Staying the Course Best Option for Rangers

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July 1st brings about more excitement in the world of the New York Rangers than their season opener itself, because general manager Glen Sather has built up a reputation over the years of making a major splash on that date by grabbing at least one of the big name free agents. In some instances, the signing panned out (Marian Gaborik) and in others, not so much (Wade Redden). This has been a trend in almost every year since the lockout and has been the team's way of patching holes within their lineup. The problem is, if they continue to patch these holes, why do the holes always come back, eventually forcing the veteran GM to again go out and find a quick fix? If that trend is suddenly put to a halt and the club is not built on "purchased" players for once, the Blueshirts may be able to finally get themselves on the right track.......over time.

This likely will not fly with fans, but believe it or not, I believe that the Rangers' best option this year would be to do absolutely nothing, zilch, nada on July 1st. Aside from Marian Gaborik, Slats' free agent acquisitions since the lockout have very rarely worked out and has left this team in severe cap trouble. Let's take a moment to look at what exactly I am referring to when I say this; here are some free agent signings by Glen over the recent years.

Wade Redden - member of present team
Chris Drury - member of present team
Ales Kotalik - traded to Calgary
Chris Higgins - traded to Calgary
Scott Gomez - traded to Montreal
Dmitri Kalinin - traded to Phoenix
Marcus Naslund - lost to retirement
Vinny Prospal - will become free agent
Patrick Rissmiller - waived
Aaron Voros - waived
Marian Gaborik - member of present team
Donald Brashear - waived

When you look at that list of individuals, how many of them can you honestly say have been successful on Broadway? I would say Gaborik, Prospal, and probably Marcus Naslund (scored 25 goals with NYR). So that means only three out of the last twelve signings have paid off, putting the success rate at approximately 17 percent. If the odds are that low, and will continue to get lower I am quite sure, why even continue to take the chance?

Head coach John Tortorella told the media at prospect development camp that three positions the Rangers would like to get stronger at are center, defense, and back-up goaltending. I shall begin with center, which there are numerous replacement options other than a free agent. Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, Ryan Bourque, Ethan Werek, and Evgeny Grachev. Guess what all of those players have in common? First off, there are all top prospects within the Blueshirts' system, and secondly they all play the center position. With a list of centers as deep as that, along with current centers Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky, I do not see why the club needs a free agent to improve up the middle.

Stepan and Kreider will have a shot at the making the Rangers out of camp later this summer. Grachev, Bourqe and Werek will have that opportunity the next year. With that, New York is just two or three years away from being one of the deepest teams in the entire National Hockey League at center and the best part? They are all coming in as rookies so they will be dirt cheap.

As for defense, sure, an Anton Volchenkov would be nice, but also costly. You know who will not be as costly? Ryan McDonagh, Pavel Valentenko, Corey Potter, Dylan McIlrath, Mike Sauer, Tomas Kundratek, Ilkka Heikkinen and Ivan Baranka will not. Right there you have seven defensemen that will be NHL ready in three to four years, some even earlier than that, and then you factor in Marc Staal, Dan Girardi - assuming they are both re-signed - Michael Del Zotto, Matt Gilroy, in addition to Wade Redden and Michal Rozsival being off the books, and the Rangers' blueline will be in very good shape for years to come.

Again, no free agents needed to fill holes if they build within their system and go with homegrown talent. And yes, again it all comes at a cheap price.

And finally back-up goaltending, the last area of the roster Torts mentioned needs improvement. This is the only area I think the Rangers can turn to the free agent pool and be happy with their decision in the future. Of course, they can also decide to go with goalies that have developed in Hartford (AHL) such as Matt Zaba or Chad Johnson. Now I will admit, I am not a goaltending expert, but Chad Johnson is on his way to becoming a solid netminder in the NHL, but probably not this year. I could certainly see him as Henrik Lundqvist's back-up somewhere down the road.

The "staying the course" approach is not a bad idea for GM Glen Sather and the Rangers' brass. Staying within their system would most likely result in a horrid 2010-11 season, but it will pay off in the year after that and so on. I know that will not satisfy fans, and probably not Sather either, so I do not expect it to happen. However, it is their best option moving forward at the moment.

What do you think the Rangers' approach in free agency should be? Submit your vote in the new poll on the left sidebar.

Voros, Brashear, Rissmiller Waived; Slats Talks Free Agents

Bob McKenzie of TSN reported on Twitter earlier today that the New York Rangers have placed forwards Aaron Voros, Donald Brashear, and Patrick Rissmiller on waivers. He also mentions that all three are eligible to be bought out, but I doubt management would go through all that trouble for such low paid players.

Also, Andrew Gross of Ranger Rants, while at day two of prospect development camp, spoke with general manager Glen Sather and asked him a bit about the team's free agents and what the plan is moving forward.

First off, I asked GM Glen Sather about the players who were tendered qualifying offers and Sather said it was everybody on the list (namely Staal, Girardi) but not Erik Christensen and Enver Lisin. But, Sather said, the Rangers would like everybody back, they’re just unwilling to pay at the qualifying price and also risk the arbitration. Of the two, the Rangers clearly are looking to bring back Christensen - the reports are there might be a two-year offer on the table. The Rangers have also placed Aaron Voros, Patrick Rissmiller and Donald Brashear on waivers, which was no surprise. Only Voros has a shot of playing for the Rangers next season but the club likely wants to go in a different direction.

I would not mind having Christensen back for two years at the right price, and I think that is the objective here with him not receiving a qualifying offer. Erik can be a great third line centerman or winger for this team and bringing him back would be a wise move.

Lastly, former Ranger Willie Huber passed away today at the age of 52 due to a tragic heart attack. Our condolences to his family.

Rangers Looking to Waive Redden?

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Arthur Staple of Newsday released his thoughts on the Rangers in an article today, and among those thoughts he stated that the Rangers waiving highly paid defenseman Wade Redden is not out of the question, in fact he said it was almost "certain". It would be wise to take this with a grain of salt because there have been many rumors of Sather sending Wade to the waiver wire in the past, but this is the first time we are hearing it from a beat writer.

Here is what Staple had to say in his Newsday article today:

There is more room on defense, where Wade Redden is almost certain to be waived and sent to Hartford when training camp ends. "He's been discussed," Sather said.

So not only is a beat writer reporting it, but general manager Glen Sather is not denying it either. "He's been discussed" leads me to believe that the Rangers brass as well as the coaching staff has considered all options when it comes to the former Ottawa Senator, and they are finally realizing his a detriment to the club. Staple is likely hinting at something because that quote would not be inserted into that section of the article for no specific reason. There may be something that we do not yet know about...until now that is.

Waiving Redden would not only clear $6.5 million in cap space, but also gives Sather a bundle of cap space to play with, whether that means Ilya Kovalchuk or Anton Volchenkov. Certainly Sather's comment of not wanting to put tampering accusations out there when asked about Kovalchuk on Saturday at the draft suggests he has considered the option, maybe more heavily than many believe. Kovalchuk would bring in a large sum of money and the only way to accommodate that would be by dumping Redden.

Waiting until after training camp to make the move would allow youngsters to beat out Redden in training camp, so then Slats will have a legitimate reason for his decision. Head coach John Tortorella wants nothing to do with him, the fans want nothing to do with him, and Sather probably feels the same way but is hesitant on admitting it. It is a move that would greatly benefit the team moving forward.

Again, I wouldn't fully believe this is going to happen just yet because you then would be setting yourself up for potential disappointment. However, it is at least giving us some closure knowing that the Blueshirts have considered the prospect of waiving Redden behind closed doors. This is something the fans have been calling for since early last season. Glen Sather may finally be answering that call.

Credit to my co-writer on Blueshirt Banter, Joe Fortunato, for finding this.

No Urgency to Re-Sign Prospal

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Recently we have heard a lot about Rangers free agents Marc Staal, Jody Shelley, Brandon Prust and Erik Christensen. A name that has not been mentioned much has been forward Vinny Prospal, who was signed last August for one year at $1.1 million after being bought out by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Coming off of an impressive season on Broadway, the 35-year-old Czech native is due to become an unrestricted free agent come July 1st and the Rangers have showed no sign of extending his contract just yet.

In 75 games played this season, Prospal notched 20 goals and 38 assists for a total of 58 points, which was good for second on the team in scoring behind winger Marian Gaborik. Speaking of Gabby, Prospal was the only player other than Erik Christensen that really seemed to "click" with Marian and that alone should tell Glen Sather that he should be brought back for at least one more season in New York. But it does not end there - Vinny brought a lot more to the ice than just chemistry with Gaborik.

I didn't label him "Mr. Intensity" for no reason this past year. Prospal takes the game personally so he leaves everything out on the ice. He may be on the older side, but that doesn't bar Prospal from being one of the hardest workers in the entire National Hockey League. For that reason he became the club's alternate captain along with Ryan Callahan. That was also partly due to head coach John Tortorella's pre-existing knowledge of Prospal's attitude from his years with the Bolts back during their cup year.

The team has tremendous respect for Vinny and his work ethic and you could tell that rubbed off on some of the youngsters in the lineup such as Brandon Dubinsky and even Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy. I would even go as far as to say Prospal has become a better leader through example than captain Chris Drury, but again, I am not aware of what goes on in the locker room.

At such a cheap price, and the fact that you are really getting bang for your buck, you would think that Vaclav would be at the top of Sather's list when it came to re-signing free agents before Thursday. Apparently that is not the case since we have not heard his name since the season ended in early April. I know he's up there in years, but he was one of the very few consistent players on the team this year and one of only three who scored 20 goals or more on the season.

Finally we shall take a look at the terms in which Prospal should receive. He should get no more than a 1-year offer, so let's get that out of the way right off the bat. Secondly, I would offer him a price of about $1.5 million. That is an increase of $400,000, which I think is sufficient for what Prospal was able to accomplish in his first year with the Rangers. So the final deal would be one year at $1.5 million, which is something I would think Prospal would seriously consider.

Rangers to Qualify Prust, not Christensen

Steve Zipay is reporting on Twitter that the New York Rangers have elected to extend a qualifying offer to restricted free agent forward Brandon Prust, who was acquired by the Blueshirts before the trade deadline in a deal with the Calgary Flames. Prust, age 26, made $500,000 last season, so the qualifying offer is most likely just above that. A qualifying offer also guarantees that if Prust was to sign an offer sheet with another team in the NHL, the Rangers would receive compensation for him. I don't see it getting to that point, though.

The Ontario native registered 14 points in 59 games played in 2009-10, but became a tremendous role player while skating on the fourth line for New York. Not only did he drop the mitts on several occasions, but his offensive game also picked up and translated for some key goals later in the season. Because of Prust, along with Jody Shelley and Artem Anisimov, John Tortorella, for the first time in his career, became a four-line coach. In fact, he was plying them more than his second and third forward units because of their continuous work ethic and production.

Erik Christensen, however, will not receive a qualifying offer but not because the Blueshirts do not want to sign him. By not giving the waiver wire claim a QO, they give themselves an opportunity to sign him for more years but for less money. Christensen had 26 points in 49 games with the Rangers, so he is definitely someone general manager Glen Sather would like to bring back for 2010-11.

Busy Week Ahead for the Blueshirts

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The heart of the NHL off-season is upon us with the Entry Draft being completed this past weekend in Los Angeles, free agency only three days away and many transactions now being made throughout the league. Something that has seemed to fly under the radar, though, has been the fact that the New York Rangers will be holding their annual Prospect Development Camp this week at their training center in Westchester County starting today.

I get a handful of questions from readers about where the Blueshirts' prospects are at and which of them will have a chance at making the lineup for the next season. Well, that is why the development camp is held each and every year. The five-day camp, ran by head coach John Tortorella, is a great way for the coaching staff and management to get a grip on their system and who's knocking on their door - I think after this year's camp there will be quite a few.

Tortorella takes an awful lot of criticism from the fanbase and the media, but one thing I must admit he does well is run organized camps. He knows how to get the most out of the players by making them go through very involved drills and ones that test them in all areas, especially physically. This will eventually separate the 'maybes', the 'no ways', and the 'definitelys'. Whoever impresses Torts and the rest of the staff will be invited to  regular training camp in September where they will try to crack the NHL lineup.

A list players who will be attending prospects camp can be found HERE. Among those you may recognize Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, Ryan Bourque, Ethan Werek, Evgeny Grachev, Ryan McDonagh, Dylan McIlrath and Roman Horak.

In addition to this, general manager Glen Sather, Mark Messier and the rest of the Rangers brass also have free agency opening up on Thursday at noon, yet do not have a single one of their free agents signed. I doubt Slats is in panic mode just yet, but he is running out of time and needs to get his priorities in order because he is in a hairy situation. First off, Marc Staal remains unsigned as I talked about yesterday. Secondly, Jody Shelley and Alex Auld have barely been mentioned since the season's end. Dan Giradi is en route to becoming a restricted free agent, as is forward Brandan Prust. These are all guys the Blueshirts were supposedly interested in bringing back but none have been inked yet..... Not a good sign in my eyes.

Due to the mess within the team, I do not expect Glen Sather to make a huge splash in free agency on July 1st. He may go on a signing rampage later in the month when other problems are dealt with, but for now he cannot be sure on how much cap room he has to work with. It is not the position he wants to be in at this point in time, but it is his job to get it all done and put a decent product onto the ice in 2010-11 (Don't get your hopes up).

As always, full coverage of all this week's events can be found right here on the Rangers Tribune. We have been reaching record numbers on the site recently with several thousands of readers visiting everyday, and we thank you for that. As far as Thursday goes (July 1), frequent blogs will be posted periodically as the day goes on and then that will be followed by a live chat at 8 p.m. that night. Check back later for updates on day one of prospect camp.

Rangers, Staal Split in Negotiations

Chasm- A deep, steep-sided rift, gap or fissure; a gorge or abyss; A large difference of opinion.

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That was the word used to describe the current negotiations between the New York Rangers and RFA defenseman Marc Staal by general manager Glen Sather, reports Steve Zipay on twitter. Sather even went as far as to deny that there is a wide gap between the two parties.....

"Not a wide gap, a chasm"

If that is coming straight from the general manager's mouth, a GM that usually does not reveal much as far as inside situations go, we have no choice but to fear what will happen to Marc Staal's future in New York, if there is any.

I have repeatedly stated that the Blueshirts' top priority right now is to get Staal re-signed, because before that happens, they really do not have much room to make any blockbuster moves, or ones that will at least work towards improving the lineup. I am deeply afraid we are going to see a dragged out battle between the Rangers and Staal this summer, much like we saw with Brandon Dubinsky prior to the start of the 2009-10 season.

Marc Staal is this club's top defenseman and will continue to be this club's top defenseman. He was a first round gem that the organization has cherished ever since he made the jump from the Sudbury Wolves to the Rangers. "He's the real deal" was a common statement I heard leading up to his rookie season on Broadway. Many times when you hear something like that, you are left disappointed and unsatisfied; Marc Staal is the real deal and I haven't been disappointed and I haven't been unsatisfied. He is every thing I could've wished for in a defenseman and to see him slip from this team would be extremely devastating.

Glen Sather has a history of not wanting to pay restricted free agents the money that they ask (i.e. Brandon Dubinsky) because he knows he has the upper hand in the negotiation and uses that to his advantage. There is a reason that most players who become unrestricted free agents end up leaving the Rangers every year; Slats does not have the advantage, he isn't willing to pay the bucks, so the player takes off and gets that money elsewhere.

Staal is a whole different story, though. Sather may be on top here, but Staal has a legitimate reason to argue. Sather should give in here and give Marc the money he wants. That is what I see happening in the end, otherwise this will turn ugly.

Recap of Day Two at the Draft

The New York Rangers were very busy this afternoon in Los Angeles, where they completed rounds two through seven of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The only round in which they did not have a pick in was the third, but even still managed to walk away with some solid prospects that will attend prospects camp within the next few weeks back in New York. Below is a recap of the Blueshirts' day two at the Staples Center. Also check out my posts from earlier for more news from day two at the draft.

Round 2, 40th overall: Christian Thomas (RW, 5-9, 165 lbs)

Read all about Christian in my post on him from earlier.

Round 4, 100th overall: Andrew Yogan (C, 6-3, 202 lbs)

Scouting Report: In 63 games for the Erie Otters, Yogan scored 25 goals and added 30 assists for 55   points while picking up 97 penalty minutes. Yogan played for Team Cherry at the 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game, where he made it onto the score sheet from a fight with Team Orr's Matt MacKenzie.

Yogan has a big frame and skates well, but lacks the skill to be a top-six forward at the NHL level. A better passer than a shooter, but he chooses to shoot a lot. Work ethic is an issue, as is hockey sense.

Round 5, 130th overall: Jason Wilson (LW, 6-2, 205 lbs)

Scouting Report: The Rangers have taken Jason Wilson of the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL with their 5th round, #130 overall. Wilson put up a line of 17-18-35 with 101 PIMs in 46 GP. Wilson is 6’2, 205 lbs.

Round 6, 157th overall:  Jesper Fasth (RW, 6-0, 176 lbs)

Scouting Report:  If there is a more appropriately named player in the draft, we haven’t met him. Fasth is a lightning-fast skater who bursts to top speed in just a few steps and can really back defenders up when he goes straight at them. The problems come when he has to handle the puck at top speed or finish off plays on offense, and is why he’s not ranked among the top prospects in this class

Round 7, 190th overall: Randy McNaught (RW, 6-5, 221 lbs)

Scouting Report: Randy McNaught, with his 6-5, 221 lb frame, is a pure bruiser that knows how to use his body. He has run into trouble in the past while playing in the WHL with suspensions, but other than that he is a clean gritty player with a whole lot of size. In fact, he has dropped the gloves and fought Rangers' first round draft pick, Dylan McIlrath, in the past.

Also, the Rangers traded prospect defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti to the Carolina Hurricanes for draft picks. Details on that trade can be found in my post from earlier.

I will have more up on the site either tonight or tomorrow morning as general manager Glen Sather dropped some great quotes on the team's free agent situation and their draft picks.

Rangers Trade Bobby Sanguinetti to Canes for Picks

Larry Brooks is reporting on Twitter that the New York Rangers have traded Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti to the Carolina Hurricanes for a sixth round pick in this year's draft and a second round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. This is not coming as a surprise, and if you are a dedicated reader here on the site you would know that I have been saying this would happen for about two to three months now. The Blueshirts simply have too many defensemen within their system and the New Jersey native happen to be the odd-man out.

Sanguinetti was pretty much a goner when he did not impress head coach John Tortorella in training camp last September. Considering that Torts has a plethora of young blue-liners to choose from, he wasn't about to settle on one that lacked luster. This was a move that was bound to happen and I wish Bobby the best in Carolina, where general manager Jim Rutherford said he will have a shot at cracking the lineup next season. 

Rangers Take Christian Thomas in Second Round

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The New York Rangers held the 40th overall pick in the second round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in which they used to select right wing Christian Thomas of the Oshawa Generals this afternoon. Thomas, 5-9, 165 pounds, is the son of former NHL star Steve "Stumpy" Thomas, and while he may not be able to completely follow his father's footsteps, he has shown some major improvement over the past season. Since the mid-season rankings, Christian has moved up 45 spots after scoring 41 goals and 25 assists in 64 games with the Generals.

You may recognize Thomas' name since he was a part of the John Tavares trade that sent last year's first overall pick and now current Islander to the London Knights of the OHL.

Thomas has a nice scoring touch at the right wing and has a fabulous shot according to many scouts. One scout went as far as to say that he holds an "NHL shot" already, but other parts of his game need improvement before he makes the jump to the big leagues.

Here is a couple of scouting reports on Thomas:

Hockey's Future: Small, speedy forward with a scoring touch. In his first full season with the Generals, Thomas picked up 41 goals and added 25 assists for 66 points in 64 games.

Maple Leafs Hot Stove: ...His bread and butter of going hard to the net is supported by excellent speed and skating skills (what else would you expect of Stumpy’s [Steve Thomas'] son) and a nose for goal. Coupled with decent hands, a high hockey IQ, and cannon shot, Thomas has the potential to be a killer offensive force in junior the next couple of seasons.

...Christian has a chippy edge and has shown he isn’t afraid to throw around what mass he has and furthermore he works hard on the puck all the time and knows how to make himself open. You could characterize Thomas’ play as doing the simple things well, doing them consistently and doing them with fast, hard skating.

...Thomas has yet to put up the kind of numbers to suggest he could handle top 6 duties in the NHL and lacks the size to be a pure energy third liner....what a team would be drafting in Thomas is a whole-lotta likeable skill, bloodlines, and sense with only one standout year to his name.

Reconsidering the Selection of McIlrath; It Was the Right One

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Many of you are likely still steaming after your New York Rangers passed up on two future stars in Cam Fowler and Brandon Gormley. That is understandable since it all happened so quickly and came as a shock. That being said, the Rangers drafted for a need, not a want. That may have been hard to comprehend at the time of the pick, but after having a night to think it over there is a reason Gordie Clark chose Dylan McIlrath and it will pay off in the future.

I am going to keep the professional scouting reports out of this post because I am going to explain to you why this was the right decision from a fans' perspective by using examples. Think back to the previous season and count how many times you remember goaltender Henrik Lundqvist being run over in his crease and the team just standing around and watching. Remember when Marian Gaborik was pounded in the face by enforcer Daniel Carcillo of the Philadelpgia Flyers? How many times a game did the opposition plant themselves at the top of out goal crease and give Henrik a much harder time tracking the puck then he should have had to deal with?

It may take a few years, but by adding one player - that being Dylan McIlrath - all of those problems will be gone. They will no longer be something that the coaching staff finds themselves constantly worrying about and it will subtract from the very long list of problems this club faces.

In 1994 when the Rangers brought the cup back to New York, tell me who their top defensive pairing that was a major reason for Mike Richter's excellence was? Brian Leetch and Jeff Beukeboom. You see what I am getting at yet? Michael Del Zotto and Dylan McIlrath will be that pairing for the Rangers in a few years, and I'll tell you right now McIlrath will be an even better player than "Beuk" ever was.

Believe me, I would not go and say something like that about a former Blueshirt legend if I did not mean it.

Now, you are probably thinking that is all great, but what about Fowler and Gormley? First of all, let me just say this; there is most often a rhyme or reason when a hyped up player like Fowler drops very far in the draft. There is always a flaw somewhere in their game because general managers did not pass on him just out of stupidity.

And just to make the pick look even better, Larry Brooks of the New York Post confirms that the Dallas Stars, who were picking eleventh overall right after the Rangers, would have chosen Dylan McIlrath if the Blueshirts had not done so. That, to me, means this kid has some value and something that many teams want to add to their club.

Many of you wanted Nino Niderreiter, I know, but the first time McIlrath lines him up and completely flattens the Swiss forward, you will quickly forget your love for "El Nino" and open up for McIlrath. The same goes for when he drops the gloves against Dan Carcillo or shuts down Russian star Alex Ovechkin. You will learn to love him and Gordie Clark, from watching this kid since December, realized that before we did.

Folks, Dylan McIlrath was the correct decision.

Anyway, the second round will kick off this afternoon at 1 pm eastern time and we will again have coverage on the site. Obviously we will not do the pick by pick recap throughout the remaining rounds but when the Rangers pick it will be posted on the site, so stay tuned and be sure to follow our updates on Twitter.

Rangers Select Dylan McIlrath Tenth Overall

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The Rangers certainly went off the board with their pick of defenseman Dylan McIlrath of the CHL tenth overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. They had a future Brian Leetch at their fingertips in Cam Fowler, and yet another solid blue-liner that they could have picked in Brandon Gormley, but they passed on both to go with the tough guy in McIlrath. The Winnipeg native checks in at 6-4, 212 pounds and knows how to use his body, which is something the Rangers lack. However, was that really their best option?

To get my personal opinion out of the way, I believe that the Blueshirts should have went down the offensive defenseman route and go with Cam Fowler. At the same time, though, I am willing to give McIlrath a chance and I still do have some trust in Gordie Clark and his decision making. TSN was surprised the Blueshirts chose him, I am sure many fans were surprised they took him, and other clubs were also surprised that McIlrath went tenth overall. It was a shocking pick and whether it will work out or not will not be known for another three or four years unfortunately.

Anyway, below are some scouting reports on McIlrath worth taking a look at:

Hockey's Future: McIlrath played in 65 games for the Warriors, scoring 7 goals and adding 17 assists for 24 points. He posted a +20 rating for the season while amassing 169 penalty minutes. In 7 playoff games for the Warriors, McIlrath notched 1 assist. He played for Team Orr at the 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game, getting into a spirited battle with Team Cherry's Alexander Petrovic.

For NHL teams looking to stock the cupboard with a hulking, physical defensemen, Dylan McIlrath will fit the bill. McIlrath covers the ice well for a big player, but will have to continue to improve his mobility. His long reach can keep attackers at bay and his penchant for nastiness in his own end can help goaltenders to see the puck well.

NHL.com: “Big and mean, old-time typical NHL defenseman. He scares people not only with some frequent fights he might get in, but with 6-4, 212 lbs. straight ahead speed and offensive ability to match. Often, and in a very complimentary sense, makes puck carriers cut to the other side of the ice with his intimidating size.”

My NHL Draft:  The 2008-09 season was one to forget for the Moose Jaw Warriors. After winning just 19 games and finishing with the worst record in the Western Hockey League with only 41 points, the Warriors had nowhere to go but up in the 2009-10 season. One player that would improve his game and help the Warriors vastly improve their chances was hulking defender Dylan McIlrath. As a 16 year old in the Western League, Dylan’s inexperience was exposed early and often. In 53 games played, McIlrath posted 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points, along with 102 penalty minutes and a -22. While a -22 might be eye opening for a mostly defensive defenceman, it should be noted that no less than seven Warriors finished with a worse rating over the course of the season, as the team was in a building year.

And also check out Dylan's fight page on HockeyFights.com. This kid clearly is no stranger to dropping the gloves.

All in all, McIlrath was an unexpected selection by the Rangers and one that will leave fans a bit aggravated; I can understand that. It was a pick that fills a hole, though, and one that could pan out in a few years from now. Like I said, though, I would have went with Fowler, but am willing to give McIlrath chance.

2010 NHL Entry Draft Live Blog

Today felt like one of the longest days of the year waiting for the start of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Thankfully, we are just minutes from the start here as things will kick off at 7 pm eastern time and can be viewed on VERSUS here in the United States.

As you know, we will have full coverage of the entire first round this evening with this live blog that will include each team and their selection in the draft. Also, some trades have been rumored to be going down on the draft floor, so we will be sure to post those for our readers too. In addition to the live blog, check us out on Twitter as updates and analysis will be provided there as well.

1. Edmonton Oilers: Taylor Hall, LW
2. Boston Bruins: Tyler Seguin, C
3. Florida Panthers: Erik Gudbranson, D
4. Columbus Blue Jackets: Ryan Johansen, C
5. New York Islanders: Nino Niederreiter, RW
6. Tampa Bay Lightning: Brett Connolly, LW
7. Carolina Hurricanes: Jeff Skinner, C
8. Atlanta Thrashers: Alex Burmistrov, C
9. Minnesota Wild: Mikael Granlund, C
10. New York Rangers: Dylan McIlrath, D
11. Dallas Stars: Jack Campbell, G
12. Anaheim Ducks: Cam Fowler, D
13. Phoenix Coyotes: Brandon Gormley, D
14. St. Louis Blues: Jaden Schwartz, C
15. Los Angeles Kings: Derek Forbort, D
16. St. Louis Blues (from OTT): Vladimir Tarasenko, RW
17. Colorado Avalanche: Joe Hishon, C
18. Nashville Predators: Austin Watson, LW
19. Los Angeles Kings: Nick Bjugstad, C
20. Pittsburgh Penguins: Beau Bennett, RW
21. Detroit Red Wings: Riley Sheahan, C
22. Montreal Canadiens: Jared Tinordi, D
23. Buffalo Sabres: Mark Pysyk, D
24. Chicago Blackhawks: Kevin Hayes, LW
25. Florida Panthers (From Vancouver): Quinton Howden, LW
26. Washington Capitals: Evgeny Kuznetsov, LW/C
27. Phoenix Coyotes: Mark Visentin, G
28. San Jose Sharks: Charlie Coyle, RW
29. Anaheim Ducks: Emerson Etem
30. New York Islanders (From Chicago): Brock Nelson, C

Trade Alerts:

- Florida trades 15th pick to the Los Angeles Kings for the 19th and 59th pick.
- Senators trade 16th pick to Blues for D David Rundblad.
- Coyotes trade 22 and 113 to Habs for 27 and 57.
- Florida trades Ballard and prospect Victor Oreskovich to Vancouver for Bernier, Grabner and Canucks' 25th overall pick.
- Isles trade 35 and 58 to the Hawks for the 30th overall pick.

Bruins Contact Rangers About Savard (Update)

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Larry Brooks of the New York Post confirmed in an article this morning that the Boston Bruins have contacted the New York Rangers regarding forward Marc Savard, who the B's have been heavily shopping since the end of their season. Savard, now age 32, carries a dense contract in which his cap hit is just over $4 million and is locked up through the 2016-17 season. Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli is looking to dump that contract on a club and move on; apparently the Blueshirts were one of his first choices.

While Savard would be the ideal set-up man for star winger Marian Gaborik, Glen Sather would have to work his magic in order to fit him in under the cap. The Rangers' main priority right now is to re-sign RFA defenseman Marc Staal and they are not anxious to make a big moves like this until that happens; those words straight from Slats' mouth.

Here is an excerpt from Brooks' article:

The Rangers, who hold the 10th overall selection, have been contacted by the Bruins regarding Marc Savard, who would be the ideal set-up man for right-wing sniper Marian Gaborik. But Ranger GM Glen Sather is unlikely to deal for the one-time Blueshirt pivot because of the contract under which Savard carries an annual cap charge of just over $4M through the 2016-17 season.

It is speculated that the asking price for Savard is Matt Gilroy in a package with a second round draft pick, something I would see Sather pulling the trigger on right away. However, if he jumps the gun and makes that move now, he may be in trouble when it is time to re-up Staal which is more important at this point in time.

We shall see what goes down. I am expecting some trades to be made during tonight's draft, not necessarily by the Rangers though. Ans as a reminder, full coverage of the draft can be found right here and on Twitter.

UPDATE: Further research shows that this would be near impossible to complete. The Rangers do not have the cap space right now to take on Savard's contract AND sign Marc Staal at the same time. Dumping Gilroy and draft picks, as rumors say, will not free up much cap room. To me, Staal is more important than Savard right now and I do not think this will happen. Moving on......

2010 NHL Mock Draft Part Two

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As promised, here is part two of my 2010 NHL Mock Draft with picks 16-20. To be honest, I do not expect to be close on this one because the second half of the first round is much harder to predict than the first half. However, some picks I am quite confident in. Also take note that I made a brave prediction with the Capitals snatching Russian forward Kirill Kabanov in the first round. Kabanov has caused many teams trouble in Juniors and in Russia, but Washington has enough fellow countrymen on that club to comfort him.

16. Ottawa Senators: Dylan McIlrath, D

17. Colorado Avalanche: Mark Pysyk, D

18. Nashville Predators: Emerson Etem, RW

19. Los Angeles Kings: Quinton Howden, LW

20. Pittsburgh Penguins: Stanislav Galiev, C

21. Detroit Red Wings: Evgeny Kuznetsov, LW/C

22. Phoenix Coyotes: Martin Marincin, D

23. Buffalo Sabres: Jared Tinordi, D

24. Atlanta Thrashers (From New Jersey): Nick Bjugstad, C

25. Vancouver Canucks: Beau Bennett, RW

26. Washington Capitals: Kirill Kabanov, LW

27. Montreal Canadiens: Jaden Schwartz, C

28. San Jose Sharks: Calvin Pickard, G

29. Anaheim Ducks (From Philadelphia): Alex Petrovic, D

30. Chicago Blackhawks: Riley Sheahan, C

Draft Day Has Finally Come

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It has felt like an eternity since the New York Rangers' 2009-10 season officially came to a close back on April 11th. We, as fans, have not had very much to look forward to as far as the Blueshirts go until now. This event, held in June every year, is where all of the action begins in the off-season. For some teams, their selection this evening will help establish the direction in which they go this summer. For others, it means adding another player to the system that they will hopefully develop into a future talent. Either way tonight's draft will impact each and every team in some way or another.

In addition to players being drafted, some are expected to be traded as well. The draft was where defenseman Chris Pronger was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers last year. Will Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke finally find a trading partner for Tomas Kaberle? Will Bryan Murray of the Ottawa Senators strike a deal for star forward Jason Spezza? It's all possible as talks will continue to heat up on the draft floor.

From a Rangers perspective, there is no telling who they are going to draft with their tenth overall pick - assuming the keep it - because the first nine before them will determine that. I am sticking to my word that they will draft one of Johansen, Skinner, Niederreiter, or Tarasenko. Out of those four, I would prefer Niederreiter of course, but there is a good chance he gets snatched up before Glen Sather and company take the stage.

We will have complete coverage of the draft tight here on the Rangers Tribune starting at 7 pm. Every team and their selections  will be posted on the site in a live running thread. Also be sure to follow our Twitter updates for even more coverage. And of course check us out on Blueshirt Banter, where Jim Schmiedeberg will be blogging live from Los Angeles.

For more pre-draft reading, I will have part two of my mock draft up a little later (part one here) and if you have not done so already, read all of my prospect profiles from the past month.

Rangers Tribune Off-season Weekly Chat #1

Join the Rangers Tribune for some off-season hockey talk in our weekly chat. Tonight we will be discussing the draft and the moves that were made in the NHL over the course of the past week, among other topics. 

Off-Season Weekly Chat #1 Tonight at 8!

Tonight is the night, folks. The Rangers Tribune will be holding its first ever off-season weekly chat here on the site, and from this point on they will run every Thursday for the entire summer. The chat will begin at 8 pm and will run for about an hour or so depending on the turnout and how it goes. I am new at something like this so for the first one or two chats I am going to be getting a feel for things and am expecting it to grow as the off-season progresses.

I have explained how the chats will work in the past, but just to refresh your memory, I shall do so again. I will be moderating the room but basically you, the readers, will have the floor. I will bring up topics in a certain order. You guys will be able to ask me questions on those topics, share your opinion, and ask other fans their thoughts. Obviously tonight's event will be focusing heavily on the draft since it begins tomorrow, but a lot of moves have been made around the league this past week and I would like to try and touch on all of them.

As far as the platform goes, it is your routine chatroom, but you do not have to make an account or anything like that. You simply post under a username of your choice and once you make your first comment, I will be able to approve it from the control screen and you will be entered into the room.

Tell your friends, tell your family, fellow fans and anyone interested to check in for tonight's chat. Remember, the more people that attend, the smoother and more enjoyable it will be. And to remind yourself and others, just plug your e-mail into the box below and set how long before the show you would like to receive a reminder.

See you at 8!

2010 NHL Mock Draft Part One

He we are ladies and gentlemen, just a day away from the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Over the past month or so, we have profiled many of the top prospects here on the site, giving our readers a taste of this year's draft class and some of the talent that will be brought into the NHL. Now it is time to share with you our 2010 NHL Mock Draft, in which we submit our selections for the first 15 picks in the first round. So, here goes nothing.....

1. Edmonton Oilers: Tyler Seguin, C

2. Boston Bruins (From Toronto): Taylor Hall, LW

3. Florida Panthers: Erik Gudbranson, D

4. Columbus Blue Jackets: Cam Fowler, D

5. NY Islanders: Brandon Gormley, D

6. Tampa Bay Lightning: Nino Niederreiter, RW

7. Carolina Hurricanes: Brett Connolly, LW

8. Atlanta Thrashers: Jeff Skinner, C

9. Minnesota Wild: Vladimir Tarasenko, RW

10. NY Rangers: Ryan Johansen, C

11. Dallas Stars: Derek Forbort, D

12. Anaheim Ducks: Mikael Granlund

13. Phoenix Coyotes (From Calgary): Jack Campbell, G

14. St. Louis Blues: Jon Merrill, D

15. Florida Panthers (From Boston): Alex Burmistrov, C

The second 15 picks will be posted tomorrow morning, the day of the draft.

Also, remember that our first ever off-season weekly chat is tonight at 8 pm! Hope to see you there.

2010 NHL Awards Thread

Throughout tonight's awards ceremony, this post will be treated as a thread and will be updated with each award and the winner of the award as they are announced. Feel free to share your thoughts on the ceremony in the comments. Remember, the broadcast will air on Versus here in the United States and CBC up in Canada. Enjoy the show!

Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Tyler Myers - Buffalo Sabres

Frank J. Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward): Pavel Datsyuk - Detroit Red Wings

Art Ross Trophy (Most Points): Henrik Sedin - Vancouver Canucks

Ted Lindsay Award (Most Outstanding Player):  Alex Ovechkin - Washington Capitals

Rocket Richard Trophy (Most Goals): Sidney Crosby - Pittsburgh Penguins, Steven Stamkos - Tampa Bay Lightning

Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year): Dave Tippett

Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender):  Ryan Miller - Buffalo Sabres

William Jennings Trophy (Fewest Goals Against): Martin Brodeur - New Jersey Devils

Bill Masterton Trophy (Player Showing Most Perseverance):  Jose Theodore - Washington Capitals

King Clancy Trophy (Best Leader): Shane Doan - Phoenix Coyotes

Lady Byng Trophy (Best Sportsmanship): Marty St. Louis - Tampa Bay Lightning

Mark Messier Leadership Award: Sidney Crosby - Pittsburgh Penguins

James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best Defenseman): Duncan Keith - Chicago Blackhawks

Foundation Award: Ryan Miller - Buffalo Sabres

Hart Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player):  Henrik Sedin - Vancouver Canucks

Follow the NHL Awards Here at 7:30!

The National Hockey League will put a bow on the 2009-10 hockey season tonight as they will hold their annual awards ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada. The awards will be aired on Versus here in the States and CBC up in Canada, and will begin at 7:30 pm eastern time. We will have a live post running here at the Rangers Tribune during the ceremony, which will be updated as each award is handed out. Last year's show was okay being that the league was amateur at something like this, but I am expecting a bit better performance the second time around.

So be sure to check in here starting at 7:30 for full coverage of the ceremony. Until then, below I included all of the main trophies and their candidates.

Hart Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player): Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Henrik Sedin

Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender): Ryan Miller, Martin Brodeur, Ilya Bryzgalov

James Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman): Drew Doughty, Mike Green, Duncan Keith

Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Matt Duchene, Jimmy Howard, Tyler Myers

Jack Adams (Coach of the Year): Joe Sacco, Dave Tippett, Barry Trotz

Dustin Byfuglien on the Block: Is He Worth It?

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It is no secret that the Chicago Blackhawks are currently shopping forward Dustin Byfuglien, who was instrumental in the Hawks' Cup run just a month ago. Byfuglien, 25, has a year remaining on his contract and carries a cap hit worth $3 million. In July of 2011 he will become a restricted free agent, meaning the team that possesses his rights will have total control of them. This is an opportunity for the New York Rangers to make a move, but is it worth it?

Pierre LeBrun of ESPN reported yesterday on Twitter that the asking price for Byfuglien is a first round draft pick and a prospect. The Blackhawks are looking to shed salary as they are just about at the cap ceiling (which will be raised since escalator was accepted), especially after core forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were both re-signed earlier last season. I do not think that they will be able to deal him before Friday's draft, however free agency is a different story.

That being said, if the Rangers were forced to give up a first round draft pick in next year's draft, in addition to one of their top prospects, which depends on what Chicago is looking for, would you pull the trigger? It is tempting and for me, it solely depends on who the prospect is, and I can only speculate there. If they wanted an Evgeny Grachev, Chris Kreider or Derek Stepan, the answer is no. But if they want to pick from the Bluehsirts' surplus of defensemen within the system, say Bobby Sanguinetti, I say go for it.

Byfuglien would probably only hang around for one year, but in that one year he is almost guaranteed to score between 15-20 goals at the very least. Last season, the Rangers had just five players who scored fifteen goals or more, so adding a sixth wouldn't hurt at such a low price.  The Hawks are in a bind, and this is an opportunity to gain scoring by taking advantage of a difficult situation.

In 82 games played with the Hawks, "Big Buff" registered 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points last year, and tacked on 16 points in 22 playoff games. Throughout his National Hockey League career, Byfuglien has remained consistent, averaging around 18 goals and 34 points. Not only does he add scoring, but also a big body presence in front of the net in addition to his hitting.

So once again I pose the question to you: Is he worth it?

Rangers Not Qualifying Lisin, Horton to Boston, Tom Renney

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The news is just flying in today and I am losing my breath just trying to type as fast as it is being released. First off, Larry Brooks is reporting on Twitter that the New York Rangers are not qualifying forward Enver Lisin, meaning he will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st after just one year in New York. Lisin, age 24, was acquired by the Blueshirts late last summer in a deal that sent Lauri Korpikoski to the Phoenix Coyotes. He never seemed to become comfortable while playing on Broadway, but head coach John Tortorella had a lot to do with that.

The Russian winger recorded just 14 points in 57 games played with the Rangers in 2009-10, but at the same time, was only averaging around five minutes or so of ice-time each night. Tortorella felt that if Enver was not going to contribute defensively, he was not going to put up with him. Instead of trying to work with Lisin and teach him defense, Torts quickly turned to extreme consequences, which is common for the hot-headed skipper.

So Enver Lisin and his $800,000 cap hit will become an unrestricted free agent in July, and will likely never step foot in the Rangers' locker room again.

In other news, TSN is reporting that the Boston Bruins have acquired forwards Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell from the Florida Panthers for defenseman Dennis Wideman, the 15th overall pick in this year's Entry Draft, and a third rounder in the 2011 draft. So there goes our hopes of acquiring Horton, but we were spot on by saying he would be dealt before the draft.

With this move, the Bruins' offense gets a serious boost, especially since Horton can play on both the wing and as a center. I am sure he will skate on one of their top two lines, and if that means with Milan Lucic, that makes one ugly line, but also a skilled one. (Hey, looks don't matter in hockey, do they?)

And lastly, former Rangers coach Tom Renney will take over the head coaching job with the Edmonton Oilers with Patt Quinn stepping down. I liked Renney when he was here and wish him all the best in Edmonton. He deserves it and will give that franchise an opportunity to turn itself around.

2010-11 Rangers Regular Season Schedule

As promised, the National Hockey League released the 2010-2011 regular season schedule in its entirety earlier this afternoon. The Rangers' complete 82-game schedule can be found here at the official website, but in the near future, we plan on giving the schedule and results its own page here on The Rangers Tribune. We are currently in the process of working that out, in addition to a live stat tracker that we want to add as well.

Anyway, below I present some key points about this year's schedule for the New York Rangers.

- The Blueshirts' first two games will be on the road, but they will stay within the New York area as they will visit the Sabres on Saturday followed by the Islanders on Monday. They will then come home to play the Leafs and Avalanche at Madison Square Garden later that week.

- In the month of Novemeber, New York will take part in seven match-ups against Western Conference teams, including two against Matt Duchene and the Colorado Avalanche.

- Three games against the Isles in December, including a home-and-home to open the month. The two teams will not meet up again until March.

- The Rangers will finish off the regular season with a three-game homestand against the Bruins, Thrashers and Devils and the reason I bring this up is because those final three usually determine their fate each and every year. I expect all three of those clubs to once again be contenders for a playoff spot.

Narrowing Possible Ranger Draft Selections to Four

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I am sure you all know by now that the New York Rangers currently hold the tenth overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft on Friday. What they do with that pick, however, has yet to be determined so all we can do is speculate at this point. Speculation, though, is something that is formed based on research and we here at The Rangers Tribune have done a lot of it leading up to this year's draft. We profiled all of the top prospects (20 to be exact) and from that 20, have narrowed down the possibilities for the Rangers down to just four.

• Nino Niederreiter (LW): Without a doubt in my mind, Nino Niederreiter should be the Rangers' target this year in the draft. If he is available after the sixth pick, I would expect the Blueshirts to trade up in order to acquire him, in fact, that is an exchange I am willing to accept. "Nino" is a gamebreaker, someone who can change the flow of a tilt with one play as we saw in the World Juniors. I have seen him compared to players like Alex Ovechkin to Jaromir Jagr, just to give you a sense of his talent level. (Full Scouting Report)

• Jeff Skinner (C): If it wasn't for Skinner's skating difficulties, he would be a top five talent in this year's draft. The fact that he has dropped in rankings a bit is a good thing for the Blueshirts, because they now have a shot at drafting one of the best goal scorers in the entire class of 2010. Skinner has a knack for the net and goal scoring is the name of his game. He would add a tremendous amount of offense to the lineup if drafted. (Full Scouting Report)

• Ryan Johansen (C): Ryan Johansen is your big game player. He is a leader in that he can carry a team, score the big goals, and show up for the important contests. He is a hard worker with great hands. Probably the best play maker in this draft and great vision. Johansen would be a smart pick for the Rangers if they cannot get their hands on Niederreiter or Skinner. (Full Scouting Report)

• Vladimir Tarasenko (RW): The Rangers have been rumored to be interested in Tarasenko, which is why I am including him in this post. Tarasenko is one of those players that once you give him the puck in the offensive zone, it is hard to get it away from him. Whether he sets up or goal or scores one, he is always making something happen on the O. Tarasenko would be my last choice out of these four, but I don't think that New York would be very disappointed in this kid. (Full Scouting Report)

So there you have it, the "final four" if you so choose. I am growing in confidence everyday that the New York Rangers will draft one of these four kids in the draft, which is now only a few days away. With the tenth pick, the Blueshirts must go offense and they must acquire talent. Really, with a pick that early on in the draft, how could you miss out on talent? Well, there is always the Hugh Jessiman disaster.

Blueshirt Banter Chat with Jess Rubenstein

As you know, in addition to The Rangers Tribune I am also a writer on SB Nation's New York Rangers site, Blueshirt Banter, where I will be helping to moderate a live chat tonight at 8:30 pm in which Jess Rubenstein of The Prospect Park will join us and answer fans' questions about the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. I highly suggest attending if you have no other plans because Jess will make it worth your while. When it comes to Ranges prospects, he knows what he is talking about as he spends a lot of his personal time watching them.

The chat will begin at 8:30 pm on Blueshirt Banter and will run for about an hour or two.

Also, remember that our first off-season weekly chat here on The Rangers Tribune will be this Thursday at 8 pm! We will be discussing the latest rumors, trades in the NHL, and of course the draft.

Rangers to Open 2010-11 Season in Buffalo

The National Hockey League will release the full schedule for 2010-11 tomorrow, but today leaked each team's home opener. The Rangers' home opener will be on Friday, October 15th against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but they will kick off the season on Saturday, October 9th against the Buffalo Sabres at HSBC Arena in Buffalo. In fact, the Blueshirts will be on the road for the first full week of the season as reported by several sources.

The Sabres are an excellent measuring stick to play against in the first game of the season, as were the Pittsburgh Penguins last year. Their offense will be put to the test against goaltender Ryan Miller and Henrik Lundqvist will most likely be locked in a goaltending duel to start. No complaints here. I do not mind playing the Sabres early on at all.

Check back here tomorrow for the entire season schedule.

Around the NHL: Volchenkov to Test Free Agency

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun is reporting that defenseman Anton Volchenkov will not re-sign with the Ottawa Senators and will likely test the free agent market come July. That is, however, if his rights are not traded before that date that way general manager Bryan Murray will get some sort of return for the 28-year-old blue-liner. Several teams have been rumored to be very interested in Volchenkov, specifically in the Eastern Conference, and one of those clubs just so happens to be the New York Rangers.

The Rangers are in desperate need of a big body on defense and Volchenkov's 6-1, 226 pound frame gives them just that. In 64 games played with the Senators last season, the Russian defenseman recorded 14 points and 38 penalty minutes. He has a rocket of a slapshot from the point and is aggressive. He does have his weaknesses, though.

Besides being injury prone, his offensive numbers have not been where he wants them to be. He has been streaky at best and that is something he takes a lot of heat for. Also, he is going to cost a pretty penny and the Blueshirts do not have many of those.

Rangers Would Love to Get Their Hands on Horton

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25-year-old Nathan Horton from Welland, Ontario is turning out to be one of the most sought after players this off-season, even though he is not a free agent. In fact, he still has three years remaining on his contract with a $4 million cap hit in each, but Panthers general manager Dale Tallon is looking to make some changes down in the Sunshine State and because of this, he will do his best to trade away that $4 million cap hit as soon as possible, preferably before the draft which begins on Friday.

Horton has lost some value due to prior injury problems. He was limited to playing just 65 games last season with the Cats, including four weeks he spent on the sideline with a fractured tibia, but still was able to put up 20 goals and 37 assists for 57 points. Those numbers would outscore the entire Rangers roster in 2009-10, save for Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal who had 86 and 58 points respectively. To me, that is very impressive and I think it is safe to say that Horton, who could play both center and on the wing, is easily a 30-goal scorer if he can stay healthy. Another one of those wouldn't hurt the Blueshirts at all.

Several teams have contacted Tallon concerning Horton, but according to the GM a deal has not yet been completed.  However, he expects one to be sometime in the next week, as reported by Darren Dreger of TSN:

"Dale Tallon says he's talking to a number of teams, but doesn't have a deal for Horton, yet. The Panthers will be moving players next week."

That was reported this past Saturday on Dreger's Twitter account, so by saying "next week", I am assuming he is referring to, well, right now.

If Tallon is placing a deadline on this - as it seems he is - he may become a bit desperate just to get it over with and completed (see Bryan Murray and Dany Heatley fiasco). There is no question that he going to want something of value in return for the star forward, but the asking price may tend to drop slightly if Friday approaches and a deal is not yet in place.

Undoubtedly, Rangers general manager Glen Sather should be butting in on the action and putting offers on the table. If it means trading Brandon Dubinsky, that is fine by me. Dubi has pretty much reached the ceiling as far as his talent level goes unless he somehow has a surprise breakout year down the road. Horton, on the other hand, has already proven that he can be a star, and that was on a Panthers team that was always streaky and unsuccessful overall.

Not to mention that he has only played two full seasons out of his six-season career, so if he can play around 75-80 games with the Rangers, and with capable linemates, he will flourish. Hopefully our friend Sather recognizes this and pushes hard to make this crucial acquisition. Plus, four million is affordable, especially if the $2 million cap escalator is accepted and installed for next season.

At the very least, we have confirmation that Sather is alive and on the hunt. Larry Brooks of the New York Post, as shared by one of our readers, stated in an article yesterday that the Rangers had been in on trade talks with the Nashville Predators for center Jason Arnott.

The Rangers were in trade talks with the Predators regarding Jason Arnott before the center was dealt to New Jersey, Slap Shots has learned.

An impeccable source reports that Nashville turned to Lou Lamoriello once Sather refused to yield the rights to Wisconsin senior defenseman Ryan McDonagh, whom the Blueshirts are attempting to sign for the coming season.

Now, I would much rather prefer Horton over Arnott, but at least we have some closure knowing that Slats did make an attempt and will likely make others as the summer progresses. Right now, an attempt at Nathan Horton appears to be the most logical one, and one that will pay off in the long-run.

Some Sunday Ranger Links

With two big moves being made yesterday, the trade winds in the National Hockey League are just beginning to pick up with the draft less than a week away and free agency just around the corner as well. The New York Rangers have some work to do and already are being involved in rumors surrounding big players such as Nathan Horton and Anton Volchenkov. Whether it be through free agency or trade, I would expect our Blueshirts to be making a significant move within the next month. Below are some links with rumors and thoughts from bloggers around the Internet concerning your Rangers.

• GM Glen Sather could have potentially made a big mistake in not acquiring center Jason Arnott from the Predators before his cross-river rival did. Having him around in the Atlantic Division could come back to haunt the Rangers. [Scotty Hockey] 

• Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon is looking to revamp his roster and that begins by unloading some of his better players, but more costly ones. Several teams have contacted him about Nathan Horton and he expects a deal to be in place sometime in the next week. Are the Rangers involved? [Darren Dreger on Twitter]

• This year's free agency pool, as we have discussed previously on the blog, is much lighter than years prior, but even still, there are some big names out there to be signed. Among the top 30 free agents, the Rangers would love to get their hands on a few. [Hendricks Hockey]

• A very busy week ahead, not only for the Blueshirts, but for the entire NHL. Rick Carpiniello spreads that out on his blog. [Rangers Report]

• Among other holes the Rangers must fill, the back-up goaltender position is still up for grabs. Should Alex Auld get another go as Hank's reinforcement? [Blueshirt Banter]

• New York recently signed prospect Kris Newbury. Details on that contract have recently been released. [Blue Seat Blogs]

• This week is expected to be one of the busiest in the NHL trade-wise all year long. [Bob McKenzie on Twitter] 

Also, Happy Father's Day to all the Hockey Dads out there!

Nashville Unloads Hamhuis to Flyers, Arnott to Devils

If you have not heard the big news of the day already, the Nashville Predators unloaded two of their more well-known players this morning, both to teams in the Atlantic Division. First, it was the rights to defenseman Dan Hamhuis to the Philadelphia Flyers who, if they sign the unrestricted free agent, will have one of the top three blue-lines in the National Hockey League without a doubt.

Hamhuis, 27, registered 24 points in 78 games played with the Preds this past season. Drafted in 2001, he became a solid young defenseman in Nashville, and now will be given the opportunity to do so in Philadelphia, a team who apparently wants to make another run at the cup. All the Flyers had to give up in the trade was Ryan Parent, so a very good deal for the Bullies.

Following that transaction, the Predators also sent center Jason Arnott to the New Jersey Devils for prospect Matt Hallischuk and a second round draft pick. Arnott was a member of the Devils during their last Stanley Cup, and is yet another player that New Jersey has went back and re-acquired after years of being apart. This seems to be a trend that has developed for the Devils over the years, as every summer they go out and get a former player of theirs.

Arnott may be 35-years-old, but his game is still the same. He is a capable first line center that can put the puck in the net as well as deliver it in order to make plays. His 46 points in 63 games last season with Nashville proves that he still has it in him, and will turn out to be a worthwhile acquisition for the Devils as long as he can remain healthy. In fact, the Rangers really could have used a player like Arnott for next year, but yet again they were beat out.

To me, these two moves woke general manager Glen Sather up from his off-season nap if he has not been already with the draft just a few days away. With two skilled teams further improving, there is now even more pressure on Sather to update this poor Rangers lineup in order to contend in 2010-11. Not to mention that Pittsburgh will look to bolster up a bit as well and the Isles have a number five draft pick that could potentially jump right into the NHL.

Right now, the Blueshirts are apparently in talks with several teams concerning several players, but so far, no acquisitions to brag about.

Pavel Valentenko Making Plans to Return to North America

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According to Laurie from Beyond the Blueshirts, who translated a Russian report, prospect defenseman Pavel Valentenko is returning to North America where he will be taking part in Rangers prospect development camp. If you do not recall, Valentenko was acquired by the Blueshirts in the deal with the Montreal Canadiens last summer that sent Scott Gomez up North to Canada. He's been playing overseas in the KHL ever since, but has reportedly made the decision to come back to the States.

Laurie mentions that Valentenko still has a year remaining on his contract with the Rangers, so that would lead me to believe that he will play for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League this season, unless he can push himself into the seventh defensemen slot. I don't foresee that happening, though, being that there will be a lot of competition against him. We have went over it several times here on the blog; the Blueshirts are stacked when it comes to defensemen in the system. While Valentenko has some potential, I do not think he will just "take over" as top prospect.

Throughout his career, Pavel has struggled with injuries of many sorts also. Because of this, he has been restricted to the amount of games he has actually been able to play. That hurts him more than just physically, because he has not had the ability to consistently show what he is all about and what he is capable of doing. What is for sure is that he plays a rough and tough style and posses a cannon of a slapper. As far as consistency, well, there hasn't been any because he has not played a full season yet.

Again, I do not think he will make the cut for the Ranger roster out of training camp. I would put my money on him playing out this season with the Pack, with a possible call-up here and there if he can stay healthy.

As for me, I will be at the ballpark this afternoon for the Yankees/Mets matinee at Yankee Stadium. For some thoughts and analysis on that during the game, check me out on twitter.

Kreider and Bourque Headed to USA World Junior Camp

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On Thursday, USA Hockey announced the list of prospects who were invited to the World Juniors camp in preparation for the actual 2010-11 tournament in Buffalo, New York this December and January. Among that group of youngsters were Rangers' property Ryan Bourque and Chris Kreider, both of which were drafted by the Blueshirts in 2009. While it is not guaranteed that both will make the club, if the United States is looking to defend their Gold Medal, it would be wise of them to bring back both players in 2010.

Bourque proved to be more of a role player in last year's tournament. He was used on the penalty kill and in crucial defensive situations. He reminded me much of Ryan Callahan while playing his game. Meanwhile, Chris Kreider on the other hand, put his knack for the net on display for everyone to see. His incredible speed helped him to score goals including a very important one in the match-up against Canada in the Gold Medal game.

Prospect Profile: Kirill Kabanov

thekhl.net

Name: Kirill Kabanov

Position: Left Wing

Height: 6-2

Weight: 176 lbs

Age: 17 (18 in July)

Home Country: Russia

Playing In: Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Scouting Reports

Rangers Tribune: Kirill Kabanov, although he may not be drafted in the top ten, has been one of the most talked about prospects heading into the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. His poor attitude and unexplainable actions have put him in a deep hole that will take some proving to get out of. Not only did his agent, J.P. Barry, dump him just a few weeks prior to him being drafted into the National Hockey League, but after being criticized by  teammates during a Juniors game, he elected to leave the game in the second period and make his way out from the arena. That is not a typo: he literally packed his bags and left in the middle of a game. The Russian is very talented but like many skilled players now-a-days, his mind gets in the way of his game.

Hockey's Future: This season has been one of controversy and injury for Kabanov. The talented forward was suspended prior to the season for not signing a contract with his new club, Salavat Yuleav Ufa. Kabanov's North American rights were held by the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL, which he joined in October. Due to injuries, however, Kabanov appeared in just 22 games for the Wildcats, scoring 10 goals and adding 13 assists for 23 points in those games. But Kabanov was given his release from the Wildcats after being a healthy scratch in some late regular season games and the first round of the playoffs. Kabanov missed out on playing in the World Junior Championships due to an injury, and was not added to the World Under-18 roster. Read More...

My NHL Draft: Kirill Kabanov’s 2009/2010 season was one to forget. After being dubbed as the next great Russian prospect back in 2007, Kabanov appeared in 10 games with Spartak Moscow in the KHL a season ago, despite only being 16 years old. Things were promising as Kabanov had already shredded the Under 17’s as an underager, and then notched 11 points in only 7 games at the Under 18’s as an underager. The talk of a Kabanov/Hall rivalry seemed to be inevitable. That was until, everything rapidly fell apart in one of the most dramatic off-ice seasons for a hockey player in recent memory.

His KHL rights were sold from Spartak to Salavat Ufa, where he was required to sign a new contract which did not include an NHL escape clause. Flustered, Kabanov fled from Russia, expressing his desire to play major junior hockey in Canada, after recently being selected with the 7th Overall Pick in the 2009 CHL Import Draft by the Moncton Wildcats. While it was initially unclear if the transfer would be approved, with Ufa blocking the move, Kabanov successfully petitioned the IIHF to approve the transfer, thus making him eligible to play for the Wildcats.

The young Russia finally made his long awaited North American debut on October 10th, where he notched his first QMJHL goal and followed it up with a 4 point outing in his second game. For a moment, it seemed as though there would be a three pronged race between Hall, Kabanov and Seguin for top honours, and that his past issues had been rectified. Then, the wheels slowly started to fall off. Kabanov suffered a wrist injury which forced him to miss considerable time, including the World Junior Championships in Saskatchewan. After making a return to the Moncton line-up, he found his role to be reduced on the contending club, which eventually led to a catastrophe that proved to be the final undoing of his draft stock in many people’s eyes. Read More...

The Hockey News: There might not be a more talented player in this year's draft than Kirill Kabanov, but there isn't one with more red flags attached to him, either. If it were based on talent alone, Kabanov would be fighting for the No. 1 spot. Instead he has (possibly) fallen to the second round and even further after being kicked off of Team Russia U-18 squad. (Read More in THN Draft Preview 2010 edition)

Projected to be Drafted: Top 30

Around the NHL: Habs Trade Halak to Blues

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TSN is reporting that the Montreal Canadiens have traded 25-year-old goaltender Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Lars Eller and forward Ian Shultz. Halak has spent the last four years in Montreal, and just this year eventually took over the starting job from Carey Price. His incredible performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs carried the Habs to the Eastern Conference Final where they were eliminated by the Philadelphia Fyers. After reading that, you wonder why the Canadiens would even consider trading away the up-and-coming youngster.

On the other hand, a magnificent job by Blues general manager and former Rangers goaltender John Davidson to reel in such a gem. While the Slovakia native will become a restricted free agent in July, the Blues have more than enough cap space to sign him and it is well worth it, as I would put my money on him outworking both Mason and Conklin, St. Louis' current netminders, and earning the starting job.

The Blues are a young team with potential and I believe that the acquisition of Halak will speed up the process of them becoming a serious contender in the near future.

Rangers Release Pre-Season Schedule

Earlier today, the New York Rangers released their pre-season schedule for the 2010-11 season. With the first game being played on the 23rd of September, they will be starting a bit later than last year, but that is because the NHL had to work around the Olympics in 2009-10, forcing them to start it up in early September. Anyway, below is the schedule straight from the Rangers, listing all of the match-ups, their location, dates, and times.

RANGERS 2010 PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

Thursday Sept. 23: New Jersey Devils at New York Rangers - 7:00 PM

Saturday Sept. 25: New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils - 7:00 PM

Sunday Sept. 26: New York Rangers at Detroit Red Wings - 5:00 PM

Wednesday Sept. 29: Detroit Red Wings at New York Rangers - 7:00 PM

Friday Oct. 1: Ottawa Senators at New York Rangers - 7:00 PM

Saturday Oct. 2: New York Rangers at Ottawa Senators - 7:00 PM

***All Times Are Eastern Standard Time.

So the entire pre-season for the Blueshirts will be comprised of all home-and-homes. They always end up squaring off with the Devils and Red Wings in the pre-season, which I personally enjoy because they are good clubs to measure yourself against. This year's pre-season, though, will be a prospect tryout for rookies trying to make the squad out of camp.

The regular season schedule is set to be released next Tuesday.

Prospect Profile: John McFarland

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Name: John McFarland

Position: Center

Height: 6-0

Weight: 192 lbs

Age: 18

Home Country: Canada

Playing In: Ontario Hockey League (Juniors)

Scouting Reports

Rangers Tribune: John McFarland is a pure goal-scorer and has been for his entire junior career. Consistency, though, has proved to be a major problem for the Ontario native, therefore making him an enigmatic talent. Defense is not an issue, special teams is not an issue, and for the most part, attitude is not an issue, but steadiness is something John has mysteriously struggled with for years now and the teams he has played has played a big part in that.

Hockey's Future:  In 64 games for the Wolves, McFarland scored 20 goals and added 30 assists for 50 points. He added 70 penalty minutes to his offensive totals. In 4 playoff games for the Wolves, McFarland scored 3 goals. He played for Team Orr at the 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game. Read More...

NHL Fanhouse: McFarland is likely the most enigmatic talent in this draft. On one hand, he has soft hands, can score goals, and he's a very good skater. In Sudbury, he was used on a top scoring line, the power play, and showed his hockey smarts by being very good on the penalty kill.

No question that McFarland has the talent to be a very good NHL player.

There are problems, though. For starters, with all due respect to the OHL, no player with his ability should only score 20 goals in a full OHL season. It doesn't make any sense. Read More...

The Hockey News:  If John McFarland were being evaluated on talent, he'd be challenging for first pick, but the combination of playing for a weak team and a frustrating year has seen his stock drop. "To me, there is so much Robbie Schremp there it's frightening," a scout said. "Somebody is going to get a guy who is in the same snack bracket in terms of talent as (Hall and Seguin), but right now you throw it all in a bender and the mix isn't good."

Projected to be Drafted: Top 20