Blue Notes

Good god, he is so silly.

Did you guys see the youtube of the new Isles defensman fight our new Swede ? Why did we get this punk? We should of got that kid Kocur from Detroit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vsQWmCkX9U

Enjoy your new goon....I know Davison will!

When sour cream gets old enough, it turns into onion dip.

I think I read yesterday on one of the other posts that the Rangers traded a pick this year in the Sean Avery deal, and he was concerned that we have given all our picks this year.

They did not.

Additionally, they acquired a 3rd round pick this year in the Matt Cullen deal, so the Rangers have 2 third rounders this year, they traded their 4th rounder in the Backman deal.

is it true that Lenevue is going to be a UFA this summer? If it is then this trade was really dumb.

anyway "nice job" getting so little value for one of the highest rated goalie prospects. And they didn't even bother playing him a single game in NHL Very fair evaluation of young players. And Montoya looked great in several preseason games I've seen him play in.

Rangers and Allaire are so clueless about goaltenders it is ridiculous.

First they ruin Blackburn by making him work out because they needed a "power goalie". Then they accidentally draft Lundqvist with 7th round pick. Then they draft Holt who sucks. Then they draft Montoya with 6th overall pick. Then Allaire comes over because he was a huge Montoya fan. But Allaire miserably fails to make Montoya better(maybe even makes him worse) and Montoya doesn't get to play a single game with the Rangers, while Holt did. Then they sign crappy Valiquette who turned out to be ok. Then they draft Lafleur with a 2nd round pick who so far looks like a total bust. Then they give Lundqvist an insane contract. Then they trade Montoya for peanuts because they either should have played him in NHL or traded him at least 5 months earlier.

Has anyone seen the Piles play lately? Another early trip to the golf course.

Hey Maloney, great pick-up of Davison. Does he know that he actually has to move out on the ice? It didn't appear so last night? Enjoy him and his -20, if he ever gets a regulat shift.

bob, I'm curious. What do you think would have been fair to pay Hank?

bob, I'm curious. Do you actually watch hockey?

I think I preferred Silent Sean to Silly Sean. For the love of Pete, PLEASE write tomorrow's column about our shiny new Swedes rather than the Sulky One. Thank you.

The fans in St Louis are DELIGHTED that the player they called Sister Christian is here, not there. "I he gets booed in NY," one wrote. OUCH. (Blueshirt Bulletin has picked this up.)

Where's my shoe?

for a long term deal 6 million is the highest I would go, but really Lundqvist so far only proven to me that he is far from a perfect goalie.

Sather, with your trades, signings, players you didn't trade away, and your drafting it is obvious you don't watch any hockey.

Originally Posted by CapsWolverinesUSA
Looking at the deal purely from the isolated perspective of the value of the players on February 26, 2008, I guess this is an ok deal for the Rangers. But a step back to see the big picture shows just how spectacularly incompetent the Rangers organization was with the handling of Montoya. This guy won a WJC at 19, put up the best save % in Michigan history at age 20 (better than Turco), was an AHL all-star at 22 in his first year as a pro, and then got left to sit in a stagnant pool and rot instead of being allowed to continue to progress. He should have been in the NHL last year (or traded), but they let a career backup like Weeks take the games Lunquist wasnt playing. Montoya had a solid 2nd season in the AHL anyway. He should have made the NHL this year (or traded) and clearly played well enough to earn the #2 job in camp. But the Rangers once again put themselves in a bad position financially and couldn't afford to put him on the roster. So back to Hartford he goes to waste away again. Not surprisingly, this season wasn't as good as the last two, the guy's value drops bigtime, and they end up getting almost nothing for him.

This was spectacular mismanagement by a team that has done a fantastically terrible job with 1st round draft picks over the years. They stunted the growth of a valuable asset and refused to trade him when his value was high. The Rangers fans can put their spin on this all they like. Their organization botched this situation, plain and simple.

"First they ruin Blackburn by making him work out because they needed a "power goalie". Then they accidentally draft Lundqvist with 7th round pick."

actually Lundqvist came first. Also forgot to mention the stupid trade for mediocre Dunham. The letting go of Labarbera and Hnilicka for free, and getting almost nothing for Holmqvist.

Thanks Bob, you prove my point with your post. You do not think for yourself but, you read and regurgitate nonsense you read on message boards. Montoya had no shot with this team.

Enjoy Malik ver. 2.0

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=484373

Sather is ever an idiot who doesn't get that the only defensemen who can be given a pass for being soft are those that put up 50+ points a season. What is his obsession with soft defensemen like Backman, Malik, Poti, etc? Can't wait to see all the soft garbage gone from the team--Straka, Backman, Jagr, Shanahan, Malik.

Yes another intelligent post copy and pasted from the arm chair pros at HFBoards? I will laugh hard when you are put on shoelace warning next year when the only guy gone is Malik!

It is great that fans are already wishing this guy gone before he puts on the jersey. Really, i expected more of this. Surprised to see it's just Bob here to slam me.

So who did you want yesterday Bob?
Hossa? Richards? Boyle?

NY fans are so predictable.
Had I sold the farm yesterday to get Hossa you would still be crying today!

Tune in tomorrow night @7pm Bob. We play a team from Carolina called the Hurricanes on MSG. Thanks for your new interest in Hockey.

Respectfully,
Sather

I wanted Baranka, Sauer, Byers, Greg Moore, Montoya, etc. Ever heard of them? Now you probably never will.

Actually Jim the trade deadline is in April. I know that for a fact.

we should get that young kid Coffey

Yes, I like Hartford too but, we are talking about the Rangers here.

Does the Wolfpack have a blog or message boards Bob?
If they don't let me know and I will get someone up there working on it for you.

Your new hockey pal,
Sather

"Having dropped six of their last eight games and 14 of their last 21, the Ottawa Senators have fired head coach John Paddock with just 18 games remaining in the regular season."

funny how Renney can lose 7 in a row and still not be fired. I guess standards are much lower in New York.

who is the only Ranger to average a point per game this season?

BTW why the $#@% is Betts still here? His faceoff % is well under 50%. He only got 43 shots blocked. Scored only 6 points while averaging 12 minutes a games. Why is this garbage player still here? We got plenty of players and prospects that can kill penalties. We need a 4th line that is able to score. Bring up Moore and Byers and dump Orr, Hollweg, and Betts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vsQWmCkX9U

Enjoy your new goon....I know Davison will!

Bob,
Have you ever heard of a role player?? Hes the best defensive foward we have and he killes every penalty kill. Honestly you really must not watch hockey. Is all you ever do b*tch and moan about the Rangers? Please just shut up otherwise im going to tell your parents that you have been using the computer while they are at work.

Let me get a Amen.

By the way Bob, no player has.
Gomez is the closest though.

Love Always,
Sather

Man, the trade deadline comes and all the crazies come out of the woodwork.

Bring back Nylander and Ortmeyer!

Nah,

Nylander is on IR the rest of the year and Dubinsky is twice as good and makes 1/20th of the salary.

thanks for playing though!

"By the way Bob, no player has.
Gomez is the closest though."

almost, but no cigar (pun intended)

I think the Piles really have a chance at making the playoffs don't you guys?

Bob & others (except Dude),

Please either go back to the Isle blog if you are indeed Isle fans or start following the Isle's if you are indeed Ranger fans. You are either just spouting off to try and upset the Rangers fan base or you are the most ill-informed Ranger fans ever.

Enough with the complaining about each and every move (or non-move) made.

Bob posted a link to a St. Louis fans thread that was supposed to show us that Backman is just another Malik. What I got from the thread was that three people were happy his salary was off the books and then another ten people who were upset at only getting a 4th round pick back from him. So I am not sure really how that is supposed to make us upset? The last post on that thread said something to the effect that when Backman is on his game he is a solid d-man with good puck-handling skills who has started to play less physically since some injuries. I am o.k. with getting a d-man like that for a 4th rd pick.

I don't care to try and explain each and every move...but I am happy to see some of our holes were addressed while getting some fellow country men to hopefully make Hank happier and more comfortable.

Campbell was NEVER going to be traded to an Eastern conference team and Boyle was re-signed and would have cost us way too much in a trade. This off season we can hopefully sign Wedden or Campbell and still have all our youth and picks.

So enough with all the Slather/ Renney bashing. For all those who ask "What has Sather/ Renney done for us?"...How about they ended nine years of missed playoffs? How about they stock piled our farm team like it hasn't been for decades?? How about they brought respect and fear for the rangers?

This is why I believe 99% of you are 13 year old Isle fans and not really concerned Ranger fans.

LET'S GO RANGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

correct last post to say Redden and Sather...not Wedden and Slather. I have to stop typing too fast, but you still get the point I think.

Question...would all you naysayers have been happy if we sold the farm (a la Pittsburgh this year or Isles last year) for that Hossa or Campbell type player? I think Pitts. fans are going to be a bit upset when Hossa signs elsewhere after having disappeared in the playoffs again. Just something to think about while we watch Dubinsky/ Dawes / Callahan/ Prucha/ Staal et al skating for the Rangers for the next 10 - 15 years.

joke,

couldn't have said it all any better

And Pittsburgh better hope they win the Cup after this is said and done because they just sold the farm and then some with that trade yesterday.

And I just watched Steve Bernier score two goals for Buffalo tonight, San Jose will rue the day as well.

thanks Dude

I just spent some time over on YouTube...anyone who is worried about Sjostrom or Gratton PLEASE go type their names in and enjoy!!! Sjostrom has some nice SH goals and looks like he really works hard and Gratton has some nice fight compilations!! There is also a good interview with Gratton where he seems like a real good kid. He also mentions that Avery is someone he doesn't like and would like to fight, but he was searching for names to answer the question not like he brought it up or anything. Too bad it looks like he will be down in Hartford as it seems like the Yote fans and players really loved this kid!!

Bob, how are Luongo and Jokinenn doing ? That trade for Kvasha and Parrish really worked out !

Imagine a team with Luongo, Jokinen and either Gaborik or Heatly. WOW !

Don't know about the rest of you but over the last 5-10 games (Montreal game excluded) I have seen a different team than the one I have been watching all season. Not sure what the difference is. Was it an unknown injury that healed? Was it a click in chemistry? Was it the strange events following the Malik non-handshake/clearing of his locker fiasco? SOMETHING HAPPENED. It was obvious this team was going nowhere fast about a month ago. Yeah, sure they had a good team but the problem was the play was lazy, they didn't seem to care although they said they did, they made excuses for Jagrs lack of scoring (which he still has only grabbed a few points in the last few games), they would drop leads, and the games just FELT like losers watching them. Now it's different. They are forechecking, they are digging for pucks, they are jumping on the cheap shot artists, they aren't giving up when they go down a goal or two, they are beating teams they should and giving it 110% against teams that will be tough wins, and most importantly it FEELS like they are going to win (ie they play with desperation). SOMETHING HAPPENED to light a fire under their asses...and that goal by the captain against Florida!!! My goodness where they hell has that been all season?!?!?

I think Drury has emerged as the player that was expected, I think Avery is healthy, I think Dubinsky is a superstar in waiting.

But I think one of the things that has gone unnoticed about the Rangers turning it around has been the play of Martin Straka. He's been excellent and he's really done well on the point on the PP.

Okay bob ill bite. The only player averaging a point per game is Ivan Baranka with one assist in his first game. Yes, yes i know your argument is that we should be playing him. Well now we have depth so well see what happens.

Bob - you make this all really painful to read....the team got better yesterday, are playing their best hockey of the season and finally have some (and kept) future in the system. I like where this team is (never enough i know and always could / should be better) but we still have a solid chance to get out of the east...

Shed some salaries this off season, add a number 1 d-man and continue to give the youth a chance and i say our future looks pretty good.

And the comments on Betts are ridiculous....i think he has been the most under-rated player on the team this year......

Betts is a great penalty killer who goes and blocks shots and still gets up and does it over and over. It takes guts to go down and block a 95 mph slap shot. So Betts is role is to be a checking forward and a penalty killer. No one ever said he was going to score 20 goals and I think most of us enjoy watching him hustle every shift out there.

No it is too early to say who is going to win the East. Any team that makes it in will win. It all comes down to the hot goalie. Who will it be this year? Henrik? Martin? Price?

Hockey question though. Do you guys think Price can carry the team like Ward did a few years ago? Just asking.

i aint seen anyone dumber than bob, since mike milbury was in town. btw, could anyone pick on a player more then milbury does jagr? my god, i guarentee he defended yashin ..and the 2 arent even in the same stratosphere. hello pot, this is kettle :)--

the goalies in the east arent great. i think marty is the best, but the devils dont scare me this year. miller can stand on his head at times. emery showed in the finals he's no good. nitymaki or biron are very beatable. fleury is swiss cheese and conklin is a career back-up, his shine will come off eventully. price is a rookie, altho mtl had success with dryden, i dont see how they even chance riding him. big mistake i think. thomas in boston is nothing special. i guess ward in carolina would be scary to face cuz of the conn smythe award he has. so whats left, HENRIK!!. i feel less confident about his play this year then last 2 years. since november he hasnt been his best, which is a long time. so i can only hope his game comes around. we need TB to win the southeast and we finish 6th..so like atlanta we can sweep the 1st rd again. 6th is the best position by far again i believe.

this linesup looks good for the stretch i think!!

avery-dubie-jagr
dawes-gomer-shanny
callahan-drury-straka
sjostrom-betts-orr

rosie-malik
toots-girardi
staal-backman/mara

i think prucha should be the odd man out and an injury fill in. last time he got hurt, i recall him takin a month to get back to his self. he's too dam inconsistent. hollweg should be in the press box from here on out. he can warm a seat for strudwick too, maybe they can play strat-o-matic together.

what ch'all think?

By the way milbury defending trading Jokinen and Luongo hahaha. Too bad he forgot about countless others. Redden, McCabe to name a few. Oh and he drafted Dipietro and Torres instead of Heatly and Gaborik hahahaha.

Where are the so called “experts” of late? Oh, you’re all here! Here on Blue Notes passing off you opinions as if they were the most educated, non-bias professional commentary the world over. Not a single one of you, I’d bet, could skate half as well as you rant and rave about every little tiny insignificant detail this great team puts forth through the media. Most of you act as if you’re as privileged as Zippy to have an inside lane to the action because of the plethora of years you’ve been bleeding blue. And all of that is ok. 100 % your right to do so, and to take advantage of Blue Notes with other people like yourselves is, well, great really.
Where most of you go wrong is; the ability to agree to disagree; The ability to acknowledge the fact that your emotions get the best of you, so you type irrationally; The ability to realize that when you attack someone for their opinion their going to fire back at you personally (this is where I’d like to name some examples, but won’t).
Why any of you would run to Zip and cry about being attacked is completely beyond me, when we’re all guilty of the infraction. Some more than others. Including myself as well. Although I’ve never run to Zip for help because I’ve popped off to the better writer. (Again, I’d like to place names here, but won’t)
Attack the islander’s trolls if you need to vent. Go over to their blog and argue.
---

The new deals were what they were. Better for the team in the situation they found themselves in Feb 26th 2008. Sather is 4 years into his promise to rebuild this team from within. He not only is staying with the youth, he’s brought in other teams’ youth to fill the gaps. The team is better than last year, and last years team was better than two years ago. So I’m happy, for now.
I still don’t think the playoffs are possible (yet) but I’ve been wrong before. They call that modestly, some of you should try it on.

Hey, Bob, you are right on the money, while Sather is down at the soup kitchen for indigent GM's. Thanks - great input and evaluation.

Those who say "Do you watch the games?" do just that = passively watch. Cognition of what they are seeing is beyond them. You seem to have an in-depth understanding of the subject matter, plus a knowledgeable historical perspective to draw upon.

To Slick WIlly: I don't buy your connecting Sather with a "youth movement," four years along. AGAIN, he picks up a player, the D in particular, who will BLOCK the advancement of the really talented and younger youth in the Rangers' system, namely Baranka and Sanguinetti, from being promoted to Broadway. Thanks to the Backman acquisition, one of them will return to the minors, following camp, next September. They are both ready NOW, (Sanguinetti turns 20 tomorrow).

Sather is jerk # 1, in my book, when it comes to prioritizing young, talented players within the system. All I can say for him, this time around, is that he actually did not pick up an old Ozolinsch-type guy, 31-34, but the salary cap mandated that, not his dislocated "genius."

The love that a scrub like Betts gets is ridiculous. Truly pathetic, especially considering that all his stats are significantly down from last season, especially his and your precious shot blocking.

How do 29 other teams manage to kill off penalties without Betts The Great and his "incredible" shot blocking?

It is hilarious how these "fans" rather see these scrubs like Ozolinsh, Backman, Strudwick, Malik, etc. than their own prospects who have a lot more potential and are already better players.

JD and Maloney are laughing their asses off.

You might have something there Anon.
Malik and Mara are gone.
Tyutin, Staal, Girardi, are 3 in house youth out of 6. Bobby will make that 4. Bro that's alot of home grown talent on Broadway isn't it?

As of right now there are 9 youth out of Hartford on this team.
Prucha
Callahan
Dawes
Dubinsky
Hank
Girardi
Tyutin
Staal
Hollweg
That's almost half the bench. And Toots would be considered the Old Vet in that group. I think every one of the 9 were drafted except Danny, but he still came throough our system.
Is there another team in the NHL playing more farm team youth than the Rangers? The Devils maybe?
Sather himself has said that Cherepanov and Bobby S will be NYR's.
It's pretty easy to say that Sather has kept his promise.

31-17-6 vs East.

13-6-0 vs Atl

9-5-3 vs South East

9-6-3 vs N East

wow, now had we been able to pick up more than 2 pts vs the west we'd be at the top of the division and fighting of the East Conference!

Hey Bob,

When Detroit won the cups were McCarthy, Draper a big part of the team also. Role players you need in the playoffs. Mac T, Esa, Anderson, Mattaeu and Noonan were a big part also. These kind of players help you in the playoffs. So nobody said Betts is the greatest Ranger. He is part of the team, role players. Guys who go into the corners to cycle the puck and put the hard hats on.

ROLE PLAYERS!!!!!!!!

I do my job night in and night out. I am the best Ranger!

Thanks Burt, that post about the youth on this team rules.

SlickWilly,
Well said, couldn't agree more with you. I like what I see right now with this team and what is going on for the future. I try to stay positive though. I am going to say that we will be watching playoff hockey this year.

I think it is great that people want Baranka and Sanguenettu here now during a playoff push instead of an NHL proven player like Backman.

Like someone said above (Burt) and I said 10 times or more this year. This team is quite young if you take out the old men vets of course. Lots of home grown talent. We make moves to bring 4 young players and a pick here at the deadline. There is alot of talent in Hartford that can make the team next year and fill holes of aging vets.

YET PEOPLE WANT MORE AND CAN'T GIVE CREDIT TO SATHER AND THE ORGANIZATION WHERE IT IS DUE?

Yet the same people probably wanted the blockbuster trade that would waste time, $ and talent.

Can I have some cake and eat it toooooooo?

How dare anybody say the Rangers won't make the playoffs! Positive outlook only on this blog! No critisism alowed! No analysis alowed! No opinoins alowed! Blind faith only! You're not a true Rangers fan unless you love Sather and Renney and Jagr! For shame! Don't anyone dare disagree with the super fans like DUDE and TJ! Two self important know it all's that ruin this blog.

LOL

I think there are other positive Rangers fans than just myself and tjinrangerville Kocur.

You should actually try going to a game sometime, there are over 18,000 of us.

I'm sure all 18,000 of them agree with you because you know it all and you're always right. Right? Riiiiiiiiiight. You try to bully people on this blog and that cracks me up. Big man behind the keyboard. Try letting someone say something negative about the Rangers just once without responding. Your head would explode. You come across like a 12 year old. It's pretty funny actualy.

I’m with Kocur on this one. Dude, is really Jim from Woodbury a known trouble maker. Leenynyr a very well known trouble maker that is never happy, along with his friend Vincea. Tj, I think is some kid named Tj, but just a little more bored than usual.
But Kocur, you’ve got to see that you’re buying into their need for attention. Slick and Up in the Blues, Reality Check and a short list of others, have been here a really long time. Argue with them. You might not like what you hear, but I think it’s safe to say they won’t verbally attack you for your crazy opinions.

Hey man, we all have opinions and are not going to agree with anything. I could put up a list of my thoughts that will get me slammed all day long. So be it, that is the fun of talking hockey with other fans. I call it like I see and not everyone has to agree. It's my thoughts and opinions.

I have been called out before and have learned from others here as well.

Hey man, we all have opinions and are not going to agree with anything.

anything should be everything

I fight back.

as long as you can make me laugh first.

Burt,

wtf are you talking about?

I told you I agreed with you.

What did you used to post as before Burt?

Because that is definitely a new name.