Del Zotto Officially Makes Team

As per Steve Zipay’s Twitter, rookie defenseman Michael Del Zotto has officially made the team. Kudos to him. He really deserved it.

This is the first time in a long time that I have been excited to see a young kid on the Rangers. Let’s hope he can keep it up. He looks like he is the real deal.

Update 3:45pm: According to Bob McKenzie, Del Zotto “will be running the Rangers powerplay”.

Thanks for the update Bob.

Evgeny Grachev Sent to Hartford

As expected by most people, prospect-extraordinaire Evgeny Grachev was assigned to Hartford, following a loss in the preseason finale to Washington. Grachev played very well during the preseason, which is why he was the last cut to be made. This is no slight against Grachev, it is as simple as he will benefit greatly from a season in Hartford. You can expect him to be with the team next year, or even as soon as midseason this year.

The Rangers are now left with 22 players on the roster: 13 forwards, 7 defensemen, and 2 goalies. The best part about this? They are under the cap, even with the spare parts. This will give the Rangers some flexibility with lineups and under-performing veterans (cough, albatross twins, cough). The lines are still up in the air, as they should be, but it will be interesting to see what coach John Tortorella does with Artem Anisimov and Enver Lisin, who both need to be on the top three lines to be given a chance to really utilize their talents.

Congrats to Lisin, Anisimov, Alexei Semenov, Matt Gilroy, and Michael Del Zotto, who played very well in the preseason and earned their spots on the roster.

Scoring: A Problem?

Before I start, I’d like to properly introduce myself: My name is Jeremy Fuchs and I’m really excited to join the team here at BlueSeatBlogs. A life long Ranger fan, I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts on my beloved Blueshirts. You may have seen my other work on GiantsGab, or The Blog of Champions. Now that you know a little bit about me, let’s talk hockey.

Last year, all we heard about was scoring. Or the lack thereof. Scott Gomez didn’t (or couldn’t) fill the large shoes of Jaromir Jagr. Chris Drury was playing like a second or third line center, not a first. Markus Naslund, while solid, certainly didn’t set the world on fire. Nikolai Zherdev oozes talent, but can’t get it done on the ice.

As in typical Ranger fashion, they re-tooled in the offseason. They traded Scott Gomez to Montreal, getting Chris Higgins and promising blueliner Ryan McDonagh. Markus Naslund retired, Nik Antropov went to Atlanta, and Nik Zherdev went to the KHL. They signed Marion Gaborik to a mega deal. They signed Vinny Prospal and Ales Kotalik. On paper, this seems to make up and then some for the losses. Yet all I hear from fans is: Where’s the scoring? All I read about in season previews is: Where’s the scoring? Is it an issue? Or are we just too wary of Glen Sather to think he actually did a good job?

184. That’s how many goals the Rangers scored last year. In comparison, the Cup winning Penguins scored 255. Big difference. Well, how many goals can we project the Blueshirts to score this year?

Marion Gaborik: 32

If he’s healthy, he scores 40+ goals. However, I’m accounting for the fact that he might not stay healthy. I think 32 is a reasonable estimate.

Chris Drury: 24.

Hopefully, he’ll rekindle his magic with Kotalik.

Brandon Dubinsky: 16
Playing with Gabby should increase his outptut.

Sean Avery: 15

He scored 8 goals in 41 games. 15 in 81 sounds about right.

Chris Higgins: 24

Higgins was hurt last year, limiting his goal production to 12. I think he can double that if healthy, especially if he plays on a wing with Gaborik.

Ales Kotalik: 20

Scored 20 last year, too

Ryan Callahan: 28

28 might seem like a lot, but Callahan scored 22 goals last year, and was on fire at the end of the season, and in the playoffs. He’s a perfect fit for Tortorella’s system.

Vinny Prospal: 20

Scored 19 last year on a Tampa team in turmoil.

Artem Anisimov: 10

I don’t want to expect too much from the rookie, but he’s a goal scorer, and proved that in Hartford.

Donald Brashear:  2

Hey, it’s an improvement over Colton Orr

Brian Boyle: 5

That’s a nice number for a fourth line center.

Enver Lisin: 15

Lisin scored 13 in Phoenix. His speed is too tantalizing from him not to improve on that total, and he’ll flourish with Torts. He’ll score some on the Power Play as well.

Marc Staal: 8

I think he’s going to flourish in Tortorella’s system. He’ll be leading the rush a lot more.

Dan Girardi: 5

He’s got a very underrated shot.

Wade Redden: 5

I expect him to improve, and he was much better once Tortorella came on.

Michal Rosival: 8

If he just used that shot of his more, this total would be in double digits.

Matt Gilory: 5

He’s been very impressive in preseason duty.

Michael Del Zotto: 4

He’s a true power play QB. He’ll have a good number of assists as well.

So how many goals is that? 246. That’s a HUGE improvement over last year. I think the Gaborik addition, and the development of youngsters aids in the increase. And even if Gaborik gets hurt and only scores 10 goals, it’s  still 224 goals scored. Am I being a bit optimistic? Perhaps. But, it’s reasonable to think. This team is more well balanced. And judging from preseason games, they are a much better passing team. They attack, and they shoot the puck more.  If the Rangers get this goal amount, they will be a much better team. And with Lundqvist, it could lead to a deep playoff run.

What to do with Enver Lisin

The Rangers have cut the roster from 54 on the first day of training camp to 23, and most of those cuts were easy decisions to make. With one game left in the preseason, and a deadline of October 1 to be under the cap, the Rangers face a very interesting problem when it comes to Enver Lisin.

Lisin, acquired from Phoenix in exchange for Lauri Korpikoski, has had a very good preseason. He is tied for the team lead in goals, netting three goals in the six games so far, which puts him fourth in points. He is also third on the team in SOG, with 13. He sits at a -1, which isn’t good, but it’s not the end of the world either. We have seen the kid fly down the ice, his skating ability is unquestioned, and he has simply played his way on to the roster this preseason. The problem, is that so did Artem Anisimov (although it was his job to lose), and that creates a very full top three lines.

There are two solutions to this, and neither one is all that appealing. The first one, is keeping Lisin with the team, and stick him on the fourth line with Boyle and one of Brashear/Voros. In a John Tortorella system, the fourth line gets two shifts a period, if that. Do you think Lisin will benefit from playing five minutes a game? Will Lisin see powerplay time if he is on the fourth line? Will his play suffer because he is playing with offensively challenged linemates? These are questions that Torts needs to consider when making this decision. The upside to this solution, is that in case of an injury, the Rangers have a substitute in place without having to go to Hartford and play the waiver game.

The other solution is less appealing, as it would involve sending Lisin down to Hartford, where he would get regular playing time, probably with Evgeny Grachev and P.A. Parenteau, on the first line. There are a few problems with this scenario. First, he would have to clear waivers, and he is likely not to. Second, to be called up, he would have to pass through re-entry waivers, which again, he is likely not. Third, and probably the most serious, is that if he gets sent to Hartford, will he bolt for Russia? Do you expect the KHL to recognize his contract with the Rangers?

In my humble opinion, which means a lot as a blogger living in my mother’s basement, is that the Rangers simply need to keep him around and play him on the fourth line and the powerplay. This will get him roughly 10 minutes a game, which can be enough to keep him happy for now. He is also in the lineup in case of a mid-game injury, game misconduct, or if Sean Avery’s antics get the better of him. This is, in all likelihood, their best bet, and what Tortorella is planning on doing with the young winger.

This is a good problem to have, as you can never have too much depth on a roster. One thing is for certain though, Enver Lisin has played his way on to this team, and deserves a fair shot to get regular playing time.

Training Camp/Preseason Lessons

With training camp and preseason coming to a close, we are left with what looks to be the final version of the Rangers roster. In my initial 2009-2010 Rangers outlook, I had initially pegged one of Bobby Sanguinetti, Corey Potter, or Michael Sauer to be the seventh defenseman. My how things have changed.

Sauer was one of the first cuts in the preseason, his stay-at-home style doesn’t fit into the John Tortorella system. Expect him to get traded. Bobby Sanguinetti came into camp out of shape and really struggled to work back from that. He was the most recent cut, and there are rumors that the Rangers don’t have faith in him, and are shopping him around. Corey Potter seems to be the most logical choice at this moment to get a call up int he event of an injury, but he was part of the second round of cuts, before Sanguinetti was cut.

On the other side of the coin, you have Alexei Semenov. Semenov, invited to camp on a tryout, without a contract, came to camp in great shape, and has simply played his way on to the Ranger roster. Credit needs to go to the big defenseman, as he outplayed the aforementioned defensemen, and wrestled the starting job away from Sanguinetti (it was his to lose). You also have Michael Del Zotto, who at just 19, impressed everyone from the coach to the fans. He has given us a glimpse of what a powerplay quarterback can do. He has played so well that he forced the Rangers into giving him another look during the regular season. He now has nine more games to show he belongs, or else be returned to the OHL for the season.

Moving on to the forwards, fans expected Evgeny Grachev to play well in camp, considering his performance last year in the OHL. While he has played extremely well in the preseason, he will benefit from a year in Hartford, so expect him to be the final forward cut before the season starts. If he lights up that league, he will be one of the first call ups during the season.

A pleasant surprise was the newly acquired Enver Lisin, who came over from Hamilton Phoenix for Lauri Korpikosi. Lisin also has played his way into consideration for the roster, and leaves coach John Tortorella with an interesting issue. Lisin belongs on the top three lines, there’s no doubt about that. But, the top three lines seem to be set at the moment. The dilemma: do you put Lisin on the fourth line, getting five minutes a game, or send him to Hartford for regular shifts, at the risk that he bolts for Russia? More on this in another post.

With one last preseason game this weekend in Washington, look for the Rangers to give Grachev, Del Zotto, and Lisin more playing time to let them prove they belong on the NHL level.

Rangers Win, Move to .500 in Preseason

What a difference a week makes. Last week at this time, the Rangers were 0-3 in preseason and everyone was panicking. After yesterday’s 3-2 win over Washington, the Rangers have won three straight and now sit at .500. More importantly, they are scoring goals, and creating offense.

I personally did not catch the game, I was at work for a long, long time, but I watched the highlights, which naturally gives me reason to analyze the entire game based on the five goals they showed on TSN.ca. Much talk will be made of Marian Gaborik’s two goals, including one shortie, but the play of the game goes to Brandon Dubinsky, who powered through one hit, and got laid out seconds later, but was able to dish the puck to Christopher Higgins, who buried the game winner with just over a minute to go. Well, at least that’s what it looked like in the highlights.

I noticed that Henrik Lundqvist got beat high glove again, granted it was on a shot by Alex Semin. Not a big deal, it’s preseason after all.

And just a reminder to those participating, the BSB fantasy hockey draft is this Sunday at 8pm.

Preseason Game 6: Rangers vs. Washington

With Bobby Sanguinetti cut, tonight’s roster will be pretty close to what we will be seeing on October 2 in Pittsburgh. Marc Staal is out of the lineup tonight with some groin tightness, so the roster for tonightis as follows, as per Andrew Gross

Christopher Higgins-Vinny Prospal-Marian Gaborik
Enver Lisin-Brandon Dubinsky-Ryan Callahan
Evgeny Grachev-Chris Drury-Ales Kotalik
Donald Brashear-Artem Anisimov-Aaron Voros
Alexei Semenov-Matt Gilroy
Wade Redden-Michal Rozsival
Michael Del Zotto-Dan Girardi
Henrik Lundqvist likely to play the full game.

The Rangers are currently 2-3 in the postseason, but have played considerably better in the past few games.

As per Tarik El-Bashir, the Caps roster isn’t set yet, but a few notes:

* Doesn’t look like Chris Bourque is going to skate today (or play tonight). Tough break for a guy fighting for a spot.

* Judging from the players still on the ice, doesn’t look like Michael Nylander is playing tonight, either.

* Looks like Jose Theodore will start in goal tonight at MSG. Could be backed up by Michal Neuvirth.

* The combos weren’t obvious from this morning’s practice, but it’s POSSIBLE the top two lines will be 8-19-28, 21-20-17.

Game time is 7pm. Enjoy.

Bobby Sanguinetti Cut, Roster Down to 23

Defenseman, and former first round pick, Bobby Sanguinetti has been reassigned to Hartford, leaving seven defensemen left on the Rangers roster. Sanguinetti, suffice it to say, was a major disappointment this preseason. He did not come to camp in shape, despite coach John Tortorella’s warnings. He was so out of shape that he was not on any roster for the double header against New Jersey. This is a monumental step backwards for the defenseman, who has fallen behind Michael Del Zotto and Corey Potter in the depth chart.

This move ensures that Alexei Semenov will make the team, probably as the seventh defenseman, as the player who will give one of the albatross twins (Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival) a night off should their terrible play continue into the regular season. Expect him to sign a deal around $750,000 for the season.

This move also means that Michael Del Zotto has played well enough to earn himself an extended stay in New York, for at least the first nine games of the season. Junior players are allowed to play nine games in the NHL before their NHL contract kicks in. If Del Zotto performs, you can expect the Rangers to keep him around.

Assuming the $750,000 salary for Semenov, and that Evgeny Grachev spends the season in Hartford, the Rangers are right up on the cap, as Del Zotto’s cap hit is over $1 million due to bonuses. This includes a spare forward and spare defenseman:

There will be one more cut, probably Grachev, before the roster is complete. Opening night is one week away.

Parenteau Reassigned/Waived

In rather unsurprising news, winger P.A. Parenteau was reassigned to Hartford this afternoon. Parenteau played will in his time with the Rangers, but unfortunately for him, there just isn’t a spot on this roster for him at the moment. This was not a financial decision either, as Parenteau is on a one-way contract, and will earn $500,000 regardless of where he plays.

Assuming he goes unclaimed through waivers, he will play top line minutes in Hartford, probably with Evgeny Grachev once the preseason ends, and await a call up in the event of an injury or someone’s game goes to hell. This is a bit of a risky decision, because if Parenteau puts up the same numbers in Hartford, he may be claimed on re-entry waivers should he be needed. He is a cheap player and could fulfill third line duties admirably on most teams. As for his status with the Rangers, he is just too far down on the depth chart to really be considered.

This cuts the roster to 24, 8 defensemen and 14 forwards. It’s safe to assume that two more players will be cut before the season begins. My guess is that Grachev and Michael Del Zotto will be what I’m going to call contract casualties. Del Zotto still has a year of eligibility left in the OHL, and Grachev will benefit from a year in the AHL. But you can guarantee that they will be on the roster for the last two preseason games to get as much experience as possible.

Hockey season is just nine days away, and it can’t come soon enough.

The Effect of Marian Gaborik

Before we begin, to all you English buffs, please clarify if the proper word to use here is affect or effect. I can never figure out which one to use. And yet, I’m not alone in this, as no one in the vicinity of my desk could figure it out either.

Anyway, let’s analyze one play from last night. Marian Gaborik picks up the puck around the left hash marks, skates with the bicuit up to the blueline, then doubles back, around the net to the right hash marks, while drawing the attention of pretty much all 20 Red Wings, and takes a quick glance to see Enver Lisin camped in front of the net. He then lasers a back-handed saucer pass right on Lisin’s tape who buries the opportunity. Not many players in the league are capable of pulling that off, and that is the effect (affect?) Marian Gaborik will have on the Rangers.

This one play illustrates the offensive potential of the Rangers, should Gaborik not rip his groin in half (that actually hurt to type, groin and rip should not be put in the same sentence, ever). Both benches, and the entire crowd was on the edge of their seats, waiting to see what Gaborik will do with the puck after eluding the entire Wings penalty kill unit. He doesn’t need a playmaking pivot to get him the puck, all he needs is to find the puck, he will make it all happen on his own.

Gaborik is the type of player the Rangers have been lacking since Jaromir Jagr left for Russia. Gaborik, like Jagr, can take control of the game, and doesn’t depend on line mates to get him the puck to do so. All those critics are right to question his health, but if he’s healthy, the Rangers will be a dangerous team. Gaborik alone can provide the primary scoring for the Rangers. Then you look at the likes of Chris Drury, Vinny Prospal, Ryan Callahan, Ales Kotalik, and Brandon Dubinsky, the Rangers have plenty of secondary scoring to compete.

If Gaborik stay healthy, the Rangers will surprise a lot of people. IF.