Rangers Grind One Out for Leetch

A hallmark of Brian Leetch's career was his unselfishness, on the ice in supporting his teammates in many ways, including a franchise record number of assists, and off the ice in never accepting all the credit that was actually due him for his unparalleled performance at his position. So it came as no suprise to anyone that a highlight of his retirement ceremony was announcing that Adam Graves and his number 9 would be honored next year -- although the announcement itself was a surprise to everyone in the building, especially Graves himself. Leetch had already spent a considerable chunk of his ceremony lauding his good friend John Murray, who went down with the World Trade Center, and the foundation set up in his name, he held his two-year-old son Sean through most of the ceremony, and he reiterated his sole desire that he be remembered for nothing more than being a New York Ranger.

These are not just things that make Leetch such a good person, they are the things that made him such a great player. Graves talked the other day about how calm Leetch always was on the ice in every situation. But it was the strength Leetch drew from teammates like Graves that gave him that calm. Just as it did last night. Explaining that it was his own choice to make the announcement about Graves, Leetch said, "I wanted to do it. That kind of made me calmer up there because I knew I had that trump card." And the beauty of it all was that Graves, like so many other key members of that 1994 Stanley Cup team, was the exact same type of person. "He grabbed my hand," Leetch said of the moment after the announcement. "His eyes were all welled up, he gave me a firm Adam Graves grab on the shoulder and hug, and then of course I knew he would give it the old, 'This is your night, this is your night."

The understated ceremony suited Leetch's nature so well. Things kicked off with Leetch in the Rangers' dressing room, a number 2 jersey hanging in his old stall (Brendan Shanahan, unaware that he was in Leetch's old stall, had to move down to make room, with his neighbor Ryan Hollweg moving down the line even further). "Going into that locker room and seeing the guys," he said. "I knew that everyone could see on TV. Just being back in there and being able to walk from the locker room out, to make that walk out there was great." Rather than focus completely on the 1994 team, as was the case with Mark Messier, Leetch's ceremony honored a career spent in New York and the Ranger tradition beyond that that Leetch himself now represents as much as anyone.

There were some great moments, like former Ranger enforcers Tie Domi and Darren Langdon bringing out a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle as a gift, and Leetch honoring the two general managers that influenced his Ranger career the most -- Craig Patrick, who drafted him, and Neil Smith, who built the Cup winning team, both in attendance, although not out on the ice (current Ranger GM Glen Sather was not mentioned at all, unless he was among those thanked immediately after Ranger owner Jim Dolan, in which case his name was drowned out by the boos for Dolan). Leetch made sure to mention the blue seats, and even elicited a Potvin chant by mentioning his name (although the Garden faithful could have returned the favor by not completing a second Potvin chant while Leetch was lauding Wayne Gretzky a moment later).

Shanahan said this was the first time he had witnessed an event like this. He is less than a year younger than Leetch and Graves. He said that Graves was "kind and mature" even at the age of fourteen, recalling when he as a thirteen year old was called up to play on a team captained by Graves. He said Graves made sure to come over and make him feel comfortable by asking him about his school and complimenting him on his haircut -- he wasn't sure at the time whether Graves was sending him up for his haircut, but he knows now that even at that young age, Graves had a good heart.

There was a game played last night, and though the Rangers prevailed 2-1 in a shootout, with Shanahan getting the winner, it was not a wholly satisfactory effort. The Rangers knew the Thrashers were going to come out harder to make up for their awful showing two nights earlier, even without the suspended Ilya Kovalchuk. They also knew that they themselves needed to play with the kind of intensity they showed in that 4-0 win. But while the Thrashers kept their end of the bargain, the Rangers did not, with a tepid first two periods that let the visitors get out to a 1-0 lead despite only 13 shots on goal (two of them creating the lone goal to that point).

Nevertheless, the Rangers were happy that they were able to battle through the frustration without making the kinds of mistakes that allowed Boston to get away with a win last Sunday. This time, they got the key goal to tie the game in the middle of the third period on a nice pass by Nigel Dawes to Michal Rozsival -- Rozsival settled the pass down, unlike earlier attempts by Chris Drury and Petr Prucha, who had trouble handling set-up passes with the net open in front of them (the ice may have been choppy due to the Leetch ceremony). And then they won the shootout they way they usually win shootouts -- a Shanahan goal and a perfect Henrik Lundqvist in net.

"We played a really solid game," Lundqvist said. "We didn't give up much and we played a patient game. That is the way we have to play. Sometimes you play well but you don't get the win. Right now it's all about the wins. I don't care if we play bad or if we play really good as long as we're winning. Some nights you won't play your best but find ways to win." This was one of those nights. "One of the things we talked about in-between periods was we shouldn’t get down on ourselves, just stay patient," said Shanahan. "And we did stay patient. And we got the win. Tonight we won a game where things are not going well, where you have to scratch and claw. It wasn't going to be easy, clean, or pretty. We better make a habit of winning those games as well, not just ones like Tuesday night." He believed that the Leetch ceremony put added pressure on the team to win, and that led to some overpressing and frustration, but they were happy to overcome it in the end and come through for Leetch.

But it says here, as it has said here all season long, that the cause of the frustration was the team's inability to win the game on the power play. They had four first period advantages, including a five on three that was just eight seconds shy of lasting the full two minutes -- they managed only two shots on goal during that two-man advantage and ended the evening 0-for-5 to extend their streaks of futility to 0-for-13 in their last three games, 1-for-21 in the last five, and 2-for-38 in the last eight. The Thrashers did not have any shots on goal through the first ten minutes of play until they got a couple while the Rangers were on the power play. "We're not moving the puck as quick as we'd like to," said Dawes, a career power play specialist who watched the Rangers work from the bench. "We were getting shots toward the net but there wasn't too much traffic. That's something that we need -- not all our goals are going to be pretty."

"If the power play would click at 20%, a lot of our concerns would be alleviated," said coach Tom Renney. "We would have a handful more wins. The confidence that your power play gives your even strength play is really important -- you feel you're a team that can control the puck, can control an opponent, because you're an attacking team, you're a puck possession team, you're doing all those things a good offensive team can do. Our power play has distracted from that at times." He believes that his team has to simplify their approach and keep working at it, although that has been his mantra all season and the unit is still struggling. Said Dawes: "All the guys have been doing a good job of working hard on the power play and creating those chances. I think it's going to be coming." On the plus side, the team only allowed one power play (although Atlanta took advantage, naturally, for their only goal), and has allowed only six power plays in their last three games after allowing 54 in the previous nine games.

Heading into the All-Star break, Renney is not pleased with what the team has done but is optimistic it can finish the job properly. "We're not happy with where we are," he said. "You can't be. But it's a season -- it's not 15 games or 50 games, it's 82. We have to correct ourselves even further, we all know that. But anything worth pursuing is worth the effort and the trouble, and we're prepared to do that. We have expectations for ourselves, and those are always the toughest ones to live up to. What we've found this year is the mindset of the group has been challenging -- it's been there a lot of the time, but there have been times when it hasn't been there. We have to wrap our heads around that collectively and realize that we are in the race, very much in the playoff hunt, and more than capable of securing that."

Comments

[cwgatti]

Leafs scouting Sanguinetti's Brampton Battalion team tonight.

[i]

I hope the current TEAM understands better after last night what NYR pride means, and practices it.

[Blaze]

@ Dubi,

Can you give us an update on Michael Sauer?

[Dubi]

Blaze -- from Bruce Berlet's "Wolf Pack Mid-Season Report" as it appears exclusively in the current issue of Blueshirt Bulletin and nowhere else: "Michael Sauer was among the last Ranger cuts in training camp but was a bit inconsistent and impatient under pressure, especially on the penalty kill. But that’s part of the learning process for a rookie."

[Blaze]

@Dubi

Is he injured again? I can't seem to find any stats for this season on him.

[Jess]

Cw

Do not read the wrong message about Leaf scouts being at the Battalion game as there are a few players like Cody Hodgson snd Micheal Lomas who are draft eligible.

They also are scouting Cory Emmerton who is a Red Wing draft pick as well.

On the average there are anywhere from 3-10 scouts at each of these games especially at this time of the year.

And before anyone even thinks that the Rangers are shopping Sanguinetti forget it as it would be one of the dumbest PR moves they could ever make.

[Matty]

i'm saying that the Rangers are not capable of beating teams like Pittsburgh, Ottawa, Philly, New Jersey when those teams are playing at their best

Oleo,

If the Rangers play the very BEST they can play and not a half-assed effort like they gave for the first two periods of last night then yes they can and have beaten those teams ...

on the Malik thing ...

I think Malik needs to go ... I am sorry but he's become a disruptive component on the team much like Aaron Ward was last season ... while Avery is credited for the team's turnaround last year I think it had more to do with addition by substraction and once Ward was gone and there was harmony in the locker room they started consistently winning and that's what they might need ... I mean this is the first time I read about him getting all upset about not being given a + and to me that's not a selfless player and teammate ... it's ridiculous ...

[Jess]

Blaze

Sauer is going to be found at the bottom of the stat sheet.

He is 2-4-6 in 39 games

[Chris QCT]

One can only expect the boooooos to get louder now....until he is gone. I do not see how Renney can let him back at this point. Especially with it all in the press now. Unfortunately, I have a bad feeling Renney is going to try to talk his way around this one. If we were winning and going along nicely, I could maybe understand. But this team's psyche is fragile, the wins are not coming, and this is the worst time to have this kind of attitude around the locker room.

If they 'respect' him so much, then move him to a place where he can play or at least out of here. The fans do not like him, and now the team and the coach have problems with him.

Guys like Staal, Dubinski, and Dawes need to be shown that this crap doesn't fly in the NHL.

[ORR Says "Trade to get Tootoo, and Cheechoo"]

Harry is a loser. Thats all there is to it. He is a huge whiner, who acts like he's the most special d man in the league. What a piece of rotten pie he is. He's pathetic, just get rid of him already, i dont care for who, just do it !!

Hopefully he's gone before the next game !

[ntb]

Wow, just reading about the Devils loss yesterday and this jumped out at me:

For whatever reason, we had a lot of guys who wanted to do their own thing out there," Sutter said. "We had a 2-0 lead and had a 5-on-3 power play and had four or five quality scoring chances, but they were thinking of themselves instead of the team. We've had two-goal leads in our building and let them slip. It shows a lack of commitment to want to play. It tells you that this is not a mentally strong hockey team."

Added Sutter, "To be honest, they should be embarrassed. It's hard for me to sit on this for four days. It sure as hell better be hard on them as well. We were brutal."

After the game was over, the Devils did not return to their locker room within the 10-minute cooling off period mandated by the NHL. It was reported that the team headed to a post-game workout in the auxiliary practice rink.

from: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/recap?gid=2008012411&prov=ap

How many 2-0 leads have the Rangers blown this year? I'm not a Renney-hater and I realize that getting emotional is not his style, but man it would be nice to hear this every now and then.

Going forward, February is going to be a real test for the Rangers. 7 of there 12 games are on the road, where they hold a 7-10-6 record. And 3 of the 5 home games are against the Western Conference (Ana, LA, SJ) who the Rangers have yet to beat this season (0-5-2).

[rangerbill94]

Chris QCT

This "crap" as you call it was induced partly by Malik's play, but mostly by the fans. Even when he was doing well, he continually got boo'd by fans that simply didn't like the fact that a big man isn't a physical player. I'm sure Malik is now doing everything he can think of to get himself traded off this team. He has been brutal this season, no doubt, but in Tuesday's ATL game he showed what he could do. The only thing the youngsters get from all of this is the idea if the fans turn against you, you're lost. Same thing with Poti, however, I think Poti was not a very good D'man, period. Osgood got the same treatment in Detroit some years ago. Now I never thought that Malik was going to be kept, in fact I thought he would be traded before last season. Sure hope we can get something for him, but his stock in now even lower, thanks to our fans! What a way to support your team!

[Dubi]

ntb -- Renney is not quite as blunt as Sutter, but he has said many of those things this season. In case you haven't noticed, when he does say things like that, his "fans" accuse him of pointing the finger at his players instead of holding himself accountable. By the way, the Rangers have only blown two-goal leads three times this season, and one of those they held on to win -- not like last season when they blew like ten two-goal leads to the point where it was a joke.

Rangerbill -- I've been one to defend Malik from the way the crowd treated him, but I won't use that as an excuse for what has happened to him because Tom Renney has never allowed that to influence his personnel decisions. He played Malik through all the booing last season because Malik was never as bad as the fans thought he was. This season, he benched him not because of the booing but because his play had truly deteriorated to that point, on top of which Staal emerged as a viable partner for Rozsival.

I think the message the young guys have gotten is that the coach will stick with them as long as they meet his expectations regardless of fan reaction, but will bench them if they don't perform and banish them completely if they put themselves ahead of the team -- I agree with him on all three counts.

[JIM]

Getting back to Leetchie, i just watched the ceremony (had to work last nite)and what really came to mind was what a piece of crap Slats was to trade this guy. Imagine what an influence he could have been for Girardi, Staal and our other young d-men. Oh yeah, slats was looking out for the Ranger future. BTW, anyone know who sings the song they played in the background during the video montage? I was crying like a schoolgirl.

[rangerbill94]

Dubi

I don't disagree with anything you said. However, these kids can get all sorts of ideas in their heads and the fans getting on Malik DID influence his play. Result, self-fulfilling prophesy and Renney's actions to "wake him up". Like you, I agree with all three counts. I'm a big supported of accountability.

Malik is done in NY, unless Renney can somehow "fix" it. But, frankly, I don't think it's worth the effort.

[Denver Frank]

Missed the event but I'm glad that Brian got his due reward. Also glad for Gravy. However, there are others also deserving of the honor. One who immediately comes to my mind also wore #9. The Rangers existed long before 1994 and in that prior time Andy Bathgate was a truly great Ranger. The first Ranger to score 50 goals in a season. Next years event should be a dual event honoring both Gravy and Andy. Failing that, the Rangers should give Andy his own ceremony. The same holds true for Vic Hadfield's #11 and Harry Howell. One of the few times I agree with Larry Brooks but the Rangers need to exhibit its fine history to the new wave of both players and fans.

[ORR Says "Trade to get Tootoo & Cheechoo" !!]

There was two video montages i think. The first one was Coldplay - Fix You. I forgot the second one, ill get back to you on that.

[ORR Says "Trade to get Tootoo & Cheechoo" !!]

No !! Number 9 goes to Graves. He helped bring a cup to New York !! Enough said. Its Graves night, he's a classy guy, i can bet my left nut that he'll mention Bathgate in his speech.

[JIM]

Thanx Orr. The song i'm looking for is the one played to all Leetch's highlight goals. On the broadcast it was played prior to the coldplay song. I too agree with Denver Frank, Dolan has no clue what a legacy this franchise is, and Slats is an Oiler underneath it all. Just venting but let's hope the winning ways keep up in the second half.

[Scott]

Anyone have a Richter banner giveaway from MSG the night of his jersey retirement and interested in selling it to me.? Just curious.

[Andrea]

Denver Frank, I think it was Vic Hadfield who first scored 50, not Andy Bathgate. Although I'm NOT bickering with the noble thoughts behind what you're saying. A few years ago, I went to TO to see the NYRs play (won on a glorious Bure breakaway... Ah Pavel, the misbegotten Nine...) and before the game, the Leafs Alumni were out signing autographs and who should we see? Mr. Bathgate. Strange to see him there and yes, he should be honored here as well. Still strikingly handsome, too. Yes, I said it!

I read somewhere that Smashing Pumpkins was playing. Jim, was it the song about seeing old friends that made you cry? That did it for me, although my tearducts are Mess-like. I'll be curious to see if anyone knows it.

[Dubi]

They gave us the song list, but I didn't bring that sheet home with me. That wasn't Bon Jovi's Why Can't You Go Home Again?, was it? I think that was at the end -- there was a different song for the video highlights, one that I hadn't heard of before.

Rangerbill, I agree that the fan reaction ultimately affected his play. I thought you meant that it affected the coach's decisions on whether to play him or scratch him. I think the kids are getting the message from how Staal and Dubinsky are being treated -- by both the fans and the coach -- as well as even Dawes through his ups and downs that the organization will have patience with them as they develop as long as they have patience too, a far cry from the bad old days.

[JIM]

Yup, definatley the one about old friends. Maybe someone will figure it out. Great song, applied so well to the occasion.

[mauraD]

Is it the song with lyrics like,
"And you’re wrapped in my memory like chains.
oh I say that the flowers will
always be there in my heart.
Like an old-fashioned movie with
all of you playing the part."

This is by, Shawn Smith, "Wrapped In My Memory"
Hope this helps.

[i]

http://www.lyricsandsongs.com/song/529649.html........... "WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME? "

[angry]

I'll bet anyone that Adam Graves makes sure to include Andy Bathgate in his retirement ceremony. No doubt about it.

[Jess]

Mentioning Andy Bathgate is a nice gesture but a better one would be to share the moment.

To those fans who think only Graves deserves this honor shows how unlike Graves those fans are. It is a selfish act to say only Graves deserves the night something Graves is not.

[ORR Says "Trade to get Tootoo, and Cheechoo"]

Blah.

There can be only one !! Highlander style..I WILL get tickets for Graves night. Some how. I wonder who they would play.

[paularensburg]

Among all the speculation regarding Malik's recent behavior I've yet to see across the blogosphere one reporter's attempt to get Malik's take on the situation. Dubi, what's up with that? Maybe Malik or another i nsider wouldn't respond for the record but, how come we don't hear from him or somebody else on background?

[ORR Says "Trade to get Tootoo, and Cheechoo"]

I doubt Harry is going anywhere. I hope he does but eh. This will blow over.

[oleosmirf]

why can't they just place Malik on waivers????? Then call up Hutchinson or someone until Sather inevitably makes a trade.

[Indy Rangers Fan]

Malik for Brian Campbell? what do you think? I wouldn't mind it one bit. Campbell can QB the power play extremely well.

[Dubi]

Paul, the original story came from Malik's side, as per my post. Since we didn't get that story until Malik was banished, there's been no way to talk to him (he's one guy I don't think any reporters have a direct line to). Keep in mind too that Renney has not spoken about the incident either -- we only have the account of a couple of players and the source on Malik's side. The two stories match up except for the apology, which Malik claims to have already tendered but the newspaper reports say has not yet been offered.

[oleosmirf]

indy Rangers fan

while you're at it why don't we trade Hossa for Crosby and Valiquette for Brodeur!!!

[Chris]

you can get something for a 6 foot 6 dman.

i think you can maybe score a gritty winger kind of like dupis or maybe a dman who is a little more offensively inclined but not so good on defense.

hopefully we get something and not him dropped on waivers because some team will pick him up.

[Mike]

Who gets fired for spelling Brian Leetch's name Bryan.. when they put Welcome Home Bryan on the end zone scoreboards right as he was entering the ice.

[Jxmarts]

I'd hesitate to include Sanguinetti in any trade because he's exactly the type of player on the backline we need to inject some dangerous offense into this team. Whether he fulfills his promise on the NHL level is up for debate, but it's not easy to find those kind of defensemen, and I'd hate to give one away again. Perhaps the biggest mistake the Rangers made in the decade or two (yes, even more so than letting the aging Messier go) was trading the very underrated Sergei Zubov because he and Leetch would have been deadly in their prime together for another decade.

By the way, had Zubov not been traded so early in his Ranger career, his number would someday be up in the rafters as well.

[Jess]

Paul A

Among all the speculation regarding Malik's recent behavior I've yet to see across the blogosphere one reporter's attempt to get Malik's take on the situation

What should they be writing? You have to have something to report in order to write any story. Do not think for a second that nobody has not tried to reach Malik or is ignoring this story.

Everyone who has been covering this story has reported what can be reported to the best of what they can confirm.

And believe me everyone who writes about the Rangers is making an attempt to get that "scoop" on this subject.

Scoops make reps, generate hits on sites but mostely make someone some money.

Dubi, what's up with that? Maybe Malik or another i nsider wouldn't respond for the record but, how come we don't hear from him or somebody else on background?

If you was representing Malik as your client and he royally screwed up by disrespecting the coach in front of the team what would you advise him to do while the Rangers still have not decided what to do about it?

Would you take a chance and toss more gas on this fire thus possibly risking his NHL salary by speaking on or off the record at this time?

OR

Would you lay low and try some serious damage control behind the scenes with the Rangers?

As unpopular as Malik was with Ranger fans before this event, can you how little sympathy anyone is going to show Malik right now?

No the best thing for anyone with Malik to do is stay under the radar and hope tempers will cool off.

[i]

It takes two to tango. Malik and Renney are butting heads after he plays one of his best games, all over a hand shake. You can make this stuff up.To me that was Malik's way of telling the coach, 'see I can play even though you don't think so like you use to'. They should have been talking more when he played bad. Maybe he wouldn't have been so caught by surprise, and wouldn't be angry & pouting. People mistake kindness, and when it changes they're shocked. Malik has now become a symbol for Renney and his authority, and his demand for respect. He needs to explain it to all the players, he should never assume they know and understand everything.

I was surprised when Leetch brought up Potvin, but he understands the fans , traditions, history, NYC, etc, and the blue seats. So can all the fans that don't like it stop picking on the ones that do, because they won't let that tradition go. they're NYR fans too.

[jack]

I read a rumor that the Rangers are interested in Rob Blake. I hope it is not true because the Kings are demanding a lot in return. This team is not a d man away from winning the cup. I know we are only a few points away from the top but foolish trades can set back a team for years. We have a month to see what this team will do if they come out flat after the break and drop 4 of 6 or 5 of 7, then we should be sellers. Trade Jagr(if he will go), Straka(which would hurt), Shanny(I would guess Detroit), Mara, Rosival(should return a top level prospect). If the sell off doesn't provide any decent players in return, like the last time, then we still free up space for the young guys we already have.

Funny thing, if you look at Detroit's team, you say who are half of these guys but they are the best team. What is it that they teach that we can't copy.

[Godot]

Bathgate deserves to have his 9 raised right alongside Graves's. No questions. No doubts. He was a great Ranger, a great hockey player, and those who say no, don't have the history or tradition of the franchise in mind.

I wonder if the Malik stuff is what Czech was talking about???

As for Blake, Sanguinetti, etc: I don't think Blake isn't coming to NY--he wants to retire a King; the Rangers would be foolish to trade Sanguinetti; and if you were a General Manager, what would you trade for Malik, knowing that 1) he hasn't played well all season, 2) Ranger fans hate him, 3) he's an expensive soon-to-be UFA, and 4) the Rangers obviously want to get rid of him? You wouldnt pay top dollar, so stopp assuming other GMs would.

[Matty]

Aw Godot you are asking some people to think logically, no fair!

;))

[oleosmirf]

if Marek Malik plays another game for the New York Rangers, I would lose alot of respect for Tom Renney.

I know it's different but imagine if one of the Patriots players pulled this on Belichik, do you think they would ever play again? Absolutely not.