The Rangers re-assigned six players yesterday and released center Mark Smith, who came to camp as a tryout, as the Kodak snapshot of who will make the team came into clearer focus.
Forwards Lauri Korpikoski, Dane Byers and Francois Lessard, defensemen Mike Sauer
and Andrew Hutchinson and goalie Miika Wiikman were sent to AHL Hartford.
Hutchinson, acquired from Carolina in the Matt Cullen trade in the offseason, has until noon tomorrow to clear waivers.
Remaining are 26 players: three goaltenders, 15 forwards, (including Brandon Dubinsky, Nigel Dawes and Artem Anisimov) and eight defensemen, including Mark Staal and Thomas Pock.
From our vantage point, it seems that Staal and Dubinsky have spots on the roster and Anisimov and Montoya will go to the Wolf Pack, purely because of salary considerations. The question is whether Pock or Dawes sticks as a 23rd man.
Pock, on a two-year deal, would have to be waived, and the Rangers could lose him. Dawes could be re-assigned and the Rangers start the year with 22.
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Jagr and Lundqvist, who played in the 6-1 loss to the Wings in Detroit last night, stayed an extra half hour on the ice after the 75-minute practice.
Very unusual, especially after a night game and travel.
"I need to work on my game," Jagr said as he stepped off. "We were embarrassed. I don't like that....They had a full lineup, everybody was quicker, more organized. I'm happy we played. We needed that kind of game."
Lundqvist was relieved by Montoya at the halfway point, down 4-0.
"We were scrambling around," he said. "We had some young guys in and they (the Wings) were more together."
Comments (25)
Interesting that Jagr and Lundqvist seem to be blaming the kids for the loss, yet the +/- stats for the game seem to suggest the first and fourth lines, all vets, were victimized most...
They're taking the blame Laurie not passing it off.
"'We had some young guys in and "they were more" together.'"
"I need to work on my game"
"We needed that kind of game"
meaning the vets, a wake up call.
It's better to stink it up in the pre-season, when it doesn't count in the standings. But a blowout, is a blowout, and Jagr realizes that this has to be nipped in the bud now before there is an ugly carryover intot the regular season.
Slick, I took the "they were more together" comment as referring to Detroit as "they", not the kids. But I could certainly be wrong...
Jags was stating that the kids had it together but i can see where u would get mixed up
This is starting to have a worrisome feel to it, these losses. Are Drury and Gomez destined to resemble Jagr with the Caps? It's great to think you've got that competitive edge all sewn up because you've signed a star or two, but the time to either put up or shut up is fast approaching.
to follow up on bruce's idea, are you also getting that BOBBY HOLIK feeling again>?
I kept saying signing one of them is good. The Rangers have a stock load of talented centers for years to come. But with Drury and Gomez it buries young kids in the minors.
I really like Byers, Dubinsky, and Artem Anisimov. I know Artem needs a year to grow in Hartford but what about next year?
The Rangers need to improve on the blueline more than anything. They need that Bueke type of defensemen to clear space out in front of Henrik.
John,you would like to think that signing Drury and Gomez is going to have the same effect as the Holik signing did. Can some of the naysayers atleast wait until the opening night roster plays a little bit before you make your assumptions?
Seriously the game with the Islanders the other night was entertaining and great the Rangers are not doing to well in the preseason.
But, like Midnight says lets all calm down. Don't push the panic button, leave the red phone on the receiver and lets let some regular season go by before we celebrate or question any team in the NHL.
I had to go look at the 2003 roster to remember exactly what the team was made up of. I do remember signing Holik. In my opinion the signing of Drury and Gomez is alot bigger then signing Holik that year.
As for the rest of your list. Lindros was a bust and can now be considered one of the biggest busts in the NHL all together. He had a great first ten year 1 with the Rangers the rest with the Flyers since then he has been pretty much useless. I agree with Midnights post on the other blog for Driver and Ferraro.
Bure, now that was a big bust! But, two seasons he played 50 games and had 50 points so if he would have stayed healthy and played. Who knows?
Gretzky, that was a good one!
Hey Steve, I know you said Anisimov is going down, which I figured. Do you think he played that well to be kept up so long? This is a kid I would love to see on the team soon, but he seemed too skinny and weak this preseason. Just wondering how the staff sees him.
Up in the Blues,
Greatest section in the Garden to watch our boys play. Anyway, the Rangers had their fair share of bust signings and trades, but are we the only team to do so? Highly unlikely, as a matter of fact, just think of a team that plays in the same area as the Rangers and you could spot a team that in recent memory has made some disgusting trades. Hey, why don't we move this goalie named Luongo and this center named Jokinen for such prime time players as Oleg Kvasha and Mark Parrish. How has that trade turned out for you guys? How about dealing McCabe and Bertuzzi for Trevor "I never wanted to play for the Islanders" Linden. Yashin for Spezza and Chara, should I go on or do we get my point here? So, if what Islanders fans are getting at is that the Rangers have made some bad signings in the past, so be it. No team in this league is without mistakes made.
i think he was more embarrassed of the money the rangers pay there players and how they play.
like a bunch of rags
I agree, let's calm down. I wouldn't be surprised if they struggle (.500) the first couple of weeks. Renney hasn't played the entire lineup all pre and they will need some time to gel. I don't want this to happen but wouldn't be shocked if it does.
Sorry, I meant to say the Rangers rule!
funny using my name on the blog...rangers suck
sorry u cant spend 70 mill this year either to buy the cup.
we never spent 70m on the first Cup
we built the 1994 cup championship
we didn't buy it
Nothing like the pre-season to stir things up and get everyone guess'n. No worries, they'll get it together. I'd like to see the chemistry build from game to game myself. Makes for a better show. Anyone else feel the same?
I want the regular squad to play the next two preseason games, enough of the experimenting, lets get serious now.
Good to see we are still throwing around money jokes in a league with a salary cap. Brilliant!
Slick I agree with your outlook 100%.
I remember last Jan when a friend serving overseas called and ask how the Rangers were doing. As we all remember the news wasn't good. It wasn't bad either. I wanted so badly to give him the good news he was looking for from home. Know what I mean?
Well he called here about 20 minutes ago.
So I have this message from a sailor stuck over seas that I wanted to share with you guys.
It's short and sweet.
"Wow, they got Drury and Gomez? Amazing. How? When? Oh, man how did Jagr take it? Oh, man! We just might have a chance at the cup! Oh, my God, I need to get home."
I wish I could express his excitement better.
Come home safe pal.
you guys did nothing to replace the great loss of nylander, who made jagr a better player and was a consistent scoring threat. i remember against buffalo, when the rags were down by 2 goals in the final game last year and nylander really stood out when he scored that goal in the final minutes that gave the rangers a chance. gomez just wants to come to the rags so that he can show his ugly face more and keep up his pipe dream of being discovered by hollywood! he will be a bust. drury will obviously be a solid player, but if you ask jagr, he'd take nylander any day over both of them.
When Gomez 7 year contract is over, he will still be younger than Nylander is RIGHT NOW.
Nylander has never won a CUP.
Gomez has won 2.
Nylander has played for twice as long as Gomez has.
Gomez has had 3 years of over 50 assists, Nylander has had 2.
The Capitals will be paying Nylander 4.5 million when he is 39 years old.
Are we still wondering why the Rangers chose to have Gomez instead of Nylander?
"you guys did nothing to replace the great loss of nylander" - Anonymous
OK, Thanks for that one. Ten minutes at work so far. I had a great laugh and you made my day. Gomez and Drury and the Rangers did nothing to replace Nylander? I think I have seen it all. No...actually I know I haven't. Been posting here too long to know that there will be better said during the long hockey season. But, Thanks Anyways!
mj
Don't talk in cliche's. You embarrass yourself.