Stepan, Kreider, McDonagh All Play Roles In Team USA 4-2 Comeback Win Over Norway

In their second game of the 2011 IIHF World Championship tournament, Team USA played a game very reminiscent of the 2010-11 New York Rangers. The team fell behind 2-0 heading into the third period despite dominating in shots for the opening 40 minutes.  In the final period they finally solved Norwegian goaltender Lars Haugen and once they got the first one they erupted on their way to a 4-2 win over Norway. 

All three Rangers prospects had a role in the comeback win for Team USA.  Chris Kreider made a beautiful cross ice feed to Nick Palmieri of the New Jersey Devils for the tap in goal to get USA on the board and cut the deficit to 2-1 early in the third period.  The assist was Kreider’s second point of the tournament to go with his goal against Austria.  Kreider’s speed has been on display for the American squad in the two games thus far. 

Team USA tied the game on a goal from Jack Skille in which Ryan McDonagh got the secondary assist.  McDonagh was not as impactful in this game in terms of ice time or his overall level of play in comparison with his performance against Austria, but he still saw 15:19 of ice time and was a plus 2.

Derek Stepan, the top line center for Team USA, struggled some early in the game, but was very effective as the game went on and recorded an assist of his own on the final goal for the Americans.  Late in the third period, while on the power play, Stepan played a perfect deflection pass off the stick of former Wisconsin teammate Craig Smith with just 1:26 left to seal the game.  Stepan has shown great chemistry with Smith and Blake Wheeler during the first two games and coach Scott Gordon is clearly relying on the Rangers’ rookie forward as he played 23:56 during the game.  Stepan recorded seven shots in the game, four of which were in the third period. 

While the USA power play was not the prettiest thing to watch at times today, especially giving up a shorthanded goal, it is encouraging to watch Derek Stepan used properly along the left wing wall on the man advantage.  It is easy to envision a power play unit with Stepan along the wall and Chris Kreider manning the slot in the not so distant future.

It would have been fun to watch Mats Zuccarello take on Team USA today, but with his injury he was unable to participate and play against his Rangers counterparts.

Grading the 2010-11 New York Rangers Forwards

The New York Rangers 2010-11 season has now been finished for over a week, so there has been sufficient time to reflect on the highs and lows of the season.  Overall the year has to be considered a success give the way the team performed in the face of injuries, lack of elite offensive talent and the level of incorporation of youth to the team.  Now let us get to what people love to do which is grade the performances of the individual players.  Today comes a look at the forward core.  There are those who played this year that are not on the list either because of a lack of games or being so far out of the team by the end they just didnt matter that much.

Brandon Dubinsky: Dubinsky led the team in goals (24), assists (30), and points (54).  In addition he was second on the team in shots (202).  The numbers say that Dubinsky had a great year, but the reality is he only did so for half the season.  His first half was a tremendous leap forward for the forward as he played to a borderline All-Star level, but in the second half the maddening and inconsistent version of Dubinsky came back to the forefront once again.  Despite the two goals in the playoff series against the Capitals, his play overall in the series was subpar.  Consistency continues to be the biggest issue for the 25-year-old forward and if will ultimately be what determines whether he ever fully reaches his potential.  Grade: B+

Ryan Callahan: Callahan was already considered a heart and soul player for the Rangers but he took another step to solidifying his position as the leader of the forward core.  In addition to his roles as a checker, energy player, he added to his offensive game this season.  Despite missing 22 games he was second on the team in goals (23) and points (48).  The only thing you can criticize about Callahan is about his durability considering he broke both his hand and ankle during the course of the year.  That said, it is tough to criticize a guy who was injured blocking shots and playing his game because if he changed those things, then he wouldn’t be Ryan Callahan.  There is still a need to keep him healthy and on the ice as well.  His presence might have been the difference in the first round of the playoffs had been on the ice.  Grade: A

Marian Gaborik: No forward for the New York Rangers had more expected of them coming into the season than Marian Gaborik and he severely disappointed.  For many a 22-26-48 season would be considered successful, but when you are coming off a season of 42-44-86 there is nothing acceptable about it.  Gaborik missed 20 games on the season due to shoulder, concussion and flu issues.  Gaborik had nights where he was the dominant player he is expected to be, but those were far too rare and seemingly only happened against the worst teams in the league.  In the playoffs he was a complete non-factor as he seemingly gets.  In too many games Gaborik seemed to glide around the outside of the ice and make himself far too easy to defend against.  smaller the bigger the game is.  If Gaborik is not willing to get back to skating and going to the tough areas it will be a long three years left on his contract.  Grade: D

Artem Anisimov: Anisimov got off to an incredibly hot start playing with Dubinsky and Callahan (6-8-14 in 17 games), but was hot and cold the rest of the year. Consistent impact on the offensive end is still a very real concern for Anisimov who finished the season with 18-26-44 on the season.  The improvement of six goals and ten assists bodes well in terms of the season totals, but there is that question of how consistent he will be.  Anisimov showed once again his willingness and ability to be a solid two-way player, but sometimes he becomes so focused on the defensive side that he loses his aggressiveness in the offensive zone.  Definitely needs to improve consistency, faceoffs and strength to be a more consistent force. Grade: B

Derek Stepan: Overall his rookie season was a very good one for Stepan.  He had the expected ups and downs of being a 20-year-old going straight from the college ranks to the NHL, but he showed flashes of how good he can be.  Overall a 21-24-45 season was more than could have been expected of Stepan.  His goal scoring prowess was better than expected as was his timing for many of those goals as he showed a penchant to score goals in big moments.  His vision and play-making skills are there and now he needs to work on his faceoff skills and be taken off the point on a power play.  An eventual move to left wing both at even strength and on the man advantage might be in the card, but he has shown enough to be considered a top-six forward of the future.  Grade: B+

Brian Boyle: To say that Boyle’s season came out of nowhere would be a severe understatement.  Boyle was a critical component of the Rangers this season not just with his 21 goals, but his role on arguably the most consistent line with Ruslan Fedotenko and Brandon Prust.  Having the trust of his coach as Boyle does is crucial for any player.  On the negative side we have to point out the differential between his start and the struggles he had down the stretch to continue his goals scoring.  The production tailed off and overall he seemed exhausted having played significantly more than ever before at this level.  Showed he can be not only an NHL regular but even a solid third line center given his two-way play.  Grade: B+

Brandon Prust: Prust was considered a throw-in during the Jokinen trade during the 2009-10 season, but what he brought to the team this season is significantly more than that.  The toughness, and determination he showed while playing through numerous injuries during the year helped to define the identity of this team this year.  Those things defined why he was the winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award this year.  Prust is able to fight, but is much more than a fighter.  As a skilled penalty killer he is also a threat to go the other way and score a shorthanded goal as he did five times this season.  Grade: A

Ruslan Fedotenko: The statistical numbers (10-15-25) cannot define what Fedotenko brought to the Rangers lineup this season.  His work as a fore-checker was critical to the Rangers having their system filter through the lineup.  The impact of Fedotenko to the lineup was felt during his absence for 16 games (shoulder, appendectomy) as the team did not have the same force in their game.  He was arguably the best forward for the team during their playoff series against the Capitals. Grade: B

Sean Avery: Avery is one of those players that the Rangers have too many of in that he can be great one night and then disappear from any impactful role for far too many games.  Avery is clearly in the doghouse of coach John Tortorella because of previous actions, but playing with less edge to try and stay in the lineup made him less effective and basically a fourth line type player.  Avery was very effective in the playoffs as he played with more of an edge to his game, but is a question mark to come back next year. Grade: C

Erik Christensen: Christensen’s inability to find consistency is seen for yet another season.  The skill is clearly there and he exercises it at different points, but then goes on his disappearing acts. Grade: C-

Vinny Prospal: Prospal missed the entire first half of the season with his knee injury and played well in the 29 games he was able to hit the ice.  In those 29 games he recorded nine goals and 14 assists, but also showed serious limitations due to the knee.  Was a no-show in the playoffs. Grade: INC/B-

Chris Drury: The captain missed most of the season with various injuries to his finger and then his knee.  The team was able to compensate for much of what he can now provide them in his absence. What he can do is win face-offs, kill penalties and be a solid two-way player, but for his salary he simply does not produce enough offensively.  His role inside the room seems solid in all the quotes that come out, but expect for a buyout to happen next month, especially if the Rangers are looking to make a run at a free agent like Brad Richards. Grade: INC/C-

Mats Zuccarello-Aasen: Zuccarello had an impact with the Rangers in the shootout and those points ended up being critical to the team making the playoffs.  He scored a few goals and showed flashes of being able to play at the NHL level, but there were also holes in his game that show he has work to do.  Effort was never the issue for Zuccarello, so next up is assessing the results as they are next season without the thoughts about adjusting to being in North America or being a rookie.  The passing skills and vision are there and his willingness to go to the dirty areas is something that bodes well, but the biggest question mark following this season might be about his goal scoring. Grade: C+

Wojtek Wolski: The inconsistency of Wolski continued following his trade from Phoenix to New York and showed why despite his tremendous skill he cannot find a home at the NHL level.  There is little that Wolski cannot do offensively, but there is also little he has shown to be able to do it with any consistency.  He will likely be bought out this summer and while he personally disappointed in his time with the Rangers on the ice, the trade to get him for Rozsival was still a brilliant move. Grade: C-

Photo: Carrie Underwood Is Green Men's Latest Victim

The Vancouver Green Men are well known in the hockey world for their antics outside the opposing team's penalty box when they play the Canucks.  They have taunted many different players in creative ways, but this season they have gone the celebrity route using a cardboard cutout of Vince Vaughn when the Canucks faced the Blackhawks in round 1.

With Nashville Predator's center Mike Fisher married to country star Carrie Underwood, it was only a matter of time before she was brought into their act.  In Game 2, with Jordin Tootoo in the box the Green Men pulled out a cardboard cutout of Underwood wearing a Canucks jersey.  The Predators would have the last laugh in Game 2 taking home the double overtime win to tie the series 1-1.

Hat tip to Puck Daddy

Rumor: Drury, Prospal, Avery All On Way Out; Will Anyone But Biron Be Over 30?

The 2010-11 New York Rangers were a team built around a young core with very few “veterans” on the roster.  By the time the season ended the team only had six players that were over 30-years-old left around the team.  The question right now is other than Martin Biron, who is under contract for next season, will any of them survive the summer and still be Rangers next year or will the organization go even younger in building around their core. 

Andrew Gross at the Bergen Record doesn’t seem to think that any of captain Chris Drury, left wing Vinny Prospal and Avery will be back.

“Listening to John Tortorella, you got the strong feeling captain Chris Drury, left wing Vinny Prospal and Avery had played their last games as Rangers. The coach, of course, doesn’t have final say but it will be no surprise if Drury is bought out, Prospal not re-signed and Avery somehow moved, through a buyout, demotion to the AHL or trade. Avery does have a full no-trade clause from July 1 to Aug. 14, otherwise he can list 10 teams he wishes not to be dealt to.”

Add to that the certain departure of Bryan McCabe that would only leave Ruslan Fedotenko as possibly returning to join the over 30 crowd with Biron.  None of the names that Gross mentions are surprising in possibly being gone next season.  There has been talk about a Drury buyout for months given the $3.33 million the team can save making the move and the albatross that is contract compared to what he currently brings the team.  The idea of the Drury buyout is something that was discussed here back in January and I fully support the move, but much like the Redden demotion last summer, until it happens I will not be banking on that money.  There is still a lot of respect within the organization for Drury and buying out the captain of your team is never an easy move to make.

Prospal is an interesting case to make to stay or go because despite his injuries this year he was productive when on the ice.  In 29 games this season, Prospal scored nine goals and had 14 assists to give him the second highest point-per-game average on the team (.793), trailing only Ryan Callahan.  There were times where the amount of struggle Prospal was having to skate was painful to watch and showed how bad the knee might really be, but his experience and guile allowed him to get by and produce.  In addition it is impossible to understate the value of his attitude and work ethic around a young group of players.

In terms of Avery, despite his playoff performance, there is no surprise he would be on the list of players potentially headed out of town.  He was ineffective for much of the year because of the style he was playing at.  The skill level is still there to be an effective distributor and so is his ability to agitate, but it was his reluctance to play the agitating role this season that caused a decline in his effectiveness.  Where Avery is concerned, I think the most likely scenario is a demotion to the AHL because a buyout to eat some, even if only marginal cap space makes little sense for the Rangers when they could send him down for nothing.   It is unlikely that given the issues he had in Dallas, and the decreased effectiveness of his game that someone would trade for him, but it is certainly possible someone would take the risk for a cheap price and have the ability to send him down themselves.

The Rangers have been transitioning to more homegrown players over the past few years and if these three, along with McCabe are shown the door it will open more spots for youth, but at some point there also have to be some veterans sprinkled in around them.  Then again, much of the Rangers core has been around long enough that despite their status as being under 30-years-old they are veterans of the league.

Prust (Shoulder), Girardi (Hernia) Have Surgery To Fix Injuries

For anyone that followed the New York Rangers during the 2010-11 season, it should come as no surprise that according to Andrew Gross of Ranger Rants forward Brandon Prust went under the knife yesterday to have work done on his shoulder.  The shoulder was an issue for Prust since December and caused him to consciously not fight at times just so he could get some rest for it.  To see it was as severe as a torn labrum only reinforces the fact that Prust was the clear choice for the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award this year.  The fact that he played and even fought with a shoulder that bad only increases the respect level for the kind of warrior that Prust is.

Defenseman Dan Girardi also underwent surgery on hernia surgery Friday.  There was no word on when Girardi sustained the injury, but given how many nagging injuries he played through and his willingness to continually sacrifice his body it is no surprise that he needed some sort of operation when the season ended.

According to the Rangers, both procedures were successful and both players will be ready for training camp.

Brian Boyle: Breakout Year or One Year Wonder?

The play of Brian Boyle during the 2010-11 season was one of many pleasant surprises for the New York Rangers that allowed the team to overachieve.  Boyle, 26, came into the season with only 12 goals and 16 points in his 107 career NHL games.  Boyle disappointed in his first season in New York to the point that he entered training camp on the outside looking in.  In order to ensure his place with the Rangers Boyle worked on his skating last summer with Barb Underhill.  The work paid immediate dividends as his improved skating allowed him to make better use of his size and strength on the ice.  The final result this year was 21 goals 14 assists while being one of only four Rangers to play in all 82 games.  The question now is with Boyle due for a new contract was he a one year wonder, or a player growing into his own as an NHL player?

In all aspects of the game that don’t revolve around scoring it appears that Boyle has become a top level checking line center in the league.  His ability to block shots, kill penalties, hit and use his size on the forecheck are valuable assets for any club.  The area that is less certain is the offense, especially the goal scoring.  Boyle started the year with tremendous production as he accounted for 18 goals in the 52 games before the All-Star break, which would put him on pace to score 28 goals over an 82 game schedule.  If Boyle could put up that kind of offense to go with everything else he brings, then his value would be critical to the Rangers.  Brian Boyle becoming a legitimate two-way threat would be a huge boost to the Rangers inconsistent offense even if it means having to pay him more down the road.  The problem is that in the 30 games after the break Boyle scored only three times.  So which Brian Boyle is the real one?

Did Boyle have one tremendous half of the season offensively that was really just a fluke?  Did Boyle wear down in the second half and that is why his goal scoring seemingly dried up again? 

That question of which half is the real Brian Boyle is what will plague Rangers’ management to some extent this summer as they have to decide what he is worth.  Expect the answer to that question to be giving Boyle a contract in the $1.5-1.8 million dollar range for next season on a one year deal for him to show which version is real.  .  If Boyle and his agent(s) decide or an offer sheet is given that is worth significantly more than that, as valuable as Boyle was to New York this year, one would have to consider walking away from him.

It is rare that you get a center the size of Boyle who can score 25-30 goals in a season, kill penalties and be a tremendous influence in your locker room.  Boyle has yet to prove he can be counted on for the goal scoring aspect of that list and until he proves it again next season he will be a one year wonder in a contract year offensively. 

Video: Chris Kreider Scores For Team USA in Exhibition Against Austria

Dubinsky Wants Contract Done Quickly; What Price Is Right For Him?

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

The last time Brandon Dubinsky went through contract negotiations with the New York Rangers the process dragged into training camp and had him holding out while the team was getting ready for the 2009-10 season.  The two sides finally compromised on his current two-year deal that paid Dubinsky $1.85 million per season and expires this summer.  According to Peter Botte of the New York Daily News Dubinsky wants the negotiation process to play out differently this time.

"I'd like to get it done as quickly as possible," Dubinsky said Monday at the team's practice facility in Greenburgh. "I think the Rangers want me, and I want the Rangers, so at the end of the day we might as well not waste each other's time and draw it out as long as it was (two years ago). The sooner it's done, the sooner I can focus on putting all my energy and efforts to this organization."

Those words show intent to get a deal done early and not have it be a distraction like last time and should encourage Rangers fans.  The problem with that is it assumes the way Dubinsky and his representatives perceive his value in a similar way to what the Rangers’ organization does.  Clearly that was not the case last time.  Dubinsky has more leverage in the negotiations this time as he is coming off a breakout season in 2010-11 and has arbitration rights this time, which he did not during the prior negotiations. 

Dubinsky led the Rangers’ in goals and points by putting up a 24 goal, 30 assist, 54 point season.  To go with that he took a larger leadership role both on and off the ice.  Prior to this season the criticism of Dubinsky has been for his inconsistency to produce.  Even in his career year those questions still exist to a certain extent as he notched 38 points in the 47 games he played prior to the All-Star break, but only 16 in his final 30 games of the season.  During the playoffs, Dubinsky was absent for the first two games of the series, but played very well in the final three games against the Capitals.  Overall he scored twice while adding one assist and scoring the game-winning goal in Game 3.

The question left for the Rangers is whether they think that Dubinsky is the player who helped carry the team early in the season and looked like he could put up 30 goals, 70-80 points or will he continue to be a streaky player that ends the year in the 50-60 range.  The difference in contracts based on that assessment is massive.  You can bet that Dubinsky’s representatives will push for a contract in the range of a player who will put the higher end of those numbers while the Rangers will try to keep the number as low as possible.

One would expect Dubinsky’s people to point to the David Backes extension which pays him $4.5 million over the next 5 seasons as similar to what Brandon is worth.  Their career numbers and ratios are similar and so is the way the two play, but that kind of contract would be overpaying Dubinsky.  A big difference in the two deals is Backes would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer while Dubinsky has two years left to reach that mark.  Using those two years I would suspect that Dubinsky gets somewhere around $3.2 million for the next two years and $4.1 million for the following two years to come out with a four-year $14.6 million dollar deal with an average cap hit of $3.65 million.

There is no doubt that Dubinsky is a build block type player for this organization because of the numerous roles he plays for this team.  The question is what dollar value can be placed on those various things he does to get a contract that both sides can be happy with and how long it takes for that to happen.

Video: McDonagh, Stepan Discuss Rookie Season's

McDonagh:



Stepan:



Have to love the composure of these two young players and it is their character as much as their skill that should give the fans so much hope for the future with men like these leading the way.

Rumor: Rangers Buying Out Wolski Almost Certain To Happen

The New York Rangers have a lot of personnel decisions to make this summer. A number of those decisions will revolve around players going into the final year of their contract(s) and whether the team should buy them out in order to create more cap space this summer.  Arthur Staple of Newsday writes that one such player, Wojtek Wolski, is “almost certainly” going to be bought out during the June 15-30 buyout window.  Wolski was acquired by New York in a trade with the Phoenix Coyotes for defenseman Michal Rozsival.  The trade, regardless of how Wolski would play, was a win for the Rangers as it saved them money on the cap next season and gave them the potential for a talented offensive addition.  Wolski showed flashes of the talent, but the inconsistency that has plagued his career would be the more frequent visitor in his 37 games with the Rangers. Wolski chipped in with a line of 6-13-19 in 37 games for New York and helped secure some critical shootout wins.

The combination of his inconsistency to produce offensively and his lack of fit in the Rangers more defensive system had him in and out of the doghouse with coach John Tortorella.  The talent is certainly there, but for $3.8-million salary next season the production and fit would have to be as well, and it is not.  Add to that the rule that players under 26-years-old can be bought out for only one-third of their cap hit and not the normal two-thirds and everything adds up to Wolski getting shown the door this summer.

The move to buyout Wolski would cost the Rangers $466K next season against the cap and $666K for the 2012-13 season.  The $666K against the cap a year from now is a small price to pay to have an extra $3.33 million this summer when the team has to sign numerous restricted free agents and looks to upgrade their talent level with the potential move for Brad Richards.

The move opens up cap space along with a roster spot on left wing that someone will have to fill.  Dubinsky and likely Fedotenko would be the two main left wingers on the roster though the acquisition of a Brad Richards could push a current center out to the wing as well.  Mats Zuccarello is a candidate to take a spot on left wing along with Carl Hagelin from the current crop of players not on the NHL roster.  Replacing the talent of Wolski is not an easy thing to do, but replacing the production is not all that difficult.  Regardless of how Wolski’s personal time in New York might be viewed if the buyout does indeed happen, the trade was a win for New York as they got a talented player who helped get them in the playoffs and saved $4.5 million dollars from the cap next season.