Michael Del Zotto Invited to Worlds (UPDATED)

Michael Del Zotto’s debut pro season isn’t over. Team Canada GM and Rangers legend Mark Messier has selected the 19 year old to represent Canada at the upcoming World Championships. MDZ seems to be a direct beneficiary of  LA Kings defenceman Drew Doughty’s injury.

With Steve Stamkos, John Tavares, Tyler Myers and even Jordan Eberle called up, Messier is very much looking to Canada’s future.

Hopefully the added experience on the bigger ice will allow MDZ to work on his defence and positional game. The playoffs may have been missed but MDZ gets some much needed extra game time. This can only be a good thing for the Rangers long term.

(UPDATE) Huge honor for a college kid. Rangers blue chipper Chris Kreider is also capping off a dream season. Kreider, as a rookie college player no less, has been called up to represent Team USA at the World Championship. NO lie.

Following a brilliant second half for Boston College,  a great World Juniors and a season full of promise and development Kreider will get an early chance to test himself against NHL players and extend his own season. This is great news for the Rangers.  A notorious concern for college kids is that their seasons are too short, well Kreider can have no concerns here.  This call up is also a huge compliment to the Rangers scouting as well as an acknowledgment of Kreiders massive potential. Is Kreider on the fast track to the NHL?!

Someone answer me this; Has ANYONE EVER won the Frozen Four, the WJC and the WC all in one year?!

Caps Thoughts And Rangers Too

Sorry I’ve been a bit MIA. I’ve been very busy over at my other site, GiantsGab, but now that the draft is over, I have a little bit more time on my hands.

So, the Caps lost. That happened. It was a very similar series to the Rangers one last year, but the Caps just couldn’t score at all. Jaroslav Halak played better than Lundqvist played last year, and Hank was great. Simply amazing. If we had beaten Philly, that could have been us. But, alas, no.

It’s interesting though. The Rangers, unless they make changes, are going to be a bubble playoff team. They could be the eighth seed. Or they could be the sixth seed. Or the eleventh seed. The East is so wide open, that a bubble team has a chance to make a run. With Lundqvist anything is possible. I still want scoring. I want some more grit, especially on the defensive end. Someone like Jay McKee would be nice. Cheap, solid defensive players are the way to go. I really think this team is a secondary scorer and a crease clearing d-man from making a run. If they play their cards right, they could be the next Canadiens.

I know that was a bit disorganized, and a bit rant-ish, but I do believe the Rangers aren’t that far away from making a deep run. Let’s hope they make the right moves.

Caps Loss and Cally

Just a few thoughts about the monumental upset witnessed last night.

• Doesn’t it frustrate you seeing Halak do that? If Lundqvist had even that amount of offensive support last year in game 7 would it have been us?
• Mike Knuble. Why did the Rangers a) get rid of him and b) not try and bring him back last summer. He totally outshone Caps ‘stars’ Semin and Green.

Now… onto the real purpose of my post: Ryan Callahan. We are very lucky to have a heart and soul player, who is mutli-dimensional; has a strong work ethic, is young and wants to be a Ranger. However, sorry Ryan – we need more.

As much as people criticise Brandon Dubinsky in certain ways, I believe Ryan Callahan needs to step up offensively, improve his finishing and become an offensive leader and not ‘just’ be a leader through example. A -12 rating, 37 points, 30 shots less than the year prior – this isnt enough. Even if the Rangers address the scoring in the summer with new additions, this team will only excel if the core, young guys on the team score more. Callahan needs to become a perennial 25 goal guy, he needs to shoot more and he cant be prone to the long stretches without production he suffered this year. 4 times this year Cally failed to gain a point for atleast 5 consecutive games, including two 7 game spells. He also went without a goal for 7 or more games 3 times. That’s not good enough.

He hits (perhaps even too much – i.e. Pronger? Chara? easy there little guy…), he forechecks and he never, ever gives up but Ryan Callahan needs to produce. If Callahan becomes a 50 point guy, a 25 goal scorer some of our problem is aleviated.

Yes his linemates didnt help at times and he had his injuries, he may also have benefited from an Olympic break had he not played (thinking purely from a Ranger point of view here) but an off season shooting a ton of rubber and working on his release will do Cally no harm at all.

I genuinely believe this team, even as currently constructed, has alot of offensive potential but Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky represent the offensive problem this team faces: consistency.

Jack Adams Finalists

The finalists for the Jack Adams Trophy for the “NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success” have been announced. These finalists really shouldn’t surprise anyone, as Dave Tippet (PHO), Joe Sacco (COL), and Barry Trotz (NSH) are the three finalists for this year’s award. Tippet’s Coyotes surprised everyone this season, finishing with a record of 50-25-7, good for the #4 seed in the West. Sacco’s Avalanche also exceeded everyone’s expectations just by making the playoffs after finishing in the cellar last season. The Avs qualified as the #8 seed, with a record of 43-30-9. Trotz’s Predators finished third in one of the toughest divisions in hockey (Central), with a 47-29-6 record. It is going to be a close battle between Sacco and Tippet, who led their respective teams to a 25 point increase from the 2008-2009 season.

Four Big Rangers Cap Bargains

If you follow me on Twitter, then you saw some tweets about the four players that currently are in the Rangers organization that will provide the team with some much needed cap bargains. Those four players are Corey Potter, Erik Christensen, Brandon Prust, and Jody Shelley. Each brings something unique to the table and can potentially fill a hole in the Rangers at a very cheap price. Let’s go ahead and look at these four players.

Corey Potter: The UFA defenseman has been a little overlooked in this organization because of the young, high-end depth and the old, crappy contracts. According to those who watch him daily, Potter is NHL ready as a steady defensive defenseman with solid positioning. He isn’t a big crease clearing guy, but he only made $600k last season. Even at a 20% raise, Potter comes in around $700k and would be a solid, cheap defenseman on a blue line that has $11.5 million tied into two third pairing defensemen.

Erik Christensen: The RFA winger, picked up off the waiver wire from Anaheim, played fairly well during his stint with the Rangers this year. He was a bit inconsistent, but on this team, it’s not at all surprising. In his 49 games, Christensen put up a line of 8-18-26 with a respectable 5.2 GVT. His 2009-2010 salary was $800k, so a modest raise puts Christensen at $900k for a 2nd-3rd line forward. Not too shabby.

Brandon Prust: The surprise (to some) of the Olli Jokinen trade, Prust is a high energy player who hits, fights, and even chips in a few goals here and there. Prust finished with a line of 4-5-9 and a 1.8 GVT in 26 games with the Rangers, with 65 PIMS. Prust showed he can put the puck in the net when playing on the surprising line with Artem Anisimov and Jody Shelley. The RFA was signed at the league minimum last season, and even with a modest raise of 20%, that puts him at $600k, which is just above the league minimum for a 4th line winger. On a team riddled with bad contracts for 3rd-4th line players, a cheap one is a welcomed sign.

Jody Shelley: The biggest surprise, in terms of results, from the 2010 Trade Deadline acquisitions was Shelley. The tough guy struggled at first, but really clicked with Anisimov and Prust at the end of the season. A seasoned veteran who is a strong locker room presence, Shelley would be a welcomed replacement to Donald Brashear, who has been banished to Hartford. The UFA made $700k last season, and will probably make the same this year on a one year deal. Considering this organization will still be paying Brashear next season too (unless he is traded), then Shelley is considered to be a bargain at half the price and double the playing time.

With the Rangers in dire straits regarding the salary cap, they will need significant cap bargains to field a competitive team for the 2010-2011 season. Re-signing the likes of Potter, Prust, Shelley and Christensen give the Rangers much needed cheap flexibility on the forward corps, and a much needed cheap defensive defenseman on the blue line. Whether the Rangers re-sign all four is up to Glen Sather, but when it comes to bargains, you aren’t going to find many better ones from within the organization.

The Rangers Will Not Take a Goalie in the First Round

Enough of this madness. There are now two writers who have directly linked the Rangers to drafted Team USA goalie Jack Campbell. Ryan Kennedy of the Hockey News has the Rangers taking Campbell, despite the fact that Nino Niederreiter and Vladimir Tarasenko, two highly skilled forwards, would still be available in his mock draft. It’s really funny actually, because the title of his article is “Top 10 Mock Draft Based on Team Needs”. The Rangers need a goalie? Really? Who is this Henrik Lundqvist fellow? Kennedy addresses that:

10. NY Rangers – Jack Campbell, G, US NTDP (USHL): How’s that for a curveball? But think about it: The Blueshirts have some great young defenders (Matt Gilroy, Michael Del Zotto, Ryan McDonagh) and very promising forwards (Derek Stepan, Evgeny Grachev, Chris Kreider, Ryan Bourque). What they don’t have are many candidates to take the mantle from Henrik Lundqvist one day. Campbell already has a world junior gold medal to his credit and will get a shot at the Memorial Cup next year with Windsor, so Broadway pressure won’t be a problem.

I was unaware that the Rangers were looking to replace the 27 year old Lundqvist, one of the top three goaltenders in the league. Kennedy does recognize the depth in other positions, as they have a great core of defenders, and a good core of forwards. The problem is that these guys, minus Gilroy and MDZ, are at least another full season away from the NHL. The Rangers need a player that can be an impact now on the scoring front. Niederreiter and Tarasenko are the closest the Rangers will come to that at #10.

Then there’s Kevin Allen of USA Today, who at least admits he only looked at the Rangers prospect list:

or possibly the New York Rangers at No. 10, but that is only speculation based on looking at their prospect list.

When just looking at the Rangers prospect list, then the goalie position is thin. There’s no denying that other than Chad Johnson, the Rangers don’t really have a goalie in the system. But they don’t need one. The Devils best goalie after Brodeur (before Scott Clemensen appeared) was Ari Ahonen. Remember him? The Devils had no need to waste top picks on a goalie because they had the best goalie on the planet.

The Rangers are in a similar position as the Devils. They have an All-World goaltender who is young and in his prime. They have absolutely no reason to draft a goalie with the #10 pick in the draft, especially with a draft this deep in the first round. There are much more pressing needs for the Rangers, such as RW (Niederreiter, Tarasenko) that the Rangers need to address before they look at a future without Lundqvist, which is at least four years away, but more realistically ten years away. The Rangers simply will not be taking a goalie in the first round, period.

Offseason Preview: Defense

As jurgenno pointed out in an earlier post, the Rangers defense (he’s a Brit, so he spells it defence. Feel free to poke fun) is the most critical aspect of the team that needs upgrading. The Rangers simply allow too many shots, are caught out of position, don’t play the body, and never make teams think twice before going to the middle. In addressing these areas, the Rangers also take some of the stress off Henrik Lundqvist and his cranky knees.

Heading into the 2010-2011 season, the Rangers have four defensemen signed: Redden ($6.5 million), Michal Rozsival ($5 million), Matt Gilroy ($1.75 million), and Michael Del Zotto ($1.087 million). They also have two restricted free agents in Marc Staal (2009 – $800k), and Dan Girardi (2009 – $1.6 million); and two unrestricted free agents in Corey Potter (2009 – $600k) and Anders Eriksson (2009 – $600k).

As with any conversation with the Rangers defense, the conversation begins and ends with Wade Redden. Despite the apparent pressure (again, my own speculation) to play the struggling defenseman, he simply has no place on this team anymore. Unfortunately, with a contract that pays Redden $23 million over the next four years ($6.5 million cap hit), Redden is virtually unmovable. There has been talk of sending Redden to Hartford, but that is highly unlikely. The Rangers are going to need some cheap alternatives to help address the many holes on defense.

Offseason defensive preview continues after the jump.

Masterton Finalists, Lemaire Retires

The finalists for the Bill Masterton trophy, which is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey, have been announced. Jose Theodore (WSH), who played this season in the wake of his infant’s son tragic death, Kurtis Foster (TB), who returned to the game over a year after cracking his left femur, and former Ranger Jed Ortmeyer (SJ), who plays every day with a very dangerous blood disorder that almost caused him to retire twice. Chris Drury, who is not a finalist, was the Rangers nominee.

In other news, Devils head coach Jacques Lemaire has announced his retirement. In 1,213 career games, Lemaire had a record of 588-441-184 with Montreal, New Jersey, and Minnesota. Lemaire is also 61-56 in the playoffs, winning a Stanley Cup in 1994-1995.

Brandon Dubinsky: Be Careful What You Wish for

Since the moment Brandon Dubinsky skated as a rookie with Jaromir Jagr (and before that) hopes and expectations have followed him. Certain player’s progressions are directly linked with their club’s futures and Dubinsky is one such player. With the problems at centre that have plagued the Rangers (for several seasons) Dubinsky was/perhaps still is expected to be an answer. With Tortorella seeing his future at Left wing however Dubinsky’s future is uncertain, especially as many Rangers fans are unsatisfied with the Alaskan’s play/development thus far. Failure to develop as hoped? Lets see.

From an offensive point of view I often see Dubinsky in the same realm as Travis Zajac. Both are around 24, and both enjoyed solid yet unspectacular starts to their NHL careers. Their paths are similar; Zajac began with seasons of 42 and 34 points and 17 and 14 goals. Dubinsky began with 40 and 41 points and 14 and 13 goals.  

It was in his third season that Zajac took off. In 08/09 Zajac hit 20 goals for the first time and reached 62 points while being excellent both ends of the ice.  Dubi’s third year lagged behind slightly and he ended it with the same 20 goals but 44 points. However with frustration aired by Rangers fans I say be careful what you wish for. Dubi’s stats may not have taken the same leap, and his play was streaky however consider the fact the Alaskan has shown glimpses of clutch. Of his 47 career goals 12 are game winners. 25% is a mighty impressive figure. Throw into the mix that this year Dubi missed 13 games and has been lumbered on a low scoring team and his year could (would?) have projected to over 50 points easily.

Dubinsky is a rarity in the NY franchise. He has a nice blend of size and skill, is willing to use both and is a young player with room to develop. Whether his future lies at center or wing, that’s for the coaches to decide, but the fans need to accept what we have is something a lot of teams would like. Consistency didn’t come to players like Zajac until years 3 and 4, while Jeff Carter also didn’t hit the heady heights until he burst out in year 4 and (no offence Aaron) they didn’t have to play stretches with offensively limited line mates such as Aaron Voros.  You want development? a +9 rating on a low scoring, non playoff team is not bad at all. His shooting percentage in the past 2 years has gone from 8.9% to 12%. Yes Dubi needs to show more consistency but then so does Tortorella with his line combinations, no?

For one more year Dubinsky is a cap bargain. He is also a player the Rangers should build around. If he only ‘maxes out’ as a 50-55 point player that’s not a bad core part, a second line staple. Is it? Be careful what you wish for Rangers fans. You want home grown? This is home grown. Traded away, he may just get replaced by a player like Ales Kotalik……..

Understanding the Salary Cap

Unfortunately, the Rangers offseason is underway. With that in mind, many questions come up regarding the salary cap, the CBA, and all the delicate intricacies that make the current NHL run. If you have any questions regarding the CBA, and how different rules are applied to each team regarding waivers, buyouts, and arbitration, please visit the Understanding the Cap page.

If you want to research the current state of the Rangers salaries, you should visit CapGeek.