Alexei Cherepanov passed away 12 years ago today

Posted on October 13, 2020 by Derek

Remembering former Rangers 2007 first round draft pick Alexei Cherepanov 12 years later.

It was thirteen years ago that the Rangers had a very talented Russian scoring forward fall to them in the 2007 NHL Draft. With the number 17 pick, they were only too pleased to select Alexei Cherepanov out of Avangard Omsk from Russia.

Considered by TSN experts as a “top four talent” who only dropped due to questions about when he’d come over, it was like the Rangers knew he’d be there to be taken. They had the Cherepanov jersey ready when he was picked. What an exciting moment that was for the teenager. He looked thrilled.

A very skilled right wing who was named the Top Forward of the 2007 U20 World Junior Championships with five goals and three assists for eight points in six games, the future looked bright for the 18-year old from Barnaul, Russia.

A big admirer of Rangers superstar Jaromir Jagr, who returned to Avangard Omsk to play with him for the ’08-09 season in the newly formed KHL, Cherepanov had a dream come true. He was playing with his favorite player on the same line. It all must’ve felt like a dream. A teenage phenom on the same team as a legend. If only the story had a happy ending.

In ’08-09, Cherepanov was off to a promising start. He had scored eight goals and added five assists totaling 13 points. However, in the 15th game for Avangard Omsk, something terrible happened. It came in the same game he scored in. After finishing a shift with Jagr, Cherepanov passed out on the bench. Jagr signaled immediately for medical help.

For reasons only known to the new league, there wasn’t a functional defibrillator working that could’ve prevented a horrible tragedy. Even worse, the ambulance had left the arena and had to come back. By the time they got him to the hospital, it was too late.

Cherepanov had died of a heart condition. It was stunning news throughout the hockey community. How could a 19-year old athlete pass away? Apparently, he did have a heart issue the team physicians kept under wraps. They ruled the cause of death due to myocarditis. A condition where not enough blood gets to the heart. However, that was disputed by a regional investigator who claimed it was due to chronic ischemia.

Whatever the reason, on Oct. 13, 2008, Alexei Cherepanov died at only age 19. His final shift came with Jagr on a two-on-one before returning to the Omsk bench. While having a discussion with Jagr, that’s when he collapsed. It still remains a mystery.

A chemical analysis of his blood and urine concluded that Cherepanov had been blood doping for several months. They said he had taken the banned stimulant nikethamide hours before the game. The investigation found several Avangard Omsk team personnel guilty of criminal negligence for their roles in Cherepanov’s untimely death. That included the team doctors.

It’s shameful to think this actually happened. Even a dozen years later, I can still remember watching NHL Network when during a Rangers special on former captain Mark Messier, I saw the news flash across the screen. I did a double take. I didn’t believe it at first. But when it flashed again, I told my Dad and brother. It was hard to take. A kid that age and so young. Why?

We went to the game that night at MSG. There was a moment of silence. I don’t recall anything else about that game. It didn’t matter. I was heartbroken. It was like being there after 9/11 for the preseason game versus the Devils. Except that was even worse due to the scary circumstances.

I was very excited for Cherepanov after watching highlights of him. He definitely looked like a impact player with the kind of finishing capability the Rangers lacked. They had good teams during that time. But never a young potential star who could become a game breaker post Jagr.

Maybe Alexei Cherepanov could’ve been that guy for the Blueshirts. Perhaps he may have helped them win a Cup during the Henrik Lundqvist Era. We’ll never know. Instead, we’re left to ponder what could’ve been.

But most importantly, I can only imagine how difficult this day must be on the Cherepanov family. Parents should never have to bury their kid. Were they ever fully compensated for the tragic loss of their son? Does it even matter? No amount of money can replace a loved one. He had a bright future and then it was over before it really started. Ugh.

Since the tragedy, the KHL has named their Rookie of the Year Award after Cherepanov. It’s the Alexei Cherepanov Award. A good way to honor his memory. They learned a valuable lesson. The league has survived and even expanded into other countries including China and Slovakia.

Here’s a final thought. Cherepanov was a rarity. He came from Siberia and made it. Not many players have to work that hard to become a good player. Ironically, he was nicknamed the Siberian Express. In a tribute, I named my fantasy hockey team that in our South River League. I would win the championship in ’09-10. Maybe it was fate. Or perhaps Cherepanov was smiling down. I got a little lucky. Sometimes, you have to.

How I wish Alexei Cherepanov was still around. What kind of player could he have been? It’s too hard to answer. I loved his speed, skating and goal scorer’s instinct. He knew where to go. Not only was he good on breakaways showing off that unique Russian speed, but Cherepanov wasn’t shy about going to the dirty areas to score goals like the hardworking rebound he scored on against Sweden. Or how about the dominant shift he had on the forecheck before going top cheese on Team USA.

Maybe it’s hard to believe he’s been gone so long. Twelve years today. We still remember him. God bless the Cherepanov family. 💛💜

Алексей Черепанов (15 January 1989 – 13 October 2008)

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Lafreniere signs his entry level contract with Rangers

Posted on October 13, 2020 by Derek

The Alexis Lafreniere Era is ready to begin after the Rangers top pick got a late 19th birthday present by signing his entry level contract on Monday. AP Photo credit Newsday via Getty Images by Mike Stobe.

Yesterday, Alexis Lafreniere and the Rangers made it official. The recent top pick in last week’s NHL Draft signed his entry level contract (ELC) with the club who lucked into the first overall pick due to the unpredictable two part NHL Lottery this past summer.

The three-year ELC pays Lafreniere $2.775 million. That includes salary bonuses he can earn. As far as the Rangers salary cap structure, the young left wing will be a $925,000 cap charge over his first NHL contract. Here’s how the salary can break down:

Base Salary: $832,500 $832,500 $832,500

Signing Bonuses: $92,500 $92,500 $92,500

Total Salary: $925,000 $925,000 $925,000

Minors Salary: $80,000 $80,000 $80,000

Performance Bonuses: $2.85 million $2.85 million $2.85 million

AAV: $3.775 million $3.775 million $3.775 million

Basically, the performance bonuses can increase his salary. Something you see with most top picks. Assuming he performs up to expectations, Lafreniere will produce well enough for the Rangers to lock him up to one of those huge long-term deals we’ve seen with superstars such as Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, etc.

Think of the signing as a birthday present for Lafreniere, who turned 19 on Sunday. Happy Birthday kid! He will wear number 13 for the Rangers. Hopefully, it’s a very lucky 13. Not many Blueshirts have worn it. The only good player I can think of is Stanley Cup winner Sergei Nemchinov. There have been others. Now, it belongs to our top pick. Wow.

The only conclusion I can make is hopefully, that number is never worn by another Blueshirt. A pretty simple wish.

Let’s take a look at some of Lafreniere’s best highlights.

I like not only his game breaking speed, but how quick he snaps it. Good usage of the wrist shot through traffic. A deceptive backhand which is always tough for a goalie to pick up. This kind of high skill player comes around very rarely. He’s unselfish and will help improve Kaapo Kakko, who could benefit if they play together.

In last week’s interview with the legendary Sam Rosen of MSG, we get to see a different side of Lafreniere. He’s a very mature and well spoken young player who understands the expectations of becoming a professional hockey player. It’s going to be a transition for him, but he wants to get better and made certain to point out that his goal is not only to improve, but help the Rangers win the Stanley Cup. The ultimate dream for any Canadian kid.

Here, we see the unique speed and skill of Lafreniere on display. He picks up seven points in a Rimouski Oceanic win over the Quebec Remparts. Two goals and five assists. When you’re that good, sometimes the puck magically finds you as it did on one of his goals. He had three cracks at it. My favorite goals were off the rush where he used his game breaking speed to back up opponents and find the seam for open teammates. That’s the makings of a great player. It sure will be exciting to watch him play in NYC. Even if it’s in a bubble (rumored) for the first part of next year.

Lafreniere wore number 11 for Rimouski. That’s not possible as a Ranger due to some guy named Mark Messier. So, it’ll be number 13 selling out quickly. There’s much to look forward to. We will be waiting in anticipation for January 2021.

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Golden Knights break the bank on Pietrangelo

Posted on October 12, 2020 by Derek

Alex Pietrangelo has found a new home. The former do everything captain of the 2018-19 Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues is headed to Vegas. As had been widely reported, the right defenseman is signing with the Golden Knights. They had to clear room. After trading Paul Stastny back to Winnipeg, they moved defenseman Nate Schmidt to the Canucks for a third round pick.

All this for a team that doesn’t care how much it spends. Even with the flat salary cap holding steady at $81.5 million, the Golden Knights are all about winning. They have no loyalty either. Just ask Marc-Andre Fleury about that after Robin Lehner replaced him as the starting goalie and was re-signed for five years at $25 million. Fleury remains in limbo with Vegas trying to find a taker. But most of the goalie market has been covered. They may wind up keeping Fleury as a quality backup to Lehner.

The issue for Vegas is they’re still over the cap by less than a million. According to puckpedia.com, they’re currently at $82.47 million. So, they still have to subtract another player after signing Pietrangelo to a seven-year deal worth $8.8 million per year. That’ll be the cap hit for the 30-year old veteran defenseman, who’ll play top pair.

Of course, the Knights handed Pietrangelo a full No-Movement Clause over the seven years. Yikes. He’s going to be in his mid 30’s by Year Four of that contract. He’s a very good player who plays good defense and can supply offense. In 70 games last season, the steady defenseman had a career high 16 goals with 36 assists for 52 points and a plus-11 rating. A dependable player, he averaged 24:11 of ice-time per game. For his 12-year career, he’s averaged 24:38.

In 758 games spent in St. Louis, Pietrangelo registered 109 goals with 341 assists for a total of 450 points and a plus-77 rating. The biggest highlight coming last year when he helped lead the Blues to their first ever Cup. During that run which included a close call in the second round over the Stars and stunning the Bruins to win Game Seven in Boston for the Cup, he tallied three goals and 16 helpers for 19 points over 26 games.

He’ll go down as one of the best Blues ever. That’s how much Pietrangelo meant to that team. Unfortunately, he had to move on once St. Louis decided to sign former Bruins defenseman Torey Krug for seven years at an average cap hit of $6.5 million. It’ll certainly be strange to see Krug in a Blues jersey while Pietrangelo will wear Golden Knights colors.

That’s what happens in a cap era. There’s so much player movement that it’s impossible to keep up with everything. I’m still shocked Taylor Hall chose the Sabres for only a year at $8 million while leaving money on the table. But it allows him to keep his options open while betting on himself. Buffalo is banking on it to end a nine-year playoff drought.

In a cap cutting move, the Islanders unloaded defenseman Devon Toews to the Avalanche for two second round picks. Not what I would’ve done. But that’s what they’re facing due to the restricted status of Mat Barzal. He is due a significant raise. Plus Ryan Pulock is a Group II free agent. They also would like to re-sign unrestricted free agent Matt Martin. The Isles don’t have a lot of room.

The other significant signing was made by the Canadiens. After striking out on Hall, they inked Tyler Toffoli for a four year contract worth $17 million. A good move for a solid two-way forward that can play at five, power play and penalty kill.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to all who celebrate. That’ll do it for now. I’ll have more later on Rangers top pick Alexis Lafreniere signing his entry level contract.

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Devils trade Joey Anderson to Leafs for Andreas Johnsson

Posted on October 11, 2020 by Derek

In a interesting move yesterday, the Devils added some scoring depth by trading Joey Anderson to the Maple Leafs for Andreas Johnsson. Johnsson is a 25-year old left wing who had been a good secondary scorer in Toronto.

Signed through 2023, his average cap hit is $3.4 million. The Leafs needed to free up salary. Similar to when they dealt Kasperi Kapanen to the Penguins, they found a taker for Johnsson. A late bloomer who was originally a seventh round pick in 2013, his best season came in ’18-19 when he achieved career highs in games played (73), goals (20), assists (23) and points (43).

The past season wasn’t as kind to him. In 43 games, Johnsson’s production dropped off to eight goals with 13 assists for 21 points. He only took part in one game during the Play In Round when the Leafs lost in five games to the Blue Jackets. The reason he was limited was due to a knee injury sustained on Feb. 13. He returned for Game Five when they were shutout by Joonas Korpisalo.

If he does return to form, Johnsson is a good skating forward with solid puck possession numbers. For his three-year NHL career, he’s a 53.8 CF. However, he was used more offensively with 56.8 percent of his zone starts in the offensive zone in ’19-20.

If he pans out, Johnsson could be a good addition to a Devils lineup that needs more offense in support of Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Kyle Palmieri, assuming he stays. He’s a year away from unrestricted free agency. The 29-year old right wing will earn an AAV of $4.65 million in 2020-21. It’ll be interesting to see what GM Tom Fitzgerald decides to do with the consistent finisher who has averaged a shade over 25 goals a season since becoming a Devil.

This far, the big moves have been trading for defenseman Ryan Murray from Columbus and adding Johnsson. They also made a wise decision in signing proven veteran goalie Corey Crawford to share the net with Mackenzie Blackwood.

Prior to dealing away Anderson to Toronto, the Devils had been rumored to be interested in Vladislav Namestnikov. However, he agreed to a two-year contract with the Red Wings for $4 million. A similar deal that ex-Ranger Jesper Fast received from Carolina. The only difference is he got an extra year.

In the biggest free agent news of the day, Taylor Hall reached agreement with the Sabres on a one-year contract for $8 million. It’s interesting that the former Devil who won the Hart Trophy a few years ago, decided to go short-term with Buffalo. He has a moderated no-trade clause. So, he’s willing to bet on himself by playing with Jack Eichel for the next season. Who would’ve thought that was possible?

The Sabres have quietly added pieces including Cody Eakin and Tobias Rieder to improve their secondary scoring depth. Along with the trade for veteran center Eric Staal, the Sabres are banking on Hall, Eichel and Jeff Skinner to lead the team to its first postseason in a decade. They’ve gone nine consecutive years without the playoffs. The longest active NHL streak.

That’s it for now. I’ll have more tomorrow.

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Rangers say goodbye to Jesper Fast, who signs with Hurricanes

Posted on October 10, 2020 by Derek

Just when things couldn’t get harder, another key player from those very good Ranger teams is gone. Jesper Fast left the Blueshirts for the Hurricanes. A hardworking two-way player who always gave an honest effort, the 28-year old right wing agreed to a three-year deal worth an average cap hit of $2 million with Carolina.

The obvious question is why did he only get that salary. If that’s the case, shouldn’t the Rangers have re-signed him? It doesn’t seem like they made an attempt, opting to let Fast test the open market. Mystifying. Maybe Fast preferred to see what he could get and find a contender who would give him a better chance to win. The Hurricanes check off those boxes.

Whatever the reason, a good two-way forward is gone for a reasonable price. I really liked what Quickie brought to the table. A gritty, hard-nosed approach to each shift, he always hustled. The Rangers could plug him anywhere. That’s why he was successful. Fast played five-on-five well and was an above average penalty killer. He scored the first two shorthanded goals of his career in ’19-20.

The former Rangers sixth round pick in 2010 carved out a nice career for himself as a reliable defensive right wing who could slide up and down the lineup. Who could forget his hustle to force a Caps turnover that led directly to Ryan McDonagh scoring from Derek Stepan in sudden death of Game Five against the Capitals to keep the Rangers alive? That kind of determination and defensive instincts is why Fast was popular among teammates and fans.

I’m sure the Canes will appreciate what their newest member brings. To think that Fast fit in with Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome on the second first line (Line 1B). It speaks volumes about his character and how much the coaching staff trusted him. When former coach Alain Vigneault bumped him up to the top line in that elimination game versus Washington, he knew. David Quinn used him similarly. I imagine Rod Brind’Amour will too with the retirement of Justin Williams.

For the seven years he spent in Manhattan, Fast reached the 30-point mark twice, doing so in ’15-16 by going 10-20-30, and in ’17-18 when he established career bests in goals (13) and points (33). In fact, 31 of the 33 came at even strength including all 13 of his goals. He added two shorthanded assists.

At 28, Fast had a good ’19-20 by posting 12 goals with 17 assists for 29 points and a career high plus-16 rating over 69 games. That included a pair of shorthanded goals as he and team leader Mika Zibanejad (3 SHG) were dangerous while on the penalty kill. They combined for five of the Blueshirts’ eight shorthanded goals.

A gritty player who is willing to sacrifice the body for the cause, Fast ranked third on the team in hits (125) and second among forwards in blocked shots (53). Only Brett Howden (67 blocks) had more.

For his seven-year Rangers career, Fast finishes with 55 goals and 92 assists for a total of 147 points in 422 games. Fifty-three of the 55 goals came at even strength as did 89 of his 92 helpers. The other five comprised of four shorthanded points and one power play assist. His ice-time increased over the past three seasons with the 16:36 he averaged this past season the most in his career.

In the postseason, Fast tallied 14 points (6-8-14) over 40 games. Once former teammate Brady Skjei knocked him out of the series early in Game One with a clean hit, the Rangers were never the same. They missed what Fast brought and got swept by the Hurricanes in the best-of-five series. He was also a locker room leader.

Best wishes to Fast in the future. He was a good Ranger.

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Lundqvist moves on to division rival Capitals

Posted on October 10, 2020 by Derek

When the October Madness officially began yesterday, Henrik Lundqvist found a new home. As had been reported by Rick Carpiniello of The Athletic in a translation of a story from a Swedish publication, Lundqvist made it official by joining the division rival Capitals on Friday.

He signed with Washington for one year, $1.5 million. After getting bought out by the Rangers, who have moved on from the Lundqvist Era to the young 24-year old Russian tandem of Igor Shesterkin and Alex Georgiev, the 38-year old veteran goalie will likely be the backup for the Caps behind another young Russian netminder in Ilya Samsonov. Samsonov is 23 and coming off a good rookie campaign.

It took a while for Lundqvist to let go of the only NHL team he’s ever known. The all-time Rangers franchise leader in wins (459) and shutouts (64) knew his time was up once he was relegated to third string duty behind Shesterkin and Georgiev. Even if they gave him two final starts with Shesterkin hurt in the Play In Series versus the Hurricanes, by that point he realized it was over.

A prideful and passionate man who loved living in the big city and all that comes with being a Ranger under the spotlight, Lundqvist enjoyed his time here. He loved the way the fans supported him from the very beginning. Who knew that a seventh round pick in the 2000 NHL Draft would become such a star for an Original Six franchise? Give the European scouts credit.

It’s ironic that he’s going to join former adversary Alex Ovechkin in DC. A electrifying superstar who beat Lundqvist 24 times, tying Sidney Crosby for the most goals against him. A great goalie who after losing to Ovechkin twice in the playoffs, led his team to three straight wins over those Caps in 2012, 2013 and 2015. The final one being the most memorable.

Even more ironic, this is Ovechkin’s final year of that long-term contract he signed over a decade ago. He will earn $9.54 million at age 35 as he continues his chase of Wayne Gretzky’s 894 goals. The Great Eight will enter 2021 with 706 career goals. A nine-time Rocket Richard winner with three Harts and a Stanley Cup, Ovechkin still has the desire to win another championship. Something Lundqvist alluded to when discussing why he chose the Caps. His drive to win a Cup continues. Only it’ll be in those red and navy blue colors with stars representing the nation’s capital.

He won’t wear the familiar number 30. Instead, he’ll be rocking the red with a new number 35. How many fans will buy the new Lundqvist jersey? When Martin Brodeur left the Devils and signed with the Blues, his number 30 sold plenty in St. Louis. You have to think the same will be the case for King Henrik. He’s always been very popular with hockey fans, who love his intensity. He truly wants to win and feels it can happen playing on a still talented team of Caps that features Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, T.J. Oshie, Tom Wilson, John Carlson, Dmitry Orlov, Jakub Vrana, Lars Eller, old friend Carl Hagelin and newest Capital Justin Schultz.

I hold no ill will against Lundqvist. Even if it’s a hated division rival, he’s doing what’s best for him. That’s how divorces work. Undoubtedly, he will be very motivated to prove he still has something left. Especially with how the last two seasons went in the Big Apple. The team he’ll play for is better, deeper and more proven. They’ll also be coached by former Stanley Cup winner Peter Laviolette. That in itself will be strange to get used to.

The question for the Caps is how much of a window do they have left. After finally winning the Cup in ’17-18 under the guidance of current Islanders coach Barry Trotz, they’ve been eliminated in consecutive first rounds by the Hurricanes and Islanders. Similar to Lundqvist, they should have something to prove. Are they still a serious contender or have teams like the Flyers, Islanders and Hurricanes passed them by?

What about Lundqvist possibly returning to Madison Square Garden as an opponent in an arena he once owned? How will it feel if by that point, there are fans allowed in the building? You have to know he’ll get a tremendous reception from his former team, who does things with class. They never forget recent former Rangers. If only they recognized Frank Boucher.

With the addition of the older Lundqvist, who can help Samsonov develop, the Caps said goodbye to former Cup winning goalie Braden Holtby, who signed with the Canucks to replace Jacob Markstrom. He will have a similar role in Vancouver due to Thatcher Demko. They paid tribute to Holtby. A former Vezina winner like Lundqvist, who went save for save with him in the 2015 second round series.

Sadly, that’s the nature of the salary cap. Where good players on championship teams are let go due to teams being forced to cut costs. If it were a softer cap, you wouldn’t see as many players switching jerseys.

It’ll be different seeing Henrik Lundqvist in a Caps jersey. Plus he’ll be wearing a different number. No. 35 with Lundqvist on the back will take some getting used to. However, he’s at peace with the decision and grateful to the Rangers organization for how well treated he was. For 15 years, fans chanted, “Hen-rik, Hen-rik, Hen-rik!” Now, they’ll chant “Ig-or, Ig-or, Ig-or!”, and “Geor-gie, Geor-gie, Geor-gie!”

The “Hen-rik”, chants will come from Capital fans. How weird that will be. Maybe it’s the whole strange year of 2020. Even if hockey isn’t expected to return until the following calendar year, it’ll take some getting used to.

For the disappointed crowd who are upset he chose a rival, get over it. You root for the logo on the front. That includes if Lundqvist is in net versus the Rangers. It’s the players who represent the team. Lundqvist did it proudly for 15 years.

Like a classic song from Bob Dylan, “The Times They Are A Changin’.”

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Devils sign Corey Crawford at 2 years, $3.9 million per

Posted on October 9, 2020 by hasan4978

With the Devils needing another goalie after deciding to move on from Cory Schneider, speculation was abound over where GM Tom Fitzgerald would look for a veteran complement to young Mackenzie Blackwood. Unrealistic internet speculation had us trying to get Marc-Andre Fleury but I figured he wouldn’t waive his no-trade to come here anyway. Derek speculated maybe Thomas Greiss. I honestly didn’t even harbor a guess but figured we would not be going into the season with unproven Gilles Senn as our #2 goalie.

Maybe Corey Crawford should have occured to me as a logical guess, especially after reading yesterday that the Blackhawks decided to not offer a contract to their long-time goalie. Sure enough, the Devils made their first significant FA signing in the Fitz era by inking the 36-year old Crawford to a two-year contract. Crawford certainly checks the boxes Fitzgerald was looking for – short-term contract, veteran upgrade and someone who doesn’t need to play 55-60 games at this point of his career.

https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1314765489919406080?s=20

Crawford is certainly battle-tested with two Stanley Cups and tons of playoff experience in Chicago. He’ll no doubt help Blackwood as a mentor while pushing him for playing time and creating somewhat of a competition at least. Of course given Crawford’s recent health issues (he’s played only 107 games in the last three years), nobody should be expecting him to be a 55-60 game goalie but his numbers even the last couple years on a rebuilding Blackhawks team are worlds better than any non-Blackwood goalie has been for the Devils in recent years.

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Rangers sign Jack Johnson, add depth with former Devil Kevin Rooney

Posted on October 9, 2020 by Derek

On Day One of the very strange October free agency frenzy, the Rangers were mostly quiet. While they did manage to make a few signings, none were over the top. Instead, they went for experience on the back end and addressed fourth line depth.

It’s even stranger to think that the first player they signed was defenseman Jack Johnson. A proven veteran who Penguins fans couldn’t wait to get rid of, he signed a one-year deal worth $1.15 million. The 33-year old American is only signed for a year. Let’s try to keep perspective.

Even if I’m no fan of Johnson, he will bring experience and a veteran presence to the blueline. He isn’t going to wow you. He will deliver hits and block shots. Hopefully, he won’t struggle mightily at five-on-five. While I’m not a huge metrics person, Johnson has been consistently sub-par at Corsica. For his 14-year career, he’s a 47.0 CF. That includes a 46.7 CF last season for Pittsburgh.

Should we be worried? I don’t know. It’s obviously not who anyone wanted after they moved Marc Staal and bought out Henrik Lundqvist to free up necessary cap space. However, maybe the thinking is that they’re not far along yet. Something Team President John Davidson told New York Post columnist Larry Brooks prior to the big NHL Draft that netted future star Alexis Lafreniere and rugged defenseman Braden Schneider.

Perhaps they see what so many fans don’t. That as nice as it would be to really qualify for the postseason (not the Play In crap), it looks like the organization is realistic about expectations. Of course, they want to make the playoffs next year. But it’ll depend on the continued development of the kids including Lafreniere, who Garden Faithful can’t wait to see. When that happens I don’t know. Sometime in 2021.

While Johnson will sacrifice the body for the cause of the team, this isn’t anything more than a filler for a season. Ditto for Anthony Bitetto, who inked a multi-year, two-way deal for $737,500. That means the former Predator,Wild and Jet will likely be insurance just in case they need a healthy body to recall from Hartford. The 30-year old from Island Park, New York played in a career high 51 games in ’19-20 for Winnipeg, tallying eight assists with 32 penalty minutes.

By inking both Johnson and Bitetto, it looks like the Rangers are saying, ‘This is your chance K’Andre Miller.’ The question being is he ready. Only 20, the former 2018 first round pick only spent two years at Wisconsin. We know he can skate and contribute offensively. It’s the other side of the puck that’ll be a concern. If he needs work, they shouldn’t rush him. He’s so young. It takes time to develop players. Especially with Miller being a converted forward.

The Rangers will also be looking at formed 2016 fourth round pick Tarmo Reunanen. A 22-year old left shooting Finn, who improved the past two years for Luuko-Rauma in the SM-liiga. A different league than the one 2018 first round pick Nils Lundkvist plays in. He’s got a goal and assist for Lulea HF in the Swedish Hockey League. The 20-year old will spend another year overseas before the Rangers make a decision on him. No. Don’t buy into Brooks’ click bait crap about them trading him. Let’s be patient.

Meanwhile, Libor Hajek is being loaned to HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga. That means they can bring him back for training camp and see if he can make the team following a disappointing ’19-20 that saw him become an afterthought due to Ryan Lindgren. Hopefully, the former Lightning 2016 second round pick figures it out. You don’t want to see a defense featuring Johnson and well respected veteran Brendan Smith on the left side.

If he stays and they do the sensible thing and bridge him for around two years at say $10 million, Tony DeAngelo has been mentioned by Rangers management as a possibility to move to the left side. I’d rather it be him than Adam Fox, who looks like the crown jewel of the defense. The team also re-signed RFA Brandon Crawley.

The other interesting move was reaching agreement with ex-Devil forward Kevin Rooney. He took a two-year, $750,000 average. The 27-year old is a checking center who is strong on the penalty kill. Of the nine points (4-5-9) he recorded, 33.3 percent came on the kill including two shorthanded goals. Rooney took part in 49 contests for the Devils. He was 47.0 percent on face-offs.

Rooney won’t blow you away, but has a good work ethic. The Corsi isn’t good with him coming in at 43.2 last season. However, the Devils used him extensively in the defensive zone. He started 67.7 percent of the time in the D zone. That tells me the Rangers think Rooney can help upgrade the fourth line and penalty kill. Areas that need to improve.

In another one of those ‘who’ signings, they went for a similar multi-year deal with former Predator forward Colin Blackwell. So, who the heck is he? Apparently, another late bloomer like Rooney. If he makes the team, his contract pays him $725,000 on the cap. So, it’s low risk. Maybe by signing these guys, they could become exposed next year for the Seattle Expansion Draft.

Blackwell registered three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 27 games for Nashville. All ten points came at even strength. He wound up plus-seven and won more draws (37-and-29) than lost. He also registered 43 hits and blocked 23 shots. His possession numbers are better. Despite 53.5 percent of zone starts in the defensive zone, he was a 50.6 CF. That’s good.

What does it mean? Who knows. Maybe the undersized 5-9, 190 pound forward is one of those under the radar guys who can go back and forth between Hartford and New York. Or maybe he’s a glue guy who they can plug in if he is successful. We’ll see.

The final move was a bit of a shock as the Rangers decided to ink former Devil goalie Keith Kinkaid to a two-year deal worth an average of $875,000. Basically, the former Devils hero who moved on to Columbus and Montreal, is just insurance for Igor Shesterkin and Alex Georgiev. He will be exposed at next year’s expansion draft.

Kinkaid is a good locker room guy with great character. There’s nothing wrong with that even if it’s for Hartford. What does that mean for Tyler Wall and Adam Huska? Well, Huska is on loan to Zvolen HKm in the Slovak League.

What can we conclude from these signings? Just that the Rangers aren’t going to go nuts which is a good thing. They need a good portion of the leftover money for key restricted free agents DeAngelo, Ryan Strome, Georgiev, Brendan Lemieux and Phil Di Giuseppe, who they qualified due to a good showing in ’19-20.

Even though they are outsiders for Jesper Fast, there should be enough money left to see if he wants to come back. I’d love to see him return if it’s not more than three years for say $3.25 million AAV. That’s up to him. If not, they’ll lose a valuable two-way right wing David Quinn trusts to use at five-on-five and on the penalty kill. Plus Quickie can slide up and down the lineup.

I wonder if they would consider former Blueshirt Michael Grabner on a one-year deal for around $1.5 million. He sure was good while he was here. A superb skater with defensive instincts, breakaway speed and a shorthanded threat. I wouldn’t mind.

The only real disappointment was seeing Alex Wennberg sign with the busy Panthers for a year at $2.25 million. A guy I wouldn’t have minded as a pseudo Strome replacement for cheap. The Panthers have Radko Gudas three years at $2.75 million AAV. They also signed a guy I like in Mark Borowiecki for two years at $2 million per.

Another guy to keep an eye on is Tyler Johnson. As expected, Tampa is trying to trade him. It looks like no one bit because they placed him on waivers. He was due $5 million AAV over the next four years. Yeah. Nobody is taking that contract. But I’ll say this. If they buy him out, someone could get a good player for a more affordable salary. I have always liked him. He can play third line and kill penalties. Johnson can play power play too. The only issue is his size. Maybe that’s why his production has decreased. He’s 30 and still put up 31 points (14-17-31) for the Bolts. But Johnson only went 4-3-7 during their Cup run.

We’ll see what happens. As for the in$anity as Brian would say, is giving Jacob Markstrom six years at $6 million per overkill by the Flames or what. He’ll help them in net, but yikes. And Ottawa paid Matt Murray an AAV of $6.25 million over four years. Good luck. On the same day they signed a thrilled Henrik Lundqvist who couldn’t wait to declare his excited he is to join a division rival and “Win”, the Caps gave the defensively inept Justin Schultz two years at $8 million. Good luck with that.

There’s been a flurry of activity. Maybe I’ll put something up in another post. We’ll wait and see what else happens.

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Devils buy out Schneider, trade for Murray as FA begins

Posted on October 9, 2020 by hasan4978
https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1314602750903291907?s=20

With that deserved sendoff, the Devils officially cut ties with star-crossed Cory Schneider yesterday, putting him on waivers for the purposes of buying out the final two years of his six-year contract. Given what kind of person Cory is everyone hates that it had to end this way, but given the fact he has gone from being one of the best goalies in the league to an unreliable, injury-prone backup making $6 million a year, a divorce was inevitable in the end whether it was this offseason or next. His departure is even more melancholy because his tenure here was filled with what ifs and might have beens.

Not to mention things started out great, as all marriages do and with a theatrical twist to boot as then-GM Lou Lamoriello traded for Cory at the 2013 NHL Draft in Newark with Gary Bettman’s memorable announcement complete with the ‘I think you’re going to want to hear this’ teaser stopping the boos while he spoke. When the announcement was made of the Devils trading the #9 overall pick to Vancouver for the well-regarded Schnieder, it sent the home crowd into a shocked roar.

It looked as if the Devils had their replacement for Martin Brodeur for the next decade. As the NFL’s 49ers went from Joe Montana to Steve Young or the Packers went from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, many thought it would be that kind of transition for the Devils in goal. As we know now, seven and a half years later it just wasn’t meant to be. Not that things started off badly although having Cory on the roster with Marty winding down his career was always going to make for an awkward transition in the first year. Cory did well enough on the ice (1.97 GAA, .921 save percentage) but only got 45 starts as a sporadic rotation helped neither guy in the long run.

Although Cory kept up his level of play for the first two years of the extension he signed after 2014, things only got worse around him on the ice as the team bottomed out in 2014-15. Injuries and a declining team started to take their toll in 2016-17, but Schneider did get off to a strong start in 2017-18 for a resurgent Devils team before he got hurt again, and the bottom fell out when he returned from injury as he couldn’t win a game or stop the puck. Eventually he lost his job to Keith Kinkaid, although he did pull himself together and came off the bench to get the Devils’ only playoff win as they lost in five games to the Lightning. At his nadir Cory was winless in 27 straight regular season starts between 2017-18 and 2018-19, but to his credit never made excuses or blamed anyone else for his struggles.

Even last year was one final frustrating kick in the teeth for Cory, as he played well enough at the end of 2018-19 to get his job back heading into the 2019-20 season, but after a solid camp and first two periods on Opening Night again he got hurt, and again his game went down the drain after that. Not only did he lose his job but he also got demoted for a second straight season down to the AHL. Hopefully whereever Cory lands he’ll be able to stay healthy enough to contribute.

Aside from buying out Schneider there hasn’t been much to report yet in free agency. Late-season defensive fillin Dakota Mermis signed with the Wild and plugger Kevin Rooney signed with the Rangers of all places. I actually wouldn’t have minded either coming back in the right role but Fitz clearly wants to put his stamp on this team, which he continued to do with his trade of a fifth rounder to Columbus for injury-prone defenseman Ryan Murray – who once upon a time was drafted second overall (2012). Murray should be a solid low-cost addition to the top six when he plays although he’s only signed through 2020 and at nearly $5 million so the Blue Jackets were looking to clear cap as much as anything.

So far it seems as if most of the big free agents – aside from the goalies – are in a holding pattern while role players are wisely trying to get cap dollars before they dry up with teams’ budgets going down and the cap remaining flat. We’ll probably be looking for a backup goalie to replace Cory, among other potential needs.

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Rangers Draft mostly North American players with a twist

Posted on October 8, 2020 by Derek

If Day One wasn’t a surprise with Alexis Lafreniere going first and Braden Schneider being a player they targeted by trading up to number 19, then the Rangers Draft on Day Two was again mostly focused on North American players with a twist. The twist is a unique one if it works out.

As noted yesterday, Rangers brass decided it was time to move on from former 2017 seventh pick Lias Andersson by trading him to the Kings for a second round pick. Apparently, letting Andersson play for HV-71 back home in Sweden really helped his stock. Teams checked in on him. So, give them credit for being able to net a number 60 pick from LA for the disgruntled center.

The end result was the selection of Will Cuylle. A young left wing who patterns his game after Tom Wilson. He’s posted back-to-back 20-plus goal and 40-plus point season in the OHL for the Windsor Spitfires. The 18-year old Toronto native is listed at 6-3, 204 pounds. With the ability to finish off one touch passes along with a willingness to get the jersey dirty, he sounds like the type of gritty player the Rangers can use. We’ll see how fast he develops.

In the third round, the Blueshirts liked Sweden’s Oliver Tarnstrom with pick 92. A lefty center who’s the son of former NHL defenseman Dick Tarnstrom, he’s currently playing for AIK in Sweden. He went from scoring a goal in two contests for the AIK Junior National Team to partaking in three games for AIK with no points so far. There isn’t much to go on. He is 6-1 and just 163 pounds. So, he’ll have to get stronger.

In Round Four, the Rangers went with a goalie by grabbing Canadian Dylan Garand out of Victoria, British Columbia. Taken at number 103, Garand is a 6-1, 172 pound netminder who moves well laterally and can recover in time if he misreads a shot. He sounds technically sound. In ’19-20, he posted good numbers for the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL. It was a breakout year with Garand going 28-10-3 with a 2.21 GAA, .921 save percentage and four shutouts in 42 games. He represented Canada at the Hlinka Cup posting a 1.51 GAA and .857 save percentage in two games. At the very least, he sounds interesting.

The Rangers are very deep in net with Igor Shesterkin and Alex Georgiev the tandem for next season. Tyler Wall will enter his first pro year at some point with the Wolf Pack. Adam Huska has been loaned to HMK Slovan of Slovakia. Olof Lindbom is in his second year with Mora IK in Sweden. Now, they’ve added Garand. A rare North American goalie to the prospect pool. He isn’t the only netminder they added.

In the fifth round, the organization decided it was worth dealing away a pair of seventh round picks to the Sharks for pick 127 to select center Evan Vierling. After spending part of last year with the Flint Firebirds, he was dealt to the Barrie Colts of the OHL where his production increased. After going 2-8-10 in 15 games with the Firebirds, Vierling was over a point-per-game with the Colts by tallying 12 goals and 22 assists for 34 points in 28 games. Perhaps that improvement was enough to impress Rangers scouts. Elite Prospects describes the left shooting pivot as a two-way, defensively reliable player who is capable of scoring. It also sounds like he doesn’t mind battling opponents in the corners. If it works out, maybe Vierling becomes a quality depth center who will be effective in a secondary role. Those kind of high character players help.

With their own fifth round pick at number 134, the Rangers liked Brett Berard from East Greenwich, Rhode Island. A gritty undersized American left wing who’s listed at 5-9, 163, Berard is of no relation to former Islander and Ranger Bryan Berard. He played for the U.S. National Development U18 team in ’19-20 where he had 34 points (16-18-34) in 41 games with 46 penalty minutes. He also played in the USHL and tallied 18 points (7-11-18) in 13 games. Someone even compared his style to a poor man’s Brad Marchand. They should be so lucky. The bottom line is he’s a fifth round pick. That doesn’t mean he can’t pan out. It’s not always where you drafted, but how well you develop. Berard will attend Providence College this year.

With their sixth round pick, the Blueshirts selected center Matthew Rempe out of Calgary. The big story with the 165th pick is his size. He’s 6-8. The tallest forward ever if he makes his NHL debut down the road. At 6-8, 236, he at least sounds intriguing. In his first season with the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL, he did alright by registering 12 goals with 19 helpers for 31 points while racking up 53 penalty minutes over 47 contests. For a guy with his size, Rempe sounds like a solid three zone player who works hard. I wonder if his height will work against him when it comes to skating. He should be interesting to follow.

In Round Seven, the Rangers had a little fun with their final pick by throwing a twist into the Draft. They did it by taking a goalie from Sweden in the same round they stole Henrik Lundqvist in 20 years ago. How’s that for irony? Especially with Lundqvist set to sign with the Capitals tomorrow. Even cooler is the number 197 pick is named Hugo Ollas. Haha. Has there ever been a NHL player named Hugo before? Insert cheesy The Girl Next Door references. Good movie. Elisha Cuthbert. Case closed. Even better, Ollas is 6-8, 238. So, they took a Swede in the identical round they got Lundqvist in 2000. His name is Hugo. And he’s 6-8. Naturally, the scouting report says he goes down on his knees early (butterfly effect) and uses his size to cut off angles. Ollas is described as “well schooled.” He currently is playing for Linkoping HC J20 back home. In seven games, he has a 2.40 GAA and. 894 save percentage. Who knows. Maybe we’ll see him one day in five or six years.

That’s gonna do it for this Rangers Draft. I’ll try to have more on the prospects with no live NHL hockey until next year. Vitaly Kravtsov is 6-2-8 with St. Petersburg SKA. There’s that. I think there’s a good chance Pavel Buchnevich gets traded soon. I’m not suggesting it’ll happen in the off-season. But he looks expendable given what Kravtsov could bring. I expect him to be on the team sometime in 2021.

In other news, the Senators acquired former Pens goalie Matt Murray yesterday for Jonathan Gruden and a 2nd round pick Wednesday. Now, the two-time Cup winner becomes Ottawa’s new number one goalie at age 26. He wasn’t as consistent for Pittsburgh the past two seasons and lost his job to Tristan Jarry. We’ll see if he can help the rebuilding Senators improve. Murray is expected to sign a extension. He’s a Group II free agent.

Anthony Duclair will be looking for a new NHL team again. The Sens waived him. The former Rangers prospect who was packaged to the Coyotes in the Keith Yandle deal, has yet to find a home. He’s gone from NYC to Arizona to Chicago to Columbus and to Ottawa. He can score goals, but isn’t consistent. Defense is lacking. I wish him luck.

The Devils made it official by placing Cory Schneider in waivers to buy him out. He had two years remaining with $12 million owed. That translates to $2 million in dead cap space over the next four years. Mackenzie Blackwood is a restricted free agent. They’ll be looking for a new backup.

The goalie market is flooded. It’ll include veteran Corey Crawford, who Blackhawks Teflon GM Stan Bowman indicated won’t be back after spending 14 seasons with Chicago. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion that still wants to play. Based on his performance against the Oilers, he still has something left at 35.

Alex Wennberg was also waived by the Blue Jackets, who bought him out. A playmaking center who never got back in John Tortorella’s good graces, the 26-year old should draw interest. Would the Rangers come calling if they walk away from Ryan Strome, who looks to be headed to arbitration?

Veteran Kyle Turris is also available after the Predators corrected a mistake by buying him out. That’s $2 million in dead cap space for Nashville through 2026. Wow. They also swung a deal with the Wild for Luke Kunin. A good move although they had to include a number 37 and 70 to Minnesota, who took Nick Bonino’s salary. The Wild sent back a 101 to complete the transaction.

The Golden Knights haven’t found a taker for veteran Marc-Andre Fleury. Even with them offering to include a first round pick, nobody bit. The problem for Vegas is Fleury is signed through 2022 with a cap hit of $7 million. They don’t want to buy him out due to the dead space it would create. With so many goalies available on the market tomorrow, it’s why teams are staying away.

Braden Holtby, Anton Khudobin and Jacob Markstrom headline the available goalie list that includes Cam Talbot, Thomas Greiss, Crawford, Jimmy Howard and now Schneider. Lundqvist will go to Washington. So, you can cross him off.

Finally, Justin Williams announced his retirement. The epitome of a clutch player, he won three Cups and always came up big for both the Hurricanes and Kings. Happy trails.

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