Scouting The Market: Pavol Demitra

Up next in our wildly popular series, Scouting The Market, is Pavol Demitra.

Pavol Demitra is a 35 year old center who played last season with Vancouver Canucks. The Slovak is said to be good friends with Marian Gaborik, and they have good chemistry when they were in teammates in Minnesota. Demitra had injury issues last year, only scoring 3 goals in 28 games, but in 2008-2009 , Demitra put up a line of 20-33-53, in 69 games. Demitra also was the points leader in the 2010 Olympics, with 10. Health is an issue, and he’s getting up there in age.

He’s not the scorer he once was and he’s not going to offer much defensively, but Demitra can still put up numbers, and ride shotgun to Gaborik in the process. He’s only a candidate for a one year deal. He made $4 million last year, and I don’t think he’ll make that next year. More like 1.5-2 million.

With Demitra (and assuming no other additions) the lines would look something like this:

Dubinsky-Demitra-Gaborik

Avery-Christensen-Callahan

Prust-Anisimov-Shelley

Weise-Drury-Boyle

What do you think of Demitra? Is he worth replacing Prospal?

Trade Review: Tom Poti for Mike York

As the 2002 trade deadline approached, the Rangers were on the outside of the playoff picture, and desperate to find a way to get themselves to the post season. This Rangers team was deeply flawed, and outside of the FLY Line (Theo Fleury, Eric Lindros, Mike York) and Brian Leetch, there wasn’t much to be happy about with this squad. Brian Leetch was getting older, and the next best defenseman on the team was Vladimir Malakhov. The Rangers needed defensive help, and fast. In their haste, they traded a young and promising forward in Mike York and a fourth round pick (Ivan Koltsov) to Edmonton for young and promising defenseman Tom Poti and Rem Murray. When the trade was made, Rangers fans, who had grown attached to York as the first legitimate home grown scoring forward since Tony Amonte, almost mutinied.

York was coming off three good seasons in New York, where he put together a line of 58-80-138 in 230 games. He was flourishing on the FLY line, and was an exciting player to watch grow in Ranger blue. Poti, at the time of the acquisition, was in the middle of a bad year offensively, scoring just 2 goals and 25 points in the 2001-2002 season. The season prior, Poti put together a career year, with 12 goals, 20 assists and 32 points for the Oilers. Although Poti was struggling, Ranger fans were sold on the idea that Poti could become the next Brian Leetch, who’s skills were starting to fade as he got older.

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Rangers Close to Signing Mats Zuccarello-Aasen

According to Larry Brooks, the Rangers are close to announcing the signing of Mats Zuccarello-Aasen at the conclusion of the World Championship tournament. The Rangers and MZA will be agreeing to a two-year deal that will pay the Swiss Norwegian forward the entry-level deal maximum salary of $900,000. While $900,000 is the maximum base salary a player with an entry-level deal can make, bonuses are not included in that number. It is unknown whether MZA’s deal will include bonuses.

Draft Watch: Alexander Burmistrov

The Rangers have the tenth overall pick in the draft, and while some writers think the Rangers will draft a goalie (for some unknown reason), the Rangers most pressing need at the NHL level is a scorer. In the fifth installment of this series (Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Johansen, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jeff Skinner), we look at a young center playing on the Barrie Colts (OHL), Alex Burmistrov.

The 6’0 170 lb Colts center has put together a solid rookie year in the OHL, putting together a line of 22-43-65 in 62 GP in the regular season. In the playoffs, Burmistrov continued at his point-per-game pace, netting 8 goals and 8 assists in 17 playoff games. The ISS Top 30 currently has the young Russian forward ranked as the #14 skater, but his stock is very quickly rising, as it is becoming more and more evident that Burmistrov is committed to playing in North America, having left the KHL after just one game last year.

Burmistrov is a prototypical play-making center, but adds a nice scoring touch to his game. He has a quick shot that can be deceptive, considering his propensity for dishing the puck. As with most play-making centers, Burmistrov has a very high hockey IQ. His intelligence not only helps him on the offensive side of the puck, but on the defensive side as well. Burmistrov is a solid two-way center who will not be a defensive liability in his own zone.

Despite the fact that he is a small forward, Burmistrov plays bigger than his size. He goes to the dirty areas and is difficult to knock off the puck, for his size. As with most smaller forwards, Burmistrov’s skating ability is off the charts. Despite his size, he finds a way to skate through the opposition while on the offensive. His combination of speed and superb hands make him a great “dangler” (to use an NHL ’10 term), skating through the opposition to dish off the puck to an open teammate.

Like Tarasenko, Burmistrov may see himself slip in the draft because of the lack of a transfer agreement with his KHL team, Ak Bars Kazan. After the OHL season concluded, he was rumored to have returned to Russia to play in the KHL, but it turns out he went back to see his family. Burmistrov has stated it is his dream to play in the NHL, and regardless of the transfer agreement status, Burmistrov is one of the top offensive talents in the draft. The Rangers have no qualms drafting Russians without transfer agreements, and this scenario is no different. It is highly possible that he is still on the board at #10, and the Rangers will be giving him a long, hard look if they stand pat at the draft.

Image Credit: Terry Wilson / OHL Images

Scouting The Market: Anton Volchenkov

Up next in our tremendously exciting series, Scouting The Market, is Anton Volchenkov

Anton Volchenkov is a rugged, hard-nosed, shot-blocking, crease-clearing defenseman, who has played the past couple of years with the Senators. The 28 year old is not offensive at all; his career high in goals is 4. But, he is exactly the crease clearing, physical presence the Rangers need.

Since the lockout, Volchenkov has blocked 1,023 shots. 1,023! In Ottawa’s six game series against Pittsburgh, Volchenkov blocked 32 shots. Volchenkov’s disregard for his body gets him injured a lot, playing in no more than 68 games the past 3 years. He blocks shots, but he, and the team, have to pay a price.

Volchenkov is not going to offer any offense. But, he’s a shutdown defenseman, who rarely takes penalties, and is really physical (152 hits in 09-10). You can live with the injuries because, when healthy, he stifles opponents.

Volchenkov made $3.2 million last year. He’s going to be asking for at least $5 million, maybe more. If you buyout Redden, you can replace him with Volchenkov and his salary. In all likelihood, Volchenkov will make less than Redden.

So, a couple of questions. Does Volchenkov’s ability to block shots and be physical outweigh his considerable durability injuries? And he is worth upwards of $5 million? Let us know in the comments.

Would You Want Nathan Horton?

Current Florida Panthers, and former Chicago Blackhawks, GM Dave Tallon has made it well known that his Panthers are looking to restructure the current roster. It appears that very few players are safe, and only defenseman Dmitry Kulikov has been noted as being “safe”. One can assume that the newly re-signed David Booth will also be safe, as he has five more years on his deal. Tallon also inferred that Stephen Weiss won’t be going anywhere, and that he is looking for a big center to play with Weiss.

What makes the above statement so interesting is that Nathan Horton, one of Florida’s top players, is a big forward who should be capable of playing center with Weiss (Horton can play both RW and C, but struggles at the center position sometimes). With Tallon stating that he is looking for a big center, it could potentially mean that he will be looking to deal Horton. The soon-to-be 25 year old forward is coming off two straight seasons with nagging injuries where he did not crack the 70 game mark. Horton’s best seasons came in 2006-2007 (31-31-62, +15) and 2007-2008 (27-35-62, +15), where he was primarily playing with Olli Jokinen. Once Jokinen was traded, Horton was supposed to fill that #1 center role, but struggled to do so.

Horton has three years left on his deal at a $4 million cap hit, so some cap maneuvering would need to happen for the Rangers to consider this deal. At just 25, Horton is still a few years shy of his prime, and in the right situation, could really start to produce top line worthy numbers. Horton has a great shot, and as a big power forward, would be a welcome addition to the Rangers, who are desperate for scoring. Should Horton become available, would you want the Rangers to kick the tires and see what it would take to pry him from Florida? What are you willing to give up for him? The price itself may be a little more than what most fans are willing to part with.

Is The (Pro) Cupboard Bare?

When looking at the Hartford Wolf Pack this season, particularly on the Forward front there must be some concern. Its not that The Rangers have no talent at forward, in the pipeline – far from it, as Kreider, Stepan, Hagelin, Werek etc all attest but it’s the fact that this years AHL line up was a bit of a mess and there is no immediate help on the horizon. Unless you believe Dane Byers can still make an impact and he hasn’t run his course in the organization. The collection of names mentioned mostly have one thing in common: they are college players. They won’t be in the AHL anytime soon.

When you factor into the equation that players like PA Parenteau, Corey Locke, Dane Byers and Andreas Ambuhl have possibly played their last games for Hartford (for varying reasons) then the concern (and question marks) grow. Parenteau will only re-sign with NY if he feels he has a genuine chance to avoid being ‘banished’ back to the AHL, Dane Byers will either make NY or be elsewhere (another season in Hartford seems unlikely) and Ambuhl is back off to Switzerland. So the cupboard seems even barer…..

Looking at the Rangers prospect list, it is unlikely much will be taking the next step to the AHL this summer. Perhaps only youngster Roman Horak (thanks to European draft loop holes) may come through the system and help out in Hartford. However even Horak would be better served staying with Chilliwack for another year. A lot of pressure therefore falls on Evgeni Grachev’s shoulders should he remain in Hartford. Highly touted, the Russian will have to improve on his rookie campaign but has the talent and size to do so. A lot of people were expecting more than a 28 point rookie season following his 80 point junior campaign. Hopefully he takes a similar path as Artem Anisimov and dominates in his 2^nd year in the AHL. With Brodie Dupont, perhaps Dale Weise (who has a legitimate shot at a bottom 6 role in NY – Tortorella was ‘dying to give him a chance’) and Paul Crowder Hartford does have some talent on the forward front likely to return but the focus – and skill – clearly lies on the back end as well as probably Chad Johnson in goal, in Hartford.

The title of the post was a little scaremongering on my part as The Rangers seem well stocked with talented forwards in both the NCAA and major junior but with most of them being a year or two away from the pro ranks we, specifically Hartford, may see a lot of pain before we get (professional) gain. This year saw Hartford miss the AHL playoffs for the first time in their 13 year history. Missing the playoffs may become the norm until several forwards mature to the pro ranks.

Weise vs. Prust vs. Byers

The Rangers, as they approach the 2010 offseason, will have a few difficult choices to make. One of those choices includes the curious case of Dale Weise, Brandon Prust, and Dane Byers. Each player brings a similar game to the table, but only one has seen significant NHL time to prove he belongs. With third/fourth line players Brian Boyle, Aaron Voros, and Donald Brashear already under contract for next season, and Chris Drury very quickly becoming a role player, the Rangers are looking at a few extra forwards. Unfortunately, none of these forwards belong on a team’s top-six. It appears there are only two spots available on these two lines. Those two spots are going to go to two of Weise, Prust and Byers. (For arguments sake, let’s assume that if Brashear isn’t back, that Jody Shelley will be, leaving the same number of open spots.)

Starting with Dale Weise, the only player of the trio under contract for next season, has never played an NHL game in his career. Still on his entry level contract at a $700k cap hit, Weise was called up briefly at the end of last season, only to sit in the press box watching the Rangers miss the playoffs. The 2008 fourth round pick put up 50 points (28-22) in 73 games with Hartford this past season, adding 114 PIMs to his point total. He is a prototypical power forward in the AHL. Those who watch him on a daily basis say that the winger is ready for the NHL. He may not put up 28 goals, but he would be able to skate with the pros and hold his own as a grinder. Weise, to the Rangers, represents a cheap, somewhat versatile bottom-six forward who may or may not succeed at the NHL level. What Weise has working for him is the fact that he is signed, a RW (which the Rangers severely lack), and that coach John Tortorella is on the record saying he wishes he could have found a spot for him to play. What he does not have going for him is that he does not have to pass through waivers, and he is unproven at the NHL level.

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Scouting The Market: Tomas Plekanec

This is the first of a new installment we like to call: Scouting The Market. In it, we discuss which potential free agents could pique the Rangers interest. First up: Tomas Plekanec.

Tomas Plekanec is a 28 year old center, currently skating for the Canadiens. Born in the same town as Jaromir Jagr, Plekanec put up great numbers this year, with a final line of 25-45-70. With 20 plus goals in all of his full seasons in the league, Plekanec has established himself as a top-notch scorer. His assists aren’t consistent, ranging anywhere from 19 to 45. 2008-2009 was his worst year, putting together only 19 assists, while playing in all but two games. He’s a scorer, and he would certainly take pressure off of Marian Gaborik. He’s also sound defensively, and plays on the PK. His assists totals would probably increase centering Gaborik.

Does he fit financially? I plugged in the numbers to CapGeek, and here’s what I came up with:

Marian Gaborik — $7,500,000 Chris Drury — $7,050,000 * Tomas Plekanec — $4,500,000 Ryan Callahan — $2,300,000 Sean Avery — $1,937,500 Brandon Dubinsky — $1,850,000 Artem Anisimov — $821,666 * Erik Christensen — $750,000 * Jody Shelley — $725,000 Dale Weise ($80,000) $700,000 Brian Boyle — $525,000 * Brandon Prust — $500,000 DEFENSEMEN Michal Rozsival — $5,000,000 * Marc Staal — $2,500,000 * Daniel Girardi — $1,750,000 Matt Gilroy — $1,750,000 Michael Del Zotto ($212,500) $1,087,500 Bobby Sanguinetti — $855,000 GOALTENDERS Henrik Lundqvist — $6,875,000 Chad Johnson ($170,000) $850,000 BUYOUTS NONE LOST VIA REENTRY WAIVERS NONE CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS ROSTER SIZE 20 SALARY CAP $56,800,000 PAYROLL $49,826,666 BONUSES $462,500 CAP SPACE $7,435,834

I bought out Redden and Voros, added Sanguinetti to the D, gave an increase to Staal and Girardi, let Prospal go, and put Dale Weise on the team. Of course, with almost 7.5 million to play with, they can add another couple of scorers.

For fun’s sake, here’s what the lines could look like, if the only addition was Plekanec:

Dubinsky-Plekanec-Gaborik

Callahan-Christensen-Avery

Prust-Anisimov-Shelley

Weise-Drury-Boyle

Anisimov’s probably not a third line center, but that line was so good last year that I had to put him there. What do you think of Plekanec? Is he worth probably 4.5, maybe 5 million? How long would you sign him for? Let us know in the comments.

Draft Watch: Jeff Skinner

The Rangers have the tenth overall pick in the draft, and while some writers think the Rangers will draft a goalie (for some unknown reason), the Rangers most pressing need at the NHL level is a scorer. In the fourth installment of this series (Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Johansen, Vladimir Tarasenko), we look at a young center playing on the Kitchener Rangers (OHL), Jeffrey Skinner.

The 5’10 195 lb center has put together a solid season with Kitchener, putting together a line of 50-40-90, with 72 PIMs in 64 GP during the regular season, and 20-13-33 with 14 PIMs in just 20 playoff games. Skinner, currently ranked #9 in the ISS top 30, established himself as one of the top snipers in the OHL this year, and finished this season with more goals than both Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, the projected #1 and #2 picks in this year’s draft. Skinner’s ability to lurk in the offensive zone and capitalize on opportunities certainly helped him become this dangerous in the OHL. A very intelligent player, Skinner also excels at playing a two-way game in the OHL.

Despite the fact that he finished with more goals than Hall and Seguin, Skinner has a lot of doubters, and an equal number of questions coming his way. He can score, but his skating ability, particularly his speed, is constantly being called into question. However, his strength on his skates and his agility definitely make up for his lacking speed at this level. He finds open ice in the OHL with relative ease, but will struggle at the next level unless he becomes a faster skater. Also, like most small forwards, there is always a question of his ability to adjust to the physicality of the NHL game.

Skinners coach compares him to Mark Recchi (Insider Only):

“Recchi is still in the league because of his skating and his strength, and Jeff is a Recchi-type player for me. He’ll have the opportunity to win a Stanley Cup because of the way he plays.”

Recchi is one of the best forwards to play this game, netting over 500 goals and almost 1,500 points, so if Skinner turns out like that, any team that drafts him will be thrilled. But to meet that potential, he is going to have to work on his skating, while continuing to put the puck in the net. His shot is his meal ticket, which might just get him into the top ten.

Photo Credit: Walt Dmoch, OHL Images