Just a Thought...

This is just what I've been thinking for the past 24 hours. It's not something I read on a fake-rumor site or something I heard elsewhere, just me coming to a conclusion myself that I think would be interesting.

This week, Derrick Brassard, a rookie on Columbus who was having a great season, got injured in a fight and is out for the entire season. Now, I did hear that Columbus is going to be looking for a forward to replace him, because they think this might be the year that they actually make the playoffs.

My belief is that this forward might be a Ranger. Rangers GM Glen Sather doesn't vary his trading partners around a lot. Remember last season's trade deadline, when he made two moves? He traded with former Assistant GM Don Maloney, and former announcer John Davidson.

This year, he already traded with Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson. Maybe Sather has already put a call in to Howson letting him know which extra forwards are available.

The oft-scratched but entirely capable Petr Prucha would thrive in the midwest on a team that doesn't have a ton of veteran forwards to steal his ice time. Maybe Coach Ken Hitchcock would trust him enough to put him on the power play.

Or maybe it would be Dan Fritsche, a native Ohioan (first time I've ever used that word!), and former Blue Jacket himself who would love to get back in the lineup.

Just guessing here, but it would definitely make sense for Columbus to send a draft pick or two to New York to bolster their offense after the holiday roster freeze ends.

Korpikoski Creates a Problem Again...

Well, Lauri Korpikoski was recalled. This is most likely a good thing for the Rangers, but it does (re)create some problems for the team.

First, the good. Remember when Nigel Dawes and Ryan Callahan struggled last season? For Dawes, it was his defense. For Callahan, he never regained his confidence and scoring touch after his knee injury. Both spent stints playing for Hartford in the AHL, and came back better than when they went down. 

Korpikoski struggled in the NHL after having a great preseason. Maybe scoring 6 points in 4 games would help his confidence and he can play like we know he can. (Admittedly, our reference point isn't huge - one playoff goal in one playoff game last season and a solid preseason.)

Now, the bad.

For the first handful of games up until Korpikoski was sent to Hartford, there were 3 healthy scratches per game, all on offense. Petr Prucha, Pat Rissmiller, and Dan Fritsche. Since Korpkoski went down, Prucha and Fritsche have been splitting time while Rissmiller was placed on waivers.

Okay. Rissmiller was placed on waivers but not assigned to Hartford. That means a) he can be placed back in the lineup without going again through waivers and b) the Rangers wanted someone to pick him up so they could pay half his salary and wipe their hands of him. Doesn't bode well for Rissmiller, who actually did play well with San Jose last year but hasn't been given half a chance in New York. For Pete's sake, he has under 18 minutes of ice time this season.

So he appears to be out of the question, but he could eventually be put into the lineup.

But now, the Rangers are back to 3 extra healthy forwards. Does this mean a move is imminent? I am not claiming to know anything, and I'm just playing Devil's Advocate here (not the movie, I hated that movie). However, I do know the Rangers tried hard to move Prucha. His $1.6M salary and lack of production last/this season hampered that, so Korpikoski was sent to the minor league and Prucha was put back on the ice.

It's a valid question at this point: Are the Rangers planning a move? My unofficial guess would be that no, they are not trying hard to make a move, but if someone offers something for a forward, they would seriously consider it. 

What Kind of Reward System is This?...

Tonight against the Red Wings, Dan Fritsche is not playing in favor of Lauri Korpikoski, a move that doesn't make much sense to me. 

Fritsche, while not scoring last night, certainly played a strong game. In under 10 minutes of ice time, he took 4 shots, 3 of which were good. For those who don't remember, the Rangers had less than a dozen shots that were quality, the rest being low-angle shots that were easily covered or repelled.

Yes, I think Korpikoski deserves playing time. However, not as a 3rd line winger in New York. Backed by a goal in last year's elimination game versus the Penguins and a strong pre-season, Korpikoski made a point for himself to be on the team this year. So far, he hasn't delivered. Six games, 1 shot on goal, and a -1 in roughly the same amount of ice time per game that Fritsche has been given.

It's not like Korpikoski would be benched for a veteran so everyone could gang up on the organization for holding back it's talent. Fritsche is twelve and a half months older, still young, fresh, and hungry for a chance in New York. He certainly proved it last night. 

Is this how Tom Renney rewards him? Besides, wouldn't Renney want an experienced player in against the defending champs? Fritsche has 4 goals and 1 assist in 19 games against Detroit. What does Korpikoski offer? He hasn't shown anything yet this season.

De-Bunking the Shanahan Return...

It's flowing everywhere today - Brendan Shanahan is going to be a Ranger. Well, atleast if you believe the hype. To be honest, the Rangers can't sign him yet. There would have to be some tinkering with the line-up. With under a quarter of a million dollars in Cap space available, salary would have to be moved.

I personally think Shanahan won't become a Ranger. If he does sign with the team, I will be the first to sauté my words with a little garlic and oil and eat them. However, for the following reasons, I don't see it happening...

1) They already have 15 NHL-caliber forwards. Yes, I called Colton Orr "NHL-caliber."

2) He doesn't fit with "the new Rangers." Meaning, he isn't a speedy young gun like they are trying to become. 

3) Shanahan missed all of training camp. At his age, it will take a while for him to get into game shape. He will need at least 10 or so games to get to the point where he was at the beginning of last season. Why do that when you already have 15 forwards who are healthy, in shape, and ready to play? Why waste the time? Especially when the Rangers have harped on the fact that they need a fast start, unlike the past 2 years when they only made the playoffs because of a) Sean Avery and b) a late-season rally.

4) They won 4 points in 2 games. The Lightning lost both games, got thoroughly outplayed, and traded immediately for an upgrade at defense. The Rangers won both games, and while they didn't light the scoreboard up, there were no glaring holes needing to be filled by an over-the-hill, injured, former superstar.

5) He had nothing left at the end of last year. Yes, he had hip and knee problems, but did those heal up? From mid-January on, he had nothing in the tank, save for Game One against the Devils in the playoffs. Freddy Sjostrom, Petr Prucha, Patrick Rissmiller, and Dan Fritsche will give you the same effort in May as they will in the home opener against Chicago. The same can't be said for Shanahan.

6) He offers nothing they don't already have. Ten years ago, twelve years ago, the thought of having Shanahan around for 70 regular season games would cause me to kiss ugly babies. Now? Not so much. He was never very fast, he was just smart and a gritty power forward with a great wrist shot. Naslund, Dawes, and Zherdev have that great wrist shot. Drury, Callahan, Prucha, and others have that "never quit" attitude. Sjostrom, Voros, and Rissmiller throw the body around. Dawes is positioning himself in front of the net on the power play. And all of those players are younger and fresher than him and won't crap out after the all-star break.

Listen, I love him. I think he was a great Ranger for two years, and he is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I just think making room for him when the season has already started would be a grave mistake.

So Are Both NY Teams Going to Have a Number 93 This Season?...

This may just be crazy talk, and in a few months we might be laughing at the mere fact that we were even thinking about it (much like when we wondered if Dave Scatchard would be a Ranger, or how we were going to fit Michael Peca in under the Cap last year), but can Petr Nedved really become a Ranger?

First off, if you have told me in June that in the second preseason game of the year, I'd see Nik Zherdev, Marcus Naslund, and Petr Nedved all in Ranger blue, I would have called you crazy.

But was Petr Nedved not one of the best Rangers on the ice? He was everywhere, skating well, he scored in the first, he clanked a post on a great shot in the second. Not bad for a man who hasn't played an NHL game since March 2007. For the record, it was his first goal in an NHL game since January 2007. (He was a Cy Young winner in the Czech league last year, with 20 goals and 5 assists).

His main problem during his second stint with the Rangers (mostly in 2003-04) was his overplaying of the puck and refusal to shoot. He was Jagr-Straka-Nylander before they were cool. He played well with Radek Dvorak and Jan Hlavac, but when not flanked by those Czechs, he was out of his element. He was the cause of frustration for many a Ranger fan, although some of that frustration was wrongly thrown towards him. If memory serves me correctly, he was the only Ranger with a hat trick in 2002-03. 

What would happen if he can get rid of that cycling mentality and play a North American game? It isn't crazy to think of. He isn't that old - turning 37 in December - and he still had his legs under him. If he can adapt to a new style, would it really be awful to have him back? 

But, who would sit? Down the middle, there already are three bonafide NHL centers - Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, and Brandon Dubinsky. In the wings are Blair Betts, Dan Fritsche, and Artem Anisimov. Scratch Anisimov until next year, too skinny with a few flaws that need to be worked out. Say what you want about Betts' lack of scoring, but he is a great defensive forward who kills penalties better than anyone on the team. He also can score, as we witnessed a few times in the past few seasons. Remember his great end-to-end rush against Anaheim in November of 2006? Put him with someone besides Ryan Hollweg or Colton Orr, and he can improve his stats. Maybe Drury can go to wing, and Betts can be a center as well, because I see Betts as having a safe spot on this team.

So, how now, Dan Fritsche? The throw-in in the Zherdev trade, he doesn't score often (although his stats were not awful). I don't know if he is on a two-way contract, or what, but this might very well be a battle between Nedved and Fritsche for the 3rd or 4th line center position.

The Rangers have so many forwards for only 13 or 14 spots that it boggles the mind.

Four More Years...

While the Rangers now have four more years of a pass-first, clear-the-crease-last blueline, we also have four less years of Sean Avery.

Wait, did that make sense?

You get the gist of it. You know my view. The Rangers needed Avery just as much as he needed the Rangers. Once an outcast in LA, he came to NY for relatively nothing (Jay Ward, a pick, and a swap of prospects who will never skate in the NHL) and revived a franchise... twice. They made the playoffs the past two seasons because of him and Henrik Lundqvist.

You know how angry I am about him being in Dallas. However, I was on the golf course while this all happened (hey, let's be honest, Glen Sather probably was too). Luckily, I had a stream of texts coming in announcing it. 

I told my golf partner two things. 1) I'm not re-upping my subscription package this year. I was on the edge, and it hindered on Avery's re-signing. I have no problem paying his salary. I will not pay Wade Redden's salary. 2) I'm going to buy a Dallas Stars fallopian tube jersey with "AVERY 16" on the back.

Now, the trade. Nik Zherdev (#13, above) came alive last season for the Blue Jackets, especially at the end. His 61 points and -9 were career bests (hey, give him a break, he played in Ohio). Should be a good trade. Dan Fritsche (#49, above) is a decent player, definitely the throw in to make it an even 2-for-2 trade. To be honest, I thought he was a defenseman until just now. The Rangers don't need another 3rd line center, although he isn't a bad player at all.

The Rangers' biggest problem was defense. 

Now, they have 4 defensemen - Michal Rozsival (overpaid), Redden (grossly overpaid), Dan Girardi, and Marc Staal. Now, they have about 15 or 16 forwards, including one first line winger (Zherdev), and two first line centers (Scott Gomez, Chris Drury). Everyone else is a depth player, or an "energy" player. 

Who's going to score? Who's going to stand in front of Henrik? 

Zherdev is a $2.5M cap hit; Fritsche is well under a million. If memory serves me correct, Fedor Tyutin is making $2.75M against the Cap, and Christian Backman's hit is around $3.3M. While this does give the Rangers a scoring threat, it also opened up a lot of cap room.

Too bad Sean Avery won't see any of that money

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Do you think Doug Weight will fetch the Islanders a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd round draft pick at the 2009 trade deadline?