The Hockey Suit

The Decision - My Final Post

2011-04-18T00:31:00.003-04:00

In case you haven't been following me on twitter this weekend or if you didn't read this Saturday's post, I will be shutting down this website due to a new policy at my company that prohibits employees from owning/running blogs.

Of course any good suit worth his Hickey Freeman knows how to work around tax loopholes, as well as anti-blogging agendas.

That's right readers, The Suit may no longer be blogging here, but I will be blogging at arguably the best Rangers blog out there. But rather than just flat out tell you which blog that is (how anti-climatic?), I decided to do what all egotistical a-holes do, and that's bring in Jim Gray to interview myself.

Jim: The answer to the question everybody wants to know: Suit, what's your decision?

Suit: As of Monday 4/18, this is very tough, I'm going to take my talents to Blue Seat Blogs and join the best Rangers blog ever.

Jim: Blue Seat Blogs? That was the conclusion you woke up with this morning?

Suit: That was the conclusion I woke up with this morning...well I woke up, had a nice hangover dump, and then I made my decision.

Jim: Why?

Suit: Like I said before, I feel like it's going to give me the best opportunity to win and we all know how important #winning is in this day and age. I want to be able to win championships. And I feel like I can compete down there.

Jim: Win what, you're a blogger?

Suit: Shut up!

Jim: I'm confused.

Suit: Your shirt/tie combo is terrible.

Jim: Okay, was it always in your plans to go and blog with Dave Shapiro, Jurgenno, Michael Gleich, and Jeremy?

Suit: Well, I mean, I'm looking forward to it. To say it was always in my plans, I can't say it was always in my plans because I never thought it was possible.

But the things that the BSB franchise has done to be able to free up cap space and to be able to put themselves in a position this summer to have all of us, it was hard to turn down. Those are great writers, the greatest writers we have in this game today.

And, you know, you add me, we're going to be a really good team.

Jim: Well, I don't see what cap space has anything to do with joining a blog that won't pay you...but okay, what do you think will be the fans' reaction back there, and will you still live in Akron?

Suit: I'm not sure. You know, they can have mixed emotions, of course, but it's going to be a lot of emotions not understanding why. And then you're going to have the real friends who love me for who I am.

As for living in Akron, I have no idea what the f**k you are talking about. Akron is ghetto and I'm a suit. The only place I'll ever consider living is New York City. More specifically, neighborhoods in New York City where there aren't housing projects. I like brownstones and lofts. What do you live in a cardboard box? Akron? This interview is over. Jim Gray, you suck.

The End Of The Beginning

2011-04-16T08:58:00.001-04:00

Unfortunately, this is not a game recap. If you were expecting one, my apologies...please click on one of those links to your right.

No, this post is to inform you that I will be shutting down this site soon. Unfortunately, I have new management at my company and they have a new policy forbidding their employees from running/operating blogs. Part of it is because we are not allowed to make any additional income outside of our paychecks (ha! like I was making any money off of this anyway) and part of it is because they don't want us bashing other sports teams/players/personnel since many of these public figures are considered our peers.

With that said, my ~~shallowest~~ deepest apologies to Alexander Burrows, P.K. Subban, Matt Carkner, Daniel Carcillo, Danny Briere, Ilya Kovalchuk, The New York Islanders, Gary Bettman, anyone who works in NHL Marketing, Versus, Darryl Sutter, any GM who has traded with Glen Sather and made him look good, etc, etc.

Oh, Mike Milbury and Ken Campbell...go ___ yourself :)

The good news is that I literally read this new policy about 100 times and nowhere does it state that I am barred from using twitter. It also doesn't mention anything about not being able to contribute to other blogs. So if anyone is looking to add an over opinionated suit to their roster, let me know.

If I do end up contributing to another blog, I will let everyone know before I shut this site down. Till then, thank you for reading.

Let's Go Rangers!

Rangers Return To The Scene Of The Crime

2011-04-11T06:38:00.000-04:00

The first round of the post-season in 2008-09 against the Capitals was quite a roller coaster ride. It was a series few expected to win. It was a game 7 few expected to lose. The Rangers went up in that series 3-1 only to drop 3 games in a row.

The meltdown began with Sean Avery taking two atrocious penalties late in Game 4, Tortorella squirting a water bottle at idiotic (and probably homophobic) Capitals fans in Game 5, and finished with Wade Redden screening Lundqvist on the final goal in Game 7.

Sure, it's easy to sit here and cherry pick those specific incidences as reasons for the Rangers demise, but the reality was the Rangers had no business winning that series.

The Blueshirts, defensively, rolled out a red carpet for the Caps right on Lundqvist's doorstep. They allowed 35+ shots (most of them within homeplate) in 4 out of the 7 games in that series. Their power play went 4 for 32, and they were about as disciplined as a 5 year old in a candy store...which of course overshadowed the fact that refs Kelly Sutherland and Dan O'Halloran also did their best to ensure a Penguins/Capitals match-up in the ensuing round.

But that's all history right?

Well in order to make sure that history doesn't repeat itself, the Rangers who played (and yes coached) in that eventful series must remember how they beat themselves.

Sure there are new players on both sides and new tactics (which I'll get into later this week), but if the Rangers want to steal this series, it must start with determination on defense and end with discipline.

My first roster casualty to ensure these principles...bench Sean Avery.

Golden Moments

2011-04-08T11:23:00.000-04:00

Yet another Friday morning arises where a depressed Rangers fan base is looking for something to cheer them up. Well folks, that's what Casual Fridays are for. It's a time when we leave angry rants, over analysis, and heated topics alone for one day and focus on why we are all fans in the first place.

For the Blueshirts United, it's moments like these why we keep coming back no matter what. So minimize that Excel chart or that PowerPoint presentation for a few minutes, put those on headphones and enjoy. For tomorrow may bring yet another golden moment.

Keep the Faith!

Mailbag: Blocking Shots A Failing Strategy?

2011-04-07T11:34:00.002-04:00

Suit,

Have you read Brooks' latest article trashing the Rangers philosophy of blocking shots? What are your thoughts on this from an X's and O's perspective? I know you pulled some stats a few months ago showing blocking shots generally isn't a characteristic of winning teams, but for some reason I feel like it is a reason why this team's having success despite all the injuries. What's your take?

- Jason

Jason,

First things first, while I'd love to claim that I wrote an article about blocking shots not being a characteristic of successful teams, unfortunately I did not. The only thing on blocking shots that was posted here was a terrific article from Cap.

Cap talked about the art of blocking shots, the proper technique, and how players are trained to block shots differently in Russia than how they are trained in North America. If you haven't read it, I suggest you do so.

The article you are probably referring to was written by Dave over at Blue Seat Blogs. Dave talked more about the correlation between blocked shots and wins, essentially the same thing Brooks brought up, only Dave thought of it first ;)

Anyway, this too was an excellent article and should be added to your "to read" list.

As far as blocking shots go from a strategic perspective, it’s pretty obvious that it has been the cause of many of our injuries. When you dive in front of the puck the way the Rangers do and the amount that they do it, you are bound to lose players to broken bones and bruised body parts. However, I do agree with you Jason that despite these injuries, blocked shots is one of the many reasons why our team has had success defensively this season, especially on the penalty kill.

Down the road though, I would like to see the Rangers possess the puck more. Blocking a lot of shots, along with missed shots, and shots against on goal, are good indicators that your team’s puck possession isn’t as good as the opposition. If the Rangers ever want to become the Blackhawks, the Redwings, etc, they are going to have to acquire faster skaters that want the puck and are patient with it.

This isn’t a knock against Tortorella’s tactics. He has designed a system that is indicative of his player’s strengths and weaknesses. However, if the Rangers can acquire prospects and players with more speed and skill, hopefully we can move away from having to block shots in order to be successful.

I want to see the Rangers eventually abandon having to play dump and chase on the power play. I want to see Rangers forwards attacking the blueline on the penalty kill, not collapsing in front of the net and blocking shots. I want our top players in the lineup, not out of it because they took one off the foot, hand, face, etc. I think we will get there, but we will need to add certain types of players. But that is talk for the summer, for now let’s enjoy where we are and hopefully we’ll get these next two wins.

Cally Out With Broken Ankle, Drury One Last Chance At Glory

2011-04-05T15:24:00.001-04:00

So the rumors are true, Ryan Callahan broke his ankle last night blocking a howitzer from Zdeno Chara. Obviously losing Callahan (again) is a huge loss. There is no one on this team who brings skill and will the way he does.

How long Callahan will remain out has yet to be determined, but if I were a betting man, I would prognosticate that we don't see him again until September. In talking to a few friends who've played at a high level, broken ankles from pucks generally require surgery followed by anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months on crutches pending on the break.

In his absence, Gaborik will probably be moved up to play alongside Dubinsky and Anisimov. After that line though, nothing is set in stone. Obviously someone has to step up, but the question is...who?

There have been talks of Gilroy playing right wing or Sean Avery getting more playing time, but lets face it, he who doesn't have the coach's trust, won't be a playoff hero. There's Kris Newbury down in Hartford, but the way he plays, a World of Warcraft fan probably has a better chance getting on top of a pornstar than that guy does getting top minutes on Broadway.

Yes folks, that leaves Captain America himself.

According to the internet, Drury is practicing, with an eye on returning for the playoffs. Now I know Drury haters will be quick to point out that he hasn't scored a goal since last April, but that is irrelevant.

The Aaron Boone moments of sports happen because of a coach's trust. And in sports, as in the real world, people can succeed when they are put in a position to do so. When you have a coach's trust, that moment is there for the taking.

Future Still Bright For Mats Zuccarello, But Perhaps Elsewhere...

2011-04-04T17:23:00.001-04:00

Quite a few fans of Mats Zuccarello have emailed me over the past week wondering if Zukes still has what it takes to be an NHLer and most importantly a New York Ranger. Some have asked about his size, others about his speed and even one curious fan wondered if The Hobbit would be better off on a different team with a different system (i.e. trap, lock, etc). I figured I would turn these emails into a post since many Zuccarello fans follow his career from across the pond and are unable to watch the youngster on a nightly basis.

Where to begin…

Zuccarello isn’t in Hartford because he doesn’t fit our system, or because of his size and/or skill. Zuccarello is in Hartford for two reasons…the first is because of the Rangers depth on RW, the second reason is because of his contract.

Wolski, Christensen, and Avery did not outplay Zuccarello in the weeks leading up to his demotion. However, if you are Glen Sather and you are keeping an eye on finances, are you going to demote Wolski, Christensen, or Avery and pay them $3.8M, $925K, or $1.9M to play in Hartford? Or is it easier to just send down Zuccarello, who is on a 2-way contract, and pay him a pedestrian $67,000?

Zuccarello is a right winger, currently 4th on the depth chart behind Gaborik, Callahan, and Prust. It doesn’t make much sense to play Zuccarello on the 4th line. Fourth lines on Tortorella teams get virtually zero minutes. The fourth line is used so everyone else can get a breather. It’s not a place for a young forward who you are trying to mold into a top 6 player.

Now I know what you are thinking; his contract and his spot on the depth chart aren't likely to change come next season, so what does this mean for his future with the Rangers and the NHL?

While it's too early to predict his path with the Blueshirts, I do think that he definitely has what it takes to succeed in the NHL. The media and the fans who buy their bullsh*t will tell you that he's too small, but that's a lazy analysis.

Zuccarello isn't too small for the Show, not for a forward anyway. There are currently around 15-20 players in the NHL that play at or below 5'8 and Zuccarello has better skills than most of them. He may not or ever be as quick as Gionta, Cammalleri, St. Louis, Briere, or Ennis, but he's not a step behind Gerbe, Connor, Shannon, or Recchi either.

Zukes doesn't need to hit the gym or find the Zoltar machine at Rye Playland.

"I WISH I WERE BIG!"

No, but he may have to switch to the other side of the ice.

To me, Zuccarello's struggles generally occur along the boards. This is mostly due to the fact that he is a left handed shot playing right wing. While playing the "off wing" is good for scoring goals (remember the whole Kovy fiasco in NJ this season), it does make board play more difficult.

Zukes is already at a disadvantage coming over from the larger rinks of the Swedish Elite League, where you have a week and a half to decide what to do with the puck. Here on North America rinks, no such luxury exists. So, not only is Zukes getting used to the pacing and physicality of NHL forechecking, but he also has to get used to receiving pucks along the board on his backhand, which is obviously more difficult than receiving puck on your forehand. Add a 220-lb defensemen pressed up against you, and you're talking a whole new skill set to learn.

Passing and cycling along the boards is where he needs to improve. If he wants to speed up the learning process, I say he take a shot at leftwing. Besides, other than Dubinsky, none of our other LW's are locks for next season.

Casual Fridays: Creepy Pierre McGuire Comments & The Mets "BJ" Club

2011-04-01T10:56:00.001-04:00

I know it's not the happiest of Fridays thanks to the Rangers implosion in Nassau last night, but if you're like me, you relish anything comical to get you through those last 8 hours of the work week.

Below are few things readers sent to me that I thought I would share to help lift your spirits...

Yes, the most desperate team in NY has a new ticket package for you!

Seriously, would it have been that hard to just call this Mr. Mets BJ's Wholesale Club? I know anything BJ's sponsors sounds utterly ridiculous, but jeez there is just no effort on this one.

In other news, I generally don't find anyone in hockey to be more revolting than Mike Milbury, but his sidekick Pierre McGuire is starting to impress me with his overall awkwardness. Apparently this has been a running joke in Canada for quite sometime. Scope out these super creepy comments.

The Importance Of Thigh Boards

2011-03-30T22:34:00.001-04:00

In case you missed it, Hank took a shot above his right knee tonight in Buffalo. While he seemed to favor it the rest of the game, he shouldn't have any damage beyond a nasty welt come morning.

What's interesting about this incident (and equally scary) is the fact that had he'd been wearing a thigh board (see picture), he probably would have been fine.

Of course, the NHL imposed a rule banning thigh boards so more goals could be scored through the five-hole. The problem with this is when goalies are down in the butterfly, their upper knees/lower thighs are partially exposed.

Notice in the picture below how Hank's pads aren't locked. This is where goalies can run into trouble. The red line I drew represents where there is a lack of padding and probably where Hank took the shot. The green circle is where the thigh boards would be attached if they were in fact legal.

Anyway, I just thought I would illustrate this since most people have never worn goalie pads before.

From experience, I will say that when you do take a shot there, you're probably going to be feeling it anywhere from 1-2 weeks, depending on where you were hit and how hard the shot was. Hopefully the Rangers staff comes to their senses and gives Hank the night off tomorrow.

Henrik Stands Alone In Vezina Talk

2011-03-29T15:09:00.000-04:00

Lundqvist being named the NHL's third star of the week is like receiving a $100 gift card to Barneys. You appreciate the gesture, but really, what the **** are you going to get with this?

Of course, if you enjoy only being able to buy socks in an expensive clothing store, you may feel different.

I digress...

Call me a snob, but I am saving the excitement for when Hank wins the Vezina, and at this point, I don't see why he shouldn't. There is no goalie in the NHL who even comes close to Henrik and his play between the pipes.

NBC/Versus (aka the NHL marketing machine) has thrown other names around like Marc-André Fleury, Carey Price, Roberto Luongo and of course, Tim Thomas. While all of these guys are great goaltenders, none of them deserve the Vezina.

The Vezina isn't just about giving the award to the goalie with the best stats. It is about awarding the man who lifts his entire team, organization, and city, and puts them all on his back while simultaneously achieving greatness in spectacular fashion.

Consider past winners like Martin Brodeur, Ryan Miller, Patrick Roy (w/ the Canadiens), etc, do you think any of those teams could have climbed as high as they did without their goalies? Not a chance. Now think of these names (other than Hank) currently being tossed around for the Vezina...not quite the same is it?

Marc- André Fleury has been playing great since the Penguins lost their stars to injury. Unfortunately for Fleury, the Vezina goes to the goalie who’s been great all year.

Fleury was atrocious at the beginning of the season. Ten of his first thirteen games he had a save percentage under .900. He turned it on soon afterwards until the month of February where he sank back to mediocrity. Since then he’s been either spectacular or awful. And his up and down season doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s been inconsistent his whole career.

Carey Price is another goalie who has looked fantastic some nights and pedestrian other nights. He has similar stats to Hank, but when Price slumped his valleys were worse than the King’s. During the month of December Price went 5-7 with a .893 SV%. Hank’s worst month was November. He went 5-6 with a .915 SV% and 2 shutouts.

Roberto Luongo is another one with similar numbers to Lundqvist, yet Henrik achieved his greatness with a mediocre team. Roberto has a friggan All-Star team in front of him and the Canucks don’t rely on him nearly as much as the Rangers rely on Lundqvist. If Canuckleheads truly think this is still an even match up, let us remind them that Hank has 11 shutouts, Luongo has only three.

Finally, the only goalie in history to admit to eating fast food before games, Tim Thomas is being mentioned left and right as the front-runner for the award. Tim Thomas has unbelievable stats (32 wins, .939 SV% 2.00 GAA), that is indisputable. However, no starting goaltender gets more rest than he does.

Thomas has started the least amount of games of any of the top goalies (50 starts) and he rarely ever plays more than three games in any given week. Lundqvist on the other hand, doesn’t know what rest is. He has no backup goaltender to help him stay fresh. Hank has started 20 straight games and will pass far beyond that by season’s end.

Plus, have you ever wondered what Tim Thomas’ stats would look like if he didn’t play behind Chara or a team that traps you to death?

There isn’t much to wonder. Lundqvist leads this pack of individuals with only 7 goals against on 44 shootout attempts (.841 SV%). Thomas has stopped 8 of 17 (.529 SV%).

Sorry haters, but Henrik stands alone indeed. He is the only goalie who is top 5 in minutes, GAA, SV%, Shootouts, and Shutouts. No other goalie has that claim and no other goalie deserves the Vezina.

Boyle Coming Back Down To Earth?

2011-03-28T09:34:00.000-04:00

One of the biggest surprises during the first half of the season was Rangers forward Brian Boyle. Boyle came out of the gate looking like a completely different player from last year and was huge part of our offense.

Through the first three months of the season, Boyle had 14 goals and 22 points in 38 games. Since that time his production has steadily declined. In the past 38 games, Boyle has scored just 7 goals/11 points and only one of those has come in the month of March (12 games).

While Boyle’s skating technique still appears to be congruent with the first half, his stamina looks to be running near empty. He rarely beats defenders on the rush, he’s not driving to the net as much, and he just seems to be missing that extra step on the forecheck.

To be fair, Boyle hasn’t played this many minutes per game since…well ever really. Since Prospal and Gaborik have been reunited, his line has also been getting used more on the defensive side of the ice. However, you could make the same excuses for Prust and yet he has delivered the same output consistently all season.

Now this doesn’t mean I don’t want to resign Boyle or that I am downgrading his importance to the team. That’s not my intent. However, if the Rangers make the playoffs and get matched up with a team like the Bruins, they are going to need the Brian Boyle of the 1^st half. The Prospal/EC/Gaborik combo still hasn’t excited me at all and the Pack line (Dubi/Arty/Cally) can only carry us so far.

We are going to need secondary scoring. We are going to need someone aside from Dubinsky to win a (expletive) faceoff. We are going to need Brian Boyle.

The stratosphere is calling you again...

Page Six Prust?

2011-03-25T13:24:00.003-04:00

Many have wondered aloud if Brandon Prust's play this season has made Sean Avery expendable. Prust does averything Sean used to.

He's physical, he grinds, he's excellent on the forecheck, he sticks up for teammates, and this season he's added a bit of offense to his game (27 pts through 75 games). Most importantly though, Prust doesn't take bad penalties, which has been Sean Avery's Achilles' Heel his entire career.

Now it seems Prust may be stealing one more page from the Sean Avery play-book...Gossip!

Yesterday's NY Post had a little article entitled "Heartbreaker," which essentially blew up Brandon's spot. Here's a highlight:

New York Rangers star Brandon Prust has been caught red-lipped. After we reported yesterday that he's been getting cozy with "Gossip Girl" star Michelle Trachtenberg, his beautiful girlfriend of a year, Marie-Pier Morin, who's now in Canada, burst into tears, our source said. "He makes out with other girls all the time, like all the time," said a different source who's seen him lock lips with women at Gold Bar and 1Oak.

Oh Brandon, this aint Calgary bro. If you make out with celebrities in NYC, your woman is going to find out about it.

Whatever, good for him, keep living the dream kido.

Bad Decisions Killing Rangers Rushes (Featuring Photos & Highlighter!)

2011-03-24T12:26:00.003-04:00

Throughout the course of the season there has been a lot written on the Rangers lack of creativity on offense. Some have suggested that the Rangers can fix this issue by acquiring a better passer or playmaker this summer (a la Brad Richards), others desire another 30+ goal scorer, while some are just hoping our prospects can come in and fix our flaws.

Truth be told, none of those solutions are wrong per se and certainly all three are welcomed, however, many are missing the true origin of these problems. To me, the starting point of why so many "chances" go to waste has to do with bad decision making. There is no better evidence of Rangers' decisions gone awry than on odd man rushes. Odd man rushes, like power plays, are litmus tests, and converting on them are prerequisites for success in the postseason.

The other night against Florida was just a classic example of how the Rangers failed to convert and it could have cost them the game had Hank not been Hank. The Rangers had close to 10 odd man rushes, which was fantastic for going against a trap team, but those rushes generated only 2 shots on goal, and of course neither found the back of the net.

Here’s a perfect example from the other night of how odd man rushes amount to nothing.

Thanks to a generous turnover in the neutral zone, Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky are in on a 2 on 1. Ryan decides to take a shallow angle shot (red line) and puts it right in Vokoun’s belly for an easy save. A better option (yellow line) might have been to thread a pass to Dubinsky, who had a whole lot of net to shoot at, or throw the puck at Voukon’s right pad (green line), creating a juicy rebound for Dubi to hammer home.

Below are a few other examples of Rangers rushes that ended in similar fashion.

On this 2 on 1, Dubi fans on a shot short side (red line). A better option (yellow line) might have been to wrist one on Pavelec's right pad in hopes for a rebound. However, since the Thrashers d-man is passively playing shot (notice the stick angle), the best option would probably be to lateral to Callahan for the put-away.

Here's another doozie. Brian Boyle elects to shoot short side on Fleury (red line), which of course misses the net completely and skirts out of the zone.

Since the D-man is aggressively playing shot, a better option might have been to hit Zukes streaking down the weak side (yellow line) or drop one to Callahan (green line) who can either shoot or lateral to Zukes. Either way, it's better than another miss.

I know these may seem a bit anecdotal, but if you've been watching the Rangers religiously this season, I think you have a pretty good sense of where their problems lie. Hopefully, whatever is causing these mental gaffes subsides by the time playoffs come around. If we end up playing the Capitals or the Bruins (which it looks like we will), we are going to need convert on every chance we get.

Thanks Joe, But I Got It Covered...

2011-03-23T14:01:00.002-04:00

If you follow me on twitter during Rangers games, then you've probably noticed I like to make fun of Joe Micheletti for always having to watch a replay 10 times before getting the analysis right.

Point in case, if you caught the Rangers game last night, I am sure you remember Joe Micheletti's segment called "defending home plate."

You remember defending home plate right...that vaguely discussed concept of how the Rangers try to eliminate quality shots taken in their defensive zone?

Ringing any bells?

C'mon people! I did a whole post on this during pre-season!

Ok so it wasn't preseason, it was November, but still! Why did it take until 9 games left in the regular season to figure out how the Rangers defend in the DZ? It's not like there has been a strategy change.

Look, I'm sure the average viewer doesn't give a sh*t about knowing the X's and O's of hockey. However, if we are going to whip out the blue highlighter and do some real analysis, next time let's get the guy who created the actual concept in the booth.

Lemieux Needs To Put His Money Where His Mouth Is (updated)

2011-03-21T12:10:00.003-04:00

Last month Mario Lemieux said the NHL failed in its punishment of the Islanders following a fight-filled night at Nassau Coliseum - and went so far as to question whether he wanted to even stay in hockey. Lemieux called the league a “sideshow,” the incident in Nassau a “travesty,” and he went on and on about how the league has been mishandling dirty hockey.

Well Mario, you just summed up exactly how every NHL fan outside of Pittsburgh feels about Matt Cooke, a player whose rap sheet swelled the moment he put on a Penguins jersey. Cooke has been around the league for over 10 years now, yet his history of targeting player’s noggins is largely concentrated to the last three seasons.

Now Cooke was no saint in Vancouver or Washington, there’s plenty of youtube videos featuring Cooke taking out player’s knees, but since he’s joined Team Lemieux, he has added headshots to his resume.

While on Lemieux’s payroll, Cooke has now delivered blatant cheapshots to Ryan McDonagh, Artem Anisimov (2 game suspension), Zach Bogosian, Erik Cole, Rick Dipietro, Evander Kane, Erik Karlsson, Andrei Markov, Steve Montador, Chris Osgood, Alexander Ovechkin, Zach Parise, Marc Savard, Fedor Tyutin (four game suspension), Scott Walker (2 game suspension), and Keith Yandle. For those of you who haven’t seen some of these dirtball incidents, none of them were borderline plays, not even close.

So while the league may finally suspend this guy for more than 10 games (they should really throw him out of the league at this point), whatever suspension they do hand down, still won’t be enough. And I don’t want to hear from Penguins or NHL PR spinsters that Cooke is a great guy off the ice, and how he does a lot of charity work, or he promises sick kids in hospitals he’ll throw an elbow for them. You evaluate an employee by what they do at work and you promote or punish accordingly.

But let’s face it. The Penguins are still the NHL’s poster boys, so the real sideshow is that when all is said and done, Cooke will still earn a seven figure paycheck and even worse, he will still wear the mark of an assistant captain. That Mr. Lemieux, is the real travesty in hockey.

***Update - So the league decided not to puss out and suspended Cooke for the remainder of the season and the 1st round of the playoffs. Kudos to them for finally getting it right after the guy has tried to injure more than two rosters worth of skaters.

Maybe now Mario will come to his senses and either buyout or bury Cooke in the minors this offseason. Personally, I don't care what the Penguins do with the guy. Just make sure he never steps foot on NHL ice again.

Scouting the Pittsburgh Penguins & the Referees

2011-03-20T10:52:00.002-04:00

The Rangers skate into Pittsburgh today to face the Penguins, who will still be without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. With so much on the line, if that isn't a relief, then I don't know what is.

Obviously not having their two best players limits their offense, but what we should all be most excited about is the fact that piss-poor refereeing shouldn't cost us a game. If you don't recall my post back in December quantifying the feeling that refs tilt the ice in Pittsburgh, let me debrief you.

Since the 2006-07 season, the Rangers have played the Penguins in Pittsburgh 18 times (including playoffs). During that time the Rangers have received 353 minutes worth of penalties. The Penguins have received 247 minutes. For those of you who can’t do quick math in your heads, that’s a 106 minute difference. Yikes.

Surprise, surprise the refs were biased in Pittsburgh when they had their stars in the lineup, ok, but what about now?

Since the Winter Classic, the Penguins still draw more penalties then they receive - which is odd considering they are one of the most penalized teams in the league - however, they haven't been able to execute given their glorious opportunities.

Through February and March, the Penguins have had 47 power play opportunities, yet they have only 3 power play goals to show for it.

Despite their slumping PP, they're still winning thanks to having one of the best defenses in the league. They have two excellent offensive defensemen in Kris Letang and Paul Martin, and two of the best shutdown defensemen in the game in Brooks Orpik and Zbynek Michalek.

In order for the Rangers to get a win today, getting the puck deep on the forecheck and pressuring these very mobile defensmen will be priority numero uno.

MSG Execs Wouldn't Mind Seeing Devils Snag The 8th Spot

2011-03-18T23:32:00.001-04:00

If the Rangers are able to clinch a spot in the post season, executives over at MSG Network would probably prefer the Rangers clinch the 6th or 7th seed and have the Devils clinch the 8th seed. Their reasoning is simple. It's always about money, or in this case advertising/sponsorship money.

Advertisers know that if the Rangers play the Devils in the second round, the ratings for the series won't be nearly as high on MSG and MSGP as they would if the two teams played other opponents.

If the Rangers play Boston in round 2 and the Devils play, I don't know let's say Pittsburgh...the league can schedule the series on separate nights or at least in separate time slots. This would encourage Metro Area hockey fans to watch both teams. However, if the Rangers play the Devils in round 2, then the total number of Metro Area hockey fans are split amongst two networks, hence lower ratings.

The other reason why MSG Network exec's don't want the Rangers playing the Devils early is because obviously one team would be eliminating the other. How much more profitable is it to have two of their teams in the post season than it is to have only one?

In the business of sports, the ideal playoff matchups aren't always built around which team they think they can knock off, but rather which team can garner the most profit.

You may think I am getting a head of myself here, but make no mistake...the Rangers and Devils are making the playoffs. The question is seeding.

Casual Fridays: Best Fight I've Seen In A While

2011-03-18T17:59:00.001-04:00

Colorado's Ryan Wilson faces off against Nashville's Jordin Tootoo. I gotta admit, it's been a while since I've seen a good fight. Especially since so many battles are staged and meaningless these days.

Scope it.

Plans Leaked For The New MSG Set To Open in 2050

2011-03-15T17:01:00.001-04:00

While Larry Brooks and all of the “real fans” bemoan the latest release of ticket prices for the Renovated Madison Square Garden, I for one am looking forward to the New Madison Square Garden set to open in 2050. Below are the plans and future press release for the New MSG that was leaked this afternoon.

The plans are underway to create Madison Square Garden V, set to open in 2050. When complete the arena will feature wider concourses, overpriced watered down beer, new first-class food and entertainment amenities, “bottle service”, improved sightlines, silk to wipe your ass with, and LED video systems in 4D. Fans will discover a state-of-the-art venue that's as forgettable as the moments that happen here.

And while a lot about The Garden may be changing, there's one thing that will slowly erode - a passionate fan base.

The fervor and intensity that has always made MSG the greatest arena in the world will cease to exist due to our “competitive” pricing structure. And why not, it’s 2050! There will be no more laptops, leather-bound books, unions, or the middle class, but there will be a first-class clientele!

Who needs working folk anyway?

In Garden V, the arena will be entirely composed of state-of-the-art suites. That’s right no more upper bowl, lower bowl, or those awful peasants who used to occupy them, just luxury suites for Corporate Earth.

Each Suite will feature futuristic floating touch screens that will show you everything from the vital signs of your favorite injured Ranger, to fantasy scores, shot charts, stock tickers, even the financial health of the Ponzi sitting next to you.

Explore everything the transformed Garden has to offer now!

Pay No Attention To Brett Hull's Opinions About Goaltending

2011-03-14T11:52:00.002-04:00

The Suit,

Avid hockey fan here. Just found your blog and liked what I read about relocation. Just wondering what you and Dr. Dangles thoughts are on goalie equipment sizes causing a reduction a goal scoring.

Brett Hull said once that today's goalies are not any better than those of the 80's or 70's, as they don't move to make a save and just let the puck hit them by being in a default butterfly save position at the threat of a shot.

As for me, I sort of feel like not reducing goalie pads and equipment has caused hockey to be played more like soccer. That is defensive minded and less than entertaining or thrilling to watch than in the past.

-Myles

I am going to let Eric (aka Dr. Dangles) answer this, since he knows goaltending like I know fine suits.

Dr. Dangles: The evolution of goalie equipment has definitely helped to improve certain aspects of goaltending over the years. I mean Jim Craig's pads from the 1980 Olympics were smaller than the pads I used in middle school when I was 5’6 and he was what 6’1?

The pads that are used now are bigger, more flexible, flat (great for rebound control), and have high density foam which helps reduce weight, the distance of rebounds, as well as provide better protection for the goalkeepers. These are all great assets that have helped goalies move quicker and recover to make those crucial 2nd, 3rd, and 4th saves. All of these changes were bound to occur with the evolution of the game and the technological age we live in.

With these changes a reduction in goals was inevitable. However, I truly believe that the pads aren't the only reason why goalies make more saves now than they ever did before. Goalies today are far better trained and educated about the game than they were even 15 years ago, let alone 30-40 years ago.

They are better trained in positioning, rebound placement, and they have a specific type of save for every kind of shot they face. Watch Lundqvist or Miller. How often do you see them have to make desperation saves? Not very often. That’s because they are so well schooled in their technique. I got a bit more in depth in my post, The Evolution of Modern Goaltending, which I suggest you read for more on this topic.

On to Brett Hull’s presumptuous quote…he thinks that goalies of today are equally athletic to their 1970s and 1980s counterparts, which I assure you is a dumb opinion. Athletes in general train much harder and much smarter these days and goalies are no exception.

I’m not quite sure what his problem is with dropping into the butterfly position. These simple smooth movements get one in the perfect position to make saves. The goal is and has always been to stop the effin puck. Last time I checked that method is working.

As far as equipment sizes go, these guys are so well trained you can shrink their pads (currently 11 inches wide) to 10 inches or even 9 inches and goals against will probably be about the same. Don’t get me wrong, it was a smart move by the league this season to make goalies wear pads that correspond to their size, because the age of Garth Snow pad sizes were getting a little insane. However, most goalies since the lockout not named Chris Osgood have worn pads congruent to their size, so that change doesn’t appear to be having a noticeable effect.

Finally, I’m not quite sure what you meant by hockey is being played more like soccer. Hockey has opened up immensely since the lockout. The season leading up to the lockout there were only four teams who were putting up 30+ shots per game. This season over half the league is getting 30+ shots on net. There are also far more odd man rushes and quality shots/scoring chances than there were pre-lockout.

In my humble opinion, all of the rules (including goalie equipment) should stay as is.

~Dangles

History Will Be Made...Again

2011-03-10T23:11:00.002-05:00

So the league is going with the "History Will Be Made" themed promos again to drum up interest for the playoffs. Last year these were wildly successful and spawned a gazillion parodies on Youtube, even one featuring Sean Avery, which I suggest you seek out.

To be honest, I'll admit that I am a little bummed they're sticking with the same theme. Why not try something new? Where's the creativity?

How about showing clips of last year's playoffs set to heroic music? Or show fights from this year with Nickleback in the background?

Alright f*ck it, I guess it's all been done before.

Anyway, so far four promos have been released. Only one of them really stood out to me, which you can see below. For the others scope out Broadcasting Cable's article on the promos here...
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/464771-NHL_s_History_Will_Be_Made_Video_Promo.php

Stadium Financing & Politics

2011-03-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

Suit,

I am in the midst of writing a term paper for one of my classes about stadium financing. I was wondering how much politics really comes into play. To your knowledge, does one party cater to the business of sports more so than the other party? What about the new MSG, Citifield, Yankee, etc? If a Democrat were mayor, would any of these stadiums have been funded by taxpayer dollars since the left is typically more interested social programs and not big business?

Any input would be helpful!

-Seth

Seth,

What class are you taking and why the hell wasn’t this offered when I was in college?

In regards to your questions, there are so many different ways I could answer them. I feel like you are looking for black and white answers, but I assure you when it comes to politics & sports, you will find no comfort or clarity.

Without getting too political – as I know that is not what you all come here for – let’s get one thing straight off the bat. The renovation currently going on at MSG is not costing taxpayers a dime, which is not the case with the other stadiums that have been built recently in the NY area.

MSG’s renovations are being completely funded by Dolan and company. This is not because Dolan doesn’t believe in public funding, but because he has had an uneasy relationship with Mayor Bloomberg, mostly due to the Westside Stadium fallout. If you don’t know about that whole ordeal, I suggest you Google it.

Outside of the MSG Reno, the sports business is well acquainted with both parties. I wouldn’t say Democrats cater to our interests over Republicans or vice versa. Both parties spend millions and millions of dollars in sports advertising around election time and both parties have supported public financing of new stadiums, ballparks, arenas, etc.

Why?

a) Because politicians want to be associated with your favorite sports teams.

b) They want to be associated with job creation, which obviously helps in the voting booth.

Of course, this can change from city to city. Republicans and Democrats in New York really aren’t that far apart on the political spectrum when it comes to actual legislation. Bloomberg, although a Republican, wouldn’t pass the sniff test with conservatives down South. However, if you want to read about how the political landscape is affecting the sports business outside of NY, I suggest you follow the news coming out of Quebec.

I’m sure you’ve all read here and elsewhere that Quebec City is in the process of planning a new $400 million arena in hopes to lure the NHL back into town. What you may have missed is that Ottawa (currently run by conservatives) chose not to send any funds their way, despite repeated requests from Quebec City.

And that is just one example. I could find you many more examples where the outcomes may have been different (hello Glendale!). But hey it’s your paper, you do the research. One tip of advice, don’t pay attention to what politicians say to the media about stadium financing (or anything really). Look at their voting records. That tells all…

P.S. You probably shouldn't cite me as a source.

Even If Rangers Miss Playoffs, Torts Should Get Jack Adams Nod

2011-03-08T14:39:00.000-05:00

Back in September almost every news outlet in North America picked the Rangers to finish in the cellar of the Eastern Conference. The few that believed the Rangers were worthy of a post-season berth, attributed such prophecies to the health and performance of Marian Gaborik.

Fast-forward to present tense and the Rangers have stayed afloat despite Gaborik’s mediocre season, as well an extraordinary amount of man games lost to injury. No one would have guessed that Tortorella could get this sort of output from this team with the setbacks that have been dealt.

Despite an injury bug that has eradicated the Rangers roster, Torts has actually managed to increase our offense. To date, the Rangers have scored 2.74 goals per game, which is up from last year’s 2.6 G/G and way up from Renney’s final stand, which saw only 2.4 goals per game. Impressively, Torts has gotten this output without sacrificing defense. Right now the Rangers have a +29 goal differential, which is the highest it has been in five years.

All nerdy stats aside, the most important thing he and Sully have done this year is moved this team in the right direction. Brandon Dubinksy, Ryan Callahan, Artem Anisimov, Brian Boyle, Dan Girardi, Brandon Prust, and Marc Staal have all improved under his tutelage. On top of that, Derek Stepan, Mats Zuccarello, Michael Sauer, and Ryan McDonagh have all had impressive rookie seasons. This is not by accident.

All of which brings me to the Jack Adams Award, which is awarded to the coach "adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success." Now I am not naïve enough to believe that this award will be given to a coach whose team misses the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean one can’t be nominated. Matter of fact, if the Rangers and Devils miss the playoffs, I still think both Torts and Lemaire should be finalists.

As for who should win…that I will let play itself out over the next few months. No matter how things shake out though, John Tortorella at least deserves to be in the conversation.

So Long Yotes, See You In Winnipeg

2011-03-06T00:50:00.009-05:00

The sale of the Phoenix Coyotes is about to hit yet another bump in the road, a bump perhaps so large that the Yotes might actually bounce off the map altogether and land in Canada.

The Goldwater Institute, which is a conservative watchdog group in Phoenix, has been opposing the deal between Hulsizer and the city of Glendale because the city planned on paying $100 million to Hulsizer for rights to parking revenue at Jobing.com Arena. Goldwater believes that the city already owns the parking rights and should not have to buy something they already own. Doing so, they believe is a violation of state law. Whether or not that argument holds water remains to be seen.

What we do know is that in order for Glendale to finance this $100 million payment, they have to sell bonds. However, since Goldwater is threatening to file a lawsuit, many potential buyers of these bonds have been scared off. Goldwater has also reached out to potential bond purchasers and threatened to sue them as well.

The funny part about all of this is that one of the board members at Goldwater is Randy Kendrick, the wife of Arizona Diamondbacks owner, Ken Kendrick. Many believe Kendrick is trying to sabotage the sale in order to force the Coyotes to relocate. The belief being, that there would be less competition for sponsorships and consumer spending with the Coyotes gone.

The whole thing just sounds like a giant pain in the ass right?

Yeah. It gets worse.

The City of Glendale is now apparently threatening a counter-suit against The Goldwater Institute, claiming they are impeding the sale process of the Coyotes to Matthew Hulsizer.

Fun.

If I’m Matt Hulsizer, I would just pull out and buy the Stars or some other team that doesn’t have so much drama around it. Similarly, if I’m Gary Bettman, is it worth the headache to end up in court again with all of these potential lawsuits thus delaying the Coyotes from ever making any coin?

I say f*** it. Sell the team to Dave Thomson and move them to Winnipeg, this way the team can actually start making some money. You can also use Goldwater as a scapegoat for the Yotes demise and you get to rid yourself of a city that just has no business housing a professional sports team, thanks to disinterested fans and a shitty political climate. I mean it's a no brainer at this point.

For more on my thoughts about Winnipeg's viability as a hockey market, see my post "Can The NHL Win In Winnipeg."

Fox, Turner Interested In NHL TV Rights, With A Hitch...

2011-03-01T17:29:00.002-05:00

The NHL trade deadline has come and gone, finally we can get back to chatting about more important issues. No NHL issue will be more revered or critiqued this summer than the future of NHL hockey on TV.

Last month it was reported that the NHL and NBC Sports/Versus were close to a deal. Things have done a bit of u-ey since then (thanks to the MillerCoors deal) and now the Sports Business Daily is reporting that Fox and Turner are entering the bidding war, which already includes ESPN.

According to the SBD, Fox is looking to bring sports programming to its cable channel FX. Meanwhile, Turner is looking to beef up its current sports package (NBA & NASCAR), as well as add sports programming to its TruTV cable channel, which will include NCAA Tournament games.

Obviously having NHL games on TruTV isn’t going to win over any critics, but I could live with having games on FX or TNT.

I have posted numerous times that the NHL should ultimately go back to airing games on ESPN, mostly because of the channel’s promotional power and broader distribution. Now that Turner and Fox are involved, it will look even more impractical to re-up with Versus, which is in the least amount of homes of all the aforementioned networks. ESPN/ESPN2 are in over 100 million homes, FX is available in 96 million homes, TruTV is in 92 million homes, meanwhile Versus is only available in 76 million homes.

Last time around the NHL just went with the highest bidder. This time they should focus on the bigger picture and look beyond the spreadsheets. I mean you just can’t put a monetary figure to how much ESPN has helped to restore the NBA’s image.

Hockey is in a much better position than it was 6 years ago and it would be foolish to turn down the marketing/penetration strength of these other channels. Hopefully as we get closer to summer and the bidding war wages on, the NHL will come to its senses.

What Have You Learned?

2011-02-28T17:18:00.002-05:00

So Brad Richards is still a Star, Artem Anisimov is still a Ranger, and the Blueshirt fanbase for some reason seems as disappointed as I was after the Soprano's finale.

What the f_, that's it?

Well I shouldn't say every Rangers fan was disappointed. Those of you who memorized my Complete Idiot's Guide To Trade Rumors and my post last week, Inflating A Player's Value At The Deadline, probably watched the deadline come and go from the sidelines with a bag of popcorn and an unusual sense of comfort.

As for the rest of you...when you're done coaxing those ulcers with Pepto ask yourself, what have you learned?

In case your brain is as functional as your stomach is right now, lemme help you out. Here's what I learned:

1. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Michael Del Zotto is untouchable.

You want proof? Look at Hartford's roster. If he wasn't untouchable, he wouldn't be in the AHL right now learning how to become a better player. This organization is heavily vested in the 20 year old. Believe it.

2. Artem Anisimov is more valuable than some think.

He too was rumored to be going at the deadline, this time for Brad Richards. The Rangers didn't budge, so now Richards, Anisimov, Stepan, and Boyle will share the same position come October. Teams deep at the center position win Stanley Cups. Tell me having 4 legit centermen next fall won't be the envy of the Conference.

3. The media is full of sh*t.

When Mike over at Bleeding All Blue threw out the idea to trade for Paul Stastny instead of Brad Richards, I have to admit, I was jealous I didn't think of the idea first. When the media picked up his idea and reported it as an actual rumor, I was no longer jealous, just wildly entertained.

4. Remember this feeling...

You know, I wasn't always this cynical when it came to the press. A longtime ago, before I was The Suit, I put a lot of stock in what I read too. And then one fateful summer Larry Brooks reported that Jaromir Jagr was all but certain to come to the Rangers from the Pittsburgh Penguins. I was ecstatic. Finally we were acquiring a real superstar.

Well, as everyone now knows, he ended up going to the Capitals, and of course I was heartbroken. I think I stared at the Long Island Sound for hours that day questioning the ~~meaning of life~~ existence of newspapers. I learned my lesson. This is all just entertainment - nothing more, nothing less.

Welcome To NY McCabe, Here's The Keys To the Power Play

2011-02-26T21:19:00.003-05:00

Finally, after endless speculation and rumor mongering, the Rangers have acquired defensemen Bryan McCabe from the Panthers. Members of the media have been creating faux trades for the 35 year old for weeks. A few mentioned that Matt Gilroy would be involved, some idiots even threw Michael Del Zotto's name out there, but none predicted that all Sather would have to give up is AHLer Tim Kennedy and a 3rd round pick...not bad for a guy who just might help fix our power play.

The Rangers have lacked a true power play quarter back all season, something that is desperately needed for the Umbrella power play strategy, which is what the Rangers currently employ. McCabe brings with him exactly what is needed for the blueline - confidence with the puck, and a hard, accurate slapshot, which he gets off quickly.

As far as the new power play unit goes, I'd throw McCabe at the point, Wolski or Zukes along the half boards, Stepan atop the weak side circle, and Boyle/Dubi in the slot. Of course, if the Rangers acquire Richards then that obviously changes everything...well see.

The move also gives Michael Del Zotto a chance to really learn the position down in Hartford. Everyone knows the kid is ripe with talent. He just needs to learn the defensive side of the game, which is purely cerebral. With a more patient coach and slower pace, he should be much better off with an extended stay in the AHL. Hopefully, the Rangers will let him play down there for more than 2 weeks.

Casual Fridays - Don't Be That Guy...

2011-02-25T10:44:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I guess I can't say don't be that "guy" since this kid talking sh*t is probably some pimpled 16 year old who has probably never played hockey or done anything manly in his life.

As for Avery? I'd almost say his comeback about this fan's dental plan was funny if he hadn't already used that joke before.

Enemy Tactics: Inflating A Player’s Value At The Deadline

2011-02-23T13:54:00.003-05:00

There’s an old adage that states, “believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see.” When it comes to trade deadline articles and quotes, that saying couldn’t be more accurate.

While the deadline is without a doubt a stressful time for GM’s who need to retool their rosters before the final playoff push, GM’s with teams on the outside looking in are facing considerably more pressure. It is at these crucial moments where GM’s have to do everything in their power to get back the value they need before the media and the fans start kicking down their door.

And it isn’t easy. You know your team is years away from competing. You know your marquee star is probably going to sign elsewhere this summer either for more money than you can offer him, or because he wants a chance to chase Stanley Cup dreams. Finally, you know that you somehow have to sell the idea to your owner that hope and patience isn’t counterproductive to selling tickets.

So what is a GM of a “deadline seller” to do?

Control the message!

Dale Tallon is probably pissed off that Bryan McCabe said to a reporter that he would like to resign with Florida this offseason. Obviously Tallon would love to resign McCabe, but now that the 35 year old put it out there, his value on the trade market takes a hit.

If you’re Glen Sather and you need a power play quarterback, are you willing to part with Gilroy and a 1st rounder for a guy who is a free agent this summer, but you have a shot at resigning? Well, you’re definitely going to entertain the thought. How about when that power play quarterback says he’s heading back to Miami this summer? Hmm maybe I’m putting that 1^st rounder back in my pocket.

If I’m Tallon, I’m planting stories in the press that McCabe grew up a Rangers fan, that his wife has family in Westchester, that he keeps a goumada in Hoboken, whatever…control the message and get his value up.

Point in case, you think Brad Richards wants to stay in bankrupt Dallas, or go back to playing on the second line in Tampa over playing in New York with Torts, Gabby, and Avery? C’mon man. That’s just Joey Nieuwendyk controlling the message and boosting Richards’ value…pre-concussion of course.

And don’t think that when a perennial losing team starts playing a second or third line player on their top power play unit that it’s to win games. Well, other than the Islanders it probably is to win games, but it’s also an effort to boost that player’s value. You think Chris Kelly deserved the extra ice-time in his final days as a Senator?

No. GM’s with zero leverage have to manufacture ways to boost a player’s value at the deadline. Even if it seems farfetched, there’s always a sucker willing to believe it. Right, because Carmelo was ever considering signing with the Nets…

Mailbag: Are the Rangers likely to trade Del Zotto?

2011-02-21T09:09:00.002-05:00

You haven't been posting much on the rumor front. What are your thoughts concerning the Michael Del Zotto to Edmonton for Ales Hemsky rumors? The rumor's origin is the fourth period, how legitimate do you think their rumors are? I look forward to a snobbish response.

- Mike

Ask and ye shall receive. The Fourth Period and legitimate should never be mentioned in the same sentence (likewise with Garrioch’s and Eklund’s crap). Obviously you haven’t read my Complete Idiot’s Guide To Trade Rumors or you would know this already.

The reason why I generally stay away from the rumor front is because...

a) I don’t like fueling unnecessary fires.

b) You can be sure that rumors linked to the Rangers have already been beaten to death elsewhere.

c) I am educated, therefore, I only like posting things that make me feel like I’ve contributed something intelligent and meaningful to my readers.

Talking about nonsensical rumors gives me the same feeling as watching some trashy reality show. In the end, I’ll feel like my IQ has been mentally raped. With that said, if you take the time to email me, I will take the time to respond.

Back to your initial question. This rumor falls into category #1 of my idiot’s guide. It neither makes sense, nor was it linked to any reports of “trade discussions” taking place among GMs.

Why doesn’t this trade make sense?

The Rangers traded away Bobby Sanguinetti because of their belief in Michael Del Zotto. They feel he is our power play quarterback of the future. Although he is mired in a sophomore slump, it does not change his potential and trading him now would be an ill-conceived risk - a risk Sather is not likely to take at this point in his tenure.

And this isn’t meant to take jabs at Hemsky. He provides decent value (1 year left @ $4.1M) and when he’s healthy he is a good playmaker, but that’s rare. Would I trade Gilroy for Hemsky? Sure, I’d make that gamble, but I wouldn’t move any one of our core players for a guy who can’t forecheck.

The only way MDZ gets moved now is if he tells Torts to go eff himself. Even then, the Rangers wouldn’t trade him for an oft injured right winger. You’d move him for like a Brian Campbell (power play QB) or a Getzlaf (playmaking center), you know…someone who actually fills a need. Unfortunately guys like that aren’t available. Now that I’ve mentioned it though, watch one of these rumor mongers regurgitate it on one of their sites.

So sorry to break it to you impatient Rangez fans, MDZ aint goin nowheres.

See, I knew this post would make me dumb.

Trades Galore

2011-02-19T11:36:00.002-05:00

The trade deadline is still over a week away, but with all the moves that have been made over the last couple of days; you would think the closing bell was tomorrow. Since Toronto traded Versteeg, we have seen the Senators and Avalanche swap goaltenders Craig Anderson and Brian Elliot. The Bruins traded defensemen Mark Stuart and forward Blake Wheeler to the Thrashers for Rich Peverley and defensemen Boris Valabik. The Bruins also finally received Tomas Kaberle from the Maple Leafs - after years of trade rumors - for prospect Joe Colborne, Boston’s 1st round pick, and a conditional 2nd rounder if Boston resigns Kaberle.

And we are not done there. The St. Louis Blues, in a surprise move, traded franchise defensemen Erik Johnson, Jay McClement and a conditional 2011 or 2012 first round draft pick to the Avalanche for Chris Stewart, Kevin Shattenkirk (New Rochelle kid), and a conditional 2011 or 2012 second round draft pick at 1am this morning. Earlier, the Blues traded their Captain, defensemen Eric Brewer to the Tampa Bay Lightning for prospect Brock Beukeboom and a 3rd rounder.

In other news, Brad Richards is still a Star.

Wow, these are some bold moves, and the fact that Sather isn’t involved in any of them almost makes it all feel kind of foreign. All lame jokes aside, let’s breakdown some of these trades.

Trade #1 - Senators and Avalanche swap goaltenders Craig Anderson and Brian Elliot

Not much to say for this one. Both goalies were mediocre for their respective franchises. Obviously this is one of those moves where both parties are hoping a change of scenery will do their acquisitions some good. Overall, I like this deal since both goalies have expiring contracts.

Trade #2 – Bruins trade Stuart and Wheeler to Atlanta for Peverley and Valabik

I like this move for both franchises. The Bruins are obviously looking to make a run for the Cup (or Conference Finals my prediction) and ever since Savard went down, you knew the Bruins were going to make a move for a top center. Adding Peverley, a solid second line center with an extremely cap friendly contract (1 year left at $1.325M), is a smart move. He brings a ton of value, he’s a good playmaker, and if you want to go deep in the postseason, you better have depth at center.

The Thrashers get a rugged crease clearing defensemen in Stuart, which bolsters their already deep blueline and a more expensive, but less offensive forward in Blake Wheeler. Wheeler had a solid rookie season two years ago putting up 21 goals, 24 assists for 45 points. Since then, his offensive game really hasn’t improved much, but playing in an ultra conservative system may have held him back. At 24 years of age, there is still plenty of time for this kid to grow beyond being a 40 point player.

Trade #3 – Maple Leafs trade Tomas Kaberle to the Bruins for prospect Joe Colborne, Boston’s 1st round pick, and a conditional 2nd rounder if Boston resigns Kaberle

Finally, Toronto moves Kaberle and in the process gets their first round pick back (albeit a late 1st round pick), an excellent prospect, and perhaps a second rounder. I’ve been saying forever that I didn’t want Kaberle on the Rangers, however, moving him to Boston further cements their spot as a contender for the East.

The Bruins power play is built around feeding Chara’s howitzer at the point, but they have had trouble getting him the puck in ideal shooting lanes. Now that Kaberle’s elite passing skills will join Chara’s 105 mph slap shot, watch out! Kaberle’s ability to carry the puck on the rush will also take some of the pressure off of Chara, who can now focus on his strengths as opposed to trying to do it all.

As for the Leafs, they get their long awaited rebuild, but until they can find a way to rid themselves of Kessel, who is an overrated sniper and a locker room cancer, I wouldn’t buy the hope that the Leafs are selling.

Trade #4 - Blues trade their Captain, defensemen Eric Brewer to the Tampa Bay Lightning for prospect Brock Beukeboom and a 3rd rounder

Brewer was another guy who was often linked to the Rangers in recent weeks. I tweeted that I didn’t want any part of Eric, who at 31 is an overpaid, oft injured, stay at home defensemen. Is he solid when healthy? Absolutely, but whether or not Brewer really solidifies the Lightning’s blueline remains to be seen.

I understand why you make this move if you’re Tampa, but I’m still not completely sold. The Lightning’s power play is lethal, but their 5 on 5 play can leave much to be desired and I don’t think Brewer completely rectifies that. If I’m Steve Yzerman, I’m still scouring the market for another d-man or maybe a defensive forward.

If Brock Beukeboom becomes half the defensemen his father was then this is an obvious win for John Davidson and his Blues.

Trade #5 - Blues trade defensemen Erik Johnson, Jay McClement and conditional 1st round pick to the Avalanche for emerging power forward Chris Stewart, rookie offensive d-man Kevin Shattenkirk and a conditional 2nd round pick

Now this is the move that makes or breaks careers. A few months ago 23 year old Chris Stewart (who scored 28 goals last year) came out of the gate like a man on fire, and then the young power forward broke his hand. When he returned, his offense went south. Shattenkirk, a rookie, also started hot and cooled off as the season progressed.

So if you’re a GM, would you trade an emerging power forward, who looked like he was going to score over 30 goals this season, and a promising rookie offensive defensemen for anything less than a top 10-15 player? Not I, says the man in the Italian suit. Giving up on not one, but two promising young hockey players for anything less than hockey gold is ballsy!

On the flip side, you have Erik Johnson, who was the first overall pick in 2006 and at 23, is a very good defensemen and was the face of the Blues blueline. Will he ever be an elite player? Well, I don’t think he’ll ever live up to his 1st overall status, not with Jonathan Towes and Niklas Backstrom taken but a few picks later. He was also drafted a week before John Davidson was hired, so maybe JD never had much affinity for the kid, but who knows.

Either way, this is a very risky move for both franchises. It’s not often teams swap young players with oodles of upside. Right now, I would give the edge to St. Louis for this deal, but that could change down the road….damn this is a ballsy move!

Weighing The Decision Of Turning Pro

2011-02-16T11:25:00.000-05:00

The past few days all of the buzz in Rangerland has been about the New York Rangers' 2009 first round draft pick, Chris Kreider. Kreider has made headlines because he was named MVP of this weekend's NCAA Beanpot tournament. The 19-year-old left winger scored two goals and an assist in Boston College's defeat of Northeastern.

The news of Kreider's accolades quickly made its way down I-95 and caused both Tortorella and Assistant Coach Mike Sullivan to throw tons of praises at the youngster. More importantly, both coaches made it known via the media (Andrew Gross) that they would like Kreider to turn pro next season.

Of course with statements like this being made, it didn't take too long for Rangers fans to debate whether or not Kreider should turn pro after just two years of college. And after reading most of your comments, it looks like things are pretty split.

I figured the best person to talk about this issue with is Mr. ECAC Hockey himself, my buddy Eric (aka Dr. Dangles). Those of you new to the site, Eric was a legit goalie in college and has contributed some great posts about the evolution of goaltending, power skating, and analyzing Biron and Henrik's game. Today, he took at stab at weighing the decision of turning pro. Here's what he had to say…

Kreider certainly faces a tough decision, a decision only he and his family can ultimately make. However, if I were his friend or his agent, I'd probably tell him to go for it. He's performed well while he has been at BC and he's done great things at the international level.

He may not have the sexiest stats (9G 11A in 26GP), but he certainly has pro speed, pro hands, and most importantly a pro body (6'1 200lbs) that can probably handle the physical grind of 82 games.

Ultimately what he'll need to work on is his hockey IQ, which will be better served under the tutelage of Rangers/Hartford personnel. At college, especially a competitive one like BC, the emphasis can often be more about winning than becoming what it takes to be an NHLer.

If education is the concern, you can always do what Jack Johnson and Ryan Miller do and take classes during the offseason. The scholarship of course is gone, but hey your signing bonus should take care of that pricey education anyway.

I agree with Eric and I'd also push Kreider to get his name on a contract for insurance reasons. In case there is some god awful scenario where he gets injured and can't play anymore, college will pay him zipo. If he gets injured while playing at the NHL or AHL level, he can cash out on a six figure insurance settlement that would set him up for life (Dan Blackburn anyone?). I know that may sound trivial or anecdotal, but hangout around hockey rinks and front offices long enough and you will meet more former standouts who got injured than you can count.

As far as whether or not the pressures of being a pro would kill his development ultimately depends on what's going on in between the ears of Chris Kreider. Sure MDZ and Grachev have had tough times and moronic fans have prematurely called for their heads. But you know what? Ultimately, if they come out of it, they will be better off for it. If you can survive New York City scrutiny, you can conquer anything. If you don't believe me, ask Mark Messier. He had to slay the “dragons and demons” before ending the curse.

Get that sword ready Mr. Kreider, we will be seeing you soon.

With the acquisition of Versteeg are the Flyers ready to contend?

2011-02-15T12:07:00.000-05:00

When I first got the trade alert that Toronto was moving a player to the Flyers, I was sure it was going to be Mike Komisarek. Not because he really fills a roster need. I just figured, hey, why not have another d-bag in an orange sweater?

Just kidding of course! The Flyers are somewhat less of a scummy team now that Bobby Clarke is no longer running them. And to be fair, Versteeg is a solid pick up for Philadelphia. He will fit in with their aggressive forecheck/pressure the puck style much better than with the Maple Leafs' contain defense.

Still, now begs the question, are the hated Flyers now favorites for the Cup?

I'm still not sold. Sure they have glut of forwards capable of scoring big goals, but Versteeg won't fix their surprisingly mediocre power play. Nor will he fix their issues on the draw. And after all, they're still a team that takes too many bad penalties.

Now I am not a big enough Flyer hater to suggest an early exit in the playoffs. They will go deep, but I don't think they have the right tools to take down Vancouver or Detroit, who I think are destined to lift the Cup come June.

As far as the Eastern Conference goes, I think it will ultimately come down to the Flyers or the Bruins. The Bruins are so damn good at shutting teams down defensively and their transition game reminds me of the Devils of championships past. Add to the fact that they have some cap space to work with, and maybe they go all in at the trade deadline.

As far as Rangers fans are concerned, now that the Flyers have a glut of forwards, do they really need Jody Shelley? If not, I'd be happy to pick him off waivers if the time ever comes.

The Islanders Are A Joke

2011-02-12T12:39:00.001-05:00

Disasters like last night happen at the Coliseum and the Islanders wonder why they can't make any money or attract any serious corporate partners, who bring in more revenue than tickets ever could. It’s a sad joke really. DiPietro challenges Johnson and gets dropped after one punch and this is the reaction? Capuano sends out goons who can barely play pro hockey to cheapshot opposing players when they already have a 6 goal lead? Watching this just made me laugh. This isn’t what hockey is supposed to be about.

Look, I enjoy a clean fight and I understand sticking up for your boys – trust me, it was a code with the guys I grew up with – but there has to be a method to the madness. Ovechkin dropping the gloves with Dubinsky to spark his team and then patting each other on the back afterwards saying, “Good job buddy,” is honorable. Everything else just isn’t.

Whatever, the Suit is just dumping on the Islanders because he’s a Rangers fan!

Perhaps, but I’ve been entertained and have entertained clients at sporting events all over the country. You couldn't pay me to step foot in the Coliseum with a business partner - and fiasco’s like last night drive like-minded people away.

If the Islanders ever want to break-even or you know turn a profit, maybe they should start by running their team with a little class. Otherwise these Prada shoes will never pass beyond Citi Field.

For video of the Islanders self destruction, scope out Canyon of Blueshirts and Bleeding All Blue.

NBC/Versus Likely To Retain NHL TV Rights For 4-7 Years...Bummer!

2011-02-10T16:25:00.004-05:00

There was a snippet in the Sports Business Daily yesterday (sourcing SI.com) that NBC/Versus is likely to lockup the NHL TV rights for the next 4-7 years. The report also suggested that ESPN was likely out of the bidding, effectively crushing the hopes and dreams of the majority of U.S hockey fans.

To be honest, I think it's the wrong move. I know the NHL will get the money they are seeking - and more money is always the goal - but let's be serious, this little network combo doesn't do a good job promoting the game and its stars.

Does anyone think that NBC/Versus has done a good job the past 6 years? If you do, please email me and tell me why.

Sure the NHL has had great TV ratings the past few years, but is that because of sound marketing campaigns or cross-promotion? No. The NHL has gotten a little bit lucky with Stanley Cup matchups and exposure from the Olympics.

And what about ESPN, the network that helped to completely rebuild the NBA's image after the Pacers/Pistons fight, the '04 Olympics, Kobe's assault case, and Allen Iverson skipping practices (practice?). ESPN has even made the MLS and College Football relevant! They already do bare-bones promotion for the NHL more or less as a favor, but what happens once they realize they'll probably never broadcast another professional hockey game again?

Are we going to go back to 2005 when Alexander Ovechkin's name was never uttered on SportsCenter? Probably not, but good luck getting Mike and Mike to interview Tyler Seguin, Taylor Hall, Matt Duchene, Jeff Skinner, or Derek Stepan.

No, unfortunately we're probably stuck with Mike Milbury being a hockey ambassador for a very long time.

Hockey Penalty Killing Strategies 101

2011-02-08T12:38:00.003-05:00

This post has been updated at Blue Seat Blogs, where I know contribute regularly.

Rangers Should Stay Away From Rumored Defensemen

2011-02-07T12:49:00.001-05:00

First off, let's dissect where these trade rumors are coming from, just so we all understand why they shouldn't be taken so seriously. Pierre Lebrun of ESPN last week said, "The Rangers' power play has consistently struggled (23rd), so a veteran point man such as Kaberle, Bryan McCabe, or Sheldon Souray would likely interest the Blueshirts."

This falls into category #2 of my idiots guide to trade rumors. If you haven't read it (and you should), category #2 is when rumors form that theoretically make sense due to cap issues, roster needs, but are actually trade ideas disguised as legitimate rumors.

And that's exactly what these are, trade ideas. Kaberle - who has a limited no trade clause - is not the answer. He is a great passer and a solid skater, but he's as soft as toilet paper. No not the kind that is stocked in college dorms and restaurants, the other kind.

He also doesn't possess an accurate cannon, which is really what the Rangers need if they are going to keep rolling out an Umbrella power play. To me Kaberle is a Michal Rozsival or a Wade Redden in their prime, great first pass, but afraid to shoot.

By the way, Burke is desperate to get back a first round pick after eviscerating the Maple Leafs with the Kessel and Phaneuf trades. Do you really want to give up a first rounder for a guy that has two goals this season?

Bryan McCabe is injured and even if he returns before the deadline, he still hasn't been an elite force on the power play all season. I am not totally against acquiring McCabe, but at what cost? Offensive defensemen garnered a 2nd round pick and either a prospect or an everyday player last year at the deadline. Are you willing to give up that much for a 35 year old on his last legs?

That leaves us with Sheldon Souray. Souray has scored 3 goals down in the AHL (ohhh big-time!). His post-season play also leaves much to be desired. If the Rangers acquire him off of re-entry waivers, then they're on the hook for half of his $5.4 million cap hit next season, which completely throws a wrench in our off-season plans. In other words, they would have to make another trade to eliminate cap space. That would probably mean trading one of our young guys, and I am not ready to do that just yet.

We also have to remember the Bruins, Sharks, and Capitals are all rumored to be in the hunt for blueliners. With those teams all closer to Stanley Cup contention, they may be willing to part with more for rental players, which drives up the cost for the Rangers. Unless the Rangers can find a way to deal Drury, they're better off just standing pat.

Casual Fridays: It Appears The Islanders Want You To Beat Your Girlfriend

2011-02-04T08:41:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of DeadSpin

Give your girl two minutes for roughing? Boy you can take that so many ways. What do you say ladies, wanna go to Nassau Coliseum for Valentines Day? Yeah, didn't think so.

For DeadSpin's article on this, scope it out here.

Sticking with the Islanders today, if you haven't seen Rick ~~Di Paper Mache~~ DiPietro get dropped by Brent Johnson, watch this video. I always prefer fan videos over TV telecasts. Who wants to listen to these announcers anyway?

Notice that they shake hands out of respect. That's hockey people! Even violence can be gracious.

What Will It Cost To Lock Up Our Core? (Part 2)

2011-02-03T14:26:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we took some educated guesses to where we thought Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, and Artem Anisimov would land on next season’s cap scale. Today, we will continue the discussion with our other core players including Brian Boyle, Matt Gilroy, and Michael Sauer.

Since I am again strapped for time today, I called Cap to finish up this two-part series. He did what we call in the biz, “a deep-dive analysis” on the aforementioned players, and also took a look at forecasting the remaining cap space for 2011-12 (assuming Drury isn't bought out and EC stays on the roster). Here’s what Cap had to say…

If the 2011-12 salary cap rises another $2 million, as preliminary projections would suggest, and we give Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, and Artem Anisimov the raises negotiated by The Suit, we’d have roughly $8-9 million to play with. With my apologies to the agents for Brian Boyle, Matt Gilroy, and Mike Sauer, they will not be receiving all of that ledger. But they will get paid fairly.

Let’s start with the Blueshirts most improved player and my pick for the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award on a roster loaded with qualified nominees, center Brian Boyle. You really have to applaud this young pivot who entered his fourth full season with a fierce desire to stay on the roster, getting everything he can out of his 6’7 frame.

Following his rigorous offseason training, (which, given the astonishing level of improvement, must have included at least one YouTube montage) he’s become one of John Tortorella’s most trusted players. He is receiving big minutes at both even strength and on special teams, and having just turned 26 in December, he is flying towards the 20 goal mark for the first time in his career. His skating, stickwork, physicality, and effort on a nightly basis are evidence that it’s not only Ryan Callahan who is worth emulating.

Looking at the contracts received last year by comparable young players Tomas Fleishman (1 year, $2.6MM) and Matt Lombardi (3 years, $10.5MM), I have Boyle penciled in somewhere in the middle at 3 years and $6.75 million, giving him three years of stability and a $2.25 annual income.

An interesting player to watch in his negotiations will be Scottie Upshall, who has very similar numbers to Boyle this year and will be negotiating with Sather protégé Don Maloney in Phoenix.

Some have suggested that Boyle could earn as much as Matt Moulson ($3.1M), who's scoring touch also came out of nowhere, but we should remember that Moulson gets top line minutes and didn't have to compete with all of these other restricted free agents.

Sending things back to the point, Mike Sauer has been a solid player for the Rangers all season, initially kept on the roster because he was out of options and would have had to pass through waivers. A good measuring stick for Sauer would be another of the Coyotes’ players, Sami Lepisto, locked in for one year at $800k.

I say give Sauer $900k and then decide how many defensive D-men we really need; especially if 2010 first rounder Dylan McIlrath is ready to break into the bigs for the 2012-13 campaign. With Staal and Girardi already on the team and neophyte Ryan McDonagh proving his worth on a nightly basis, Sauer provides stability in the short term and could potentially be trade bait late next season or a solid 6^th/7^th defenseman following this one year deal.

Now for some offensive pop we march along to negotiations with Matt Gilroy, the former Boston University captain who can still point to his NCAA Championship winning assist when explaining his previous two year, $3.5MM contract.

Heading towards his third season, Gilroy is improving almost nightly since supplanting Michael Del Zotto in the Rangers lineup, though he would be ill advised to expect the same payday awaiting him at the end of this season.

With that said, Gilroy actually loses a bit of leverage this offseason due to the fact that the Rangers can make his offer a two-way deal (since he doesn't meet the 180 NHL games threshold). To avoid having to sign a two-way deal - which would pay him a pedestrian five figure salary in the AHL - Gilroy may opt for a less expensive one-way deal.

My opening offer to the Long Island native is for two years at $1.25 million per. This is comparable to Cody Franson, who last year posted very similar numbers to Gilroy and was rewarded with a two year, $1.6MM deal.

These contracts would still leave the Rangers a nice chunk of change, giving them some roster flexibility in case they are again bitten by the injury bug. Should that happen again, at least we know each of these young free agents is capable of stepping up, and maybe more importantly, they all seem to be incapable of making excuses.

As far as free agents go (cough cough Richards), there are still too many unpredictable variables that must be figured out (ie Drury buyout, Christensen waived, etc) before that discussion can take place.

Now that the hard work is done, lemme have one of those stoagies Glen!

~ Cap

What Will It Cost To Lock Up Our Core? (Part I)

2011-02-02T15:34:00.003-05:00

Thanks to the superior knowledge of Rangers blogs and of course Rangers fans, the media seems to have finally given up on including the Rangers in every trade rumor possible. Just a few short months ago the Blueshirts were associated with every rumor mentioning Brad Richards to Sheldon Souray, to name a few.

Instead of gobbling these rumors up like we used to back in the late 90’s-early 2000's, fans and blogs have collectively stood up and laughed in the faces of the Bruch Garriochs and Fourth Periods of the world. Finally they have gotten the picture. But before the rumor mongers turn to free agency – as they will surely do once the deadline passes – let’s remember that the Rangers aren’t going after anyone until our core is locked up.

This summer Glen Sather and his confidants will be tasked with locking up Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Artem Anisimov, Brian Boyle, Matt Gilroy, and Michael Sauer. All of whom are eligible for arbitration, minus Artem Anisimov. In other words, it won’t be easy.

So what can we expect to pay these guys?

Let’s start with Brandon Dubinsky. Dubi’s breakout season came at just the right time. Baring anymore injuries, he’s on pace for around a 25 goal/60pt season. Not too shabby considering the injuries. More important than his stats is the quality of ice time the Alaskan has been getting. He’s used in every situation and has been the go-to-guy since Gaborik has yet to show up this season.

I would expect Dubinsky to get locked up long-term. Following this season, he will be two years away from Group III status (aka unrestricted free agency). Pending on how many Group III years Sather buys up, will ultimately determine his cap hit. Ironically enough, Dubinsky is represented by Kurt Overhardt, who also represents Travis Zajac. Coming off three years with similar stats, Zajac got a 4 year $15.5 million contract (or a $3.88M cap hit) in 2009. David Krejci also received a similar contract ($3.7M) from the Bruins, despite having less experience and more points upon his signing. I would expect Dubinsky to garner about the same amount, again pending the years.

Ryan Callahan is 25 years old and thus a year closer to Group III status than Dubinsky. He may not be as skilled as Brandon, or have as much upside, but never the less he is the heart and soul of the team and probably our future captain. Like Dubinsky, depending on how many years Callahan is offered will ultimately decide his cap hit.

If I’m Sather, I don’t want to have to resign both of them at the same time again, so I would expect Callahan to get a different number of years than Dubinsky, similar to what Sather did with Girardi and Staal last summer. Never the less, I expect Callahan to be offered around the same money as Dubinsky regardless of their points differential.

Anisimov isn’t eligible for arbitration and we all know how Sather likes to handle players with zero leverage. As a result, I don’t expect Arty to get the nice payday that other young Rangers received their first go round with restricted free agency.

Additionally, no one really knows how the organization is projecting Anisimov. Is he a future first line center? Has Stepan really pushed him down on the future depth chart? If the Rangers do make a play for Richards, does that make Arty trade bait, or will he moved to the wing? There are so many variables to account for with this kid and yet he’s still only 22.

With that said, Brandon Dubinsky got $1.8M per for his last contract. I would expect Anisimov to probably get a little less (2 years, $1.5M maybe?) since Dubinsky was getting bigger minutes than Anisimov his first two seasons and he had a better rookie year.

I’m running a little short on time today to get to everyone, plus Boyle, Gilroy, and Sauer’s situations are a bit more complicated. Check back tomorrow for Part 2.

Mailbag: Shea Weber Trade Rumors & My Guide Is Gospel

2011-01-31T14:32:00.000-05:00

Suit,

What do you think of these Shea Weber trade rumors? He's an RFA this summer and Nashville may not be able to afford him. Do you think we could snag him for Girardi, Gilroy, and a 1st rounder?

-Lars

Lars,

To be honest I haven't read any trade rumors regarding Shea Weber. When I texted one of my buddies - who is a scout in the Western Conference - about this rumor, all I got back was a text that read, "LOL." That usually is enough for me to move on, but for the sake of this post and your curiosity, I did some digging.

The only "trade rumor" I found about Weber was an article written by Ed Willis of the Vancouver Province. Ed writes...

If you’re Weber. Do you commit to the Preds, knowing they’ll always be competitive but they might lack the resources to rise to the next level? Or do you tell the organization, “Look, I’ve given you six good seasons. I’m going to be unrestricted in another season and I’d like to win. Why don’t you move me while you can still get something for me?”

So a journalist is writing what he would do if he were Shea Weber? Yeah this falls into category #1 of my Idiots Guide To Trade Rumors. If you haven't read it already, please do. It should be taken as gospel.

All rational logic aside, if by some miracle Weber were to end up on the market, I would think the Brian Campbell and Dan Boyle trades would be decent comparisons in terms of what you would have to give up in order to obtain an elite offensive defensemen. In that case, Girardi-Gilroy-1^st rounder should get it done and may even be too much.

Back to rational logic...it is being reported through various news outlets that Weber's agent Don Meehan has been meeting with the Predators to hammer out an extension...and believe me, it will get done. Meehan and even Weber himself have said he wants to remain in Nashville.

Obviously the Predators would be foolish to not give the guy everything he wants; he is after all the face of the franchise and one of the best offensive defensemen in the game. Nashville is also starting to turn the corner in terms of being a legit hockey market. If the org doesn't lock up Weber, they are going to destroy all of the work they have done to make their team relevant in that market. He is as important to their franchise as Rick Nash is to Columbus.

Personally, I would ignore these rumors and get back to your drumming with Metallica.

Thrashers Owners Suing Law Firm For Botched Sale - The Final Straw?

2011-01-29T14:46:00.001-05:00

If you’ve ever been dump by a boyfriend or girlfriend, you’ve probably heard the phrase “it’s complicated” at one point or another during the break-up process. In the sports business, fractures in team ownership aren’t much different.

No team in hockey seems to have as many bad relationships within their circles as the Atlanta Spirit, the ownership group behind the Thrashers and Hawks. The Atlanta Spirit has long tried to run their franchises in a trial by committee approach, an approach that has pretty much failed their entire existence.

They’ve disagreed and subsequently killed important trade proposals, they’ve quarreled over team budgets; they have even sued each other. Now it appears they are suing a law firm for $200 million over a botched sale of the Thrashers, according to a recent article in the Atlanta Constitution.

The interesting thing about this lawsuit is that it claims the Spirit have been trying to sell the Thrashers for six years. Meanwhile both the Spirit and the NHL have vehemently denied recent rumors that the Thrashers were for sale and were only “seeking investors.” I guess that was all bullsh*t.

Anyway, the report goes on to say that the ownership group has lost over $130 million in trying to keep the franchise afloat, that each investor has sank $14.5 million in legal fees, and that yada yada yada - you’ve heard this all before.

So the Thrashers are a hot mess, not unlike the Islanders, the Coyotes, and the Panthers given their equally “complicated” situations. So now the multimillion dollar question is, can the Thrashers be saved from themselves?

Well, it depends on who you ask.

Bettman has gone on record more times than any of us can count saying that he doesn’t want to relocate any franchises at this point. If you prod Bettman about relocation and struggling franchises, he is sure to point out that he helped stabilized the Penguins, the Capitals, and more recently the Lightning. He’ll also be quick to note that he fought off Jim Balsillie’s attempts to buy and move the Predators, who have finally started turning a profit and have actually increased their turnstile figures the last couple of years. For better or worse, it appears he is going through the same motions with the Coyotes in Glendale. If Bettman has any desire for consistency, I am sure he will try to do same for the Thrashers.

Bettman’s appetite to remain in Atlanta pretty much comes down to the fact that:

a) Atlanta is a Top 10 ranked TV market, which could provide leverage in negotiating new TV deals.

b) They play in a newer arena that has the potential to make a lot of money….if they could only fill it.

c) Philips Electronics is locked in to pay the Spirit $9.25 million per season for naming rights until 2018. It’s hard to walk away from that.

However, the skeptics will argue that:

a) A Top 10 TV market doesn’t mean sh*t if you can’t get generate solid TV ratings, which the Thrashers do not.

b) Winnipeg too has a new arena and Quebec is about to build one and both could easily attract more season subs and sponsors than Atlanta probably ever could.

c) Perhaps the biggest thing going against Atlanta as a market is the fact that the Thrashers aren’t the only team in town with a lot of empty seats. The Braves, a perennial contender can’t sellout playoff games and neither can the Hawks nor the Falcons, who have both trotted out very competitive teams in recent seasons. It seems that if it’s not NASCAR, College Football, or the WWE. No one cares.

Unfortunately, all of this ownership and hockey market drama is putting the Thrashers in the business section for all the wrong reasons. We should be talking about how they’ve actually gone and assembled a pretty good team for once. But no, thanks to all parties involved, we’re not talking about Dustin Byfuglien, Evander Kane, and Tobias Enstrom.

So get your sh*t together boys, before whatever hockey fans left in Atlanta break up with you for good.

Tough Roster Decisions Ahead

2011-01-26T11:05:00.003-05:00

Following the All-Star break, the Rangers will have a lot of hard decisions to make with their starting lineup, particularly on offense. While the timing couldn’t be any better to get back some of their injured regulars, one must admit that their depth has been fantastic. Those who have come up from Hartford have admirably helped keep us in the playoff race.

Following last night’s game the Rangers sent Brodie Dupont, Michael Del Zotto, Chad Kolarik, Evgeny Grachev, and Kris Newbury back to the Connecticut Whale, since they have two more games before the AHL goes on hiatus.

The Rangers also activated Ryan Callahan and Vinny Prospal from the IR and will get back Brandon Dubinsky, Erik Christensen, and Ruslan Fedotenko in the weeks following the team’s return. Baring any more injuries, the Rangers will finally have everyone healthy all at once, which they haven’t had all season.

So who stays and who goes?

Mats Zuccarello not only should stay in the lineup, but he should stay with Wolski and Derek Stepan for the foreseeable future. These three may not be the most physical players or the best forecheckers, but they provide a bit of finesse that the Rangers haven’t shown much this season. Their creativity with the puck gives opposing teams a bit of a different look than what they're used to seeing and should help keep defenses on their toes.

As for Callahan, I would throw him on the first line with Anisimov and Gaborik until Dubinsky returns. Vinny Prospal and Erik Christensen should battle Newbury, Kolarik, and maybe even Chris Drury for roster spots.

Although Newbury is a bit small for 4^th line duty, he doesn’t shy away from physicality and he wins faceoffs, which is something EC has never done with any regularity. Kolarik has played well enough to get another look.

As far as Prospal goes, whether or not he is really ready to play remains to be seen. If he is, he shouldn’t automatically play with Gaborik just because of last season’s success. Matter of fact, since he wasn’t able to work out this summer, due his knee problems, I would suggest he head to Hartford for conditioning. I’m a bit skeptical that a 36 year old who tore his ACL, sprained his MCL, and damaged his meniscus can just pick up where he left off last season.

So once the injured start returning, my offensive lineup would look like so.

Callahan - Anisimov - Gaborik
Wolski - Stepan - Zuccarello
Kolarik - Boyle - Prust
Avery - Newbury – Drury

Potentially followed by…

Dubinsky - Anisimov - Gaborik
Wolski - Stepan - Zuccarello
Feds - Boyle - Callahan
Avery – Newbury or Drury or Prospal – Prust

Rangers Should Stand Pat At The Deadline

2011-01-25T15:56:00.005-05:00

The Rangers transaction history around free agency and the trade deadline during the Glen Sather era has been about as successful as investing your life savings in credit default swaps. You may have been enticed to jump on something that seemed too good to be true at first, but in the end the overall strategy was a colossal failure. Sather’s major roster moves for “star” talent - outside of Jagr - have pretty much followed the same script.

During the pre-lockout era fans rejoiced upon Sather’s acquisitions of Eric Lindros, Pavel Bure, Darius Kasparaitis, Bobby Holik, Alexei Kovalev, Anson Carter, and Petr Nedved. Thanks to clueless and over eager beat writers - and yet to be created blogs - Rangers fans had zero sources for intelligent information on these one dimensional stars.

Post-lockout hasn’t been much different. Despite the Rangers ability to bring in new blood via the draft (which Sather does indeed deserve credit for), questionable acquisitions were still made with more overpaid players like Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, and Wade Redden, who despite their impressive resumes, couldn’t succeed away from the teammates and systems who made them notable to begin with.

With some cap space and the Rangers again on the verge of greatness, the timing is superb for yet another disastrous move or two.

But wait! For the first time in a long time, the Rangers have something they haven’t had since the early 90’s – and that’s a talented young core. The difference between now and the years leading up to the Cup run is that back then we knew what we had with our youngsters and what holes needed to be plugged in.

Today, we still don’t know for sure what we have with our “kids” long-term and I am intent on finding out.

All of this brings me to the title of this post. There is nothing worth acquiring at the deadline that is going to turn us into contenders overnight. The teams rumored to be looking to shed players are the Ottawa Senators, the Florida Panthers, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. None of these teams have any players available that fit our most pressing needs...unless of course you think Fedor Tyutin and Chris Phillips show more promise as power play quarterbacks than Gilroy and Del Zotto, or that Kris Versteeg and Stephen Weiss (who has a NMC) show more promise as playmakers than anyone currently in our top six.

No, every need this team possesses this season may simply be answered by taking a long look at our roster’s potential and at our farm systems. Sure we need an elite playmaker, but Stepan, Zuccarello, and Anisimov may be the answer. Do we need an elite puck moving defensemen? Yes, but Del Zotto and Gilroy may be the answer for that too. Could we use another big crease clearing defensemen? You betcha, but I am willing to bet that either Sauer, McDonagh, McIlrath, or Valentenko may end up being the long-term answer there as well. How about another power forward to compliment Dubi? Absolutely, but Kreider, Hagelin, and Werek deserve a shot. Ya catching my drift? I hope so, because I pretty much hammered my point into you.

Look, I know what the "win now" folks are thinking. It’s hard to know if any or all of these guys will pan out as elite players, but unless a can’t-miss talent becomes available for the short-term and for minimal cap space; I don’t think any major acquisition will solve anything.

If Sather’s errant history isn’t enough to convince you, take a look at the Chicago Blackhawks, who lost a lot of their core and depth over the summer. They could have won the Cup without Brian Campbell and Marian Hossa, but due to their unawareness of what they had with Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews, Patick Kane, etc. they locked-up over priced players who they really have no use for.

With most of our young core being restricted free agents this summer, the Rangers could easily become the Chicago Blackhawks…just minus the Stanley Cup and all. So unless Brad Richards wants to sign a two year cap friendly contract, I think I’ll pass.

***For complete reports on the teams looking to make deal, scope out Canyon Of Blueshirts. They've been doing some excellent in-depth reports on who's available.

Much Ado About Dru

2011-01-24T13:13:00.000-05:00

It's never easy to watch once great players slowly decay. Whether it's Mark Messier, Brendan Shanahan, or Chris Drury, you try to respect the entire body of work before thinking about booing or writing take down pieces. Unfortunately, in hockey as in life, all good things must come to an end.

For Drury, things are coming to an end much quicker than anyone initially anticipated. He has long been a model athlete. He's won pretty much everywhere he's been, he is a true warrior in crunch time, and he's always done it all with the professionalism and the class of a Derek Jeter...and this is coming from a long suffering Mets fan.

I never expected Drury to live up to his 5 year/$35.2 million contract, but I didn't expect him to only give us two good years either. Unfortunately, due to injuries, piss poor luck, and the sands of time, two good years is all we are going to get from Chris. He is still a capable NHL player, but he isn't even worth half of his $7M cap hit at this point.

Perhaps on a more talented team that doesn't always need to block shots or bang and crash to be effective, he could resuscitate his career or at least not be booed in his own building. Though, given his $5M salary next season, his no movement clause, and his 0 goals in almost 20 games, it's highly unlikely he’ll get that chance.

So once the season ends, is it kosher to buyout your team captain?

Well, it won’t win you any favors with his agent that’s for sure, but it may be our only option if he’s not willing to hang ‘em up. It would be fantastic if Drury went the Markus Naslund route, but Naslund had a gig in the Swedish Elite League lined up and his entire family waiting for him back home in Sweden. Drury’s family is in Hoboken, NJ and Trumbull, CT, and unfortunately hockey at Chelsea Piers isn’t exactly on par with the SEL…though my team could use someone of his caliber.

Anyway, whether or not the Rangers plan on buying out Chris ultimately depends upon whether Sather is going to “stick with the kids” or is going to make a run at Brad Richards in the offseason. If Sather wants to be a shopaholic again then Drury will most definitely have to be bought out, but hopefully it won’t even come to that. Hopefully Drury sees the writing on the wall and will decide to go out on his own accord.

Until that happens though, show the man some respect and direct your booing elsewhere.

Scouting Report: Atlanta Thrashers

2011-01-22T12:37:00.000-05:00

After missing the playoffs for the 9th time in 10 seasons, the Thrashers finally removed Don Waddell from the GM position and replaced him with Rick Dudley. Of course when most GMs fail for as long as Waddell did, they usually get the old "team consultant" tag. Waddell? Well he got promoted to Team President, go figure.

Anyway, Dudley quickly put his stamp on the team hiring Craig Ramsay - Tortorella's former assistant in Tampa - and trading for like half of the Chicago Blackhawks roster. And boy have those moves paid off.

Andrew Ladd, who had 38 points in 82 games for Chicago last season, has 38 points in 49 games this season. Panthers castoff Anthony Stewart, who had 12 points in 4 seasons with Miami, has 27 points thus far this season. Finally, how could we forget former Chicago forward Dustin Byfuglien, who was moved back to the blueline and now leads NHL defensemen in goals (16). And to think Ramsay was initially criticized by many for this move.

The Thrashers are also getting stand out play from a few of their draft picks. Diminutive defensemen, Tobias Enstrom, was an 8th round pick in 2003 and is currently on pace for 67 points. Evander Kane has taken another step forward in his sophomore year, and 2005 2nd round pick Ondrej Pavelec has been outstanding in goal.

Perhaps the most important decision the Thrashers made this season, although involuntarily, was letting Ilya Kovalchuk walk. Since then their powerplay has gone from being ranked 25th in the league to 6th. Meanwhile the Devils powerplay has gone from 11th in the league to 27th. Think the Thrashers miss that guy?

Overall the moves seem to have paid off. The Thrashers are currently in a dog fight for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with their divisional rival, the Carolina Hurricanes. First year coach Craig Ramsay has the Thrashers playing an aggressive up-tempo system, similar to what Tortorella has installed in NY. Like his former boss, Ramsay sends three Thrashers in on the forecheck and will pinch his defensemen. He also wants his defensemen joining the rush and attacking as a five man unit. The problem with the Thrashers is they often fail to enact the other important facet of this 2-1-2 system. They fail to backcheck. Because of this the Thrashers are prone to giving up odd man rushes. Luckily for them, the Rangers can’t manufacture sh*t off the rush.

As for the Rangers, we all know how crucial getting two points is tonight. The Rangers simply cannot lose to teams who are fighting for these last few playoff spots. Obviously with this many AHL players in the lineup the Rangers will have an uphill battle till Callahan and Dubinsky come back, but they still have two of the best players in the world in Gaborik and Lundqvist. Both will need to be perfect in these last few games leading up to the All-Star break.

Predators No Longer A Punch Line?

2011-01-21T13:17:00.001-05:00

It wasn't very long ago the Predators were supposedly the prime example of why the NHL shouldn’t be in non-traditional hockey markets. The Predators' attendance was abysmal, despite the fact the team was finishing the regular season with one of the better W/L records in the league. Every reporter/blogger in hockey it seemed was calling into question Nashville's viability as a hockey market. To those in the business, it was one thing to have a losing team struggle at the gate, but having a winning team play in front of an empty house every night was just unacceptable.

To make matters worse, Jim Balsillie had reached a tentative agreement to buy the team from former owner, Craig Leopold. Thanks to an exit clause in the team's lease at the Sommet Center, Balsillie made it clear that if he were to gain control of the Predators, he would have moved them to Hamilton, Ontario the first chance he could get.

Fast forward to 2011 and the story takes quite a different turn. For two straight seasons the Predators have quietly turned a profit and are pacing to do so again this season. Through 20 home games, the Predators average attendance is exactly 16,000, which is up 12.4% over last season. Now I know what you're thinking, these attendance numbers are complete bullsh*t. I know, I was thinking the same thing.

Having worked for multiple professional sports teams, I know how teams usually cheat their attendance figures. Some teams will only announced tickets distributed, which could mean they donated a couple hundred seats here and there to charities with zero chance they'll actually be filled. Some teams include all of the people "working the game" in their attendance figures including players, coaches, media members, team staff, arena workers, etc. And finally, some teams will just discount or comp thousands of tickets just to get asses in the seats. Few if any teams actually report how many people actually paid for their seat and sat in it.

So upon reading these figures coming out of Nashville I was skeptical, but then I read a fantastic article at www.ontheforecheck.com, which is a Nashville Predators blog run by Dirk Hoag. It appears Dirk obtained exactly the data I was looking for - average paid attendance figures - from the Metro Sports Authority. As he reported, the Predators average paid attendance in 08-09 through the first 9 home games was 12,918. In 09-10 that figure rose to 13,131. This season that number is up to 15,657 - pretty impressive if you ask me.

So is Nashville officially a "hockey market?"

Well, not yet, but it certainly seems like they are heading in that direction. Paid attendance tells a good story, but there are other metrics I'd like to get a hold of before I would make such claims, such as their local TV ratings, web traffic, and merchandise figures. At the very least, the Predators should no longer be lumped with Phoenix, Miami, and Atlanta as markets unfit for a pro hockey team. Those markets have long hills to climb before exiting out of that discussion.

Nashville feels different though. The Predators really don’t have much competition on the sports landscape other than the Titans. There really is no reason why the team can’t succeed there. If they continue to market themselves, keep prices affordable, launch grassroots efforts (i.e. establishing youth hockey teams, etc.) and hopefully stay competitive, Nashville could be the next California for hockey.

Casual Fridays: How The Thrashers Generate Buzz In ATL

2011-01-21T08:53:00.000-05:00

Yes folks, some teams generate buzz by winning or by a marquee free agent signing, while others hold promotional nights. The Thrashers? Um, I don't really know what to call this. The term "marketing ploy" just doesn't do this justice, but hey if they really got 17,000 people to show up (yea right), then good for them.

Slump Buster Or Same Old Story?

2011-01-20T12:33:00.000-05:00

Typically when your star player scores 4 goals in a game, praise gets thrown in every direction. The fans are excited to get their money’s worth, the press is joyous to interview a happy coach, and the GM can be like, “see, I told ya he worth his contract!” Unfortunately, I don't believe last night's touchdown over the Maple Leafs was that kind of game, despite the lopsided score.

Why?

Because we've seen this before. The Rangers have beaten up atrocious teams all season. Don't get me wrong, it's much better than previous years where we would defeat great teams only to play down to terrible teams' levels the next night. Obviously this year's team is not those of seasons past, but I am still not convinced that the Rangers are ready for a deep playoff run, not with all of these injuries.

Brandon Dubinsky is the friggan man and I largely attribute Ryan Callahan's success (before injury), as well as others, to Dubi's outstanding play this season. Brandon was doing more than scoring goals and throwing hits, he was making players around him better as well. That's an intangible quality that cannot be replaced by Chad Kolarik, Brodie Dupont, or any other AHL callup. It's just a huge loss in my eyes.

Marian Gaborik's four goal performance could be a sign he is going to breakout at a crucial time, or it could just be another flash in the pan. Who knows? Still, it's hard to convince me "he's back" when two-thirds of his 15 goals have come in 3 games this season.

Other than his fourth goal last night (the one in the high slot off a quick release), none of them were particularly vintage Marian Gaborik-type goals. The first goal showed patience sure, but I mean come on Gustavsson was without his stick. The second goal he was completely undefended and the third goal was from a ridiculously bad angle. I mean even Dr. Dangles could have stopped that one...jk Eric! It should have been you on the Coyotes bench that night, not Tom Fenton.

Look, I hope Gaborik is breaking out. I've been defending him all season when everyone else was squirming to trade him for like Brayden Schenn or whoever, but until Gabby puts up some goals in tight situations, I am going to reserve enthusiasm for the time being.

What did get me excited last night was the outstanding play from Michael Sauer. All night long he was forcing turnovers, controlling the gap, and protecting the slot. You can’t quantify all the little things he does defensively or his importance to the blueline, but if you ever want to learn what comprises a solid defensive defensemen and how they keep the puck on the periphery, watch this kid.

Hopefully the Rangers can build off of last night’s performance when they take on Eric Staal and the Canes tonight in Carolina.

Stayed Tuned...

2011-01-20T10:46:00.000-05:00

So, obviously I wanted to talk about Dubi's injury and Gaborik's coming out party last night, but was swamped at work yesterday. Anyway, I got some good posts coming today and Cap's got one as well, so check back later.

~The Suit

New Rules For Hockey In 2011

2011-01-18T16:09:00.001-05:00

Not sure if you've ever seen Bill Maher's show "Real Time" on HBO, but if you haven't he has a segment called "New Rules" where he humorously blasts everything from tired politics to pop culture phenomenons in a Letterman "Top 10" like fashion.

I thought I would come up with my own "New Rules" pertaining to hockey and share them all with you. After reading these, if you have any of your own, please feel free to email me at thesuit2010@hotmail.com. If I find them funny or clever, I'll post them next week on the site.

New Rule. If you don’t think Alexander Burrows should be suspended or at least penalized for using his stick to attack Marc Staal’s nether regions, then you should be suspended from attending hockey games. I'm sure real fans would appreciate one less yahoo in the crowd. Oh, this rule doesn’t apply if you live in Atlanta or Phoenix, since you already don’t attend hockey games to begin with.

New Rule. If a UFC fighter knows to stop wailing on a downed opponent, then a hockey player should too. The adrenaline factor isn’t an excuse unless you are a street thug or are competing in Mortal Combat –FINISH HIM!!!!

New Rule. If you are a color analyst or are part of a studio panel and you make vague references to team systems, you must thoroughly explain what these systems are and how they work. Then you must source my post, “Understanding Forechecking Systems.” Thanks.

New Rule. When I am visiting friends in the 400’s, please refrain from telling me that the Sushi Bar is downstairs. I get it, I am wearing a suit to the game, which must mean I’m a yuppie douche and less of a fan than you are….or maybe I’m just someone who doesn’t feel like lugging a change of clothes to the office. Either way, unless a Nobu opens up in the lower concourse, I have no desire to eat Madison Square Garden sushi and would appreciate it if you stopped suggesting it.

New Rule. If MSG broadcasters/personnel are going to refer to the 400s as the “Blue Seats,” then they must repaint the seats blue. With hundreds of millions of dollars in renovation costs, I hope but a slice is put aside to fix something that is long overdue. See Blueseaters, the Suit loves you too.

New Rule. If you are a NYR season subscriber or a Blueshirts United member and are attending a Fan Forum, please refrain from asking the players stupid questions or giving them advice. Oh and don’t tell us anything about yourself either, no one cares. You know what, it’s better if you just don’t say anything at all. Just let the players do the talking.

New Rule. If beat writers have access to team practices, then bloggers should too. If there isn’t room to accompany every single blogger, then a hockey competition should be held between bloggers and beat writers for access rights. If you can’t play ice hockey (no roller and floor hockey don’t count), then you are automatically eliminated.

Finally, New Rule. If you are a member of the New York Rangers, present or future, and you are not living up to your contract, you MUST hit somebody at least once per shift. And I don’t mean like a bump or a subtle hip check, but a full out Ryan Callahan-type hit. I understand that every player slumps, or that some can't handle scoring goals under the New York spotlight, but if you want the Garden crowd to stay on your side and not boo you out of the building, f-in hit somebody! Mr. Gaborik, that includes you too buddy.

C'mon Torts, Lay Off The Beat

2011-01-17T10:00:00.001-05:00

I think everyone who reads this site with any regularity knows that I am a pro-Torts guy. I think he deserves a lot of credit for some of the success the Rangers are having this season. As far as the media goes, well, I do have a tab under my blog labels called "Hating On The Media," which I am sure you can surmise who I poke fun at. But there comes a point at which I have to throw past grievances aside and reevaluate my stance.

From a fan perspective, John Tortorella's post-game rants in which he rips Rangers' beat writers a new a-hole can be entertaining, especially when it's Larry Brooks. But recently these interviews have gone from hilarious to humorless.

Making these writers look like fools for asking honest questions screams insecurity. Watching these post-games, it's almost like dealing with a fickle fan. When the Rangers win they're best the team in the world, but when they lose, they suck at life...

Look, I get it. After a bad loss or two, the last thing any coach wants to deal with is some disrespectful dude who hasn't done anything competitive since tee-ball nagging him about his players. But the last few interviews where he blew up on Jesse Spector or whoever, the questions were far from interrogative.

The Rangers had no legs last night. Brian Boyle was hunched over 10 seconds into every shift, Staal and Girardi looked gassed, the Rangers forwards were throwing passes in each others skates all night long and they didn't have any energy to play puck pursuit. If someone asks you about this or makes an observation, what's wrong with pointing out that they've played 3 games in 4 nights? No one is going to think anything less of Torts or this team.

No, Torts has to grow up a little bit. He has to realize that the fans and the media aren't out to get him. The questions and perhaps even the critique isn't about him. It's about the shield that reads New York across the top and Rangers diagonally down the middle. So lay off the beat writers, they love you too.

Guinness Book of Records Proves Attendance #'s Are Total B.S.

2011-01-16T13:10:00.001-05:00

Those of you who watched The Big Chill At The Big House , the outdoor game between Michigan and rival Michigan State, or read anything about the event, know that the game went into the record books as the most watched hockey game ever.

The only question was, how many people were really there?

Throughout the event and the days following it, university officials announced that the game had been played in front of a record 113,411 attendees.

Of course after a few weeks, Guinness got a look at the real numbers and chopped that figure down to 104,173. Wow, that's over 9,000 people they made up out of nowhere.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, they looked at the actual number of tickets that were scanned in. The previous number included tickets distributed, plus all of the people working the venue including players, coaches, referees, etc.

All of this got me thinking, if the university cheated that number by 9K, what exactly is the NHL distributing these days?

Obviously, we've always known that attendance figures are a joke, but to what extent? Are the Islanders really including their own players in their already atrocious attendance figures? Are the Rangers following suit as well? If they are, that's kind of funny...and equally sad at the same time.

There's really no way to know for sure what's accurate and what isn't, but it's something worth pondering next time you're sitting at a hockey game and there's an "announced sellout" and half the arena is empty.

Casual Fridays: In Case You Don't Have HBO...

2011-01-14T11:12:00.000-05:00

I know quite a few people have emailed me about finding the 24/7 series on the internet, since not everyone has HBO. Well today you are all in luck people. The final three episodes have finally trickled on to You Tube. Better watch them before the League shuts 'em down.

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Scouting Report: Vancouver Canucks

2011-01-13T13:52:00.001-05:00

If there is any team in the NHL that I would like to see competing for the Cup - other than the Rangers of course - it would be the Canucks. For a team that is so dominant you rarely hear about them or any of their stars south of the border.

Obviously you could say that about a lot of teams that do not employ Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin, but the Canucks aren't just some flash in the pan either. They also aren't a one-line team like the Sharks or a boring trap team like the Predators. The Canucks have balance in almost every aspect of their game, and balance is what keeps you playing hockey in May and June.

Those who follow hockey religiously already know about the Sedin twins and that they are the best things to come out of The Kingdom of Sweden since Swedish Fish (I love those). But many forget those two spent their first four seasons on Vancouver's third line patiently putting up 30-40 points before becoming 100+ point superstars.

You could also make similar sentiments about American Olympian (and a personal favorite of mine) Ryan Kesler, who broke out last year with 75 points after being thought of as just a checking line center his first few seasons in the league. Now he's got Eric Staal-type skill and Ryan Callahan-type will...a deadly combo indeed.

Sure everyone knows that Roberto Luongo is Henrik Lundqvist Lite. But have you heard of Cory Schneider? The 24 year old back-up has a .925 save percentage and has yet to lose a game in regulation. Schneider isn't the only no-name getting it done for the Canucks.

Former Rangers Manny Malhotra and Mikael Samuelsson are giving them depth and grit, as is Raffi Torres. Alex Burrows has been able to provide offense after years of just being an agitator (you listening Sean Avery?). The Canucks defense, despite lacking an expensive star, still moves the puck north with the best of them.

Finally, you can't mention Vancouver's success without mentioning their coach Alain Vigneault, who won the Jack Adams Award in 2007 and has consistently been one of the best coaches in the NHL for years. When A.V. first took over the team from Marc Crawford in 2006, he was known as a defense first coach. His teams used to just grind out 2-1, 1-0 leads and then sit back and trap. The last two seasons, however, he completely changed his approach to a more aggressive puck pursuit system. Now it isn't uncommon to see the Canucks winning by 4 or 5 goals.

Statswise, the Canucks are blowing teams away with their top ranked powerplay, their 5th ranked penalty kill, and their 4th ranked goals against. Did I mention they also have only lost 8 times in regulation and sport a +43 goals for/goals against differential? Yikes!

Alright, so you get it. They're good. How do you beat them?

1. Forecheck, Forecheck, Forecheck!

Their defense is good, but not great. The Rangers have to chip the puck in deep and come away with it down low. If there is ever a time for Torts' dump and smash philosophy to pay off, the time is now.

2. Defend Home Plate

The Canucks are an elite deep cycling team and they regroup better than anyone. The Rangers have to Defend Home Plate as a cohesive unit. One coverage mistake by any Blueshirt down low is going to bite them in the ass. They have to be smart with their physicality and they have to be precise in their decision making. Get surgical!

3. Gaborik, Wake The F- Up!

How's that for a nonsensical thought?

Meet P.K. Subban, The New Sean Avery

2011-01-12T19:09:00.001-05:00

In other sports, such as the NBA, arrogance on and off the court is accepted, if not revered. In the NHL, however, the culture has always been to play hard, keep your head down, and shut up. No rookie has made more waves this season in this regard than Montreal Canadiens defender P.K. Subban.

At his best, the 21 year old is a promising young defensemen who can both lead the rush, as well as lay the big hit. At his worst, he's been a chronic sh*t talker, drawing the ire of veterans for his outward cockiness and coaches for his mental lapses.

To understand both sides of the equation, look no further than last spring when he became an instant fan favorite when he was called up from the minors during Montreal's playoff run. He recorded a point in his first NHL playoff game against the Capitals, and his first playoff goal against the Penguins. He then put up three assists in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Flyers and finished the post-season with 8 points in 14 games. Flash forward to the past two months when Subban was benched for playing too selfishly and was called out by veterans for being too cocky.

Philadelphia Flyers Captain Mike Richards had this to say about Subban’s game…

"It's just frustrating to see a young guy like that come in here and so much as think that he's better than a lot of people," Richards said. "You have to earn respect in this league. It takes a lot. You can't just come in here as a rookie and play like that. It's not the way to get respect from other players around the league. Hopefully someone on their team addresses it, because -- I'm not saying I'm going to do it, but something might happen to him if he continues to be that cocky."

And Richards isn't the only one to take shots at Subban for his trash talking skills. Crosby has expressed similar sentiments, as have distinct members of the media.

Heralded TV Broadcaster, Darren Pang, made a huge gaffe last month on TSN when he suggested that Subban look to St. Louis Blues rookie, Alex Pietrangelo, as an example of someone who Subban should "maybe try to duplicate." Pang said Pietrangelo "does everything, on the ice, off the ice, the white way.”

To be fair, Pang immediately corrected himself and said, “the right way,” as if he made an Elmer Fudd-like slip, but it didn’t matter. The Montreal media ate that up like an overweight kid in an ice cream shop.

Still, I don’t think the distaste for Subban is racially implied. Even though the NHL’s core fan base and respective media members are about as diverse as an East Hampton Wine and Cheese Party, I think he’s just getting flack because he excels at being a pest.

All of this reminds me of the NHL’s biggest villain, Sean Avery. Avery has long been the center of player and media scrutiny for pretty much the same issue. Like Subban, Avery is a talented player with a lot of upside and an uncanny ability to chirp and take dumb penalties.

The main difference between these two is that Avery really didn’t get much attention as a rookie with the Detroit Red Wings. It wasn’t until he got to L.A. where his persona really took off. The other main difference, and a bit of an Achilles' heel for the Canadiens, is that Subban will put his team in more jeopardy since he is a defensemen. The last thing any team wants is their best d-man sitting in the box while your team tries to kill off your stupid penalty.

Either way, whether you like Subban or not, he’s now Public Enemy #1 in many players eyes. So move over Sean Avery, there’s a new pest in town.

Some Lead, Some Follow, and Some Will Never Get Out of the Way

2011-01-11T11:14:00.002-05:00

In an effort to bring more hockey minds to the table, I have recruited another one of my friends/teammates to contribute to this site. Today, Captain Cross-Check (check out Suit & Friends for full bio) will take us through the proper technique of blocking shots, as well as some of the issues the Rangers have had under the Tortorella regime.

Here's what Cap had to say....

Thus far this season, much has been made of the Rangers defensive identity: they’re down and dirty and willing to put themselves in harms’ way in order to keep pucks from reaching netminders Henrik Lundqvist and Marty Biron. The topic of shot blocking has come to the forefront of the Rangers’ universe following the dodged bullet, or at least the damage minimized, after Ruslan Fedotenko’s blocked shot on a Bryan McCabe power play drive in Florida on January 2nd. While the Russian winger was fortunate to suffer only a bone bruise to his hand, American forwards Brandon Dubinsky, captain Chris Drury, and alternate captain Ryan Callahan have not been as lucky in recent seasons.

This Rangers team, which has earned the love and respect of the Garden faithful, has embodied a gritty, "team first" style that fans have long craved. At the midway point of the NHL season, defenseman Dan Girardi leads all NHL players in blocked shots, and Ryan Callahan claimed the lead for NHL forwards at the time of his injury. Of course, this style of play has also earned them their increasingly appropriate “Black and Blueshirts” moniker from Post beat writer Larry Brooks.

Through the establishment of this style and identity, the Rangers have lost Callahan and Dubinsky for significant parts of this year and last, respectively, while also losing team Captain Drury for this preseason just two years after watching him struggle mightily with a broken hand during their first round playoff exit against the Capitals in 2009. Callahan, cited early and often by coach John Tortorella as the heart and soul of the team, was just cleared to begin skating on his own, but is still expected to be out another 3-4 weeks. Interestingly enough, Fedotenko may only remain in the lineup because of Callahan’s injury, after which Glen Sather issued a mandate to his blue collar team and their equipment managers add extra padding to their gloves .

The common thread with all of the injuries is that each was sustained by a forward blocking a shot from the point, with the Rangers unable to sufficiently close the gap between themselves and the shooter. While the ambition to block every shot is admirable, the long term success and sustainability of their technique of blocking shots is questionable.

The technique, in which players give up their entire body, padded or otherwise, is not often worked on in practice, as the dangers of the action are well documented. Interestingly enough, despite the flux of injuries, the team ranks just 11th overall in the league in blocked shots, evidence their technique may be to blame.

The safest way to block a shot at any level is for the player to ensure that he is as close to the shooter as possible, blocking the shot with their shin pads rather than an area with lesser protection such as the glove. Anyone who watched 24/7 on HBO this past month saw Ben Lovejoy of Pittsburgh become a gruesome example of why blocking a shot from long range is so dangerous, as he unintentionally stopped a point shot (coincidentally also off the stick of Bryan McCabe) with his face.

While that grizzly example is extreme, the much more common injury is the one sustained, in practice, by Lovejoy’s teammate Jordan Staal. If you guessed it was a broken hand, you’d be correct. The injury caused the center to miss the second quarter of his 2010-11 campaign following the first two months on the shelf following knee surgery.

Shot blocking technique also seems to be different in North America versus Russia, whereas Americans and Canadians tend to face up to the shooter, many Russian born defenders will drop to one knee and turn to the side, something older Rangers fans may remember Sam and JD pointing out often about Soviet trained Alexander Karpotsev and more recently with regard to Darius Kasparitis. The Western style seems to be preferred at the game’s top level, as the side of the leg is not padded nearly as well as the shin.

To the knowledgeable hockey fan, it seems impossible for the Rangers to shed this selfless identity and maintain their winning ways. Unfortunately, with the team’s stable of forwards further depleted by knee injuries to EriK Christiansen and Alex Frolov, as well as a setback with Vinny Prospal’s comeback from knee surgery, it seems implausible they’ll be able to sustain their success if they continue to jump in front of pucks with reckless abandon.

That said, the only certainty is that Coach Tortorella likes what he sees, and having players with “balls as big as the building” will continue on Broadway, regardless of who owns the next bone to be broken and what kind of toll it might take on the Rangers’ season.

~ Cap

For more posts from the Suit's friends, check out the blog labels to your right entitled Dr. Dangles & Captain Cross-Check.

Sather and Maloney Sit Down For Drinks and A Cigar...Oh & They Make A Trade Too

2011-01-10T18:09:00.004-05:00

According to Twitter - I guess sources are irrelevant at this point - the Rangers traded Michal Rozsival to the Phoenix Coyotes today for left-winger Wojtek Wolski (pronounced Voytech Vulskee). This trade all but assures that Torts has zero faith in Avery - rendering today's earlier post pointless.

Rozsival, it seems has been on the block for two years and was frequently brought up in trade rumors involving Brad Richards, Sheldon Souray, etc. Though, those rumors were put down early in preseason when the Rangers buried Wade Redden in Hartford and would rely on Rozi as the lone "veteran" on the blueline.

Things changed these past couple of months with the emergence of Michael Sauer and the up-tick in performance by Matt Gilroy. With these two playing as well as Rozi if not better, there was really no use for him, especially considering his high cap hit ($5M).

Enter Don Maloney, former Rangers Assistant GM and Current Phoenix Coyotes GM.

The Coyotes play a defensive 1-2-2 forecheck (aka trap hybrid) and could use a defensive defensemen in the form of Michal Rozsival. Meanwhile, 24 year old, Wojtek Wolski has been a disappointment this season (6G, 10A) after signing a two year $7.6 million contract (or a $3.8M cap hit) this past summer.

With Wolski set to make $4M next season and Rozi set to make $3M, the Coyotes will save $1M in salary even though they are adding a $1.2M cap hit. The Rangers on the other hand will be relived of $1.2M in cap space and will have even more coming off the books since there is no chance Frolov will be resigned ($3M). All of which makes me think the Rangers will pursue somebody with a high price tag this summer.

Overall this is a good trade for both sides. The only question is, are we going to get the Wolski who put 50 points a couple seasons back for Colorado, or are we getting some 24 year old kid with a bad work ethic who's skills were swallowed up by a "defense first" scheme?

We shall see...

Avery Good Opportunity

2011-01-10T12:45:00.001-05:00

With Alexander Frolov out for the season - due to a torn ACL, a sprained MCL, and a meniscus tear suffered against the St. Louis Blues – an opportunity will open on left wing next to Artem Anisimov and Marian Gaborik.

Less than a week ago, in my left wing mid-season report card, I said that Alexander Frolov was one to watch in the second half since he’d be finally getting a long look on an all Eastern European line. Up until that point, he’s been bounced around the lineup and hadn’t given Rangers fans any reason to believe he was worthy of a roster spot, let alone a new contract this coming summer.

Well, there goes that plan.

While I am never happy to see any player go down, friend or foe, this does open up a very big opportunity for Mr. Avery. When motivated, Sean can be one of the ~~best~~ most influential players on the ice. With an opening to play top 6 minutes, Sean needs to seize the opportunity the way he lusts after a new collection from Yves St. Laurent.

If you subtract his undisciplined and often inconsistent history, he actually fits the bill in terms of this position’s needs. Arty and Gabby need someone who can work the dirty areas of the ice to get them the puck.

Both know how to forecheck and strip defenders of the puck, but neither can do it with any sort of superiority. Avery can be that guy, much in the way James Neal is for the Stars, Ryan Malone is for Tampa’s top scorers, or Milan Lucic is for Boston’s elite. Obviously at 5’8 (5’10 is a generous listing), Avery is a lot shorter than those three, but he can still be effective if he plays a passionate and practical game.

But Suit, what about this Kris Newbury kid who was just called up?

Kris Newbury was an interesting call up. Newbury was being paid $250,000 to play in the AHL, a figure only four AHL players surpass. When you’re 28 years old and being paid that kind of money in the minors, it is generally because you’re thought of as a career minor leaguer, not an actual prospect. Where he fits remains to be seen, but I would surmise it is not next to Gaborik.

As far as other CT Whale forwards go, the only other player who projects to be a top 6 forward is Evgeny Grachev - and he is nowhere near ready.

No the position is going to go to someone with experience, vigor, and playmaking abilities. That can be Sean Avery, if he still wants it…

Rangers Mid-Season Report Cards - Goalies

2011-01-07T23:52:00.002-05:00

After a long week of mid-season grades, here's the final report. I turned this one over to Eric, since he played goal in college and knows a lot more about play between the pipes than I do.

Here's what Eric had to say...

Martin Biron: B+

Biron has been everything that we could have hoped for this season. He is getting wins when we need them and most importantly he is able to give Hank a rest at any given moment. Currently Biron has a 6-3 record with a .915 save percentage. Honestly, as long as Biron can go 12-8 this season he will be one of the better and most effective signings in the off season.

What I do like about Biron this season is that he is taking his hybrid style and meshing it with the extensive knowledge of Goaltending Coach Benoit Allaire. I think the change over from the Islanders mediocre coaching staff and being brought into the big city has brought out the best in Biron’s game this season. I like how Biron is making the tough game changing saves this season as opposed to giving up those opportunities just a year ago. Finally, the best part of Biron playing well is that this will help give Hank a kick in the ass and make him realize his starting position is not set in stone.

Henrik Lundqvist: B

Hank started the season very slow this year. He was not as aggressive as previous seasons and many goals he let up with not normal for him. He would sit way too far back on the goal line giving high level players easy opportunities to score. Finally, after being taken out of a few games as well as being benched he has seemed to get his game back on track.

Hank has recorded a 17-12-3 record this season with a .923 save percentage. I do believe if Hank continues to play standout hockey then these numbers will improve to be a top 5 goaltender this season. When Hank is playing well he is coming out of the net and his movement is fluid. I also think he is seeing the puck better as of recent. He is beginning to find the puck through traffic slightly better and is not letting those frequent slappers in from the point.

Overall, I believe Hank has had a mediocre start to the season and we have yet to see the best from him. Hopefully, the stinging reminder of last season will remain and coming down the stretch he will use that motivation to play Vezina quality goaltending.

~Dr. Dangles

Casual Fridays: Ovie SportsCenter Promo & A Picture Only A Hockey Player Can Relate To

2011-01-07T12:03:00.000-05:00

Smart move by ESPN to (finally) include a hockey player in one of their This Is SportsCenter promos.

Not sure where this one came from, but all I have to say is...yeah, been there

Mailbag: More Winter Classic 2012 Ideas and Sean Avery plays with dolls

2011-01-06T22:09:00.003-05:00

Suit,

I enjoyed your breakdown of all the players this week, but in regards to Sean Avery, don’t you feel some the animosity thrown his direction, particularly with the media is because of his lifestyle and forays into fashion circles?

- Alex

Alex,

You know it’s possible. There are plenty of crusty old conservative men in the media who look down upon what kind of internships Avery applies for and it’s not just media people, but hockey people as well.

As far I’m concerned I could care less about what Avery does away from the rink or what fashionistas and socialites he hangs out with. I certainly don’t buy into the idea that his hobbies are distractions from hockey either.

This is New York man, as long as he competes every night, who cares if he plays with dolls in his spare time?

~ Suit

Hey Suit,

I emailed this to the NHL. What do you think?

I know that the league has wanted to do a Winter Classic in New York with the Rangers, preferably at Yankee Stadium. Now that the Stadium is committed to the Pinstripe Bowl, the other New York options each have a downside:

New Meadowlands Football Stadium: You either put the Devils in the game and disappoint the TV viewing audience, or leave the Devils out and disappoint Jeff Vanderbeek and Lou Lamorillo

Citi Field: Besides for the fact you run into the same dilemma if you don’t put the Islanders in the game, the park might not have great sightlines.

So how about this for a Winter Classic idea: give Hartford back the Whalers for 1 day, and have them host the Rangers at the Rentschler Field? Carolina (wearing Hartford Whaler uniforms) hosting the NY Rangers in (just outside) Hartford.

The game would be an easy sell out, as not only would you have the Whalers loyal fan base thrilled to have the old team back, even for just 1 day, but the location is close enough to New York that plenty of Rangers fans would love to get their hand on tickets.

You’ll be playing in a modern facility, managed by a company (AEG) with whom the league already maintains good working relationship. You’ll get the benefits of the sightlines of playing in a football stadium, without the drawbacks of only having 2 weeks due to an NFL team needing the stadium, or having to worry about a local rabid fan-base distracted by the home team playing in a big New Year’s Day Bowl like you would in a Big Ten stadium. You’ll get the New York market, but still keep the New York market fresh for a future opportunity to play at Yankee Stadium (which would be more difficult if you played at the Meadowlands or CitiField). You’ll actually have 3 television markets involved in the game: New York, Hartford, and Raleigh/Durham.

While the last 2 aren’t huge markets (neither was Buffalo), the fact that you’ll have a 3rd TV market is a bonus. Added bonus: You will make the Carolina Hurricanes very happy without having to offer them a Winter Classic game to host in North Carolina (college football country and warmer weather).

- Broadway Blue

I like where your head is at Blue, that's an intriguing idea down the road - points for creativity.

While I think the Rangers could play at the New Meadowlands without issue from the Devils (they have zero leverage), I do like the idea of the Hurricanes sporting the Old Whalers jerseys. I think down the road if the Canes become a buzz worthy team it's an idea to consider if they were to play the Rangers or even the Bruins.

I'm not sold on Rentschler for the Winter Classic (The CT Whale are doing an outdoor game there) or any stadium that isn't in an NHL market (including Lambeau). With sooo many teams/cities wanting to get in on this, it would be tough for the NHL to turn down its own markets for a neutral site. Some cities and organizations may even take it as a slap in the face. Politics bro, it is what it is....

~ The Suit

Hey,

What’s your take on possibly moving the Winter Classic to an 8 o’clock start every year? Wouldn’t there be too much competition from College Football?

~ Phil

Phil,

Moving the Winter Classic shouldn’t be a request, but a demand from the NHL to whichever network ends up paying for TV rights. It’s not like the Winter Classic is going up against all 30+ bowls. The WC went up against one game and it did a kick ass rating.

Look, for the last 50 years the best time to capitalize on TV ratings is by airing your best programming in Primetime (8-11p). The number of households with TV sets turned on gradually goes up throughout the day and peaks during those hours. If the NHL wants to reach the most people, that’s where the Winter Classic should be.

The real question to ponder is whether they should move the Classic to Saturday next year, since New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday and could potentially go up against NFL games. Personally, I’d prefer to keep the game on Saturday. If they do stick with Sunday then they would absolutely need to keep the game at 8p. Better to go against one NFL game as opposed to a dozen in the 1p or 4p time slot.

Good questions/ideas this week, keep ‘em coming…hit me up at Twitter or email me

~Suit

Rangers Mid-Season Report Cards - Defense

2011-01-05T22:34:00.000-05:00

Despite the youthful inexperience of our defense, other than Del Zotto they have been pretty solid this season. Are any of them All-Star material? Not yet, but some will get there in time.

Marc Staal: B+

Staal started off the season a little slow, but he picked up his play in November and has been solid ever since. Like Girardi, Staal’s strength is in a shutdown role, which he does as good as anybody. This season we are starting to see a little more offense from him. He’s joining the rush, he’s shooting more from the point, and he’s also notched 6 goals, which is almost what he scored the entire season last year (8).

I would give Girardi the edge over Staal in terms of blocking shots and cutting off passes, however, Staal is still the better overall defensemen in non-quantifiable things. Staal makes less coverage mistakes, he breaks up more odd man situations, and he is stronger along the boards. Both have intrinsic value to this team, but I’d still give Marc the edge.

Ultimately, once Gilroy and Del Zotto are ready for big time minutes, I would like to see Girardi and Staal split up and paired off with those two.

Daniel Girardi: B+

I have to admit, I wasn’t high on him the last couple of seasons. While I always knew he was a solid positional player and a terrific shot blocker, his lack of physicality and offensive skills kept his overall value low in my eyes. Alas, like Boyle, Girardi is having a major turnaround this season. While he’s still not the physical, crease clearing d-man we need, his uptick in the OZ has been nice to watch. He’s a little more confident with the puck, he’s making good passes, and somehow his mediocre shot from the point is finding its way through traffic.

What keeps these two from taking the next step is their inability to protect Hank on a nightly basis. The King still gets run into way too much. Sure they’ll retaliate from time to time when Hank has been bulldozed, but they shouldn’t always be retaliating, they should be initiating.

Do you ever see the Flyers goalie, Bobrovsky getting pancaked? No, you don’t. Opposing forwards can’t even get to him. That’s an elite shutdown defense. Staal and Girardi are almost there.

Michal Rozsival: C+

Solid without the puck, mediocre with it, that’s Michal Rozsival. He’s a good positional guy, he can break up plays, yada yada yada. The guy is still a shell of his former self at the point, which is where we need him most. His shots don’t get through, he fumbles the puck at the blueline, and his breakout passes leave much to be desired.

Does he still provide value to this team?

Contract aside, sure. But I’ll be happy when he’s gone. The only thing he’s doing for me right now to leave him alone is he’s giving breathing room to Gilroy, Sauer, MDZ, and now McDonagh. Those four guys are our future, but none are ready for the minutes that Rozi logs. Don’t fret people, the Rozi era is moving closer to conclusion.

Steve Eminger: C+

Steve Eminger is almost a cheaper version of Michal Rozsival. They’re different in style and substance, but they’re both placeholders for youth and neither are long-term solutions for the roster.

Eminger is another guy who had an awful preseason and a mediocre start to the regular season, but he too picked up his play. He’s a very quick skater, he can make good outlet passes, and he’s very physical along the boards. Where he runs into trouble is his decision making without the puck. He can take himself out of position at times looking for the big hit.

Overall, I’d say if McDonagh proves he isn’t ready and MDZ continues his struggles, I wouldn’t mind resigning him to a 1 year deal come July.

Michael Sauer: B

Sauer is the man. Listed at 6’3 22o lbs, he’s big, he’s strong, and he knows how to use it. He plays with the poise of a veteran and is one of the better defensive defensemen rookies I’ve seen in a long time. Will this kid ever quarterback a power play or score goals on end to end rushes? Probably not, but he’s reliable when the opposition is coming South.

The kid also has a bit of mean streak in him which is nice to see on a blueline that can be relatively soft some nights. Ultimately, I don’t see Girardi, Gilroy, or MDZ becoming one of those big open ice hitters, but Sauer can be that guy. He could be that defensemen who will cross the line sometimes with his physicality to keep opposing teams honest. It’s something the Rangers need and it’s something they could have with Sauer at a pretty affordable price too.

Matt Gilroy: B-

Gilroy is improving defensively and he’s picking his spots a little better, he just needs more minutes to figure it all out. We know he has great speed and playmaking abilities, but he’s got to be a little more physical in order to cement himself in the lineup.

Look, being a puck moving defensemen in Tortorella’s system is no easy task. He wants you to join the rush, but if you get caught up ice more than you make plays you’re going to find yourself in the press box.

The good thing about Gilroy is it’s only his 2^nd season and learning when to take chances and when not to takes time. The problem with Gilroy is he’s 26 turning 27. How patient can you be with someone’s flaws when they’re a stone’s throw from 30?

We will find out this summer.

Michael Del Zotto: C-

Everything I can say about MDZ has probably already been said and he was obviously sent to the minors for a reason. He has to learn the defensive side of the game, but he’s still the best chance the Rangers have at developing an elite power play quarterback.

The offense will come with confidence. I mean he has abilities with the puck you just can’t teach, but learning defensive responsibilities and coverage options takes time. The Rangers were very aware of this last season - it was all over his scouting reports - but they were so desperate for a puck mover they kind of looked the other way when it came to play in his own zone.

Now he’s feeling the heat because he’s lost confidence in what he’s good at and he can’t fall back on playing great defense to stay on the roster and in the lineup. The slower pace and dialed down pressure of the AHL will help get him back on track.

Rangers Mid-Season Report Cards - Left Wing

2011-01-04T21:10:00.000-05:00

The position to watch during the second half of the season will be left wing. Gabby, Cally, Prust, and Boyle are pretty much locks in Tortorella's lineup. While Derek Stepan and Arty Anisimov are emerging studs who will be given some rope in their continued development.

To me, based on how Dubinsky and Frolov fair, I think will ultimately determine what kind of moves Sather makes heading into free agency.

Brandon Dubinsky: A-

The decision to move Dubinsky to the wing from the center position was one of the best decisions Torts has made during his tenure here. Dubinsky transformed from a decent playmaker with upside to a full blown power forward. He has always had good speed and great stick handling abilities, but this season he has also become stronger on the puck, better along the boards, and most importantly his hockey IQ is improving.

What exactly do I mean by hockey IQ?

He’s thinking the game a little quicker, he’s seeing the ice a bit better, and he’s generally making the correct decisions with the puck. Anyone can go back and watch a replay to learn what they should have done in given play. Someone with a high hockey IQ doesn’t need to learn these things through tape and laser pointers. They know before the puck leaves their stick what the right move is. Younger guys like Stepan may make the wrong move, but will know right away they fu*ked up. Guys with low hockey IQ won’t recognize mistakes until coaches ream them out and then the excuses are made…

Dubi is closer to realizing his potential as a great player. His biggest obstacle was his maturity, which Torts has touched on, but I’ve also heard it elsewhere. From all accounts though, he seems to be getting past all that ego crap.

So if everything is all good, why the focus on him in the second half?

We need to see if he can carry the team and be the go-to-guy. The playoff race is going to tighten up over the next couple of months. Losses like the other night in Florida will soon become absolutely unacceptable. If Dubi’s play becomes inconsistent like seasons past, then I could see Sather trying to make a move. If Dubi keeps playing the way he has all season and further steps up his game, then there will be no need for an expensive free agent or a blockbuster deal.

Alexander Frolov: C+

I mention Alexander Frolov as “one to watch” because he’s getting top 6 minutes with Anisimov and Gaborik. To be fair, he has been bounced around the lineup this season, which isn’t good for anyone’s confidence, but he has also had plenty of chances to show his 19 goal season last year was an aberration. Unfortunately, it’s looking more like a tendency rather than an anomaly.

Frolov really doesn’t fit this system. He’s just not a strong enough skater. He has the size and the strength to be on mop up duty, but he’s not quick enough on the forecheck or the backcheck to really be a long-term solution. On another team that doesn’t emphasize “North/South” hockey, he’d probably score his 25 garbage goals, but on this team…meh.

Still, there’s time left on the season to prove me wrong and finding a future left winger to play with Anisimov and Gaborik is need numero uno in my book.

Ruslan Fedotenko: B+

He’s one of the most consistent grinders in the game. This guy has been around the NHL for 9 seasons and every year he gives you 30-40 points, solid work in the corners, blocked shots, forechecking, etc. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Feds-Boyle-Prust line is one of the best 3^rd lines in the NHL right now. You know exactly what you are going to get with these guys night in and night out.

If Fed’s solid play continues, the Rangers should resign him, as they should Boyle whose contract is also up this summer albeit Fed's restricted. Had Vinny Prospal not been injured Feds probably wouldn’t have gotten a chance on this team and now he’s logging important minutes. Crazy how things work out sometimes.

Sean Avery: C+

I don’t think there is any player in the three decades I have been following the Rangers that has excited me and disappointed me more than Sean Avery. For a guy who has rarely cracked 45 points in a season, he certainly has drawn the interest of fans and media more than most players in his wheelhouse.

Sean has the skills to be a very good player. He has gone stretches where he has completely taken over games by scoring big goals, laying big hits, and drawing key penalties. Then there is the other side of Sean Avery; the guy who takes bad penalties, turns the puck over in awful spots, and has rifts with teammates and coaches alike.

For the most part, the major man crush that many fans have for this guy often supersedes all of his negatives. Throw in the fact that he’s a bad boy with a penchant for dating celebrities, pissing off Gary Bettman, and waving sticks in front of Martin Brodeur and you can start to understand why the guy is so adored in this town.

As far as I'm concerned he’s just another overpaid athlete who can’t put it all together due to ego and that is why he is on the fourth line. It’s not some feud with Torts, or the refs, or any of that b.s. Sean makes his own bed and at 30 years old, time is running out.

Well that’s it for the forwards. I left out Mats Zuccarello and Chris Drury since they haven’t been with the team for most of the season. Both have played well in limited action. Hopefully this continues.

Next up defense…

Rangers Mid-Season Report Cards - Right Wing

2011-01-04T12:19:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we evaluated our centers at the halfway point, today we are going to talk about our right wingers. For most of the season, this has included Marian Gaborik, Ryan Callahan, Brandon Prust, and Derek Boogaard.

Marian Gaborik: B-

First off, let’s get something out of the way real quick. Marian Gaborik has a no-trade clause. Glen Sather won’t ever ask him to waive it and even if by some miracle he did, what team would take an expensive player with a history of being injury prone? No, whether you like or not, he’s a Ranger till 2014.

Now I know some Rangers fans think he’s not a big-game player or that he doesn’t fit this team’s personality, but I disagree. While I respect those opinions and understand some of their frustration, I won’t entertain the thought of trading him. It’s just not realistic and I don’t like to toy around with trade ideas that are improbable. It’s just not my thang!

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s breakdown Gabby’s first half.

Statistically, he’s not having a bad season. His eleven goals and eleven assists in 26 games are on par with his usual production. Had he not missed most of October and November, he’d probably be leading this team in points…and that’s still on a somewhat down year. The problem is that his offense this season is coming in waves and then disappears for games at a time. Historically, he’s never been that inconsistent, enigmatic player.

Is it nagging injuries? Perhaps. If he’s playing at 75% health Torts isn’t going to give up that information. Is it a chemistry thing due to the constant juggling of lines? It could be. Losing Prospal before the season got underway definitely didn’t help and neither Stepan nor Dubi have been able to click with Gaborik the way Vinny did. Or maybe he’s just in a funk, you know like every other player has gone through at one point or another.

Marian Hossa just ended a 10 game scoreless streak. Alexander Ovechkin went through a rough patch as well. Sh*t happens. The good thing is we aren’t as reliant on him as the media thought we would be, but that still doesn’t downgrade his importance. He’s still a vital asset to have on this team.

The thing to remember when evaluating Gaborik is that he only wants the puck the last third of the ice. There is nothing wrong with this per se, but I believe most fans think of "star players" as guys who like to create offense by carrying the puck through 3 zones, putting moves on 3-4 players and finish by dekeing out the goalie. Gaborik is not that type of scorer, few are. He is also not a powerforward, which I know is the type of star that many Rangers fans will always covet.
Gaborik to me is just a pure snipe show. He’s a Pavel Bure or even a flimsier version of Steven Stamkos.

They get the puck, they shoot it, and it’s in the back of the net. It’s about the shot release, the power, and the accuracy. And believe it or not, these guys aren’t puck hogs so it actually makes them easier to fit into any hockey system contrary to what pundits will have you believe. The other great thing about Gabby is he’s not a primadonna and he won’t throw teammates or coaches under the bus when things aren’t going his way. He’ll come around and everyone will be obsessed with him again.

All Gabby needs to do is keep grinding it out with Stepan and Dubi. The magic will come.

Ryan Callahan: B+

I love this kid’s heart, the hits, the blocked shots, and all of the other intangibles that Cally brings to the table. His game is somewhat different than Adam Graves, but he holds the same iconic status in my eyes. Hopefully Sather won’t trade him to San Jose for some nobody and break my heart all over again.

My only knock on Cally is his inability to execute good plays on transition rushes. There have been so many instances where he skates down the ice and puts a bad angle shot on net when he could EASILY put on the breaks to shake his defender or just cut to the middle of the ice. If he ever learned how to execute that play, he would have a lot more goals, a lot less missed shots, and he’d probably draw a few more penalties too. He has the speed, the hands and the shot, now he just needs the move.

From what I have heard, Ryan Callahan is also a great guy off the ice and avoids the NYC club scene, which is rare to find in young professional athletes in this town. Hopefully this kid will be a Ranger for life.

Brandon Prust: B+

When the Rangers let Freddy Sjostrom walk, I have to admit I was pretty bummed, but little did I know they would go on to acquire one of the Rangers best grinders in recent memory.

In the years leading up the lockout, the Rangers third line was always composed of “star” players past their primes as opposed to guys who could forecheck, hit, score some dirty goals, and drop the gloves when needed. The Rangers finally have a third line that does what a third line is supposed to do and Prust is one-third of the reason for that.

Prust may never score 20 goals, as he has stone hands, but he does everything else you could ask from a third line grinder.

Derek Boogaard: C

This summer when the Rangers signed Derek Boogaard to a 4 year contract worth $1.6 million per, I said in my post “The Long Con,” (yes that’s a Lost reference) that Boogie was like the worst player on my rec hockey team, just with an extra foot of height, an additional 100 pounds, and an ability to throw some haymakers. Unfortunately, I wasn’t far off in my assessment. Boogie has been a slight upgrade over Donald Brashear, but still a downgrade from Jody Shelley and Colton Orr.

So how do I grade Derek when he’s pretty much lived up to such a mediocre billing?

For starters let’s talk about Sather’s quote upon signing him. He said he didn’t like the way opposing players were getting away with running over Hank and he thought with Boogie on the team that wouldn’t happen anymore.

(Buzzer Sound)

Sorry Glen, try again. Hank is still getting run over. Usually after three or four spills one of our defenders will finally give an opposing net crasher a face wash, but at that point the damage is done. Sure his 7 fights before going down with an injury is almost the same amount he had all of last year (nine), but few of them were memorable or portray him as a guardian figure.

No the real protector of our team has been Brandon Prust, who is all of 5’11 195lbs.