Blue Notes

Well it means no Bowmester this year, but after a 1 year deal from Arbituration i do believe he becomes a UFA next season.

Rangers9

he is taking the team this year...his team, i believe, has the option to do it next year

and whats going on with Dawes?

Anyone know if there are any press conferences this week to maybe introduce Naslund or Redden or anyone for that matter?

Steve?

I think there are gonna be a few more moves, probably waiting for it all to be done before they have a big news conference.

based on the last thread, it seems that most bloggers feel our defense is quite "soft". this was a big complaint last year aswell, when we had malik, backman, etc. i tend to agree we need a banger back there, but this defense is a big improvement from last years group, IMO. i heard an interview with dellapina recently (WFAN) and he seems to think, and its fairly evident, the slats and co. have seen the NHL in a new light. no longer do teams rely on that hard hitting scott stevens type D-man, relying more on more mobile, good 1st passing ones to make it easier to get out of your own zone and get the offense moving quickly for a puck possesion game. just a thought as we look fowrd to october.

also, i dont think having fritsche goin to arbitration is a good way to start his career here and is dawes on his way there too?

:::sigh:::

again, all this talk of a hard hitting Dman, and yet we just traded Tyutin, the Dman who hit the most.

How can anyone think that it isnt needed ? Look at Anaheim with Pronger & last year both Detroit and the Pens had 1 hard hitter on D (Orpik and Kronwall).

The Rangers D still is soft(ish). Im sorry but Redden and Kalinin do not inspire fear.

what is it with you and Tyutin. Ok, so he hits. He also turns over the puck. The guy was average at best with a bloated contract.

I won't miss him

Effigy,

Don't get me wrong...I liked Tyutin as much as the next guy but let me ask you this. If Tyutin was on another team and we were looking for a hard nosed hitting d-man, would Tyutin be on your radar to acquire? I would think the answer is no. He did have an effective hip check he would break out every few games. But other than that he really didn't do a whole lot for the team. He had no slap shot and his wrist shot was so weak it never made it through the first shot blocker. I think the majority of us liked him only because he was one of our guys. And we got Zherdev back who looks like he can be a top line winger. We also got rid of Backman...so I am really struggling to see how anyone can call this anything but an absolute steal on Sathers part. If Fritsche turns out to be a decent fourth (hopefully 3rd) line center than it's just that much better.

No matter how you look at it, we improved. Will the loss of Jags hurt us in the long run?...only time will tell. I am of the belief we need a hard hitting-crease clearing Defenceman. Perhaps Sather will pull a rabbit out of his hat...again, only time will tell.

No matter how you look at it, we improved. Will the loss of Jags hurt us in the long run?...only time will tell. I am of the belief we need a hard hitting-crease clearing Defenceman. Perhaps Sather will pull a rabbit out of his hat...again, only time will tell.

I'll miss Fedor, but I agree that it was a small price to pay for an up and coming winger and to get rid of Backman. Also, I don't think for a second that the Rangers are done.

As of now the Rangers have a glut of forwards:
C - Gomez, Drury, Dubi, Fritsche, Betts, Anisimov
W - Prucha, Callahan, Naslund, Dawes, Zherdev, Hollweg, Voros, Orr, Rissmiller, Sjostrum, Korpikoski and Jessiman

So I get the impression that one or more of those forwards are going to be moved for some help on the blue line - probably of the physical variety - Maybe Kyle McLaren now that San Jose is overflowing with blueliners.

any criticism of the Tyutin for Zherdev & Fritsche trade that also enabled us to find a sucker to take Backman just proves that there is a contingent of "fans" on the internet who will complain no matter what happens with this team.

These are the same guys who back in 1991 would have complained that the signing of Adam Graves cost us Troy Mallete.

I still think Sather has some more work to do. I think the D is better, but like everyone else has said, it's soft. Orpik would have been great. But i'll go into the season with this crew and see if an upgrade is needed at the deadline. Don't forget, the farm system is still pretty strong and it seems like he has left some room in the cap to address needs in-season.

My biggest concern is where the offense is going to come from. There's a lot of upside (Zherdev, Prucha, Dawes) but there is also a lot of underachievers (Zherdev, Prucha, Dawes). The biggest problem last season was the power play and i'm not sure if that problem will be fixed with this group. The offensive output from the D-men will improve but who is going to finish? There's not threat upfront right now.

Anyone see the highlights of Zherdev on Rangers.com? It seems like the kid has a ton of upside if he can get his head on straight. Maybe the lure of NY will do something for him.

underachieving Zherdev still would have led us in goals last year.

Let's see how he does with Gomez as his center.

dawes is an underachiever? please pass whatever drug you are smoking.

Having Redden back there will help the PP tremendously. As long as the Forwards go to the net every night for rebounds, we'll be in good shape there...remember, Redden and Rosy both have accurate shots from the point. We MUST get a hard hitting D, and then we'll be in good shape. Like I said earlier...Sather isn't done, I am sure he's searching for a hard hitt'n D......, and he'll resume his search manana \_ - _/

Boeumeester was just traded to the Rangers for Jessiman, Hollweg, and a second rounder. Heard it on NY1 tonight. Great move.

"But other than that he really didn't do a whole lot for the team"

totally wrong about Tyutin. The guy played a solid game. Just because you didnt see his name on the scoresheet doesnt mean he didnt do anything for the team. Again, Tyutin was the Ranger who had been on the team the longest. Im not the GM. Whats done is done, and you move on. But it sucks to see a player drafted by the Rangers get traded for a question mark.

Remember Norstrom ? He wasnt exactly too great on the offensive side and he turned out pretty reliable.

Norstrom was traded for an over the hill Jari Kurri, not for a 23 year old potential superstar.

what's done is done, but actually Effigy it really doesn't sound like you are moving on

I am happy about Mara signing, always thought he was pretty good and very likeable, he skates much better than Tyutin.

But I don't get the Montoya trade, they let LeNevue walk? Wasn't Allair big fan of his and didn't he play well in Hartford? What was the point of trading away Montoya for nothing but a poor man's Rico Fata? Do we get some compensation pick for losing Lenevue?

Why hasn't Betts, Hollweg and Sjostrom been traded yet?

I guess I can't blame Fritsche trying to get out of here because he won't be getting anything better than 3rd line duty at best here with 20 forwards fighting for 12 spots.

I heard rumors of O'Sullivan trade, maybe Prucha, Sjostrom and Betts and throw in Hollweg.

lol

nice trade offer bob

Not every team is as dumb as Columbus

Hey L.A.....

will you take every piece of crap player we have for budding superstar Patrick O'Sullivan?

that was a HOOT to read that

could it be possible for Sather and gang to be "growing" their own crease clearing d-man in Staal and Girardi?
What a concept!?

Hollweg and Orr for Stamkos.
Stamkos is a totally unproven center that Tampa will be looking to replace with useless talent.
Thank goodness the 29 other teams are only in business to make Rangers fans as happy as possible.

live in the hockey hotbed of las vegas so thanks for all your great info on my beloved Rangers ??? re: draft picked up 2 3's in trades but Sabres had our 3rd [81st] why???? again thanks for the best coverage of team I have loved for over 60 yrs. [HONEST]