B R O A D W A Y***B L U E S H I R T S

Bathgate66

take it here


What more do the Rangers need to do this offseason aside from resigning their RFAs ?




_______Nothing- they should wait and see how the season starts before deciding what else to do


_______Dump one or two contracts to create capspace for in season maneuverability


________Add a defenseman who can quarterback the powerplay


________Add a hard hitting stay at home defenseman


________Something more drastic / add comments

CaptainCalli24

xavier mcdaniel wrote:

karel rachunek - that ship has sailed, he has to go.

he should have never been brought up during the playoffs...that move made me sick...can wait to see this kid STALL play D next year...

CaptainCalli24

Bathgate66 wrote:

take it here


What more do the Rangers need to do this offseason aside from resigning their RFAs ?




_______Nothing- they should wait and see how the season starts before deciding what else to do


_______Dump one or two contracts to create capspace for in season maneuverability


________Add a defenseman who can quarterback the powerplay


________Add a hard hitting stay at home defenseman


________Something more drastic / add comments

Get rid of Matt Cullen and that spaced out Marek Malik please!!

NY PJ1

bye MATT CULLEN !!!

TRADED TO CANES


http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=334591

stickboy

NY PJ1 wrote:

bye MATT CULLEN !!!

TRADED TO CANES


http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=334591

wow! Well we got back plenty for him, so it looks like a pretty good deal for now. Hutchinson, a prospect AND a draft pick! nice!

NY PJ1

stickboy wrote:

wow! Well we got back plenty for him, so it looks like a pretty good deal for now. Hutchinson, a prospect AND a draft pick! nice!

this hutchinson has alot of upside

we needed a offensive d-man

plus like the story sayss we cut the the salary to sign avery and hossa

i dont what to make of it yet though

stickboy

NY PJ1 wrote:

this hutchinson has alot of upside

we needed a offensive d-man

plus like the story sayss we cut the the salary to sign avery and hossa

i dont what to make of it yet though

Yea I remember him from the games we played against the canes last yr. He looked alright and probably will give us that much needed offense esp. on the PP unit.

I just didnt expect Cullen to get traded now...I was thinking maybe halfway thru the season, but oh well. Now just sign Avery and who cares about Hossa anyways.... trade him now that he has SOME kinda value after producing on Jags line last yr cause if we wait he might go back to his sucky ways and we'll be lucky to get a bag of pucks for him!

Bathgate66

July 17, 2007
Cullen Back to Carolina After All
The Rangers today traded Matt Cullen back to Carolina for defenseman Andrew Hutchison, prospect Joe Barnes, and a third round draft pick. In what is primarily a move to shed Cullen's remaining three years at $2.875 million out from under the salary cap, the Rangers also pick up a player in Hutchison projected as a power play quarterback, but who has yet to become an NHL regular at age 27 because of concerns about his defensive zone play and his lack of strength. Barnes, 21, is a center with size and offensive upside, but his first pro season last year was cut short after 15 games due to a major concussion.

It's the middle of the summer. The draft is over. The major free agent signings have been completed, and the salary cap depleted. And with practically no Ranger news to hold fans' interest, the response to our latest poll was in the thousands. The results can be interpreted two ways. With 80% of respondents split between standing pat and adding a defenseman, the remaining 20% want to dump a contract to create cap space. That contract is Marek Malik's. So do we throw those votes over to the "add a defenseman" camp, since dumping Malik would necessitate replacing him as our top defensive defenseman? Or do we throw those votes over to the "nothing" side of the ledger since they want to dump Malik but wait until the season starts to use the spending power freed up as a result?

Well, the question may now be moot with the news of the Cullen-Hutchison trade -- a contract other than Malik's was dumped, and a potential power play QB was added in the process, although the jury is way way out on Hutchison's ability to step right in, especially with Rozsival and Mara ahead of him. He will face stern competition from Marc Staal for a job, given his history.

The majority of the poll participation predictably came from the New York area, as well from expatriate strongholds like Florida and California, major hockey hotbeds in Canada like Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Vancouver, and even high profile cities around the world like London, Hamburg, Zurich, Vienna, Helsinki, Stockholm, and Prague where you'd expect a Ranger fan to hole up. But there were some surprises, from Malta and Morocco, to Israel and Armenia, to Hong Kong and Tokyo, to Oxford, England and Rathcoole, Ireland, to Kiev and Ceska Budejovice and the Italian Alps. Even on this side of the Atlantic, who would expect fans to check in from St-Ambroise, Quebec, Wynyard, Saskatchewan, Leavenworth, Kansas, Bon Air, Alabama, Abilene, Texas, Lake Yale, Florida, Newport, Oregon, Ashland, West Virginia, Franklin, Tennessee, Des Moines, Iowa, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin?

We're pretty sure who visited the site from Kiev, Tokyo, and Franklin, Tennessee -- our loyal subscribers in those hockey outposts. But for all you other Ranger fans in the New York metropolitan area, all across North America, and around the world, if you haven't yet discovered Blueshirt Bulletin, our monthly print publication devoted to the wide wide world of the New York Rangers, there is no better time than now to get with the program, as we head into a season where the Rangers are obviously going for the big prize. For the modest price of $30 a year for ten issues, with discounts for multi-year subscriptions (and additional postage costs outside the U.S.A.), you can get our unparalleled coverage of the Rangers and also help keep this web site going with its free daily updates and features. Click here to get more information -- we guarantee that you'll be beyond satisfied. Thanks!

For some online reading material to keep you going through these lean summer days: Hockey Rodent posted a long rant yesterday in which he remains skeptical about the Drury and Gomez signings and the readiness of our prospects. Leslie Treff reviews the Rangers' draft at Hockey's Future. Jim Schoenfeld goes "Off the Wall" at NHL.com. Even though we lost the game, John Rolfe (writing for SI.com) is on the mark with his choice of Game 5 of the 1984 playoff series between the Rangers and Islanders as the best (or at least one of the best) games ever played. Spector (who may have been the poll respondent from Prince Edward Island) reviewed the Matt Cullen pre-trade situation at FoxSports.com (timing is everything!), and Pierre Lebrun of the CP mentions Mike Peca as a possibility for the Rangers, though we find that hard to fathom.

Stan Fischler has an anecdote about John Ferguson's first day in New York at MSG.com as the centerpiece of his hommage to the recently passed Ranger GM-coach and noted NHL tough guy. "It was obvious that the media were aching for a change -- aren't they always? -- and I came in full of vim, vigor and vitality," Ferguson told Fischler about his first press conference after assuming the Rangers' helm. A mere thirty months later, New York was aching for another change, after Ferguson guided a Ranger team that had recently been a contender (and were quickly restored to contention after his departure) to three last place finishes. He traded away Rick Middleton in one of the worst trades in franchise history, he forced Rod Gilbert to retire because he was too soft, he exiled Billy Fairbairn because he was too soft, he drafted two other players ahead of Mike Bossy because Bossy was too soft, and he threw Ranger tradition out the window by changing the Rangers' uniform. We understand that it's poor form to beat up on a guy on the occasion of him losing his battle with cancer, but with everyone else singing his praises, all we remember is how he wrecked the Rangers as an opposing player and how he wrecked the Rangers as GM.

Bathgate66

i kinda dont like this deal.

why were they so intent on scrapping cullen ?

this guy was a faceoff winner, and was tricky as hell for opponents on the shootouts.

oh well, they really had it in their heads to shed his salary for some reason, i think they shouldve shed Malik before Cullen, but whatever.

basically a 3-for-1 deal, cant complain about that.

best of luck, matty ( except when you play against NYR )

NY PJ1

HUTCH'S FAV BAND ...... U GUESSED IT PEARL JAM LOL

YEA bath we'll have to see about this

maybe they are looking to rid another contract and go after danny markov??

we'll see

Bathgate66

Bathgate66 wrote:

July 17, 2007
Cullen Back to Carolina After All
The Rangers today traded Matt Cullen back to Carolina for defenseman Andrew Hutchison, prospect Joe Barnes, and a third round draft pick. In what is primarily a move to shed Cullen's remaining three years at $2.875 million out from under the salary cap, the Rangers also pick up a player in Hutchison projected as a power play quarterback, but who has yet to become an NHL regular at age 27 because of concerns about his defensive zone play and his lack of strength. Barnes, 21, is a center with size and offensive upside, but his first pro season last year was cut short after 15 games due to a major concussion.

It's the middle of the summer. The draft is over. The major free agent signings have been completed, and the salary cap depleted. And with practically no Ranger news to hold fans' interest, the response to our latest poll was in the thousands. The results can be interpreted two ways. With 80% of respondents split between standing pat and adding a defenseman, the remaining 20% want to dump a contract to create cap space. That contract is Marek Malik's. So do we throw those votes over to the "add a defenseman" camp, since dumping Malik would necessitate replacing him as our top defensive defenseman? Or do we throw those votes over to the "nothing" side of the ledger since they want to dump Malik but wait until the season starts to use the spending power freed up as a result?

Well, the question may now be moot with the news of the Cullen-Hutchison trade -- a contract other than Malik's was dumped, and a potential power play QB was added in the process, although the jury is way way out on Hutchison's ability to step right in, especially with Rozsival and Mara ahead of him. He will face stern competition from Marc Staal for a job, given his history.

The majority of the poll participation predictably came from the New York area, as well from expatriate strongholds like Florida and California, major hockey hotbeds in Canada like Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Vancouver, and even high profile cities around the world like London, Hamburg, Zurich, Vienna, Helsinki, Stockholm, and Prague where you'd expect a Ranger fan to hole up. But there were some surprises, from Malta and Morocco, to Israel and Armenia, to Hong Kong and Tokyo, to Oxford, England and Rathcoole, Ireland, to Kiev and Ceska Budejovice and the Italian Alps. Even on this side of the Atlantic, who would expect fans to check in from St-Ambroise, Quebec, Wynyard, Saskatchewan, Leavenworth, Kansas, Bon Air, Alabama, Abilene, Texas, Lake Yale, Florida, Newport, Oregon, Ashland, West Virginia, Franklin, Tennessee, Des Moines, Iowa, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin?

We're pretty sure who visited the site from Kiev, Tokyo, and Franklin, Tennessee -- our loyal subscribers in those hockey outposts. But for all you other Ranger fans in the New York metropolitan area, all across North America, and around the world, if you haven't yet discovered Blueshirt Bulletin, our monthly print publication devoted to the wide wide world of the New York Rangers, there is no better time than now to get with the program, as we head into a season where the Rangers are obviously going for the big prize. For the modest price of $30 a year for ten issues, with discounts for multi-year subscriptions (and additional postage costs outside the U.S.A.), you can get our unparalleled coverage of the Rangers and also help keep this web site going with its free daily updates and features. Click here to get more information -- we guarantee that you'll be beyond satisfied. Thanks!

For some online reading material to keep you going through these lean summer days: Hockey Rodent posted a long rant yesterday in which he remains skeptical about the Drury and Gomez signings and the readiness of our prospects. Leslie Treff reviews the Rangers' draft at Hockey's Future. Jim Schoenfeld goes "Off the Wall" at NHL.com. Even though we lost the game, John Rolfe (writing for SI.com) is on the mark with his choice of Game 5 of the 1984 playoff series between the Rangers and Islanders as the best (or at least one of the best) games ever played. Spector (who may have been the poll respondent from Prince Edward Island) reviewed the Matt Cullen pre-trade situation at FoxSports.com (timing is everything!), and Pierre Lebrun of the CP mentions Mike Peca as a possibility for the Rangers, though we find that hard to fathom.

Stan Fischler has an anecdote about John Ferguson's first day in New York at MSG.com as the centerpiece of his hommage to the recently passed Ranger GM-coach and noted NHL tough guy. "It was obvious that the media were aching for a change -- aren't they always? -- and I came in full of vim, vigor and vitality," Ferguson told Fischler about his first press conference after assuming the Rangers' helm. A mere thirty months later, New York was aching for another change, after Ferguson guided a Ranger team that had recently been a contender (and were quickly restored to contention after his departure) to three last place finishes. He traded away Rick Middleton in one of the worst trades in franchise history, he forced Rod Gilbert to retire because he was too soft, he exiled Billy Fairbairn because he was too soft, he drafted two other players ahead of Mike Bossy because Bossy was too soft, and he threw Ranger tradition out the window by changing the Rangers' uniform. We understand that it's poor form to beat up on a guy on the occasion of him losing his battle with cancer, but with everyone else singing his praises, all we remember is how he wrecked the Rangers as an opposing player and how he wrecked the Rangers as GM.

the new guy has got a really cool name too.

MySmallSelf17

As a Canes fan I was thrilled about this trade... Cullen is a great powerplay and shootout guy, which was two of our biggest weaknesses last year... plus we know he's got great chemistry with the team already

Looks like a salary dump from the Rangers perspective, they have spent a lot money this summer after all Hutchinson has some offensive ability but is awful defensively. He was a healthy scratch most of the year despite the Canes injury problems.

Somebody said Hutch is a PJ fan... I'm pretty sure I remember from Cullen's days with the Canes that he was also a PJ fan... so fair trade I'd say

NY PJ1

MySmallSelf17 wrote:

As a Canes fan I was thrilled about this trade... Cullen is a great powerplay and shootout guy, which was two of our biggest weaknesses last year... plus we know he's got great chemistry with the team already

Looks like a salary dump from the Rangers perspective, they have spent a lot money this summer after all Hutchinson has some offensive ability but is awful defensively. He was a healthy scratch most of the year despite the Canes injury problems.

Somebody said Hutch is a PJ fan... I'm pretty sure I remember from Cullen's days with the Canes that he was also a PJ fan... so fair trade I'd say

it is a salary dump w/ the hope hutch can find his whole game

joe barnes is a big center

NCBRI

MySmallSelf17 wrote:

As a Canes fan I was thrilled about this trade... Cullen is a great powerplay and shootout guy, which was two of our biggest weaknesses last year... plus we know he's got great chemistry with the team already

Looks like a salary dump from the Rangers perspective, they have spent a lot money this summer after all Hutchinson has some offensive ability but is awful defensively. He was a healthy scratch most of the year despite the Canes injury problems.

Somebody said Hutch is a PJ fan... I'm pretty sure I remember from Cullen's days with the Canes that he was also a PJ fan... so fair trade I'd say

Yeah, I remember reading that Cullen was a PJ fan as well. As a Canes fan I'm ecstatic about the deal. This is a guy who we know fits in with this team and he is exactly what we need. I think this leaves us pretty loaded on our top 3 forward lines. Can't wait for the new season to begin.

As far as Hutchinson goes, I think he is a question mark. Laviolette didn't play him much so he never had the opportunity to learn and improve much. When he did, he was used primarily on the power play where he did some good things, but really didn't end up with any stats of note there. I feel like this trade is a huge win for us because I don't think we gave up much. We end up paying Cullen more than Rutherford would have liked (hence the reason why he didn't resign here last year) but the deal puts us right around the team salary number that they wanted to spend this year. We have to be a little more fiscally responsible than teams in the larger markets and I think Rutherford is as good as anyone in the league.

Bathgate66

July 18, 2007

Christmas in July

A public appearance by Jaromir Jagr at an exhibition beach volleyball tournament prompted an interview with the Ranger captain by the Czech newspaper Pravo (online at Novinky.cz) which covered Jagr’s workout schedule and his feelings about the Rangers’ summer roster moves. “The truth is,” Jagr said about the signings of Chris Drury and Scott Gomez, “GM Glen Sather brought Christmas in the middle of the summer. The Rangers had to sign a centerman, so they had to embellish their offers a little, otherwise they would have no one. They hoped for one and they got both Gomez and Drury.”

Having had a couple of weeks to digest the departure of his friend Michael Nylander in favor of the two younger centers, Jagr had a different answer to the inevitable Nylander question than the one we’ve heard from him before. “From the long run perspective, it was the right decision because the additions are six, seven years younger than Nylander,” Jagr said. “The future of the organization will be built around them. Sometimes, one has to deal with things quickly. No one is irreplaceable. I don’t have time to cry about not having my centerman and I would only hurt myself [by doing so].”

Jagr diplomatically (and accurately) ducked the question of whether the Rangers are now favorites to win the Stanley Cup. “What I learned throughout my career is that names don’t win it,” he said. “The relationship [between players] is important to have good chemistry. If it’s bad, you can hardly get anywhere. When players sign such big contracts, there will be pressure. At the same time, they put pressure on themselves because they don’t want to be criticized in the papers that they don’t deserve the money. That was the problem with the Rangers six years ago -- a bunch of stars didn’t translate into points.”

He assessed the moves relative to the salary cap. “We are a team and every part is important,” he said about the Rangers still having to fit Sean Avery and Marcel Hossa under the cap (the interview took place before the Matt Cullen trade). “It’s the same thing as with human body where every organ is important. When you lose one, it’s a problem. The cap is $50 million -- there’s still some room. New deals came for players who aren’t top stars but got huge money. You don’t have to be that good -- you only have to be lucky. Many average players earn $4 million -- nobody expected that after the lockout. If a team signs someone to a long term deal, it can affect the team [as a whole]. You have to be sure that it will work out, because otherwise, you can ruin the team for a good three, four years.”

Jagr has been working out off the ice over the summer. “The workouts in hot weather are ideal for will,” he said. “It’s a good thing [too so] that I don’t put on that much weight -- although, I do have some extra pounds. But that’s normal. I go to my sister’s swimming pool and I work out in the water. It’s not about the length of an exercise, it’s all about the quality. In New York, I’m used to going to the pool prior to the game, stretching myself, it helps me. Other than that, I don’t like water much. I wouldn’t enjoy just coming some place and lying on the beach for a week.” But he is ready to get back onto the ice to prepare for next season. “Probably on Thursday,” he said. “I have a hockey school that started on Sunday. It will be certainly more pleasant than to potter around outside in the heat. Especially with this extreme weather [an unusually hot summer with temperatures around 100°]. Practice with children might not give me much, but maybe I can outplay them!”

That was just one of several of Jagr’s quips during the interview. Analyzing his ability at volleyball, he said, “Someone said I dove [for a ball], but I actually fell down. Anyway, the sun is burning the sand so I have to move even if I don’t want to.” On no longer being the highest paid player in the NHL, he said, “At least I won’t be hearing about it on every single occasion.” And on Nylander agreeing to contracts with both Edmonton and Washington, he said, “He probably wanted to become the best paid player, so he signed two contracts. Maybe he wanted to win the scoring title [by playing for two teams at the same time]. It would be a hassle, though -- he wouldn’t see those kids of his much.”

To see a video clip of Jagr playing volleyball and being interviewed in Czech, click [url=mms://stream4.visual.cz/ct/hokejvize/jagr_beach.wmv]here[/url] [WMV download]. More online versions of Jagr's interview in Czech, if you can read it, can be found at hokej.cz, iDNES.cz, and Denik Sport. Thanks again to DaTeL for a translation of the Pravo interview.

Local area reports today on yesterday’s trade of Cullen back to Carolina can be found in the Daily News, Journal News, Newsday, Post, Blue Notes, Rangers Report, NYR.com, MSG.com here and here, and NY Sports Day. More is available in the Raleigh News-Observer, AP, ESPN, and NHL.com, replete with quotes from Cullen about how happy he is to be returning back to the team he won the Stanley Cup with prior to coming to New York last season, and explaining his year with the Rangers as a learning experience in some areas (the penalty kill and face-off circle) and a disappointment in other areas (scoring).

Cullen, always candid and talkative, was expressing valid feelings about the trade -- a week ago, he shared equally valid feelings about staying in New York. The one thing we’d take issue with is his excuse about his defensive role -- he was Brendan Shanahan’s center for much of the season, failed to put up the requisite points, and had to be relegated to the third line as a result. Ultimately, given the need to clear cap space, the Rangers decided that Cullen, paid to be second line center, was too expensive to fill the role of third line center, and was a more tradable commodity than other Rangers who might be considered overpaid. It's just too bad the Rangers couldn't get players with more NHL upside in return, like the rumored Anton Babchuk.

NCBRI

Bathgate66 wrote:

July 18, 2007

It's just too bad the Rangers couldn't get players with more NHL upside in return, like the rumored Anton Babchuk.

Babchuk is certainly more talented than Hutchinson, but I don't think the Rangers or anyone else wanted him. He is a risk and has a bad reputation at this point. He burned bridges with the organization here. He was suspended for failing to report to Albany of the AHL at one point last year. He complained a lot and prior to this season he took off to play in Russia. People inside the organization have said he will never play for the Canes again and they have tried to trade him but haven't found any takers so they will just hang onto his rights for now. Maybe a change of scenery will help him gain some humility. The problem seems to be persuading another team that this is possible.

Bathgate66

hockeybird isnt too high on betts, huh





Cullen out
So I guess those rumors weren't "debunked" after all.

Yesterday Glen Sather dealt Matt Cullen back to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for defenseman Andrew Hutchinson, concussed forward Joe Barnes, and a third round pick in next year's draft.

I hated the Cullen signing when it first happened. I thought he was a mediocre center who was being brought in for the second line, a role he clearly wasn't able to fill. On top of that, the price and the duration of the contract were both too much. But with the way this team was shaping up, I am now very nervous about that third line position.

Larry Brooks sums things up nicely: Moving Cullen does create an opportunity for rookies Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky . . . but Tom Renney's track record at coach suggests that he's far more likely than not to give third-line time to Blair Betts rather than a freshman.

That right there makes me shudder. In two seasons as a NY Ranger, Blair Betts has - ready for this? - SIX assists. SIX. I would like to know how that is humanly possible for a guy that played one whole season as a third line center? Hell, even Ryan Hollweg has five assists in that same time period.

It seems as though Glen Sather felt he had to clear up some cap space, but I wonder whether it would be for another player, or just for safety reasons?

Stay tuned.

HDH

NY PJ1

thinking about this all day ,, i gotta believe their is a plan behind this in terms of a 3rd line center

prucha there?? betts is all 4th line,, i like him but not on the 3rd line

we cant expect a rookie to be a 3rd line center?? maybe we can

or maybe sometype of trade is in the works with a d-man moving ??

i have alot of faith just anxious about this hole

MySmallSelf17

NCBRI wrote:

Yeah, I remember reading that Cullen was a PJ fan as well. As a Canes fan I'm ecstatic about the deal. This is a guy who we know fits in with this team and he is exactly what we need. I think this leaves us pretty loaded on our top 3 forward lines. Can't wait for the new season to begin.

As far as Hutchinson goes, I think he is a question mark. Laviolette didn't play him much so he never had the opportunity to learn and improve much. When he did, he was used primarily on the power play where he did some good things, but really didn't end up with any stats of note there. I feel like this trade is a huge win for us because I don't think we gave up much. We end up paying Cullen more than Rutherford would have liked (hence the reason why he didn't resign here last year) but the deal puts us right around the team salary number that they wanted to spend this year. We have to be a little more fiscally responsible than teams in the larger markets and I think Rutherford is as good as anyone in the league.

Agreed. Rutherford has done a great job making value signings. After what some of these UFAs got paid this summer... can you imagine what a guy like Brind'Amour would be getting if he hadn't passed on free agency?

I'm real excited about the season too... our forwards are as good as any in the league, and if our D can hold up we can make another run for sure

Bathgate66

get the pearl jam crankin for the warmup skating sessions at The Garden,...




[url=
http://ordinaryleastsquare.typepad.com/ ... tbulletin/] Bulletin [/url]


July 19, 2007

No Nedved, But Is Kaspar Coming Back?


Fears of Petr Nedved's third coming to New York can be laid to rest -- Nedved has signed to play for Sparta in Prague on a one-way one-year contract that he cannot get out of even if he gets an offer from an NHL team (the AP reports the signing, the original Czech report at iDNES.cz mentions the no-out clause). On the other hand, Darius Kasparaitis is plotting his own resurrection, according to Sam Weinman at Rangers Report -- Weinman takes note of the growing glut of NHL defenseman on the Rangers' roster, which stood at eight (including Marc Staal) even before the acquisition of Andrew Hutchison and which would swell even further if Kaspar makes a comeback.

Elsewhere, the Rangers announced their pre-season schedule (NYR.com). More on the Matt Cullen trade from the Canadian Press as well three MSG announcers at MSG.com here, here, and here. At the Hockey News, the Rangers rate higher than the Islanders in fantasy pool potential -- although there are some strange bits in their analysis. Finally, for your viewing pleasure (despite not being Ranger-related), here is a funny video clip sent in by a reader, "Clark, the Canadian Hockey Goalie":