Nine power-play goals.
The 2007-08 Rangers scored 61 goals with the man-advantage and finished 22nd in the league in total PPG.
Forget the number of opportunities for a second. Nine more---reaching 70---a little over one a month, would have lifted them into a tie for sixth. Can they generate nine more this coming season?
Last year, Jagr (7), Straka (3), Shanahan (11) and Avery (2) combined for 23 of the 61.
On their teams, Naslund (9), Zherdev (7) and Redden (4) combined for 20. Close.
For the Rangers, Drury had 12; Gomez 7, Rozsival 5. They're all back. Dawes had 3, Prucha 2 in limited ice time. Dubinsky had 1.
If each of those 9 contributes one PPG more....
***
The PK finished sixth in efficiency, one percentage point out of third and a percentage point above ninth. Can the units maintain that level? Perhaps.
Without Straka---who averaged 1:50 TOI shorthanded---and presumably Shanny (2:32) as well as Avery (50 seconds), there will be a couple new faces or added shifts. Jagr rarely killed penalties; eight seconds a game.
Drury (3:06) again will be counted on, as will Betts (2:45) if he remains here. The forwards who will be counted on for more? I'm assuming Callahan (1:04) will be tabbed for more time, as well as Sjostrom (1:15), Rissmiller (2:00 on the top-ranked Sharks PK unit) and Gomez (48 seconds).
On defense, Redden (1:45) or Staal (2:09) will replace Tyutin's 2:24, and both presumably will get more minutes to lease the load on Rozsival, who led all Rangers D with 2:58 shorthanded. Girardi, by the way, averaged 2:32 shorthanded. Kalinin averaged 1:14 in Buffalo.
Guy by the name of Sundin would help any team on both (10 PPG last season and averaged 1:04 shorthanded.) Nothing new on that front at this point, far as I can tell.
Comments (24)
Good analysis and facts on this Steve. Curious as to whether you would like to see Sundin in Ranger blue and what you'd give up to get him in regards to clearing cap space.
Your timing is impeccable Steve! You have really done your homework. I do think a lot of us would like to know your personal feelings with regard to Sundin, Shanny and the need for a crease clearing D'Man to support Hendrik. Are we too soft of defense?
Don't you think this, combined with all the the signings who we hope will improve from the change of scenery and and an extremely young team just underscores the need for Shanahan to come back for one more year? His production went down for a while last year, but he brings goals, power play goals and some veteran leadership for the kiddies. Sounds like we might need some of that with Zherdev in particular. Sundin is not worth the price, and I am just as worried about adding yet another new star player. Let's not forget all the "chemistry" problems we had last year. As Sather has seemed to assemble a somewhat disposable team for the season, what else but good can come from Shanny staying and providing some substance and stability. If his injuries have healed and we use him more wisely (maybe not on both PK and PP) he should get the job done for us. Losing Shanahan at this point makes this team a scary prospect....
I read this blog all last summer and everyone was saying the same thing...
"THEY NEED A SLOT CLEARING D-MAN." Now it seems we are saying the same thing. Maybe they need two. When are they going to wake up and pull the trigger on one?!?! Now that Tyutin is gone (not that he was a slot clearing defensemen but the closest thing NYR had to one) they are in desparate need of a couple. Without a D-man to rough up the slot (Redden isn't gonna cut it) and keep the garbage out, the more goals are going against. With more garbage goals against, it won't matter who is playing forward. Shanny, Sundin, Straka, Jagr, JJ Jr, Drury, Gomez Zherdev, Naslund...IT WON'T MATTER. Hurry up and pick up someone to clear the slot already.
Hey Anonymous...thanx! you the 1st one to agree w/me...everyone else is ga ga over getting Sundin but are totally forgetting about the other end of the ice where Hendrik is....the BIG blow was not getting Orpik, but still, there has to be others out there, I just don't know today who is available.
Fella's we were one of only five teams to allow less than 200 goals last year and remember the streaks where King Henrik looked like a minor leaguer. I would like to see a banger on the blue line as much as anyone but you cant be serious that Orpik is the missing piece. If he accepted our offer this board would have been ripping mgt for the deal.
Question - who is the big banging d-man on the red wings?? Exactly! We need d-man who can move the puck quickly. Bottom line is our d should only improve from last season.
This team is younger, quicker and will be more competitive every night. My # 1 concern is still a top six forward (or two) and hope that a trade is in the works.....
There is no doubt our defense is better and
Anony & Rich,
You continually call for this "crease clearing d-man" but never mention names or how we would get this d-man. ENOUGH ALREADY!! What is Sather supposed to do, go and knock Phaneuf over the head and drag him to MSG? There are only so many of those guys around and THEY ARE ALL TAKEN!!!!!!!
I can't stand to read one more post like that. Because you want it doesn't mean it just automatically happens. There are other teams in the NHL all fighting over the same players. Give Staal time and he will grow into that player, Sather tried to get Orpik and he went back to Pitt. Stuart went back to Detroit...its over and done with...GET OVER IT ALREADY!!!!
Come up with a d-man you have in mind and a reasonable way of getting that player. Otherwise keep your repetitive request to yourselves!
Timbo,
Detroit has Kronwall and Stuart who are both pretty solid hitters.
I do agree with you that if we signed either Stuart or Orpik for $4 mill. or more a year than all these same complainers would be on here saying we paid too much and didn't leave room to sign a scorer. I swear they just want to complain about something.
I hope Staal develops into a monster hitter. Girardi already is an excellent hitter. The rest of our defense will contribute plenty of hitting I think, they got the size. Hopefully Renney demands them to use it.
And Steve, you know what else will help the PP besides it being Jagrless, Shanahanless, and flat out better and more unpredictable? There will be more of it--with a faster and younger team we'll be drawing a lot more penalties getting a lot more PP time.
""THEY NEED A SLOT CLEARING D-MAN." Now it seems we are saying the same thing. Maybe they need two. When are they going to wake up and pull the trigger on one?!?! "
Why do people think that the whole team has to be all set, everything set in stone by August 4th?
It's two whole months until the season starts, why possibly is there a rush?
Somebody find me a team in the East that doesn't have a weakness.
PLEASE
Joke-TG you don't make descisions for our NYR, you really don't know what goes into making a hockey team complete. We'll get that Slot clearing D man sooner or later (I hope) ....we had no one last year and no one YET this year, but like Dude said, it's 8/4, so we have time to pick some one up. As for your comment on Staal...he's a puck rushing D Man, not a slot clearer...what are you talking about??? We need another Beukeboom and they are hard to come by. And I wish those that dream of Sundin would please stop dreaming...we just don't have any cap room. Vancouver has a 2 year 20 mil offer on the table, and we don't have that kind of room.
There is no team in the NHL that doesn't have some kind if not more weak spots than the Rangers. Are youth movement guys all gone, or was that the wagon to jump on last summer and through the season?
How many of those guys changed their screen names and like to b!tch about this puck clearing defensemen?
We had one of the best defensive corps in the league last season. That isn't an opinion. That is a fact.
The same notion goes to the worry worts concerning a second line scoring threat.
We wanted a young team. We wanted our draft picks to get the chance and now we got it. That means we need to grow our own, or did some of you guys not understand that concept wagon when you jumped on it?
Tampa Bay had one of the best off-seasons I can remember a team having this summer. What's up in goal? Oh, yeah that's right, Smith an unproven netminder with major attitude problems.
Philly, young, fast up front. Old and slow in the back.
Pitts - lost Hossa and Malone. Older on the back end. Got older on the front end.
Devils- Scoring anyone?
Carolina - Solved it's defense hitting issue, needs wingers like Africa needs food.
Sharks - Great defense, but old and ready to fold. Can't finish the second round.
Calgary - Needs a crease clearing d-man.
Blackhawks - Goaltenders, money and Halvet.
on and on and on forever and ever, summer after summer.
Islanders- Umm, OMG, where should I begin? I won't this post is long enough.
Rich,
You either missed or ignored the point of my post. I have never said I don't want or that we dont need a "crease clearing d-man". What I asked was that you guys start naming names and how to get those names as opposed to just repeating the "get a crease clearing d-man" mantra.
And your comment that Staal is more a puck rushing D than he is a crease clearer REALLY shows your lack of knowledge. AND YOU ARE ASKING ME WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT?? Go check out ANY of his draft previews and you will see were everybody raves about his physical shut down style that shows an offensive upside. But he was not drafted for his offensive abilities. My point with Staal was that it is only a matter of time until he finds the ability to shut down NHL stars the same way he shut down the stars of his junior league.
I think it's safer to say TG YOU are not making any hockey related decisions. So why don't you go ahead and try to tell us who this season saving d-man is that you have in mind and how do you propose the rangers get him? And how would you explain the Rangers ability to consistently be in the top of the league for goals against? It isn't all just Lundqvist, and our D has only gotten better, but keep complaining if it makes you feel better.
This just in.. Sather just traded for Brett Favre to quarterback the power play!! ;)
Seriously though, I have two big concerns with this team right now. The first is scoring depth/lack of a true finisher. I'm willing to accept this as is though and give the kids a chance. Hopefully Dawes, Callahan, Prucha et. al will step up and become legitimate scorers. Size up front throughout the lines though is definitely an issue
The second is speed and size on D. Believe me, I hear the points on the supposed "crease clearing Defensemen", they are more of an urban legend and not many of them truly are out there. However, If you watch a game live and you see teams like the Devils defensemen, they are crisper in their own end with the puck, they take a hit and move the puck quickly. The Rangers team D last year was in the top five in the league, but a huge part of that was team defense (forwards backchecking, henrik making big saves). Any time a team with speed and size up front put pressure on the D in our end, they turned the puck over. The D men were constantly bailed out on turnovers in their own end. This was ultimately their undoing in the Pitt series. I don't yet see where adding Redden and Kalinen solves this problem.
thoughts?
what happened to Ladislav Nagy? He's UFA this season, did he sign some where else?
HE might need a change too.
Nagy is a chronic underacheiver never hit his potential and he won't at this stage in his career. hes 29 now and has never in his career put up more then 57 pts except for one of his years in juniors over 11 years ago. Hes also more injury prone then Simone Gange and Marty Havlat combined, he has yet to finish a season in 9 years though he came close twice. By the way that 57 pt season was a year he had played 80 games.
Not to mention hes got 4 pts in 18 playoff games in his career. Hes not a good fit at all.
Joke - according to the numbers Tyutin, Girardi and Stall all had more hits last year than Stuart and Kronwall....bogus stat i know but interesting none the less.
Komisarek is an UFA next summer....he would be the answer but is going to ask for a lot.
Jackman or Seabrook two guys who have been in the rumor mill would be worth pursuing.
Up front Cheecho or Havlat would look pretty good on the wing with Gomez.
We have lots of depth at the moment - hopefully a package deal of sorts will come before the trade deadline.
no Timbo, hopefully one of our up and coming young talents raises to the star level on the second line during the season.
I have high hopes for the youth as well but adding one more proven scorer to the mix would help to round out the top 9.
ughhhhhhh
Ladislav Nagy, please don't bring that name up
UGHHHHHHHHHH
lets play the kids over signing a crap player like that
better yet, lets play the kids, end of sentence
Steve, I know the NYR website roster is not finalized as of yet. But after checking in yesterday notice that Nigel Dawes has been removed. I would understand this if he was undecided as to what # he wanted (as is the case with Dan Fitsche). Is a trade coming, any info or rumors?
timbo,
bro, that kind of defeats the purpose. 2 +2 = 5, wait no, that's a song...
Joke, what I am trying to say is that the coaching staff want Staal to put on more weight and muscle, and they want him to rush the puck more....a lot more!!! Maybe Staal has been working out and put some muscle on..I dunno. As far as who is available..you tell me since 'ya think 'ya know it all. We are so up against the cap it isn't funny....Rosy-4 years 20 mill-is a huge OUCH!!!!!!!!!! The only one who knows who is available is Glen Sather, both for the O and the D. He is also thinking about next years UFA's, so he has a lot on his plate.