Rangers 2011-12 Schedule With Quick Thoughts

The NHL has officially released the 2011-12 Schedule, so check out the one for your New York Rangers

Thoughts after initially looking over the schedule:

• MSG renovations were going to make for long opening month and Rangers get 8 road games to start but then nice 6 game homestand.
• Longest homestand is 7 games from March 11-March 23
• Rangers will have 14 sets of back-to-back games
• Rangers don’t play New Jersey until December 20
• Winter Classic is official and scheduled for January 2 at 1PM.  The game should be night game considering it is on a Monday.
• Brutal finish to the schedule with Montreal, Boston, Philly, Pittsburgh and Washington so let’s hope there is not another close race to get in at that point.
• Rangers have 41 home games as both games in Sweden are considered Away games
• Western teams Rangers play twice: Anaheim, Chicago, Phoenix.  All three made the playoffs last season, so no breaks there

Rumor: Rangers Never Called Jagr To Return

There has been a lot of discussion lately about where Jaromir Jagr will play hockey next season.  According to Larry Brooks at the New York Post, New York will not be that place.  Brooks is reporting that the Rangers did not reach out to Jagr to see if he would be interested in coming back to New York.  Jagr believes that if he was desired by the Rangers that they would call him and so the reunion that many fans have been hoping for appears to be officially off the table.

"I don't want to put this the wrong way, but teams that want me and think I can help them have been calling me, and the Rangers never called, so I don't think they would want me," Jagr told The Post by phone last night from his home in the Czech Republic.

"I don't want to be a guy who says, 'Do you need me; do you want me?' It's not like I'm looking for a job," No. 68 said. "Teams know I'm serious about coming back. If Glen thought I could help, he would have told me.

The main contenders for Jagr appear to be the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.  Those two places are better for Jagr and the Rangers are better not making the move for him this season.  Jagr can still contribute at the NHL level, but with Detroit and Pittsburgh he can do it in a role that better suits his current ability level.  With the Rangers, Jagr would be expected to be much of what he was before he went to the KHL before the last three seasons and that is not fair to anyone.  In terms of position the Rangers are not a fit either as New York has Marian Gaborik and Ryan Callahan already here to play right wing.  Jagr was great for the Rangers while he was here, but both sides have come to the proper conclusion that going back for the 2011-12 season would be the wrong move.

Rangers Absent From NHL Awards Winners But Seven Rangers Received Votes

During last night’s NHL Awards the New York Rangers won zero awards and had no nominations to show for their 2010-11 campaign.  That does not mean that the work of individual players went completely unnoticed as seven members of the organization received votes. 

Lundqvist was the highest finisher with a fourth place in the Venzina voting while also coming in 14th in the race for Hart.  The only reason that Lundqvist did not crack the top three in the Vezina race this season is the overall team performance.  The combination of the Rangers squeaking into the playoffs as the final seed in the Eastern Conference and the Canuck’s winning the President’s trophy is why Luongo got the nod over Lundqvist.  Nice to see Lundqvist getting some votes for the Hart as well since he is one of the single most valuable player’s to their team.

Marc Staal continues to fly under the radar in terms of awards with his one fifth place vote in the Norris race.  Not saying Staal should have been a finalist or even close this season, but the impact offensive numbers has on the voting is still somewhat disappointing.  Coming in tied for 16th is not indicative of the season Staal had and there are those who finished above him that should not have.  Problem for Staal is that unless he raises his point total, serious consideration for a Norris will never come his way.

John Tortorella coming in ninth in the Jack Adams is one of the more interesting ones to me.  There was serious buzz about him mid-season as a contender, but the slide to start the second half and needing the huge finish just to get in took that away.  He probably should be higher on the list considering the job he did, but the guys he likely should pass have a combination of better team success and reputations to overcome. 

The Rangers did have two players make an appearance in the Calder voting with Derek Stepan finishing 13th while Michael Sauer came in 17th.  Stepan should have been a little higher on the list, probably 9 or 10, but inconsistency did plague his season, so it is easy to see why he did not get full credit for his season.  Possibly the most surprising vote getter was Michael Sauer.  Not that he did not deserve to get the fifth place vote he did, but that he was recognized for his excellent rookie season.  The lack of flash is Sauer’s game usually has player’s like him go unnoticed when it comes to awards, but good for him in getting the vote.

If there is an award, besides the Vezina that the Rangers might win sometime soon it is likely to be the Selke as they numerous forwards who work very hard on the defensive end of the ice.  Ryan Callahan came in at number 10 in the voting despite missing significant time this season while Brandon Prust was 18 and Brian Boyle finished 31.  It is not a stretch to think that if Callahan can hit 30 goals next season and play 82 games that he could creep into the top-5 range in the voting.  As for Prust and Boyle, like Sauer, it is nice to see them be rewarded for their hard work with some recognition around the league.

There were no awards for New York, but that does not mean performances were unnoticed.

Rangers Home Opener October 27 Against Toronto

Tomorrow at 2pm the full schedule for the New York Rangers 2011-12 season will come out.  In the meantime the schedule is leaking out one game at a time.  Already knowing the season will open in Sweden against the Los Angeles Kings on October 7 and San Jose on October 8along with the Winter Classic on January 2nd.

Today the New York Rangers announced that for the second straight season the home opener will be against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Does that guarantee that Brad Richards will be in attendance either way?

2011 Draft: Tyler Biggs Has The Size But Does He Have The Upside To Right For Rangers?

The 2011 draft is only two days away, and the Rangers scouting and front office staff is looking through many prospects to see who they want to select with the 15th overall selection.  With the current state of the Rangers defense both at the NHL and prospect level one would expect that New York will look for offense in the first round of the draft hoping to find an impact scorer.  There are a number of offensive prospects that could be available at 15.  We have already looked at Mark Scheifele, Mark McNeill, Zack Phillips, Joel Armia, Sven Bartschi, Ty Rattie, Matt Peumpel, Vladislav Namestnikov and Rocco Grimaldi for their potential fits for the Rangers.

One name that has been connected to the New York Rangers quite a bit recently is Tyler Biggs of the US National Development Team.  Being 6’2” and 210 pounds there is a natural reason to connect him to the Rangers as they need size in the organization and a power forward for the future.  He has shown a willingness to play in the dirty areas and uses his size in front.

Beyond his sheer size, Biggs is most known for his leadership abilities and willingness to stand up for his teammates.  Those are both excellent qualities to have in a young player, but they don’t necessarily make a player worthy of the #15 pick in the draft.  There are concerns about his hands and ability to score which have some questioning what the upside is for him offensively.

Jess Rubenstein of The Prospect Park thinks that Biggs is the perfect complement to a line with Chris Kreider and Derek Stepan down the line.  I have great respect for Jess and the work he does in understanding so many prospects in the organization and the draft process, but I think it is a little early to start drafting for the possibility of pairing Biggs with Kreider and Stepan.  If he is the best player on the board, then take him and hope for the combination to develop down the road, but you cannot start taking for need and hoping the player develops into what you think he can become.

Scouts Take:

TSR:

Biggs certainly merits consideration as a prospect due to his size, physical play, skating ability and determination. It’s difficult though to see him as a first rounder since he does not possess the offensive skills that would be worthy of such a high pick. Biggs may only top out as a 15-20 goal guy who can provide some grit and nastiness which fits nicely on some clubs but the ceiling doesn’t seem high enough to justify anything other than the second round.

Bruins Draft Watch:

25. Tyler Biggs, RW U.S. NTDP (USHL) 6-2, 210 04/30/1993
Victimized by unrealistic expectations, Biggs could end up proving a lot of the critics wrong. We don't buy into the belief that he killed his stock at the World Under-18 tourney- we just don't feel that it was as high with the NHL teams out there as Central scouting led everyone to believe when they ranked him fifth overall among North American skaters on their midterm list. He lives up to his last name- a powerful skater and battering ram who plays the game like a legitimate power forward. When Biggs is on top of his game, he bulls his way to the net, spins and cycles effortlessly while protecting the puck from defenders powerless to separate him from it, and unleashes a rocket shot that is heavy and hurts. Unfortunately, scouts are unsure of his hockey sense and ability to create for himself. That's one of those aspects of hockey that is extremely tough to project and Biggs could very well end up being a legitimate top-six forward someday- he can skate, hit and fight. But there are enough concerns about his upside that keep him from being a top-20 guy in our view. However, he is extremely close- the margin between his not making the cut is razor-thin as any one of the players ahead of him at 21-24 could all make the case to be inside the top-20. He's a good player, but how good is the big question on draft day.

The Rangers do need size in their lineup and a big bodied power forward is something the organization has been looking to find for a long time now, which makes Biggs an intriguing possibility, but just not the right choice at #15.  When picking #15 there should be more upside to a player than there is with Biggs.  It is certainly possible that like with most bigger players it will take him longer to put the total package together and going to the University of Miami is an excellent move for him, but there should be players on the board with more to get than him in that spot.  If the Rangers can move down a little in the first and gain something for it, then taking Biggs would not seem like the stretch it feels like in this spot.

Biggs was the instant selection when I asked The Prospect Park’s Jess Rubenstein about his thoughts on the draft a couple of days ago, citing Biggs’ ability to come up big in key games as one particular reason for his choice. It’s hard to argue either; Biggs has competed in two Under-18 World Championships, winning gold in 2010 and ’11, scoring a crucial overtime winner, his second of the night, against Canada in the semi-finals this year.

I love the leadership aspect of Biggs’ game, but I’d personally like to see the Rangers go with a higher offensive ceiling when picking amongst the likes of Armia, Baertschi, McNeill and Scheifele. The Rangers have grinders, guys that lay it all on the line for the cause, and though you can never have enough of a good thing it’s hard to pass on more talented guys should they be available.

Were Del Zotto Struggles Key Component of Gaborik Down Season?

In a season of pleasant surprises for the New York Rangers, Michael Del Zotto and Marian Gaborik stand out as the two most disappointing players from the 2010-11 season.  Maybe then it should come as no surprise that Rangers director of player personnel Gordie Clark draws a link between the struggles of one and the down season for the other.  According to Andrew Gross over at Ranger Rants that is exactly what Clark did in previewing the upcoming NHL draft.

“I clearly think it hurt Gaborik. This was the guy hitting him for a lot of those breakaway passes. Gabby never got into tip-top shape. And when he came back, Michael was not into the groove of his game.”

The idea of Del Zotto not being able to connect with and spring Gaborik for breakaways is something that cannot be discounted in the struggles of the Rangers sniper.  There were certainly issues with the way Gaborik skated last season in allowing himself to be checked easier by staying to the outside, but this has merit as well.  The reason for the merit is not just the potential goals that Gaborik could have gotten from the passes if they connected, but the confidence that comes with putting the puck in the net more consistently.  For Gaborik the lack of results became a confidence problem and only furthered the lack of results in terms of goal scoring.  It became a cycle within itself and had a large impact on why he had a disappointing second season on Broadway.  This view from Clark is yet another reason it is too early to throw in the towel on Del Zotto because of how important a skilled puck-moving defender can be everyone around him.

In terms of Del Zotto himself, Clark was optimistic in how he will respond to the struggles of his second season with the Rangers.

“It seems he got in a little bit of a rut,” Clark said. “Going to the minors is never a bad idea. I know players don’t like it. He clearly would have been back up (to the NHL) but, two or three games in (the second time Del Zotto was sent to Connecticut), he breaks his thumb. The games he did play down there, he was a dominant player in the AHL. He’ll come back. He’s a competitive kid. When you can find a guy who can move a puck like that, there’s always a job in the NHL.”

That is great to hear especially with the rumors and questions about Del Zotto’s conditioning and work ethic that have swirled around.  The competitive nature of a person is tested most in the struggles and if Del Zotto uses the struggles of his second season as motivation to prove all the doubters wrong, then the Rangers are going to get a heck of a turnaround year from an immensely talented defender.  The person who might benefit most from that is Marian Gaborik.

Be sure to check out Ranger Rants to see what Gordie Clark had to say in previewing this year's draft.Del Zotto 

Rangers Need To Avoid Reverting To Obsession With Big Names

After missing the playoffs in 2009-10 season and looking at a summer where there was little to no money under the cap the expectations for New York Rangers fans were minimal in what the team would do.  The 2010-11 season saw the Rangers have career seasons from half the roster and incorporate numerous rookies into the NHL. The combination of hope that gave the fans about their individual futures and the fact the Rangers now have money has had the mentality of going after whatever big name is available return to the conversation this summer.

There is no doubt that the time will come where the Rangers will have to bring in pieces, through free agency and/or trade, in order to get over the hump and win a championship.  Despite the best efforts of many to convince otherwise, this is not that time.  New York is not one player away from winning a title next season, especially if bringing in that player slows the development of other pieces that the Rangers need to grow to be legitimate contenders. 

As fans there is the natural overvaluing and over-attachment to the players that are on your team.  There is also the overvaluing and assumption of what a player from outside can do for your team.  Brad Richards, Paul Stastny, Jason Spezza are all elite talents that can help a team be better, but the cost for each is high in different ways. 

For Richards the concern is not about the money, but the number of years you are paying that kind of salary to him.  With Stastny it is a combination of the cost and paying it off a down season to have another player making an elite salary who while an All-Star is not a star caliber player.  On Spezza you get an elite talent, but asset cost would like you end up with the Rangers having to cut deep into the depth they have built to make the deal.  If you could get Richards for three or four seasons, then you make the deal.  If Stastny or Spezza came at salary dump prices, then you are having different discussions.  The problem is none of those are going to happen.

The Rangers can make any of these moves and likely be a better team today, but the point of the rebuilding process was to have sustainable long-term success and not sacrifice it all for one shot.  We all want another Stanley Cup title in New York, but there is this urge to hit the panic button and go back to the old ways of chasing the biggest name at all costs instead of sticking with the system that has given the fans more reason to hope than in many years.

There is no reason that another year of development to see what the team really has in Anisimov, Stepan, Kreider, and Thomas, then make the decision as to where the holes are to be filled as you continue to have the reinforcements added from within.  It will take a combination of your own talent and outside pieces to win a championship so there is nothing that says this summer has to be the moment the Rangers look to buy the big name when the rest aren’t ready for prime time yet.  Trust the process and don’t look for the shortcut.  The quick fix is what got the Rangers into this mess over a decade and it will take time to be really ready to be out of it.  No reason to jump right back in with huge contracts in the hopes that they bring a title. 

Has HBO 24/7 Series Become Bigger Than Winter Classic Game Itself?

Over the course of the past few months most have reported, but no one has confirmed that the 2012 NHL Winter Classic will have the New York Rangers traveling to Philadelphia to take on the rival Flyers.  This morning, Larry Brooks of the New York Post, via twitter said that the match-up will happen on January 2 and that both teams will participate in HBO’s 24/7 this fall.

Will be no surprise, but when NHL schedule is released, confirmed that Rangers will be in Philly for Jan. 2 Winter Classic w/ 24/7 coverage.

The most interesting thing about the reaction to Brooks reporting was that much of it revolved around the Rangers being on 24/7 as opposed to the game itself.  Maybe that is partially because the rumors of the 

matchup have been out there for months, but so has the assumption that any future participation in a Winter Classic required the participation in the HBO series.  It appears that the behind the scenes look into the lives of the NHL and its players has actually become bigger than the biggest regular season game itself.  That is not a bad thing either.

The NHL was looking to use the exposure of the HBO mini-series to reach a wider group of viewers and that appears to be happening.  Now instead of the focus just being on the fact that a regular season NHL game is being played outside, there is a series of discussions about what could be seen on this season’s show.  That kind of buzz and talk is something that the NHL needs in order to continue to grow the sport.  The diehard hockey fan is going to watch both the show and the game regardless of who is involved, but using the show to bring in the casual fan and have them form an attachment to the players increases the likelihood of them watching the game and sticking with the sport.  

The early favorite in discussing what could be seen on the show revolves around New York Rangers coach John Tortorella and his already colorful press conferences.  To see what he can do at press conferences, one gets excited to see what HBO could catch behind the scenes.  Will Tortorella curse as much as Washington Capitals’ coach Bruce Boudreau?  Do not discount the chances that it will be Flyer coach Peter Laviolette who comes out with the mouth and temper as while generally more composed with the media he gets very heated on the bench.  

Having personalities like Sean Avery, Brian Boyle, Martin Biron, Brandon Dubinsky, Mike Richards and Chris Pronger should make for entertaining television.  There will be natural storylines of the rivalries between the cities and about whether each team will be able to contend for a championship.  Much of the storylines have yet to be written because there is no way to fully know what the teams will look like until the offseason kicks into high gear with free agency next week.  No matter what the teams look like the combination of personalities on the rosters and storylines to follow will lead to increased interest both during and after the completion of the series.  It is likely that when the Winter Classic itself is over this coming January that the most memorable part of the whole event will be the mini-series and something that occurs on it before the game ever happens, which would not bother the NHL in the least.  After only one year, HBO’s 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic has found a way to dominate the game itself and the sport is better for it.

For an entertaining viewers guide to things to watch for during this year’s 24/7 check out this viewer’s guide.

Rumor: Trading For Stastny or Spezza Rangers Plan B If No Richards; Is Either The Answer?

Free agency is just 10 days away and the stories that surround the New York Rangers all revolve around Brad Richards and the chase to lure him to Broadway.  Stories either revolve around what it will take to bring Richards to New York or what the alternatives are if he goes elsewhere.  Today’s story revolves around the alternatives as according to Steve Zipay at Newsday, people familiar with the Richards situation say that the Rangers will turn to trading for Paul Stastny or Jason Spezza if they fail to secure the former Dallas Star.

The Rangers also could try to deal for a center (Ottawa's Jason Spezza or Colorado's Paul Stastny) if they believe they will be outbid by Los Angeles for top unrestricted free-agent target Brad Richards, people familiar with the issue said.

Does Rising Salary Cap Floor Make Wade Redden Trade Possible?

With yesterday’s reporting that the NHL salary cap for the 2011-12 season could rise to $64 million dollars much of the focus was on what it means to the Rangers immediate cap space to keep their restricted free agents and chase Brad Richards this summer.  The most intriguing thing about the cap announcement might be the increase in the cap floor to $48 million from the previous $43.4 million during the 2010-11 season. 

The reason that the rise in the cap floor is so interesting as there are a few teams out there that have tremendous amounts of cap room and not a lot of guys to sign that will make big dollars.  Various teams fit into this kind of situation, but two of the most obvious are the Florida Panthers who have hardly any payroll committed for next season, $18.3 million, and the New York Islanders who have payroll checking in at $36.8 million but have already 17 players under contract.

Both of these teams will add salary when they bring up high draft picks who have high incentives on their entry level deals.  Beyond that however neither team is known for attracting free agents to their club because of bad teams and ownership that has been unwilling to spend more than what is absolutely necessary.  The options on the table for them would be to overpay free agents so they can reach the salary cap floor, which they can afford, or become a de facto clearing house for bad contracts that other teams are looking to unload. 

Those factors lead to thoughts that were unthinkable in that the Rangers might have a way to rid themselves of Wade Redden by trading him to one of these teams that needs to add to their cap figures.  The Rangers obviously would get nothing of value in return for Redden and might have to sweeten the pot with a pick or prospect to get another team to take on the salary.  As maligned as Redden was for his play with the Rangers during his first two seasons on Broadway, he would still be an NHL defender if his salary were half of the $6.5 million he makes. 

With the work that Redden did in Hartford mentoring the Rangers defensive prospects, a young team in search of some leadership and teaching skills could have interest in dealing for him to help their young players as well as hit the cap floor.  If you are a rebuilding team like Florida who can obtain more assets to the rebuild (pick(s), prospect) and the veteran leadership to mentor the young players just for taking his salary to get in compliance with the floor of the cap, you might just do it.

Yes, it is still crazy to think Wade Redden could actually get dealt, but the financial requirements for teams to have payroll at $48 million makes the idea a little less impossible to believe.  Rangers’ General Manager Glen Sather has worked his trade magic before, which only adds to the hope that he could do it again with Redden.  Players like Mike Komisarek or Brian Campbell would be more likely to fit the bill of overpaid player to pump the cap floor that can contribute to more on the ice than Redden can, but more than since the day he signed the six-year, $39 million deal with the Rangers there is hope that the rising cap floor could force someone to take him on.