On the Rink with Gootz: New York Rangers First Half Recap

Even though the NHL season always seems like a long a grueling one (it is), I always find myself in amazement at how fast it actually all goes by. It is January 28th, and the proverbial first half of the season has come to an end with every NHL team skating into the All Star Break for a restful few days before the playoff chase officially begins. Who would have thought at this point, that the New York Rangers would be second in the entire league and in first place in the Eastern Conference? I can guarantee no one had it pegged as such. The highest aspirations I had for the team for the regular season were what they have been for the last few years: battling for a playoff spot the entire year, and going down to the last day.

Obviously, that could still be a possibility depending on which Rangers show up when the second half starts on Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils, but for now, let us look back on a first half that has, overall, been a great one. It seems like a long time ago that the Rangers were literally traveling all over the world to play hockey games and having a bumpy start to the season. But from then until now, Ranger fans have watched a team gel and combine to form a potent force that finds ways to win. If you think about it, it is kind of amazing that the Rangers are where they are when you consider a few things. First, the defensive core has never been healthy for a long period of time. Whether it was Marc Staal starting late, or him coming back and Mike Sauer and Steve Eminger going out, the D-corps has not been at full strength.

New York Rangers Should Make an Effort to Trade for Steven Stamkos

According to Eklund (yeah, I know, he is not exactly the most credible source out there), the Tampa Bay Lightning are having trouble re-signing their restricted free agent superstar Steven Stamkos, who is one of the most talented, and likeable, players in the league. Regardless of the source, it is no secret that the team is having some difficulty locking him up. Supposedly, the two sides are currently nowhere close to reaching an agreement, and although another team could offer-sheet Stamkos, the return of four first round draft picks as compensation, probably does not sit well with management, even though it is such a hefty price. Let’s face it, the only team that would attempt to poach him would be a contender (or would become one with his acquisition), therefore, in the eyes of the Lighting, those draft picks would not yield much, since they would be near the bottom of the picking order. Should they know they are not going to reach an agreement, they can easily trade his rights to another team, and acquire current NHL roster players, draft picks, and prospects, which is more fruitful than just four picks.

If you remember the Larry Brooks article from this past season, on how the New York Rangers were so close to trading for Stamkos (I believe there was a handshake deal of some sort involved, before Steve Yzerman took over), you know they are interested in him. Glen Sather will never offer-sheet a player of that magnitude, just because he is much more classy than that. He has never done it before, and will never do it, so you can just forget about that option. The Rangers’ drafting in the hands of Gordie Clark also would not allow for the team to lose out on four first round picks, which would severely hinder the franchise’s ongoing development. If the Rangers want Stamkos, they will have to trade for him, in what will probably be the biggest blockbuster deal in recent memory.

One of the reasons why Stamkos has not yet signed is probably because he wants a front-loaded deal, and the Lightning either do not have the money for it, or just do not want to shell it out. Well, what is the one team that does have the money? The New York Rangers. Provided they can somehow maneuver the salary cap to fit him, they can give him whatever salary he requires in the immediate future. $24 million over the next two seasons? Book it. A no trade clause? Book that too, since Sather hands them out like candy any way. The Rangers need to be in on this, because even with an addition of Brad Richards, they still are not yet a contender. But if they were to add Stamkos, however, the team’s complexion would change dramatically, as they would finally have a legitimate (if not scary) top six, with solid role players on the bottom six.

But what would it take to acquire a player such as Stamkos? The Rangers would most likely have to send Brandon Dubinsky, another roster player, a first round pick, and a top prospect from the farm system. Michael Del Zotto could be that other roster player, while the prospect can be anyone in the team’s system, and I mean anyone—let the Lightning have their choice. I must admit, that as exciting as this thought is, it is highly unlikely, but should Stamkos become available via trade, the Rangers need to get in on it; Sather still has some magic left in the tank.

The Nine Degrees of the Rangers Draft Selection

Dylan McIlrath, the Rangers 2010 first round selection.

Needless to say, last night’s pick from the Rangers caused some excitement, in both a good and bad way. Below is the process I went through as the Rangers got set to make their pick, and followed through with it.

1. The Rangers are on the clock: excitement.

2. The Rangers make their way to the podium: angst.

3. The Rangers are at the podium: tension.

4. The Rangers make their selection: frustration.

5. The name they called finally sets in: conniption.

6. The player makes his way to the podium: rage.

7. The TSN analysts bash the selection: lunacy.

8. The fact that the Rangers desperately needed a tough defenseman sets in: hyperventilation.

9. The realization that the draft was in the hands of Gordie Clark, not Glen Sather: calmness.

I want to thank the Rangers for taking about five years off my life and maybe tacking two back on because of their selection last night. I really like the pick now, honest to God, I just did not expect it at all.

What Lies Ahead for the New York Rangers (Satire…maybe)

The first time I wrote one of these prediction pieces was back on Metro Hockey, and I must say, I did not come close with any of them, except the one where I had Chris Higgins scoring his first goal in February. That was borderline. But here it is, what lies ahead for the New York Rangers!

June 15, 2010: The Rangers cash in on the future considerations they acquired from the Nashville Predators in the deal that sent Hugh Jessiman packing. In return, the Rangers get two packs of Pemmican beef jerky and a case of Gatorade.

June 16, 2010: The Predators file a grievance with the NHL office. The title of their memo: “Trade Backsies”.

June 25, 2010: The Rangers select Hugh Jessiman’s brother Louie with the tenth pick in the draft. They then trade Chad Johnson for the rights to draft Hugh’s other brother Dewey.

June 26, 2010: The Rangers, after realizing their mistake, trade Louie and Dewey to the Ducks. Nashville then trades Hugh to Anaheim as well.

June 29, 2010: Anaheim Ducks fold.

June 30, 2010: Jim Balsillie attempts to buy the Ducks and re-locate them to Hamilton.

July 1, 2010: With no center for Marian Gaborik, the Rangers offer Betty White a two year deal worth $8 million. She tells Sather she will think it over.

July 2, 2010: A Facebook group starts up begging Betty White to take the deal.

July 3, 2010: Betty White signs the deal with the Rangers, but only if she is granted a full no trade clause.

July 4, 2010: The Rangers re-sign Enver Lisin to a three year contract worth $10 million after Artem Anisimov held Gordie Clark at gun point.

July 5, 2010: The Rangers banish Wade Redden to Hartford, where he then flees the country and signs a fifteen year deal worth $100 million with a KHL team.

October 4, 2010: The Rangers open up the season with Betty White at center, Marian Gaborik at right wing, and a wax figure of Bea Arthur on left wing.

October 6, 2010: Sean Avery gets into his first locker room scuffle of the season when he calls Betty White an “old lady”. She knocks him out with one punch.

November 1, 2010: The Rangers begin the season 0-8-1.

November 2, 2010: In an attempt to shake up the team, Glen Sather fires Mike Sullivan and replaces him with a  cigar store Indian.

November 3, 2010: John Tortorella suffers a stroke during pre-game warm-ups when he yells at Steve Valiquette for letting in soft goals. En route to the hospital, Ryan Callahan breaks it to him that Steve Valiquette hasn’t been on the team for a year.

November 10, 2010: Chris Drury holds a television press conference yelling at his fellow players and blaming them for the poor start. At every commercial break John Giannone reminds the audience that they are having technical difficulties with the microphone, accounting for the low volume of Chris’s speech. The microphone was fine.

November 28, 2010: The Rangers win their first game of the season, a 19-1 triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes in front of 500 fans in Glendale, all of which are Petr Prucha’s family members.

December 1, 2010: Glen Sather quits his job as GM of the Rangers and is replaced in the interim by Neil Smith.

December 2, 2010: The Rangers designate the Bea Arthur wax figure for assignment. However she leaves leading the team in +/-.

December 3, 2010: Neil Smith signs Mark Messier, Craig MacTavish and Kevin Lowe.

December 4, 2010: Betty White retires after suffering an incurable groin pull injury.

December 23, 2010: The Rangers lose their tenth game in a row by the score of 18-0. Chris Drury announces it will not ruin his Christmas.

December 30, 2010: The Rangers sign Chris Chelios to a one game contract.

December 31, 2010: The Ranger players all gather together to watch the ball drop. Chelios tells them to stop staring at him when in the shower.

And thus the crystal ball ends. Ain’t the future great?