Rangers Fans Get the Shaft

Joe Fortunato of Blueshirt Banter has a rather disturbing experience about how the organization treats its fans. Some of this shouldn’t surprise us, but the level of apathy towards the fan base from upper management is alarming. The one thing that got me is this:

But while I was working the masses with The Mouth my father had walked across the street to view from outside the barricades. As he was watching an MSG executive walked out to smoke a cigarette. He lit up, looked at my father and commented: “look at these idiots, making a scene out there. They actually think they are going to change something.”

You can read the rest of this disturbing revelation at Blueshirt Banter.

Trade Season

It’s trade season. Of course, Dave and I will be all over all trades Rangers–and all other trades. We know the Rangers will be active. They always are. And we know they need a scorer and a hard hitting defenseman. Maybe two scorers.

Last year, we saw Nik Antropov and Derek Morris come to New York. I don’t know who we will see this year in blue. That said, who do you want the Rangers to acquire at the deadline?

Playing GM

With Rangers news almost non existant thanks mainly to the Olympics I thought we could play a little ‘GM for the day’…

In the summer, assuming Sather doesnt do anything TOO ridiculous lets assume the only definite roster members of the squad are this;

Gaborik, Lundqvist, Staal, Dubinsky,Callahan, Del Zotto, Drury, Avery, Anisimov.

What changes would you make? Assume you cannot move both the R+R brothers.

Personally my changes would start from within. I’d tell Tortorella his job is safe but we’re going young – no matter what. I’d entice Stepan out of college, the same with McDonagh and i’d put up with the growing pains you’ll get with Sanguinetti up in the big league. I’d go young. Then i’d add a mid tier sniper, for short term. I’d bring back Prospal to help lead the kids brigade.

Players i’d move out? I’d trade Girardi at this years deadline. He’s asolid top 4 guy with some upside and given the picks that have gone on players so far a 2nd rd pick would be within reach. I’d be willing to move anyone other than the above for picks. No mercy.

Hell… if it got me a 1st i’d even move Dubinsky. As i said, no mercy.

Good win but where does that leave us?

A good win against the Lightning even if it, again, was devoid of a complete 60 minute effort.

The game perhaps left more questions than answers though;

• This 3 in 4 stretch. What does this make the Rangers come deadline day – buyers or sellers? you know my opinion (sell, sell, sell)
• Where is Christensen’s best place on the roster? top line, top 6? 3rd line? Clearly he has talent (as his 18 goal season in Pittsburgh proved) but to be a top 4 team in the East does it reflect on our depth if he’s permanently a top line player?
• Will Henrik get any rest as we battle for 7th, 8th? Clearly its going to be a scrap all the way. Does Torts have the guts to dress Chad Johnson for atleast 2 full games?The King will need a break at some point but we’ll need every point here on in.

Finally… this team really is at a cross roads and as a fan it’s very frustrating. Against the Pens in particular but also against Jersey and 40(ish) minutes against Tampa this team showed it can (should) be a top 6 team in the East…. but then you have the Nashville yawner inbetween. Dare I give him some slack, but this team isnt an easy one for Sather to gauge (though that is mostly his fault in the first place)…..

So what now?

After another listless, lifeless game where only really the King distinguished himself what next for the Rangers?

If there was one thing to come out of last night’s loss (and it wasnt the Rangers finishing ability) it was the fact that this loss should push the Rangers closer to being sellers. In my opinion, the right direction. Even though they’re still in with a playoff chance in the comparatively weak East, when we look at those teams around the Rangers in the standings it doesnt look great….

The Flyers in 7th, have 2 games in hand and are 4 points up on the Rangers. 8th placed Tampa have the same advantages as Philly and both have momentum and are playing well. Boston in 9th and back to winning ways have 2 points more than the Rangers and also 2 games in hand.

How bad is our form? In the East only the Islanders have as few points as the Rangers in the past 10.

Lets not forget the Rangers next go to Pittsburgh to face the Pens where 2 points are anything but a given and very unlikely (sorry, i am nothing if not honest). The game to close out league play prior to the Olympics against an in form Tampa squad is huge. Could the entire season (and subsequent roster moves) rest on that game or will Sather act before Sunday?

Here’s hoping Sather does the right thing.

1 Step Back To Take Several Forward?

Hi all! Just like to say im thrilled to be able to post here on Blueseatblogs, my favourite Rangers blog. I love the honesty and intelligence of the blog and it makes me keep coming back. I write for nasports.co.uk  which is a website aimed at North American sports for, in the first instance UK fans, but also anyone who enjoys the sports we cover. Anyway…..

In recent weeks rumblings are abound from Ranges fans that the Rangers should be sellers at the deadline or whenever the trade party gets into full swing. Hell, even the NY media are demanding the same thing. Are you, as a fan, willing to accept a losing season because we’ve blown up and started again? Personally I am. So long as it’s for the right reasons…

Its one thing to start, and then emphasise, a rebuild it’s quite another to be horrible for half a decade (take a bow Pittsburgh, Washington). I won’t accept being that bad and just taking it on the chin and I don’t see it as necessary. The Pens were very lucky that when they did suck there were generational talents available in the draft however if I was a Pens fan I would be saying to myself ‘you know what? We’re only good because we were that bad!’

Personally I don’t see why the Detroit (and more recently the Sharks) model cant be followed. A core roster, solid drafting, timely additions and good personnel – as a fan I’d take much more satisfaction out of that. This is why I don’t think long term pain is necessary for the Rangers as I see some very important parts already in place. The Rangers have a good young core (think Henrik, Gaborik, Staal, Del Zotto, Callahan and Dubinsky) and in the past 3-4 years they’ve made good draft picks including; Stepan, Bourque, Grachev, Anisimov etc. It’s the (free agent) additions that Sather gets wrong. Do we have a good staff? Well their track record says so. Are they right for NY? I say give them time. Bear in mind this team or the core of it is very young - patience is required - but we all appreciate patience is at a premium in NY and with Sather is around.

Back to my point. To what depths will you watch your team go to and at what cost?

Remember the move New Jersey made when they shipped ex Ranger Malakhov’s deal to the Sharks for a 1^st rounder?  It cost them a very good pick but they rid themselves of a major headache. So would you be willing to accept, for example, Sheldon Souray for Wade Redden Michael Roszival AND a 1^st round pick plus perhaps a 2^nd? It’s a lot to give up (and that kind of deal may cost more) but the team rid themselves of a lot of cap and get a 1 year deal coming back. Its only theory but I use it as an example.  Do you have any ideas?

I want this team to take a clear direction. Lose and don’t stack up (a la Antropov last year) and instead sell. Win and stay pat; back the team already on the ice. Don’t move picks or prospects for a quick fix. Take what comes.

If we don’t make the playoffs this year I wont be (too) disappointed so long as I see the youth on the team develop. A good boxer can take a hit and comeback. One bad season wouldn’t destroy us. I really want a high pick this year. I want the team to move more players, get more picks. I want what’s best for the New York Rangers.

Quick heads up; i’ll be posting my thoughts on the Olympics here at BSB so hope you’ll stop by read and contribute!

The Hunt for the Veteran Defenseman

It is no surprise that the Rangers are in the hunt for a veteran defenseman. The defense has been inconsistent at best, and there are many gaping holes, particularly a blue liner that hits on a regular basis. General Manager Glen Sather is looking at low risk, high reward type players to help fill this gap. To be more specific, Sather is looking for a player that won’t cost a high-end prospect/pick, and will be a UFA at the end of the year. Unfortunately, that is what everyone and their mother wants.

But the real question here is this: Who sits when that new defenseman arrives? Of the most notable players available (Garnet Exelby, Christoph Schubert, Denis Seidenberg), none are seventh defensemen. Each of them is capable of playing top-six minutes, and none will want to sit in the press box, keeping Donald Brashear and either Aaron Voros or Enver Lisin company.

The player every Rangers fan wants to sit is Wade Redden. Redden barely plays 15 minutes a game, and it is mostly due to the fact that he simply cannot skate with the above average players anymore. But this raises another question: Does Rangers brass have enough balls to sit Redden continuously? If not, then the most likely candidate to get the axe will be Matt Gilroy. Here’s why. (Update 12:15pm: This is strictly from a business standpoint, not stats/results.)

Matt Gilroy has not played 60 games this season, he has played 54. Matt Gilroy can be optioned to Hartford without passing through waivers or re-entry waivers, because he has not reached teh the 60 game threshold. Dumping Matt Gilroy in Hartford also clears enough cap space to take on a more expensive contract. It will also give the Rangers some additional time to evaluate how the new acquisition adjusts to his new team. If he can’t adjust, then Gilroy is simply recalled and inserted back into the lineup, with zero repercussions.

Some may not like this thinking, some will. The bottom line is that if the Rangers do not want to sit Redden, then Gilroy is the most likely candidate to go. Sometimes, it’s not about who is playing the worst, but who is the safest to get to Hartford.

PAPERWORK!!

This week is a bit rough on the ole sanity. Today’s going to be another rough day. I won’t be updating at all today, other than this.

• Kotalik is in, I’m assuming Brashear is out.
• Christensen is still out.
• Rangers should be sellers, as per my insta-poll on Twitter.
• I’m going to the game tonight. Woohoo!

Awesome post, right?

A Star Is Born

So, I lost power last night. It literally just came back on 15 minutes ago, and it was down for 24 hours. (Aside: I lose power a lot. Every time it’s windy out, I lose power. I’d invest in a generator, but I’m moving in the summer. Not because of the power issues. But, that did play a (small) role. But I digress).

Anyway, I had to listen to the game on the radio, which really isn’t the same. But, the name I kept hearing was Artem Anisimov. Anisimov with the puck. Anisimov with the defensive play. Anisimov with the goal. It appeared that Anisimov was the best player on the ice last night (Those who watched please confirm or deny).

Anisimov is not going to score 30 goals this year, like he did in Hartford. But he may get 20. He’s quickly learning the defensive side, and he’s a really good in his own end. He can play on the power play, and kill penalties. In the future, Anisimov will be a 30 goal scorer. He’ll be great in his own end.

My point is this: Anisimov is a star in the making. He’ll center the first line for years to come. Best part: He’s homegrown.

Top Line Reunited

After the Rangers went down 2-0 in last night’s game against Montreal, coach John Tortorella decided to “shake up” the lines. And by shake up, I clearly mean reuniting Brandon Dubinsky with Vinny Prospal and Marian Gaborik. With all due respect to Erik Christensen, who played admirably, Dubinsky belongs up front with those two, and is the most productive when he is with them.

Before Dubinsky shattered his hand, this trio contributed for roughly half of the Rangers goals from the forward position. Dubinsky is exactly what this line needs. A tough center who will go to the dirty areas, get the puck to the skilled players, and then plant himself in front of the net, as he did on that brilliant Prospal feed.

It is time to let that line be. No more impulsive line changes, where you insert Sean Avery, or Artem Anisimov, to try and get some new blood flowing. Just leave them alone. Those three are made to play with each other. They just click. It’s not always about putting the best players on a line together, it’s about putting the players that work the best together on a line. Prospal-Dubinsky-Gaborik just works.