Video: Zdeno Chara Makes Critical Save On Alex Burrows To Keep Canucks Scoreless

Beating Tim Thomas is hard enough, but when he gets helps from 6' 9" Zdeno Chara it can seem impossible to ever get one in for the Vancouver Canucks.  With the Bruins leading 1-0 approaching the midway point of the second period and Tim Thomas scrambling around outside of his crease it appeared that Alex Burrows was primed to tie the game.  That was until Chara intervened and kept the Canucks scoreless.  The Bruins would go on to score twice more before the end of the second to head to the final period with a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 lead, but who knows what would have happened if Chara didnt make that critical save.

Bringing Back Eminger As Defensive Insurance Would Be Smart Decision For Rangers

There will be a lot of talk this summer about the Rangers needing to acquire/sign a veteran defenseman for their young defensive corps.  It is true that if Del Zotto rebounds and Tim Erixon makes the team out of came the Rangers will open the season with Dan Girardi as the oldest defender at 27.  Also true would be the fact that the Rangers bottom four defenders would all have less than two full seasons of experience at the NHL level.  What is not true though is that the organization needs to bring in someone to solve that problem.  This team showed last season that being young was not necessarily a bad thing and that there was enough game experience, even if not at the NHL level, for the key players to succeed.  The team could use a solid seventh defenseman who is capable of playing, but also able to sit for long periods of time and still contribute when called upon.  One such player could be Steve Eminger.

When the Rangers acquired Steve Eminger from the Anaheim Ducks last summer for Aaron Voros it was a shot at getting something for nothing.  After a disappointing preseason, Eminger picked up his play considerably when the Rangers needed it most and was on his way to a very solid season.  His play would dip some in the second half and that combined with the Rangers roster decisions had him in the press box for much of the end of the season.  Overall Eminger played solidly during his first season with the Blueshirts. 
He is not going to be a huge offensive contributor or even a defensive stopper, but Eminger does have the ability to be solid and eat minutes on the third pair of defense.  What he also provided, to the enjoyment of coach John Tortorella, was a physical presence in someone that was willing to throw the body.  

Bringing Eminger back at the 6/7 defender in the group, depending on Del Zotto and Erixon, is a smart and inexpensive move for Sather to make this summer.  He showed he could be a good locker room guy in the way he handled his being scratched and was able to step into more important roles when injuries necessitated him doing so.  He does not have the upside that Gilroy does offensively, but he is better in his own end and provides more experience to go with the young defense corps.

Rangers Player Review: Marc Staal Continues To Develop As Franchise Stalwart

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Fans of the New York Rangers are spoiled by knowing what it is like to have a number one shutdown defenseman in Marc Staal.  Staal has long been the best defenseman on the team, but this season he raised his game another level garnering his first All-Star selection.  Last summer Staal was rewarded for his past played with an eye to his future results when he received a five-year $19.875 million dollar contract.  At the time of the deal there were those who wondered if given his lack of offensive numbers the Rangers had overpaid Staal. 

This season should have erased those questions from anyone who asked them.  With each passing season Staal proves he is amongst the best shutdown defenders in the league while slowly adding to his offensive game along with taking on more leadership in the room.  To have him locked up for four more seasons at less than $4 million per season against the cap is a coup for the organization as he heads into his prime years. 

Each night Staal, along with his partner Dan Girardi, takes on the very best that the opposing team has to bring to the table.  The job the pair does against the league’s best often seems to spoil Rangers’ fans on the rare night where Staal has an off game as fans seem to forget just how good he is.  Maybe it is the lack of flash to Staal’s game that causes many to underappreciate the way he shuts down the league’s elite on a nightly basis.  If there is anything to criticize in his game it would be that he has nights where he doesn’t take the body like he is capable of doing and how he can get overaggressive on the inside move and be beaten wide on the rush.  Those things are clearly nitpicking as Staal does have ferocious hits at times and uses his long reach and excellent positioning to be the player that he is over the course of the season.

In 77 games, Staal had seven goals and 22 assists for a career high 29 point season. Staal’s offensive improvement was aided by increased chances on the power play where he had four goals and seven assists after having zero goals only one power play assist in his first three seasons combined.  Staal continued to cement himself as a workhorse averaging a career high 25:44 of ice time per game this season to lead the Rangers.  It was the fourth consecutive season that he has increased his ice time and at times, especially late in the season, it seemed to take a toll on him this year.  Hopefully with a more consistent and trusted third defensive pair next season the Rangers can back down Staal’s minutes to some extent and keep him fresher every night.

What you had to like most about Staal’s 2010-11 season was not that he continued to do the things that made him so good in the past, but that he continues to add elements to his game.  He had significantly more confidence this season in rushing the puck up the ice and joining the rush which helps to create offense for himself and space for his teammates.   Along with that and the afore mentioned contributions on special teams, Staal took on a significantly larger leadership role when he assumed the “A” for the first time this season.   He is another of the even-keeled leader on the team and at the heart of the core this team is being built upon.

Aside from Henrik Lundqvist there is no more valuable player to the New York Rangers than Marc Staal.  A number one defender is not an easy thing to find in this league.  The Rangers are blessed to have one as young as Staal with so many years left in his career and it would behoove those who seek to criticize Staal to remember that fact.

Final Grade: A

Sean Avery Continues Fight For Marriage Equality in Albany

Sean Avery’s support for the gay community over the past few months has been unwavering, and while it has gotten him some criticism, it has mostly been met with support.  Today, according to Celeste Katz of the Daily Politics Blog for the New York Daily News, he took that support for the issue of marriage equality directly to the capitol in Albany, New York.  There are plans for Avery to meet directly with members of the New York State Senate on the issue of marriage equality to both sure up support votes and in hopes of making the difference for those who are either undecided or currently against the issue.

"If you're on the fence or a little bit nervous about being okay with it, that's fine," Avery said. "That's why I'm here, to get that point across and help as much as I can."

Avery is right that one thing that he, and other high profile athletes like Steve Nash and Michael Strahan can help to bring some easing of the fear that surrounds this issue.  The goal for high profile players and people is not about making people happy about this issue or even comfortable with the idea, but ok with the understanding that all people are created equal and what they choose to do in their personal life is their business.  It is not an easy stand for a person of high stature to take and Avery deserves tremendous credit for doing so in every way that he has been asked.

Video via Times Union:

h/t to Kevin at TheNYRBlog for finding the story.

2011 NHL Draft Prospects: Rocco Grimaldi Packs Tremendous Skill In Small Frame

The 2011 draft is only 10 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 and Vladislav Namestnikov for their potential fits for the Rangers.

Today it is time to look at Rocco Grimaldi who is a center from the USHL.  Grimaldi is as skilled as just about any player in this draft class, but where he will be taken is a mystery right now.  The reason for the differential is because of the concerns over Grimaldi’s size as he checks in at 5’ 6”, 163 pounds.  Size has not been an issue to this point as this past season in just 23 games this year for US NTDP he scored 12 goals and added 13 assists.

Looking beyond his physical size you see a player who has tremendous skill, speed, quickness and is extremely strong for his stature.  The level of athlete that Grimaldi is helps to overcome some of the issues with his size.  The fact that more undersized players are succeeding in big ways should help Grimaldi in the draft, but he will likely still slip further than his skill should allow him to.  He is definitely a risk because of the size, but in the mid-to-late first round the ability to get an top line type talent is something that will make someone take the chance and likely be rewarded down the road.

Grimaldi would certainly add tremendous talent to the Rangers system and they have shown they are not against drafting smaller players, so drafting Grimaldi is certainly a viable option for the Rangers at #15.  You likely are not going to find a better pure talent in the middle of the first round, but there could be a better combination of size and talent for the Rangers on the board at that point.

Scouts Take:

Kirk Luedeke of Bruins Draft Watch:

Strengths: Top athlete with pure power, quickness and strength. Strong for his size- a dedicated gym rat who understands that pound-for-pound, he must be one of the most powerful players to compensate for the lack of height/weight. Dynamic, explosive skater with elite speed, edge control and balance. Low center of gravity allows him to get under bigger players and stay on his skates when body contract occurs. Never stops moving his feet or hustling- a whirling dervish of perpetual motion. Ultra-fast stick and elite puck skills. Sniper with flash-fire release, pinpoint accuracy and the mindset to finish at any level. Genius hockey IQ- can play in any zone, but is an especially lethal threat when he has the puck. Tremendous passer who can find open teammates through a maze of sticks and feet. Right up there with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins as the top two pure offensive talents in the 2011 draft class. Can do just about anything he wants with the puck, but plays well away from it, too. Very good on faceoffs when it comes to beating his opponent cleanly with a fast stick. Tenacious in his own end- uses his superb hand-eye coordination to steal pucks away from opponents and interdict passing lanes. Aggressive on the PK- uses his game-breaking speed and smarts to intercept passes and turn them into scoring chances. Huge heart- never stops working to prove critics wrong. Unselfish teammate who is willing to sacrifice individual numbers and accolades in the name of winning. A winner. Devout in his faith and convictions- Grimaldi uses his beliefs and values system as a powerful motivational force to always brings his best.

The Scouting Report:

Easily one of the more skilled players available in the draft, Grimaldi has a proven track record of production at every level. Strong work ethic and dedication to the game have enabled him to develop skills in skating, passing, shooting and puck handling that could comprise a video on “How To….” All indications are that he’ll keep developing as he moves up the ladder. The only obvious knock is his size.

Corey Pronman of Hockey Prospectus:

The most common phrase I hear in reference to Rocco Grimaldi when I talk to scouts usually goes along the lines of, "If only he was 5'11", then he'd go first overall." He is one of the, if not the most gifted player in this draft class from a pure hockey skills perspective. Grimaldi's a true plus skater with well above-average acceleration and gets to a plus top speed after a handful of strides. He's agile standing still and in motion, and I've seen him out-skate a defender chasing him skating forward while he was merely side stepping. He possesses plus puck skills and in regards to when the puck is on his stick, there's really not a single area where there's an issue. His hand-eye coordination, stick-handling, passing, even to a degree his puck protection is all there and at a desirable level. Grimaldi's shot is also at a plus level, and he can score with his wrist shot or slapper from well beyond the crease area and he generates a large amount of power on all his shots. He thinks the game at a solid to above-average level, has notable vision with the puck that allows to him execute plus passes regularly, although I have at times seem him force plays here and there. He's solid defensively, and is effective at even-strength and on the penalty kill in that regard. Grimaldi's intangibles are off the charts; he simply flies up and down the ice and does whatever it takes to get the puck off players. Despite the 5'6" frame, he regularly challenges players much bigger than him and wins his fair share of battles although not enough to erase the liability. The frame will continue to hamper his absolute potential for his entire career, but if there was ever an ideal model of a player who could overcome being well below-average size-wise, that player would be Rocco Grimaldi.

Which Veteran Should Get Another Year: Ruslan Fedotenko Or Vinny Prospal?

The focus for the New York Rangers this offseason on bringing back their key restricted free agents and added top offensive talent to the foundation this team built last season.  Beyond the contracts for Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Michael Sauer, Brian Boyle and the chase for Brad Richards the Rangers have a very interesting decision to make in regards to two of their unrestricted free agents.  It is likely that the Rangers will only have a spot for either Ruslan Fedotenko or Vinny Prospal, so which one should the Rangers give another year?

The Case for Fedotenko:

Ruslan Fedotenko came to the Rangers last season on a professional tryout looking to catch back on with his former coach John Tortorella.  The move was one of those under the radar moves by Glen Sather that seem to work out better than his flashy ones.  Under the radar is very apt way to describe the season that Fedotenko had for the Blueshirts as well.  He did not light up the scoreboard 10 goals, 15 assists season in 66 games, but that does not mean he was not a critical component to the Rangers this past season.  After starting the season with Sean Avery and Derek Stepan, Fedotenko was put with Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust to form arguably the most consistent lines the Rangers had during the 2010-11 season.  The line was tremendous on both ends of the ice between their ability to slow down the opposition and work the Rangers grinding system in the offensive zone.

The key for Fedotenko was his play away from the puck.  Going largely unrecognized for much of the season for his tremendous work on the forecheck, the contributions of Fedotenko were felt significantly during his absence from a shoulder injury and subsequent appendectomy.   The inability of the team to establish the forecheck game in his absence is what made most take notice of just how impactful he had been for the club.

After returning from the injury he was as impactful away from the puck, but his offense fell off with only one goal and five assists in the final 17 regular season games.  In the playoffs however he showed flashes of offense and was the Rangers most impactful forward during their series against the Capitals.

Case for Prospal:

Prospal has his 2010-11 season marred by a bad knee that caused him to be able to play in 29 games.   On the ice however, Prospal produced at an excellent clip scoring nine goals and having 14 assists in those 29 games.  Over an 82 game season that is an extremely respectable 65 point pace.  There were certainly games where you could see that the knee was an issue for Prospal in the way he was skating, but the veteran knows how to produce and used his experience to make himself effective.

Despite the overall down year from Gaborik, there was still chemistry between Prospal and Gaborik, even if not at the same level as 2009-10 season.  The combination of his veteran presence, leadership, enthusiasm and skill is something that cannot be discounted for a largely young Rangers team that if Chris Drury is bought out would currently have only one forward under contract that is over 30 years of age.  The other huge plus that Prospal has going for him is his versatility.  He has the ability to play on the wing or in the middle which gives John Tortorella and his constant line juggling even more options to play with.

The Decision:

Much of the decision between the two of them comes down to the health of Prospal’s knee and not the final outcome of the Brad Richards chase.  The assumption for many is that if Richards does come that means Wojtek Wolski would get a chance to play with Richards and Marian Gaborik on the top line.  That is an intriguing combination of players and for some would rule out the need for Prospal.  For me the inconsistency of Wolski and the combination of experience and skill Prospal brings makes Prospal valuable not only as insurance for Wolski but in his ability to aid a potential third line with Derek Stepan.  The other thing to factor into this equation is that Sean Avery played very well during the 2010-11 regular season and playoffs when paired with Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust.  If Avery can fill that role Fedotenko had with those two, then the Rangers can take the gamble on the offensive production Prospal could potentially provide on a one year deal.

Rumor: Toronto Looking To Deal For Dubinsky?

The offseason is the time where the rumor mill goes crazy as there is little actual news to report right now.  There is a buzz going around twitter concerning a rumor with New York Rangers restricted free agent Brandon Dubinsky potentially ending up with the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Here is the rumor from BD Gallof of Hockey Independent

Speaking of rumors, heard #Leafs of a tentative deal in place possibly for Dubinsky who is #NYR RFA. Cost? 1st rd pick, player & prospect

My guess? That's the #leafs offer and Rags more likely to try to hold on and resign him.

Before all Rangers fans either freak out at the idea of Dubinsky leaving or celebrate because they think he is not worth the money he wants, let us remember it is just a rumor as was clearly pointed out.  Looking at the rumor itself is kind of difficult for the lack of names involved, but the idea that Dubinsky could net a first, player and prospect should awaken some Rangers fans to the value Dubinsky is seen to have around the league. 

For Burke he gets a top six forward that fits the mold of player he likes as he heads into the prime of his career and improves his team today.  Burke is not afraid to overpay for the player he wants, and one would suspect a move like this for Burke is not about Dubinsky alone, but further enticing Brad Richards to go to Toronto.  A line of Dubinsky-Richards-Kessel would be lethal and certainly make Toronto a likely playoff team next season.  Even if they failed to lure Richards, having Dubinsky, Kessel, Kulemin, Grabovski, MacArthur in the fold gives the Leafs a very solid forward group.

For the Rangers this kind of a deal would come down the players involved and what the atmosphere around contract negotiations with Dubinsky is like.  Having teams this interested in Dubinsky gives both sides of the contract negotiations an element of leverage as it shows the Rangers that other teams will pay Dubinsky what he likely wants, while showing the agents that if he wants to stay in New York that there might have to be some give in the price or they can move him.  The key player for this deal would likely be if Burke was willing to include Nazem Kadri and if he was the Rangers would have to seriously consider the deal for the potential of Kadri down the line.  Losing Dubinsky would be a huge blow to the Rangers next season and dent their core, but if Kadri was to be involved, getting him a first and an NHL player would be an excellent haul for Dubinsky long-term. In the end I do not see the Rangers letting Dubinsky go because of his overall value to this team. 

Rumors are just that until they actually happen so there is no need to freak out or celebrate, depending on your side, until the deal is actually done. 

Rangers Should Look At Zuccarello, Stepan, Thomas As Potential Third Line 2011-12

On Friday I looked at the potential fallout and/or domino effect on the other centers in the Rangers lineup if the New York Rangers go out and catch Brad Richards as the big fish the unrestricted free agent market.  If that happens there is also an impact on what the team’s needs are along the wing.  Assuming that coach John Tortorella wants to keep all the centers in those positions and that Anisimov is left with Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan, then Derek Stepan is likely the third line center next year.  The worry in playing Stepan in that kind of role is about minutes, but also the quality of players he is playing with on his wings for his overall development.

One idea that could work would be to have a skilled third line that is young and developing together.  Seeing as how the line would not play against the top four defenders on the opposition you could use a young skilled, even small line and get away with it.  Stepan and Mats Zuccarello showed very good chemistry at times last season and both possess very good playmaking instincts.  To go with that pair one would want a finisher and the best finisher the Rangers have in the pipeline is Christian Thomas.  Most are aware of the tremendous season that Thomas had in the OHL for the Oshawa Generals when he recorded 54 goals and 45 assists in 66 games.  He followed that regular season up with an equally impressive 10 goals and nine assists in only 9 games.

It is a leap from the OHL and I am not about to say it will be a pain free transition that sees Thomas score 30 goals as a rookie, but his finishing skill paired with Stepan and Zuccarello would give the Rangers a young dynamic scoring line out of their third unit.  The three would likely have some issues in the defensive zone given their combined lack of size, but they can be shielded from that in large measure by being put out for mostly offensive zone draws.

Expect Thomas, especially with the Rangers lack of consistent scoring, to be given every shot to make the club out of training camp this fall, and even the 9 games he is allowed during the year to prove he belongs.  This combination might be his best shot at playing with skill and not being exposed for his youth or size at the NHL level as a rookie.

2011 NHL Draft Prospects: Vladislav Namestnikov

The 2011 draft now less than one month 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

Today Vladislav Namestnikov of the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League becomes the next to be looked at in a draft preview.  Namestnikov came over to the OHL this year, much like Alexander Burmistrov, to adapt to the North American game in advance of the NHL draft and show his commitment to playing here.  In his first season with the Knights he tallied 30 goals and 38 assists in 68 games.

In the Final Central Scouting Rankings he came it at 11 after being 17 during the midseason rankings period.  He came

The NHL.com mock drafts have him all over the board with one sending him to Calgary at 13, one to New York at 15 and one having him slide all the way to 28 where the Toronto Maple Leafs would select him.

Kirk Luedeke of Bruins Draft Watch’s:

Skilled Russian came over to the OHL this season and played very well, finishing second to Bruins prospect Jared Knight (25 goals 70 points) in scoring for London with 30 goals and 68 points in as many games. He's a late-92 birthdate who made an immediate impact with his team and adjusted well to the North American game. Namestnikov led all Knights players with 30 markers this season and has high-end skills and nice wheels. He's very average-sized at 6-0 and about 170, so will have a lot of off-ice work to do in order to get his body ready for the pro hockey grind, but he's highly adept at handling the puck, setting up the play and thinks the game at an advanced level. He speaks perfect English, as he spent much of his youth in the U.S. and Canada while his dad, Evgeny, was playing in the NHL and AHL. His uncle, Slava Kozlov is a Stanley Cup champion and 800+ point scorer in the NHL, so Namestnikov's sterling blood lines will help. He's a typical skilled European player who is very good offensively, but is still a work in progress in terms of his defense, but there is some upside here for sure.

OHL Prospects:

Namestnikov is a very crafty player. His playmaking ability is definitely his biggest asset. He has the stickhandling ability to slow the game down in the offensive end, is patient enough to allow the right play to develop, and has the vision to find open teammates. He is also very deceptively quick. He'll skate casually down the wing with the puck, and then all of sudden turns on the afterburners and will beat defenders to the outside. In terms of his overall ability, it's not bad. He has some feistiness to him and is generally unwilling to become physically intimidated. He's also a fairly solid two way player and will make an effort to backcheck. That being said, I found that he could become invisible during stretches. He's not an incredibly "flashy" player and a guy you're going to notice on every shift. To be honest, being a late birth date, I thought he would have had a more consistent season in London. Moving forward, I'm just not sure he'll develop into an elite offensive talent. Being slightly undersized, and lacking a pure dynamic ability in his game, I don't see him becoming a number one offensive center you can lean on. But he has enough talent and smarts to be that number 2 guy every team needs. A guy you can pair with a bigger forward and a talented goal scorer and have a productive unit.

Elite Prospects:

A very skilled offensive center. A reliable finisher. A good passer and playmaker. An excellent skater. Takes advantage of open space very well. Needs to gain strength. (Matias Strozyk)

The Scouting Report (Ranked 39, midseason)

Came into the season with very high expectations but just hasn’t managed to find his groove offensively as the Knights as a whole have struggled to find some cohesion up front. Namestnikov is a smooth skater who can move up and down the ice fairly effortlessly and also is a very good puck mover. He sees the ice well and makes a lot of smart decisions with the puck which makes his linemates a lot better. Really lacks a lot of strength which is a big issue for him as he does get pushed around a bit, and he really needs to find a way to add some weight in the future.

The Rangers do need offensive skill and Namestnikov seems to possess it with his passing ability and quick wrist shot that has allowed him to score.  The problems include his one way play and lack of strength, but his one-way play, more than his lack of ideal size, is what is likely to turn the Rangers off of taking him at 15.

Should Rangers Get In On Jeff Carter Trade Talks?

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

The New York Rangers are in need of top line offensive talent to go with Marian Gaborik.  It is rare to be able to get that kind of player either through trades or free agency.  We all know that Brad Richards is out there and the Rangers will look to sign him come July 1.  With Richards wanting upwards of 7 seasons at $7 million per one has to wonder if dealing for a top line player might also be something to consider. One player who has the credentials as top line player that could be forced into the trade market due to his team’s cap problems is Jeff Carter of the Philadelphia Flyers.  There are murmurs of him being connected to the Columbus Blue Jackets (built around Voracek and #8 pick), though there have been Carter trade rumors before.  If that is the projected cost for trading for Jeff Carter, should the Rangers attempt to get involved in the trade discussion?

Carter, 26, has put up 29+ goals in each of the last four seasons and 60+ points in each of the last three years.  Carter is an elite goal scorer in a league where consistent scoring is becoming harder and harder to find.  For years he has been looked at as a one-way player, but he was vastly improved on the defensive side of the puck this season.  He is not going to win a Selke or anything of the sort, but to call him a one-way player would be a disservice to the work he has put in to improve his defensive abilities.   

He is not going to be a physical player so his fit in the new Tortorella system is something that could be an issue, but this team needs skill and Carter has the ability to both play off and create space for Marian Gaborik.  Beyond what he can do for the likes of Gaborik at even strength, Carter can make the Rangers significantly more dangerous with the man advantage as well.  Carter has accounted for 39 power play goals and 42 power play assists in the past four seasons.  

Other than the sheer unlikeliness of the Flyers and Rangers making a trade with one another, the main concerns with a trade for Carter revolve around what he will cost.  The cost for Carter will be high both in assets and taking on his contract.  His contract has a reasonable cap hit of $5.27 million, but it is for 11 years and runs until he is 37 years old.  That is a problem, but one more for down the road than right now when you consider that Richards wants to be paid until approximately the same age with the difference being that Carter still has his prime ahead of him while Richards is past his. 

In terms of assets, one would imagine an extremely high price to acquire a talent like Carter.  Given the salary cap problems for the Flyers, it is likely that the package would be centered around young NHL talent and/or prospects starting with the likes of Michael Del Zotto or Chris Kreider.

In the end the combination of the length of Carter’s contract, the cost to acquire him in assets and the fact that it would be Rangers trading with Flyers it is unlikely that the Rangers make the move for Jeff Carter.  Regardless of that, this is the kind of talent the Rangers need to be looking to acquire.  If the Flyers deal Carter, even to make room for a Bryzgalov contract, it would be a benefit to the Rangers because regardless of the Flyers depth up front they have few if anyone that can match Carter’s skill.  I would look for Philly to trade other players to fix their cap situation before they give up on Carter, but if he is on the market the Rangers should at least attempt to kick the tires.