Marc Staal joins John Tortorella, Chris Drury, Ryan Callahan and former Ranger Scott Gomez as an invitee for the Olympic training camp.
Staal, the lone Ranger invited for the Canadian squad, will compete against eight other defenseman for the right to represent his country in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
More this afternoon on remaining UFA's. Hearing rumblings on another Long Islander in Rob Scuderi...
The Rangers got the winger they needed when they signed former Wild star Marian Gaborik.
Gaborik signed for five years at $7.5 million per year.
While it may seem expensive for all of Gaborik's injury problems, he is a legitimate offensive threat and brings the Rangers a dynamic they have been missing for some time.
Last season, Gaborik only played 17 games, but scored 13 goals along with 10 assists.
More to come...
UPDATE: The Rangers must now turn to defense as they currently have only Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Wade Redden, and Michal Rozsival under contract. However, expect Hobey Baker winger Matt Gilroy to make the top six.
The Rangers made somewhat of a splash so far today, but not in the positive way.
After making significant cap space in yesterday's Scott Gomez deal, the Rangers let fan-favorite Colton Orr leave to Toronto and in his place signed Donald Brashear.
This move is a significant disappointment on many levels.
First, it is clear that his better days are behind him and he did not warrant a two-year contract.
Second, he has shown over the past several seasons to be nothing more than a goon with suspensions and penalties rampant. Last season he played himself out of the lineup with a mere goal in 63 games and a plus/minus of -6.
Thirdly, let's not forget what he did to soon-to-be former Ranger Blair Betts in last season's playoffs: a blindside cheapshot that knocked him out of the game. Brashear had to be suspended, again.
He is also injury prone, suffering significant injuries over the past three or four seasons.
Finally, his salary of $1.4 million is absurd. He will not be in the lineup every night and he certainly is not bringing a presence beyond fighting.
He plays dirty. He plays cheap.
This was not Sather's finest moment.
While Dany Heatley has apparently nixed the deal to Edmonton, there are bigger fish to fry as the Rangers are about two and a half hours away from the start of free agency.
One intriguing aspect of this season's July 1st party is that the Rangers have considerable cap space, yet they may be more likely to be involved in a trade then a major signing.
Why? Well, the Rangers needs may come at the expense of other positions. For example, a winger for a defenseman. This is significant because the price tag on certain players, like Marian Hossa or Marion Gaborik, may be too high so directly signing them may be out of the picture.
If that is the case then they will need to sign a defenseman just to supplement what they traded.
Yes, it can be confusing.
So we will wait and see as the final hours tick by. Follow us on Twitter for the latest updates...
Well, stud winger Dany Heatley was almost a Ranger, but in the end it appears he will be a quasi-Ranger (also known as an "Edmonton Oiler.")
TSN is reporting that Heatley has been asked to waive his no trade clause in a trade that would involve:
At face value, this seems like a surprising move for the Oilers as they are sacrificing two youthful players and a once-potent scorer for a head case in Heatley.
However, what must now be recognized is GM Glen Sather's unwillingness to part with youth. Ottawa wanted Brandon Dubinsky and another young player and Sather wouldn't budge, a nice change from the past decade.
Now, the Rangers have considerable cap space to pursue a player like Vinny Lecavalier or perhaps a free agent such as Marian Gaborik or Marian Hossa.
Unfortunately, that came at the expense of a good guy in Scott Gomez who truly enjoyed being a Ranger.
More in the morning as noon begins unrestricted free agency...
While we await any further news or details tonight, there may be one other factor to consider in all of this.
Is it possible that the Rangers are actually in talks regarding Vinny Lecavalier out of Tampa Bay not Dany Heatley?
While the Rangers have more of a need for a big-time winger, if Brandon Dubinsky must be involved in any trade wouldn't it make more sense to trade a center for center, rather than center for wing?
The Gomez trade already acquired a top-4 winger for your extra center so losing another center would defeat the purpose of having two top-4 wingers.
And while the Rangers have several players who can play center, they lack the punch and consistency that Dubinsky and Chris Drury provide at that position.
So while you sit and anxiously await the fate of Dany Heatley, don't be shocked if a player from the south comes north.
More to come...
A source has been told that Dany Heatley will be a Ranger before midnight tonight. The Gomez deal has apparently freed enough cap space for the move to be made.
Rick Carpinello has also reported the Heatley deal to be done.
The source stated that Brandon Dubinsky was involved in the deal though that remains to be seen now that Gomez has gone.
Dubinsky, an RFA, was tendered a qualifying offer.
Steve Zipay of Newsday has also heard Dubinsky's name as part of the Heatley deal.
I have a hard time believing that only because it begs the question: what's the point of wingers without top centers?
With the movement of Gomez, Dubinsky and Chris Drury instantly become your top two centers.
Artem Anisimov and perhaps a player like Lauri Korpikoski (a natural center) could fill the third and fourth lines. Or Blair Betts could be re-signed, though it's an outside chance.
More as it develops...
In shocking news, TSN and RDS is reporting that Scott Gomez has been traded to the Montreal Canadiens for winger Chris Higgins.
Thanks to John Ragus of NYRNation for the tip.
Gomez was making $7.4 million per year with 4 years remaining while Higgins was earning $1.9 million and was a restricted free agent.
More to come...
UPDATE - 5:22
TSN is reporting the trade as the following:
"The Montreal Canadiens have acquired centre Scott Gomez winger Tom Pyatt and defenceman Mike Busto from the New York Rangers in exchange for winger Chris Higgins and defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko from the Montreal Canadiens."
UPDATE - 5:35
Here is the official release:
New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced
today that the club has acquired forward Chris Higgins and defensemen
Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko from the Montreal Canadiens in
exchange for forwards Scott Gomez and Tom Pyatt, and defenseman Mike Busto.
Higgins, 26, has skated in 282 regular season contests with Montreal, recording 84 goals and 67 assists for 151 points, along with 96 penalty minutes. The 6-0, 205-pounder has eclipsed the 20-goal mark three times. In 2007-08, he established career-highs in games played (82), goals (27), assists (25), points (52), power play goals (12), game-winning goals (five), and shots (241).
He led Montreal in shots, tied for second on the team in power play goals and game-winning goals, and ranked third in goals. He was also one of only three Canadiens to skate in all 82 games during the season. Higgins registered 11 points (six goals and five assists) in the first 13 games of the season, and went on to surpass the 20-goal plateau for the third straight year.
Higgins appeared in 57 games with the Montreal Canadiens this past season, registering 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points, along with 22 penalty minutes. He tied for second on the team with two shorthanded goals, and placed sixth on the club with 151 shots despite missing 25 games due to injury.
In addition, he led the Canadiens in goals (five) and shots (40) during the month of November. He tallied his first career hat trick on November 11 vs. Ottawa to cap off a season-high, four-game scoring streak that began on November 1 at the New York Islanders, registering six points (four goals and two assists) over the span.
As a rookie in 2005-06, he led Montreal with three shorthanded goals. In addition, Higgins has registered six goals and five assists for 11 points in 22 career postseason contests with Montreal.
The Smithtown, New York native was originally Montreal’s first round choice, 14th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
McDonagh, 20, skated in 36 contests with the University of Wisconsin Badgers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) this past season, registering five goals and 11 assists for 16 points, along with 59 penalty minutes. The 6-1, 212-pounder established career-highs in assists (11), points (16) and penalty minutes (59) in his second season with the Badgers.
The St. Paul, Minnesota native was originally Montreal’s first round choice, 12th overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Valentenko, 21, split the 2008-09 season between Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League (AHL). The 6-2, 220-pounder collected one assist in eight games with Dynamo Moscow after beginning the season in Hamilton, where he tallied two assists in four games.
The Nizhnekamsk, Russia native was originally Montreal’s fifth round choice, 139th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.
Gomez, 29, appeared in 77 games with the Rangers this past season, collecting 16 goals and 42 assists for 58 points, along with 60 penalty minutes. He was acquired by the Rangers as a free agent on July 1, 2007.
Pyatt, 22, appeared in 73 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) this past season, registering 15 goals and 22 assists for 37 points, along with 22 penalty minutes.
Busto, 23, skated in 54 games with the Charlotte Checkers of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) this past season, recording three goals and eight assists for 11 points, along with 41 penalty minutes.
Just as Head Coach John Tortorella was named Associate Coach of the U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team yester, three of his players were named to the camp roster today.
Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, and Ryan Callahan were among the 34 players asked to participate in the camp to determine the roster for this year's 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Brian Burke exclaimed that the US would be major "under dogs" and the "youngest team there."
One name that was left off was Brandon Dubinsky. The Alaskan-native had a strong season and seemed a definite possibility for the upcoming camp.
This will be Drury's third go at the Olympics as he participated in 2001-02, and 2005-06.
Gomez was part of the 2006 Olympic roster and also played in the World Hockey Championships.
This will be Callahan's first international event.
More to come including Day 2 from Prospect's Camp where media was denied access given tomorrow's "D-Day" for free agency.
Stick around to see what Sather and his staff were mulling behind closed doors...
Greenburgh, NY - Day 1 of the Rangers prospect camp at the MSG Training Center was all about one aspect of the game: conditioning.
In attendance at the camp included Rangers Head Coach John Tortorella, General Manager Glen Sather, and former Ranger Adam Graves, who was assisting with the on-ice activities.
