Marc Staal happy about Rangers summer

From Steve Zipay of Newsday:

"I'm excited about the guys we got," he said. "Redden's an All-Star, a great player, he'll really be good. I know Naslund from watching him when I was growing up [in Thunder Bay, Ontario]. He's got experience, he's been on the power play." Asked about the critics who believe Naslund, at 35, is no longer the force he once was, Staal said, "Maybe a change of scenery will be good for him."

Staal also was pleased with the return of defenseman Michal Rozsival. "I got pretty comfortable playing with him last year," Staal said, noting that he had no preference for a pairing with either Redden or Rozsival. "It's not up to me, but I want to play as much as I can, so I can probably get the minutes with either of those guys."

Read the entire article here.

We should set up a back and forth between Larry Brooks and Marc Staal debating the merits of each NYR off-season move. You can't tell me that wouldn't be a hoot!

Larry Brooks questions Glen Sather

From Larry Brooks of the NY Post:

ALL right. Here are the questions. Some of them, at least.

A limited no-trade clause on top of $39M over six years to get Wade Redden to sign, a full no move on top of $8M over two years to get Markus Naslund to commit, and doesn't it seem as if the Rangers are back to where they were before the lockout, bribing overpriced free agents to come to New York?

If the Rangers didn't want to bring back Sean Avery, if he was such a destructive influence, why in the world did Glen Sather offer him a four-year contract for $12M?

What if Avery had come to the conclusion that $3M a year in New York was worth more to him than the $3.875M per for which he ultimately signed in Dallas?

Read the entire article here.

It seems that Brooks wasn't happy with Sather's off-season. I mean, he really wasn't happy with Sather's off-season.

Not starting DiPietro cost Nolan in the end

From Larry Brooks of the NY Post:

TED Nolan fired himself the first week of March when he picked against Rick DiPietro for both ends of a home-and-home series against the New York Rangers .

Forget any and all of the mitigating circumstances existing at the time that might have made backup Wade Dubielewicz the rational choice for either or both of the matches, for the moment the head coach crossed the franchise goaltender, he crossed the line.

Read the entire article here.

I have to say, I did think about that decision when I heard of his firing on Monday. That's not to say that was the straw that broke the camel's back, however, it sure didn't help his cause within the organization. Regardless, Nolan and Snow had two different visions of where the Islanders were headed and you cannot have that kind of discord between a coach and GM.

Sather no longer averse to no-trade/no-move clauses

From Larry Brooks of the NY Post:

Before last summer, Sather had a policy against no-trade or no-move clauses. Then he gave a full five-year no-move to Chris Drury, in addition to $7.05M per. Oh well. Live and learn.

Except this year, there are two more exceptions. Somehow, $8M over two years wasn't enough to get Markus Naslund to agree to come to New York, so what did Sather do? The GM gave Naslund, who will be 35 at the end of the month and is coming off two consecutive disappointing seasons in Vancouver, a full no-move clause.

Hello?

It also seems Wade Redden needed a sweetener to take his $39M, seven-year deal. So the GM gave the defenseman the annual right to give management a list of eight teams to which he cannot be traded, and it will just be unfortunate if Atlanta should want him in a deal for Ilya Kovalchuk, won't it?

Brutal.

Read more from Brooks here.

When in the heat of negotiations, it looks like Sather felt he needed to include these no-trade/no-move clauses to get certain deals done. They may comeback to cause trouble for Sather, or if the Rangers contend like he hopes, they may have no affect at all. Time will tell...

Looking at the 2008/09 Rangers

From Larry Brooks of the NY Post:

There will be a gust of fresh air next season but it's impossible to immediately judge what the wind blew in this week. Wade Redden had a bad year in a deteriorating environment in Ottawa and Markus Naslund had a disappointing season in Vancouver. The Rangers, who gave Redden a six-year deal at $6.5M per and Naslund a two-year deal at $4M per, are heavily invested in the theory that a change of scenery will revitalize careers that went stale.

And who knows about Nikolai Zherdev, about as unpredictable as they come? Will Zherdev shine in the spotlight or will he melt? Will New York ignite him or overwhelm him after knowing only Columbus? Will he be an all-for-one, one-for-all guy here, and if not, will the Rangers have the presence in the room to correct or cope with that?

Read more from Brooks here.

This is the beauty of sports. No one knows how these three players will respond to the pressures and change of environment that New York will present. Nonetheless, the Rangers management obviously felt that the team, as it was constructed last season, was not good enough to make it to the Finals.

Jagr looks like he's done in NY

From Larry Brooks of the NY Post:

Sather has repeatedly said that he wants to re-sign the captain. He told The Post on Thursday that remains his position. Still, it is believed the Rangers are unwilling to offer Jagr, who will turn 37 in February, anything other than a one-year deal that would allow them to include bonuses that could be deferred to 2009-10.

"I don't want to negotiate in the papers or speak for Jaromir, but I don't think that's something that would interest him at this point," Brisson said.

Read the entire article here.

There will be many teams who will want to sign Jagr and would gladly give him more than a one year pact. Even though Jagr is getting older, he is still a dominant player (see last year's playoffs) who can change the outlook of a team.

It appears the Rangers have decided that they want to hand the team off to Chris Drury, Scott Gomez and Co., which is fine. However, if they have decided to do so, then they should make their intentions known and let Jagr know he is moving on. With this report out, I expect the Rangers to go hard after Marian Hossa.

You can't compare the Penguins to the 1983 Oilers

From Larry Brooks of the NY Post:

The 2008 Penguins are the equivalent of the 1983 Oilers only if that Edmonton team was poised to lose Jari Kurri (as Marian Hossa); Glenn Anderson (as Malone); Dave Lumley (as Jarkko Ruutu); Willy Lindstrom (as Pascal Dupuis); and Randy Gregg (as Brooks Orpik) to unrestricted free agency over the summer.

Here is the entire piece from the NY Post. The article mostly focuses on officiating during the playoffs.

Did Brooks compare Ryan Malone to Glenn Anderson???????????????? Someone please tell me that is a joke. Seriously, please tell me he is kidding.

Rangers ordered to pay up signing bonuses

Larry Brooks of the NY Post: "Perhaps the most dishonorable episode in recent Rangers' history was settled yesterday when arbitrator Richard Bloch ruled that the New York Rangers must indeed pay Bobby Holik and Jed Ortmeyer their respective signing bonuses the team withheld during and after the 2004-05 NHL lockout."

Here the entire article courtesy of the NY Post.

The article notes that the Rangers were the only team during the lockout to not pay up signing bonuses. I really don't understand why the Rangers went to all this trouble to withhold the bonus money from these two players. Never mind the fact that they spent time and money on legal proceedings. It appears the Rangers would have been far better off just paying these bonuses a long time ago and moving on.

The Outdoor Game may not be in New York

Larry Brooks: "The NHL needs to make commitment to the Winter Classic's host city within the next week or two. If the Rangers are awarded the game, it is believed they would meet the Bruins on New Year's Day in what would be the first of a home-and-home, with the return at Fenway on a year to be named later."

Here is the full article from the NY Post.

It appears the NHL's first choice is to have the game in New York and why not? However, the concern that the New York arrangement won't work does not seem that concerning to me as long as the NHL has Chicago and Wrigley Field as its second choice (which it does). Either of these two choices are terrific and whichever stadium is chosen to host the event, I'm sure will do a great job. As much mystique as the Rangers organization carries with it, an opportunity to watch Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane at Wrigley Field may be even more appealing than Scott Gomez and Henrik Lundqvist.

Larry Brooks on Jagr and the Rangers

Brooks: "And if the Rangers commit now to Jagr at some cost to Drury and Gomez, then doesn't last summer's call not to give Nylander the deal that would have kept him on Broadway appear terribly misguided?"

Here is the link to the full NY Post article.

My take: Brooks tackles the Jagr issue from a number of different angles. That, of course, makes for an interesting read; however, he does not address who would take Jagr's place should the Rangers let him go. Never mind the fact that Jagr was far and away the Rangers' best player during their two round playoff stint. I think it would be foolish for the Rangers to let Jagr go.

NHL Morning Papers: Playoff Teams (Friday Edition)

Here are the morning papers for the Eastern Conference playoff match ups:

Montreal versus Boston:

• Carey Price had a meltdown in the third period and the result is Game 6 on Saturday in Boston. "We have to forget this game right away," said Canadiens youngster Maxim Lapierre after his team's 5-1 home loss to the Bruins. For all the chances the Bruins have had this series, it was a fluke goal that led to last night's victory. Meanwhile, the Habs have many players on their roster who had great regular seasons, so with that comes bonus payments, writes Pat Hickey.
• The Bruins knew they had 20 minutes to continue their season and with a dominant third period they did just that, writes Fluto Shinwaza. Glen Metropolit's first career playoff goal was sure a big one, writes Kevin Paul Dupont. Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli had a little talk with Harry Sinden yesterday. Meantime, if the Bruins lose on Saturday, that may be Glen Murray's last game as a Bruin.

Pittsburgh versus Ottawa:

• Bob Smizik wonders if the Penguins are that good or the Senators are that bad? While they all want to grow playoff bears, not all the Penguins can. Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette examines the positives and negatives of having a layoff.
• Ray Emery discussed his season with the Ottawa press yesterday. (Writer's note: Why do people give him so much attention? He's an average goalie with an attitude problem. I've read enough about Ray Emery for five years.) In other Senators news, Jason Speeza loves Ottawa and it is the only city he wants to play hockey in. Here are all the Senators' exit interviews.

Washington versus Philadelphia:

• The Capitals put forth their best game of the playoffs last night Philadelphia and still lost, writes Tarik El-Bashir. Mike Wise of the Washington Post wonders if the Capitals turned in their best game a little too late? You can't teach experience, writes Jason La Canfora.
• Martin Biron turned his game up a notch when his team needed it most, writes Sam Donnellon. The Flyers were outplayed during regulation but they took the play to the Capitals during overtime, writes Tim Panaccio. Game 4 was just a terrific hockey game, writes Phil Sheridan.

New Jersey versus New York Rangers:

• Rich Chere of the Newark Star-Ledger wonders when Martin Brodeur is going to steal a game for the Devils? "The message was we don't have to win three games (tonight), just one," said Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner. If the Devils want to slow down the pace of Game 5, the Rangers won't be complaining.
• After predicting the team's exit from the first round a week ago, Larry Brooks of the NY Post is suddenly examining the possibility that Jaromir Jagr could win the Conn Smythe and, as a result, trigger an option for next season. A couple of Rangers have been part of comebacks from down 3-1 in the playoffs so they won't be taking their lead for granted, writes John Dellapina. Bob Raissman of the NY Daily News says that Sean Avery is good for hockey in the big picture.

The morning papers for the Western Conference playoff match ups are soon to follow...

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

Email any thoughts, ideas or suggestions to illegalcurve@gmail.com

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. Sean Avery likes to pay for it.
2. Dan Boyle should avoid all sharp objects.
3. Spector expects many changes to the Wild's roster for next season.
4. The NHL will experiment with virtual ads during the playoffs.
5. The NHL did not break any anti-competition laws when it stymied Balsillie's attempt to purchase the Penguins.
6. Ian Mendes reflects on his prediction that the Penguins will miss the playoffs.
7. An entertaining column on the use of ice level analysts for hockey broadcasts, including a tidbit about Pierre McGuire apologizing to his bff, Sidney Crosby.
8. Larry Brooks with his thoughts on the Rangers loss to Pittsburgh, including a mention of Jaromir Jagr meeting with the Omsk GM.
9. Richard Peddie needs a Xanax. Cheer up buddy! You will still sell out for the foreseeable future.
10. All Things Avs is not especially happy with the return of Peter Forsberg.
11. The Blueshirts Blog wonders why referees get fooled by dives and embellishment.
12. Does any rookie get more press than Milan Lucic?
13. The NHL Playoffs from a European perspective.
14. Paul Kukla hopes to see some consistent officiating in the playoffs.
15. Bob Nicholson would like to see fewer fights in the CHL, which is reducing rosters from 23 to 21 in the hopes of curbing fighting.
16. Ken Campbell discusses the rankings of the NHL General Managers.
17. Adam Proteau with his thoughts on the NHL.
18. Pierre Lebrun discusses the winning ways of the Detroit Red Wings.
19. Need a laugh? Check this out.
20. The field for the Frozen Four is set.
21. The new coach of the Canadian Women's hockey team will accept no excuses for losing.
22. Scott Burnside with his Monday rant.
23. The Puck Stops Here discusses the restoration of hope in Oilerville.
24. Kyle Rogers has signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
25. To end the day off right, check out these quotes from the Penguins play by play guy and the Tampa mascot terrorizing people on the beach.

NHL Morning Papers (Sunday Edition)

Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers:

• The Thrashers only mustered thirteen shots on net last night, but that was enough to defeat the Washington Capitals 2-0 and move back into first place in the Southeast Division. Injured Thrashers forward Ilya Kovalchuk had a successful off-ice workout yesterday and is hoping to return early next week.
• The Bruins weren't perfect last night, and that is why they lost 3-1 to the dominating NHL force that is the Detroit Red Wings. Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe has an interesting Sunday article focusing on the lost art of takeaways.
• It looks like the Sabres dodged a bullet, as goaltender Ryan Miller's injury is not considered serious and he should be in between the pipes on Tuesday night.
• The Hurricanes can't say they weren't warned about what would happen in the third period if they continued with their lackadaiscal play, and lo and behold, the team blew their 1-0 lead going into the final period and lost 4-1 to the Penguins. In other game notes, Erik Cole finally got his revenge on Brooks Orpik for his hit from behind two seasons ago, as the two dropped the gloves on Saturday night.
• Rangers coach Tom Renney has thought about resting Brendan Shanahan because of all the small injuries he has been playing with. Meanwhile, Chris Drury is enjoying playing on a line with Nigel Dawes and Petr Prucha. In other Rangers news, Larry Brooks of the NY Post advises the Rangers to take a pass on the Peter Forsberg sweepstakes.
• The Flyers had an impressive 3-0 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Ducks last night at the Wachovia Center.
• The Penguins didn't panic when they were trailing 1-0 at the second intermission because they knew the goals would come; and they did, as the Penguins defeated the Hurricanes 4-1. The Pens are slowly but surely getting their injured players back, as Colby Armstrong returned to the line up last night.
• "I don't think we were hungry enough tonight," said Capitals defenseman Mike Green after his team's 2-0 loss to the Thrashers last night.
• The Panthers pulled out a big win last night with a 3-2 victory over their state-rivals from Tampa. Richard Zednik hadn't scored in seventeen games but he picked the right time to breakout of his slump by scoring the game-winnger last night.
• If it isn't the power play leading the Habs to victories, it is the penalty kill, as the Canadiens killed off five penalties yesterday and added a shorthanded goal in their 4-1 victory over the Islanders. The Islanders are starting to lose their playoffs chances with a 1-5-1 record in their last seven games, writes Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette. Rick DiPietro is a tremendous netminder, but he can't do it all himself, writes the legendary Red Fisher.
• The Devils defeated the Kings 6-3 on Saturday night, but it was not without a little drama on the bench that saw Brent Sutter and Jamie Langenbrunner yelling at each other in full view to the fans at the Prudential Center and at home on television.
• "We had three or four Grade-A chances when the game was still relatively close. We had a lot of quality chances. We just didn't put them in," said Islanders coach Ted Nolan after losing 4-1 at Montreal.
• The Senators left Ray Emery out to dry last night in their 4-2 loss at Toronto, writes Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun. Brennan also tells readers that the Senators are interested in adding Swedish forward Fabian Brunnstrom to their roster for next season.
• Lightning GM Jay Feaster doesn't usually like to negotiate contract extensions during the season, but Feaster is willing to make an exception for defenseman Dan Boyle.
• With all their injuries, and the suspension to Nik Antropov, the Leafs had some new faces lead them to a 4-2 victory over the rival Senators. Rosie Dimanno of the Toronto Star believes Mats Sundin deserves better treatment.

Here are the Western Conference morning papers:

• Jarome Iginla's goal-scoring struggles continued last night as he failed to score for the eighth straight game and the Flames were defeated 2-1 at home by the Stars. Scott Cruickshank of the Calgary Herald has the recap. The Flames and Dion Phaneuf are expected to resume contract talks on Monday.
• The Ducks losing streak reached six games last night as they were defeated 3-0 in Philadelphia.
• The Blue Jackets got their largest home crowd in one year but disappointed their fans immensely with a 4-1 loss to the Wild, marking the team's third straight loss since the All-Star break. "We are mentally fragile right now," said Jackets defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen after last night's contest. Off the ice, the Jackets are expected to open talks with goaltender Pascal Leclaire about a contract extension.
• Marty Turco was tremendous once again last night in defeating the Flames 2-1 at the Saddledome, writes Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News. Forwards Steve Ott and Jeff Halpern have demonstrated great chemistry since being paired together on the team's checking line.
• The Red Wings' penalty killing shifted the momentum in last night's game and helped Detroit take down the Bruins 3-1 at the Banknorth Garden in Boston. In other Wings news, defenseman Derek Meech has loved being a regular with Niklas Kronwall on the sidelines.
• The Kings lost 6-3 to the Devils yesterday, but the bigger news surrounding the team was the loss of Rob Blake for at least two weeks to a broken ankle.
• The Wild dominated the Blue Jackets last night in Columbus, on the back of two goals by Marian Gaborik, writes Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. You don't hear his name much, but Nick Schultz is a well-known name in the Minnesota area.
• Alexander Radulov scored the overtime winner to extend his goal-scoring streak to six games in leading the Predators to a 3-2 victory over Phoenix. Last night's game marked the end of J.P. Dumont's sixteen game point streak.
• Jeremy Roenick tallied the shootout winner last night over the Blackhawks, and had extra incentive to do so because he didn't want his son to miss his flight home to Phoenix. "I didn't know what to expect all day today. It was like a first game again. I was so jacked up and excited. You just try to contain that and remember to play hockey," said newest Shark Jody Shelley about his San Jose debut.
• The Blues made too many mistakes at home yesterday in their 6-4 loss to the Avalanche.
• The Coyotes lost to the Predators 3-2 in overtime, but they were happy to at least earn one point in the standings after trailing in the game 2-0.
• Tony Gallagher of the Vancouver Province says the Canucks require more offensive talent in order to make a playoff run.
• "It's always disappointing to lose in a shootout like that, but we can hold our heads high and know we played a good game," said Blackhawks center Patrick Sharp after his team's 3-2 shootout loss at San Jose.
• The Avalanche continued to show that they can win without their top three offensive players last night with a 6-4 victory over the Blues. Terry Frei of the Denver Post thinks acquiring a rental player for the playoff run and attempting to secure his services after is still a reasonable option for a team to choose.
• After missing Friday's game versus Dallas, Oilers center Shawn Horcoff is hoping to be back in the team's line up for Monday night's game versus Calgary. "He's a poster boy for every bit of work you put in the game paying off," said Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish about Oilers winger Zack Stortini.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

Email any thoughts, comments or suggestions to: illegalcurve@gmail.com