Lets Go Rangers! 2011-2012 season thread

[SLURPEE]

I like how every poster on HF has Fedotanko, Wolski or Avery on the top line.

Now I know Fedotanko played with Richards in Tampa. But he should not be on the top line in 2011.

Ditto Avery.

Wolski eh.

Let's be honest, Dubinsky is the perfect player for that line.

He brings "jam" to an otherwise jamless line.

[CanoForPresident]

^ That place is idiot central.

Wolski is the only one who you could make a logical argument for. Anyone who pencils Avery into the top six should be punched in the face.

[Kluivert4Ever]

Jagr is getting 3.3 a year and I wouldn't rule out Anisimov out producing Jagr next year.

If Anisimov's game comes together either this year or next we'll be wishing that we locked him up longer. Hes an excellent 3rd line center as it is and hes got the ability to be so much more.

I love his game but everything is a step or two behind right now. If he can quicken up his feet and his decision making, he'll be a 5 million dollar player in 2 years.

I dont doubt that he can be but right now he isnt a 2 million player IMO and I would have felt better if we had locked him up for more years.

[CanoForPresident]

A lengthy yet excellent piece on Christian Thomas

http://rangers.nhl.com/club/news.htm...id=DL|NYR|home

A few things...

I don't like the Skinner comparison. For one, Skinner has about 2 inches and 20 pounds on Thomas along with superior core strength and balance on his skates (these go hand in hand, but they're incredibly important for an under sized player.) They also play completely different games despite being smallish goal scoring forwards.

Skinner has an awesome wrist shot but he does a lot of his work from the dots in. Hes got Parise type touch in the blue paint which is what makes him as special as he is.

Thomas does most of his damage from the hash marks out. Graves, Gorton and Clark really talked up his shot in that piece, but their words still probably don't do it justice. He has an elite level shot, Its hard, its accurate and he gets it off quickly, its almost Stamkos good and with some added strength, it may get there.

Graves pointed out how he can drag the puck and get it off quickly and confuse the goalie with the angle change but that is one of those things that I don't think will work at the NHL level. Defensemen in the NHL control their gaps too well these days to let that kind of stuff fly. The good thing is that Thomas doesn't score a majority of his goals this way, but it is something that he has been able to take advantage of in the OHL that he won't have as much success with in the NHL.

Gorton and Graves also echo'd my thoughts on Thomas' chances of making the team - If he puts in the work and adds enough strength in the next few months, he will make it very hard for the team to send him down after camp is over. Outside of Gaborik, there is no one on the current team (or in the system IMO) who has the goal scoring ability of this guy.

[AMYanks]

NYP_Brooksie Larry Brooks
Brian Boyle in for 3 yrs at $1.7M per...Only Dubinsky and Callahan, the two most challenging Group II's, remain unsigned....

I'd still like to trade him while his value is high, but under $2M per, I don't hate it.

Also, first round pick JT Miller has decided to go to the OHL instead of the NCAA.

http://thepipelineshow.blogspot.com/...-plymouth.html

[CanoForPresident]

I'd still like to trade him while his value is high, but under $2M per, I don't hate it.

Also, first round pick JT Miller has decided to go to the OHL instead of the NCAA.

http://thepipelineshow.blogspot.com/...-plymouth.html

A year too long and 200k too high (annually.) Can't complain that much since he wasn't grossly overpaid, but I'm not sold on Boyle.

Miller couldn't have gone wrong with either choice. UND is a fantastic development program and the OHL pumps guys into the NHL with more success than any other league out there.

With the questions surrounding his offensive upside, the OHL was with out a doubt the better route for Miller. He'll get more games (and ice time) with Plymouth than he would have at UND, which is exactly what he needs to develop his game. The Whalers were a playoff team last year (pulled off a pretty big upset in round one over the Landeskog and Murphy led Kitchner Rangers) who look to be a legitimate squad this upcoming season. Miller is stepping into a great situation.

[SLURPEE]

Can Thomas play LW?

If so I'd like to see...


Dubinsky-Richards-Gaborik
Thomas-Stepan-Callahan
Wolksi-Anisimov-Zuccarello
Fedotanko/Rupp-Boyle-Prust

[Kluivert4Ever]

A year too long and 200k too high (annually.) Can't complain that much since he wasn't grossly overpaid, but I'm not sold on Boyle.

I think Boyle can be a good compliment to Richards and Gaborik on the 1st line.

Im getting more excited by this upcoming season by the minute. Cant wait to actually watch the first two games live!

[CanoForPresident]

I think Boyle can be a good compliment to Richards and Gaborik on the 1st line.

Im getting more excited by this upcoming season by the minute. Cant wait to actually watch the first two games live!

I'm leaving for Prague with my fiance tomorrow. I wish they had released the dates for their little Euro tour a few months earlier so I could have taken this vacation then.

I've wanted the Rangers to try Boyle on the wing for a while. If that move can have the similar impact to the Dubi move to wing (and if Boyle ever learned how to fight a bit) he's a ridiculous steal at what he is being paid.

[Kluivert4Ever]

I'm leaving for Prague with my fiance tomorrow. I wish they had released the dates for their little Euro tour a few months earlier so I could have taken this vacation then.

I've wanted the Rangers to try Boyle on the wing for a while. If that move can have the similar impact to the Dubi move to wing (and if Boyle ever learned how to fight a bit) he's a ridiculous steal at what he is being paid.

Yeah, that was a shame. Would have been awsome to hook up for the game! But hey if you get a few days of later holla at me and Im sure I can get some good tix for you

Yeah I think Boyle is more suited to be a John LeClair, Kevin Stevens (when he was good) type of wing. I know its a different league now and not as much room for guys like that but put him next to Gabby and Richards and I think he will bag 30 goals this year.

[RhodyYanksFan]

Dubinsky, Rangers at odds over contract
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ho....html?r=sports

Brandon Dubinsky's arbitration hearing is set for Thursday, and a deal does not appear close. A source has told the Daily News that the sticking point is not money, but years on a new contract.

"(Dubinsky is) looking for a longer term," the source said.

They happily give 31 year old Brad Richards 9 years but they're balking at giving Dubinsky more than two? I don't get this team.

[trueblue9441]

Dubinsky, Rangers at odds over contract
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ho....html?r=sports



They happily give 31 year old Brad Richards 9 years but they're balking at giving Dubinsky more than two? I don't get this team.

larry brooks reported today that the sticking point is over money, not term.

[Kluivert4Ever]

larry brooks reported today that the sticking point is over money, not term.

So in other words, there is a sticking point about the sticking point?

[AMYanks]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hocke...ear-deal_n.htm

The New York Rangers and forward Brandon Dubinsky avoided an arbitration hearing Thursday morning by agreeing to a deal.

The New York Daily News and other publications report it's worth $16.8 million over four years, or a $4.2 million cap hit.

[GordonGecko]

So in other words, there is a sticking point about the sticking point?

haha, +1

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hocke...ear-deal_n.htm

Good stuff, now the Rangers move on

[RhodyYanksFan]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hocke...ear-deal_n.htm

Awesome. Now on to Callahan.

[dabomb2045]

Thats a fair deal for both sides IMO

[Mr. Mxylsplk]

Eminger signed this morning, though terms haven't been disclosed yet. Obviously Cally is the deal we're all waiting for, but assuming this is relatively inexpensive (hard to envision otherwise) I think it's good news.

http://rangers.nhl.com/club/news.htm...id=DL|NYR|home

[AMYanks]

1 year, $800K for Eminger.

After a rough start, his play was surprisingly good last year. Very good deal for the Rangers.

[aeromac76]

Ok so other than the obvious move to inking Ryan Callahan, is there anything else we do, or is this pretty much the team?

[CanoForPresident]

Been gone for a bit but some thoughts...

Glad to see Dubi didn't pull any of the shenanigans that he did last time. I hope his play doesn't tail off now that he's gotten pretty big money.

Don't really mind Eminger back at the price he was signed for as long as its to be that 7th guy. The top 4 are pretty much locked in and I fully expect Erixon to make the team as the 5th guy (who will push for top 4 minutes by season's end.) Personally, I'm hoping that Del Zotto has done enough work to get back into the game as a #6 since I'm not a huge believer in some of the 2nd tier guys down in Hartford.

Ok so other than the obvious move to inking Ryan Callahan, is there anything else we do, or is this pretty much the team?

Outside of moving an extra forward or two I'd have to think thats pretty much it. Someone like Thomas or Hagelin could make the team out of camp. They're long shots for sure but it wouldn't be a total shock if either of them were to break camp with the team as opposed to, lets say if McIlrath made it as the 6th guy (that would be a major surprise.)

[RhodyYanksFan]

Pretty sure everyone knows by now, but Vinny Prospal signed with Columbus. I'm going to miss his "that was the most important goal in the history of hockey" face every time he scored.

[AMYanks]

Pretty sure everyone knows by now, but Vinny Prospal signed with Columbus. I'm going to miss his "that was the most important goal in the history of hockey" face every time he scored.

I really wanted Prospal back on a 1 year deal. Wolski's a RFA next year, so maybe he'll be playing a little harder.

[machphantom]

Callahan is back in the fold! 3 yr/4.33 mil per

[dabomb2045]

Excellent....everyone is done. Am I the only one who hopes the Rangers now buyout Wolski?