Rangers Report Blog

Note from Blogmama: Good morning all! Before we get to our last guest blogger as Carp’s usual extended summer date with Mr. T comes to a close, a couple of things:
1) Thanks again to all the guests for pitching in, writing great stuff, and keeping the Report rocking during the July hockey doldrums. I had a great time myself, as usual, but will happily cede the reins back to my buddy, who, by my count, owes me about 100 Walter’s hotdogs, 17 curly fries, and 25 chocolate shakes.
2) Thanks to all the boneheads for supporting our guests, and nice to see a whole bunch of new ones! Stick around for when season starts why don’t you?
3). Thanks to ilb, but just so you all know, I had nothing to do with the content of this post (oy). He made me do it, I swear. The man treats fish more gently than he did me involving this post. ilb, you’re an opex, but spasibo :)

P.S. I’m so glad it’s August! On my Ranger calendar page for the month, guess who I get to look at for the next 31 days?

I now you give the uniqueness that is ilb, who wanted to remain under the radar, but I wouldn’t let him. Ha! I can be stubborn, too!

Under the Radar
I want to talk about things that often fly under the radar.
For example, do you know what the best fruits are? In terms of combined nutritional value, antioxidants, vitamin C content etc? The starfruit is arguably number one, followed by guaba. But number three? Wait for it … As rated by Nutrition Magazine, watermelon! This one flew under the radar, eh? Eat watermelon, folks, and be happy.

I asked Mama to edit my post and eliminate all my Russian interpretations of the English language, but she wasn’t allowed to edit the content. I can be stubborn, and she knows. So I’m going to mention that she often flies under the radar. She does this on her own time. Just for the love of the blog and our team. And she makes it work, oftentimes when Carp has his meetings (ahem), and when the place gets a little too … gibberish.

But we are here to talk hockey. So I thought I’d throw in a few things that fly under the radar. I’d like to mention, this is only my personal perception, so keep your shineboxes for better occasions. Please?

The best player who ever played this sport? TGO, period. And period again. The best hockey player overall (combination of leadership, toughness, goal scoring, passing etc.) It’s a toss between Messier and Gordie Howe. But the best pure goal scorer who ever played? He flew under the radar. Valeri Kharlamov. I was lucky enough to watch him play in his prime for years. He could score from anywhere, using his shot, speed and stick handling.
The best goaltender who ever played? Roy or Brodeur? I’d say this one flew under the radar. Vladislav Tretiak. He played for 16 years and his resume includes three Olympic gold medals (and one silver), 10 World Championship gold medals, Canada Cup etc. He retired at 32 because he wasn’t allowed to play in the NHL after he was drafted by Montreal. He’d also had enough of Tikhonov.
Two players flew under the radar during that famous game 6 against the Devils. Messier got all the credit and spotlight. But there were two better players than him: Kovalev and Leetch. In that order. No way that epic game ends the way it did without both of them.

Another thing I think needs to be mentioned is something that keeps happening quietly, but may have a serious implication on us, the hockey fans, when the new CBA is being negotiated. I will use Sean Avery as an example.
I’m sure everyone remembers the “Avery Rule.” But what apparently flew under the radar is that the NHL amended the rules within 12 (twelve!) hours. Even though it was suggested that it was with NHLPA’s blessing, nowhere did the NHLPA come out with any statement that it was endorsing the rule, or disagreeing for that matter. Do you think 12 hours is enough time to come up to an agreement between two parties AND publish the new rule? Maybe…
But then, within seven months, still in 2008, right after Avery’s infamous remarks regarding “sloppy seconds” things escalated. The NHL suspended him without a hearing, apparently violating the CBA. Here’s what Paul Kelly, then the director of the NHLPA, said in a statement:
“The PA believes NHL commissioner Gary Bettman handed down a summary suspension before the hearing, constituting a violation of the collective bargaining agreement. The CBA suggests for off-ice discipline a hearing must take place before action is taken. The NHL suspended Avery on Tuesday, preventing him from playing in the game in Calgary. Action taken, without a hearing.”

The NHLPA eventually did file the grievance. Avery asked the NHLPA not to do that.
The point is, the NHLPA doesn’t have enough weight when it comes to dealing with the NHL. The commissioner is a bully, and he knows very well that the NHLPA is weak. They have no leadership at the moment. The players do not even show up for their meetings in meaningful numbers. Guess what? They will lose. They will be looking at much less percentage of gross revenue, more escrow etc. For us, the fans, get ready for another looong off season in a couple of years.

And the last thing I’d like to mention that has been flying under the radar this off season is our beloved team. Because what they are doing isn’t allowed on 7th Ave. The phrase that describes it isn’t in the vocabulary of Mr. Dolan and all the corporate ticket holders. Admittedly, New York is a difficult stage to pull this off. But we real fans are entitled to use it. So I’m going to call it the way it is. We are in a full REBUILDING MODE. And that makes me happy. They said at the beginning of off season that they will not go after any big names, will give the youngsters their chance, and continue to do that. I’m not willing to give Sather any more credit than he deserves, and perhaps he has no choice at the moment. And every day I’m afraid they will do something dumb. But so far, so good. That also requires our support. We have to be willing to wait. We have to stop begging for unnecessary trades. Let’s just enjoy the game, enjoy our team and watch what develops. This team needs their true fans. Not the flashy ones who buy the most expensive tickets and rarely show up to watch the game. Or the ones that show up with their expensive clients but without any hockey knowledge. They need us. The real fans, who often fly under the radar.

C is for Hank

It’s been a tough couple of years for our Blueshirts, and it’s been even tougher for the Garden faithful. Every thing this proud franchise has worked for since its existence seems to be unraveling before our eyes, yet we’re too loyal of a fan base to look away.

The end of the 2009-10 campaign was a microcosm of the whole season. Had we won just one or two more games, this may not have happened, but our hearts were torn in two watching our Rangers fall in a shootout. There was no emotion in their game, no heart: just empty eyes all around the bench. The only emotion we saw from our team was the anger and frustration of our goalie Henrik Lundqvist, an anger that should’ve fired up the rest of the team but didn’t (not even Torts could wake this team up). Where are our leaders? Where are the Rangers we once knew?

There are hundreds of things wrong with this Rangers team. They need more offense, better defense, better coaching, and better management. Yet, the one thing they need more than anything is a true leader – a leader who embraces his team, his city, and is not afraid to carry both on his shoulders. In 1994, the Rangers had four of these caliber players (you know who they are): Leech, Graves, Richter, and Messier. They were New York, and they were true Blueshirts; they bled red, white, and blue. It’s no coincidence that they’re numbers are forever immortalized in the rafters above our heads at the Garden. These guys were our guys. They had the “it” factor, and they knew what a proud franchise this team is.

Where are these types of players now? Well, while we may not have four of them, there is one person that shines and plays his guts out in EVERY game. Whether or not the team in front of him is alive, this man plays his heart out through thick and thin, just like the previous mentioned players. This man is Henrik Lundqvist, and the only thing missing for him is a capital “C” on the top right of his sweater.

How many times do we watch games and think, “What more can Henrik do?” This man has stood on his head for this team numerous times, so much so that he is physically and mentally drained by the time March comes around, and it’s so frustrating to me that the players in front of him can’t do the same back.

Chris Drury, your time as captain is up. Give Hank the “C”, because he can handle the pressure and the spotlight that Drury obviously can’t. This is something that is long overdue! The man is becoming a legend in New York, but if we’re not careful, he may become more appreciated somewhere else. Why give him the C? Not only does he have the numbers to back it up, he is the embodiment of a Ranger and a true leader. Plus, Henrik knows what it’s like to win a championship — he’s been there. Hank carried a whole country on his shoulders during the 2006 Olympics, proving that he is born for this opportunity.

Hank loves this city, and the city loves him back; we believe in our goalie, and he believes in us. This city deserves a new hero, and Lundqvist can be our red, blue, and white knight. So, listen up John Tortorella: it’s time for a change. Make this a proud franchise and dominating force once again. Make Henrik Lundqvist — our franchise man and New York hockey’s sweetheart — the 26th team captain of the New York Rangers, and let him lead our team the way he deserves to.

The female sports fan (hockey included)

I’m going a little off the topic of the Rangers here, but they’re here, just in a round-about way.

One of the most interesting and fun aspects of being a part of the family here at Ranger Report is that I’m one of only a handful of females, or “blogettes,” if you will. It leads to some unique exchanges at times. Yet, I’ve never felt disparaged because of my gender and, in fact, I’ve always felt welcome here. That has not always been the case, whether in an on-line forum/blog like this or in person at a bar or any gathering.

I’ve been a sports fan for most of life and the reactions I’ve gotten have ranged from puzzled to insulting to welcoming. Those are just from the various guys I’ve encountered and known over the years, which is what I want to focus on. And for the record, this is NOT going to be a post where I bash guys; I just want to talk about my experiences as a female, self-proclaimed sports nut.

When I was younger, I was just a baseball fan (the Mets in particular) and for the most part, the reactions I got were of the ‘awww, how adorable’ kind. At the time, those comments never bothered me, but then when I got to high school, I became a Rangers and hockey fan. That was when I started really getting into the games, learning stats and which players were on various teams and becoming more knowledgeable about both hockey and baseball. By my college years, I was a full-fledged sports nut and could keep up a conversation about anything sports related.

That was when the more “interesting” comments began cropping up. There has never been anything particularly negative said towards me when I mention that I’m a sports fan. More of the surprised reaction is what I get, especially when I start arguing with a fellow fan about why the trap was bad for hockey or why Player X is not a good fit for the team. It’s after those types of conversations that I would get a negative reaction and I attribute that to the fact the guy in question was hurt that he lost a sports argument with a girl.

It’s the other reactions that I get that both annoy and surprise me. Those are of the ‘you only like sports because of the guy’s look/bodies’ or, in other words, the accusation that I’m just a pink hat fan.

Nothing could be farther from the truth in my case. And I suspect in the case of the other “blogettes” here. We are sports fans because we love the sports themselves. We love seeing a breath-taking combination of passes on the PP that results in a goal, we love to see the tough guys on a team get into a scrap, we love to see the punishing open field hit on a receiver, we love to see the simple beauty of a well-turned double play. We can talk sports with the guys just for the sake of talking sports with the guys. Because we actually know the sports and can recite the stats and argue about line combinations. We LIKE doing these things whether they are in a bar, in our own living room or on a blog such as this.

And if we happen to mention out loud or notice that a certain player is good looking? Well, we’re still red-blooded females, and not dead, and we’re not going to ignore that just because we are sports fans first and foremost. I consider that an extra perk of being a female sports fan and one that I do not plan on giving up anytime soon :)

Good morning all! Good morning, Sally!
Just like last summer, before he left for his long meeting with Mt. T, and me with you for two weeks (oy, July blog management!), Carp badgered, um, asked me, if I’d post a post this week, and I just can’t say no to the blogfather, so here I am. (I’m certainly no “guest” though, so I took that out. Blogmama perogative.)

But what to say, what to say? Not even going to try to match Mitch or Paul on prospects, CR snagged Mess, and you all have covered most of the major topics and news. And besides, is there really anything left to say about Staal?? So, to keep your summer-addled, hockey-less minds sharp, I thought we’d just have some fun. (Of course, you’re also free to talk about anything else, as per usual, and we will post new news if by some miracle there is any, but if you’re up for it….)

Now, obviously this first idea doesn’t work in reality. I’m aware. But we talk so often about divisional rivalries, and what a pleasure our division is, and how certain teams are going to come out of their divisions based on their rosters to make a Cup run, I thought … what if you could remake the league? What if we didn’t have to worry about Philly and Jersey and, ugh, Pittsburgh, but say, Detroit or, better yet, the Blue Jackets!

So, Challenge 1: Remake the NHL’s team groupings to your liking. Who’d you like us to play less, or more? If you don’t want to do the whole league, just remake the Eastern Conference, or just the Atlantic Division. But remake something, involving the Rangers, naturally. And explain your rationale.

Challenge 2: Build your own Rangers. And don’t just go by star power, please. From anyone now playing in the NHL, or prospects, who do you think would work best together to make the ideal Cup-winning, great to watch, in-your-dreams dream team? No capologist skills needed, no salary worries. But here’s the real part of the challenge: You must keep Hank, Dubi and Avery. (That’s my fun). So choose your lines. You can have a back-up goalie, but lines without the other two don’t count.

If any of the challenge answers particularly inspire me, you can have the book about cats I got sent in the mail that’s been sitting on my desk for months, courtesy of the sister blog!

In closing, thanks to all the guests so far, and to the ones coming (MickeyM tomorrow, Yergs Saturday, and ilb Sunday). It’s hard putting yourselves out there, I know, but Carp and I sure appreciate it, and so do most visitors here…TA!

We Will Win Tonight

“I’m going to take my talents to South Beach…” With these words, LeBron James shocked not only the basketball world, but the sports universe as a whole.

Now, ‘heads, you might be asking yourselves what this has to do with the Rangers. Allow me to clarify things for you. In the months and weeks leading up to LeBron’s “Decision,” there was rampant speculation by the media as to where LeBron would choose to play. Many reasons were bandied about ranging from money, loyalty, championships and friendship, to even the big stage of New York, but the one factor Lebron should have focused on was the perception of his legacy. And if ever there was a poster boy for the influence of that perception, Mark Messier is it.

Messier won five Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, one following the departure of Gretzky and the preceding four while shouldering the burden of leadership, allowing Gretzky to mature into the legendary player he became. However, Messier is remembered in the sports world for winning a mere single Stanley Cup with the Rangers and is known as the greatest leader the NHL has seen, being the only player to captain two different franchises to a Stanley Cup. Why? Because it occurred in New York and it ended the Rangers’ 54-year drought without a Cup.

How did Messier become the sole proprietor of the 1994 Stanley Cup when the Rangers had other great players on that team, including Conn Smythe-winner Brian Leetch? The answer is simple: Messier stepped up on the biggest stage — like Joe Namath did with the Jets — guaranteeing victory when the Rangers needed it the most and then living up to his word by fulfilling that promise with a hat trick in the decisive third period.

Had Mess stayed in Edmonton, it is likely that he would be beloved in Canada but largely unnoticed in the USA. However, because his success was attained in the biggest city in the world, that one Cup coupled with “The Guarantee” changed the ultimate perception of Messier’s legacy. With his leadership and performance in that fateful spring of ’94, Messier became the King of New York, something he might have had to abdicate had LeBron chosen the Knicks and ended their long drought.

It is the prestige of Messier’s legacy that the current Rangers need to use to their advantage. We have been hearing that Messier is being groomed to take over the Rangers’ general manager job. This transition needs to be expedited with the utmost alacrity. While Messier’s promotion would provide a huge upgrade in the competence department, it would also bring something else the Rangers have lacked since Messier retired … cachet. Many Knicks fans were recently horrified to hear that Isiah Thomas was used in an unsuccessful final attempt to convince LeBron to join the Knicks. What they failed to realize is, Isiah — inexplicably, given his track record — has cachet with the younger players in the NBA. Those players — whether we fans agree with this assessment or not — look up to him as a leader, father figure and role model. It is this quality that Messier can bring to the Rangers when attempting to lure players to New York.

What player would not want to make a mark in New York when being courted by the man who exemplified how the city treats a conquering hero? Who better to teach leadership to the young, up and coming Rangers than the man the NHL named their Mark Messier Leadership Award after? With the media relegating the Rangers to non-contender status in the near future and the fans tiring of management and ownership’s ineffectiveness, who better to rise again to lead the Rangers in an attempt to restore relevance and respect to their franchise in a city dominated by baseball, football and basketball, than the Captain himself?

While LeBron may be remembered for taking his talents to South Beach, Messier will forever be known not only for “I guarantee we’ll win tonight” but for actually making it happen! If Messier can rejuvenate the hopes of Rangers fans and produce another Stanley Cup for this franchise, his status would be elevated beyond a king, to a god. If anyone could live up to such lofty expectations, Messier can.

Who knows, maybe Messier can lure the Jaromir back! :)

While we’re waiting for Josh, 26, to get his thoughts together, this just in:

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent forward Alexander Frolov.

Forward Alexander Frolov scored his first NHL goal at Madison Square Garden and ranked MSG as his favorite NHL arena in last year’s Kings media guide. Frolov has surpassed the 20-goal plateau in five of his seven NHL campaigns, including two 30-goal seasons in 2006-07 and 2008-09. Frolov, 28, has skated in 536 career regular season contests with the Los Angeles Kings, registering 168 goals and 213 assists for 381 points, along with 210 penalty minutes. He has recorded 24 multi-goal games in his career, including three career hat-tricks.

“Alex is a highly skilled player who we feel will play a key role in improving our offense and play in all situations,” stated Sather. “He is strong competitor and has the ability to play either wing position.”

In 2006-07, Frolov established career-highs in games played (82), goals (35), assists (36) and points (71). He led the Kings in goals and game-winning goals (six) that season, and finished second on the team in points. He was one of only two players on the roster that appeared in all 82 games, and tied for third on the team in shots on goal (195).

In 2008-09, Frolov led the team in goals (32) and power play goals (12) while finishing second on the team in points (59) and power play points (25). It marked the third time in his career that he led the Kings in goals, having previously led his team in goals in 2003-04 and 2006-07. Frolov also led the Kings and ranked sixth in the NHL with an 18.2 shooting percentage. He registered 14 multi-point efforts, leading Los Angeles to an 11-1-2 record in those contests.

On January 21, 2009, Frolov tallied two goals at Colorado, including his 20th of the season to become the first Kings player to record at least 20 goals in five straight seasons since Luc Robitaille registered eight consecutive 20-goal seasons from 1986-87 to 1993-94. Frolov finished the season strong, tallying 30 points (14 goals and 16 assists) in his final 32 games.

Alexander Frolov won a silver medal with Russia at the 2010 World Championships in Germany, where Rangers center Artem Anisimov was his teammate. As a rookie in 2002-03, Frolov tied for third in the league among first-year players in plus-minus rating (plus-12) and ranked fourth in shots on goal (141). He made his NHL debut on October 9, 2002 vs. Phoenix, and tallied his first career point with an assist on October 19, 2002 vs. Vancouver. He notched his first career goal at MSG on October 25, 2002 vs. the Rangers.

The 6-2, 210-pounder appeared in 81 games with Los Angeles last season, registering 19 goals and 32 assists for 51 points, along with 26 penalty minutes. Frolov registered two, four-game point streaks during the month of October – from October 3 vs. Phoenix to October 10 at St. Louis (one goal and three assists), and October 22 vs. Dallas to October 28 at San Jose (three goals and four assists) -– and finished the season’s opening month with 12 points (four goals and eight assists) in 13 games.

He registered 10 multi-point performances, including a season-high, four-point effort on March 8 vs. Columbus (one goal and three assists). The seven-year veteran appeared in his 500th career NHL game vs. St. Louis on January 9.

Internationally, Frolov has represented Russia in several major tournaments. Most recently, he captured the Silver Medal with his native country at the 2010 World Championships.

In 2006, he made his Olympic debut for Russia at the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. Frolov also won a Gold Medal with Russia at the 2002 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic. He led the team and ranked second among all tournament skaters with six goals, and tied for the team lead and third overall with eight points.

The Moscow, Russia native was originally Los Angeles’ first round choice, 20th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

There has been a lot of talk this off season about the need for scoring. One of the biggest oversights has been the addition of Mats Zuccarello Aasen. Along with the New York Rangers, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Atlanta Thrashers, Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings were all keeping an eye on this kid while he played for Frisk, MODO or for his country in various tournaments. Scouts were flying over to Stockholm just to convince him that their club was a perfect fit for him.

By the end of March the news had leaked. It was made official after the IIHF World Championships. The New York Rangers had won this year’s “Fabian Brunnstrom” as some people call it, signing him to a two-way ELC for 2 years at $900,000 a year plus bonuses (mandatory two-way contract). So what can we as Rangers’ fans expect from Aasen? Anders Hedberg, who is the Rangers’ head professional European scout, has some pretty high expectations for Aasen saying, “We did not recruit him because he will play on our fourth line or on our farm team, but we expect him to fit in in one of our top five.”

The scouting report on Aasen states he has fantastic technical skills, great passing ability, and is a magician who can do spectacular things with the puck. He has great vision and can man the power play point, is defensively responsible and doesn’t mind heavy traffic. He is gritty for his size and shows a lot of heart, creating scoring chances by himself, while a player like Brunnstrom would be more dependent on his environment.

Mats started out his professional career in the GET league, a Norwegian ice hockey league, playing for the Frisk Asker Tigers. During his time there he played 98 games over 4 seasons with 63 goals and 68 assists. His role started out on the 3rd line and over the next couple of seasons he was given more ice time and more responsibility. In his last campaign with Frisk he was named the Norwegian Player of the Year while his team finished first overall, winning the regular season, but losing in the finals 4 games to 2 to the Storhamar Dragons.

After losing in the finals, Mats signed a two-year contract with MODO Hockey in the Swedish Elite Leage. When he first showed up on the scene he was considered to be a 3rd or 4th liner who had potential. After some pre-season games that changed. In his first season, an ankle injury kept him sidelined for 10 to 15 games, yet he still managed to notch 40 points while playing on a line with ex-ranger Niklas Sundstrom and fellow Norwegian Per-Age Skroder. They were considered the top line in the league that year.

In his second year with MODO he continued to develop in all areas, throwing the team on his shoulders when key players fell to injury. Just as with Frisk, with great play came more ice time and more responsibility. He led all forwards in ice time averaging 22 minutes a game and at one point led the league in hits. In 55 games he scored 23 goals and had 41 helpers. This season was among his most successful. He was awarded Most Valuable Player as voted by the players.

Qualifying for the Olympics for the first time since they hosted it back in 1994, Norway was back in the spotlight. Aasen may have only had 1 goal and 2 assists but it was more his ability to play on a smaller ice surface against the “world’s best” that opened up a lot of scouts’ eyes.

Recently it was the World Championships where Rangers’ fans may have seen Aasen play. Before the tournament opened, rumors started to swirl about him signing, or reaching an agreement with the Rangers. In the 6 games Norway played he had 3 goals and 1 assist. Norway beat the Czech Republic for the first time in 70+ years and Aasen, along with his linemates, had a lot to do with it. They made it to the qualification round but ended up finishing 5th.

This all sounds great doesn’t it? With all the positives come negatives. Aasen tends to carry the puck too much at times. In the NHL he will need to adjust to carrying the puck less. Then there’s his size, and that seems to worry a lot of fans.

The jury is still out on Mats Zuccarrello Aasen, and his talent transferring from the SEL to the NHL. Some players leave the SEL with much fanfare and don’t always live up to the hype. One thing I am certain of, Mats Zuccarello Aasen is offensively gifted, has vision, and can make plays. He has the best opportunity for a top 6 role by coming to New York and I expect nothing less than that.

———————————————-

Evening update

I’m late, sorry, but have been out of pocket for a bit. Thanks nyrguy for the link earlier. Here is from the team:

New York, July 26, 2010 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today the preliminary roster for the 2010 Traverse City Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan. The annual prospect tournament is scheduled to begin on September 11 when the Rangers’ prospects face-off against the Columbus Blue Jackets’ prospects. This marks the fifth consecutive year that a team of Rangers prospects will be going to Traverse City for the eight-team tournament.

A group of 22 prospects will represent the Rangers next month at the annual Traverse City Prospects Tournament, which the Blueshirts won in 2007. Nineteen of the 22 members of the 2010 roster are players whose NHL rights are currently owned by the Rangers. Eleven players are Rangers draftees from the past two years, while eight others have already signed their first NHL contracts with the team.

Seventeen of the 22 players participated in the Rangers’ annual Prospect Development Camp earlier this summer. This includes 2010 draft picks Dylan McIlrath, Christian Thomas, Andrew Yogan, Jason Wilson and Randy McNaught.

Forward Evgeny Grachev, the Rangers’ 2008 third round selection, will be returning to the tournament for the third straight season. He will be joined by fellow 2008 third round draft pick, defenseman Tomas Kundratek, who was a member of the Rangers’ Traverse City team last summer. Five players from the 2009 draft class – forwards Ryan Bourque, Ethan Werek and Roman Horak, defenseman Daniel Maggio and goaltender Scott Stajcer – are also back from the 2009 team, as is defenseman Sam Klassen.

Competing in the tournament’s “Gretzky Division”, the Rangers will play round-robin games against Carolina, Columbus and Minnesota, beginning with a September 11 tilt against Columbus’ prospects. Their placement in the round-robin will determine who they face in the championship round that concludes the tournament.

2010 Traverse City Prospects Tournament

RANGERS SCHEDULE

Day Date Opponent Time

Saturday Sept. 11 Rangers vs. Columbus 3:30 p.m.

Sunday Sept. 12 Rangers vs. Carolina 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday Sept. 14 Rangers vs. Minnesota 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday Sept. 15 Placement Game TBD

2010 NY RANGERS TRAVERSE CITY PROSPECTS TOURNAMENT ROSTER

Forwards

Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Age 2009-10 Team (League)

Ryan Bourque LW 5-9 171 19 Quebec (QMJHL)

Evgeny Grachev RW 6-4 222 20 Hartford (AHL)

Roman Horak C 6-0 171 19 Chilliwack (WHL)

Colin Martin LW 6-2 206 19 London (OHL)

Chris McKelvie RW 6-1 195 25 Bemidji State Univ. (WCHA); Hartford (AHL)

Randy McNaught RW 6-4 220 19 Saskatoon (WHL)

Brendan Shinnimin C 5-10 176 19 Tri-City (WHL)

Derek Stepan C 6-0 187 20 Univ. of Wisconsin (WCHA)

Christian Thomas RW 5-9 164 18 Oshawa (OHL)

Ethan Werek C 6-1 195 19 Kingston (OHL)

Jason Wilson LW 6-2 206 20 Owen Sound (OHL)

Andrew Yogan LW 6-3 203 18 Erie (OHL)

Defenseman

Lee Baldwin D 6-4 205 21 Univ. of Alaska Anchorage (WCHA)

Sam Klassen D 6-2 199 21 Saskatoon (WHL)

Tomas Kundratek D 6-2 200 20 Medicine Hat (WHL)

Daniel Maggio D 6-3 202 19 Sudbury (OHL)

Brandon Manning D 6-1 195 20 Chilliwack (WHL)

Ryan McDonagh D 6-1 222 21 Univ. of Wisconsin (WCHA)

Dylan McIlrath D 6-4 218 18 Moose Jaw (WHL)

Jyri Niemi D 6-2 208 20 Saskatoon (WHL)

Goaltenders

Scott Stajcer G 6-3 200 19 Owen Sound (OHL)

Cameron Talbot G 6-4 205 23 Univ. of Alabama-Huntsville (CHA)

We now return to our somewhat regularly scheduled programming. Our topic today, for however long you stay on it, is the glue guy, the teammate who stands up and jumps in to help you, no matter what. Along those lines, before we get started, a shout out to my glue guy, who prefers to take no credit here, but stood up and jumped in to help today.
So, what you have here is a partially edited, paraphrased and directly lifted post, a team effort if you will.

The glue guy: vital yet under valued
How great is it to know that no matter what happens, you have a teammate who will jump in against anyone, whether they are over matched or not, to help you. Because you are their teammate. It is invaluable to a team. It’s what makes a leader, especially in the only sport where fighting isn’t illegal.

Guys like Prust and Avery (yes, Aves) and Gravey and Beuke etc. (or Eager from the Hawks, or Orpik or Malone or Colby Armstrong, you get the gist) are really under valued and vital.

A hockey leader has to honor a code to be physically present at any time if necessary. It is why (so our poster believes) guys like Jagr, Leetch and Gretzky, while amazing Hall of Fame players, will never be as good a captain as guys that will answer the bell like Mess, Mike Richards, Iggy, and so on. Hockey players just respond to that type of leadership better because it is a major component of the game itself (talent is obviously still very important).

Look at the roster of any Stanley Cup team and you’ll see a couple of stand-up guys who were vital to the success. Think of Talbot’s fight with Carcillo the year the Pens won, for instance. Talbot was way out classed in the fight, but was willing to go, and that turned that series around.

These guys may not be the best skaters or most offensively gifted or skilled players, but they never hesitate to lay their butts on the line. They go out there and drop their gloves against anyone, because that is what a stand-up/glue guy does.

Take Voros for example: He took beatings, but always went back for more because he is a teammate and stand-up guy. Most fans don’t appreciate that kind of loyalty to another, all they care about are fancy goals or saves.
(Note from me: I like this last line cause it kind of channels Springsteen :)
Every shiny sports car has a dirty engine under the hood.

Good morning all! Laurel here while Carp is off with Mr. T. We hit a tiny snag with our guest blog plan for today, but aim to get something new and wonderful up for your reasoned commentary soon. In the meantime, here’s a fresh thread so folks can start the day without having to go through last night’s Rangers Report songbook.

Bonus points to anyone who can get through the day without mentioning a certain number 1, 2 or 3 rated d-man.

Laurel here, and thanks to GCBlue for the idea of the day. Time for a new post. Carp is tied up this afternoon, so I hope he doesn’t mind me stepping in with this clean slate, but it was time. As for hockey, here’s the link Carp provided earlier on Team USA in the WC’s, their schedule and other tidbits. By the way, has anybody posted thoughts on Johnson as captain? Just curious. And it’ll be nice to root for Dubi again before fall.

Not to rehash the day, but let me be clear. This is a clean slate. A fresh start. Mind that please. Cause Mama is not happy. Now, resume your Ryan’ing…Ryan Gosling anyone?