Hedberg to tryout for Rangers

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Derek

Johan Hedberg, Travis Zajac, Alex Frolov

There’s a Moose alert. The Rangers have invited Johan Hedberg to tryout at training camp. Daily News Rangers beat writer Pat Leonard broke the story this afternoon on Twitter.

With backup Marty Biron tending to a personal matter, the ex-Devil goalie signed a PTO with the Blueshirts. The 40-year old Hedberg spent the past three seasons in Newark splitting time with Martin Brodeur. He put up respectable numbers the first two years before struggling in 2013. What makes the move odd is that Katie Strang later reported that Biron could be back by tomorrow. Unless the Rangers want an extra security blanket for Henrik Lundqvist in an Olympic year, it’s interesting.

When’s the last time a former Devil netminder wound up here? You have to go back to the Dark Ages when Glen Sather traded away Marek Zidlicky to Nashville for Mike Dunham. At the time, Mike Richter went down. Dunham performed admirably in ’02-03 but was a bust the following season. Since the Devils and Rangers never make trades, this is the closest the two Hudson rivals will ever get. At the very least, Hedberg gets one last shot.

Posted in Battle News, NY Rangers | 1 Comment

Unsigned Stepan casts shadow at start of Rangers camp

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Derek
Missing D-Step: On the first of day of camp, Derek Stepan remains unsigned.

Missing D-Step: On the first of day of camp, Derek Stepan remains unsigned.

They were back at it today. Rangers training camp officially opened at the practice facility in Greenburg. All the familiar faces showed up except one. Center Derek Stepan remains unsigned. A restricted free agent, the 23-year old former Wisconsin product is still seeking a new contract. He is coming off his best year pacing the club with 44 points and a plus-25 rating.

In many aspects, the former ’08 second round pick is proof that former coach John Tortorella succeeded in development. There is also Ryan McDonagh, who general manager Glen Sather prioritized. He rewarded the team’s best defenseman with a six year $28.2 million deal that pays him an average cap hit of $4.7 million. With the Rangers team president focusing on supplying new coach Alain Vigneault with more depth by adding the likes of Dominic Moore, Benoit Pouliot, Justin Falk and Aaron Johnson, it left little wiggle space for Stepan. Combined with the re-signings of Carl Hagelin and Mats Zucarello, Stepan was going to be a problem.

Here we are on September 11 and the two sides are no closer to reaching agreement. Stepan is holding out for a longer deal that would pay him more. Sather can only offer a bridge deal in the neighborhood of $2.3 million. Fair or unfair, Stepan has no leverage. Even if I think Slats is jerking him around, the only solution is for Stepan to take less. He can then earn a richer contract if he backs up last season’s performance. He took the next step becoming the team’s number one pivot. Without him, the Rangers can’t be taken seriously. Brad Richards and Derick Brassard are the only two proven commodities.  Having Stepan in camp benefits everyone. It allows the team to boast a strong 1-3 down the middle. Considering the lack of established scorers, they need that center strength.

Only Rick Nash is a proven finisher. There are question marks surrounding Hagelin and Ryan Callahan, who each are returning from offseason surgery to repair torn labrums. That puts more emphasis on young pups Chris Kreider and Danny Kristo to excel. Ranger brass will also be looking in closely at Oscar Lindberg, who impressed at Traverse City. If deemed ready, he could allow Sather to get rid of spare parts. Likely candidates are Darroll Powe, Arron Asham and Taylor Pyatt.

That would free up more room for Stepan. Regardless, something will happen the way it did in Toronto with Nazem Kadri. He wound up signing for two years, $5.8 million. Stepan is more proven than Kadri but it doesn’t matter. The Rangers can ill afford this to linger. Neither can Stepan. It’s too important a year. Especially with a new coach in place looking to implement a different system. Until this issue is resolved, it will continue to cast a shadow on 2013-14.

Once it’s settled, Sather then must turn his attention to Henrik Lundqvist. A potential monster headache. Like it or not, Lundqvist could command a max deal for Crosby money. It’s put up or shut up for everyone.

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Captain John Tavares

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Derek
New Islanders captain John Tavares poses for a photo with coach Jack Capuano and GM Garth Snow. nhl.com

New Islanders captain John Tavares poses for a photo with coach Jack Capuano and GM Garth Snow.
nhl.com

The Islanders have a new captain. In a move that had been expected, John Tavares was named captain at a Monday press conference. At 22, he becomes the 14th captain in franchise history.

In 2013, Tavares led the Islanders to their first postseason since ’07. His 28 goals and 47 points paced them along with nine power play goals and five game-winners. Facing the powerful Pens, Tavares and company pushed the East’s top seed before falling in six games. He tallied three goals and two assists totaling five points in the first round. Following the season, he finished third for the Hart Trophy, which was awarded to Alex Ovechkin. Sidney Crosby finished second.

After Mark Streit departed inking a deal with the Flyers, Tavares was in line for team captaincy. Being the headliner as the Islanders prepare for 2013-14, he’ll be asked to assume the mantle. A move he welcomes with open arms.

“It’s obviously one heck of an honor to be named captain of the New York Islanders, to have the respect of your teammates, the organization, our great fans and everyone involved with the club,” an excited Tavares told a group of reporters. “There have been so many great past captains and obviously the last two have meant a lot to me. Hopefully I can carry the team in a way they did and learn from the great friendships that I have with them.”

“He’s a top player in the league, but he has a grinder’s mentality when it comes to work ethic and practicing the right way,” Islanders general manager Garth Snow said. “He’s a great leader and deserves to be the 14th captain in Islanders history.”

As the Islanders enter the next chapter, they have a solid core in place. Tavares will be asked to lead a group that includes Matt Moulson, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, Frans Nielsen, Michael Grabner, Matt Martin, Travis Hamonic, Andrew MacDonald and Evgeni Nabokov. Can they do it over 82 in a competitive Metro Division?

“I don’t think being named captain is going to change a whole lot, but it’s a great honor,” Tavares added. “We certainly have the opportunity to build on last season’s strong performance. It’s up to us to prove ourselves and it’s not going to get any easier for us this year. What we’ve accomplished so far doesn’t mean anything unless we can take advantage of what’s ahead of us.”

Posted in Battle News, NY Islanders | Leave a comment

Metro Preview: Carolina Hurricanes

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Derek
Eric Staal leads the Hurricanes into a competitive Metro.

Eric Staal leads the Hurricanes into a competitive Metro.

CAROLINA HURRICANES

2013 Record: 19-25-4  42 Points

East Rank: 13th

OUTLOOK: No longer in the Southeast, the Hurricanes step up in competition entering a loaded Metro Division. Along with Washington, they join a strong eight team pack that includes the Penguins, Rangers, Devils, Islanders, Flyers and newly realigned Blue Jackets. It promises to be a big challenge for Kirk Muller in his first full 82-game season. They still have established stars in Eric Staal and Cam Ward but can a team which struggled compete in a deep Metro?

FORWARDS: Boasting a talented core featuring Staal, younger brother Jordan, Jeff Skinner and Alex Semin, offense shouldn’t be an issue. Jiri Tlusty is coming off a big year that saw him pace the Canes in goals (23) and plus/minus (15).  If Tuomo Ruutu returns healthy, that’s a solid top six. They’ll need better seasons from Jordan Staal and Skinner, who went a combined minus-39. The bottom six is more debatable with spots open after Riley Nash and Patrick Dwyer. Rookies Elias Lindholm and Sergey Tolchinsky are in camp competing against the likes of ex-Sabre Nathan Gerbe, Brett Sutter, Drayson Bowman, Zac Dalpe and Kevin Westgarth. If the injury ninja strikes, someone will have to step up.

DEFENSEMEN: Defense remains a sore spot. Especially with anchor Joni Pitkanen questionable for the season start. Jim Rutherford went out and traded Jamie McBain for vet Andrej Sekera in hopes of shoring up the blueline. He also took a flyer on Mike Komisarek. By subtracting McBain, it looks like they’re giving Ryan Murphy every opportunity to stick. Only 20, he has unlimited offensive potential. It all depends if the rest of his game matures. Justin Faulk enters his third year. He’ll prove crucial to their success. The Canes know what they’ll get from Tim Gleason and Jay Harrison. Other candidates for the back end include Brett Bellemore and Michal Jordan. If only the latter could fly. Not much in terms of depth here.

GOALIES: Goalie remains about one player. Cam Ward. As he goes, so do the Canes. Now 29, the former Conn Smythe winner is the last line of defense. He doesn’t benefit from a great D like other netminders, which makes him more susceptible to injuries. He missed the last 27 games due to an MCL sprain. At last check, he was ahead of schedule. By bringing in Anton Khudobin, at least they have insurance. It’s a lot different being a starter. Justin Peters tries to bounce back.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Hurricanes ranked 27th on the power play clicking at 14.6 percent. Only Columbus, Buffalo and Winnipeg were worse. Skinner led them with five power play goals. Semin and Tlusty each had four and Eric Staal had three. Definitely an area that must improve. The penalty kill was even worse finishing 28th (77.6 percent). Lottery teams Nashville and Florida were the league’s worst. If you’re special teams are crappy, you have no chance. The Canes scored three shorthanded goals with Staal, Faulk and Dwyer sharing the club lead.

COACHING: Kirk Muller has his work cut out in Year 3. An even more challenging task inside an ultra competitive division, that doesn’t even include the addition of Detroit to the East. A double whammy for the rest of a crowded conference that has 16 teams vying for the top eight. How he handles the kids will prove crucial to the Canes’ future.

ANALYSIS: Assuming Lindholm or Tolchinsky makes it, the Canes will be entertaining. If you enjoy skating and odd-man rushes, watch Carolina. With no timetable on Ward and faced with too many question marks, they’re at least a year away.

PREDICTION: 8th (Metro Division)

Posted in NHL Preview | 2 Comments

Traverse City: Lindberg records hat trick

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Derek

Traverse City

After a year without a tournament, Traverse City is back. Once again, the Rangers and Sabres are among eight teams whose prospects are competing in the Tournament. Broken down into two divisions, the Rangers, Sabres, Hurricanes and Blue Jackets compete in the Ted Lindsay playing each other once. The Gordie Howe Division is made up of Detroit, St. Louis, Dallas and Minnesota. The two first place winners face off in the championship September 9. Wherever you finish, that’s who you play.

Right now, the Rangers are 0-2. They dropped their first game Thursday to the Hurricanes 4-3 and lost to the Sabres 6-5 in overtime Friday. The Rangers posted highlights of the loss to Buffalo. Oscar Lindberg recorded a hat trick in defeat. Danny Kristo scored once and had a nice set up for a sweet Lindberg finish. In the first game, Kristo had eight shots. He makes things happen. The line to watch has been Lindberg, Kristo and Jesper Fast. A crop of young forwards who will have an opportunity in camp. Don’t forget no Carl Hagelin or Ryan Callahan to start the year.

Buffalo built a 5-2 lead. Nicholas Baptiste notched his second and Eric Locke followed up 22 seconds later. Nikita Zadorov and Logan Nelson scored earlier to put them in front 3-1. They put together some nice plays taking advantage of shaky D. The Rangers came all the way back when Josh Graves scored on a breakaway, going to the backhand.

In between the goal parade, there were a pair of fights including Payton Leroux mixing it up for a second straight game. In overtime, the Sabres were victorious thanks to Zadorov’s second. His left point blast went through traffic sneaking past Jeff Malcolm for the winner with 23 seconds left. The play was set up by some hard work behind the net, allowing Buffalo to keep the puck in.

Buffalo also posted a 3-2 win over the Blue Jackets. They’ll take their 2-0 record and take on Carolina at 3:30 EST today. The Rangers look to avoid going 0-3 when they face Columbus at 6:30 EST.

Posted in Devils, NY Rangers, Prospect Watch | Leave a comment

Jersey’s Team camp outlook

Posted on September 7, 2013 by hasan4978

Lou Lamoriello (the Devils’ Godfather) – from nj.com

With Labor Day weekend having come and gone, along with fantasy football drafts and most of the baseball season, hockey finally seems just around the corner…and it actually is just around the corner.  In fact, the Devils’ first preseason game is next Monday as camps open all around the league this week.  New Jersey’s first regular season game is just 26 days away – in Pittsburgh on October 3.  In many ways it’s truly been a long wait considering the Devils’ season ended more than four months ago but in other ways it barely feels like the season ended with all of the twists and turns throughout the offseason.

Whether it was the surprise draft-day trade for goaltender Cory Schnieder (during a draft held in the Devils’ home arena), the free agent signings of Jaromir Jagr, Ryane Clowe and Michael Ryder or the shock departure of Ilya Kovalchuk to the KHL, the Devils’ offseason certainly didn’t lack for drama.  And oh yes, the team was sold – which in many ways was probably the most important occurence for this organization going forward.  Although it’s hard to say how much the finances of owner Jeff Vanderbeek compromised operations the last two years, it certainly feels like a cloud’s been lifted.  Even GM Lou Lamoriello, who usually plays his cards close to the vest said as much:

“It’s been a long few years here,” Lamoriello admitted. “There has been a wall up. What you can and can’t do really isn’t something that you talk about because there is no good that comes out of it. I don’t look back and I don’t look for excuses. Right now I think it’s a very positive situation going forward.”

Certainly, there has been spending this offseason even while the ownership change was still in the works.  Ironically despite shedding Kovalchuk’s enormous salary, the Devils are barely under the $64.3 million cap after re-signing RFA Adam Henrique to a 6 year, $24 million contract a couple of weeks ago.  CapGeek has us at $63.7 million with 15 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies under contract.  At least one forward will have to be shed before the season starts with a 23-man roster limit, which will be one camp story since fourteen of those forwards are on one-way contracts.  Among those on the bubble are former first-round pick Mattias Tedenby, quasi-enforcer Krys Barch and perhaps even Stephen Gionta, who is the only forward on a two-way deal though if we did try to send him down he’d likely be claimed by someone.

Not that merely seeing who makes the team is the only intrigue when it comes to roster composition.  Only twelve of fourteen (assuming we keep fourteen) forwards can play on a given night and the three forwards mentioned above plus former first-round pick Jacob Josefson, new signing Rostislav Olesz and former reclamation project Andrei Loiktionov will be all fighting for icetime as well.  While it’s likely the latter three make the roster for various reasons, they aren’t assured of an active role in a deep lineup where only the top seven forwards plus back-line dynamos Ryan Carter and Steve Bernier seem assured of lineup spots.

Having that kind of depth excites the GM, who also came close to another admission about the Kovalchuk era:

 “I don’t ever look at anything as far as what people think or don’t think. I like our hockey team,” the GM said. “We’ve always built our team from the goaltender out. I like our goaltending situation. Our defense is mature, stable and yet has some outstanding young players that could push for jobs.

“Our forward lines are going to be back to where we were several years ago. It’s going to be a solid lineup. I’ve seen the words ‘interchangeable parts.’ I love those words.”

It’s ironic that Lou refers to the lineup as interchangeable parts, because one-time Ranger coach Colin Campbell was widely pillored for using the tag ‘interchangeable flock’ of forwards when describing the Devils of the late ’90’s.  Instead of taking that as an insult, the organization has worn it as a badge of honor.  If you read between the lines of having our forward lines be what they were several years ago, Lou’s also saying having our forward lines be without a guy that plays 26 minutes a game and runs the entire power play.

Part of me cringes at that quote though…yes, you do need depth, but when crunchtime comes (especially post-lockout) you still need a player or two that can carry the load offensively and demand attention from other teams.  When first-place Devil teams failed in the playoffs during the late ’90’s, it was because Bobby Holik was our first-line center.  After the A-line came into being and the Devils traded for Alexander Mogilny, they won a Cup in 2000 and got to Game 7 in 2001.  Ironically the last team that won the Cup without a dominant forward was the 2003 Devils.  However, that team had two HOF defensemen and a HOF goalie in his prime – not to mention a should-be HOF coach.  This year’s version has none of that, although Martin Brodeur‘s still around and Cory Schnieder has been described as a ‘top five’ goalie by Lou himself.

You can’t quantify the chip on the shoulder this team will have going into this year though, both because they missed the playoffs a year after making a surprise run to the Finals – and because they have something to prove collectively after top forwards Kovalchuk and Zach Parise left in back-to-back offseasons with most ‘experts’ counting us out.  The Hockey News goes so far as to predict us last in an eight-team division.  While the GM says he doesn’t care about such things, coach Pete DeBoer admitted last season is a motivation:

“We’ve got something to prove. … We have to prove that we’re the team that went to the Stanley Cup Finals less than two years ago and not the team that didn’t make the playoffs last year.”

Certainly on an individual basis, players like Henrique and Travis Zajac will be motivated to prove their off years in the lockout-shortened 2013 were just that.  Jagr and Brodeur – two of the three oldest players in the league – want to show they have plenty of good hockey left in them, while fellow goalie Schnieder is out to prove he should be the man in Jersey.  New acquisitions Ryder, Clowe and Olesz (along with Jagr) want to help a forward core still reeling from the losses of Kovalchuk, Parise and David Clarkson over the last fifteen months, while our veteran defensive core wants to hold off a bunch of up-and-comers looking to take their spots.

All of that intrigue should make the Devils a compelling watch over the next several months, if nothing else.

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Metro Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Derek
Sergei Bobrovsky looks to repeat for Columbus. sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Sergei Bobrovsky looks to repeat for Columbus.
sportsillustrated.cnn.com

TEAM: Columbus Blue Jackets

2013 Record: 24-17-7 55 Pts

Rank: 9th (West)

After years in the doldrums, the Blue Jackets turned it around in their final season out West. Led by Vezina winner Sergei Bobrovsky, they just fell short of the franchise’s second postseason losing out to the Wild on the regulation overtime wins (ROW) tiebreaker. Now, they shift East joining the Metro Division. Can they ride the momentum and take the next step? Let’s take a closer look.

FORWARDS: In the first year post-Nash, the Jackets did it by committee. Leading scorer Vinny Prospal isn’t back. However, former Blueshirt Marion Gaborik is expected to lead the offense. No stranger to the division, Gaborik is a proven scorer who should be a lock for 30 goals. Familiar faces Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky have assumed leadership roles and are expected to contribute. Columbus shelled out $37.1 million for proven playoff performer Nathan Horton. It’s a gamble on an injury prone player who won’t start the season but has some good years left. R.J. Umberger, Mark Letestu and Nick Foligno are key contributors. Cam Atkinson isn’t the biggest but can turn on the jets. Matt Calvert and Derek MacKenzie are energizers and Jared Boll is the popular enforcer. If Ryan Johansen can figure it out in Year 3, that’d be huge. Boone Jenner has a chance to make the club. He combines skill with grit playing a physical style. If not right away, definitely the next calendar year. Blake Comeau and Cody Bass are depth players.

DEFENSEMEN: Fedor Tyutin anchors an underrated blueline that became a staple. The ex-Ranger comes off arguably his best year and is signed long-term. Along with James Wisniewski and Jack Johnson, that trio share most of the responsibility. Johnson and Wisniewski are the two best offensive D and must be factors on the power play. Each will take chances. Nikita Nikitin also is capable offensively putting up 32 points in ’11-12. Dalton Prout came out of nowhere to become a regular posting a plus-15 rating over 28 games. He supplanted Tim Erixon, who’s hoping to stick. Keep an eye on Ryan Murray. The former 2012 first round pick is returning from shoulder surgery that cost him most of 2012-13. Only 19, he’d have to force his way on. He’s signed and turns 20 on September 27. Assuming Murray’s not ready, the seventh spot is up for grabs. Depth might be an issue unless someone surprises.

GOALIES: Undoubtedly, Sergei Bobrovsky is the man following an amazing ’12-13 that began in the KHL with St. Petersburg SKA and ended with his first Vezina. What a transformation for the former Flyer. Now, the pressure’s on. Can he duplicate that success over a full 82 in an Olympic year where he’ll likely backstop host Russia? He’s back in a division that boasts some of the best offensive talent. The Jackets didn’t sign him long-term opting for a multi-year extension worth $11.25 million. Wise on their part. Whenever you have Olympic play, the role of the backup increases. Curtis McElhinney is serviceable. He spent most of last year in the AHL posting nine shutouts with Springfield. Mike McKenna is a journeyman.

SPECIAL TEAMS: If there’s a sore spot that needs improvement, it’s the power play. Not surprisingly, they ranked near the bottom placing 28th at 14.2 percent. Experienced players such as Gaborik and Horton can change that. It’ll mostly fall on Gaborik until Horton returns. That didn’t work out well in New York. The penalty kill was stronger finishing 11th (82.6 percent). They scored three shorthanded goals with Letestu netting a pair and Calvert the other. Umberger, Dubinsky and Anisimov are strong penalty killers. Tyutin and Johnson will get most of the bulk. The Jackets were the eighth most penalized team. They’d be wise to stay out of the box.

COACHING: After getting out to a shaky start, some wondered if Todd Richards would become a coaching casualty. Instead, he got a revamped Jackets to buy in using a similar formula to ex-Ranger coach John Tortorella. They won by outworking opponents and leaning heavily on Bobrovsky. That can work over 82 games. The interesting question is if they hit a rough patch, can he adjust on the fly. More is expected. In four years behind the bench with Minnesota and Columbus, he’s never made the playoffs. More is expected with this group.

ANALYSIS: The move East will prove challenging. In order to take the next step, the Jackets need a big year out of Gaborik and a repeat from Bobrovsky. You can win if you’re best offensive player and goalie perform. Horton’s return will be a determining factor. The supporting cast is decent but scoring could still be an issue. Basically, the Jackets have become Rangers Ohio and will win ugly. Something that won’t be uncommon in a division that also includes the Devils. They can finish anywhere from second to fifth. They’ll be in the mix but should be battling it out with other bubble teams.

PREDICTION: 4th (Metro Division)

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My KHL Team: Siberia Express (Updated)

Posted on September 2, 2013 by Derek

Chris Wassel is running the second ever KHL Fantasy Hockey League. Since I missed the draft, I’m putting together my roster from scratch.

It won’t be easy. Many of the big names are gone including Morozov, Stapleton, Kuznetsov, Kovalchuk, Radulov, Bochenski, Dallman, Thoresen, Janus, Tikhonov, Antropov, Frolov, Kalinin, Salak and Fedor Fedorov.

I have my work cut out. However, I’m looking forward to the challenge. A KHL league! Who ever would’ve believed it? Thanks Gary Bettman. I must select 6 starters and 3 bench players. A goalie, 2 defensemen and 3 forwards. Then a backup at each position. So, who will it be?

Already, the Siberia Express are pleased to select Jakub Petruzalek from Khaborovsk Amur. The former Ranger draft pick has been a KHL staple. We’re hoping he can kick start the offense. Speaking of ex-Rangers, it looks like Petr Prucha could be joining the team. Hopefully, he’s 100 percent for SKA St. Petersburg and can team with ring leader Ilya Kovalchuk. Another player who could sneak up is Marek Kvapil. After an unspectacular regular season with Moscow Dynamo, he exploded for 8 goals and 7 assists in the KHL Playoffs. He’ll start on our bench. Maybe this is the year the Czech puts it altogether.

Remarkably, I discovered that Sergei Moyzakhin is still available. He exploded last year for 35 goals and 41 assists on Magnitogorsk Metallurg. He’s been pretty consistent in the KHL. Welcome aboard! Or not. 😛

Cory Murphy is a no brainer for one of the D. The ex-Devil is a solid point producer. He doesn’t score a ton of goals but will set up plenty. Now for his partner. Regrettably, it won’t be Steve Eminger. Ilya Nikulin has quietly performed for AK Bars Kazan. He posted 12-22-34 last year. A similar 2013-14 would be perfect. If you’re looking for a storyline, Scotty Hockey took Bobby Sanguinetti, who’ll play for Atlant. Best of luck.

Our roster is nearly complete. Now for a goalie. The best are gone. So we’ll have to roll the dice. It’s worth noting that Sergei Bobrovsky dominated for SKA posting a 1.94 GAA with 18 wins and 4 shutouts. Then he took the number one job in Columbus and won the Vezina. Ari Ahonen was a former Devils first round pick who never quite fulfilled expectations. After wasting away in Albany, the Finn went to Europe. Since, he’s become a steady number one in the K. After back to back strong seasons with Magnitogorsk Metallurg, he’s moved on to Astana Barys. We’re pinning our hopes on the former River Rat. Stanislav Galimov had a bounce back year with Atlant Moscow winning 14 and posting a sub-2.00 GAA. Let’s see if he can duplicate it.

Finding a third blue liner proved tough. But we found two familiar names. Dylan Reese was a solid extra for the Islanders. The former Harvard Crimson could benefit in his first year with Khabarovsk Amur along with Brian Salcido. He was an offensive defenseman for Colorado College who put up numbers in the Ducks’AHL affiliate. I have a feeling one of them surprises in Year 1 in the KHL.

Siberia Express (SBE)

F Jakub Petruzalek (Amur)
F Petr Prucha (SKA)
F Sergei Moyzakhin (MET)
D Cory Murphy (DYN Mnsk)
D Ilya Nikulin (AK Bars)
G Ari Ahonen (AST)

F Marek Kvapil (SKA)
D Brian Salcido (Amur)
G Stanislav Galimov (ATL)

UPDATE: Unfortunately, it appears I’m too late on four players. Petruzalek, Moyzakhin, Nikulin and Ahonen were taken a half hour earlier. 😛 Since I am keeping the rest, I have to figure out my replacements. It definitely is proving difficult.

Igor Mirnov is a former Senators’ second round pick in 2003 who’s produced. I’m going to add him. That leaves three roster spots. Ex-Panther Evgeny Dadonov returned home last year with Donbass HC. The 24-year old posted 14 goals and 23 assists in 52 games. He’s got some skill. That rounds out my forwards. Losing out on Petruzalek and Moyzakhin sucks. It also looks like Prucha isn’t playing. He suffered a concussion last year. There are some decent options. I’m looking at Alexander Perezhogin and Randy Robitaille. Perezhogin was once Montreal property. He was really hyped but never amounted to much. Robitaille bounced around before posting almost a point-per-game clip for Metallurg and Donbass. Guess who we’re going with.

F Marek Kvapil

F Igor Mirnov

F Evgeny Dadonov

F Randy Robitaille

The back end needs a replacement for Nikulin. Anton Belov was my favorite KHL defenseman. He’s since moved on signing with Edmonton. This is a guy I would’ve loved to see as a Ranger. He’s a righty shot who plays power play. Watch the Oilers benefit. Alexander Osipov played for three rosters in ’12-13. He totaled 13 goals and nine assists for a career high 22 points. The previous two years, he went 9-5-14. Despite moving to his fourth team in a year, the 24-year old might be on the upswing. He’ll play for AK Bars Kazan. Chris just informed me that Murphy is playing in Sweden. So, I’ve tabbed Roman Savchenko as his replacement. That concludes the D.

D Cory Murphy

D Alexander Osipov

D Brian Salcido

Ahonen was a natural for our starting netminder. An ex-Devil castaway who was buried due to the egocentric MB30, it would’ve been perfect. Imagine Wassel cringing at the thought. Instead, we’ll have to find a suitable replacement. If you’ve seen the KHL, then you know goalies are a little harder to come by. Luckily, I found someone who will start for Metallurg. Vasily Koshechkin is 30 and coming off a monster season winning 22 games with a 2.13 GAA, .923 save percentage along with a league leading eight shutouts. Hard to believe he wasn’t taken. And the name rhymes with Ovechkin. Yeah. We went there. Even better, former Thrasher Michael Garnett’s still around. He’s an upgrade over Galimov. Dac vee daniyah!

G Vasily Koshechkin

G Michael Garnett

SIBERIA EXPRESS (Final Roster)

F Evgeny Dadonov (DON HC)

F Igor Mirnov (UFA Sal)

F Randy Robitaille (MET)

D Roman Savchenko (AST Barys)

D Alexander Osipov (AK Kzn)

G Vasily Koshechkin (MET)

F Marek Kvapil (SKA)

D Brian Salcido (AMR)

G Michael Garnett (TRK)

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Prospect Watch: Ryan Strome

Posted on August 29, 2013 by Derek
Ryan Strome (pictured above) is someone Islander fans could see in 2014. ontariohockeyleague.com

Ryan Strome (pictured above) is someone Islander fans could see in 2014.
ontariohockeyleague.com

The Islanders boast a deep crop of prospects who should be a big part of the future. One of those players who’s close to breaking through is Ryan Strome. Drafted by the Islanders in the first round of 2011 fifth overall, the 20-year old center is expected to compete in training camp for a roster spot.

Strome spent parts of five seasons playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). After starting with Barrie as a 16-year old, he was traded to Niagara. The Mississauga Ontario native developed into a top prospect with the Ice Dogs exploding for 106 points (33-73-106) in ’10-11. That was enough for the Islanders to select him as a 17-year old. He didn’t turn 18 until July 11. The following year, he represented Canada at the World Junior Championship impressing with three goals and six assists for nine points. After tallying 68 points (30-38-68) in 47 games for Niagara, he produced 23 (7-16-23) in the OHL Playoffs.

Showing patience, the Isles wisely allowed Strome to continue his junior career. The end results were another big season with him registering 34 goals and 60 assists totaling 94 points over 53 contests. Having already signed him on Oct. 4, 2011, the Islanders assigned Strome to AHL Bridgeport following an early playoff exit by Niagara. In his first 10 games as a pro, he had two goals and five assists.

With the Islanders looking to build on a playoff year, they shouldn’t rush him. Having added Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Cal Clutterbuck to a forward core that features star John Tavares, Matt Moulson, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, Frans Nielsen, Michael Grabner, Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin and Colin McDonald, they can remain patient and allow Strome to develop with the Sound Tigers. Unless he forces his way onto the roster, that’s where he’ll probably start. In a full 82-game season, the Isles could see Strome in the next calendar year.

The Islanders also have former 2010 first round pick Brock Nelson, who debuted in the playoffs against the Penguins. He’s already got an AHL season under his belt registering 25 goals and 27 assists in 66 games. He turns 22 on Oct. 15. It’ll be interesting to see how the organization handles both players. In the mean time, here’s a highlight reel of Strome.

 

Posted in NY Islanders, Prospect Watch | Leave a comment

No Staaling Around

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Derek

Staal's Return Boosts Rangers

Marc Staal declared himself 100 percent at yesterday’s Canada Olympic orientation camp in Calgary. The 26-year old defenseman expects to be ready for the beginning of Rangers training camp which starts on September 12.

It was on Mar. 5 that he took a puck to the right eye from Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen. A scary scene that saw the injured defenseman in serious pain bleeding was humbling. At the time, like many players he wasn’t wearing a visor. Now, he and Ranger teammate Dan Girardi will put on face shields to help protect themselves. The Rangers sent out a tweet Monday.

“The eye is still not normal, but I feel back to normal,” he told NHL.com after missing 27 regular season games and 11 playoff games. “I don’t see myself having any issues once camp starts. It’ll be good to get into camp to get that timing and feeling back, but I’m excited for that to get that started, get that rolling.

“When you’re sitting in the doctor’s office and he tells you your eye probably won’t come back to normal, that was a hard day.”

It took Staal a while to feel comfortable on the ice again. During the second round series, he returned and played 17 minutes in Game 3 against Boston. However, the comeback was short lived with the Rangers alternate captain shutting it down. He still experienced dizziness and headaches. It took until last month for him to regain confidence. During a practice with brothers Jordan and Jared, he felt better.

“After the skate I realized I hadn’t thought about it once,” Staal pointed out. “While I was doing all the drills, quick drills, things like that, my focus wasn’t on thinking about what I was doing, it was more about just doing it. Right after that skate I was like, ‘OK, this is going to be fine.'”

At the time of the injury, he was playing the best hockey of his career. Something former coach John Tortorella noted following season’s conclusion. With an opportunity to represent Canada at the Olympics once again, he feels he has something to prove. If he makes the cut, Staal could see a familiar face there with Rick Nash also participating. Both were part of Canada’s gold medal winning team in Vancouver.

“It’s motivation to get to that high level right away, to not have any doubts from myself, the coaching staff or anyone else,” he said. “It’s motivation to get back to how I was playing in those 20 games before I got injured and just go from there. I was feeling really good about where I was and how I was playing [before the injury], so hopefully now it’s just a bump in the road and I never look back.”

Posted in NY Rangers | Leave a comment