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Rangers must capitalize on Lundqvist’s prime while they still can
John Dundon
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
As the Rangers prepare to embark on their quest for the teams elusive fifth Stanley Cup, their one constant over the past 10 years in Henrik Lundqvist is once again at peak form.
On a night following a 1-0 shutout win against the Detroit Red Wings, Lundqvist put what the final minutes of a 0-0 game feel like from his perspective. “The last 10 minutes of the game you definitely know the next goal wins… I know I need to be perfect.” It’s a situation the Rangers veteran net minder has become more than comfortable with over the years as a Ranger. Lundqvist has played in more big games and high pressure situations, in the last three seasons especially, than most goalies do in their entire careers.
I’ve often said that being a goalie is unlike anything else in sports. You’re a part of the team, but it’s really just you alone out there. You have more influence on the game than anyone else on the ice. Only the highest level of focus, athleticism and anticipation will allow you to be successful. It’s a position that is unique in the fact that you can be an eraser for when the team is outplayed as a whole. The goalie is one of the few positions in sports that will often times single handedly determine the outcomes of events. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers continue with fourth round of cuts, Raanta designated as backup
Bobby Bevilacqua
Raphael Diaz is one of the players that has made the final roster cuts. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
The Rangers made a few more significant cuts following their win over the New Jersey Devils, cutting down the roster to just 25 players; 15 forwards, eight defenseman and two goalies. Vigneault will have to cut two more forwards and likely one defenseman.
The Rangers reassigned Luke Adam, Ryan Bourque, Brian Gibbons, Ryan Graves, Chris Summers, Mat Bodie, Brady Skjei and Magnus Hellberg, and they will report to Hartford’s training camp.
Vigneault’s latest roster moves means that we’re in the final stages of the cuts. Dylan McIlrath is still fighting for a spot and Jayson Megna, Oscar Lindberg and Jarret Stoll are still looking to get Tanner Glass out of the lineup. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers make third round of cuts, Staal and Girardi to debut in Jersey
Bobby Bevilacqua
Oscar Lindberg will start his fourth consecutive preseason game tonight in New Jersey. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
As Vigneault said, the Rangers continued to make their roster cuts, reducing to just over six forward lines, 12 defensemen and three goalies. With just three preseason games remaining, we’re in the final stretch of roster decisions.
The Rangers assigned five players to the Wolf Pack training camp. Marek Hrivik, Brett Bellemore, Adam Tambellini, Tommy Hughes and Jeff Malcolm all reported to Hartford for their camp.
This will be Tambellini’s first season in the AHL, and he’s one of my favorite prospects. I’m excited to see how he does this season. I’m also happy that Bellemore wasn’t cut from the roster completely. He was pretty good in the preseason game, and has some NHL experience, so it’s nice depth to have. Read the rest of this entry
The backup battle: Antti Raanta vs Magnus Hellberg
Bobby Bevilacqua
Who will backup Henrik Lundqvist for the 2015-16 season? Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
After the Rangers traded away Cam Talbot, their backup goalie for the past two seasons, Jeff Gorton was left to search for someone else to sit behind Henrik Lundqvist on the depth chart. Over the past two seasons, the Rangers learned the importance of having a quality backup, and the team did their best to fill that vacancy in the offseason.
Shortly after the NHL draft, the Rangers acquired Finnish netminder Antti Raanta from the Chicago Blackhawks for prospect Ryan Haggerty, a relatively low price to pay for a backup. It seemed as if that role would be his by default, but Gorton traded for another goalie just a few days later.
Jeff Gorton made a great depth trade, snagging 24 year old goalie prospect Magnus Hellberg from the Predators for just a sixth round pick, and signing him to a two year deal shortly after. Nashville had a log jam of goalies in their system and needed to clean house, which the Rangers took advantage of.
So the question that remains is who should backup Henrik Lundqvist when they open the season on October 7th? Read the rest of this entry
Quick Hits: Patrick Kane update, Viktor Stalberg and Henrik Lundqvist talk Rangers
Bobby Bevilacqua
With informal skates and practices beginning, and hockey season just 27 days away, things are starting to pick up, with player participating in the NHL media tour and getting prepared for the start of the season.
Patrick Kane’s Grand Jury Hearing postponed
Photo courtesy of Brian Casella/Chicago Tribune.
The biggest ongoing storyline in the NHL is the Patrick Kane saga. Last month, Kane was accused by a young woman of sexually-assaulting her in his Buffalo home following a night at a downtown bar. Investigations have been ongoing, and Kane was scheduled to meet before a Grand Jury.
When a case gets that far, it usually means that the prosecution believes that they have enough evidence to make a case, and there may be testimonies taken from witnesses.
However, the meeting scheduled for yesterday afternoon was postponed unexpectedly. Supposedly, it was delayed because of the potential for settlement talks between Kane and the alleged victim. (LINK) Read the rest of this entry
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