Wednesday, August 25, 2010

NYRangers National TV Schedule!!

Today the NHL announced its National TV schedule.  Versus will carry 78 games which is 13 more then last season.  While NBC will continue its flex scheduling option so most dates do not have a specific game chosen yet.  Here are the 11 games the Rangers will play on Versus and 5 "options" for NBC:

Versus:
Monday October 18th vs. Colorado
Tuesday November 9th vs. Washington
Wednesday November 17th vs. Boston
Wednesday December 15th at Pittsburgh
Monday January 24th at Washington
Tuesday February 1st vs. Pittsburgh
Monday February 7th at Detroit
Tuesday March 1st vs. Buffalo
Wednesday March 30th at Buffalo
Monday April 4th vs. Boston
Thursday April 7th vs. Atlanta

NBC:(All games on Sunday)(Flex Schedule)
February 13th vs. Pittsburgh
February 20th vs. Philadelphia
March 6th vs. Philadelphia
March 20th at Pittsburgh
April 3rd at Philadelphia

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Vinny Prospal Discusses His Road To The Rangers!!

Head over to the New York Rangers official website to see a pretty unique interview with Vinny Prospal.  He discusses everything that led him on his road to the Rangers.  They have a pop-up that in his words he talks about many moments and experiences that led him to where he is now.  Each of the 13 voice clips are from 30 seconds to a minute long.  This is episode 6 in the "series" but the last one was from Dubinsky in February.  I would really like to see them do some more of these.  I definitely suggest that all Rangers fans head over to the site and check it out.

Michael Del Zotto Photo Shoot With Coke Zero!! (UPDATED)

The New York Rangers posted a couple of photos on there official Twitter account of Michael Del Zotto doing a Coke Zero Photo Shoot.  This is good to as the Rangers and NHL are marketing there young stars well and the second picture looks amazing.  I am actually really glad to see them doing something like this.

Here are the links to the pics: Pic 1 and Pic 2! I will update if they post anymore. UPDATE: Pic 3!!



Tuesday In Pictures And Videos? Sure Why Not!

Sorry for no posts today but I have been very busy yet again.  There has been no news on the Rangers front today so I thought I'd do something a little different.  Some links to some pictures since a lot of people don't have Twitter and most of these pictures are released through Twitter.  So here you go:

Coach Laviolette at the World Hockey Summit: Pic!

Here are some more pics from The World Hockey Summit: Steve Yzerman, Daniel Alfredsson, Panel at WHS, Yzerman on the stage, Glen Healy among those on stage, Pic 1, Pic 2 Inside WHS, and finally Brendan Shanahan!!

Brian Burke video on the comments made by Kaberle's father.

Rob Schremp sits down with some Islanders fans and has dinner? Video

Devils goalie Mike McKenna dressed up in Care Bear costume? Yes and hear is the pic he posted to prove it!

Penguins tough guy Mike Rupp is down doing some charity work in Haiti with Max Talbot and he posted this pic, and it really makes you think.  Read his caption for it also.  Here is a picture of Max Talbot in Haiti.

Some teams get the ice ready for the season: Blue JacketsLightning and Canadiens!!

Remember the picture of Thornton and Florian yesterday, well here is a video of him giving Florian a tour.  And here's a second pic with them on the floor of the TD Garden.

Is this LaKings Parking Lot Shuttle Bus a joke? Pic Really?? I would never go on that thing!!

Some pics from a the Carolina Hurricanes players practicing: Cam Ward, Pic 1, and former Ranger Bobby Sangs.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Monday News All In 1 Post!! (UPDATED Already)

I have had a very busy Monday but have found some time to update the blog.  So here is all of today's "news" in 1 post.  If anything else breaks on the Rangers front or any NHL news happens then I will most likely just update this post.  Unless of course it is really big news then I will find some time to create a new post for you guys.

Steve Zipay confirmed through Twitter earlier today that the Rangers will be unveiling there third jerseys in November.  Hopefully they put some time into these as it is obviously just a grab at more money but if they look good then I won't really care.  But if they look like shit then there is no point in putting them out as no fans will buy them.

Over at Beyond The Blueshirts Laurie Carr translated an Alex Frolov interview in Russian.  Check it out as Frolov discusses KHL vs. NHL and much more.  Definitely a good read for Rangers fans.

Head over to the The NYR Blog for all the latest news on the Rangers.  Some small news broke today and you can read it all over there.  Stall negotiations are going no where and some other news.

Check out a video Minnesota Wild goalie Josh Harding doing some charity work and helping to build houses.

Here is a picture of UFC Star Kenny Florian in the Bruins locker room with Bruins tough guy Shawn Thornton.

Yesterday a bunch of us Rangers/Prucha fans were able to get #Prucha to the #9 trending topic in NYC.  For people who use twitter, they know this was not an easy task.  Especially since he plays in Phoenix now and it is in the middle of the offseason.  But here is the proof!

The Hartford Wolf Pack have just announced that they have resigned defensemen Jared Nightingale.  He is veteran and could provide some leadership with the team.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

NYRangers Pound 4 Pound: Best Of 2009-10!

The New York Rangers had an up and down 2009-10 season.  It ended with a loss in a shootout during the last game of the year.  Missing the playoffs by 1 point on the last day is terrible enough, but the team they lost to actually went on to play in the Stanley Cup Finals.  But that is not the point of this post and we have no idea if the Rangers would have went that far anyway.

After losing Colton Orr in free agency to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Rangers quickly went out and signed Donald Brashear to be there new "enforcer." As we all know this did not work out at all and the Rangers spent the whole season trying to find a new fighter/enforcer.

The Rangers ranked 11th in the league in fighting majors with 52 according to HockeyFights.com!  But the team leader definitely surprised me when I looked it up. Recently traded AARON VOROS lead the Rangers with 13 fights overall.  Second was EPIC fail of an enforcer Donald Brashear who had 1 assist and 9 fights in 36 games.  Sean Avery was up to his usual antics and was in 7 fights and caused trouble although it seemed like he lacked some of the spark he has had in recent seasons. After Brash was sent to the minors the Rangers went out and acquired two of the best fighters in the league, Brandon Prust and Jody Shelley. 

Prust and Shelley came in guns blazing but after they developed an offensive chemistry on a line with Artem Anisimov, Prust didn't fight again and Shelley only had 1 more fight.  Prust was involved in 7 fights in 26 games and Shelley was involved in 3 fights in 21 games.  Needless to say both Shelley and Prust filled the enforcer role much better then Brashear did.  But an aging Jody Shelley was not resigned and the Rangers opted to sign big bad Derek Boogaard for four years.  Prust was resigned during the offseason for 2 years at 800k per year.

HockeyFights.com Awards:
Best MidSeason Tough Guy Pick-Up for Jody Shelley.

Click here for a list of all the Rangers fighters last season and how many fights they were in.

The Rangers should not have the same problem looking for an enforcer next year as they now have Derek Boogaard and Brandon Prust and Up and Comers Dane Byers and Devin DiDiomete if something goes wrong.  But join me after this anyway to see my top 15 NYRangers fights and rough stuff moments from 2009-10 in no particular order....

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Crazy And Great Shootout Stats!!

An NHL.com article on the history of the first five years of the shootout inspired this article.  After I read it, I decided to do some research and found out some crazy information.

Adding a shootout to the end of tied games was one of the major rule changes put in place after the 2004-05 Lockout.  Prior to the lockout if a game went through 65 minutes, the game would be a tie and both teams would get only one point.  Now all games have a winner with the shootout in place and one team always gets two points.

The shootout is no secret to Rangers fans as they are tied for the most shootouts played in the last five years.  The Rangers, Oilers and Bruins have all participated in 65 shootouts.  Approximately one out of every six regular season Rangers games have been decided by a shootout since the lockout.

Some fans hate the shootout and some love it.  I am on the side that it is better then ties and until we have a better system in place, I am all for it.

We all have our favorite shootout moments whether it be Marek Malik ending the longest shootout in history or Crosby winning the first Winter Classic in a shootout.

So the NHL.com article inspired me to look up some shootout stats so join me after this for some great/crazy shootout stats and some videos... I definitely encourage you to check out the article...

Reminder: NHL.com 30 in 30 Look At NYRangers Up Today!

Today on NHL.com they continue there look at 30 teams in 30 days with the New York Rangers.  The series has been a great look at all 30 teams in the NHL so I definitely suggest you take a look at it.

They have an article by Dave Lozo on how all the small changes might help in getting us into the playoffs this season.

They also have a look at Chris Kreider!

A brief history of the Rangers by Michael Stainkamp!

Dave Lozo had this to say about Michael Del Zotto: "Michael Del Zotto, of the 879 players eligible, only seven had worse plus-minus ratings than Del Zotto's minus-20. Struggles are to be expected from rookie defensemen, and Del Zotto was no exception. There were many times he was caught out of position by more experienced forwards, and the Rangers paid as Del Zotto learned on the job. But the talent is there, as evidenced by his 9 goals and 28 assists; only Buffalo's Tyler Myers had more points than Del Zotto among rookie defensemen. If Del Zotto can tighten up his defensive game, he could find himself in the Norris Trophy discussion in a few years."

They also have some of the best highlights from the Rangers season including Drury's backhand goal while kneeled on the ice and some more.  I would suggest all Rangers fans take some time and go check it out.

NYRangers Pound 4 Pound Prospect Edition: Dane Byers!

Second on my look at NYRangers Pound 4 Pound Prospect Edition today is Dane Byers.  Dane has a bright future and will be given a strong chance to make the NHL roster this season.

While Dane has a bright future and a chance to make an impact at the NHL level, he is already 24 and will be turning 25 during the season.  Byers has already been called up to the NHL level twice.  Once in 2007-2008 for only 1 game and he played 5 games last season for the Rangers, scoring 1 goal.

In those 5 games Byers found himself in the middle of the Rangers-Canucks line changing brawl.  He received a one game suspension from the NHL for instigating a fight later on in that same game.  He was sent back down to Hartford 2 games later. 

Dane definitely has an edge to his game but also has some offensive ability tallying 151 points in 234 games over the last 4 seasons in the AHL.  He has been very consistent with his play in Hartford which is a good sign that the coaches will look definitely be looking at while Byers tries to make the team.

Here is Byers Talent Analysis from HockeysFuture:

"Byers is an aggressive power forward, who handles the puck extremely well and scores most of his goals from no more than 3-4 feet outside the crease. Strong on the puck, Byers has shown none of the effort issues that seemed to plague him at times in junior. Expected to only be a depth guy, Byers has surprised everyone with his offensive upside. After showing that his 2006-07 production was not a fluke, Byers continued to mature, and was one of the AHL team leaders in points last season. His skill with the puck, ability to finish, and grittiness make Byers an excellent NHL prospect for the Rangers."

Tale Of The Tape:
Height: 6'3
Weight: 200 Pounds
Age: 24
# of NHL Fights: 3 (6 Games/2 P/S Fight)
# of AHL Fights: 40 (4 Seasons)
# of WHL Fights: 42 (4 Seasons)
Total # of Fights: 85 (8 Seasons)


Join me after this for some of Byers best fights...

NYRangers Pound 4 Pound Prospect Edition: Devin DiDiomete!

Today I will be looking at 2 Rangers prospects separately in my NYRangers Pound 4 Pound series and first is fireball Devin DiDiomete.

This kid can definitely throw the punches. Devin was signed by the Rangers in 2008.  This upcoming season will be the last year of his 3 year contract.  It is not likely that this kid will play in the NHL this season and he might never but he definitely could fill the role of the enforcer that the Rangers have spent the last 2 seasons trying to find since Colton Orr signed with Toronto.

He played a combined 49 games between the ECHL and AHL last year.  In those 49 games Devin was involved in 25 fights.

Devin is not rated among the Rangers top 20 prospects by HockeysFuture but he is only 22 and has some time to grow.  In his last season in Juniors he put together 56 points in 56 games.  I could see Devin becoming the same style of player as Brandon Prust.  And Prust didn't break into the NHL until he was 23 and BP will be assuming his first full time role this season(most likely).

Here is Devin's Talent Analysis from HockeysFuture:

The left winger is gritty and tenacious, and plays with an edge to intimidate his opponents. He does have some offensive skill, and his play along the boards is excellent. Occasionally, he does take bad penalties, which will hurt his future progress. However, if he can harness his emotions and play a gritty, smart game, Didomete could be an effective two-way professional player.

Future: A potential third to fourth-line player, DiDiomete has the toughness and agitating ability that could earn him a spot on the Rangers roster in two to three years.

Tale Of The Tape:
Height: 5'11
Weight: 200
Age: 22
# of AHL/ECHL Fights: 50 (2 Seasons)
# of OHL Fights: 86 (4 Seasons)
Total # of Fights: 136 (6 Seasons)

Join me after this for some of DiDiomete's best fights....

Friday, August 20, 2010

Friday News/Links All In 1 Post!! (AGAIN)

Just a bunch of News and Links surrounding the NHL and Rangers today.  Sorry for no posts today, I have been sick all day but will be back on it tomorrow.

NHL Player Agent Allan Walsh posted a picture of Tomas Kundratek from a game today.

Today is NYRangers Captain Chris Drury's birthday.  He is now 34 years old.....

The NYR Blog has an article up about Henrik Lundqvist and his knee problems and an article about and one about Stepan and MZA maybe starting in Hartford.

Check out The Rangers Tribune for a rant on why the Rangers will be better then the 13th seed this season.

Check out Puck Daddy for a post about following Adam Burish during his day with the Cup!

The NHL.com NYRangers 30 in 30 will be up tomorrow so go check it out.  It's been a pretty good look at the teams and should be know different for the Rangers!

Again sorry to my readers for no posts today but I will be back on it tomorrow for you guys!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

NYRangers Pound 4 Pound: Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan!!

Today's installment of my NYRangers Pound 4 Pound Series will look at both Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky.  Both young Rangers are fan favorites and among the group of players fans want to see wearing the Blueshirt for along time.  While the debate always rages on between Rangers fans about which one is better or who holds more value, in my opinion they are both important pieces in our future.

In an optimal situation, Callahan would be a perfect 3rd line winger.  He always hits hard, forechecks and keeps the puck in the zone.  Cally is great defensively and always wears his heart on his sleeve.  While he does have a scoring touch(19 and 22 last 2 seasons respectively), he doesn't necessarily have the skill of a top line player and would fit perfect on the Rangers future 3rd line with his hard working mentality and hard and relentless hitting.  If Ryan happens to develop some more skill then maybe he could fit into a first or second line role.

Dubinsky has already seen some first line time with Jagr and then last year with Gaborik.  He has the skill and ability to be a top line player but lacks the consistency of a true All-Star caliber player.  Dubinsky had played Center for most of his career but last year saw some time at wing and played very well and Torts has said that Dubinsky will start at wing this year.

Both have shown that they will stick up for there teammates and throw down with anybody if they need to.  Dubinsky has also had a rivalry with the Captain of the Flyers Mike Richards since the day he entered the league.  Dubinsky plays with a sort of mean streak and is willing to rough it up when necessary.  Brandon has a snarl to his game and doesn't take much from anybody.  Callahan plays with heart and is always ready to run through the defense even if it's Tyler Myers or Zdeno Chara.  This is why I decided to do a Pound 4 Pound with these two combined.

Tale Of The Tape:                          Tale Of The Tape:
Brandon Dubinsky:                           Ryan Callahan:
Height: 6'1                                         Height: 5'11
Weight: 210 Pounds                         Weight: 185
Age: 24                                              Age: 25
Nickname: Dubi                                Nickname: Cally
# of NHL Fights: 17 (3 Seasons)      # of NHL Fights: 7 (4 Seasons)
# of AHL Fights:  8 (1 Season)         # of AHL Fights: 3 (2 Seasons)
# of WHL Fights: 22 (4 seasons)     # of OHL Fights: 4 (3 Seasons)
Total # of Fights:  47 (8 seasons)    Total # of Fights: 14 (9 Seasons)

Join me after this for some of there best fights/moments......

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

MZA Does A Cameo In A Swedish Commercial!

New Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello Aasen did a cameo in a Swedish commercial for his favorite restaurant.  He is not the only NHL star in the video as Naslund, Forsberg and the Sedin Twins are also in the video.  I am sure that MZA is the player at the end doing dishes so check it out:

NYRangers Pound 4 Pound: Sean Avery!!

Most Rangers Fans can agree that when playing his style and while playing at the top of his game, Sean Avery can be one of the most important assets in the league.  He's the kind of guy that you love when he's on your team and you hate when he's not.  The fact that the Rangers have gone out and acquired Sean twice just shows his value.  Not one player in the game today fits the agitator role as good as Avery and on top of that, the guy actually has some skill.  The problem with Avery is that those skills only come out when he plays "his way" and Tortorella is not a fan of his style. 

Sean claimed in an interview with MSG that he would be back next year.  Tortorella also claimed in an interview with Stan Fischler that he has not slapped Avery with any restrictions: "After I benched him against the Thrashers, he played his best hockey but I don't know why it came down to that. Despite what some have said, I put no handcuffs on him. I want Sean to show his personality. Last year I gave him a lot of opportunities and now that I think about it, I may have left him in too long. The bottom line is that if he's not involved, he won't play."  We will have to wait and see how this plays out but this seems like it could be Sean's last shot.  Because after what transpired in Dallas, it seems like the only team that will take him is the Rangers.

Sean has had some great moments in the NHL such as his battles with Brodeur(videos below), jumping Fedotenko, sloppy seconds anyone? and many more.  Most of these videos will be found below.

Tale Of The Tape:
Height: 5'10
Weight: 195 Pounds
Age: 30
Position: C/LW
# of NHL Fights: 67 (8 Seasons)
# of AHL Fights: 2 (1 Season)
# of OHL Fights: 35 (3 seasons)
Total # of Fights: 104 (12 seasons)

So join me after this to see not only some of Sean's best fights but some of his greatest moments.....

Hockey Becoming More Popular Among Younger Stars!!

Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato at a Kings Game!!
Listen we all know that guys like Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Mike Meyers, Kevin Smith and Snoop Dogg are Hockey fans and supporters of NHL teams but to be honest, those guys are old and some aren't that famous anymore. 

But now a new crop of young stars in Hollywood have become Hockey fans. This allows for there younger fans to be come interested in Hockey when the are young.  This gives them the opportunity to play the sport and become die hard Hockey fans(which most hokey fans are) and grow the support of the league.  At times the league is looked down upon or as the 4th best sport so younger people decided not to pat attention because its not "cool".  But with there favorite star or idol being a hockey fan then maybe that will change there mind.

A Tweet by the NHL which showed a comment by Taylor Swift in People Magazine got me thinking so I did some research on it. The Tweet read "I love The Nashville Predators & I love going to hockey games. But I get stressed out when they start fighting...." Now of course I hope the NHL doesn't take her advice but I doubt they will.  So I looked up some other young stars who are Hockey fans and the group definitely surprised me, especially since some of todays biggest stars are in fact Hockey fans/supporters.

Join me after this to see some off today's young stars who are hockey fans....

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

News On The NYRangers Music Video!!

@TheNYRangers Pic from Music Video Shoot!!
Last Week most Rangers fans were confused when the Rangers tweeted to send in pictures if you wanted to be a part of a NYRangers Fan Music Video.  Well they posted a picture yesterday of the shoot and it seems like a regular rock band music video.  When @DeeGiordano and @Thenyrangers had a little conversation about it, I figured she was one of the fans at the video shoot so I decided to ask her what the video was about and she was nice enough to respond.

@NYRangers365 it was a canadian band that made a special song for the team!

So it seems like a Canadian Band(presumably rock band) made a NYRangers song.  We can't really tell anything else at the moment so I guess we will just have to wait until the song/video premieres.

NHL Twitter Update!!

I will run an NHL Twitter Update about twice a month for now on.  Once at the beginning of the month and once sometime in the middle.  I recommend you join Twitter if you haven't already as it is a great source for information and news and a place to talk to some of your favorite NHL players.  You do not have to Tweet yourself if you do not want to but follow others for news and information. I will give you a list of all the new NHL players (only ones that have been confirmed/verified and no fakes) who have joined Twitter and some of what they have to offer.  Also I will give some of the best Tweets from Players/Writers/Reporters from the past half month during each write-up.  Since August 4th we have had 8 NHL players/prospects join Twitter.

Bobby Ryan(Anaheim Ducks) (U.S Olympian) twitter.com/b_ryan9

You know it's jersey when a door opens and a wave of humidity almost knocks you over.less than a minute ago via Echofon

Join me after this for rest of the NHL Players/Prospects who have joined twitter...

NYRangers Pound 4 Pound: Brandon Prust!

In the second installment of my NYRangers Pound 4 Pound series, I will be looking at Brandon Prust.  Prust was acquired from the Flames right before the Olympic break last year along with Olli Jokinen for Chris Higgins and Ales Kotalik.  Needless to say most Rangers fans were glad to get rid of Higgins and Kotalik but to get a young energetic player in Prust who can also fight pretty well was definitely a bonus.

Prust was an RFA this summer and resigned with the Rangers for two years at 800k per.  Prust is still young at 26 and late in the season when paired with Anisimov and Shelley he put together some good offensive games.  He tallied 3 goals and 3 assists in 9 games with this line.  2 of those goals were game winners.  He was not involved in any fights over this 9 game stretch. 

Prust becomes a fan favorite where ever he plays because of his willingness to fight anyone of any size even though he is only 5'11.  He showed this in only his 3rd game with the Rangers when he took on New Jersey Devils 6'4 240 pound monster Andrew Peters not once but twice in the same game.  There  is no doubt in Rangers fans minds that Prust will come out the same way this season playing with his heart on his sleeve and leaving it all on the ice.

Tale Of The Tape:
Age: 26
Height: 5'11
Weight: 195 Pounds
Position: LW/RW
# of NHL Fights: 50 (3 seasons)
# of AHL Fights: 74 (3 seasons)
# of OHL Fights: 73 (3 seasons)
Total # of Fights: 197 (9 Seasons)

HockeyFights.com Awards: (5 Nominations, 0 Wins)

Click here for the 1st installment with Derek Boogaard!!

Join me after this for some of my favorite Brandon Prust fights....

Monday, August 16, 2010

Blog Update: My NYRangers P4P Schedule!

Since a lot of people commented, emailed and @ me on Twitter about my Derek Boogaard piece the other day, I have decided to do some more.  A lot of people asked for Brandon Prust and Sean Avery among other suggestions.  If you have any suggestions of your favorite players past or present but only Rangers email me or leave a comment or find a way to let me know.  I didn't really go to deep into the first one and will definitely do a little more research and build a deeper piece about each one since people seemed to like it a lot. 

Here is the Schedule I built for this week:

Tuesday: Brandon Prust
Wednesday: Sean Avery
Thursday: Callahan and Dubinsky
Saturday: Prospect Devin Didiomete
Saturday: Prospect Dane Byers
Sunday: NYR Best of 2009-2010
Sunday: Matthew Barnaby

So this Schedule is the plan for this week. I will do some more next week so send in your suggestions and on Sunday I will build a Schedule for next week!

Reminder: NHL 11 Demo Available Tomorrow!!

The NHL 11 Demo will be available tomorrow Tuesday August 17th in North America for both PS3 and Xbox360.  The team at EA Sports has yet again made vast improvements to the game like the new physics engine and a new game mode called Hockey Ultimate Team.  But unlike in Madden and Fifa, the game mode will come free with the game. 

The demo will feature short demo version of Ultimate Team that if you happen to complete, you will receive a bonus Starter Pack for the game mode when the full version hits stores.  You will also get to play the final 5 minutes of the 3rd period of a Battle For The Cup Mode Game 7 between the Flyers and Blakchawks.  The demo is free so go ahead and download it to get a taste of the game.  The full version of the game comes out on September 7th for $59.99.

Here is a preview of Hockey Ultimate Team:

Sunday, August 15, 2010

WE HAVE A NEW YORK RANGERS INCEPTION HIGHLIGHT VIDEO!!

We have a New York Rangers Inception Highlight Video. I asked @Major_Hutch on Twitter who is definitely a good follow, to make one and he came through and helped represent Rangers Fans.  So I'm going to stop talking and you can check out the video for yourself.  Go and follow him and check out some of his other videos on YouTube!

NYRangers Pound 4 Pound: Derek Boogaard!

I went through the hockeyfights.com archives and found some of Derek Boogaard's best fights.  Since it seems that is all the 6'8 monster can do anyway.  With him scoring no goals the last four seasons.  But I guess that's why he only received a 4 year deal worth over $1.6M a season.  He is only 28 so maybe he will learn how to skate while with the Rangers but that discussion is for another time.  As long as he fights like he does in some of the videos I will post then I think most Rangers fans won't be thinking about his contract...

Tale Of The Tape:
Age: 28
Height: 6'8
Weight: 257 pounds
Position: LW
Nickname: The Boogey Man!
# of NHL Fights: 59 (5 seasons)
# of AHL fights: 48 (2 seasons)
# of WHL Fights: 66 (3 seasons)
Total # of Fights: 173 (10 seasons)

Hockeyfights.com Awards: (21 nominations, 8 wins)
2006-07 Fight Of The Year
2005-06 KO Of The Year (KO of Gillies)
2006-07 Fighter Of The Year
2006-07 People's Choice Award
2006-07 Kimble Award-Most Exciting Fighter
2005-06 and 2006-07 Best Punching Power/Most Destructive Fighter
2006-07 Best Player Feud

Join me after this for my favorite Boogey Man throw downs...

Friday, August 13, 2010

Video Of The Day: Inception Inspired Hockey Videos!!! (UPDATED)

A couple of Hockey Fans who are good with computers and such have made some Inception inspired videos with clips and highlights mainly from last season.  This could end up becoming a new trend just like the fan made History Will Be Made Videos and I would love to see a Rangers video and since I am not particularly good with that kind of stuff, I would like to challenge Rangers fans who are good at video making to create one.  Now you have to put your heart into it to show fans of other teams that we are the best.  I will embed the videos into the post to check them out and you can see what your competition is!  I have seen a Canucks and Bruins video and one group of different teams/highlights but if there are more out there then let me know and I will post them also....

UPDATE 8/11/10: @AGallantcapsfan on Twitter created an Ovechkin Inception video.. I posted it to go with the other 3.. Now a total of 4 so far and all 4 are great!!

UPDATE 8/13/10: New Montreal Canadiens Video from Youtube.. added it 2 the group after jump...

Join me after this to see all 5 Inception videos so far....

Friday News All In 1 Post!!

Sorry to all my news and loyal fans/followers for no posts today but I have been spending the whole day down at the Jersey Shore with my friends.  But I have found some time to basically do a roundup/grouping of all the days news and events.

Dan David did an article on newyorkrangers.com today on Rangers Blueliner Dan Girardi.  Here is some of what Dan had to say:

"No matter what you do during the summer and how hard you train, nothing is like Torts' camp, really," he said. "I was prepared for it last year, but no matter what you do it's just so different when you get out there with the guys. It's probably one of the hardest things I've ever done, for sure. You try to do some hard skates on the ice during the summer, but it's not the same as when he's out there and the coaches are out there and everyone else is out there. The summer skates around here are not the caliber of what I will experience in camp, so I try to push myself as much as I can, and I've found that I try to do a little extra when my workout's done. Just to kind of get ready for that skating and the running."

He also continues to be on the side of almost all players and coaches in saying he likes the fact they have brought a core back and how it will signifacantly impact the team.  "There are a couple of new faces, but I'm also glad the main group is still together," said Girardi. "We can try to jell and improve every season going forward."

Stan Fischler did Part 2 of his sit down with John Tortorella today on msg.com!  They spoke about Del Zotto, Gilroy, Redden, Drury, White, McDonagh and Stepan.  It's a very good read so definitely go ahead and check it out.  Here is some of what Torts said about Drury:

In a frank admission that only a Tortorella can divulge, the coach noted, "Chris and I have grown and I can say that I now understand him a lot better.  He's not a rah-rah guy, but he is a great guy; a thinker and he cares so much. He's still growing as a captain and I know that he wants to score more in the new season. He got bounced around last year, but he'll get his chance to redeem himself offensively."

Click here for Part 2 of the interview!

HockeyBuzz.com's Juile Robenhymer(I hate HockeyBuzz but Julie is actually one of them that I respect and she does some interesting pieces) did a piece on Chris Krieder today! I found it interesting so I think you guys should check it out also.

Patrick Kane continued his bad luck in his hometown of Buffalo.  Last offseason he beat up a assaulted a cab driver over 20 cents and today he got stuck on a fire truck ladder while on his one day with the Stanley Cup. The truck apparently got stuck while going up but after about 20 minutes they were able to get him down.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Newyorkrangers.com Interview With Ryan Callahan!!

Another post about Ryan Callahan today. Dan David had an article on newyorkrangers.com where he had an interview with Callahan.  Callahan is one of the Rangers key young core players and could play a huge role on this team when we become contenders, hopefully in the next few years with all the young talent we have coming up.  Callahan will be an RFA after this season and look for the Rangers to lock him up as he will be a very useful player in the future.  He has shown a scoring touch with 22 goals and 19 goals the last two season respectively.  Here is some of what Callahan had to say:

“I'm gearing up for a hard training camp,” said Callahan, who has spent the off-season in his native Rochester, N.Y. “But from previous summers, not too much has changed for me workout-wise or in terms of conditioning. I think in previous summers I pushed myself hard and got myself ready for camp. It's just status quo with the way I lift and the conditioning that I do."

"I think one of the biggest things about last year is that even though we didn't make the playoffs, we have all of these core guys coming back and we'll use that as motivation," said Callahan. "Everybody knows what we went through last year and what a disappointment it was at the end of the year. So it's pretty important that we're all still together and we all can look back on previous years and what we've been through together. I think we're all definitely a lot more hungry. It was tough and I know, personally, it has been a long summer. I think the biggest thing is coming back and not looking at not making the playoffs as a negative, but to turn it around and take it as a positive and as a learning experience."

It seems like everyone is behind the fact that the Rangers are going to be bringing back a core group of players which they have not done in recent season.

"I think a big part of why we started off the year so well last year was that everybody came in early and was prepared and ready to go right from day one of camp," said Callahan. "Hopefully, we'll have the same result going into this year."

 For the full article you can click here!!

Rangers Make Signing With New ECHL Team Official!!

 According to The NYR Blog the New York Rangers and Greenville Road Warriors have made it official and joined together.  They will most likely host between 7-10 players as the Rangers ECHL affiliate.  I did a post earlier about this possibility if you would like to check it out.  Here is some of what they had to say:

"We are pleased and excited to begin this affiliation with an organization as dedicated to winning and developing young talent as the Greenville Road Warriors," said Jim Schoenfeld, Assistant General Manager, Player Personnel, Assistant Coach, New York Rangers and General Manager Hartford Wolf Pack. "Having this relationship with the Road Warriors will enable the Rangers to have our prospects play in an environment that will allow them to develop and progress as professionals within an experienced and dedicated organization."

Ryan Callahan Talks To @thenyrangers On Twiter!!

New York Rangers fan favorite Ryan Callahan caught up with the mystery guy behind the New York Rangers Twitter account.  He answered a few questions that every Rangers fan would want to know the answer to. 

"Caught up with #NYR RW Ryan Callahan. Said his fav sport to play in the off-season is golf, fav sport to watch is baseball (@Yankees) "

"Cally said he was on the ice at age 2, playing hockey at age 3. How old were you when you started playing sports?"

"Callahan said @NHLShanny(Brendan Shanahan) & Pat LaFontaine were favorite players growing up."

Glad to see he idolized Shanahan and LaFontaine growing up.  Two great players who have the heart and passion for the game.  It's also two players you do not hear coming out of players mouths a lot which continues to show why Cally plays with his heart on his sleeve and plays for the love of the game and his teammates.

Tortorella Talks Avery, Biron And More!!

John Tortorella did an interview with Stan Fischler over at msg.com!  This is part 1 of the 2 part interview.  He definitely had a lot to say and seemed very optimistic about how the offseason has gone and how the Rangers will fair next season.  Here is some of what he had said to say:

"I feel good about what we did so far this Summer," he shot back. "We didn't deal any of our kids and the foundation for the team is in place. We have to build a club without relying totally on free agency. We want to keep our youthful core and keep adding to it."

^ I am glad to here he is behind the offseason moves and behind the direction the team is going.  Keeping a core and youth movement going will be very important to our future success and it is good to see the Torts is behind it.

"I'm anxious to see Frolov in offensive positions," Torts went on. "He'll start with Gabby and we'll see how they work together. Frolov can score; he's a talented guy."

"He's(Dubinsky) best on the wing," said the coach. "I liked the way he came on in the last months of the season and I hope he keeps improving. Another core guy is Ryan Callahan. He brings a lot of intangibles -- killing penalties, blocking shots -- and I hope he can score more this year."

"After I benched him(Avery) against the Thrashers, he played his best hockey but I don't know why it came down to that. Despite what some have said, I put no handcuffs on him. I want Sean to show his personality. Last year I gave him a lot of opportunities and now that I think about it, I may have left him in too long. The bottom line is that if he's not involved, he won't play."

^ Bullshit in my eyes but Avery has stated that he will return next season so I guess we will have to wait and see as by this comment it seems that Torts has no restrictions on Avery!

Click here for the full article with more on Biron, Anisimov and Christensen!!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Boogaard And His Teammates Comment On Him And His Style Of Play!!

Dan David did an article today on the Rangers Website!  He goes in depth on Boogaard.  Boogaard comments on himself along with comments from Girardi and Gaborik.  Here is some of what they had to say:

"People, especially defensemen, won't want to play against him," said Rangers leading scorer Marian Gaborik, a longtime teammate and friend of Boogaard's during their years with the Minnesota Wild. "When he gets going and he hits somebody, it's scary."

"Boogaard speaks for himself," said Girardi, who faced Boogaard for the first time last season at Minnesota. "He will be a great force."

"There is a physical presence that I bring to the game and to the guys," said Boogaard. "It helps them play to the best of their abilities, and that's what showcases a team at its best -- when every player doesn't have to be worried about using their skill set because of another team." he continues "The thing is is that when I go out for a game, I'm not thinking I want to intimidate any one person," Boogaard said. "It's just me going to do my job night in and night out -- just by skating as hard as I can and by doing the right things on the ice. When that happens, good things will follow that as well. Maybe the intimidating thing is that I can skate and keep up with the play and hit guys, whereas a lot of other guys my size can't do that. Obviously, it was important that Gaby was there and I had played with him years before," said Boogaard. "Seeing what kind of teammate he is and how hard he works at what he does definitely entices a player to want to play again with a that kind of teammate and good friend as well."

Click here for the entire article!

The NYRangers Are Shooting A Music Video?

This is not me lol Just some happy Rangers fans!!
Apparently they are and they need YOUR help.  If you are a Rangers fan over 21 and feel like shooting a New York Rangers music video at 1am on a Friday night then I guess this would be your thing.

No word on what the music will be or what kind of video this will be but if they do it right this could definitely be a good marketing tool.  But knowing the Rangers I could easily see them doing a shitty job with it.

To enter you have to send in a pic to the Rangers(I guess through email or twitter) and let them know why they should pick you. The deadline is 10am on Friday.  Here are the tweets from @thenyrangers:  "Casting call for #NYR fans, 21+. Submit best fan pic & tell us why we should pick u for NYR music video. Shoot is 1am Sat morning(Fri night)" and then "Deadline to submit pics is this Friday (8/13) at 10am."

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Are The NYRangers Planning On Giving Redden A Legit Shot At Training Camp!!

All signs point to the Rangers sending Wade Redden down to Hartford during Training Camp.  They will most likely need the $6.5M cap hit to sign Staal and stay under the salary cap.  But Larry Brooks(who I hate) had an interesting line in his column the other day.

"What if Redden plays well in camp?" Well what if he does? Not only that but he said, "What if Gilroy/Eminger don't impress? And what if Staal isn't signed yet?"  All of those scenarios are likely and very possible.  The Rangers will be giving Redden a shot at training camp but is it a legit shot? Even if he plays well the Rangers will still need some cap space to sign Staal.  You would have to think Staal will be signed by opening night.

So in the end it isn't really a legit shot to stay as even if he plays at the top of his game, I do not see the Rangers dumping players just to fit him and Staal under the cap.  Unless they plan on dumping Rozsival in the minors or trading him.  I really cannot find a situation where he stays on the roster even if he plays well and better then others.  And once Redden is sent down, if we call him back up, some team has the opportunity to get him at half price through recall waivers.  Hopefully he continues to play like shit and we see him in a beautiful Hartford Wolf Pack jersey or whatever there new name might be!

My Suggestion To Solve The Kovalchuk And Similar Situations In The Future!!

Obviously there is a lot of talk surrounding the Kovalchuk situation and what will come out of it.  Well the talk of a lockout and maybe even the NHL going after other contracts already signed is being passed around.  The new Collective Bargaining Agreement will be worked on by the NHL and NHLPA and all other parties in the coming years and this situation will most likely be at the top of both sides talking boards.

Well I believe I have come up with an easy solution that based on both sides argument should easily please both sides.  If the NHLPA/Devils do not agree with it then obviously they were planning on circumventing the cap and having Kovalchuk not play his final 5-7 years of his contract.

So join me after this for my suggestion and why it "should" work....

Martin Biron Is Ready For The Season!!

One of the newest New York Rangers, Martin Biron recently did an interview with Dan David of newyorkrangers.com.  He had alot to say in this interview and sheds some good insight.  Biron could be a huge asset to this team if he plays his role right as the Rangers had a difficult time finding a suitablr replacement when Hank needed a rest.  With a stable backup goalie the Rangers won't have to worry about resting Lundqvist a little more and giving him much needed time off.  Here is some of what Biron had to say:

"I think the Rangers organization and their track record of being competitive is something that you look for as a player," Biron said. "I didn't want to be in the position that I was in last summer of expecting something to happen on July 1 and then not signing until the end of July. This year, I was looking to find some stability and wanted to move my whole family somewhere for longer than one year, and the Rangers definitely were open to that idea."

Join me after this to hear more from Biron......

Video: Dylan McIlrath New York City Bus Tour!!

From rangers.nhl.tv... Dylan was given a tour around NYC on the top of one those double decker buses.  I believe it was his 1st time in NYC so obviously it was an amazing experience. Enjoy!!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Full 20 Page Kovalchuk Decision Document Obtained!! (LINK)

The full 20 page document has been obtained and released by Offsides Sports Blog. Supposedly the Hossa, Pronger and similar deals have been targeted and will be acted upon.  Since it is 11pm I really do not feel like reading any of it.  Just felt like posting this so you guys can look at it and read it if you like.  So here is the link to the full 20 page document!  Enjoy!!

Arbitrator Richard Bloch Has Made His Decision In The Kovalchuk Case!! UPDATED!!!

Richard Bloch the arbitrator in the Ilya Kovalchuk arbitration hearing has finally announced his decision in the case. He has sided with the NHL and decided to reject the 17 year Ilya Kovalchuk contract.

The NHL Official statement from NHL.com: "We want to thank Arbitrator Bloch for his prompt resolution of a complex issue. His ruling is consistent with the League's view of the manner in which the Collective Bargaining Agreement should deal with contracts that circumvent the Salary Cap."

Arbitrator Bloch: "this is a retirement contract" "well beyond the typical retirement age for NHL players" per @RealKyper...

The NHLPA: “The NHLPA is disappointed with the Arbitrator’s ruling to uphold the NHL’s rejection of the contract between the New Jersey Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk.  The NHLPA is currently reviewing the decision and will have no further comment at this time.”
Lou Lamoriello “We have reviewed and respect Arbitrator Bloch's ruling in the Kovalchuk matter. We also note and appreciate his finding that nothing in his opinion should be read as suggesting that either the club or Ilya Kovalchuk operated in bad faith or on the basis of any assumption other than that the Standard Player Contract was fully compliant with the CBA. That has been our consistent position throughout.  While we do not currently have a contract with Ilya Kovalchuk, discussions have resumed and we are hopeful that a contract will be reached that meets with the principles in Arbitrator Bloch's award and the NHL's approval."

Excerpts from arbitrator Richard Bloch's ruling, obtained by SportingNews.com:   "In this case, the record strongly supports the claim this contract is "intended to, or has the effect" of defeating or circumventing the Salary Cap provisions of the CBA. The overall structure of this SPC reflects not so much the hope that Mr. Kovalchuk will be playing in those advanced years, but rather the expectation that he will not. This is a long contract --17 years -- the longest in NHL history. That, in itself, poses no contractual problem, for the reasons discussed above. But Kovalchuk is 27 years old, and the agreement contemplates his playing until just short of his 44th birthday. That is not impossible, but it is, at the least, markedly rare. Currently, only one player in the League has played past 43and, over the past 20 years only 6 of some 3400 players have played to 42...."

More from the report regarding finances:  "...The dynamics of this SPC, with particular reference to its final six years, are such that there is scarce reason for either Player or Club to continue the relationship. The incentives are strongly to the contrary. By year 11, the Player will have received $98,000,000 of his $102,000,000 contract, constituting some 97% of the bargain. One may reasonably ask, as the League does, whether a player who had been averaging some $9,000,000 a year will be satisfied to continue the rigors of an NHL season for a salary that (1) will average slightly more than $550,000 a year, (2) will represent a 95% reduction against previous average earnings and (3) will undoubtedly constitute compensation well below the then-applicable major league minimum. The economic incentives are not limited to issues of the Player's preferences, alone. During the final six years, the comprehensive "No Move" restriction will have been reduced to a "No Trade" clause. This additional flexibility will allow the Club to, for example, place the Player on waivers or send him to the minors. Here again, one may reasonably ask whether this Player would, at that point, accept such repositioning as an alternative to seeking continued employment outside the League or simply retiring."

The conclusion:  "...the System Arbitrator here concludes the SPC terms themselves demonstrate this agreement 'has the effect of defeating' the provisions of the CBA, with particular reference to the Team Payroll Range language. For these reasons, the finding is that the League has sustained its burden of demonstrating its actions in rejecting the agreement were in accordance with the bargained authority under Section 11.6(a)(i). Accordingly, the grievance protesting that action will be denied."

Join me after this for more on the Kovalchuk news and my thoughts....

Brandon Prust Discusses His Role With Rangers! VIDEO!!

Brandon Prust did an interview with Jim Cerny about his role with the Rangers and what he plans on doing different this season.  The video is a couple of weeks old but the embed code wasn't working and now it is and I thought I would post it in case some of you have not seen it! Prust was resigned during the offseason and could be a pivotal role player for the Rangers. 

Join me after this for the video.....

Sunday, August 8, 2010

The Best Of The NHL History Will Be Made Commercial Parodies!!

I was on YouTube searching NHL videos and came over a bunch of NHL fan made History Will Be Made parody videos.  Some of them I had not seen before so I thought I would post my favorites here.  This was a campaign the NHL ran during the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year and it was definitely one of the best ideas the NHL has come across in the marketing area of the game.

Join me after this for some of my favorite of the parodies and NHL originals.....

The NYRangers Have A NEW ECHL Affiliate, The Greenville Road Warriors!!

According to Jess Rubenstein over at The Prospect Park, the Rangers will announce a new agreement with the Greenville Road Warriors to be there new ECHL affiliate.  Greenville is located in South Carolina!!

Here is the link to the full post over at The Prospect Park!

The Rangers previous ECHL team was located in Charlotte but the Checkers left the ECHL to become the Carolina Hurricanes AHL affiliate which is a step up from the ECHL.  The team will be shared with the Philadelphia Flyers which is a bit odd! The Rangers are expected to make the official announcement sometime this week!

Offer Sheets Are Very Very Rare!!

A lot of NYRangers fans have become increasingly worried about Marc Staal and his contract negotiations.  The talk that maybe some team will drop an offer sheet on him has been pushed around as a reason why we should get this deal over with.  While I agree that we should hurry this process up and get Staal locked up for at least the next two seasons, an offer sheet is not one of those reasons.

If Staal does get an offer sheet, I can't see Sather not matching it unless it is upwards of $7M and if it is then the Rangers will get a boatload of picks in compensation.  For any offer sheet above $7.7M, the team will receive four first round draft picks.  This is the main reason we do not see offer sheets as often because teams could get screwed into giving up a lot of compensation.  But they know that going in and are aware of the risk.

Join me after this for more on offer sheets and the Rangers history.......