New York Rangers

[mister_mcgoo]

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/ran...eed%3A+nydnrss

[mister_mcgoo]

how do you guys see the top 6 shaping up in NY this season? I've heard speculation of Dubi on the top line with Richards and Gabby but that doesn't seem to make much sense to me, I think they'll keep that line intact since it was so successful

So:

Wolski? - Richards - Gabby
Dubinsky - Anismov - Callahan

[ross10019]

how do you guys see the top 6 shaping up in NY this season? I've heard speculation of Dubi on the top line with Richards and Gabby but that doesn't seem to make much sense to me, I think they'll keep that line intact since it was so successful

So:

Wolski? - Richards - Gabby
Dubinsky - Anismov - Callahan

Yeah, I just don't see them separating Dubinsky and Callahan, those guys are like two peas in a pod and they're going to be together for years and core to this team, so it makes sense to keep the Gabby/Richards duo (Gabby contract still has 3 years) and the Callahan/Duby duo together to develop their chemistry.

I really like Anisimov with Dubinsky and Callahan, as you suggested, and they can use Anisimov on the wing too on that line.

I think Wolski should be given a chance on that top line, he's pretty useless if he's not top 6, see whether he can earn that salary. But I think they may try Avery on that line because of his grittiness and the fact that he is very close friends with Richards - that said, I know Tortorella was really fed up of Avery taking stupid freakin penalties so often last year, and so he's probably on a short leash. The other candidate is Fedotenko, but only because he's played with Richards line back in the Tampa Cup winning year, I think at this stage he's probably better on a checking line with Prust/Boyle, something like that.

[mister_mcgoo]

Yeah, I just don't see them separating Dubinsky and Callahan, those guys are like two peas in a pod and they're going to be together for years and core to this team, so it makes sense to keep the Gabby/Richards duo (Gabby contract still has 3 years) and the Callahan/Duby duo together to develop their chemistry.

I really like Anisimov with Dubinsky and Callahan, as you suggested, and they can use Anisimov on the wing too on that line.

I think Wolski should be given a chance on that top line, he's pretty useless if he's not top 6, see whether he can earn that salary. But I think they may try Avery on that line because of his grittiness and the fact that he is very close friends with Richards - that said, I know Tortorella was really fed up of Avery taking stupid freakin penalties so often last year, and so he's probably on a short leash. The other candidate is Fedotenko, but only because he's played with Richards line back in the Tampa Cup winning year, I think at this stage he's probably better on a checking line with Prust/Boyle, something like that.

yeah Ross, that's very much in line with my thinking on the top 6...the only thing I would add to it is that perhaps Sather is not yet done wheeling and dealing and once he gets Cally signed he will deal Wolski and acquire a better LW

[ross10019]

yeah Ross, that's very much in line with my thinking on the top 6...the only thing I would add to it is that perhaps Sather is not yet done wheeling and dealing and once he gets Cally signed he will deal Wolski and acquire a better LW

Interesting, could happen since Wolski only has a year left on his deal, but not many GMs who are going to take him on at 3m+ without the Rangers repaying them somehow, maybe a cap floor team.

[mister_mcgoo]

maybe a cap floor team.

exactly, that's what I'm thinking

[Brady19]

I'm curious what Rangers fans think of del Zotto these days.

Is he still thought of as the future PP QB? Does he stick with the big club this coming year? When he was sent down his AHL numbers were still very good...

[mister_mcgoo]

I'm curious what Rangers fans think of del Zotto these days.

Is he still thought of as the future PP QB? Does he stick with the big club this coming year? When he was sent down his AHL numbers were still very good...

no one really knows man, I think after the promise he showed in year one he's got a handful of chances to prove himself over the next couple of years, he just has to play it smart and play Torts' style of hockey and improve his overall game and he'll get the PP time.

[ross10019]

As per my separate thread, looks like Wolski is taking this year very seriously. This from the NYRangersblog via the Toronto Star:

http://www.nyrangersblog.com/2011-ar...formation.html

[ross10019]

Very interesting reading from Stan Fischler's blog, recapping an interview with Torts in which he discusses his team and expectations, in two parts. Here's Part 1:

Part 1

There are Rangers-watchers -- The Maven included -- who look back at the first playoff round and wonder about what might have been.

Specifically, we look in the rear-view mirror and see a seemingly hermetically-sealed, third-period one-goal lead over Washington. Then, Henrik Lundqvist smothers the puck and we wait for the whistle that never blows while Alex Ovechkin uses his stick as a ramrod, finally pushing the puck past King Henrik.

With 20-20 hindsight, we wonder what would have happened had the referee's whistle properly been blown, halting play. And we muse about Henny's potential shutout that eventually would propel New York into the second round. Who can blame a Rangers fan for an occasional reflection on the glorious possibilities, IF.

At least one New Yorker with a New England accent does not indulge in such painful whimsy and that happens to be John Tortorella.

The coach's periscope faces forward toward the 2011-2012 National Hockey League season and what lies ahead for his promising Blueshirts.

In an exclusive interview with The Maven, the Rangers coach exuded optimism while blending it with realism that comes with eleven full seasons behind a major league bench; eight in Tampa Bay with the Lightning and three in The Apple.

Why the enthusiasm?

"We have gone along slowly building our club not only with quality personnel," explained Tortorella, "but also with a specific mind-set. After three full seasons, I can say that the players are more comfortable with what we -- the coaches -- want to do and the coaches understand the players."

Despite his club's early Spring exit, Torts found a sweet use in the adversity caused by an inordinate number of injuries to key players from Ryan Callahan to Martin Biron to Marian Gaborik and right back to Cally when he most was needed in the homestretch and playoffs.

"We surmounted all those problems," the coach asserted, "and we found a way to hang in there and win. Players who were moved away from their normal positions still managed to get the job done and I was proud of them."

Nevertheless, it was clear throughout 2010-2011 that the club keenly missed having a championship-proven center-iceman who not only could dish pretty passes but score as well. The off-season acquisition of Brad Richards has filled that void.

"Richie not only is a skilled center," enthused Torts, "but now we have a veteran -- a Cup-winner -- to mentor some of our kids. Brad is a winner."

No question, Brad will open the season on a line with Gaborik who should make beautiful music with Richards' orchestrated goal-labeled passes.

Tortorella: "We're hoping that that (Richards-Gaborik chemistry) will happen but you never know. The thing is that the two of them will get the opportunity to show what they can do as a unit right away. It's no secret that we were missing that Number One center; someone who can help Gabby.

"Not only that but Richie is one of the best power-play point men who understands all facets of the game. He respects the game -- including its history -- and will bring that intangible to our dressing room in a nice quiet way."

It was perfectly natural for the highly-touted Richards to obtain the biggest headlines. After all several rival clubs were heavily into the Brad Sweepstakes but Glen Sather topped them all.

But Richards alone won't make the difference and nobody knows that more than his buddy, the coach.

Team-wise, there are several pillars that must be shored up and also the challenge of naming the proper captain. Several candidates have emerged, from Richards to Callahan to defenseman Marc Staal. Torts will decide from among them at training camp and not a moment sooner.

As for areas for improvement, making the power play better heads the coach's list.

"I want us to be more consistent there," he said, noting that Richards will be a pivotal player in that challenge. "Over the past few seasons, we have improved over the previous year in several areas. From the new season on, we want to continue improving.

"Let's not kid ourselves; we'll be bouncing around Europe in the pre-season and opening regular season games before we return to The Garden. Then there's the Winter Classic which will demand a lot of attention. With all those things going on, we're going to have to keep our focus and improve each and every day."

[ross10019]

And here's Part 2:



Part 2

If, as the song goes, "Love Is Just Around The Corner," the same thing can be said for the Stanley Cup.

But it all depends on which corner and where it happens to be.

Bostonians had to wait a good thirty-nine years before their Bruins finally turned that corner last June. And any Rangers fan with a passing grade in arithmetic can tell you it's now seventeen semesters since Mark Messier set new grinning records while hauling Lord Stanley's pewter around The Garden.

And since history shows that no team ever wins two straight championships anymore in this Salary Cap Era, one could legitimately say that the Beantowners won't annex the title but the Rangers could.

"We're up to the next step in the process," John Tortorella told The Maven in an exclusive interview for MSG.com. "We'll be very young -- especially on the back end -- but these are guys we can mentor. I really liked last year's team; liked the way they handled themselves.

"And now we have Brad Richards and a healthy Marty Biron who's ready to go. Before he got hurt last season, Marty played very well for us. I'm expecting him to start in goal for sixteen to twenty games. And that will allow Hank (Lundqvist) to stay full of juice."

Torts agrees with my assessment that one of the "sleeper" off-season moves that will become major as the season unfolds is the signing of gargantuan Mike Rupp, the center who scored New Jersey's Cup-winning goal in 2003. The Cleveland, Ohio native will take some of the fighting load off Brandon Prust and could turn out to be as pleasant a surprise as productive Brian Boyle was last season.

"I can move Rupp up and down the line," explained the coach, "in various positions. He'll bounce guys around and fight for his teammates. Mike is one real, good team player."

While Torts' heavy howitzers up front will be Richards and Marian Gaborik, they will be surrounded by a vigorous core whose production will go a long way toward determining just how high the Blueshirts can climb.

Here's how the coach reviewed several of his pivotal players:

THE FORWARDS:

• RYAN CALLAHAN: "He's the kind of player we look for and what we want to be. Cally is IT. I look to him all the time and for all situations. That fellow has the goods and the good news is that he's healthy. I say this unequivocally, out of any other team in the league, the loss (via injury) of Cally hurt the Rangers more than any player's absence hurt any of the other clubs."

• BRANDON DUBINSKY: "Duby has come a long way, especially when it comes to mastering the intangibles of the game. He's more mature and now knows what it means to be a professional. Remember, he's still a pretty young guy. I'm looking for him to be responsible in a leadership role and be an even better pro."

• BRIAN BOYLE: "You ask 'What did you -- meaning me -- do to make him such a better player than he previously had been?' And I have to say I didn't do it; Brian did it himself. To be perfectly honest, at training camp last September, I didn't even expect Boyle to make the team. But he came last Fall with a certain mind-set, and I'll tell you exactly what it was: 'YOU'RE NOT SENDING ME TO THE MINORS.' He had an attitude; a positive one. I know some people (in the media) wrote about a skating instructor making a difference when it came to improving his game. I say no one deserves the credit but Brian. Don't forget, he was one of our two best players in the playoffs; the other being (Ruslan)
Fedotenko. For Brian, it was his total mind-set that made the difference."

• RUSLAN FEDOTENKO: "To me, he's the unsung hero of the team. When we lost Cally and Duby to injuries Fedo came into the picture. What I like about Ruslan is that he's not afraid and he's a heavy hitter; good on the boards and in the corners, plus he's got a great shot. He's dependable and good at a lot of things. You can see that neither Boyle
nor Brandon Prust are as good without Fedotenko."

• ARTEM ANISIMOV: "Artie faded a little last Spring in the playoffs but I'm expecting big things out of him. Now that we have Richards that should take some of the center-ice pressure off Anisimov. He's a really good player who's maturing but still is a young guy
growing into his body. He's a good self-evaluator. I'd like him to play a little more physical game and not wait for the puck to come to him."

• BRANDON PRUST: "What a great deal that was for us -- getting Brandon. To me the biggest surprise is how well he did in various situations. I mean penalty-killing, shorthanded goals and his share of fighting, among other things. People forget that his shoulder was hurt for three months out of the season. The thing is that I don't want Brandon fighting the heavyweights on the other teams. Now that we have Rupp, that will relieve Prust of some of that burden."

THE DEFENSE:

• MARC STAAL: "We gave him a letter (Alternate Captain's "A") and want him to progress in the leadership role. Marc is a terrific defender but we'll keep on pushing him. Right now he's one of the NHL's top defensemen but there's still room for improvement and he'll accept our suggestions; especially in the puck-moving part of the game."

• MICHAEL SAUER-RYAN MCDONAGH: "It's heartening to think back to the time they were put in the lineup and how seamlessly they made the adjustment. They're smart and one of the things that tells you about their worth is that you hardly ever notice them. There's no flash or dash; they just play and both are going to continue to improve."

• MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO: "It's our responsibility as coaches to push players and, if they're down, to build them up; and that's what we have to do with Michael. This is going to be a big camp for Michael -- and me. We are in the process and going forward. He's a very talented player but he must understand what it means to be a pro. We are here to help
him."

[ross10019]

Torts with HUGE praise for Callahan, and I could not agree more, to me he's the heart and soul of this team, and close to Hank as MVP:

"I say this unequivocally, out of any other team in the league, the loss (via injury) of Cally hurt the Rangers more than any player's absence hurt any of the other clubs."

[LeMatt]

• MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO: "It's our responsibility as coaches to push players and, if they're down, to build them up; and that's what we have to do with Michael. This is going to be a big camp for Michael -- and me. We are in the process and going forward. He's a very talented player but he must understand what it means to be a pro. We are here to help
him."

So does Del Zotto make the team out of camp? And man the point on PP with Richards? I'd just love to know what Torts has in store for his defense this year cause none of his defensemen jump out at you as being the guy to own.

Maybe his comments about Staal would indicate he might get a more offensive role this year. Still, I wouldn't expect too much more than 30-35pts out of Staal.

Any NY fans have any insight?

[littleranger]

So does Del Zotto make the team out of camp? And man the point on PP with Richards? I'd just love to know what Torts has in store for his defense this year cause none of his defensemen jump out at you as being the guy to own.

Maybe his comments about Staal would indicate he might get a more offensive role this year. Still, I wouldn't expect too much more than 30-35pts out of Staal.

Any NY fans have any insight?

I know Torts is a big fan of DZ so I believe he will crack the roster with the limited competition for the 5/6 D. Its basically DZ, Eminger, Erixon, Brendan Bell challenging for the 5/6 spot.

The PP was abysmal last season so Torts will look for a unit to click and stick with it for as long as it works. My guess is DZ starts on the top PP with Richards but if that doesnt work out then I'd say Stepan or Staal are second in line.

[loco man]

I may be giving up Dubinsky and really want to know what I am losing.

My league is pts only, so I am not sure if he is a better real life player, than fantasy (or at least a pts only league)

At very first blush, it looks like he will be staying 2nd line, 2nd PP. Can he hit 70 points or is he a 50-60 point guy at best.

Thanks a lot