Blue Notes

The Isles will DOMINATE the blueskirts AGAIN this season. We'll have the last laugh.

Switch Prucha and Avery and you have it right. Montoya is as good as gone.

Switching Prucha and Avery is a bad idea. Avery is a below average 2nd liner, but an above average 3rd liner. That 3rd line would provide a lot of grit as well as a scoring touch. Prucha languishing on the 3rd line doesn't help the team at all. It's better to have Avery there where he's contribute more than Prucha would and have Prucha on the 2nd line where he'd probably score more than Avery.

Prucha can not handle the minutes. He WILL be on the 3rd line (maybe 4th), and will get more PP time this year. WRITE IT DOWN.

Prucha can not handle the minutes. He WILL be on the 3rd line (maybe 4th), and will get more PP time this year. WRITE IT DOWN.

Esche isn't a bad goalie in a pinch. He had a few good years on the Flyers before falling out of favor last year on that awful team. I think he'd want around 900 or 1M.

Prucha can handle the minutes. Slowly at first.

I think if Peca signs I'd like Avery and Cally to play with him, that would be a fun line to watch.

Why is everyone forgetting what Hossa did late in the year playing with Jags? I think Straka will play the wing, but I think Hossa will end up on 1 of the top 3 lines. Unfortunately, injuries will happen so you never know. I'd love to see Dubinsky and another kid make it (Dupont, Asimov, etc).

Id rather have Ed Giacomin back in net as a backup than Ed Belfour, that guy is done. Im fine with SV, Henrik's gonna play close to 70 Gms anyway.

I think that Esche would be a good pick up as a backup, I like Peca on the third line with Prucha and Callahan. Hossa is a 4th liner at best and deos not belong anywhere else.

Hossa-Gomez-Jagr
Straka-Drury-Shanahan
Avery-Peca-Callahan
Prucha-Betts-Orr/Hollweg

that top line needs someone who will go into the corner boards and get the puck..Hossa did that and meshed with Jagr really well...save the Straka, Jagr, Gomez combo for the PP...also with Drury, Peca, Betts, Avery...the rangers could have the best PK in the league

I think Peca should be captain

Yea, lets put Hossa back with Jagr just so he could get hurt just when he hits his stride. THAT will work. We have the wrong Hossa.

Seems I may be one of the few who "appreciates" Petr Prucha. While his goals decreased last year, so did his ice time, particularly on the power play. Notwithstanding, he led, that's right led, the NHL in goals for players getting 13 minutes (or less)ice time. Though he doesn't weigh 175 lbs. soaking wet he plays a fearless game in front of the net & has a goal scorer's hands. Playing him with Blair Betts & Hollewig does him (& the team) a disservice. Put him on either the 1st or 2nd line & play Avery & Callihan with Peca if they sign him, or Dubinsky.

Package Hossa & Prucha for a punishing, stay at home,& willing to drop the gloves blue liner.
We need some (2-3) of our Kids to be on the team: at center; Anisimov, Dubinsky, Immonen, or Dupont then at wing; Foote, Kozak, or Moore. We need our tough guy to make a statement this year to protect some fragile players - Orr / Hollewig / Fritz (if he can skate at all) split time until one demonstrates he fit’s the puzzle. Bring up Montoya and let him compete / push Lundquest. I'm afraid our Staal may be “the thing that’s not like the others” in the family . . .

Straka – Gomez– Jager
Betts -Drury-Shanahan
Avery - Peca - Callahan
Orr/Hollweg/Fritz – Anisimov/Dubinski- Foote/Kozak

Immonen is 25 and will be 26 come playoff time. Hardly the def of a kid. That train left the station a long time ago.

To Anonymous: updating your info. on Marc Staal. Was the MVP in this year's OHL playoffs & wasn't even on the winning team.Was named top d-man in the World Jr. tournament las t year. Eric & jordan ate forwards, defensemen take longer to develop than forwards. Pierre McGuire raves about Marc Staal & describes him as a "shut-down" defenseman right now, & as a Chris Pronger without a mean streak. All analyses expect hin to develop into at least a #2 d-man; & the last time I looked the Rangers lacked a #1 & #1 d-man.

I've read all the news on Staal as well, I also read that Manny Maholtra was the next Gretzky . . . and Poti was the next Leach . . . remember all the hype about Pavel Brendle . . . Everytime I've "watched" Staal play he looked dis-interested & lazy . . . not a star. What would pronger be without his "mean streak" . . . Karpotsev (spelling ?)

Anyone have any idea if Fritz is worth his salt?

Leech . . .

No . . . Leetch

"I've read all the news on Staal as well, I also read that Manny Maholtra was the next Gretzky . . . and Poti was the next Leach . . . remember all the hype about Pavel Brendle . . . Everytime I've "watched" Staal play he looked dis-interested & lazy . . . not a star. What would pronger be without his "mean streak" . . . Karpotsev (spelling ?)

Anyone have any idea if Fritz is worth his salt?"

Huh? English please

Are you trying to be funny or just an Ass? I don't see Staal's play supporting his accolades . . . many writers and scouts have been wrong with their assessments in the past i.e. I gave analogies you putz. I caught the mis-spelling of Leetch and posted it. They traded for Fritz this summer 6'8" 260lbs dip-shi**** Keep you head up you A** and shut up . . .

P.S. The Flag Pole after school . . . bring your sister. Your probabaly an Islander FanFag

Staal is NOT going to be another Brendl. Don't even worry about that. The kid is the real deal. He is not always flashy but he is always effective. Just ask his brothers how tough he is to beat. Eric and Jordan make many an NHL defenders look pretty bad on a daily basis.

I sure hope so . . . Sure would make the season & future even more interesting.

I guess expecting Islander apologists coming to a NYR blog to be objective & rational in discussing hockey is too much to expect, but after seeing the Islander website had a feature article on the "IceGirls" rather than hockey makes it somewhat understandable. They come to the NYR blog with their misinformation & distortions out of frustration & their team being run like a carnival rather than a pro sport. But, Rangers' fans can relate because their team WAS once run like a carnival, but not any more. Based on some Islander rationale, no one, be it the Hockey News, TSN, Pierre McGuire, Bob McKenzie, etc, should predict how prospects/draftees may turn out (despite their actaul performances) because many previous high picks didn't pan out. News flash Islander fans, Marc Staal is the "goods". If nothing else, it's in the genes. He'll be solid #1/#2 d-man. Unlike the current Rangers & other than Kyle Okposo, you have nothing else in your propsect "cupboard". Finally, the past is just that, so 4 straight Cups & a definite dynasty is history. Now is now & the Rangers' present & immediate future looks more promising than the Islanders.

Straka-Drury-Jagr
Avery-Gomez-Shanahan
Prucha-Peca-Callahan
Hossa-Betts-Orr/Dawes/Hollweg

I think Avery fed well off of shanahan last year. They both intensified off of each other and I see no reason on why they should be split. Avery put up career numbers and shanny was the main reason for that. Also, shanny was the main factor in getting the Rangers to trade for Avery. As for Drury and Gomez, Drury is an enforcer and that is exactly what Jagr needs. To put Drury on a line with Shanny and Avery, puts 3 enforcers on the same line. Thats why I think they should be swapped. With these lines, I see that Rangers as a true cup contender. Lets Go Rangers