How Does Sean Avery Fit?

It’s a pretty safe assumption that not many players divide opinion like Sean Avery.

Is he a legitimate offensive threat? Is he a threat to the safety of the opposition or is he just a threat to his own team? This coming season is one of transition for the Rangers and despite the likelihood of minimal change to personnel (at least to start the season) it’s not clear where the ‘Grate one’ fits.

Without debate Avery can provide a unique dynamic to the Rangers and when he’s on he’s a valuable tool that a lot of sides cannot deal with. Avery has a healthy scoring total of 96 points in 144 games for the Rangers over parts of four seasons.  That equates to a 54 point season if you crudely looked for an average and we all know about the famously banded-about stats of  the Rangers with Avery in the line up and Avery out of the line up during his first run on Broadway. The way Avery arrived in New York in ‘07 (scoring 20 points in 29 games) showed what he can do offensively. The way he drove Martin Brodeur to despair in the playoffs showed what he can do antagonistically. So why could Avery not do it for Tortorella? Offensively, last year was a poor one for Avery scoring just 0.44 points per game compared to his Rangers average of 0.66 p/g.  Too often he played what seemed timidly and this is a direct consequence of fearing the coaches’ backlash. Too often we didn’t see the abrasive element of his game and this badly affected the Rangers. However we also saw how valuable he can be to the Rangers. In the game 82 decider in Philly – with both Avery and Callahan missing – the Rangers simply couldn’t establish a fore-check, get sustained pressure in the Flyers end and therefore allowed the Flyers the chance to bombard Lundqvist and the Rangers. If it wasn’t for the heroics of the ‘King’ the game would have been over much earlier than it was. Avery’s presence in that game (assuming he was in ‘Avery-mode’) would have helped.

Read more »

Chris Drury’s Role

Chris Drury will never score a 37 goal season for the New York Rangers like he did for the Buffalo Sabres. Unless the absolute perfect storm of a season occurs (aka miracle). Rangers fans have generally come to tolerate the fact that Drury will forever be a 12-16 goal defensive forward who gets remarkably well paid to lead his club.

The problem is; what is Chris Drury’s role (as well as his cause and effect) moving forward? If Sather’s comments are true – that if a younger player wins a spot ahead of a veteran its his job – then Chris Drury’s roster spot could be under threat. The reality though is that Sather’s words don’t ring true for everyone and that $$$ still dictate to some degree.

Consider the current roster; Gaborik, Prospal, Dubinsky, Callahan, Christensen, Anisimov and Avery are probably the main players for top 6 spots right now. That’s 7 into 6 spots without considering Drury. Then factor in Prust, Boogaard, Boyle, Weise, Byers and Zuccarello-Aasen for the other places along with Drury and that’s 7 players for the other 6 forward spots. This is all without considering the merits of Stepan, Grachev and any camp surprises.

Drury’s offensive performance last year was grim. He regressed as an offensive player significantly and players such as Boyle, Prust, Weise and Byers can man the bottom 6 and help the PK for a fraction of the price. Should a $7m ticket and a captaincy title be enough to guarantee a roster spot? No but it is.  Some players will start in Hartford even if their play warrants a spot in New York.

The problem extends beyond the forthcoming season. Drury will still be here beyond 10/11. A lot of the above named players will still be under contract at this time. Will Derek Stepan, Evgeny Grachev or Chris Kreider be blocked because of Chris Drury presence? Very possibly. Right now, for all his likeable personality and experience Chris Drury is Rangers Captain and prospect road block. Drury is the next problem Sather will have to negotiate after he brings to an end the Wade Redden saga.

Where do you think Drury fits on the Rangers right now and going forward?

Matt Gilroy

I wanted to weigh in with my opinion on a great piece Nick wrote at the Rangers Tribune. Nick at the RT wrote about Matt Gilroy getting another shot on the Rangers D this coming season.

I absolutely endorse this ‘2^nd shot’ and agree with Nick’s opinion. Do we all have long enough memories to remember half the league (if not more) clamouring for Gilroy’s signature before he caused celebration amongst Rangers fans by signing in NYC? I remember. I also remember the great start in both the preseason and the regular season that Gilroy made. I remember him scoring his first pro goal against a certain Martin Brodeur. I remember the media hype he prematurely received. I also remember the way his season spiralled into mediocrity.  

John Tortorella likes to come across as a coach that demands a lot from his charges, he likes to hold them accountable – so he tells us. But I wonder if Torts is willing to admit mistakes? In my opinion, he handled the Gilroy situation terribly. He gave up on him too quickly and personally I don’t think he factored in the ‘NCAA Wall’ that Gilroy was obviously going to encounter. Torts has spoken this off season – and during the exit interviews – about going with youth, riding out any mistakes for a better future. Well this wasn’t evident with Gilroy last year. I don’t think Torts appreciated enough how Gilroy is still very much learning the position and I think Gilroy’s age played against the defenceman. Despite his age, he was still very raw and inexperienced, especially at the NHL level.

All this doesn’t however detract from the fact Gilroy has some serious skill. He’s a wonderful skater, stick handler and can pass well. All these attributes are critical components in the ‘new NHL’.  Gilroy deserves a chance for a few reasons. Simply, the Rangers committed to him financially. Also, Gilroy has flashed his talent enough to warrant another chance and I think he’ll get it. Even the Rangers brass now know Redden = epic fail so spots are there for the taking. Gilroy shouldn’t encounter any NCAA wall this coming season and I think the time he served at the World Championships (thus extending his season and adding experience) will stand him in good stead. His year and solid WC should have been good enough to earn him a chance, initially at least, ahead of McDonagh and Eminger. It’s up to him to take it.

I am confident Gilroy will be a better player than he was last season and for a team still looking for any extra offense a more experienced, slick skating player like Gilroy can really add an extra dynamic to this team. Besides, giving the former Hobey Baker winner another chance costs the club nothing but time.

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……..

Artem Anisimov – What Next?

While Dave is still harbouring some hope for this year, Jeremy and I are looking beyond it already. The draft, the future and so on…. With our obvious flaws down the middle it got me thinking of who (if anyone) on the current roster can address our needs in the spot next season.

Forget Jokinen. I held high hopes he could be an answer but he’s played himself out of any kind of contract unless he enjoys skating for a veterans minimum. Drury should be our 3rd line guy and a special teamer and Torotrella has gone on record saying he sees Dubinsky as a winger. So what now?

It leaves a rather talented kid called Artem Anisimov. Now, 10 goals and 21 points are nothing to scream about even as  a rookie until you dig deeper. The kid ranks only 15th in time on ice and thats not considering Parenteau who got a second more/game. Then I thought of someone else. In 1997 a lanky kid with a similar skill set called Joe Thornton scored a meagre 7 points in 55 rookie games for Boston and we all know how he turned out (at least in the regular season…)   Can AA be our Joe?

I like what I see in AA. He has good skills, is intelligent, has size and room for growth. Anyone who follows the Wolf Pack closely in the AHL knows what he can do. One of the msot frustrating things for me this year has been how Torts has deployed AA. When I see who has got the PP ice time, how guys like Jokinen chew up minutes and AA still gets 12/game I wonder whats going on. Torts should realise that ‘protecting’ AA in his 1st year might not be protecting his own job. Can AA do worse than Jokinen? I dont think so.

Anyone who saw AA’s goal in the Joe Louis in the pre season knows what this kid can do on the NHL stage. Will he get more minutes next year? I see a good 2nd line center and 50 points as possible in year 2…. If Torts allows it.

What do you all think? Can AA help address the Rangers center issue next year? He’d be a cheap option….

Chris Kreider’s Beanpot Goal

For those that missed the Beanpot, or Sportscenter this morning, you missed a great goal by Rangers prospect Chris Kreider. BC, Kreider’s team, was up 2-1 in the 3rd of the Beanpot finals, when Kreider put the icing on the cake, dangling through the BU defenseman and around the goalie to give BC a 3-1 lead, and the Beanpot title.

This is just a glimpse of what he can do. The future looks bright.

Del Zotto’s Leetch-Like Goal

It all started with an innocent clearing of the zone by Columbus. The puck was barely out of the zone by the Columbus bench, and Michael Del Zotto, just 19 years old, picked up the loose puck. Columbus then made a mistake, half the team went for a line change as Del Zotto back skated with the puck, and Del Zotto countered and made them pay.

He carried the puck in the zone, deked out one defender, and used the other as a screen, ripping a shot from the high slot passed the outstretched blocker of goaltender Steve Mason, and the Rangers had a 3-2 lead. Brian Leetch was in the house, and it seems like Del Zotto put on that show just for him.

Ranger fans haven’t seen a defenseman do something like that since, well, Leetch. Del Zotto, in his first 23 games, has shown a poise that most veterans don’t show. As Stas (where art thou?) has seen, I have been raving about this kid since he was drafted (pre-BSB). But even I and my completely biased hyping up of prospects couldn’t have imagined him being this good this early. And how about that ridiculous pass to Ryan Callahan in the first? It was so good that even Cally was stunned.

The Del Zotto effect is seen on the powerplay as well. While Ales Kotalik and his booming shot is getting most of the credit, it’s Del Zotto’s poise with the puck and crisp passing that is making everything click. The last effective powerplay quarterback the Rangers had was, of course, Leetch.

Perhaps the most underrated portion of his game is his defensive abilities. This was something he was doubted on during his days in the OHL. But Del Zotto, while making rookie mistakes, has been a steady defender in his own zone. This was highlighed by those two beautiful plays in the third period to keep the 7-3 (at the time) lead.

We are watching a very special hockey player, who hopefully will become a top-five defenseman in the league as he matures. While it is premature to call him the next Leetch, the comparisons are going to be made for years to come.

Where Will Hank Rank?

Last night, Henrik Lundqvist stole the show, and won game #150 in his young career. Lundqvist, just 27 years old, got to 150 wins in a little over four seasons. At this rate (averaging 35 wins a year), assuming he plays until he is 38 (another 11 years), The King will finish his career with over 500 victories. To put this in perspective, he will get win #302, and set a Ranger record, before he turns 33. His peripherals are outstanding, and he already has 21 shutouts. Of course, there are many factors that come into play here, such as injuries and the increasing workload in the form of shots against, but in his first four years, he has been nothing short of phenomenal.

When it comes to all-time Ranger greats in net, two prominent names come to mind: Mike Richter and Eddie Giacomin. Both are numbers 1 and 2 in pretty much every Ranger goalie stat, and in the fans hearts. There will never be a clear cut line between Richter and Eddie, as fans will never seem to agree who was “better”. Both were flat out great in net, and while Giacomin may be the more decorated of the two, Richter is the one with the Cup and the all-time wins record.

This brings us back to Hank. What if he never wins a Vezina? There needs to be something said for consistency, and usually the most consistent players don’t win that many awards (see: Rivera, Mariano). Vezina’s go to the top goalie in the league for that year, and while the finalists, or even the top five, are consistent, the winner is generally the goalie who was just abnormally great that year (see: Theodore, Jose). Can one trophy be used to measure his success? What if he never wins a Cup? Is that his fault? Hockey, after all, is a team game, and we have seen that the supporting cast has been less than Cup-worthy in the past years.

Then there are the stats. Hockey isn’t mature enough in the metrics department to help account for the many changes in the game since Eddie’s, and to a lesser extent, Richter’s era (like the way ERA+ helps account for this in baseball). Sure, goalie equipment is bigger and lighter, but the skaters are bigger, stronger, and faster. Composite sticks have changed the way pucks are shot. But, you can’t ignore gaudy numbers, such as 150 wins and 21 shutouts before his 28th birthday, no matter what era they come from. How many teams would kill to have that kind of consistency in net?

There’s no denying the fact that if it were any other goalie in net the past four years, we may still be talking about a playoff drought in New York. So in that regard, Hank is already one of, if not the, most influential Rangers of the “new NHL”, and rightfully earned him a spot as one of the top-100 Rangers of all time. Are numbers alone enough to vault him past Eddie and Richter? Or does that Cup mean that much? This debate has only just begun, and it will be become a wild debate as Hank starts approaching these records.

Will The Real Nik Zherdev Please Stand Up?

Well, its finally official.  The Rangers have officially said no to Z’s $3.9 million award, making him an unrestricted free agent.  Zherdev’s value  and upside have been discussed ad nauseum on this and other Rangers websites, and hopefully this will be one of the last posts in an otherwise tragic story of seemingly untapped potential.  Even though it removes a scoring threat from an already anemic offense, the departure of Nik Zherdev and the way it all transpired speaks volumes of who this guy really is and how people really see him.  And when you consider the chain of events, it was really a no-brainer.

Consider this…at just 24 years old, and having only played in two full 82-game seasons, Zherdev has amassed 99 goals and 239 points.  All these totals were achieved on relatively stale, offensively-inept teams.  But when you also consider that the Columbus front office and head coach Ken Hitchcock, whom is very well-respected in hockey circles, repeatedly clashed with the young winger, it makes you wonder where this kid’s head is at.  Zherdev actually went as far as threatening the Jackets to remain in Russia if his contract demands weren’t met after his 27-goal season in 05-06.  The Jackets broke down and decided to pay him $7.5 million over 3 years.  How did Zherdev respond?  By putting up 10 goals and 32 points in 71 games.  Columbus or not, if you demand that kinda cash and claim to be a rising star in this league, you need to perform, regardless of where you’re playing.  Zherdev rebounded the following year with 26 goals, but the coaching staff still failed to get the youngster to reach his maximum potential, and his work ethic was called into question.  The Columbus front-office decided they had enough, and traded him to the Blueshirts for essentially nothing.  Don’t get me wrong, Fedor Tyutin is a great defenseman and I loved him when he played in New York.  But a sniper’s value is a whole lot more than a defenseman’s.

His time in New York was short spotted.  He got off to a promising start, and after some spectacular dangling and stick work, everyone thought they got through to him.  But somewhere along the way, he just fell off.  There was no injury, no sickness, no talk of any dispute with coaches or the front office.  He just stopped playing.  We can’t even blame it on Tom Renney, because it continued after he was cut loose.  When Tortorella arrived, he made it very clear to everyone that there was going to be accountability.  Zherdev was benched for periods on end on more than one occasion, and he never responded mentally or physically.  Even after 23 goals in the regular season, fans and coaches were still wanting more.  And when push came to shove in the playoffs, Nik Zherdev was just abysmal.  His playoff stats don’t even tell the story, because its hard to tell a story with a bunch of zeroes and negative numbers.  He was skating in mud and quicksand with a lead vest on him, and many of us were caught screaming at the TV for hours begging him to finally make a play….and it never came.

The truth is that Nik Zherdev is a poison for any franchise  Not a poison the way Terrell Owens, Brett Favre, or Jessica Simpson are, but a much more dangerous one.  You don’t see or don’t hear how infectious he really is until you’re cured of him.  He doesn’t speak bad about his teammates, his city, or the front office.  He literally does nothing but play hockey, and its difficult to motivate him to do that to the best of his ability.  You almost wish he was more outspoken to show you that he actually cared.  But it seems he only cares about taking the ice 82 times a year, playing hard when he wants to, and demanding absurd money when the season is over.  Can you imagine what his work ethic would have been if he was given the $4+ million he was asking for?  Credit Glen Sather for not giving in.  That now makes 2 NHL executives in less than a year that have been more than happy to see Nik Zherdev walk out of their locker room for very little in return, and in the Rangers case, nothing.  Now, Zherdev is without a home in the NHL, and will likely head back to Russia.  He has burned some serious bridges along the way, so its probably best for him to go back to his roots and figure it all out.  Hopefully for his sake, he fires whatever person is giving him advice and learns to find a love for the game he once had.  Maybe I was a bit harsh on him here, but it bothers me to see a player of his talent simply go through the motions and think he is entitled to whatever he wants.  The fact of the matter is that this is still a young player with a ton of potential.  But until he gets his head right, no one will ever regret the day they let Nik Zherdev pack his bags and walk out the front door.

Prospect Profile: Ryan McDonagh

Ryan McDonagh, whom the Rangers acquired as part of the Scott Gomez deal, was the 12th overall pick of the 2007 draft, taken by the Montreal Canadiens. McDonagh, a defenseman, and often overlooked as a solid acquisition in the Gomez deal, has a solid build at 6’1 203 lbs, and is flourishing at the University of Wisconsin after leading his high school to a state championship.

His rookie season with the Badgers was nothing short of a success, being named to the WCHA All Rookie team. Although his stats appeared to be underwhelming in his first year (5-7-12, 42 PIMs in 40 GP), the often overlooked stat is that he led the Wisconsin defensemen in goals, which is no small feat for a rookie. This Wisconsin defensive corps also led the entire nation in goals with 26, with McDonagh at the top of that list.

Last season, his sophomore season with the Badgers, saw McDonagh improve slightly in the points category, but greatly improve in both his defensive and physical game. He again put up 5 goals, while adding 11 assists and 59 PIMs in 36 GP.

In addition to his physical and defensive play, which is top notch at the college level, McDonagh showcases his speed, which is one of his key assets, and his ability to make that first breakout pass on the rush. Defensively solid in his own end, McDonagh uses his speed and his passing ability to help develop the rush.

Entering his junior year with the club, McDonagh is one of the key components of the Rangers defensive prospect depth. McDonagh, along with Bobby Sanguinetti and Michael Del Zotto, are three blue chip prospects. While Del Zotto and Sangs are predicted to be solid offensive defensemen, McDonagh looks to be that anchor on the blueline, the one that will dish out the hit and play solid defense. As much as Ranger fans loved getting Christopher Higgins in the Gomez deal, McDonagh is definitely the one we should be focusing on.

Future pairings of Del Zotto-Staal and Sanguinetti-McDonagh, all first round picks, definitely get Ranger fans excited for the future on the blueline.