Moore Re-Assigned

As expected, Steve Zipay at Blue Notes is reporting that with the return of Brendan Shanahan and Sean Avery to the Rangers lineup, Greg Moore has been sent back to Hartford...

...unless there's an injury, I don't think we'll be seeing Moore for the rest of the year. If he can work on his offensive consistency, Moore should have a great chance to make the team out of camp next year especially with the expected departures of Jagr, Shanahan and Straka.

Callahan Tearing It Up in Hartford

According to Mitch Beck at Howlings, it looks like Ryan Callahan is finding his offense...

"With 2 assists Ryan Callahan now has 6 points (2 goals and 4 assists) in 4 games."

...I've got to give Callahan a lot of credit for going down to Hartford and really working hard.

...now the problem is where do you put Callahan when he's ready to come back. I doubt Renney is doing anything with the first two lines and with the way the third line has played recently, I can't see a change there. So could we actually see Callahan on the fourth line. I doubt it, as Renney has for some reason fallen in love with that line. Unless the third line starts to struggle again, Callahan might be stuck in Hartford for the foreseeable future.

Revolving 'C'

Brett Cyrgalis over at The Blue Seats wonders, with Jaromir Jagr's uninspired play of late, if it might be better to rotate the captain's 'C' to the most deserving player month by month, as done by the Buffalo Sabres...

"...Every month, they (Buffalo Sabres) change who wears the captain’s ‘C’. It happens that for January, Brain Campbell, one of the best defenseman in the league, is wearing it for the second month in a row. But the idea is genuine, and one that I think deserves some speculation.

Imagine with me, Blue Seats brethren, if the month changed tomorrow and Sean Avery wore the ‘C’ for Saturday’s game in Boston. It wouldn’t make Jagr feel bad, because it would just be the way the team was run. He’d get an ‘A’ on his chest, which would make him still feel important without all the pressure of being the leader. I think the team would play a different brand of hockey under Avery; they would skate harder, forecheck harder, hit harder, shoot harder…well, maybe they'd look similiar to how they looked for the majority of tonight. Of course I could be wrong, but the speculation is fascinating."

...two years ago, we played very well when we didn't have a captain, so maybe this wouldn't be such a bad idea. Although I don't agree with Cyrgalis that Jagr won't feel bad, because he would.

Mara's Play Earns Praise

John Dellapina at the Daily News has a nice story on Paul Mara's strong play of late...

"...Mara has seven assists in his last 10 games, during which his ice time has been hiked to 18-1/2 minutes per game - approximately 1:30 more than he was averaging for the season. The difference has been Mara's inclusion on the power play. Mara's previous exclusion was mysterious because the 28-year-old has a record of success and the Rangers have been searching for competent point men since Brian Leetch was traded four years ago.

'I think I've gotten a little more power play time and I've been shooting the puck a lot more and gaining confidence every day,' said Mara, whose even-strength slapper was redirected home for the deciding goal by Petr Prucha in Wednesday night's victory over Buffalo. 'So things are getting better lately.'..."

...Mara has an absolute cannon and its been on display of late. The only problem is his shot is usually wide or blocked. Once he starts getting his shot on net, his offensive numbers will be even better.

...a have to agree with Dellapina that it has been a mystery why Renney has left Mara off the power play. Although with Renney's history of incorrectly using personnel on the power play (see Matt Cullen and Chris Drury) I'm not too surprised.

Milbury: Jagr the Problem

According to Lynn Zinser at Slap Shot, during a conference call in preparation of NBC's Ranger-Bruin game this Sunday former New York Islander General Manager Mike Milbury blames Jaromir Jagr for the Rangers' struggles...

With the Rangers playing so far under expectations, it is natural that much of the criticism is leveled at their captain, Jaromir Jagr.

But for Mike Milbury, the NBC broadcaster and former Islanders coach, it is always time to criticize Jagr. He warmed up for the first NBC game of the week by singling Jagr out for blame, which comes as no surprise because even when the Rangers are not struggling, it is a favorite topic of Milbury’s.

"The Rangers’ problem is Jagr,” Milbury said in a conference call. “He has to carry so much responsibility and his psyche is so fragile. At times he’s been missing his buddy Nylander or can’t find chemistry with somebody else, but he’s one of those guys that demands constant attention from the coaches, and you wonder whether it’s worth it. He’s one of the great all time players of the game, and he’s frustrating.”

...he can't do that to our pledges. Yeah, only we can do that to our pledges (I think I've used that Animal House line once before on this blog but hey it works).

...while everything Milbury said about Jagr is true and I've heard the same things from countless Ranger fans this year, I still don't like hearing it from a former Islander GM who doesn't know a thing about evaluating hockey talent as proved by his dreadful drafting ability (see trading Luongo so he could pick DiPietro ahead of Heatly and Gaborik) and ridiculous personnel moves (too numerous to mention).

Brian Leetch Night Starts @ 6:30 p.m.

The New York Times Hockey blog Slap Shot reminds Rangers fans that next Thursday's Brian Leetch Night festivities start at 6:30 p.m....

"The Rangers are starting the ceremony to honor former defenseman Brian Leetch at 6:30 p.m. on January 24, to try to kick their game off close to on time. Fortunately, it is unlikely to be the marathon event that Mark Messier’s number retirement was. Leetch is reliably less talkative than Messier."

...to any of my faithful readers who have tickets to Leetch night, don't be the guy who walks in at 7:00 p.m. and misses the whole thing.

Shanahan to be Suspended?

Over at The Rangers Report, Sam Weinman reports that Buffalo Sabres Head Coach Lindy Ruff has called for Brendan Shanahan to be suspended for his cross check on Clarke MacArthur at the end of the game...

“There should probably be a suspension on that last play,” Ruff said. “The league has to look at that. That was a definite attempt to hurt somebody.

“It was careless, reckless. You can’t have that happen. He could have a broken neck, a broken shoulder, a broken back. He could have a number of things. If he isn’t seriously hurt, he’s lucky.”

Larry Brooks in the New York Post has quotes from Shanahan...

"[The check] was harder than I would have wanted. It certainly warranted a penalty," Shanahan said after the Blueshirts' second victory in their last eight games (2-5-1). "I'm just glad the kid didn't get hurt.

"I basically tried to eliminate him from getting an easy chance. There was nothing premeditated. That's not how I play the game.

"I wanted to knock him down into the net, not into the post. I know I got away with one, but I wouldn't want to do that to anybody."

...if Shanahan is suspended I can't imagine it would be more than one game. It might be good for him anyway as he can rest his ailing knee.

...to the play itself, the cross check was obviously a penalty, which Shanahan even admits, but I actually loved the play as Shanahan stopped what could have been a sure layup for MacArthur. And I love how Shanahan says he tried to 'eliminate him.'

...on a side note, I really do not like Ruff. This guys cries more than any coach in the league. He could have broke his back? C'mon Ruff, just worry about getting your team some wins.

Ugly But I'll Take It

Last night the New York Rangers (22-20-5) defeated the Buffalo Sabres (19-19-6) by a score of 2-1. Petr Prucha and Brandon Dubinsky each had a goal and an assist in the victory that stretched the Sabres' losing streak to 10 games. The Rangers jumped from 10th place to eighth in the East with the win, five points in front of No. 11 Buffalo -- the team with the NHL's best record last season. Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves for his 20th win of the season, and former Sabres co-captain Chris Drury knocked off his old team the first chance he got since signing a five-year, $35.25 million contract with the Rangers on July 1. For a full recap go to Yahoo! Sports.

...while this was far from a pretty win I'll take the two points any way I can these days.

...finally, finally, finally the Rangers are getting production from their third line. Prucha-Dubinsky-Dawes have combined for 4 goals and 6 assists in the last 3 games. Great job boys.

...the fourth line also had an outstanding game, but on the defensive end. Especially Blair Betts, who came up with two huge blocks on the 5 on 3 Buffalo power play in the 2nd period.

...one negative was another luckluster effort from Jagr. Another lazy penalty and then not busting it back after Gomez' turnover which led to Buffalo's only goal. This guy really needs to pick it up. You're the Captain Jagr, play like one.

Full Squad Tonight

Sam Weinman at The Rangers Report, reports that Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan and Sean Avery will all be in the lineup tonight...

"Sean Avery, Brendan Shanahan, and Jaromir Jagr will all be in the lineup tonight against the Sabres despite their assortment of injuries.

'Whether or not it’s sore, I just put it out of my head,' Avery said of his wrist.

Losers of six of their last seven, the Rangers obviously need Avery back, and can expect to benefit from his rare brand of spunk. But can he be play his on-the-edge game while remaining healthy? The answer so far, with three significant injuries already this season, has been no...

...In other news:

- Expect Shanahan and Avery to rejoin Chris Drury on a line. Marcel Hossa, Greg Moore and Jason Strudwick will be the scratches.

- Henrk Lundqvist is in net."

...not sure what to think with Jagr, Shanahan and Avery in the lineup tonight. On one hand I appreciate them playing through the pain, but on the other hand are they hurting the team by not being able to play at 100% and themselves by worsening their injury.

...Renney must have read Brooks' article today with the benching of the human penalty Marcel Hossa.

...with Strudwick in the press box it looks like everyone's favorite defenseman Marek Malik will be in the lineup tonight.

Rangers vs. Sabres Preview

Tonight the New York Rangers (21-20-5) host the Buffalo Sabres (19-18-6) at MSG. Chris Drury will face his former team for the first time. This is the first meeting between these teams since the Sabres eliminated the Rangers in six games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Drury scored the biggest goal of the series with 8 seconds left in regulation in Game 5, preventing New York from taking a 3-2 series lead. After ending a five-game losing streak in their previous game, the Rangers lost 4-1 at Pittsburgh on Monday despite registering 44 shots. The Sabres have scored 124 goals in 43 games, a huge drop-off from last season when they finished with a league-best 308. That lack of offense has become more apparent during the current nine-game skid, their longest stretch without a victory since a 12-game winless streak during the 2002-03 season. They have scored 15 goals in their last nine contests. For a full preview visit Yahoo! Sports.

...man I thought we were playing poorly. Buffalo is awful right now.

...while the headline for this game is Drury facing his former team, the real story is that the Rangers need a win and need one now.

...the Rangers have five games before the All-Star break. They need to go 4-1 to have any momentum going into the end of the season.

...while Buffalo has been struggling, the Rangers can't win if they don't score and with Ryan Miller in goal we might have a tough time scoring tonight. I think we all remember how well he played against us in the playoffs last year.

...I'll have more on tonight's lineup later.

Columbus May Be Interested in Tyutin

According to Tom Reed at The Columbus Dispatch, the Blue Jackets are said to be pursuing Fedor Tyutin...

"As we continue to bombard you with trade rumors involving the Rangers and Penguins, here are two names to keep in mind: Fedor Tyutin and Erik Christensen.

Tyutin, 24, is one of the Rangers top four defensemen and is believed to a player of interest to the Jackets. It’s hard to believe the Rangers would part with Tyutin, but they have a history of letting go decent young defensemen – see Mark Tinordi and Mattias Nordstrom.

The Rangers believe they have a young, cornerstone defenseman in rookie Marc Staal and another good one in Dan Girardi. Tyutin has 4 goals and 4 assists in 46 games, but he’s a minus-9."

...depending on who we could get in return, I wouldn't totally be against trading Tyutin, only because of our depth at defense.

...having players in our system such as Sanguinetti, Sauer, Liffiton, Pock and Baranka allows us to trade a player like Tyutin and not take a major hit defensively.

...I guess I was wrong the other day when I said we didn't have players other teams would want.

Renney = Mr. Softy

Larry Brooks at the New York Post implores Head Coach Tom Renney to start disciplining his players...

"They have been consistently plagued by bad penalties and undermined by their failure to shoot the puck on the power play.

And yet, not a single player has been benched for so much as a shift for taking a bad penalty, let alone for a game. Not one player has been taken off the power play for a failure to shoot the puck as directed by the coaching staff...

...On Renney's Rangers, there are no consequences for breaches in discipline. There are no consequences for failure to follow the game plan. No one misses a shift. No one is benched. No one is reprimanded in team meetings.

There are no consequences for lazy play or for repeated mental errors - no consequences except on the scoreboard and in the standings, that is."

...in my opinion this is a bit harsh by Brooks. During Renney's tenure as coach he has been know to bench players for luckluster play (i.e. Nylander, Poti and Malik) and has completely changed the culture in the Rangers' locker room. Now having said that, I do agree with Brooks to the extent that Renney has been very forgiving this year, especially with Hossa taking bad penalties and Rozsival not shooting the puck on the power play. I would love, just once, to see Renney go off on Rozsival after, once again, not taking a wide open shot on the power play.

...hopefully, Renney reads this article today, because this team needs a good kick in the pants.

Rangers to Open Next Season in Prague

According to John Dellapina at The Blueshirts Blog, the NHL will anounce during All-Star weekend that the Rangers will open up next season in Prague with two games against the Tampa Bay Lightning...

"While awaiting the formal announcement during All-Star Weekend that they will be opening next season with two games in Prague vs. Tampa Bay, the Rangers are beginning to formulate plans for next September.

It appears as if they will open training camp at the MSG Training Center a few days early and eventually move their base of operations to Bern, Switzerland, to complete camp and play some exhibition games against European club teams.

They’ll then move to Prague to take on the Lightning while Ottawa and Pittsburgh are opening the season in Stockholm."

Jagr May Be Out

According to Anthony Rieber at Blue Notes, Jaromir Jagr may miss tomorrow's game against the Buffalo Sabres due to injury. He also updates us on Brendan Shanahan and Sean Avery...

"More bad news for the Rangers at this morning's practice.

Jaromir Jagr did not skate today after injuring both of his feet in last night's 4-1 loss in Pittsburgh. Coach Tom Renney said Jagr was hit with a puck in one foot and kicked in the other. He was limping around the Rangers' training facility and it's uncertain if he'll be able to play in tomorrow night's home game against Buffalo.

In other, slightly more positive injury news, Brendan Shanahan (hip, back) and Sean Avery (wrist) did skate today, and there is a chance one or both could be back tomorrow night. We'll see..."

...might be good to give Jagr a day off to rest his injury. Especially after seeing Shanahan worsen his injury by trying to play through the pain. Plus it might do him well to get a day off.

Dubinsky & Staal Named to NHL YoungStars Team

The NHL has named Brandon Dubinsky and Marc Staal to the Eastern Conference YoungStars Team, which will faceoff against the Western Conference team during All-Star Weekend...

"Comprising the best of the League's stellar rookie class in 2007-08, the eight-player Eastern and Western Conference YoungStar teams will face off in a new three-on-three event as part of the Dodge/NHL SuperSkills competition on Saturday, Jan. 26 at Philips Arena in Atlanta (7 p.m., ET, VERSUS, CBC, RDS). The YoungStars will be shooting against goaltenders named to participate in the NHL All-Star Game the following day...

...Enstrom is joined on the Eastern Conference blueline by Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mike Lundin of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Marc Staal of the New York Rangers. The forwards are the Washington Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom, the Rangers' Brandon Dubinsky, the Penguins' Tyler Kennedy and the Boston Bruins' Milan Lucic."

...congratulations boys. Well deserved.

Is It Time to Trade Jagr?

That's the question Scott Burnside asks at ESPN.com...

"...the Rangers now must consider something more dramatic, possibly stunning, if they are going to get back in the Stanley Cup game.

And if general manager Glen Sather is considering such a move, that consideration begins and ends with Jagr...

...the economics of the new NHL suggest Jagr, who will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer, is the most logical piece to move. It goes without saying that there would be a market for a player of Jagr's immense talent, even in the face of this surprisingly disappointing season.

A team like the Colorado Avalanche, for instance, desperate to make the playoffs and wracked by injuries to top players Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth, might be interested. The Avs have been rumored to be looking to move puck-moving defenseman John-Michael Liles, a member of the 2006 U.S. Olympic team.

How about Jagr with the San Jose Sharks, where general manager Doug Wilson isn't afraid of a blockbuster deal and has some assets to move? Or even the Vancouver Canucks, where the Sedin brothers still need someone to play alongside them and some defensive depth could be moved?..."

...the further the Rangers slide out of the playoff picture the more this could become a reality. But as long as the Rangers are within striking distance of a playoff spot I would be shocked if Sather traded Jagr.

Lundqvist Looking for $6 Million Per Year

According to Jim Matheson at the Edmonton Journal, it looks like Henrik Lundqvist's agent is looking for $6 million per year...

"Don Meehan represents Cujo, Nabokov and Lundqvist, as it turns out. He's probably trying to get Lundqvist around $6 million in a new deal..."

...Meehan better get this done for his client soon because he is losing the upper hand with every Ranger loss.

...just to put that $6 million number in perspective Luongo averages $6.5 million, Kiprosuff will start averaging $8 million next year and Brodeur averages $5.2 million.

Who Would Columbus Even Want?

After another Ranger loss the Daily News' John Dellapina wonders who the Blue Jackets would even want from the Rangers in a trade...

"A glass partition separated Rangers GM Glen Sather's box from the three Columbus Blue Jackets scouts seated in the press box last night.

Had they been sitting together, Sather probably would have had no trouble convincing the Columbus bird dogs that the Rangers need to make a trade. Getting them to convince Columbus GM Scott Howson that any Ranger is worth acquiring would have been a tougher sell."

....Dellapina brings up a good point here. Who would another team want on the Rangers? Malik? Prucha? Dawes? Everyone is demanding a trade to turn this around, but to do that we need to have players other teams actually want. Even if we can get someone to take one of these players, do you actually think we'd get some young stud puck moving defenseman in return. Probably not.

...the only way we get anything of value in return is if we offer Dubinsky, which Sather better not do, or one of our veterans (i.e. Shanahan, Straka or Jagr) to a team looking to bolster their lineup for the playoffs. And if we're looking to unload veterans, we've probably given up on the season.

At Least We Still Have the Giants

Tonight the New York Rangers (21-20-5) lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins (26-16-3) by a score of 4-1. Evgeni Malkin scored three goals for the second time in 11 games, and Ty Conklin stopped 43 shots to remain unbeaten in regulation. Sidney Crosby had two assists and Sergei Gonchar also scored for the Penguins, who are 9-0-1 in their last 10 and have won six in a row at home. Jaromir Jagr scored his 13th goal for New York, which has lost six of seven and four in a row on the road. For a full recap (not sure why you'd want one) go to Yahoo! Sports.

...we can nit pick all we want about how Lundqvist is off his game or that Malik is the slowest skater in the NHL or Renney over uses the 4th line, but to me all of that is second to the fact that we can't score. In 7 games this month we've scored 15 goals. That's barely 2 goals a game on a team with Jagr, Gomez, Drury, Straka and Shanahan. You can't win if you don't score.

...what I've found amazing all year, is throughout this offensive ineptness we have consistently outshot our opponent. We had 44 shots on goal tonight and only scored once. The NHL average for shooting % is .095 the Rangers shooting % is .076, the worst in the NHL. Only four teams have under .085. I 've said it many times on this blog 'shooter tutor.'

...this is a low point for me this season. I don't even have it in me to come up with some ridiculous trade. It's just really depressing.

Cujo Signs With Calgary

According to ESPN, Curtis Joseph has decided to sign with the Calgary Flames.

Here is John Dellapina's take on it at The Blueshirts Blog...

"Curtis Joseph is not signing with the Rangers. While Glen Sather checked on Cujo while talking about a new contract for Henrik Lundqvist over the weekend with agent Don Meehan, the Rangers weren’t as ready to commit as Calgary. By all accounts, the Rangers did not make an offer, leaving Joseph to back up Miikka Kiprusoff rather than Lundqvist the rest of this season."

...while I had no illusions of Joseph coming to the Rangers and playing the way he did when he was in Edmonton or Toronto, I did feel that he would serve as a capable backup and push Lundqvist in a way that Valiquette can't. I mean who feels comfortable with having to play either Valiquette or Montoya down the stretch if god forbid Lundqvist gets injured.

Rangers Could Be Interested in Orpik

Bucky Gleason at The Buffalo News reports that if hard-hitting defenseman Brooks Orpik is not in the Pittsburgh Penguins plans for the future, the Rangers might be a team interested...

"The Penguins need to decide whether hard-hitting defenseman Brooks Orpik will remain in their long-term plans. The East Amherst native is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season...Orpik could draw interest from the Rangers, who have four defensemen ready to hit the open market after this season."

...I can't image that a trade between these two teams would happen this year, but if Pittsburgh decides not to sign Orpik this offseason, he should definitely be someone the Rangers pursue.

...his toughness on the blueline is something this team sorely needs.

Shanahan & Avery Out; Lundy in Goal

Steve Zipay at Blue Notes, gives an update on the Rangers lineup for tonight...

"When I left Mellon Arena after the morning skate, Sean Avery, in full uniform but wearing a knit cap, was one the ice under the eye of assistant coach Perry Pearn. Avery was stickhandling a bit to test his injured wrist, and coach Tom Renney said things had improved enough to describe Avery as day-to-day.

'Fitness-wise, he's fine,' said Renney of Avery, who will miss his fourth consecutive game tonight. 'Now it's a matter of putting heat on the injury and seeing where we're at.'

Brendan Shanahan, who sat out the Montreal game, didn't skate and won't dress tonight, but was optimistic that he would play against Buffalo on Wednesday. 'It all feels a lot better, the hip, the knee, the hamstring,' said Shanahan. 'I'll skate tomorrow. But (tonight) it's better to just back off. In retrospect, I shouldn't have tried to play (against Philadelphia). That set it in the wrong direction.'

Jaromir Jagr loosened up before the skate and will play, and Renney expected the lines and defensive pairings to remain the same---"at least from the start." That means Jason Strudwick would be a healthy scratch.

Expect the HBO line to match up against Sidney Crosby's line as often as possible, even though the Rangers won't have the last line change on the road.. 'I love rolling four lines when I can, but when you have some success, it's pretty tough to get away from that,' Renney said.

Henrik Lundqvist, 10-4-3 lifetime against the Pens, will start in goal..."

...with the lineup the same as Saturday's, I'm expecting another outstanding effort.

...hopefully, when Renney says the HBO line will be matched up against Crosby's line as much as possible, he doesn't mean they're going to get more ice time than Jagr's line.

Penguins News & Notes

For the latest on the Pittsburgh Penguins visit Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Penguins Page.

Rangers vs. Penguins Preview

Tonight the New York Rangers (21-19-5) visit the Pittsburgh Penguins (25-16-3). For the Rangers, Jaromir Jagr has five goals and seven assists in his last nine games. He has 15 goals and 16 assists against his former team, though he hasn't scored a goal in his last five against Pittsburgh. Only two teams have scored fewer than New York's 108 goals. Pittsburgh is 8-0-1 since Dec. 23, and 17-5-1 since Thanksgiving, but the Penguins have struggled all season against their four division rivals. They're 4-10-1 against Atlantic opponents, including 1-2-1 against the Rangers. For a full preview go to Yahoo! Sports.

...after a five game losing streak it would be nice for this team to start a winning streak. They need it.

...I was very encouraged by the effort Saturday night and hopefully the players realize that if they play hard for 60 minutes they're going to be a tough team to beat.

...I'm assuming with Saturday's success, we're not going to see any changes in the lineup unless Shanahan is feeling better.

...really hoping the third line of Dawes-Dubinsky-Prucha can carry over their spirited play from Saturday night into tonight's game. I can't imagine there is another team in the NHL that has received less production from their third line.

...hoping to see Lundqvist back between the pipes.

...we're going to need another complete effort tonight as the Penguins come in as one of the hottest teams in the league. They're riding the stellar goaltending of Ty Conklin (9-0-1 with a 1.56 goals-against average and two shutouts), who they pulled off the scrap heap about a month ago. While Conklin is playing well, he's never been consistent and if we can get to him early I think we have a great chance.

...I'll have more later.

Marvelous Malik

Two days after his triumphant return to the Rangers lineup Marek Malik gets a nice write-up by John Dellapina in the Daily News...

"...One week after storming out of the arena in Edmonton in a huff upon learning that he was going to be scratched, Malik came out of mothballs to play an impressive 20:47 that included 6:47 of critical penalty-killing in a 4-1 victory over Montreal.

'I thought he had that poise that he normally does,' said Rangers coach Tom Renney, who had scratched Malik from the three previous games. 'I thought that he competed where he needed to.

'It's not easy to jump back in the lineup like that and play like he did. And with our team under the circumstances we put ourselves in, that's even a little added pressure. And I thought he handled it like a guy that's been in this league a long time.'..."

...while it was great to see Malik have such a strong game, I'm concerned that if Renney decides to keep him with Rozsival, he will start to receive starting d-man minutes. Which I think ultimately would hurt the team.

Rangers Still Scouting the Blue Jackets

Over at the Columbus Dispatch, Aaron Portzline reports that Ranger scouts continue to be spotted at Blue Jacket games...

"...Either the Rangers' front office can't get enough of central Ohio, or there's still a trade simmering with the Blue Jackets. On Friday and last night, Rangers assistant general manager Jim Schoenfeld watched the Blue Jackets play. Director of player personnel Gordie Clark and several Rangers scouts have been in Nationwide Arena in recent weeks..."

...I hope Sather doesn't make a panic move like I suggested he do after the Flyers loss the other night. To trade a player like Prucha or Dawes for an older player such as David Vyborny would be a huge mistake.

...the best plan right now would be to hang tight until the end of the month and assess the team at that point. There's still a lot of hockey to be played.

Rangers May Play in Yankee Stadium

John Dellapina of the Daily News reports that the NHL is working on a deal to have the Rangers play a game at Yankee Stadium...

"The NHL is working with the Yankees' high command and representatives of the city to try to play a game at Yankee Stadium next winter. While there are plenty of logistical hurdles to clear, the principals are interested.

'We'd love to do it,' said Rangers GM Glen Sather, who is always up for a new hockey adventure..."

...absolutely love the idea and I hope I can get tickets.

...looks like the opponent would be the Islanders or Devils. The story seems to indicate that the Islanders have expressed more interest.

Rangers Inquire About Cujo

According to Darren Dreger at TSN, the Rangers have inquired about Curtis Joseph's return to the NHL...

"Sources tell TSN both the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers have made last minute inquiries into Curtis Joseph's plan to return to the NHL.

New York's Henrik Lundqvist allowed six goals on 18 shots in a 6-2 Rangers loss to Philadelphia on Thursday.

Lundqvist has struggled of late going 2-5-2 in his last nine games after impressively recording six shutouts in his first 29 games..."

...I love this. As I stated in a previous post, the Rangers need a capable veteran backup to Lundqvist. I have no confidence in Valiquette, unless of course he is playing against Toronto.

...a veteran backup could also push Lundqvist a little, which I think would benefit him greatly.

Who Were Those Guys?

Last night the New York Rangers (21-19-5) defeated the Montreal Canadiens (22-14-8) by a score of 4-1. Petr Prucha and Nigel Dawes had a goal and an assist apiece, goalie Henrik Lundqvist got back on track, and the Rangers snapped their five-game losing streak. The Rangers are now 2-4-1 in its last seven games, with both wins coming against Montreal. Chris Drury and Martin Straka scored in the first period for the Rangers. For a full recap go to Yahoo! Sports.

...great all around effort by the Rangers tonight. I haven't seen that complete of an effort for a couple of weeks now. It was nice to see.

...Renney has taken a lot of criticism lately, but his move to switch up the d pairings really seemed to work. Although Malik is a liability on the ice, I do like the move putting him back with Rozsival. I think Malik has a nice comfort level playing with him. Now I know that playing with Rosi isn't going to help Malik skate faster, but if it can have a calming influence on him the move might just work. And here's an interesting stat I found online today regarding Malik:

Rangers GAA without Malik in the lineup: 3.14
Rangers GAA with Malik in the lineup: 2.12

...looks like Henrik had to hit rock bottom before he found his game. Maybe not making the All-Star team lit a fire under him.

...as the former President of the Nigel Dawes Fan Club, I have to commend him on his goal and assist last night. However, I think there is some type of Dawes bias in the Rangers organization. How was this guy not named one of the three stars last night?

...if nothing else last night's game will stop all the trade rumors and fire Renney remarks for at least a day or two.

Malik Returns to the Lineup

According to Steve Zipay at Blue Notes, Marek Malik will be in the lineup tonight...

"...D Marek Malik will dress, Renney said. 'Struds (Jason Strudwick) will be the guy who will be either in or out depending on what's going on with Marty.'..."

...if the Rangers struggle tonight it might get real ugly for Malik.

...I'll be at the game, so I'll have a good report on the fans treatment of Malik.