The Rangers traveled directly from Philadelphia to Boston after Saturday's 2-1 win over the Flyers to prepare for tonight's contest against the Bruins. They practiced yesterday in the Boston area and held a team building event last evening -- bowling. Expect the Rangers to ice the same line-up tonight when they hit the ice in Boston as they did in Philly. That will include Dan Girardi, who as far as we can tell is the first Ranger to ever wear #46, but not Thomas Pock.
In the news, John Dellapina writes about Brendan Shanahan clearing the power play air with Jaromir Jagr and encouraging Girardi in the Daily News, Larry Brooks pretty much calls Tom Renney's power play strategy insane in the Post, and Steve Zipay covers the third line and Ryan Callahan in Newsday with additional notes and quotes in Blue Notes. Callahan is at the AHL all-star game that Girardi is happily missing to play in the NHL. Bruce Berlet has an article on him in the Courant. The Democrat & Chronicle has a story on the skills competition that focuses on their hometown representatives, which includes Cally.
The OHL all-star game is Wednesday evening in Saginaw, and we've gotten word from the host Spirit that one of their representatives in the game, Ranger prospect Tommy Pyatt, will captain the Western Conference all-stars. Marc Staal, Pyatt's fellow Ranger prospect, will captain the Eastern Conference all-stars. For more on Sunday's prospect action, here is Jess Rubenstein:
The Rangers may have the day off but their prospects didn’t and Prospect Park has all you need to know. We start with David Kveton and Gatineau as they traveled to take on Baie-Comeau. Kveton had his 13th assist in eleven games but his Olympiques lost, 8-6. Ryan Hillier had a goal (his 23rd) and an assist (his 19th) as Halifax defeated Prince Edward Island 6-5 in OT. In the WHL, Brodie Dupont’s 24th goal ended a nine game goalless streak and, along with an assist, helped Calgary rout Kelowna, 5-1. Kootenay and Medicine Hat are fighting it out for the best record not in the WHL. Medicine Hat with Michael Sauer took on Red Deer and, with Sauer netting an assist to go along with a +3, were 4-1 winners. Ryan Russell and Kootenay took on Brandon but could not keep pace with Medicine Hat, dropping a 3-0 decision.
In OHL action, Dalyn Flatt and his Brampton Battalion fell to Barrie, 3-1. Flatt added two more minutes to his prospect-leading 139 PIMs. Staal led Sudbury into action against Kitchener but the Rangers were rude hosts, spotting the Wolves a 2-0 lead only to score three unanswered goals to win 3-2. Staal was scoreless. Trevor Koverko was out of the lineup as Oshawa defeated Peterborough, 4-0. Windsor may not have any Ranger prospects but boy are they are fun to watch as their defense disappears when you play them. Tom Pyatt and Tomas Zaborsky led Saginaw into Windsor and the result was a 9-5 Spitfire win. Pyatt had his prospect-leading 26th goal while Zaborsky had goal #12 plus an assist (his 18th).
Stars of the Night: First Star -- Tomas Zaborsky (Saginaw OHL) -- now has six goals for the month, showing the offense the Rangers touted when they drafted him; Second Star -- Ryan Hillier (Halifax QMJHL) -- career high in goals with 23 as his game has stayed steady in the second half, but somehow we get the feeling that Hillier could do more; Third Star -- Tom Pyatt (Saginaw OHL) -- having now set a career high in goals, we see a bright future in the NHL for a player we once thought of as a checking forward but has grown into a clutch player and leader.
And for more on the recently departed Gump Worsley, see stories in the London Free Press, Toronto Sun, and the Canadian Press -- if you only have time for one, read the first one.
My Rangers Report Card
At the 49 game point we have 52 points, scored 143 goals and gave up 147. Last year at this point in the season we had 63 points, scored 154 goals and gave up 125 goals. Not a suprise, we are not as good as we were last year.
Now, inside the numbers. Jagr's line is slightly up from last year @ 278 points last year & a projected 285 points this year. The big difference is the second line production. Last year was Rucchin, Ruchinsky, Sykora and Prucha @ 75 goals, 94 assists and 169 points. This year, the projections for Shanahan, Cullen, Prucha and Hall are 54 goals, 56 assists and 110 points. We clearly lost production due to the acquisition of "thought to be" second line players. The rest of the lines still don't contribute much.
On the defensive side of the puck, last years 7 D'men produced 22 goals, 101 assists @ 123 points. This year's 7 (I included Kaspar) is projected to produce 24 goals, 105 assists @ 129 points. That's a wash.
In goal, Lundqvist has dropped from his pace of 2.24 GAA & .992 save percentage to 2.78 @ .904 save percentage. That amounts to about half a goal per game. That's 24 goals over the 49 games to date and amounts to the difference from last season at this point. We all know this is a reflection of the overall team defense, which has not been as good as last year (and that's not saying much!).
So the trades and acquisitions have done more to hurt the team then help. The exception is Shanahan, who brings more then points. From a point production standpoint, Rucchin and Cullen are about a wash, however IMO Rucchin would have been more productive with Shanahan on his wing. Shanahan is a clear improvement over Ruchinsky with Shanahan projected at 77 points to Ruchinsky's 55 points last season. The big drop off is Hall vs. Sykora. Hall is projected at 7 goals, 3 assists @ 20 points and Sykora is projected at 28 goals, 36 assists @ 64 points. Sykora's production last year was almost double Hall's projected output for this year. Prucha is producing at a lesser pace (47 points last year and projected @ 32 points this year).
The loss of Moore and Ortmeyer's health issues have hurt. However, the biggest problem is the trades and acquistions that have not paid the dividends management expected. The numbers are supporting what we are seeing on the ice. We need a playmaker at 2nd line center, a scoring right wing for the second line (Prucha could be the man with a playmaker center) and the overall team defense needs to pick it up. Then we will only be back to where we were last season! That translates into a viable 3rd or 4th line with some scoring punch.
Posted by: rangerbill94 | January 29, 2007 at 12:58 PM
I had a chance to see Callahan play in person on Saturday night in Hartford and he was dominant. He absolutely belongs in the NHL and I can't wait to see him get a real shot.
For those in the NY area who didn't know (and don't have Center Ice), the AHL All Star Skills Competition and All Star Game are being shown on FSNNY. I got to see Callahan in the skills competition last night, where he held his own. The All Star Game is on tonight at 7pm, for those who might want to record it.
Posted by: laurie | January 29, 2007 at 01:29 PM
Rangerbill94 - excellent analysis!
Posted by: Lurker Kev | January 29, 2007 at 03:05 PM
Sorry, typo. save percentage for Henrik last year was .922, not .992!
Posted by: rangerbill94 | January 29, 2007 at 03:12 PM
What the hell does Tom have against Pock? Seriously, the kid has been one of our better defensemen for weeks while Malik has been a waste of space. Renney has been horrible this year, plain and simple. His revised lines are a joke.
Posted by: Mike C | January 29, 2007 at 03:33 PM
It would help if Renney could show a little leadership and TELL his players what he wants to see on the PP. Why is he letting Shanny and Jagr discuss it in the papers and disagree with the overall philosophy. What is Renney's philosophy? He is the coach for crying out loud. How can you have your Captain and Alternate disgreeing on the basic concept of the powerplay this far into the season??
Shouldn't the foundation of their PP been decided by Renney way back in say...August?
Posted by: Chris QCT | January 29, 2007 at 03:49 PM
rangerbill
Thanks for that info.
Posted by: emscam | January 29, 2007 at 05:12 PM
Chris QCT
Yes. And the roster needed to set back then also.Malik is at his best right now. Pock still has some upside and as of now we don't know where the end of his upside is. Pock should be QB on the PP. He did it in Hartford and should be given the chance here. Not on Jagr's PP unit, though. Put him at the point with Shanny, Prucha and Hall and watch them score goals. JJ will change his mind if the second PP unit becomes the first.
Posted by: rangerbill94 | January 29, 2007 at 05:14 PM
It only took Lundmark to get Conroy? Sather needs to go, now!
Posted by: rangerbill94 | January 29, 2007 at 06:18 PM
Good stuff rangerbill. Appreciate the interesting stats.
Posted by: Phill | January 29, 2007 at 06:48 PM
Did anyone just see that play by Malik? He's pure crap.
And Prucha gets some luck!!!
Posted by: Mike C | January 29, 2007 at 07:28 PM