The Rangers finally did the right thing and gave Brandon Dubinsky the contract he deserved, re-signing the center to a two-year deal that will pay him $1.7 million this year and $2.0 million next year. This is more than the Rangers meeting Dubinsky halfway -- with reports yesterday pegging Dubinsky's one-year asking price at $1.1 million, down from $1.4 million, this is Glen Sather making the smart play, avoiding the possibility of having Dubinsky go back to the well again next year, possibly commanding even more if he has a good season centering Marian Gaborik. For more, see Ranger Rants here and here, Blue Notes here and here, Newsday, and the Post.
The Rangers beat the Bruins 5-2 this afternoon to win their first pre-season game (not that wins matter at this time of year) -- more encouraging was the power play finally scoring a goal. Artem Anisimov continued to strengthen his case to make the Rangers out of training camp with a shorthanded goal and an assist. Enver Lisin continued to impress with another good game and another goal, this time on a different line with fellow Russian Evgeny Grachev getting the game off. Ales Kotalik and Vinny Prospal both contributed to the offensive outburst as well with two points apiece -- the two of them along with Sean Avery were the only veteran forwards to suit up, not counting the fourth liners.
Four of the five hopefuls on defense all got a chance to go head to head -- Mike Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy continued to impress, Bobby Sanguinetti hung in there with them, and Alexei Semenov has somehow caught John Tortorella's eye as a potential keeper even though he has been mediocre at best, often worse. With Marc Staal and Dan Girardi rounding out the blue line corps, it was a youthful group skating today, and they did well. Newsday has a report on the other veterans, the ones who need to step up -- Redden and Rozsival. For more on the game, see Ranger Rants and Blue Notes. In other news, Mark Messier and Mike Richter were named co-winners of this year's Lester Patrick Award for service to hockey in the Unites States along with the Red Wings' Jimmy Devellano -- for more, see Newsday and NHL.com.
Where in the world is Tomas Kundratek? The Rangers said they sent him to Medicine Hat of the WHL. But Hockey's Future said that they changed their mind and sent him to Hartford, worried that he might choose to return to the Czech Republic rather than go back to junior hockey (for what it's worth, the Rangers never amended their original announcement). But the Medicine Hat News reports today that the Tigers are awaiting his return. Hmm. Three other players who were supposedly reassigned to Hartford training camp even though they officially remained on the Ranger roster appeared in today's game in Boston -- Jordan Owens, Dane Byers, and Corey Locke. Hockey's Future has other analysis of the Rangers' first cuts, focusing first on the goaltending. Prospect Park rounds up prospect action elsewhere in North America.
What are the odds Dubinsky is signed the day after Kessel is traded!? Hmmmmmm sounds fishey to me!
Posted by: Justin k | September 19, 2009 at 08:55 PM
eat that Sather. Watching this game makes it a pleasure to see morris on another team. What a waste he was. Got caught pinching on Avery's goal. Nice knee jerk trade by Sather, trading 2 young kids and 1 of his mistakes for a worthless rental. I wish we got to see what Dawes and Prucha would've done with (or at least 1 of them). Might've worked out, might not have. But I'd rather see them try and fail than watch Voros fail.
Avery-Dubinsky-Gabroik
Higgins- Drury- Callahan
Prospal-Anisimov- Kotalik
Lisin- Boyle- Bradshear
Rozival- Redden (sadly)
Staal- Gilroy
Girardi- Del Zotto
Henrik
Valli
Voros will make the roster as a spare, (sadly too).
Posted by: bring back mike gartner | September 19, 2009 at 10:51 PM