Not Much Room to Move

The trend on the eve of deadline day was tenants extending their long-term leases on players instead of putting those players on the market as short-term rentals. Dan Boyle and Barret Jackman, two defensemen linked to the Rangers as potential acquisitions, both re-upped with their current teams and are off the market. Buffalo defenseman Brian Campbell is almost certain to be traded today, but just as certain is that New York will not be where he lands.

That means the Rangers, if they do anything, will trade for a depth defenseman to help fill the void created by Paul Mara's injury -- Mara underwent surgery yesterday to repair a fractured bone in his face. And that in turn means that, unless Glen Sather pulls a rabbit out of his hat, the Rangers' answer to the top-pair D question is -- drum roll please -- the resurgent Marek Malik. We don't need to put up a poll to know how Ranger fans feel about that likelihood.

So Philly has already made one move to make up for their rash of injuries, trading their version of Ivan Baranka and a second or third round pick for Vinny Prospal, and the Devils have already made the move they were expected to make by trading their version of Ryan Hollweg -- Cam Janssen -- for St. Louis defenseman Bryce Salavador, a highly injury-prone 32-year-old impending UFA. With either Montreal or Ottawa expecting to beef up their attack with the addition of Marian Hossa, the Rangers standing pat or nearly pat may prove to be a step backwards.

Trade coverage in the local papers and blogs is of course about the trade deadline, with no one really expecting the Rangers to do much more than acquire a defenseman -- see the Daily News, Journal News, Newsday, Post, Blueshirts Blog, NHL.com, and NY Sports Day. For other reading, Stan Fischler has a couple of Ranger-related bits in his Bluelines column, Wolf Pack Weekly is up at WP.com and Howlings, and Prospect Park names two prospects of the week this week.

Mara's injury was the result of unpenalized interference or charging. The NHL will not be handing out any supplementary discipline to Patrick Kaleta, the nobody responsible for the hit. Nor should they -- it's the referee who didn't make that call, or a tripping call earlier on Paul Gaustad when he took Scott Gomez down, who should be suspended. NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell will also not be taking any action against Florida's Gregory Campbell -- his son -- for his fight with Brandon Dubinsky. Dubinsky was ready to throw a punch when the younger Campbell went down, but did the sportsmanlike thing by holding back. Not Campbell -- he got up and, with a linesman pinning Dubinsky's arms to his sides, threw punches. Dubinsky broke loose and fought back, earning an extra ten minute misconduct.

Fans booing an unpopular player like Malik the first time he touches the puck in a game they know is a must win against an opponent that simply had to be beaten is one thing. But booing a team with a 3-0 lead, as some fans did during a second period power play that was going nowhere, is beyond explanation. Surely those who booed were watching last Tuesday when Montreal fans continued to cheer their team on even when they were down by five goals. Apparently, they learned no lesson from that and risked unnerving their team by booing them even with a big lead. And for what, one listless power play, only the second of the game?

Is it possible that the Rangers are in fact unnerved by the home crowd when they go on the power play, by a crowd that exhorts them to shoot every time they touch the puck, even if there are no shooting lanes open, by a crowd that boos them so easily if they struggle through even a single advantage as they did the other night? The statistics would support that conclusion -- the Rangers have scored one power play goal in their last eleven home games, going 1-for-45 in that time, but have scored at least one power play goal in nine of their last eleven road games, going 12-for-46 (26%) in those games. Huge difference.

Comments

[Ant]

Campbell to San Jose

[joeymole]

oh freak, my pick campbell is gone to san jose. oh well. he will be mashed into the boards out west, not the friendly confines of the great white north.

and the goonie belak gone to the panthers, guess rangers will continue to have to continue to face this guy.

tune into the nhl network, great trade-by-trade coverage!!!!

[Jim]

No excuse for booing when you are up 3-0. I'm a lifelong Ranger fan, and when I lived in NJ I went to many games at the Garden, and I've always said that many Ranger fans at the Garden are just a-holes, even to each other. It's become a members only club of lemmings who follow the lead of a few idiots, and for God sakes, "Potvin sucks" got old 15 years ago, now its more of an honor to the guy than a derogatory remark. I'd swear some Ranger fans just go to the games to do that stupid chant

I live in South Florida, and never miss a game when they are here. Always a good group of Ranger fans at the games here.

[roc]

This sucks Campbell to sharks. Come on Rangers we need help.

[Ant]

Hmm is it possible that Rangers will not do any moves at all?The way this looks like Hossa is not coming here.

Richards is traded to Dallas

[oleosmirf]

Salvador for Jansen are you kidding me??? Sather's gotta have something up his sleeve cause getting Salvador would have been so easy.

I forgot all about Visnovski until Jess brought up Stuart. He's very good offensively can play the point on the powerplay and if i'm not mistaken Sather wanted him last year in the Avery deal but the kings wanted Staal or Montyoa so Sather turned them down.

The Rangers have 2 mil+ cap space

[kovazub94]

Someone mentioned here that Montreal or Ottawa were looking to reunite Hossa brothers if they got Marian. If it's Montreal and the reunion rumor was true I would love it if the Rangers would get Sergei Kostitsin in return for Marcel.

Now you can tell me to get back to playing XBox but I got to warn you - I don't have any and thus I don't play any video games.

[Mark W.]

My brother told me Richards to Dallas for Mike Smith (goalie) but he didn't tell me where he heard

[oleosmirf]

kovazub

not only is that a completly one-sided trade for the Rangers but why would they break up their own set of brothers for another???

[Mark W.]

TSN reporting that Stars also get Johan Holmqvist in the deal

[dennis]

We couldn't have offered more than BERNIER???? I really hope this was a case like the Pens taking the Caps infrerior offer for Jagr years ago instead of sending him to the Rangers!

I hope Sather makes a few small moves here (Stuart) to at least give this team some depth on the blueline.

[Mark W.]

TSN says:

Dallas gets Mike Richards and Johan Holmqvist

TB gets Mike Smith, Jussi Jokinen and Jeff Halpern

[oleosmirf]

dennis

Bernier and a 1st rounder is more than the Rangers would offer...i'm still hoping for Visnovski

Huet is a Capital

[roc]

Huet to the Capitals for a second round pick. What?

[roc]

I feel a trade coming on!

[angry]

Excellent post. Totally agree on the booing and on the Campbell analysis.

Part of me suspects something is cooking to be announced after the deadline...but most of me hopes this doesn't happen. I like our top three lines and I like the flexibility we've got on the fourth line...and indeed throughout the forward lines. Good stuff.

Defensively, I'm comfortable with Tuytin and Girardi being caught on the ice against pretty much anybody. Likewise Staal, Roszival and Malik (then again, I've always thought the bile directed at Malik was inappropriate...especially when you consider that we won a cup with a 12-year-old Alex Karpovtsev and a 96-year-old Jay Wells taking a regular shift).

I wonder who the callups will be? Specifically, I wonder if it's completely out of the question that a slick, puck-moving defenseman will be among them?

[pghas]

Montreal must be looking at Khabibulin. No way they land Marcel Hossa and go with that rookie whatsisname for their Cup run. I'll bet that's what's going down....

[pghas]

Oh and of course we could have offered more than Bernier and a pick for Campbell. But I am sure there is almost no offer Buffalo would accept from the Rangers at this juncture given the two temas' standings.

[joeymole]

i posted a few days ago the montreal rumor about hossa brothers both ordering gloves in montreal colors....hmmm.

i have a feeling rangers will make 1 deal today for a d-man. or none at all.

[pghas]

"I feel a trade coming on!"

Quite insightful, roc. Great sixth sense you've got there.

[oleosmirf]

pghas

that definately makes sense for Montreal. I'm listenin to Toronto radio 590 AM so its all hockey all day...

[Dubi]

Dennis -- Bernier, San Jose's second line right winger, is roughly equal to Brandon Dubinsky at this point -- would you have traded Dubinsky and a #1 pick to get Campbell for the remainder of this season? I don't think so.

[oleosmirf]

Dubi

I dont know I think Dubinsky is much more valuable to the Rangers than Bernier was to San Jose.

Great trade for Tampa Bay. Smith is a good goalie, Jokinen is solid and great shootout artist plus Halpern is a great defenive forward, faceoff man and a leader.

[roc]

Well at least al these guys are going out west. Campbell can be had for money over the summer. I just want to win a cup. We were so close last year to making a real run. We need depth on defense and scoring.

[paulf]

I agree with Stan Fischler:

"As presently constituted, the Blueshirts have three solid offensive lines. Brandon Dubinsky and Sean Avery have revitalized Jaromir Jagr, while the other units are just fine as is.

With Hossa back, Renney can dump either Colton Orr -- out Sunday with illness -- or, preferably Ryan Hollweg and have a reasonable fourth line.

Compared to the competition, the New York defense is good enough. Although a first-rate power play quarterback would make it a superior unit, but you can't have everything."

The only thing I would add is that a top-tier defenseman would help to advance further in the playoffs, but it would be expensive in the long run.

[oleosmirf]

paulf

The Ranger's defense is good enough to make the playoffs but don't fool yourself if Henrik is not playing Brodeur-like hockey the Rangers will not go far.

We need a good solid defenseman that can be reliable and I know that we really dont need Campbell or Kaberle but they would be nice addition if the price was right

[Michael Benjamin]

If a player like Richards waives his no trade clause to go to Dallas, does he lose it completely? As in, can Dallas trade him during the current length of his contract or is it a temp waive?

[njaco1215]

The Chicago Blackhawks have traded forward Tuomo Ruutu to the Carolina Hurricanes for winger Andrew Ladd.

[angry]

I think no trade clauses are waived on a case-by-case (team-by-team) basis, at the discretion of the player.

I may be wrong.

[paularensburg]

The Colorado Avalanche have acquired defenceman Ruslan Salei from the Florida Panthers for defenceman Karlis Skrastins and a third-round draft pick.

[njaco1215]

Fla sends Ruslan Salei to Col for Karlis Skrastins and 3rd rnd pick

when is slats gunna make a play for a d-man upgrade

[oleosmirf]

Sather's got something up his sleeve. He always makes a move. Hopefully Rob Blake or Foote doesnt wind up here.

[gravey]

I think Slats must be ice fishing in Banff.

[gravey]

>Hopefully Rob Blake or Foote doesnt wind up here.

Or perhaps I hope he's ice fishing in banff.

[paularensburg]

Rumor has it the Rangers wanted Salei but Jagr nixed it b/c he's Belarusky and therefore stupid.

(That's just a [lame] joke, btw...)

[oleosmirf]

Toronto reports Rob Blake will only go to Anaheim and Colorado and turned down an offer to Detroit.

[joeymole]

rangers and devils have the 2 best goalies in the east. defense wins championships. so if henrik gets in the zone, like he did during the olympics, rangers have a great chance to go deep in the playoffs. especially if rangers d-men (malik) limit their turn-overs ('brain farts'). i think the ranger have a better team, player vs. player against the devils.

[Pavel]

Slats doesn't "always make a move". He made no deadline deals last year. The Avery trade was a month before the deadline.

[njaco1215]

marry lapointe from chi to ottowa for 6th rnd pick

[Ron Boesgaard]

What about Slats dealing with his buddy Kevin Lowe for Joni Pitkanen? Just turned 24, 6' 3" and 210, skates and handles the puck real well, good PP guy and is an RFA after this season which means the Rangers could match to retain his rights.

Pock or Hutchinson, Hugh Jessiman and a 2nd or 3rd???

How about Lowe throwing in Robbie Schremp and getting Bourret in return?

We all have seen this around but IMHO, Pock and Bourret have both fallen out of favor, Jessiman is a long shot and I would not mind giving up the draft choice as Pikanen is a bona fide top 4 defensemen.

All said, that might not even be close to being enough...unless Edmonton is looking for a goaltender.....

Just speculating...have my Dwayne Klessel mask on.

[RobZ]

Pavel, We got Mara at the deadline last year for Ward.

[Ant]

Damn campbell looks like hes about to cry during the interview

[And This One Will Last A Lifetime]

Ah, Martin Lapointe. If anyone symbolized the NHL was getting out of control for overpaying mediocre talent and assigning to high of a value for "intangibles" it was Lapointe...or Bobby Holik.

[oleosmirf]

Toronto reporting a rumor that Hossa and Lehtonen to Ottawa for Emery, Kelly, Schubert, Vermette

[rangerbill94]

Dubi

"the Rangers standing pat or nearly pat may prove to be a step backwards." Maybe a step backwards for this season, but maybe a step ahead for the future. Any word on Kaberle? We just can't trade our future to make a trade. It must be a long term, positive player. Yes, We are weak on defense, but if Malik plays to his potential, we'll be OK...unless one of the top 4 goes down.

[pghas]

Oh great, Ottawa will have Lehtonen ingoal and the Habs will have Price. Never mind my fear of Hossa the Greater, the Rangers are coming out of the East.

[And This One Will Last A Lifetime]

I know we've made Huet look pretty bad a few times this season but I still have to imagine they'd trade him only if they were going to substantially upgrade their team (i.e. Hossa) in other areas.

Then again if Carolina won with Cam Ward a couple of years ago you might only need to best goalie for a 20 game stretch.

[paulf]

oleo, you restated what I said and made it sound like I disagreed with myself. The Rangers are good enough to make the playoffs and I think win a round ot two, IMO. Can they go the finals as constituted? Sure, there are no flawless teams in the league, especially the east. But as I said, for them to go far, I believe they need to upgrade the defense, at least in depth.

[oleosmirf]

foote is an Avalanche

[And This One Will Last A Lifetime]

Foote and Foppa back on the Avs? They also have a francophone goalie, but Thedore ain't exactly St. Patrick...the Wings have McCarty and Osgood, what a time warp if those teams meet in the playoffs.