Are Rotating Alternates Best Way For Rangers To Handle Captain's Letters This Season?

Having bought out Chris Drury out of the final season of his contract, the New York Rangers will have a new captain next season; the 27th captain in the history of the franchise.  Regardless of whether Drury was bought out or not the expectation has been that the Rangers would change their captain for the 2011-12 season anyway.  The favorite amongst the fans for months to be the next captain has been Ryan Callahan.  It is possible that if not for the respect Callahan and the coaching staff had for Chris Drury that Callahan might have taken over the role during last season, so the expectation that he will be the next captain is certainly understandable.  While I think Marc Staal is a darkhorse to get the ‘C’ we can go with the expectation of Callahan and work on who else will have letters this season.

Alternate candidates:

Marc Staal: Only Staal and Callahan would fall into the lock to have a letter on their sweater category.  Seeing as how he had an ‘A’ last season and played well in that role there is no reason to expect he will not continue as one of the leaders of the young core.  I think he will get serious consideration for the ‘C,’ but in the end have the ‘A’ on his #18 again this season.

Brad Richards: Since the signing there has been discussion as to whether his previous relationship with Tortorella and his championship experience gives him a window into the top leadership role on the team.   Richards does have experience wearing a letter on his jersey with his time in Dallas, but to think he is going to walk into this group and take over the ‘C’ is somewhat out there.  He will definitely be a contender to wear an ‘A’ again, but that decision might come down to how much of a statement the Rangers want to make as an organization in terms of the young core as the leadership group.

Brandon Dubinsky: Possibly the most polarizing choice amongst the fans in terms of whether he should or should not have a letter on his sweater.  Dubinsky is clearly the most vocal of all the young players in the locker room in terms of saying what he thinks publicly and while that is good for the media and fans to see it does not truly fit with the style John Tortorella seems to prefer in his captain’s.  Giving Dubinsky an ‘A’ would certainly be a nod to his growth both on and off the ice in terms of leadership in the room and on merit was earned last season.

Brandon Prust: Prust earned his spot on this list with his willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team win on any given night.  He will fight, kill penalties, forecheck and certainly sacrifice his body in the name of winning.  The fact that he played through the injuries he did last season and did not miss a single game is enough to warrant consideration.

Dan Girardi: If you want to talk about sacrificing your body to win, then you have to include Dan Girardi in any discussion because of how he abuses his body blocking shots every night.  In addition Girardi is a top pair defender taking on the best offensive players the opposition has to offer with Marc Staal.  Girardi is also now the aged veteran of the young defense corps and has tremendous admiration from the coaching staff.

Brian Boyle: Boyle is a name that few talk about in terms of the alternate captain spot, but his work ethic is something that doesn’t go unnoticed or unrecognized by the coaching staff.  Proof of that was him wearing an ‘A’ during preseason last fall even before he had his breakout year.  Yes, it was only a preseason game, but the reason for the move was to reward the work he had put in and motivate the rest of the team.  Transforming himself from a fringe NHL player to a key player in many situations for the Rangers last season gives him a chance to be in the discussion for an ‘A’.  

In the end the Rangers are likely to go with:

C- Callahan

A- Staal

A- Richards

Rick Carpinello of Rangers Report Blog suggested a scenario in which the Rangers would have rotating alternates for home and road games, which is the best solution as it allows them to reward more players for their leadership.  This team is very fortunate to have so many players deserving of consideration for letters this season and rewarding more of them will only keep the hunger of the rest of locker room and allow for the organization to truly recognize the leadership group on this team.

What that might look like:

Home:

C- Callahan

A- Staal

A- Richards

Road:

C- Callahan

A- Dubinsky

A- Prust/Girardi

Rangers Graves, Boyle, Leetch and Gilbert Voice Support For Keeping Islanders Around

The rivalry between the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, while not what it used to be, is one of the deeper ones in the NHL.  Despite the level animosity that the rivalry creates between the fanbases, Chris Botta of Islanders Point Blank had former and current Rangers voicing support for keeping the franchise around.

Adam Graves:

Personally, I’m rooting hard for the Coliseum issue to finally be settled after all these years, and I’m rooting for the Islanders to stay for a long time on Long Island.”

Brian Boyle:

“For the players and the fans, our games against the Islanders are the most exciting of the regular season and I hope some day we’ll battle in the playoffs. What we have with the Islanders and the Devils, with the teams in such close proximity, is special. I don’t ever want to see that change and I hope the best for the Islanders and their fans throughout New York.”

Brian Leetch:

“The rivalry is entirely fan-driven, with so many Islanders and Rangers fans in New York, that as a player you can’t help but get caught up in the emotion…“Islanders fans have proven their support for the team. It would be bad for the area’s hockey fans and for the NHL to lose this rivalry. The health of the Islanders is important to the league, I know that.”

Rod Gilbert:

“Islanders fans have proven their support for the team. It would be bad for the area’s hockey fans and for the NHL to lose this rivalry. The health of the Islanders is important to the league, I know that.”

While Rangers fans never really want the Islanders to do well in the standings, a successful Islanders organization is great for the rivalry and the league.  Rivalries in sports are things that create excitement for each game when the team’s play regardless of where each is in the standings.  Those things need to be preserved if at all possible and right now it is up to Nassau County voters on 8/1 to decide if that is worth doing.  As a Rangers fan seeing some of the Rangers former greats and a current player like Brian Boyle speak to the hope of saving the franchise is a good thing because the league would not be the same if the Islanders have to relocate.

Marian Gaborik Eager To Pair With Brad Richards This Fall

The New York Rangers 2010-11 season was one in which many players overachieved compared to expectations.  Marian Gaborik was not one of them scoring only 22 goals in his second season in New York after lighting up Broadway with 42 in his first year under the bright lights.  To help Gaborik regain his prior form the Rangers went shopping this month and bought the biggest item on the market in the form of center Brad Richards.  It is not Richards job to fix Gaborik, but the skills he brings to the table should give Gaborik more opportunities and even more importantly more consistency in who he is playing with nightly.

In an interview with Larry Brooks of the New York Post, Gaborik shared his thoughts on what it will be like to play with Richards during the upcoming season.

"I respect all the players I've been with but I am very excited to get the chance to play with Richie," Gaborik told The Post by phone yesterday. "I've watched him play throughout his career and always admired his game; the way he sees the ice, the way he moves the puck, the way he makes his teammates better.”

One of the key questions for the pair will be just how quickly they can mesh to bring out the top end results that are expected from two players of their caliber.

"If I'm with Richie, it's going to be very exciting. You can never say how much time it might take to develop chemistry, you need to spend time together away from the ice and develop trust in each other, but I'm really looking forward to getting out there with him."

After the struggles he went through last season it is good to see Gaborik excited about the possibilities for next season.  Expect Gaborik to come back in 2011-12 with the mentality set on proving that last season was the aberration of his two years in New York and return to prior form.  The combination of the personal chemistry between those two and the decision on who will be the third member of the line could be key to determining how well each produce this season.  The Rangers have numerous options that could fill that role, but the real key is the relationship between Gaborik and Richard which Gaborik is hopeful will work to the point where the line juggling can end.

"I've been used to shuffling my whole career," said Gaborik. "Maybe the reason last year there were so many changes is that I didn't play well enough, but hopefully Richie and I will be so good together there won't be any reason to change."

It would be a novel idea for the Rangers to have consistent lines throughout the year or in contrast to many nights the last few years, just for multiple shifts before the movement begins.  If Gaborik and Richards click as a duo they give the Rangers the foundation of three different lines for this season.  Add that duo and whomever is their third to Dubinsky, Anisimov, Callahan and Fedotenko, Boyle, Prust and the Rangers should have a level of continuity that will bode well for them as the season progresses.

The styles of Gaborik and Richards should complement one another very well and give the Rangers the elite top line threat they have been lacking the past few years.  If this works to the level it is capable the Rangers will truly have a chance to become a contender this year.

Dubinsky Talks Rangers Offseason and Importance of Captain's Letter

In a wide ranging interview with Jim Cerny for Blueshirts United, Brandon Dubinsky gave his thoughts on each of the moves the Rangers have made this summer along with his own role as a leader on the team.  There has been a lot of discussion about the Rangers captains for the upcoming season and I will dive into that more tomorrow, but Dubinsky says what we should all know concerning the importance of letters on the sweater.

On how important wearing a letter is to him: "It would exciting and it would be an honor if that was bestowed on me. But that being said, I think everyone who is around me and knows me knows that I will be the same guy with or without (a letter). I will voice my opinions, I will be loud, I will be emotional, and I'm going to keep bringing that same effort I do every day."

Leadership is not made by the insertion of a letter on a jersey and it is not removed from one not being there.  The Rangers are lucky for the coming season to have a series of players who show leadership both on and off the ice and that is an understated reason for why the team has turned the corner in the rebuilding stage and is looking to be a competitor for a title in the near future.

For more thoughts from Dubinsky on Brad Richards meaning the club both offensively and in leadership along with what he thought of the acquisition of Mike Rupp check out the full interview on Blueshirts United.

Is Derek Stepan A Prime Candidate For Sophomore Slump?

The New York Rangers experienced what a sophomore slump can look like last season when Michael Del Zotto not only could not repeat his rookie performance, but declined considerably to the point he was sent to the minors on multiple occasions.  Over at Bangin Panger, Vance took a look at which 2010-11 rookies are most likely to have the disappointing follow-up to their rookie campaigns.  In his assessment Derek Stepan came out as one of the three players most likely to see his play drop next season.

2. Derek Stepan  - The Rangers Center situation suddenly got very crowded after July 1.  With Brad Richards and Brandon Dubinsky ahead of Stepan on the depth chart, and comparable statistics to Boyle and Anisimov, there won't be nearly as much ice time to go around, and it won't be with Gaborik or Callahan.

Where Derek Stepan plays this season could have a huge impact on the type of production he puts up offensively.  If the Rangers do decide to give him a chance to play with Richards and Gaborik, then he could have a tremendous year and take a huge step forward.  However, if he ends up seeing limited ice time due to the Rangers depth at center, then he could see a stagnation or decline in his numbers. We do have to remember that Stepan put up much of his numbers this season as a third line player, so remaining in the role does not automatically set him up for a decline compared to last year.

The difference between Stepan and Del Zotto is that you don’t expect that kind of decline in quality or confidence, though in fairness to Del Zotto you would not have predicted it for him last year either.  The summer after making it to the NHL and having success is huge and it will be so not just for Stepan, but McDonagh and Sauer as they move into their second seasons in the NHL.

h/t to SNYRangersBlog for finding this one

New York Rangers Honor Derek Boogaard's Legacy With Annual Hockey Scholarships

Al Bello/Getty Images

When it comes to sports people pick their favorite teams for many different reasons and the passion they have for those teams grows based on the players, possibly team success and the level of investment you have in the organization.  All you can hope for as a fan is that in times of adversity the organization you invest in makes you proud to call yourself a fan of them.  For New York Rangers fans this summer has been one to take pride in.  New York Rangers fans have always had a great deal of pride in the Blueshirts, but that pride should have grown more over the past few months in how the organization has handled the passing of Derek Boogaard.  Last month at the draft the Rangers had Derek’s brother Aaron announce their 2011 1st round selection in Minnesota.  

Today the Rangers have taken another step to honor the legacy of Derek Boogaard in announcing that they will present two hockey scholarships annually for the Rangers Summer Youth Hockey Camp to children of Defending the Blue Line.  Defending the Blue Line was a charity that was very special to Boogaard and to give scholarships to children from that charity in his honor is a tremendous gesture by the Rangers organization.  It is moves like this that make so many proud to bleed blue.

Official release:

NEW YORK, July 13, 2011 – To honor the legacy of former Rangers left wing Derek Boogaard, the New York Rangers have announced that they will present two scholarships annually for Rangers Summer Youth Hockey Camp to children from the Defending the Blue Line program. Defending the Blue Line is a nonprofit organization created by soldiers with the goal of making hockey accessible to children of our nation’s military heroes, a program Derek supported wholeheartedly throughout his hockey career. Throughout the 2010-11 Season, Boogaard donated four seats at every Rangers home game for military families to attend as part of a group which he dubbed “Boogaard’s Boogaardians.”

This year’s scholarship recipients are two 8-year old boys from New York City who each have family members currently serving in the military. The boys will be attending the week-long camp from July 18-22 at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Tarrytown, NY. Current Blueshirt center Derek Stepan, also an advocate of Defending the Blue Line, and defenseman Michael Sauer will be visiting the camp on Friday, July 22^nd.

Rangers Youth Hockey Camp provides children with top-level hockey instruction with a focus on team participation and personal development. The Derek Boogaard Youth Hockey Scholarship will be awarded annually to honor Boogaard’s memory and continue the Rangers mission to help grow the game of hockey by making it accessible to all.

Boyle Not Resting On Last Year, Working Even Harder For Next Season

Coming off a career season and about to get a large increase in salary it would be easy for Brian Boyle of the New York Rangers to lost a little of the motivation that drove him last summer just to save his spot on the roster.  That is certainly not the case this summer based on what he told Blueshirts United.com yesterday during the Rangers Summer Youth Hockey Camp.

"It's great that we got Brad (Richards), and I'm super excited about that. But we all need to work even harder this off-season and be even better next season. We have to do this as a team, not rely on only one guy."

Having already begun his off-ice conditioning and restarted his power skating training with Barbara Underhill there is absolutely no relaxing for Boyle this summer.  While last season’s motivation was about proving he was an NHL player who could have an impact and deserved to stay, this summer is all about proving that last season was for real and not just a fluke. 

Boyle is absolutely right in terms of how every player on the team should be looking at the Brad Richards signing.  There should be a level of excitement to add a top quality player to the roster and the statement it makes from management about how close they believe the team is to competing for a championship.  Beyond that though it cannot be just about Richards as the Rangers do not stand a chance to compete if all the players who had breakout years last season, like Boyle, do not continue to have that same or even more impact next season.

Rumor: Rangers Negotiating With Sami Lepisto?

Per NHL Gossip, a Finnish Website is reporting that the New York Rangers are in negotiations with Sami Lepisto on a contract for next season. Lepisto, 26, spent last season with the Phoenix Coyotes and Columbus Blue Jackets.  Last month Columbus decided not to tender Lepisto a qualifying offer and he became an unrestricted free agent. 

Obviously this is just a rumor and should be taken as such, but let us look at whether it makes sense for the Rangers.  Lepisto has shown offensive abilities in the AHL, but not to this point in his career at the NHL level so he would not fit the need of a puck moving defender.  While he does have 150 games in the NHL this would certainly not seem to classify in the realm of the veteran defender that many are hoping the Rangers sign this summer.  This could be a low risk type gamble for the Rangers as it should come with a low price tag, but there is not a whole lot to get excited about with the move if it happens.

Video: CT Whale Look At Prospect Development Camp Part 1

Brian Ring, media relations manager for the Connecticut Whale, tweeted this video which gives a behind the scenes look at Rangers prospect camp from two weeks ago.  In the first of two installments the video shows both interviews with potential Whale players Jason Wilson and Ryan Bourque, but also conversations with Rangers Assistant General Manager/Whale General Manager Jim Schoenfeld.  The conversations with Schoenfeld deal with the chances for Wilson, John Mitchell, and Chad Kolarik to make the NHL roster this fall while giving insight into how each player plays the game.

For all four of these guys the chances of making the club are slim because as Schoenfeld says they have to take someone else's job so the standard for them to win a roster battle is higher than a player who is already in the NHL.  Regardless all four of these players will look to leave an impression with the NHL coaching staff even if they fail to make the team so that in case of injury that impression is there when deciding which Whale player gets the call to help out in New York.


Excellent work by Brian and everyone at the CT Whale to put this together and give some spotlight to prospects and members of the organization that sometimes get lost in the discussion of bigger names.  Be sure to follow @CTWhale and @BrianRing to keep up with the latest things going on with the Rangers AHL affiliate.

Will Tortorella Loosen System To Allow Rangers Skill Players More Freedom

The 2010-11 New York Rangers team was one that lacked multiple elite offensive players and instead relied on a system that saw them focus on forechecking and outworking the opposition.  Given that the majority of the forward core consisted of grinding type players, the system was perfect for them.  The way the Rangers played in their dump and chase mentality allowed players to generate offense from their work in the opposition zone as opposed to having to rely on pure skill to create chances.  Whether New York was able to impose their will in a given game and establish the forecheck played a large factor in the success or failure of the club on a given night. 

The negative to the system was that it seemed to stifle the creativity of the more skilled offensive talents on the club.  While many other things contributed to the down season Marian Gaborik had last year, most notably Gaborik himself, the system did not seem to mesh with the things he does best.   The question now is whether with another elite talent like Brad Richards in the fold if Tortorella will loosen the leash on everyone playing the system and allow the higher skilled offensive players to use their creativity more freely.  Expecting a return to the old “safe is death” version of Tortorella is expecting too much, but there is no reason that he cannot have unique plans for lines to best use their abilities.  Every player on the team will obviously be expected to be defensively aware, but that does not mean it has to stifle the explosive talent certain players have.

No place was this more evident last season than the power play.  The Rangers utter lack of aggression on the power play was baffling especially given how aggressive they would play both at even strength and especially shorthanded by pressuring the opposition.  Some of this has to go back to coaching whether it be with Michael Del Zotto or even with an acquisition like Bryan McCabe.  McCabe came in and for his first few games was firing shots from the point with no hesitation but after a few weeks with the club he seemed petrified to let the shot go.  Adding Richards to the point on the power play gives coach John Tortorella someone he knows and trusts to handle the duties back there and should allow the team to implement a more aggressive approach both in terms of screening the goaltender and carrying the puck on entry instead of pure dump and chase, which often resulted in immediate clears by the opposing team.

Obviously the Rangers have a system they want to play which allows them to rely on their defense and Henrik Lundqvist to give them a chance each night, but that does not mean they cannot open up the offense a little more to take advantage of the skills Gaborik and Richards being to the table.  The combination of the grinding style for certain lines and the skill and creativity the new top line can have is what makes the Rangers dangerous next season, but that only works if coach John Tortorella is willing to allow for deviations from his system to put players in better position to succeed.