The Rangers Tribune

Callahan Misses Practice with Bruised Foot

The New York Rangers returned to practice for the first time this morning since Monday's 2-0 shutout win over the Devils. Absent from practice was captain Ryan Callahan, who is day-to-day with a bruised foot according to the team. While Callahan will be making the trip to North Carolina this afternoon, his status for tomorrow's meeting with the Hurricanes remains in question. According to head coach John Tortorella, he does not know whether or not Cally will be in the lineup. 

It was also reported that Ryan did not attend last night's annual casino night with the team and its fans, so this foot injury must be nagging him.

Meanwhile, newly acquired bruiser John Scott skated with the squad for the first time today, but Tortorella mentioned he will not be changing the lineup anytime soon...

Torts on John Scott: "He's big...that's all I know...but I am not changing the lineup unless there is an injury...I like our lineup"

— New York Rangers (@thenyrangers) February 29, 2012

If Callahan is unable to play tomorrow, Scott may get an opportunity sooner than expected. 

Team Togetherness and Belief Will Carry Rangers Far

The New York Rangers may not have landed their biggest target before Monday's trade deadline in Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets, but when all is said and done, that non-acquisition may very well turn out to be the organization's smartest move all year. The biggest concern with bringing in Nash, other than the future cap constraints he'd put on the team with his hefty salary, was that he would disrupt the club's intimacy and chemistry that's contributed largely to their consistent success this season. There were no guarantees that he would fit like a glove into that locker room, which has developed a very unique atmosphere that they've maintained since their trip to Europe back in September and October. It's best that they didn't take that risk.

For those of you that have every participated on a team of any sort, whether it be in sports, business, music or whatever it may have been, after working with that group of individuals for a certain amount of time, you no longer work as individuals - you become one. The body can no longer function without maximum contribution from all of its parts, and when working together at a smooth pace, an indestructible system establishes itself and you run with that for as long and as far as it can take you. 

This is exactly how I view the 2011-12 New York Rangers. They’re not the most talented roster out there in terms of skill on paper, but I can promise you they are the club with the biggest belief in themselves within the locker room. We, as outsiders, have had the benefit of seeing this in HBO’s 24/7 series which actually brought us into that locker room and behind the scenes, showing just how tightly-knit this hockey club actually is. And in addition to that, we see it every night on Twitter following a win. Each player will point out the game’s stars, but you’ll also notice that they’ll include something about “the boys” which is referencing the team as an entirety. Almost every tweet is ended with a hashtag containing the phrase “For the Boys” or “The Right Way”.

Now every team has a bond in some way or another, but the one here in New York is an extraordinarily special one. We’ve seen these players have each other’s backs a countless number of times this season. Hell, these guys are diving in front of 90+ mph slap shots on a nightly basis for their goaltender – if that’s not team commitment than I don’t what is.

And whether you are open to admitting it or not, head coach John Tortorella deserves a ton of credit for this. His coaching strategy relates greatly to that of a stockbroker. He has a product and he must do everything in his power to get his clientele (in this case his players) to buy into it. Once they are bought into it, it is then his job to maintain their interest as the stock (production) continues to increase in value.

Well, we might as well start calling Torts “Gordon Gekko” because he’s done this better than any coach I’ve seen behind a New York Ranger bench in my lifetime (granted I was a newborn in 1994 when Mike Keenan coached).

Every player in that room believes in the system, the coaching staff, and most importantly, each other. And coach Tortorella is only the beginning of where this mutual trust stems from.

You also have to look at the guy wearing the ‘C’ on his chest by the name of Ryan Callahan. Callahan is the best role model to skate at Madison Square Garden since Mark Messier. Everything from his effort to his determination is highly contagious.

I remember a few weeks ago NBC did a brief special on Callahan during the intermission, and within that special interviewed a number of the Rangers to get their take on the captain’s play. Each and every one of them made a comment along these lines: the way Callahan plays makes them want to continue to play better and give more. Just seeing him out there makes the rest of the team want to take their own game to the very next level – that’s special. And I should add that one of those players speaking was Brad Richards, who is a veteran noted for his leadership abilities, yet he is still inspired by Callahan.

This is where the whole “the right way” thing has emerged from, as the players feel their captain does everything “the right way”, so they should as well. I’ve even heard Tortorella use the phrase a number of times during press conferences.

This team togetherness is why the Rangers are so well respected around the National Hockey League. They are not a flashy team by any means, nor do they boast or carry a pompous attitude. Their work ethic remains the same no matter where they are in the standings or what team is opposite them on that specific night. To me, that’s most definitely doing it “the right way”.

I, as a follower, believe in this team just as much as they do in themselves. I’ve seen many rosters come and go, and by far this year’s is the easiest to support and encourage on a gamely basis. They are a fun group, but also a determined and confident group that can accomplish whatever they set their hearts and minds to. They’ve proven that they can beat any team under any circumstance, so I don’t think there should be any doubt that they have a chance to make this season a memorable one in the spring.

Now I can sit here and talk about the team’s unique bonding and togetherness and what not all I want, but I don’t think anything says it better than this quote from Henrik Lundqvist following Monday’s 2-0 win over the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden...

“I’m glad management believes in us and what we have and what we have built the last five or six months,” Henrik said to the New York Post. “This is crunch time now, this is the fun time now and we get to stay together to try and accomplish our goals.”

David Clarkson-like Players are a Detriment to the NHL

David Clarkson did what he always does in last night's meeting between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden. He ran his mouth and pulled his usual antics in attempt to get the Rangers off of their game. For some reason he believes that he can singlehandedly change the focus of the entire club, and not only that, but a Blueshirts squad that isn't fazed by very much at all. You can try all you want, but you will never get this team off track through pee-wee antics, and I give head coach John Tortorella some of the credit for instilling that mentality ever since he took over behind the bench several years back. 

Anyway, Clarkson was not given the attention he wanted and ended up receiving a 10-minute game misconduct when he got out of control in the opening period. Upon returning, he still continued to mix it up with big Mike Rupp and several others until he went to an ultimate extreme out of desperation. He proceeded to leap into the air in the direction of New York forward Brandon Dubinsky's head along the boards. Thankfully Dubinsky was not harmed on the play and immediately took exception and dropped the gloves with Clarkson.

The beating he applied on Clarkson, by the way, was well deserved and I'm sure much appreciated on the Rangers' bench.  

Brendan Shanahan and the National Hockey League have no choice but to take a second look at this hit, and it will be an absolute crime if Clarkson is not suspended. Why? It's more because of Clarkson's intents throughout the game than just the hit alone. He's an attention-seeking rat in a league that is attempting to sustain a professional persona in comparison to other major league sports. To have a guy like Clarkson running around out there making a joke of the game and ultimately leaping into players is a downright embarrassment. 

I had seats five rows up behind Henrik Lundqvist's net last night, and several times I saw him take whacks or intentionally bump into Hank behind the play where it will go unnoticed. It's just uncalled for. It's one thing to agitate, but it's another to take cheap shots. 

If the league wants to rid themselves of this sort of behavior, they need to rid themselves of the players first. It's a shame because Clarkson can actually be an effective hockey player, but he instead chooses to be an instigator who not only instigates, but pushes buttons until he must face some sort of disciplinary action. He's out of control. 

Intentionally trying to injure someone by lunging at their head is not only cowardly but it also speaks to self-character (or lack thereof) and self-control. It makes the NHL look extremely bad, especially since they are trying to get more kids involved with the sport at a younger age. Would you, as a parent, want your young child thinking it's okay to throw their body at someone's head because they are not getting attention? Absolutely not, but sadly Clarkson's childish antics leave us in this position.

Let's face it; the era of goons in the National Hockey League is long over. 

Postgame: Rangers Battle for Shutout Win Over Devils

For a 2-0 game that only saw 28 shots exchanged between the two teams, tonight's rivalry meeting between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden certainly didn't lack from an excitement standpoint. Perhaps that was due to all of the extra curricular activity that took place between whistles, but the Rangers got the best of that as well, so there's really no complaining to be done if you are a fan of the Blueshirts. And, of course, the fact that it was all against Marty Brodeur and the Devils, who are now 12 points behind New York in the standings, makes it that much better. 

Both teams came out hitting and skating, but the offensive chances weren't exactly coming at a premium. As you would expect, both clubs played extremely tight defensively in front of their respective goaltenders, but it was the Rangers who struck first despite the low shot tally. In fact, Carl Hagelin's 11th of the season at 16:59 of the first period came off one of the very few rebound opportunities in the game. I told you last Saturday after the win over Buffalo that he would continue to excel on a line with Richards and Callahan, didn't I?

After a first period that had only a combined 8 shots between the two teams, the second period contained many more, but it also contained a whole lot more fireworks too. Actually, it all began with Eric Boulton's shove to the back of Marian Gaborik in the faceoff circle following Hagelin's goal in the first. Head coach John Tortorella would not have any of that nonsense with his leading scorer, so he immediately sent out enforcer Mike Rupp to deal with the situation. Upon Rupp's entrance onto the ice, Boulton immediately retreated to the New Jersey bench. Yup, real tough. 

Boulton continued his antics in the second period until finally dropping the gloves with (the much smaller) Brandon Prust. The fight was instigated by Boulton in my opinion, but the appropriate call was not made for a reason that I cannot comprehend. Prust intentionally did not drop his gloves in order to draw a penalty, but Boulton continued punching regardless so Prust had no choice but to defend himself. Definition of the instigator, no?

That wasn't the only fight of the period, either. Kelly, I mean, David Clarkson was running around chirping his mouth all night. He even was handed a 10-minute game misconduct for that very reason earlier in the tilt. He did not learn his lesson, though, and would later take a jumping run at Brandon Dubinsky's head along the boards. Dubinsky immediately took exception and pounded Clarkson's face in a well deserved beating. I think that counts as his "thank you" to the Rangers for not trading him. 

Everything calmed down in the final stanza as both teams directed their focus to the scoreboard instead of each other's mouths, and as usual, Henrik Lundqvist came up huge for the Rangers late. Ilya Kovalchuk may not be the most liked by Ranger fans, but you must admit, the guy is a hell of a hockey player. He was doing all he could to tie that game in the third, but Lundqvist, and the defense, continuously shut him down - not easy to do.  

Carl Hagelin eventually would set up Ryan Callahan (there's that line again) for the empty-net tally to secure the Rangers the 2-0 shutout win. 

That shutout, by the way, was Henrik Lundvist's league-leading eighth of the season. As Marty Brodeur said before the game, Lundqvist should be this season's Vezina Trophy winner by far. Oh, by the way, Hank has now won 30 games in every complete season he's played in his career. Yeah, I think it's about time he gets some sort of hardware at the year's end. 

Tonight's stars, though, we're defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi. They had the responsibility of defending the Kovalchuk-Parise duo and they did it pretty damn well considering they held the Devils to just 13 total shots and zero goals. There were several instances in which Kovalchuk came full speed down McDonagh's side, and McD effortlessly through him to the boards and stripped the puck. There are not many sophomore defenseman in the NHL who can do that, so I was thrilled when I saw he was one of tonight's three stars. 

The defense, as a whole, was spectacular tonight. Like I said earlier, there were very few rebound opportunities for either team and that speaks to how well the defense cleaned up around the net. Lundqvist was solid, but he received tremendous amounts of assistance from his blue-liners in front of him. It's nice to see the team NOT forcing Lundqvist to steal the game for them against a team like the Devils like we were used to seeing in the past. They finally have a responsible defensive corps. 

New Jersey, aside from their recent skid, has been a hot hockey team and the Rangers had to battle for this victory. Those, in my opinion, are the most enjoyable wins to watch as a fan. It speaks volumes as to how each member of the club is committed to a required work ethic and how that translates to a very difficult club to defeat. That's the New York Rangers we know and love, and that's also why the roster was not blown up just to bring in a few ringers before today's deadline.

Pregame: Rangers Square Off with Devils to Conclude Deadline Day

I'm going to be brief here with all of the deadline madness going on today, and then it's off to MSG for me.....

The first place New York Rangers will be squaring off with the sixth place New Jersey Devils tonight at Madison Square Garden to conclude Trade Deadline day in the National Hockey League. The Blueshirts are coming off a thrilling comeback 3-2 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night, in which they earned points 83 and 84 and improved to 39-15-6 on the year. They will be looking to increase their lead over the second place Bruins to nine points with a win this evening. 

New Jersey, who sits 10 points behind the Rangers right now, have hit a small rut with consecutive losses after they started heating up this month to make a climb in the standings. They've defeated the Rangers in two out of three previous meetings this season and will be starting goaltender Marty Brodeur in back-to-back games for the first time this year, so they are definitely going all-in for the win tonight. That's expected, though, as the Devils are always getting that 'little brother' motivation when playing the Rangers, especially at MSG. 

In games like this, starts have been a concern for the Rangers all season long, so they must come out ready to play just as they did on Saturday against Buffalo. We saw in last Friday's loss to the Islanders at the Coliseum what can happen when this team sits on their heels off the opening faceoff against a rival. That simply cannot happen tonight since the Devils already have New York's number and also are looking to close-in on the Rangers in the Atlantic Division. 

And not to mention the Rangers were jipped out of an overtime point in their last meeting with the Devs, when Artem Anisimov's late tying goal was waved off due to a weak goaltender interference call on Marian Gaborik. It's payback time. 

The Rangers will be going with the same lineup tonight, which means Stu Bickel stays in on defense while Steve Eminger is again a healthy scratch. Henrik Lundqvist will be between the pipes opposite Brodeur for the Devils; a match-up that never fails from an entertainment standpoint. 

Newly acquired defenseman John Scott will not be in the lineup before anyone starts asking. He still needs to travel to New York and undergo a physical examination, but I'm sure he will participate in practice later in the week. 

New York Rangers Lineup

Rangers Acquire D John Scott, No Rick Nash

The New York Rangers have announced the acquisition of defenseman John Scott from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a fifth round draft pick. Scott, age 29, will add size and depth to the Blueshirts' blue-line with a 6-foot-8, 270-pound stature. He's one of the toughest players in the NHL and loves to drop the gloves, but moving forward, I'm not sure how often he will see the ice on this team. 

Scott has one assist in 29 games this season and carries a $512,500 cap hit. He's also an impending unrestricted free agent. 

Also, the Rangers were obviously unable to acquire power forward Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets despite pushing hard in the final hour to get a deal done that would bring 61 to New York. Columbus GM Scott Howson would not back off his original asking price, therefore putting Nash through hell for nothing, despite the Rangers apparently putting a substantial offer on the table...

Don't know details, but indications are NYR made a mammoth offer for Rick Nash today and CBJ declined.#tradecentre

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 27, 2012

Johnny Oduya went to the Blackhawks for a second and third round pick, so I'm somewhat surprised GM Glen Sather didn't take that route. 

However, I personally do not have any problems with the Rangers pretty much standing pat at the deadline even though I'm somewhat surprised that they did. I like this roster and am confident in them going into the playoffs. 

Rangers, Nash Pushing for Trade

Just when it looked like the Rick Nash sweepstakes were a thing of the past, the most recent reports are beginning to suggest otherwise. Per TSN's TradeCentre, the New York Rangers are now again pushing for the coveted power forward in Columbus, and supposedly Nash is also pushing for a trade on the Columbus side. My guess? Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson may have lowered the asking price in desperation, OR a possible back-up plan does not seem like it will work out for Glen Sather and the Rangers so he's going back to Nash. 

TSN also says there is a 50-percent chance Nash is dealt before the 3 p.m. deadline, so stay tuned....

Dubinsky Confident He'll Remain a Ranger

It continues to be crazy quiet here on trade deadline day in the National Hockey League, so there's nothing to report beyond what I included in my earlier post this morning. 

The New York Rangers did hold their morning skate at Madison Square Garden today as they prepare for tonight's meeting with the New Jersey Devils, and several of the players commented on the deadline in the locker room afterward. One of those players happened to be the center of all rumors including the Rangers, Brandon Dubinsky. Despite his name being thrown around often lately, Brandon's pretty confident he won't be going anywhere...

Brandon Dubinsky on trade rumors: "I am getting ready to play the Devils tonight...I am not worrying about it"

— New York Rangers (@thenyrangers) February 27, 2012

Dubinsky: "It's all rumors and it's all nonsense until something happens...you can not worry about it"

— New York Rangers (@thenyrangers) February 27, 2012

By the way this deadline has went, and what's currently available league-wide, I think it's a safe bet that Dubi will, in fact, still be donning the Blueshirt in tonight's game. If the Rangers plan to make any of the depth moves that they're expected to within the next two hours or so, Dubinsky need not be included in order to make the acquisition. Unless we see a drastic change, he's safe. 

Also, Devils goaltender Marty Brodeur apparently stated that he believes Henrik Lundqvist should be this year's Vezina Trophy winner by far. Say what you want about Marty, but that's a classy move. I'm impressed. 

Latest Deadline News: High Price for Gaustad, Rangers Hot for Oduya?

Things continue to move slowly here on trade deadline morning in the NHL, but I do have some news to share with you as we wait for the rumor mill to heat up. 

First, I mentioned Buffalo Sabres center Paul Gaustad's name in my previous post today that discussed possible additions the New York Rangers may have interest in making before 3 p.m. I noticed that the New York Post also confirmed that GM Glen Sather definitely has his eye on the role-playing forward, but the rumor out there is that Buffalo is seeking a first-round pick for Gaustad's services, which is a ridiculously blown-up asking price. Gaustad could be a solid depth addition, but he has no career playoff goals nor is he some sort of profound offensive force. 

While the Rangers do have a first-round pick to offer, it's not going to be headed Buffalo's way for Gaustad. Sather won't be giving in to those wants for a depth forward. That price, though, could definitely lower as the day goes on. 

Secondly, I also briefly spoke about the Blueshirts wanting to add depth to their blue-line as well. Katie Strang of ESPN said via Twitter that Johnny Oduya of the Winnipeg Jets is someone New York may be hot for. Oduya has 2 goals and 11 assists for the Jets this season, but he is a strong shutdown guy that could certainly fit well into John Tortorella's system. The 30-year-old veteran carries a $3.5 million cap hit but becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. 

With the Jets currently sitting in the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, will they be willing to let go of a top-four defenseman? We shall see.

And, as I mentioned earlier, some other names to continue to keep an eye on: Sheldon Souray (DAL), Mike Knuble (WAS)

Stay tuned.....

Deadline Day: What Rangers May Look to Add, Not Add

Sooooo it hasn't exactly been the most exciting 24 hours leading up to the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline, but with the clock ticking down as we near closer to the 3 p.m. mark, trades will be made - they always are. However, in both the Eastern and Western Conferences, very few teams are out of playoff contention right now, and they are hesitant when it comes to letting go of marquee players because of that. I think it's likely that we see a few general managers loosen up as they day goes on and the phone calls pour in, but I'm not counting on as active of a day as we've seen in years past. 

As for the New York Rangers, news broke last night that GM Glen Sather was removing his club from the Rick Nash sweepstakes unless Columbus GM Scott Howson elects to lower the asking price for the top-notch power forward. It is believed that the Jackets are still seeking one of Michael Del Zotto or Ryan McDonagh, or maybe even perhaps college prospect Chris Kreider, despite the Rangers making it clear that all of those names are "untouchable" and will not be going anywhere. I'm fully on board with Sather's decision if that is the case, because as I've stated in the past, there's absolutely no reason that the organization should jeopardize its future to get their hands on one player. 

Right now it's a staring contest between Howson and Sather, and when it comes to trades, Glen simply doesn't blink. So it's up to Howson to give-in if he feels a desperate need to part ways with Nash, which, technically, he does not since there's always the summer. But remember, no other team in the NHL had on offer on the table as juicy as the proposal laid out by New York. Will anyone else be stepping up to the plate in the next few hours? It's doubtful, and I'm not buying that many more will this summer, either. Nash is good, but......

Rick Nash isn't the only player rumored to be on the Rangers' radar. Buffalo center Paul Gaustad's name has also been linked to the Blueshirts lately, as he'd serve as a depth option for the club as they prepare to enter the playoffs in just over a month. Gaustad, 30, has seven goals and 10 assists in 56 games played with the Sabres this season, and also will drop the gloves just as he did with Brandon Prust Saturday night at MSG. He carries a $2.3 million cap hit, but will become an unrestricted free agent come July 1. For a playoff rental, he might just be worth it. I'll tell you right now, he'll add more to the lineup than Brian Boyle has this season.

Speaking of forwards, Mike Knuble of the Washington Capitals seems to me like he would be a perfect fit under coach Tortorella here in New York. Knuble is a gritty, hard-nosed winger that you can put into any situation and expect him to make an impact. He never shies away from going to the net and could help on the powerplay in that way. Knuble, to me, is one of those role players that can play an important role in winning a championship, and he comes with just a $2 million contract, which also expires this summer. 

The Rangers are also exploring options when it comes to adding a depth defenseman, and one that could potentially help out the powerplay. We'll turn to a familiar face for this one with Sheldon Souray of the Dallas Stars. Why familiar? Well, if you remember last year, the Rangers were rumored to have interest in Souray for an entire two weeks leading up to the deadline. However, nothing ever came of it because Souray was diagnosed with a hand injury of some sort that would keep him out of the lineup for an extended period of time. 

But a year later, Sather has not forgotten the 35-year-old Souray and what he would add to the Rangers' blue-line. Souray has 14 points on the season (5 goals, 14 assists), which would automatically make him fourth on the Rangers among defenseman in scoring. Yet again, he would only be a rental as he becomes a UFA this summer, and he only would add a $1.65 million cap hit to the Rangers' payroll. That slap shot of his is so appetizing for the powerplay. 

Lastly, many of you have been asking me about Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown. While GM Dean Lombardi may have, at one point, had Brown available on the trade block, that does not appear to be the case anymore. Both Lombardi and Brown himself expect to continue their marriage beyond today's deadline.

The list of names suggested above may not be of the magnitude of Rick Nash's, but you must remember that the Rangers have had extreme amounts of success this season with what they already have. Therefore, it may be better suited for them to make small, rental additions that will pay off in the playoffs. The asking prices required for blockbuster trades this deadline are outrageous and I think it would be in the best interests of GM Sather and the Rangers to steer far wide of those.  

* I'll have everything Ranger-related covered throughout the day leading up to 3 p.m., so be sure to periodically stop by the blog and also keep tabs on my Twitter (@NickMonteRT) for the latest.