Category Archives: In the Crease
Nicklas Jensen for Etem swap is paying unexpected dividends
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of the New York Rangers.
Many people complained about Etem’s usage and the lack of chances that he was given, but personally, I never saw anything from Etem. He really wasn’t that effective offensively, had trouble with the puck, and he wasn’t good in puck battles against the boards, which he pointed out as one of his strengths. So trading him for some kind of prospect was a smart move.
Jeff Gorton sent Etem to Vancouver, reuniting him with his junior hockey coach, and getting 23 year old Danish prospect Nicklas Jensen in return. Jensen didn’t turn any heads or create headlines, as he seemed to be just a middle of the pack AHL prospect. Read the rest of this entry
Ranking the Rangers—Part One: 20-26
John Dundon
This will be a series of posts in which we rank players on the Rangers roster who played at least 10 games (Regular season/playoffs) as a Blueshirt in 2015-2016. Let’s get right into it:
26: Danny Paille
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
OH GOD SHIELD YOUR EYES!
Paille played in 12 games as a Ranger from Late-January into February, and boy were they memorable. Not in a good way.
Paille was a team worst 35.1% CF% with exactly ZERO goals and ZERO assists. His signing came at a time when the Rangers were looking for help on the penalty kill. All Paille did was make the already pathetic PK worse. There is no bright spot here. Watching Paille squirm out there, dragging Dom Moore down with him was painful. Although it took them a month, they finally did away with Paillie, but the damage had already been done. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers should go after Brian Campbell in the offseason to help defensive woes
Bobby Bevilacqua
Brian Campbell with the Panthers. Photo courtesy of Steve Mitchell/US PRESSWIRE.
Just three days ago, the Florida Panthers announced that they had agreed to a one year deal with 24 year old defenseman Erik Gudbranson. On the surface, it didn’t seem like a big deal at all.
But signing Gudbranson means that the Panthers now have seven defensemen under contract (Ekblad, Gudbranson, Kampfer, Kindl, Kulikov, Matheson and Petrovic). The team is fully embracing the youth movement, going with a roster that is full of newer and younger players, and they’re keeping a select few veterans around.
One of the vets that now seems like a lock to leave Sunrise, Florida is defenseman Brian Campbell. “Soupy” has been one of the offensive leaders from the blue line in his five seasons with the Panthers, scoring 27 points or more in each season, and recording a career high 53 points (4-49-53) in the 2011-12 season. This past year Campbell scored six goals and 31 points in 82 games. Read the rest of this entry
Trade Rick Nash? Not so fast
John Dundon
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
The Blueshirts’ latest playoff endeavor, albeit a brief one, had a different feel when it came to watching Rick Nash on the ice.
Nash scored two goals and had two assists in those five games against Pittsburgh. After a productive playoff stretch in 2015 that saw Nash net 15 points in 19 games, I’m of the opinion that barring a home-run of a return, trading Rick Nash would be unwise if this team is serious about winning the Stanley Cup in the next few years. Here’s why:
We are so quick to attach labels to players in the NHL. Usually, these labels are a result of these 10-30 game runs we call “the playoffs.” Hockey is a game of percentages, bounces and confidence-based mojo. These three factors usually determine when the puck goes in the net for all world talents, like Nash—and they don’t take the time to consider the time of year. There are ups and downs. Read the rest of this entry
Stepan and Brassard are good, but do the Rangers need a superstar center?
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
When it comes to forward depth, especially at center, the Rangers are pretty good in that respect. Rick Nash, Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello, JT Miller, Jesper Fast, Viktor Stalberg, Kevin Hayes and Oscar Lindberg doubling as wingers.
More recently, the Rangers have seen a lot of improvement when it comes to the talent and depth of their centers. Derick Brassard and Derek Stepan have gotten better and better with each passing season, cementing themselves in the top six. Hayes has shown that he can be a playmaker down the middle, and Dom Moore and Oscar Lindberg are strong two-way forwards best suited for a bottom six role, or a fourth line player.
When the Rangers acquired Rick Nash, they were looking to add a superstar to their roster. Marian Gaborik wasn’t enough, and outside of last regular season, Nash hasn’t been a “superstar” per say. Read the rest of this entry
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