Dubinsky Putting Early Struggles In The Past

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The New York Rangers have had a phenomenal 2011-12 campaign thus far as they sit in first place in the Eastern Conference as New Year's Eve hits.  However, the team success does not mean that all players have played to expectations thus far.  One such player has been forward Brandon Dubinsky.  Coming into the 2011-12 season the expectations for Dubinsky were extremely high following a career season and brand new long-term contract this summer.  Dubinsky was coming off a season in which he led the Rangers in goals (24), assists (30) and points (54) being rewarded with a four-year, $16.8 million contract.  

Early in the season Dubinsky was doing a number of things right, but not being rewarded in the goal column.  He finally broke through with his first goal of the season against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov 11.  That was the Rangers' 15th game of the season.  The thought was that now Dubinsky would get hot as the monkey was off his back.  Instead Dubinsky's play actually slipped to a lower level than it had been before he finally scored.  After another long goal drought Dubinsky found himself with one goal and 12 assists through his first 31 games on the season.  Conversation was rampant about how Dubinsky needed to not just be moved down the lineup, but benched altogether.

Now that conversation has been flipped from benching Dubinsky to hoping that this time he has truly turned the corner and is back to being a core player for the team.  In the past five games Dubinsky has scored three goals and added two assists, but his impact goes beyond the numbers.  Dubinsky is back to being a physical presence both in hitting and in his play along the wall.  His forechecking has picked up significantly and he has found a home playing with Brian Boyle and John Mitchell.  That line has been so effective in dictating the game that coach John Tortorella has turned to in the third period of games to preserve leads.


There is no denying that Dubinsky struggled mightily during the Rangers first third of the season and the team found ways to win without getting his typical contributions, but a productive Dubinsky is huge for the Rangers final goals this season.

Video: Dubinsky First Goal of Season, Complete With Prospal-esque Celebration

Welcome Back Dubinsky

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It took a lot longer than anyone expected, but New York Rangers forward Brandon Dubinsky has finally tallied his first goal of the season.  The level of relief on the face of Dubinsky immediately following the puck hitting the back of the net showed just how much the drought was weighing on the 25-year-old forward.  As he said postgame

“Picture’s worth a thousand words, isn’t that the phrase? If you take a still shot of me with my head back, my arms up, it was just like ‘mercy, finally, thank God. Something gave.’ That’s what you need,” Dubinsky said. “Puck going off my butt or something, it was pretty dang close with a puck on my stick and an empty net in front of me 15 feet away.”

For some the tally will validate Dubinsky’s effort on the evening, but for those who understand the way the team needs him to play the Rangers fourth goal was even better. Dubinsky’s work along the way fighting off multiple defenders, drawing a penalty and then getting the puck to the front of the net in what was eventually Ryan Callahan’s goal off a scramble was pure Dubinsky at his best.  That is the kind of work that Dubinsky has been doing for much of the early season, but the focus has been on the zero he had in the goal department.  Now that he has broken the seal, look for Dubinsky to go on a run here as he has always been streaky when it comes to goal scoring.

There is no denying that the Rangers need Dubinsky to be a part of the goal scoring if they are to maintain their current level in the standings, but they need him to play the way he has even more.  Goals will come and go as you will get lucky on a few and lose some you certainly deserve, but the effort is what makes Dubinsky the player he is; the vital part of the Rangers core.

His position in the core of the team was stunningly evident with the pure joy of everyone else on the ice the moment he scored and as they continued to mob him along the wall afterwards.  The crowd joined in providing arguably the loudest cheer of the season to let the forward know the love never left even if his goal scoring did to start the season.

Dubinsky Again Taking Heat While Callahan Gets Mostly Free Pass

With the New York Rangers offense struggling to generate consistently, as usual, to start the season the focus has shifted to specific players who are underachieving.  The main player seeming to take the brunt of the discussion is Brandon Dubinsky, who has zero goals in the Rangers opening six games.  Coming off a career year, plus a new contract, much is expected of Dubinsky offensively this season, so it is not surprising to see his lack of goals make him a target.  Dubinsky being a target for the New York fan base is nothing new as he has been a consistent player turned to as underachieving over his career for whatever reason.  What has always been more interesting is that while Dubinsky is normally taking heat, Ryan Callahan always seems to get a free pass and is getting one again from many who follow the team. 

Dubinsky has zero goals and too many bad penalties, but he also has three assists while getting 19:09 of ice time per game.  Callahan on the other hand has one point, a goal in the season opener, while playing 20:56 a night.  Where are the cries of Callahan underachieving on his new contract as there are for Dubinsky?  In the past Callahan’s free pass for lack of offense was always about the fact that he was bringing energy to the team through his hitting and shot blocking, but even that has been severely lacking this year, outside of the opener. 

The fact is that both of the Rangers heart and soul forwards have failed to live up to the way they played last season and the contracts they got this summer so far.  Their line, along with Artem Anisimov, after being the top line on the team last season seemingly has been left over in Sweden as there impact has been negative thus far.  All three are struggling individually and together they are not the factor the Rangers need them to be if they are going to be successful. 

Two years ago the Rangers had primary scoring and no secondary scoring.  Last season all the secondary players had career years and the primary one, Marian Gaborik, had a down year.  Now the Rangers have reverted to two years ago with Gaborik and Richards doing their part while secondary offense has dried up once again.  The problem goes beyond Dubinsky and Callahan as Stepan, Fedotenko and Anisimov all have no goals and Brian Boyle has one, however the focus of the blame seems to be resting on the shoulders of Dubinsky alone.  There is no justifiable reason to single him out while giving the rest a pass on their play thus far.  They all need to be better if the Rangers are going to succeed this season, so let us hold them all accountable when they fail to do so.

Rangers Need More Production, Less Emotion From Versatile Dubinsky

Last season Brandon Dubinsky had a breakout season leading the New York Rangers in goals (24), assists (30) and points (54).  This summer, after getting to the brink of an arbitration hearing, the Rangers rewarded Dubinsky for his performance with a four-year, $16.8 million contract to keep him as a critical component of the team’s core long term.  Some argued at the time that Dubinsky is overpaid while others said he would have received significantly more on the market, had he been a free agent.  Regardless of your views on what he was paid at the time, the New York Rangers need 2010-11 Dubinsky to start playing this season. 

In four games Dubinsky has no goals, two assists and a whopping 37 penalty minutes.   The Rangers need more from him offensively and less of him parading to the penalty box.  Dubinsky and Callahan are the Rangers two most versatile players in their ability to eat ice time and be effective in all situations.  Dubinsky has not been available enough to that thus far this year.  There is no telling if the weight of the new contract is making Dubinsky press or if it was the shift late in training camp to the top line which initially took away his natural linemates in Anisimov and Callahan, but the Rangers need him to figure it out quick.  While Richards and Gaborik have been inconsistent in their impact throughout games, each has produced on the stat sheet to the level the Rangers would hope thus far and that isn’t the case for the second line.

There is no secret that the Rangers are having significant problems staying out of the penalty box and Dubinsky is leading the way there having racked up six minor penalties in only four games.  One of the keys to Dubinsky’s breakout season last year was an increased maturity on the ice that showed him taking on a leadership role.  There were still times where he took foolish penalties and cost the Rangers power plays by running at guys to stand up for teammates, but the other night against Kevin Bieksa was just foolish.  As much as fans, myself included, enjoyed the emotion of Dubinsky telling Kevin Bieksa and the Canucks bench off with his crotch chop, his emotions have gotten the better of him far too often again to start this season.  On the play Bieksa took a cheap run at Dubinsky and was going to the box, which is where it should have ended.  Dubinsky has to understand the team is up 3-0 late in the final period and about to get a free power play to end the game, but instead he selfishly runs back at Bieksa to settle a score while risking himself getting hurt in a fight.  He is too valuable to the Rangers to take that kind of unnecessary risk.

Brandon Dubinsky is one of the most critical players to the success of the New York Rangers and for the team to get out of their early season malaise they need the emotion and physicality he brings to the ice, but they need him to be smarter about it.  Brining positive emotion and legal hitting to the Rangers forecheck will lead to more scoring opportunities for himself and his line, which the offense needs them to cash in.  Expect Dubinsky to break out of the early funk when he gets back to playing his game instead of trying to justify the contract he signed this summer.

Brandon Dubinsky Telling the Canucks Bench How He Feels

Dubinsky Will Be Amongst Rangers Leaders With or Without Letter

When the New York Rangers announced there captains yesterday for some there was a notable omission in the fact that Brandon Dubinsky was not given a letter for the 2011-12 season.  While giving the final “A” to another homegrown Ranger would have been a good thing in terms of the talk surrounding the leadership being the young nucleus, the fact that Dubinsky did not get one is nothing to be concerned about.  Brad Richards has the credentials to warrant the letter and it creates an ideal mixture of the youth being represented and a veteran with championship experience being amongst the leadership group.

In terms of Dubinsky himself there is no issue here.  Brandon is clearly one of the leaders in the locker room, especially in terms of being vocal, and that voice does not change whether there is a letter on his sweater or not.  The media will still run to Dubinsky for the juicy quotes and blunt opinions he is known for and while that is can be comforting to the fans when a team struggles, it does not seem to fit the mold of the captains that coach John Tortorella prefers.  Dubinsky made tremendous strides in his maturity last season both on and off the ice and if that continues again this year it is not beyond the realm of possibilities that next season he could be rewarded with the letter that many were concerned he did not get last year. 

The simple fact is that letters, as much stock as we put in them, do not make players leaders within the team.  For that you have to earn the respect of the other guys in the room and by all accounts Dubinsky has that.  Letters and titles are about the media and the fans in how they look at the roles different players have on the team.  There is no doubt that Dubinsky would have been honored and humbled if given a letter this season, but not having one should not change anything about the way he conducts his business.  Coming off a career year and armed with a lucrative new extension Dubinsky is primed to take his game to another level both on and off the ice.

Did Staal, Callahan, Dubinsky Really Take Less To Stay Rangers?

In his column yesterday, Larry Brooks of the New York Post contended that both Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan this year and Marc Staal last season took less to return to the New York Rangers this summer.

Callahan took less to stay, there is no doubt about that. Dubinsky probably took less to stay. Marc Staal (five years at $3.975M per) probably took less to stay under the contract he signed last summer.

These are the Bluebloods. This is what you want from your core. These are the character people you want at your core.

More after the jump...

Dubinsky Deal Sets Foundation As Rangers Turn To Signing Callahan Next

Now that Brandon Dubinsky’s contract is done, the New York Rangers will now turn their focus to Ryan Callahan and finalizing a long-term deal with the presumed next captain of the franchise.  The two sides have until July 28 to work out a deal before they would face an arbitration hearing, though most expect the deal to be done with a few days to spare.  The signing of Dubinsky should help the process along, as according to Callahan’s agent, Steve Bartlett, the deal will be a basis for the negotiations between his client and the franchise.

"Any signing of a player of similar age and accomplishments affects players who share restricted free agency," Bartlett said. "Much like the real estate market one looks at comparables. We know we're looking at houses on the same block, now we need to find out what's inside."

According to Kevin Oklobzija of the Democrat and Chronicle, Callahan himself said the following about Dubinsky’s deal:

"I think it lays the groundwork for my deal," Callahan said on Thursday.

The fact that Dubinsky’s deal would be used in negotiations with Callahan is something that most have expected since the arbitration order was announced earlier this month.  There has been debate over whether Callahan will get less, the same or more than Dubinsky, but based on what Bartlett had to say, you can expect that Callahan will be seeking more than what Dubinsky got in his deal.

Then there was this interesting quote from Callahan…

"I like where I am," he said. "Obviously the deal has to be right but I love New York and that's where I want to play."

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and no one should begrudge him wanting to get the right deal for himself, but I cannot help but read that quote and wonder what the reaction would be if that had been said by Dubinsky a week before his arbitration hearing.  Though it is often forgotten, this is a business and the job for Bartlett is to get Callahan as much as he can.  Callahan is rightfully looking to get paid in a big way by the Rangers and they will certainly oblige him within the next few days and with it all the major work of the organization will be done for the summer and the team will have their foundation locked up for years to come.

Dubinsky Says He Is Ready For Higher Expectations, To Take Next Step

This morning I took a look at the four-year, $16.8 million contract Brandon Dubinsky and the New York Rangers agreed to yesterday and said that Dubinsky would have to raise his game to match the increased expectations.  In the course of that discussion I said that the consistency of his play was the key to Dubinsky being able to reach that higher level because he has shown over stretches that the talent to do so is clearly there.  In talking with Blueshirts United today, Dubinsky said he was ready for the challenge and agreed that consistency was the key for him going forward.

"There's a lot of weight that comes with the contract I just signed, and a lot of expectations that come with it, but I think I am ready to take that step and make sure that I play up to those expectations. I think I am improving and getting better each and every year, and I don't think this year will be any different. I look forward to build off the success I had last year. But to take that next step, personally, I need that consistency every night, the consistency in the level of my play. With the responsibility I have to the team, consistency is a big part of it for me."

The fact that Dubinsky is self-aware of where the issues are in his game is a great sign that he will continue to improve with each passing year and hit his potential during this contract.  When Dubinsky gets to his peak level that contract paying him $4.2 million per season will look like a brilliant investment on behalf of the Rangers organization.

For more on Dubinsky, the raised expectations and whether he will meet them check out this morning’s analysis.

Will Brandon Dubinsky Meet The Higher Expectations More Money Brings?

The wait for Brandon Dubinsky to get his long-term deal with the New York Rangers is now over, but with the new contract and $4.2 million he will earn per season, the raised expectations are just beginning.  Expectations for Dubinsky are nothing new amongst Rangers fans who have expected big things from him since his rookie season when he held his own playing with Jaromir Jagr.  The frustration with Dubinsky not taking the next step, but he did this year, at least for the first half of the season.  Now with the money attached to his name the expectations for Dubinsky will only rise further as he judged not only by point totals in the abstract, but against the dollars he is getting paid.

The key for Dubinsky next year and for the life of this deal will be to find the thing that his plagued him most in his four seasons with the Rangers; consistency.  For the first half last year he was a consistent force nearly every night and was carrying the team offensively, along with Ryan Callahan and Artem Anisimov, in the absence of Marian Gaborik.  Dubinsky was playing at an All-Star caliber level racking up 17 goals and 21 assists in 47 games. 

Just before the break it was revealed that Dubinsky was playing with a stress fracture in his leg and was shut down for the rest of the first half.  He came back quicker than expected, but never found the same level in his game for the rest of the season.  Over the final 30 games he played his production dipped back to past levels as he scored seven goals and added nine assists in that time span. 

Overall the numbers still look good as he had 24 goals, 30 assists and 54 points, which all led the team, but now that he has the new deal he has to be more consistent during the season and hit that 60-65 point level.  His capability to do so is not in question on the skill side, but now he has to put together the consistent production over the course of an 82 game schedule to see it happen.  If it does, then the Rangers will have gotten a steal in locking up the 25-year-old for $4.2 million a season over the next four years.  If it does not, then the criticism for Dubinsky will grow and questions will rise about whether paying him was the right move for the Rangers. 

Dubinsky is the most outspoken and honest of the Rangers on the roster when it comes to how things are going on a given night, now with his new salary he will have to not only be the one to stand up and be accountable to the reporters for the team’s effort, but to the critics for his own production.  Obviously with players like Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik making more than him and having more expected of them, criticism will fall to them first for team struggles offensively, but that does not mean the fans will not be paying close attention to see if Dubinsky is earning his money as well.

Expectations are rising for Dubinsky with each passing year, and now the expectation will be 60-65 points this season, but luckily for Rangers fans so has his production and expect that trend to continue next season.  I for one expect that with the attention that Richards and Gaborik will command from the opposition this season, all three of Dubinsky, Callahan and Anisimov should have career years offensively as long as they don’t get comfortable with waiting for the big names to produce for them. 

Update: Dubinsky Says He Is Ready For Increased Expectations

Brandon Dubinsky Talks About New Contract Keeping Him With Rangers

Newly re-signed forward Brandon Dubinsky talked with Larry Brooks of the New York Post this morning following the four year, $16.8 million agreement that allowed him and the New York Rangers to avoid the arbitration hearing that was scheduled for today. 

“I wanted to be in New York, it’s the place I live, it’s the place I love and I want to be here forever,” Dubinsky, who led the Rangers in goals, assists and points (24-34=58) last season, told The Post by phone before flying home. “At the end of the day, I think it’s a homerun for me. I hope the team feels the same way.”

Both sides should view the final outcome as that homerun not only because of how important Dubinsky is to the Rangers and the price he is locked up for over the next four seasons, but for the animosity and discord that was averted by the avoidance of the hearing where the team would have had to diminish Dubinsky's value to the club in order to lower his cost.

“I can’t even tell you how much I’m looking forward to the season,” Dubinsky said. “With all the guys we have coming back plus the signings we’ve made with Richie [Brad Richards] and Mike Rupp, I think we’re going to be a contender in the East; I really feel that way.

“I high have expectations for myself and for the team. The last couple of years we’ve talked about being contenders. Now I truly believe we have the team to do it, not just talk about it.”

Completing the long-term deal with Dubinsky continues the positive steps the Rangers have taken this summer.  While this deal doesn't change the expectations of the team because he was always going to be here, the fact that he will be looking to prove he is worth the money should lead to even bigger things from Dubinsky on the ice.

Rangers Avoid Arbitration, Re-Sign Brandon Dubinsky Four-Year, 16.8 mil Deal

Today was supposed to be arbitration day for Brandon Dubinsky and the New York Rangers, but according to Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet they have instead finally agreed to a long-term deal.  Kypreos reports the deal as a 4-year, $16.8 million deal.  Tim Wharnsby of CBC follows up by tweeting the details of the deal.

Dubinsky avoids arbitration w/ NYR. Agrees to 4 yr deal, breakdown is as follows: $3.75M $3.75M $4.65M $4.65M.

Compared to the open market this could make Dubinsky look like a steal for these terms as he is a top line quality forward who plays in all situations for New York and is a leader in the locker room.  Some might argue that it is overpaying for what he has done to this point, but this is right where Dubinsky should be on a long-term deal.  Not only that, getting this deal done takes away what was going to be a major headache for the organization with the bad blood another failed attempt to agree on a contract would have caused. 

Rumor: Rangers Seek One-Year Deal On Dubinsky; Large Gap In Salary Requests

The need for an arbiter to decide the value of Brandon Dubinsky to the New York Rangers has arrived today as the two sides could not come to that agreement without one.  According to Larry Brooks of the New York Post the contract that will come out of that ruling will be for one season with the Rangers submitting a contract request of $2.8 million while Dubinsky has requested a salary of $4.6 million.

The Rangers have elected to go for a one-year salary award in today's arbitration hearing in Toronto with Brandon Dubinsky, The Post has learned.

The fact that the Rangers chose the one-year option will keep Dubinsky as a restricted free agent again next summer.  The positive in that is it gives the two sides another year to work on a long-term contract to keep Dubinsky as a Blueshirt, but it also sets up another potentially contentious summer of negotiations.  The move to not take the two-year verdict could signal that the two sides were not as far apart as we might think, or is just simply a leverage move to keep him under control for the next negotiation round.

Sources with knowledge of the briefs submitted on behalf of the 25-year-old winger and on behalf of the club have told The Post that Dubinsky has requested a contract worth $4.6 million while the Rangers have come in at $2.8 million.

The fact that there is a wide gap between the two requests is part of the business of shooting for the best for their particular side.  Once it gets to this point the Rangers are going to aim very low while Dubinsky is going to be on the high end of his value, with the arbiter allowed to choose any number within the two bounds requested.  To see the Rangers request a mere $2.8 million is still somewhat shocking since the value is clearly a significant amount higher than that, but that is part of the business side of this.  To their “credit” the Rangers seem well aware that the ruling is more likely to come out in Dubinsky’s favor in terms of the gap between the two sides requests.  

Both sides expect Dubinsky, who will still owe one more season to the Rangers as a restricted free agent at the conclusion of this year, to gain an arbitration-directed salary of between $3.8 million and $4.4 million.

If the request was for a one-year award, then I would predict that Dubinsky comes out with $3.9 million as his salary for the 2011-12 season.

Later this morning I will have more thoughts on the fact that it even came to this and if either side can truly win from it coming to this.