Change As Good As A Holiday?
Reading the comments from many fans after yesterday’s firing of Tom Renney, and one might come away with the feeling that the season is suddenly saved, and the Rangers are once again a playoff contender. After spirally towards the bottom of the playoff picture with ten losses in the last twelve games, it’s clear that […]
Home Cooking
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 […]
Hank and Team Defense Carrying the Team
by Mark Owens Only three NHL defensemen have a worse plus/minus than Dmitri Kalinin. At -10, Kalinin leads the team in this category. He also seems to bring the worst out of whichever defenseman he is paired with. Aside from Sunday’s team-wide malfunction, is it any surprise that Michal Rozsival‘s play improved immensely once he was reunited […]
Turnover, Speed, and Leadership Void
by Mark Owens Chris Drury and Scott Gomez, along with Henrik Lundqvist, take over as the team’s leaders. Jagr’s offensive production ‘ hopefully ‘ will be replaced by the speedy, enigmatic, underachieving, high first-round pick Nikolai Zherdev (sounds a little like Alex Kovalev, doesn’t it?). Replacing Shanahan’s 23 goals, theoretically, will be Markus Naslund, whose production the past two seasons has […]
Parenteau Returns
Rangers re-sign P.A. Parenteau according to ESPN’s transactions page. ***MEDICINE HAT DRAFTS TOMAS KUNDRATEK*** 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 […]
Rangers Win 3-1 – Go Up 3-1
Two days after seeing the puck deflect into his own net off his skate, Marc Staal gained redemption, scoring the game winner to put the Rangers in a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Devils. Staal appeared to carry no baggage from the Sunday loss, leading Jagr to joke after the game that the rookie defenseman didn’t know he scored Sunday, and probably didn’t know he […]
Win Clinches Playoffs, Home Ice Still Possible
With last night’s 3-0 win, the Rangers have set themselves up with a shot at home ice advantage. The Rangers of course will have to win tonight, but they’ll also need some help from the Flyers, who will need to beat New Jersey…in regulation preferrably. The win also clinched a playoff spot for the third straight season, and at worst they can now […]
The Price is Right?
by Matt Waxman At this point it should be apparent what the Rangers are, and that is a mediocre team. They are not an offensive team, nor are they a defensive team of late. This is a team in limbo. There are several ways this can play out, but first a review. At the start […]