For all those including myself who have questioned the signing of Derek Boogaard and the playing him against teams that have no need to have an enforcer in the lineup tonight is one of those games where he has a chance to erase it all. Boogaard has a chance to erase at least some of the scorn and disdain for his obscenely high salary, to show his value in protecting his teammates and to send a message around the league that this team will not be pushed around. After all it is because of a game in Philly last season, January 21st, 2010 when Dan Carcillo fought Marian Gaborik and no Ranger on the ice came to his aide.
Later in the game Avery and Voros would have fights but neither would be able to remove the stain of having the best offensive player on the team beaten by a goon while the rest of the guys on the ice watched. The lion share of the blame for this was placed on Girardi who should have stepped in and taken the fight instead of Gaborik but other guys were on the ice.
Fast forward five months and you have Derek Boogaard who has zero value other than fighting is paid 1.625 million a year for 4 years to sign with the Rangers. The theory I guess with Boogaard is that his “presence” will limit the likelihood of things like that and the running of Henrik from happening. Personally I do not buy the theory because there is only so much a guy can do from the bench which is where Boogaard spends 55 minutes of every game he plays. All that said tonight will be an opportunity for Derek to show he has a real purpose on this team and quiet some of the critics that have not like the signing since before the ink was dry.
