ESPN’s Top 100 Players: Five Rangers In 20-100

John Buccigross at ESPN listed the top 100 players in the NHL. The highest ranked Rangers were Brad Richards (20), Marian Gaborik (26) and Henrik Lundqvist (27). Ryan Callahan came in at #61 and Dan Girardi came in at #91.

Marc Staal was the only Ranger that I think should have cracked this list.  Staal is one of the best defensive defensemen in the league and has made a career shutting down the league’s best. Obviously Buccigross kept prior seasons in mind when composing this list with some of these rankings.

Do The Rangers Rely Too Much On Callahan?

He sets the tone with his hustle and effort and leads with his desire and (growing) offensive ability, but do the Rangers rely too much on Ryan Callahan? It’s a worthwhile question, because during a period in which Callahan had been at his most ordinary (in a stretch prior to the Boston game) the Rangers went through their roughest patch since the start of the season. Coincidence?

Callahan has developed offensively to a point where he now literally does everything for the Rangers. He’s the team’s second most prolific goal scorer, he’s annually a league leader in hits, blocks countless of shots and plays in every single situation. We saw last year, when Callahan went down for an extended period of time, just how much the Rangers missed him. What is the remedy to the over reliance? Other players need to step up.

After a promising start to the campaign, more often than not Brad Richards has been a passenger. That is unacceptable for a man brought in to help lead the team to bigger things. Derek Stepan has cooled off considerably but, in all fairness, it’s too early to place too much pressure on the young sophomore. Brandon Dubinsky has been better but is clearly not the player this team needs him to be and then there are players such as Fedotenko and Brian Boyle who leave it all on the ice but at some point that is not enough. Anisimov? MIA.

It’s hard to be overly critical of a team that has the record the Rangers boast, however such is that record that the focus naturally switches to post-April potential. This Rangers team, without a better spread of production, cannot beat Boston over an extended series. If the Pens get healthy there’s a likelihood the Rangers struggle with their rivals in Pittsburgh as well.

With all due respect, when a solid journeyman like John Mitchell is one of your better players of late (3 points in 5) and you’re expecting too much from a talented but still rookie Carl Hagelin there’s an issue. If teams are able to shut down Marian Gaborik and then Ryan Callahan as well, Henrik Lundqvist has to be brilliant. It’s a good job he is just that.

Captain Cally is playing close to 21 minutes per game and given his style and reckless endeavour that’s possibly too much. Whether it’s through a transaction or changes in the line up several Rangers need to be better offensively. Not previously known for his offense (in the first instance) it may be a bad sign that the team is needing to rely on its heart and soul leader to score the big goals.

The Prospect Quagmire

As the trade deadline approaches, no time is more fun to play armchair GM.  Its easy to swap underperforming players and picks like trading cards and instantly transform the team into a playoff power house.  This enjoyable little exercise usually leads to us giving a deeper examination to the value of prospects and roster players we could see being moved for a deadline upgrade.

Prospects were once traded with relative anonymity and by the time they blossomed into stars, we had probably forgotten what organization originally drafted them (I know I had long forgotten that Adam Graves was originally a Red Wings draft pick).  Today, we can follow the career of a young player from the junior hockey/college ranks, even some in prep school.  This type of access allows us, as fans, to form bonds with these players and the potential impact that they may have some day.  Just like children, everyone loves their own kids more than anyone else’s and this is an especially important concept come prime trading times.

Let me preface this by saying that I am tremendously excited for the future of the Rangers organization.  They have drafted and traded well over the past 5+ years and the system is starting to bear the fruit of that work.  There is serious prospect depth in the minors/juniors and we have seen homegrown stars in Marc Staal, Dan Girardi and Ryan Callahan come into their own right before our eyes.  Players like Brandon Dubinsky and Michael Del Zotto have found success at the NHL level and Carl Hagelin has made an immediate impact since his call up.  Also, we can’t leave out everyone’s favorite 7^th round draft pick, Henrik Lundqvist.

We all like to envision every member of the farm system representing another piece in an all homegrown Rangers Stanley Cup champion.  After all, young, cost-controlled players with upside are the best way to manage the cap and avoid the potential albatross deals that have been something of a blight on Glen Sather’s record.  From a practical standpoint however, one of the biggest benefits of a strong farm system is the ability to trade from an area of strength to shore up weaknesses on the big club.  As Dave has astutely pointed out in his Scouting the Deadline series, it is important to be able to accurately value these assets and make a business decision about whether to proceed with a given move.

What we all need to remember is that prospects are essentially lottery tickets.  We have all lived through our fair share of first round busts, and unfortunately the vast amount of players simply don’t live up to their ceiling.  Take Chris Krieder, for example.  Every scouting report I have ever read about him says his physical gifts are truly elite.  On the other hand, there are serious concerns about his hockey IQ and awareness/anticipation on the ice.  Now, this obviously isn’t to say he cannot succeed or be every bit as effective as his skills will allow him to be.  It’s just to say that he is not a known quantity at this point.  Depending on the other pieces, I wouldn’t be opposed to including him in a trade for someone like Bobby Ryan for instance.

As the deadline draws near, the Rangers’ are in somewhat of a precarious position.  Their window of contention is opening a little earlier than most expected, and it takes careful management not to overplay your hand and set your organizational development back.  Stripping down the farm system for an elite player could potentially be that final piece that brings Lord Stanley back to Broadway, or it could mean losing several key pieces that could help achieve the same result in 2-3 years.  This is the $64,000 question.

The ability to follow our teams prospects from the amateur ranks to The Show has added a new layer to hockey fandom.  It helps give up a more three-dimensional look at the management of the organization and it’s a lot of fun to see where the next crop of great Rangers is going to come from.  When it comes to evaluating moves or non-moves made this deadline season, it’s important not to hug prospects too tightly and look rather at the whether the move is good asset management and will help the team deliver its goal of raising the Stanley Cup in the very near future.

Halfway There Report Card: The Top Six Forwards

When you’re a team sitting at the top of the NHL standings there’s usually not much to moan about. The Rangers have been blessed with production and top quality performances from all over the roster including the top six. A team cannot win consistently if it doesn’t get production from its key guys and the Rangers have been getting it. To the grades…

Marian Gaborik. In December we discussed the possibility of whether Gaborik was the league’s best right wing this season. That kind of says it all about the year he’s having. On pace to establish a new career high in goals, Gaborik is flirting with the magical 50 mark. Despite occasional stretches without production he’s been remarkably consistent and blew past his subpar 10/11 season goal total with less than half the season gone. Gaborik is the Rangers best offensive talent and he’s showing it. Fully healthy, he looks explosive; the sky’s the limit this season. A+

Ryan Callahan. The most underrated captain in the league? The best player in the league no one ever talks about? The Rangers captain does it all. He’s 4^th in the league in hits, was on course for a 30 goal season and gives 100% every single shift. Seven power play goals, three game winners and a short-hander suggest Callahan produces in every scenario. If there was any kind of criticism of Callahan it may be that he’s taken a few too many penalties this season but that would be nitpicking in a brilliant season for the best Rangers captain in several seasons. A+

Brandon Dubinsky. This is a tough grade because it depends what your expectations are for the talented Alaskan. Dubinsky has had a pretty rough first half even though he’s clearly improved recently. The bottom line however is that for a player making around $4m annually, counted on to be an offensive contributor, a physical leader on a blue collar team then 5 goals and 21 points do not cut it. Nor does the 6% shooting percentage or the meagre 76 shots. Luckily for Dubinsky, the team has great depth and have coped without consistent production from him. Slowly turning his year around, it’s almost like a new addition making the Rangers potentially even more dangerous. C-

Derek Stepan. Please remember this kid is 21. He’s centering the top line on the NHL’s best team (points wise), is likely to comfortably surpass his rookie totals and doesn’t look out of place at all. Stepan was an eagerly anticipated prospect but I’m not sure many people thought he would be this good, this quickly. He still has some developing to do, like his shot selection, but when his contract expires he’ll likely be a lot better financially next time he signs on the dotted line. Stepan is scoring important goals (but not enough), playing a pivotal role in Gaborik’s bounce back year and is growing up right before our eyes. Rarely do you see Stepan make a bad decision and his passing ability is incredible, as we saw once again throughout the Coyotes win last night. A huge future lies ahead. B+

Artem Anisimov. The Russian is another player showing solid progression this year. Unfortunately he has cooled off lately; pointless in eight games. Anisimov has a tendency to be streaky, and he needs to score more goals but a lot of the work Anisimov has done this season has not shown up on the score board. He’s a nice fit on the top line with Gaborik and Stepan and has handled his move to the wing nicely. His play along the boards has improved immeasurably and don’t forget Anisimov is also still young at 23 and figures to have room to develop offensively. If his production ever catches up to his talent then he could be a monster. B-

Brad Richards. Like Dubinsky, critiquing Richards’ season so far depends on what your expectations were. If you judge Richards with the massive contract in mind or place much emphasis on the relatively small stretch where he wasn’t contributing offensively then it may not look that impressive. If you measure the impact his presence has had on the rest of the roster (depth), the clutch goal scoring or the way he has influenced players like Del Zotto then Richards has been a great addition and has had a fine beginning to his Rangers tenure. That said, one of the key reasons for his signing was to help fix the powerplay and he hasn’t managed to help turn it into a more effective unit.

Despite being on course for his first 30 goal season he’s also on course for his lowest points total since 08/09. Of course that total would have led the Rangers over the last few years but it’s a different measuring stick for an elite player. Richards’ faceoff results have been quite inconsistent this year too, much like his production. Richards has improved defensively as the year has developed which no doubt helps his game when not scoring. The best part of Richards’ year is that there should be more to come. Lined up with Callahan and Dubinsky, the Rangers now have two quality scoring lines. When was the last time they could say that? If Dubinsky really has turned his year around, expect more from Richards as a result too. B-

In case you missed it. We also wrote report cards for our bottom six forwards, defense, & goalies.

All Star Worthy?

The Rangers deserve to have multiple representatives at this year’s All Star game. The fact that so many of the roster should be in contention speaks volumes for the way the Rangers have moved up through the standings and developed this season. So which Rangers players should represent the club? Who deserves the nod?

• Marian Gaborik. It goes without saying that when you lead the entire NHL in goals scored you’re doing something right. Gaborik is having a dominant season; scoring important goals, showing tremendous consistency and giving the Rangers an offensive game changer they lacked last season.
• Henrik Lundqvist. The King is doing what he does best. Like Gaborik he’s tremendously consistent, rarely has he given up a soft goal this year and has been the very backbone of the Rangers once again. Despite being on course to play considerably less games this year – thanks to Martin Biron – the Swedish netminder could be in the discussion for league MVP, such is his impact so far.
• Dan Girardi. The amount of time he spends on the ice is borderline insane – not far off a minute/game more than second in the league. Girardi blocks shots, provides the Rangers with immense stability and chips in offensively too. Not a ‘sexy’ player or a dominant offensive blueliner, guys like Girardi (unfortunately) rarely get the kudos of all star games even when they deserve the recognition. Critical to the Rangers.
• Mike Del Zotto. Yes, you read it – Mike Del Zotto. Especially in the past month he has been consistent, increasingly dangerous offensively, physically impressive and has shown great ability to swallow minutes all season. Del Zotto is the league’s leading blueliner in plus/minus and is one three point game away from being in the league’s top 10 in scoring from the blueline. Easily, the most improved Ranger this season.
• Ryan Callahan. Like Girardi and his ‘type’, rarely are the Ryan Callahan’s of the NHL rewarded with all star weekends. Amongst the league leaders in hits, and ice time amongst forwards Callahan has taken his offensive game to another level and is on course for his first 30 goal season. Maybe the best lead-by-example captain in the league today does any player try harder? Guys like Callahan deserve to be officially titled ‘all star’.

Gaborik and Lundqvist surely should get the call to head to Ottawa early next year. Anything other than invites for the Rangers marquee talents would be a travesty. Will any of the others get a call? Unfortunately Rangers players rarely get the exposure around the league due to the blue collar reputation the roster has.

It’s assumed this team does things by committee, which it does. However the above list proves that this team has serious skill and top end players too. All this and we’re forgetting a hot streak from Brad Richards and there could be another candidate. The 2011-12 Rangers, they’re pretty stacked you know.

With Slumping Offense Comes Change – Dubi?

Amid a scoring slump of sorts (2 games is hardly a crisis) Coach Tortorella once again swapped up his lines during the Blues game. On one occasion Carl Hagelin played opposite Marian Gaborik. With all the line changes comes speculation about the who, what, where and why’s.

Perhaps the main thing the Rangers didn’t do well against the Blues was stick to their own game. The team needs to get back to basics in the next game against Phoenix. The game against the Coyotes should signal a few changes as the Rangers need to get some snarl back and improve their overall effort. Examples may need to be made and the game should call for the inclusion of Sean Avery and Mike Rupp. There should be more ice time to Carl Hagelin whose sole mission should be to harass the puck carrier.

They need to throw the puck on net and crash the net as much as possible. What went on in St Louis was not nearly enough in regards to offense generated and the last two games have been the result of slipping play in recent games. The Rangers have had an up and down couple of weeks with some good and some bad performances.

Will Tortorella bench Brandon Dubinsky at some stage? Despite being a Dubinsky fan it’s a move I have called for, for a while. It’s becoming a serious issue. He’s well off his normal level of play and he needs a game out of the line up. While Dubinsky isn’t the only player underperforming (Brian Boyle, Fedotenko both come to mind for starters) he is the most critical element of what is going wrong.

The Rangers, especially right now, need Dubinsky to be better, much better. He’s an integral secondary scorer that simply isn’t scoring (the occasional assist doesn’t count). When the Gaborik line is being shut down so much pressure turns to Richards and Callahan to score as Fedotenko (on their line) has never been relied on for offense. So with no Dubinsky offense, the depth is tested.

It’s getting to the stage of the season where Dubinsky’s bad year threatens to undermine everything good about the year so far. His bad year threatens to adversely affect the great start to the season. He needs to be a factor going forward. I don’t buy into the apparent annual team slump around this time of year. It’s a different team with different players. What I do buy into is making changes to proactively impact players’ form. Let the players characterised by work effort and determination play. Get back to being a relentless fore-checking team and for that, at least right now, Dubi needs to sit.

Callahan Exceeding Expectations

So the title of this post may get a lot of puzzling looks. How can Ryan Callahan be exceeding expectations? Well, simply put, I don’t think anyone expected him to be this effective this year. We all knew he would continue to block shots, play on the penalty kill, and play a physical game, but it’s the offensive aspects of his game that have really taken off.

Let’s be honest, not many thought Cally could reproduce what he did last year. Prorated to 82 games –he played just 60– his numbers project out to 30-34-64, which is much more than most expect of the fourth round pick. But yet here he is 25 games in with 11 goals and 19 points; well on his way to reaching the 30 goal and 60 point marks, barring injury.

The numbers are good, but it’s his play offensively without the puck that impresses the most. On the powerplay and at even strength, you can find Cally along the boards –expected– or in front of the net providing effective screens for shooters. It’s something that we may have expected of Cally, but defintiely not to be this effecient at it. Cally is causing havoc in front of the net, which is leaving opportunities for Brad Ricahrds to bury some goals.

The Captain is doing it all, and fans in New York have fallen in love with him –for good reason. I recall a conversation I had with a friend that Cally was going to peak at 20-25 goals and roughly 50 points, and that Brandon Dubinsky would be the offensive force for this team. Two years later, Cally is the consistent offensive force, and Dubinsky is on the fourth line as one of the streakiest players on the team. It may be early in the season, but Cally is definitely exceeding expectations of those around him. Let’s see what he can do for a full season, and hope he doesn’t get injured.

A Streaky Musings – The ‘Winning’ Edition

Musing on this fine Thursday morning is brought to you by… one happy camper a week away from getting to New York. However, a week away from this camper’s 30^th birthday makes it less happy. Anyway, on to musings on the hottest team in hockey!

7 in a row? They haven’t played deserving of that streak, but unlike some overly dramatic bloggers out there I can see the positives. This team bends but never breaks, has a will that is mighty impressive and plays hard for each other. If you have team unity, an unwavering will to succeed and then you throw in some skill, you have the potential of a dangerous team.

Power Play, powerless… the powerplay looked good in spells, but there is still a lack of movement. I agree with Suit that with the system they are playing they need to shell the goalies from up high, but players still aren’t creating enough space.

Ryan Callahan is starting to look like last year’s edition. The best bit? With added puck possession, added depth and skill should come less of a need to block shots and this should mean less injury. Despite his all out style, there’s a greater chance we get a full year out of the Captain.

Hands up, who thought the Rangers would be tied for second in the East in points with two games in hand?

As well as they have played in recent games, (improving all the time) Anisimov and Dubinsky still need another goal or two to really get going. Both players are important forwards and a goal each after 16 games does not cut it.

So TSN initially thought Richards wasn’t living up to his end. Not only is he clutch, but he’s on course for the first 30 goal campaign of his NHL career. For a pass-first playmaker, none too shabby.

Tampa Bay was a pretty good team last year. They have a ton of talent to build around. Imagine they actually got the Richards trade right: Tampa Bay Lightning traded Brad Richards and Johan Holmqvist to the Dallas Stars for Mike Smith, Jeff Halpern, Jussi Jokinen and a 4th round selection in 2009…… URGH

The next five games include a hot Florida, the Capitals, Penguins and Flyers. Will we know more about the Rangers after this stretch? Sure. If they lose them all will half of Ranger nation be saying ‘sack the coach?’ Yep. A fickle lot, (some of) us fans.

I’m a Sean Avery fan. I like the ego, I like the player and I like his daring fashion sense… no really. However, let’s not anoint him ‘back’, after two good games against two weak teams. I really hope he gets it together all year because it makes the Rangers that much better, but let’s let him keep it up for a while first. There were still bad parts to Aves’ game in the last few games.

No Munn jokes here.

Who’s been the best player in the league thus far then? I’m saying its close between the re-birth of Thomas Vanek, the continued emergence of Claude Giroux and the play of Jimmy Howard. Yes, Jimmy Howard. I could play the goalie position if I was Pekka Rinne’s size – it’s called cheating.

I love this question and have asked it before: Only one, Anisimov or Stepan?

Good day to you my Rangers chums…………..

Brandon Prust’s Decreasing Role – A Good Thing

As has been said countless times on this site; when Ruslan Fedotenko – Brian Boyle – Brandon Prust is your fourth line, then you have the makings of a contender. Well, at least in Brandon Prust’s case, he is on his way if not already arrived at the fourth line. With such little ice time last night against the Isles (less than 6 minutes) and an ever-dwindling role on the team Prust is nowhere near as relevant as he was last year. However, that is a good thing and if anything just a sign that this team is developing and is deeper than it was the year previous.

Prust fans should not worry however. With less ice time comes less focus, but that doesn’t mean Prust isn’t a valuable player for the Rangers. He’s a heck of a gritty player and will go to war for his team and teammates and he’ll likely be a major factor again this season. But he needs to get healthy and Rangers fans need to realise it cannot be a good thing when the Prust’s of this world are getting 15 minutes a game like he was last year. The Rangers lacked the ability to hold on to the puck last year and part of the reason was the lack of skill on the ice.

Sean Avery has re-emerged, and based purely on the past two games (albeit against inferior opponents) Avery has a legitimate role on this team. Avery is still unique when he plays like he can. He has a healthy dose of skill, is an intelligent hockey player (at times), and is a pest who can bring a physical, relentless style to the game. If the Rangers can have both Avery and Prust firing on all cylinders this season, then my-o-my this team can go places.

Avery, Prust, Fedotenko, Ryan Callahan and even Brandon Dubinsky give this team a boat load of grittiness and effort. Brad Richards, Marian Gaborik, Derek Stepan, and Artem Anisimov bring the skill and finesse to the table. Combine the two and you have the makings of a perfect blend amongst the forward group.

In an ideal world, Prust (and his line) will get between 8-11 minutes per game and be a physical factor. They’ll harass the opposition and create space for the skilled lines to do their thing. Prust will chip in the odd goal, assist, fight and everything he does but it can only bode well when the top six are playing the important minutes because they are – and will be – the difference makers for this club.

Brad Richards – The Critical Addition

It’s probably obvious that when a team signs a marquee talent it expects a substantial return on it’s investment. However, as we have seen in the past, that hasn’t always been the case with the Rangers. Think back to dark, dirty years without play-off hockey at the MSG and you’ll lose count of big name players simply collecting cheques and giving little in return. These days it’s different. Brad Richards was the right addition at the right time for a club with so much in the way of a bright future.

Even if Richards ‘only’ hits 27 goals and 65 points (the totals he’s on target for), his on-ice presence has resulted in greater depth, team’s having to focus on more than one line – spreading the defensive coverage – and the arrival of another winner in the organisation. Team’s can learn to win, but there’s no harm in accelerating the learning process by adding a proven winner to the mix. Providing the foundations are set.

The Rangers have drafted well and appear to be a young, tight-knit group that play hard for each other. Brad Richards isn’t just a quality player, but he seems to fit in the team dynamic too. He’s influencing the young players like Stepan and Anisimov, he’s a positive guy that is more than happy to share the limelight (Broadway hat anyone?) and he is someone that gladly assumes responsibility. Depending on what your opinion is on long term contracts in a cap world there really is nothing to dislike about the Richards signing.

The Rangers have the best goaltender in the world and a burgeoning core that is growing together. When the team added Marian Gaborik to the mix they added an elite goal scorer to a bunch of kids still growing. Then they continued to grow. This summer when Richards came on board this club (and the roster) had matured and Richards was added at the right time. The club appears ready to take the next step towards being a contender and the way the team has played recently; far from perfect but never rolled over, proves that the mental strength required to win is there. Richards adds to that mentality.

Richards’ totals may not be brilliant (although they are far from bad), but his impact has been significant. His goal against the Ducks in Sweden was decisive: thanks to that goal 2 OT losses looks better than one solitary point. His game winner against Montreal helped avoid what would have been a second collapse in a week and he has been relatively consistent all season. He has done it against the good teams too. He’s contributed offensively against the Sharks, Ducks, Kings and Canucks – all play-off bound teams. He doesn’t disappear when the quality of competition increases.

This team has flaws, naturally; it isn’t as skilful as the Penguins or Caps, nor is it as potent as some other clubs on the power play, but Richards improves both aspects on the Rangers. If this club goes on to have significant success, there’ll be a few milestone moments that will be looked on as being critical.

Drafting Henrik Lundqvist way back in 2000, Callahan in 2004 and Marc Staal in 2005, not to mention the culture change – and youth emphasis – that has gone on under John Tortorella are all crucial moments/periods in recent Rangers history. Adding Brad Richards (the right player, at the right time) may be another of those seminal moments that make this club a winner. Here’s hoping.