New York Rangers Blogs

The boys in blue found a way to get even meaner on Thursday.

On a team that already sends out Sean Avery, Brandon Prust and Aaron Voros every night, the Rangers went after one of the toughest guys in the league.  Boogaard, after being involved in many rumors of him heading to the Detroit Red Wings, gladly accepted a big contract for a big man (6'8” 257 lbs.). 

Continue reading "New York Rangers Sign Derek Boogaard ..."

A Golden Effort Falls Just Short By Brad VanFossan I know it’s more than just a hockey game when my 63 year old father is looking forward to watching, and has been watching most of the

Continue reading "Golden Effort Falls Just Short"

Did you see that crazy backhand goal by Michael Del Zotto of the Rangers that snuck its way through Boston's Tim Thomas a few weeks ago?  Of course you did, it was the only afternoon game on that Saturday.

Continue reading "The NHL Could Learn from the NFL"

1. Well, Brett Favre is back. Just as he started to drift out of our minds again, BAM, breaking news on ESPN: "Favre is a Viking." As obnoxious as this story has been for the last three years, it sure will make the Vikings vs. Packers games more interesting, especially the November 1st game when he returns to Lambeau Field. My guess is the reaction will be half cheers, half boos from the fans, all boos from Ted Thompson.

Continue reading "8-18 Football News and MLB Waiver Wire Deals"

As expected, the New York Rangers have made a splash in the free-agent sweepstakes.  Rangers GM Glen Sather announced late Wednesday that the club has agreed to terms with star free-agent, Marian Gaborik.  

Continue reading "Rangers sign Marian Gaborik to 5-Year, ..."

Analysis:  The biggest name in this deal is obviously 2-time Stanley Cup winner Scott Gomez.  Being signed through 2013-14, this Alaska native has been a slight disappointment for the New York Rangers.  Being signed in the summer of 2007 to a 7-year, $51.5 million deal, Gomez has registered 128 points in two seasons with the Rangers, which is a little lower than the Rangers had originally expected.  In 2005-06, Gomez registered 84 points in 82 games with the New Jersey Devils.  He is still a top-line center, but Montreal will be hoping that he can earn his paycheck with better point totals for the remainder of his contract.

Continue reading "Rangers Trade Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt ..."

The Montreal Canadiens can lock up a playoff spot tonight with a win against the New York Rangers in New York. They gave away their first chance to lock up the spot last night with a 3-2 loss against the Senators, but can redeem themselves tonight. Gainey is putting in Andrei Kostitsyn and Matt D'Agostini, while sitting Georges Laraque and Gregory Stewart. 

Continue reading "Habs Can Lock Up a Playoff Spot Tonight ..."

Saturday night's 6-2 convincing win over the Toronto Maple Leafs provided the Canadiens with a little breathing room in the race for the playoffs. They moved up to seventh in the Easter Conference standings, with 4 games to play.

Continue reading "The Canadiens Move Up to Seventh ..."

“It’s the start of a new era. We’re 0-0. It’s a 21-game season,” said team captain Chris Drury about the New York Rangers as they began their “second season” under new Coach John Tortorella.

Continue reading "Rangers in a New Era"

Gamecock Should Be Hung By His Grundle 

Legendary American swimmer Michael Phelps stated Wednesday to The Baltimore Sun that he can not commit to competing in the 2012 Olympic Games in London in wake of British tabloid photos that apparently capture “MP” blazing cannabis from a bong during a party last November at the University of South Carolina.

Continue reading "Phelps is a Hero and A-Rod's a Villain"

Tonight the Rangers will honor long time Ranger great Adam Graves for his role in the 1994 Stanley Cup run as well as his outstanding community service that has endeared him the the City of New York over the past 20 years. Graves scored over thirty goals five times in his ten year career with the Rangers including his memorable 52 tallies in the '94 run to the cup. It wasn't the stat line however that made Graves a revered member of the Blueshirts, rather it was his grit and toughness that the Garden faithful came to expect from the Rangers during those magical runs into the postseason. Graves brought the heart and soul to the once feared ice between 7th and 8th avenue. He helped make the Garden what it is and will always be remembered as a champion on Broadway. 

Continue reading "Stacked to the Rafters -"

On February 25th 2007, the Atlanta Thrashers made a move that they thought could land them a Stanley Cup in their fair city.  After acquiring Keith Tkachuk for three draft picks and Glen Metropolit, Atlanta General Manager Don Waddell saw his team fall in the playoffs after a 4-0 sweep to the New York Rangers.  Keith Tkachuk then re-signed with the St. Louis Blues, rejoining the rebuilding franchise that following summer.  Well it is February 2009, and we are hearing Tkachuk trade talks yet again.

Continue reading "Tkachuk Trade Talk... Again"

Happy 2009 Hockey Fans and welcome to the 3 month home stretch that will take us into warmer weather and Stanley Cup Playoff Hockey. What does this mean for our Broadway blueshirts? Nothing you didn't already know. The Rangers welcomed in the new year the way the left it by dropping a heartbreaker to the Washington Capitols on gasp! a short-handed goal by Alexander Ovechkin. The loss dropped the Rangers to third in the Atlantic and sixth in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers sit in a virtual tie with New Jersey and remain only seven points ahead of the struggling Penguins who seem to have a case of finals hangover. If you watch the games, you don't need me to tell you the problems for the 325897023498 time so let's call this Jared Trumpetto's Recap/Projections....

Continue reading "New Year, Same Problems"

I want this column to be as positive as the Rangers Tuesday night win in Anaheim so I'll get the jokes out of my system. Can a power play be anymore pathetic than giving up two quality short-handed opportunities before breaking an 0-19 slump by scoring a goal without the puck actually trickling over the goal line? If you didn't watch the game last night, then you missed Nikoli Zherdev getting taken down on a breakaway and being credited with a power play goal. Good Lord...I guess beggars can't be choosers.

Continue reading "Do You Think They Heard Me?"

First it was the power play, then is was occasional lapses in defense, now it is simply pervasive. While the Rangers continue to register shootout victories, having not registered a regulation win since Nov. 6th against Tampa Bay, they've also begun to lose focus from night to night. They consistently allow teams to open up early advantages and proceed to claw back from these deficits to either lose in regulation or win in a shootout. With the big contracts and top line talent on this team you have to start looking at the coaching. It's one thing to get outplayed, it's another thing entirely to look sluggish and unprepared. I see a team tripping around the quarter pole of the season. The Rangers have managed to develop very little chemistry in their offensive and defensive pairings, a direct result of Renny's insistence on shuffling the line-up card. His same philosophy based in rotation has managed to suffocate what should be an explosive power play, a unit that has struggled all season long, especially over the last month going just 2-24 with the man advantage in December. This isn't a new problem either, if it was just this month, or even the first few months, you could chalk it up to the prolonged draughts that plague all hockey teams at one point or another, but this problem dates back seasons. The power play is, and will continue to be the number one factor keeping the Rangers stuck in the second round of the playoffs.

Continue reading "Lack of Consistancy and Poor Focus ..."

It's been quit some time since the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils actually played a game that the Rangers didn't win in! Maybe just maybe it lit a spark in this heated rivalry, and I think it showed last night even while the Devils were kicking the Rangers butts all over the ice.  For the first time in a long time it was a rough and tough game that had plenty of fights in it, more than I've seen in recent bouts between the two teams. It  looked like a game out of the mid 90s where Mark Messier and Scott Stevens would be pushing and shoving after the whistle. All it took was for the Devils to stand up to the Rangers and finally play with them, and better than them for most of the game, to be honest.  As a Ranger fan, I had seen enough in last nights mess of a game, of course if your a Devils fan, there wasn't much of a reason for you to change the channel but it was Friday night and I had better things to do then watch the hated Devils beat up my Rangers so when I met up with some friends at a local pub, it was to my surprise to see a tie game 5-5, and I must've just missed the game tying goal cause seconds later just like the Rangers had done all game,  they let the Devils play and shoot in the middle of the ice, and it cost them. After the go ahead goal I figured maybe if I don't watch they'll come back again, but we all know that didn't happen, and I'm okay with the loss, I'll lose the battle to win the war so to speak, last nights game was one of the most passion I'd see out of them for awhile. It was defiantly one of the harder fought games I've seen in awhile, (Thank goodness for Rangers Replay at 2 am).  Hopefully for fans on both sides, this was just a preview of the kind of games we'll get to see down the road, the games where the players on the ice are playing for the name on the front of the jersey!

Continue reading "The Rangers and the Devils- The Re-Birth ..."

A little past the quarter pole and the landscape of the Atlantic Division has changed drastically. Suddenly, the division is wide open and the Penguins and Devils are well within the Rangers rear-view mirror. CAUTION: OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR. If you blinked you missed it quicker than a Rangers Man Advantage.

Continue reading "Hate to Say I Told You So........"

The Rangers are 17 games into the '08-'09 season and their identity has yet to be cemented. Are they the complete 60 plus minute effort displayed in their gritty, cardiac comeback against the Penguins? Or, are they the lazy, offensively incompetent group that conceded 2 shorthand goals to the Islanders at home? If there is one single characteristic displayed by all championship teams it is consistency. The same determined effort night in and night out. Championship teams will make mistakes, have off nights, and occasionally be outplayed - but they consistently give a three period effort and always stick to what makes them good. There is a constant game plan, focused on team strengths, that is followed to the letter from the preseason to the Stanley Cup. The Red Wings even celebrated their victory that way, with the Cup starting out in the hands of Lidstrom, the defensive soul of the team, and methodically moving to the forwards - just like the puck did, consistently, for 82 regular season games and a solid playoff run.  

Continue reading "Who Are The Rangers?"

A big thanks to everyone who participated in the "Inbound Link Contest".  We have a winner!  A big congratulations go out to Marija.  Thank you for all your hard work on this.  While we had a lot of people participate, Marija was able to win with only 4 links!  So it wouldn't have taken a lot to win this contest!  We'll be having another contest soon so stay tuned.

Continue reading "Inbound link contest winner announced!"

To try and motivate our bloggers to get inbound links we're going to have a contest to see which blogger can get the most inbound links to their blog. The contest begins now and ends July 31st, 2008. To be entered in to the contest all you have to do is go out and get as many websites to link to your blog as you can and at the end of the month send us an email listing all those links. All links must be active from August 1st through August 7th when we'll be judging the entries - a winner will be announced on August 7th. All entry emails must be received by Midnight on July 31st, 2008. You can email them to sportsfan@nbabasketballonline.com

Continue reading "Inbound link contest - Win $100!"

In light of the recent Ranger overhaul, many have been asking and wondering what is in store for the 2008-2009 season and what fans can reasonably expect from this "new" team.  Predictions can often be a waste of time--particularly with the summer only half over.  Rosters are not nearly finalized, deals are not finished, and training camp and pre-season are still a month and more away.  Still, one things is certain in Rangerland: a transition has been made.  It's been out with the "old" (old not just a reference to age)--Jagr, Straka, Avery, Malik, Shanahan (likely), Tutin--and in with the "new" (again, not just a reference to age)--Naslund, Redden, Zherdev, Kalinin, Voros, Fritsche, and Rissmiller.  The Rangers have turned a corner from generation Jagr and officially become Gomez and Drury's team.  All I can say is, it's about time.

Continue reading "Expectations for New York Rangers in 2008-2009"

Easily the most criticized Glen Sather move of the off-season was letting Sean Avery walk.  We've all seen the numbers of how good the Rangers were with Avery in the lineup as opposed to without him.  We all saw the difference in the team's play when Avery was doing his thing.  We all read and heard Avery talk about his love for New York.  But, there is one thing we didn't see--as mere fans we never see: locker room/behind the scenes Avery.  Sather could not be dumb enough to just let this guy walk unless there was more to his locker room antics than we heard.  There's a reason that Avery has played for 3 teams in 4 years, despite obvious talent and on-ice value. 

Continue reading "Sean Avery: the ex-New York Ranger ..."

The UFA season has largely been completed--aside from a few big names hanging around--and the NHL standings may look very different next season.

This year's make over awards go to the New York Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning.  First, the 'ning--as runners up.  For Florida's only relevant franchise, the makeover began weeks ago with the firing of John Tortorella and the hiring of Barry Melrose (aside: here's hoping Pat Burns makes it back to the NHL and squares off against Melrose.  Was there anything better than the barbs the two exchanged in the 93 playoffs?).  They then selected highly touted Steven Stamkos--a likely second line center behind Vinny the Becoming Great.  Those changes alone would make headlines.  But Tampa didn't stop.  They have since added Vaclav Prospal, Gary Roberts, Ryan Malone, Radim Vrbata, Olaf Kolzig, Ryan Hall and Wyatt Smith.  New look, yes.  The result, however, will be determined.  They've certainly added some size up front, but just how well that translates into success is anybody's guess.  If Kolzig has another super year in him, they have solved their constant goaltending woes and may be ready to take another run at a playoff birth and beyond.

Continue reading "New Look Rangers in better position ..."

Maybe the Astros should make it a habit of having a hotheaded pitcher get into a skirmish with General Manager Ed Wade.

Every day.

Call it the Keith Hernandez Principle.

Back in 1988, the New York Mets first baseman had gotten word from his attorney that his bitter divorced had become final. The next night, Hernandez (never a real power hitter) hit two home runs and drove in seven runs. He mused: "Maybe I should get divorced every day. I'd be broke, but I'd also be in the Hall of Fame."

Continue reading "Houston Astros are 1-0 in post-Shawn Chacon Era"

Let me preface this article: it is not meant as an indictment of Ranger management--the Smith and Sather regimes in particular.  It's meant to make clear this point: the Rangers have some nice talent in their system.  But, aside from Lundquist and possibly Staal, they lack a sure-fire superstar.  Even more alarming is that no where in the Rangers' system is there a bona fide blue chip 

Continue reading "NHL Draft: Trouble Brewing for New York Rangers"

There is one person on the UFA list that gives the Rangers the best chance to have a drink with Stanley in June.  His name?  Mats Sundin.  Surprised?  Hear me out.  There are essentially three main (and legitimate) arguments against signing Sundin: 1) he’s past his prime, 2) the Rangers are loaded at center with Gomez, Drury, Dubinsky, and Betts, and 3) money used for a Sundin contract is better spent elsewhere.  One at a time:

Continue reading "Most important UFA...NHL"

Hey Hockey Fans. Last night was the 2008 NHL draft. Let me start off by sending a congratulations to Boston University Center Colin Wilson - the only collegiate player selected in the first round. Having attended BU over the last four years I was able to watch Colin play and I think that the Nashville Predators made a great selection on raw ability. Wilson is quick to the puck and he's strong enough to play an NHL style dump and chase type game - his strength will compliment the speed of Nashville quite well and I think he'll make a good contribution if and when he gets there.  

Continue reading "Draft Recap"

Hey Rangers Fans.

Big news in the New York Hockey world. Lets start with the ugly. The NHL reportedly has threatened to sue Madison Square Garden, removing ownership of the Blueshirts from the MSG corporation. This comes in response to the Rangers suit against the NHL for trying to usurp complete control over promotional elements for the hockey club ( http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3452292). In my opinion, this is the worst thing the NHL could be doing right now. It's no secret that the league has always depended on the success of markets like New York to spur on the ratings of games. For example, game three of the Stanley Cup drew a lower rating in New York than that evenings WNBA match-up involving the New York Liberty. Of course this moment was partially caused by concerns that Pittsburgh would not be able to mount a fight in the series and because of this most fans not living near Melon Arena or in Hockey Town, USA had checked out of the series. However, this is a fact that the NHL cannot ignore. In the post lock-out NHL, when televised games have been relegated to Versus and the occasional Sunday NBC game, the league needs the support of key markets - especially New York. If the NHL wants to pour resources into an endeavour I suggest moving to get hockey back on large networks like the ABC family which includes the ABC network and ESPN. Or, if nothing else, changing their terrible "Yo Momma" adds with Ryan Miller and Jean-Sebastian Aubin. The fact that AMP energy talked the league into this commercial exemplifies why the Rangers should keep control of their own promotions.

Continue reading "Uncertain Futures"

The 2007 - 2008 NHL season drew to a close last week with Hockey Town's own Detroit Red Wings hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup for the fourth time in twelve years. For Wings fans it marked the culmination of yet another magical run to prominence while the Pittsburgh Penguin faithful took solace in the notion that their young stars, now armed with playoff experience, will undoubtedly become the annual favorite in the Eastern Conference. The future's of both franchises seem certain: Detroit will lose aged experience and retool with young talent, they've done it before; and while veterans like Chris Draper and Nikolas Lidstrom break in the future of the Wings the Steele City, aided by an increased salary cap, will be able to keep their young firepower under lock and key. What is not certain is how the rest of the league will attempt to catch what most would say are the two best teams we've seen in quite awhile.

Continue reading "Looking Ahead"

What can you expect if you play the game at its fundamental peak, take the lion’s share of success in your domain and handle it with the gracious respect of a true champion?  If the sports world is any indicator, you can expect a vitriolic cocktail of umbrage, resentment and contempt.  

Continue reading "Last Stand of the Triumvirate - Tim ..."

No need to wait until June- Alex Ovechkin is your Hart Trophy winner.  Here are the winners for Round 2 of the 2008 NHL Playoffs:

The “thanks for showing up” award goes to Sean Avery’s spleen, which ruptured along with the Rangers playoff hopes in Game 3 at the Garden.  In a series where the Rangers needed to find a way to get uberstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeny Malkin off their game, Avery was held in check.  Luckily, he all but wrapped up a new contract in the previous series against the New Jersey Devils.

Continue reading "2008 NHL Playoff Awards - Round 2"

Full Disclosure...
 - I hate the Rangers.
 - I was rooting for the Rangers today.

No, I'm not one of those weak-willed saps who "likes all New York teams" or rides bandwagons.  That's not me.  However, I love hockey and I'm more than willing to do what's necessary for the good of the game.  And let's face it - a good Rangers team is a very good thing for the game.

Continue reading "Doing The Right Thing"

  Hello everyone, My name is Adam Rosario, and this is my first blog post. I'm a 24 year old from Brooklyn and a huge New York sports fan. I root for just about all the NY teams, except for the Islanders, and although I'm mostly a Yankees and Giants fan, I root for the Mets and Jets, too when they play other cities, I can't be a NY hater, I'm sorry. My timing for writing this couldn't be better. The Yankees get crushed again tonight, The Mets got killed, Rangers got killed again last night and they are pretty much done. Good Times in New York! A-Rod is on the DL, Posada is out, Bruney is out. Even Phil Hughes is now on the DL (maybe that's not such a bad thing at this point). But hey, at least the Giants got to hang out with Dubya at the White House today. It seems like the New York sports fan has only the Giants to hang their hats on these days. Boston fans tease us about the Knicks and the Yankees and the Jets and we can only respond with "uhh...18-1!, huh huh!" The Super Bowl was great but you know what, I want more. I want Kyle Farnsworth to stop giving up late inning homers like he did again tonight again the Tigers. I want Cano to start hitting again. I want Henrik Lundqvist to stop giving up goals like he's Goldberg from The Mighty Ducks! I want to stop hearing stories about how Isiah Thomas is allowed only allowed to observe the players from those little TVs at the concession stands at the Garden! I want more than what we are getting now as New York fans. The number one topic on WFAN this whole week was whether or not Delgado should have given the fans at Shea a curtain call after hitting two dingers at Shea! I think when Ollie Perez gives up 7 runs in 1.2 innings against the Pirates, Mets fans may have more important things to worry about. (What is it with Pittsburgh teams this week, anyway?) And of course, there is the continuing saga of everyone's favorite Yankee hero, Roger Clemens! Things are not to good for us New York fans right now, but they will hopefully get better soon. And when they do, I'll be there to comment on it. Until then, to all my wonderful friends and family in Massachusetts..."18-1."

Continue reading "Good Times in New York"

 

  “Potential” has always been the buzz word swarming around the 14 year career of Alexei Kovalev.  After the New York Rangers made him the first Russian player selected in the draft’s opening round, his second season culminated with a dramatic Stanley Cup victory over fellow countryman Pavel Bure.  Kovalev’s play elevated in each successive round of the 1994 Stanley Cup run and fans could only wonder where the wunderkind’s ceiling was. 

Continue reading "Ridin' with the AK - Montreal Canadiens ..."

 
    GS IP HR BB SO AVG VORP
Verlander (DET) 4 24.1 4 12 14 0.234 -9.2

Padilla (TEX) 4 26 2 9 15 0.292 5

Continue reading "Tonight's Starting Pitcher Matchup: ..."

The Tigers will face off against the Texas Rangers at Comerica Park tonight. Both teams come in with a 7-13 record. Texas, however, was not expected to be good. The Tigers, by contrast, have been incredibly disappointing so far.

Continue reading "Tuesday Preview: Tigers vs. Rangers"

Sean Avery and Martin Brodeur are two of the NHL’s most important and divergent personalities.  If “NHL Marketing” weren’t such an oxymoronic concept, the two would already be featured in an offseason sitcom, let alone commercials.  Brodeur is often lauded with praise and at the same time, is somewhat underrated.  As for Avery, you can now add “game-changer” to the colorful list of adjectives used to describe the New York Rangers’ most maligned winger. 

Continue reading "Avery Rules- NHL keeps pace with ..."

http://wizbangsports.com/2008/03/how_about_them_florida_panther_

They beat the New York Rangers last night to pull within 5 points of the Division lead.

SUNRISE - Panthers captain Olli Jokinen had not scored in eight games but had been finding ways to contribute during Florida's five-game win streak.

Continue reading "How about them Florida Panthers?"

Mike Ribeiro was drafted in 1998, 45th overall by Montreal.  His quiet career in Montreal culminated in 2003-04 with 65 points.  He fell off to 51 the following year.  Dallas grabbed another mediocre center for their almost good team.  His first year in Dallas saw an eight point improvement over his previous year, but nothing to write home about.  He probably went undrafted in almost all but the deepest fantasy leagues.  For those of you who still see him on your waiver wire, you must look to the heavens and smile.  This guy has found a playing partner in Morrow.  He is a seriously gifted hockey player.  In the last seven games he has 7 goals and 5 assists.  But that is not the thing I want to actually talk about here.  It is his shooting percentage.  Are your ready?  Just over 38% of his shots are finding the back the net.  Just to put that in perspective, Ilya Kovalchuk put 336 shots on net last year.  If Ribeiro had done that with his shooting percentage, he would have scored 128 goals.  Alright, there is no way a player can keep up that sort of percentage…right?

Continue reading "A Numbers Game."

I know that my absence was grieved by many a reader, however I was on a vital mission of unimaginable importance.  Leaving that aside for the moment, let us return to the subject at hand.

Continue reading "I’m Back… and so are the Rangers ..."

 As with any new relationship, I understand your reticence.  Questions abound about my qualifications as a hockey guru.  My name is not synonymous with Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin or Jaromir Jagr.  You have not been a part of my phenomenal success in fantasy hockey; though admittedly I did not realized that San Jose's Jonathon Cheechoo would have only 4 goals in 28 games.  Luckily I traded him before he got injured for Maxim Afinogenov; another slumping forward who usually gets hot after the New Year.

Continue reading "Welcome to a new era in Hockey blogging"