Varsity Blues

UPDATE: Reader Marc Thiessen tells us there is a way to watch tonight's game on TV -- see Islanders TV at their web site. They may even be showing the game right there. And Jess Rubenstein writes about Bobby Sanguinetti at Prospect Park, and has a round of up other prospect action.

FURTHER UPDATE: Laurie Carr says, go directly to http://www.nhl.tv/team/. You have to register, but it's free and they don't ask for credit card info.

Get used to it, Ranger fans. Teams will be gunning for the Rangers this season. Two years ago, the Rangers measured their progress against the better teams in the league. This year, other teams will be measuring themselves against the Rangers. We've already seen it in pre-season. While the Rangers have (and will continue, tonight and tomorrow) to use their exhibition games to evaluate their roster, opponents are icing their varsity squads, for the most part. That's what the Devils and Flyers did, and what the Red Wings have already said they will do tomorrow night -- as the Detroit News reports, "Expect the Wings to have their strongest lineup of the exhibition season against the Rangers, as close to a regular-season lineup as they can put out, before using many younger players during the weekend."

With only 29 players left on their pre-season roster, the Islanders will not prove to be an exception (see their remaining roster here). The Rangers, meanwhile, will continue their own evaluation process, as Sam Weinman reports at Rangers Report -- they will ice two lines of veterans (second and fourth lines) and two lines of prospects, and give Al Montoya the whole game to show his stuff, with Steve Valiquette out with a cut on his hand. But only one prospect, Marc Staal, will play on defense. Also dressing will be three others -- Hutchinson, Pock, and Strudwick -- competing with Staal for the last two or three spots on the blue line. Jagr, Gomez, and Lundqvist, but not the slightly injured Sean Avery, according to Blue Notes. Sam also speculates that Darius Kasparaitis will soon be sent to Hartford. See also the game preview at NYR.com, and ESPN's Ranger preview, written by E.J. Hradek, who is based out of New York and therefore sees a lot of the Rangers.

Comments

[laurie]

Zipay says Avery will not make the trip to Detroit tomorrow and echo's Sam's thought that Kaspar may soon to be on his way to Hartford: http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/hockey/rangers/blog/

[Inferno]

Jess, do you have an email address, or a way to contact you? Ive got a question I need to ask you...

You can just email me and ill reply back if you like.

[balls to the walrus]

why are teams dressing their regular lineups to see how they match up, when we are dressing mostly hartford kids? especially a team like detroit who will probably be one of the top teams anyway.

[Jason Connelly]

The game tonight can be seen on NHL.tv as being part of the new NHL "Center Ice Online" preview! Thats good for me because im in the Marine Corps and can't get back home to watch the games or get cable tv! This site has the best Rangers coverage anywhere on the planet!

[Matty]

Isn't Simon still suspended by the League? So even so he's still suspended he can play pre-season games? >_<

[imitation]

Suspended should mean no games until the regular season games have been sat out. He shouldn't even be allowed to practice with the team.

[ant]

Matty i dont think so but i wonder if those game count against his suspension

[jason]

Sam Weinmans blog is reporting Kasper was placed on waivers today

[rich]

NHL Center ice is available for all preseason games however it will cost money for regular season games. Hopefully they will offer a cheaper option so I could pay less money to see only ranger games.

and Tom Renney please keep Gomez away from Jagr.

[iceycup]

thanks for the info on getting the game online.

im all signed up and ready to go. this also includes the first week of the regular season i believe.

thanks again.

[iceycup]

one quick question.
if kaspar is claimed off waivers, arent the rangers stuck with paying 1/2 of his salary while the new team picks up the other half? and if so, wouldnt that mean about a 1.5 mil hit to our cap?

[kogan]

Rich.
I am also all signed up, but right now is a black screen.
And current games link is empty.
Do have any idea?

[jas]

iceycup

That's only if they recall him and a team claims him on his way back to NY. Nothing to worry about.

[rich]

well the game doesnt start yet so they probably don't have it up yet but other than that i dont know

[kogan]

Tnx rich !
I hope we will see some action.

[rich]

i am on islanders tv on nhl.tv and it says it will load at 7:00 ET so i hope it works

[Eric]

The free feed looks like a direct link from the jumbotron video board.

[kogan]

A get a game!

[rich]

Eric: yes it is and it is a radio broadcast so it is a little strange but quality is very good and so far colton orr just showed everyone why he will be on the team.