Cherepanov Back with Omsk

Beyond the Blueshirts reports...

Championat.ru, citing “sources close to Avangard”, confirms both Cherepanov and Rosa will return to the Omsk lineup tomorrow.

...that's great news. Started to worry that our top prospect was a bust.

Today's Ranger Headlines

New York Sun - Remodeled Rangers Looking To Improve Chemistry

The Journal News - Shanahan skating with Rangers, might rejoin team

New York Post - SHANNY IN WAIT MODE

The Bergen Record - Brendan Shanahan hoping to remain with Rangers

New Line Cinema to Produce Film on Avery

Borys Kit at The Hollywood Reporter writes...

"Do real men wear Prada?

New Line Cinema will presumably answer that question in a film about professional hockey player Sean Avery's experiences in the fashion world, including his stint as a summer intern at a fashion magazine."

...where can I pre-order my tickets for this sure Oscar winner.

...almost glad he's not on the team anymore when I see this garbage.

Shanahan Skates With Team

Sam Weinman at The Rangers Report says that Brendan Shanahan, although not under contract, skated with the Rangers at the MSG Training Facility. See here and here.

On Shanahan skating with the team...

"No word on what Shanahan’s status is. He could just be working out with the team while remaining in flux for this season, or this could be the early stages of Glen Sather bringing No. 14 back for a third season."

On Shanahan's agent talking with the Rangers...

"He doesn’t yet have a contract but he said that his agent Rick Curran was talking to Sather this week. More and more it sounds like a deal is imminent...And seeing how his locker still featured his nameplate, it wasn’t hard to picture him back."

...from this report it looks like a sure thing that Shanny will be back.

...i'm actually shocked by this. I thought for sure Sather had decided to go in a different direction. Maybe he didn't feel this team had enough leadership.

...i guess this would put to rest all the speculation on who will be the next Captain. If Shanahan comes back it has to go to him.

Lundqvist Makes A Commercial

Here's a behind the scenes look at Henrik Lundqvist making a new NHL commercial...

Cherepanov Sent Down to the Farm

Laurie at Beyond the Blueshirts reports...

"It appears there may be more to Alexei Cherepanov’s groin injury than first thought. Sport-Express is reporting that the 19-year old forward has been assigned to Avangard Omsk’s farm team."

...hopefully this injury isn't major and they sent him down to work through the injury. Or maybe he is the second coming of Pavel Brendl.

Victoria Cup

Dan Rosen at NHL.com looks at the inaugural Victoria Cup which will be played Oct. 1 at PostFinance Arena in Bern, Switzerland between the New York Rangers and Metallurg Magnitogorsk of Russia's Kontinental Hockey League...

"...the idea for the Victoria Cup was conceived during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy during a meeting between representatives from the NHL and IIHF. It came up in discussions about how the IIHF would celebrate its 100th anniversary, which is this year, and how to honor the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal, where the first recorded organized indoor ice hockey game was played on March 3, 1875."

...i am vehemently against the Rangers playing in this game. Especially now that a provision was added to the contract stating how many rookies or minor-league players the Rangers would be allowed to play. Meaning the Rangers have to play a majority of their starters.

...god help Bettman if any of our top players get hurt by a Russian player thinking this is the Super Bowl.

Ranger Fans Interested in Zherdev

In Sam Weinman's recent poll at The Rangers Report which asked fans which Ranger player they are most interested in hearing about this training camp, the overwhelming answer was Nikolai Zherdev...

"So the early returns are in on my poll to the right, and it looks like we have our first mini-upset of the season. According to our tabulations, more fans are interested in young Nikolai Zherdev than anyone else, although the usual interest in up-and-coming prospects is there as well.

I count this as a surprise, and yet Rangers fans are correct in recognizing Zherdev’s vital role on this roster. The Ukrainian wing is coming off a career-high 61 points, and is arguably the team’s top goal-scoring threat this season (although you should hope that Markus Naslund and others have something to say about that)."

...i definitely agree that Zherdev is the most intriguing player going into training camp. He has the potential to put up huge numbers this year on Broadway. At the same time, if he doesn't buy into what Renney is selling, Zherdev could be feeling the rath of the Garden Faithful.

Less Playing Time for Orr?

Jason Klau at The Bleacher Report wonders where Colton Orr fits into the Rangers plan this year...

"Colton Orr has worked really hard to add another dimension to his game. He improved his defensive play and has become more then just a goon for the Rangers. But with the forwards the Rangers have gotten, it seems that the slower Orr is being pushed farther down the depth chart."

...the only time Orr sees the ice this year is against physical teams or anticipated physical games (ie Philly and Islanders).

Ducks Not Interested in Shanahan

Randy Youngman at The Orange County Register reports...

The New York Post reported last week the Ducks might be interested in veteran free agent winger Brendan Shanahan, 39, but the Ducks don't even have the salary cap room yet to bring back Teemu Selanne, their own veteran free agent winger.

Ducks GM Brian Burke says there's no truth to that report. And Shanahan is expected to return for his third season with the New York Rangers.

...he is? Youngman must have read Eklund's post from last week saying Shanahan to the Rangers was a done deal.

Eklund: Shanahan to the Canadiens

Eklund at HockeyBuzz reports...

"Brendan Shanahan would LOVE to end his career in Montreal and with the 100th anniversary and a chance to win the Cup much is falling into place."

...it was less than a week ago when Eklund was reporting Shanahan going back to the Rangers was a done deal (See here).

...listen we all know Eklund makes this stuff up and I probably would be doing myself and everyone who reads this blog a favor if I didn't post this stuff. But you know what? Who cares. Trade rumors are fun to report. And even if none of them come true it still makes for great debate.

Callahan Named Breakthrough Player

Adam Schwartz at NHL.com names his top Breakout Players for the 2008-2009 season, including Ryan Callahan...

Ryan Callahan, New York Rangers -- In 2006-07 Callahan played 14 NHL games and 60 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL, while last season Callahan played 52 games with the Rangers and just 11 with the Wolf Pack.Callahan had a strong postseason with the Rangers, totaling 2 goals and 4 points in 10 games. After playing an average of 12:22 during the regular season, Callahan saw an average 15:55 of ice time per game in the playoffs, illustrating the trust Rangers management has in him.

...as I said the other day, Callahan is a guy who will do anything to win. Hit, fight, score, forecheck. You name he does it. Having said that, I don't think he's a candidate to be a breakout player. I don't see him scoring more than 20 goals.

...and just because I don't think he'll be a breakout player doesn't mean I don't think he is important to this team. Quite the contrary. Without him, especially with the departure of Avery, this team would have no spark plug. He'll be one of the more important players on the team this year.

Rangers at 15/1 to Win Stanley Cup

According to the Vegas Insider the New York Rangers odds for winning the Stanley Cup are 15/1.

...anyone going to Vegas?

Lundqvist Not the King of Eastern Conference Goalies

In his article on the top 5 goalies in the Eastern Conference, Dan Rosen at NHL.com names Martin Brodeur "the unquestioned king of all goalies." While saying this about Henrik Lundqvist...

Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers -- Lundqvist, a former seventh-round pick, has become one of the most revered goalies in the NHL thanks to his dominance over the last three seasons. He is 104-58-27 with a career GAA of 2.27 and a .927 save percentage.The Rangers, though, still haven't made it out of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with him, but Lundqvist has won 37 games in each of the last two seasons and posted a career-best 2.23 GAA last season while playing in a career-high 72 games.

...Brodeur winning the Vezina last year was a joke. While still a great goalie, I think Brodeur's best days are behind him and would be shocked if Lundqvist didn't knock him off his throne this year.

Isbister Signs with Ottawa

TSN is reporting that former Ranger Brad Isbister has signed with the Ottawa Senators...

"The Ottawa Senators have signed forward Brad Isbister to a one-year, two-way contract."

...while Isbister was far from being solid for the Rangers in 2006-2007(1 goal, 4 assists and +5 in 19 regular season and 0 goals, 0 assists and -3 in 4 playoff games), he did a serviceable job as a fill-in on the first line with Jagr.

Training Camp Page

Newyorkrangers.com has setup a 2008 Training Camp Page here. It includes roster, schedule and information on the Traverse City Tournament...

The Blueshirt Bulletin has an item on how former Ranger Maxim Kondratiev is on the preseason roster.

Video: Pre-Season Interviews

Rangers On Demand has the following video...

Rangers Head Coach Tom Renney discusses his off-season, the new players acquired in free agency and how the team dynamic will be different than last season here.

New York Rangers free agent acquisition Markus Naslund discusses the reasons he chose to play in New York and what the fans can expect from him this season here.

Petr Nedved talks about his invite to Rangers training camp and the thought of playing with the New York Rangers for a third time in his career here.

Free agent acquisition Wade Redden speaks about why he chose to play for the New York Rangers and what he will bring to the team this season here.

Turtle's a Ranger Fan!!!

Adam Kimelman at NHL.com was at the Wednesday night premiere of the fifth Season of Entourage where Henrik Lundqvist was in attendance...

Lundqvist on the show...

"I'm a big fan of the show," he said. "I never watch every Sunday but I try to do that. But I always buy the box set and watch all the episodes in about two days."

Jerry Ferraro (Turtle) on Lundqvist...

"I heard he was coming, I'm psyched up," said Ferrara...

... Ferrara said he and Connolly (an Islander fan) will talk trash about each other's favorite teams, and said that while he doesn't follow the Rangers as close as he used to, the Blueshirts always will hold a special place in his heart.

...i'm a huge Entourage fan so its nice to see them incorporate the NHL into their premiere event.

Shanahan Praised for New NHL

Adam Proteau at The Hockey News credits Brendan Shanahan for ridding the NHL of clutching and grabbing...

"Actually, you don’t have to wonder at all. Without Shanahan’s courage, the NHL still would continue to give its greatest rewards to participants who preferred to lodge their sticks firmly in their opponents’ mid-sections and water-ski behind them up and down the ice; the league would remain a workplace in which endless cycling of the puck and the curtailing of skill mattered more than goals and those who could score them; and professional hockey would continue to fall further off the radar of the average sports fan."

...while the NHL is still far from being the back and forth style from the 70s & 80s I feel the game is headed in the right direction.

...one thing Bettman needs to sure up is the refereeing on obstruction calls. Some of the calls are brutal and kill the flow of the game.

Messier, Leetch & Richter Named Franchise Best

E.J. Hradek at ESPN.com names his franchise best for each Atlantic Division team...

NEW YORK RANGERS

Best forward: Mark Messier. It's tough to go against Rod Gilbert, but Messier had a dramatic impact on the franchise.

Best defenseman: Brian Leetch. A wonderfully gifted skater, Leetch rates the edge over 1950s and '60s standout Harry Howell.

Best goaltender: Mike Richter. The Rangers' Cup-winning goalie gets the edge over Eddie Giacomin.

...no arguments here.

Ticket Prices Increase Across NHL

Regular readers of this blog know of my opinion on the Rangers increasing ticket prices once again this year (See here). So when I read this article by Terry Frei at ESPN.com on how the lockout was supposed to bring about low ticket prices I had to set a link...

"But wasn't it supposed to be different under the salary-cap system that commissioner Gary Bettman and league owners shut down the league for a year to get? Citing the outrageous ticket prices, didn't the league at least imply that it also was fighting for the fans, too, as it took on the NHLPA?"

...i should e-mail this article over to the Dolans.

Shanahan Still On Unemployment Line

Wes Goldstein at CBSSportsline looks at veteran players who are still out of work, including Brendan Shanahan...

Brendan Shanahan: The future Hall of Famer is coming off a respectable season with the Rangers that earned him $5 million, but he's 39 and no longer an impact player. Shanahan wants to return to New York, even if it means taking a substantial pay cut, but the Rangers have had other priorities over the summer. The veteran has had other suitors, notably the St. Louis Blues who would pay him more than New York would, but so far Shanahan seems to be clinging to the hope he can still work out something with the Rangers.

...still haven't changed my feelings on Shanahan. Thanks but no thanks.

Gaborik to the Rangers?

In today's episode of the NHL's craziest rumors, Charlie Walters at The Pioneer Press has this...

"It's premature, but some people think that if the Wild are unable to sign star Marian Gaborik soon, he could be traded to the New York Rangers."

PuckDaddy discusses this rumor during his Hockey Rumors Live Chat.

...while I'd love to see this happen. Especially because he wouldn't be able to score 5 goals against us again. I wouldn't get too excited.

Dubinsky Facing Great Expectations

Dan Rosen at NHL.com names Brandon Dubinsky as one of his 10 sophomores facing great expectations this year...

"Brandon Dubinsky, New York Rangers -- Dubinsky and Jaromir Jagr thrived when coach Tom Renney put them together last season. Now that Jagr is playing in Russia, Dubinsky will have to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump without his former linemate.

Dubinsky, who had 40 points last season, plays a fearless, two-way game. On the depth chart, he's the third center behind Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, but Dubinsky could play top-two line minutes if Drury moves to the wing."

...hope the Rangers don't mess with Dubinsky by moving him between centering the third line and playing on the wing all year long.

...i think Dubinsky could handle it, but I'd like Renney to give him a definitive role and stick to it.

NHL.com previews the Rangers here.

Jagr Scores First Point With Avangard Omsk

Jeff Klein at Slap Shot gives us updates from Jaromir Jagr's KHL debut with Avangard Omsk...

UPDATE 7th minute: Jagr scores his first point at 6:18, setting up countryman Pavel Rosa for the opening goal. Ak Bars 0-1 Avangard. 24th minute: Danis Zapirov ties it for Ak Bars at 23:48 on a power play. Ak Bars 1-1 Avangard. 31st minute: Grigorii Shafigulin scores shorthanded (on a three-on-four!) to put the Tatars up. Ak Bars 2-1 Avangard.

...in goal for Jagr's opponent Ak Bars is none other than former Islander goalie Wade Dubielewicz. I hate Ak Bars already.

Captain Lundqvist?

Despite the fact that an NHL goaltender cannot serve as a captain or alternate captain, John Lane at SNY looks at some Ranger fans suggestion that Henrik Lundqvist be named captain...

Hi Jon. What about King Henrik? He's been with the Rangers for quite a while now and is the backbone of this team. Why give the 'C' to someone new? I say Henrik is the man for the job.

Sharon Colon

Hi Sharon,
Lundqvist doesn't strike me as one who will get in your face. He already shoulders enough of a load. He's carried the Rangers to many victories and will be motivated to rebound from what was, in my view, a disappointing performance against the Penguins in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Hank is the strong, silent type and I don't think it's in his personality to argue with a linesman or scream at a Nikolai Zherdev to get his butt in gear when warranted.

...the NHL rule has been implemented because "of the logistical challenges of having the goaltender relay rules discussions between referees and coaches and then return to the crease." Yeah because it's really difficult for a goaltender to skate all the way out to center ice to get an explanation.

...having said that, a goaltender would really need to be a fiery motivator to even be considered. Which Lundqvist is not.

Eklund: Shanahan Returning to New York

Eklund at HockeyBuzz reports...

"Will Shanny return to NY? I am told yes. and that very soon we will know a whole lot more."

...this absolutely clinches the fact that Shanahan is not coming back to the Rangers.

Capitals to Retire Gartner's Number

TSN reports...

"The Washington Capitals will retire Mike Gartner's No. 11 jersey before the team's December 28th game against Toronto."

...Gartner was a great Ranger. He scored 173 goals in three full seasons and parts of two others and is the only Ranger player to score at least 40 goals in three consecutive seasons.

...while I can't complain about the outcome, its too bad he got traded in during the 1993-1994 season. Would have been nice to see him raise the Cup.

Traverse City Tourney Preview

Newyorkrangers.com previews the up-coming Traverse City Prospects Tournament...

"A team of 23 Rangers hopefuls will head out to Michigan later this month to compete in the Detroit Red Wings' annual Traverse City Prospects Tournament. The Blueshirts will enter this year's event as the defending tournament champions, having gone 4-0 in their last visit to the Red Wings' training-camp home."

Tournament Roster & Schedule

...good luck boys. Let's start the pre-season on a positive note.

Oh I'm Stressed

Richard Sandomir at the New York Times has this piece on how former Ranger player and TV analyst John Davidson is dealing with the stresses of being the St. Louis Blues President. Including this quote...

“It’s consuming, but it’s good to have a consuming job,” he said in his barely adorned office at the Scottrade Center, his beefy arms folded over his chest. “That said, it’s affecting my golf game. You want more to happen quicker — that’s human nature — but we have a chance to be very good.”

...would love to see JD come back to the Rangers in an executive capacity at some point. He's got such a great passion for the game.