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Wednesday July 2nd Day two of the 2008 free agency frenzy is under way, and so far no more big signings to report, which of course gives us plenty of time to review the stories from yesterday. Wade Redden of course was the biggest signing for the Rangers yesterday, and he seems ready to go. The career Senator is set to play for just the second team in the NHL. The Hockey News sees him as a good mentor for the younger Ranger defenders (though how many they end up keeping remains to be seen). Like us, Larry Brooks takes issue with the size of the contracts for Redden and Michal Rozsival (who was also re-signed), or more specifically the position it puts the team in. Undoubtedly Glen Sather was overreacting to not getting a top line defender last year, and so ensured that his defense was set first. Defenders have commanded a premium since the lockout, and Sather looked to be negotiating with several before securing Redden and coming back to Rozsival. There is still of course a gaping hole at forward, with the Rangers holding somewhere between $8-11M (depending who you slot into the remaining open spots) to add some depth there. One player who likely won't be back is Sean Avery. Avery appears to be talking to Dallas where he has connections with former fellow team mate (and now co-GM) Brett Hull. As a side note, aside from the re-signing of Michal Rozsival and Stephen Valiquette, no other Ranger free agents have been signed yet. Tuesday July 1st 8:39pm per Sam Weinman 6 Years - $39 Million 7:42pm ...just reported on TSN... 4 Years - $20 Million 7:00pm Given the relative price of d-men on the market, it's not surprising that they had to go 4 years, and $5M per year for Rozsival...one does wonder if Sather was a little unprepared for the price of some of the other options out there and perhaps could've signed Rozsival earlier for less. 6:33pm Former Detroit pick, this signing was actually announced a week or so ago on eurohockey.net. Figures to be in Hartford or maybe the NHL with a big camp. Had 17 goals and 13 assists in 51 games for Swedish Elite League champions HV 71, also added an impressive 167 penalty minutes. 6:25pm 29 year old, 6-4 205lb American born winger, who has just 45 points in 180 games spanning back to 2003-04 season. Played 79 games for each of the last two seasons with the Sharks. 3 years - $3 million 4:00pm 27 years old tomorrow, made his NHL debut this past season with the Wild, playing 55 games and picking up 7 goals and 7 assists to go along with his 141 penalty minutes. Voros likes to play with an edge and was originally a Devils draft pick. The Rangers have signed former Wild forward, Aaron Voros according to TSN Just an hour or so to go, before teams are free to announce free agent signings, and of course there's already plenty of speculation on who will go where. The Post continues the Mats Sundin rumors and adds that Brendan Shanahan may sign with the Devils. The Daily News and Newsday speculate on who the Rangers might target and the Journal News says Jaromir Jagr is the first 'domino'. Monday June 30th With less that 24 hours until free agency (starts at 12:01am EDT - signings begin 12:00pm EDT), the conversation continues to be about Jaromir Jagr. The NY Times gives us a relatively rare offseason story about Jagr's options, but it's likely the NY Post that will get most of the conversation today. Larry Brooks tells us today that Chris Drury is already ready to move to the wing on a line with Scott Gomez, which would allow the Rangers to go after to a centerman to augment Jagr. Brooks wonders why Sather hasn't communicated this plan to Jagr...which makes us wonder how accurate the story is. Sunday June 29th Jaromir Jagr and the Rangers are still at odds according to John Dellapina of the NY Daily News. In his story today, Dellapina makes the case for both sides, and unless someone budges, it doesn't look like there's any middle ground. Steve Zipay tells us Jagr isn't feeling the love from the Rangers. In his recent press conference, Jagr explained that he needs a team to say "this is your team"...something that Sather appears a little reluctant to do at this stage. In the Post, Larry Brooks makes another case for Sean Avery. Brooks tells us that the Rangers have granted Avery the right to talk to other interested teams, and says that he's already receiving offers comparable to the $4M, four year deal he was seeking, and that Sather was reluctant to provide. Saturday June 28th In the lone story in today's papers, the NY Post reports that Jaromir Jagr is unlikely to return with the Rangers. Larry Brooks spoke with Jagr's agent Pat Brisson, and talked about the current state of negotiations. Brisson and Glen Sather have been "talking all week", but the sticking point appears to be the number of years. The Rangers are said to be unwilling to go beyond one year, so that they can defer bonuses, while Jagr is looking for a multi-year deal. Friday June 27th While the multiple threads on whether Martin Straka has signed on to play with Plzen in the Czech Republic (announced by the club) or hasn't signed (announced by his agent) continue, the NY Post reports that Jaromir Jagr has received a three year $35M deal to join Avangard Omsk. Glen Sather tells the post that he's told Jagr's agent several times that they want to get a deal done, but has not heard anything back. The Post article also goes on to say that Mats Sundin will be the Rangers' #1 priority come July 1st, though Sundin's team mate Darcy Tucker won't get a call until Sather talks to his own free agents first. Artem Anisimov has been making an impression on Tom Renney according to Steve Zipay of Newsday. Renney says Anisimov is the one player that appears to have made a big jump over last year. There's another article about Mitch Gaulton from Niagara this week. Gaulton was selected in the sixth round by the Rangers, and is currently attending the Rangers' prospect camp. Finally Rangers' prospect Rick Kozak has signed on to play with Hull in the UK. Kozak had played most of the previous two seasons in the Central Hockey League after falling out of favor with the Charlotte Checkers. Thursday June 26th Rangers re-sign P.A. Parenteau accordin to ESPN's transactions page The Medicine Hat Tiger have selected 2008 3rd round pick (and Rangers draftee) Tomas Kundratek with the 15th overall pick in today's CHL draft. Evgeny Gravchev has yet to be selected. Martin Straka will not be returning to the Rangers next season. According to reports from the Czech Republic, the veteran forward has signed on with Plzen in the Czech Elite League to be their player/manager. The 35 year old played 224 regular season games with the Rangers scoring 65 goals and registering 122 assists. 2008 third round pick Evgeny Gravchev says he was surprised he didn't get picked in the first round, and wants to be like Evgeni Malkin. Gravchev is attending the Rangers' prospect camp currently, and is set to play in Canadian Juniors this Winter (import draft is today). We've also got another article on Michael Del Zotto, though there's not much new in this one. If you're looking for some more coverage on the latest picks, you may also want to check out this article by Russ Cohen. Russ has recently completed a book about the Rangers (which we'll be profiling shortly). Tuesday June 24th Do the Rangers really have interest in Mats Sundin or not? According to the NY Post, Glen Sather is considering bringing him in to center Jaromir Jagr in what would possibly be the oldest first line in the league. By contrast Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that no substantive discussions have taken place, and Leafs interim GM Cliff Fletcher describes the rumors as completely untrue. With all the talk about Jaromir Jagr and Sean Avery (another intern article here), there's little that's been said about Brendan Shanahan. Glen Sather tells Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, that Shanhan will have to be patient. The annual Rangers' prospect conditioning camp got underway yesterday with 2008 draftees Michael Del Zotto, Derek Stepan, Chris Doyle, Dale Weise and Mitch Gaultin all in attendance. Newsday has a report as does Blueshirt Bulletin. Monday June 23rd The Rangers and Jaromir Jagr hope to meet this week about discussing a new deal. Jagr is set to become a free agent July 1st, but both he and the Rangers have indicated they'd like to see if they can't work something out. 2008 draftees Michael Del Zotto and Derek Stepan will be in New York this week to go through the annual prospect conditioning camp. The Rangers have invited 28 players, which typically includes recent draftees, existing prospects and a handful of invitees (none of whom typically feature in the Rangers future). The Post goes on to report that the Rangers will not likely give Fredrik Sjostrom a qualifying offer, but will try to sign him for around $650k, about 40% less than what he's currently making. The move will mean Sjostrom will become a UFA and will be free to sign with any team. In other news, the Rangers were apparently given the okay to talk to Mats Sundin before the Canadiens were. New York and Montreal are apparently on the top of his list if he decides to leave Toronto. Sunday June 22nd According to the New York Daily News, the Rangers want Jaromir Jagr to stay at least another year. Larry Brooks goes on to say in the Post that the point of negotiation will be determining what the Rangers expect from Jagr, and whether Jagr will agree to that. Brooks also writes that the Rangers are one of a select few teams that have been given the opportunity to talk to impending UFA defenseman Brian Campbell. The former Sabre, and current Shark is said to want to return to the Eastern Conference, and the Rangers would be a team he'd consider. Sean Avery looks all but done as a Ranger. He's now just over a week away from free agency, and the Rangers are not expected to make an offer. The Journal News wraps up yesterday's draft in which the Rangers added two more defensemen and four forwards to go with defenseman Michael Del Zotto. Picked in the sixth round, Mitch Gaulton was happy to have been drafted at all, after missing all but twenty games this last season with an elbow injury. Given the choice between two of his favorite targets, Larry Brooks as come out on the side of Rangers' owner Jim Dolan, calling NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman despotic in terms of his reign as the head of the NHL. |
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| Rangers Make Their Move - Bergen Record 7/3 Rangers Lose Avery, Deal For ... - Westchester Journal News 7/3 Blueshirts Keep Failing To Sc... - New York Post 7/3 Controversial Avery Leaves Ra... - New York Newsday 7/3 Avery Leaves Rangers; Jagr In... - New York Daily News 7/3 Rangers On Youth Movement By ... - New York Newsday 7/3 Avery Taking His Popular Styl... - New York Times 7/3 Zherdev On Broadway - Toronto Sun 7/3 NHLers Join Forces To Aid Fou... - Winnipeg Free Press 7/3 Expect Jagr To Play Wait And ... - Calgary Sun 7/3 Old Faces To New Places - Columbus Dispatch 7/3 Avery Signs With Stars - New York Post 7/3 Blueshirts Land Redden - New York Post 7/2 Redden Revved Up To Be Ranger - Ottawa Sun 7/2 |
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| Team | GP | W | L | OT | Pts |
| Canadiens | 82 | 47 | 25 | 10 | 104 |
| Penguins | 82 | 47 | 27 | 8 | 102 |
| Capitals | 82 | 43 | 31 | 8 | 94 |
| Devils | 82 | 46 | 29 | 7 | 99 |
| Rangers | 82 | 42 | 27 | 13 | 97 |
| Flyers | 82 | 42 | 29 | 11 | 95 |
| Senators | 82 | 43 | 31 | 8 | 94 |
| Bruins | 82 | 41 | 29 | 12 | 94 |
| Hurricanes | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 |
| Sabres | 82 | 39 | 31 | 12 | 90 |
| Panthers | 82 | 38 | 35 | 9 | 85 |
| Maple Leafs | 82 | 36 | 35 | 11 | 83 |
| Islanders | 82 | 35 | 38 | 9 | 79 |
| Thrashers | 82 | 34 | 40 | 8 | 76 |
| Lightning | 82 | 31 | 42 | 9 | 71 |
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