Blue Notes

thats almost as much as I get for doing my homework before dinner time. I'm the super duper blue power ranger, yay!

hey Zipay, you might as well stop writing stuff. just me and you here. my fans only care what the other team does. nice seeing you today. take the rest of the night off.

Hey Zipay - stick to your own team. Talk about unprofessional! Isles crazy money??? Thanks for the laugh, fatso! The only crazy thing to see here is that the fatso Rags 'blogger' seems obsessed with everything Islanders!

What's the matter, Steve --slow news day on the Rangers beat?

Check the cap room, my friend. Just hope Lundquist doesn't get signed to an offer sheet.

The amount of cap ignorance is funny. The Rangers have plenty to sign Henrik,Avery,Shanny and Hossa if they so chose. Also dont forget that they can go over the cap by 10% as long as they are back under it by the first game of the season. So that gives them time to make trades IF they need to. People need to read all the facts and the few ignorant Rangers rivals need to stop hoping that Lundqvist is going away, because he isn't. Sorry to burst bubble's he'll be pushing your ice girls around for years to come.

Zipay's goatee tickles my unmentionables ever so gently

Good to have you back Steve. Mike did a nice job filling in for you? Any truth to the Rangers thinking about Souray?

What about Hossa and Prucha to Florida for JAY BOUWMEESTER? He is a big kid who had a plus 23 last year for Florida.

There is always Nigle Dawes, Alex Bourret, RW Dane Byers, LW and others to replace them. I think Alex and Nigel are ready for the NHL after their last seasons in the AHL.

Great to have you back Steve! Losing you was worse than losing Jagr in the '06 playoffs.

Whatever the Rangers do with Prucha, they can't trade him and/or Montoya for a veteran. For any deal to be worthwhile it would need to be for a tough, hard-hitting young defenseman. Otherwise, not sure I would approve losing Prucha. Sure we have other prospects in the wings, but Prucha has put in two solid seasons in his first years in the NHL, so there's a chance he can have a huge upswing in the next year or two. I say we give him more time to play for us.

Steve... yes, the Isles paid crazy money for Guerin (which is the only reason he'd choose to end his career in the Masoleum) but paying Scott Gomez $7M a year for 13 goals last season is nuts.

Remember when Eric Lindros scored 29 goals over 2 seasons and got paid $16M to do so?

Nylander has had more points in the past two seasons than both Drury and Gomez. We should have only gotten one of these players and kept Nylander. Someone (...you...) should address this.

Points in Past Two Seasons
Jagr 219
Nylander 162
Briere 153
Gomez 144
Drury 136

Islanders fans are hilarious...so delusional...Blake, Smyth and Kozlov bolt almost immediately, Comrie, Guerin and Fedotenko are all given more than they're worth to take their spots, and you people still show up to troll on Rangers blogs? The best thing going for you guys is the fact that only Guerin got 2 years.

A mediocre team with a mediocre farm gets worse thru a desperate trade that goes nowhere...then has to watch their #1 rival take an absolute stud 2 picks after theirs would have been...10 days later, 3 teams in their division get stronger while their entire top line departs. Yeah, if I was an Isles fan I'd be all bitter and resentful, too.

Enjoy last place...try to derive some excitement from the race to stay ahead of Boston and out of last place in the conference. Better yet, turn into Flygirls trolls...at least their team is decent.

Hahahaha!!! This guy is talking about how we just signed two players for a total of over 7 mill who scored 50 goals between them last year, when his team just signed ONE guy who last year scored only THIRTEEN goals for almost the same amount of cash!!!

My GOD YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!!

Stick to talking about your own team you moron.

Have fun bringing Shanny back...you'll spend almost as much for him as we did for Guerin. Funny thing is, he's even older than Guerin and had pretty much the same PPG. And that will make you a hypocrit.

Rucchin-

Nylander's contract is almost as crazy in it's own right...the Nylander/Gomez argument is more or less over.

Gomez is better defensively, better in the face off circle, just as good a skater and distributor and he'll be 34 and not 38 at the end of his contract. If the Rangers had given Nylander 4/19.5 mil, everyone would be rightfully screaming bloody murder.
-------------------
"Have fun bringing Shanny back...you'll spend almost as much for him as we did for Guerin. Funny thing is, he's even older than Guerin and had pretty much the same PPG. And that will make you a hypocrit."

Totally wrong...Shanahan scored more points in 10 fewer games...was more productive in the playoffs...and will only get 1 year, with a cap hit split between this year and next (bonuses for a 35+ y/o on a 1 year deal count against the following season's cap)...making him effectively half the price of Guerin.

Plus Shanahan is playing on a better, deeper team whereas Guerin is now NYI's top option and will be the main focus of opposing defenses...and he needs space and a playmaker to be productive.

And no, Mike Comrie is not a real "playmaker" no matter what NYI.com's frontpage says.

wow the craplander fans are out in force tonight. Hey you guys should go back to your own blog. Im not even going to attempt to show you that everything your saying is out of jealousy because i think even you fools understand that to be true also.

Rag Concentration is an ice girl ... thus her legs are open more than a 24/7 convienience store.
P.S do you like having herpes?

This morning the Daily News states that Sheldon Souray WANTS to be a Ranger, that's why he hasn't signed with anyone yet, he is waiting to see if they will make the cap space.

If the Rangers somehow bring Souray into the fold, they must somehow get rid of Malik and Cullen's contracts.

Bottom line.

Jim -

I don't know how good a fit Souray would be for the Rangers - absolutely he would improve the PP but he's not a very good defensive blue liner. I think with Paul Mara, and Mark Staal (and if someone could get Roszival to shoot) the Rangers have enough back line shooters.

That said, if they could clear up some space by dumping Roszival - who is too defferential to Jagr when they're on the ice together - I wouldn't mind Souray taking his spot with Malik.

I think we locked ourself in a few way to high salaries for the next few years. Gomez has proven nothing and Drury had a husstling group of players around him. We should have been more patient and waited for better chances.
These deals are FLOPS. Sorry...

6677 -

All due respect but you're wrong about these deals being flops.

Gomez and Drury are proven regular season and playoff performers - and more than that they are young veterans who play well on both ends of the ice and fill a position that the team was desperate to fill.

Think about last season, the Rangers had one center they could rely on for offense (Nylander) and one they could rely on for draws (Betts) Now the team has three centers who are good in the face off circle - and unlike Betts, Gomez and Drury aren't offensive liabilities. Drury's line is likely going to have Avery on one wing and Shannahan on the other - upgrades over who he was playing with last season so that argument is moot.

And what "Better Chances" would you have wanted the Rangers to wait for? Nylander got 5 mil a year for 4 years - personally I would rather be paying Gomez and Drury 7 mil a year 4 years from now when they'll be 32 and 35 than Nylander 5 at 39 with no Jagr/Straka/or Shanny on the team.

From ESPN.com's EJ Hradek:

The Souray chase
posted: Friday, July 6, 2007 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: NHL

We're five days into free agency and just about every worthwhile player is off the market.

Well, just about every worthwhile player. Of the players left on the market, the guy that I've been getting the most questions about is defenseman Sheldon Souray.

Last season, in Montreal, Souray's heavy shot made him a force on the power play. He established a record for power-play goals scored by a defenseman in a single season, netting 19 PPGs for the Habs. Souray smashed the old mark, held by Denis Potvin (Islanders, 1974-95) and Adrian Aucoin (Canucks, '98-99).

Most figured that Souray would be long off the market by now. But, for some reason, he remains available for all 30 clubs.

After talking with a couple of sources with some knowledge of the situation, I get the sense that Souray could be headed for New York to join the Rangers. That scenario makes sense for five reasons (that I can think of).

First, the Rangers figure to add another experienced defenseman.

Second, the Rangers don't have a dangerous offensive presence on their blue line.

Third, the Rangers could deal a roster player (Matt Cullen?) and/or offer less money to their own UFA Brendan Shanahan to create the cap space for another major addition.

Fourth, Souray might be waiting to sign with the Rangers to allow them to pursue a deal to create cap space. By waiting, Souray would allow his future team to make a deal with full leverage. If a club knew the Rangers had to make a deal for cap purposes, that club might offer less in return.

Fifth, Rangers GM Glen Sather has a good relationship with Souray's agent, Paul Theofanous.

Will this scenario play out? At this point, Souray's future plans remain a bit of a guessing game. And, as the Oilers found out, there are no certainties until a player signs a contract. Until he does sign his autograph on the dotted line, Souray remains a free agent. And, until then, we'll keep trying to figure out where he's going.

"Isles, by the way, will pay $9 million, yep, $9 million mazzonies, over two years to Bill Guerin, a good soul, a born-in-the-USA vet, but let's be honest, he's 36 years old, made $2 mil last year on a one-season pact and vanished in San Jose after being shipped from St. Loo....

I don't blame Guerin. Hey, Ruslan Fedotenko got $2.9 mil....

Together, that's $7.4m in Isles' crazy money next season..."

Zipay, if you want to talk about crazy money, talk about the Rangers Yashinesque contract with Gomez. Talk about how Rangers overpaid for Gomez and Drury.

Rangers paid 2x the money then Isles did on there two FA's (Drury, Gomez) 50G 79A 129P over (Comrie, Fedotenko, Guerin) 68G 65A 133P. Looks like Isles got a bargin. If there is any crazy money, its the money Rangers overspent.

Rangers overspent enough just on Gomez and locked him up for so long of a contract. Its as if the Rangers combined (the vast overpayment of Bobby Holik to the Rangers years ago) to (the too-long of a contract the Isles did with Yashin also years ago). Doesn't Sather ever learn? If he signed them to 5 years contracts, even at such high prices it would have made more sense.

Otherwise Rangers did pick up two players, that if they work out (you better pray they do since both contracts are untradable) they should replace Shanahan and Jagr when they both retire. Currently, Rangers have a better roster, and should be the team to beat in the East.

As an Isles fan, I'm happy for the players we picked up. We should be as competitive a team as we were last year.

Dynasty -

I think Sather has learned from past mistakes.

With the Holik deal the Rangers were paying a checking line center first line money and tried to make him a first line center and offensive force - which is kind of like trying to make Tom Poti into a defensive stopper.

With Gomez the Rangers are taking a guy who is a first line center at a young age (27) and paying him to be a first line center and playing him as a first line center.

For the Isles, you had to make a move to get a veteran leader back into the room - the departures of Smyth and Blake left your team devoid of on-ice leadership. Barring a signing of Peca, Guerin will likely be given the 'C' and be asked to assume an immediate role as team spokesman. As for Comrie, he's young, but has a history of wearing out his welcome. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts to the pressure of being the number 1 center for the Isles in what should be a very tough division.

Chip,

Like I said before I think it would have been wiser to have signed both Drury and Gomez for 5 years contracts instead of 7-8. Otherwise, no one can knock the fact they are good quality players that can help or enhance any team. Evident in the fact that practically everyteam wanted one or both.

Yeah, after losing out on Smyth, we needed a player like Guerin who can provide leadership. Comrie and Tank are both players trying to show they are better players (who both have 1 year contracts, and are really playing motivated for a big contract next season in the market). I like the players we got.

This year, our division will certainly be tough. Philly I think will be the most interesting to watch to see how there team gels. Rangers and Pens should be a step better then last year. Devils and Isles are a question mark, but both should be competitive at the least and could surprise (although Devils always seem to do just that).

6677,

you are a dope, plain and simple.

How is Scott Gomez "unproven"???

How many other players in the league have had 3 seasons of over 50 assists and 1on 2 Stanley Cups by the time they were 27 years old.

Get the hell of this blog.

Dynasty,

I don't think the two extra years on Gomez's contract are going to matter - he'll be 34 when the contract is in its last year (same age as Nylander now)

As for the division - I always want to say after seeing the players they lose that the Devils are done, but they always find a way. Philly has completely turned over their team, and it will be interesting to see how the new parts fit together. The Isles have filled the holes that were created by the free agent losses, now they have to work on finding players to improve them from where they were last season. And hope that DiPietro can stand on his head again this year.

For the Rangers, we've got good depth down the middle, three solid lines that can score and even if a move isn't made for a defender I like the way it could shake out with the addition of Staal and possibly Baranka. Maybe a veteran back up to Hank (Jussi) would be in order - but if Gomez improves as much playing with Jagr as Nylander did and if Avery provides the same spark he did last season - I think the Rangers could be a scary good team that gives opponents a lot of different looks.

The downside would be if Gomez's style doesn't mesh with the pass and circle style of Jagr and Straka, if Shanny gets old over night and Prucha and Callahan regress.

wow

Oilers signed Thomas Vanek to an offer sheet, 7 years 50 million.

HOLY CRAPOLA!!!!!

Buffalo has right to match of course.

Just to expand on one point, about the different looks the Rangers lines will provide - In the Jagr line opponents will see a unit that skates around and waits for shooting lanes - they'll play with some power and some speed - but mostly they'll pass the puck and try to wait you out.

If the second unit is Avery-Drury-Shanny - you're looking at a unit that will crash the net, dump the puck into corners and fire at the net. The third potential unit of Prucha-Cullen-Callahan is an all out speed attack. They'll create turnovers and blister into odd man rushes with three guys who can all put the puck behind the goalie.

It's tough to game plan against a team that can show you that many different looks.

Jim - I would say Buffalo has to match - they can't lose three of their top players. There's no one left to replace them with and the fan base will turn its back on them.

Yeah, I would say they match too, there are rumors I am reading that the Oilers will target Zach Parise next if Buffalo matches.

Kevin Lowe is under a lot of pressure to bring someone in. It's really sad actually - they have plenty of money, and want to spend it, but players just don't want to go to Edmonton - the city just isn't a draw.

if the rangers get souray...it will be a treat to see how there gonna be able to get back avery, shanahan, and henrik under the cap...praying someone offers henrik an offer sheet

Pray for world peace or no terrorism or something, don't pray for hockey contracts.

Jim, praying isn't going to make a difference, so Mikey, I say pray away.

WOW, TAMPA SIGNS LUNDQUIST TO OFFER SHEET, 6 YEARS, $43M ACCORDING TO HOCKEYBUZZ!!!!!!!

yes, you are an arsehole

If that is true about Henrik...the rangers are going to have to match. No Henry and their signing of Drury and Gomez is for nothing. but that would mean the end to Shanny, and no big four defenceman. Wow, if it is true about Henry...the rangers are screwed. Guess they should not have paid Gomez and Drury all that money.

so I'm guessing that Tampa did not actually sign Henrik to an offer sheet?

Stevey Z, get off the vicatin's bro:

And finally, to quote the movie critic Roger Ebert, a big thumbs WAY down to Rangers beat writer Steve Zipay of Newsday. For some reason, Zip found it necessary to take some embarrassing cheap shots at the Islanders’ signings in the midst of his Rangers Blog update on the Petr Prucha signing. We were once told by a seasoned journalist that sometimes reporters get so close to a team they unwittingly begin drinking the Kool-Aid. This seems to be happening with Zipay. And in this case, the Kool-Aid is spiked with Grey Goose.

the rangers seem to make huge acquisitions every off season and every season they end up being mediocre compared to what people thought on paper, give me a break

Zippy can't afford grey goose. More like Popolov for him.

wow, henrik to tampa and weekes went to nj. Looks like it's time for Montoya to step in.

So wait, the Isles spend $10 million for 3 guys. Two of them 2 yr deals. One a 1 yr deal.
The rangers spend $14 m on 2 guys, to 7 yr deals. One has scored 30 goals once. The other has never topped 70 pts.
Tell me, who overpaid?
Who clogged up their roster?
If Guerin stinks (doubtful btw), he can be traded. Odds are he does as well as Shannahan did last year.
Who's gonna take on Gomez or Drury's contracts if they falter?
We had Yashin's contract. You have two of them.

I hope the Rangers do sign Souray. Because if they go over the cap, they would have to rely on another team to help them get under. I wonder how many teams are going to want to do that?

So many Islander fans in here.

For those worried about the report of Henrik signing an offer sheet with Tampa - don't be - it's not true. Just checked the cap numbers and Tampa can't afford a $7mil a year goaltender. Nor are they in the market for netminders to start with.

Nice, now someone is using my name - I did not post that about Montoya.

To Ed:

Huge difference between Yashin and Drury/Gomez

1. Drury and Gomez fit with the Rangers - and won't have any problems with the stage or anything else

2. Yashin is/was a one dimensional player Gomez and Drury are not.

Tampa Cap - 11 million to spare

Ranger cap - 9.4 million to spare.

Also Ed, only 1 7 year deal (Gomez) Drury was a 5 year deal - and really should fans of a team that signed a goalie to a 15-year contract be talking about the length of any contracts?

Fredo -

Tampa cap also only includes 4 defensemen, 1 left wing and 2 veteran goalies - as said they can't afford a 7mil a year goalie.

geurin can not be traded...he has a no movement clause.

Also, the "rumor" is not on any site - not even the one credited with announcing it Hockeybuzz.com - leads me to think it is someone trying to get their shiggles

Ed,

wow another dumb-arse, place is loaded with them today.

Did you not see that Bill Guerin was given a no - movement clause, which means he can't be traded.

So, email Newsday and ask them to delete your last post.

thanks

http://www.nhlnumbers.com/tbl.html

cap includes a lot more.

http://www.nhlnumbers.com/nyr.html

Hey if the rumor is false...does it really matter.

But I wonder what kind of deal Henry will demand.

I think this Ed guy may be one of the dumber hockey bloggers we have had in awhile.

Fredo -

I think if DiPietro got $4.5 mil per year for 15 then Henrik and the Rangers will probably land on the same per year but for 5 or 6 years.

Buffalo matches contract, wow, that was quick.

just looking at recent goalie prices...Henry should command 5 to 6 easly.

hey...we spent 7.8 million on comrie and guerin who are both quality players while the rags sold their souls for gomez and drury who combined scored less goals than comrie and guerin combined.

Yes bethann, because stats are all that matters.

You got us there.

First... numbers be damned! Vanek has one good year and gets 7 million per!!!
He gets as much as big Joe, Iglna, Jags,Sakic!! how much will Syd and Ovechkin be worth in a couple of years??
second, lets leave Ed alone.
Third...Tampa not in market for Goalie??

The false Tampa Bay claim really lacked any bit of cleverness because they are the last team who would make Henrik an offer.

They have Marc Denis and Johan Holmqvist in net and 2 of the top goalie prospects in the NHL right now.

But, I bet the moron who made the post has never heard of any of those guys.

Marc Denis and Holmqvist equals you want Henrik and...having a top prospect (Montoya) doesn't mean Rangers wouldn't want Henrik would it?

huh?

there is a max in the amount a player can be offered.

"Yes. No player may be eligible to contract for or receive in excess of 20% of the Club's upper limit in total annual compensation (NHL salary plus signing, roster, reporting and all performance bonuses). In 2005-06, no player will be permitted to contract for total compensation in excess of $7.8 million in any year of his contract."

for the 07-08 year that would be 10 Million. I do not see the cap increasing much more over the next few years.

If I had Marc Denis and Holmquist I'd want Henrik over them and if I have prospects ( like we do with Montoya) I'd still want Henrik so why wouldn't Tampa. Even just to drive up Rangers cap #'s

Then you would drive up Tampa's cap number to the brim, they have been trying to get rid of big contracts that are suffocating them like Brad Richards, they are not looking to get larger contracts, patricularly in net where they don't need any help.

Tampa Bay's owner wants to have a team cap of 40 million, he is in no way interested in makign an offer for Lundqvist just to make the Ranegrs life tougher.

It was a very dumb thought.

I think people really aren't thinkign about something.

Henrik Lunqvist loves being a Ranger, he wants to stay a Ranger. He is not going to sign an offer sheet with anyone.

Stop being dumb-arses already.

That would be the same Tampa owner who signed Brad Richards for what 6-7 Million a year. Tampa gets a great goalie they are right up there with anyone in the east...

Wow...Guerin scored 8 goals in 16 games for SJ after the trade deadline. Yep, that is disappearing. Perhaps you should only comment on the Rangers since you don't know jack about the other teams and players in the NHL.

BTW...get Lundy signed before mad Lowe decides to offer him 50 mill over 7 years.

Bobby Lo,

you just don't know what you are talking about

bye bye now

PHIL IN VA,

Yes, because Henrik would rather leave a large contract offer and endorsements in NYC to voluntarily sign in hockey Siberia (Edmonton)

someone with a clue please????

"Then you would drive up Tampa's cap number to the brim, they have been trying to get rid of big contracts that are suffocating them like Brad Richards, they are not looking to get larger contracts, patricularly in net where they don't need any help.

Tampa Bay's owner wants to have a team cap of 40 million, he is in no way interested in makign an offer for Lundqvist just to make the Ranegrs life tougher.

It was a very dumb thought."

Dumb thought but Lowe did it to Buffalo.

And he did it just to prove a point. Trade me a players rights or I will screw you.

I actually like the Bill Guerin signing for the Isles, I applaud it.

However, Phil IN VA, you conveniently didn't mention that Guerin scored 0 goals in 9 playoff games for the Sharks, which is what they acquired him for.

If he "loved" being a Ranger so much he'd be signed by now, Ryan smyth loved being an oiler too.. and bye bye to you ya jerk

"If he "loved" being a Ranger so much he'd be signed by now"

why, is it October and the season started already?

i would like to point out to everyone who keeps saying we signed no bodys or superstars again. Every signing Sather has made post lockout has worked. Jagr, Nylander, Straka, they have not crapped out like lindros, bure, and so on. As for isles fan, go back to your blog, i like the false confidence in giving gurin a 2 million dollar raise but seriously theres no need for you here.

I don't mid these dumb Isles fan here, I am bitch slapping them left and right here, it's fun.

Why would Henry stay in NY. They have Montoya who they claim is their future goal tender and to make things worse they have this future goal tender and decided to draft another one (Antoine Lafleur) in the second round in this years draft. that must send a clear message to Henry that the Rangers really want him for the next 5 or 6 years.

If Edmonton offered Henrik Lundqvist 50 million dollars for 7 years, Henrik would say NO.

He would say I love playing in NYC, I am negotiating my contract with the only team I ever want to play for, now go ahead and sign Zach Parise.

Thanks and have a nice day.

I see someone likes to act like me. If you are going to continue to post as me...can you do me a favor and take my wife to.

Fredo,

oh no man, you are the dumbest yet, wow.

Go ahead, search everywhere for a quote from anyone with the Rangers that says Al Montoya is the Rangers goalie of the future.

They drafted Lafleur because they want goalie depth in case they deal Montoya, you dumb-arse!!!

You sir are a mental midget!!!

Now I understand why all of the Rangers "fans" spend all their time on the Isles blog. Take away the normally nonsensical posts from "Jim from Woodbury" and there'd be about 4 posts left, none of which contain an ounce of insight or hockey knowledge. Newsday was smart to appoint Rangers blog responsibilities to that fat Zipay, you deserve each other.

clearly they are jealous of Lundqvist too Jim ... then again they do have the equivalent to an infant hyped up on PPC in net. Who can blame them i suppose.

Bring it on dude!

Tell me something I don't know about hockey bro!

Love to see it.

Jim,

Dude, I'm sure you would bro. I mean bro, I'll tell you something dude. Here's something you don't know bro. Men who are not well endowed use a lot of exclamation points.

Joe,

I was behind the glass, behind the Islander net one of the last Rangers - Isles games at the Coliseum last March which the Rangers won in overtime.

The moment when Avery stood on Dipietro's head was awesome. In the scrum that followed, I could actually hear Dipietro whining about it and Avery yelled the following at him "go eff yourself ya pu$$y"

it was hysterical!

Cokehead Henrik (it's true),

HUH???????

Hah!this all began with Jim saying tampa isnt in the market for a goaltender... Tampa? a team that, the last time they had a good goalie won THE STANLEY CUP!! If any team needs a goalie its the Lightning. You obviously don't know anything about hockey. secondly I'm a Rangers fan not an Isles fan...Just not a frickin' idiot