As stated in my last few blogs, my time isn’t as plenty as it was last season, which means these blogs won’t be as often. However, with some time on my hands now, let’s get into it.
The Rangers played three preseason games since my last entry, looking horrible against the Flyers, losing a game in a shootout to the Bruins and winning a game against the Devils. There was plenty to take out of all three games. I thought Lundqvist played fabulous in the effort against Philly, which means a lot, because he’s notoriously a slow starter. However, he did look rusty in NJ.
I thought the Rangers really, as whole, played well against the Bruins. It really was a game won, with the only difference being goalie Jeff Malcom, blowing a two goal lead & losing a shootout. But in all honesty, he was never going to make the roster anyway, and was cut after the game.
As far as Talbot’s replacement, as the back-up goalie, with the options available, Raanta has my vote. Gotta go with the experience, even if it is limited. It’s more experience than what’s on the roster right now. I just wonder how Raanta will feel on opening night, when the Blackhawks are raising the Cup in his face. To be honest, I hope Lundqvist gets fired the fuck up on opening night in Chicago too. Maybe he will realize you can’t blow two goal leads and give up back-to-back touchdowns in a Conference Final. Really, is there any other player in the NHL today that needs that Cup to justify a HOF career & perhaps deserves a Cup more than him?
As far as the other goalies in the organization, I think Hellberg has potential. With his height, maybe he can become the next Ben Bishop. Skapski is interesting as well, but keep in mind, his two wins last year were against a team tanking on purpose. Halverson is the wild card, as he seems to have the hype and has been protected by the organization.
Before continuing, I just want to post the updated roster cuts, in case you haven’t seen them yet.
From BLUESHIRTSUNITED.com:
I talked about in my last few blogs and on twitter @NYCTHEMIC, but let’s be honest – Dylan McIlrath is not playing on this team. The Rangers are simply too deep at defense and McIlrath is too much of a goon and offensively challenged to be on this veteran core. Whether the Rangers waive him or try to trade him are likely scenarios.
The other wild-card is Raphael Diaz. The Rangers know he will clear waivers. Is he really that good to keep for a year? I know the argument is to keep Skjei with the Pack and let him play every day, rather than being the 7th defenseman. But you only get better by playing with players who are better than you. If it doesn’t work out, you can always send him back to the Pack because it’s not like he will be playing major minutes, at least to start.
The twitter machine is also talking future scenarios and whether it’s worth breaking up McDonagh and Girardi as your number 1 pair. The argument is to put Yandle or Boyle with either guy, to help boost the offense from the D. Honestly, I wouldn’t touch it. I would leave McDonagh/Girardi together, because that is the heart of your team. I would put Staal and Yandle together, because they would complement each other, since Yandle has the potential to be the best scoring defensemen on this team since Leetch and Staal is your true defensemen’s defenseman. I would then throw Klein with Boyle and hope that Boyle and his disgusting contract doesn’t get caught flat-footed too much.
I don’t know if anyone else watches the other preseason games around the league like I do, but the Oilers are looking fantastic and so does Cam Talbot. Ditto Carl Hagelin. You know I hated both of those trades. I get the Talbot deal, he has to get the opportunity to start somewhere else and no GM in this league is dumb enough to give a goalie 12% of their payroll, making Hank untradeable. However, Hagelin signed with the Ducks for only $4.5M. The Rangers could’ve kept him. I really hate that Hagelin is not here. I’m going to miss those Zucc/Hagelin videos on the Rangers app!
Emerson Etem, signed for less to replace Hagelin, hasn’t shown me much yet. In fact, some bloggers are talking about cutting Etem and Glass for Gibbons and Lindberg! Etem isn’t going anywhere. By cutting him, you make Sather look like a fucking senile idiot, and while he can do a good job of that himself at times, new GM Jeff Gorton isn’t going to do that to him. Plus you’re not going to cut bait on a guy who can play in the NHL, without giving him a chance to play some real NHL games. Worse comes to worse, you can always dump him mid-season and promote from with-in. He’s low risk.
Tanner Glass is an interesting character. The subject of much hatred from Rangers fans, Glass is on the bubble. It would surprise me if he’s cut, since I’m under the assumption he has pictures of Coach AV with Jared Fogel from Subway doing illegal activity, because there was no reason for him to be on the roster last year. Not at $1.5M. You were better off with the guys he replaced, Dorsett or Carcillo.
The only thing Glass brings to this team is that he’s the de facto enforcer for this team. However, this is a new NHL, where violence is toned down and you don’t need a fighter. Lawsuits, the Boogard death, etc, has made the NHL try to get away from the fighting. Sure, it happens, and sure we go nuts for it, but the NHL isn’t promoting that. You need that guy to protect your superstar, but as a fourth line guy, Glass isn’t worth keeping around and at especially that cap hit. I’d rather see Lindberg get the shot. If Lindberg makes the team, that means Hayes & Miller are officially wingers for the team, as would be Lindberg, as I see Stepan, Brassard, Stoll and Moore as your top four centers, in that order.
As mentioned above, the biggest thing for Hayes, as AV is trying to get him into a comfort zone, is to get his position and stick with it. The Rangers had him bouncing all over the wing and playing center last season. With four true centers on the team now, and perhaps a fifth in the wings, Hayes should become a true bonafide winger for the club. Hayes also bounced around on many different lines last year, so getting regular line mates should help him out. I really liked the Miller/Hayes/Hagelin line last year, but alas, that is gone.
Nash had another great season last year, and at one point, was in the Hart running, but as soon as the weather warmed up and the snow was gone, so was Nash’s offense. Nash just watched Ovi and Tavares blow past him, statistically. Nash, who is the second highest paid guy on the team, needs to perform that way, especially in the playoffs. With the absence of Martin St. Louis, due to retirement, Nash needs to be that veteran that leads by example.
The Rangers have announced that they won’t be adding another alternate captain, to replace the “A” that adorned MSL’s jersey. If I’m Rick Nash, I would be pissed. Enough of the complacency, stand the fuck up and show that locker room that you are a leader and a gamer, just like you were in Columbus.
We’re 9 days away from the season opener and under two weeks for the home opener. This is the best time of the year, with football in full effect, baseball playoffs starting and the puck dropping. Hopefully, the heartbreak ends this season and the Rangers are hoisting the Cup in June.
LET’S GO RANGERS!
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
@NYCTHEMIC on the twitter gimmick
