New York Rangers Future is Bleak; Lundqvist’s Prime Being Wasted

The Rangers have a habit of being able to sign any free agent they put their mind to. With Ilya Kovalchuk on the market this season, I figured they were going to make a beeline right for him, and sign who is perhaps the most skilled player to ever reach unrestricted free agency in NHL history.

Had they signed him, the Rangers could have had a core of Henrik Lundqvist, Marian Gaborik, Ilya Kovalchuk, Marc Staal, and Michael Del Zotto– a core that would have easily become one of the best in the league.

For the next four or five years, the Rangers would have had a chance at domination.

But instead, the Rangers chose to do nothing. The Penguins and Devils vastly improved their teams, the Eastern Conference champion Flyers stayed the same, and the Islanders have an abundance of young talent on the rise. The same can be said of the Rangers, but how often do their rookies actually pan out?

Plain and simple, the Rangers are wasting the talents of arguably the best goaltender in the world. They are sitting back and watching his prime slip away. With prospects such as Derek Stepan and Chris Kreider years away from development, the young players Dubinsky, Callahan, and Anisimov still not quite there, the Rangers are going to be a very good team in the future, but that future may include an older Henrik Lundqvist, one that won’t be as spry as he is now.

For the Rangers to make the playoffs this season, they are going to need a 30-goal rookie campaign from Mats Zuccarello-Aasen, and career years from the offensive trio mentioned above. But unfortunately, for Callahan and Dubinsky, I believe we have already seen all we are going to get from them.

If the Rangers go into October with this current lineup, it is not hard to envision a bottom-five finish.

It is easy to want to go into a win-now mode, but it is very hard to do. It takes years of prospect development, clever drafting, and even smarter free agent signings. The Rangers development is getting there, the drafting has been average, but the free agent signings are killing them.

But the signing of one player, Ilya Kovalchuk could have reversed that.

How many teams can sport two all-world players, capable of scoring 50 goals, and players who have never had talented centers and can do it all on their own? Not many.

Glen Sather may have recently said in an interview that he is “not done tinkering”, but who else is left out there? There is not one player available who can come into this lineup and lead them deep into the playoffs. The only player of high-caliber who the Rangers have ever been linked to is Brad Richards on the Dallas Stars, but by trading for him, would the Rangers really be better off?

Although it is speculated that Wade Redden will be waived at the end of training camp, it should have happened already. Not, “Let’s wait and see”, but right now.

During the dark years from 1997 until 2004, the Rangers teams were never very good, but had they been able to field a goaltender such as Henrik Lundqvist, they would have had a chance to make it. Before Henrik Lundqvist’s arrival, not one of the many goaltenders since Mike Richter were anywhere near what the team needed.

The Rangers waited almost a decade for a solid goaltender, after panning through the likes of Mike Dunham, Dan Blackburn, Jussi Maarkanen, Kirk Maclean, Guy Hebert, and many others not worthy of a mention. All those years of mediocre goaltending, but they still tried to stack the team with offensive talents, even though they did not pan out.

Now they have that goaltender, in his prime, and they are wasting it. They signed Gaborik last season and have called it a day ever since.

Waiving Wade Redden is a must, but in reality, does this team become a contender if he is gone? Personally, there probably won’t be any change in the end result, which will be missing the playoffs for a second season in a row.

I will give Sather the benefit of the doubt that he is not done toying with the lineup, but if he is, then the great fans of the New York Rangers will be in for another year of disappointments, one that will watch the great play of Henrik Lundqvist whither away right before our very eyes.

A Cap Friendly (and Legal) Kovalchuk Contract

With the NHL’s rejection of Ilya Kovalchuk’s 17-year/$102 million contract, the New Jersey Devils will go back to the drawing board. Though I still firmly believe they will retain him, rumors will surely abound of other teams attempting to sign him. No matter where he goes, there is a way for a long-term deal worth major bucks to be handed out, and the best part is, it will be legal.

The contract will be a 13 year deal worth $84.5 million. It will be structured in a way that he will make $10 million per season for the first five years, $6.5 for the next three, $4.5 for the next one, and finally, $3.5 million for the last three years.

This new deal takes Kovalchuk until he turns 40, which is a much more reasonable age to still be playing at. The cap hit will now only be slightly higher, at $6.5 million. The Devils will still be able to afford him, and Kovalchuk could conceivably play out all 13 years.

For this deal, everyone would be happy. The Devils lock up their man, the NHL is satisfied, and Kovalchuk makes out like a bandit.

New Jersey Devils Bring Back Ilya Kovalchuk

Just a very short post as we do not yet know the details of how long the contract is and how much money he will recieve.

The three week long saga is finally over and the Devils who had the “inside track” all along come through and sign Ilya Kovalchuk. No one is certain what the exact contract is but some are speculating that it is in fact the rumored 17 year deal from last week. Others are saying it is more around 7 years, which would be more logical.

The Devils are taking a huge risk here, because their cap situation will become even tighter due to this signing, and Zach Parise is up for restricted free agency next summer. This could have been Lamoriello’s way of showing that they are trusting the franchise to Kovalchuk, rather than their home-grown fan favorite.

As I am typing this, a Tweet was just posted by Eric Duhatshek, a sports writer for the Globe & Mail. He writes:

“Kovalchuk is 27; a 17-year deal, if correct, takes him to age 44, and the end of 2026-27 season; anyone think he’ll still be playing then?”

And this comes from a very reliable source in Russia, Dmitry Chesnokov:

“Kovalchuk’s deal is in excess of $100 million for 17 years. I am hearing out of Russia.”

It will be interesting to see what the final deal is, and hopefully we will have this information shortly. Please keep checking back.

Around the NHL: A Boring Week, Looking at Kovalchuk Scenarios

Because this is the fifth post I have made with the title, “Around the NHL”, I have decided to make it an official column here on FNYTSF. Normally this series either wraps up or previews a busy day or days in the NHL, but over the last week or so, there has been absolutely nothing going on.

No one can even pretend to have the inside scoop on where Ilya Kovalchuk is heading. The Devils and Kings continue to be the front-runners while the Rangers reportedly offered him a two-year deal worth $15 million last week. Perhaps Kovalchuk himself does not even know where he is headed.

The amount of teams that can afford to pay Kovalchuk anywhere near the neighborhood of what he is asking are limited. They include the above mentioned three teams and the New York Islanders. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs at one time were whispered to have an interest in him, but they would have to make some moves to afford him, much like the Devils.

Below is every team rumored to be interested in Ilya Kovalchuk, and why he will or won’t sign there:

Los Angeles Kings: They seem to be more active than any other team with Kovalchuk. They can afford him outright but will not sign him to an immense deal because of restricted free agents Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson up for re-signing after this season. Los Angeles would be the ideal location for the big star– it has plenty of glitz and glamor, all while not being in a major, stressful market for hockey. Should he sign there, he could live like a king (no pun intended).

New Jersey Devils: According to Mark Everson and his New York Post write-up where the Devils signed Kovalchuk two weeks ago, the team still has the inside track on him. This may very well be, but the Devils still need to sign two players to reach their forward minimum, and would have to get rid of players to afford Kovalchuk. Unless Lou Lamoriello can find a way to get rid of Brian Rolston, there is no way to sign him without dismantling the team.

Toronto Maple Leafs: One does not know if there was ever any legitimate interest between the two parties, but once upon a time ago, it was spoken of that Burke had an interest in Kovalchuk, and signing him would turn the team completely around. However, Toronto would be the worst possible career choice for a player who has never played with any pressure, or people in the stands watching him. Kovalchuk may want to get more exposure and certainly the Devils and Islanders would not provide that. But Toronto is a hockey-hungry city that does not tolerate losing (ironic considering the past few Maple Leaf teams) and should Kovalchuk sign there and flop, it would make his life a living hell.

New York Islanders: They offered him 10 years at $100 million. He turned it down. Enough said.

New York Rangers: The Rangers may not have the greatest abundance of cap space, but they also would not have to jump through hoops to get him either. All the Rangers would need to do after signing Marc Staal is waive Wade Redden after training camp, and there is the money. This would be the next ideal location next to Los Angeles. Here Kovalchuk would share the spotlight with Gaborik (meaning the pressure is not entirely on him) and he gets to play in the greatest city in the world. Although there is major pressure, it is still nothing compared to what he would face in the Toronto market.

Hockey Bloggers Should be Grateful for Kovalchuk Saga

Last week when the Devils signed Ilya Kovalchuk were reported to have signed Ilya Kovalchuk, the hockey blogging world was sent into a frenzy. The New York Post broke the story, and we were all left asking our Devil-fan friends what they thought of the deal. The majority, I found, were not too pleased with the signing.

Twitter was going crazy with Kovalchuk Tweets and blog posts were being written by the hundred. All this within the first ten minutes. The power of the Internet truly is amazing.

Then came the first “Uh-oh” of the morning. The Post retracted their story of the about-to-be signing, and changed it to “Devils Have the Inside Track”. Here, a signing was not imminent, but the Devils were the front-runner to land the star Russian winger.

I am kicking myself this very morning that I did not save the many anger-driven Tweets by some of the foremost hockey writers on the Blogosphere, including many from TSN and Hockey Night in Canada insiders. I even had to go in and re-edit a piece I wrote shortly after the announcement.

Then, just about an hour later, the article title would be changed yet again to, “Kovalchuk Decision Expected Soon; Devils Still Favorites”. So in just about an hour, the news went from Kovalchuk signing, to Kovalchuk almost signing, to Kovalchuk is still a candidate to sign.

I read the New York Post daily, and I am shocked at how they handled this story.

And speaking of the decision that was expected to come “shortly”, six days later, and we are no closer to a deal with any team than we were last week.

In getting to the title of this little write-up, why should we hockey bloggers be grateful for all of this?

The answer is simple, and that is, what else would we be writing about?

We are nearly two weeks into what could be called the most brutally boring off-season in a while, and Kovalchuk allows us to speculate, and write about him daily. When the announcement was made that he signed with the Devils, I was not upset because he went to my cross-river rivals, but that fact that I wouldn’t be able to write about him anymore; save for an article or two bashing Lamoriello for handing out a ridiculous deal, especially the reported 17-year contract that came to light yesterday.

On just this small blog alone, I have found myself writing five articles about Kovalchuk just this past week:

With the Market Shrinking, Kovalchuk Should Look to Broadway

If the Devils Sign Kovalchuk, How Will They Afford It?

Around the NHL: Kovalchuk Wants to be a Ranger

Around the NHL: Devils Offer to Kovalchuk Revealed

Kovalchuk’s Contract Offer: A Lot Can Happen in Seventeen Years

If it were not for Ilya, we would all still be blogging about how bad of a contract Derek Boogaard got, ignoring the fact that Manny Malhotra got a $7.5 million contract, and reading Eklund blogging about how Mats Sundin will sign with the Rangers by training camp.

Let’s face it, we would be bored out of our minds, and the blogosphere would be quiet. Instead, we have all experienced a boost in visitors coming to our sites (just ask the Post about that), and we have all benefited, and kept glued to the computer screen.

So I wanted to thank you Ilya, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you.

Now go sign with the Rangers somebody!

Kovalchuk’s Contract Offer: A Lot Can Happen in Seventeen Years

Joe and I got to thinking about how ridiculous a seventeen year contract is, which is the supposed deal the New Jersey Devils offered Ilya Kovalchuk, according to the New York Post. Just think about how long 17 years is; that would be like the Rangers having a member of the 1994 Stanley Cup winning team still playing for them today. How crazy is that?

Kovalchuk himself would be 44 years old at the expiration of his contract.

So here are two lists, one showing what has happened in the last 17 years, and what could potentially happen in the next 17 years.

What Has Happened

-Super Nintendo was the main game console. Nintendo 64 did not even exist.

-Joe was in kindergarten, I was only two years old.

-Bill Clinton was banging Monica Lewinsky.

-The Rangers were good.

-OJ Simpson didn’t murder his wife.

-Chris Chelios was playing.

-VHS and Cassette tapes were state of the art.

-Hockey games ended in ties.

-Gary Bettman wasn’t ruining hockey…just yet.

-The Phoenix Coyotes did not exist.

-The Dolan’s did not own the Rangers.

-Computers were not mainstream, and not many owned them.

-Cell phones were heavier than a block of concrete.

-Pizza Hut was the cool place to be if you were a little kid.

-People didn’t die from eating Taco Bell.

Don's ask me. I have no idea either.

What Can Happen

-Joe could get married, have kids, and send them through grade school.

-I could finish college and have been a teacher for fourteen years.

-Chris Chelios could still be playing.

-According to the Mayans, the world could end.

-The NHL will have expanded with leagues in Africa and Antarctica.

-HD TV’s will be obsolete.

-The Phoenix Coyotes will no longer exist.

-Beer will cost $25 at Madison Square Garden.

-Jim Balsillie will have almost bought nine teams.

-Cell phones will be micro chip implants in our fingernails.

-Babies will come out of the womb while typing on a laptop.

-Shootouts will decide hockey games in the playoffs.

-Russ Cohen and Adam Raider will publish a sequel to their book titled “150 Ranger Greats”.

Around the NHL: Kovalchuk Wants to Be a Ranger, Nabokov to KHL, Zherdev to Flyers

Let’s start off with the smaller piece of news this afternoon, and that is Rob Niedermayer signing with the Buffalo Sabres. Way to go guys! Looks like Niedermayer is going to be your shiny new toy this season until he runs for his life next summer after spending the year in Buffalo.

Now to free agent Evgeni Nabokov, who signed a four-year deal with SKA of the KHL today. Although I originally predicted he would end up in Washington, it really only took a few hours past noon on July 1 to realize that there was absolutely no market for him in the NHL.

At 34 years old, Nabokov has never accomplished anything in the playoffs or international play, despite his 293 regular season wins. This will all but spell the end of his NHL career; if no one wanted him now, he will not find a job when his contract runs out at 38. My question is, in the distant future, will Nabokov ever find himself on the hall-of-fame ballot?

Now to the Ranger related news we have all been waiting for.

Joe and I have been saying it for days, that Kovalchuk and the Rangers were, or should be, dancing the tango together, even with no official word or rumor from anyone. But today, Darren Dreger of TSN Tweeted, “Kovalchuk should simply declare, publicly his want to play for the New York Rangers. I bet Slats would clear the deck and make it happen.”

I would not expect the Rangers to rush things here as clearly Kovalchuk is in no rush to sign a contract any time soon. The Rangers would definitely have to lock up Staal before even thinking about throwing the checkbook at Kovalchuk. And a move like this would ultimately spell the end of Wade Redden after training camp.

Also involving Kovalchuk, which is very convenient, the Los Angeles Kings are back in talks with the superstar, who probably contacted them to get a bidding war going. I would narrow his teams down to the Kings, Rangers, or back to Russia to play in the KHL. He is not going to the Islanders, the Devils would have to dismantle the team to acquire him, and the rumored Maple Leafs would be the worst possible career choice for Kovalchuk, who has never played under the intense pressure that exists in Toronto.

Finally, we have former Ranger great Nikolai Zherdev about to sign with the Philadelphia Flyers. This is coming from at least two very solid Russian sources on Twitter, and I expect the signing to happen soon. With Simon Gagne already asked to waive his no-trade-clause, that will all but be the end of his career in Philadelphia.

With the Market Shrinking, Kovalchuk Should Look to Broadway

When there is a big name free agent name free agent, what is the one team that is always mentioned? The New York Rangers.

Who is the biggest free agent available this summer? Ilya Kovalchuk

What team is the only big market team to not publicly have an interest in Ilya Kovalchuk? The New York Rangers.

For a team that year after year brings in big-money players, all is way too quiet on the Eastern front. Not once has there been a  rumor of the Rangers having an interest in Ilya Kovalchuk. Not from Eklund, not from the beat writers, not from anyone. The Rangers have to be interested in acquiring its services, so it is extremely strange that there has not even been word of an offer made to him.

Management has promised a better offensive team next season, but with no new catalysts brought in, and the homegrown players still at least a year away from development, this offensive help must come externally. Kovalchuk, despite his issues in big game situations is a perennial forty goal scorer who can hit more than fifty if he puts his mind to it. He is also a  guaranteed ninety points.

The only three teams that have been publicly announced as serious contenders are the Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils, and New York Islanders. Although feasible, there is something wrong with each one of these teams being attractive to him.

First and foremost, Kovalchuk turned down the Kings offer this afternoon, so it is unlikely that he will sign there. The Devils have less than $4 million available, and would need to move a few players to fit him. Meanwhile, the Islanders offered Kovalchuk a ten-year deal worth $100 million. If it was about the money, he would have signed there immediately.

For Kovalchuk, it can’t be about the money. The reason being the Islanders offer, which was identical tot he offer Thrashers GM Don Waddell made to him last season. He has now had the chance to become the richest player in the NHL twice, topping both Crosby and Ovechkin, and he turned it down.

Should the Devils become economically capable of giving the same amount, would he want to play in front of a half-empty Prudential Center, as opposed to quarter full Nassau Coliseum?

Now, the Rangers are not in a great salary cap situation either. They have roughly $9 million in cap space, with Marc Staal and Dan Girardi still to sign. But there is just one thing Glen Sather needs to do, and the problem will be solved. We all know what it is– waive Wade Redden.

Should the Rangers get rid of Redden, and trade Brashear as well, the Rangers could not only be able to easily sign Kovalchuk, but be able to give Staal $4.5 million, and Girardi $2.5 million. Kovalchuk will not get anything close to $10 million a year.

Joe Aiello acknowledges that the deal he gets would have to be similar to what Marian Gaborik has, which is $7.5 million a year. Lets stop pretending that players do not care what their teammates are making. They do, and they get jealous. Making Kovalchuk he highest paid player on the Rangers has a chance to start animosity in the locker room. But if he was paid identical to Gaborik, it would be fine.

Kovalchuk also wants job security. In order to make him happy, the Rangers could give him a thirteen year deal worth $97.5 million, as Joe suggests. This would be very un-Sather like, but this is a new age in the NHL, one where salaries are structured as such. Each year until he turns 35, he could get paid $10 million per season, then the remaining $17.5 could be spread throughout the final five years of the contract, taking him until he turns forty years old.

The Rangers would be fools to not consider bringing him in, or at least making an offer. One would have to think that something is going down, because there is hardly any market for Kovalchuk, and the next step would be the KHL, and I seriously doubt that he wants to play there, because they could have made him the highest paid player in the world, and he w0uld have signed there already.

Keep in mind that the longer a player goes without signing, the less money they get. That is just how it always works out, year after year. No one knows how long it will take, but we will see very soon where he chooses to ink his name, and I would consider the Rangers a top contender for his services.

Five Signings (and Rejections) by the Rangers That Would Make Me Very Happy

The Shelley-Anisimov-Prust line was a joy to watch last season.

Tomorrow, free agent frenzy will be upon us. Because my birthday is on July 2, that day is usually either a very happy, or very sad occasion depending on where Glen Sather spends his money.

Four years ago, just two days later, I was thrilled with the signing of Brendan Shanahan– a belated gift. But just a year later, I received a pre-birthday gift of Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, something I loved at the time but soon became a nightmare. Then last season came Gaborik, which I was so-so on. Either way, there is always some kind of movement.

I will always remember this plea I made for Brian Rolston two years ago, which was when I was in my earlier stages of writing (just take a look at my projected lineup– it’s laughable!). I’ve since moved on, and although Rolston has been pretty much a bust with the Devils, I will always remember how badly I wanted him.

Below are five signings (and rejections), including re-signings, that would make me very happy on my birthday:

Bringing Back Our Own

Marc Staal: The young, cornerstone defenseman of the franchise has reportedly turned down a very fair offer of four years/$3.5 million. His agent is Bobby Orr, and no doubt he is pumping him up to the extent that he will expect a contract Sather will never give out. Last season, during the Dubinsky holdout, the beat writers took both sides, but this time, everyone is on Sather’s side, which is a rarity. The Rangers need to bring him back, but they should not have to break the bank doing so. Sather will not budge from that offer, and if Orr and Staal have any brains at all, they will accept it.

Jody Shelley and Brandon Prust: These two players epitomized exactly what the Rangers were missing for the majority of last season. The Rangers got a fearless spark-plug in Prust, and a veteran, no-nonsense fighter in Shelley. Both were excellent in their roles as fourth liners with Artem Anisimov as their center. It is clear that Tortorella likes them both, so I have no doubt they will be back in Ranger blue. Shelley is also an amazing guy in the locker room, and the Rangers need to have some personality.

On the Fence

Dan Girardi: The Rangers have also reportedly offered Dan Girardi a contract. It is too bad he is restricted, because I really would not mind seeing him walk. At the same time, he was solid down the stretch and can play sound defensively in big spots. Put it this way, I would like to see him back, but would not shed a tear if he was given an offer sheet and signed elsewhere.

Vaclav Prospal: Although I predicted the Rangers would bring back Prospal, something tells me he may not be back. He was clearly the bargain of the season last year, making only $1.1 million. But he deserves a pay raise this year, and the Rangers may want to invest their money into a different player. If he were to sign with another team, I would thank him and wish him all the best because of what he did last season, but I would not be sad to see him go.

Anders Eriksson: For a player that was considered an old, career minor league scrub when he was signed, Eriksson was one of the reasons why the Rangers played so well down the stretch last season. He stepped in for a shaky Matt Gilroy and all of a sudden the defense clicked. Was it all due to him? No, but he definitely had a calming influence on the young defensemen. I would love to see him back, but if there is a more physical option out there for a seventh defensemen, I would want them to take that.

Go Get ‘Em Slats

Martin Biron: The Rangers number one priority this off-season is getting a backup goaltender that can be relied upon to free up Lundqvist’s ever-increasing workload. Despite a horrible season last year with a horrible team, Biron has always been solid (not great, but as a backup he would not need to be great) and should Lundqvist get injured, he could easily step right in and take the starting job. He could be had real cheap, and I think it would be a mistake to not sign him.

Sheldon Souray: This would require a bit of creativity, but I think Sather, the trade maestro can get it done. I believe the Rangers are content with what Rozsival brings to the table, and given the salary he is making in his final two contract years, they will most likely keep him. However, if, and that is an enormous if, the Rangers can persuade to the Oilers to take Redden, then it would work. Souray is disgruntled with his situation and often injured, so the Oilers will deal him this summer. I would bet a million dollars if I had it. Why would the Rangers want an always-injured Souray, you ask? Because him on one leg is better and more fun to watch than Redden.

It’s Possible, But Not Likely

Ilya Kovalchuk: Who wouldn’t want a perennial 40 goal/80 point player to sign with their favorite team? Although it is technically possible for the Rangers to afford him, it is highly unlikely that they can do so unless they shed some serious salary, which is easier said than done. Kovalchuk will not cost $10 million per season on the cap that was once speculated, more like around $8.5 million. I believe he will go to Los Angeles, but if he is there for the taking, and the Rangers have the maneuverability, then by all means, I hope they sign him.

Just Say No

Johan Hedberg: Rangers fans have this thing about Hedburg that I cannot explain. After browsing through various hockey internet forums, I would say that he is the top choice among fans to be the team’s backup goalie. This could be attributed to his past success against the Blueshirts. But if Hedburg becomes a Ranger, mark my words, by December we will all be saying, “He killed the Rangers every time he played them, now he’s on the Rangers and he kills them every night.”

Anton Volchenkov: If Rangers fans think Redden and Rozsival are useless, just wait until Sather doles out $5 million+ to get a player that all he does is block shots and hit. Granted, the Rangers desperately need to get physical, but there are a lot more cheaper options out there. Hell, I would rather see Brent Henley on the Rangers defensive corps next season than Mike Komisarek clone.

Closing Thoughts

As you can see, I do not project the Rangers making many moves. The one big name player they might have had interest in, Patrick Marleau, has already re-signed with the Sharks. Other than Kovalchuk, there is not a player on the market that can turn this team into a contender. The Rangers should just focus on resigning their own, and bring in one or two small contracts. There is no use wasting the money on older players, or younger reclamation projects that Sather is known for undertaking.

Around the NHL: Busy Day for Waiver Wire, Willie Huber Passes Away

We are now less than forty-eight hours away from the busiest day of the NHL off-season, free agent frenzy! Although there are not as many big names out there than there have been in year’s past, it still proves to be an exciting day, regardless of what team one cheers for.

Teams got busy this afternoon, waiving dead weight from the rosters in an attempt to free up extra space for Thursday afternoon.

The Anaheim Ducks waived Nathan Oystrick, the Lightning waived Todd Fedoruk, Florida waived Ville Koistinen, Calgary waived Ales Kotalik, the Senators said good-bye to one-time fifty goal scorer Jonathon Cheechoo, the Coyotes waived two players, Petteri Nokalainen and Jim Vandermeer, and the Rangers were the busiest, cutting ties with Aaron Voros, Donald Brashear, and Patrick Rissmiller.

One cannot help but feel bad for Rissmiller, who was signed two seasons ago to have a spot on the bottom six. The Rangers then signed Voros later that same day, and Rissmiller all but lost his job, appearing in only two games for the team since 2008. Hopefully he can find a job somewhere else and play with some regularity.

For Donald Brashear, who I actually liked, this comes as no surprise since Glen Sather announced weeks ago that he would never play another game for the Rangers. Hopefully the Rangers will handle this situation smartly, so they will not be on the hook for any of his salary.

Lastly, hopefully third time is a charm for Aaron Voros, as he was waived once again this afternoon. With the exception of a hot streak in his first month as a Ranger in 2008, he has brought absolutely nothing. No offense, no checking, and has been a relative punching bag in the majority of fights he has been in.

Something just tells me, though, that getting rid of Voros is easier said than done. He is best buddies with Henrik Lundqvist and Marian Gaborik, the two most important players on the team. Sean Avery is also thrown into the mix when these four “hang out” during the course of the season and the summer. That gives him a lot of pull with the organization, in my eyes, but hopefully that won’t stop him from finding work elsewhere.

Meanwhile, for Jonathon Cheechoo, it really is sad the fall this guy has taken since being on top of the hockey world in the 2005/06 season, when he scored 56 goals. As Adam Raider noted on the 100 Ranger Greats Facebook page, “I’m amazed at the turn Cheechoo’s career has taken. His goal totals over the years are as follows: 56, 37, 23, 12, 5. He is on pace for negative-7 goals next season.”

As a sad note, the Rangers and Red Wings lost a former long-time member of their defensive corps today, Willie Huber, who passed away due to a heart attack. Huber appeared in 655 games with the Rangers and Red Wings, as well as brief stints with the Vancouver Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers. He recorded 104 goals and 217 assists for 321 career points. He was an all-star in 1983 in the midst of a 43 point season.

Huber will be remembered mainly as a Red Wing, as he had his best offensive seasons there. But I will always remember watching him on episodes of Rangers Classics on MSG, during the Rangers thrilling playoffs runs in the 1980′s with the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers.

He was way too young to go. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.