Blue Notes

Dubinsky is shooting like a 40+ goal sniper.

I think Renney needs to rethink the line combos.

Zherdev I think would work with Dubinsky or Anisimov, not Gomez.

Gomez would probably work well with Naslund, Dawes, Prucha, or Drury.

Prucha, Betts, Rismiller, Sjostrom should be traded.

Dawes-Gomez-Naslund--scoring off the rush
Drury-Dubinsky-Zherdev
Korpikoski-Fritche-Callahan--perfect 3rd line
Voros-Moore-Byers
Orr

Anisimov starts in Hartford, but gets the shot as soon as there is an injury.

personal matter? what was it.

Whoever thinks Dubinsky will have an off year because he's no longer playing with Jagr may very well be dead wrong. He may even play better without Jagr - shooting and scoring more - especially if he's playing with Callahan. I liked the way those two played together tonight.

The Rangers came into the game very slow but it's just preseason. The dominated the game from the middle of the second to the end against an Ottawa team that was playing with most of there starters. I thought Hank would have stopped the last 2 goals Ottawa scored if he was in net. Nobody was going to stop that shot from Heatley for the first goal. That line of Dawes Drury Prucha did not do very well at all. Prucha and Dawes were a minus 2 each with prucha with 2 shots on net and Dawes with none. That line is way to small and really got out muscled against the boards and couldnt keep the forecheck going in there offensive zone. The line of Dubi Cally Voros really looked good even when Dubi wasn't scoring goals. They were creating a lot of offense which kind of what you want to see from Dubi especially when he isn't playing with Jagr and did he look pheneominal out there. Betts again is what he is which is nothing much but a pk killer. No OFFENSE what so ever. Rismiller nothing special, don't even understand we signed this guy. Del Zotto played out of his mind for an 18 year old kid really surpising. The kid has unbelievable upper body strength for his age. Didnt see him lose one battle with the puck all game. I know everyone wants him to be the 7th Dman but let him go back to The Generals and play every game and mature more. Rozi was Rozi with occasional turnover now and then. Mara Couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat let alone a net. Gotta love the guy though took less money to stay here.
Top players for 2nights game I thought
DUBI
Del Zotto
Callahan
Drury
Voros
Potter
Byers
Staal
Invisible for most of the night
Dawes
Prucha
Rozi
Mara
Betts
Rismiller

Zherdev Gomez Dubi put him on a wing with gomez will score 35 40 goal easy.
Callahan Drury Naslund
Dawes Fritshe Voros
Sjostrom Anisimov Prucha

I honestly think that if you put Dubi as a center you are wasting his talent because playing on a line with callahan and Voros he isnt going to produce as much as if he was with Gomez and Zherdev/Naslund plus he adds size to line. I believe that Dubi could actually put up better numbers than Naslund or Zherdev if he were to play on Gomez wing. What do you guys think?

Hey Zip, is Derek Stepan/Stefan (2nd round choice this year, from Shadduck St. Mary's) at camp this year?

http://www.nyhockeyrivalry.com

I just don't see the point of Drury as a center, he is not a good passer or puck carrier. He can take faceoffs as a winger. Dubinsky on the other hand is an excellent puck carrier and passer. Dubinsky rushing with the puck from own zone to opponent's is a beautiful thing to behold.

Sjostrom and Betts are seriously idiots, who do they think they are that they refuse to throw any hits. I hate these soft 4th liners.

We will have a much better and more entertaining team with them and Rismiller gone. Oh and Sjostrom is fast? Compared to who?

I have no problem with using all three centers on separate lines. But, if Renney wants to balance the scoring, he needs to break up Naslund and Zherdev. Give Gomez his sniper in Naslund, keep the Dawes and Drury combo together, and move Zherdev next to Dubi. Then use Fritsche, Callahan and preferably Korpikoski, (who I think has a very good chance to make the team), to fill in the remaining holes on each line. (AFAIC, Prucha really has no place in that lineup.) Why? Dubi has already shown he can be successful next to a skilled winger who likes the puck. Zherdev has already shown he can score with someone like Peca as his center. Scoring is then spread out. The key remains giving Dubinsky quality ice time. So, make sure Gomez and Drury are on one PP unit, while Dubi centers the other. And, it looks like Renney is going to use Dubi on the PK. Using all three centers at even strength on separate lines plays to the strength of this team. Just make sure Dubsinky sees a lot of quality ice time.

Good balanced lines in the makings:

Gomez / Naslund / Zherdev

Drury / Dawes / TBD

Callahan / Dubinsky / Voros (They looked great)

8-10 guys with a shot to make the 4th line.

A few thoughts:

1. Give Zherdev some time to settle w. gomez and Naslund

2. need size and speed to play with Drury and Dawes. Unfortunatley not Prucha and as much as i like him i think he needs to go

3. think we need to move Prucha + a few others that are fighting for the 4th line spot for a ligit second line winger to play with Drury and Dawes.

4. Maybe include Rozi in the mix. Prucha, Rozival and any combo of two guys fighting for that 4th line should get somebody's attention. Cheecho and a pick perhaps?

5. I think Mara will be fine and remember him playing well with Staal for a bit last year. Redden / Girardi & Stall / Mara & Kalinin & tbd. With the d-man in the system somebody should be able to step in making rozi easier to move. If not now, maybe in a few months,

Lots of options one game into pre-season....

Bob & Adam W:

Dawes/Drury/Prucha did fine last night - except they didn't connect for a goal. I think they were trying too hard for offense - since they were the first line - so they were a bit lax on the defensive side. That's fine in an exhibition game.

They had some great shifts where they kept the puck in the OTT zone for extended periods, and they made some great passes. The goals will come soon.

Prucha is the best conditioned athlete on the Rangers, with a great skill set, and he's going to surprise a lot of his doubters this season. Mark my words. If they trade him, they'll watch him score 30 with another team who knows how to use him.

Rozsival was directly responsible for the second OTT goal with one of his typical giveaways, and he stunk all night long. Resigning this guy was the biggest mistake of the offseason. They should have gotten the best deal for him and good riddance. He's always going to be the weak link on defense, now that his partner in crime (Malik) is gone.

Roszival still sucks. Big Sather mistake there. DelZotto looks like a winner. Should be ready to step in 2009-10.

Like the Drury line and if Dubi and Cally get a good left winger (like to see Korpokoski get a good shot there), that should be three good lines.

Haven't seen #1 line of Naslund, Gomez and Zherdev play. Looking forward to that.

The battle is for the 4th line.

I guess I am the only one who was unimpressed with Del Zotto last night. The kid panicked and threw the puck down the boards a few times, was out of position on the Sens' third goal and took a lame penalty (although, who didn't in that game).

I thought Dubi looked like Jagr on both of his goals - flashing that deceptive speed in a big guy with fantastic hands ... it was a pleasure watching him work.

How could you possibly be unimpressed by the 18 year old Del Zotto? He panicked and threw the puck up the boards because he had no outlet player to pass to. Would you rather he serve up the puck to OTT offense like Rozival did? He showed good composure in my opinion, good hockey sense (throwing the puck up the boards instead of giving it away in the defensive zone) and good upper body strength. Its great to see that we have a young prospect who won't have much trouble making the transition to the nhl in a couple years.

Comment at 12:59 was not me, and you arent alone about Del Zotto, the skating is there, but whats this "blowing a kiss" bit he did early. Hisinstincts were average but we must remember he is a kid.Cute.

Lenny,

Voros looked great playing left wing with Cally and Dubi.

Just keep that line together please, do not tinker, that line will piss people off and score all year long.

The troll is back in business at 14:15.

I really liked the Voros-Dubinsky-Callahan line they worked well together and I think that they will put up points. I really think that Voros needs to be the left-wing there because of his size. I am worried about the Dawes-Drury-Prucha line. I thought that they played well and made things happen but they dont have any size. Dawes is 5'8", Drury is 5'11" and Prucha is generously listed at 6'. I just think that we really need some size up front.

Prucha boat went out to sea a few years ago now the guy cant score anymore. As much I am fine with the rangers going younger the rangers need more on the 2nd line then him and I would bet my house even old man shanny would still have more goals in a season then hes going to.
And one thing I think is that Dubinsky playing 3rd line with callahan and voros is probably a bit of holding back his potential value.

I would package Rozsival, Prucha and Sjostrom for Hamhuis.

For all the supposed chemistry between Drury, Dawes and Prucha they weren't able to produce a goal, even with numerous power plays. The idea is to score, not come close to scoring. Renney again fails to come up with any intelligent or creative line combos.

Prucha does NOT have a great skillset, his success is determined by being in the right place at the right time and being given a good pass. With Drury he will not get too many of those good passes that he needs to bury the puck. He also needs to regain his confidence back and to do that he needs to shoot more and to do that he needs more icetime and to get that he needs to score more and so on and on. There is no point trying to revive Prucha when we need to have bigger forwards, lower salary cap and play kids like Korpikoski who already is 22. Just let Prucha have a fresh start somewhere else.

Dear god bob, it's one pre-season game. one. game. pre-game. not a real game. With half the squad. With minor league and pros alike. in the pre-season.
Couldn't you at least hold off until we lose a real game on yet another season where we listen to how much you hate Renney and Sather. How you know better. blah blah blah.
One pre-season game.

I got news for you. Freddy Sjostrom is making this team. And it will piss you off and give you something to really complain about.

:)

1 game? I saw same things last season.

Prucha is not going to get a fair chance here anyway, just look at this game, he was on the top line, yet somehow managed to get under 12 minutes.

And I got news for you: Sjostrom sucks and Renney is realizing it and very soon he will be gone. He does absolutely nothing.

http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=26561

I noticed Anisimov, Grachev, Dawes and Pyatt increased in height...

Has anyone heard anything about a rangers third jersey I see a few other teams have introduced new alternate jerseys. Zip, have you heard anything about the liberty jersey coming back?

greg - pretty sure there is no ranger 3rd jersey this yr

I laughed when I read that the above blog putting down Del Zotto. ScottHockey obviously doesen't know much about a young kids talents. The kid played excellent for his very 1st NHL Pro Game. I am so impressed with him, and we have a lot to look forward to w/this kid. I am not gonna judge any player the 1st couple of games...just not fair to the player.

(read the following with heavy sarcasm)

pucks in paradise,

what kind of hockey fan are you? Wasn't it obvious that the drury/ prucha/ dawes line had zero chemistry and will never score a goal this year? And this del Zotto kid...I mean come on...any 18 year old kid can jump in at the NHL level and play a solid game on defense, nothing special there...what a bust...way to go Sather... I HATE SATHER and I bet Renney will pay Sundin $50 million dollars and put him in place of del Zotto and the kid will never get out of hartford....oh wait, I forgot that I don't like del Zotto and that Renney doesn't sign players and that del Zotto plays D and Sundin is a forward...AARRRGHHH I JUST WANT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!

O.K. so back to reality. I cannot wait to see tonights game so we can start comparing a little bit as far as who is outplaying who (as much as you can after only two games). But will Fritche be that much more noticeable than say Voros or Rissmiller? Is Sangs going to be further a head then del Zotto appears to be? Will Henrik look as rusty as Valli? Will Naslund and Gomer show the reported chemistry we are starting to hear about ( I am guardedly optimistic after last years early reports on Gomer and Jagr flying around together in camp). And to finally see Zherdev and be able to see if he truley is just floating through camp. BRING ON GAME #2!!!

well said joke

If you want to judge a line or a player after 1 pre season game, go ahead...it's ridiculous that you even have an opinion after 60 minutes of the FIRST PSG...As for Del Zotto.....we'll see just how good he is by the All Star Break and check his stats. "well said Joke" what exactly are you ok'ng to?...and bring back the 3rd jersey's already...RBK made an agreement w/the NHL not to wear them last season FYI, so they could show their new jerseys off...ok, new year...bring them back or just make new 3rd jerseys for this season.

AA will shine thru all the b.s. tonight. The spot light will end on him.