Puck Central - A New York Rangers & NHL Blog

Mike Rupp Autograph Signing This Wednesday In Wood Ridge, NJ

2012-02-13T09:25:00.001-05:00

Video: Hartnell Tells Phaneuf To "Suck It"

2012-02-04T12:32:00.000-05:00

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The Waiting Is Over, Christensen Traded To Wild!

2012-02-03T14:13:00.003-05:00

Update: The Rangers also sent a Conditional 2013 7th round pick to the Wild in the trade

I got some great news this afternoon when I popped my head onto Twitter. My most loathed New York Ranger since the days of Petr Nedved was today traded.

I'll admit, I was curious to read what the return would be once I heard that Christensen had been traded, but the truth is, I would've been happy with a fresh bag of dog poop in exchange.

According to Steve Zipay:

Breaking: NYR trade Erik Christensen to Wild for F Casey Wellman, who's going to AHL

If you really want to know how I feel about Erik Christensen, then read my post from October. Or, my reaction about the waiver acquisition back in December 2009. Or, any other post I've ever written on Puck Central that mentions his name.

I had coined the nickname "Charmin" for him because they are both soft and good for $hit. I've also said in the past that I'd trade him for a bag of dirty laundry.

Suffice to say, I'm kinda happy this glorious Friday afternoon.

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Rangers Roll Continues into Second Half While Improved Devils are Broke

2012-01-30T13:56:00.003-05:00

The second half of the NHL season is underway and it looks as if the New York Rangers will not be going away any time soon on their roll towards the playoffs as one of the top seeds.

The Rangers had a NHL betting record of 31-12-1-3 and had one of the stingiest defenses in hockey as they ranked 2nd in goals against. The Broadway Blueshirts defense has long been the strength of the team led by goaltender Henrik Lundqvist’s 22-14-5 record with a 1.87 goals against average and 5 shutouts. Martin Biron had a 1.71 goals against average in a most helpful backup role with a 9-2-2 record and 2 shutouts.

The big surprise and improvement for the Rangers has been their offense, which was borderline anemic for the past few seasons and the reason that they could not be considered a true contender. The Rangers are ranked 11th in the NHL for goal scoring and were led by right wing Marian Gaborik’s 25 goals with 14 assists. Fellow right winger Ryan Callahan had 17 goals and 19 assists while center Brad Richards had 16 goals and 17 assists.

The Rangers were equally effective at home and on the road as they were 15-5-0-2 at Madison Square Garden while going 16-7-1-1 away from home. The Rangers were on a great pace heading into the All Star Break with 7 wins in 10 games.

Another surprise team in the Rangers Atlantic Division has been the New Jersey Devils as they are roaring back into playoff contention after their stunning collapse last year. The Devils were 26-19-1-2 and in the thick of the Eastern Conference race. The big problem facing New Jersey is money as the National Hockey League is looking to loan them cash just to get through the season while owner Jeffery Vanderbeek will look for what was called a “long term financial solution.”

The financial situation is so bad for New Jersey that they are considering a trade of captain Zach Parise in order to cut payroll. New Jersey would be looking to get draft picks in return for Parise. The Devils are looking at a season loss of $20 million and desperately need to make the playoffs to cut that amount down. New Jersey entered the second half of the season in 7th place with the top 8 teams in the Eastern Conference qualifying for the post season.

* Guest Post

Video: Richard Zednik Avoids Death Again As Roof Collapses

2012-01-25T18:57:00.001-05:00

If you remember back, Zednik had his throat cut by a skate during an NHL game a few years ago.

H/T Hockey-Fights.com
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NYR Blogger Round Table: Trade Deadline Edition

2012-01-25T09:35:00.002-05:00

We did a blogger roundtable on Puck Central once before and I've taken part in these on other websites. I figured what better time than now to get a sense of how the NYR bloggers feel as we get close to the annual NHL trade deadline (2/27/12).

I decided to bring in the bloggers who are in my opinion among the best in the Rangers blogosphere: The NYR Blog, Blue Seat Blogs (represented by Dave and "The Suit"), Scotty Hockey and Blue Line Station.

If you're Glen Sather, who do you try and acquire ahead of the Trade Deadline? (Try and name at least one player by name, you can also add the generic "sniper," "stay at home dman", etc. if you choose)

Blue Line Station: I think the obvious answer is a top-six left winger. Right now we have solid options such as Dubinsky, Anisimov, and Hagelin but the addition of one more top-6 guy could be the difference between winning one playoff round and making the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately, the market isn't too strong, but I see Ryan Smyth, Tuomo Ruutu, and Bobby Ryan as perhaps the three top choices who could realistically be moved.

Blue Seat Blogs (The Suit): I think the Rangers should stay the course and avoid the over-bidding that is likely to take place at the deadline. Maybe we can acquire a depth forward, prospect, or pick in exchange for a Wolski, or a MZA, or one of our spare defensemen if possible. I'd focus on acquiring a player who comes from a team that plays a similar system (i.e. 2-1-2 forecheck, dump & chase, etc). I'm tired of guys like Frolov, Wolski, EC, etc, who have no desire to forecheck or backcheck, and then we wonder why they don't fit our team concept. If we can't make a move...no big deal.

Blue Seat Blogs (Dave): Tough question to answer, but the need for a top six LW has been there all season. Bobby Ryan has been the name that has been tossed around a lot, and the Ducks/Rangers make decent trading partners when it comes to team needs and team surpluses. I think Ray Whitney is a more likely target though.

The NYR Blog: Shane Doan is a player who could help the Rangers down the stretch and into the playoffs. While Doan doesn't have a load of second season experience, I think his veteran leadership on and off the ice would be very beneficial to the Rangers. He can also still put the puck in the net as his 14 goals would be 4th on the Rangers, while his three power play goals would tie him with Brad Richards for third on the Blueshirts. I also don't think it would cost more than a few picks and maybe a mid-level prospect which is what veteran rental players have gone for in the recent past (see Mark Recchi to Boston in 2010). Doan is in the final year of his contract that will pay him $4.55 million this season. So if he wants to stay with the Coyotes (as has been reported) he can try a run at the Stanley Cup with the Rangers then re-sign with Phoenix in the off-season.

A true power play quarterback is needed as well, but would cost too much in my opinion.

Scotty Hockey: If Shea Weber is on the block, get him. Not as fond of Ryan Suter but Weber is certainly worthwhile - he'd solve the power play woes with his rocket of a slapper and help take defensive pressure off the hurt Staal and Sauer. You just have to wonder how insane the cost would be

Ray Whitney would be an incredible addition with his scoring ability and experience and is my top target. If the Wizard can't be had, Vinny Prospal might help the power play a bit and won't hurt the room at all. Then again, Sammy Påhlsson might be the better target on the BJs. Sure he doesn't add any scoring but Sammy played alongside Hank with Frolunda and Team Sweden and has a Cup to his credit. He would be a definite upgrade over Mitchell and Boyle, as would be our old friend Dominic Moore - should Stevie Y be silly and not want to re-sign him.

While I love the thought of Teemu Selanne as a Ranger, with the World Championships in Finland I don't see him accepting a trade away from Anaheim. My bet is that he stays in SoCal. Either he helps the Ducks make the playoffs or he accepts his NHL end and seals his career in his home country before an adoring crowd.

What NYR (if any) do you consider untouchable?

Blue Line Station: I think, technically speaking, there is no such thing as "untouchable." There is no player on the team I would refrain from trading if it tangibly benefited the team. Realistically speaking, though, Lundqvist, Staal, Callahan, Richards, Gaborik, Girardi, and maybe McDonagh are the players whom I see as 99% likely to stay.

Blue Seat Blogs (The Suit): Hmmm "untouchable" is a pretty ethereal term...but gun to my head, I don't consider anyone other than Lundqvist and maybe Callahan as someone who should definitely retire a Ranger.

Blue Seat Blogs (Dave): Everyone is available for the right price and the right return. There is no such thing as an "untouchable" in this business...barring no movement clauses of course.

The NYR Blog: All of the young core. The Rangers are building something special and any disruption to the current blueprint would be detrimental to the long term success of this team.

Scotty Hockey: Cally, Step, Hagelin, Hank, Girardi and McD.

What NYR do you try and ship out? (I guess I expect everyone here to say EC lol)

Blue Line Station: Ideally, the Rangers would be able to move Wolski. His contract is not at all worth it and I don't see any reason to believe he will be a contributing member of the team. Getting rid of his cap space to open up room for a potential addition would be nice, and anything we got in return would be a bonus. Getting rid of Avery and Christensen wouldn't hurt, either. Other than that, there are players I'd be willing to move for an upgrade but nobody I'm hoping to see go. It says a lot about the state of this team that the only players whose departure in itself would be welcome are healthy scratches or in the minors.

Blue Seat Blogs (The Suit): Similar to my first point. If we can get a depth forward, b-level prospect, or mid-round pick for either Wolski, Mats Zuccarello Aasen, Stralman, Bickel, or Eminger, then I am all for it. Dubinsky is a guy people will probably bring up, but I wouldn't trade him just yet. Let him get his value higher.

Blue Seat Blogs (Dave): Well, guys like Christensen and Wolski are the "expected" responses here, but they aren't really moveable unless it's via demotion to the AHL, as no one wants them. In regards to trades, I'd expect a surplus prospect to be moved for a rental, someone like Valentenko perhaps.

The NYR Blog: Wojtek Wolski is a guy I'd like to see moved from a personnel and financial perspective. Unfortunately, his $3.8 million contract that I'd like to see come off the books, is the exact reason he will be almost impossible to move. Although we've seen Sather turn Scott Gomez and his horrific contract into Ryan McDonagh so you never know.

Scotty Hockey: Wolski, Christensen, Boyle and Anisimov - all four are soft players who could not contribute in a tough, grinding seven game series. While Dubi has not been playing his best puck, that is the very reason he is worth hanging on to. Still think he can be a big time power forward if he ever gets his head right.

Is there any particular player on the rumor block that you don't want the Rangers to acquire?

Blue Line Station: Ales Hemsky. He is not an upgrade over Gaborik or Callahan and would not fit into this team's identity at all. He doesn't score enough to make his irrelevance defensively and physically acceptable and being healthy is a struggle in itself for him. I have no interest in giving up assets for him.

Blue Seat Blogs (The Suit): Pretty much all of them at this point haha. The national media doesn't see the intricacies that makes this team successful like deep forechecking, hits for turnovers, being defensively responsible, etc. I haven't seen any rumors linking us to guys of this nature other than Bobby Ryan who will cost us too much.

Blue Seat Blogs (Dave): Shane Doan, only for the cost though. He would cost an arm and a leg, and there's no guarantee that he would be here long term. The Rangers are close, and Doan is a superb player and would make a fine addition, but I don't think he puts the Rangers on the level of the Bruins by himself.

The NYR Blog: Shea Weber. I know he's the obvious answer to all the Rangers power play woes. But could you imagine what he'd cost? Assuming McD or Del Zotto, a top prospect (Miller?) and a first round pick. Not to mention the difficulties the Rangers will have finding room for his $7.5 million salary.

Scotty Hockey: Shelden Souray and his shot are interesting but he has been remarkably healthy to date so that is unlikely to last and just five of his 17 points came on power plays. Ales Hemsky is soft, damaged goods and Tuomo Ruutu is not worth it, if only to ensure his brother Jarkko never comes to MSG ever again.

Are the Rangers now close to being a Cup contender? If so, is it time to offload some prospects/young players for veterans for the Cup run?

Blue Line Station: I don't know how anyone can claim we aren't close to being a contender. We're one of the top teams in the NHL points wise and that's despite missing some key players for extended periods of time. Nobody in particular seems to be playing over his head so I don't see much reason to believe our success thus far is a fluke and everyone seems to be on the same page and buying into Torts' system. I would be willing to move some draft picks and prospects but it would have to be in the right move. I have absolutely no interest in moving Chris Kreder and it would take an incredibly high caliber player for me to consider moving Dylan Mclrath, Tim Erixon, or JT Miller.

Blue Seat Blogs (The Suit): In my opinion our window is just opening. I wouldn't trade youth for veterans at this point. Maybe next season, or 2014 depending on how Kreider, Thomas, & Miller are progressing.

Blue Seat Blogs (Dave): They are close, and if they can acquire a long term piece for a run in the next 1-3 years, then they should do so. Using the Bobby Ryan example, he is a guy I would unload Kreider for. Kreider at his peak projects to be a player in the Ryan mold. When you have the opportunity to trade the potential for the proven, you have to pull the trigger.

The NYR Blog: Calm down there Dolan. No need to jinx the team by talking Stanley Cup. I'm not ready to deal prospects such as Chris Kreider, Dylan McIlrath or J.T. Miller no matter how close they are, but I'd be ok if they needed to trade away the pint sized sniper Christian Thomas, who I'm not quite convinced can succeed in the NHL.

Scotty Hockey: I don't believe that the Blueshirts are as close as the majority does at this moment, I feel their record belies the many issues. If the current lineup plays to their potential and plays consistently then perhaps they could make waves in the playoffs but nothing so far this season has provided evidence that either are possible. Still, a deal or two could help. While I wouldn't deal prospects like Kreider or Miller, I'd consider draft picks.

Looking around the NHL is there one particular team you think will be a huge buyer, a huge seller?

Blue Line Station: I think the Rangers, Canucks, Sharks, and Flyers are the obvious buyers and the Blackhawks, Red Wings, and Blues could very well be involved as well. And I believe the Flames have deluded themselves into thinking they should be buyers. The Hurricanes, Blue Jackets, and Ducks are the clear sellers at this point.

Blue Seat Blogs (The Suit): The Sabres (who are spent to the cap & awful) should be unloading certain players. The Ducks, Flames, Canes & the Blue Jackets would be smart to sell high on some players as well. I think most teams in the hunt could be making some swaps, but I could see Ottawa making a splash or the Wild, since they are in the fight, have Cap space, and aren't overly frugal.

Blue Seat Blogs (Dave): If the Coyotes fall out of the playoff race, they are the team that can benefit from a fire sale. Doan, Langkow, Whitney, Rozsival, and Aucoin should generate a significant return.

As for buyers, I'm going to go out on a limb and say the Bruins will be big time buyers. They know they are the best, but there is always room for improvement. They have a ton of cap space both at the deadline and heading into next season, so they may want to bring in a piece or two for depth purposes.

Of course, if the Rangers continue on their 116 point pace, they could be big time buyers too...perhaps by adding a top six LW and a good offensive defenseman?

The NYR Blog: With the Penguins most likely losing Crosby for another Spring I can see them trying to possibly acquire Jerome Iginla or Bobby Ryan to fill in the gap. Wouldn't be shocked to see Flyers land Weber or Ryan Suter. As far as a huge seller, I'd go with Anaheim. They're a mess and could get great returns for players such as Ryan, Getzlaf and Perry to begin a rebuild.

Scotty Hockey: Huge? I don't think anyone can do huge in this salary cap era -especially with a lockout looming this summer. But that very lockout is the reason why some teams will be willing to move some big contracts. Weber and Zach Parise certainly see new addresses on February 27th so it will certainly be an interesting afternoon.

I appreciate the response from all of the bloggers that I reached out to. It's always a pleasure. Let's Go Rangers!

If you are on twitter I suggest that you follow each of these great New York Rangers bloggers.
@TheNYRBlog, @BlueLineStation, @BlueSeatBlogs, @ScottyHockey, @TheHockeySuit and if you aren't already following me I'm on there @PuckCentral

NHL Rule Book Time, Why Callahan's Goal Was A Goal

2012-01-17T22:16:00.000-05:00

Anyone watching tonight's Rangers game saw Ryan Callahan awarded a goal late in the third period when he was hooked down by Martin Erat and the puck never went into the net. I personally have known it's been a rule for a long time but never actually saw that call made during a live game that I was watching.

If you are interested in what the exact rule here, well here it is straight from the NHL rule book:

25.1 Awarded Goal – A goal will be awarded to the attacking team when the opposing team has taken their goalkeeper off the ice and an attacking player has possession and control of the puck in the neutral or attacking zone on, without a defending player between himself and the opposing goal, and he is prevented from scoring as a result of an infraction committed by the defending team (see 26.3 Infractions – When Goalkeeper is Off the Ice, below).

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Video: When The Gentlemanly Handshake At End Of Game Turns Violent

2012-01-17T10:23:00.000-05:00

Nothing major to be honest. I'm actually surprised that we don't see this a lot more often than we do.

The best part is the player from North Dakota who decided to shove the Minnesota player is none other than a guy named, Ben Blood.

H/T to Hockey-Fights, originally posted on NESN

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Video: HBO 24/7 Rangers vs Flyers Episode 4 Full Version

2012-01-06T10:31:00.001-05:00

The original video was taken down. The new link is here

Follow me on Twitter - @PuckCentral

Video: HBO 24/7 Rangers vs Flyers Episode 3 Full Version

2011-12-29T09:24:00.016-05:00

Watch episode 3 in its entirety here

Follow me on Twitter - @PuckCentral

Rangers First In The NHL!

2011-12-26T21:40:00.001-05:00

Here's what the Eastern Conference looks like right now:

Thanks to a loss tonight for the Blackhawks, the Rangers also sit first overall in the entire NHL! [Standings]

Image via @Pickledotcom
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Video: HBO 24/7 Episode 2 Full Version

2011-12-22T09:07:00.001-05:00

Youtube has removed the video, in the mean time go here

Watch Episode One Here

Video: HBO 24/7 - Full First Episode

2011-12-15T09:50:00.001-05:00

Youtube has removed the video, in the mean time go here

Win 2 Tickets To Tomorrow Night's Game; Rangers vs Stars

2011-12-12T14:59:00.001-05:00

TiqIQ has two tickets to the Rangers vs Stars game for tomorrow (12/13/11). We're going to give them away to a lucky fan who gives us the best response to 'the #1 Reason Brad Richards is happy he's no longer a Dallas Star.'

In order to enter to win the tickets, fans need to follow @TiqIQ and @PuckCentral on Twitter, and give their answer along with the hashtag #BlueShirtRichards so all entries can be tracked.

For example, a sample entry would look like this (after you followed @TiqIQ and @PuckCentral on Twitter)

Brad Richards is chasing his dream of singing on Broadway #BlueShirtRichards

TiqIQ will decide a winner by 1pm tomorrow, and contact the winner directly. In turn, tickets can be picked up at the TiqIQ offices (40th & Broadway).

Video: HBO 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic - Rangers - Flyers (Preview)

2011-11-27T12:08:00.000-05:00

Deveaux Suspended 3 Games For Elbow

2011-11-25T13:51:00.000-05:00

Andre Deveaux will be suspended for 3 NHL games for his elbow on Wednesday night to the head of Thomas Flesichmann during the Ranger loss to the Panthers. I'm not surprised in the least by the suspension, I had predicted 3 games yesterday. The suspension will cost Deveaux approximately $8,500 bucks and may result in a demotion to the AHL, although not directly because of the elbow itself.

Listen to Brendan Shanahan explain the suspension here:

My initial reaction was that although the elbow looked nasty and was definitely suspension worthy that Deveaux just happened to react to a move by Flesichmann to avoid Deveaux. I didn't think that the hit was intent to injure and I'm glad that the NHL agreed.

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Yablonski, Mirasty and Brennan Russian Street Fight

2011-11-22T17:38:00.000-05:00

A lot of people have been talking about this video today. There's a good chance the video will be removed by Youtube. In the mean time, here it is for any of you interested. The action is very limited, no punches thrown until about the 2:55 mark of the video. Most of the discussion is in Russian. If someone understands the discussion or knows the background behind this please post it in the comments section below.

As most of you are aware Yablonski, Mirasty and Brennan are all North American hockey players, better known for their pugilistic skills than their puck handling, who are currently playing in the KHL. That's Yablonski who lays the guy in the purple out as he's walking past him at the end of the video.

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Don't Look Now ... Rangers #1 In East!

2011-11-15T21:56:00.000-05:00

I was going to post this in the morning but with late games tonight, the standings could always change before the morning. So here you go, feel free to stare at it long and hard .... I did!

via @pickledotcom

A Review of the Partially New & Improved MSG

2011-11-15T16:33:00.000-05:00

Stadium Journey publishes reviews of pro and college sports stadiums and arenas. They recently posted a revised review of Madison Square Garden (NY Rangers edition) based on the recent improvements made this summer to the Garden.

I've heard some great things about the Garden but haven't gotten a chance yet to check out the new and improved (by all accounts) arena.

Check out the review over at Stadium Journey. Have you had a chance to check out a game or concert yet at the new look MSG? Live up to the hype?

The reviewer over at Stadium Journey gave MSG a 3.9 out of 5 using the following categories to rate the experience: Food & Beverage, Atmosphere, Neighborhood, Fans, Access, Return on Investment and Extras.
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Rangers Bring Back Voros! Well .... Sorta

2011-11-15T12:17:00.002-05:00

Update - 11/16/11
Read some more about the try out of Voros in Hartford here

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Larry Brooks tweets:

Former Ranger Aaron Voros skating with AHL Whale on PTO (Professional Try Out)...

Interesting to say the least. He may get a shot in Hartford, doubt he gets any further than that. In my opinion it just shows that Sather obviously liked the guy and that he was a good teammate. He's also good friends with both Avery and Richards, not that this is a reason why he's getting a try out with the Whale.

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Let's Get Girardi in the All Star Game, Torts Says NHL Is "Ass Backwards"

2011-11-12T13:25:00.001-05:00

Source: Zimbio

Last season we got behind the Sean Avery for the All Star campaign. This year the NYR Blog is campaigning for Dan Girardi to play in the All Star game and it's hard not to get behind that push to get out the vote for Girardi. Girardi is one of the most underrated defensemen in the NHL, one of the best shot blockers and one of the Rangers' best players night in and night out. He's been snubbed on the All Star ballot, while Marc Staal (who hasn't played a game this season) is on it.

Far too often the defensive defensemen of the NHL get overlooked because they aren't putting up 40 points a season or rushing the puck end to end. But, Girardi is as good as it gets at his position and certainly worthy of a spot on the All Star team. When it comes to the position of defensemen, you can't tell me that he's not top 10 in the league in his position right now. He's not flashy, but he gets the job done and done well.

Ranger Rants had some good stuff about Girardi after last night's 5-1 against Carolina. Tortorella was asked about Marc Staal being on the ballot and Dan Girardi being left off:

“Oh, this league,” said Tortorella, waving his hand in disgust. “It’s because he’s not pedigree. There’s no pedigree there. Our league is so ass-backwards when it comes to that. It’s not just this year that he’s been underrated. This guy has been a really good player. But if you don’t have the pedigree in this league, they don’t look at you.”

Not that this is about Staal because if both Girardi and Staal were playing this season, most likely, both would deserve to be on the ballot. But Staal was picked 12th overall in the 2005 draft and has two brothers in the league while Girardi signed with the Rangers on July 1, 2006 as an undrafted free agent out of the Ontario Hockey League, where he played for Barrie, Guelph and London. Girardi’s ascension as one of the better defensemen in the league is truly a great story of hard work and perseverance.

Hear what Torts has to say about the All Star Ballot snub at the 1:40 mark of the video...

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Marc Staal To See Concussion Specialist

2011-11-11T09:46:00.000-05:00

According to Larry Brooks:

A news blackout has been imposed regarding Marc’s condition, but The Post has learned the 24-year-old defenseman will be examined next week in Boston by concussion specialist Dr. Robert Cantu.

The examination, sources have told The Post, will follow a one-month “shutdown” period ordered by Cantu when Staal visited him during the week of Oct. 16 while the Rangers were in western Canada.

Hopefully this is the final clearance before Staal gets back on the ice. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. At this point it's completely up in the air when Staal will be back. He's been out since training camp scrimmages began.

Thankfully the Rangers have been playing well recently and the defense has been fairly solid for the past few weeks. This has been a great opportunity for the other Rangers young defensemen to step up, get more minutes and play in different situations they'd likely not get to play in if Staal were in the lineup. Staal's vacancy leaves about 30 minutes a game on average more ice time available for the other six defensemen.

It's never a good thing when you are missing one of your top defensemen. For the past few seasons Staal has been the clear cut #1 defenseman, but the good news is now Dan Girardi is battling Staal for that title. As long as the Rangers continue to win there won't be much talk about Staal however fans may start to get antsy if the team goes on any type of losing streak. We must hang in there, this is one season and Staal still has a long career ahead of him. Before he steps back on the ice, he must be absolutely positive that he's 100% healthy.

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Tonight's Free Entry $50 Prize Pool Hockey Contest Ends In 4 hours! Sign Up To Win!!!

2011-11-10T15:18:00.002-05:00

What are you guys scared of getting humiliated? Scared of getting a little egg on your face?

Less than four more hours to enter into tonight's DraftStreet.com Free Roll. That's the fantasy hockey game that we told you about yesterday. Free entry and $50 in prizes divided amongst the top three teams! Best of all, it's a one night game, after the West coast games finish tonight we know our winner!

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This is a salary cap league where everyone tries to assemble the best team out of the available players who are playing in tonight's games. You will have a $100k budget to build a team of 2 LW’s, 2 RW’s, 2 Center’s, 2 Defensive players, 1 Goalie, and a FLEX (which is any forward or defenseman). Each NHL player has been allocated a price based on their expected fantasy performance.

Do you spend $23k on Josh Harding or $11k on Steve Mason? My advice .... avoid "swiss cheese" Mason like the plague.

Who is tonight's sleeper pick? Who is that $3-$5k player that's going to outscore the $15k players? You guess right and you could be in the money!

You can adjust your roster up until the contest starts on tonight at 7:00pm ET at which time your rosters will lock and the Live Scoreboard will be available. The scoreboard is updated every minute while games are in progress. Don't get too excited when your team jumps out to an early lead, I'm coming to get ya!

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Fantasy Hockey (1 Night Game) - Free Entry & $50 Prize Pool!

2011-11-09T09:25:00.002-05:00

Are you a fantasy hockey nut? Want to put some money on the line but can't find a damn site that allows U.S. residents to enter? Well, look no further ...

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We’ve partnered up with Draftstreet to do a FREE one-day fantasy league with $50 in cash prizes exclusively for readers of PuckCentral. Top 3 teams get prizes!

When DraftStreet approached me about a potential partnership I checked out the site and was super excited by what I saw. I signed up right away! Let's face it, if you play fantasy hockey and draft a garbage team or have a ton of injuries because of freak accidents, who wants to continue to manage that lifeless team for the rest of the year? With DraftStreet you can pick a new team every single night and get the chance every night to win tons of awesome cash prizes.

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Rangers & Capitals Make Prospects Trade

2011-11-08T18:16:00.000-05:00

According to the offical NY Rangers offical twitter account:

The NYR officially announce that they have acquired F Francois Bouchard from Washington in exchange for D Tomas Kundratek

Although the Rangers may be seem a little short on defensemen at the moment who are NHL ready, they still have an abundance of defensive prospects in the system. It makes sense that Sather try and improve the depth at forward by shipping off one of the excess defensemen.

Wild Will Honor Boogaard November 27th

2011-11-08T13:14:00.000-05:00

Source: IGossip

I hope eventually this season the Rangers follow in the footsteps of the Minnesota Wild and hold some type of tribute for Derek Boogaard. I will say I'm surprised the Rangers didn't do much of anything to honor Boogaard at their home opener. I mean after all, he was a part of the Rangers organization for a season and not only was he a teammate to many of the current Rangers, he was also a friend.

According to a post on the team website, the Wild will honor The Boogey Man on November 27th:

While at the game, all fans in attendance will receive a Derek Boogaard poster featuring a re-production of a painting of "The Boogeyman" by sports artist Robert Blehert. They can also visit a Boogaard tribute in the main concourse near Gate 3 and adjacent to a similar tribute to former Wild player Sergei Zholtok.

The team will also unveil a commemorative Boogaard tribute T-shirt and puck along with releasing a limited number of Boogaard autographed items and game worn jerseys on November 27. Proceeds from the sale of these items will benefit Defending The Blue Line.

For more information on Defending The Blue Line, go to http://www.defendingtheblueline.org/.

We miss ya big guy!

Wolski Out A Month; Requires Surgery

2011-11-07T20:02:00.000-05:00

Source: ESPN

The Rangers today announced that left wing Wojtek Wolski who left the game against Anaheim early due to injury will require surgery to repair a sports hernia. He's expected to be out for the next four weeks.

I guess this means that Wolski may be spending some more time in the hot tub.

Clarification On @NHL "Second Altercation" Rule

2011-11-06T10:33:00.001-05:00

I think many people were as perplexed as me last night when Mike Sauer and Petteri Nokelainen were given game misconducts for a fight that occurred in the first few minutes of last night's game. The fight which occurred right after the fight between Michael Blunden and Ryan Callahan had ended was apparently deemed as a "second altercation." I consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable about the rules of the game and know most rules (even the rarely called ones). However, I was very surprised by this call because it seemed like a legitimate fight between two willing combatants that just happened to occur at the heat of the moment at the same time as another fight.

This morning I set out to find out exactly what the rule is, if it's new and how this fight qualified as ejection worthy. It appears that the game misconducts were discretionary, not mandatory. From what I can see, the only rule that this would violate is one of the sub-rules for fighting (Rule 46.16), "Third Man In."

The rule specifically states:

A game misconduct penalty, at the discretion of the Referee, shall be imposed on any player who is the first to intervene (third man in) in an altercation already in progress except when a match penalty is being imposed in the original altercation. This penalty is in addition to any other penalties incurred in the same incident. This rule also applies to subsequent players who elect to intervene in the same or other altercations during the same stoppage of play.

So basically the refs had the option to either give Sauer and Nokelainen five minutes to calm down in the sin bin or give them five minutes and give them a game misconduct. Of course, they chose to throw the book at them. Why? I understand the purpose of the "third man in rule" when it's protecting the primary two fighters from a third player intervening. However, here these two players engaged in a fight that in no way jeopardized the primary two fighters.

This is a lame rule. Even lamer that the refs had discretion and decided to hammer the two players. Some people just don't know how to use discretion, I guess.

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Video: Deveaux vs Parros

2011-11-05T10:22:00.003-04:00

If you watch the first few seconds of the clip you can clearly see Deveaux turn to the bench seeking approval before dropping the mitts with George Parros. It was a smart move by Deveaux because the fight took place off the ensuing faceoff after the Rangers had just taken a 1-0 lead. Usually a coach would prefer a player not to fight right after a goal for his team because of the possible momentum change the other way. However, Deveaux clearly got the approval of someone on the Rangers' bench.

Not a bad effort by Deveaux in the fight either. He hasn't looked out of place by any means skating on the Rangers fourth line. He's a big dude and looks like he knows how to protect the puck along the boards. So far so good.

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Video: Top 10 Goals of the Week, Captain Cally #1

2011-11-05T09:47:00.002-04:00

Rangers Announce Mike Rupp Will Have Knee Surgery, Avery Playing Saturday

2011-11-04T16:22:00.002-04:00

The Rangers announced today that Mike Rupp, who has been out of action for the past few games, will go under the knife (arthroscopic surgery), next week and as of now it's uncertain how long he'll be out. I'd bet he's out at least three weeks, possibly longer.

Wolski, who re-injured his groin in last night's win against the Ducks, won't play tomorrow night against Montreal. That means that super pest Sean Avery (who cleared re-entry waivers Tuesday) will make his 2011-12 Rangers debut. Expect the Garden to be rockin' when #16 hits the ice for the first time this season.

The signing of defenseman Anton Stralman may not be made official until tomorrow and there's a possibility than the Rangers may make another move, possibly by recalling Mats Zuccarello from the AHL.

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Rangers Sign Defenseman Anton Stralman (update, made official 11/5)

2011-11-04T09:24:00.001-04:00

Updated 11/5 @ 3:25pm:

According to the Daily News, the deal was today made official and Mike Rupp who will undergo surgery next week, has been placed on injury reserve.

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TSN confirms that the Rangers have signed Anton Stralman, a rumor that has been circulating for well over a week now.

According to TSN:

The New York Rangers signed defenceman Anton Stralman to a one-year, $900,000 contract on Thursday.

Stralman was an unrestricted free agent after the Columbus Blue Jackets did not make him a qualifying offer this summer.

Unfortunately this isn't the best of news, because it appears that Marc Staal may be out for much longer than had originally been expected. According to the NYRBlog the Rangers probably have not officially announced this deal because they are waiting to place Staal on long term injury reserve and clear some significant salary cap. I'm not sure how accurate that is, unless the Rangers are potentially ready to make another move, because right now the team would have the cap space to add the $900k cap hit.

As far as Stralman goes, it's a depth move for sure. However, from what I've read he's a very soft defenseman and as a PuckCentral commenter pointed out when the rumor began last week, he sounds like "Christian Backman 2.0." And that's not a good thing. Only time will tell, he'll likely rotate in and out of the lineup as needed for Eminger and Woywitka as long as the defense remains healthy (minus Staal of course).

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Video: Clutterbuck Punches Ref Right In The Face

2011-11-03T23:19:00.002-04:00

I Don't Think Anything Is Scarier Than....George Laraque In Drag!

2011-11-01T20:46:00.001-04:00

H/T Hockey-Fights.com and the video of Laraque dressed up for Halloween is here courtesy of the HFBoards

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It's official Avery clears waivers and is back on NYR roster #AveryArmy #LetsGoRangers

2011-11-01T12:03:00.001-04:00

Sean Avery cleared re-entry waivers today at noon. He's now offically eligible to be recalled by the Rangers and put back on the Rangers roster (seems like a technical matter).
In case you've been under a rock since Sunday, follow the entire story here and here

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Thornton Calls Rangers "Soft," Which Reminds Me Of The Time Lindros Broke His Face

2011-10-31T22:31:00.001-04:00

After last night's loss to the New York Rangers by a score of 5-2, Sharks center Joe Thornton said:

To be honest, they were probably the softest team we played against on this road trip, and we should have had these two points.

Which may be true, but not certain what the point of the statement was. First of all, Thornton was pretty much invisible all night. Secondly, you just got beat 5-2. Finally, it's the only time that the two teams meet all year unless Thornton thinks this is some great smack talk for the rivalry if the two meet in the Stanley Cup Final.

For some reason Thornton's "soft" comments immediately reminded me of the night Eric Lindros broke his face with one punch.

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It's Official, Avery Placed On Re-Entry Waivers

2011-10-31T12:14:00.001-04:00

Pat Leonard, NYR beat writer for the Daly News confirms that Avery was placed on re-entry waivers:

Sean Avery has, in fact, been placed on re-entry waivers. Rangers confirm. He would clear at noon Tuesday #NYR

Read more about the call up and the possible implications if claimed by another team from yesterday's blog post.

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Rangers To Recall Avery!

2011-10-30T13:33:00.003-04:00

Source: NYRZone

Update 4:25pm: Larry Brooks confirms that Avery will be placed on re-entry waivers Monday by the Rangers. 29 other teams can place a claim for Avery. It's expected that Avery will clear re-entry waivers and be available for the Rangers game on Thursday against the Ducks.
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Update @ 2:55pm: No confirmation yet and still a lot of speculation but Nick Kypreos tweeted:

Look for #Rangers 2 put Sean Avery on recallable waivers as early as Mon. He still wouldn't be eligible 2 play Mon vs #Sharks due 48 hr rule

Now, this still doesn't mean anything is set in stone to me. This could be confirming the rumors or just adding an explanation if the rumors were true. We'll just have to wait and see...

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Boomer Esiason did a pretty good job of getting all our panties in a bunch this fine Sunday morning. He posted on Twitter this morning:

Little birdie telling me Sean Avery is back! Thank God! Finally some energy! For the NYR.

And that was all it took to get the rumor rolling. As of 1:30pm there has been no additional reports of Avery being recalled and no one else in the media has picked up on this rumor. Does Boomer have a legit source for this? Is he playing around with us? Is someone he knows fooling around with Boomer and us?

If Avery were to be recalled he'd have to clear re-entry waivers on Monday. Something that is not a guarantee, but something that most NHL pundits seem to believe is likely. If Avery were claimed off re-entry waivers by another team then the Dallas Stars would be responsible for 50% of his cap hit, the Rangers for 25% (about $950k) and Avery's new team for the remaining 25%.

Avery has been saying the right things since being demoted prior to the start of the season. He played in two games this week with The Whale, scoring the game winner in the shootout last night. But, it does seem like a fast turnaround from the rumors last week that Avery would never play on Broadway again.

Keep checking the AHL transaction page, that's the first place you'll likely hear about the recall (if it happens)!

H/T NYRangers Blog
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Andre Deveaux Called Up By Rangers

2011-10-30T00:31:00.000-04:00

According to Carl Hagelin via Twitter:

Big win tonight! Good luck to my roommate Andre Deveaux on getting called up

Strange to see that the guy who breaks the news is the guy who some fans were hoping would be the call up! Deveaux is a big and physical player. To me this signifies that Rupp may be out a little longer. Unless Torts really wants a pounding 4th line with Rupp and Deveaux in the lineup. He's a big boy and can scrap.

Hopefully this means Christensen will be a healthy scratch, but who knows, Tortorella for some reason loves him.

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Why The Hell Is Christensen (aka Charmin) Still On This Team?

2011-10-29T23:29:00.003-04:00

If you've been following me on Twitter any length of time then you'd know of my serious problem with Erik Christensen being a New York Ranger. I had a problem with him when he was centering Gaborik last season and became the team's de facto #1 center and I have an even bigger problem with him this year now that he's ousted Sean Avery from the NHL and continues to be his useless self.

What I can't for the life of me understand is what the hell John Tortorella or Glen Sather see in this guy? He is in my opinion the most inconsistent player to have worn a Rangers jersey in the past decade. He's so anti-physical that he makes Petr Nedved look like a friggin power forward. It's not bad enough that this clown was getting a regular role on the fourth line, Tortorella is now experimenting with him as the team's number one center AGAIN. It didn't work last year and honestly, it looks like instead of taking a step forward, Mr. Christensen has taken a giant step backward.

Thankfully yesterday it didn't take long for Tortorella to replace him on the top line with Derek Stepan. But seriously, what the heck does this guy have that infatuates John Tortorella? Sure he's got some skill, the problem is he lacks any physical ability to make himself room. Sure he's fast, but he looks like he's skating with zero purpose 95% of the time. And whatever skill he does have is completely offset by what in my opinion is a complete lack of heart. Oh yeah, he was also semi-useful when he actually scored in the shootout, but now he even sucks at doing that! (0-2 this season)

Since day one as Rangers head coach John Tortorella has preached about accountability and that players who deserve to stay in the lineup will and players that don't won't. Let's not even get into the Sean Avery debate. There are going to be Avery supporters and Avery haters, my position on this side of the debate is abundantly clear. But are you seriously telling me that Erik Christensen is even the 12th best forward in this organization? His skill set is that of a top six forward and if he ain't in the top six then he shouldn't be anywhere near the ice. He clearly isn't worthy of a top six position on this team. Therefore, get him the hell out of here.

After the game last night Tim Erixon and Kris Newbury were sent back to Connecticut and I can only assume that means that Zuccarello will be re-called. Don't get me wrong, Newbury hasn't done much to keep himself in the Rangers lineup but he sure brings more to the table than Christensen.

The only unresolved issue surrounding Christensen is what his new nickname should be? Personally I prefer "Charmin," while others liked the nickname I had given him "Tin Man."

The rationale behind each is below as I had posted on Twitter this week:

"Tin Man" - because he has no heart
"Charmin" - both soft and good for $hit

Let's just hope he isn't around long enough for a new nickname to be worth getting used to!

Added 10/30/11:
I posted a poll over at HFBoards to see what the genuine consensus on Christensen was amongst NYR fans and not surprisingly at this point with 78 votes, more than 80% of voters say Christensen should be in the AHL.

Also, funny that while digging through old posts today I came across my post on PuckCentral when Christensen was claimed off waivers by the Rangers in December of 2009. Yeah, I wasn't that excited about the acquisition even then!

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Mike Sauer Will Play Tonight

2011-10-27T10:38:00.000-04:00

Some good news this morning from the morning skate, according to Katie Strang of ESPN:

Sauer first one on the ice this morning at MSG hours before home opener. He'll be in lineup tonight. Likely means Woywitka will come out

Not only is it a good thing to have a solid defenseman back in the lineup it also should reduce the workload of some of the other defensemen who have been playing top minutes like McDonagh and Girardi.

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Will Anton Stralman Be a NYR? Offer Made

2011-10-25T21:07:00.000-04:00

Source: The Star

There was a report yesterday on a Swedish website that the Rangers were interested in defenseman Anton Stralman. Stralman was in the New Jersey Devils training camp on a tryout but was not offered a contract for this season.

According to Fire & Ice the Rangers have in fact made a contract offer for Stralman. Honestly, I'm not sure what to make of this. I don't know much about Stralman but from what I've read he's a semi-decent defenseman, a good passer but is "as soft as a pillow."

Stralman, who has 11 goals and 63 assists in 212 career NHL games with Toronto and Columbus, has yet to decline or accept the contract the Rangers offered. He also reportedly is weighing an offer to play for HV 71 in the Swedish Elite League.

The Rangers have been looking for help on defense with Marc Staal still sidelined with post-concussion symptoms.

Stralman had no points and an even defensive rating in four preseason games with the Devils.

Now, does this give any indication as to how Marc Staal is progressing? It's expected that Mike Sauer will return to the Rangers lineup within the next game or so. This likely means that Woywitka would be heading to Connecticut as the Rangers would immediately have eight defensemen, not counting Staal.

Defensively, the pairs would likely look something like this:

McDonagh-Girardi
Sauer-Del Zotto
Erixon-Stralman
Eminger (subbing in as needed)

Of course when Staal then returns another defenseman would be sent to the AHL. Unfortunately, if Staal's return were likely to be anytime soon I highly doubt that they'd be sniffing around Stralman.

With King Henrik and Marty Biron standing on their heads so far for the Rangers it's hard to tell how good/bad the defense has been. The more pressing issue for me (and likely anyone watching a period of this Rangers season) has been their inability to not only score but to have any sustained offensive pressure.

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Avery Continues To Say The Right Things ...

2011-10-25T12:19:00.001-04:00

Source: intobolivian

Sean Avery continues to say all the right things when asked about his situation of being demoted to the AHL and the remote possibility of getting re-called to the NHL this year because of salary cap concerns. Avery who was claimed off of re-entry waivers from the Dallas Stars several years ago earns almost $4M per year, but while still playing in the NHL last season was only a cap hit of around $1.9M for the Rangers who split the cap hit with his former team, the Stars.

After being demoted to ~~Hartford~~ Connecticut before the start of the NHL season the chances of Avery being recalled this season by the Rangers is unlikely. Why? The reason being if the Rangers were to recall Avery, he'd have to first go through re-entry waivers. Meaning, 29 other teams would have first dibs at claiming him. In my opinion it's still very unlikely that any team would put in a waiver claim for Avery, but if they were to, Avery would still count as a $900k cap hit for the Rangers. The reason being the Rangers and his new team would be responsible for 25% of the cap and the Dallas Stars responsible for 50% of the cap. Truthfully, at this point the Rangers would likely need to be pretty desperate to risk that cap hit for a player not on the roster.

However, since his demotion, Avery has continued to say the right things. In an article in today's Bergen Record discussing the loophole to bury NHLers in the AHL Avery said:

I think that’s a consequence when they sign contracts, and it depends what team you sign with, some owners are willing to spend money to make their team better whether it’s to spend money to get rid of a guy or spend that money to sign a guy

He went onto add

That’s the sacrifice you make. You feel sorry for anybody making $5 million? Rip up your deal. If you want to play in the NHL that bad, rip your contract up.

Last week Avery said that New York is the only place he wants to play:

I have a lot of other things going on that is going to pay me when I'm done playing hockey.

I would play for the minimum, whatever that is, $500,000. Why not?

We'll see how that plays out, remember, it's not that long ago that he turned down an offer from the New York Rangers and jumped ship for more money with the Stars. Not that I fault him for that, maybe it was that lucrative deal that has him feeling financially comfortable enough to take a pay cut to continue living the dream. Truthfully, outside of the Rangers there may not be many teams willing to give Avery another shot, even for the league minimum.

I certainly hope we haven't seen the last of Sean Avery in the NHL. Love him or hate him, he was entertaining. On any given night he had the potential to have us all talking about something that he did.

He's an above average hockey player, despite what many critics would have you believe. His haters downplay his contributions to the team and whine about Avery's antics. Like it or not, those antics were pretty damn successful in drawing a lot of power plays for the Rangers and throwing many players off their game. In his time in New York he had a lot of penalty minutes, you may be surprised to know, he drew more minor penalties than he took.

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Callahan & Dubinksy Autograph Signing December 6th In Paramus, NJ

2011-10-21T20:59:00.000-04:00

Photo source: Rangers Tribune

New York Rangers forwards Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky will be signing autographs on Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 from 6pm–8pm at Buddy’s Sports Corner (sports store located in Paramus Park Mall) Paramus, NJ.

Typically these stores charge a decent chunk of change if you want to get an autograph, the prices vary depending on what it is you want signed. An example of items that will likely be available include 8x10 photos, pucks and jerseys. Sometimes it's cheaper to bring your own high quality pictures with you to have them signed.

Rangers Recall Bell & Newbury, Demote Zuccarello

2011-10-16T12:57:00.000-04:00

With a rather slow start to the season for the Rangers and several injuries hampering the blue line it was not unexpected that the Rangers would make a few moves last night after a 5-3 loss to the Islanders.

The first move announced was that Zuccarello had been sent down to Connecticut and Kris Newbury recalled. It was expected that Newbury would be the first re-call as I tweeted Friday night, after all he did start the season in the AHL with 4 goals and 8 points in the first 8 games. However, I am surprised that once again Eric Christensen has managed to avoid the drop.

A poster on HFBoards may have just hit the nail on the head as to why Christensen is still with the team:

And yet Christensen stays? Does he have naked photos of Torts or something?

With the injuries on defense to Marc Staal and Mike Sauer, with no known return table for either the Rangers decided to play it safe and bring Brendan Bell, an eighth defenseman with them for the four game road trip out West.

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Expected NYR Lineup vs Isles (no Sauer or Wolski)

2011-10-14T13:09:00.001-04:00

Expected lines for tomorrow's game against the Islanders (via Andrew Gross):
Stepan-Richards-Gaborik
Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan
Fedotenko-Boyle-Prust
Rupp-Christensen-Zuccarello

McDonagh-Girardi
Del Zotto-Erixon
Woywitka-Eminger

Sauer is injured and will not play on Long Island due to a shoulder injury. Wolski still remains injured because of a groin injury.

The most notable change in the forward lines is Dubinksy re-joining Anisimov and Callahan on the second line. Dubinsky started the season with Richards and Gaborik but Tortorella said that he wanted to re-united Dubinksy with Callahan and Anisimov because of their chemistry together last season. This gives second year NHLer Derek Stepan a chance to get some significant playing time with two of the elite forwards in the NHL.

And in case you didn't already know, King Henrik will be between the pipes. On the other end of the ice, it's no surprise that Rick DiPietro won't be.

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Video: Arron Asham Plays Mike Tyson Punch Out With Jay Beagle

2011-10-13T21:33:00.001-04:00

via Puck Daddy

And a different video that shows Asham's "go to sleep" gesture
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Video: Don Cherry Rips NHL's New Hitting Policies

2011-10-10T20:50:00.002-04:00

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Video: Avery Mic'd Up Threatening Giroux

2011-09-27T09:38:00.002-04:00

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And Then There Were 33...

2011-09-27T08:33:00.000-04:00

As expected after last night's pre-season game in Philadelphia the Rangers cut an additional two forwards from their roster before jumping on a plane to Europe.
Andre Deveaux and Andreas Thuresson who both got a last chance to play in Philly were the cuts made last night after the game.

As was discussed on here yesterday, the Rangers still have some tough decisions to make before their roster is finalzed to start the season.

NEW YORK RANGERS ACTIVE ROSTER:

Goal (3): Martin Biron, Henrik Lundqvist, Scott Stajcer

Defense (11): Brendan Bell, Stu Bickel, Michael Del Zotto, Steve Eminger, Tim Erixon, Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh, Dylan McIlrath, Blake Parlett, Michael Sauer, Marc Staal

Forward (19): Artem Anisimov, Sean Avery, Ryan Bourque, Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan, Erik Christensen, Brandon Dubinsky, Ruslan Fedotenko, Marian Gaborik, Carl Hagelin, John Mitchell, Kris Newbury, Brandon Prust, Brad Richards, Mike Rupp, Derek Stepan, Dale Weise, Wojtek Wolski, Mats Zuccarello

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Video: Wayne Simmonds Clearly Calls Avery Homosexual Slur

2011-09-26T22:16:00.002-04:00

video via Ryan Lambert
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Pavel Valentenko and Chad Kolarik Clear Waivers

2011-09-26T16:03:00.000-04:00

According to Andrew Gross:

Pavel Valentenko and Chad Kolarik both clear waivers and are assigned to Connecticut (AHL).

I can only assume that Wade Redden also cleared waivers and will report to Connecticut.

Valentenko was seen as a disappointment by many Rangers fans on Friday night in his one pre-season game against the Devils. If you recall, last season Valentenko made it very tough on the New York Rangers and was the final demotion to Hartford when the team opted to instead keep Ryan McDonagh in New York. Many (including myself) were hoping that Valentenko would either make the lineup this year or at least make everyone else compete harder in order to keep him off the team.

However, that was apparently not the case because the Rangers right now are searching for a replacement for Marc Staal and instead of competing for a spot on the opening night roster, Valentenko was amongst the first round of cuts on Saturday.

Ranger Rants yesterday revealed a little more behind Valentenko's performance Friday, he has been injured with a groin problem. Valentenko also attempted to squash the rumors that he was heading to the KHL since he didn't make the Rangers by saying "I’m going to fight for the Rangers. I never quit.”

That's all the fans ask for and with an attitude like that he might be back in New York before we know it.

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Tough Moves Ahead For Rangers

2011-09-26T09:14:00.006-04:00

Tim Erixon
Dbfoto on Flickr

Saturday the first round of cuts were made as the Rangers sent 28 players to either the AHL or back to their Junior team. Larry Brooks reports that prior to the team heading to Europe to finish up their pre-season and start the 2011-12 regular season they will likely be cutting two more forwards. This would leave the roster with three goalies, ten defensemen (Staal not traveling to Europe) and nineteen forwards.

As far as the decisions at forward go, Brooks had the following analysis:

With Mats Zuccarello all but certain to start the season with the team, the Rangers have spots open for a pair of spare forwards. Unless Carl Hagelin comes out of nowhere with far more impressive performances in Europe than he’s delivered in his two exhibition outings thus far or Ryan Bourque forces himself into the mix, the candidates are: Sean Avery, who clearly has the highest ceiling of anyone else in the equation; Erik Christensen, whose role has been marginalized by the addition of Brad Richards; and John Mitchell and Dale Weise, both of whom would require waivers in order to be assigned to the AHL Whale.

If you've read PuckCentral for anytime at all you'd know my feelings about Eric Christensen. If it were up to me he would've been sent packing during the first round of cuts. I'm still a big fan of Sean Avery and recognize what he is capable of bringing on a nightly basis if he plays to his potential AND is given the opportunity. Far too many times since his infamous suspension Avery has moved away from the game that keeps him in the lineup. But, just as many times John Torotrella has limited Avery's ice time for no apparent reason. If you're expecting Avery to score 20 goals then you are certainly setting him up for failure. But, Avery can be a very effective third liner, he's very good on the forecheck, can create scoring opportunities for others (when he stays onside) and when at his best can agitate the hell out of ~~most~~ 95% of opponents.

The problem for Avery is that with Brandon Prust playing the way he does the Rangers have similar style players, known for their gritty style. Add to the mix Dale Weise who is still fighting for a roster spot and you have several players that play a similar type of game fighting for one, possibly two spots. Out of the three, Prust is the only one currently guaranteed a roster spot to start the season. Chirs Botta wrote about Avery possibly being waived depending on how he plays in the team's final pre-season games. If Avery were to clear waivers he would start the season in Connecticut.

At this point I'd be extremely surprised if Ryan Bourque made the team. This is no slight against Bourque but there is just too much competition for only one or two forward positions and I don't see the Rangers keeping a young player around to be a regular healthy scratch. Hagelin has a better shot at making the roster (the kid is a speed demon), but he too should be considered a long shot.

With Marc Staal sitting out with post-concussion symptoms only Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh and Mike Sauer are guaranteed regular spots on the blue line. Steve Eminger who was re-signed this summer will also stick with the Rangers, but he may be given a more prominent role unless other moves are made. It's still possible that the Rangers invite someone else to camp (which doesn't look likely at this point), sign a player or made a trade. The Rangers announced on Sunday that Marc Staal would not be traveling with the team to Europe for the pre-season games, but wouldn't rule him out of the opening night lineup. I'd have to guess at this point if Staal is still being held out of games that he's highly unlikely for at least the first few games of the regular season.

With the sudden need for defensemen, Dylan McIlrath who was expected to be returned to his Junior team is left amongst the final group of players. Tortorella told the media on Sunday that McIlrath wasn't yet ready for the NHL. So, unless he does something remarkable in the next few exhibition games, he's likely just along for the ride.

A lot of the decisions on the defense end will hinge upon the health of Marc Staal. What many thought of as the Rangers strength heading into the summer now looks like it could be suspect. I mean, Brendan Bell has seemed like a decent substitute so far, but over the course of the the regular season is a team with Bell playing a prominent role going to be very successful? As for Michael Del Zotto, he was all talk prior to the pre-season about being ready to prove he's ready to play in the NHL and being humbled by his demotion to Hartford last season. But, is he going to be consistent enough to help the team more than harm it?

There are certainly a lot of questions left and not much time to get those answers.

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Rangers Make Cuts, McIlrath Still On Roster

2011-09-24T12:44:00.000-04:00

Rangers training camp cuts were made today, sending 28 players to either the AHL or to their Junior team. Tortorella has said in the past that the Rangers plan on bringing 31 to 33 players with them to Europe to finish up the pre-season and to start the season. After today's cuts there are now 35 players on the Rangers roster, which means that after the next pre-season game there will be at least two more players cut from the roster prior to the team heading to Europe.

There aren't many spots left for grabs amongst the forwards but it will be interesting to see what decisions are made on the blue line for the Rangers. With Marc Staal sitting out with post-concussion symptoms only Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh and Mike Sauer are guaranteed spots on the blue line. Steve Eminger who was re-signed this summer will also stick with the Rangers, but he may be given a more prominent role unless other moves are made. It's still possible that the Rangers invite someone else to camp, sign a player or made a trade. With the sudden need for defensemen, Dylan McIlrath who was expected to be returned to his Junior team today is left battling for a spot on the roster opening night.

According to NYR.com:

PLAYERS STILL IN NEW YORK RANGERS TRAINING CAMP:

Goal (3): Martin Biron, Henrik Lundqvist, Scott Stajcer

Defense (11): Brendan Bell, Stu Bickel, Michael Del Zotto, Steve Eminger, Tim Erixon, Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh, Dylan McIlrath, Blake Parlett, Michael Sauer, Marc Staal

Forward (21): Artem Anisimov, Sean Avery, Ryan Bourque, Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan, Erik Christensen, Andre Deveaux, Brandon Dubinsky, Ruslan Fedotenko, Marian Gaborik, Carl Hagelin, John Mitchell, Kris Newbury, Brandon Prust, Brad Richards, Mike Rupp, Derek Stepan, Andreas Thuresson, Dale Weise, Wojtek Wolski, Mats Zuccarello

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Video: Rupp vs Boulton

2011-09-24T12:09:00.000-04:00

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Rangers Headlines Heading Into Pre-Season Game 2

2011-09-23T09:15:00.004-04:00

MSGHD finally coming to Fios. If you're a New York sports fan and have Verizon you've been stuck watching all Rangers games in standard definition. For Cablevision subscribers like myself, it's been one of the main reasons why we've stuck with Cablevision. Well, the FCC has ruled that Cablevision must offer the high definition channel to their competitors. [Link]
Michael Barnett who was Rangers director of U.S. amateur scouting and a senior advisor to Glen Sather has resigned. [Link]
The NY Rangers Blog has a look at what is likely going to be the Rangers and Flyers logos for the Winter Classic.
If the Rangers expect Marc Staal to miss a significant amount of time does that mean that Dylan McIlrath actually has a shot of sticking with the Rangers? I highly doubt it, but Blue Seat Blogs takes a look at the scenario. One thing's for certain, Michael Del Zotto didn't do himself any favors in the first game against the Devils.
Larry Brooks reports that the "Rangers' plan is to bring 6 lines, 5 D pairs and 3 goalies on trip to Europe."
Did J.T. Miller land himself a spot on the roster heading to Europe to finish up the pre-season and start the season? [Bleeding All Blue]
Jim Cerny reports this is the lineup for tonight's second pre-season game against the Devils:

Goalies: Martin Biron, Chad Johnson
Defensemen: Brendan Bell, Michael Del Zotto, Tim Erixon, Ryan McDonagh, Michael Sauer, Pavel Valentenko
Forwards: Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan, Ruslan Fedotenko, Marian Gaborik, Carl Hagelin, Kris Newbury, Brad Richards, Mike Rupp, Derek Stepan, Dale Weise, Wojtek Wolski, Mats Zuccarello

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Video: McIlrath Fighting Bickel Tuesday At Training Camp

2011-09-21T09:15:00.001-04:00

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Video: NHL Rememberance Video

2011-09-20T21:47:00.003-04:00

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Marc Staal To Miss Training Camp & Possibly Longer

2011-09-19T09:04:00.002-04:00

According to the NY Post:

Marc Staal will not participate in training camp scrimmages or in any of the Rangers' three exhibition games in North America because of lingering issues resulting from a crushing hit from his brother Eric in Carolina last Feb. 22, The Post has learned.

The Rangers alternate captain has been medically cleared for contact after developing post-concussionlike symptoms over the summer, but management is taking a conservative, cautious approach this preseason. He skated through the first two days of strenuous testing and did take part in Sunday morning's drills after the conclusion of the first scrimmage.

Hopefully Staal gets better quickly and is able to play the majority of the season. Scary to think what concussions can do to someone; symptom free for six months and then all of a sudden feeling the effects of a hit that occurred half a year ago.

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NHL Training Camp Invitees

2011-09-17T11:43:00.000-04:00

Here is the complete list of players invited to NHL training camps:

Listed below is each player's name, position and team(s) that they played for last season.

Boston
Chris Clark RW (Columbus)
Kirk MacDonald RW (Providence, AHL)
Kevan Miller D (U. of Vermont, NCAA)

Buffalo
Joe Finley D (South Carolina, ECHL)

Calgary
John Armstrong C (Abbotsford, AHL)

Chicago
Ray Emery G (Anaheim/Syracuse, AHL)

Columbus
Trevor Ludwig D (Texas, AHL)
Adam Payerl C (Belleville, OHL)

Detroit
Fabian Brunnstrom LW (Texas AHL/Toronto AHL)
Ryan Johnson C (Chicago)
Ramis Sadikov G (Erie, OHL)
Artem Sergeev D (Val d'Or, QMJHL)
Adam Estoclet C (Darthmouth, NCAA)
Evan Mosher G (PEI, QMJHL)
Zach Franko LW (Kelowna, WHL)
Nick Oslund RW (St.Cloud, NCAA)
Edmonton
Kirill Tulupov D (Spartak Moskva, KHL)
Tyler Schmidt D (Tri-City, WHL)
Brett Ferguson LW (Red Deer, WHL)
Chase Schaber C (Kamloops, WHL)
Colin Smith C (Kamloops, WHL)
Ryan Lowery D (Colorado, NCAA)
Wes Vannieuwenhuizen D (Vancouver, WHL)

Los Angeles
Trent Hunter RW (New York Islanders)
Shaun Heshka D (Salzburg, Austria)
Ray Macias D (Lake Erie, AHL)
Cam Paddock RW (Isherlohn, Germany)
J.D Watt RW (Abbotsford/San Antonio, AHL)
Pierre Durepos D (Saint John, QMJHL)
Alex Roach D (Calgary, WHL)
Mike Kantor RW (Sault Ste.Marie, OHL)
Colin Miller D (Sault Ste.Marie, OHL)
Teigan Zahn D (Saskatoon, WHL)
Mike Morrison G (Kitchener, OHL)
Taylor Carnevale C (Barrie/Windsor, OHL)
Rob Mignardi RW (Owen Sound, OHL)
Michal Cajkovski D (Kingston, OHL)

Minnesota
Jordan Hendry D (Chicago)

Montréal
Robin Gusse G (Rouyn-Noranda, QMJHL)
Josh McFadden D (Sudbury, OHL)
Etienne Brodeur LW (Lewinston, QMJHL)
Philip DeSimone C (U. of New Hampshire, NCAA)
Olvier Dame-Malka D (Lewiston, QMJHL)
Ben Winnett LW (U. Of Michigan, NCAA)
Jordan Southorn D (Trenton, ECHL)
Tony Dehart D (Oshawa, OHL)

Nashville
Scott Valentine D (Oshawa, OHL)

New Jersey
Steve Bernier RW (Florida)
Anton Stralman D (Columbus)
Petr Sykora RW (Plzen, Czech Republic/Minsk, KHL)
JT Barnett LW (Kamloops, WHL)
Thomas Nesbitt RW (Ottawa, OHL)

New York Islanders
Jay Pandolfo LW (Springfield, AHL)
Steve Staios D (Calgary)

New York Rangers
Chris McKelvie LW (Connecticut, AHL/Greenville, ECHL)
Jordan Hickmott C (Edmonton, WHL)
Collin Bowman D (Moose Jaw, WHL)
Tayler Jordan LW (Portland, WHL)
Matt Rust C (U. of Michigan, NCAA)
Scott Tanski C (Brampton, OHL)

Ottawa
Matej Machovsky G (Brampton, OHL)

Philadelphia
Michael Nylander C (Rochester, AHL)
Adam Mair C (New Jersey)

Phoenix
Ryan Hollweg LW (San Antonio, AHL)

San Jose
Brad Winchester LW (St.Louis/Anaheim)
Ben Thomson LW (Kitchener, OHL)
Nathan Moon RW (Kingston, OHL)

St.Louis
Jake Gannon D (Peoria, AHL/Utah, ECHL)

Toronto
Brayden Irwin RW (Toronto, AHL)

Vancouver
Owen Nolan RW (Zurich, Switzerland)
Todd Fedoruk LW (Tampa Bay 2009-2010)
Steve Begin LW (Milwaukee, AHL)
Manny Legace G (Iserholn, Germany)
Andres Eriksson D (MODO, Sweden)
Matt Clackson LW (Adirondack, AHL)

Winnipeg
Janne Pesonen LW (Kazan, KHL)
David Aebischer G (Lugano, Switzerland)
David Koci LW (Colorado)
Troy Bodie RW (Anaheim/Carolina)

H/T to all those over at the HFBoards who helped compile this list, especially Booba who put the list together

Check out last pre-season's article about Impressive Fitness Numbers From NHL Players
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New York Rangers Training Camp Roster Released

2011-09-16T09:40:00.002-04:00

According to Ranger Rants here is the official list of players at training camp this morning:
Group 1:
Sean Avery, Ruslan Fedotenko, Kris Newbury, Brandon Prust, Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan, Erik Christensen, Mike Rupp, Steve Eminger, Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh, Marc Staal, Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Tommy Grant, Kale Kerbashian.

Group 2:
Brandon Dubinsky, Marian Gaborik, Carl Hagelin, Dylan McIlrath, Artem Anisimov, John Mitchell, Brad Richards, Derek Stepan, Ryan Bourque, Andre Deveaux, Wojtek Wolski, Mats Zuccarello, Tim Erixon, Jordan Hickmott, Chad Kolarik, Dale Weise.
Group 3:
Lee Baldwin, Tomas Kundratek, J.T. Miller, Pavel Valentenko, Sam Klassen, Jyri Niemi, Jared Nightingale, Samuel Noreau, Brendan Bell, Stu Bickel, Michael Del Zotto, Michael Sauer, Andreas Thuresson.

Group 4:Peter Ceresnak, Blake Parlett, Christian Thomas, Jason Wilson, Tayler Jordan, Shane McColgan, Michael St. Croix, Collin Bowman, Chris McKelvie, Kelsey Tessier, Scott Tanski, Matt Rust, Andrew Yogan, Marty Biron, Chad Johnson, Henrik Lundqvist, Jason Missiaen, Scott Stajcer, Cameron Talbot.

Does the fact that Wolski is skating in the same group as Richards and Gaborik give us any indication as to which way Tortorella is leaning towards who will play on the top line?
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Redden Won't Be Invited To Rangers Training Camp

2011-09-15T20:25:00.001-04:00

According to Blue Notes

The training camp roster has not yet been announced, but Newsday has confirmed that defenseman Wade Redden, 34, who was waived on Sept. 25 last year and then assigned to the AHL, will not be on it.

Can't say this is all that surprising and even if he had been invited realistically what would his chances of making the roster be? Honestly, if Redden were invited it would likely be more of a distraction than anything else. There's also the risk that if he were to get injured during camp that his salary would count against the camp.

I still think that Redden is still player that should still be in the NHL, however he's not worthy of that crazy contract. There are at least a handful of teams that Redden could at least be the bottom pairing defenseman on.

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Rangers Name Ryan Callahan 26th NYR Captain

2011-09-12T11:34:00.000-04:00

Last night the Rangers stated that today the next captain for the New York Rangers along with the two alternate captains would be named. So the speculation began and the front runner was clearly Ryan Callahan.

The only question I had was whether Brad Richards, the newly signed center, would be named as one of the alternates or whether that would go to Brandon Dubinsky. I got my answer a few minutes ago.

According to the NYR website:

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Ryan Callahan has been named the 26th captain in franchise history. Brad Richards will join Marc Staal as the club's two alternate captains.

"Ryan Callahan embodies all the leadership qualities we seek from our Captain," Sather said. "He leads by example with courage and a tireless work ethic on and off the ice, which is why he is so deserving of this honor."

Callahan, 26, has served as a Rangers Alternate Captain for the last two seasons after being named to the post on October 2, 2009. He captured a silver medal with Team USA at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, and is a two-time Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner (2008-09 and 2009-10).

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Video: Dylan McIlrath Fight at Traverse City Prospects Tournament

2011-09-11T20:23:00.001-04:00

H/T to Clutch from Hockey-Fights.com for the video

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Surprise, Surprise No Charges Against Avery

2011-08-18T10:28:00.001-04:00

According to TMZ:

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, "No criminal charges of any kind will be filed against Sean Avery stemming from his August 5 arrest for battery on a police officer."

But according to law enforcement sources, a further investigation revealed that no officer was ever actually pushed.

So why were the charges dropped?

We're told the officer who made the battery report did so after his foot was caught in Avery's front door -- and multiple witnesses have corroborated the story.

According to sources, police don't believe it's appropriate to charge Avery -- and agree the matter would be best handled by an informal meeting with the L.A. City Attorney, who's expected to officially close the case ... without prosecution.

Ok, I have to admit that even I'm a little surprised the way this turned out. I assumed that Avery would've gotten a slap on the wrist with community service or some other form of punishment. But I did predict that there was nothing for Rangers fans or Avery to worry about when the report was originally made by TMZ about Avery pushing a cop.

Unfortunately for the Avery haters this is terrible news.

Rather funny looking back at it how so many ~~idiots~~ people thought this was the end of Avery's Rangers and NHL career. Actually, it was pretty funny at the time too - now it's hysterical.

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Hockey Franchise Changes For 2011-12

2011-08-11T09:00:00.002-04:00

A comprehensive list of hockey franchise changes for the upcoming 2011-12 hockey season.

NHL:
Atlanta Thrashers become Winnipeg Jets

AHL:
Manitoba Moose become St John's (Ice Caps?)

ECHL:
Chicago Express expansion franchise
Colorado Eagles transferred from CHL
Trenton Devils folded
Columbia Inferno possibly returning

CHL:
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs folded
Bloomington Prairie Thunder folded
Colorado Eagles moved to ECHL
Mississippi RiverKings moved to SPHL
Odessa Jackalopes to NAHL
Bloomington Blaze expansion franchise

FHL:
Danville Dashers expansion franchise
Green Mountain Rock Crushers expansion franchise
New Jersey Outlaws expansion franchise
Niagara Falls Nationals expansion franchise
Rome Frenzy suspended operations
Cape Cod Barons change name to Bluefins
New York Aviators change name to Brooklyn

SPHL:
Mississippi RiverKings moved from CHL

WHL:
Chilliwack Bruins become Victoria Royals

QMJHL:
Montréal Junior become Blainville-Boisbraind Armada
Lewiston MAINEiacs purchased by league and dissolved

BCHL:
Quesnel Millionaires become Chilliwack Chiefs
Langley Chiefs change name to Rivermen

NAHL:
Owatonna Express become Odessa Jackalopes
Motor City Metal Jackets become Jamestown Ironmen
Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings expansion franchise
Minot Minotauros expansion franchise

NOJHL:
Temiscaming Royals fold
Manitoulin Islanders become Kirkland Lake Blue Devils
Sudbury Jr Wolves become Sudbury Cups

OJHL:
Streetsville Derbys merge with Cobourg Cougars
Collingwood Blackhawks folded
Orangeville Flyers folded
Dixie Beehives folded
Villanova Knights become Orangeville Flyers
Upper Canada Patriots become Toronto Lakeshore Patriots

SIJHL:
Iron Range Ironheads expansion franchise

All of the credit goes to JruGordon and Drewman of Hockey-Fights.com

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Avery Arrested In California For Shoving A Cop

2011-08-05T08:47:00.001-04:00

Sean Avery was arrested early this morning for shoving a police officer at his home in Hollywood Hills, CA.

According to TMZ:

According to law enforcement sources, a neighbor called police to complain about the noise coming from Avery's home. When police arrived at about 1:00 AM, we're told Avery answered the door ... then shoved a cop and slammed the door behind him.

Police then knocked again, and we're told Avery came to his senses and opened up. According to law enforcement ... Avery was extremely cooperative after that, but was still booked for battery on a peace officer.

If the report is true, what the hell was he thinking? Did he expect the cops to just go away? Makes me wonder how big of a role alcohol played in this fiasco, not that it excuses his actions.

One can only expect that as soon as he bails himself out of jail he'll have some explaining to do to Glen Sather, John Tortorella and the NHL.

Since he's a celeb he'll likely get a tap on the behind, doubt he actually serves any jail time beyond the time he spent in a cell last night waiting for the judge to set bail.

Check out Puck Daddy for more details, H/T to them for the video

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Devils Sign Parise: 1 Year, $6M

2011-07-29T19:10:00.000-04:00

The New Jersey Devils have re-signed RFA winger Zach Parise to a one year contract extension. According to Bob McKenzie the deal is worth $6M for the 2011-12 season.

As expected the Devils plan to now get Parise signed to a multi-year deal ahead of next July when he can possibly become a UFA.

Tom Gulitti of The Bergen Record reports:

Per CBA, the Devils cannot sign Parise now to a deal beginning in 2012-13 until Jan. 1, 2012.

The Parise deal does not contain a no trade clause because

An RFA can't get a no-trade unless it's for a season in which he would have been a UFA.

We are going to hear a hell of a lot of speculation now until the Devils get Parise signed up long term.
Every single rumor monger will have someone looking to sign him next summer and the Devils trying to trade him before they lose him for nothing. Honestly, I'd be surprised if Parise isn't signed to a deal for at least three years as soon as the CBA allows them to announce a new deal.

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Report: Kovalev to KHL

2011-07-29T15:32:00.001-04:00

According to NHL.com

If reports are true, Alex Kovalev's NHL career could be over.
The website Sports Express is reporting Kovalev has agreed to a two-year contract with Atlant Mytishchi of the Kontinental Hockey League. The 38-year-old Kovalev will be 40 when that contract expires.

Kovalev has played for the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators during his 17-year career. He was most recently with the Penguins for a second stint after he was dealt by the Senators at the trade deadline.

It really sucks when the players that you grew up watching as a kid continue to either retire or leave the NHL. My best memories of Kovalev are when he was a young, ridiculously skillful winger just breaking into the NHL. As a 10 year old I'd watch Kovalev dazzle not only the fans but also other players on the ice as he took on players and not only stickhandled past them once, but twice! He was part of the 1994 Stanley Cup New York Rangers team and for that I will always be grateful.

Good luck in the KHL Alexei, it was a pleasure watching you. When he got that puck there were times when he was a joy to watch and had some jaw dropping moves. I'll remember the good times.

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Callahan Re-Signs; 3 yr deal, Rumored $4.2M Per Season

2011-07-27T14:21:00.001-04:00

As expected, and as I had predicted last week once Brandon Dubinsky had re-signed. The Rangers have re-signed winger Ryan Callahan to a three year deal. The contracts terms are not official yet, but Kevin Allen states:

Ryan Callahan's new contract breakdown: $4M, $4M, $4.85M for the three seasons...

Obviously that $12.85M figure can go up or down slightly and that will make a difference as to what the cap hit will be, but as of now that leaves Callahan's cap hit around $4.28M per season.

Honestly, I expected the Rangers to get Callahan under contract for at least four years based on the contract Dubinsky got last week. Callahan gets a little more money and a one year shorter deal because the Rangers are still buying out two seasons that Callahan would be eligible for UFA status. The Dubinsky contract, although one year longer, also buys out two years of Dubinsky becoming a UFA. The other smart part of this deal is that the next time Callahan and Dubinsky's contracts expire, they will not be in the same summer.

Now the questions is, will Ryan Callahan be announced as the next Rangers captain prior to the start of the 2011-12 season?

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Rangers Sign Stu Bickel

2011-07-26T20:35:00.001-04:00

According to CapGeek the New York Rangers have re-signed Stu Bickel. Bickel's contract is a two-way deal, his NHL cap hit is $600k, while his AHL salary is $75k. Talk about an incentive to get to the big show :)

Bickel spent the majority of last season playing for The Whale after being acquired by the Rangers from the Anaheim ~~Mighty~~ Ducks for defenseman Nigel Williams.

This is a depth move, so don't expect to see Bickel in a Rangers jersey this season. Bickel is known for participating in the fisticuffs, here's his fight card from last season.

H/T SNYRangersBlog
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Rangers Sign Eminger To One Year Deal

2011-07-25T13:32:00.001-04:00

I had posted last week that the Rangers were close to extending Steve Eminger for another season. Today it was announced that the Rangers have extended Eminger for one more year.

According to Ranger Rants:

Defenseman Steve Eminger, 28, has agreed to terms on a new, one-year deal with the Rangers worth $800,000 after compiling two goals, four assists and 22 penalty minutes in 65 games last season.

That's a very cap friendly number for the Rangers. Eminger will likely play the same role that he did last season, rotating in and out of the lineup as a 6th/7th defenseman.

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Columbus Signs Prospal To One Year Deal

2011-07-23T13:48:00.000-04:00

According to Columbus GM, Scott Howson:

Very pleased to tell you all that we have signed Vinnie Prospal. He is a top 6 forward to help replace Kristian Huselius.

Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reports that it is a one year deal for $1.75M plus bonuses.

Good luck to Vinnie in Columbus. He was a good Ranger and I wouldn't have minded seeing him back in New York for another season but it was a numbers game and with an abundance of forwards already under contract for next season it was expected that Prospal had likely played his last game as a Ranger.

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Rumor: Is Zuccarello Being Shopped?

2011-07-23T11:57:00.002-04:00

A Swedish newspaper is reporting that the Rangers are actively shopping Mats Zuccarello.

Considering that his cap hit is $1.75M and he's unlikely to crack the top nine forwards in the Rangers lineup for the upcoming season it's really not that surprising if the report is true. However, I don't think that the newspaper has any actual knowledge at this point, it's just speculation about a move that seems fairly logical given the numbers and the chances of Zuccarello getting a significant amount of playing time in the NHL this season.

The article also states that Erik Christensen and Wojtek Wolski are potential players to be traded. At this point I'd be surprised if anyone traded for Wolski since I'm assuming GMs know that if the Rangers want to offload Wolski's contract they can buy him out. Once he's been bought out he would become a UFA and team's could offer him a much more cap friendly salary.

Christensen on the other hand who has another year left on his deal could be shopped, but realistically what would the return be? At this point I'd take a bag of dirty laundry for him. He's the most inconsistent player in the NHL in my opinion, showing up to play one shift every five games. Aside from his shootout skills I think he's pretty damn useless.

At this juncture I doubt there's a whole lot of interest in Zuccarello, Christensen or Wolski. The most likely to be an ex-Ranger by the time October rolls around is Woksi in my opinion, but only if Sather decides to buy out the remaining year of his contract. Then again, Sather has been known to pull of some trades that are nothing short of miraculous.

H/T HFBboards
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Video: Rangers Prospect Camp Part 2

2011-07-23T10:40:00.000-04:00

We had Part 1 here two weeks ago.

Here's part two of the video:

Video courtesy of Connecticut Whale Media Relations Manager, Brian Ring

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The New Winnipeg Jets Logo....

2011-07-22T17:01:00.002-04:00

The new Winnipeg Jets logo which was released on the official team website at 5pm ET

Source: Jets Website

Anyone else see a strange resemblance to this logo?

Would've been funny if they just flipped this logo upside down :)

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Dubinksy Avoids Arbitration, Signs 4 Year Deal, $4.2M cap hit

2011-07-21T11:05:00.002-04:00

According to Tim Wharnsby of CBC Sports:

Dubinsky avoids arbitration w/ NYR. Agrees to 4 yr deal, breakdown is as follows: $3.75M $3.75M $4.65M $4.65M.

This is great news for the Rangers, Dubinsky is locked up for another four years at a very manageable cap hit of $4.2M per year. Reports surfaced over the past few days that Dubinsky wanted in excess of $5M and that the Rangers were looking to pay less money. There were also rumors that Dubinsky wanted a long term deal and the Rangers didn't.

I have to point out that I did predict this week that despite reports to the contrary I fully expected Dubinsky to sign a long term deal (4-5 years) with the Rangers and avoid arbitration.

Now that this contract is out of the way, I fully expect the Rangers to lock Ryan Callahan up with a deal of at least 4 years prior to his arbitration hearing next week.
Can I go 2 for 2?
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How The Arbitration Process Works

2011-07-20T11:00:00.006-04:00

Arbitration hearings begin today in the NHL with Lauri Korpikoski of Phoenix and Teddy Purcell of Tampa first on the schedule.

For many, the arbitration process is a mystery. Chris Johnson did an excellent job describing how the arbitration process works and what each side is or isn't allowed to submit as evidence to support their argument.

According to Johnson:

Each of the arbitration hearings is held in Toronto and follows a specific protocol laid out in the CBA. The sides each get the floor for 90 minutes and are limited in what evidence they can use to support their case.

The presentations are allowed to focus on a player's statistics, his contribution to team success and identifying others around the league with similar numbers that draw a salary in the desired range. However, they must not include references to a team's salary cap situation, any history of negotiations between the player and the team or make a comparison to a deal signed by an unrestricted free agent.

Following the hearing, the arbitrator has 48 hours to make a decision and will provide a brief explanation of why he settled on a specific salary.

If the award is for more than $1,633,131 on a one-year deal, the team has the right to walk away from the ruling and let the player become an unrestricted free agent. That happened a year ago with the Chicago Blackhawks and goaltender Antti Niemi.

Otherwise, the sides go forward with the contract dictated by the arbitrator.

Rangers fans will likely remember back in August, 2009 when the Rangers decided to walk away from Nik Zherdev making him a UFA after he was awarded $3.9M by the arbitrator.

The Rangers and Devils are the only teams that have more than one scheduled arbitration hearing. For the Rangers Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan look set to go to arbitration while for the Devils Mark Fraser and Zach Parise will have their salaries for next season decided by an arbitrator.

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Rumor: Rangers Ready To Re-Sign Eminger

2011-07-20T09:06:00.002-04:00

It sounds like the New York Rangers may have found their veteran defenseman for next season. According to Larry Brooks, the Rangers are attempting to re-sign Steve Eminger, who came to New York in a trade last summer that sent Aaron Voros to the Ducks.

Brooks today stated:

Rangers zoning in on re-signing Eminger...should be done relatively soon...

Eminger who is still only 27 years old was a pleasant surprise last season. After watching him struggle on several teams early in his career I had very low expectations for him. However, he played the role that he was expected to play well and was surprisingly much much more physical than I think any New York Rangers fan expected.

Last year Eminger was in the second year of a two year contract, based on the fact that it's expected that Eminger will likely fill the 6th/7th defenseman role and what appears to be a lack of interest, I would expect that if he is re-signed by Sather that he won't be getting a pay raise. I actually would be surprised if he was signed for above $1.1M to be quite honest. Last year his salary was $1.5M but his cap hit was only $1.125M.

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Dubinsky Contract Holdup Is Over Length, Not Money

2011-07-19T21:59:00.000-04:00

Many fans are overreacting in my opinion about the rumor that Brandon Dubinsky and the New York Rangers are still not close on a contract. However, to me the report by Jesse Spector is a good sign.

Typically in these type of negotations the player and team can't agree on the length of the contract or the amount of money. According to the Daily News article, "the sticking point in negotiations is not money, but years for a new contract." Based on that I predict that the Rangers can get Dubinsky signed ahead of his arbitration hearing this Thursday. If the report is accurate then Dubisnky is not overpricing himself or demanding an obscene amount of money, he's just looking for a longer deal than the Rangers are willing to do at this time. If I were to guess Dubinksy is attempting to get a deal in excess of 5 years and the Rangers are only willing to go three or maybe four maximum.

If the sides don't come to an agreement and the parties head to arbitration then it's likely that the Rangers will opt for the arbitration award be for a two year contract. If Dubinsky is awarded a two year contract based on the arbitrator's decision then Dubisnky would be a UFA after the 2012-2013 season.

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Rangers First Round Pick J.T. Miller To Play In OHL

2011-07-15T11:30:00.000-04:00

According to Coming Down The Pipe, J.T. Miller who the Rangers selected 15th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft has decided to play in the OHL next season. Miller had originally stated that he planned on going to college and playing NCAA hockey at the University of North Dakota.

The Prospect Park has more information on J.T. Miller here, saying that Miller is at least three years away from turning. So, don't get excited thinking that since this kid isn't going to college he'll be in New York within the next two years.

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Rangers Defensemen Need To Hit The Net!

2011-07-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

Source: NY State of Sports

TSN has an interesting article that takes a look at the accuracy of players hitting the net when they shoot the puck. Three Rangers defensemen from last season (Del Zotto, Eminger, Sauer) managed to finish in the top 25 for missed shots. Two Rangers (Gilroy & McCabe) finished in the top 25 for most accurate shooters amongst defensemen, however neither of them will be back in New York next season.

It's well known that Michael Del Zotto had a bad year last season in his sophomore season. So bad in fact that he was sent to the AHL to finish the year. As the article points out, it's very concerning when one of the men manning the point on the power play misses the net 42% of the time. So, if Del Zotto wants to stick with the big club for this season, we can only hope that he's been practicing getting his shots on goal.

Amongst forwards, Chris Drury missed the net the third highest amount of times amongst forwards and Vinny Prospal finished in the top 25 for least likely to miss the net.

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Rangers Sign Brian Boyle To 3 Year Deal

2011-07-14T21:45:00.000-04:00

Source: Wikipedia

The New York Rangers knocked another RFA off the list of those to be re-signed by getting Brian Boyle under contract for another three years with a cap hit of $1.7M per year.

I have to say I'm not all that surprised at the cap hit, although I was hoping that Sather could get Boyle signed for a cap hit less than $1.5M per year. I think if it were a two year deal that the Rangers could've gotten that deal, but I would guess that the extra $200k per year was to get Boyle signed for the third year.

It's a risk for the Rangers in my opinion because prior to this past season Boyle had never scored more than 4 goals in a single NHL season. He did finish last season with 21 goals and 35 points but down the stretch in the final 23 games he had a measly one goal and two assists. So we''ll have to wait and see whether over the length of the three year contract we're going to see the "old" Brian Boyle OR the "new" Brian Boyle.

It's also a slight risk for Boyle because if he continues to improve at the rate he did last season (which I feel is unlikely) then in the open market in another year or two he could get well over $2M. However, if I'm Boyle, this is a deal that I can certainly live with. We can only hope that Brian Boyle can match the year he had last season.

Next on Sather's agenda will be to get Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan under contract. If no agreement can be made in the next week or so then the parties will head to arbitration.

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Nassau Residents, Get Your Butt Out And Vote Yes August 1st!

2011-07-14T09:00:00.004-04:00

I know that I'm going to get some abuse for posting this on a Rangers-centric blog. But, as a diehard New York Rangers fan I want to see the Rangers-Islanders rivalry continue for many more years. The most exciting games of the NHL season are the rivalry games, the inter-division games, the games that have real history to them. Have you ever been to a Rangers vs. Islanders game at MSG or at the Colisseum? If you have then you know exactly what I'm talking about. Don't get me wrong, I love watching the Islanders lose as much as the next guy. But I want to watch them lose on Long Island, not in Kansas City or some other North American city.

So what's the vote on? Read all about it on the Islanders' website, there's a ton of information about the referendum that I am urging all Nassau County residents to vote "yes" on. And if you want to know where you can vote, click here. Or, if you need an absentee ballot, go here. You're basically voting whether a new arena should be built in Nassau County. Without a new arena there is a good chance that the Islanders will be forced to relocate.

If for no other reason, get behind the Islanders on this because Adam Graves, Brian Leetch, Rod Gilbert and Brian Boyle say so!

By the way, Potvin Sucks!

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Rumor: Rangers In Contract Negotiations With Defenseman Sami Lepisto

2011-07-12T14:08:00.001-04:00

I'm very skeptical of translated news stories because one wrong word can completly change the context of the entire story. But, a report from a Finnish website indicates that the Rangers may be in contract negotiations with defenseman Sami Lepisto, who played last year with Phoenix and Columbus.

Lepisto is currently a UFA and earned $800k last season. If the report is true then it's likely a move to add to the depth on defense. There's a possibility that Del Zotto or some of the other potential young defensive prospects won't make the team, so Lepisto could just be an insurance policy. The Rangers will likely try and sign him to a two-way contract.

The original article is here and the translated article here

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Video: Rangers Prospect Camp

2011-07-12T09:49:00.001-04:00

Video courtesy of Connecticut Whale Media Relations Manager, Brian Ring

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Wolski: Shotgun to Richard & Gaborik or Buy Out?

2011-07-11T09:21:00.000-04:00

Source: Wikipedia

I'm not sure what to think of the potential outcomes for left winger Wojtek Wolski. It's interesting that he could either start the season on the top line alongside Gaborik and/or Richards or he could be bought out before the summer is even over.

Because the Rangers filed for arbitration with Boyle, Callahan and Dubinsky the Rangers will have a second buy out window which begins three days after the Ryan Callahan hearing on July 28th and lasts 48 hours. You'll recall that during the last buy out window the Rangers bought out Chris Drury.

Wolski has one year left on his contract, earning $4M this season, with a cap hit of $3.8M. According to the NY Post "a Wolski buyout would come with a cap charge of $467,000 this year -- a saving of $3.33 million -- and $667,000 for 2012-13."

Whether or not Wolski is bought out will likely hinge on how the arbitration hearings with Boyle, Callahan and Dubinsky go. If the three get larger than expected contracts then the Rangers may need to buy out Wolski in order to stay under the salary cap.

If the Rangers don't buy out Wolski then he could get the chance to play left wing on the Rangers top line. The Rangers have several left wingers but none who are what you would consider a true number one line winger. However, it is a contract year for Wolski, so he may be trying extra hard with the hopes of landing a lucrative contract next summer.

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Rangers/Connecticut Lesser Known Signings

2011-07-10T09:00:00.002-04:00

John Mitchell [Signed a 1-year, two-way deal with a .650 cap hit]
Dale Weise [Signed a 1-year, two-way deal with a .605 cap hit]
Chad Kolarik [Signed a 2-year, two-way deal with a .525 cap hit]

via HFBoards

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Rumor: Stamkos Told Tampa He Wants To Be Traded

2011-07-09T12:58:00.003-04:00

Update:
Erik Erlendsson, beat writer for the Tampa Tribune tweeted earlier:

Mark Guy, agent for Stamkos, on rumor he wants a trade "Absolutely 100 percent false''

-----------------------------

[Getting some heat for posting this rumor, so take it for what it is, a rumor]

If you've been reading Puck Central for anytime at all then you know that I don't like to cover ridiculous rumors. Not only do I not like to cover them, I just don't cover them. The reason being that 96.9% of the time the rumors are a load of garbage and there's no real wind behind them.

However, Incarcerated Bob has been breaking a lot of stories lately in the four major sports and his credibility has continued to grow. Today he is reporting that:

Stamkos told agent he wants a *TRADE* unhappy with the Lightning's latest offer (Leafs / Flames / Habs) in it

Due to the fact teams are scared of offering a RFA offer, Stamkos wants a sign & trade (Leafs / Flames / Habs)

negotiations have turned bad & Stamkos is getting pissed off that Tampa made it known they would make a team regret signing him to offer sheet

Only time will tell if Stamkos is actually traded. Obviously pretty much every team in the NHL will make a call to Steve Yzerman (Tampa GM) to see what he's asking for in return. But, the truth is, most teams don't have the cap space to take on the contract that Stamkos is going to want.

This doesn't guarantee by any means that Stamkos will be traded. In fact, it could just be nothing more than negotiation tactics by Stamkos and his agent.

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NYR RFA Salary Arbitration Dates Set

2011-07-08T19:32:00.000-04:00

According to Kevin Baumer of Blueshirt Bulletin:

Arbitration hearings scheduled: Dubinsky -July 21, Boyle - July 25, Callahan - July 28

Keep in mind that deals can be worked out prior to those dates. If no contract is signed before that date then the sides make their case in front of an arbitrator.

If you missed it, earlier today the Rangers re-signed RFAs Artem Anisimov and Mike Sauer to two year deals.

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Video: What Mike Rupp Is Capable of Bringing To The Rangers

2011-07-08T11:05:00.001-04:00

And not to mention a decent fight card ...

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Rangers Extend Mike Sauer & Artem Anisimov

2011-07-08T09:09:00.004-04:00

(Update 12:25pm ET):

The Rangers also extended center Artem Anisimov for an additional two years. Ansimov will make $1.875M per year (Link).
via KuklasKorner
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According to Larry Brooks:

Rangers have signed restricted FA D Michael Sauer to 2 yr deal worth $1.25M per

When it comes to things like this Brooks is usually very accurate, so I have no doubt that the Rangers hvae re-signed Sauer. A two year deal at $1.25M per year seems very fair for both sides and a very reasonable cap hit for Sauer who was very good on the blue line for the Rangers in his rookie season last year. The thing I like about Sauer is that he's not flashy, gets the job done defensively and is one of the first guys in to back up a teammate.

When this contract expires in two years, Sauer will once again be a RFA with arbitration rights.

Now let's get the rest of those RFAs signed (Anisimov, Callahan & Dubinsky).

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Matt Gilroy Signed By Tampa

2011-07-02T11:55:00.002-04:00

Matt Gilroy's Rangers career ended today, which was expected after he rejected the Rangers contract offer this week after Glen Sather refused to issue him a qualifying offer. Gilroy who was a UFA after walking away from the Rangers offer was today signed to a one year contract by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Brad Richards Is A New York Ranger

2011-07-02T11:48:00.002-04:00

The New York Rangers today signed the grand prize amongst UFAs who are available this summer. The Rangers have been the favorite for quite some time but as of yesterday several teams were still in the mix. The deal is for 9 years/$58.5m which is a cap hit of $6.5m per season.
Only time will tell how good a deal this actually is. Contract details have not yet been released but I'd imagine that the contract is front loaded with Richards probably getting close to $9m the first year of the deal and gradually decreasing until the final years. Because Richards is 31 years old, if he were to retire after 6 years, the Rangers would not be on the books for the cap hit the remaining years. It's a very long contract but for a player of Richards caliber the cap hit is fairly reasonable.
Although I am a little cautious based on many UFA signings by the Rangers in the past, I am excited to see what a duo of Richards and Gaborik will do together. It's about time the Rangers got someone else to help put the puck in the net!

Rangers Ink Fedotenko To 1 Year Extension

2011-07-02T10:55:00.002-04:00

The Rangers have re-signed Ruslan Fedontenko to a one year deal worth $1.4m.
Fedontenko was a UFA who was rumored to be coming back for at least another year.

Rangers Sign Mike Rupp

2011-07-01T15:12:00.002-04:00

The New York Rangers have signed Mike Rupp to 3 year deal worth $4.5M.
Some people will say that this is overpayment for a fourth line player but I like the deal A LOT. Rupp is a tough guy who Rangers fans should know well since they faced him a lot as a NJ Devil and Penguin. Last year he even scored a hat trick against the Rangers.
He fills the enforcer role and is also pretty decent at faceoffs.
I'm happy with this deal. It's definitely a decent chunk in change but Rupp should be a good fit and he can do more than fight.

Pens Out Of Running For Jagr

2011-07-01T11:44:00.002-04:00

The Penguins announced this morning that they have withdrawn their one
year offer of $2M for Jaromir Jagr. It sounds like it could be between
the Red Wings and Montreal. But, I've read that as many as 13 teams
have inquired about Jagr. Sounds like the New York Rangers still not
one of those teams, thankfully!

Callahan's Agent Thinks He May Get Offer Sheet

2011-06-30T09:05:00.006-04:00

I said it earlier this week, Sather's number one priority should be re-signing the Rangers' restricted free agents before doing anything on July 1st. Unfortunately, Sather made it known after the NHL Draft on Saturday that he doesn't expect any of the team's RFAs to be signed by July 1st.

Ryan Callahan's agent is Steve Bartlett, who has a history of having client's signed to offer sheets. Back in the summer of 2007 Thomas Vanek was a 23 year old restricted free agent who received an offer sheet from the Edmonton Oilers - the contract was an incredible 7 year deal worth $50M. The Buffalo Sabres quickly matched.

Now four years later, Ryan Callahan is a restricted free agent and in the running to be the next New York Rangers captain after yesterday's buyout of Chris Drury. Could a team swoop in and sign Callahan to an offer sheet similar to the way the Oilers signed Vanek back in 2007?

According to The Sporting News:

The Rangers and Callahan have had ongoing contract negotiations that Bartlett described as friendly and “somewhat productive.” But there’s a gap. “We’re still a ways apart. I don’t think anything is going to happen over the next few days. We’ll see what July 1 brings in terms of what the marketplace holds for him,” Bartlett said. Callahan, 26, would be an ideal candidate for an offer sheet considering his wide range of skills to go with his leadership abilities. He’s a future Rangers captain if somebody doesn’t grab him first. “I think a guy like Callahan would be a real attractive target with his age,” Bartlett said.

It's obviously a risk, especially because Callahan is such a versatile player who is known to lead by his play, to be a fierce competitor and to leave it all out on the ice. But, at the same time you have to realize that Bartlett is doing what he thinks his best to bump up his client's value. So of course there is the potential for an offer sheet, but at this point I think that Bartlett is just talking out loud to try and get in some GM's head. I believe that Callahan wants to remain a Ranger but that's not to say that if another team came along and offersheeted him he wouldn't sign it and that would force the Rangers to either let him walk (which isn't likely) or seriously overpay for him.

If a team were to offer sheet Callahan and the Rangers walked away, since Callahan is a restricted free agent then the Rangers would be entitled to compensation based on the contract Callahan signed:

$1,034,249 or less: No compensation
$1,034,249 — $1,567,043: Third-round pick
$1,567,043 — $3,134,055: Second-round pick
$3,134,088 — $4,701,131: First and third-round pick
$4,701,131 — $6,268,175: First, second and third-round pick
$6,268,175 — $7,835,219: Two first-round picks, a second and third
$7,835,219 and higher: Four first-round picks

Sather, just do the right thing, sort out the players of the future that the Rangers already own the rights to. Once that's done, then go out and sign whoever you want - whether that be Brad Richards or a seventh defenseman.

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Sounds Like Jagr Will Be Signing In Pittsburgh

2011-06-29T18:23:00.000-04:00

Image by Ari Lankin

It looks like Jaromir Jagr who last played on this side of the pond with the New York Rangers in 2007-08 will be returning to the NHL for at least one more season. Jagr has been rumored to be returning to the NHL several times since bolting to the KHL three seasons ago.

Last week the rumor mill once again started spinning as Jagr's agent said that Jagr wanted to return to the NHL and was interested in five potential teams. The Rangers were rumored to be one of the five teams (who I doubt returned much interest) and the Penguins and Red Wings are also believed to be amongst Jagr's short list of teams he'd be willing to play for.

Today the story got more attention when it was reported that Jagr was flying into New York from Europe and would make his announcement regarding where he'd play next season once State side. It's believed that it's now down to the Penguins and the Red Wings.

Mike Brophy of Sportsnet is reporting:

Hearing Jagr has signed with Pens, but not confirmed yet

It won't come as a surprise to me if Jagr does sign in Pittsburgh for a year with a salary somewhere in the $2M-$2.5M range.

I'm not a Penguins fan by any means but I have to admit I am interested to see a possible Sidney Crsoby/Jaromir Jagr combination. Jagr had his best years in Pittburgh playing alongside Mario Lemieux and now he'll have a shot at riding shotgun to Crosby. Crosby also had a chance to play with Lemieux during his rookie season in the NHL in 2005-06.

It looks like Jaromir Jagr will be padding his Hall of Fame career with at least one more season in Steel town. Jagr returns with 646 goals and 1599 points.

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Chris Drury Will Be Bought Out Today

2011-06-29T10:29:00.000-04:00

The news many Rangers were waiting (and hoping) for looks like it will become official at some point today.

According to today's NY Post:

The buyout ending Chris Drury's career as a Ranger will become official today, The Post has learned.

The 34-year-old who played four seasons on Broadway, the last three of them as team captain, will become an unrestricted free agent after deciding against applying for a medical exception due to a left knee condition.

It looks like Drury might even actually make more this year than if he had actually played the final season with the Rangers.

It is believed Drury, who would have received the full $5 million due for the final season of his five-year, $35.25 million contract had he been declared medically unable to perform as opposed to the $3.333 million he will collect on the buyout, will seek to continue his career, perhaps in Buffalo, from whence he came on July 1, 2007.

So he'll collect his $3.333M from the Rangers as a result of the buy out and then can negoitate with any other team in the NHL on a new contract.
If you're wonder how this effects the Rangers cap situation:

The Rangers, meanwhile, will be cap-charged approximately $3.717 million for the buyout this season and $1.667 million next year, though the obligation for 2012-13 could be erased pending negotiations of a new labor agreement.

It's bitter sweet. Obviously you never like to see good guys like Chris Drury end his Rangers career this way. But, at the end of the day his tenure in New York was pretty bad and I didn't coin the term "Captain Invisible" for nothing.

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