Life beckons.
Having covered all the Rangers home and away games except one, I'm taking the rest of the week off to celebrate Thanksgiving with my wife, daughter and the rest of our family. Will be back at the Garden Sunday for the Stars' matinee.
If there's major news, I'll step back here and write, and perhaps offer some thoughts during the two Florida games, which a stringer will cover for Newsday.
It appears that right wing Greg Moore will play with Chris Drury and Petr Prucha. Ivan Baranka is here because Jason Strudwick's leg is bruised after being hit with an Islanders shot.
Dawes (as Bruce Berlet of the Hartford Courant told me on the phone a while ago) is disappointed at his return to the Pack, but will persevere. The Rangers told him he needs to round out his game. But it's also about numbers.
As written here previously, Callahan may play on the second or third line when he returns in a week, and Straka with Jagr and Dubinsky. Hossa could be on the fourth line or on the bench.
Me? I'll be keeping one eye on the turkey and one on the NHL. Here's hoping all of you can enjoy the holiday as well.
Comments (14)
Have a Happy Thanksgiving Steve. Hopefully when you get back the Rangers will be on a nice 2 game winning streak!
Happy Thanksgiving Steve. I hope you get to enjoy your day with your family with much happiness.
Happy Thanksgiving to you Steve. Heard your interview with XM yesterday. You should make more radio appearances!
Happpy Thanksgiving Steve. islanders at MSG again in 5 days so dont let it sting too much. For now lets focus on the lighting ...
http://www.outsidethegarden.com/articles/story.asp?id=480
Best link today. Screams of the convos happening here daily. (not that the rest of the world isn't) Notice anything about Steve post above? Hossa moving down. WOOOHOOO!
^^ great link, exactly how I've been feeling. It's so frustrating to watch their power(less) play.
From ESPN
"...our pick in the Eastern Conference, Matt Cullen, who returned to the Hurricanes after one season with the New York Rangers. Cullen, a member of Carolina's Cup-winning squad from 2005-06, has helped the Canes re-establish themselves as one of the top offensive clubs in the NHL (they are second in goals per game and power-play efficiency). Cullen, who often mans the point on the power play, has 20 points in 21 games through Monday and is en route to a career season."
Happy Thanksgiving, Steve. Enjoy the time with the fam. A win tonight would be nice. Very interested to see what Renney does when Straka and Cally come back. Depth is a nice problem to have but it makes some decisions very tough. I don't think Hossa should be sat, he's too good on the PK. Hollweg or Orr should take a seat and let Hossa skate on the 4th line and the PK.
Happy Turkey day Steve.
I'd rather see Hossa on the bench right now then on the 4th line. The 4th liners were given a function, and each of them produce the expected function. Hossa was given a different function on the roster, and he did not produce. Why break up 3 producers? The 4th lines job isnt to score, it's to keep the pressure on and lay down the law. Hollweg/Betts/Orr is the best combo for that function. If Hossa cant make it as a scorer or playmaker then bench him or let him regroup in the AHL, or trade him.
What do you guys think the Rags could fetch for Hossa? Is he worth a #1 draft pick? I like Marcel, but it may be better for him as a player to go to a team that can use him better.
I am thankful for a very very good Rangers team.
Everyone, get to http://fanballoting.nhl.com/
Vote for the All Star team, and yeah, vote for Henrik obviously, but write in votes for Sean Avery!!!
Since we acquired him last February, our record when he is in the lineup as opposed to when he is out of the lineup is just ridiculous!!!!
WRITE IN SEAN AVERY!!!
There is no way that Hossa would fetch a #1 draft pick.
I don't think he has much trade value at all. The problem we have with Hossa is that we can't send up down to the AHL, because he would be snatched on waivers and we would lose him for nothing.
It's a catch-22 with Hossa.
There are these moments he has where he looks like a really good hockey player, uses his size and makes some nice plays at both ends of the ice, scores shoot out game winners.
But, there are more nights when he plays horribly, like vs the Islanders the other night where he was clearly the worst player on the ice vs a very hard working Islanders team.
When Straka comes back, I think Hossa is going to fade away.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Rangers fans! Here's to a great season.
Happy Thanksgiving to all (including you Zippy).
The Islanders have a few things to be thankful for:
1. They rid of Yashin
2. Oleg Kvasha has apparently changed his name to Marcel Hossa and now plays on the Rangers
Seriously, all of us have a lot to be thankful for: a home, job, money to go to Rangers games, money to buy ridiculously priced concessions at MSG, and hopefully, everyone has their health.
NOW BE THANKFUL FOR THE KINGS AND MR B