Video: Derek Boogaard Tribute

This is an excellent Boogaard Tribute Video that was sent to me by @TheRealJetson this afternoon and I figured it would be appropriate to send it out at 9:40.

The Hockey World Remembers Boogaard As The Gentle Giant

Rather than list out all the quotes that have been sent around today concerning the loss of Derek Boogaard at age 28, I will focus on one from his roommate on the road and from a beat writer who likely knew him as well as anyone in the game. 

This quote from Brandon Prust comes via Blueshirts United as he was traveling back to London Ontario today.

I am still in shock. It keeps hitting me off and on all day as I'm driving home. Though he was a fighter on the ice, he was definitely a gentle giant off the ice. He was just a real good guy, a team guy all the way. I've been looking at some of the silly pictures I have from when we were roommates and it just hits me what a good guy he was. I still can't believe I am referring to him in the past tense. 

That is the kind of remembrance being seen from so many around the hockey world today when it comes to stories of Derek Boogaard and how he touched so many during his time in the league. 

Of all the heartfelt comments from Rangers players and other NHL people around the league the most poignant of all the remembrances today comes from Minnesota Star Tribune's Michael Russo.  Russo is the beat writer for the Star Tribune and covered Boogaard during his career there.  The whole thing is both tough to read because of the pure emotion in it, but well worth the time to see another side of the "Boogey Man".  Here is one sample:

Like most enforcers, he wasn't some street thug. He was a good guy who realized what he had to do to play professionally in the NHL. And he loved that the fans took to him. He loved the prestige that came with being the BoogeyMan. It's why he pronounced his name Booooogaard when his last name is really pronounced B-OH-GUARD.

 

He loved kids, he loved doing charity work, from Defending the Blue Line, to the Police Athletic League, to Second Harvest.

That is what a gentle giant does and while he will be remembered on the ice for his size and fists, what will last so much longer is all he did off it.  Rest in peace Derek Boogaard.

Breaking News: Rangers Forward Derek Boogaard Found Dead

In a shocking development, Michael Russo of The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Derek Boogaard was found deal at his Minneapolis home today by family members.

Awful news: Derek Boogaard was found dead today in his Minneapolis apartment by members of his family. He was 28. #mnwild #nyrangers

There is no word on the cause of death at this point in time, but for now the focus should be on the man and the loss his passing creates for his friends, family and teammates.

The 28-year-old Boogaard joined the Rangers organization on July 1, 2010 as part of a four-year deal.  One of the highlights of the season was Boogaard scoring his first goal in 234 games on a slap-shot against Washington November 11, 2010.

In 279 career games Boogaard had three goals, 13 assists and 589 penalty minutes.

Official Press Release from New York Rangers:

New York, May 13, 2011 – The New York Rangers are very saddened to announce the passing of Derek Boogaard.

“Derek was an extremely kind and caring individual,” said New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather.  “He was a very thoughtful person, who will be dearly missed by all those who knew him.  We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time.”

Boogaard began his NHL career with Minnesota and appeared in 255 career games with the Wild from 2005-06 – 2009-10.  He joined the New York Rangers on July 1, 2010, appearing in 22 games in the 2010-11 season.

Throughout his career, Boogaard sought to make a difference in the communities he played in, taking part in numerous charitable endeavors.  Boogaard was a supporter of the Defending the Blue Line Foundation, a non-profit charitable foundation whose mission is to ensure that children of military members are afforded every opportunity to participate in the great sport of hockey.  While with the Rangers, he created “Boogaard’s Booguardians,” hosting military members and their families at all New York Ranger home games.  In addition, he made multiple appearances with partner organizations of the Garden of Dreams Foundation, the non-profit charity that works closely with all areas of Madison Square Garden, including the New York Knicks, Rangers, Liberty, MSG Media, MSG Entertainment and Fuse “to make dreams come true for kids facing obstacles”.

The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native was originally Minnesota’s seventh round choice, 202nd overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Video: Mikael Granlund Goes Lacrosse Style To Score Goal Vs Russia

To see a "lacrosse goal" in a game of consequence is a rarity in hockey.  Today during the IIHF semifinals against Team Russia, Mikael Granlund would score one for Team Finland.  The skill it takes to scoop the puck behind the net, carry it out front on the blade of the stick and fire it beyond the goaltender at the top of the net is amazing, but to do it in such an important game for his country makes it even better.  This is the kind of skill that made the Minnesota Wild draft Granlund with the ninth overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Winter Classic 2012 Set To Have Rangers at Flyers January 2

The speculation about the 2012 Winter Classic can now come to an end.  The New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers will meet on January 2, 2012 according to Andrew Gross of Ranger Rants.  The game will take place at Citizen’s Bank Park, the Phillies baseball stadium.  The reason for the shift from January 1, which has been the date of the Winter Classic to this point, to January 2 is purely because January 1 is a Sunday and the NHL did not want to go up against the NFL.

This will be the first time the Rangers have been involved in the Winter Classic and having it be against the rival Flyers will make it special for all involved.  Playing in Citizen’s Bank as opposed Lincoln Financial where they could fit more fans and have better lines of vision is somewhat disappointing.  Playing the game in New York does not seem to be an option for the NHL until Yankee Stadium is available, so that will not happen until 2014.

There is a presumption that the Rangers being involved means the team will be involved in next season’s HBO “24/7” special to give even more insight to your beloved Blueshirts.  It is somewhat surprising to see the Rangers, especially coach John Tortorella, agree to such access, but it is great for the fans and the sport. 

Alex Frolov Signs HC Avangard Omsk of KHL

In the least surprising news of the day category, Alexander Frolov has signed to play in the KHL.  The deal is reportedly for three years with HC Avangard Omsk, according to the team’s website.  While Frolov looking to get his career back led him to the KHL is not surprising, the fact that Omsk would commit to a three-year pact with him at this point is somewhat shocking.  Given both his declining play and shredded knee that he will be coming back from that seems like a gamble, though financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Frolov’s time with the Rangers was a disappointment as he only recorded seven goals and nine assists in his 43 games for the Blueshirts.  He was expected to give them at least 20 goals and 50 points as a secondary scorer to pair with Marian Gaborik, but that never materialized before his season was ended by the knee injury.  The only thing that saved Glen Sather from more criticism with Frolov’s deal was the fact that he only had a one year pact with the forward.  The move was a low-risk, high-reward gamble for Sather and the Rangers and it just didn’t work as well as either side had hoped.

The more intriguing question now might be whether Frolov gets to play with Jaromir Jagr in Omsk next season or if Jagr is coming back to the NHL instead.  Check out this morning’s take on what Jagr could still bring to the Rangers.

Jagr Would Fill Rangers Needs If Price Is Right

Jaromir Jagr has not played a shift in an NHL game since the end of the 2008 season with the New York Rangers, but the nostalgia of bringing back 68 is rising daily right now.  During the 2011 IIHF World Championships he has five goals, three assists in seven games, including a hat-trick yesterday to eliminate Team USA.  While the hat-trick was great to watch for fans of Jagr yesterday, let us also put into perspective that is was scored against a very B type squad the USA had out there including Ty Conklin who is a backup netminder.  The Rangers are looking for someone who is a legitimate star type forward and while at 39-years-old Jagr is not what he was earlier in his career he still has something left in the tank.  The question with Jagr will be what it was when he left three years ago; money.

Jagr didn’t leave the NHL because he couldn’t play at a high level in the league anymore.  Rather he left because no one would pay him what he wanted to be here.  Having played three years with Avangard Omsk maybe he is willing to take less than he would have during the summer of 2008 to end his stellar career with one last run in the NHL.  That run would not be as the player who had 646 goals and 1,599 points in just 1,273 games in his career, or even the one who put up a 25-56-71 line in his final season with New York, but he could easily be a 20-35-55 player with the rules in the NHL today.

Jagr hasn’t committed to where he would like to play next season:

“It’s too early for me, I don’t really know what I want to do next year,” Jagr said Tuesday. “I don’t know where I want to play. Right now I just want to concentrate for this tournament, it’s not going to be more than one week.”

If Jagr does decide to return to the NHL the Rangers should be interested if the price is right.  He can add a veteran presence to the room, leadership and a voice for the young players who might never see half of what he has seen on and off the ice.  What he can bring on the ice is a skilled player that has chemistry with Dubinsky and can help to fix the struggling power play.  On a one year deal, especially if the Rangers don’t get Brad Richards, this is a stop-gap move that helps them next season and risks nothing from the future.

Pending Free Agents: Blake Wheeler (RFA) Right For Rangers?

The chase for Brad Richards will dominate a lot of the offseason headlines for the New York Rangers when it comes to free agency outside of the organization.  How the Rangers do in those attempts to lure Richards to New York will have a large influence on the money that is left under the salary cap and many of the other roster decisions within and outside the organization in terms of need.  If the Rangers fail to secure Brad Richards, and maybe even if they do get him, depending on the money and other decisions they make there are other options out there in the free agent market.  One such option for the Rangers to consider is restricted free agent Blake Wheeler of the Atlanta Thrashers.

Wheeler, 24, was originally the fifth overall selection in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes.  After attending the University of Minnesota Wheeler opted for free agency rather than sign with the Coyotes.  During the summer of 2008 he was a highly sought prospect and eventually signed with the Boston Bruins.  Wheeler would make an immediate impact for the Bruins during the 2008-09 season when goals and had 24 assists.  Given that strong opening act in Boston the expectations were high for him.  Following that season, his time with the Bruins was somewhat disappointing to the point where in 58 games for Boston this year he only had 11 goals and 16 assists.  At the deadline the Bruins decided to move Wheeler to the Atlanta Thrashers along with Mark Stuart for Rich Peverley and Boris Valabik.  The trade seemed to energize Wheeler as he had seven goals and 10 assists in only 23 games for the Thrashers.  With the strong finish Wheeler has now scored 18 goals or more in each of his three NHL seasons while also playing in at least 81 games each year.

A large cause for why the Rangers would be interested in Wheeler, aside from his individual skill, is the instant chemistry he has shown with Rangers’ rookie forward Derek Stepan during the current 2011 IIHF World Championships.  The two Minnesota natives have combined with Stepan’s former teammate at Wisconsin, Craig Smith, to form the top line for Team USA.  The chemistry between Wheeler and Stepan has been evident from the opening game of the tournament as there is a feel for where one another will be on the ice that usually comes after significant time together.  That kind of feel for another player is something that cannot be discounted by an organization, especially when looking to surround Stepan with wingers who can score and help him continue his own development.  Chemistry is one of those undervalued aspects of the game in terms of line combinations in how it can help to improve the consistency of performance for the players involved.  When you are able to leave lines together it helps all players involved and creates a better foundation for the team on a nightly basis.

Being a restricted free agent and accounting for his strong close to the season as well as good performance in the World Championships it is likely that Atlanta would match his qualifying offer of $2.2 million to retain his rights this summer.  Being a restricted free agent does not preclude the Rangers from pursuing Wheeler either in the form of an offer sheet or through a trade with Atlanta.  With the Rangers likely to have multiple departures from their forward core the idea of adding Wheeler to play with Stepan and possible Mats Zuccarello, who also showed flashes of chemistry with Stepan, is something that should intrigue the Rangers for next season.  Again, a lot of this would depend on the Richards chase, the cost of signing the Rangers own restricted free agents and other roster moves that would be made to create roster spots and cap space, but Wheeler is someone that should intrigue the Rangers for the right price.

Rangers Player Review: Michael Del Zotto

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

In a season where many different Rangers’ young players progressed in their development and impact at the NHL level, Michael Del Zotto had a different reaction during the 2010-11 season.  After a strong rookie season in which he was named to the NHL All-Rookie team Del Zotto regressed in year two.  The nine goals and 28 assists of the 2009-10 campaign raised expectations for the 20-year-old defender coming into the season and significantly intensified the frustration and scrutiny over his play.

All of the concerns for Del Zotto coming into the season revolved around his defensive shortcomings that plagued him during his first season in the NHL.  While his defense was still shaky at times in terms of positioning, and reading the play there was overall improvement on that end of the ice.  The problems were with his offensive and mental sides of the game. 

Offensively he struggled, only contributing two goals and nine assists in his 47 games with the Rangers.  One reason for the lack of goal scoring was a significant inability to hit the net with his shot.  In those 47 games Del Zotto recorded 58 shots on goal, which compares to the 42 times he was recorded missing the net.  For a player of Del Zotto’s skill both his number of attempts and successful attempts on goal are discouraging.  The number of attempts delves into his reluctance to shoot the puck in many situations where he had lanes, but lacked the confidence in his shot.  Instead of firing the shot, he would often dump the puck around the boards for yet another cycle play by the forwards.

The mental side of the game struggles manifested themselves in multiple ways.  The repetition of the same mistakes caused consternation and frustration among all involved because it led to wonders if he was really learning from his mistakes.  The biggest source of his mistakes would be from being overaggressive with the puck.  During his rookie season, part of what made Del Zotto so exciting were the stretch passes he would use to spring forwards like Marian Gaborik.  This season those were misfiring on a consistent basis and more likely to come back at the Rangers with a chance for the opposition.  Instead of adjusting to that reality and making the short, simple pass to get out of his end, Del Zotto would keep firing the long pass.  The other major mistake which harmed him significantly defensively would be the over handling of the puck in his own end which led to turnovers in scoring areas.

The regression within his game got to the point where he was a healthy scratch for multiple games and sent to the AHL for multiple stints with the Connecticut Whale to both work on his game and build his confidence back up.  During his time with the Whale he showed both the flashes of offense he had during his rookie campaign, but also the inconsistency that marred year two.  During his final stint with the Whale, Del Zotto would cap his frustrating year with a broken finger that ended his campaign and recently he also had sports hernia surgery that will have him rehabbing for the next month.

Having a regression as a 20-year-old is certainly not unheard of and does not mean that Del Zotto’s days as a key piece to the future of this organization are over by any means.  What it means is that a young player hit some bumps in his development and now the Rangers’ and Del Zotto will find out the type of player and person they are dealing with in how he responds and rebounds from the struggles.  Many very good players have had sophomore slumps in their careers and now it is up to Del Zotto to make sure that is all the 2010-11 season was and not a prelude to the rest of his career.