Czeching Out Line-Up Changes

Personnel has been the topic of discussion since the Rangers' win in Tampa Wednesday night, with the new line configuration front and center -- check out Newsday and the Record here and here to read about the Rangers' top two lines. But the possible resurgence of the Rangers' two remaining Czechs is also in the news today, beginning with the Post reporting that Petr Prucha might return to the line-up tonight in Florida, or might go to Hartford on a conditioning assignment instead.

Coach Tom Renney tells the Post that Prucha's problems stem strictly from his lack of playing time. He ought to consider the circumstances under which Prucha and the Ranger power play last enjoyed consistent success, and that was the last time Prucha was a regular participant on the power play in his 30-goal rookie season. Here is a player who has registered 40% of his career goal and point production on the power play while getting almost no front line ice time in other situations. Many teams have power play specialists -- give Prucha a shot at a role like that. It's not like he can make the power play any worse than it already is.

The other Czech is fan favorite Michal Rozsival who has seen a marked improvement the last two games. While there has been discussion of the lingering effects of his off-season hip surgery, the Record hits the bullseye with a notation about Rozsival's reunion with Marc Staal, his defense partner much of last season. Paul Mara fared well with Staal as his partner much of this season while Rozsival languished paired with too similar of a player in Dmitri Kalinin. Kalinin gambles as much as Rozsival and is as prone to the resulting errors, though his haven't ended up in the back of the net as much as Rozsival's. That pairing was just too combustible -- Staal provides better back up for Rozsvial's adventures and Mara will give Kalinin more support when he throws caution to the wind than he got from Rozsival.

Elsewhere in the news, NYR.com and Stats have game previews of tonight's tilt in Florida, Blue Notes has some post-game notes from the other night, the Hockey News has a top ten list of NHL goalies that Ranger fans are likely to take exception to, NHL.com has an article on a former Ranger prospect who has to be the career leader in press coverage for a player who has never achieved anything and probably never will, and Prospect Park has a round-up of last night's prospect action.

Comments

[i]

DUBI Why doesn't Renney understand what Prucha's strengths are? His a PP garbage goal scorer & tap in man, along with a great SO shot. Sometimes a coach needs to look at the player rather than the system. Why he separated him & Jagr after year 1 is boggling. One of the many legitimate reasons Renney annoys some fans, including me. They belong moving Prucha, Renney will not do what Prucha needs to get back contributing.

[angry]

Everyone knows that E.J. Hradek is a bitter Islander fan who proactively searches for any and all reasons to dump on the Rangers, but his inclusion of Kalinin on this list is a bit of a reach at best.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3729110&name=hradek_ej

[Ant]

Kalinin might have worse +/_ but i think he handled himself pretty well.Nobody notices all the good plays when he brakes up 2 on 1s and stuff liek that

[GAG Liner]

When will the Rangers games in hand even out????

[Puluche]

Good reflection on Prucha Dubi. I've said it many times and don't get it. I know he hasn't been producing, but I think it's more attributed to his poor usage by management that his own doing. He's a PP specialist! You can't play him 9 minutes a game with no PP time and expect wonders.

Play him 20 games straight on the PP top unit. It can't hurt. Our PP is still terrible. The positive: He may regain his form and contribute. We have no quality PP forwards on this team. Also, try to build up his trade value if he doesn't fit into future plans. If it doesn't pan out, it will be unfortunate, but at least they gave him a fair chance and he came to camp deserving that (to the coaches own admission which Renney has failed to live up to).

Who deserves the chance - Prucha - a proven PP player, or Fritsche? Poor usage of personnel in my opinion.

I'd hate to see him go on waivers and the Islanders pick him up and score 30 a year for them. Scary thought. He's a Ranger. And a fan favorite for a reason. Give him a FAIR chance.

P.S. Flyers are coming on... They are loaded at the forward position.

[Colorado Mark]

Being forced to listen to Potvin makes me want to join in on the "Potvin Sucks" chant! (Sorry, Dubi!)

[Jive]

I know they did a great job the shift before keeping the puck in Florida's zone, but WHY is our FOURTH LINE on the ice with 90 seconds left in the game?

[Laserman]

This just in! Redden STINKS!!! He might even be slower than Rozsival!!!

[Puluche]

I don't know where to start in a rant. I'll just say they deserve to lose this game. Not Hank. The PP alone. Let's pass it to the perimeter 4 corners for 1:30 - wow impressive.

I'd love to see Keenan back for just a week to see what he would do in reaction to some of this nonsense. No visible consequences. Florida stinks and we make it a shoot out. Not even watch OT.

If you have no PP, you can't win. Just another 2nd round exit.

And Yes, Redden was a huge cap disaster signing. This team has major cap issues thanks to Sather. And someone referred to Girardi turning back to a pumpkin? Give me a break. He's our smartest most reliable D-Man by far. Painful stuff.

Time for shootout...

[Laserman]

If you're paying Redden that much, then how much will Zherdev want next year? There was a reason why Ottawa let him go without a fight, and what do we do? Sign him to Lidstrom money for 6 years!!!

[BLAZEPHR]

this Florida trip should be dubbed the "Wild,Wild shoot-out in the south"... hence the "Lost Weekend" in Florida last year.

[Laserman]

Lundqvist will have to be hospitalized soon for 3rd degree rubber burn!!! Another game that he gave us back, after we tried to give it gift wrapped to the other team...

[rangerbill94]

i

"DUBI Why doesn't Renney understand what Prucha's strengths are?" That's simple; because Renney doesn't put anybody on the ice based on their strengths, he puts them out there based on their weakness or to put it another way, their lack of weakensses. Not only has Prucha not been producing, heck even Lundqvist has more points this season than Prucha, but his defense has not been as good as others in the lineup. I don't know if Prucha was a one year wonder or he simply got fed great passes from Jagr or he was just lucky, but the bottom line is he has gotten chances to be in the lineup and played pretty good, just not good enough to stay in the lineup, more negitives then positives. He has gotten PP time and did nothing with it. He is there to score goals. He is not doing that. He sits. END OF STORY. I'll bet that he plays Sunday...and I hope he does great. I really like him, but life is all about "what have you done for me lately" and until he comes up with a good answer for that question, he will only get spot time.

[BLAZEPHR]

Redden is an absolute disaster.

question to all...especially Dubi:

How on earth do we rid ourselves of Redden after this season? what are the logical options?

[EddieJ]

You know, I knew we were in trouble when I saw that two of Florida's top players were out, they were using their backup netminder, and they're near the bottom of the standings. I was going to post something to that effect, but thought better of it- I was being too negative. But you know what? I was right. How can a first place team like the Rangers battle a bottom-dweller like Florida to a tie through three periods? And what if there was no shootout? As a hockey fan, if I'm watching two teams I care nothing about, I like close games; but as a Ranger fan, I like to see my team knock the other team out of the arena. Unfortunately, they seldom do.

[Wicky229]

I agree that this team needs to close out other teams (especially cellar dwellers) when they go up by a couple of goals, which is nothing new to many of us ranger fans as we have been saying that for the last few seasons, but unlike the last few seasons, this team still wins those games. As far a prucha goes, I like the guy, he is so resilient and must be made of rubber, but i would much rather see fritsche in the line up than him. I think it is time to trade him (for what and who, not sure, everyone knows what i would like to see as a return so I will not bore you all again about a physical, banging d man....oops I did it again). How to unload redden?? Damn good question, if he was making a couple mil less a season, I would not mind him, but he isn't so jump at the chance glen. Same goes for rozy, if he was making a couple mil less not such a big deal, but he isn't so bye bye. Funny how the four d men making the least amount of money seem to be playing the best. Oh well, thanks for the time folks!!!!

[EddieJ]

Wicky-
Yes, I agree. At least we're winning the close games against lesser teams. The problem is that I'll probably need medication for high blood pressure by the time this season's over.

[Godot]

Folks, chill out. The Rangers won the game, they got the two points. It wasn't pretty, but they did it. It was as much about what the Rangers did poorly as what the Panthers did well.

Consider: last place team playing a first place team at home with a lot of Blueshirt fans in the stands--that's motivation to beat the visitors. The Yes, the Rangers play down to their opponents (lots of good teams do this), but whereas last year's team played down and lost to such teams, this year's team beats them.

As for Prucha, it's sad, but I'm with Rangerbill.

As for Redden, is he the new whipping? Roszi got a bunch of assists the last two games, so he can't be.... Can't you fans just allow that people, even professionals, make mistakes. So many flawless fans, no wonder athletes make so much money.

G

[paulinflorida]

Man, these games are tough to watch. Finally, a quick start, up by two goals, and two hours later another overtime & shootout. The Rangers can't seem to put it "all together" for a single game..the only exceptions are the PK and goaltending. As it's been discussed here time & time again, the PP is horrible. Again, a chance to put the game away (and overtime) on the PP and nothing happens...there were some close calls for a Panthers short-handed goal. The fact that the "shortie" opportunities keep popping up when on the PP has to tell you something...this PP needs a "major overhaul". The lack of a good consistent PP is going to come back and haunt this team...as it has in the past. Things are getting real 'rough' for Wade Redden. He is not playing good at all....too slow....too soft...and no help on the PP. Hate to say it but I think he may be next on the "MSG Faithful" list. It may be time to move Prucha for a "less expensive" version of a steady defensemen with some PP experience...if that kind of player may be available somewhere in the league.

[Matty]

My wish is that Tom Renney stops talking and talking and talking about making changes to the anemic PP personel and actually MAKES changes to the anemic PP personel ... Roszival, for whatever reason, wont shoot ... Redden isn't shooting either ... so replace them with people who will consistently shoot ... Yes I know that the shots aren't always there for the taking but the reason why our team has been repeadedtly victimized with shorthanded goals is because the opposition isn't afraid that our Point Men will take any shots ... so they attack and attack and attack some more ... The worse of it is that not only do we not take shots from the point but we are too slow at passing the puck which often times leads to breakaways going the other way ...

I am ecstatic with our record, what fan wouldn't be? I love the play of Henrik is playing and the chemistry that our top two lines seem to have ... I love that our third and 4th line chip in a goal here and there as well ... However the defensive breakdowns, the PP troubles, our lack of physicality, and our tendency to be asleep for long stretches of games really concerns me against the tougher teams ...

The main bright light is that our team has played their best hockey against the better teams in the League so that's something to look forward and hopefully with more of those types of games coming up they will be FORCED into playing better from beginning to end ...