Analysis of Ranger Trades

To me Sam Weinman at the Rangers Report gives the best analysis...

"I’m OK with these moves. To paraphrase Brian McNamee, they are what they are. Backman provides some needed depth at defense, and Sjostrom gives the Rangers the chance to re-shape their checking line into more of an offensive threat. As much as I think Colton Orr has improved, you don’t need him in the lineup every night, especially in the playoffs. That’s where Sjostrom comes in.

Could the Rangers have fetched more in return for Al Montoya? Maybe. Let’s remember that every other team has scouts poking around the AHL as well, so there’s a chance they were seeing the same holes in his game that the Rangers were.

I still think Marcel Hossa has an upside, but he may have hit his ceiling in New York, and the Rangers likely recognized that.

Bottom line: these moves addressed some immediate needs, and even with Montoya, the Rangers didn’t give up all that much."

...I think Weinman says it best when he says, "I'm OK with these moves...they are what they are."

...did we need defensive insurance definitely, so getting Backman, who is better then average at best as I said earlier, for virtually nothing was a no-brainer.

...after some time analyzing the second trade I guess I'm OK with it also. Montoya was going no where but down in the Rangers organization and I think we've seen enough of Hossa to know what he brings, which is usually nothing. Sjostrom could have some upside, as the mad anonymous poster noted, and Gratton, who if he has any offensive talent, could take over Orr's spot on the fourth line very easily next year. And during Sather's press conference tonight he said this about LeNeveu “Benoit thinks he can really resurrect this guy.” So who knows.

...bottom line is the Rangers are on a roll right now and Sather did nothing to distract the team, which makes today's trade dealine a success for the Rangers.