Dale Weise Knuckles Down

As the Rangers get ready for their Garden opener tomorrow evening, we here at Blueshirt Bulletin are working feverishly to prepare the October issue on a schedule shortened by the Rangers' trip to Europe. To fill the void here at Blueshirt Bulletin+, here is an advance look at part of an article written by Bruce Berlet about Wolf Pack rookie Dale Weise (note that the headline on the image at left will change in the final version to the headline of this posting):

Some players aren’t interested in being in a minor league camp, especially those with NHL experience. But don’t try to tell Dale Weise that there’s anything wrong with Hartford, Connecticut. “I’m ecstatic to be here,” Weise said, pointing toward the XL Center ceiling on the opening day of Wolf Pack training camp. “I know some guys aren’t excited to be sent down to the AHL, but I have a smile on my face all the time.”

That stems from the 20-year-old  going undrafted after his first two seasons in Swift Current of the WHL. But a serious powwow with coach Dean Chynoweth before last season, additional motivation from his family, and a strong showing as a Ranger in the Traverse City Prospect Tournament earned Weiss a Ranger contract and a visit to Hartford instead of a return to Swift Current to be the Broncos’ captain.

“I was always a good player and thought after my first year that I might get an invitation [to an NHL camp], but I didn’t,” Weise said. “My inconsistency is what I had to work on most. Sometimes I’d be our best player and sometimes I wouldn’t show up. It was more mental than anything. I sat down with my coach and we pretty much had it out. I have so much respect for Chynoweth, who knows what it takes. He said I had to come back and be the player he thought I could be or I wouldn’t be on the team. I loved Swift Current and wanted to be back, so I went home, put on fifteen pounds of muscle, got strong and faster, and really worked on my mental preparation.”

Weise’s mother Barb got her son to read “Hockey Tough” by Sol Miller, a sports psychologist. “I don’t read books, didn’t like school, but that book was awesome,” he said. “Last season I’d sit down for fifteen minutes before a game and take a few deep breaths. The biggest thing was not to make excuses. Don’t say you’re not playing enough or with the right guys, just think about what you’re going to do about it. Hockey is all about taking every opportunity you’re handed and doing it. No one else is going to help you. You’re on your own.”

But not without motivation from his brother Derek, who gets up at 5:00 AM to work construction. Or his father, who sent Weise to work with his grandfather in his furniture company. “It wasn’t like we took elevators,” Weise said. “Most of the jobs we did were four flights. That’s what I credit for my speed [on the ice] -- I walked all those stairs in the summer. But carrying boxes and moving furniture was not easy. That was my first job. I loved working with my grandpa, but I said, ‘I don’t want to work for living.’ Seeing my brother work fourteen hours a day, and my dad getting me up at 5:00 in the morning for the fun of it to see what it was like -- I did not want to do that.”

So Weise dedicated himself to being prepared last season and told Chynoweth that he understood what his coach meant, believed in his systems, and could rid himself of his inconsistencies. In 53 regular season games, his 29 goals added up to more than the 22 he scored in his first two junior seasons combined. He added 21 assists for a career-high 50 points. Then he picked it up in 12 playoff games, tying for the Swift Current lead in goals with seven and points with 13.

Comments

[CraigZ]

I'm Baaaaaaack Couldn't miss the home opener could I ... Z

[Jess]

Add another self made prospect as Traverse City free agent 6'5 D Tysen Dowzak signed a contract with the Hartford Wolfpack

[elsie]

adding to Jess's post above, this implies he signed Rangers\NHL Entry contract:
http://reganbartel.blogspot.com/
"I wanted to sign an NHL contract and if they (Rangers) weren't ready to offer me that, if they were just going to offer me an American Hockey League deal or East Coast League deal, I would have come back to Kelowna. When New York stepped up and offered me the entry level deal I thought this was a good opportunity and I should probably take this and jump on it."

[i]

alan I'm a bb+ person. Got any hockey to talk about, or not? Larry Brooks like many in the media have decided to put their political views in a hockey story.

[Sioux-per-man]

Some people are talking about Gaborick coming to the Rangers. How can Slats make that work when they are to close to the salary cap to sign Shanny. Isn't that almost impossible.

[rangerbill94]

Gaborik can come via a multi-player deal. I don't know if we have any of the players the Wild would want. Have to be Prucha, Rozi or another high salary guy and some prospects.

[Alan]

many in the media have put their politics into a hockey story? no, only the vp candidate from alaska has, and now snider has, using his team and us as unwilling participants in his suck-up to the gop. give me a break.
as an individual snider can do whatever the hell he wants with his money. i have absolutely no problem with that. spend it to get some defense if he had any cap room. but this should be against the bylaws of the nhl. just like the rangers can't take control of the website, he shouldn't be allowed to force his politics on an nhl-sanctioned event.

as an aside, i have an extra ticket to monday's game. section 334, $56 face value. anyone want it??

[LisaMY]

And here we go...

LET'S TO RANGERS!

[LisaMY]

HAHAHAHAH!

That's funny.

LET'S GO RANGERS!

[rangerbill94]

Good win. Showed some killer instinct with that 4th goal. What can you say about Dubinsky? Kalinin had a good game, very important for his first game at MSG. Nobody had a bad game, how's that for a change. Mara had a fight, wow!!! Anybody think we still need Shanny? Good attack speed, solid positioning. PP didn't convert, but it was effective and put pressure on the Hawks. PK was great. It looks like we have 8 forwards for the PK and all 6 D'men killed penalties also. Depth, speed, solid defensive play, solid goaltending...could be a very interesting year. Still early, but the signs are positive.

[Andrea]

RangerBill, I asked myself the SAME thing on a penalty kill: I can't see Shanny on this team. Do I think he's been strung along? Sure, but keep this team YOUNG, fast and hungry! Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'm not ready to see Prucha go.

MAN, it was good to be back at the Garden! GREAT crowd. Of course, they gave us MUCH to cheer about! 3-0.... LOVE it!!!!

Sleep well, Ranger fans!!!!!

[Matty]

I'm hoping to see Fristche in the lineup tomorrow over Dawes ... I think Fristche deserves to get in there ...

Dubinsky imo will just continue to get better and better ... a lot of the analysts that work for the national media are always mentioning Gomez, Drury, Henrik, Redden and even Naslund but then after that they say that the Rangers only have average players ... well keep thinking that

[LisaMY]

It was a good game. This team can be more aggressive on offense and tighter on defense. They have the tools to make that happen. They have the rest of the season to sort it out. Great start to the season. But with so many new faces, I still feel like I don't really *know* the team. LOL

I expect Dawes to sit tomorrow. Maybe, *maybe* Korpi, too. I wouldn't be surprised if both Prucha and Fristche are w/Callahan tomorrow.

[angry]

Girardi with 6 hits tonight. Nicky Zherdev - who brings more of a physical element than I could've hoped for - had 4 hits.

Brandon Dubinsky: 1 goal, 2 assists, +2, 4 shots, 5 hits.

Ya' think maybe Brandon was involved tonight?

In his own words:

"I want to be that player that fans like because I'm willing to put it on the line every night for my teammates. That's kind of my M.O."

JESS - four years ago, when this kid was toiling in relative anonymity in Portland, you called it. You told us how he fed off of other people's doubts and had a hunger inside of him to prove the doubters wrong.

Kudos, baby. This kid's making you look more than a little bit prescient.

[christine]

"There were a lot of personal agendas in here last year," Dubinsky said. "This year, there's one agenda, so far."

That quote says volumes in my humble opinion!

[ntb]

I watched the game on Chicago's Comcast Sportsnet where Pat Foley and Eddit Olczyk raved about Lundqvist and Dubinsky. They just kept saying, now you see why Drury was moved up to RW.

Some thoughts on the game:
1. Good win -- 4 goals is sweet.
2. Voros -- My opinion is changing. Looks like I was wrong about him.
3. Lundqvist -- solid as always
4. Faceoffs -- need to practice them more -- all 3 games the Rangers have been on the losing end (although barely in game 1).

On to Philly!

[angry]

Not to state the obvious, but biggest test of the year tonight.

[zengolfguy]

Ow, my arm is sprained from patting myself on the back about Voros with Dubi and NZ...

My next suggestion is Ftische for Betts. Betts had 4 breakaways last night and with 1 exception, every shot was a can of corn. Nice guy, good PK man, but we have 7 other PK men. Fritsche, with Sjoey and Orr (who continues to look better with the puck (could he turn into a nes Probert? Nahhhh) would give them a 4th line that might actually score.

And you can have either Prucha or Dawes on the 3rd line with Korpi and Cally.

Go Rangers!!!!!!!

[Paul R _ _ _ _ _ D]

Great game. Dubi just gets better and better, I like how Voros celebrates a goal, and I like how Dubi tried to do it and fell, that was funny, zhredev looked awesome, Dawes looks like he has not shown up yet maybe needs a few games, but I would like to see fritche and prucha get a couple games. Orr looks 10 times better then last season, so does that make Cally our new enforcer? or maybe Mara. Kalinin looked good last night as did Reden. as a team i think they can tighten up a little on defense, but that could just be opening night jitters over all I am stoked bout the season and going 3-0-0 NICE!!!! les go to phili and bring them some ranger vengeance hockey!!!

[paulinflorida]

The Dubinsky, Zherdev, Voros line was awesome last night. Dubinsky keeps proving he is an upcoming player in this league and what a big lift for Voros and especially Zherdev to get a goal in their Garden day views. If Zherdev can become comfortable in his new environmnent (on ice and off ice) that can go a long way to a good season. It looked like the Rangers were 'having fun' last night...they looked loose and comfortable which says a lot for a newly constructed team. I too would like to see Dan Fritsche in the line-up. Dawes was invisible again last night and he better keep looking over his shoulder. Are Prucha's days numbered?? Having this type of depth in the forward position should keep everyone on their toes and if you are not playing well you may find yourself on the outside looking in.....

[rangerbill94]

The Fritsche/Betts 4th line center battle could be interesting in the first half of the season. Dan could bring more grit and offense to that position, so Betts could be expendable. I'm not sure Renney will put Fritsche in that spot tonight, but it would be a good test.

As for Dawes, he knows that he needs to play the defensive side of the puck to remain in the lineup. He did just that last night. He had the 7th highest minutes of all the forwards last night and that's because he is becoming defensively responsible. His scoring will come, he is a natural sniper. He is far more physical than Prucha and has a better skill set. For those reasons I don't see him going anywhere. Renney wants guys who are defensively responsible and willing to play the team game. Pru is a gung-ho guy, but his defensive traits are not quite there. I'm afraid he could be the odd man out this season.