New York Rangers Pre-Playoff Analysis vs the Washington Capitals. Pointing out the Obvious

Like, Reblog, Thoughts, Opinions, Wipe your ass with it, etc. 

I’d like to begin this by noting what Brian said in the last post: the lockout really killed this blog, and we’re trying now to revive it. We’ve been watching tons and tons of hockey, we’ve seen a bunch of stuff (and things) and now there’s so much to talk about. Prepare for upcoming draft profiles, mock drafts from each of us, and more. But, considering this is primarily a Rangers blog (though we venture around the league as well), let’s talk about the New York Rangers and this mess of a season so far.

The question I think most of us have is: well, what the hell happened?

Last year was our best playoff run since 1997, and our second best season record in franchise history. The team finally seemed to be on the rise, but the lack of goal scoring was an issue. So we trade away a few pieces and acquire an elite power forward to add that extra insurance, lose some guys to free agency, and suddenly, the team completely crumbles. The biggest losses, in my mind, were Prust and Mitchell. The other guys we lost were expendable, but those two have been severely missed this year.

Looking at the past, we should be used to this. Nearly every year since the 2005 lockout (I can’t believe I have to specify lockouts now), we’ve been either hanging on to a middle spot, or barely in the playoffs. We’ve been a 6th-8th place team for a while. Last year should be considered an overachievement, absolutely, but this year’s team, even from the start, was good enough to at least be a middle of the pack, 4th-5th place team, and has underachieved severely. I don’t think anyone really expected a repeat of last year’s regular season (wanted, but not expected), but I don’t think anyone expected this. All of that being said, lets look at the positives and negatives of this year, starting with the good.

The Good:

• Derek Stepan- Someone is in for a serious pay day. Stepan has really come into his own this year as the Rangers most consistent player. Despite the slow start, he is second on the team in scoring, has stripped Brad Richards of his spot on the first line, and has made every player he plays with better. If this year were a full season, he would be on pace for about 70-75 points. For a guy who has recorded two 45-50 point seasons, that is a massive upgrade, and I honestly think he can go even higher and venture into the 80s. He’s a very smart, very talented two way center and he is the future top center of this team.
• Rick Nash- As someone who had seen Rick play for Columbus several times, I sat back patiently and couldn’t wait until he started proving the skeptics wrong. From day one, he has been a force, with the ability to single handedly take over and change a game with his rare combination of size, skill, puck handling ability, and even some grit. He leads the team in scoring, no shock there, and with Marian Gaborik gone, his role as the go-to guy has increased tenfold, and I believe, with the kind of player and the kind of person that he is, he thrives under that kind of pressure. Guys, we haven’t even seen the full season package from this guy. Wait until next year, to get a scope of what his numbers will look like. As of now, however, he’d be on pace for about 80 points if this were a full season, scoring at just below a PPG (missing four games of the season, mind you.)
• Henrik Lundqvist- I don’t even think I have to explain this one in depth, so I’ll keep it short. People are saying he doesn’t look like himself? A 2.12 GAA and a .926 Save % say otherwise. He is the backbone of the team, and no matter what playoff spot we have, he will give us a chance to win every single night. Sometimes I feel as if that insurance is our demise in a way, as there are nights where the defense is absent and Henrik gets peppered. The team needs to play a little better in front of him, but he isn’t at fault for anything. 
• Ryane Clowe, Derick Brassard, John Moore- Tortorella wanted depth? He got it. I’ll explain why that is important later. For now, take a look at the way the team has played since getting these players in the lineup. We are 3-1-1 since getting them, and they have made a significant impact to the depth of the lineup. Tortorella has had more freedom to roll 4 lines and 3 defense pairs, and that lack of trust in the fourth line and third pairing was our demise in the playoffs last year, and the season this year. John Moore and Derick Brassard also have a ton of potential going forward, which adds to the impact of this trade on our season and our future. On top of that, we haven’t even seen Dorsett yet.

The Bad:

• Brad Richards- Yikes, has he been terrible. Something about him seems a little off; last year’s Brad Richards wouldn’t have made drop passes to the opposition, QB’d the powerplay terribly, or just look a step and a half behind on every other play. Blame it on the lack of training camp all you want, but that’s far behind us now. He’s had all this time and all these games to get it straightened up, and he hasn’t. Will Sather use the second amnesty buyout to rid the team of Richards? Who knows. With the emergence of Derek Stepan, and the acquisition of Derick Brassard, it is a possibility
• Brian Boyle- The numbers don’t only tell what has gone wrong with him. Nathan Gerbe plays the body more than Boyle. I haven’t seen a player this soft since Marek Malik. What happened to the Boyle from years past? Sure, he’s been better as of late, but overall, his season has been awful, finding himself mired in Tortorella’s doghouse on more than one occasion.
• The kids, J.T Miller and Chris Kreider- Now now now, we have seen the future, and it does look bright with these two, but they are simply not ready and have no spot on the team as it is right now. Miller had one good game, and beyond that, a lot of overambitious plays, poor defensive play, and turnovers. He has a ton of confidence and poise with the puck, but he needs to develop a little more, and become more decisive and a little more smart. Chris Kreider, on the other hand, had his one stroke of wonder in the playoffs, but has shown that he is still not quite ready yet. He should keep an eye on Carl Hagelin and Rick Nash, as he can become almost a hybrid of the two, with his quick feet and his size. 
• Dan Girardi- Shocked that I didn’t say Michael Del Zotto? Well, I really don’t think MDZ has been all that bad, nor do I think he is deserving of the amount of criticism he gets. Now, I know it’s terrible to get at Girardi, with his consummate professionalism and his gutsy style of play being a part of the Rangers heart and soul, but he has seemed a step behind all year long. We know he’s better than this, and we definitely cannot afford to lose him, but he really needs to get his play in check. He has looked especially bad in the last two games vs. Toronto.
• John Tortorella- I am still an advocate of this guy being fired. In fact, I think now, he is on the hot seat more than ever, as Glen Sather decided to keep him around, and trade Marian Gaborik to get his “glue guys.” I felt that, around the deadline, it was either he would get fired, and we get a coach whose system was more tailored to the team, or we keep Tortorella and trade for players that fit his system instead. Early in the season, his inability to alter the system of the team to suit the players he had was his failing point, so instead, we traded for guys who will fit. If things don’t change down the stretch run, we might not see him next year. The implications were that the struggles we had this year were due to a lack of depth in the lineup, particularly the bottom six. He got the depth he needs, now he has to deliver. 
• Marian Gaborik- Just…thank god he’s gone. Yeah, he’s scored 40 goals before, yeah, he was playing in a system that really didn’t suit him at all, but look at the player he is, put him next to Rick Nash even. What does Gaborik bring if he isn’t scoring? He finds himself mired in slumps very often, and we simply could not afford to wait until he found his way out. He is incredibly inconsistent, and incredibly inept at any of the other facets of the game. At least now, with Rick Nash, we have a scoring forward who can also do other things even if he goes a few games without a goal. Plus, in the end, I think we got back way more value than Gaborik really entailed.
• Taylor Pyatt- We still have him, right? I can’t recall.

To cap this off, do I think this team can make the playoffs, and if so, do I think this team is good enough to go far in the playoffs? The answer is a not so resounding and somewhat skeptical yes and yes. With the changes we made at the deadline, the play of our top guys, the compete level of our captain and our goaltender, I think the playoffs are still a possibility. Once we’re in, that’s all that matters. In the last shortened season, 1995, the Devils were the lowest seeded team to win a Stanley Cup until the Kings won as the eighth seed last year. Henrik Lundqvist gives this team a chance to win every single night, no matter what. As long as he is in top shape, this team can fix a few things here and there, and the players that need to get it together come through a hard and competitive push is not unrealistic. As a fan of nearly 13 years, I am always fairly skeptical about this team every single year, but this time around, I am trying to be as optimistic as possible.

The playoffs belong to the team that wants it the most, no matter where they stand.

-David

First off, I would like to say, yes, me and David are alive.. Actually, we’re more hockey obsessed than ever.  We were gonna do this all summer, then the lockout happened, then it was like “LOL Who cares now..” then January happened, and we’ve been watching massive amounts of hockey. As Ranger fans, we were really kicked in the nuts this season (though it’s not over!!) in terms of on-ice performance.. 

But we’ll talk about the Rangers overall season some other time.. 

This article is strictly about one of the lesser known up and comers.  Reid Boucher — 4th Round pick (99th overall) for the New Jersey Devils in 2011.  Playing in just his 2nd season in the OHL during the lockout for the Sarnia Sting, he put up 62 goals and 33 assists in 68 games. He stands at 5’11, 187 lbs.  

Is this kid the next young, up-and-coming superstar for the Devils? They already have Adam Henrique who as we all know, tore the heart out of every Ranger fan in the 2012 Eastern Conference finals, a young Adam Larsson with loads of potential on the blueline, and on top of that, they have Ilya Kovalchuk, and an aging Patrik Elias, who still contributes defensively.  

But there is something different about Boucher… It’s not his excellent vision, or his ability to put himself in positions that will generate offense, or let his size be a disadvantage. It’s his shot. His wrist shot for an 19 year old is disturbing. It’s already NHL-caliber. If you don’t believe me, see for yourself: 

OHL Highlights

You see it now? As someone who watched a ton of OHL hockey through feeds, I got to see this kid on the regular, and he has that ability to just gravitate to open ice areas and use that shot. I think if the Devils put him on a line with a center like Zajac or Henrique, and he is bound to produce offensively.  The only thing that needs to be worked on is his defensive play, which according to scouts, is almost nonexistent. 

Currently, he is playing on the New Jersey Devil’s AHL affiliate team, where he signed a PTO Contract. He has 3 goals and 2 assists in 5 games. 

The New Jersey Devils have a very decent prospect pool in terms of skaters, including Stefan Matteau, Reece Scarlett, Jon Merrill, and Brandon Burlon. But the bigger question still remains: who will we see in goal for the Devils in 2 years?

Spread the word, hunnies. 

The New York Rangers have signed Kyle Jean from Lake Superior State University.

“Who?”

Kyle Jean was a walk on prospect during the New York Rangers Development Camp.  During this time, he managed to impress the brass, and many NYR beat writers.  He was aggressive when it came to throwing the body, scored 3 goals in scrimmages, skated very well, and it looks as if he is the ideal Torts type player. In college he was good for 12 goals and 12 assists in 39 games. 

Jean was recently known for being part of the hit that left McIlrath clutching his knee during one of the scrimmages.  McIlrath turned out to be OK. 

This is only the beginning of the road for Kyle Jean.  The brass has high hopes for him, and this is something that Jean acknowledges.  In an article on Blueshirts United he said, 

“This game is different from college hockey because college hockey is more run-and-gun. Here you have to make more smart plays, and I like that. My approach has been to come in and be a big sponge and learn as much as I can. Other than that I am just taking it day by day.”

And that’s exactly what he has to do. Torts likes players who throw the body and play aggressive.  Hopefully we will see Jean on Broadway in the coming years. 

Stats:

Height - 6’4

Weight - 212 lb

12 goals - 12 assists - 24 points -39 games played

Comparable to: Taylor Pyatt, Brandon Prust

ETA: 2 - 3 years

**NOTE: terms of deal were not disclosed

Parise and Suter are off to Minnesota!

These were both long term deals and, while I don’t always think they are a good idea, they’ve become the new standard for highly touted free agents.

Parise’s the most important one here. He will bolster an offense that already owned the likes of Mikko Koivu, Dany Heatley, Devin Setoguchi, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Cal Clutterbuck, Matt Cullen, and possibly even Mikael Granlund should he make the jump to the NHL. The team can score, and they just added to that.

Suter, while a huge need, isn’t the most important and I’ll tell you why. Beyond Suter, the Wild still own a shallow defense that ultimately caused the downfall of their season last year. They now have a reliable #1 defenseman, but beyond the top pairing of Suter-Gilbert, the team falls off a ledge afterwards. Jared Spurgeon and Marco Scandella definitely have a lot of promise, but still have not proven anything to this point. Nate Prosser and Clayton Stoner are not entirely reliable in all situations and are, to a degree, aging in terms of breaking into the NHL late (where some enter in their early 20s, these two began their most permanent NHL stints in their mid 20s). The team still needs to sign one or two more at least solid bottom pairing defensemen, and then the team will be poised to make the playoffs and go deep.

Rangers so far: 2012 Free Agency

The Rangers have addressed their need for bottom six, physical forwards through the first three days of the free agency period. Losing Brandon Prust to Montreal, John Mitchell to Colorado and likely losing Fedotenko somewhere else as well, the Rangers made depth signings to fill those gaps.

First, they signed Atlantic Division traveler Arron Asham. Whether you like him or not for playing for literally every division rival the Rangers have had, Asham brings a similar game to Prust, with a slight scoring touch and a gutsy, hard working attitude. We saw him somewhat lose it during the Pens-Flyers series, but who didn’t in that series? All in all, its a good replacement regardless of your respect level for the man.

Then, they acquired Michael Haley. He hasn’t seen a lot of NHL time, but will likely be used as a depth forward to fill some gaps if players get injured. He has pretty good speed and actually can play, but to a limited degree. Also a former Islander.

The most recent one is Taylor Pyatt, and this is where Sather’s genius shows. A 6’4 235 lb third line forward that can score anywhere between 10-20 goals, at $1.5/year is a steal. He can play both sides of the game very well and is a more important signing than one might think.

The Rangers also extended Kris Newbury and Stu Bickel, each for two years.

Around the league, the winners of the free agency period so far look to be the Avalanche. Signing Parenteau and Zanon, while extending Erik Johnson really impacted the team the most. Columbus, Anaheim and Minnesota also did a good job addressing weaknesses. Whoever acquires Parise and Suter, however, will nearly automatically steal the title of winner this year.

What Is Edmonton Getting Via Justin Schultz?

I’ll break it down here in a little list:

• A tremendous skater. He has the ability to join the rush and score off the rush, as well as carry the puck through the neutral zone with extreme ease. His mobility is really tremendous.
• Will quarterback the PP very well. He possesses a good shot from the blue line, is smart when it comes to pinching in down low and will likely be told to carry the puck end to end rather than make a first pass to a rushing forward.
• Has a small cap hit due to the entry level contract he signed, so Edmonton can still bolster their defense with another high paid player.

Comparison: Sergei Zubov. People are going out on a limb comparing him to Leetch and Orr due to his skating, and while those are nice names to be put next to, his overall ability reminds me of the way Sergei Zubov used to play. And that comparison is not one to be shunned, either.

Sorry about the couple of days of no posts, I’ve been a little busy getting a job and doing all sorts of other things but I never meant for this blog to be more than a hobby anyway, so I expected stretches like this.

With this post I’m simply going to state a few Rangers based interests:

Firstly, addressing the team’s need for more offense:

The Rangers do not, and I repeat, do not need Rick Nash. They don’t even need Bobby Ryan. They do not need to lose anyone young, they don’t need to lose anyone worth keeping.

Brandon Dubinsky has been mulled over in trade rumors so much this offseason it leaves little doubt that he will be moved. A trade that I think would make sense for the Rangers, and possibly for the Leafs because Brian Burke has expressed interest in Dubinsky several times before, involves sending Brandon Dubinsky to Toronto and acquiring Nikolai Kulemin in return (not necessarily straight up, but with them as the centerpieces). Both players had down seasons and are looking to bounce back, and a change of scenery could work in both of their favors.

The rights to Alex Semin can be acquired for a simple price if Washington opts to trade his rights at all. He will take a pay cut and can score. The team is solid enough defensively that they can stand to have one guy be somewhat of a liability as long as he is scoring, and Semin even showed he could play D this year, so that’s worth considering.

Replacing Brandon Prust:

This one won’t be difficult at all. Plenty of guys around the league do what Prust does for cheaper than he asks. Acquiring Zenon Konopka would fill that hole perfectly, and add more depth in the faceoff circle with his proficiency in that category. Steve Ott would work, too. Trying to get Dale Weise back from Vancouver would even do them well.

Getting one more defenseman that can QB the powerplay better:

I was kind of hoping for Dennis Wideman, but now that that is settled with Calgary recently signing him, we need to take a look at options elsewhere.

Justin Schultz, while available, I think will sign with Edmonton or Toronto. New York would be a good fit though, and I’m sure he is considering it. It’d be great to get him and his skills and still be able to afford one more guy.

But the one guy we want is Jason Garrison. A solid two way defender with an absolutely booming shot that he scored with a whole lot this year on the powerplay. We need a guy who won’t hesitate to just clap the puck from anywhere, like Stralman would at times (keeping him would be a smart move too).

JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK FOR LUKE SCHENN.

Before you say anything, consider each team’s needs:

• Philadelphia is in dire need of defense. While Luke Schenn garnered some negative comments in Toronto, remember: he was playing in Toronto. Luke is a very solid defensive defenseman with a ton of upside that can definitely help a team like Philly. Kubina, Timonen and Coburn need to stay, and watch: Erik Gustafsson has a ton of potential and could end up being a real surprise for Philly fairly soon.
• Toronto, on the flipside, is actually starved for offense more than anything. Despite the popular opinion, their defense is actually NOT BAD. Dion Phaneuf is very solid on both ends of the game, Cody Franson deserved so much more time than he got, Jake Gardiner is going to be a hell of a player very soon, Liles is a decent offensive defenseman who’s had great seasons in Colorado, and Carl Gunnarsson is also good. JVR gets a new start in Toronto and will help the team grow and score more. That being said, Toronto still lacks a first line center (sorry..Connolly isn’t a first line center, and he’s hurt more than he plays). They also need to give Nazem Kadri a real, legitimate chance in the NHL, instead of fluctuating him so much and ruining his development (same with Franson)