Bleacher Report - Articles by Mike Rappaport

Rangers Gear Up for Crucial Home and Home with Defending Champs

Mike Rappaport — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:15:58 -0500

After a disappointing 5-1 loss in Tampa Bay last night, a game which head coach John Tortorella called the worst of the season, the Rangers get back to work right away as they play the Penguins in Pittsburgh tonight. Tonight's game is the first of a home and home series with the defending champs as the two teams play Monday night at the Garden.

While we are only going into December, the standings in the Eastern Conference are already very important, as only five points separate fifth place from 13th place. For every game the Rangers lose, there is another team with a similar number of points that will get a win on that day. Therefore, with the Rangers currently sitting at 10th in the Conference, the wins need to start coming before they lose control of the season.

New York Rangers On Dany Heatley's Wishlist

Mike Rappaport — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:36:35 -0400

Will the Rangers somehow find a way to bring Dany Heatley to New York? Well, according to the Ottawa Sun, they are already trying.

According to the article, Heatley's wish list of teams he would liked to be traded to now includes the New York Rangers, along with the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, and Boston Bruins. The Rangers are believed to have already started discussions with Senators general manager Byran Murray about the possibility of bringing the star winger to Broadway.

However, just because the Rangers are talking about a deal doesn't mean it is a lock. There are two problems the Rangers will have to overcome in making a deal for Heatley:

1. The Rangers Don't Have Anyone as Talented as Heatley That They Will Trade

If Ottawa decides to pull the trigger on a trade with the Rangers, they will definitely be on the losing end of the deal.

2. The Rangers Will Have To Give Up Somebody with a Similar Contract.

With Heatley making $7.5 million per year, the only Rangers who have contracts similar to his are Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Wade Redden, and Michal Rozsival.

The majority of Rangers fans will be willing, if not begging, to part with Redden, but it is unlikely that Ottawa would want him in a deal for Heatley.

Gomez and Drury are probably the players who have the most value in a deal, but Ottawa already has one big money center in Jason Spezza.

The fact that the Rangers are on Heatley's wish list is a major step toward making a deal. However, don't be surprised if, for one reason or another, he is not wearing Ranger Blue come October.

Do the Rangers Need High-Priced Free Agents?

Mike Rappaport — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:31:10 -0400

Forget about if they even can. Let's worry about whether they should first.

The topic up for debate is whether it is necessary for the New York Rangers to move money around to make a run at some of the high talent, high-priced free agents available this offseason. Instead of looking at the talent available, should Glen Sather focus solely on re-signing the "core" of his organization from this season and for seasons ahead?

Over the last two offseasons, the Rangers GM has signed "stars" Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, and Wade Redden. Everyone knows what has happened, and everyone knows the rumors that perhaps one of, if not all three, will not be with the Rangers when training camp opens in September.

So, should Sather once again put faith—and a huge contract—into a big-name free agent? Well, let's talk about the list that is out right now, and keep in mind this is before teams have the chance to re-sign their own free agents. Also, let's discuss who the Rangers have first crack at: their own free agents.

If Gomez and Drury were to stay, and Sather re-signs Brandon Dubinsky and/or Blair Betts, then the Rangers won't have any money to invest in centers, as Artem Anisimov is also ready to become a regular player in the NHL.

On right wing, besides Gaborik, the list is headlined by Marian Hossa and Martin Havlat. There is the same issue with Havlat as with Gaborik in that they are injury-prone. Havlat, when healthy, is one of the best players in the game. However, would you risk putting a lot of money into a player like Havlat?

With Hossa, there are a couple of problems. One is that he is going to want a lot of money that the Rangers might not be able to give him. Two, is that Detroit will definitely want to bring him back, and if Detroit wins the cup this year, can you blame Hossa for wanting to return?

The move that might make sense for the Rangers is—if they are keeping Gomez—to sign Brian Gionta. After a decent season for Gionta, the Rangers can get him at a lower price than players like Gaborik and Hossa, and maybe see if putting Gomez and Gionta will give the two players close to the career numbers that they put up in 2005-06.

However, with an emphasis on size, the best free-agent fit on right wing could be a player that the Rangers had this past year: Nik Antropov. He can score goals, provides the size that the Rangers need, and is still only 29 years old.

Also, it is obvious that the Rangers need Ryan Callahan back in their lineup next year, and it is also obvious that Callahan will get more than the $600,000 he was making last season.

In my opinion, the Rangers need something, but not a high-risk player with an even riskier contract. If one of these players wants to come to the Rangers at a lower price contract for one year and prove that they can play well and stay healthy for a whole year, then by all means.

Still, the Rangers need to worry about guys who were in their organization last year, such as Callahan and Antropov, before going into the open market hoping to throw cash out to big name players along with many other teams.

Shootouts, Lockouts Have Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist On Verge Of NHL Record

Mike Rappaport — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:21:43 -0400

The next win that Henrik Lundqvist gets will put him in a class of his own. When the Rangers' goaltender gets his 30th win of the season, he will become the first goaltender in NHL history to record at least 30 wins in each of his first four seasons.

While this will be a remarkable achievement, Lundqvist's record will be influenced by the biggest change in the rules of the post-lockout NHL, the shootout. As a result of Lundqvist's success in the shootout, he has earned "extra" wins that goaltenders in the NHL before the lockout would not have had the chance to win.

If there were no shootouts in the NHL, Lundqvist wouldn't have recorded 30 wins in his rookie season, and he would only have 23 wins this year instead of 29.

Another factor that influenced this record were the lockouts in 1994-95 and 2004-05.

As a result of the first lockout, which shortened the '95 season to 48 games, cost goaltenders like Martin Brodeur a chance to get 30 wins in that season. And, as a result of the second lockout, Lundqvist was able to get recognition in the Swedish Elite League and start the next season in New York.

Even though you could put an asterisk next to what Lundqvist is about to achieve, the bottom line is that the record will be his, and with Lundqvist's success in his first four seasons, there is no reason to believe that the record will stop at four seasons.

Steve Valiquette Should be Playing More Games

Mike Rappaport — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 07:23:37 -0500

On Monday, when the New York Rangers reach the midway point of their season, they could be in sixth place in the Eastern Conference Standings, and third in the Atlantic Division. This comes after starting the season 10-2-1, and leading their division from the start of the season.

Assuming that Henrik Lundqvist makes the start tomorrow, which would be his 34th of the season, he would be on pace to start 68 games this year. While Lundqvist has been accustomed to playing a high number of games every year, there is no reason that the Rangers should be running him into the ground now. Especially when he is needed the most in the playoffs.

Therefore, in considering the number of games Lundqvist would be playing, combined with the fact that his play has dropped considerably as of late, it is time for Steve Valiquette to be playing more often.

If anybody was concerned with how Valiquette would handle playing against a tougher team, last night's game against Washington should ease their worries. Despite losing 2-1 to the Capitals, Valiquette made 29 saves, and made some huge saves when called upon.

More importantly, Valiquette's numbers in the games he has played this year are deserving of more playing time. In the nine games that Valiquette has played (seven started), he is 4-3 with a 2.36 GAA and a .922 SV%.

Those numbers are usually in Lundqvist's ballpark at the end of the year, but the recent struggles that Lundqvist has had gives him a 2.67 GAA and a .908 SV%.

If Valiquette plays more and is successful, it is only beneficial to Lundqvist and the Rangers. If Lundqvist sees Valiquette getting more playing time, it will only push his competitiveness and force him to play better in order to see more playing time.

And if you have two goalies pushing each other for playing time by playing well, it can only spell success and wins for the Blueshirts.

Rangers Hope Scoring Troubles Follow Devils from Garden State to the Garden

Mike Rappaport — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:48:20 -0500

In 10 games in the month of December, the New York Rangers have given up 34 goals. After winning three games in a row, the New Jersey Devils have been shut out in each of their last two games, both in New Jersey.

Something will give on Saturday as the Rangers will host the Devils, who were defeated on Friday by the Pittsburgh Penguins, 1-0. While the Devils have struggled offensively as of late, the Rangers have struggled in giving up goals for the duration of December.

The Rangers, who are now in 3rd place after the Capitals victory on Friday, will need to provide better defense in front of Henrik Lundqvist in order to have success. The "King" has struggled in December, mainly because of a game in New Jersey, where Lundqvist allowed eight goals on 34 shots in a 8-5 loss.

However head coach Tom Renney has refused to place blame on the Rangers goaltender. After the Rangers last game, where they blew a 4-0 lead to the Capitals and lost 5-4 in overtime, Renney said that "I thought Henrik played well. He was not a concern tonight at all.”

That has been Renney's line for most of this month, but the bottom line is that the Rangers need Lundqvist to be better, whether it means him playing like he is superhuman, or simply the defense doing a better job.

New York Rangers: Do The Numbers Lie?

Mike Rappaport — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:37:00 -0500

After 35 games of the 2008-2009 regular season, the New York Rangers sit atop the Atlantic Division, and are 2nd in the Eastern Conference standings.

However are the Rangers really this good? Is Wade Redden really this bad? Is Henrik Lundqvist still a candidate for the Vezina Trophy, let alone the All-Star team? These questions will be answered as the first 35 Ranger games are put under the microscope, and it is determined whether the numbers that are on the stat sheet are the true representation of the actual play.

1. New York Rangers: 22-11-2, 46 pts.

Numbers: Lie

The Rangers have been the beneficiaries in the first half of the season. Eight of their 22 wins have come after the extra session this season, and that's only the beginning. The team has been inconsistent, playing some of their best games against the best teams in the league, and playing some of their worst games against the worst teams in the league. Also, while they are second in the Conference, teams that aren't far behind have plenty of games in hand on the Rangers.

2. Henrik Lundqvist: 18-9-2, 2.49 GAA, .914 SV%

Numbers: Lie

It is impossible that Lundqvist's stellar play only warrants 19th in the league in goals against and 17th in save percentage. Lundqvist, unfortunately has been the victim of poor Rangers defense, and a couple of bad games (Vancouver, Montreal, New Jersey). For example, if you don't add Lundqvist's stats from the most recent Rangers-Devils game, his save percentage is .920, ranking him 10th in the league, and his goals against is 2.29, ranking him seventh.

3. Wade Redden: 2 G, 13 A, 15 PTS, -4 +/-

Numbers: Don't Lie

The Rangers signing of Redden has done nothing but hurt them. Besides the fact that Redden has struggled so far in New York, his six year/$39 million contract has handicapped the financially (ex: possibly signing Mats Sundin). Redden hasn't scored since October 10th, and his play would be average at best for possibly a fourth or fifth defenseman, let alone a top two defenseman.

4. Nikolai Zherdev: 11 G, 20 A, 31 PTS, 4 +/-

Numbers: Don't Lie

The only thing that Zherdev hasn't done since joining the Rangers is having the negative attitude that drove Columbus to trade the former first round draft pick. Zherdev has dazzled the Garden with his clutch goal scoring, his swift moves, and exceptional speed. The Rangers can look to rely on Zherdev as the season goes on.

5. Markus Naslund: 12 G, 13 A, 25 PTS, -7 +/-

Numbers: Don't Lie

While Zherdev has been the offensive dynamo for the Rangers, it is Naslund's steady play that has him leading the team in goals. On a team that has made it clear its primary focus in defense, the 35-year-old Swede is on pace to record 25 goals, and has seemed to find his scoring touch again playing on a line with Zherdev and Scott Gomez.

Two-Faced Rangers Ready For Western Trip

Mike Rappaport — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:47:47 -0500

As the latest Mats Sundin rumors capture Rangers' fans (and Rangers players') interests, the players presently wearing the red, white, and blue face a very important week against three Western Conference teams.

Starting with tomorrow night's game in Anaheim against the Ducks, the Rangers will play the Ducks, the Kings, and the league-leading Sharks. While taking two out of the three games might be considered a stretch, it is not impossible, considering how well the Rangers can play.

However, this Rangers team, 33 games into the season, are still impossible to figure out. There are so many positives when you look at the Rangers, and yet there are so many negatives.

The Rangers have an NHL-best 90.7% PK, while a 14.2% PP, only ranking 23rd. Their record is 20-11-2, but have won eight of their games after OT.

And while team is inconsistent, and have not won a game in regulation since November 24th against Phoenix, they are still somehow managing to lead their division.

So, while the Rangers wait for Mats Sundin to make up his mind, Tom Renney needs to focus on making his team play like they did on Saturday night, instead of Friday night.

Rangers Status Tested by December Schedule

Mike Rappaport — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:53:49 -0500

If there is any month or series of games that will make the Rangers look back at points they should have gained but failed to capitalize, the month of December will serve that purpose.

However, if this Rangers team, the same one that was embarrassed in a 4-0 loss at home to the lowly Florida Panthers, is still leading their division by the end of the month, it will be safe to say that the Rangers are a legit contender in the Eastern Conference.

The Rangers will play 12 games (11 teams) in December, and of the 11 teams they play, eight of them have records over .500. The Rangers will have their hands full, as time and travel will not be friendly to them.

The Rangers start the month of December against the Penguins, who have the top two scorers in the NHL as well as hottest players right now, in Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. They will then visit the Canadiens the next night.

The Rangers will also get to face three of the top six teams (starting the month) in the Western Conference in the Sharks, the Ducks, and the Flames. The Sharks and Ducks are part of a three-game road trip out west that also includes facing the Kings.

However, as the Rangers return home for the holidays, they will be greeted by Alexander Ovechkin and the Capitals. Home games to end the month include the rival Devils and rival Islanders.

While this month will be a grueling stretch, the Rangers, if they can record a minimum of 15 out of a possible 24 points, will be in good shape for the remainder of the 08-09 season.

Rangers Math: 3=2, 2=1, 1=0?

Mike Rappaport — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:20:28 -0500

It goes without saying that Henrik Lundqvist has been the most consistent, and arguably the best player on the Rangers so far this season. Lundqvist has been so consistent that the Rangers come from behind win over the Bruins on Saturday was the eighth consecutive game he has played in where he has allowed exactly two goals (not counting the shootout).

It is this statistic that leads to the concept of Rangers math, where 3=2, 2=1, and 1=0. Obviously, in real mathematics, the numbers don't add up, but for the Rangers, these numbers spell out success.

If Lundqvist gives up exactly two goals in each game: three or more goals would give the Rangers a win, thus two points (3=2). If the Rangers score exactly two goals (regulation, overtime and shootout), the Rangers would lose 3-2 in either overtime or a shootout, thus one point (2=1). If the Rangers score one or zero goals, the Rangers would lose 2-1 in regulation, or 2-0, thus zero points (1=0).

All the ridiculous math formulas aside, Lundqvist has been outstanding this season. It has been his consistency and outstanding play that have propelled the Rangers to first place in the Eastern Conference standings. And even though Lundqvist has yet to record a shutout this year, despite leading the league with 10 last season, his outstanding play has him first in the NHL in wins, third in the NHL in goals against average, and sixth in the NHL in save percentage. In fact, his numbers are better than Roberto Luongo's, even though the Vancouver goalie has five shutouts already this season.

Lundqvist will try to get what would be his league-leading 12th win on Monday when the Rangers host the Ottawa Senators.

Henrik Lundqvist Needs Help in His Crease from the Referees

Mike Rappaport — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:18:16 -0500

Since the NHL lockout, the league has made it public that the protection of its goaltenders has become a priority.

However, as an observer from the New York metropolitan area, it has come to my attention that this policy of protecting goaltenders applies to only some of the league's goalies.

In the New York area, where each of the three team's goalies is their best player, there is always concern when there is contact. For the Devils and the Islanders, where Martin Brodeur and Rick DiPietro are both out for an extended period with injuries, goaltending has now become a huge concern.

For the Rangers, goalie Henrik Lundqvist has led them to the top of the Eastern Conference standings with Vezina-worthy play. However, if teams keep going to the front of the net and continuously create contact with Lundqvist without penalties being called, he too will be on the shelf with Brodeur and DiPietro.

The difference is that while Brodeur and DiPietro are two of the league's most protected goaltenders (just ask Sean Avery), it is very rare that there will be a penalty called when contact is made with Lundqvist.

Saturday's game in Washington was a great example of how Lundqvist is not protected. After Alexander Semin barreled into Lundqvist, the Rangers' goalie finally had enough, and he showed emotion, pleading for a penalty against Semin. However, it was to no avail, and Washington ended up scoring on a rebound goal in front of the net 30 seconds later.

If the league wants to crack down on players deliberately creating contact with the goalie, then it has to be throughout the league. And when Lundqvist said in his post-game interview that the refs didn't offer an explanation for why the penalty wasn't called, you have to wonder about what the refs and the league are actually doing.

Lundqvist once again will be facing plenty of traffic tonight, when the Rangers host the Oilers.

Drury's Hat Trick Treats Rangers to win over Lightning, 5-2

Mike Rappaport — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:03:28 -0500

Chris Drury's "trick" was a week late for Halloween, but it was at just the right time for the suddenly, and surprisingly struggling New York Rangers.

The Rangers' captain's hat trick, along with 36 saves by Henrik Lundqvist, gave the Rangers a 5-2 win to snap a 2-game losing streak. Ryan Callahan and Marc Staal also scored for the Rangers, whose 11-4-1 record still remains atop the Eastern Conference standings despite their short slide.

Martin St. Louis and Ryan Malone scored for Tampa Bay, who are now 4-4-4.

The Rangers opened the scoring late in the first period. Despite an even played period for the most part, the Rangers powerplay, 29th in the league entering the game, finally clicked. Off of a rush, Ryan Callahan took Nikolai Zherdev's pass and beat Tampa Bay goalie Mike Smith for a 1-0 lead.

In the 2nd period, While killing off a controversial penalty to Zherdev, Drury scored his first goal of the game. Drury picked off a back pass, and deked Smith on a breakaway to put the puck into an empty net for a 2-0 lead.

However, St. Louis scored his 3rd goal of the season 1:24 remaining in the 2nd. On a partial breakaway, St. Louis fought off Dan Girardi, and beat Lundqvist with a backhand shot over the glove.

After a penalty to Marek Malik, who was booed by the Garden Faithful for the duration off the game, to end the 2nd period, Drury got his second goal of the game, 35 seconds into the 3rd period to give the Rangers a 3-1 lead.

Only 29 seconds after Malone cut the Rangers lead to 3-2, Staal wristshot beat Smith, with Aaron Voros screening the goaltender. It wasn't the last time in the game that Voros and Smith would meet in front of the Tampa Bay net.

With the Rangers on a 5-on-3 for two minutes, Voros made his way to the front of the Lightning net, where he would take a slash to the leg and two crosschecks to the back from Smith, which ended up with a fight between Smith and Voros.

Smith would end up receiving nine penalty minutes, and the Rangers had another 5-on-3 for two minutes. On the second 5-on-3, Drury picked up the hat trick, scoring on a rebound from a Dmitri Kalinin shot.

Amazingly, Drury, who has only scored in two of the Rangers sixteen games this season, is tied for the team lead in goals with 5.

The Rangers try to get back to back wins when they visit reigning MVP Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.

Rangers-Leafs: Collapse Will Benefit New York in the Long Run

Mike Rappaport — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:35:59 -0500

The bad news for the Rangers first—they blew a 2-0 lead with 7:24 to play in regulation and lost 5-2.

The good news? It was only one game, and there is plenty of time to learn from it.

However, the Rangers must now realize what it means to play 60 minutes of hockey and what can happen if there is a let-down at any time.

Now, the question is—how will the Rangers rebound?

While they still have the best record in the league at 10-3-1, Tom Renney continues to stress the importance of playing a complete game. With the Rangers rolling, and rising to the top of the NHL, Renney's message seemed to fall on deaf ears.

However, with Steve Valiquette's magic against the Leafs evaporating in front of the stunned eyes of New York fans, the Rangers received a wake-up call that, ultimately, will make them better.

With the season only 14 games old, they have the time to recover and learn from their five minute meltdown.

With this type of loss coming so early in the season, the result—at this time,—doesn't mean that much in the standings. The Rangers can easily look forward to adjusting for the remainder of the season.

The scary thought for the rest of the NHL—if the Rangers were so successful without playing a full 60 minutes, what will the result be if they play a full 60?

Fortunately, the Rangers now have a favorable schedule, with three of the next four games being played at Madison Square Garden, starting with the Islanders on Tuesday night.

New York Rangers Performance in October Gives Warning to Rest of the NHL

Mike Rappaport — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:24:51 -0400

As the first month of the Rangers' season will come to a close after tomorrow's game against Atlanta, it is remarkable to see the strides this team has made during the first month of the season.

Starting from their remarkable comeback to win the Victoria Cup in Switzerland, through a two game sweep in Prague, and a 5-0 start, the Rangers erased any doubt of recovering from a 1-5 preseason. More importantly, they established themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

Even more amazing is how the Rangers have been getting their wins. Besides the given, stellar play of Henrik Lundqvist (7-2-1, 1.99 GAA, .927 SV%), the Rangers have called on players who are not headline names. Aaron Voros, acquired via free-agency on July 1st, leads the team with five goals and has become a fan-favorite quickly.

Voros, along with Brandon Dubinsky and Nikolai Zherdev, provided the main offense during the Rangers' 5-0 start. Two other unsung heroes in October were Steve Valiquette and Fredrik Sjostrom.

Valiquette won both of his games, beating the Flyers who he has owned with the Rangers, and shutting out the Maple Leafs in a shootout at the Garden, where he received chants no different to the kind that Lundqvist gets every night.

Sjostrom has played his role on the fourth line to perfection, with checking center Blair Betts, and fighter (and swift skating) Colton Orr. Besides his role on the fourth line, Sjostrom had delivered both of the winning goals in the Rangers' shootouts this year, beating Vesa Toskala against Toronto and Marc-Andre Fleury against Pittsburgh.

All this, and not once has a "superstar" been mentioned (besides Lundqvist). Still, Scott Gomez is tied for the team lead with 11 points, and Chris Drury scored his first two goals of the year on Monday to help beat the Islanders. Nikolai Zherdev has shown his flashes of excellence with the puck, as he, Drury, and Markus Naslund look to keep their recent hot streak going.

As a result, the good times ahead for the Rangers might never have seemed so good.

Rangers End Early Stretch with A-very Tough Loss

Mike Rappaport — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:43:00 -0400

Sean Avery's return to Madison Square Garden included everything that Avery and his former team, the New York Rangers, have been known for.

While Avery got in the face of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, as well as Brandon Dubinsky, the Rangers, despite scoring in the first minute of the game, only came up with one goal against the struggling Marty Turco, and the Dallas Stars beat the Rangers 2-1.

As much as Rangers head coach Tom Renney didn't want his team to focus on Avery, it was hard not to. Avery was up to his usual antics which started at warmups, and had many Rangers fans watching the Stars' side of the ice to get a look at their former fan-favorite.

Avery started by jawing with Rangers goalie Steve Valiquette, who Avery called "a minor-league player that was only looking for attention by talking to me," and then his former linemate, Dubinsky.

During the game, it only took 25 seconds for Avery to get in Lundqvist's face after a whistle, which was for a Dallas penalty. The ensuing powerplay saw Markus Naslund get his second goal of the season (first in the Western Hemisphere) just 58 seconds in, to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.

However, the Rangers offense stopped after that point. Renney called the Rangers "stupid", as they continuously tried to carry pucks past the defenders into the Stars' end, to no avail. Despite the fact that the Rangers managed another 28 shots after Naslund's goal, Turco was able to handle them with ease.

In the second period, with the Rangers still clinging to their 1-0 lead, the Stars were able to get by Lundqvist. With Dallas on its first powerplay of the game, Stars' captain Brendan Morrow scored on his side, after falling to the ice in a battle with Dan Girardi.

The Rangers were on Dallas' heels for the remainder of the period, as Lundqvist came up big, time and again, to keep the game tied at one after two periods.

In the third period, future hall of famer Mike Modano gave the Stars the 2-1 leadthat they would not relinquish. Lundqvist stopped a centering attempt from the boards, only to have the rebound go out to the left circle, where Modano was waiting.

Despite the loss, the Rangers finished their opening trip to Prague and seven games in eleven days with a 6-2-1 record, which is tops in the NHL. The Rangers will now be off until Friday, when they will travel to Columbus to face Rick Nash and the Blue Jackets.

Rangers-Blackhawks: New York Starts 3-0 for First Time since 1989-90

Mike Rappaport — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:27:21 -0400

So much for how the Rangers would get off of the plane tired after coming back from Prague.

The Rangers' home opener at Madison Square Garden saw Chris Drury play his first game in New York as the captain, Henrik Lundqvist stop 30 shots to continue his hot start, and the Voros-Dubinsky-Zherdev line each contribute a goal to give the Rangers a 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

After the opening-night ceremony, Wade Redden scored his second goal of the season to start the scoring. After the Rangers entered the zone, Drury's shot was stopped by new Blackhawks goalie Cristobal Huet, but the rebound bounced right to Redden, who buried the puck in the empty side.

Near the end of the first, Blackhawks' defenseman Brian Campbell, also playing in his first Blackhawks game, centered a puck off of the side of the Rangers net, with the rebound coming to last year's Calder Trophy Winner Patrick Kane, who scored his first goal of the year to tie the game at one after one period.

In the second period, the Rangers began to take over. Voros scored his first Rangers goal, a wrister that beat Huet on the short side, to put the Rangers back on top 2-1. After stellar goaltending by Lundqvist kept the game 2-1, Dubinsky picked up a loose puck and scored on a breakaway for his second goal of the season, giving the Rangers a 3-1 lead after two periods.

After Duncan Keith's first goal of the season, which put the Blackhawks back within one at 3-2, the Rangers responded 2:30 later. Once again, good work by the Rangers' second line set up Zherdev for his first Ranger goal, and a 4-2 cushion with 10:27 left.

After Lundqvist stopped more Blackhawks chances, the Rangers were able to salute the Garden faithful for the first time this regular season.

The Rangers' second line was the difference maker in the game. The line combined for three goals and seven points (Voros: 1 goal, 1 assist; Dubinsky: 1 goal, 2 assists; Zherdev: 1 goal, 1 assist).

Lundqvist's 30 saves gave him a .944 save percentage (68-72) for the year, and he now has a 1.33 GAA to go along with his three wins. Also, the Rangers' 3-0-0 start is the first time they have started a season with three wins since 1989-90, when they won the Patrick Division.

Three Stars:

1. Voros

2. Lundqvist

3. Dubinsky

The Rangers' next game is Saturday at Philadelphia. No word on who will be in goal for the Rangers.

Rangers' Opening Night Win a Microcosm of 2008-09 Season

Mike Rappaport — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 03:12:42 -0400

Anybody who wants the New York Rangers to win games and go far in the playoffs this year will have to watch the Rangers play more games like their 2-1 opening-night win against the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday.

The Rangers' victory had everything that fans should expect to see from this team on each end of the ice.

Offensively, the Rangers put great pressure on Tampa Bay and goalie Mike Smith. The Rangers recorded 41 shots, yet were only able to put two behind the Lightning goalie.

More of the same from last year? Yes. However, the Rangers had great puck movement from the top two lines, and Lauri Korpikoski's line was great in providing energy.

The power play got shots to the net, and had many scoring chances, despite only scoring once (Brandon Dubinsky's winner) in seven chances. Until the Rangers can consistently, if they can, score three or four goals, expect to see more of the same.

Defensively, the Rangers played the kind of game that Tom Renney envisioned before the start of the season. With the Rangers "collapsing" into the defensive zone, it was very rare that Tampa Bay was able to get quality chances on net, especially in the second period, when Henrik Lundqvist only faced three shots.

In the net, the Rangers couldn't have asked any more of Lundqvist. Well, maybe stop Martin St. Louis' wrist shot in the third. The Rangers goaltender was spectacular at times, but, more importantly, he was at his best when the Rangers needed him to be, both early in the first period and late in the third period. And if your goalie finishes with a 1.00 GAA and a .952 SV percentage, wouldn't you say that is pretty good?

If they can keep playing like this, along with finishing more of their scoring chances, the Rangers, just maybe, can exceed everyone's expectations. And maybe fans won't mind watching a low-scoring game if they know the Rangers can get two points out of it.

New York Rangers Preseason: Fluke, or Sign of Things to Come?

Mike Rappaport — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:35:38 -0400

For many Rangers fans, the 2008-09 preseason has been their worst nightmare.

While it is not October yet, the questions surrounding the Rangers' offense have not been answered, a goaltender has yet to play a full game, and one of the Rangers' free-agent acquisitions—Wade Redden—is already starting to hear some boos from the blue seats.

However, even as the Rangers now go to Europe without a captain, and with a 1-5 record in the preseason, it is still way too early for Rangers fans to talk about missing the playoffs. And the fact is, the Rangers are still nowhere near the team that reflects its preseason record.

Saturday's game at the Garden was the first time that the Rangers had the majority of their opening-night roster on the ice. With so many new faces on the ice who are expected to play prominent roles in the Rangers' success, it will take time for that transition to finally be complete. (For reference, look at last season.)

Despite today's performance, Henrik Lundqvist's game is one area that Rangers fans should be breathing easily about. Over an 82-game season, in which Lundqvist will look to play at least 70, he is the one constant that the Rangers will have—and obviously he is the most important piece in the Rangers' puzzle.

The other areas of the Rangers' game are already under scrutiny, as fans believe they are already going to have a long season in the Garden.

The defense has been somewhat shaky during the preseason, with free-agent signing Wade Redden's uneasy play being a huge cause for concern. If Redden continues to struggle, young defensemen Dan Girardi and Marc Staal will have to step up in both ends of the ice, as well as $5 million-a-year man Michal Rozsival.

On offense, there is only one question—where are the goals going to come from? The Rangers scored two goals in each of their six games.

Again, with only half of the normal lineup playing for five of the six games, the Rangers didn't have many offensive weapons on the ice. However, with the Rangers letting go of the majority of the players who averaged 2.5 goals a game last season, and replacing them with lesser0known players, the sources for offense are going to be in question until they are answered.

For newcomers Markus Naslund and Nikolai Zherdev, there will be pressure to mesh with whoever their center will be, or feel the wrath of the MSG crowd.

However, with all of the problems that the Rangers will have to address in the near future, it's better that they have this record in September, when it will be erased in a week, than during the first month of the regular season. And, as the players begin to find their niche, the team will begin to form their identity.

As the season progresses, the Rangers will leave this preseason behind, and return to the playoffs for a fourth straight season.

Where Have My New York Rangers Gone?

Mike Rappaport — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:16:16 -0400

One year ago, the New York Rangers entered training camp with aspirations to be the Stanley Cup Champions. With a star-loaded roster, the Rangers came short of the ultimate goal.

This year, the big names and leaders of the last two seasons (Jagr, Avery, Straka, possibly Shanahan) are gone, and the focus during training camp will be on how to build team chemistry around the core players the Rangers have, and to build a team with the essentials to win in the new NHL: speed, size, and skill.

The Rangers' roster will be centered on a new leadership group, as second-year Rangers Chris Drury and Scott Gomez will be the main focus of the team's offense. This provides a change from the last couple of seasons, where the Rangers offense started and ended with a #68, who was the captain, on the top line.

With the 4 fan-favorite forwards gone, the Rangers replaced them with other big name players, Markus Naslund and Nikolai Zherdev, who the Rangers hope will have chemistry with either Gomez or Drury. Also, the Rangers have brought along solid role players Aaron Voros and Patrick Rissmiller, who will be valued as solid 3rd and 4th line players.

On defense, fan targets Marek Malik and Chrisitan Backman are now ex-Rangers, along with Fedor Tyutin, and the Rangers signed all-star defenseman Wade Redden and capable Dmitri Kalinin. These two should provide offensively, as well as steady play in front of the Rangers' MVP, goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

Despite all of the changes, the one constant that remains is Lundqvist, and the team will live or die on his shoulders. As long as Lundqvist is playing well, the Rangers will be battling for playoff position come springtime.

Bottom Line:

This team's philosophy will be centered on the same values as the Rangers team that recorded 100 points in 2005-06: chemistry, timely scoring, and excellent goaltending. Despite a turnover in personnel, Lundqvist gives the Rangers a chance to win every night, and the rest is up to the new Rangers leaders: Gomez and Drury.

Do the Numbers Lie? Explaining the New York Rangers' Success with Sean Avery

Mike Rappaport — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:00:22 -0400

Before Sean Avery became a free agent and signed with the Dallas Stars, many Rangers fans were confident that Glen Sather would be willing to give out the money that Avery wanted in order to stay with the Rangers.

The main reason fans believed that Sather would give Avery the money wasn't because of Avery's grit, toughness, or agitating ways, but because of the Rangers' success with him in the lineup.

Since Avery was acquired by the Rangers from the Los Angeles Kings on February 5, 2007, the Rangers had a 51-23-16 record with him in the lineup—as opposed to an 8-10-3 record when he wasn't. But the million dollar question—or, for Sather, the 15.5 million dollar question—did the numbers lie?

Obviously, Sather felt the numbers lie, and while time will prove whether he was right or not, I can't disagree with letting Avery walk.

Here is the argument for why the numbers for the Rangers' record with Avery in the lineup lie:

1. Henrik Lundqvist

While Avery was running his mouth at everybody in the league, Lundqvist's goaltending, especially in 2007, was Vezina-caliber, and allowed the Rangers to secure playoff spots. At the end of the day, Lundqvist's goaltending won more games than Avery's antics.

2. The Rangers' sluggish start in 2007-2008

If the Rangers could have managed to get consistent lines at the start of the 2008 season, and didn't have as much trouble as they did finding the back of the net, then their record without Avery would have been much better.

After the second game of the season, when Avery was injured, Jaromir Jagr couldn't mesh with either of the Rangers' free-agent prizes—Scott Gomez and Chris Drury.

3. Sean Avery doesn't make a team go 51-23-16

Goaltending wins games. Defense wins games. Offense wins games. As good as Avery is at his craft, what he does may influence a couple of outcomes. However, his attributes don't make a team go 28 games over .500 over a period of a year and a half.

And while Avery was an important part of the Rangers' success over the last two years, by no means is he irreplaceable. While few can give to a team what he gives, he is not—and never will be—the most important part of a championship team.

Original Six or 1994: Which Group of Four Rangers' Retired Numbers Was Better?

Mike Rappaport — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:26:16 -0400

Rod Gilbert and Andy Bathgate up front, with Harry Howell on defense, and Eddie Giacomin in net.

Mark Messier and Adam Graves up front, with Brian Leetch on defense, and Mike Richter in net.

Although the time periods in which these players donned the Blueshirts are separated by about three decades, these eight people share one thing in common: By the end of the 2008-09 season, they will all have their name and number on a white New York Rangers banner, which will hang from the Madison Square Garden rafters.

It just so happens that four of the eight players played around the same time in the Original Six Era, and the other four were the cornerstones of the team that erased the chants of 1940. Even more coincidentally, each group of four has two forwards, one defenseman, and one goalie.

So, which group can say that they are the best of the best in New York Rangers history? Is it the Original Six? Or is it 1994?

Forwards

Out of the four forwards, the 1994 team has the best of the four (Messier), and the worst (if you can say that of a Rangers legend) of the four (Graves). Bathgate and Gilbert are both Hall of Famers, and they both are among the greatest players in not only in their era, but in NHL history. However, everything that Messier did on and off the ice, along with Graves' then-Rangers record of 52 goals in '94, gave the Rangers something that Bathgate and Gilbert couldn't deliver in two chances combined: the Stanley Cup

Edge: 1994

Defenseman

Howell, the Rangers' all-time leader in games played, was a Hall of Fame defenseman who embodied the type of defenseman before Bobby Orr: tough, physical, and defensive. Leetch, although very good in his own end, was known for playing an Orr-like game from the blueline, with his end-to-end rushes becoming common to Rangers fans. Howell and Leetch are both Norris Trophy winners, but in the end, the advantage has to go to the man Mark Messier called the "Greatest Ranger Ever."

Edge: 1994

Goaltender

The battle for the better goaltender is the toughest, but in a way also the easiest. Giacomin and Richter were both the backbones of the teams they played on, and were loved by Rangers fans. If you go by achievements, Richter won a Cup, but Giacomin won a Vezina, which Richter, for all of his great years in net, never did. However, the bottom line is that while Giacomin set the Rangers' record book for goaltenders, Richter rewrote the book, and got his name on Lord Stanley's Mug.

Edge: 1994

Better Group of Rangers' Retired Numbers: 1994

Could Mats Sundin Signing with the Rangers Come at the Expense of Scott Gomez?

Mike Rappaport — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 06:17:36 -0400

If the Vancouver Canucks can't sign Mats Sundin, then they might be getting a center from the team where Sundin ends up.

According to hockeybuzz.com, a source very close to the Canucks says that the Rangers, if they sign Mats Sundin, are willing to send Scott Gomez to Vancouver. The source says that the Canucks have a significant interest in Gomez, and the Canucks did make a legitimate bid for him last offseason, only to be outbid by the Rangers.

Also, according to this source, Sundin is expected to make a decision by the middle of next week, at the latest.

As of right now, there are three teams in the running for Sundin: Montreal, Vancouver, and the Rangers.

No word was given on who the Rangers would get in exchange for Gomez.

Prospect of Signing Sundin Raises Hopes of a Stanley Cup Production on Broadway

Mike Rappaport — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:30:38 -0400

Rangers fans: don't order your Nikolai Zherdev jersey just yet.

There is a possibility that another #13 could be coming to the biggest hockey market in the U.S. from the biggest hockey market in Canada.

According to the New York Post, Mats Sundin has expressed interest about playing in New York, and Sundin's agent, J.P. Barry, has spoken with the Rangers front office for the duration of this week.

The possibility of signing Sundin can, and will, be viewed in two different ways: The optimistic view is that the Rangers are getting a future Hall of Famer, who scored 32 goals last season and could play with fellow countryman Markus Naslund.

The pessimistic view is that the Rangers would be getting a 37-year old center who, along with other Rangers' pre-lockout signings, will struggle in New York.

As for me, the die-hard Rangers fan who gets to give you, the reader, his point of view about the team he follows for 82 games and hopefully more each year, signing Sundin would only increase the opportunity of Ranger fans paying enormous amounts of money to Jim Dolan for hockey in June.

Now, before the questions are asked about where Sundin would fit on the roster, there is the issue of the salary cap. The Rangers have only $2 million of cap space remaining, so Glen Sather would undoubtedly have to subtract parts of the roster to create the salary cap space needed.

If the Rangers do, in fact, complete this signing, other coaches in the Eastern Conference are going to have plenty to deal with. Signing Sundin would likely take Chris Drury off the #2 line as a center, and move him to the #1 line as a wing.

Drury would be with Gomez and Zherdev on that line, while Sundin would have Naslund as one of his wings on the 2nd line. With Brandon Dubinsky providing youthful energy on the 3rd line, probably with Nigel Dawes and either Ryan Callahan or Petr Prucha, the Rangers could boast three potential scoring lines.

Now, these are all predictions and possibilities, but in order to create cap room for Mats, somebody will have to go, so until there is the press conference at the Garden (or the training center) when Sundin would be holding up the #13 Rangers jersey, all the predictions mean nothing.

However, until Sundin makes his decision one way or the other, all Rangers fans can dream about Mats Sundin holding up the Stanley Cup over his head at the Garden in June.

Scott Gomez: The New York Rangers' X-Factor for 2008-2009

Mike Rappaport — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:09:27 -0400

Over a year ago, Scott Gomez put the finishing touches on a seven-year, $51.5 million contract to play on Broadway, and looked forward to have a career year centering Jaromir Jagr.

Neither of the two happened and the Rangers, who had Cup aspirations on July 1, were bounced from the playoffs in the second round for the second straight season. Now, with Jagr gone, the offensive face of the team is Gomez.

The Rangers' roster changes this offseason show that the team is moving in the direction of defense. However, the Rangers also need more offense after only scoring 2.5 goals per game last season, and with their leading goal scorer and point scorer now playing in Russia.

As the Rangers build up the defense in front of goalie Henrik Lundqvist, the offense is now being put on the shoulders of Gomez. The 28-year-old center scored 70 points last season playing with wingers who couldn't skate side by side with him up and down the ice, and didn't favor Tom Renney's up-tempo style.

Now, one of Gomez's two wingers will likely be Nikolai Zherdev, who was acquired in a trade with Columbus. Zherdev is a player who should benefit from skating with Gomez. Zherdev has been inconsistent, so it remains to be seen whether or not he will play to his potential.

Bottom line: If Gomez struggles, the Rangers will need Henrik Lundqvist to be extraordinary, or they will not be playing springtime hockey.

Sean Avery's Blood Color I$ Green, but Not Becau$e of Hi$ New Team

Mike Rappaport — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:11:02 -0400

"I bleed Ranger red and blue...I feel I am a Ranger, and I have found a home here in New York."

Believe it or not, those words are from Sean Avery, the ex-agitator of the New York Rangers. Earlier this month, Avery abandoned his "home" in New York and moved to Dallas, where he will be under contract for the next four years.

Avery left many Ranger fans heartbroken, and the fans in turn blamed GM Glen Sather for not doing everything in his power to keep Avery in New York. But, in this case, Avery is the one to blame for his departure—not Sather.

This is not the same case as it was ten years ago with Mark Messier, when the Rangers' late offer of one year and $4 million was not in the same ballpark as Vancouver's minimum of three years and $20 million and maximum of five years and $30 million. The Rangers' early offer of four years and $12 million was not sufficient enough for Avery. and he elected to sign for four years and $15.5 million.

The bottom line is that everything that Avery said he felt towards New York was worth less than the $875,000 per year more he will be making in Dallas.

Sean Avery will now go to Dallas. There will be no more Avery chants, no more applause for getting in the face of Martin Brodeur, and most likely no more late Saturday nights with Hollywood starlets, unless his bad-boy personality can woo Jessica Simpson away from Tony Romo.

We will see if the affection he craves so much will be given to him, and whether he will have the affection of Stars fans like he did of Rangers fans. But one thing is for sure—Avery's blood is green for the money.

And if he doesn't get a coach who can get the best out of him like Tom Renney, or have a veteran like Brendan Shanahan steer him away from controversy, his time in Dallas may be much shorter than the four years he's signed for.

Then, he will have to ask himself—was this worth an extra $875,000 per year?

It should be an interesting return to the Garden for Sean Avery on October 20.

Henrik Lundqvist Chasing Vezina? 2008-09 Could Spell Success for the Man in Blue

Mike Rappaport — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:40:49 -0400

For Henrik Lundqvist, it's hard to beat the first three years that he has had in his NHL career in the Big Apple.

Lundqvist has been nominated for the Vezina trophy each year, broken franchise records, ended a playoff drought, and has won an Olympic Gold Medal.

This year, Lundqvist will begin the first year of his six-year contract, which will pay him around $6.5 million annually. He will look to get the Rangers playing June hockey, while setting a pace to break every Rangers goaltending record in the book.

And now, with Jaromir Jagr and most likely Brendan Shanahan gone, the face of the franchise now belongs to the King of New York (along with Scott Gomez and Chris Drury). And maybe, with the other personnel changes the Rangers have made, the King will wear the crown as the best goalie in the NHL with a Vezina trophy after the upcoming season.

With Jagr, Shanahan, and Martin Straka out, and Nikolai Zherdev and Markus Naslund in, there may be a more up-tempo style of play that head coach Tom Renney has wanted to play since after the lockout.

Renney's style also involves a commitment to defense, with phrases such as "five men in the picture" featured prominently. However, in past seasons this style brought grief from the moody ex-captain of the Rangers, and many on the team followed his lead and resisted the system.

On the blue line, the Rangers' young draft picks are now in the NHL, as players like Marc Staal and Dan Girardi, along with veteran notables like Wade Redden and Dmitri Kalinin, look to provide responsible play in front of Lundqvist.

With the defense over the last three years being the main concern on Manhattan, and with Lundqvist putting up Vezina-worthy numbers regardless, it is scary to think what his stats will look like after this season.

So, will the fourth time be the charm?

Will Brendan Shanahan Be A New York Ranger In '09?

Mike Rappaport — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:09:45 -0400

When it comes to Brendan Shanahan's status as of right now, one thing is certain: He will be in the NHL in 2008-2009.

Will he be playing on Broadway? That is not as certain.

According to numerous reports, Shanahan has decided that, after considering retiring, he wants to play at least one more season, and his target destination is Broadway.

Also, Rangers president and GM Glen Sather has told Shanahan that he would like to have the 39-year old right wing back for next season.

However, the Rangers have very limited cap space, so there is still a possibility that if the Rangers and Shanahan can't agree on a contract, he will evaluate the different offers that he will receive from around the league.

If Shanahan does return to the Rangers, then it is more than likely that he would replace Jaromir Jagr as the team's captain.

Shanahan scored 23 goals and 21 assists last season, but was hampered by a strained knee he suffered in early January. He has 650 goals and 1340 points in 1490 career NHL games over 20 NHL seasons with the Devils, Blues, Whalers, Red Wings, and Rangers.

New York Rangers: Who Are the 10 Greatest Blueshirts of All Time?

Mike Rappaport — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:50:56 -0400

Throughout their first 82 years in the NHL, the New York Rangers have established themselves as the premier hockey team in the US.

Despite 54 years of Stanley Cup frustration, they have had a rich history and tradition as a member of the Original Six.

Here are 10 of the greatest players to play for the Blueshirts in the World's Most Famous Arena:

10. Bill Cook (1926-37): 474 GP, 229 G, 138 A, 367 P

The first star in the Rangers' history, Bill Cook was the Rangers first captain—a position which he held for his entire 11-year career with the Rangers. Cook made up the famous "A"-line with brother Bun Cook and Frank Boucher. Cook was a member of the 1928 and 1933 Stanley Cup Champions.

9. Harry Howell (1952-69): 1,160 GP, 82 G, 263 A, 345 P

The Rangers' all-time leader in games played, Howell was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1979. Howell was the winner of the Norris Trophy in 1967 and a six-time All-Star. Howell was captain of the Rangers for two seasons, and when he retired was widely regarded as the greatest defenseman in Rangers history.

8. Vic Hadfield (1961-1974): 839 GP, 262 G, 310 A, 572 P

The left wing on the GAG line—and the "other" No. 11—Hadfield was the first Ranger to score 50 goals in a season, in 1971-72. Hadfield was joined by center Jean Ratelle and right wing Rod Gilbert to form the GAG (goal-a-game) line—the greatest threesome in Rangers history. Hadfield served as captain for three seasons in the early 1970s.

7. Adam Graves (1991-2001): 772 GP, 280 G, 227 A, 507 P

The man who broke Vic Hadfield's single-season goal record in the greatest Rangers' season ever, Adam Graves was the heart and soul of the team during his 10-year tenure. In 1994, Graves scored 52 goals during the regular season, breaking Hadfield's 22-year-old record.

In the '94 playoffs, Graves added another 10 goals in 23 playoff games, including a goal in Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals to help the Rangers break the 54-year Stanley Cup drought.

Graves was a fixture in the community, helping out with many charitable organizations in New York. Graves will be honored in 2008-09 when his No. 9 will be raised to the Garden rafters.

6. Jean Ratelle (1960-75): 862 GP, 336 G, 481 A, 817 P

The third all-time point scorer in Rangers history, Ratelle centered the GAG line with Vic Hadfield and Rod Gilbert for 10 years. During Hadfield's 50 goal season in 1971-72, Ratelle set a Ranger record by recording 109 points (46 G, 63 A) in only 63 games.

Ratelle missed the last part of the regular season with a broken ankle, and returned for the playoffs less than 100 percent, and the Rangers lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Boston Bruins.

In 1975, Ratelle was part of one of the biggest trades in Rangers history, when he and Brad Park went to the Bruins for Phil Esposito.

5. Eddie Giacomin (1965-75) 538 GP (266-172-89), 2.73 GAA, 49 SO

When Eddie Giacomin was put on waivers in 1975, he held every single Rangers' goaltending record in the book. The co-Vezina winner in 1971, Giacomin was a six-time NHL All-Star. Giacomin was the Rangers main netminder for eight seasons, and his No. 1 was retired to the Garden rafters in 1989.

4. Mike Richter (1989-2003) 666 GP (301-258-73), 2.89 GAA, .904 SV Pct, 24 SO

Simply the greatest goaltender in Rangers history, Richter was the Rangers' backbone for over a decade. Richter wrote his name in Rangers lore, winning a Rangers-record 42 games in 1993-94 (including the '94 All-Star Game MVP at the Garden), as well as another 16 in the playoffs to lead the Rangers to the Stanley Cup.

His greatest moment came in Game Four of the Finals, when he stopped the Canucks' Pavel Bure on a penalty shot to key a Rangers comeback win in Vancouver.

Richter also represented Team USA in the Olympics in 1998 and 2002, winning the silver medal in '02, as well as winning the MVP in the 1996 World Cup with a gold medal win over Canada. Known for his work ethic and acrobatic saves, Richter's No. 35 was retired by the Rangers on February 4, 2004, after he was forced to reitre after suffering concussions.

3. Brian Leetch (1988-2004): 1,129 GP, 240 G, 741 A, 981 P

The holder of 42 Rangers' records—including most goals, assists, and points by a Rangers defenseman—Leetch is also second in Rangers history in games played and points scored. The greatest defenseman in Rangers history, Leetch was a puck-moving defenseman that provided offense from the blueline that the Rangers haven't seen since.

The Rangers only American-born captain, which he served as when Mark Messier was in Vancouver, Leetch cemented his legacy as a big-game player during the 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs, when he scored 34 points in 23 playoff games, and tied a Stanley Cup record for defensemen by scoring 5 goals in the Finals.

Leetch won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs, the only American-born player to do so. In 1992 and 1997, Leetch won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. Leetch appeared in the Olympics in 1998 and 2002 and was the captain of the gold medal winning U.S. team in the World Cup in 1996.

Leetch's No. 2 was retired on January 24, 2008.

2. Rod Gilbert (1960-77): 1,065 GP, 406 G, 615 A, 1,021 P

The only player to score over 1,000 points as a member of the Rangers, Gilbert is synonymous with New York Rangers hockey. Gilbert was a member of the GAG line, recording 97 points—at the time the most ever by a Rangers' right wing—during the record-breaking 1971-72 season.

Even after his playing career, Gilbert stayed in New York, continuing to be a part of the Rangers organization. Gilbert's No. 7 was the first to be retired by the Rangers organization, going to the rafters in 1979.

1. Mark Messier (1991-97, 2000-04): 698 GP, 250 G, 441 A, 691 P

"The Captain" Mark Messier is the greatest Ranger of all time. He changed how the Rangers organization functioned, and he killed the curse of 1940. After winning five Stanley Cups in seven years with the Edmonton Oilers, Messier was acquired by the Rangers on October 4, 1991.

In his first season on Broadway, Messier scored 107 points, second in Rangers' history for a single season, and won the Hart Trophy as league MVP. He also had a great influence on his roommate, young defenseman Brian Leetch, who scored 102 points in '92.

In the 1994 playoffs, Messier tied a Rangers playoff record by scoring 12 goals, as well as adding another 18 assists in 23 playoff games. In perhaps the greatest single-handed performance in NHL playoff history, Messier guaranteed victory against the New Jersey Devils in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals, with the Rangers facing elimination, then rallied the Rangers from a 2-1 third period deficit by scoring a natural hat trick.

Messier's 12th goal of the playoffs was the game-winning goal in Game Seven of the Finals against the Vancouver Cancuks. Messier's No. 11 was retired on January 12, 2006.

New York Rangers: with Torch Passed, Team Finally Fits Into "New" Style of Play

Mike Rappaport — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:19:57 -0400

With the Rangers' salary cap space almost down to none, it is time to stop looking at free agents and start looking at the players on the roster and what they can accomplish as a team in 2008-2009.

There is no doubt that this will be a transition year with all of the changes in personnel, but by no means does that mean that this year will be a "rebuilding" year.

There are going to be two major differences between this year's team and last year's team: leadership and philosophy.

The leadership of this team is going to change, as every player who had a letter on their jersey last year (Jaromir Jagr: "C" and Brendan Shanahan and Martin Straka: "A") will not be back this year.

The safe bet is that the "C" will go to Chris Drury. Drury was the first player to get the "A" last year whenever Shanahan and Straka went down with an injury, and Drury has been a captain before in Buffalo. While his personality and his way of going about things is more like Jagr than Messier, expect Drury to stand up in the locker room this year when something is needed to be said, especially since he doesn't have Shanahan to defer to, like Jagr did.

With Drury wearing the "C", one of the two players wearing the "A" will be Scott Gomez. Gomez is arguably the most important offensive player on the team. Even with Drury as the captain, Gomez is the more dynamic of the two on the ice, with his speed and playmaking ability.

The two should make an excellent duo, just like with Jagr and Shanahan. Drury provides the leadership and the clutch goals, and Gomez has the speed and dynamic personality.

The other "A" should go to one of the Rangers two new arrivals, Markus Naslund or Wade Redden. Most people will say Naslund because he was the captain of the Canucks from the time Mark Messier left to come back to the Rangers, but Redden is also very knowledgeable and can provide leadership as well.

On the ice, the new players that the Rangers acquired should fit into a style of play that Tom Renney has wanted to play since the lockout. Renney likes to play an up-tempo style of play inside of a defense-first system, where he says defensively he likes to see "five men in the picture."

However, Renney and Jagr butted heads on the team philosophy and the Rangers were out of sync offensively until Jagr began to skate in all three zones and took his game to the level it was early in his career and in 2005-06.

With Jagr and Shanahan out of the picture now, and speedster Nikolai Zherdev in the picture and presumably on the No. 1 line with the speedy Gomez, Renney can finally execute his style of play with the Rangers.

Renney has been saying the last three years that in order to win in the "new" NHL, you need to have speed, you need to go to the net (the "blue paint"), and you need to play hard in all three zones. With these personnel changes, the Rangers might be able to do that.

How far will they go? Only time will tell...

Rangers Sign Naslund and Kalinin, Ready to Move on Without Jagr

Mike Rappaport — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:31:09 -0400

The Rangers are tired of playing the waiting game, and appear to be ready to move on without Jaromir Jagr. The Rangers signed 5-time all-star left wing Markus Naslund as well as defenseman Dmitri Kalinin on Thursday.

Naslund's signing gives the Rangers a veteran presence on the #1 line, which is what Jagr has provided the Rangers with from the moment he got to New York. Kalinin is a young defenseman, age 27, who adds depth to a defense that lost Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman in a trade to Columbus in a deal for right wing Nikolai Zherdev.

As the Rangers continue to add pieces to their roster, it is beginning to look like there will not be any cap space, or even roster space to add Jagr. If Jagr doesn't come back, the door still could be open for a Brendan Shanahan return, as the choice is his for whether or not he wants it.

At this point, the Ranger roster is missing one top 6 defenseman, but other than that, this could be your opening night roster for 2008-2009:

Naslund-Gomez-Zherdev
Dawes-Drury-Prucha
Korpikoski-Dubinsky-Callahan
Sjostrom-Betts-Orr
Redden-Rozsival
Staal-Girardi
Kalinin-????
Lundqvist
Valiquette