Day: January 24, 2009

Before the lockout, the Rangers were known mostly for one thing: failure. Seven years of playoff futility was highlighted by a stream of aging, high priced veterans, who for the most part failed to perform in the bright spotlight of Broadway.

Four and a half years on, and the Rangers have moved on with three successive post seasons, and seemingly a fourth one on the way. Also gone are the big egos, though not necessarily the big salaries, and for the first time since the early 90s, we see a team that has a large contingent of home grown talent.

The NHL All-Star break continues, with commissioner Gary Bettman threatening to suspend any player who doesn’t show up for the event in Montreal. Niklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk may yet change their minds, or face the prospect of missing a regular season game as a result.

In the mean time, Larry Brooks makes the case that Blair Betts and Fredrik Sjostrom are the best penalty killing tandem since Walt Tkazcuk and Bill Fairbairn skated for the Rangers in the 70s. The Rangers boast a league leading 87.6% kill rate when a man down this season, the best in franchise history.