Can Andrew Yogan Be The Breakout Rangers Prospect This Year?

The New York Rangers have a number of interesting prospects that could develop over the next few seasons and look to crack the NHL roster.  The depth in the system and the level of competition it creates will bring the best out in each of them because of the need to perform at a high level to get their shot.  The fact that each will have to be so focused to what it takes to improve each day helps to foster breakout seasons from prospects.  One such prospect that should be due for a breakout season is 2010 fourth round selection Andrew Yogan.

When the Rangers selected Yogan in the fourth round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft the thought was they were lucky to get a talent like his at that point of the draft.  Yogan was coming off a very solid 20 goal, 35 assists season in 63 games with Erie.  He was unable to showcase his talent and show he was a steal at that point in the draft last year as he missed much of the season because of shoulder surgery.  The injury limited him to just 10 games where he had three goals and one assist.  Yogan signed an ATO with the Connecticut Whale after the end of the Erie season and in two games for the Whale he had two goals and an assist.

This summer Yogan was dealt from Erie to Peterborough and that move should have a large impact on the chances of him having a breakout season.  Offensive skill has never been the question for Yogan, but his willingness to play a complete game certainly has and that didn’t sit well with Otters coach Robbie Ftorek’s defensive mentality.  Now with the move to Peterborough Yogan should have more freedom to use his offensive talents and produce points.  That will certainly attract the attention of the organization, but Yogan also has to understand that the Rangers have shown over the past few years they will not tolerate one-way play under coach John Tortorella. 

Yogan can use his natural talent to make special offensive plays, but he will have to play a simple game and both sides of the ice if he eventually wants to play in New York. 

Making The Case For New York Rangers As Favorites In Atlantic Division

When looking at the Atlantic Division heading into the past few seasons the Penguins, Flyers and Devils have all been looked at as teams capable of winning the division while the New York Rangers were seen as a team that hoping to challenge for a playoff spot.  In looking ahead to the 2011-12 season that formula might be changing.  The combination of changes made or not made by each team and concerns about the health of key players for Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and New Jersey, the New York Rangers might head into the season as the favorites in the division.  The Rangers are not without their own series of questions heading into the season, but at this point in the offseason they might have the fewest roster questions of any team in the division.  In projecting the division today, the Atlantic might shape out something like this…

New York Rangers:

The Rangers are not the most talented team in the division, but they might be the most complete in all three areas of the roster.  Boasting one of the NHL’s elite goaltenders in Henrik Lundqvist, a burgeoning defensive core filled with young talent coming into their own and an offense that added Brad Richards to help the offensive talent level and consistency there are less holes in the Rangers path to a division than the others in the Atlantic.  There are still plenty of question marks concerning how the forward units will shape out, chemistry questions, whether many of the players on the team can repeat last season’s performance and if others can rebound, but the depth the Rangers have might be their savior in those questions.  With Gaborik, Richards, Dubinsky, Callahan, Stepan, and Boyle the Rangers have six different players who scored 20+ goals last season along with Anisimov who had 18.  The balance they could have in goal production along with their system which has everyone playing defensively responsible hockey should allow the team to avoid lulls that turn into losing streaks during the year, if healthy.

New York squeaked into the playoffs last season despite a down year from their best offensive player Marian Gaborik, despite being without Ryan Callahan for 22 games and all the other injuries they faced.  A rebound season from Gaborik, health from Callahan and typical Brad Richards production and the Rangers offense will no longer be their concern.  Combine that with the steady presence they get from Lundqvist, Staal and Girardi in their own end and it could be a dangerous combination.  The biggest question left might be about the defense corps where Michael Sauer and Ryan McDonagh had excellent rookie campaigns and need to repeat while Michael Del Zotto attempts to get back him form and Tim Erixon looks to win a job as a rookie.

Pittsburgh:

For most of the summer Pittsburgh should have been considered the favorite in the division considering what Dan Bylsma managed to get out of his team without stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the lineup for much of the year.  However, last week the Penguins admitted that Crosby is still having symptoms from his concussion and while he is still training the fact that he is still having symptoms from his January concussion(s) and so close to training camp has to be seen as a red-flag in expectations for his performance and availability this season.  Malkin coming off a reconstructed knee is no guarantee either, but that has a much cleaner track record than concussions.  Questions about those two and what they will produce for the Penguins this season will put pressure on Marc-Andre Fleury to carry them as he did for long stretches last season.

Philadelphia:

The Flyers dismantling of what was once seen as the core of their team leaves serious question marks as to what they are going to do this season.  Brayden Schenn is the best prospect in hockey, but that does not mean he is ready to step in and fill Mike Richards production in their lineup.  Neither is Jakub Voracek for Jeff Carter.  The addition of Jaromir Jagr is interesting to see what he has left, but relying on him as a top line player at this stage in his career is probably unfair to Jagr.  There are also questions about the health of Chris Pronger who missed significant stretches last season.  The Flyers improved in goal with Bryzgalov, but the level of improvement between the pipes is not offset by what they lost, short term, offensively.  In order for them to contend in the division they will need huge seasons from Briere and Giroux who are both capable of them, and James Van Riemsdyk is going to have to take his playoff performance and translate it to a huge third season.

New Jersey:

The New Jersey Devils are not as bad as they were at the low points last season and not nearly as good as the tremendous hot streak they went on to build playoff hopes.  The achilles injury to Travis Zajac last week certainly does not help a team that was already thin down the middle.  A motivated Ilya Kovalchuk, and Zach Parise looking to prove he is healthy and worth a huge contract next summer are dangerous quantities to have on your roster, but it is not enough to put the Devils into serious contention for the division as an aging Brodeur looks to prove there is something left in the tank.

New York Islanders:

Each season it seems that the Islanders are expected to take another step back to respectability and then something goes horrifically wrong and they fail again.  This season their young core is going to get even more young talent added to it in hopes of getting back into contention for a playoff birth.  Likely adding at least Nino Niederreiter and Calvin DeHaan to John Tavares, Matt Moulson, Michael Grabner, Kyle Okposo, Mark Streit and Travis Hamonic gives the Islanders reason for optimism about the upcoming season.  Questions remain around their goaltending and whether the young players will transition more like Tavares did or more like Josh Bailey who was rushed and has yet to reach that potential.  Things are looking up, but not nearly enough to contend in the division.

Video: NHL.com Rangers Season Preview

E.J. Hradek gives a New York Rangers 2011-12 season preview over at NHL.com.  He views the Rangers as a playoff team this season, but does not elaborate on where he sees them in the standings.  Marian Gaborik is considered the biggest question mark for the Rangers in determining their success for this year.

Rangers "Virtual Lock" To Make Playoffs?

We have come to the end of August and training camp is around the corner finally for the 2011-12 NHL season.  This time of year sees all the different outlets start their season previews for each team and predictions for how they will do.  Dave Lozo at NHL.com conducted the preview of this years Rangers squad and views them as a virtual lock to make the playoffs.

If the Rangers can avoid half the injuries they suffered last season, not only will they be a lock for the playoffs, but they'll contend for the Atlantic Division. They have a solid group of young defensemen who showed improvement throughout last season and a world-class goaltender in Henrik Lundqvist there to cover up any mistakes.

Consistency from the offense will be key. If the Rangers have it, they could find themselves in the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

The consistent offense is something this team has not seen in years, especially from multiple sources, but they do have the talent this year to do just that.  Beyond offense, as with most teams, the biggest concern for New York will be injuries and more than just the sheer number of them it will be who gets them.  The Rangers battled through admirably last year when they were without Ryan Callahan and Marian Gaborik for significant time as well as shorter losses for Brandon Dubinsky and Marc Staal.  If their core players, especially Henrik Lundqvist can stay healthy this year, then Lozo is right they should at least make the playoffs because of the base they are working with.  Calling them a lock is a bit more than I would do because of the unknown injuries, chemistry questions and questions within the lineup both for spots and if players can repeat career years, but expectations should certainly be that playoff hockey will come to MSG next spring.

Chris Drury Retires From NHL

After being bought out by the Rangers in June it was expected that Chris Drury would catch on somewhere else in the league for his leadership and ability to fill a fourth line role on a team.  That will not be the case as accroding to Tom Gulitti, Drury formally announced his retirement from the NHL today.  Many will remember Drury for the huge five-year, $35.25 million contract he signed with the Rangers on July 1, 2007 and never could live up to.  The Rangers bought out Drury earlier this summer because his massive cap hit was too big a burden for a team looking to move forward and take the next step.  Drury had been slowed by the combination of age and injuries, especially a knee that kept him out for much of the second half of the season. 
In 892 career games, Drury finished with 255 goals and 360 assists while being a big game performer earlier in his career for Colorado and Buffalo.  His teammates called him a quiet leader that had the respect of everyone in the room.  His quiet nature was often seen as a lack of fire in New York, but that his teammates have consistently denied that being the case within the locker room. 
After a great start to his career it is sad to see a classy player and person like Chris Drury have it end like this.  Forgotten for many will be the very good career he had overall because of the focus on his contract and failure to perform to it in New York, but at least those who played with him seem to appreciate what he brought every day.

Finding The Right Balance Is Key For Avery's Future With Rangers

Yesterday it was announced that Sean Avery would not face charges in Los Angeles for the alleged incident that had occurred on August 6th.  Avery was accused of battering a police officer, but as it turned out the problem was all the officers who was presumed to have a level of credibility he did not deserve while Avery was presumed to have a level of guilt that contradicts our justice system.  You are still innocent until proven guilty, though in the court of public opinion it doesn’t work that way anymore.  The question now is not about the incident or the false headlines that came out of it, but what if any difference the whole thing has on Avery’s career with the Rangers.

After his I openly wondered if his arrest and alleged charges against Avery in questioning whether it would mark the end of his tenure with the Rangers.  With the charges dropped the entire series of events should have no bearing on his standing with the team or the organization, but does it change the precariousness of his spot on the roster for the upcoming season? 

Rangers National Television Schedule

The NHL released the 2011-12 national television schedule and the New York Rangers are featured prominently as 17 games this season are scheduled for either Versus or NBC showings.


Versus:
Friday, 10/7, 1PM Los Angeles (Stockholm)
Saturday, 10/8, 1PM Anaheim (Stockholm)
Monday, 10/31, 7PM San Jose (Non Exclusive)
Tuesday, 11/29, 7:30PM Pittsburgh (Non Exclusive)
Wednesday, 12/28, 7:30PM @Washington
Sunday, 1/15, 7PM @Montreal
Tuesday, 1/17, 7:30PM Nashville
Wednesday, 2/1, 7:30PM @Buffalo
Sunday, 2/12, 3PM Capitals (FLEX/NBC)
Monday, 2/27, 7:30PM Devils
Sunday, 3/4, 3PM Boston (FLEX/NBC)
Tuesday, 3/13, 7:30PM Carolina (Non Exclusive)
Monday, 3/19, 7:30PM Devils
Wednesday, 3/21, 7:30PM Red Wings
Sunday 4/1, 3PM Boston (FLEX/Versus)
Saturday 4/7, 3PM Washington (FLEX/Versus)

NBC:
Monday, 1/2, 1PM @ Flyers
Sunday, 2/12, 3PM Capitals (FLEX/Versus)
Sunday, 3/4, 3PM Boston (FLEX/Versus)
Sunday, 4/1, 3PM Boston (FLEX/Versus)
Saturday, 4/7, 3PM Washington (FLEX/Versus)

*NBC/VERSUS Flex = VERSUS game selection for that date will depend upon the game that NBC chooses for their window.

New York Rangers Twitter List

Kevin Baumer over at the Blueshirt Bulletin put out an excellent compilation of  New York Ranger Players/Media/Bloggers that are on twitter.  The comprehensive nature of the list is quite impressive and if you are not following people on this list, then you are missing out on getting the full scope of New York Rangers coverage.

Can Barbara Underhill Work Her Magic For New York Rangers Again?

Last summer in danger of losing his spot on the New York Rangers, Brian Boyle turned to Barbara Underhill to help him with his skating.  The results were phenomenal as Boyle was transformed from a big bodied player that did not know how to use that size and strength to his advantage to one that had a powerful stride and his physicality worked for him on both sides of the ice.  Offensively Boyle destroyed his previous career highs with 21 goals and 14 assists due in large part to his increased effectiveness on the forecheck.  The increased speed and power in his stride allowed Boyle to enter the zone quicker so instead of being a step late in the corners he was there to dislodge the opposition of the puck and work the cycle with his linemates. 

The confidence that Boyle gained on the offensive side of the ice translated into more playing time and confidence from the coaching staff, which only increased Boyle’s personal confidence that he belonged in the NHL.  As the season progressed Boyle wore down because of the increased work load over what he had been used to, but the foundation was laid for an entirely new player coming into his own in the NHL.  The work with Barbara Underhill is given a lot of credit for Boyle’s transformation and it has seen her work with numerous New York Rangers this summer in hopes of them gaining some sort of edge as well. 

Yesterday the Rangers released pictures of Artem Anisimov and Mats Zuccarello working with her at the training facility.  This was the first time this summer that Anisimov was said to have worked with her while Zuccarello, Michael Del Zotto, Brandon Prust, Wojtek Wolski along with Boyle getting a refresher course have also been connected to her earlier in the summer.  Anisimov is the one that is most intriguing to me of the group because he is amongst the most skilled and the knock on him has been about his strength.  While working with Underhill will not make him physically stronger on his own it can make him stronger on his skates and less able to be knocked around by the opposition.

There is certainly no telling what the results of any of these players working with her will be, and to expect each or any of them to have a Boyle like reaction to the work would be unfair expectations to place on them or Underhill, but it shows that the Rangers players are dedicated to doing whatever they can to improve and each little step matters.

Del Zotto Primed For Comeback Season?

After a very promising rookie season Michael Del Zotto saw his game regress in his second season with the New York Rangers.  The attempts to improve his defense and curb his mistakes led to a player that played scared hockey and had no confidence to use his skills in the ways he had throughout his hockey playing career.  When a player struggles it is natural for fans to look for explanations as to the regression in that players’ game and with Del Zotto it revolved around talk about his commitment to the game.  The combination of murmurs of him showing up at training camp out of shape last year and his inability or unwillingness to learn from his mistakes and continue making them saw many get down on or just give up on Del Zotto. 

Needing a bounce back season this year, Del Zotto is doing everything he can this summer to prove that commitment and prime himself for a huge third year in New York.  Over the course of the summer he has worked with skating guru Barbara Underhill and been constantly training to ensure his conditioning for the training camp next month.  Yesterday he took another step announcing that he is stepping away from twitter to have his sole focus on being ready for the season.

It is certainly possible that with how easy a player with his skill can glide through the ranks and get away with taking shortcuts that it took a season as humbling as last year to truly teach him what it takes to remain at the pro level.  The Rangers showed Del Zotto last season that even with their struggles to find a power play quarterback they will not hand him anything in the hopes that he can be that missing player for them.  The message to Del Zotto was clear that he has to play well on both ends of the ice or he will not have a roster spot and at least in the summer it appears the message has been received in the right frame by MDZ.  The rest of the league should be nervous if a player of the skill of Del Zotto has a chip on his shoulder out to prove he belongs because if he puts it the package together it gives the Rangers a tremendous offensive weapon from the blue line that can be shielded defensively as a member of the third pair.  There is certainly no telling if the focus and commitment on being ready for the season will translate to better play on the ice, but it certainly appears that Del Zotto has been humbled by his struggles last year and is willing to put in the work necessary to improve at the NHL level.  As someone who has been as hard as any on Del Zotto, both before and after the offense left him, I am looking for a big rebound season from the gifted offensive defenseman that should see him crack the 40 point mark.