Life rafts required for a Devil team in crisis

Posted on March 4, 2018 by hasan4978

It’s hard to believe that Thursday afternoon (a mere three days ago, to be exact) the Devils were sitting pretty with a nine-point lead on a playoff spot, seemingly in the clear with 19 games to go and dopey message board fans were already debating the merit of possible playoff matchups.  Yet even I, with my ingrained Met and Jet fan negativity could not fathom that we’re now sitting here Sunday talking about a team in a death spiral whose lead has gone from nine points to four in record time.  Really the four point lead isn’t even that comfortable with a surging Panther team having won six in a row with three games in hand on us, while the Blue Jackets are winning big in San Jose about to pull within three points of the Devils and level in games.  So realistically our nine-point cushion on the field is now down to three points.  In the space of just seventy-two hours.  Even for this Met and Jet fan that’s hard to believe.

Things probably won’t get better before they get worse either.  This was supposed to be the part of the schedule where the Devils could put away teams like the Hurricanes, Panthers and Blue Jackets once and for all.  Where they needed to put them away before the six-game road trip of doom arrived upon us.  Even before that trip though, they have to make some hay in their remaining two games at home, against a suddenly hot Habs team playing for pride and a Jets team we never do well against.  Somehow I don’t think the Devils could even beat the New York Jets right now, let alone a Winnipeg team that’s taken it to us in recent years and is sitting near the top of the West this year.

It’s not even that the Devils have lost three straight that has me now pressing the panic button, it’s to who and how they’ve lost these games.  To put it succinctly nothing’s working right now for this team except for Taylor Hall and (ironically) the power play which has actually scored in three straight games after a several-week period of being completely clueless.  Maybe we were better off with the power play stinking since we seemed to win more then.  Of course it’s hard to win any games if you put up a grand total of one five-on-five goal in three games.  Our new acquisitions have yet to make any real impact other than Pat Maroon having a decent game in Florida and after getting tons of goals early in the season from guys like Brian Gibbons and Brian Boyle, the secondary scoring has completely dried up.

It hurts to type this but in many ways Boyle’s the poster child for the falling off of the secondary scoring.  Even though you weren’t really expecting the ten goals and six assists he put up in his first 25 games as a Devil coming off cancer treatment, by the same token you also need to get better than the one goal and one assist with a -9 he’s had in the 27 games since.  Maybe he’s fallen off physically after everything he and his family have gone through this season.  I’m not gonna call for him to be scratched, that’s a very delicate situation and I don’t envy the staff on this one.  I get he’s got intangibles you want in the locker room for a playoff push but at some point coach John Hynes and his staff really need to cut back their reliance on the veteran role player.  Especially on the power play where he’s a total non-factor and skill guys like Pavel Zacha and Jesper Bratt continually get bypassed by this staff’s need to have slow pluggers on the 5-on-4, many times slowing play down and nullifying the man advantage by taking away skill.

Yes, the PP has finally shown a pulse lately in general but much of that’s due to Hall, who’s consistently in the middle of what little good has been happening this week.  I bleed for him…how can you not if you’re a Devils fan?  He’s putting up a career season and has more than double the points of any Devil not named Nico Hischier.  Even Hischier is 31 points behind Hall in production this year.  Of course Hall’s probably not going to get serious Hart consideration despite Devil fans doing their best to get his name into the conversation with MVP chants as his scoring streak continues to climb toward thirty straight games and counting.  Yet even his production – and the play of defenseman Sami Vatanen (22 points in 42 games as a Devil, consistently playing 23+ minutes a night now as the team’s #1 defenseman) – isn’t enough to patch the hole on a ship that is taking on water.

I’ve seen Titanic-like collapses from my teams before which is part – but only part – of the reason I’m paranoid of a similar fate befalling the Devils now.  The 2007 and 2008 Mets.  Too many December swoons and January heartbreaks from my Jets to count.  Suffice it to say I’ve seen these kind of scripts before.  Yes, for a long time the Devils were a shining beacon for me as a sports fan but 2003 was nearly fifteen years ago now.  Even 2012 and the Devils’ unexpected run to the Finals was six years ago, and the last time this franchise played a playoff game.  Few players or coaches are left from even that point in time six years ago.  It’s not as if this franchise is filled with winners who know how to get it done.  As far as I can remember the only guy on the roster who has a Stanley Cup is Ben Lovejoy, who shouldn’t exactly be a key player on any team.

It would probably take less time to go over what isn’t a problem (Hall/Vatanen) than what is.  I’ve already touched on the secondary scoring, the defense is still spotty at best with all the non-Vatanen defensemen taking turns of having particularly bad games of suckage and providing little offense themselves.  Even rookie Will Butcher’s quieted down significantly on the offensive front lately with just one assist in his last fifteen games.  Coaching is an issue, or more accurately x’s and o’s.  While I’ll still defend John Hynes on his handling of players, he and the staff’s in-game decisions are spotty at best.  I already touched on the power play usage earlier, not to mention other bizarre decisions like having Lovejoy on the ice in the final two minutes trailing by a goal.  Like, why not just throw out the fourth liners too while you’re at it?

But now I’m finally going to get to my main point of consternation from not only tonight but with this team as a whole – goaltending.  Specifically our so-called top ten franchise goaltender.  And this doesn’t mean Keith Kinkaid or Eddie Lack or Ken Appelby.  No, now I’m looking straight at YOU Cory Schneider.  Yes, the position that was supposed to be not a problem anymore once Cory came riding in on his white horse is suddenly even more of a problem than it was once Kinkaid stabilized his own game this month.  At least Kinkaid managed to actually make some saves when the team was tied or had a lead and won some big division games, Cory never seems to do either.  Whether it’s giving up the killer softy during the game when the team’s tied or in front – twice in fact today – or the killer late goal (see the Florida game), it seems as if this goaltender always finds a way to be anti-clutch.

It was one thing when Cory was putting up .925 save percentages on dogmeat teams that didn’t have a chance, but the last two years Cory hasn’t been anywhere near elite and now this year the stakes are much higher than they’ve been since Cory’s first season as a Devil – where to a degree he was snakebit, but he also crapped out in March when he had his chance to take the job outright from a fading Martin Brodeur.  Cory’s failed by any metric over the last two years, whether it’s winning games or stopping pucks.  At least in the past he would stop pucks somewhat frequently but putting up GAA’s of 2.8 with save percentages of .910 isn’t what I had in mind from a supposed franchise goalie.  After Cory’s first clunker goal allowed – an unstoppable short-side floater that may have been slightly tipped but hardly enough to change course – I told my friend I was basically one soft goal from being off the Cory bandwagon for good.  I didn’t think that goal was going to come IN THE SAME PERIOD though, another floater that Cory gave up a soft rebound on.

Not only does Cory need to step up but the head coach needs to have the onions to give him the hook if he doesn’t.  It’s not exactly unprecedented for a mediocre starter (which is all Cory is at this point, at best) to lose his job to an unheralded backup.  My most vivid example of this is when career minor leaguer Andrew Hammond got on a roll and kept the job for the Senators a couple years ago even when starter Craig Anderson returned from injury.  Maybe at this point Hynes needs to keep riding Kinkaid and see if he can put together a Hammond-like stretch.  They can’t wait indefinitely for Cory to get going, not when the team’s leaking out points like a sieve and the team’s heading for a brutal stretch of games.  This is where the head coach, the goaltender and this franchise as a whole is going to have to prove its mettle once and for all, or gain a reputation as chokers.  Maybe it’ll take getting their backs to the wall to get this team to play with the same passion they did early in the season when they had something to prove.  That’s always a dangerous game to play though…one that usually doesn’t end well.  I know this from plenty of fan experience.

I’m not even sure I want to go Tuesday.  I’ve been beaten down by a lot of home losses lately – in fact I’ve only seen two home wins live since late December.  I’d traded these tickets in for a buyback credit earlier but got new free ones via a Devils sth giveaway…guess they’re desperate to try to fill the building for weekday games before a long road trip that could make or break this team once and for all.  While part of me’s paranoid that I’m going to miss the only likely win this team might get in the next few, part of me is also worried that I’m going to pitch yet another fit if this team somehow loses to a Montreal team that’s been bad for most of the year – albeit they’ve picked it up in junktime lately.

And for the coup de grace after a late failed comeback attempt by the Sharks, the Blue Jackets are now indeed three points behind us.  It’s time for a gut check…does this team want to be known as the team that restored pride and honor to the Devils crest or as the team that pulled off an epically horrific choke?

Your move, boys.

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Stan The Man

Posted on March 2, 2018 by Derek

Imagine living a dream as reality. That’s exactly what Stan Fischler has accomplished. Known as “The Hockey Maven,” Fischler has covered the sport since he worked for the Rangers in 1952. A inspiration to many including this writer who was one of those lucky kids who interned for him, he has done everything.

With the announcement that he’ll be retiring his microphone after more than four decades, I can only reflect back on what this man means to me and over 20,000 who interned for him at Fischler Hockey in Upper Harlem. He is a proud and dedicated person who’s always brought tremendous dedication, pizazz, pride and professionalism to each MSG broadcast.

Whether it’s been broadcasting the Islanders at the start or bringing his unique combination of humor and wisdom to the many Islanders and Devils telecasts on first Sports Channel and then later Fox Sports New York before becoming MSG or MSG-Plus, he’s always brought his A Game.

It hasn’t mattered which team he covered. Though more synonymous with the Devils and Islanders, Fischler had his share of Ranger games too. The thing about Stan The Man is he always has that schtick which works so well when you’re watching him. I think having the chance to see him up close when I was driving out to South Mountain at the old Devils practice facility in West Orange and later the former home of the Devs at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, was that I learned not to take everything he said literally.

That’s the misconception of Stan. My close friends didn’t fully understand who the man was. Heck. I didn’t either until I made the phone call that changed my life when I was fresh out of school with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management looking to break into the industry.

Being from Staten Island living on the South Shore, I made the long drive to Fischler’s apartment up on 110th street off the West Side Highway each morning during the week. Of course, I learned to use the Lincoln Tunnel and take the West Side all the way down before exiting and driving up several streets before making that right turn. Then it became about finding a spot which like my father, I became good at.

The first time I was buzzed up into Stan’s building, I can remember walking into this hockey cathedral that also included plenty on the New York City Subway being wowed. It was like being in a mini museum devoted to Fischler’s favorite two pastimes. Hockey and trains. A unique combo that also appealed to me. There was a time when I was a teenager that I used to go on subway trips around the city with close pal Ivan. We would embark on our long journey taking the S74 bus in Staten Island all the way to the Ferry before catching the local 1 or 9 train. In many ways, I could relate to Stan.

Even though I’ve driven a car since I got my license as a senior in high school at 17, buses, the Staten Island Ferry and trains have always appealed to me. On one old job in Jersey City working for Sports Ticker, I would drive into Bayonne and catch the light rail at 34th Street station and take it to work. I usually did a lot of reading always bringing fun novels I enjoyed. Something I need to get back to.

If you’ve ever interned for Stan, you know what I’m talking about. That apartment was like a library. He’s published so many books on hockey and the subway that it was truly mesmerizing. It’s amazing he and wife Shirley could fit all that and a computer in that place. But they managed just fine. It was amazing. I contributed my observations to The Fischler Report and helped write some bios on a Red Wings book. I still have some old print outs from 17 years ago on Igor Larionov, Darren McCarty and a few others that I saved. I guess you could call me a hoarder too. My old work is priceless.

Thanks to this man, I worked as a production assistant on Devils home games during the ‘00-01 season. What a experience that was. Even though I bled Ranger blue, I got to see how much preparation and work went into their telecasts. Seeing director Roland Dratch and producer Larry Gaines in the truck or at production meetings was always fun. There was so much to learn from pros including legendary Hall of Fame play by play man Doc Emrick and old sidekick Glenn “Chico” Resch. I’m glad Chico is back on the radio side with Matt Loughlin.

My favorite part of those meetings had to be at the start when Stan would tell a joke which would crack everyone up to lighten the mood. Sitting in, I got to see them go through the rundown on the pregame and game, etc. There’s one thing you learn right away. In TV or radio, every second counts. One screw up and things can get pretty hairy.

Even though I was a runner bringing old game tapes or highlights to Gaines for pieces or even being the Good Samaritan and doing coffee or lunch runs if there was time, I took my job seriously. During third periods, they would have me log timecodes of highlights for a melt. I don’t mean the kind that has to do with food. If you learn the business, it refers to reels they use for future reference.

The fun thing was I got to see morning skates at times and peak in on players from both teams headed into their locker rooms while also studying the hockey stats they provided us. Once, it came in handy. In a game between the Devils and Thrashers, I noticed that both teams were at the top in hat tricks. Something I pointed out to Resch. It came to my surprise that they used it during the third period. As I was logging highlights, it was Chico who mentioned my name on air. What a cool moment. I thanked him afterwards before making the trip home on I-95 to Exit 13 and the Goethals Bridge and then the West Shore Expressway.

Seeing such a great hockey team had its benefits. The Devils were defending champs featuring Hall of Famers Martin Brodeur, Scott Niedermayer and Scott Stevens. They had Mr. Devil, Ken Daneyko who now works as the color analyst on TV with Steve Cangialosi. There was Patrik Elias. The all-time franchise scoring leader as part of the famed A Line with Jason Arnott and Petr Sykora. Elias’ Game 7 winner with over two minutes left to beat the Flyers in the Conference Finals and his brilliant backhand feed for Arnott’s memorable Cup winner to beat the Stars are highlights that they showed during his jersey retirement in a great night last Saturday that blogger Hasan witnessed. Maybe one day Elias will join the other greats in Toronto.

What I admired most was how professional the players were after games. I got to go into the room sometimes and see them do interviews. That included the legendary Brodeur who would go on to win the most games and record the most shutouts in NHL history. I could go on about how special a group that was. Ultimately, they would lose a crushing seven-game series to the Avalanche in June 2001. A series they should’ve won.

For me personally, I owe so much to Fischler. It was also under him that I made a contact and landed a interview with ESPN for a job as a NHL hockey researcher on their telecasts. You know. Back then, they still cared about hockey. I was there from March through May 2001 and then moved to Bristol, Connecticut on New Year’s Eve for the rest of the ‘01-02 season.

None of it would’ve been possible without Stan. I have done some good things in sports. Even though I didn’t wind up staying with ESPN after just missing out on a Sportscenter Researcher for a permanent position, I had a great experience and time contributing stats paks for graphics that were built or referenced by production talent during games on ESPN and ABC. I also got to work as a WNBA researcher which I had no experience prior but did a great job and enjoyed my summer so much. I even got to come home to MSG for the WNBA Finals which the New York Liberty lost to the Los Angeles Sparks in 2002.

It really was memorable. Though some of it cannot be told following the game. 😂

I went onto blogging. Something I was familiar with due to my unique writing skills. Even though I never fully got back into sports professionally, I still am here contributing pieces like this that inform so many of my time.

Why didn’t I go for it? To quote favorite baseball movie character Roy Hobbs played expertly by Robert Redford in The Natural, “I sorta got sidetracked.”

Sometimes, there are more important things going on at home. I’ll leave it at that. I’m a family oriented guy who was raised right by two caring and wonderful parents with a younger brother who needed me. That will never change.

So now, I embark on subbing in my first year working for the Department of Education bringing all my experiences with me. I like helping others. So, it’s perfect.

That was always Stan. He helped so many into career paths. If you know him, then you are appreciative of what he did for you. Now, he’ll wrap up a brilliant Hall of Fame career with the remaining games he is on with the Islanders and Devils if he gets any playoffs. Though they’re well covered with Deb Placey and Bryce Salvador.

I’m only going to say this once. Not to take away from the job they’ve done during intermission segments. I will always love Matt and The Maven. Two of a kind.

Thank you to Stan for being real and critical when it was needed. All the best to you, your family and grandchildren.

A true legend.

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Gilmour’s OT goal gives new look Rangers wild win over Canucks

Posted on March 1, 2018 by Derek

In a battle between two bad teams who will be in the lottery, it came down literally to the final shot. John Gilmour’s goal at 1:22 of overtime from Ryan Spooner (3 assists) gave the Rangers a wild 6-5 win over the Canucks.

It snapped a seven-game losing streak (0-6-1). The win ended a forgettable month on the right side. It was the Rangers third win of February due to it being in Vancouver.

They wouldn’t have stood a chance without Henrik Lundqvist, who tied a career high with 50 saves against a relentless Canucks attack. It marked the first time in his career he faced over 50 shots and won. If anyone deserved a win, it was a relieved King who earned it by making remarkable save after save. That included three with his mask incredibly with the last coming against former teammate Michael Del Zotto.

This wasn’t a Picasso. It didn’t have to be. Playing a Vancouver team that entered with fewer points than them, the Rangers never trailed. In fact, they got off to a great start scoring three times on five shots to chase Jacob Markstrom.

Kevin Hayes was right in the middle of it scoring twice. The first goal of the game might’ve been a break. On what appeared to be a icing, the refs thought Jesper Fast negated it. Hayes wisely wrapped the puck around banking it off Markstrom at 1:22 from Spooner and Brady Skjei.

Jimmy Vesey was able to score his 12th just 43 seconds later when he got a stick on a Neal Pionk shot. On his first shift as a Ranger, Vladislav Namestnikov made a good pass for Pionk for his first point with his new team after coming over from Tampa Bay as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to the Lightning. As far as first impressions go, Namestnikov did well also scoring his first goal by converting a breakaway. Mats Zuccarello got him the puck.

With the Rangers leading by two, there was Hayes again notching his 17th on a neat deflection of a Pionk shot pass. Spooner set up the play with a good pass for Pionk at the point. He came over from Boston in the Rick Nash trade. So far, the playmaking Spooner is making good recording three more assists after getting two in his debut. That’s five points already. All helpers by a gifted forward who just needs consistent ice-time to carve his niche. He’s a restricted free agent this summer who is making a good case to stay. He already has good chemistry with Hayes and Fast.

Once Vancouver coach Travis Green changed goalies, his team responded immediately. With Anders Nilsson in, they came back strong scoring the next two goals in the first. Talented rookie Brock Boeser got it started with his 28th from Bo Horvat going high cheese. With the Canucks on the power play, Hayes got a clean breakaway but was unable to get a shot off on his shorthanded bid. As often happens, Vancouver came the other way and scored with Horvat rebounding home  a Daniel Sedin shot into a open side from twin brother Henrik at 19:12.

In the second, the Canucks made it three in a row with Daniel tying the score with his 20th unassisted to make it four straight games with a goal. The Rangers turned the puck over and on some sustained pressure, Sedin had a bouncing puck come to him firing a laser past Lundqvist tying the score at three. It might be the final year for the Sedins in Vancity. If it is, they’ll be missed. They’re true artists on the ice.

Quite honestly, Vancouver so dominated play it’s a wonder they only beat Lundqvist once in the middle stanza. They held a 18-10 edge in shots and racked up a plethora of scoring chances. The difference was Lundqvist, who wouldn’t give in making some remarkable point blank stops including with the mask and stacking the pads in tight. He sure deserved the win.

In his debut as a Blueshirt, Namestnikov made a good impression. Playing with Vesey and Zuccarello, the talented 25-year old Russian pivot formed solid chemistry recording a goal and assist. On a turnover at the Ranger blueline, he broke in on Nilsson and went five-hole for his 21st overall unassisted for a 4-3 lead with 5:02 left.

The Canucks kept coming in the third. They benefited from a five-on-three midway through the period. A Mika Zibanejad slash was followed by a Paul Carey two-hander giving the hosts a two-man advantage. They were very deliberate but forced Lundqvist into a few tough saves including a glove stop on Daniel Sedin. With the power play just expiring, Derrick Pouliot got the puck to Brendan Leipsic, who faked the Rangers our completely making a great touch pass across for Nikolay Goldobin, who had Lundqvist dead to rights picking the top half of the net to tie the game at 12:17.

Sometimes, I’m very good at breaking a slump for one of our players. Take this tweet on Zibanejad’s struggles at five-on-five.

https://twitter.com/newyorkpuck/status/969081035739844609?s=21

Less than a minute later, Chris Kreider set Zibanejad up in front with the Swede remaining patient before shooting over a down Nilsson for a 5-4 lead with 5:13 remaining. My response to it.

https://twitter.com/newyorkpuck/status/969081158259609601?s=21

https://twitter.com/newyorkpuck/status/969081538276216832?s=21

Of his 18 goals, nine have come at even strength. So, it’s an area he must improve. Maybe getting Kreider back will help him and Pavel Buchnevich. The assist was Kreider’s first point in three games since returning.

It looked like they would win in regulation with Lundqvist continuing to stymie Vancouver. Pionk took a chance shooting for a empty net from way out missing wide. That meant an icing. That gave the Canucks another chance. They didn’t miss. On sustained pressure around the net, Horvat and Leipsic combined to find the dangerous Boeser on his backhand. He was left alone too long by a scrambling Fast. He quickly got the puck to his forehand and sniped past Lundqvist at 19:14 top shelf to the short side for a tie score at five. His 29th was a goalscorer’s goal that forced OT.

It didn’t take long. The teams didn’t play any defense. On a Vancouver turnover in the neutral zone, Spooner flew down the right wing and was able to make a brilliant pass through the blue paint to Gilmour for a one-timer high short side past Nilsson to give Lundqvist his 24th win of the season. A nice snipe from Gilmour for his second coming at 1:22.

The win gives the Rangers 62 points with 18 games remaining. They’re seven out of the second wildcard. It would seem they’re playing out the string. But with the Islanders losing a bad one to Montreal and Carolina struggling, Columbus leads the final wildcard by four. After adding Mark Letestu, Thomas Vanek and Ian Cole, they are the favorites to get in. Keep an eye on the Panthers who are hot with lots of home games left. With Roberto Luongo healthy and the Aleksander Barkov Line on fire with Vincent Trocheck and Jonathan Huberdeau, they’re five behind with three games in hand. Is this the year they sneak back in?

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It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Derek

“It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.”-Boyz II Men

Who ever thought I would start off a hockey post with a memorable lyric from Boyz II Men in the early 90’s of my teenage fandom? However, it feels appropriate today as one era closes and a new one begins.

That’s exactly where the Rangers are as they prepare for Game 63 of 82 tonight in Vancouver at 10 PM. They’ve said goodbye to Rick Nash, Michael Grabner and former captain Ryan McDonagh along with J.T. Miller. Nick Holden too even though he’s yet to play for Boston which makes the return of a third round pick and Rob O’Gara look pretty good.

Of the five former Rangers, the hardest to say goodbye to is McDonagh. A valuable player with character who brought plenty of it to Broadway after being stolen by Glen Sather from Bob Gainey in the Scott Gomez salary dump. Gomez is retired and a Islanders assistant coach.

McDonagh is a proven player who will add a lot to the Lightning defense. The pressure won’t be as great due to anchor Victor Hedman playing top pair with Anton Stralman. One of those ex-Rangers from the 2014 roster that went to the Stanley Cup.

Once he’s ready, McDonagh will find himself on the second pair with familiar pal Dan Girardi. It’ll probably feel like nothing changed for the former shutdown tandem who were largely responsible for three deep Rangers runs in ‘12, ‘14 and ‘15. They played on broken body parts in a gut wrenching seven game series loss to the Lightning in the Conference Finals three years ago. Why does that feel like much longer?

Many will testify that life moves fast. In some aspects, I agree. It doesn’t feel that long ago that I was a senior in high school celebrating the Rangers Stanley Cup victory at the parade down the Canyon of Heroes 24 years ago. But much has changed since then with the sport that now includes 31 teams and too many rules changes to keep track of. Simplicity was better.

Maybe it’s only me. The golden age of Rangers hockey featuring Henrik Lundqvist since 2005 has been fun. The team has made the postseason 11 out of 12 years. That will change in April when this team won’t qualify. That’s life.

The Stanley Cup Final against the Kings and great run in stunning the Caps with their third 3-1 comeback in two years on the tying goal from Chris Kreider, winning goal from McDonagh in Game 5 at a wild MSG remain. Everyone knows the amazing ending with Derek Stepan winning the second round series in overtime on Garden ice.

What if they had taken care of business at home against Tampa? All they needed was to win Game 5 or 7. Instead, they were shutdown literally with the Bolts posting two shutouts to basically end the Rangers run. I think deep down, we all knew it. As hard as it was to grasp even after all the injuries were revealed, they were valiant going as far as they could go.

Sometimes in sports, teams don’t win. It doesn’t mean they weren’t successful. There are plenty who never got over the hump. Recent Mets teams are the primary example. You only get so many chances to be a champion. Not everyone wins. It’s a fact we don’t want to admit.

What’s worse is knowing how much the former players cared. When you see what they say about their time spent here. McDonagh penned a emotional goodbye to the Rangers and fans while at a airport today in the Players Tribune. It included a classic story about the traffic in the city on what was Game 5 of the 2012 Conference Final versus the Devils. Of course, he was with Stepan and Marc Staal and they weren’t getting anywhere. They made it in time for John Tortorella’s pregame meeting.

The part that got to me is how much it meant to McDonagh to see the ‘C’ stitched on that blue Rangers jersey when he was named captain replacing Ryan Callahan, who he’ll now be reunited with and chase a Cup in Tampa. So will Miller, whose time ran out in New York due to wild inconsistency this season despite ranking second in team scoring.

It’s going to be strange to see five ex-Rangers wearing the uglier dark navy colors of the Lightning. Eventually, that will be the case with McDonagh joining Callahan, Girardi, Miller and Stralman. Like McDonagh said, it’s part of the business. He knew he was getting traded which explains why he took down his Twitter account and stayed away from the team. It was probably very stressful and hurt a prideful guy who wore his emotions on his sleeves.

There’s a misconception that McDonagh wasn’t the best captain. He might not have been the emotional in your face type on the ice. But he was always pretty vocal following games in the locker room. Seeing how down he was following the Islanders embarrassment told me everything I needed to know. He called it “my worst game,” and spoke about how embarrassed he felt. It reminded me of a emotional Stepan following last year’s second round elimination to Ottawa. He pointed the finger at himself for not being good enough. Maybe deep down, he knew he was gone.

That’s the thing. We may get on these guys too much. We don’t know the first thing about what they go through before, during and after games. The core has been split into pieces that are now mostly on other teams looking to help them win. Only four players remain from 2014. They are Lundqvist, Staal, Kreider and Zuccarello. Kevin Hayes was part of 2015 as a rookie. Everyone else is long gone including inspirational leader Martin St. Louis, who might one day become an assistant coach since retiring after 2016.

In the cap era, this is what happens to successful teams. Even if you don’t win it all, you must make hard decisions moving forward. GM Jeff Gorton knew this was a possibility which is why he dealt away Stepan last summer in similar fashion to moving Derick Brassard before their no-trade clauses kicked in. Now, Brassard is a member of the hated Pens due to the awful handling of the Senators, who eventually will trade superstar captain Erik Karlsson this summer a year removed from losing to the Pens in sudden death of Game 7 of the Conference Finals last year. Stepan is stuck on the rebuilding Coyotes as a leader.

That’s how quickly things can change. Following their 2012 run to the Stanley Cup Final in McDonagh’s first full year, the Devils haven’t been back to the playoffs since. Now, they’re going back barring something unexpected. Their rebuild worked.

With Lundqvist about to turn 36, he doesn’t want to miss the playoffs for long. He’s got three years remaining on his contract that pays him an AAV if $8.5 million thru 2021. It’s up to management to do a good job drafting and developing the right pieces.

First round picks Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil are a big part of the future with both likely Blueshirts as soon as ‘18-19. Gorton now has three first round picks for this year’s NHL Draft including his own which could wind up in the top nine. He can look to move up and also use the three seconds and three thirds.

With McDonagh officially gone, the pressure shifts to second-year defenseman Brady Skjei to learn on the job and develop into a top pair guy. It won’t be easy. Staal and Kevin Shattenkirk are the only vets left on the blueline. If both stay, they’ll provide leadership along with Zuccarello, Kreider and Hayes.

I don’t know how long it will take for the new Blueshirts to be competitive again. If this month is any indication, we’re in for some tough times ahead. On the final day of February, the Rangers enter tonight’s game having lost 13 of 15 (2-12-1).

I’ll miss McDonagh the most. He was terrific as a top pair D who logged a ton of minutes playing every situation. That’s not going to be easy to replace. I wish him the very best as I do all the former players who brought so much to the table.

McDonagh thanked us earlier in that letter. No. Thank you Ryan! It was a pleasure.

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Rangers make massive trade at buzzer sending McDonagh and Miller to Lightning

Posted on February 26, 2018 by Derek
Ryan McDonagh

Thanks Mac: Ryan McDonagh is mobbed by teammates Derek Stepan and Jesper Fast after his overtime winner kept alive the Rangers season. It was his most memorable moment along with torching the Canadiens to lead the 2014 Rangers to a Stanley Cup Final. Good luck to him in Tampa. 

They waited until the last possible second to do it. It happened. The Rangers made a massive trade with the Lightning at the buzzer sending captain Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to Tampa where they’ll join buddies Ryan Callahan, Dan Girardi, Anton Stralman and take their best shot at winning a Stanley Cup. Just call them the Tampa Rangers.

For two good players with McDonagh a great Ranger who led the team to a Stanley Cup appearance and played on a broken foot to come within a period of a return trip against those Lightning, they got a iffy return. Coming back are center Vladislav Namestnikov, prospects Libor Hajek, Brett Holden, a 2018 first round pick and conditional second round pick.

Considering how long they held out, I came away disappointed with the return. Especially with it not only being McDonagh who went. They also included the versatile Miller who for as frustrating as he was at times this season ranks second in team scoring with 40 points (13-27-40). The soon to be 25-year old will have to perform better than his one goal in 40 career playoff games with his new team. He is restricted this summer which means Tampa must give him a raise.

After acquiring similar in skill forward Ryan Spooner from Boston in the Rick Nash trade, that might’ve been a factor in finally dealing away Miller. With Kevin Hayes maturing into a shutdown center in  his fourth year, the organization had to choose between him and Miller. Especially if they plan to hold onto Spooner, who recorded two assists in his team debut last night. He’s 26 and makes $2.83 million this year before turning restricted like Miller. Is the plan to keep Spoon Man or reroute him for another draft pick this summer?

It’s a good question. Mika Zibanejad remains the top center locked in for another four years at a AAV of $5 million. Hayes will be re-signed at probably a salary within the same range. Namestnikov is 25 and makes $1.94 million and will be a Group II free agent this summer. So, he should be cheaper than Miller, who was making $2.75 million.

Like Miller, Namestnikov is a former first round pick who is a similar skill set. He had been playing with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov most of the season. Not surprisingly, he saw a hike in production. The 20 goals, 24 assists and 44 points are all career highs already. He’ll look to improve as a Blueshirt in a similar role to what Miller played.

Of course when you trade two proven NHL players, you have to get at least one roster player back. So, GM Jeff Gorton did that. But when it was reported that this was a “massive deal” by TSN, you had to figure just maybe they also got top target Mikhail Sergachev or one of Tampa’s elite prospects Taylor Raddysh or Cal Foote.

That’s the disappointing aspect. Players like McDonagh don’t grow on trees. For eight years after being stolen from Montreal by Glen Sather in the Scott Gomez trade, he became the Rangers’ best defenseman and next captain after Callahan was dealt to Tampa for Martin St. Louis. This is a proven performer who can log big minutes, play in any situation and relieve pressure from Bolts anchor Victor Hedman. A guy who destroyed the Canadiens in the 2014 Eastern Conference Final and was part of a shutdown pair with Girardi, who happens to be doing fine under coach Jon Cooper.

In one giant move, the Lightning upgraded their blueline by adding McDonagh to Hedman, Stralman, Girardi while keeping Sergachev. That is insane. Braydon Coburn is their sixth D. They also added much needed grit up front without subtracting anyone major. The Lightning have Brayden Point, Tyler Johnson and Yanni Gourde at the center position behind Stamkos.

It’s a huge win for Tampa. They win a Cup and it’s worth it. Don’t forget McDonagh is not a one year rental. He’s signed through 2019. So, they get two big shots at this while Miller should be a integral part. Considering that the Pens just added Derick Brassard, they had to do it.

So, how will this deal be judged from a Rangers perspective? Only time shall tell. It all depends on if they got the right prospects and what they can do with their third first round pick of this year’s draft. Logic dictates that Gorton will be working the phones in a attempt to move up from wherever they are which will likely be eight into the top five. He’s certainly acquired enough assets to trade up and land either Quinn Hughes or Brady Tkachuk. It says here he doesn’t have enough to steal the first overall pick and get Rasmus Dahlin unless the impossible happens.

As for the two prospects, here goes. Howden was taken by the Lightning in the first round 27th overall in 2016. A 19-year old center from Manitoba listed at 6-3, 191, he isn’t close to being ready. He’s produced well with Moose Jaw of the WHL tallying 22 goals, 36 assists and 58 points in 38 games after going 38-43-81 over 58 contests in ‘16-17. He went 3-1-4 in a five game stint with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL last year. At the 2018 IIHF U20 World Junior Championship, he picked up three goals and four assists to help Canada win a gold medal. Here’s a video montage of some of his exploits from the tournament. He has some size to him and is a good skater who drives the net.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q4Wzly7JHU8

Somewhat curiously, Hajek was the guy the Rangers wanted. A 20-year old from the Czech Republic who Tampa selected in the second round 37th overall in the same 2016 NHL Draft, he’s a left D who goes 6-2, 210. On paper, that sounds good. He has played in the Western Hockey League since age 17. He played for the Saskatoon Blades three years running putting up respectable numbers with his eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points in 33 games this season solid. He has since been traded to the Regina Rats going 3-7-10 in 19 contests.

At the U20 WJC in Buffalo, Hajek fared well producing a goal and seven helpers for the Czech Republic. He was named one of their top three stars of the tournament despite going minus-five in a lopsided bronze medal loss to Team USA. I’ll see what else I can find on him.

As far as McDonagh goes, he gave his heart and soul to some very good Rangers teams. Don’t forget he played with a broken foot in the crushing seven-game loss to Tampa. I’m definitely emotional about him going. Sometimes, you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. I think many of the critics will soon recognize that. It’ll be very hard to replace a high character player of his caliber. Thank you for being the best number 27 the franchise ever had. Even more so than my all-time fave Alexei Kovalev. I’ll be pulling for Mac in the playoffs along with Danny G, Cally and Stralsy.

It’s hard to believe that only four players remain from the 2014 team that reached the Stanley Cup Final. It’s sad. The four holdovers for now are Henrik Lundqvist, Marc Staal, Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello, who survived the deadline. I personally think he’ll stay put and be that veteran presence up front for young 2017 first round picks Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil to learn from this Fall. It doesn’t mean he can’t be traded. I could be wrong. Zuccarello is up in 2019. We’ll see.

For what it’s worth, I would also keep Staal around. He’s been better and healthier this season along with steadier. While he gets unfair criticism from the usual suspects, the team defense has performed better with him. They don’t have to use him any differently than this season. He can play even strength and penalty kill on either the second or third pair whole providing leadership and intangibles for younger blueliners including Brady Skjei. It’s not a bad idea to have Staal and Kevin Shattenkirk around as the two experienced defensemen for the kids to learn from.

Hypothetically, they would have three spots open with Tony DeAngelo, John Gilmour, Rob O’Gara and Neal Pionk competing for with the seventh slot available. Figure prospects Brandon Crawley, Sean Day and Ryan Lindgren to get looks with possibly Hajek. I think they’ve pretty much given up on Ryan Graves. That’s apparently is the case with him traded to Colorado. Better luck there.

A final thought on Miller. A player I followed closely since he helped lead Team USA to gold in the WJC. I’ll let this tweet stand here:

https://twitter.com/newyorkpuck/status/968219733525921792

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Devils conclude surprisingly active deadline acquiring Maroon

Posted on February 26, 2018 by hasan4978

Over the last 72 hours, Devils GM Ray Shero has certainly spiced things up and enhanced the Devils’ chances of breaking their five-year long playoff drought, first by the historic cross-river trade with the Rangers for Michael Grabner on Friday night, then this afternoon getting yet another deal in under the wire with the Oilers for another winger, Patrick Maroon.  Maroon is a rugged forward who put up 49 goals in 154 games as an Oiler, mostly being the protector of Connor McDavid.  Certainly before his tenure in Edmonton, Maroon’s career had been a bit undistinguished but he should add another top nine forward to an already crowded forward core and the cost wasn’t really prohibitive as the Oilers only received a 2019 3rd round pick and middling prospect J. D. Dudek, a 6th round pick in 2014 who’s in his third season at Boston College (6-11-17 in 33 GP).

Admittedly I didn’t expect Shero to be anywhere near this active at the deadline considering we’re not in a championship-or-bust mode yet the way teams like Tampa, the Penguins and even the Bruins to a degree are.  However, when it’s all said and done I can’t say I have very many issues with Shero’s two moves.  Trading a 2nd rounder and KHL prospect Yegor Rykov for Grabner was a bit of a surprise to me and not just cause it involved the Rangers, but because like I said earlier I figured Shero would be looking for depth acquisitions only, or if he did make a big move it would be for a defenseman.  If anything Shero’s been greasing the skids for this cold war-ending trade since he first arrived, saying on more than one occasion he’d be willing to trade with anyone in contrast to previous GM Lou Lamoriello who never made a trade with the Rangers and only one minor deal with the Flyers during his three decades here.

Personally I didn’t really get why fans were making a big deal about the cold war…dealing with rivals is tough, especially since you’re likely to have to pay a tax on any trade.  Admittedly it looked as if we did that a little Friday for the highly-sought Grabner, until I saw some of the ridiculous rental deals today.  A lot of these trades harkened back to the olden days where GM’s routinely lost their minds on deadline day.  A 1, 2 AND a 3 for Tomas Tatar?!  A 1 plus for rental Paul Stasny?  The haul (including another one) the Rangers got for Rick Nash?  With the benefit of hindsight I’m fine with the price paid for Grabner, especially if we do re-sign him which is certainly possible given his apparent interest in remaining in the area and the fact the Rangers are clearly in sell mode after dealing off guys like Nash, Grabner and in the biggest deal of all, trading Ryan McDonaugh and J. T. Miller in a blockbuster to Tampa.  I’m sure Derek will have more to say on that one later, and the apparent underwhelming – at least to me – return for both players

After dealing for Grabner I didn’t really expect much out of today other than the random minor leaguer for minor leaguer move perhaps but lo and behold after 3 PM in the midst of the chaos around the other big-name deals came word the Devils had traded for Maroon.  Twitter was slow to update the details of the trade making me more and more nervous.  First it was a 3rd rounder…for now.  Then it was a 3rd and NCAA prospect.  At that point I was scared Shero had traded one of our real key guys like Joey Anderson or Reilly Walsh but thankfully it wasn’t the case.  Perhaps dealing for two wing players is an indication that Marcus Johansson really isn’t an option to return this year, and I said earlier they more or less had to plan as if Johansson wouldn’t be around after getting two major concussions in a short period of time (thanks again, Marchand).

With the two new forwards thankfully the days of Drew Stafford and Jimmy Hayes clogging up the lineup should be over for the most part.  And maybe they’ll be able to give teen Jesper Bratt a couple of games off now that he’s passed out from hitting the rookie wall.  It’s hard to even imagine what the lineup looks like now – Grabner said he preferred LW and was put there in his first game as a Devil but with acquiring Maroon (another LW) that makes the lineup configuration pretty interesting.  Particularly with PK’er Brian Gibbons another week or so from returning.  When healthy coach John Hynes certainly has options up front to go along with having arguably 8 NHL D (including Steven Santini, still in the AHL thanks to roster flexibility).  My best guess at a lineup when healthy is this:

Hall-Hischier-Palmieri

Wood-Zacha-Bratt

Maroon-Zajac-Grabner

Coleman-Boyle-Noesen

Stafford/Hayes

Then when Gibbons returns perhaps Bratt gets a couple of nights off or Noesen moves back to the press box.  Also because there’s been so much happening in the last 72 hours I originally neglected to post that Hynes did get an extension over the weekend, or rather his fourth-year option got picked up.  Ostensibly it was decided earlier in the season, why it was announced only now who knows?  I suppose you could have worse timing to announce it when the team’s in good playoff position and everyone’s feeling good after the Patrik Elias number retirement ceremony – which was well done pretty much from start to finish.  I won’t recap it much here, but the 90-minute(!) ceremony’s worth watching on YT/MSG/wherever you can find it.

In a sense I’m not so much surprised as intrigued they didn’t move one of their defensemen, especially with this deadline being a seller’s market and John Moore still being an unsigned UFA-to-be.  They still talk up Mirco Mueller and are high on him (especially judging by the decent amount of icetime he gets when he does play) but as of now he’s on the outside looking in of the current six-man D.  Of course if they had dealt a defenseman they really didn’t have anyone else other than Steven Santini to step in, if injury should strike someone else.  One of Lou’s tenets – to my chagrin at times – is you need eight NHL-caliber defensemen in the organization and Shero seems to be following that blueprint this year having Mueller and Santini in reserve.

Although the Devils certainly don’t have the superteam that the Lightning, Penguins or Bruins have (a.k.a. the Warriors, Cavs and Rockets of the NHL now after their recent moves), they do have depth at all positions and are in a good position to make the postseason after their Elias night win over the Islanders on Saturday created a little more distance between them and the bubble.  In regards to why he would give up futures for rental players, Shero had this to say after the Grabner trade:

https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/967130617166123008

Whatever you may think of this approach as a pragmatist, it’s music to fans’ ears after five seasons in our own Dark Ages, finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel now.  And Shero did not give up the farm although this year they won’t have a 2nd or 3rd round pick thanks to the Grabner and Sami Vatanen trades, and next year their third went to the Oilers.  Still they kept their first-rounders (unlike many other teams the last couple days) and almost all of their top prospects.

.

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Spooner has good debut in tough overtime loss to Red Wings

Posted on February 26, 2018 by Derek

There was a game last night too. It didn’t start until almost 8 PM. In the latest defeat  which was the seventh straight, the Rangers lost a tough one to the Red Wings 3-2 in overtime.

They deserve credit for rallying from a 2-0 deficit to force extras to earn their first point during the losing streak. The previous six losses all came in regulation.

Newest Ranger Ryan Spooner had a good debut. After coming over from Boston earlier on Sunday as part of the Rick Nash trade that also netted a first round pick, Ryan Lindgren, Matt Beleskey and a 2019 seventh round pick, the 26-year old forward recorded two assists on both Rangers goals.

After looking like he’d start centering the fourth line, Spooner was moved up by coach Alain Vigneault to the second line with Kevin Hayes and Jesper Fast. The trio showed early chemistry with Spooner setting up Fast’s second goal in as many games to tie the game in the third period. A nice pass to Fast at the front of the net with the gritty forward’s tough pass to Hayes coming back to him to beat a stingy Jimmy Howard.

The Blueshirts fell behind by two on goals by Andreas Athanasiou (with seven seconds left in first through Rob O’Gara’s legs) and Darren Helm (breakaway) on Henrik Lundqvist. It was his first start in a week after rookie Alexandar Georgiev gave him consecutive nights off.

It was one of those winnable games where the Rangers got plenty of looks st Howard. Even in a back-to-back, the American netminder who wears number 35 for idol Mike Richter played like him by making several fantastic saves. He loves playing in New York and has always played well against the Rangers. He finished with 36 saves with none better than his ridiculous glove stop to rob Chris Kreider in the first minute. A save so good, it left Kreider in disbelief and had the crowd buzzing.

The play was a two-on-one with Pavel Buchnevich waiting before making a perfect feed across for Kreider to one-time. He aimed high but a sliding Howard got across and took a sure goal away. Kreider was again aggressive throughout delivering a clean hit on Dylan Larkin behind the net which led to a brief exchange between the benches. MSG rover John Giannone reported that Kreider told Larkin he let up and didn’t use his feet. It was a good hit.

The highlight though was Mats Zuccarello leveling Detroit defenseman Xavier Ouellet into the Red Wings bench and making sure he stayed there with a push for good measure. It wouldn’t be Zucc otherwise. No wonder no one wants to see him go.

The astonishing thing is Oulett went for the hit with Zuccarello carrying the puck and he took the brunt of it. The pint sized Norwegian has a lot of strength for a little guy and more heart than most. He is beloved for a reason by the Garden Faithful.

Even though they played better, the Rangers found themselves in a two goal hole following a John Gilmour turnover at the Detroit blueline that allowed Helm to break in and beat Lundqvist under the left arm with Zuccarello chasing.

However, a good pass by Spooner to J.T. Miller allowed him to blast a slap shot top shelf by Howard to cut the deficit to 2-1 for a power play goal. It was a rocket by Miller, who got his 13th. His game is coming back. Tony DeAngelo picked up a secondary assist.

Detroit had a goal reversed due to a successful offside challenge by Vigneault and the Rangers bench. A Red Wing was clearly ahead of the play making it a easy ruling.

That allowed the Rangers to go to the locker room still down just a goal. They played a real strong third peppering Howard with 19 shots. He was terrific but couldn’t prevent Fast from knocking in his 10th from Hayes and Spooner.

In the 3-on-3, Kreider was snake bit having a chance clang off the goalpost. That’s the way it’s been going. It would get even more frustrating with Red Wing Trevor Daley beating Buchnevich down low to redirect a Frans Nielsen pass by a frustrated Lundqvist with six seconds left. Lundqvist slammed his stick against the boards as he left the rink.

It’s tough to watch him after losses. He looks heartbroken. But prior to the games and big ceremony, he spoke of why he won’t wave his no-trade clause. He indicated that he couldn’t envision himself in another jersey. Lundqvist is a throwback who loves the Rangers and wants to spend his entire career with one team. He sounded positive about the losing and hopes they can turn it around and be competitive again soon.

I’ve seen people critique him for being “selfish” due to wanting to stay. He’s loyal and loves this team and its fans. How about showing him more respect? He’s a winner.

As for the trade deadline, it’s at 3 PM on the east coast. It remains to be seen if the Rangers will do anything else.

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Rangers surprise Hadfield on Ratelle Night

Posted on February 26, 2018 by Derek

Nobody does these ceremonies any better than The Garden. That’s been known for quite some time. When it comes to honoring their own players, they are top notch.

So on a memorable night in which they finally paid tribute to Jean Ratelle by raising his number 19 to the rafters following a stirring ceremony, the classy center surprised the third part of the Rangers G-A-G (goal a game) Line by announcing with Rod Gilbert that next year, Vic Hadfield will have the same honor bestowed on him. The original number 11 before Mark Messier was so taken back by it that he had to sit down.

That’s how much it meant to the beef of the greatest line in franchise history. It was in ‘71-72 that Hadfield achieved elite status by becoming the first ever Ranger to score 50 goals in a season. He did it playing with cohesive linemates Gilbert and Ratelle, whose 109 point season (46-63-109) came in only 63 games for a then single season Rangers record. It stood for 34 years until Jaromir Jagr shattered it in ‘05-06 with 123 points.

During that special season, the golden trio were way over a point-per-game and of course averaged over a goal a game like their name (GAG Line). Hadfield reached heights he never did again hitting the 50-goal mark with 106 points and 142 penalty minutes in 78 games under The Cat, coach and GM Emile Francis. He was good enough to be on hand for the Ratelle ceremony coming out driven in a golf cart  as a surprise parting gift to Ratelle, who enjoys hitting the green. It was the signature moment with Francis giving a nice speech after Ratelle danced around with the golf clubs.

With Rangers legends on hand including former teammates Ed Giacomin, Brad Park (who also deserves recognition) Gilles Villemure, Ted Irvine, Rod Seiling, ‘71 playoff hero Pete Stemkowski, Bob Plager, Steve Vickers, Bob Nevin and current team President Glen Sather, they did a great job making him feel home.

Of course, you had recent Stanley Cup heroes Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Mike Richter and the man who surpassed Hadfield’s 50 goals in ‘93-94 with 52, Adam Graves on hand to take part in the ceremony with legendary MSG Hall of Fame broadcaster Sam Rosen.

It truly was wonderful to see. I was under the weather. So I didn’t go. But this was all about my father, who grew up idolizing those classic Rangers teams. It’s funny too about Gilbert making the great announcement after he and Ratelle were killing Hadfield with their jokes which had everyone going. Before Dad and my brother left, I talked to him about Hadfield and he stood firm on Hadfield deserving to have his place with the other numbers. It’s fitting that he will finally get his due next season.

Long before the franchise started honoring past legends following the ‘94 Four, I always felt that they should’ve recognized their past. Sure. Winning that Cup was huge because it erased a long 54-year drought and a lot of bad memories for longtime fans like my Dad and the older generation. But the Rangers have been around much longer along with the Original Six.

I think the happiest Dad ever was when Andy Bathgate went up with Harry Howell. Bathgate was his all-time favorite Ranger before they traded him away to the Maple Leafs where he helped them win a Cup.

There’s still work to be done. Park belongs up there and so does Original Ranger Bill Cook. Cook was the big scorer from the early Cup teams in ‘28 and ‘33. Playing with brother Bun and Frank Boucher on the Bread Line, he had a brilliant career in New York winning multiple scoring titles and leading the NHL in goals. He totaled 228 goals and 138 assists for 366 points in 475 career games.

Don’t forget the Rangers first season was ‘26-27. Cook was already 28 and played a decade in the league before retiring. He spent the first part of his career in the WCHL and WHL mostly with Saskatoon. Boucher was around for the franchise’s first three Cups including 1940 when he took over coaching for Lester Patrick.

I hope one day the franchise recognizes the Bread Line for their contributions. Both Cook brothers and Boucher are in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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Rangers trade Nash to Bruins, Ratelle finally to have number retired tonight

Posted on February 25, 2018 by Derek

The last of the expected players to go before Monday’s trade deadline went early this morning. Rick Nash was finally traded to the Bruins in a complicated deal due to Boston’s salary cap.

https://twitter.com/joeyerdon/status/967852934213054464

The Rangers did well getting back a 2018 first round pick, D prospect Ryan Lindgren, Ryan Spooner, Matt Beleskey and a seventh round pick. They had to take Beleskey’s contract and retain half of Nash’s remaining salary to make it work. That allowed GM Jeff Gorton to also receive the 26-year old Spooner, who has never quite developed into the player the Bruins envisioned. He is a restricted free agent this summer. There’s no guarantee he stays. He’ll center the fourth line for tonight’s game against the Red Wings on s special night.

The Rangers will finally honor Jean Ratelle by retiring his jersey. Long overdue for the great center of the G-A-G (goal a game) Line of those classic 70’s teams under coach Emile Francis. Ratelle, Rod Gilbert and Vic Hadfield tormented opponents with their chemistry and scoring prowess.

To hear my Dad tell it, they could’ve won the 1972 Stanley Cup had Ratelle been entirely healthy. He returned for the Final against Boston but wasn’t himself with just one assist in a crushing six-game series loss that saw Bobby Orr skate the Cup at MSG with my father present.

After all these years following the stunning blockbuster trade that sent Ratelle, Brad Park and Joe Zanussi to the Bruins in exchange for Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais, Number 19 will finally be up where it belongs next to all the retired numbers including former teammates Gilbert, Ed Giacomin, Harry Howell and Andy Bathgate. Long overdue for the 77-year old legend whose 109 points (46-63-109) in only 63 games during ‘71-72 were single season franchise marks until Jaromir Jagr shattered the record with 123 (54-69-123) in ‘05-06.

Ratelle becomes the ninth Ranger to have his number retired joining Giacomin, Howell, Gilbert, Adam Graves, Brian Leetch, Mark Messier, Mike Richter and Bathgate.

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Young Blueshirts no match for Eric Staal and Wild

Posted on February 23, 2018 by Derek

The losing streak is now up to six. That’s six consecutive games without a point. The younger Blueshirts are learning how hard it is to succeed at the highest level. Even though the effort was better than Thursday night, it wasn’t enough to win. They fell to the Wild 4-1 at MSG.

One-time Ranger Eric Staal and linemate Mikael Granlund did most of the damage combining for all four Minnesota goals and eight points. Each had two goals and two assists to keep the Wild in playoff position in a crowded West. They jumped over the idle Stars into third place in the ultra competitive Central Division. They’re up to 75 points. One ahead of Dallas and three up on St. Louis, who at last check we’re getting blown out by Winnipeg. The Western race makes the Eastern one look weak by comparison. It changes daily.

For the Rangers, Alexandar Georgiev got his second straight start with Henrik Lundqvist getting another night off. Lucky him. For his part, The Czar Gorgy was solid in his Garden debut finishing with 33 saves. A day removed from making 38 saves at Montreal to establish a new Rangers high for a NHL debut surpassing Dan Blackburn (37), he had to deal with more coverage breakdowns and odd-man rushes.

Minnesota moved Granlund up to the top line with Staal and Zach Parise. The line flat out dominated at five-on-five doing whatever it wanted. Parise added a primary helper to give the trio nine points. He also set a good screen in front of Georgiev on a nice Staal deflection for his 29th goal on a power play that made it 3-1 at the 52-second mark of the third period.

It wasn’t all bad for the Rangers. Skating a second game in a row without Rick Nash (healthy scratch due to trade speculation), they did get Chris Kreider back from a blood clot. He recovered nicely from a rib resection and was flying. A early shift in which he used his size and speed to go around a Wild defender in the neutral zone and make a nice rush got a good hand from appreciative fans. He played with Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich on the first line. It was nice to see him back. He brought energy all night and was noticeable. So did Buchnevich.

For most of the first period, there was nothing separating the two teams. The Wild came out flat and looked beatable. They needed some good early saves from starter Devan Dubnyk before they got their legs in the second game of a back-to-back. The same situation for the Blueshirts.

It was the third line of J.T. Miller, David Desharnais and Jesper Fast who generated the best quality chances. They were good all night and eventually combined on the only Ranger goal. They could’ve had more if not for Dubnyk and a couple of near misses.

Unfortunately, the team broke down late in the first allowing the Wild to strike twice within a 2:37 span. The first mistake was made by Tony DeAngelo. Looking to make a play behind his own net, his pass got intercepted by a aggressive Staal who tipped the puck right to Granlund for a easy finish in front at 16:06. That part of the game continues to be a problem for DeAngelo, who rebounded to have a good game.

The second miscue was a simple three-on-three through the neutral zone. Granlund got the puck to Parise who cut into the left corner and slid a perfect backhand feed across to a open Granlund for what looked like his second. However, MSG replays eventually confirmed that it was Staal who got his stick on it to beat Georgiev at 18:43. It was his 28th goal matching last year’s total in Minnesota’s 61st game. That’s how well he’s playing. He just recorded his 900th career NHL point with a empty net goal in last night’s 4-2 win at the Devils.

Trailing by two entering the second, the Rangers responded. A good play started by Miller in the neutral zone resulted in Fast scoring his ninth off a give and go that cut it to 2-1 at 2:41. It was a very nice play by Miller. He passed for Fast, who got the puck back to him and then gained the Minnesota blueline onside. DeAngelo smartly drove the net to create a distraction which allowed Miller to make a great pass across for a Fast one-time blast past Dubnyk. It was his first point in 12 games. His last one came on 1/25 when he scored a goal in a win at San Jose.

One of three the Rangers have had in nearly  month. Since the All-Star break, they’re 2-10-0 in February. That explains why they’re sellers at the deadline which got much trickier with the Pens odd three team blockbuster with Vegas and Ottawa to acquire Derick Brassard and use the Golden Knights to offset enough salary to make it work. Ottawa would up with Swedish goalie prospect Filip Gustavsson, a first and third round pick along with ex-Pen Ian Cole. Vegas received a fourth round pick (Canucks) and Ryan Reaves. This is who the Pens got with Brassard in this complicated mess that the NHL allowed. 😕🙄

I am not gonna comment any further. I know what Hasan would say. Why not just hand the Pens the trophy while they’re at it? I must say the Sens did good long-term. But nobody outside Pittsburgh wants to see a three-peat. That’s the truth.

As far as the rest of the Rangers game, they couldn’t get it tied. They had a couple of chances mostly created by the Desharnais line. They only wound up with six shots in the second. Not enough pressure on Dubnyk, who was able to see most of the shots to finish with 22 saves. Credit Georgiev with giving his team a chance by making several big stops in a busy period that saw him have 14 saves.

The difference was Minnesota’s execution. On a iffy Rob O’Gara hooking minor he took with 39 seconds left in the second, the Wild took full advantage at the start of the third. Granlund worked the puck to Ryan Suter at the point. He let go of a wrist shot that Staal was able to redirect past Georgiev with Parise screening him for a 3-1 lead at 52 seconds for a power play goal. Gorgy had no chance.

The Rangers didn’t give up. They had their chances throughout. The best came when they still were down only one late in the second when John Gilmour used his speed for a great rush forcing Dubnyk into a tough save. His skating is a strength that’s worth watching. Maybe he will stick. The competition is going to be a lot tougher next training camp with all the new additions to the defense. That includes O’Gara who looked good paired with Marc Staal in his second game as a Ranger.

On their lone power play, DeAngelo got a hard low deflectable shot through which Miller got a piece of. But Dubnyk covered it. DeAngelo showed off his skating and offensive instincts in this game. So did Neal Pionk, who also had a tough go of it in his end.

It’s not all negative. Right now, it’s about finding out what some of the new faces can do. Kevin Hayes had a solid night. But Mats Zuccarello and Jimmy Vesey weren’t good enough. Vinni Lettieri played over 15 minutes on the fourth line with Paul Carey and Cody McLeod. Alain Vigneault rolled all four lines and three pairs.

Brady Skjei showed some of his ability making a couple of good defensive plays transitioning to offense. We need to see more of that.

The Wild finally put it out of reach on a odd-man rush. On a play started by Eric Staal in the neutral zone, Jason Zucker led Granlund on a two-on-one. Gilmour was the only player back and took the pass away. But Granlund was able to walk in and beat Georgiev low underneath the glove for a 4-1 lead halfway through the third.

That finished matters. The effort level was a improvement. But as Vigneault noted, it’s a results oriented business. With 20 games left including the very special and long overdue Jean Ratelle jersey retirement Sunday against Detroit, it’s going to be interesting between tomorrow and Monday.

Once the dust settles, it’ll probably be easier for the veterans who stay moving forward. The kids will eventually get it. When the season winds down, they’ll be able to recall first round picks Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil for a brief look. Neither will surpass nine games. The organization is on record indicating they won’t burn a year off their ELC’s.

Here’s a interview GM Jeff Gorton was nice enough to do with MSG’s Amanda Borges. He’s very honest and open things including the first ever trade with the Devils. I like it.

 

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