Blueshirt Boggle

Del Zotto makes the cut, NYR Nation on the Radio

Defenseman Michael Del Zotto will be the youngest Rangers defenseman to take the ice since Brian Leetch. The 19-year old was the Rangers first round draft pick in 2008. He can still be returned to his OHL London Knights.

Head Coach John Tortorella told Steve Zipay of Newsday this morning, "Right now, he has made the club. Based on his play, he has made the club." Del Zotto will likely play in the third pairing. Could the defensive pairs be split to place the rookies with a veteran? I would like to see:

Marc Staal - Dan Girardi

Wade Redden - Matt Gilroy

Michal Rozsival - Michael Del Zotto

I think Gilroy is fast enough where Redden wouldn't be the focus on the ice. This would give him a little more freedom with the puck and the comfort that his partner could backcheck if he takes a risk.

Staal and Girardi seem like they are going to stick. Rozsival would be able to focus more on his own zone if paired with the offensive Del Zotto.

No news on Alexei Semenov though there are some rumblings that he could continue to start the season on a tryout. Not sure if that's possible or not.

In other news, our friends at Ranger Nation will be on the radio tomorrow night doing their season preview. Hosted by Jonathan Ragus and Randy Sobel, the call in show will start at 9 pm. at http://radio.nyrnation.com . The call in is (347) 884 - 8692.

Grachev Assigned to Hartford following 4-3 loss

Following a tough 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals, forward Evgeny Grachev was assigned to Hartford.

Grachev showed strong signs of being a top-six forward in the league. However, his skating and timing could use some refining in Hartford.

Here is the release:

RANGERS ASSIGN EVGENY GRACHEV TO HARTFORD
22 Active Players Remain With The Club

New York, September 27, 2009 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced
today that the club has assigned forward Evgeny Grachev to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey  League
(AHL).  The Rangers now have 22 players remaining in training camp, including two goaltenders, seven defensemen
and 13 forwards.  The Blueshirts’ next practice is scheduled for Tuesday, September 29, at 11:00 a.m. at the MSG
Training Center.

Final Preseason Game Underway

The Rangers will look to answer some final roster questions this afternoon in their final preseason contest against the Washington Capitals.

(Rangers trailing 1 - 0 midway through the first period.)

Amongst the players in question are defensemen Alexei Semenov (will he be offered a contract?) and Mike Del Zotto (will he be returned to juniors?). It's fair to assume that Semenov will remain with the club on a one year contract. The Del Zotto debate should be answered after seeing the 19 year-old play top minutes this afternoon against Washington's top line.

The forward positions aren't set either. With Sean Avery injured, it may present a temporary opportunity for someone, but in reality there are only a couple spots for four players to take.

Aaron Voros, Evgeny Grachev, Brian Boyle, and Artem Anisimov are all looking to fill the third and fourth line roles. Two of these players will likely be sent down, but much depends on how Vinny Prospal succeeds on the wing. If Head Coach John Tortorella determines that Prospal is better at center, then either Anisimov or Boyle will center the fourth line. If Prospal is a winger, then either Voros or Grachev will be sent down.

Keep up with updates on Twitter...

Rangers pull out last minute victory at MSG finale

"It's a big play at the end by Dubi," said Head Coach John Tortorella following a last minute victory by the New York Rangers in their final preseason home game.

With just over one minute remaining, Brandon Dubinsky took a cross ice pass from Marian Gaborik and worked the puck along the boards, warding off the Washington defense as he entered the offensive zone.

Dubinsky fought the puck to the net just enough to catch Jose Theodore off-guard and give Chris Higgins a shot at the goal.

Higgins capitalized and the Rangers held on to win 3 - 2, in the two teams' first meeting since Washington ousted the Rangers from the playoffs in seven games last season.

Dubinsky, in his first game of the preseason following his week-long holdout, didn't look out of place and had a little extra jump in his step, working hard to be the first player to the puck nearly every shift.

"I felt good all week, but you never know since it's preseason and there is still another level to jump to," said Dubinsky.

He must have felt particularly good with new linemate Marian Gaborik who tallied two goals of his own and added an assist on the game-winner.

"He was great tonight and that shot of his is pretty scary," said Dubinsky. "If I play with him it's just an indicator that I'm trying to get him the puck as much as I can in scoring areas..."

Higgins was equally impressed with his Slovakian linemate's first two games.

"He's such a phenomenal talent, it's pretty much a guaranteed goal," said Higgins who added an assist on Gaborik's second goal.

Originally, Vinny Prospal had centered Higgins and Gaborik, but Dubinsky was phased into that spot later in the game. Tortorella, however, has not committed to either combination and vows to continue and "try different things there and see where it goes."

The game went back and forth and featured a lot of time on specialty teams. Both teams took seven penalties apiece , but neither could rally any momentum from the power play.

Gaborik broke the game open early in the second period with a breakaway shorthanded goal that went five-hole on Theodore, nearly knocking him over.

Later in the period, following a strong defensive play by Matt Gilroy on Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin corralled the puck from the corner and out to the faceoff circle before roofing a shot over Henrik Lundqvist's pads.

The teams traded goals again as Gaborik got the lead back at 12:37. However, the Rangers missed a coverage on the backcheck and Alexei Semenov was left all alone to face a 2-on-1 with Ovechkin and Keith Aucoin. Ovechkin slipped a pass beyond Semenov's reach and Aucoin buried it with three minutes left in the period.

During the third, neither team had a tremendous number of opportunities, but the physical play did pick up with big hits on both sides. There were a couple fights to speak of as well, as Donald Brashear and Brandon Sudgen had a quick spat in the second period followed by a near minute-long re-match in the third.

Brashear won by decision.

Throughout the game, Brashear sat for four penalties, much to the dismay of the Garden faithful. But the smattering of boos, cheers, and jeers were heard by more than just the fans.

"Donald Brashear is gonna be a big part of this hockey club, I don't think he needs to be disrespected," said Tortorella. "[The media] disrespected him when we brought him in here...He's gonna serve to be a pretty important guy for this hockey club."

Tortorella also intends to use Brashear in a variety of roles, including the power play which he saw some time on tonight, setting himself atop the crease.

The Rangers now look to Sunday as they travel to Washington to close out the preseason. Both teams used predominantly veteran lineups in preparation for next week's start to the regular season. There may be at least one more cut prior to Sunday's game.

GAME NOTES AND STATS:

• Henrik Lundqvist played the full game, recording 23 saves for the victory
• Wade Redden was a +2 and led the team in time on ice with 23:50. He was named Third Star of the Game. Dubinsky received the Second Star and Gaborik the First Star
• Gilroy and Semenov were both -2

Sanguinetti Assigned To Hartford (Update 2:50 with Analysis and Game Notes)

Just announced. As expected, defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti was assigned to Hartford. While he has improved since his draft year, he still appeared a half-step behind much of the preseason games.

Here is the official release:

RANGERS ASSIGN BOBBY SANGUINETTI TO HARTFORD

23 Active Players Remain With The Club

 

            New York, September 24, 2009 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has assigned defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey  League (AHL).  The Rangers now have 23 players remaining in training camp, including two goaltenders, seven defensemen and 14 forwards.  The Blueshirts’ return to action tonight when they will host the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.), in the final home game of their 2009-10 pre-season schedule.

****************

UPDATE: As per Steve Zipay of Newsday, the line combinations at practice this morning were the following:

Grachev-Drury-Kotalik

Lisin-Dubinsky-Callahan

Higgins-Prospal-Gaborik

Voros-Anisimov-Brashear

Boyle

Redden-Rozsival

Del Zotto-Girardi

Gilroy-Semenov

Staal-Sanguinetti

A few curious points with these lines. Obviously with Sanguinetti being sent down the Rangers know their top 7 defensemen. It appears, at face value, that Del Zotto will be given an opportunity for at least a few NHL games before being sent back to the OHL. Still not sure if he will stick, but it's worth a look.

The defensive pairings also may need some tweaking. If Semenov is your seventh defenseman, then it would make sense to have an experienced defender with an inexperienced one. Personally, I would like to see Gilroy with Staal.

If Semenov plays in the sixth spot, then Del Zotto sits and the Rangers stick with their top four pairings like last season.

Could Brian Boyle be sent to Hartford? Looking into his contract implications, but with all of the praise that Vinny Prospal has received as center, perhaps the Rangers are toying with the idea of sticking with today's lines for a while.

A Higgins - Prospal - Gaborik line looks good on paper. The line of Lisin - Dubinsky - Callahan could produce a lot of speed and punch. And Grachev - Drury - Kotalik has a little bit of size, a little bit of goal production, and a little bit of defensive play. The fourth line of Voros - Anisimov - Brashear isn't overly appealing only because it may be wasting Anisimov's talents.

Should be interesting!

We will be Twittering live from the Garden tonight so take a look in. We will also have some post-game analysis here including quotes from the locker room and in-game photos on our Facebook page.

Stick around!

Another Update: It appears that the practice lines will stick for tonight's game. Also, a point to debate during the game: With these current lines, the Rangers have a lot of firepower in scoring. One player missing? Sean Avery.

When Avery is ready to jump back in, where would he fit amongst this hodge-podge? Likely in Grachev's place alongside Drury and Kotalik, but is a large scoring winger in Grachev a better fit than Avery?

The Rangers need Avery's grit, but with the abilities that players like Grachev and Anisimov have shown, where does he fit in the top three lines? I don't believe he would be enough of a presence in the game by being placed on the fourth line.

On a side note, amidst all of the Phoenix Coyotes circus, Wayne Gretzky has stepped down as Head Coach. Dave Tippet looks to be named shortly as his successor.

I could see "The Great One" returning to the Rangers in a management capacity, especially since buddy Mark Messier is now in the fold.

Thinking Defensively

At this point in the preseason, it's likely that the Rangers know six of their seven defensemen.

Returning from last season on the blueline are Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Wade Redden, and Michal Rozsival. Add to that mix newcomers Matt Gilroy and most likely Alexei Semenov who has been strong during his tryout with the club.

The only defensemen left in camp? Mike Del Zotto and Bobby Sanguinetti.

Both have gotten long hard looks from the organization and when asked about the two, Head Coach John Tortorella simply said, "He just doesn't know."

One factor that will play heavily into this decision is that Del Zotto is age-eligible for Juniors or the NHL, he cannot play in the AHL. It is the same situation that Jordan Staal of Pittsburgh faced a couple seasons ago. He can play up to 10 (I believe) games in the NHL and then he either must be returned to his Juniors team or stay with the NHL club the rest of the season.

Sanguinetti, can go to Hartford and be called between the two teams without any reservations.

The problem is that while both have shown some strong skills, neither has really stood out to the point of forcing the team to keep them.

During camp, Tortorella has been fairly mum on Sanguinetti, saying he hasn't seen him much.

On Del Zotto, he has said a bit more, but most recently, "he has made a case for himself to stay here."

Not exactly convincing.

Size is an issue with both players and while Sanguinetti seems to have filled out a bit from his draft year, he still lacks some of the width that many NHL defenseman have. Del Zotto is a wider player, but is not as physically mature yet as Sanguinetti.

Skating has been a strong point of both, they can keep up with the pace of the NHL game. However, the ability to see the ice and process plays at that speed is a different story. Neither have looked comfortable nor have they shown the kind of decision making with (and without) the puck required to play night in and night out.

Both would probably benefit with some time in the minors, the problem is that Del Zotto is a man amongst boys in the OHL, but a boy amongst men in the NHL.

My best guess is that Sanguinetti starts the season in Hartford and Del Zotto is returned to Juniors. The Rangers will probably bring in a defensemen via free agency or trade, such as Marc-Andre Bergeron to try and fill that final pairing role.

If not, they could start the season with six defensemen and use Sanguinetti as a callup after he gains a little confidence in Hartford.

Regardless, Del Zotto and Sanguinetti have shown the potential to be prominent NHL-caliber defensemen and that is something that all fans can smile about.

Gaborik Tallies in First Game as a Ranger (UPDATE: Parenteau sent to Hartford)

Sink or swim.

Like many high-priced free agents before him, Marian Gaborik was held to the highest standards before ever stepping foot on Garden ice.

If he succeeded, he would garner the respect of the Garden faithful. If he failed, he would become the latest move in a series of overpaid overrated players to don the red, white, and blue.

But last night he exemplified why he is one of the leagues premier talents, so long as he stays healthy.

Following his first shift when he got knocked down, Gaborik settled in and began to show a lot of resolve with the puck.

While on the power play, Gaborik muscled past the defender in the corner and behind the net. The Red Wing penalty killers followed him leaving newcomer Enver Lisin wide open in the slot.

Gaborik precisely feathered a pass and the rest is history.

It's only the preseason, but Gaborik's presence was surely felt as he collected one of the Stars of the Game accolades. His speed was deceptive as he exhibited the ability to change gears very quickly.

Defenders struggled to keep up with him not just because of his quick hands, but because he used variation in his speeds to make them commit first.

His mannerisms on the ice were surprisingly similar to those of Mario Lemieux. Not comparing the two in skills or notoriety, but rather the style for which they both skated. Last night, on several occasions, the noticeable Slovak became less noticeable, sneaking behind defenders and laying low on the far blueline.

Something that Lemieux was famous for.

How can such a high profile player go unnoticed? In this case, it's skill. The ability to balance being seen and drawing players to you versus going undetected through the neutral zone. It is a scary advantage when used properly.

However, as Head Coach John Tortorella alluded to, Gaborik is not immune to mistakes, particularly in his own end.

Yet, while he did make some mistakes in the defensive zone, that isn't why the Rangers brought him in.

He is here to score goals and add an offensive dimension that was sorely missing last season. And he seems prepared to do that.

More news, notes, and quotes as we finish sorting through last night's post-game chats...

UPDATE: P.A. Parenteau sent to Hartford.

An expected move as Tortorella said he would like to make a couple cuts today. Parenteau had a decent camp, but doesn't seem destined to stay with an NHL club. His play is similar to that of a poor man's Ray Ferraro and with the depth the Rangers have of quicker forwards, it appears that his only chance to make an NHL team will be elsewhere.

Rangers vs. Detroit, More on Dubinsky, Website Update...

We're putting together the first issue of the 2009 - 10 season, but in the meantime, a few updates:

Tonight, the Rangers faceoff at MSG against the Detroit Red Wings. We'll be there to catch the action. Follow us for updates on Twitter.

Speaking of Twitter, for those who follow, we reported the Dubinsky signing moments after it happened. He won't play tonight, but may see game action on Thursday against Washington.

Who will be seeing his first preseason action tonight is Marian Gaborik. The oft-injured winger has recovered (though not 100%) from some groin soreness and will likely play on the first line with Chris Higgins and Vinny Prospal.

However, it is more realistic once the season starts that Dubinsky replaces Prospal on that line.

Many of you have also been asking about our website redesign. We are right on schedule to launch with the beginning of the season. For those less patient BB readers, here is a small snippet of the design to wet your appetites:

Rangers get down to 34 players

The official release:

RANGERS TRIM TRAINING CAMP ROSTER BY 20

34 Active Players Remain With The Club

 

            New York, September 17, 2009 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has assigned the following 15 players to Hartford (AHL): goaltender Miika Wiikman; defensemen Trevor Glass, Brent Henley, Sam Klassen, Mike Sauer, David Urquhart, and Nigel Williams; and forwards Andres Ambuhl, Daniel Bartek, Devin DiDiomete, Brodie Dupont, Dan LaCouture, Matt Maccarone, Justin Soryal, and Dale Weise.  In addition, the Rangers returned five players to their respective junior club: goaltender Scott Stajcer (Owen Sound, OHL); defenseman Tomas Kundratek (Medicine Hat, WHL); and forwards Ryan Bourque (Quebec, QMJHL), Roman Horak (Chilliwack, WHL) and Ethan Werek (Kingston, OHL).

Forwards Tyler Arnason, Dane Byers, Corey Locke, Jordan Owens, and Patrick Rissmiller will continue training camp with Hartford.  Including these five players, the Rangers now have 34 players remaining in training camp, including four goaltenders, 10 defensemen and 20 forwards.  New York continues their exhibition schedule tomorrow, September 18 at 7:30 PM when the team will travel to Detroit to face-off against the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena.

Madison Square Garden, L.P. is owned by Cablevision Systems Corporation and includes the New York Knicks (NBA); the New York Rangers (NHL); the New York Liberty (WNBA); the Hartford Wolf Pack (American Hockey League); MSG Entertainment, which includes concerts and events at Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, The WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theatre, the legendary Chicago Theatre, as well as an exclusive co-booking agreement with the venerable Wang Theatre in Boston; and which manages wholly-owned live entertainment properties including the Radio City Rockettes and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular; MSG Media, which is comprised of television networks MSG and MSG Plus, and MSG Interactive which oversees all company wireless and online initiatives; Fuse, the only national music television network; and the Madison Square Garden arena complex, located in the heart of the New York metropolitan area.

 

# # #

 

PLAYERS ASSIGNED TO HARTFORD (AHL) ON 9/17/09:

Goal:                      Miika Wiikman

Defense:                Trevor Glass, Brent Henley, Sam Klassen, Mike Sauer, David Urquhart, Nigel Williams

Forwards:              Andres Ambuhl, Daniel Bartek, Devin DiDiomete, Brodie Dupont, Dan LaCouture, Matt Maccarone, Justin Soryal, Dale Weise

 

PLAYERS RETURNED TO JUNIORS ON 9/17/09:

Goal:                      Scott Stajcer (Owen Sound, OHL)

Defense:                Tomas Kundratek (Medicine Hat, WHL)

Forwards:              Ryan Bourque (Quebec, QMJHL), Roman Horak (Chilliwack, WHL), Ethan Werek (Kingston, OHL)

 

PLAYERS STILL IN NEW YORK RANGERS TRAINING CAMP:

Goal:                      Chad Johnson, Henrik Lundqvist, Steve Valiquette, Matt Zaba

Defense:                Michael Del Zotto, Matt Gilroy, Dan Girardi, Ilkka Heikkinen, Corey Potter, Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Bobby Sanguinetti, Alexei Semenov, Marc Staal

Forwards:              Artem Anisimov, Tyler Arnason, Sean Avery, Brian Boyle, Donald Brashear, Dane Byers, Ryan Callahan, Paul Crowder, Chris Drury, Marian Gaborik, Evgeny Grachev, Christopher Higgins, Ales Kotalik, Enver Lisin, Corey Locke, Jordan Owens, P.A. Parenteau, Vinny Prospal, Patrick Rissmiller, Aaron Voros

Rangers fall 2 - 1 in first preseason contest; Cuts to come

Bad penalties and inconsistency.

 Sounds a lot like last season. Well, those bugaboos carried into MSG last night for the start of the preseason as the Rangers fell 2 - 1 to the Boston Bruins.

However, as with most preseason games, you aren't looking for team play so much as individuals that can compete at the highest level. Some players exemplified that. 

 "As the game went on there were some good things," said Head Coach John Tortorella. "I don’t want to name names because I may forget someone but as the game went on I thought we played well. We switched the lines around a little and I think everyone contributed."

Chris Higgins got his first goal, the lone score for the Rangers, assisted by tryout defenseman Alexei Semenov.

"I thought he was one of our strongest players on the puck, especially in the second half of the game," said Tortorella of Higgins. "If we’re going to be a good team and a competitive team, he needs to be a goal-scorer for us, he needs to be a penalty killer for us, he needs to be a top six forward for us and he needs to accept responsibility for that. Tonight was a good sign."

Matt Gilroy, who was interviewed by BB at camp, was a standout.He controlled the puck well, showed some deceptive speed, and never looked out of place.

"I definitely got chills, and to hear that first ‘goal’ song go off was pretty cool too," said Gilroy of his first game. "It was my first taste of this and I want a lot more."

 Tonight the Rangers faceoff in New Jersey against the rival Devils. After the game, the team expects to make upwards of 20 cuts.

Who's on your list?

More to come...