Blue Notes

i was wondering if anyone could tell me what made prucha so good on the power play in his rookie year? i didnt have access to the games so i dont know if what made him do so well

and steve...any discussion about switching up the PP units tonight?

Umm, what made him good on the PP? HE ACTUALLY GOT TO PLAY ON IT!!

The year after the lockout, teams were sometimes getting 15 powerplays a game.

Nobody ever seems to mention that when they talk about Prucha's powerplay production his rookie year, the year after the lockout.

It's not like Prucha has NEVER been on a powerplay since that season.

He has lost the ability to score goals, plain and simple.

I hope he gets it back, and I hope it happens tonight.

Trade for Avery, sign Shanny...

trade what for Avery who has a no trade clause and makes 4 million a year, sign Shanny for what reason?

Sign Shanny for what reason? Um, I don't know, maybe because we can't score a goal? Maybe because our PP is absolute garbage? Maybe because our coaches can't get anything out of their players, and some true leadership in the dressing room will help? I could go on but you'd just disagree because it has something negative about our great Rangers that never have any problems.

ummm....

do you remember that we had Shanahan last season??

Umm...

do you remember that we actually had a tougher time scoring last season than we do right now?

ummm...do you remember that Shanahan is actually older right now than he was last season?

ummm...do you remember that we have no cap room?

ummm...do you remember we have had 15 forwards all season, can only play 12, and have only 6 defensemen?

remember any of that?

Frank -Great line about Prucha on the PP!

As for the new lines:
Wow, let's put our best winger with our best playmaking center! Brilliant Dunlap!

the Rissmiller move was premature and may be problematic. Just cuz the NYR have been exceptionslly healthy this season to-date doesn't mean their depth was wrong. When we lose a few forwards for a few weeks(or longer), will we have the needed backfill?

Too bad Avery's got such a big mouth, cause he's got a lot of talent. Great skating ability, has a nose for the net (take a lesson Prucha, Dubi, Dawes et al.) and he really get's the other team thinking too much...........and signing shanny might not be such a bad idea, at least for the play off push....we're not scoring hardly any goals and with his on ice smarts and terrific wrist shot, it can't hurt!!! IF the team was scoring the way they should be, I wouldn't even consider it. If the kids aren't gonna get the job done, we have to look elsewhere and at this point, I am very open to signing Sundin. Just a real disappointment that the kids aren't making a difference. Prucha's last chance to prove himself starts tonight, I hope he regains his 1st year form and shoots for the net instead of setting up a tent along the side boards...he's not positioning himself the same way he did his 1st year here. Big Big test for us starting tonight...cannot take penalities against this team or we're in big trouble....we need to shadow Syd the Kid, he's on fire lately and let s never forget about Malkin [][]\_ _

Yes, I do remember we had Shanny last season, and I do remember that he had more goals-per-game than our top scorers.
(also, at the current pace right now, Naslund, our leading goal scorer, will only finish with 24 goals in 73 games, just ONE goal more than Shanny did last year.That's with Shanny's game total from last year, if you want to stretch it to the whole season...27 goals, wow, such a huge difference.)

Yes, I remember that despite missing nine games he still had only ONE PPG less with 11 than our PP leader.
(Drury? Our PPG leader? At this current pace will finish with LESS goals than Shanny had last year.)

Yes, I remember that we have no cap room. I also remember that this is the NHL where trades are allowed and salaries are allowed to be handled to make cap room, just ask Lou over in NJ.

Yes, I remember that we have had 15 forwards all season and can only play 12 and have 6 dmen, not my fault our coaching staff didn't think that one through. Riss is gone, good riddens, Fritsche is garbage, goodbye, Dawes, I've seen enough of, have fun, Korpi, we're set down the middle for a long while, switch to the wing, or start putting up numbers, we don't need ya. Prucha? Trade him to a team for anything at this point, at least that other team will give him a proper chance, maybe he could be our next Marc Savard.

But no, I have no memory of anything you were saying. Thank you.

Oh, and don't mention that he's too old to go with our "high speed" system, because apparently that system is working wonders..slow and steady wins the race. I'd rather have Shanny play three periods at his pace than these 25-minute efforts Renney's troops dish out.

Trade Prucha and Rissmiller for Avery. Rissmiller is a complete waste of a million dollars and Prucha has become this season's Hossa. I think Prucha deserves to play and in Dallas he will get more of a chance to play than here. i am positive Avery will waive his no trade clause for NY, and Dallas obviously wants to get rid of him so they will pick up some of his contract to get him under our cap.
As this team stands right now we are entirely way to soft. Who stands up for the players of the team other than Orr and occationally Mara. Voros, although i love how he plays, does not know how to fight. We need that spark that Avery has and he would not pull this crap if he were in NY.

Burnside's article today on espn.com is painting a very ugly picture with the Avery situation in Dallas. Hearing the comments of the GM and the owner, they are really between a rock and a hard place with that contract. They can't buy him out until next summer, and if they do they take a huge cap hit. The no trade and the fact that he's Avery makes him virtually untradeable.

I'm not saying this is a good idea at all, just thinking out loud, but Jon you may be on to something with trading for him. I wonder if Dallas is so desperate they would take on one of our terrible untradeable contracts (Redden, Roszival?) for Avery. That would only leave us with 5 healthy bodies on D, and another forward. That would be an issue.

Again, not even saying I think its a good idea, or that I even want him back.. just looking at is as an opportunity. Thoughts??

Frank,

Did you see another Shanahan that I didn't see after January last season? Just wondering.

Yes, I did.

I saw a Shanahan that injured his neck/back and missed nine games from that point on. I don't care how old, whether you're 39, 29, or 19 it's impossible to play good hockey with an injured back/neck. I promise you if he were healthy he wouldn't have had as bad of an end as he did.

And here comes the "exactly he's too old" comment in response

Frank you are the man

Forget about Avery com'n here, not gonna happen, and it's ridiculous to even think of it. At this point, I would not sign Shanny, but, would def. consider him after the AllStar Game (if he is still available). And what's up with your Boy Dubi, Dude?.....why on earth is he not playing the same way he did while in Europe???? and you still think he's better than Richard's?.....LOL, not even fricking close, to my/our HUGE disappointment. It's actually amazing that we are where we still are, and we have Lunquist to thank for that...we need to start getting tougher, meaner and start scoring with and w/o a man advantage. Too many disappointments here on 12/3/08...REDDEN #1, Dubi, Dawes, Fritsche, Rosy, and Pearn and Renny for their lousy coaching and constant line switching and embarrassing PP. This is NOT the same team that won the Victorias Cup or started the season 11-2. Time to make a move for Sundin and get someone in here that knows how to put the puck in the net, that's for starters. _X_

The team is 17-8-2 and won 3 out of 4 and you all are acting like we're in the basement and need a total makeover. I don't get it.

And this blog is getting really tedious with "submission errors".

I agree Frank

let's give up on 23 year old Dawes, 22 year old Korpikoski, 23 year old Fristche and bring back 39 year old Shanahan, who really is only going to get better and less brittle with age.

Lets show no patience with our kids, only old vets can solve our problems.

Good point Frank.

Pucks in P,

you comments on Dubinsky clearly show more fan impatience with our kids.

It's amazing to me just how impatient you guys could be.

Oh, and check out Mike Richards NHL stats in his 2nd NHL season like Brandon Dubinsky is in now.

Dubinsky leaves his blood out there every night, we should be prasing the lord every day that we have a home grown 22 year old kid he loves being a Ranger as much as he does.

Another amazing thing

The same people on these blogs who are clamoring to bring Shanahan back are the same people who blast the organization for ruining Prucha.

Who do you think took Shanahan's powerplay time away when he got here?

You guys are going to make me bald from pulling my hair out, hope you are happy!

pucks in paradise

even though Sundin is a HOF and had 76 points last season, he is over 35 which automatically means its a bad signing. Instead we should just let Gomez and Drury carry the team. Fritsche and Dawes are tremendous players and they have to play over Sundin. Fritsche and Dawes are the future of this team and while Sundin would make us better the average age would go up so its a bad move.

Haven't we learned ANYTHING from LaFleur, Dionne, Gretzky, Lindros, LaFontaine, etc...? Let Sundin play for someone in California and let's stop giving away future great players (Amonte and Weight, anyone?) for 35+ year olds with a year or two left in them.

oleosmirf... You ARE joking about Fritsche and Dawes, Right? Please say yes! Also, Sundin would make a ton of sense right now! Again, though... You WERE joking about Fritsche and Dawes!? Ummm... OK

Jon - dallas not allowed to pick up part of avery's
contract in a trade. the jagr deal was different since
it was before the current cba was signed.
the only way to get him is by giving up similar bad
contracts like redden or rozy. or if dallas waives him
and tries to bring him back. reentry waivers cost 1/2
to claiming team and 1/2 to current team.

plus i want nothing to do with him. he is a loose canon.
an agitator but not overly physical although he will
fight his own fights. he is very very selfish and his
teammates hate him.

someone wants shanny still - short answer NO!

TK, failing to see the comparison between any of those players and Sundin. Sundin is a free agent and would cost nothing but a one year committment at a reasonable price and no players. He'd be taking a spot from marginal players who aren't playing or scoring anyway.
Also, last time I checked Weight and Amonte were traded for Esa Tikkanen, Brian Noonan and the immortal Stephane Matteau who won that little Stanley Cup thing in '94. Gretzky almost carried the team to a repeat in '97. At least give us Zubov or somebody that makes sense in that argument.

Matteau:

Noonan and Matteau's combined careers are 300 points less than either Amonte OR Weight. Matteau had an astounding 21 points, total, in his Rangers career. Noonan had a whopping 48 in 3 seasons and 100+ games. Weight and Amonte each were 900+ and Weight is still going strong averaging a point a game for the lowly Isles (and better than any Ranger). Giving away those careers for one year wonders is a huge price to pay and you have to wonder how many Cups we might have won with the two of them surrounding Messier, Leetch, Richter, and Co.

We'll never know.

my own personal power play ideas:

rangerreporter.wordpress.com

wow - do we need the puck to drop or what....a few days off and this is what we are talking about.

1 - Sign Avery - give me a break - guy is a cancer and a time bomb waiting to explode....just be thankful it will happen in dallas not nyc.

2 - Anyone arguing that Sundin will not make this team better should stop pretending to know anything about the game.

3 - Anyone comparing the Sundin possibility to boneheaded decisions in the past should also stop pretending to know anything about the game. We are not giving up anything of value and would not be making a long term commitment

4 - The Shanny thoughts are somewhat interesting - although personally i don't think he helps - but at least an interesting debate

game on please....

Frank

Are you crazy? You can't disagree with Dude!!

He knows EVERYTHING about hockey...

Dude,

I'm not being impatient. How many players have actually panned out for us? Malholtra? Danny Goneau? Lundmark? Jessiman? Wiseman? Pock? The list goes on. Other than Marc Savard and Mikael Samuelsson and if you want to be nit-picky Mike York, who has actually turned out to a player other than a 3rd-4th line player that we have given up on?

Sorry but I don't see any Marc Savard or Samuelsson in Dawes, Fritsche, Korpi, Rissmiller.

TK- all good points, but I'm going to agree to disagree wholeheartedly here. Poll 100 people on this site, I bet 95 will take that cup and run with it. We've been living off "promise" of more cups with this team for 70 years now with only that one shining moment. I'm reasonably sure it doesnt happen without the grit those 3 players brought. I'd make those two trades again in a heartbeat.

Oleosmirf, you made it obvious you clearly don't know what you are talking about..."Dawes and Fritsche are the future of our team", if that's the case, we're going no where folks. No, the core of our team is Gomez, Drury, Staal, Lunquist, Dubi (I hope), Zherdev, Garadi just to name a few.
_____\_ _ _____
Dude, you have to admit, Dubi has fallen off quite a bit since Europe and the start of the season..here are the facts: M. Richards: 24 games player, 10G, 16A 26pts and +13....Dubi, 27 (3 more than Richards) 5G,11A and 16pts (10 pts less than Richards) and even. I know Dubi is all heart and gives his all, and don't necessarily blame him 100% for his short comings- I blame Renny 110% because his switching of lines all the dam time isn't allowing the guy's to jell and create chemistry.
____ _X_ ____
I only want Shanny here if the kids continue to not progress and put the puck in the net...I have a lot of patience but when I see our GF verses other teams, I start to get a little edgy. Ridding ourselves of Dawes, Fritsche, Ris and sad to say, Prucha, gives us the oppty. to sign Shanny for the stretch run and Sundin as well. I wanted all along to stick w/the kids, but the kids aren't proving a thing out there and we need scoring, simple as that. We need toughness on the blue line and since Redden has been a total failure, up to now at least, if he isn't gonna do what he signed millions to do here in a Rangers jersey (lead our PP), let's move him for a bruising D man and let Sundin Control the PP. Renny needs to put our statistically best lines together and keep them together...this is our best shot going into the playoffs. We don't lose any players by signing Sundin and Shanny either!
___[][]\_ ___

I agree with Matteau,

The only trade the I EXTREMELY regret during that run in 94 was trading Mike Gartner. He was, and always will be a class act. Not to mention what he did for the Eddie O and co., even after the Rangers cost him his chance at the Cup.

TK,

the only thing about Amonte and Weight was, they were already studs when they were traded, there was no guessing if they were ever going to pan out, Amonte put up 69 and 76 points respectively his first two seasons. Weight was a little more of a gamble to get rid of but it's very hard to argue what Tikannen brought to the Rangers, he was a major reason for that cup run.

Frank, you're right hated to give up Gartner, and at the time thought Anderson was unnecessary. He did score those big goals in Vancouver though. God that spring was great!!

I'm not arguing arguing with the results - but we'll never know if the Cup could've been won without the marginal "role players" and with Weight and Amonte or not. The '93-94 team had a huge amount of experience and grit without Noonan, Tik, and Matteau. I can't argue in hindsight with the results and I was there with season tickets throughout that magical season. I just don't want to see a guy like Dawes or Dubinsky burn us down the road because we needed to move him/them to make room for a Sundin on a team that isn't nearly good enough to go the distance as it is currently constructed. Somebody or somebodies are going to get moved to make room for this rental player.

Blue:

I've been watching hockey for 30 years, had season tickets to the Rangers for many years, and (despite being a Ranger fan) even go to crappy Islanders games because I love the sport. Don't sit there and tell me that I don't know hockey because I happen to disagree with you. I guarantee you that I do.

I'm not arguing arguing with the results - but we'll never know if the Cup could've been won without the marginal "role players" and with Weight and Amonte or not. The '93-94 team had a huge amount of experience and grit without Noonan, Tik, and Matteau. I can't argue in hindsight with the results and I was there with season tickets throughout that magical season. I just don't want to see a guy like Dawes or Dubinsky burn us down the road because we needed to move him/them to make room for a Sundin on a team that isn't nearly good enough to go the distance as it is currently constructed. Somebody or somebodies are going to get moved to make room for this rental player.

Blue:

I've been watching hockey for 30 years, had season tickets to the Rangers for many years, and (despite being a Ranger fan) even go to crappy Islanders games because I love the sport. Don't sit there and tell me that I don't know hockey because I happen to disagree with you. I guarantee you that I do.

TK- I'm not sure Dawes or Dubinski would be affected by Sundin. Maybe a bit by playing time, but they don't make any money. The real issue is cap space and to create that Prucha, Riss, Fritsche, and/or one of the D men would have to go. What actually hurts Dawes and Dubi is Gomez, Drury, Lundy, Redden Rosi making so much money.

and you're right, the 94 trades make for a great debate.. no complaints with how it turned out though!

PIP - good post. only thing is redden is pretty much unmoveable with the contract at least for now.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=3740622

espn article is interesting about avery

Joe, that's the article I mentioned earlier. Would you trade Redden for Avery straight up? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't, but I bet Dallas would do it in a second!

Just to throw my 2 cents in on Shanny, I always wanted him
back because he can "bury" the puck on power plays. Part
of the problem with the PP is that, other than Zherdev and Nas,
no one really has a wrist shot like Jagr. I don't think having him
would have jeopardized any kids playing time (for the kids who
are worth it to play, I might add). I'm with you Frank on this
one. Dude, I see your points and they're valid but Shanny
might have helped the PP without taking a lot of minutes
during the game from anyone else. I mean really, of the players
that are sitting on a regular basis, which one is really a "must
play?" That's another thing abbout the Prucha situation. What's
the big decision? He's not replacing any Hall of Famers out on
the ice, is he?

"Rangers coach Tom Renney believes the back-to-back games
against Pittsburgh and Montreal will increase the club's
confidence or expose areas needed to be strengthened". Renney still doesn't see the areas that need to be strengthened? This guy hac no clue.

Nothing will ever take away the dream that was fulfilled in 1994. Yes, trading those players mentioned above was huge, and good question...could we have won w/o them? I don't know and to tell you all the truth, I don't wanna know.
_________ \_ _ _________
Trading Redden for Avery is insane.....Trading Redden for a tough hard hitting take no prisioners D-man is what we need back there, and someone who can get the puck ON NET too....enough with these guys shooting w-i-d-e- all the time, get it on net and pounce on the R'bounds...watch the kid do it tonight...he and Malkin are always around the net, which is just where Prucha and the rest need to be!!! Hope they practiced the double P today, gonna be some game ta'night at MSG. [][]\_ _ _________

Matteau23-
Where did you get Redden from out of curiosity?, i said trade Prucha and Rissmiller which frees up 2.6mil and gives Prucha a shot at actually playing somewhere. Also ive seen enough of Fritsche, would rather see Dawes over him.

"Tom Renney believes the back-to-back games against Pittsburgh and Montreal will increase the club's confidence or expose areas needed to be strengthened."

Right, like those areas have not already been exposed.

What made Prucha so good on the powerplay? For starters...JAROMIR JAGR.