and Pavel Brendl? Who are these guys?

I will make the statement, however, that in regards to finding hard-working second and third line players, Glen Sather does have a gift. That has been his forte so far during his tenure in New York.

No Ranger fan today is not aware of and in love with both Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan. Does anyone work harder on a nightly basis than these two? Both were Ranger draft picks. Dane Byers and Brodie Dupont are both going to be looked at to make the team this year due to their work ethic.

In the future, the same could be said for Ethan Werek and Ryan Bourque, two picks from this year's draft. During last year's camp, Dale Weise was impressive with hard-nosed game.

Lauri Korpikoski fits directly into this category. He's an incredibly hard-working player among incredibly hard-working players.

Now, don't get me wrong; I have no issue with hard working players. In fact, I'd be happy with a majority of them being blue collar guys. In reality, however, players with that natural scoring talent are just necessary.

To be truthful, we don't draft that many. Maybe Derek Stepan? Maybe Evgeny Gratchev? Who knows. To pick up a dynamo like Enver Lisin might truly have been a wise move by Sather. I'll miss Korpedo, truly, but we traded a definitive third-line grinder for a possible second-line scoring winger, the type that we truly need.

I really have no issue with trading from one of our true strengths to address a weakness. Even if it means to trade away picks we don't know every detail about. Sather just can't draft offensive players. I'm okay with him finding the players that previously he couldn't.

Now, if only Sather would acquire a hard-nosed, larger defenseman to clear our crease, like JovoCop, Sheldon Souray, Kevin Bieksa, or XLB.

Would Acquiring Brad Richards Be Common Sense for New York Rangers?

Michael Stein — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:01:11 -0400

I didn't even think of it until Steve Zipay brought it up. Why wouldn't the Rangers target Brad Richards?

Richards has played with Tortorella before, and been successful.

Richards can play the point on the powerplay, something we have sorely lacked this past season.

First and foremost, however, Brad Richards is overpaid. He gets $7 million-plus for each of the next two years!

I talk about his acquisition because of the notions aforementioned...it might just make some degree of sense.

Torts obviously likes the guys he's won with, and Sather has a track record of either overpaying players or picking up overpaid players. Is Brad Richards worth that much cash?

Absolutely not.

However, he is much more talented than any other forward we have at the present time. It wouldn't surprise me if new GM Joe Nieuwendyk is looking to make an impact...and trading a guy Dallas picked up who hasn't quite lived up to expectations would be a solid start for him.

The year he was traded, he scored 62 points. This past season, he played only 56 games and scored 48 points, with an underwhelming 16 goals.

In my opinion, this would be like reacquiring Scott Gomez.

As much as this trade might "make sense" on a few levels, I beg you, Sather, don't do it.

If we're going to commit $14 million, I'd rather...sadly...give it to Mike Camallieri.

The guy does nothing but score. Brad Richards, on the other hand, disappears for games at a time.

All Rangers fans have been discussing is a need to pick up a No. 1 center, or at least one high profile player...but not at the price of a Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, or Marc Staal. Nieuwendyk would almost certainly want one...maybe two of those.

As I stated earlier in another article, Vinny's the guy we need to target. And quite frankly, with the atrocious trades and signings in Brian Lawton's repertoire, maybe we can fleece the crap out of him.

Sather... Grab Vinny Next!

Michael Stein — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:01:34 -0400

Now that the Rangers have traded faux number 1 center Scott Gomez, we have a gaping hole on the top line. It's not as if having Gomez wasn't a gaping hole to begin with.

Unless you count Brandon Dubinsky as a number 1 center (which he's not...as of yet) or Chris Drury (he never has been, always played a strong number 2), we are truly lacking in that position.

This is why I am unequivocally saying, let's forget about Dany Heatley for now. I love having talented wingers, without question.

We just picked up a solid one in Chris Higgins, who truly has untapped potential. A talented center is truly our biggest gaping hole.

Vinny is the best one available, and arguably top 5 in the league today (VL, Crosby, Malkin, Thornton, Datsyuk. In no particular order). Tampa is lacking on the blueline and at the moment, that is our biggest position of depth.

In my opinion, this move Sather made today, trading away Gomez, was a strong statement and a good trade. As said before, Higgins is a solid 20 - 20 guy, and McDonagh is arguably the Habs best prospect.

What could ruin this all however, is if Sather trades part of our nucleus. Leave Dubinsky, Cally, Staal, Girardi. These are the guys who are the heart of our team.

Possible trades to acquire Vinny Lecavalier:

Zherdev, Voros, Roszival, Sanguinetti, next years 1st

Redden, Voros, Sanguinetti, Anisimov, next years 1st

Gratchev, Voros, Sanguinetti, next years 1st and 2nd

I'm sorry to say, but Bobby Sangs is available, due to Matt Gilroy and Michael Del Zotto looking solid. I'd rather lose him, then any of the other aforementioned players.

Sather, today you're one for one. Please, don't ruin it. Acquire a player we need and don't give up the ones we can't lose.

How to Improve the New York Rangers

Michael Stein — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:08:45 -0400

There have been many issues discussed in regards to the New York Rangers this past season. However, with some great young talent in the organization, and a strong head coach, there is an interesting sense of optimism regarding this team. However, there are many flaws. Here are a few easy, yet common sense things that this team can do...

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An Assessment of the New York Rangers

Michael Stein — Mon, 25 May 2009 16:19:20 -0400

This past season, 2008 - 2009 has to be considered a disappointment. A first round exit? In no way is this acceptable. I thought I could go through the 6 most important Rangers (outside of Henrik Lundqvist). Who's going to help this team next year? Who will hurt us? Let's take a look at what we have on Broadway; the good, the bad, and Wade Redden.

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Which Free Agent Will Cure the Rangers?

Michael Stein — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:19:28 -0400

The answer to the above question is...none.

Zero.

The Rangers' woes have always begun, and ended, with free agency. From Brian Skrudland to Stephane Quintal to Wade Redden to Scott Gomez...how many free agents have the Rangers signed that have truly worked out? I honestly have trouble finding even a single one.

Maybe Michal Roszival...from two years back. Maybe.

In fact, most teams struggle with free agency. Let's look around. Danny Briere in Philly? So far, a bust and constantly injured. Brian Campbell in Chicago? He hasn't produced. How about Cristobal Huet or Jose Theodore in their new digs? Horrible.

Truly, free agency usually produces many, many duds, and the rare gem. Please...no Marian Hossa talk. Anyone on Detroit truly finds a way to produce...

My argument is as follows: if free agents usually do lots of nothing for us, and it's been a proven waste of money and space, then why continue the practice?

I honestly believe that we have a solid grouping of talent in our minor leagues, and there are plenty of trades that are available to us.

Players that are going to be eligible for the team next year on our blue line are:

Michael Del Zotto, Mike Sauer, Bobby Sanguinetti, and Corey Perry.

Del Zotto and Sanguinetti look to be solid up and coming offensive defensemen. Can we PLEASE allow them the opportunity to develop? Sauer looked bland in his few games, and Corey Perry, to me, looked like a solid fifth or sixth d-man. That's half a defense corps right there.

Players that are going to be eligible (realistically) to contribute up front next year:

Dane Byers, Brodie Dupont, Artem Anisimov, and Evgeny Gratchev.

First and foremost, Dupont and especially Byers are Tortorella type players, no questions asked. They both are hard checking, hard working forwards that could help to fill in third and fourth line gaps. I could honestly see Byers becoming a Garden favorite.

In juniors, Gratchev has simply dominated. This Russian powerforward could be a solid top line guy for years to come.

Anisimov has been one of the few bright spots at forward for the Wolf Pack. He's big, just like Gratchev, has a good scoring touch, and can play at both ends. Let's give him a serious look.

You add in most of those players, and it allows for others to be let go or traded.

Speaking of trades, that I'm all for. Especially when names like Wade Redden are thrown around. Get rid of this guy!

A team like Tampa is dying for some leadership on that blueline. Ever since the trading of Dan Boyle, they have done tons of nothing. Martin St. Louis is rumored to be a target of Glen Sather's. Why not try and do Redden, Zherdev and a pick for St. Louis and Jeff Halpern? Redden has played with Andrej Meszaros in the past if you recall. If anyone will take on an overpaid has-been free agent...Tampa's that team.

Halpern's gotta go in there just for the cash, but we get a Torts favorite (in St. Louis), and an extremely hard working player. Acquiring another center allows for...Gomez to Vancouver for Kevin Bieksa? I'd even do Gomez to Edmonton for Penner and Schremp.

I'd love for Dubinsky to get Gomez's minutes; and then you have Dubinsky, Anisimov, and Drury as your top three centers (Drury is a second or third line center, nothing more). Playing 20+ minutes a night will truly help to get Dubinsky to produce like we all know he can.

We could talk trades all day...but truly what matters is that the Rangers continue to promote from within. Cally and Dubie have easily fit into Torts' system. Hard working players tend to always find a way. These lazy players Sather has signed as of late have been the issue, not the kids from Hartford.

But...if you were getting $7 million+ per season guaranteed, wouldn't you play kinda lazy too?

What Can The Rangers Do When Looking at Today's Market?

Michael Stein — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:58:05 -0500

Like everyone else, I believe that with the current grouping of players the Rangers have, there is very little chance we're going to go far into the playoffs.

If we don't start actually playing to our potential... getting to the playoffs almost certainly will also be in question itself.

So at the end of the day, moves need to be made. Here's our roster, if you include Sean Avery:

Center: Drury, Gomez, Dubinsky, Korpikoski, Betts, Anisimov

Wing: Naslund, Dawes, Prucha, Callahan, Avery, Orr, Sjostrom, Voros, Rissmiller, Zherdev

Defense: Mara, Kalinin, Girardi, Staal, Reitz, Redden, Roszival

Goal: Lundqvist, Valiquette

The obvious... an incredibly large amount of money is tied up in our starting 6... which you could list as Gomez, Drury, Naslund, Redden, Roszival and Lundqvist. Together, they are making about $45 million this year alone! I believe this year, the cap is at $55 million. If I'm right, then these 5 players make up about 80% of our payroll. That, my friends... is f-ing ludicrous.

What's not up for debate is the ridiculousness of this. Even if all these players were playing unbelievable top notch hockey... the Rangers are still going to be in a salary cap crisis, considering both Zherdev and Dubinsky are going to be RFA's in July.

I look at other teams like the Lightning from a few years back... getting rid of Khabibulin because they knew they couldn't afford him, with the big 3.

And even up to now. Brad Richards has been traded, and both Lecavalier and St. Louis have been in rumors for a few months now. These players aren't being moved because of their ineffectiveness.... they are being moved because they size of their contracts stifles the organization.

You can't make multiple and impactful moves when a majority of your salary is placed in just a handful of players.

We saw the Lightning go from Stanley Cup powerhouse, to bottom dwelling laughingstock. They didn't have the money at the time to pursue a top notch goaltender.

Look at the Sens today. How much money was invested in Spezza, Alfredsson, Heatley and Gerber? Again, too much given to a few, and it hurt their abilities on the ice. Same as Tampa... contender to last place.

Now look at us. 40 something million of a 50 million dollar payroll is given to 6 players. Undeniably, a majority of the "big 6" are not doing what they need to be. The only player I'll give a pass to is Lundqvist... and even he isn't having an amazing season... but that also is attributed to the defense playing in front of him.

My point though, is that while looking at other teams that have been in a similar style of peril... they truly have had trouble finding success after loading up on overpriced talent.

Now I say all this, after looking at 2 of the latest trades that have occurred. The first, was Montreal's move to get Mathieu (why did the Rangers ever let him go again?) Schneider, and the Islanders picking up Mike (Ms. Hillary Duff) Comrie, and Chris (I can't think of anything else to say in here) Campoli.

What's important to note in each of these moves, lots of picks were involved. Considering the cap, draft picks might have some of the highest value... higher than they've ever had.

Look at what certain players were able to get... first, Mathieu Schneider, making insane money ($5 million and change... prorated though, probably only about a million and a half), who will be unrestricted at the end of this year, got I believe a 2nd and a 3rd from Montreal. That's not bad whatsoever.

Now look at Ottawa. They picked up a washed up center in Mike Comrie... who obviously peaked early in Edmonton and has struggled to find his was since, and Chris Campoli, who to me, was the obvious target. Campoli is a solid puck moving defenseman, probably a second pairing guy.

However, Ottawa's been dying for a guy who can move the puck, and he can surely fit in. They gave up a 1st round pick... San Jose's... so it'll be late round... and Dean McAmmmond... a heart and soul 3rd or 4th line center.

They way I see it, is that Ottawa upgraded at center and at defense... while giving up a No. 1 pick.

However, for the sake of argument... if you wash out Comrie and McAmmond... Campoli, in Murray's eyes, was worth a 1st round pick?

So, two puck moving defenseman... three draft picks. What does that tell you about the premium put on guys moving the puck from the blueline?

This goes back to my list of the "big six" up top. If you look at those two defenseman, Roszival and Redden... they are getting paid as if they are two of the more premier puck movers. The past few years, Roszival has put up some solid points for us... not so much anymore however. Same with Redden... three, 4 years back... he was one of the linchpins of Ottawa's success.

Here's my point... if an unproven defender with decent upside can fetch a 1st rounder... if Sather put either... or both... Redden and Roszival on the market... what might they be worth?

An even better question... someone who is making a decent salary in Dmitri Kalinin... who would be a rental and therefore a salary dump at this moment... how much would his puck moving skills be worth?

He proved in Buffalo he can get things done... and as much as it pains me to say this... he has looked slightly better the past few weeks before going down with his injury... but a team like Phoenix... who doesn't have too much cash to spend... and has that possibility of making the playoffs... do they make a quiet move to pick up a puck mover?

How about Carolina after cutting lose Frankie Kaberle? Kalinin might be an under the radar pick up for teams, who have now shown, that the prize of the day, is the puck moving defender. Maybe it's good we have a few who could be had.

Intelligent New York Ranger Moves Glen Sather Should Take Note Of

Michael Stein — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:00:28 -0500

What's unquestioned, is that the Rangers are in desperate need of change. This team has shown it cannot win over the long term with the players here today. We all believe that Sather isn't the best GM, but we'll admit he's not stupid either. Therefore, trades are almost certainly the best route Sather can go. Here are a few trades... 100% speculative... that I believe could help our team.

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If I Was GM, How The Rangers Would Get Fixed

Michael Stein — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:31:43 -0500

Out of somewhere between boredom and anger I write this article.

It still baffles me that the Rangers are where they're at. I read the other day, someone said that we're in between being a terrible team, and a Stanley Cup team, and that's the worst place to be; intermediate. I couldn't agree more.

When you're at the place we are... filled with vets who just can't get the job done, a GM who has no true personal motivation except for further resume padding, and an average grouping of youth in the minors, then "intermediate" is the best to expect for at least the next few years.

The purpose of writing this article then ironically, I guess is to pad my own ego; to give all of you an idea of what I would do if I was hired as GM of the Rangers.

When building, or in this case, rebuilding a team, you have to have models for yourself, and cornerstone players. First off, you determine a team to model by looking at trends. At this case, in the current NHL, the trend seems to be towards a 70's style team; mean, fast, rugged, no nonsense.

A team like Anaheim, who won the Cup a few years back proves this, as does the top 2 teams in the league, giants like Boston and San Jose; teams that you know will hurt you both on the ice, and on the scoreboard.

Teams like that can fight, stand up for one another, play hard game in and game out, and truly have talent.

This is my basis to rebuild our New York Rangers.

Step 1: The Crease

Nothing to really discuss here. Henrik's solid, and will be for the next few years. I like Vally, but personally I'd continue to develop Wiikman, and look for a good few studs in the later rounds. A team like Minnesota always thrives because they seemingly always have a guy to push their incumbent starter to be better. First it was Roloson, then Fernandez, then Backstrom, and now Harding is making some waves. Good to have competition.

Step 2: The Blueline

The past few years, this has been our strength. This year it's a glaring weakness. Players like Wade Redden and Michal Roszival have proven to be horrendous busts.

Personally, I always liked Roszival, but to me at least, I have to think that maybe either his offseason surgery and/or pressure to fulfill this contract have taken their toll.

I would have wished he were traded a year back, when he was playing his best. But it seems we're almost certainly going to be stuck with one.

Redden's GOT TO GO. He hasn't fit in, in any way. Most games his making turnovers, isn't the best skater, isn't scoring, and certainly won't hit. Bad, bad, bad and bad.

Who's the backbone of Boston? Zdeno Chara.

Who's the backbone of San Jose? Dan Boyle.

Who's the backbone of Detroit? Nick Lidstrom.

Franchise defensive studs, and coincedentally enough, each team is dominant.

There's little chance we'll find a players like that, but at the very least we can find a solid player that can do at least ONE THING right?

A team that's struggling right now is the Edmonton Oilers. Maybe they're looking to trade Sheldon Souray? He costs some cash, but similar money to Redden. Redden also brings some veteran leadership to a defensive corps that basically in Edmonton, has none. To equalize salary, I'd do:

Redden, Naslund and a 2nd for Cole and Souray.

Edmonton would have to take on about $2 million... but that's not a horrendously large amount. Maybe if Edmonton throws in Steve Staios it's more attractive to them, especially with their blueline depth. I believe he's a UFA anyway.

Souray provides us some physicality, with a DEFINITE ability to score from the blueline, which is an instant powerplay boost. Edmonton's struggling; and here they send their most attractive blueline trade chip, a bankable defensive commodity, with a winger who hasn't find a niche whatsoever.

They pickup a speedy winger, who in the same vein has struggled in New York, who's only under contract for I believe one or two more years. This is the second time Naslund's been stuck in a strictly defensive system.

Maybe a trip back to the West, with a faster team can bring back memories of playing with Brendan Morrison. If he can envigorate the youth corps in Edmonton, then it'd be surely a smart move for Tambellini.

Roszival, who's not old by any stretch, gets them slightly younger, and he surely might find his game again.

Souray's no defensive genius... but can't be worse than Redden, while providing us with the offensive spark that Wade hasn't. Make that deal all day long.

Next, we need a rock out there. Most teams that win have that veteran guy that NO ONE wants to play. Whether it's Chris Pronger, Chara, or Jeff Beukeboom; he has to be there.

The guy I target... Robyn Regehr. No one knows him here on the East Coast... but man, he's the model for shut down defenseman. It would take a lot to get him, but he's the defensive monster that we lack, and would truly help Marc Staal to be the monster we all know he can be. The trade I'd make would be:

Regehr for Dawes, Girardi and a 2nd and 3rd.

I know it hurts to get rid of Girardi... but Regehr is an upgrade, no doubts about it.

Keenan's shown interest in Dawes... and we have some depth at wing (cough cough, Prucha, cough). He has yet to prove he's consistent enough, but maybe with Iginla and Camallieri he can.

You consider these two moves, with the probable loss of Kalinin... our blueline would look something like this next winter:

Regehr Roszival

Staal Souray

Mara Sanguinetti/Del Zotto/Potter/Reitz

A solid defensive corps, with offensive ability, size, grit and experience. In my opinion, a step better from what we have today. Depth also, and this is without a guy like Michael Sauer taking any steps to improve in Hartford. A step in the right direction to me...

Step 3: Forward Lines

The Rangers truly have no number 1 center. Neither Gomez nor Drury in my opinion are capable of carrying a Ranger offense. Both are solid second options. Honestly... our best option as 1st line center is Brandon Dubinsky.

Whether it's center Jagr or Straka last year... or Zherdev this year... Dubinsky's shown he can work with an offensive powerhouse, and maybe even improve their output.

For better or worse, Chris Drury is our captain. His resume includes many things... one of which though, is not the ability to constantly rack up points. That's just not him. You put Drury on the second, or even third line and let him work with minimal offensive pressure, and I'll believe he'll refind form. He stays... most players don't have the defensive intelligence that he does.

The guy who should be putting up 30 - 45 assists, with near 20 goals, is Scott Gomez. However, he just isnt. The insanity of his contract hurts... but if he can be traded, he must.

Now... which teams have the money to take him... which teams could use a center... and which teams would truly improve to have a Cup winning center?

I see Los Angeles as that team.

The trade I'd look to make would be:

Scott Gomez for Michal Handzus and Patrick O'Sullivan.

First of all, Handzus is here for no other reason than to even out salary. He's a salary dump, without question. I believe he's a UFA after this season anyway, and almost certainly won't be brought back.

O'Sullivan though... he's an American kid who had issues there last year, and has been involved in rumors for a little while. He's got 1st line potential as a winger, and we could certainly use a little bit more talent on our wings.

Gomez in LA could be a big breakthrough. It gives the Kings two solid veteran centers, with Jarret Stoll, and with the play of Wayne Simmonds, O'Sullivan's somewhat expendable. Gomez - Kopitar - Brown could be a MONSTROUS line for the next decade as well.

Trading Gomez and keeping O'Sullivan saves us $4 million a year... which should be enough to make sure Dubinsky and Zherdev are resigned... especially with the dumping of Handzus and Kalinin (as said before).

That's not really doing to much to be honest. Here's what the lines would look like:

Zherdev - Dubinsky -O'Sullivan

Prucha - Korpikoski - Cole

Callahan - Drury - Voros

Byers/Sjostrom - Betts - Orr

Not the most offensively potent lineups... but without question, a lineup that's not afraid to hit. Zherdev and Dubinsky here are being counted on to provide some more offensive spark, but I have to think that both of them, being in the early 20's are only going to improve. O'Sullivan might be a solid, hard working complement to both of them.

With the moving on of Gomez and Naslund, other players like Prucha and Korpikoski will be given a true chance of making an impact, especially with the second line that I've put together.

Erik Cole and Korpikoski could be a very solid forechecking tandem. No dead weight here... two lines with speed, grit and an ability to get to the next, with two bottom lines that have size, grit, and an ability to play hard against the opposition. Cally has shown he'll hit anyone, and I don't think Voros is a total waste.

By the way... if Avery does come play... you could either take out Voros, and he fits in just find, creating an extremely difficult line to play against, pairing him with Cally.

Decent? Any opinions? Again... nothing to crazy done here... but wastes of space like Naslund, Gomez and Redden have been traded, talent has been brought in... with no serious sacrifices (aside from Dawes... who O'Sullivan replaces, and Girardi, who is replaced by Regehr. Upgrades for sure).

Maybe this is the type of lineup the Rangers need... one that emphasizes their youth like Staal and Dubinsky, instead of putting a glass ceiling over their heads.

New York Rangers: Where, Oh Where, Is Petr Prucha?

Michael Stein — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:41:30 -0500

According to Rick Carpiniello at http://rangers.lohudblogs.com, here are the new line combinations that Tom Renney used in practice:

Chris Drury-Scott Gomez-Markus Naslund

Fredrik Sjostrom-Nigel Dawes-Lauri Korpikoski

Ryan Callahan-Brandon Dubinsky-Nikolai Zherdev

Colton Orr-Blair Betts-Aaron Voros

I can understand a few of these moves. Drury, Gomez and Naslund is a reunion of a line that clicked for a little bit in pre-season, and in the first few games in the Czech Republic.

Maybe Renney thinks that three guys that are invisible for large portions of the time...can reunite and actually show up together? If only one of those three guys played hard and scored consistently, it'd be a start.

It makes me happy to see Freddy Sjostrom on the second line, playing with Dawes and Korp. It's about time. He's one of the unheralded players on this team.

Our penalty kill would certainly be a lot worse without him. I've thought highly of his offensive potential as well.

Korpikoski, although his numbers might not show it, he shows up consistently as well. However, as much of a Dawes fan as I have been in the past...the kid's done nothing the past few weeks. Scratch.

Cally, Dubinsky, and Zherdev should be a solid line, with Dub and Cally crashing, and Zherdev deking. That's three guys who certainly could mold into a future No. 1 or No. 2 unit.

Orr, Betts and Voros is a decent fourth line. Voros is still somewhat on the outs with me...billed as a guy who crashes the net and causes havoc...he's still barely doing either. Can't complain about the play this year of Betts and Orr, however.

As per the title of this article... I'm still having a hard time believing that Petr Prucha is not in this lineup. I'd drop Dawes in a heartbeat for Prucha. I'd even put Sjostrom back on the fourth line, scratch Voros, and insert Prucha. The guy has to play!

He brings two things that were clearly missing from our 10-2 drubbing: energy and enthusiasm.

One of the bigger surprises this year was the decent play coming from Toronto. NO ONE expected them to do anything...and the reason they have proven people wrong? Ron Wilson.

The guy came in and announced that the old habits were over. He made highly paid guys like Jason Blake into press box spectators when they didn't come to play. Prucha has shown not only that he'll accept this abuse from Renney...but play hard when given a glimmer of hope.

Does Scott Gomez play his heart out every night? Not a chance. Plenty of nights go by where the aforementioned Dawes and Voros are invisible as well, but yet they're barely in the Press Box.

Until Renney holds players accountable...ALL PLAYERS...then this team cannot move forward and be successful. A Mike Keenan-like message has to be sent out; play hard, and you'll play. Play soft and you'll sit.

Prucha remains in the doghouse for unknown reasons. Until accountability comes back into our Ranger culture... we'll look more like a basement team, for very known reasons.

New York Rangers: It's Rock Bottom

Michael Stein — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 12:15:06 -0500

I'll say it, Scott Gomez: This is Rock Bottom. Gomez got quite testy with John Giannone last night when he referred to Friday night's 10-2 ass-beating by the Stars as rock bottom. Sorry Scott, it is what it is.

Giving up six goals, in a defense oriented system no less, is the textbook definition of what rock bottom looks like.

First, the Rangers look ridiculous on the powerplay. They were horrendous, but that has been a full year occurrence. The Rangers gave up three power play goals last night. I wonder what the stats are for teams that give up that many, and how few of them in turn, win the game.

For all the talk...By that third period, Valiquette played like an OHL or CHL goalie. Not even an AHL goalie is that poor. He did the same vanishing act in Toronto a few months back. Shit happens...I understand...But keep it together man.

Did you SEE those turnovers last night? Especially that one by Gomez? Eerily familiar of Marc Staal's near blunder against Atlanta the previous game? DO NOT SKATE THROUGH THE CREASE WITH THE PUCK.

Let's see what we have so far on this team. We have a coach who isn't being heard. We have a playmaking center who's routinely not making plays. We have two pointmen on the powerplay who aren't doing anything on the powerplay. We also have a sparkplug winger who is never inserted into this lineup.

Our team at this point of the season is an absolute joke. The only reason we got a point in Atlanta is because that team is so piss poor, they didn't have the talent to capitalize.

Basically, this is four losses in a row...And we're on the brink of seventh place in the Eastern Conference. This is also after our outrageous start. That makes this all so much worse.

As a longtime Ranger fan, I DEMAND changes due to this game. This game is the sort where coaches are fired, players are traded, and shifts occur.

I believe the time is coming for us Ranger fans to band together and DEMAND change. Enough is enough.

The New York Rangers: A Team without Wings

Michael Stein — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:38:37 -0500

As most, if not all, Ranger fans have noticed in the last few months, New York as a team just cannot score goals. It's frightening.

For the amount of payroll the team has, and the personnel that it has acquired, goals should not be this hard to come by. Watching this team, game by game, it's amazing to see how hard the Rangers have to try to score a goal.

They struggle and work so hard to score, while a majority of other teams truly can do it so much easier. At this point, I believe it's due to a lack of talented wingers.

I have major issues with the centers, as well. However, with about $14 million invested in the team's top two center positions, that's something that we're going to have to live with. No one is taking Chris Drury and/or Scott Gomez for their insane salaries, especially for the numbers they are putting up.

It is shameful and disgusting to see that much money going toward that little production. At this moment however, I have to believe that it's something we have to get used to, because that situation isn't going to change.

In this article, I'm going to try and put together three solid line combinations using players that match well with others. Coach Tom Renney has been trying all season long to get his line combos working, with minimal success. Here's my attempt:

The most important part of our center situation, is finding wingers who gel. Up to this point, we haven't. The best I saw Gomez look was last year with Brendan Shanahan and Nigel Dawes on his wings.

This year, Gomez has FLOUNDERED...unable to get any type of long-term chemistry working with anyone, from Nikolai Zherdev, to Ryan Callahan, to Markus Naslund. Gomez is a playmaker; if he scores 20 goals, it should be considered a bonus. He's a passer, and he needs to have wingers who shoot the puck.

Naslund would have been a good winger for him...six years ago. Today, he needs speedy players who can crash the net, and, unlike Ryan Callahan, can score.

Petr Prucha seems to me like a natural fit. He's fast, energetic, and is a proven scorer. Gomez in the middle, Prucha on one wing...and, surprisingly, I'd try Brandon Dubinsky next to him.

At times, Dubinsky's struggled to win faceoffs, and this year is also struggling to score. Maybe taking a little extra responsibility away from him is a solid idea?

First Line: Prucha-Gomez-Dubinsky

Chris Drury is our No. 2 center. He's also not a finesse, goal-scoring center like we'd all like him to be. He's a heart-and-soul guy who sometimes scores big goals. That's it.

Thinking he'd come to New York and light it up is ridiculous. He's never been a No. 1 center and never will be. He is a great center to line up against other teams' best lines however.

On his wing, I'd put another heart-and-soul player like Callahan. That's two players who are honest, will keep the opposition honest, and can certainly GET TO THE NET. Next to them goes the opposite: a guy who can create and get shots to the goal. That's Nik Zherdev. With Nicky shooting and Cally and Drury causing havoc, goals have to start mounting up.

Second Line: Callahan-Drury-Zherdev

Now, with Dubinsky at wing, this opens up a new center position. Lauri Korpikoski has shown promise, and, to me, played his best at wing during training camp. Korpikoski is very similar to Callahan in my opinion; a hard-nosed, north-south-type skater, but Korp is much better offensively.

Now, I see another player on the team who can play like that. That's the unheralded Freddy Sjostrom. The guy is a former first-round draft pick, and, to me, has shown the ability to score, but has never been given the minutes. You throw another hard worker who can score, in Dawes, on that line, and that's a good, hard-working third line that should be counted on for at least 30-40 goals between all three.

Third Line: Sjostrom-Korpikoski-Dawes

And sorry, Naslund would not be on my team.

I have to think that those three lines are better than anything Renney's put together this season. He's done nothing offensively for us. We'll never be an offensive juggernaut, but we need some cohesiveness, and hopefully these lines might help. By the way...if Johan Franzen is available, WE MUST PICK HIM UP!

Five Moves the New York Rangers Could Make This Summer

Michael Stein — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 19:20:38 -0500

Considering the inconsistent season we've seen so far, and Glen Sather's track record not to stand pat, it's obvious that this summer, or even beforehand, will feature the Rangers making a small plethora of deals. Here are a few moves just off the top of my head that I feel could certainly occur:

No. 5 The Signing of Mike Komisarek.

See above. Komisarek brings to the table EXACTLY what we need; toughness, defensive ability, and a knack for not being out of position. He is what Ranger fans would love Marc Staal to become. With the probable non-resignings of Dmitri Kalinin and Paul Mara, signing Komisarek would still leave a spot open for either Potter or Sanguinetti.

Also... did you know that out of all the Ranger players and prospects...in all leagues...no one has a worse plus/minus than Bobby Sanguinetti (-13)! I have some serious questions as per his ability to step immediately into our lineup and not be a major liability. It would be great to have a solid defensive stalwart...and someone who actually hits.

No. 4 The Trading of Scott Gomez or Michal Roszival.

It's bound to happen. And if it doesn't, the chances of us doing much of anything is nil. For my scenario that's above, to occur, it'd have to happen. We don't need both Roszival and Redden... and Redden has a no trade. Sangs and/or Del Zotto are probably on their way, and both have ridiculous offensive potential.

Gomez is quite expendable as well. With Korpedo, who can play center, and our next obvious prospect callup being Artem Anisimov, we have the ability to slide either one in there to replace him. It's not as if Gomez is making any kind of offensive impact.

You trade either one of them for a $2 - $3 million a year player in the final year of his salary, and a solid prospect, and it's a decent move. We need some salary flexibility, and at the moment, we have zero.

No. 3 The Reacquisition of Sean Avery.

I'm definitely not sure how I feel about this one. I will agree with most that Avery was a gigantic catalyst for us the past year and a half. He brought something to New York that very few players have. However, since his departure, all Rangers in the locker room have talked about the greatness of the room. And of course, when he came back, Avery had an on ice confrontation with former line mate Brandon Dubinsky, and off ice incidents with both Steve Valiquette, and out of all people, John Giannone.

First there was talk of Roszival for Avery... and that's quieted. Now possibly, Avery's going to be released and he'll sign with the Rangers for the minimum. First of all, if this did occur at all, into which spot does he go? Out of these wingers: Naslund, Cally, Dawes, Korpedo, Prucha, and Zherdev, who sits? What about our other two wings, Voros and Fritsche? I've always also thought that Sjostrom had second or third line potential.

Who goes to accomodate Avery? I could see Sather doing something to make this work (probable demotion of Korpikoski, which would be a serious shame), but I'm not sure if he SHOULD do anything to get this to happen. We might be better off without him, considering there's no more Shanny to keep him quiet.

No. 2 The Firing of Tom Renney.

Somedays I think he deserves it, and others I don't. I'll say this against him; the last 2 years, his teams have been wildly inconsistent. There are times that the team looks unbeatable (think a majority of the game in San Jose), and other games where we look as if we couldn't care less. That's not the sign of talent, that's the sign of a lack of fire in that dressing room. It's Renney's responsibility to keep that fire lit.

However, in his defense...bar none, he's the best coach we've had since Mike Keenan. Every year he's been our coach we've been in playoff contention, and for all his faults, I can't think of another Ranger coach who's allowed so much youth to permeate into the lineup. Honestly though, another second round exit, or worse, might spell his demise.

No. 1 The Acquisition of Either Marian Gaborik, Ilya Kovalchuk, or Henrik Zetterberg.

Watching the game with my dad the other night, he said to me "wow, we really don't have any "names" on our team." I said that wasn't true, and that Lundqvist is a big name goaltender, as well as Naslund, being a decent long time goal scorer. However though... he was right. Lundqvist is one of our own draft picks, and Naslund is four or five years past his prime. We honestly don't have a guy who can bring fans out in droves for away games.

Jagr and Shanny did that. Bure and Lindros did that. Esposito and Larouche did that. Guy Lafleur. Andy Bathgate. We've always been a team that had a few monster superstars. Am I happy that we dont' seem that way anymore? Absolutely. I don't feel that works any longer. I'm pretty sure that Sather disagrees with me. On his watch, we've acquired Alex Kovalev (reacquired actually), Theo Fleury, A knee-less Pavel Bure, and a dilapidated Eric Lindros.

It's in Sather to grab the big name ticket. Two summers ago, didn't he sign the two top name centers (both of which are honestly second line centers)? I'm almost guaranteeing that the Rangers sign one of the three guys available above.

My feeling would point to Kovalchuk, considering the brisk turn favoring Russians in our system (Gratchev, Anisimov, and Zherdev). However, as said before, who goes to get one of those guys in? You'd almost certainly have to trade one of our big name defenseman (as talked about above), extras like Fritsche and Voros, and probably even Gomez.

Any one of those three would be asking for at minimum, $6 - $7 million. Considering his hardware, Zetterberg could probably get away with $8 million. Sather's balls are as big as the Cup itself...don't put anything past him.

The Current and Future State of the New York Rangers

Michael Stein — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 07:08:27 -0500

We all know what today's incarnation of the Rangers looks like.

A few years ago, we were a straight up blue collar team. Even the superstars at that moment like Michael Nylander and Martin Straka could easily be found cycling in the corners.

That team was made up of no names that were constantly fighting for their jobs; players like Jason Ward and Jed Ortmeyer.

Today, our team has nearly nothing in common with them. The team has yet again incorporated "has been superstars" onto the roster, with names such as Redden and Naslund, and other busts, such as former Sabre's first rounder Dmitri Kalinin. Others that have shown a work ethic, such as Petr Prucha and Ryan Callahan, really aren't getting that first-line ice time they might deserve.

On defense, we're softer that a pee-wee squad. The days of Ulf Samuelsson and Jeff Beukeboom are long gone, and Paul Mara (a career offensive defenseman) is our closest thing to a physical presence. Marc Staal might one day be that player, but he still has a way to go.

We also have a group of slumping younger players, like Nik Zherdev, Brandon Dubinsky, and Nigel Dawes. All three have shown nothing short of flashes of brilliance, but have yet to prove that they be counted on for 82 games.

The leadership of the Rangers seems to be devoid of just that: leadership. Players like Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, two of our highest paid nonetheless, have not shown the capability of being able to come through in the clutch; which is the opposite reputation that came with the latter.

When we're down by a goal with just a few minutes left, those are two players who have shown a near ineptitude to come through when the rest of the team needs them to.

When you look at all of these issues together, it's easy to see that the team is going to have flaws. Fatal ones at that. However, at the end of the day, teams really aren't just what they have on the ice at that moment, it's much more about what they have coming up through the system.

Teams like San Jose and Detroit are always considered favorites (Colorado was as well before the dismissal of Pierre Lacroix) because no matter what, every year they can produce a top notch prospect from within. Last year in Detroit it was Johan Franzen and Nik Kronwall breaking through.

This year Jiri Hudler looks to break out. In San Jose, a few years ago it was Marleau and Cheechoo, and now it's Devin Setoguchi. How about Marc-Edouard Vlasic? These teams are factories for solid NHL players.

And in New York? I'll give you Dawes, Callahan, Dubinsky and Prucha. However, none of those 4 has proven yet to be a go to first line talent. Maybe in the future? Who knows. At this moment though, that's a solid crop of third line talent, and possibly even second. Is that enough to carry New York to a Cup? It doesn't seem that way at the moment. Henrik Lundqvist might be the best player to come out of our draft since Brian Leetch. However, this year Henrik's showing kinks in his armor.

My main point though, is that I don't believe the Rangers can win as constructed. Considering our .500 play of the last month or so, I see the Rangers as a sixth or seventh seed in the East. That's all, nothing more. We can't compete with teams that play a solid 60 minutes of hockey, because we've proven to be incapable of that. So, what I'm curious about is what our team might need to do in the new few years to better ourselves.

First thing I look at is defense. For the past few years it's been our strong point, and now it's our glaring weakness. Players like Roszival and Redden cannot be counted on daily, and Dmitri Kalinin has been an absolute bust. Others like Girardi, Staal, and Mara have been revelations.

The good news: our prospect pool is probably strongest on the backline. We have the very impressive Michael Del Zotto (pictured above) and Bobby Sanguinetti almost certainly ready to join us within the next year or two. However, where do they fit? In my opinion, Mara nor Kalinin will be brought back. They are both UFA's at the end of the season.

A player that I believe the Rangers MUST sign this upcoming summer is Mike Komisarek of Montreal. A New York native, Komisarek brings a shut down, physical element that we MUST have. If he is signed, and either Sanguinetti or Corey Potter is brought up, I think that's a major upgrade.

Over the course of the next few years, I believe Michal Roszival will either be traded or bought out, allowing Del Zotto to entire the lineup, for a huge financial savings. We're probably stuck with Redden, due to his no movement contract.

We also have Tomas Kundratek, who had a very solid showing at the world juniors. If this occurred, in two years our defense would look like this:

Redden Girardi

Staal Sanguinetti

Komisarek Del Zotto

extra: Kundratek, Potter

Up front, the Rangers have gotten themselves into quite a pickle. To be honest, we have no wingers really ready to step into our lineup. At the end of the day, we have at least three natural centers, and no place to put them. Those players are Lauri Korpikoski (who's already at wing), Artem Anisimov, and Evgeni Gratchev.

Anisimov might be the only bright spot on a horrendous Hartford team (which is quite a sign of our overall poor drafting... players who probably will never see the NHL like Brodie Dupont and Tom Pyatt), and Gratchev was very impressive at the world juniors.

However, there are four centers truly entrenched on the Rangers. One of three things are obviously going to occur: the Rangers promote no one, and leave the prospects in Hartford, they trade one of their current NHL centers, or they convert all of these prospects into wingers.

At this moment, I have to say that I'm uncomfortable with the idea of trading a guy like Dubinsky (who they might be most apt to trading and getting a decent return, due to his age, salary and potential). True, he's mired in a horrific slump, but sadly, I'm more comfortable with the trading of Gomez or Drury.

I might even lean more to Drury, and it hurts me to say that. I was very excited by his signing... but offensively speaking, he's barely there. Maybe the problem is we have no real offensive wingers to put next to him.

However, as Captain, he needs to be the facilitator of our production... and he just isn't. Maybe the team trades Drury for a scoring winger? A player like Kovalchuk is available... but I have to believe it would take a lot more than Chris Drury to get him.

That part is hard to predict, what isn't however, is that Sather will be forced either this year or next to clear up his center ice conundrum, and at the same time, save this team from the dire straights we're beginning to enter.

At the end of the day, it was Glen Sather who hasn't drafted as well as he could have, and has made some terrible off season signings. Redden nor Roszival will ever live up to their contracts, and neither Drury nor Gomez is a legitimate $7 million a year player.

Tom Renney also at this moment seems incapable of reviving a sleeping Rangers group.

Knowing what I do about the NHL... either you win, or changes occur. At this moment, I have to believe that the team is on quite a short leash. I'll be curious to see what this team looks like a year or two from today.

My gut feeling: it won't look much like the group that's here today, on the fourth of January... a team that's lost four out of its last five, and has shown no glimmer of hope to righting this sinking ship.

New York Rangers Need to Get Tougher

Michael Stein — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:11:30 -0500

We all know the status of the New York Rangers—a team in limbo.

If you look at the first two weeks of this season, the prediction of "Eastern Conference powerhouse" could have been made. Over the last two weeks, one could say this team is "on the playoff bubble."

At the end of the day, when you see such amazing inconsistencies in a team's play, you know something has to change.

That is why I put up Dmitri Kalinin's picture.

Overall, his play has been horrendous. There is no other way to truly characterize a defenseman who is minus-16. Why he is still playing is a question I'm sure I'm not the first to ask. He's the only Ranger who has yet to score a goal, and can easily be pinpointed as a major weak spot on an already soft defense corps.

At this moment, given his salary, a waiver cut shouldn't be anywhere near out of the question. I'd make a friendly bet that the rookie Corey Potter could play better defensively. Kalinin must be the first casualty if the Rangers are to change their fortunes.

The second has to either be Michal Roszival or Wade Redden. As unlikely as it is to see either go, it is just haphazard to have two very soft, defensively-questionable defensemen in the same lineup. I'm all for having a good shooter back at the point—but is that necessary when toughness and speed are lost?

Neither is an outstanding skater, and both have had defensive lapses already in this season that are making us fans puke. Redden almost certainly will stay, due to his no-movement clause. Roszival is a different story.

I really don't think trading one of our "offensive dynamos" will damage us that badly offensively.

First off, Paul Mara and Dan Girardi have shown that they might not be league leaders in terms of offensive output, but I believe they certainly can get the job done. Look at some of Mara's numbers earlier in his career. He has the capability of being a solid number-two guy on the power play. Girardi's skills are still up and coming.

What most people aren't talking about are our two picks—Bobby Sanguinetti and Michael Del Zotto.

Am I the only one who thought Del Zotto looked outstanding in the preseason? Either one of them might be a possibility to play next year. Trading Roszival opens a spot for either one of them, and that might be a major upgrade from within, which is always a very smart way to go.

The group of players we have now isn't a bad group by any means, but I don't think we're elite enough to contend with the powerhouses of the league. All of those teams have a toughness that we just don't.

If you look past Ryan Callahan (who's not a fighter), Aaron Voros (who's been pretty hard to find on the ice the last little while) and Colton Orr (gotten better, but nowhere near a full-time contributor), who can really strike fear into the hearts of the opposition?

San Jose has the hip-checking Rob Blake, and the power forward leader in Joe Thornton. Boston has the mammoth Zdeno Chara and the monstrous Milan Lucic. We have...Paul Mara?

The Rangers need, without question, a guy who the opposition know they need to be careful around. Considering how soft they are on the backline, having a rough and tumble blueliner is exactly what's needed.

Next year, I believe Mike Komisarek is available. Get rid of Roszival, clear some space, and get him signed. He might be the best hardnosed defensive defenseman around.

Others that might be available through trade:

Kurt Sauer

The Rangers and Coyotes have made a few moves together, and he's a solid defensive defenseman. The 'Yotes would like another experienced blueliner to go along with their young forward group. Roszival for Sauer and a high pick?

Garnet Exelby

I really don't know if Atlanta's looking to move him, but considering how they've played, maybe a fire sale's in order? The kid can seriously throw a hit. Maybe he's worth being looked into? Prucha for Exelby, straight up?

Jason Smith

He's on a bad team this year, and maybe that'll affect his value at the moment. However, he's a solid defense-first type guy, and a guy who is a known leader. Ottawa's in all kinds of trouble. Maybe they look at a puck mover like Roszival and have interest... especially after the trading of Meszaros? Roszival for Smith and a pick?

Jay McKee

A name most have forgotten about from his days in Buffalo. An incredibly reliable blueliner who cashed in while in St. Louis. Maybe JD isn't happy with the bad play of his team, and would want Roszival (see a trend with him here)? Roszival and a low pick for McKee?

Any other names and realistic moves anyone can think of? These are four defensive defenseman who aren't afraid to throw the body, and just for that alone, give us the dimension that we lack.

What Do the New York Rangers Have Left in the Cupboard?

Michael Stein — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:41:35 -0500

Without question, the reemergence of the Rangers as a perennial Stanley Cup favorite has happened from within.

Without the scouting staff and leadership that have brought us Henrik, Dubinsky, Callahan, Dawes, Prucha, Girardi, and Staal, we would be nowhere near where we're at, standings-wise. Our youth is the key to Broadway success.

The last few years, I've felt, as have many others, that if the Rangers had any holes in their system, they were on defense. However, with the strong camps had by Corey Potter, Michael Del Zotto, and Bobby Sanguinetti, we look solid on the blue line for years to come.

My concern, for the first time in a few years, is at forward.

With the saddening death of Alexei Cherepanov and the promotion of many aforementioned players, do the Rangers truly have anyone in Hartford at this point that could cause offensive damage in the NHL?

To me, Artem Anisimov might be that lone possibility. However, he's a center, and the Rangers are EXTREMELY deep in that position. Piggybacking on that, he had a weak camp.

Parenteau also looked like a player that'll have a great career in the AHL, and that's all.

Greg Moore has given no real reason for him to be counted on offensively.

We do have Brodie Dupont and Dale Weise, but I'm unsure if they'll be anything different than Callahan or Korpikoski types. Not that's a terrible thing—but isn't it important to have players in your system who can find the net with some degree of consistency?

A player a few years back who opened my eyes was Jarkko Immonen. He's in Europe. I wonder if there's any way that he could be given a second look back here in New York? He had "offensive playmaker" written all over him.

This is a cause for concern. I appreciate that the Rangers have had the talent to promote from within, and I understand that these players have deserved to come to the NHL. I just hope we haven't left ourselves barren.

Guys like Derek Stepan and Evgeni Gratchev might have that ability to fill this void. If not, the Rangers have to find another way to do that. For example, Petr Prucha hasn't done anything in two years. Is that a product of his bad play, or Tom Renney? It doesn't matter. What matters is having value. If he won't be used, let's get rid of him for at least a decent prospect.

Other guys who have floundered, or at least not given an opportunity (like Bobby Ryan) might not be a bad idea to trade for, to at least rebuild the system that's been so good for so long. Could it hurt to see what the price tag might be?

Even with the success that we've had, it's important to always keep an eye on the future. Thank God for Nik Zherdev. If it wasn't for him, what other youthful scoring would we have on the wings?

Is it Time for Tom Renney to Go?

Michael Stein — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:13:27 -0500

After watching this past Ranger game (4 - 1 loss to Ottawa), the thought of a potential Renney dismissal went through my head.

It's not due to this one loss, and I don't think it's too much of an overreaction. The reason why it might be time for Renney to go is just for the lack of his message getting through.

Plenty of other coaches have been axed for the same reasoning (Barry "I haven't coached in 13 years" Melrose to name one).

We all know the makeup of this team. We aren't Detroit or Pittsburgh: teams so talented at this point that they still might be able to win without getting too dirty. The Rangers are exactly the opposite of that.

Over the past few years, players like Nylander, Jagr, Straka, Sykora and Shanahan have left town. Not that I disagree with these moves; however...we are a team with a blue-collar identity.

Players like Aaron Voros, Brandon Dubinsky, Dan Fritsche and Freddie Sjostrom have come here to out-work the opposition. On a consistent basis, this hasn't happened.

It's sinful to watch us not come and play hard, like we should. We haven't played a solid first period in almost two weeks. We've given up more short-handed goals than any other team in the league. These two repugnant stats tell me one simple thing: We don't play half as hard as we should.

Our defense has shifted from years past. Aside from Paul Mara, our defense is depressingly passive. Staal and Girardi will throw the body, but nothing near "bone crunching."

The Rangers consistently are beaten at their own blue line, because no team fears them. Honestly speaking, there is no defenseman to fear on our team.

Roszival has regressed terribly this year...and looks like a shell of himself. His time is certainly up at this point. Most Ranger fans would not be disappointed to see him go.

At the end of the day however, the focus and the work ethic are just plain not there. This is true throughout the lineup. Aside from a very select few, many Rangers are simply not coming to work anymore.

Again, if it were only one or two guys lacking, I wouldn't blame Renney whatsoever. But this team needs a major shakeup. Even though we've been getting a few points the last few games, it's been only through miraculous comebacks that, quite frankly, we didn't deserve.

It's time for a major change in Blue. If Renney's got to go, then it's his time. Thanks for the memories...but damn...our playing lately is nothing short of unacceptable.

Oren Koules is Insane: Tampa Bay GM Gets Short End of Andrej Meszaros Deal

Michael Stein — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:58:11 -0400

To be honest, I've been laughing at how Tampa has operated this entire offseason.

First, they hired a coach who has done nothing in the past decade. They signed a ton of forwards that were on the market, many of which truly I don't feel are going to be that helpful—especially Roberts and Recchi, both of whom didn't fit on Pittsburgh, and Adam Hall, who never came close to meeting his potential.

They signed an over-the-hill goaltender, which can only hurt the development of both Mark Smith (the centerpiece of the Brad Richards deal) and Kari Ramo, and they traded quite possibly a cornerstone defenseman in Dan Boyle. Can it get much worse?

That question was answered just yesterday with a resounding yes. In one of the most boneheaded moves, Tampa traded Filip Kuba and Alexandre Picard and a first-round pick for Andrej Meszaros.

Has Koules lost his mind? Before we go into the ridiculousness of this deal, let's start by looking at Tampa's defensive corps.

By all admittance, both Meszaros and the other man acquired this offseason, Matt Carle, had off seasons last year. Tampa is comfortable having their top two defenseman be this young, this unproven—if you're in your early 20s, I don't care how many games you've played, you are still unproven—and coming off bad years?

That's a recipe for an absolute disaster. On top of that, they traded Kuba—their most experienced defender.

What makes me laugh about the trading of Kuba is that number-wise, Kuba and Meszaros average about the same numbers (eight goals, 20 assists) a year. I understand that Kuba is older—so if you want to throw in a mid-range draft pick or Picard, this deal might make some sense—even with Picard being 6'2, 220, and having a ton of upside.

Instead, Tampa trades the 6'5" Kuba—a very solid defenseman with tons of experience, which is exactly what Tampa needed to hold onto—with Picard and a first-round pick.

That's unreal. If they would have gotten a second-round pick back, or even a decent second- or third-liner (maybe Vermette?), I'd be more inclined to understand this move. But as it stands, Tampa got absolutely ripped off.

I get that Meszaros is only 22. That means one of two things to me—either he's young, was on a bad team last year, and will only get better, or he was one of the reasons Ottawa stumbled last season, hit his prime early, and will only stagnate. Either way, it's questionable that he's a number-one defenseman—and for what they gave up for him, Andrej better be.

Any way you look at it, Koules continued to do what he's being doing for the past three months—make his team look and sound better, but in the long haul, make his team worse. Any team that's haphazardly put together, as this one was, is going nowhere—and doing that fast.

Should Scott Gomez Be Traded? Pros and Cons for the Rangers

Michael Stein — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 06:03:54 -0400

Eklund, "the anonymous hockey blogger," reported yesterday that Scott Gomez was in line to be traded so the Rangers could afford Mats Sundin (Gomez is making $7 million-plus for the next six seasons, I believe). I have some mixed thoughts on that move, and here are the pros and cons:

PROS

Trading Gomez is a move that might not just make sense if you're looking to acquire Mats Sundin, but it might make sense in regard to the types of prospects the Rangers have, and are looking to integrate into their team in the next few years.

First of all, Sundin is coming to the team for no less than $5 million to $6 million (and that's being generous on his part). He was, of course, offered $10 million by Vancouver, but the talk is that he'd take less to come to Broadway.

Sundin would be an interesting pickup, not only because he brings a load of experience to a team that let a majority of its players walk away this past summer, but he brings an annual 30 goals to his team. That's a decent amount of goals for a 37-year-old who can still sit in front of the net, and almost certainly have instant chemistry when playing with his good friend, 36-year-old Markus Naslund. Chemistry is hard to find, and Sundin playing with Naslund is almost guaranteed.

What I think is most interesting about this potential move is that Sundin is only going to play, at tops, two more years. Naslund's probably in that same boat. They'd be the new Straka/Jagr combination. However, and more so with Sundin, after he retires, it gives the Rangers' prospect depth, which truly is at center, a chance to shine.

If Gomez stays, with going-to-be-captain Chris Drury and emerging power forward Brandon Dubinsky, where are one of these centers going to play? Where would Artem Anisimov or Greg Moore find a spot in the lineup?

And that's just talking about players who are very close to the callup. In two or three years time, there will definitely be either other players who deserve a second look from Hartford, or free agent centers that are coming off big years and warrant a major look (Matt Cullen two years ago). Having three No. 1 centers under contract makes that impossible. Trading Gomez, as much as it would hurt, gives the team flexibility that was otherwise lost last summer.

Gomez, at this time, is also worth a lot to a team that wants a playmaking center. There are a handful of teams I can think of that would be willing to trade for Gomez, and that could give the cap relief the Rangers need if signing Sundin is truly in the future (I'll address potential trades at the end of this article).

CONS

It baffles me that we're here talking about this. Just a year ago, at this time, signing Gomez and Drury made the Rangers the darling of all free-agent conversation. We fans were supposed to watch the Stanley Cup favorites for the next decade because of that dual move. I saw things occur this year that made me believe, even if for a little while. I saw Ryan Callahan playing great with Chris Drury at his center. I was happy with the way Nigel Dawes and Gomez played with each other. Why interrupt that? Chemistry is not easy to find, and signing Sundin, even though he might have chemistry with countryman Naslund, doesn't guarantee full team chemistry. Even that pair have only played a handful of games with each other on Swedish exhibition teams.

Gomez, for his issues (like being a Devil for the beginning of his career), I believe came to the Rangers with expectations that were too high. However, I believe that almost every free agent has to deal with that. Last season, Gomez scored 16 goals. That's above-average for him, and his third-highest goal total. He posted 54 assists, which was right at his career average. In no way was this past season a disappointment. He played his game last year, and scored what he was expected to. You couldn't ask for more.

I do believe he is overpaid, without question. However, I'll take a guaranteed 50 assists and 70 points for the next few seasons. I definitely don't believe those are the numbers of a solid first-line center, but for a second-line center, that's perfect. Let him play behind Chris Drury or Brandon Dubinsky, and the Rangers, at this moment, have an incredibly solid 1-2-3 punch. I mean, how well spread-out was the Rangers offense last year?

POSSIBLE DEALS

If the Rangers were to trade Gomez, I could see a good group of teams lining up for his services. Here are a few potential trades I came up with, keeping in mind the Rangers are looking to shed salary, as well.

Scott Gomez and a second-round pick to Colorado for David Jones and Kevin Shattenkirk

This trade gives Colorado the No. 1 center it will probably need with the possible retirements of Joe Sakic or Peter Forsberg. If they both retire, this trade becomes nearly mandatory for the Avs. It gives the Rangers two top prospects (a hard-hitting winger and a top mobile puck-moving defenseman for the future), and a ton of cap relief.

Scott Gomez and Petr Prucha to Edmonton for Ales Hemsky and a third-round pick

This trade, makes decent financial sense, giving the Rangers about $4 million back. The Rangers could still possibly squeeze Sundin in with that money. Hemsky would bring about an immediate turnaround for the Rangers group on the wing, and is a huge upgrade there. Gomez brings some experience to that team, and gives some leadership to a squad that certainly needs it.

Scott Gomez and Michal Roszival to Florida for Jay Bouwmeester and Rostislav Olesz

What a blockbuster. The Panthers get rid of their headache and draft pick that hasn't performed as they'd like, and the Rangers trade $12 million for about half that. Even if they sign Bouwmeester for a little more than he's making now, it's a major cut in salary. Olesz will eventually play better, but I think with Nikolai Zherdev, Naslund, Prucha and Dawes, he'll be given a little extra time to develop without the pressure of being that No. 1 guy right away. Bouwmeester will thrive in New York behind Redden, and the Rangers will be able to afford Sundin. To me, on a secondary note, Gomez and David Booth just seems like an unstoppable combination.

Scott Gomez and a third-round pick to LA for Dustin Brown

Adding Dustin Brown to the Rangers lineup is a significant improvement. He's big, strong, mean, a hitter, and a goal-scorer. He's a perfect power forward, and would be solid on the wing of either Dubinsky or Drury. Gomez brings leadership to a team that desperately needs it, and this is a win-win. LA keeps Kopitar, which is most important to them. Kopitar and Gomez could be dynamic.

Scott Gomez and Michal Roszival to Minnesota for Marian Gaborik and Kurtis Foster

Another monster blockbuster. Gomez wouldn't fit better anywhere than in his old system, and here's his chance to play with Jacques Lemaire once again. Roszival continues the trend Minnesota's trying to maintain with puck-moving defenseman. Gaborik has been on the block for the last little while, and really would legitimize the Rangers' core of wingers.

Kurtis Foster might be exactly what the Rangers are lacking: a 6'5" defenseman who doesn't mind using his body, and has a very solid shot to boot. Even if the Rangers give Gaborik $7 million or $8 million, this move saves the Rangers lots of money...until they spend it on Sundin.

Who Else Deserves to Be in the New York Rangers' Rafters?

Michael Stein — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:10:18 -0400

With Messier, Leetch, and Richter retiring over the past few seasons, and with Graves set to join them, I had the thought that maybe Glen Sather will continue this seemingly yearly tradition, and possibly retire the numbers of other Rangers who were very deserving of it.

As much as I love Adam Graves, and I do—if his number 9 is going to be retired, then there are plenty of other Ranger alums that should be as well.

And no, Glen Sather's number 6—yes, he was a Ranger in the 1940s—doesn't belong up there, but I felt the picture of him on the podium kinda worked with the article.

No. 3, Harry Howell

The all-time leader in Ranger games played should be an automatic for retirement. We're not talking about the Columbus Blue Jackets—this is a franchise in existence for over 80 years.

Howell played nearly 20 years in Blue, and was never fun to play against. He deserves widespread recognition as one of the sturdiest Rangers of all time.

No. 4, Ron Greschner

Before Brian Leetch, Ron Greschner was the best defenseman to ever play in a Ranger uniform. He played 16 years (1974-1990) in Ranger blue. For that alone, he should be in the rafters.

His 982 games, 600-plus points, and 1,200-plus penalty minutes don't hurt either. In fact, they should guarantee him.

No. 9, Andy Bathgate

729 points in 719 games over the course of 12 seasons. I could see room for two number 9s. Bathgate is fourth all-time in Ranger scoring—how was he ignored for so long?

Number 11, Vic Hadfield

Three players have scored 50 or more goals in a single season in a Rangers uniform—Adam Graves, Jaromir Jagr, and Vic Hadfield.

Graves' number is retired, Jagr was only here for a handful of seasons, but Hadfield helped to anchor the greatest line in Rangers history. Give him respect, and a place next to the other number 11.

No. 19, Jean Ratelle

All Jean Ratelle did was average nearly a point per game over his entire Ranger tenure. Ratelle's also third all-time in Ranger scoring, behind Gilbert and Leetch—not bad for the "other guy" on the G-A-G line.

He was traded with Brad Park in one of the biggest trades in Ranger history. I'm sure a lot of people love Espo—but plenty others loved Ratelle and Park. Number 19 belongs to Jean Ratelle.

No. 23, Jeff Beukeboom

I wouldn't typically think a stay-at-home defenseman would get as much recognition as Jeff did—but man, this guy is absolutely beloved. Maybe it's because his career was ended before he really lost a step.

Either way, without question, the Rangers do not win the Cup in 1994 without him. The Garden faithful would go nuts for him.

I"m sure there are plenty of other worthy and interesting candidates—Ron Duguay, Bryan Hextall, Walt Tkaczuk, JD, Steve Vickers, Brad Park, Bill Cook, etc. Any other suggestions?

Andreas Jamtin: A Look at the Newest New York Ranger

Michael Stein — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:50:33 -0400

If you've been looking at the Rangers' roster in recent weeks (www.newyorkrangers.com), then you've seen players like Greg Moore and Lauri Korpikoski erased, while Andreas Jamtin has been added. Who is this kid?

As I'm sure you all know, Jamtin was a free agent playing in Europe that the Rangers signed during the summer. Reading some scouting reports on him, he's said to be "like Tomas Holmstrom, but a better skater." Wow. That sounds almost too good to be true!

A few years back, Jamtin was a late draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings. So were the aforementioned Holmstrom, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Nick Lidstrom, etc. To be honest, he was part of quite possibly the best European scouting system in the NHL.

I'm not sure why the Red Wings let him go, but I will tell you this. A few years back, Jamtin was demoted from his Swedish team due to bad conduct. Is this kid a malcontent? Is he the Swedish version of Sean Avery?

We can't be sure of any of that, but what we do know is that if he can make the opening night roster, he'll definitely bring some energy to a Ranger lineup that seems to be packed with plenty of punch.

I have no idea where he could fit due to the Rangers' unbelievable forward depth. Either way, add him onto the Rangers' pile of talented youth, and keep an eye on him.

Eight Predictions for the New York Rangers' 2008-09 Season

Michael Stein — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 09:25:54 -0400

During the past week, there's been a ton of talk, but not much movement in the Ranger camp. Everything from the invite of Petr Nedved to the possibility of a gigantic three-way deal to eventually bring in Mats Sundin has been discussed.

It seems that the majority of Glen Sather's work has been done, and unless something ridiculous occurs, I'm going to assume the Rangers are going to stand relatively pat for the next two months until the beginning of training camp. Taking that into consideration, here are eight quick predictions for the upcoming Ranger season:

1. Captain Chris Drury

Yes, I do believe that Connecticut's own Chris Drury will be given the captaincy of the New York Rangers.

There are multiple reasons why this makes sense.

First, he's been a captain. On his last team, Buffalo, he co-captained with Danny Briere, and was widely considered, as Stan Fischler once said, the "straw that stirs the drink." Not sure what that exactly means, but I'll agree.

Drury also has a Stanley Cup on his resume from his time in Colorado, and is known as one of the best clutch goal scorers in the game today. That's the guy you want as captain—one who comes through in the clutch.

On top of that, many people consider his 25 goals last year to be an "off year," but if you look at his numbers, that's basically on par with his career average. I think he will improve this year, probably around the 30-goal range, but I see his assist total going way up.

That's where he really had his decline. If he can get back to the 40-assist range, that'll help to create more offense for the team in general. He does a lot of little things on the ice, and one of them this year will be to wear the C.

2. No Mats Sundin

I'm not going to talk about this too much, but unless the Rangers do something drastic, like trade Scott Gomez, I'm not sure where he can fit.

Plus, we don't need him! Let him linger in Vancouver or Toronto.

I'm sorry, he won't fit in Ranger blue, and there's no need to destroy any chemistry we might be building. Forget him and move on.

3. The Career Plateau of Brandon Dubinsky

I'll start by saying I love this kid. In my opinion, he was our best player last year.

However, when you play with two of the best players to ever come out of Europe, I'm going to say that you won't get a lot of attention from checkers or the opponents' defense. This year he'll have neither on his wing, and almost certainly will suffer for it.

I was as surprised as any to see how well he played with Jagr last year, but who are they going to put on his wing now? Sjostrom? I like him a lot, but you can't compare him with his linemates last year.

Dubinsky will continue to play hard, but will he match the 40 points he got last year? Big maybe on that.

I hope I'm wrong though. I also hope Tom Renney just lets him work through it, and doesn't send him back to Hartford.

So, a sophomore slump for the kid. I like him a lot though, and Ranger fans will give him a break.

4. The Disappointment of Nik Zherdev

I've been saying this since they acquired him. Good-looking Russian who continually makes defensive lapses and has his work ethic questioned. Let's see...

Sergei Zubov: booed out of town. Alex Kovalev: booed out of town twice. Valeri Kamenski: I once heard a Ranger fan scream out, "I hope you get AIDS!" at him—at a road game no less.

The track record talks for itself. You are dreaming if you think Zherdev will be loved at the end of the season. Fans will be calling for his head.

His career average is about 20 goals a year. I believe people are expecting him to double that and be a first-line winger.

He has yet to prove he can do that. True, he was in Columbus—but in the current Ranger system, no one scored 30 goals last year. I'm not of the opinion that Zherdev can either.

Big expectations here, and there is no way this kid will live up to them.

5. The Pedestrian Season of Wade Redden

If you think a 31-year-old defenseman coming of an offseason is your team's savior, you have a lot to learn.

If anything, Redden has just finished his career peak. He just had his lowest goal total since his rookie year, and came close to matching his lowest point total as well.

I remember seeing him play when he first broke in with the Islanders, and watching Jeff Beukeboom pummel him in a fight until he was in the Claude Lemieux cowering-for-mercy position. I have had trouble respecting him since.

Redden played the last few years next to Andrej Meszaros, Chris Phillips, and Anton Volchenkov, three of the toughest defensemen in the league. His best seasons were next to Zdeno Chara.

Who's going to protect him this year? Rozsival? He'll do alright as a Ranger—just don't expect miracles. Buyer beware.

6. The Re-emergence of Petr Prucha

Boy, what a sad season Prucha had last year. The guy went from scoring, on average, 45 points his first two seasons to 17 last season. A whole 17 points!

Horrendous. However, he has a chance to redeem himself.

This past offseason, the Rangers lost their top four wingers in free agency—Jagr, Straka, Avery, and Shanny (most likely). They acquired only Naslund and Zherdev.

I believe that players like Nigel Dawes, Ryan Callahan, Fredrik Sjostrom and Prucha will be called on to replace what was lost. Out of those four, aside from Dawes, I have to believe Prucha has the most offensive upside.

Maybe he'll get a full year next to Chris Drury. What a tandem they would make rushing to the front of the net.

Maybe Nigel Dawes can set him up with some of those fabulous passes he can make. Either way, I see Prucha getting a big opportunity, at least towards the early part of the season.

One of two things will occur—he'll be given a shot and will become a big contributor once again, or he'll be traded by March. Gotta wait to find out.

7. The Surprising Year of Markus Naslund

I was as shocked as anyone to see the Rangers picked him up. It seems that he's on the downside of his career, and that turned everyone off.

However, wasn't Jagr the same when we traded for him? Wasn't Straka? I remember reading the Hockey News when they were both acquired a few years back, and they laughed at Glen Sather.

Man, were they proven wrong. The team was turning towards Czech players, and those two helped rebuild the Rangers. Maybe now we're looking at Swedes. Naslund, Sjostrom, and Lundqvist are three fine Swedish players who all bring a lot to the table.

I will admit a mistake was made on Backman, though.

Looking at Naslund—what if he assumes the role that Jagr had? I don't think he's a potential 50-goal scorer anymore... but is 30 out of the question? Imagine how he could teach Nigel Dawes.

If anyone is a potential breakout star on this team, it might be Dawes. Let Naslund, one of the best snipers in the game, teach one of the up-and-coming snipers the Rangers have.

I know that Naslund's career suddenly bottomed out around the same time Alain Vigneault was hired. Coincedence? We'll see.

However I don't think he's such as waste as others feel. He'll give us two, maybe three solid seasons, and will be looked at as a quality elder statesman, similar to Marty Straka. In fact, look for an "A" to be on his chest by the end of the preseason.

8. The Forgotten Scott Gomez

I haven't heard him discussed once all summer. I do believe people expected him to be a 30-goal scorer, and were disappointed.

He's not a goal scorer people!

I was shocked to see the money he got from Sather, and all last summer I tried to figure out why. I think I figured it out during this year when I saw him play game in and game out—he's electric.

He's not the biggest scorer in the world, but he can do something few others can—make his linemates better.

The guy averages about 50 assists a year, and that's not easy. Last year he struggled to find chemistry, especially with Jagr, but this year I have a gut feeling that'll all change.

Gomez does well with north-south type players. Dawes I liked on his wing. They'll try Zherdev, and if that works, we might see a big payoff.

However, I could see him really being successful with a guy like Sjostrom—a rugged player who goes to the net and collects the garbage. That's what Gomez needs! Speedy, rough and tumble wingers—he did great with Brian Gionta on his wing, sitting in front of the net—are perfect for the guy.

I think Gomez will continue his underrated play, and if he can amass numbers like 20-50-70, all of a sudden you'll start seeing number 19 jerseys. He hasn't been discussed whatsoever all offseason, but I see him finally getting comfortable on Broadway.

New York Rangers: The Baby Broadway Blueshirts

Michael Stein — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:01:54 -0400

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We all know about the recent acquisitions in Manhattan. Players like Markus Naslund and Nik Zherdev are being counted on to bring the offense. Chris Drury is going to be asked to step up in the leadership role.

Michal Roszival and Wade Redden are going to have to anchor this new defensive group. Ryan Callahan and Fred Sjostrom will need to drive their opponent nuts. Brandon Dubinsky, Mark Staal, and Nigel Dawes will need to increase their level of development. In other words, there is an amazing amount of pressure for this upcoming year.

Almost every player in Ranger blue will be tested this year, expected to fill certain roles. Someone has to fill the role of captaincy. Someone has to fill the role of powerplay quarterback. Someone has to fill the role of agitator. Someone has to fill the role of top line winger.

People of course are penciled into new roles, but nothing's certain. Again, who would have predicted that Dubinsky would have been centering our first line at this time last year? Everything's up for grabs.

Speaking of Dubinsky, I do believe that our return to respectability in the NHL centers around the youth movement Glen Sather, Tom Renney, and, until a few months ago, Don Maloney have been working on.

Kids like Lundqvist, Prucha, Staal, Dawes, Girardi, and Callahan have been huge players for us, but it even goes as far back as the since departed Jed Ortmeyer and Dominic Moore (who I still miss). All of them deserve credit for the return of hard work and accountability to the Broadway Blueshirt.

I want to know who's next. I want to know who our scouting staff is looking at to be the newest young cog in the Ranger machine. I do realize, considering all the movement that's taken place over the last two years, there might not be too much room for youth at this exact moment on the team.

However, it's good to know that talent is lying on the sideline, and that they shouldn't be overlooked. Broken down into categories, here are some of the players with no NHL games under their belts as of yet who could keep some of our veterans nervous throughout the next few seasons.

Offensive Players

Alexei Cherepanov

Well, you knew he'd be at the top. Yes, he's been compared to players with the names of Ovechkin and Kovalchuk, but personally I feel he's overrated if that's the comparison.

The kid's been plagued continuously with the stigma of not working hard, and look what that's done for Zherdev already. His offensive game has been compared to Alex Radulov, which in no way is a bad thing.

However, the hit he took from Brandon Sutter last year, which was all over the net, was horrid. That's enough to scare me into thinking he's all offense, with no nose for the small things going on around him. I've seen for years, players like the ones aforementioned, Jagr, Bure, and Fedorov make a living off of not being able to get hit.

If Cherepanov can get lit up before he gets to the NHL, I can't imagine what'll happen when players like Phaneuf see him. He'll pot 30 for you—maybe—but I don't think he's the sure thing everyone believes him to be. Radulov is a decent comparison, but I see a younger Valeri Kamensky from Colorado in the mid '90s.

Artem Anisimov

I can't think of the last time we had a few solid Russian prospects. Is he the Nemchinov to Cherepanov's Kovalev? It actually might seem that way.

Anisimov is a very tall two-way center who has a ton of upside. Unlike Cherepanov, he doesn't mind getting a little dirty here and there. He'll never be a huge scorer, but has the ability to score 10-15 a year, while again maintaining a sense of responsibility. I just don't know where he fits in on a team that has a ton of center depth.

It wouldn't surprise me to see the Rangers try and convert him to a winger with the upside he has. I think you put him on a line with someone who can certainly score (Cherepanov, even someone like Prucha or Dawes) and you'll see him have a great plus/minus, and an even better assist total. He might be similar to a younger Craig Conroy.

Tom Pyatt

Pyatt is a name Ranger fans have heard before. Taylor Pyatt was an Islander draft choice who was traded to Buffalo in the Mike Peca deal. He's now a forward in Vancouver.

Tom is quite a different player. He is small and not too fast like his brother. However, he is a monster when it comes to work ethic. That makes me think of someone like Ryan Callahan or Dominic Moore—a player that's all heart.

The guy's ability to score is quite average, even though he scored 40+ his last year in the WHL. If he can find that area of his game in the pros, watch out for him. He could end up somewhere in between former Devils Randy McKay and Pat Verbeek. Heart there was never questioned.

Brodie Dupont

From what I've read and heard, this kid excites me. With his big frame, he loves to get in front of the net and cause traffic. He can hit, too. What else do you need?

A rough and tumble kid who signed a pro contract last year, he brings to the table what every team loves—raw toughness. Sadly, it seems players like Patrick Rissmiller and Dan Fritsche can do a similar job, but I truly hope a player like Dupont gets a chance to show you what he can do as well.

I honestly feel that you can't have enough players like this on your team. In a perfect world, we might have the second coming of Darcy Tucker on our hands.

Defensive Players

Bobby Sanguinetti

Again, he's the real known commodity on this list. The guy can pass, he can skate, and he can create from the blueline. He seems to be in the mold of a cornerstone defenseman. Every team that wins has one of these.

Whether it was Scott Niedermayer, Dan Boyle, or Brian Leetch, a team needs its playmaker on the back end. Sangs is that. My only concern with him is a lack of physicality, and on a soft Ranger defensive corps I feel that concern is legitimate.

If he can learn to throw a hit (like Fedor Tyutin did with his hip), then I'm much less nervous. Otherwise, the kid has a ton of upside, and could be our very own Mike Green.

Michael Sauer and Corey Potter

I've put these guys together because they are very similar. This pair is EXACTLY what the team needs. They are both intelligent defensive defensemen. In other words, they are what Marek Malik and Christian Backman were not.

Every team must have a guy who's rarely seen but well known by the other team. A guy who, on every other rush, the opposing wingers know to stay away from. It's players like this that allow a guy like Sanguinetti to join the rush.

Does anyone here believe that Brian Leetch would have been as good without Jeff Beukeboom? At least one of these guys have to make themselves good enough to join the Ranger team, especially considering both Paul Mara and Dmitri Kalinin only have one-year deals, and I'm sure Sanguinetti will take one of those spots. Maybe either Potter or Sauer takes the other? If either looks like a toned down version of Nicklas Kronwall, everyone's happy.

Honorable Mentions

Tomas Zaborsky, Ryan Hillier, Max Campbell

Sadly, there really aren't too many defensive top notch prospects in the Ranger system. Maybe Dmitri Kalinin wasn't signed as a stop gap, but as a reclamation project (he is a former first round pick)? I can now see why the Rangers drafted three defensemen in this year's draft (Del Zotto, Gaulton, and Kundratek).

I'm sure the Rangers hope Girardi, Staal, Redden, and Roszival anchor this group until a few of these kids are ready. Up front however, there is TONS of potential. Anything I've missed?

A Rangers Masterpiece? Decisions Remain, Including Brendan Shanahan's Future

Michael Stein — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:22:08 -0400

It's hard for me to believe that the Rangers have completed all their offseason movement. The team is about $3 million from the cap, rumors of Shanahan's return are constant, and the team has seven players who are either penciled in as fourth-line players or have played that position at some point last year. There is a total of 16 forwards in the Rangers lineup (including Greg Moore and Lauri Korpikoski), and it just seems hard to believe that any team is comfortable with knowing that at a minimum of four paid forwards will be in the press box regularly. In the salary cap era, that's inexcusable mismanagement.

First of all, let's address the possible return of Shanahan. Published reports have his agent quoted as saying Shanny wants to play one more year, and isn't really looking anywhere else. Personally, I don't want Shanahan back, simply because the Rangers have to start relying on their younger players for leadership, and Shanahan's return takes minutes away from them (especially on the power play), and, again, makes a player like Dawes the third or fourth option.

At this point, Gomez, Drury, and Naslund will be counted on to lead the forward group...Shanahan becomes a luxury that the Rangers truly cannot afford. Leadership-wise he does bring an intangible, of that there's no doubt; but, as said before, in the salary cap era, teams need to think monetarily, and the way things are now, he almost certainly can't fit (he made $2.5 million last year, and would barely fit if things didn't change).

The only way I can see him sneaking in under the cap is if he takes an incentive-laden contract, or if the Rangers trade Petr Prucha. If Prucha's $1.6 million goes, then all of a sudden Shanahan is a possibility under last year's salary. Prucha often was the 13th forward last year, and might not fit into what Renney's trying to do. He seems like the logical man out if it's decided that Shanny needs to come back.

In terms of the Rangers crowded fourth line...they have seven players I could see fitting into that checking role (and this is after the trading of Ryan Hollweg). Blair Betts, Colton Orr, Fredrik Sjostrom, and Lauri Korpikoski all saw time there. With the additions of Aaron Voros, Patrick Rissmiller, and Dan Fritsche, there is without a doubt a log jam.

That's also not taking into account a player like Dane Byers in Hartford, whom I personally feel is ready to make quite an impact as a role player. In terms of solutions, it's very odd to me that a player like Korpikoski is making $1 million-plus per year. That's a lot of money to be paid to a player that has one playoff game on his resume.

Do I see him as a contributor? Absolutely, and in the one game he played he was quite the spark plug. However, in a salary cap world, can the Rangers afford him? He is a former first-round pick, and the Rangers could get a decent return for him (probably another mid-range prospect).

Fredrik Sjostrom might be available, but I personally see his offensive potential, and believe he'll be seriously looked at as a third-line two-way specialist, maybe being counted on for 15 or so goals. Honestly, I think he'll be promoted before he's traded, considering what we gave up to get him (Al Montoya).

The other player that might be traded could be one of my personal favorites, Blair Betts. I like the guy because he does the things that you never really see unless you look. The guy can win faceoffs, block shots, and continuously make the smart play. I can't recall a time I heard Sam Rosen say "...and a giveaway by Betts." No, he's the guy on the defensive side that causes the giveaways, and the guy who almost always has been pitted against a team's top line. He's constantly the team's top penalty killer.

This year he won't have Ryan Hollweg on his wing, so his numbers might look better...however, with Dan Fritsche signed, the Rangers have five centers (not including Artem Anisimov, who was impressive in last year's camp. Prucha and Korpikoski also can play center). Could he be expendable due to numbers? His salary isn't hefty, but, again, how much room is there for a player like him, with a few minor leaguers waiting in the wings, and a guy who they traded for?

There it is, the few guys I think the Rangers might be looking to move: Petr Prucha, Lauri Korpikoski and Blair Betts. I'm sure all won't be traded, two at the most. Any thoughts?