Kotalik Back on Point

Jim Cerny is reporting that Ales Kotalik, a healthy scratch for six in a row, is back on the point on the first powerplay unit. He will likely be back in the lineup tomorrow.

If I had to guess who he replaces, I’ll go with Brashear. Voros and Lisin have earned the right to stay in the lineup for at least another game.

Kotalik/Christensen Out, Brashear In

As per Steve Zipay’s twitter, the scratches for tonight’s game against Pittsburgh are Erik Christensen and Ales Kotalik. Donald Brashear will be playing tonight, presumably on the fourth line with Brian Boyle and Aaron Voros.

Kotalik, making $3 million this year and the next two years, last played on January 14. This will be the sixth game in a row that he is a healthy scratch.

Kotalik, Brashear Scratched Again

Andrew Gross is reporting that Ales Kotalik and Donald Brashear will be scratched again tonight against Tampa Bay. This will be the third straight game that the Rangers have $4.4 million in cap hits sitting in the Prucha box. There has to be a better way to spend that money.

Kotalik, Brashear Scratched

As per Andrew Gross, Ales Kotalik will be scratched tonight for the third time this season. Kotalik has been even less than I thought he would be, which is tough because I didn’t expect much. Donald Brashear will be a scratch tonight also, and Chad Johnson will make his second start of his career.

Enver Lisin and Aaron Voros, who have been the most common Prucha victims, are getting some playing time at the expense of Brashear and Kotalik. What a fantastic way to spend $4.4 million.

Prospal Back, Dubi Dropped

The injured Vinny Prospal will be back in the lineup tomorrow night against the Devils, which is nothing but great news for the Rangers. As per Jim Cerny’s twitter, Prospal will be back on the top line with Marian Gaborik. A bit of a surprise here is that Erik Christensen will be the pivot on that line. Brandon Dubinsky has been dropped to wing on a different line with Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan.

Christensen has earned his spot on the top line with Prospal and Gaborik. He may not be the most talented player, but he gets the job done. It isn’t always about putting the best center on the line, but about putting the center that works the best with Gaborik and Prospal on the line. Good for Christensen, I hope he can keep it up.

Johnson to Start Tonight?

As per Jim Cerny’s twitter, coach John Tortorella mentioned that Chad Johnson will be getting some starts in goal soon. It is very possible that the first start could be tonight against Atlanta. If he does not start tonight, it is very likely he will start Saturday’s matinee against Boston.

I would prefer he start against Boston, as they are the lesser offensive threat. If you give the Thrashers some open room, they will light any goalie in the league up.

Update 10:45am I take that back. I’m ok with Johnson starting tonight. Atlanta has lost nine in a row. Can’t get much colder than that.

Drury Maybe, Christensen In

As per Andrew Gross, Erik Christensen will be in tonight for the injured Vinny Prospal. Chris Higgins will be on the top line with Brandon Dubinsky and Marian Gaborik. Hopefully it will help him get some bounces to go his way.

Chris Drury may or may not play tonight, so Aaron Voros will partake in the warmups, and will play if Drury cannot go tonight.

Back From Delaware, Redden and Kotalik Stay on the Bench

I’m back from Delaware:

Wayne Campbell: Or, imagine, being able to be magically whisked away to…Delaware.

Hi….I’m in Delaware.

Yea, that’s pretty much all there is to say about Delaware.

Anyway, what an eventful week in Rangers hockey. The Rangers were embarrassed against the Islanders, coach John Tortorella had a memorable tirade, Wade Redden and Ales Kotalik rode the pine, and the Rangers came back with what could be called a better, if unspectacular, win.

As per Andrew Gross, it looks like the Rangers won’t be shaking things up for tomorrow’s game against the Flyers. Redden and Kotalik will still be on the bench. My personal feelings about a combined $9.5 million sitting in the Prucha Box aside, at least it shows some balls by Tortorella. He has been playing underachieving, overpaid veterans for about a month too long at this point. When he was hired, we at BSB praised the hiring because a coach who preaches accountability was hired. Now, it looks like we are finally seeing the Torts that will bench anyone and everyone who doesn’t play up to their potential.

As a side note, maybe the fourth line is what Chris Drury needs. He scored a goal in that role last night. Keep him there, see how he does. There’s nothing like having $16.5 million in three players to either play on the fourth line or sit in the Prucha Box. That’s not Torts’ fault though, that’s on Glen Sather, and will be getting a whole series of posts from me in the coming weeks.

Redden, Kotalik Benched

You wanted changes? Well, you got changes. Wade Redden and Ales Kotalik will be healthy scratches for tonight’s game against the Islanders. Bobby Sanguinetti and Erik Christensen will take their place.  We all expected something to be done, especially after the tirade by Torts. And Kotalik deserves to be benched. But I would have much rather seen Chris Higgins, or Michal Rosival be benched. I would say Drury too, but his PK work is too invaluable. When the Rangers hired Torts, we expected an Iron Fist coaching style. This is the first sign of it. Still, he has to do more. He has to go further. He has to bench Rosy, who is beyond ineffective. Right now, as a friend of mine says, the Rangers are Henrik Lundqvist, Marian Gaborik and a bunch of figure skaters. That’s what they are. We’ll see how the team responds to the moves. Personally, my hopes aren’t high.

Dubi Coming Back Tonight?

It looks like Brandon Dubinsky is ready to return to the Rangers. According to Andrew Gross, Dubinsky is likely to play tonight against Atlanta.  As Gross said, it’s not 100% confirmed, but looking that way. Here are the line combos if Dubi plays:

Christopher Higgins-Brandon Dubinsky-Marian Gaborik
Vinny Prospal-Chris Drury-Ryan Callahan
Sean Avery-Artem Anisimov-Ales Kotalik
Donald Brashear-Brian Boyle-Enver Lisin

Getting Dubi back is huge. Prospal can play his natural wing full time. It takes some pressure off of Gabby. And, this whole slide really started when Dubinsky got hurt. Hopefully, he will have a positive impact.