Eventually Wade Redden’s cap anchor will be off the roster and the same goes for Michael Roszival too. It’s hard to imagine Chris Drury pulling down 7m much longer, so there will be plenty more money to dole out over the next few years but it’s obvious that the Rangers are one of a decreasing number of clubs willing to invest big in arguably the most important position in hockey.

Looking at the strongest teams from last year and what goalies they’ll ice this year, the $$$ committed to goaltending are shocking. San Jose will pay 3 goalies combined (Niemi, Greiss and Nittimiyaki) less than Lundqvist. The Blackhawks new no. 1 Marty Turco takes home roughly 20% of the Swede’s total. The Penguins Marc Fleury has a cap hit of $5m (or, 1 Ryan Callahan less than Lundqvist) and The Capitals’ Simeon Varlamov is still on an entry level $821k per year. Of the top 10 winningest teams from the 09/10 season only two teams have goaltenders making 5m or more (Luongo and Brodeur).

If we look ahead (optimistically) and assume the Rangers have a couple of good years then a lot of players will want or require big new deals (think Del Zotto, Anisimov, Callahan, Dubinsky, perhaps Frolov etc). It will be interesting to see if the Rangers can afford these new deals and still add further pieces to the roster to build towards a cup. Any Rangers contender in the next half a decade will feature Henrik Lundqvist but will The King also be a financial problem going forward?

Marc Staal: The unsigned defender is the Rangers best defenseman. Seeking a big raise from his $800,000 salary last year, the Rangers are going to need Staal signed and playing in order to compete this year. Staal logs all his minutes against opponents top lines, and does a great job at shutting them down. At the end of last season, he showed some offensive prowess, scoring in three straight games as the Rangers made a desperate push for the playoffs. Staal’s 10.4 GVT was third on the team last year, and second among skaters (Marian Gaborik was tops). His 6.4 DGVT was tops on the team by a full goal. Staal’s value to the team is almost immeasurable, and many fans are starting to get worried about when he will sign.

Dan Girardi: Girardi is an interesting conundrum. On one hand, all fans see is that he didn’t stand up for Gaborik as he got pummeled by Dan Carcillo. On the other hand, Girardi’s 5.0 DGVT (second on the team) and 6.8 GVT (fifth among skaters) shows just how valuable he really is. To put those numbers in perspective, Girardi had a better GVT than Fedor Tyutin (who some fans want back), Jay Bouwmeester, Dennis Wideman, Dion Phaneuf, Anton Volchenkov, and Zbynek Michalek. His 5.0 GVT is good for 32nd in the league, better than all those guys just mentioned, and other guys like Dan Hamhuis. Sure, Girardi may be a little overpaid at $3.325 million per season, but he’s a top four defender on almost every team in the league.

Michal Rozsival: After a horrific start to the season, in which he had a lot of trouble adjusting to coach John Tortorella’s system, Rozsival got his act together and became a very reliable defender for the second half of the season. What was even more telling was when Ryan Callahan went down with an injury, it was Rozsival who was wearing the other ‘A’. Fans may not like his $5 million cap hit, but considering the deals handed out this summer, that $5 million is now just a slight overpayment, along the lines of the Girardi overpayment. The biggest problem in Rozsival’s game is that he doesn’t shoot the puck on the powerplay. He has an absolute cannon, but he never pulls the trigger. His shot could be one of the solutions to the anemic powerplay. Defensively, it’s tough to expect anything more from Rozsival, except for some consistency. Offensively is where he needs to improve.

Michael Del Zotto: MDZ is the last of the four defenseman almost guaranteed roster spots for next season. MDZ had a very impressive rookie debut, finishing fourth on the team in scoring, and tops among defenders. However, that -20 for the season is a big eyesore that is tough to ignore. That -20 came in a two month span, from November 1-December 31, when MDZ was a whopping -21 in just 26 games. On the positive note, MDZ is a +1 in the other 56 games of the season. MDZ is going to be the Rangers powerplay quarterback next season, as he was this season. Like Rozsival, MDZ got a little gun-shy from the point in the season, and the shots from the point stopped coming. That led to his point totals dropping a bit. He is going to have to shoot the puck more, but more importantly, he is going to have to work on his defensive zone play. Another -20 isn’t going to sit well with many people.

Matt Gilroy: With Gilroy, we start entering the area of the blue line that will be fighting to make the roster. Gilroy had a decent start to his rookie campaign, and chose to focus more on the defensive side of the game. Many expected the world, and then some, from the 25 year old rookie, but the NHL is a lot different from the NCAA. This was the first time in his career that Gilroy played more than 40 games, and it showed. He was admittedly gassed by the Olympic break. If he wants to make, and stay, on this team, he is going to have to show that he won’t hit that proverbial NCAA wall again this season. He is also going to have to show a lot more consistency in his own zone. The best way to make this team is to be solid in the defensive zone, especially considering who his competition is.

Wade Redden: The last of the starters from last season, Redden has been an absolute disaster since signing that mega-deal that Glen Sather offered him. There actually is very little that can be said about him in a positive manner, as he is also a cancer in the locker room. Redden was given an ultimatum at the end of last season, and it was play better, or go to the AHL. Considering some of the moves the Rangers made this offseason, it appears that Redden will be in Hartford next year, if solely just for monetary reasons. However, it should be known that if Redden has a great camp, the Rangers can clear enough cap space by sending Gilroy, Mats Zuccarello-Aasen, and Todd White to Hartford (assuming Staal signs from $4.5 million or less).

Steve Eminger: Acquired for Aaron Voros in the offseason, Eminger is likely going to be the 7th defenseman that this team has so desperately needed. Eminger understands that his role might be to sit int he Prucha-box half the year, but always be ready to play if called upon. Eminger provides solid leadership, and a positive attitude, which is something the Rangers locker room needs. If expectations for Eminger are low, then you won’t be disappointed.

Ryan McDonagh: The highly touted prospect, acquired in the Scott Gomez trade, has been the subject of many fans praise this offseason. Of course, a lot of this praise is because many think that with McDonagh on the team, Redden has to go to Hartford. But, beyond financial reasons, McDonagh is a tough, stay-at-home defenseman who will clear the crease and protect Henrik Lundqvist from the constant runnings he was getting last year. In the Frozen Four last year, McDonagh was one of the leaders and an integral part of the Wisconsin Badgers run to the Championship Game. It wouldn’t come as a surprise to see McDonagh start the season in Hartford, but the rookie has a solid chance to make the team as a starter coming into the season. In fact, if I were a betting man, I would bet on McDonagh, Gilroy, and Eminger rounding out the bottom pairing/7th defenseman for next season.

Pavel Valentenko, Jyri Niemi, Mike Sauer, Tomas Kundratek, Nigel Williams: All five are going to be dark horses, and long shots, to make the roster this season. Valentenko is a McDonagh-type player who has just arrived from the KHL. Niemi was a former 3rd round pick the Rangers acquired from the Islanders for a 6th round pick. Sauer is the last piece remaining from the Leetch deal, and has injury concerns. Kundratek is a 3rd round pick (2008) that has showed tremendous promise in the WHL. Williams was acquired from Colorado for Brian Fahey last July. It is unlikely any of these guys make the team, but they will be one of the first call ups in case of injury. All five should see good minutes in Hartford this season.

Lee Baldwin, Sam Klassen, Tysen Dowzak: Depth defensemen, the only player that should be seeing AHL time is Klassen. Klassen is a big, tough defenseman who has put up tremendous +/- numbers in the WHL. However, with the Redden situation unresolved, it is unknown if he winds up in the AHL or the ECHL. Baldwin and Dowzak are depth defensemen who will probably wind up playing in the ECHL in Greenville.

With four of the six spots on defense accounted four, and four players vying for those other three spots, it’s going to be a very exciting camp. The Rangers defense was questionable at best last season, with few bright spots and very little consistency. The Rangers are returning all six starters from last season in some capacity, so chemistry and consistency should hopefully resolve itself. The major dilemma that will play itself out will be what happens to Wade Redden. He is going to have to have a Michael Del Zotto-esque camp in order to secure himself a spot on the roster. But even if he does, are the Rangers willing to send that many veterans to Hartford to clear the necessary cap space? Camp opens in ten days, and it cannot come soon enough. In next week’s finale of this quick post-series, we are going to look at the forward battles coming into camp.

Also, Draft America caught up with Peter Worrell, who coached Rangers 2010 4th round draft pick Andrew Yogan while he played in Florida for the Junior Panthers. Peter had some very kind words for Andrew:

“Andrew is one of those kids who’s just a naturally gifted goal-scorer. He has an ability that you cannot teach a player. He just knows how to put the puck in the net. He’s a big, strong kid… He has a real opportunity to be the first kid from this area to actually be an NHL player.”

Although HockeysFuture has Yogan projecting out as a checker in the NHL, it is good to see Yogan has a scoring touch. Yogan will be playing for the Erie Otters in the OHL next season, as he begins his career as a professional hockey player. Don’t forget to go to Draft America to check out the rest of the interview.

One last thing, I received an email about some Ranger greats appearing at Iona College on September 25. Here’s the information:

I thought you, and your followers, may be interested. Saturday, September 25th, Messier, Lemieux, Howe, Leetch, Graves, Hull and more will be at Iona College’s Mulcahy Gym at 10AM for ‘Steinerfest IV:Hockey Greats’, to meet fans and sign autographs. Admission is $10 and $5 for children 12 and under. Fans will be able to purchase player autographs, win raffle prinzes, participate in silent auctions, take pictures and more. Tickets can be purchased at Steiner Sports Store and at Last Licks locations.

That’s a hell of a crew headed to Iona for autographs. Each one alone is worth the admission.

All the moves Sather has made to address forward depth make fans wonder if it’s all a pre-curser to a bigger move or just an attempt to throw mud at a wall and see what sticks. Todd White, Tim Kennedy, re-upping Byers, Prust and Dupont, bringing back Christensen, bringing in Boogaard;  all of these guys are likely fighting it out for jobs in the bottom 6 with Chris Drury, Sean Avery, Brian Boyle, Dale Weise and the prospects who may or may not be ready including Derek Stepan and Ethan Werek. How it plays out is anyone’s guess but without considering any unexpected standouts that’s already 13 names for 6 or 7 spots.

You have to wonder what the Rangers told Kennedy prior to his signing. It’s unlikely to be along the lines of ‘Hey, come in and compete with Brian Boyle for a job – sign here’ or he wouldn’t be here. The one-way contract he received firms up the notion he has a job. With the top 6 pretty much locked up (other than the positions for certain players such as Dubinsky and Prospal) it’s hard to see what Sather and Tortorella have in mind with all this quantity.

I refuse to criticise Sather for signing guys like Kennedy. He’s young, versatile, had a good AHL career, a solid college career and has upside. Given the contract he signed there’s no risk either. I don’t buy into some fans on twitter and various websites complaining about guys like Dane Byers not getting a chance because of ‘another Sather signing’. If Byers deserves a spot, if he blows away everyone at camp he’ll get a spot, I truly believe that. If he doesn’t earn it then he doesn’t deserve it. The best available players should be dressed in Rangers blue. If that’s Dane Byers, Tim Kennedy or another non draftee then so be it. In an ideal world the team would be full of Rangers picks but if the team is successful and it isn’t full of home grown picks big deal. Let the outcry begin if certain players get jobs and don’t deserve them until then there’s no point in crying about it.  

Another thing to consider is that part of a successful franchise is a successful farm system. We have seen a good Hartford side the past few years (last year being an exception) and no coincidence a regularly playoff bound Rangers team. It helps prospects who do begin their pro career in Hartford to begin it in a winning environment. As it stands right now, potentially there will be a lot of good players making the way to Hartford after camp and although some players may get moved or waived some will no doubt end up in Hartford. Derek Stepan, Evgeny Grachev and co. will only benefit by being involved in a good strong side.  

If Hartford features Dupont and Byers again, NHL’ers like Brian Boyle and even a guy like Todd White all complimenting Stepan, Grachev and guys like Kris Newbury and Jeremy Williams (good AHLer’s) then it promises to be an offensively impressive team. Think of the numbers Stepan and the kids may put up. Maybe a guy like Byers doesn’t make the NHL with New York but don’t underestimate these kind of guys impact on prospect development in the AHL. Some guys are worth ‘sacrificing’ if they can expedite a legitimate prospect. Look how Artem Anisimov benefited from PA Parenteau. For that reason alone PA deserves an applause when he comes to the MSG as a fish stick.

Henrik Lundqvist: The incumbent, current face of the franchise, and top-five goalie in the league. Lundqvist has been the backbone of the franchise in the post-lockout NHL, and will hopefully continue to do so for the next decade. In Lundqvist, the Rangers have one of the most consistent goalies in the league, who will most likely see his fare share of All-Star appearances and build upon his already three Vezina finalists. Last year, Lundqvist put up a record of 35-27-10, with a 2.38 GAA and a .921 SV%. With more rest coming, Lundqvist should be able to build on those numbers, and hopefully not burn out at the end of the season, like he has in the past few seasons due to starting 70 games a year.

Martin Biron: After last season’s debacle at the backup position, the Rangers identified that they need a capable, veteran backup that can spell Lundqvist for 20 games this season. Signed to a two year deal at $875,000 per year, Biron’s job may appear to be simple, but the Rangers haven’t had a capable (and consistent) backup since Kevin Weekes. If Biron can put together a .500 record, with a GAA under 3.00 for 20 games per year the next two years, then it will be the single most important signing of the offseason.

Chad Johnson: Johnson played well in his four games last season, putting up a 2.35 GAA, which is unfortunately overshadowed by the Rangers W-L record during his stint in net (1-2-1). There is simply no room for Johnson at the NHL level, but the Rangers are hoping he can put together a good camp, and carry the Hartford Wolfpack in net. Johnson struggled at the end of last season, but it may be due to jet/train lag from traveling to and from Hartford to go wherever the Rangers needed him to go. Dos-Nueve will likely start in Hartford, and hopefully can develop into a solid and reliable goalie. With the starting position seemingly filled for the next decade, Johnson is probably going to be best served as a trade chip.

Cameron Talbot: The recently signed Talbot is entering camp as the #4 goalie in the system. Talbot played for a very weak Alabama-Huntsville for three seasons, posting a solid final two seasons that led to the Rangers signing him. Talbot will definitely be in Hartford next year, probably serving as the backup for Chad Johnson. Talbot will likely be the first goalie in camp sent to Hartford, but he is definitely going to show up motivated. In the best case scenario, Talbot gives Johnson a run for his money, forcing the coaching staff to take a longer look at him before sending him to Hartford.

The goaltender position isn’t going to change much in the next few years, as Lundqvist will continue to be the backbone of the Rangers. It is the Rangers greatest strength, but can also be their greatest weakness if Biron doesn’t fulfill his duties. The backups and prospects will come and go, but when you have The King in net, you tend to look at goalie prospects as trade bait.

Good Glen

• Addressing needs: signing Alex Frolov and Marty Biron to address flaws on the team with low risk, low cap deals.
• Drafting to need; the 2010 draft featured size and players were picked by organisational need. Not every need was addressed in the draft but many were.
• Something for Nothing; Brashear’s cap headache was removed, and Todd White a potentially useful part was added. If White doesn’t pan out he doesn’t affect the cap like Brashear.
• Being pro active and getting Ryan McDonagh and Derek Stepan under contract quickly while making a play to get Chris Kreider under wraps. Sather seems to be backing up his word by trying to bring in the youth.
• Sensible deals for Prust and Christensen.

Bad Glen

• The Girardi deal; Dan Giardi got too much dollar, even if it bought into his UFA years. A bad season prior should not warrant a 100% pay rise regardless.
• Marc Staal; yes Glen, we appreciate there was a ‘chasm’ but the team’s best defenseman shouldn’t still be without contract. Sather’s consistent mishandling of RFA’s is baffling and unnecessary.
• Derek Boogaard’s contract. Hate the deal, not the player.

The Jury’s out Glen

• Eminger for Voros; another case of acquiring something for nothing, if Eminger plays well this is a good move but if rumour is true, adding Eminger meant missing out on solid bruiser Shane Morrisonn which counts as a negative.
• Did we really need to share an affiliate with the Flyers?
• If PA Parenteau becomes Matt Moulson II on long Island, consider it egg on face.
• Will much sought after Mats Zuccarello-Aasen be another Euro flop (see Ambuhl, Andreas) or the next free agent Euro to make an NHL impact?

And the Grade is?…

Players were allowed to leave, relationships were forged (welcome Greenville), and camps were held with the underlying theme of roster transformation. Competition seems legit and not a single move Sather has made this summer burns the team long term. If certain players do well (hello Frolov) they have the opportunity to become core parts of the Rangers going forward.

This has been Sather’s best off season for a very long time, perhaps ever as Rangers GM. There seems to be a plan in place and reasoning behind every move. Sather gets a B+ at the moment. This may have been higher had he already resolved Staal’s situation and paid less for Dan Girardi’s renewal. If Sather really does admit to the biggest mistake of his managerial career and banishes Redden in camp then Sather will have redeemed himself to a degree.

Why: Missing the playoffs on the last day of the regular season must still be stinging the Rangers and it won’t help we’ve slotted them in at unlucky No. 13 for 2010-11. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist is about the only reason the Rangers are still afloat and you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who believes Marian Gaborik will make it through another season untouched by injury.

This is at best lazy journalism. I do not call myself a journalist, but I at least perform research before writing posts to this blog. Yes, if Gaborik or Henrik Lundqvist suffer a significant injury, the Rangers will falter next season. That is a fact. However, ranking the Rangers that low based on a “what-if” scenario is just irresponsible and lazy. As I mentioned in the comments of Jeremy’s musings; what if Sidney Crosby is driving down a highway with Evgeny Malkin in his car, and he gets into an accident with Martin Brodeur, with Zach Parise in his car, and the accident causes a car driven by Mike Richards, with Jeff Carter and Chris Pronger as passengers, to veer off the road and hit a pole?

You see, I can make a “what-if” scenario too.

But let’s be honest, the Rangers are clearly the 4th best team in the Atlantic Division, which at best puts them as the #6 seed in the playoffs, should they qualify. It is safe to assume the top three teams in the Atlantic qualify for the playoffs, along with the division winners from the Southeast and Northeast Divisions. After those top five teams, the rest of the Eastern Conference, save for the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders (who will likely finish 14-15), is a big toss up. Any team can suffer a significant injury, which will cause them to drop in the standings. The Toronto Maple Leafs, although greatly improved, will likely finish out of the playoffs, as will the Carolina Hurricanes. Where they finish is still up for debate.

Barring injuries, it is safe to assume the Rangers will finish ahead of those four teams. The Atlanta Thrashers are better, but may suffer in net, with Ondrej Pavelec and Chris Mason in goal. The Ottawa Senators are also very shaky in net, as Pascal Leclaire will have to regain form to make the Sens a competitor. I’d rather have a potential injury concern who played 70 games last year over a question mark in net any day, so it is likely the Rangers will finish ahead of these two teams as well.

At this point, the Rangers are one of three teams battling for the final two playoff spots, along with the vastly improved Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Montreal Canadiens. At this point, those two spots are up for grabs to which ever teams wants those spots the most. Last year, the Rangers started hot, faltered for the middle 60 games of the season, and finished hot. For the Rangers to make the playoffs, they will obviously need to remain healthy, but they will need something more than that. They will need one word that has plagued this team since the lockout. One word that we have been looking for since 1994. That word: CONSISTENCY.

Brian Boyle; Boyle may be one of the more frustrating Rangers of recent times. A massive body that was very good at the AHL level for Manchester and who had a good college career, Boyle simply hasn’t done it at the NHL level. Doesn’t play physical given his size and hasn’t finished well when the opportunities have been there. He’ll start the camp without a spot and needing to win one back. It’s hard to see how he fits into the equation at present. His NHL career is in jeopardy so it’d be nice to see some desire and passion in camp.  

Dane Byers; The talented Byers could be a useful player for the Rangers if only he could stick and stay healthy. Having been repeatedly overlooked it’s hard to imagine he’ll get another chance if he doesn’t make the team this time around. Good size, aggression and decent scoring ability are all facets of Byers’ game and in theory he’d make an ideal bottom six player. With the signings of Prust and Boogaard, the presence of Boyle and the threat of Weise it’s looking cluttered in the bottom 6. If another year in the AHL beckons, surely it’s either a trade or a change of scenery after his current 1 year deal expires.

Erik Christensen; Yes, EC has a new 2 year deal in his pocket. However, a deal that pays less than 1m annually is easy to move (or rid) and Christensen has by no means secured anything at this stage. Flashed his tantalizing skill set enough last year to equally impress and frustrate the coaching staff (‘why couldn’t he do it more’…) but his spot will be under threat if Anisimov wins a top 6 spot and Prospal, Dubinsky and Todd White battle for the other centre spot. That’s without mentioning X factors such as Ethan Werek and Derek Stepan who come to camp with little pressure. It’s hard to imagine Christensen thriving enough lower down the order, to stick. Top 6 or bust?

Artem Anisimov; Yes, the uber-talented young Russian is under pressure. Why? Expectancy. Following excellent progress in the AHL and a solid rookie year given his limited ice time last year, a lot is expected – and required – from Anisimov.  An important part of the Rangers future, AA will be expected to grab a scoring role and run with it, especially given the apparent lack of (young) talent the Rangers have at center. Then there’s the threat from below. One poor year and Anisimov may suddenly feel Stepan and Werek breathing down his neck. AA’s progression will cause a rippling effect at the position throughout the entire organisation.  

Matt Gilroy; The much discussed Gilroy will need a year of atleast ‘solid progression’ to get another deal in NY, given the prospects coming through. Even that may not be enough. Blessed with speed and great puck skills there is certainly a need for Gilroy on the roster but he needs a good camp and not have a poor start to the year to avoid being on the outside looking in. With guys like Valentenko, Mcilrath, Niemi, Kundratek and Pashnin on the horizon Gilroy needs to secure his roster spot quickly. The BC star needs to earn Tortorella’s trust and make an impact when he plays. He needs to be confident, use his talents and work his way up the depth chart. The apparent impressive off season work outs are a good start.

Mike Sauer; Brian Leetch – remember him? Almost in perpetual prospect mode, Sauer’s the last playing remnants in the organisation of Brian Leetch.  Picked with the 2^nd round pick acquired from the Leetch to the Leafs deal, Sauer has great tools but poor health. Mismanaged by the Rangers when he was healthy several prospects seem to be passing him by. If Sauer can’t gatecrash the Rangers blue line in this camp, he’s surely gone. A new one year deal in his pocket, Sauer has entered the last chance saloon. A player that doesn’t seem to fit Tortorella’s system, Sauer seems to be a long shot to make the team but if he can stay healthy you never know. It won’t be due to a lack of talent that Sauer doesn’t make it. Is it unfair to mention that Paul Statsny, Kris Letang and John Quick (among others) were picked soon after him? No pressure then…

No doubt, there are several other players that will be under pressure during camp but that’s a good thing. Several roster places (hopefully) aren’t set in stone and therefore there will be plenty to play for. This promises to be the most interesting camp in a long time and a very significant one in the Rangers short and long term future. Next week we will look at some players entering camp with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

It needs to be repeated that Avery can be a very effective player for the Rangers. It could be said that Avery needs to be effective for this year’s club to be a playoff team. The problem is, where will he play? Avery needs minutes. Tortorella banished him to the 4th line once before and he was ineffective. Avery is best when he’s on the 2nd line making a nuisance of himself, going to the corners and being pro active. A line featuring Avery and Callahan on the flanks makes for a nice two-way, forechecking compliment to the Gaborik/Frolov line. Will it get a chance? Time will tell.

Avery needs to make the team or surely he won’t be in New York. Regardless of Redden’s cap hit going to Connecticut it’s hard to see how the Rangers can afford Avery’s cap hit to linger if he isn’t playing. It’s also hard to imagine they want his personality to linger if he’s not playing but right now there really doesn’t seem an opening for him. This is an issue that potentially won’t go away until either Avery plays on opening night or he’s moved (an unlikely scenario). The Coach keeps insisting he sees Dubinsky at wing, Frolov wasn’t brought in to be anything less than a primetime scorer and Prospal won’t be outside the top six (regardless whether that be at center or wing) so really it seems Avery is being tabbed, at best, for a 3rd line job however there seems to be an awful lot of players competing for spots on that line. If Avery doesn’t play do we really see him making his way to Hartford? It’s not a good scenario for any party involved.

Sean Avery and everything that he is, is a distraction. When it’s to the opposition it’s a good thing and the Rangers are better for it but if he doesn’t play, doesn’t play well and often he will become a distraction to the Rangers, and the NY media. It would be an unwelcome distraction.

Drafted 19^th overall (and looking every bit the steal) Kreider has developed at a rapid pace to the point where he was a teen college player invited to play for the senior USA world championship team and to the point where GM Glen Sather declared Kreider ready for NHL play. On top of that Sather admitted he tried to sign the blue chip talent this summer. The fact Sather even commented publicly on a negotiation of this kind is compliment enough. So where is Kreider at right now and when will Rangers fans a) see him in Ranger blue and b) see him as an impact player?

Kreider has gone on record that he intends to turn pro a year from now. This was backed up by Rangers beat writer Jim Cerny on twitter. Kreider already has the pro physique standing a solid 6’2 220lbs while he is genuinely regarded as one of the most explosive skaters around. His size and excellent speed could, should prove to be a deadly combination.

Last season as a college rookie Kreider started slowly but his learning curve really took off. Highlighted by spectacular goals in big games Kreider ended with a solid return of 15 goals and 23 points and a +25 rating in 38 games for Boston College as they won the NCAA frozen four, with the final also featuring Kreider scoring. On the USA WJC gold medal team Kreider exploded for 6 goals in 7 games where he also showed the world his clutch play and ability to raise his game. All in all it was a highly successful first year post-draft for Kreider which was topped off by his senior WC appearance.

But it isn’t all plain sailing at this stage. Puck prospectus ran a recent post discussing prospects from the latest World Junior Camps and had mixed news to report on Kreider from the camp and the exhibition games.

Kreider was a guy who didn’t show up on the radar that much but when he did it was in great fashion. His off the puck play wasn’t great and at times would be out of position and just seem lost in the play. He did aggressively attack the puck when it was near him and he jumped on potential scoring chances. The second Kreider got an inch of space and his skating created clear separation from the defenders and allowed him to wire his plus shot.

The report seems to indicate a few things. Kreider still needs to learn the intricacies of positional play and working without the puck, something that a lot of young players need to improve on but it also highlights his exceptional raw talents. His speed truly is game breaking, his shot is dangerous and he’s willing to aggressively go after the puck when he doesn’t have it. All that bodes well however it seems Kreider was right, at this stage to stay in the NCAA one more year.

Kreider is in a strong program in BC and will no doubt further refine his game before he turns pro. What can we expect from him in 12 months? Looking at the current Rangers roster there will be every opportunity for him to break into the line up as a rookie pro. One has to assume Prospal wont be back for a third year, Todd White for a 2^nd (assume he makes it past this years camp) and its hard to imagine guys like Christensen being road blocks for an eagerly anticipated talent like Kreider. Given that Dubinsky and Callahan’s deals expire in 12 months there may be a lot of change in NY once more.

Given his play with the senior USA squad the AHL should pose a still-maturing Kreider no serious opposition. If he went there it’s fair to expect a big offensive year. However given the need for an aggressive forecheck in NY, given the need for more offense, more size and speed Kreider really has a chance to make the Rangers. Top 6 as a rookie? Why not. The expectations are big for Kreider but he’s already shown a habit for winning and scoring big goals. A strong offensive season in NY a year from now wouldn’t take many by surprise.