Blue Notes

Mike Peca would be a great fit on a 1 yr deal! It will give the kids like Armenisov (Sp??) and Dubinsky more time to mature. Plus I am sure Peca would get hurt during the year so they would absolutley get some time.

Peca sounds good. I think the Rangers would do well. I wanted to keep Cullen and trade him when he has higher value.

Mike,

thanks for filling in. However, when you mentioned Petr Nedved I nearly threw up on my keyboard!!

I don't think the Rangers need to sign anyone, but I would not be suprised if Peca happened.

Possible lines right now:

Hossa-Gomez-Jagr
Avery-Drury-Shanahan
Prucha-Straka-Callahan
Hollweg-Betts-Orr/Dawes

Plus, several more players in Hartford who can make the jump now too.

Absolutely no need for a Petr Nedved.

I don't see the need to sign any of those free agents unless another move is made.

But, I think the Rangers are taking dead aim at the Cup this year, so, if Mike Peca can stay healthy, he could be a huge addition, just not sure of who you take out of the above group.

"Give Sather credit where credit is due." I agree. Just not so sure it's due right now. Nylander and Cullen will hit the cap this year for about 7.9 million. Gomez and Drury use up about 14.5 million... So Sather has essentially swapped Cullen and Nylander for Drury and Gomez (arguably a pretty good upgrade), but the upgrade cost 6.6 million in cap space, an amount that bought a talent increase and a 27 year old rather than a 34 year old. But 6.6 million can buy at whole lotta hockey player. A Thornton-type player. Or a Marleau-type player. Or a Fisher-type player. all centers. And Marleau and Fisher are UFA next year.

So does Sather deserve credit? Well, what would you rather have... Gomez and Drury... or Cullen, Nylander AND Marleau/Fisher? It's a question that realistically can't be answered until all the stats and standings are in for the coming season. So with regard to Sather... the jury is still out.

cullen is a third line center and the Rangers signed him to be at least a number 2. hence why he had to be traded. the hurricanes will now have a 3rd line center at 2.9M a year, that's expensive. so the Rangers go from having a first and third line center with no second line center last year to having two centers that will easily fill the first and second lines and no third line center. i like the latter situation. much easier to find a third line center as the Rangers found out last year.

I Like the idea of opening space for a 3rd line center, but I feel we got nothing in return; a weak defenseman with "possible" offensive abilities, a center with major concussion issues and a 3rd rounder (the gem of the deal.) As much as I wasn't into the Cullen FA signing, he did play well for us down the stretch, and like you said, looked good with Prucha and Callahan. I would have liked to have seen a solid 'D man and the 3rd rounder instead if these 2 BIG "if's."

If you haven't done so already, you should all read the post by "Sauce" at 10:33 a.m. Excellent food for thought.

We got Cullen for absolutely nothing.

We traded him for 2 bodies and a 3rd rounder in a very strong draft.

There are more moves coming, rest assured.

But, even if there are no more moves, nobody can possibly look at those lines that I posted before and tell me we aren't a very strong hockey team.

I'd be happy to take on any team with that lineup.

Not really important who Rangers got in return for Cullen, the whole idea was to free up cap space. The young talent brewing in Hartford will get the chance to take this spot. I believe Dubinsky is up to the challenge and he had some good offesive chemistry during his play late last season. I think Renney is looking for Dubinsky to step up. The other otion is Straka or Avery so there is plenty of flexibility here. Don't beleive the Rangers need to go outside at all, except to maybe trade a D man for more cap space and look for a stronger stay at home D man. (Malik is odd man out).

I find it surprising that no one has mentioned the hole that Matt Cullen leaves not at third line center, but on the penalty kill. He was a hard worker and a good skater not to mention the fact that he was the Rangers best faceoff center last season. Im not overly concerned but who's gonna get that PK time now with the same effectivness? What do you guys think?

Cullen was the worst possible kind of center...A puck hog who can't finish. If you aren't going to pass the puck, you need to score yourself. Prucha and Callahan will do much better with any one of Immonen/Dubinsky/Anisimov at center. In fact, I'd go with:

Straka - Gomez - Jagr
Prucha - Drury - Shanahan
Avery - Dubinsky - Callahan
Hossa - Betts - Korpikoski

Forget Peca. We didn't just drop salary to add it in a fragile player.

The move was made to free cap space in case Avery gets a big arbitration settlement, it leaves us with wiggle room.

I'm not worried about the PK. Straka, Drury, Avery, Dubinsky, Betts and Hossa all can kill penalties.

This is a good move, by far. Cullen was way over-paid for a 3rd liner, and out of his depth as a 2nd liner.

Jarkko Immonen has already signed to play this season in Finland so I'm not sure why you think he may be a potential 3rd line replacement for Cullen.

Yes, Jarko Immonen is gone, so no, he will not be a Ranger this season. That's why I can't take this blog seriously. Also, Barnes had no injuries prior to be drafted. He was ijures this year.Perhaps some research next time will help?

I don't think Immonen's signing is confirmed. Last I heard, Brooks said he was "on the verge" of signing. I hadn't heard anything since. As if Brooks is reliable.

Hossa never plays center. Immonen is playing in Europe. can't see Linden, Scatchard or Nedved coming here (have to think you were not serious with those).

pretty sad when the person who made the most sense above is an Islander fan on a Ranger blog.

We now have a huge hole as 3rd line center. too many amateur experts did not appreciate Cullen especially the 2nd 1/2 of the season + playoffs. Just see Carolina went from cup champs to outside the playoffs. They quickly grabbed him back. that says a lot.

We'll address the hole we just created at trade deadline by overpaying for a rental (1st and 2nd rd picks for starters).

Sauce:

"So does Sather deserve credit": great angle. But I disagree with your analysis. You're overlooking the fact that the Rangers have about a 2 year window to seriously challenge for the cup with Jagr. The $6.6m guys you mentioned were not available for this season. Who knows if the Rangers could have gotten them next season? Gomez and Drury were the best options available to try to take a run for it while Jagr's still around. I think Slats deserves credit for that right now.

LI Joe,
If im reading what your saying correctly you believe that Carolina went from CUp Champions to non playoff contenders in one year because of cullen? No they didnt they just needed a 3rd line center. I agree Cullen was a good center, good ... not great. Cullen was not worth the 2.8 he was making per year, not to put up 40 points a year. He was good in the playoffs also. Not great, just good, a solid PKer and had 3-4 points. Also not work 2.8 million. His position will be filled we wont be trading draft picks for his replacement well be fine.

to the question of who replaces cullen's faceoff and pk abilities. that would be drury who in my opinion is better than cullen at both.

LI Joe - Cullen did nothing of any value when it mattered. I could see having him on the point for the PP, but Renney did it maybe twice, so that makes the point moot.

Cullen doesn't distribute the puck, he shoots it, and hardly ever into the net. Dubinsky or Anisimov at that slot will make Prucha/Avery and Callahan better.

And your analysis of Carolina's fall from grace last year is way off. That Cup team had Doug Weight, Mark Recchi, Aaron Ward as well as Cullen on it. Throw in Stillman and Kaberle missing more than half the year and Staal having an off year. They may have missed Cullen, but he was in no way, shape or form the singular reason Carolina didn't make the playoffs.

Good job by some of our readers to correctly point out that Jarkko Immonen did sign with a Finnish team this summer, so he's out of the picture.

I have to disagree with LI Joe's assessment. Cullen's role was certain to diminish with Drury's addition to the penalty kill and the addition of both Gomez and Drury to the power play. In today's NHL you simply cannot afford to pay a player who is going to play 12 minutes per game $2.8 million. Not when you have more significant players still unsigned and little or no money with which to sign them.

As for underestimating Cullen's importance in the playoffs -- it's true that his line did play well, but it never translated into offense. In 10 playoff games, Cullen was (1-3-4), Prucha was (0-1-1) and Callahan was (2-1-3).

I was impressed like everyone by how well he played as the season went on, but there is no way you can justify paying him $2.8 million each year for the next three years unless he's playing 15-18 mins and scoring 20+ goals.

No need for outside help for 3rd line center. Give Dubinsky, Pyatt, or Anisimov
an chance, just like Giraldi
last year. The will be better playmakers for Prucha & Callahan, and would create an energy 3rd line that can forecheck and score. Lets keep injecting some of that wolfpack blood into the NYR lineup, especially when its smart salary wise. I can wait to see Marc Staal playing in NY next season too.

Immonen has NOT signed in Finland... not yet anyway. He also hasn't signed the qualifying offer he got from the Rangers yet, so his status is very much up in the air. Just because Larry Brooks wrote him off doesn't necessarily mean he's gone. As Maloney said before he left, if Immonen doesn't feel he'll have a decent shot at making the NHL this coming season, he'll likely return to Finland. But what better than a gaping hole at 3rd line center to suggest to a player that he's got a shot?

As for Cullen, yes, his role can be filled for less money. But I'd have rather purged some of the glut on defense to save cap space than get rid of a good third line center with proven chemistry with his two potential linemates.

Then again, both Callahan and Prucha played with Immonen in Hartford and proved to have great chemistry with him. So who knows? ;)

(Before anyone rips my head off, that last paragraph was said tongue-in-cheek!)

I am confident with this line up we can squeeze out 7th or 8th place.

I am confident with this line up we can squeeze out 7th or 8th place.

Jarkko Immonen, the gem of the Leetch trade, gone? I can't believe it! Two free agent signings last year (Ward and cullen) spend 1 5/8 of a year with the team?... and a 20 yr old rook to man the point on the PP this year? No, sather does not deserve credit.

Costanza,
Im guessing your first name is john. Staal is allegedly quite capable of pointin the power play, and if he isnt then we have Rozival. Pyatt would be a MUCH cheaper, BETTER scorer and playmaker and younger to inject into the spotlight. Post lock out not one of Sathers moves has failed.

I'm conflicted about the Cullen trade.

On the one hand he had great chemistry down the stretch with Callahan and Prucha and the thought of the three of them playing an entire season together had me dreaming of blistering odd man rushes up ice. At the same time, the cap space could have been freed up just by sending Kasper to the AHL (which will probably happen too)

On the other side of the coin it does free up space for another young player to come in and create a true kid line with Prucha and Ryan - but as that "other tabloid" pointed out - that's not really Tom Renney's style.

If, however, this move results in Blair Betts becoming the Rangers' third line center - well then I will be displeased.

More likely I think these are the line combos the team will start the season with:

Hossa - Gomez - Jagr
Avery - Drury - Shanny
Prucha - Straka - Callahan
Hollweg - Betts - Orr

Remember, in the playoffs Hossa did get some first line action and he and Brad Isbister had the distinction of being the only players I can remember who either played on the first line or didn't dress.

Mike - you can certainly disagree with me. Just like I disagree with you (hard to see where you're coming from when you mention Hossa as a center possibility when he has not played there with the Rangers, and most of the outside choices you mentioned are way past their prime).

I don't just look at stats to see who I want on my team. For example I fully expect Hossa (Atl) to outscore Gomez and Drury in regular season. But I'd rather have the latter 2 when the chips are down. Re pk - the Rangers have now lost 2 of their better pk players this offseason. A team needs at least 6 real good pk forwards with speed.

despite my earlier line combinations - my feeling of dread would be that in close games late Renney would swing the lines to:

Straka - Gomez - Jagr
Avery - Drury - Shanny
Hossa - Prucha - Callahan - getting very little time

Peter - of course that's not the only reason for Carolina missing the playoffs. But it was a very big reason. Carolina just corrected their mistake by re acquiring him.

Don't just look at offensive stats. there is defense (even by forwards); pk and chemistry. And hockey since the lock out is more of a speed game. Also teams need a lot of depth (especially at center) to go far in the playoffs which as we all know are a grind and take a physical and mental toll on all.

not john. if Staal is the answer - that would be great! but he is unproven.
I like Rosie it's just that he is more of a 2nd team PP guy and he is ALWAYS on the ice. I liked Cullen on the team - his flexibility and chemistry with Prucha and Callahan (and, it was Sather who signed him to that deal in the 1st place..) I guess I am just not there with Gomez signing, yet. If a Devil, I thought Rafalski would have been a nice fit but only for three years (not the five, he got from the wings).

wait till the outcry if Gomez only gets 20 goals re the $ 7 million. My criteria for how successful he'll be will be measured in April through June (I hope). It will not be based on his regular season stats.

LI Joe:

The Rangers have lost two PK players (Ortmeyer and Cullen) but replaced them with two guys who do pretty well on the kill themselves in Drury and Gomez. And a full season of Avery and Callahan should replace the grit that Jed brought to the team.

I cann see these lines :

Straka-Gomez-Jagr
Avery-Drury-Shannahan
Prucha-Pyatt-Callahan
Hollweg-Betts-(anyone)

I like the thought process of Pyatt i like this kids style and he put up crazy numbers in the OHL. I knowi know the OHL isnt the AHL or the NHL but lets see what this kid does.

I cann see these lines :

Straka-Gomez-Jagr
Avery-Drury-Shannahan
Prucha-Pyatt-Callahan
Hollweg-Betts-(anyone)

I like the thought process of Pyatt i like this kids style and he put up crazy numbers in the OHL. I knowi know the OHL isnt the AHL or the NHL but lets see what this kid does.

I cann see these lines :

Hossa-Gomez-Jagr

Straka-Drury-Shannahan

Prucha-Dubinsky/Pyatt/(Peca)-Callahan

Avery-Betts-Orr/Dawes (if he can play right wing)

Chip - I was led to believe Gomez did not participate in pk with the Devils. As for Drury - if he's on pp, pk and 1st or 2nd line there is a big risk that he will be overplayed. On Buffalo they rolled 4 lines a lot more than we did last yr and probably will this yr as well (especially with 1 less vet center).

Perhaps peca would provide the leadership we need. jagr is no leader, Shanny is close to the end of the line etc...peca, with his defensive skill, may help plug the gaping holes in our D

LI Joe:

I see your point about statistics. Yes, Cullen was a decent faceoff man. Yes, he was a great skater and an adequate backchecker. Yes, he was good on shootouts. Yes, he was a good penalty killer. But the reality is that he was signed to be a No. 2 center last year -- that's why they paid him $2.8 million -- and he couldn't handle that role.

I think every bit of what is lost in Cullen will be replaced two or threefold by Drury. Drury is a better offensive player, a better defensive player, a better faceoff man, a proven clutch performer, and most importantly he's not out of his element playing with stars like Jagr and Shanahan the way Cullen was last year.

$2.8 million is just too much money to pay a third-line center when you have two solid options at No. 1 and No. 2 center. Especially when that money is needed for Sean Avery, who has a far more valuable role on the team than Cullen.

My point is that Cullen isn't exactly leaving big shoes for anyone to fill. Having watched nearly every game last year (many of them live), I can tell you that while Cullen's speed may be missed on the ice, and his friendly presence may be missed in the dressing room, no one will miss his inability to finish and adequately set up his star linemates.

Also, to clear one other unrelated thing up...

Chip: Scott Gomez did not kill penalties on New Jersey.

Everyone, do not panic, this is a good move. You have to remember also that come this january, Lundqvist could demand 7-8 million and I know we have space after this season but you'd still need to replace them. I think Sather has another move coming, I'd like to see a defensemen, but Dubinsky is ready to roll and I think that is the idea. Drury is a better penalty killer and center altogether than Cullen will ever be. Carolina won the cup bc of Cam Ward, not Cullen. Avery needs to be signed and so does Hossa, two key players for the Rangers. Avery could be considered one of the most important players on the team. By the way, I have a question, if you were to start a team, who would you select first, Jagr or Roenick... Both in their primes...

Jim--what are you smoking? I think you are a schmuck and should go back to posting elsewhere

Freedom of speech rent a writer!

Mike - I love having Drury and Gomez. just feel we were a top 3 center short all last yr and up until yesterday had solved that problem. As Buffalo showed the more depth a team has the better they will all be. I think Cullen added to that depth. His salary would not be a problem if we didn't add approx $ 15 mm between 2 guys. It wasn't even about keeping him 3 yrs - just this yr to really go for it. And there were other choices to fit under the cap. Yes Avery is vital as well. But Malik, Hossa or Mara could have been traded / waived with the dman replaced by Staal who I think is ready. He was a stud eating up big minutes in the junior playoffs. And Kaspar leaving by waivers is a no brainer. As long as him and his agent don't try to pull a fast one like Ozo did -claoming to be hurt but not long term so you can't send him down and would then count vs the cap.

BTW re Jim - there are a lot of Isles fans using his handle since there is a lot of trash talk between him and them. Some of the worst comments you're seeing using the Jim handle are not him.

Finally - even though we disagree here good update in the blog itself and comment area as well.

No need to go around and around on this what's done is done.

Mike, you'll have to forgive me for thinking that sounds like info planted by his agent to try to increase Avery's bargaining power in order to get a deal done before heading into his arbitration hearing.

Avery went on and one about how much he loved NY and wanted to play in NY and how it was the greatest stage to play on and so on and so forth. Well, shut up, take what you're worth (no more than $2m) and enjoy playing on a good team with a fanbase that adores you. Alternately, enjoy San Jose.

Is it possible that the Rags are a more pathetic organization than the Jets? Is that possible?!

I do not want the rangers to sign anymore big names. i do not want us turning again into the old veteran overpaid rangers.
we do not need anymore veteran free agents.

I wouldnt mind is Avery went elsewhere or Hossa. This is because Avery could command 3 million a year and if that happens dont we get a 1st 2nd and 3rd round draft compensation? And this is in a strong draft.

I would like to remind everyone of the promise Sather made almost 6 yrs ago. To grow the Rangers from within. "Hey, Glen! Keep your word!" Let's see what the kids in Hartford can give to the team this yr.
Matt Cullen is a good Hockey player. Just not able to finish as often as fans would have liked. It was a good trade. But not to sign UFA D-man, it was to keep a little cap room for the up coming season. In Feb, we could see the Rangers looking to fill a very vital position for a serious run at the Cup. Sather will need room to play.
Prucha and Callahan will be great this yr with whoever Renny places between them. They work hard every play.
As for the D. Well, as many have said... Staal just might be ready to go. And next season, Bobby S. could be ready to get some ice time. Slow and steady wins the race.
Sather must keep his word. Let's not repeat the late 90's, early 00's ever again.

Get ready Atlantic Division - The New York Rangers are the real deal.

There were three earlier comments that were made by an impostor which have since been removed.

Two of them concerned Sean Avery, including one which said Newsday would have an interview with him in August. That's not true -- at least not as far as I know. And I don't know anything about rumors of him going to San Jose. I'm not saying they aren't out there, I'm saying I haven't heard of them and I didn't write them.

The third one was purportedly a comment made by me to 'laurie', something about double-posts.

Again, I didn't write any of these, which is why they've been removed.

Laurie, to legitimately answer your post about Avery. I have a friend who is a big Rangers fan, but also quite a conspiracy theorist. He believes the league is in cahoots with the referees to punish the Rangers for blowing up the salary scale years ago with the attempted Joe Sakic signing. He also believes that the media and the team are in cahoots to keep any bad stories out of print.

Having worked in this business for five years, I can ASSURE you that none of this stuff is remotely true. It's easy to believe in conspiracy theories and information planted by agents. But in suggesting that a writer is being influenced by an agent, you really aren't giving writers much credit. We're not all geniuses, but we're certainly smart enough to tell if and when a player representative is trying to influence us. And we're responsible enough to resist that influence. (Aside from that there is the fact that I have no contact whatsoever with any player's agent, being that covering the Rangers is only a secondary gig for me.)

That's the reality of the situation, but I realize people will believe what they want to believe.

So if the idea that the media is being swayed or bought out by players, agents, or the team helps you sleep better at night, God bless ya.

LI Joe,

thanks for posting that.

Again, anything under the Jim from Woodbury handle will not be from me.

It's ridiculous that these one or two people who keep posting crap posing as me don't eventually get tired of doing it.

Mike Casey, thanks for trying to do something about it, appreciate it.

The Joe Sakic conspiracy is such B.S.

The Blues signing Scott Stevens from the Capitals and then Brendan Shanahan from the Devils are the salaries that blew away the salary structure of the NHL.

Anyway, what was worse, the Rangers attempting to steal Joe Sakic away from Colorado, or Colorado stealing the Nordiques from Quebec?

Denver couldn't support a team in the 70's when they were crap, but they found a way to support them pretty quickly when the city stole a ready made Stanley Cup contender from Quebec.

Colorado gets no sympathy from me. The first season that NHL hockey was back in Colorado they win the Cup.

How about all the other NHL expansion cities that got franchises in the 60's and 70's that still have yet to win the Cup buy still support their teams?

I see lots of posts from nay sayers who always say Marc Staal is unproven.

You know what?

There was a time when Brian Leetch was unproven. There was a time when Chris Chelios was unproven. There was a time when Scott Neidermayer was unproven.

You get it?

They were all 20 years old when they first got their chance.

It's time for Marc Staal, I cannot wait to see him play.

Jim-

Hoping Staal is Leetch or any other grat player is foolhardy. The Rangers have a serious problem on D. Lets face reality.

nah, Marc Staal will be a "great" player, don't really have to do much hoping.

A "grat" player? That I am not too sure.

This is a hockey post from someone who has seen Marc Staal play, every game.

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=380609

I think it's a bit more credible an Islander fan who has never seen Staal play saying it's foolhardy to expect him to play.

I have to agree that Staal deserves a chance with the blueshirts. The Rangers needs some serious help on "D", and I think he'd make quite an impact from the start.

Andrej Sekera
Danny Syvret
James Wisniewski
Brendan Bell
Eric Reitz
Alexei Semenov
John Erskine,
Brian Campbell
Chris Allen
Sean Blanchard

What do these 10 players all have in common? Like Marc Staal, they're all past winners of the Max Kaminsky Trophy for best defensemen in the OHL. In fact, they're the 10 winners for the 10 years prior to last year.

No doubt, these guys are all gonna be "great players". Guaranteed. Can't miss.

Jim- Real Jim, whatever. Your point is based on a typo. What a poser.

KPAC,

talk about posers, you are the one who keeps posting as the imposter!!

damn, what a loser

Sauce,

You usually do speak with a lot of knowledge about hockey and I do appreciate it.

However, I have never seen a player coming along that Islanders fans have so unanimously have said will be a guaranteed bust more than Marc Staal.

I dont know if it is just wishful thinking, or just plain fear.

Sauce, you speak as if winning that trophy means Staal will automatically suck.

I don't really care whether or not he won the Kaminsky trophy or the Gretzky 99 award.

People in the know, I am talking legit hockey people, state that Staal is can't miss. So bitter Islanders fans saying that Staal will be a bust doesn't really bother me much.

Jim- I have never posted here before. You need to grow up.

Yeah, ok KPAC.... LOL, good one

I truly hope Staal is the answer.. I am a big Leetch fan (hence disdain for Sather) - but he even had a young Zubov and James Patrick there to spread the work load (i.e. offensive D-men), esp on the PP.. I just want to see someone at the point who can manage the power play and perhaps get a shot on net - understanding that this is a tough commodity to come by (Norm McIver?).. I would have liked to see more of Cullen there last year... I think Pock has some pretty good upside and could prove to be a great bargain this year..

Facts are the Islanders suck. And, so do their fans.

Mike, I don't believe in conspiracy theories. Suggesting that agents leak information to influence their players standing in an organization or bargaining power isn't a conspiracy theory, it's fact. And while I trust you have all the integrity in the world and the ability to discern whether an agent is or isn't doing so, the "media" extends far beyond professional newspaper writers these days. You won't convince me that guys like Eklund and Spector don't report such information regardless of whether its because they believe it's true or are just reporting it to generate buzz. In fact, Eklund has openly admitted that agents and team reps use him to do so as much as he uses them to get information. And when a guy like Eklund can make an offhand comment one day that the Rangers should look at Mike Peca in order to scare Avery into signing, and the next day the Canadian Press pens an article in which they state the Rangers are looking at Peca as fact (as happened this week), you'll have to forgive me for questioning the veracity of the media.

For the record, I wasn't insinuating that you directly had been contacted by a player agent and fed a line of BS. The post that was made under your name to which I replied alluded to "reports" that Avery was unhappy with what the Rangers were offering and that San Jose was said to be interested. It was those "reports" that I was suspicious of.

Finally, the comment purportedly made to you by 'laurie' was in fact made by me, in response to a reply to me that was made under your name saying I'd "double posted" and "that's not allowed." I questioned it because I had no idea what 'you' meant.

that Islanders suck comment wasn't me, it was KPAC again

Sad all the BS going on here and the Isles blog. It is the summer though, kids are home with nothing better to do and mom and dad are working so they can't monitor what they do on the internet.

Costanza,
Pock? I think that Pock is overrated. How do the rest of you feel about Pock?

Jim -

I appreciate your hockey knowledge too.

Please understand that in no way was I implying that Staal will be a bust. And anyone who says that with emphatic certainly is an idiot. But the same goes for anyone who says with emphatic certainty that Staal is 'can't miss'. Fact is, no one knows how the kid ultimately will play in the NHL. We of course acknowledge the hogh probability that he'll be pretty damn good. But 'can't miss'? Nope.

But that's exactly what being said both expressly and by implication when it's said that the apparent weakness/deficiency in the Ranger defense will be solved by playing Staal this year. Ot that Malik can be traded for cap space because Staal can step right in. The kid played OHL last year. And people are already awarding him the Norris. It's just time to slow down a bit.

Cincy-

You are a knowledgeable Isles fan and I enjoy reading your posts. However, Staal is the real deal. I agree that young guys coming out of Juniors can be tough to rate, and I don't care what awards he has won. What I do care about is that everyone, not just those in the Rangers organ-I-zation, love this kid. Is he the next Leetch, no, but he will be a very good two way D-man for years.

By the way, I would consider Brian Campbell to be very good (both the Isles and Rangers would love to have him) and John Erskine is a solid #4 defenseman. Allen & Blanchard are two very good players in the minors who may make the jump to the NHL this year. So, you have some pretty good players on your list.

Cincy-

Just read your last post after I posted mine. Well said and I agree. I DO think Staal will be very good, but NOT good enough to play a #1/#2 role next season. He will need time, as most defenseman do, to learn and adjust to the speed and size in the NHL.

With that said, I still do look forward to watching him play.

It's so easy to see why the Islanders fans are negitive this time of yr. And most of all... this yr.
You offer a guy like Smyth the team on a plate made of gold and silver. What's he do, takes a smaller (not by much) deal to play in Denver. What does that say about the island? What does that say about Smyth? What does that say about the negitive b.s. coming out of some of these blogs. It says this....
"Oh, man, we payed our captain to walk, and our 40 goal scorer ran for Canada. Poti skipped to D.C. Comrie won't play here. Crap! The Rangers are looking great just when we (islanders fans) thought we were getting good! I think we screwed to pouch Mr. Snow!"

Now, don't get me wrong, the Rangers are no saints when it comes to vets and youth and how to pay back their fans... sometimes. But if at all possible could we keep the cheap childish shots off this page. I come here for opinions and news, not some dude playing games with a dumb sign-on. (KPAC)

Say what you like, the Islanders are doomed to mediocrity at best. the inherent truth on Long Island is no talent desires to play on the island and the cap makes throwing money to appease naysayers impossible. More importantly, Islander fans are an ignorant bunch and do not represent New York. They represent Long Giland.