Del Zotto Out 4-6 Weeks With Fractured Finger

Per Arthur Staple of Newsday the injury that caused Michael Del Zotto to leave last night’s game for the Connecticut Whale is in fact a fractured finger that we put him on the shelf for the next 4-6 weeks.  Given that the Whale’s regular season does not end until April 10, which just under six weeks from now, it is possible that Del Zotto could make it back before the season is over.  Regardless of whether he makes it back for the end of the regular season this is just another disappointment in a very rough year for Del Zotto and will cost him significant on ice time to work through issues in his development.  The whole idea of sending him down to the Whale was to play significant minutes and now for the next month he will not be playing at all.

Here is last night's account of how Del Zotto got injured and the injury to Jeremy Williams.

Gaborik Concussion Gets Cloudier All the Time (w/Video)

Yesterday the New York Rangers got their first bit of good news concerning their star sniper Marian Gaborik and his recovery from the concussion he suffered on February 13th on a hit from Brooks Orpik.  The fact that Gaborik had his first symptom free day on Tuesday, and was able to skate in practice on Wednesday is excellent news.  I do not want to take away from how positive that news is, but I am more and more disturbed by the chain of events that happened in the week between Gaborik taking the initial hit and when he was actually pulled from action three games later.

Update from today:

The positive news was dampened some this morning with the reports that while able to skate today, Gaborik awoke with a headache this morning, which is also being classified as pressure in his head.  There is a problem when a guy who is coming off a concussion is allowed to even skate with anything going on in his head and this idea that he wants to fly to Ottawa for tomorrow’s game should be scrapped immediately.

Back to yesterday:

Here is video from the Rangers official site of Gaborik meeting with the media after practice to talk about the concussion and his recovery:

Some of key quotes from his meeting with the media via Jesse Spector at Blueshirts Blog

"It was against Pittsburgh, I got hit by (Brooks) Orpik, and then during the shift after I kind of blacked out for a little bit," Gaborik said. "After that, I had headaches, and was dizzy and couldn't focus. I've never had a concussion, or whatever, before. I thought I was just going to play and it was just going to be a little bell-ringer, but it just kept getting worse and worse."

When any player, particularly a star player can tell the media that he literally blacked out, had headaches and was dizzy following a hit and was not checked it is a huge problem for me.  I understand the machismo factor that is involved here where Gaborik tries to brush off the symptoms and play through them, but his lack of understanding of what concussion symptoms are is not an excuse for him being able to play with one. 

The NHL is all about this new focus on concussions and yet here you have a player who was on the ice with one and if he played a different style of game than he does could have easily taken a blow to his already concussed head.  If the NHL is truly serious then they need to institute concussion testing to the level the NFL did this season, where you have a baseline result, if you receive a concussion you are done for that game and until you pass neurological testing you cannot play again. 

The onus for this is on the players, the teams and the league if they are truly serious about fixing this problem.  The players have to get over the stigma of admitting they got their bell rung and possibly being called soft for going out with a concussion and admit to the training staff like Jim Ramsay that something is wrong so they can be diagnosed.  The training staffs and coaching staffs have to be more aware of the potential for concussions and on the lookout for symptoms and anything that presents to possibly fit those symptoms must be checked.  The symptoms of the flu and a concussion can be similar and while in many cases it might be a waste of time to check for the concussion, do it anyway.

The fact that he played for an entire week, parts of four different games with a concussion is simply unacceptable and the more information that comes out the more questions there are about who knew what when and who is responsible for allowing that to happen.  The bulk of it has to go on the athlete himself if he was not forthcoming with the team and training staff, but the culture of the game both in the fear of being stigmatized as soft and the urgency to win now also played a role in this in my opinion.  We cannot overlook things that might be there because we want to play or as an organization we want to win.

Does Sean Avery Deserve More Ice Time?

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Among New York Rangers fans there are few subjects that cause the kind of response as talking about Sean Avery does.  There is a loyalty to Avery among many fans that dates back to how well he played when he first arrived in New York over four years ago.  Fans always love players who play hard, those who fight and then on top of that Sean Avery was the best agitator in the game back then.  The talk about Avery is much different this year because he is not playing that agitating style anymore, at least not to nearly the same degree, and the argument is about how he is less effective for it. 

The argument from Avery supporters is that he deserves more ice time, but he is not getting it because of issues with John Tortorella.  I openly admit to not being a huge Avery supporter, but today I will go beyond the visceral reactions to look at the numbers and answer the following question: Does Sean Avery’s production actually merit more ice time?

To his credit Avery has been the good soldier this season and taken on any assignment the coaching staff has given whether it is on the top line with Marian Gaborik or the fourth line with Kris Newbury.  Avery has been among the best partners with Gaborik, but with each returning body for the Rangers he kept getting shuffled back to the third or fourth line.  This has shown itself considerably in the amount of ice time that Avery is being given.  On the season Avery is averaging 11:48 of ice time, but has been under the 10 minute mark in 24 of the 65 games this season.  Rage over his ice time was at its strongest point this past Sunday when Avery only played 4:14 for the entire game and 54 seconds for the final two periods against the Lightning. 

In terms of production supporters will justly point out that Avery does rank fourth on the team in assists with 20.  On the other side of the argument there are serious production deficiencies for Avery which get brushed aside by his supporters.  In 65 games this season Avery has a lousy two goals.  You can try and blame that on his ice time, but he is seventh on the team with 124 shots, which leaves him at a horrific 1.6% shooting percentage.  That shooting percentage is a full 6% below his career average and ranks him 647th in the NHL this season. 

When looking overall point production as it relates to ice time Avery ranks 11th among New York forwards getting one point for every 34:46 of ice time.  The only forwards that are lower than Avery are: Chad Kolarik, Alex Frolov, Brandon Prust, Ruslan Fedotenko, Derek Boogaard, Todd White, Chris Drury and Kris Newbury.  With the exception of Prust and Fedotenko this is not a list that you want to be on and even then the clear argument is that these players are third or fourth liners and not guys that need to be elevated in the lineup.

Passing has been the most effective weapon for him this season and is what allowed him to be effective when he was paired with Gaborik.  The problem is, as Rangers fans have frequently pointed out, this team struggles to finish and Sean Avery certainly does not help that problem.  I believe there is a level of truth to the perception that there is an issue with Avery and Tortorella, but his ice time or at least his assignment to the fourth line is justified by his overall lack of production with the ice he is getting and Avery’s supporters have to admit that side as well.  He has been an effective player for the Rangers this season with his energy, forecheck and ability to cycle the puck, but on a team that lacks upper level talent, having Avery higher in the lineup or eating more minutes when he is not producing will not solve the offensive problems.

Tell me what you think.

Del Zotto Injures Hand/Wrist, Williams Stretchered Off In Whale Game

When the season began the expectations for Michael Del Zotto coming off an excellent offensive rookie season were very high.  The plan was for him to remain a top four defenseman for the club, and be the power play quarterback, but that plan has failed for this season.  It has been a tumultuous sophomore season in which he struggled with his play on the ice and then his confidence.  Things got to the point where the Rangers sent him down in early January to work on his game and while he was better when he came back, he was still not where he needs to be.  With the Rangers trading for Byran McCabe over the weekend they decided to send Del Zotto down to Connecticut to work on his game and get plenty of ice time.  It appears that plan might be out the window now as well.

Per Mitch Beck at Howlings Del Zotto was slashed on the wrist during tonight’s game and did not return to action.  After the game he was wearing a splint and had the hand wrapped.  The hand/wrist will be evaluated by a hand specialist tomorrow so there should be more information available at that point.  Hopefully it will be good news and there is just bruising, but always have to be prepared for more costly news.

Also injured in the game was Jeremy Williams who was hit into the boards during the first period and had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher.  Also via Howlings, the initial reports on Williams are good and he was said to be joking with teammates.

Wishing the best to both players as the Rangers injury curse for 2010-11 just continues to spread.

Video: Gillies At It Again, Ejected For Headhunting Clutterbuck In First Game Back

If the NHL needed proof that long suspensions are not a deterrent to dirty play they got it on Wednesday night from Trevor Gillies of the New York Islanders.  Gillies was playing in his first game since receiving a 9 game suspension for his part in the Islanders-Penguins embarrassment on February 11th and it took him less than two periods to get tossed from the game.

Only 2:23 into the second period Gillies took a run at Cal Clutterbuck of the Minnesota Wild with obvious intent to injure him.  Gillies was given a 5-minute major for checking from behind and immediately ejected for his two hand punch to crush Clutterbuck’s head into the glass.  Some will try and defend Gillies saying he was sticking up for Justin DiBenedetto, but there much more legitimate ways to go about defending a teammate.  I expect Gillies to be done for the year.

Here’s the video of the hit:

 

Here is the video of the Versus crew talking about the hit.

Staal, Fedotenko Could Return vs Wild Tomorrow; Gaborik Progessing, But Not There Yet

The New York Rangers had good news at practice today involving a trio of their walking wounded.  Marc Staal and Ruslan Fedotenko were able to participate fully in practice and both are possible additions to the lineup tomorrow against Minnesota.  Marian Gaborik was also able to skate and practice today for the first time since last Friday and says he has been feeling better the past few days.

Per Andrew Gross of Ranger Rants the decisions on Staal and Fedotenko will be made tomorrow morning while coach John Tortorella has already ruled Gaborik out of the lineup.  If Staal returns it would be a huge boost to the defensive core and would likely mean Steve Eminger would be back in the press box as the healthy scratch, but Matt Gilroy could also be a possibility.  Staal has not played since February 22^nd against Carolina due to the knee injury he sustained on his first shift of the game.  Staal attempted to practice on Monday in hopes of playing against Buffalo, but had a setback and missed last night’s game.  The fact that he made it through the full practice today is a good sign, but with three games in four nights they could wait an extra day to bring him back if there is any concern in the morning.

With Fedotenko all signs point to him being back in the lineup tomorrow as he recovers from aggravating his previous shoulder injury in his first game back last week.  The addition of Feds to the lineup is very important to the way the team forechecks and the aggression they play with.  Those things are contagious and the Rangers have really gotten away from them for long stretches of games lately and hopefully watching Fedotenko do it will rub off on the rest of the club.

Where Marian Gaborik is concerned the cautious approach is the best approach.  That he was able to participate in practice is a great sign, but the real test will be tonight/tomorrow to see how his head responds to the work.  If he is able to avoid the problems he had when he tried skating last week it will be another step in the process to him returning, though I would still not expect him back in the lineup in the immediate future.

For quotes from the players be sure to check out Ranger Rants where Andrew Gross does a great job as always.

Where Has Brandon Dubinsky Gone? From Team MVP to MIA

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

This New York Rangers team continues to fight, scratch, and claw through these games, but they are continually coming up a goal short in these comeback attempts.  The fact that they are falling short is not about effort, and not about an inability to create chances, but it is about their lack of finishing ability.  There are many players who are guilty of that issue, but with Marian Gaborik out there is really only one forward that in the past has shown the capability to help carry this offense; Brandon Dubinsky.  The problem however is that when the team really needs him right now he has disappeared in much the way he used to.  After scoring 38 points in his first 45 games this season, the 24-year-old winger has a grand total of five in his last 15 games.  The question left behind is, what is wrong with Brandon Dubinsky?

In the first 45 games of the year Dubinsky was clearly the team’s best and one of their most consistent forwards.  You could, and I did, argue that he was their MVP through both the first quarter and first half of the season.  What was on display was a player who had matured significantly in terms of his consistency, leadership and point production.  Gone were the questions from previous seasons about what it was in Dubinsky's game that allowed him to look like a top line player one night and invisible the next.  His will in each game was the most impressive thing about him as there were games where he would just decide that the team was not losing that night and put the club on his back.  He would be all over the ice in terms of hitting, stealing the puck, rushing the puck, forechecking, cycling and creating scoring chances.  It was to the point where even on a team that has built an identity on collective work and everyone stepping up for one another he seemed to be the driving force on the team.  Is it a coincidence that while that guy has disappeared over his last 15 games the team has struggled as much as it has?  One way to tell that might be to look at his production in wins vs losses.

	GP	G	A	Pts	Plus/Minus
Wins	30	12	19	31	+16
Losses	30	7	5	12	-19

Let me preface this by saying that most players will produce more when the team wins than loses, but these numbers are startling.  Maybe I give Dubinsky too much credit, but I believe there is a correlation between his lack of impact and the Rangers struggles to get over the hump is some of these games.  As you can see from the numbers in general in the 30 wins the team has had with him in the lineup he is a point per game player.  In the 30 games the team has lost with him in the lineup he averages .4 points per game and his plus/minus is a whopping 35 points lower than in wins. 

Statistics about wins and losses can also be deceiving, nevertheless here is one that might give some perspective to the importance of Dubinsky to the outcome of Rangers games this year.  The team is 20-9-2 in the 31 games he has scored at least one point (11-1 with two points) and 10-17-2 in the 29 games in which he has been held scoreless. They were also 3-2 in the 5 games he missed with the injury to his leg.

The Rangers possess a team with a lot of very nice pieces that are good players at the NHL level.  The team offensively only possesses on real game-breaker in Marian Gaborik and one other guy who is legitimately first line capable, at his best, at this stage of his career and that is Dubinsky.  Brandon clearly is not the type of natural goal scorer that Gaborik is, but he also has the ability to impact that game in many different areas and right now he simply is not doing it.  The games or even the shifts in which Dubinsky imposes his will on the opponent are becoming fewer and fewer and it leaving the Rangers in a constant search for some form of offense.  Instead we have a version of that takes more bad penalties than does positive things to help the team win, and when the rest of the offense is struggling this badly we need the other Dubinsky to arrive.

There have been no reports that say he came back too soon from the injury, even if I believe that he did, so it is tough to use that as an excuse.  There are no reports that say he is tired from the added workload early in the season.  It is tough to pinpoint what the exact cause for the drop not just in his statistical production, but his impact on the game lately.  What is certain though is that someone better figure it out quickly because as well as Boyle and Stepan have played over the course of the year, this offense, this team needs a focused and determined Brandon Dubinsky to help carry the load of this offense down the stretch.

He needs to get back to imposing his will on the opponent, to believing he can be a dominant force that can carry this team and assume the leadership in that role as he did earlier in the season.  Until he gets back to that place in his own mind the Rangers offense is still going to be looking for a spark every night.

Linus Omark Picture Perfect Placement On Shootout Winner (Video)

Greg Southam, edmontonjournal.com

It is tough to fully appreciate just how special the shootout goal Edmonton Oilers’ rookie Linus Omark scored on Tuesday night is. In a shootout against Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators, Omark came down the ice at full speed and then nearly came to a complete stop as he drifted away from the net on the right and as he perfectly placed a shot along the ice just inside the far post to his left. It was an extraordinary display of talent and what tells you just how special it was is the reaction of Rinne as he attempts to deal with the shot as he was trying to figure out where Omark was going to attempt to put the puck.

I believe this goal took much more skill than his previous shootout goal where he went spin-o-rama against Tampa.


The video:

Video: Alexander Ovechkin's Beautiful End-To-End OT Winner

For most NHL players having 24 goals and 39 assists in 63 games coming into tonight would be a very good season.  Most NHL players haven’t set a standard for their performance as high as the Washington Capitals Alexander Ovechkin though as so it is considered a disappointing performance.

In overtime tonight Ovechkin turned back the clock and reminded the entire league of the just how special he can be.  Ovie took the puck and went end-to-end while abusing a very good defensive forward in Frans Nielsen before blowing past him and beating Islanders goalie Nathan Lawson with a backhand shot upstairs to the far post. This goal is why he has been called the Great Eight.  The Capitals are going to need a lot more of this if they are going to do anything in the playoffs.

If the Capitals didn’t score with just 48 seconds left in regulation, then this goal never happens.

Rangers Drop Closer To Playoff Edge After Losign Crucial Game To Sabres 3-2

Any loss at this time of the year when all points are so tightly contested hurts, but this game has some extra sting to it.  Part of the sting is the fact we have seen this movie far too often in the past two months.  Rangers fall behind by two, rally to get within one, have countless chances to tie the game and “just run out of time.”  I am tired of talking about how hard they played and how close they came, at some point all loses are loses as there are no moral victory points in the standings, which got a lot worse for the Rangers tonight. 

The overreactions are flying from everywhere about how the season is over and this team is worthless and if you believe that, then frankly just stay away for the rest of the year because we do not need you around.  This team lacks true talent, but you cannot question their heart and that is part of what makes them so frustrating right now because unlike past years where they would mail games in, they fight to stay in it and are coming up short.

Yes, the officiating was awful tonight.  Yes, the awful officiating led to goals for Buffalo and maybe stopped us from getting some with our power play actually looking good.  In the end though it doesn’t matter because they aren’t going to go back and undo it.  Have to move on and look to Thursday and beat the Wild at home.

Recap of the action after the jump: