....is quite comfy today after a weekend of uprooting four large azaleas that the local deer had been consuming and, with the Garden Goddess, planting willow and astilbe, mountain laurel, diascia hybrids, verbena, phlox starbrite and Russian sage on the Chez Zipay property and in colorful pots.
The downside?
Those creaks are from the back of your friendly correspondent as he rises from the chair and other furniture to hobble to the warm waters of the bath. Oh, to be 29 again.
Actually, I feel swell otherwise, and speaking of Russian sage, how about defenseman Fedor Tyutin earning a gold medal against Canada in the World Championships? Good for him. Maybe the experience will help him progress even more next season. Easy to forget that he played all 82 games this season, finished 11th in the league in hits with 218 and will turn 25 in July.
Of course, acquiring one or two defenseman should be priorities on the Rangers-to-do list for the off-season---immediately after offering Jaromir Jagr a one-year, incentive-filled contract:
"Una hirundo non facit ver", loosely translated from the Latin: "One swallow does not make summer."
There's Wade Redden, Brian Campbell (let other teams overpay), Ron Hainsey, Brooks Orpik, Mike Commodore, John-Michael Liles, Mark Streit. The Panthers didn't lock up RFA Jay Bouwmeester when they had a chance, and you wonder if he's not itching to escape Florida now. Worth exploring. Let's see, Bouwmeester or Michal Rozsival? JB.
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OK, the Red Wings will need someone else to score besides Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg tonight (One from Tomas Holstrom, Brian Rafalski or Nik Lidstrom wouldn't hurt). But Dallas has confidence, Brad Richards could be a real factor and I wouldn't mind a Game 7. Thoughts? Will the Penguins beat either team?
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Anyway, as you can tell, I'm back in NHL reporting mode this week, making phone calls, sending e-mails, but will slide over to the Bronx to help Newsday's coverage of those last-place Yankees aganst the Orioles Wednesday and Thursday night. More on that on game day...
Comments (27)
The Penguins can beat Dallas, but not Detroit. There's no way. I say try to trade for Bouwmeester, and if not, give him a nice offer sheet (at least try). Orpik is getting overhyped (since it seems he's the only worthwhile physical d going UFA). What about Brad Stuart?
we don't have to spend our money like a drunken sailor. some of our better youth will be seeking their fair share before you know it. so go light on bringing in new blood this year.
Shanny WAS a great player - he has had it though. obviously let Malik go - I suggest bringing in Hainsey.
also somehow get rid of Hollweg please.
I dont know if any of the players available are a good fit. You dont want to be signing Stephane Quintal or Sylvane Lefvabre again, and expect the world of them !
Hollweg.... really shouldnt play again for this team. Too bad he's signed through next year. There are too many young guys that could take his roster spot and NOT be a detriment to the team.
"immediately after offering Jaromir Jagr a one-year, incentive-filled contract"
that would be a terrible mistake, just like Shanahan's incentive-filled contract.
i agree. the pens can beat dallas but not detroit. as far as tyutin goes, good job. lets see some of that carry over. he should practice his shot accuracy. as far as jagr goes? im kinda done with that. i say bring some kids up, stick them with the same line partners for more that 3 games and let 'em learn up here. bye bye shanny. you would be better off trying to work your way up into bettmans job. THATS where we all need you. hollweg? bye bye. the definition of one-dimensional. i miss rangers hockey. i would like to see pearn gone and i would like to see renney not re-enact the definition of insanity again all season next year. pfft. re-reading what ive written here, maybe i dont miss rangers hockey as much as i thought.
Wings look impressive, and they are playing a team that hasn't quit after 20 minutes. Once again the tempo of this game is upscale from the tempo in any of the Pens/Flyers games, it appears the difference is that Det can make plays under extreme pressure, and Dallas can make the nuetral zone a very tough place to play. I don't see any matchup in the finals that Det doesn't win, or at least call even. The Wings are more physical, more experienced, equal defensely, equal speed, and the intangibles have to belong to them as well. Maybe the Pens keep the games close (one goals games) but I can't see them taking this series deep. Wings should be 2-0 returning to Pitt, and the Pens will have to show they can play from behind down 2 games in a series, big difference from opening at home. Also even as a Ranger fan, I don't think OTT, Rangers or Philly could create the kind of offense that Det can. So I am going to call Det in 5.
Know quit in Dallas, can't say the same for Flyers. Both these teams are better than anything in the East.
Please bring Brooks Orpik and Jay Bouwmeester to the Rangers! Could it get any better than that? Oh yeah, SIGN AVERY!
How much of a factor was Tyutin in Russia's victory? I was very disappointed with him, especially in the playoffs. Tyutin is fairly slow footed, his hits aren't extremely hard, he barely uses his hip check. He makes a lot of mistakes and his offensive skills got worse and worse with every season.
Tyutin will be fine, his play detoriated a little this season, yet I think overall he has matured well and will be a solid D man for the Rangers. He needs to work on consistently getting the puck on net. In game 5 Detroit missed the net on 19 shots, tonight they put the puck on the net with much greater consistency and the reward is scoring opps which lead to goals. Tyutin fell into the same trap as many Rangers and that was trying to shoot for small open areas as opposed to simply putting puck on net at every opportunity. Tyutin is an extremely Strong person so I think you evaluation of his hitting ability is well off the mark
After Malik and Strudwick, Tyutin was our slowest defenseman. And 80% of his hits are fairly soft ones. Also he gets nailed with a hard hit along the boards almost every game.
Bob criticizes Tyutin for getting nailed along the boards almost every game. OK
Yet, he continuously praises Prucha who constantly scrapes himself off the ice from getting annihilated every game and Prucha doesn't even know we have a defensive zone. Oh yeah, and Prucha has completely forgotten how to score goals.
So lets see:
Prucha can't score.
Doesn't back check.
Can't pass.
Doesn't know we have a defensive zone.
Gets completely annihilated everytime he is on the ice.
Other than that, Prucha is great.
Bob is awesome. Just awesome. I'd like Bob to be the bench boss next season.
Can't wait for the finals...should be a great series, even though I really wish Pitt. didn't even make it, I do think it will be very entertaining hockey.
Blue Shirts Bulletin has an interesting post about making due with next years roster in hopes of landing a "better" UFA the following off season. There are some REALLY amazing names on the list like Zetterberg, Gionta and I believe Gaborik. All great people to put on Gomez' wing. So maybe we should spend some money this year on improving the defense and then spend big on a winger next year and make some serious Cup runs for the last few years of Drury's contract.
That makes sense Joke, although the Rangers only need to shore up the PP and land a power forward to make this team a strong contender now. The ywill sign Jags to an incentive loaded 1 yr deal and have room on 09-10 for the sniper that becomes available in FA. That means that this FA period they don't go after a Hossa or any 8mil a yr plus forward type. The money that clears off allows for a run at a PP QB d-man, and it wouldn't surprise if Slats signs two of the top 5 d-men available. As to this constant find someone to play with gomer rheteric, it is getting old, there are good options on the team right now and Gomer seemed to play a strong season once he got acclimated. So I think that the speed for gomer issue is way over analyzed and over rated. The Power forward who mans the front of the net and clears space for Gomer would be way more beneficial. That's the prevailing need, and if the 09-10 FA is goingto be that important then not over paying Avery becomes a more interesting analysis, just one more reason why I think Sather will let Avery walk.
ANother important Avery factor is Shanny, as Shanny has been the buffer for the team with Avery. While Avery may be an instigator par supreme he is also a locker room nightmare, and it has been his relationship with Shanny that has kept the internal problem soothed. With no Shanny (and they won't be re-signing him) there will be no buffer for Avery, just another strong reason that I beleive Sather has NO intention of signing him (and the PR issue will not be difficult as the blame will just be that Avery wanted TOO much and over estimated his value). This team will be fine without Avery, as long as they add the Power forward we are all hoping for. The young guns have shown that they are perfectly willing to hit and do the dirty work on the boards. ANd there are options for the instigator issues as well, see trade with Phoenix at end of season (a role player is sitting in Hartford) Rangers didn't make that acquisition by accident.
sign Jagr to a one year deal.
Sign Vinny Lecavier next off season. Or trade for him during the season and go for it.
That guy is awesome.
"Prucha can't score.
Doesn't back check.
Can't pass.
Doesn't know we have a defensive zone.
Gets completely annihilated everytime he is on the ice.
Other than that, Prucha is great"
This is what Renney whispers into the ear of his fans when they are on their knees.
Shanahan is not the only one that can calm Avery down, I've seen Drury do it too.
you tell'em Bob. Always right Bob.
Bob,
I don't need Renney to tell me anything about Prucha.
I have seen every minute of every game Prucha has ever played.
I am more than capable of seeing with my own eyes that he doesn't backcheck, can't pass and no longer can score goals.
Oh yeah and that he gets absolutely clobbered everytime he is on the ice.
Dude, it sounds like you're talking about jagr. : ) Prucha IS a one dimentional player but he plays hard every shift and can produce in this league with the proper ice time. He has proven it. Twice! Which by the way was more goals than Dubinski or Callahan or Dawes put up in their first seasons. You can't tell me you've watched every game and don't see how Renney gave him the shaft when Shanny was signed. He certainly should have played instead of Hollweg. I agree there is no longer a place for him on the Rangers. Not while CLUELESS is the coach. That doesn't mean he doesn't deserve a little more respect than he gets around here. Before Shanny came we were all chanting Pru - Pru! Including most of the people who bash him now. Will we be bashing Dubi, Cally or Dawes 2 years from now? Food for thought.
yes, I also agree that Prucha needs a fresh start on another team, or risk his career being destroyed by idiot coach.
"Dude, it sounds like you're talking about jagr."
exactly! Prucha is a very good back checker and breaks up many plays and blocks shots. If moron Renney used him as a PKer from the beginning, maybe morons like Dude would realize how good he is, he has all the instincts and tools to be an excellent PKer.
"I have seen every minute of every game Prucha has ever played."
who do you think you are fooling?
"Before Shanny came we were all chanting Pru - Pru! Including most of the people who bash him now"
soon they will only chant "Rainy Rainy" because with Renney's "system and PP" the scoring is going to go down. And there will be nobody left to cheer for.
"who do you think you are fooling"
Ummmm, are you the Prucha police?
Prucha was a flash in the pan, thankds to Jags being on the line and setting him up, other wise the bottom line is Prucha sucks, forget the fresh start elsewhere he is not an NHLER thats the facts.
Renney is a flush in the toilet
I'm a tool.