Blue Notes

We're told Jagr's people and the Rangers are still talking; one executive (and also a fellow journalist) told me that contrary to TSN's assessment, performance bonuses are allowed. That lack of a CBA provision is not pertinent.

TSN's Bob McKenzie just filed a piece that, if accurate (and I have no reason to believe it isn't), throws some cold water on the idea of the Rangers signing both Jaromir Jagr and Mats Sundin to contracts with extensive performance bonuses. McKenzie writes that because this is the fourth year of the CBA, no performance bonus "cushions" or overage to next season are permitted.

Here's an excerpt with the Sundin/Jagr scenario:

"There are only three categories of players in the NHL who are entitled to receive individual performance bonuses – entry level players, 35 and older players who are on one-year contracts and veteran NHL players who spent more than 100 days on injured reserve last season and are signed to a one-year contract.

Those players may, in addition to their base salary, earn performance bonuses. All performance bonuses count towards the salary cap number, in this case $56.7 million, but in the past three seasons of the new CBA, there was a "cushion" provision that allowed teams to spend to the cap on just salaries and put the bonuses into an "overage" category.

For some teams, the performance bonuses were never earned and they never had to worry about being over the cap. No harm, no foul, so to speak.

For other teams, the performance bonuses were earned but the CBA allowed for an overage of 7.5 per cent of the cap. As long as the excess performance bonuses paid out above and beyond the cap number didn't exceed 7.5 per cent, that overage amount could be deferred and charged against the following year's salary cap.

Long story short, there is no provision allowing for an overage this season because, technically, there is no CBA next year and the NHL didn't want teams having the ability to over-spend and not have a tangible penalty the following season.

What does this mean in practical terms?

Well, suppose a team like the New York Rangers wants to sign a 35 and older free agent such as Jaromir Jagr and/or Mats Sundin. Based on the prior years of this CBA, the Rangers would look at the $56.7 million cap and there would be a potential overage for bonuses of $4.22 million. They could then sign Jagr and/or Sundin to base salaries of $5 million plus performance bonuses of $2 million each. The $7 million total income for each player would count against the cap, but the Rangers would know they could overspend the cap by $4 million (in performance bonuses) and defer those charges to the next year.

Not any more."

Check TSN for the entire column...

....an extension to 24-year-old minor-league goaltender Matt Zaba.
Zzzzz.
Now go back to work for awhile.
We'll keep you posted.

Holy Citicorp! The bar has been raised...
It's $31.5 mil for six, oops seven years, from Tampa for Pens' winger Ryan Malone...reportedly $7 and $8 million the next two years, then the number drops...Liles, the Avalanche defenseman who had an average season, gets $4 million to stick around.
Brian Campbell, Brian Rolston & Co. will be going to the bank...

Here's my piece in today's Newsday (written before Ryan Malone reportedly signed with Tampa today)

With the free-agent market set to open at noon on Tuesday, Jaromir Jagr, the enigmatic Czech superstar said he wants to play in the NHL for two more years, but remains unsure whether that will be with the Rangers, which increasingly seems unlikely. And if no other NHL team steps up, playing in Russia remains an option.
"I would be happy if it was a clear sky, but nothing is clear. I do not know where I will play next season. One day it looks like America, the second day back to Europe, " the 36-year-old Rangers captain said, according to two translations of a revealing interview with reporters in the Czech Republic before a tennis tournament in Prostgov on Friday. "I'm waiting for a signal."
Until Tuesday, only the Rangers can negotiate with Jagr, an unrestricted free agent, and a one-year, $6- million offer is believed to be on the table. The future Hall of Famer who has 646 goals and 1,599 points conceded that money "was important to him," that perhaps the Rangers haven't wooed him enough and that the team was being rebuilt around centers Scott Gomez and Chris Drury.
"I have come to realize that I play my best hockey when I'm under pressure," said the veteran right wing, who had only 71 points last season but was a force in the playoffs. "When a team relies upon me and expectations are high. I'd like to sign with a club where I'd be given this type of reliance, where I'd be told 'This is your team.' "
Jagr, who said he will be back in New York today or tomorrow, confirmed that he received an offer from Rangers president and general manager Glen Sather, "but if he wants a player to be happy...he should take that first step. He did make one overture. However, I thought it would be sooner than ten days ago.'' Jagr conceded that the level of interest from the Rangers was difficult to determine. "Perhaps Glen had different plans which did not work out. Maybe it's a negotiating tactic....but now that I've waited so long, why not listen to the alternative offers? So far we've only been talking to New York and Omsk."
Both Jagr and Anatoly Bardin, who owns Avangard Omsk of the Russian Continental League, denied yesterday that Jagr, who earned $8 million last year, was offered a three-year deal worth the equivalent of $35 million U.S. The figure is probably closer to $7 million per year, tax-free.
The indecision has placed the Rangers, who have about $22 million to spend to fill numerous holes on offense and defense, in an awkward position with the salary cap. The front office has assembled several scenarios for Tuesday, including one without Jagr. Among the unrestricted free agents the Rangers have targeted are Penguins wingers Marian Hossa and Ryan Malone, Leafs center Mats Sundin, Wild forward Brian Rolston and defensemen Brian Campbell of the Sharks and Brooks Orpik of the Penguins.
Last July, the Rangers signed Gomez and Drury to long-term contracts averaging $7 million per year and Jagr's role on the team changed. "It would be much easier if my center was one of them, but I was better off with a rookie (Brandon Dubinsky) so Gomez had to play on the second line and Drury on the third. I'm sure those guys had different plans when they chose New York," Jagr said. "I think Glen will now sign an important winger for them...Glen wants to build around them. I accept this. But at the same time, it is difficult for me to surrender the leadership role...I truly feel confident I can be dominant."
As for playing with Sundin, Jagr said, "it would be interesting for sure...But I cannot imagine how they can sign another center. That seems counterproductive to me because (someone) would have to move to wing...and not be as productive. Sundin would help me. But it would potentially hurt other guys."

Newsday's Steve Zipay answers your Rangers questions in a special live chat today at 1 p.m.

Ably assisted by our tech wizards, I'll be here to answer questions and offer opinions at 1 p.m. after this morning's scrimmage....Please grab lunch and venture over..

In last year's prospect camp, defenseman Marc Staal made a big leap ahead from the prior year. This time, that player is Russian center Artem Anisimov, although whether he follows Staal's footprints to the NHL at the same fast pace is uncertain.

"Artie's had a good week. It's almost been good enough to the point where I don't watch him anymore," coach Tom Renney said this afternoon. "I think Artem is the guy who's made the biggest step forward, and that's confidence as much as anything else. He's actually here a little lighter than he was a year ago. I'd like him to be a little heavier to handle the rigors of an NHL season---10 or 12 pounds is what I think he needs on him--- and we've got a couple months to get a bit of that back. He's probably been the guy that's been able to separate himself."

****

Before Russian teenager Evgeny Grachev was selected by the Brampton Battalion in the Canadian junior draft late this afternoon to begin his North American career, Renney said:
"I love him. He just plays. He's a boy in lots of ways. The question we're asking ourselves is whether he's a center or a winger, and it looks to me like he's fearless, so we'll see. He's got size, he's got ability, we're trying to determine where's the best place for him to start."

****
The Rangers will report to training camp here in September two or three days earlier than usual because they will open the season in Prague Oct. 4 and 5 against Tampa.

"It's forcing us to create a split squad in exhibition games...You'll see two teams through the exhibition schedule----(six games in the U.S. and two in Bern, Switzerland, including the Victoria Cup) before Prague," Renney said.

The Rangers met with the NHL and will have several days off after returning from Europe and requested that they open at the Garden.

****

Many of these prospects will play in the Traverse City, Michigan tournament in September, although Renney's staff will remain here. Early indications are that among the players expected to participate are Anisimov, Bobby Sanguinetti, Michael Del Zotto, Evgeny Grachev, David Skokan, Dale Weise, Brodie Dupont, Tom Pyatt, Justin Soryal, Tomas Zaborsky, Michael Busto, Chris Doyle, Mike Taylor and D Nick Pageau, a tryout who seems to have made an impression. David Kveton is expected to return to the Czech Republic.

"There's a couple guys who have piqued our interest," said Renney. "We'll watch another day in more of a game-type setting. There's a couple guys who could get an invite to Traverse City. We've probably got more speed and quickness here (in the camp), generally, than we've had in the past. And I think the skill level is maybe a litle bit higher."

****
Martin Straka's agent has denied a report by a team in his hometown of Plsen in the Czech Republic that the veteran has struck a deal to play there. Agent Rich Winter said Straka has "an aggressive offer" and will entertain other offers after July 1. But it's increasingly clear that the odds are that Straka may not be back in New York after three seasons and is preparing for life elsewhere.

Evgeny Grachev, 18, the Russian prospect who was the Rangers' third pick in last weekend's NHL entry draft, was selected 40th today in the Canadian Hockey League junior draft by the Brampton Battalion, where D Bobby Sanguinetti has played.

The Rangers reps weren't sweating at all earlier in the day, saying that some teams just avoid Russians and the speculation is that some teams passed because they were concerned whether or not he will really wants to stay in North America.

Tomas Kundratek, the Czech defenseman also chosen in the entry draft, was selected 15th and will play for the Medicine Hat Tigers.

The NHL and NHLPA just announced....
Last year, the cap was $50.3 million; in 06-07, the cap was $44 million.
The floor---which is the minimum all teams must reach---is $40.7 million, up from $34.3 last season and $28 million the previous year...
The Rangers appear to have approximately $22 million or $23 million in cap room to extend current players or sign free agents

The 25-year-old Quebec forward, who had 34 goals and 47 assists last season in the AHL, has signed an extension. Terms were not immediately disclosed. He had been acquired from the Hawks in October 2007 for a seventh-round pick...More from the scrimmage later...

Even still
The eagle has to land
Out past the fountain
Pluck up the courage
And snap, it's gone again
I start humming "When Doves Cry"...

Tori Amos
"Wednesday"

On this particular Wednesday, I was humming some Gomez melody from "How We Operate" while walking from the MSG Training Center across the parking lot.

After speaking with Russian center Evgeny Grachev (his English was surprisingly good), I interviewed the guy who resembles actor Owen Wilson: Winnipeg's Dale Weise, a fourth-round pick (111) on Saturday in Ottawa.

He's a 6-2, 202 right wing with some snarl who has improved offensively every year of the three he has skated for the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL.

Weise was 29-21-50 in 53 games last season, one in which he broke his right thumb blocking a shot. "Still clicks," he demonstrated today.

My guess is that he'll have to click here to be assigned to Hartford, where he hopes to play.

"I'm just excited to be here for four days, and if I have to go back to Swift Current, I have one more year of eligibility, I don't have an issue with that. I knew I had to get faster and stronger, I had a real good season, led the team in goals, finished well (7-6-13 in 12 playoff games)."

Weise said he tries to emulate the play of Keith Tkachuk "when he was with the Jets (now the Coyotes)...I still have a Jets hat and jersey, that stuff still sells well back home."

Earlier this summer, Weise trained with Nigel Dawes (another Winnipeg native) and Colton Orr is friends with the Weise family. Connections only go so far, though. We'll see. Perhaps the Rangers will need that toughness in Hartford, especially if Dane Byers makes the jump to New York.

Heard Around...

With the trade of Olli Jokinen, a person close to Jay Bouwmeester told Newsday that the defenseman wants out of Florida. Unsure whether---or when---the Rangers can get him here, but boy, if the deal was right, JayBo would be a high-quality get... Like C Evgeny Grachev, who wore No. 76, the team's other third-round pick (90th overall), defenseman Tomas Kundratek from the Czech Extraliga, will be playing in North America next season. The 90th pick was acquired in the Alex Bourret trade...The Rangers and backup goaltender Steve Valiquette continue to work on a contract...Orr has been in the training center working out.

Today's Scrimmage

Blue (with Antoine LaFleur in goal) pummeled Red, 6-1...Missed a couple goals while in conversation or outside the rink, but among the scorers were Artem Anisimov and David Kveton (who were linemates with Grachev), Max Campbell, Tomas Zaborsky and David Skokan (the lone Red tally)...Skokan skated with Meidl (who seemed to bring a more physical game) and Dupont....Campbell skated with Soryal and Doyle...Two of the Blue d-pairs were Del Zotto/Sanguinetti and Ryan/Urquhart...When the refs called certain penalties, a player was awarded a shot from the slot, similar to a foul shot in hoops, where the players lined up in lanes on either side of the net and kinda boxed out. On one, Doyle's slapper flew past the upper right corner...

Cheers, off for a Thai dinner, back tomorrah---unless news breaks...

On Saturday, between wedding duties upstate, your friendly Blue Notes proprietor called No. 75 pick Evgeny Grachev a possible steal/sleeper. The Hockey News called the strapping Russian center/power forward a battleship.
Well, on Day 3 of camp, visa cleared, guess who sailed into prospect camp---and said to me: "I want to be like Malkin."
Rangers fans pine for size and he's certainly built like All-Star Evgeni Malkin, and he won't have a problem coming here. No contract in Russia, no desire for the KHL, and eligible for the junior draft. He skated (pretty well) with Anisimov and Kveton in the scrimmage and declared that he'll be in North America this season.
More on Grachev in a feature I wrote for tomorrow's paper.
I'll be back shortly with more observations and rumors from camp...

Couple things:

Rangers are working on immigration papers for draftee Evgeny Grachev to participate in last few days of camp. It's still possible we may see the 6-3 Russian center, selected at No. 75, but it's uncertain as of tonight, the Rangers said.

***
Been sending e-mails and awaiting callbacks from agents and players, but beginning to believe what we heard weeks ago: that if UFAs aren't signed by the 24th, they're going to test the market on July 1. If you're a player, with the cap increasing, why not? Teams want to sign players, but the leverage has shifted.

First of all, for your PDAs/cells/calendars, on Friday at 1 p.m., I'll answer your questions and discuss the prospect camp and free agency in the first of what we expect will be many live chats here at Blue Notes.
More details to come in the next couple days...

****
Rumblings on the free-agent front: Don't discard the Sundin reports; Malone and Orpik remain on the radar; If I had a vote, I'd cast it for Brian Rolston, too, and for Kurt Sauer as a low-cost D...One Blue Notes reader who watched him regularly after his trade from Vancouver to Washington is singing the praises of LW Matt Cooke (UFA, 29, $1.5 mil, 10-13, 91 PIMS last season) as a potential replacement for Avery if Sean and the club can't see eye to eye. By the way here's Avery's essay in Men's Vogue on his sojurn among the journalist fashionistas:
http://www.mensvogue.com/magazine/articles/2008/06/sean-avery

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Jottings in the margins from camp today:
The goaltenders, particularly Antoine LaFleur, (who has 'flower power' inscribed on the back of his mark) looked a bit sharper than on Monday in the green/blue scrimmage. Same players on each squad (no Hillier, Gaulton---injuries). A little more contact...No. 2 Derek Stepan was upended and slammed his chin into the post, no harm, no foul...LW Danny Hobbs scored a goal...Both Dave Maloney and Sam Rosen, who stopped by to watch, took notice of tryout D Joe Ryan...C Max Campbell (fifth-rounder, 2007, U of Western Michigan) caught my eye; seemed to be able to create shots and was around the net often...No. 9, Adam Graves, remains multi-talented and willing to do anything: He helped workers replace a plexiglass panel behind one net... Amateur scout Ray Clearwater was among the observers...

****

Below you'll find my piece in Newsday this morning. Notice the mention of the interest in Mats Sundin in the notes section and the comments from Tom Renney about the team's UFAs. From what I hear, the Rangers are still kicking a lot of tires.

I firmly believe, as I have all along, as loyal, daily readers know, Jags will be back for a year, maybe two. Don't ever discount the fact that he wants the dough, but he's a little resistant to change to another city and wants to play in the two opening games in Prague.

And check the record: We've always had some reservations about a lucrative, long-term deal for Sean Avery, whose off-ice presence can be disruptive to players and the front office. There are also some health concerns. To be sure, Avery brings some great quotes to the press and juice to any team he's on.. just don't think that's the direction the Rangers are going. As for UFA Marty Straka, I believe he'll play at home in the Czech Republic and have a terrific life. Rozsival and his family like living in Westchester, but the deal will have to be right...Because Brendan Shanahan, who was pretty battered last season, will have to take a sharply reduced contract---and role---the ball may be in his court after July 1.

Will file from the rink around noon....

GREENBURGH, N.Y.----From a corner platform above the practice rink at about 2:50 p.m. yesterday, the Rangers front office had their first glimpse of what could be a future power-play tandem: defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti on the right and Michael Del Zotto on the left.

As discussions continued with the Rangers' unrestricted free agents to assemble a team for this season, Del Zotto and Sanguinetti, the team's first-round picks in 2006 and this year, were paired in five-on-five drills at the annual prospect development camp at the Madison Square Garden Training Center.

"You can see a difference in age and experience," said coach Tom Renney. "Bobby's a bigger, stronger kid (he was selected at No. 21 overall in 2006). He's been exposed to us and our training methods....but you can see the instincts are similar, the instinct to make things happen; you can see that Mike is willing to jump up and get involved
and you can see he's a good passer, the same attributes as Bobby."

Sanguinetti, a New Jersey native, likely will begin the season with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, where he finished last year. "Much of it's contingent on what we do in the next week to 10 days," said Renney, referring to potential free-agent defenseman signings. "He'll be at our camp and we'd certainly like to get him into as many
preseason games as possible."

Del Zotto, who was selected at No. 20 last Friday in Ottawa, needs some more seasoning. "One step as a time," said the Ontario youngster who celebrates his 18th birthday today and admitted: "I never thought I'd be spending it in New York. Unbelievable."

But he will, and the experience---which will include attending a Subway Series game this weekend with the 20-plus other camp invitees---hasn't sunk in. "I was in shock when I walked in here, " he said. "Took me a little bit to get into it. Then I seemed to keep up with the pace." Del Zotto will return to the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League, where he had 16 goals and 47 assists in 64 games last year, third in points among OHL defensemen. Five of those goals were shorthanded. Scouts agree that Del Zotto has an exceptional offensive upside, but needs to improve his defensive play.

Although listed at 6-feet tall and 210 pounds, Del Zotto said he has trimmed 15 pounds and "feels like my strength is still there. I want to get to a certain weight and keep it there." As a result, Del Zotto was one of the best skaters on the ice yesterday---and had a built-in fan base.

"I played with Mike in the under-17 tournament last year," said Mitch Gaulton, a strong, two-way defenseman for the Erie Otters who was the Rangers' sixth-round pick. "We hit it off right away. When he got drafted, I texted him, "Congratulations" and then when I got drafted, he sent, "Let's Go Rangers."

Notes & Quotes

Amid reports that the Rangers are interested in free-agent center Mats Sundin, defenseman Brian Campbell and winger Marian Hossa, Renney said he wasn't alarmed that his own free agents such as Jaromir Jagr, Michal Rozsival, Sean Avery, Martin Straka and Brendan Shanahan haven't been signed with July 1---when they can sign elsewhere----looming. "To
me, it's no surprise," Renney said. "It's not like [Rangers President] Glen [Sather] hasn't had dialogue with at least representatives of these players. We've been in dialogue with these players for awhile. I think there have been some serious offerings, if you will, in respect to money and terms, to a few of our guys." Renney said he personally hadn't had any discussions with them. "If the boss tells me to phone someone, I'm all over it...There's some uncertainty and it's a little disconcerting, but that goes with the territory."...Rozsival, recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his hip, was in the weight room earlier in the day...The Rangers want center Artem Anisimov to bulk up by about 12 pounds...LW Ryan Hillier (groin) was held out, had a cortisone injection and the 2006 third-round selection was unsure if he would skate later this week.

Later, folks....

....for the first time since the last Rangers practice in the Pittsburgh playoff series.
Well, breakup day.
Instead of Jagr, Drury, Gomer, etc. there's a guy almost named Yzerman (Oren Eizenmann), a slow-moving D with the name of a town in Connecticut (Justin Wallingford), and, oh yeah, impressive kids like Del Zotto and Sanguinetti.
It's development camp!
Just finished a piece for tomorrow's paper on this, but here's a short reaction, based on things I was writing in the margins while watching drills, 5-on-5, 3-on-3, scrimmage, and more to come this week.
Coach Tom Renney advised not to read too much into a day that started in midafternoon, with late arrivals. medicals, etc.
Agree totally. Nonetheless, some impressions.
On first blush, the guys who seemed to come out with a burst: DZ, Artem Anisimov (battled three guys in the corner for possession and quick second-round pick C Derek Stepan skated out for a goal), C Tomas Zaborsky, RW David Skokan, D Joe Ryan, D Nick Pageau, big RW Dale Weise. Not quite there: LW Radek Meidl.
Ryan Hillier (groin/hernia) didn't skate, said he might need surgery.
***
On the free-agent front, Rozsival had been wokring out in the weight room earlier. He's on crutches, but in pretty good form, said Renney.

***
More later, have a train to meet. Hmm. Sounds like Muddy Waters.
Oh and lennynyr, thanks for pencilling me in as a right wing.
I'm more more of a moderate politically, liberal socially and universal musically...

Twenty-eight players---including five of the seven draftees from the weekend---hit the ice at the MSG Training Center today at 1 p.m. Included are previous draftees and nine tryouts. We're back from our trip to Ithaca for a family wedding and will file a report today from camp, which runs through the week

GOALTENDERS
Blanchard, Jean Christopher
Lafleur, Antoine
Perugini, Andrew

LEFT DEFENSE
Del Zotto, Michael
Gaulton, Mitch
Greenan, Chad
Urquhart, David

RIGHT DEFENSE
Busto, Michael
Pageau, Nick
Ryan, Joe
Sanguinetti, Bobby
Wallingford, Justin

CENTER
Anisimov, Artem
Campbell, Max
Doyle, Chris
Eizenman, Oren
Pyatt, Thomas
Stepan, Derek
Zaborsky, Tomas

LEFT WING
Dupont, Brodie
Hillier, Ryan
Hobbs, Danny
Meidl, Radek
Soryal, Justin
Taylor, Mike

RIGHT WING
Kveton, David
Skokan, David
Weise, Dale

Stepped away for awhile, so here's a recap, courtesy of THN. Stats are from last season...

Round 3/90 Tomas Kundratek, D
6-1 180 HC Trinec (Cze Jr.)
(Alex Bourret traded to Phoenix for this spot)
GP G A Pts PIM +/-
14 3 6 9 28 5

The 6-1, 180 pounder was a member of the Czech Republic's world under-18 squad in 2007, and followed that up with an appearance for his country at the 2008 WJC in his home land. He produced one goal, two penalty minutes and a minus-1 rating in the tournament... has already appeared in 36 games in the Czech Republic Extraliga, and could be a full-time member of HC Trinec in 2008-09... has some offensive potential, sound instincts for the defense position and is also right-handed--an added bonus...

****

Round 4/111 Dale Weise, RW
6-2 206 Swift Current (WHL)
GP G A Pts PIM +/-
53 29 22 51 84 8


****

Round 5/141 Chris Doyle, C
6-0 193 P.E.I. (QMJHL)
GP G A Pts PIM +/-
63 27 36 63 81 -18

In his second QMJHL campaign, he placed second on the Rocket with 63 points in 63 games. He also finished second with 27 goals... participated in the 2008 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Edmonton... the 6-0, 193 pounder was rated 130th among North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings... has two-way potential but must play with greater consistency--both with and without the puck--in order to maximize his value as an NHL prospect... needs to add bulk so as to become a better pro...

***

Round 6/171 Mitch Gaulton, D
5-11.5 210 Erie (OHL)
GP G A Pts PIM +/-
20 2 5 7 19 -10


After appearing in 54 games as an OHL rookie with the Otters in 2006-07 (5-11-16, 53 PIM), he was limited to just 20 games as a sophomore because of an elbow injury that eventually required surgery... the 6-0, 210 pounder has a lot of lower-body strength, which helps him play a physical game from behind the blueline... also displays smart decision-making and enough puck skills to produce some points at the highest level... was rated 81st overall in International Scouting Services' final rankings... is considered a draft-day wild card...

More later....

The 6-3, 202 Russian center really slid down, but here's what THN has to say:

"He has the size all scouts love but it is his supreme skill level that could make him one of the sleepers of the 2008 selection process... may be the second-best Russian forward eligible for the '08 draft, behind Nikita Filatov, but rated ninth among International skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings... can play either wing position but projects mainly as a center in the NHL... has already expressed a lot of interest in moving to North America early, so he may play in the CHL in 2008-09.

Rangers now sit back until the fifth round...

At 51, some of the notables, included Jared Staal, who went to Phoenix, Yann Sauve, Zac Dalpe, Luke Adam, were gone.

Stepan will play at the University of Wisconsin next season.

Here's what one scouting report says:

The fifth-ranked Minnesota high-school player, according to Central Scouting's final rankings of North American skaters, he's the second-rated forward and top-rated center among Minnesota high schoolers... has excellent offensive instincts and big-time scoring potential, but is smallish and must get stronger in order to maximize his upside... could become an important offensive cog in college right away... projects as a top-six forward in the pros if he can improve his play without the puck...

UPDATE:

Thought Rangers might go for U.S.-born RW Danny Kristo at 51...Habs took him a few picks later...The Hockey News web site (www.thn.com) has live pick-by-pick coverage for those interested. That's where I took the above info on Stepan...Third round has started...Rangers are 10 picks away from theirs at 75..perhaps Grachev or Stefanovich will be there...Brittain and Lalonde gone...LA Kings seem to be loading up, having a very solid draft....Isles took David Toews, smaller and younger bro of Hawks' Jonathan, from same program Shattuck/St. Mary's,
as Stepan....

Nine defensemen were gone.
Michael Del Zotto, a 17-year-old Ontario native who has the tools to be a PP quarterback, was still there at 20.
Del Zotto was one of the guys that player personnel boss Gordie Clark mentioned when I spoke with him on Wednesday as being in the group of guys just beyond the top four D.
Should the Rangers have taken John Carlson?
Maybe not, if they think they can get a physical free agent D.
This was an investment in talent.
You won't see Del Zotto for three years, but he's got a very good shot, by all accounts is a great passer, and likes to hit. He won the Most Accurate Shot competition at the Prospects' skills competition. Had eight points in 15 playoff games for Oshawa. I think his D will improve.
More tomorrow. Still lots of good kids on the board.
Thoughts?

Greetings, all.

I'll be at a family wedding rehearsal dinner tonight in Ithaca---Newsday's Greg Logan is in Ottawa keeping tabs on things there, while I'm on the ol' Blackberry staying in touch---and Katie Strang will be live blogging the draft, so be sure you check in this evening for all the news.
The more the merrier, as they say.

Below is my draft preview, which ran in today's paper, which quotes Gordie Clark saying that, as we reported earlier this week, the Rangers wil attempt to trade up but not into the top five or six.

FYI, although there's a NY Post report from an agent that no Rangers UFAs will be offered deals before July 1, that could change between now and then. Lot of posturing's been going on all week. Note that very few teams have signed their UFAs or RFAs prior to the draft.

****

BY STEVE ZIPAY

In July 2005, the NHL Entry Draft was staged in Ottawa and the Rangers traded the 16th and 41st picks to the Atlanta Thrashers to climb to the 12th spot overall to select Marc Staal, who is blossoming into a top-notch defenseman.
Back in Ottawa tonight, the Rangers, slated to pick 20th, will employ the same strategy. Whether the attempt will prove as successful remains to be seen.
"We're going to try to move up," said Gordie Clark, the team's director of player personnel. "Philadelphia was trying to get Staal as well. We weren't sure we could, but you never know until you make the phone call."
Clark, who as an Islanders executive was responsible for the drafting of goaltender Roberto Luongo and defenseman Eric Brewer in the first round in 1997, and defenseman Zdeno Chara at No. 56 in 1996, acknowledged that crashing the party of the teams who hold the first five or six picks probably isn't realistic.
"It's going to be hard for any team to move up there," Clark said during a phone call from the hotel where the Rangers brass was huddling. "Those guys (center Steven Stamkos, the presumptive No. 1, defensemen Drew Doughty, Zach Bogosian, Luke Schenn, Alex Pietrangelo and Russian forward Nikita Filatov) are very close to being able to play in the NHL right now."
Beyond those top four defensemen, there are a handful of highly-touted blueliners, several of which will certainly be available if the Rangers can move up to perhaps the 15th spot, which is held by the Nashville Predators, who also have the No. 9 overall pick.
In that slot, either Tyler Myers, a 6-foot-7 mobile defenseman with enormous potential; the rugged, feisty 6-foot-3 Colton Teubert, whose stock is rising, and Michael Del Zotto, an Ontario native with offensive skills (16-47-63 in 64 games) who has been compared to the Ducks' Mathieu Schneider, might be on the board.
But there's no guarantee of the willingness of a team in the second tier to agree to a swap or that the price will be right. The Rangers also have the No. 51, 75, 141, 171 and 201st selections and some forwards to dangle.
Without a deal, the Rangers expect to stay where they are, and with few defensive prospects in the minors beyond Bobby Sanguinetti, tabbed at No. 21 in 2006---will weigh the options in what many scouts see as a draft rich in defensemen in the first round.
"At 20, we're waiting for everything to unfold," said Clark. Rather than draft for need, he said, the Rangers will identify "the best player available, a guy with character...we'll have a pretty good chance to get someone we like."
That could mean John Carlson, a big, physical Natick, Mass. native; Luca Sbisa, a poised 18-year-old from Switzerland, Erik Karlsson, a Swedish youngster who needs to add weight and strength but had 36 points in 37 games for Frolunda or even a forward such as Greg Nemisz.
The Rangers don't forsee a highly skilled forward such as Filatov dropping very far, as did Alexei Cherapanov, who fell into their laps at No. 17 last year, However, other Russian forwards could go in late in the first round, Clark said.
"In the new Continental League in Russia, each team has only one spot for a player under 20," he said, so more youngsters may opt to play in the NHL. Although Clark didn't mention names, two of them are Evgeny Grachev, who spoke with the Rangers and Islanders at the recent prospect combine in Toronto, and Kirill Petrov, a 6-foot-3 center.
Saturday's second-rounders who are intriguing---if available---are right wing Jared Staal, Marc's younger brother; defensemen Yann Sauve and Vjateslav Voinov and forwards Luke Adam and Danny Kristo.

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See ya tonight...

Today's piece in Sports Business Daily, based on documents filed in district court, and picked up by espn.com, involves a counterclaim of a suit filed by MSG last September, which Newsday and other newspapers here covered.

I'm en route to a wedding upstate, haven't seen the documents, just a two-paragraph NHL statement. But two Newsday reporters are working on this for a story tomorrow.

Apparently at the end of the Board of Governonrs meeting on Wednesday, the league asked the MSG reps to leave the room and decided to file this counterclaim, which alleges that the company breached league bylaws.

This appears to be another step in a tete a tete that stems from the issue of control of the Rangers web site that began in April '07. The league wanted the web site to have design and content elements like the other 29 teams. The Garden balked, but changed the site after it was threatened with hefty fines, then sued in September.

In this filing, the Commissioner is arguing that MSG can't sue because they're all part of one organization, and issued a threat to suspend or discipline the Garden's owners. An MSG spokesman told me the company believes it has the right to sue and has 30 days to respond to this element of the proceedings.

I guess all this back and forth could end up in a trial at some point down the road, but it's clear the bad blood on the business side between the two hasn't ended. Sounds as if the Commish wants to assert his power on revenues.
Apparently it would take a 3/4 vote of the league owners to fine, suspend or--- force Cablevision to sell, the last of which seems like an extreme scenario for fellow owners to inflict on an Original Six teams. But ya never know, we'll see how it all plays out...

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On straight hockey matters, my draft preview will be in the paper tomorrow and on newsday.com soon...

Unless the Rangers trade up to move higher in the first round of Friday's draft, they will select 20th.
Here's some recent choices from that mixed-bag slot.
2007: Angelo Esposito, the forward who slid from the Top 10 like Alexei Cherepanov, was picked by the Pens and traded to Atlanta in the package for Marian Hossa in February.
2006: Montreal selected high school defenseman David Fischer.
2005: Kendal McArdle. Agitator taken by Florida and still in minors.
2004: Devs grab Travis Zajac. Not bad at all. (Rangers took winger Lauri Korpikoski at 19.)
2003: Wild score with D Brent Burns, who really blossomed last season (15-28-43, 80 PM).
2002: Sabres tab LW Daniel Paille; 19-16-35 in 77 games with Buffalo last season.

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The rules changes, three of 'em, all tweaks really, two on faceoff location, came out of today's Board of Govs meeting.

The first faceoff of a power play will be in the defending zone of the team that committed the penalty. Gives an inital edge to the offense.

Also, if a puck is shot off the goal frame, post or crossbar, the subsequent faceoff will remain in the end zone where the puck went out of play. Sensible.

No. 3: "Any contact between opposing players while pursuing the puck on an icing must be for the sole purpose of playing the puck and not for eliminating the opponent from playing the puck. Unnecessary or dangerous contact could result in penalties being assessed to the offending player." Hmm. Seems to allow races for the puck, but gives refs more leeway to call boarding, hits from behind, etc.

The board also "endorsed immediate and long-term recommendations provided by the Goaltender Equipment Working Group and the league's competition committee for new standards on the maximum size of all equipment" that a player can wear.
This bears watching; I don't have all the details at the moment, but smaller and perhaps more contoured pads, blockers, and shoulder pads, and the elimination of extra padding and flaps, apparently are coming at some point...

In a day dominated by Mets management hoo-hah and fallout, some former Rangers were in the news this afternoon:

Right wing Glenn Anderson, known primarily for his Edmonton career, but acquired in the final days of 1994 in a trade with Toronto for Mike Gartner, was named as an inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame with Igor Larionov, late WHL Kootenay Ice Owner Ed Chynoweth and former linesman Ray Scapinello.

Another Glen (with one "n" in this case)--- Healy, the former goaltender for the Rangers from 1993-94 to 1996-97, was hired by the NHL Players Association as director of player affairs.

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Meanwhile, climbing the corporate ladder at MSG is Sammy Steinlight, who has assisted New York Knicks and Rangers sportswriters with the information flow for 10 years. Steinlight (and his trusty Blackberry) has been named VP of publicity for the teams, including the Liberty. His portfolio will stretch to more community and entertainment duties. We'll miss his mostly accurate regular post-game locker-room alert: "Tom's (Renney) on his way" (down to the interview room...)

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I'm preparing a draft preview for tomorrow or Friday, hang in...

Andreas Jamtin. 25, a right wing who was originally drafted by the Red Wings and has developed a rep as a Sean Avery-like agitator, has been signed by the Rangers, according to eurohockey.net. The Rangers have not officially confirmed.

The 5-11 Jamtin, selected by the Wings in the fifth round in 2001, scored 17 goals in 51 games played for HV71 Jonkoping in the Swedish Elite League last season. He also collected
167 penalty minutes last season and 150 the prior year. He apparently was on Sweden's junior team with Henrik Lundqvist and exercised an escape clause to be able to come to New York for training camp and perhaps the AHL.

Our pal Dubi at Blueshirtbulletin.com, which mined for some quotes from older stories about Jamtin, has more on his career.

Here's the question: Is this a warning shot over the bow of Avery, who is asking for a multi-year deal for about $4-million annually, while the Rangers are closer to $2.75 mil per?