I awoke last night to the sound of thunder
How far off I sat and wondered
Started humming a song from 1962
Ain’t it funny how the night moves
When you just don’t seem to have as much to lose
Strange how the night moves
With autumn closing in

- Bob Seger

Last night, as I sat reading the various and sundry hockey message boards I frequent, I could smell the cool fall air through my open window. It’s a special smell, clean and crisp like a sheet of ice that’s been freshly resurfaced. It spells the end of the summer with its sunny skies and the beginning of another long season of my favorite sport.

Like the beginning of a school year, the start of the hockey season is such a tenous time.  New teachers, new classes. New coaches, new players. It’s a fresh start. It’s a new opportunity to achieve the near impossible. It’s another Grail Quest. It’s another marathon to capture the greatest trophy in all sports. Anything seems possible in the autumn.

As in the season after the lockout, this year’s Rangers are a questionable commodity. Will the additions and subtractions of the off season prove to be the right combination for success. We finally have the youth on the team for whom we have  all been yearning. Some are homegrown while others have been acquired. Combine that with a different coach and a different philosophy and we have a team in transition. Will that transition translate to a playoff berth? How far can this team go if they do make the playoffs?

Only time will tell and we have plenty of time. In fact, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Let’s Go Rangers!

Posted under New York Rangers

This guy is becoming a major problem for this team in particular and hockey in general. And I’m not just referring to “WaterBottleGate” in Washington during the playoffs last season. Steve Zipay has this quote from Tortorella to the press prior to this afternoon’s game on Washington.

“Don’t think you’ll be getting the lineup before the game when the season starts.” 

Nice. Very Nice. While Steve Zipay is currently employed by the Dolans, who now own Newsday, the rest of the press has no such loyalty. If I were a credentialed member of the press and Tortorella copped this attitude with me, I’d get up, walk out on him and not come back.

Someone needs to remind Tortorella that while the Rangers do have a loyal fan following in New York City, NHL hockey is a niche sport in this country. It comes in underneath, Golf, NASCAR and Championship Poker in viewership.  This smug, arrogant reputation Tortorella is developing with the NY press goes beyond his ongoing feud with Larry Brooks, whom Tortorella has told in the past to eff himself. In this economy, many local reporters are eschewing traveling with the team. Their bosses dollars are better spent covering the more popular sports.

His “safe may be death” mantra may prove to be successful for the Rangers but if I had to cover the team right now, I would be crying for a return of the civility and cooperation of a Tom Renney. I had, on occasion, been critical of Renney for giving too much information out about the team. I am in favor of witholding information from the press when warranted, injuries in particular. But, when Tortorella throws it back in the faces of the press, it goes beyond the pale.

Tortorella’s arrogance is a reflection of his employer, James Dolan and his boss Glen Sather and their attitude towards the press and the fans. Is it any wonder that guys like Dubi Silverstein are giving up? Perhaps he didn’t like the handwriting he saw on the wall. Sam Weinman is well out of it.

If the press abandons this team, bloggers may become the last bastion of critical coverage and thinking regarding the Rangers. Heaven help Torts, Sather and Dolan then. The Ranger fan blogging community will have no scruple about letting this organization have it with both barrels.

Posted under New York Rangers

To paraphrase the original Great One, Jackie Gleason, I had a very good time at the Garden last night watching the Rangers beat the Detroit Red Wings Grand Rapid Griffins 4-2.

After starting out as a bust, the evening got better as it went along. I always get excited when the Detroit Red Wings are in the New York area. Last evening was no exception. Despite the fact that it was a preseason game, I got to the Garden by 4pm hoping for a chance to see some of my heroes of Hockeytown walk in to the Garden for the first time in years.

It was very disappointing to see the Red Wings’ bus pull up after 5pm and go all the way up the ramp, almost out of sight. It meant that myself and an intrepid little band of waiting Wing Nuts saw nothing. Things had gotten off on the wrong foot. After waiting another hour to get inside, the Red Wings warm up roster showed that they were only playing a few of their big stars. No Lidstrom, no Zetterberg, no Osgood and no Draper. At least I got to see Datsyuk, Holmstrom, Maltby and Franzen play. And, no disrespect to Meetch but I cringe every time I see another player wear 14 for the Wings. 

When warmups ended, I ambled up to Section 409 to watch the Rangers swarm all over the Red Wings. The first period proved to be a three goal powerplay filled mirage. The Rangers left it all on the ice in the first. The Red Wings out shot the Rangers in the second period in the same fashion as Rangers dominated the Wings in the first. The third period would tell the tale. This is where my evening took a radical turn for the better.

At the start of the third period, two gentleman I didn’t recognize sat down behind me and said hello. I had no idea who these guys were until they identified themselves as fellow HockeyRodent denizens, Pucks and Jason. Lots of my internet acquaintances have come over to see me and I them. This time the meeting triggered a series of events I will not soon forget.

Pucks, who had a bunch of his company’s skybox tickets, asked if we would like to relocate. For the first time ever, yours truly got to experience sitting in a luxury suite at the Garden. I grabbed my husband and my buddy Nick and we all headed off to those plush walls of the rich and famous. The one night I show up in jeans and sneakers and I am going to sit up with the swells. Go figure.

 The view was pretty good but the best sight line was in the first row of the box. We were right over the goal. The view is partially obstructed from the main part of the box. There were no beverages or food as this was a preseason game and Pucks’ company had no need to put on the dog. Pucks bade me to caste my eyes to the right. I saw Sather, Messier and Schoenfeld watching the game from that “special” box above all the others in the Garden. I think it’s called the “eyeball”?

The Rangers picked up their game a bit and Valiquette kept Detroit off the board the rest of the way. It was pretty hard to keep one’s mind on the game and take in all sights and perspectives afforded from such an unaffordable accomodation. The third period flew by. Alas, the game was over and the stick salute reticently offered by the Newbie Rangers.

As I turned to thank my host, I saw the incredible sight of Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe, walking down the corridor past the suite door. I hot footed it out of the suite with the express purpose of meeting Mr. Howe and having him sign my Red Wings cap. Mr. Howe and his son Mark couldn’t have been more gracious. I think it may have surprised Mr. Howe to see an overweight, overexcited middle age woman almost have a coronary just meeting him.

For me, meeting Gordie Howe was akin to meeting His Eminence, the late Cardinal O’Connor. I was honored, humbled and in awe, all at the same time. In the hierarchy of hockey, Gordie Howe is right up there in the College of  Hockey Cardinals.

Thanks again to Pucks (Scott) and Jason for an experience I won’t soon forget. You guys rock!

Posted under New York Rangers

A Ranger Russian Revolution has arrived!

Due to the aggressive play of Bolshevik Boys, Grachev/Anisimov/Lisin, the Rangers took a two goal lead into the dressing room after the second period tonight, having thoroughly outplayed  the Red Wings. They were attacking the net, dogging the puck relentlessly. While management may feel that Grachev is not ready, surely Anisimov and Lisin are keepers! That’s the good news. However, as usual with the Rangers, the good news is almost always overshadowed by the bad.

After tonight’s game, if I hear Tortorella say that his best players have to be the best players, my head is going to explode. Granted, the primary purpose of a pre-season game is to evaluate your prospects. But, after watching the disgusting exhibition put on by Wade Redden and Michal Rozsival during the third period tonight in Detroit, it has become abundantly clear how hamstringed the Rangers are by having these two wastes of space on the team. They were on the ice for three of the four goals scored by the Red Wings in the third period. 

And, to add insult to injury, Wade Redden failed to shoot the puck when he had several golden opportunities on the powerplay. At least Rozsival takes the obvious shots. That’s not saying much. They are both pathetic. Sanguinetti and Heikkein were the best defensemen out there tonight. Potter and Semenov didn’t disgrace themselves either. Only Redden and Rozsival did.

If Tortorella wonders why these two have become the whipping boys of the fan base, he need only rewind the tape and watch closely. For the love of God Sather, please buy these two out and give Brandon Dubinsky a fair contract with that money. Tonight’s game showed that they have regressed from last season. Leopards do not change their spots.

The first line of Higgins, Drury and Callahan struggled all game and accomplished nothing.  In fact, Drury and Avery were pretty invisible. Avery, like Redden, also passed on an obvious shot on the powerplay. The more things change the more they remain the same. Higgins missed a wide open net on the powerplay in the first period. Finally, Callahan’s perseverance was rewarded with an unassisted goal at the end of the game.

I do not envy the decisions that have to be made before the start of the regular season. Parenteau played an excellent game tonight. He needs to stay. It’s too bad there are so few spots available. I’d rather have him then Boyle, Crowder or Voros.

Posted under New York Rangers

One of Rodney Dangerfield’s favorite jokes was that he got no respect, no respect at all.

Dangerfield used to joke that when he was a kid his mother had to tie a bone around his neck so the dog would play with him. Right now, many Ranger fans wish Glen “Dr. Evil” Sather would throw young Brandon Dubinsky a friggin’ bone.  

Coach Tortorella thinks young Brandon is being misled by his agent and that he should accept Sather’s paltry offer and report to camp. Well, what else would you expect him to say? Would you want him to go against his bosses strategy? Can you really blame Torts for towing the company line?

Torts did have the choice to say nothing . Or, would his silence have been viewed as disapproval by Sather. For a coach that was ready to pencil in Dubinsky’s name on the first line, centering Gaborik, he certainly sandbagged the kid with his statements to the press. Or, was all the “first line center penciling in talk” just waiving a carrot to induce Dubinsky to sign?

When one considers the deal Sather made with Callahan, one has to wonder why he is treating Dubinsky so poorly.Callahan’s numbers are pretty much the same as Dubinsky. For Chrissakes, Voros and Rissmiller will make more this current season then what Sather is offering Dubinsky and most fans don’t even want them on the team.

One would think this kid has earned Sather’s respect.  Centering Jagr when both Sather’s free agent disasters , Gomez and Drury, bombed at the job was a tough way to be initiated into the NHL. Brandon Dubinsky rose to the occasion.  Sometimes it’s not all about the numbers. Sometimes it’s about the principal. It’s about respect.

Posted under Uncategorized

At the start of training camp last season, Tom Renney had seventy players to evaluate. 70. That’s a lot of bodies.  Tortorella won’t have to work that hard this year.The players will.  With 44 candidates trying to crack a possible 6/7 spots that need to be filled before the start of the regular season, the only hard decisions that have to be made is who will be going to Hartford or home.

With the departure of Mara, Morris, Zherdev and the entire fourth line of Betts, Sjostrom and Orr, the six bubble spots will be backfilled quickly. Here are my predictions for this seasons starting roster (barring any further trades or signings moving forward):

Forwards

Higgins – Prospal – Gaborik
Avery – Drury – Kotalik
Brashear – Dubinsky/Boyle – Callahan
Rissmiller/Voros – Anisimov/Arnason- Lisin

Keeping Buffalo Boys Drury and Kotalik together makes sense. Higgins has more skill and size then Avery so I’d keep him up top with Prospal and Gaborik and leave Avery with Drury and Kotalik.

The sticky question is who will fill out the center spot on the third and fourth lines. If Brandon Dubinsky remains a Ranger, he’ll be duking it out for a spot at center Boyle, Anisimov ans Arnason. Frankly, I’ve been awaiting the coming of Artem Anisimov for the last two season. But, seeing as Artem can be sent down to Hartford and recalled without passing through waivers, he’ll only get a shot if: Dubinsky rejects Sather’s lowball qualifying offer and leaves or if Boyle and/or Arnason suck.

Arnason, with more NHL experience then Boyle, would presumably get the nod but if either player doesn’t make a good showing, Anisimov may finally get his shot at the show. How does the old saying go? You can never be to deep at center.

At age 26 it’s now or never for Parenteau on left wing but somehow I think Sather will want his “bargains” from last season, Voros or Rissmiller to backfill the left wing spot on the fourth line.

Defense

Staal – Girardi
Rozsival – Redden
Gilroy – Mclaren
Sauer – Sanguinetti

What can one say about the state of the Rangers defense? Based on last season’s performances, I would only consider Staal a first pair defenseman. I’d take Rozsival in a heartbeat over Redden but you know Redden isn’t going anywhere.

Poor Girardi will be lumbered with Redden again. That leaves three spots. If healthy, Sather will go with experience, size and snarl in McLaren. If Gilroy lives up to his reputation it could leave Sauer or Sanguinetti on the outside looking in. I’d say Sanguinetti.

Goal

Lundqvist and Valliquette

There you have it. Let’s see how things unfold.

Posted under Uncategorized

Last night the Rangers introduced four new members of the team at another Fan Forum for some season subscribers. The gregarious Dave Maloney introduced the fans to:

Marian Gaborik #10

Donald Brashear #87

Ales Kotalik  #12

Christopher Higgins #21

Gaborik was introduced first and got a huge round of applause. Brashear was next and got some applause and a loud smattering of boos. Some people have no sense of occasion. Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins were both received warmly by the crowd of A and B list season subscriber invitees. Don’t ask.

Accompanying the Noobs was their erstwhile Captain, Chris Drury. When Maloney congratulated Drury on his induction into the Little League Hall of Fame, I heard someone near me mutter under their breathe that it would probably be the only Hall of Fame Drury would ever get into.  Such would be the tenor of the evening.

Each new Ranger in turn was asked canned questions by Dave Maloney and they in turn gave the requisite innocuous responses. It was only when they allowed questions from the floor that the fun really began.

Some woman got up and made a impassioned plea that the Rangers be moved to excel this season when they watch the Penguins raise the Stanley Cup banner in Pittsburgh on opening night. How sweet. She thinks the Rangers are Stanley Cup contenders. Apparently she hasn’t read that most of the pundits have the Rangers finishing out of the playoffs.

As reported all over, the funniest moment happened when a little girl got up and asked Drury if he ever played with girls. Some fan yelled out “yeah, he played with Gomez”.

I  told Brashear that because the Rangers have always had a reputation as a soft team, I was glad he was now a Ranger. Brashear was a good sport, rolling with both the jeers and the cheers. Frankly, I don’t think “The Donald”  gives a damn what anyone thinks. That’s fine by me. He should just do his job. Intimidate. Hit. Make every opposition player keep their heads up  and pay if they run our skill players.

Finally, in sizing up these four new players, I would say they represent: scoring at regular strength in Gaborik; Kotalik firing from the point on the powerplay and sparking old linemate Drury; Higgins bringing size, speed and scoring and Brashear bringing toughness and more scoring then Orr.

Someone asked what would become of the Rangers first rate penalty kill now that Betts, Sjostrom and Orr were gone. What would happen on defense? The stock reponse from Drury was that Tortorella and Sather would look to youth to fill in those gaps.

This group is as much as a long shot this September as the Rangers were in September 2005 to win the Cup. That season rested squarely on the shoulders of an unknown Swedish goaltender and one of the greatest goal scorers of all time, Jaromir Jagr. Funny but a mere four seasons later we have the same goaltender and another prolific European goalscorer with Hall of Fame potential in Marian Gaborik.

We still have our youth and we’ve all cried for them to be brought up. Let’s just hope that unreasonable expectations by the  fan base won’t lead to another purge at the end of the season.

Sather’s work in perpetual progress continues……

Posted under Uncategorized