Update: Thanks to a friend on this “paper transaction” during the break:
New York, February 16, 2010 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that goaltender Steve Valiquette has been recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL), and goaltender Matt Zaba has been assigned to Hartford.
Valiquette, 32, has posted a record of 4-5-1, along with a 3.73 goals against average and an .877 save percentage in 11 appearances with Hartford this season. Valiquette posted a 4-1-1 mark, with a 2.29 goals against average and a .919 save percentage in a six-game stretch from December 12 vs. Bridgeport to December 30 vs. Springfield, including back-to-back wins on December 12 vs. Bridgeport (2-1) and December 18 vs. Toronto (6-1) where he registered a 0.99 goals against average and a .960 save percentage in the two contests.
The Etobicoke, Ontario native was signed by the Rangers as a free agent on July 1, 2006.
Zaba, 26, has posted a 0-0-0 record, with a 3.56 goals against average and an .875 save percentage in one appearance with the Rangers this season. He made his NHL debut in a 6-0 loss at Montreal on January 23, entering the game at 6:18 of the second period and stopping 14 of 16 shots, including nine of 10 in the third. In addition, Zaba has dressed as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup in six games this season. He returns to Hartford where he has posted a 5-8-1 record, along with a 3.03 goals against average and a .905 save percentage in 18 AHL appearances this season. He has posted a 2-4-0 record, with a 2.36 goals against average and a .930 save percentage in his last six games with the Wolf Pack dating back to a 5-4 loss vs. Norfolk on January 27. Last season, Zaba ranked seventh in the AHL in goals against average (2.33), tied for eighth in save percentage (.920) and 12th in wins (25). He also led the league in shootout save percentage with a .930% success rate. Zaba was named AHL Goaltender of the Month for February, and he finished the regular season with a 14-2-0 mark and a 1.84 goals against average, a .937 save percentage and one shutout in his final 16 contests. He made his AHL debut on October 18, 2008, at Toronto.
The Yorkton, Saskatchewan native was signed by the Rangers as a free agent on August 20, 2007.
Back to earlier programming….
Since you all seem to be on topic, here’s a clean slate for your Olympics preview hockey chat until tomorrow’s face off between USA and Switzerland. It’s on at 3 ET on USA. Don’t know about any viewing links, but if you find some, please let me and everyone else know…I’ll miss it otherwise myself.
Yes, according to the good predictors over at nhl.com, here’s your potential Hank v. Dru match-ups. www.
The women’s team skates at 530 p.m. ET on MSNBC.
And if you really want to go all day, Marty and the Great White North take on Norway at 8 p.m. on CNBC. (not, see update below)
It’s a good thing NBC owns a lot of networks I guess.
Late night update:
Thanks to alert Bonhead NYRGuy for letting me know Luongo’s in tomorrow, and Marty waits til Thursday. Hmmm. That wasn’t the deal when I checked earlier, but thanks buddy!
Morning update:
It’s Miller Time! Or not….saw this story in the paper today about the “controversy” surrounding Ryan Miller’s helmet design, so here’s a link for you catch up with. Too bad he’s not named Lagenbrunner, but then again, that might not fit. Byfuglien?
Afternoon update:
A short piece by Dellapina over at nhl.com on one of your favorite former Rangers. P.S. Happy belated birthday Jaromir! See heading “Nice to see you, again.”
137 Comments
Mandlebaum
And he’s back!! You been waiting all day Izzy?
This one’s for you Carp….
Waiting since crack of noon..
Let’s Go Norway! Seriously, how hilarious would it be if Marty gave up a couple of softies and lost to Norway?
909, i told someone my suspicions several weeks ago about such topics, send me a fb message with who you think!!
REPOST:
ive been meaning to ask, anyone know what happened to the MSG trivia challenge from a few years back. i thought it was pretty cool. i think Sam Rosen kicked everyones butts (especially us FANS). why did they stop it?
Laurel, you’ll most likely be able to watch it at nbcolympics.com
@Lev
It was JD that kicked everyone’s butts.
linda i sent u a message
replied 909!!
Eric JD was great. I miss those sad little faces they’d put under the guy who go the wrong answer!
What happened to Bobby Granger?
linda sent u another one
you’re it 909
Come on Linda don’t leave me out send me a message, I wanna know too!
ye the trivia challenge, bobby granger and I AM A RANGER commercials…..
lmao shor! ;-)
shor, u gotta risk it to get the biscuit
Shanahan is responsible for Granger’s demise
No more little grangers?
I pick Greece to win the ice hockey is that like pickin the rangers to win something?
flutter the twine with the disc!
Shanahan is responsible for Granger’s demise
por que?
makes it sound like Shanny was some kinda puppet master :-)
Lev. Porque:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veB49K0_0Tc
lol thats great
thanks for that ilb…i STILL love him! (Shanahan that is!!)
SHOR
thanks for my laugh of the day!! That message was just outstanding!
Avoid the rush…FIRE SATHER!
I just want Canada to lose. take em down a Peg or two !
Jody Shelley For Dummies Video
Apparently The Rangers are building a Team of Atomic Supermen.
http://www.rangercrisis.com
avoid the rush, lmao
on a side note, i am NOT a fan of poodles! (yes i AM watching the dog show)
NO Dominic! Not “fuhgettaBOOTit”, fugettaboutit!
“hey i’m wakin ovah heah”
They actually had Bobby Granger at a viewing party in 07-08 which they showed on MSG. His response to what happened; “I got demoted to Hartford.”
Excited for tomorrow even though it’s on during work.
Cally/Dru and friends vs. Streit, Hiller, and Andres Ambuhl!
I’d like it if the gold winners in pairs actually stayed up the whole time…lotta butt landings going on.
Linda, I want any one of those Belgians….
the shiba inu was too cute
mama
you are craving waffles??
holy carp wicky thats what i thought first
Mama you gotta update the post! Luongo starting tomorrow and Fatso Thursday vs Switzerland!
Gabby’s out the first two games from our good buddy John Dellapina.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=517822&navid=DL|NHL|home
Done NYR, thanks buddy! That wasn’t the deal when I posted earlier….oh well…
And now I do want waffles…thanks. I was talking about the dogs before.
mama signing off for tonight. Got a long day ahead…see ya’all later
Who knew Kalinin made Team Russia???
Salty – thats about the standard of their defence – they plan on keeping the puck in the opponents zone so as not to expose their weakness in defense (Gonchar, Tjutin, Markov, Kalinin, Grebeshkov, Volchenkov are their top names). Their powerplay is going to be awesome to watch if they can gel, but they have lots of weapons – Gonchar, Ovechkin, Malkin, Semin, Kovalchuk, Datsyuk, Fedorov.
I also can’t wait to see the likes of Jagr and Palffy play again.
I think the only chance the USA have is if Russia or Canada choke – you guys have some of the best PKers and could easily construct a top class checking line with a scoring threat but for all-round talent the Canada roster is favourite, but the Russkies are going to play the most exciting hockey because of their skillsup front and lack of it in defense (bar Gonchar).
yea but… kalinin??? he wouldnt make ahl all star roster. if he plays theyre gonna give up plenty of goals. hes worse than the r’s. hes actually worse or just about even with mdz defensively. thats funny for a vet dman.
i gotta say i really love when avery scores. hes got skill. he can be one of the best players for this team when he wants to be. i saw his reaction when dru got his milestone goal/point, and i just think hes basically being forced to be something hes not because of torts dru and slatys. he doesnt look happy out there like he used to. agitating every player and getting them to take stupid penalties. i love it even more when he has a game like the dallas game. he may not have to contribute like that all the time, but to get amped up like he did for that game. and he definitely woke us up with that pk shot.
Good morning all!
Agree, Mikey. Avery has some skills. And he is versatile enough to play on different lines up and down the roster. Not a goal scorer, but can put a few in. It’s tough to produce if you’re playing on 4th line. And he belongs in NY.
captain america chris drury will lead team usa to papa clutchio’s after they beat switzerland 1-0 in shootout. 35 round shootout where dru shoots every time but hits the post and misses wide 34 previous times, on the 35th attempt, after hiller has just witnessed the brutal mutilation of 7.7 million mouthguards, and thousands of people begging for mercy in the stands, he does the impossible. he takes off his mask and spits out his mouthpiece unchewed. that does it. now clutch is pissed, he goes in full head of steam, launches a rocket ala larmer, puck hits both posts,crossbar,then comes out and deflects off drurys head back at hiller. hiller, in a last desperate attempt at saving thousands of baby mouthpieces from gruesome deaths, sidesteps the rogue puck, and lets it slide past him, but its not gonna make it. its going in as fast as snails screw, so he gets down, takes a deep breath, then like waiting for your 90 year old grandma to blow out her birthday candle, 7.7 seconds later blowing out through the gap in his teeth as the puck is inching wide, the iraq womens curling team jumps down onto the ice from the stands and shoots an rpg at it. the clutch will not be denied. the rocket hits the puck with enough force to send drury,hiller,the puck and the poor helpless mouthpice into the net. suddenly everybody stops, waits for the smoke to clear, and there it is, the puck, or a piece of it as small as a grain of sand stuck the goal cam. usa wins. dru treats whole team to papa clutchios later on. he orders 23 don mattingly meat lovers for everyone but himself. torts asks “what are ya gonna have mr clutch?”. dru replies, “ohh you kidder, you already know!! mouthpiece marinara baby”!!!
mornin ilb!! yes agree about aves. i agree that you agree with me about aves. you know avery means bird. i think. lol. who cares its a clutch name.
Mike, you should replace Joe Micheletti in the booth. You have much deeper knowledge when you talk about Drury. And, of course, you are more verbal :)
it means bird in latin. i think. anyway, he flew like a hummingbird from hell against tampa. guy needs to do that more often
I agree about Avery as well..he just doesn’t seem happy out there at all, like its a chore, not a game
haha cmon ilb, you know michelob-etti is the only one with the imagination to describe drurys clutch plays. you dont just get up there and start yappin. it takes years of in depth reserch and meditation to reach a level of clutchness just to be able to talk about mr clutch himself
research. not reserch. im not gerg for carps sake!1
MARTY…lungo…...MARTY…..MARTY….MARTY…lungo? will that work for Norway?
roberto may work…
i tend to agree with that last statement by you mr nyrguy. i agree that you agree with my agreeable analysis of the bird man of msg. mr avarian himself. someone needs to let our avery fly!!! into the rafters of msg like a stray pigeon
Mikey- “you don’t just get up there and start yapping”? Yes, YOU can. I fully believe in you.
By the way, I’ll be in Bozeman airport Saturday, 27th at around 1pm. So if you and GregL meet me there, I’ll drive you to Big Sky and we can all meet Wicky.
off to work. see ya guys later. i’ll be back in time to witness the 2nd period of the usa game. if drury scores a clutch 1st period gwg im gonna be pissed.
bozeman airport? wheres that? and more importantly, do they have a papa clutchios there?
greg n wick live in canada right? im in iowa. its a long drive. i’ll have to save some cash for gas. but hopefully its not snowing or any ice onthe road. its been crazy here lately, this whole winter basically. many car accidents and stuff. idk wanna risk my life driving there. but if its nice weather no doubt. it’ll be a bonehead western conference meeting
k gotta run. ilb, hit me up on fb or here. i’ll talk to ya after work. peace. and may the clutch be with you
Wicky lives in Montana. The biggest French Chops in there.
Ready for Olympic hockey! 3pm can’t come fast enough.
Oh, and good morning all!
OMG! Female version on Fankist on team USA:
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/countries/country=USA/athletes/athlete=4059/index.html
anyone know a link so i can watch at work?
Larry’s take on how that modest 2 game winning streak changes the team’s strategy:
http://tinyurl.com/yeks24x
Good morning Sally!
All, update in post above about Ryan Miller’s helmet design….Let this be the biggest problem the team has.
I have to be away from the computer and TV this afternoon starting at 3…..3! Byfuglien! Hope to make the end of game, but who knows. Now I know how Carp feels sometimes. I’ll give you a fresh game slate later and rely on all your boneheaded insights for updates…..
Larry Brooks insists that Sather will be a buyer when we return from Vancuver – that sucks – sell sell sell. the two home dates are really not worth it for me as a fan – would the team really be worse off and out of the hunt if they did sell Prospal Jokinen and or Girardi at the deadline for picks. Prospal has been great and can get us a 1st rounder, Jokinen can get a 1st or a pair (2nd and 3rd), Girardi can get a 2nd for sure too. fill the holes with young guys in Hartford and make a good push – playoffs or not good end of season.
Rangers should do 2 things after the break – Sell & FIRE SATHER!!!
That’s just wrong that the IOC may force Miller to cover up all the meaningul things on his helmet. Especially the tribute to his cousin. It’s short-sightedness like this that drives me nuts about sports organizations. They’ll exploit the hell out of the athletes, but when the player wants to do something to honor another player or family member- to do the right thing- they crack down and don’t allow it. Wrong, just wrong.
Am I the only one who wants to KEEP Prospal on our team?
I meaa I know we got him super cheap this year, and he’ll want more next year, but he’s not that young anymore, seems to love NY and his family does as well (A BIG Factor)
If we could get him for 2 years at 2 or 3 mil wouldnt we want to keep him? The guy plays his ass off every game and SHOWS that he cares about being a Ranger, more than I can say about some other players
I mean he’s still getting paid a boat load of money from tampa from the buy out right?
Oli I dont really care about, hasnt been wiht us long enough and will def want 4-5 mil in the offseason
No, Real Mikey, you are not alone…..
Mikey…I, for one, would LOVE to have Prospal here for another 2-3 years. The guy has shown he can still bring it and is there another player on the team more jacked up when the Rangers score?
My brother pointed it out to me that he thinks Prospal is by far the best signing since Marty Straka.
Keep Vinny. The guy has shown pretty clearly that he can play here, and at a high level.
MikeyNJ- I vote we keep Vinny, too. One thing that cannot be overlooked about him is his relationship with Torts. VP knows him real well and I have a feeling that when Torts starts to go overboard, that Vinny talks to the other players, helping them to deal with Torts’s craziness.
The IOC had an issue with Quick’s helmet too, it said “support our troops” on it and he was told to remove it.
Hey guys,
No Zubov on Team Russia because of all the politics around that team.
Secondly, just noticed Dubi doesn’t own Blueshirt Bulletin anymore? I know he used to bitch about not making money all the time with the site and people just stopped going after that paid site bs. Anyone know the scoop?
I agree with all good things said about Prospal, but, he becomes a little more costly after this season. seeing what Moore was traded for, and Cullen was traded for, Prospal may be more valuable to the Rangers by trading him than keeping him.
Ahhhh, the Crack of Noon!
I love Vinny P. And the Rangers should make every attempt to sign him for two to three years…but he helps the rangers most right now by returning a first rounder and resigning in July.
If they were in the hunt to make a real splash in the playoffs, obviously rangers would not be selling thus keeping Vinny P – but lets be real
Lets face it, if this team makes the playoffs at all, it will be in the 8th spot, and we would most likely face the Caps first.
We are than last year.
We would be lucky to win 1 game in that series.
Sell off at the deal line, stock up on picks.
Maybe we can be fortunate enough to dump one of the 3 anchor contracts, thats about all we can hope for this year.
Update part 3 above….also coming soon: Valiquette cleared re-entry waivers in order to be officially recalled.
why am i gettting curling instead of hockey?
oh. didnt see that it starte at 3.
Curling is like Vinny Prospal- I can’t look at it without laughing a little.
Izzy, I want your life…..or at least your schedule.
IOC rules on what they allow or not during Olympics reminds me good, old fashion Russian regime. My take: as long as it’s not offensive, it’s not their effing business. Especially if those things mean so much to him.
Mama, you think you would like a bit of my schedule?
Seconded, Mama. I’d LOVE to sleep in til noon again.
ilb, only the ski vacation part :)
It’s not all beer and skittles, Y’know. I have to stay up pretty late to be able to sleep ‘til noon…
Izzy, you are funny. Maybe you should be a comedian.
Beer and skittles? What a combo, Izzy, lol.
i agree with Vokoun, guys like Jagr deserve a proper send-off into retirement: a standing ovation, with the crowd chanting his name, and yelling ONE MORE YEAR. i just hope Jagr gets that, whether it be at MSG (one can dream), or at any other of the 29 NHL stadiums.
Skittlebrau?
curling sucks…
76 degrees here today. Winters in Phx are brutal !
I agree, curling sucks. To see some of the greatest atheletes in the world at the olympics, then to see curling, it just makes no sense. The curling teams look like they hang out at the bus stop with Larry Brooks.
I’ve got two guys sitting next to me watching it, just rapt and commenting….
Last year was our one chance at Washington…this year, they won’t let us come that close again
Tony – LOL @ 76 in Phoenix… snowing again today in NY… >.<
Ovie Datsyuk Semin
Kovy Malkin Afinogenov
Jeez…
100! At 1:00 pm. Beat that, Izzy!
Any streams for today’s game?
Youse guys have no faith. Bring on damn Washington.
Oh, Valli, so sad to see your limitations exposed by those damn minor leaguers.
When will this team realize that no matter how great Hank is, a solid, playable, competition-creating backup is a franchise must?
OK, who else voted for the Slovaks to win the Gold Medal?
I agree Chris, every team needs a competent back up goalie.
I think you guys and Larry Brooks are crazy if you think Prospal would net a 1st round pick. We know that his stats are bloated because of Gaborik why would you think that the GMs of the NHL don’t know that. He could fetch a 2nd round pick in this weak draft and maybe a 5th of a scrub prospect. Jokinen could fetch a 1st but it would need to be a team that thinks he would help win a cup so that would be a late 1st round pick in a crappy draft. Do we need to draft another Brendl or Lundmark?
we need to draft talent – at the time Brendl only scored 90 goals in one season – rangers were given high marks for that draft – not all picks turn into stars – more first rounders are busts than stars – the more you have the better chance you find a star
Womens Curling is the best olympic sport
Tyree…because Dominic Moore fetched a 2nd round pick.
Prospal is making nothing so it wouldn’t require teams to clear cap space or make any other moves…good teams with picks in the late 1st would surely give up a 1st rounder in my opinion.
Watch Live Olympic Coverage Online
http://www.vancouver2010.com/
Once you get to the site…scroll to middle of the page and on the right hand side select your country and install Silverlight program if you have to. I’m watching curling online right now…i think the hockey stream will become available closer to game time.
So is Vally back for good or just until the break is over?
Bah just realized, he’s probably back up to be around for the practices. This way they have another goalie to shoot at. Zaba really sucks.
hockey time yet?
Valiquette is not here for good. He is not even here, although it’s possible he will practice with the team Feb. 24 through the end of the break. It’s a paper transaction because every team needs to have two goalies on its active roster and the Rangers wanted both Johnson and Zaba playing in Hartford during the break. As soon as the season resumes, Valiquette will be back in Hartford and Zaba or Johnson back up here.
CCCP – it just brings you to the http://www.nbcolympics.com website. They aren’t streaming the game. They have curling on right now. I don’t know why they don’t do what they did with Wimbledon and the Summer Olympics where you could watch every event live online.
See youse
you smell kinda familiar…am i right? :P
Jonny D…..intelligent minds greater than mine say just for break, so Zaba can go to Hartford and they still have two goalies on roster. Don’t get your hopes up.
So what if Prospal plays his butt off, he’s 34. You want that locked in for another 2-3 years? You are as dumb as Sather, who also thinks athletes are not depreciating assets and can produce at 37 the way they produced at 29.
With old, name players the key word is OLD, not NAME. Reputation does not score goals, ability does, and when ability is declining – whatever spirit is behind it – it is time to bail out. What will the market be for Prospal three years from now? That’s right, about what it is for Brashear right now, and that is why you dump him NOW, while he still has some value. Old hockey players are no different from old Pintos – they both fall apart, and rather suddenly. Look beyond the nose on your face, unless you want to become an NHL GM, someday, then you don’t have to.
Jonny D
Isn’t the game @3pm? You know for a fact they won’t stream the game? You don’t think the stream will be available closer to game time?
no comment.
none needed.
They are saying to watch the hockey game live here on their website so I am sure it will be on.
Is it wrong that I really don’t care about the Olympics?
CCCP, what have we said about talking to trolls :)
Look at Prospals career stats also…
Up, down, up, down, up, down
If his career is any indication, next year will be a bad year for Vinny
Tony from AZ love your confidence, but, especially with this bunch of losers be careful what you wish for.
I find it hard to believe that anyone would value Prospal at a 1st round pick. I just don’t think that it is realistic. he might fetch a 2nd rounder + a scrub prospect at best
Moore whent for a 2nd cause it is a weak draft and Montreal is run by idiots at the moment. Remember they also gave us their top d prospect for Gomez and his obnoxious contract
Prospal is going nowhere. it isn’t worth it. without him our team is Really Bad. He has helped Torts, is having a good year for him and costs next to nothing with no commitment after this year. I pray that they don’t resign him unless it is a mirror of this year’s contract. We need to trade Dubinsky while he has any value left. he is a slightly tougher version of Turcotte. They need to be stingy with their sgnings and ride out the Redden, Drury, Rozy mistakes while the prospects mature
I like Prospal a lot but I’d rather try to fetch something juicy for him because I’m thinking about the future.
sell for picks. Jokinen, Prospal, Girardi, Lisin, Rozsival… we can resign them if they are free agents and want to play here. there will be enough options when july comes around.
Girardi needs to stay he is our best Dman outside of Staal. Girardi should only go if it gets us some offensive help
Blogmama
Ich vais?
Oh Izzy??? New post….
New post.
Is it true that there is some clamor for getting rid of Prospal? I didn’t know that.
Kinda reminds me of an old cartoon I once saw of a guy in a hospital bed in traction, and swathed head to toe in bandages….only his nose sticking out visibly.
Doctor with clip board enters the room..stands there, clip board poised, and says, ’”hmmmm, – I’m getting a bit worried about that nose.”
WONDERFUL Post.thanks for share..more wait .. ??