Blog Archives
Jesper Fast can and will fill Carl Hagelin’s role for the Rangers
Bobby Bevilacqua
Following his first full season in professional hockey, Jesper Fast will play a bigger role next season, and he’ll help fill the void left by Carl Hagelin. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
We are beginning to approach a slow time for hockey and hockey related news. There isn’t really much to cover after the first few days of free agency, and right now, the Rangers are just waiting to re-sign their RFAs.
So while every hockey blogger continues to struggle for article ideas, you’ll hear a lot of the same things. For me, I like to think about how the Rangers can replace the players that they lost in the offseason. One of those players is Carl Hagelin, who was traded to the Anaheim Ducks for Emerson Etem, as well as swapping draft picks so the Rangers could select Ryan Gropp with the 41st pick of the NHL Entry Draft.
Hagelin has been a very steady 30-point per season kind of player that can open up the ice with his speed, and play strong defense when in his own zone. A well-rounded player with blazing speed is hard to find, and Hagelin was an important part of the team. Read the rest of this entry
Emerson Etem ready for bigger role and new challenges
Bobby Bevilacqua
Now on a new team with a chance to break into a more important offensive role, Emerson Etem is ready to make the most of this opportunity. Photo courtesy of Jeff Gross/Getty Images.
With salary cap constraints and guys like Derek Stepan looking for long-term contracts (potentially very expensive), the Rangers were almost forced to trade away Carl Hagelin, a dependable, strong possession winger that has anchored the Rangers third line since 2011. However, Jeff Gorton was still able to bring in a young player with a lot of potential.
Emerson Etem, born in Long Beach, California, was selected in the first round of the 2010 NHL draft by the Anaheim Ducks, keeping him in the state that he grew up in, and allowing family and friends to watch him begin his professional hockey career.
While that makes for a great story, things did not work out as Etem hoped, bouncing between the NHL and AHL affiliate Norfolk over the past three seasons, never playing more than 45 games with the Ducks in a single year. Read the rest of this entry
2015 NHL Draft: New York Rangers Draft Recap
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of the Florida Panthers.
The Rangers were without a first round draft pick again this season, unable to get one in return for Cam Talbot, but they still managed to stockpile seven young prospects in the deep 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
The second draft day was hectic for Glen Sather and his management group, trading away Carl Hagelin and some draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks for Emerson Etem and to move up to the 41st pick in the second round. Cam Talbot was dealt shortly after that to the Edmonton Oilers for a three picks, which Sather eventually turned into four with a trade with the Washington Capitals.
After the day was done, Assistant GM Jeff Gorton said that the Rangers were motivated by their lack of draft picks, and that combined with the salary cap was the main reason for the trades. After dealing away so many first round picks in recent years, Sather needed to recuperate his losses and garner as many prospects as possible. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers acquire Antti Raanta from Chicago
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers found their new backup, trading for Antti Raanta from the Chicago Blackhawks. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks.
It didn’t take long for the Rangers to find their new backup goalie, trading for Antti Raanta from the Chicago Blackhawks, and sending prospect Ryan Haggerty their way.
Rangers fans should be familiar with Ryan Haggerty, as he has been around the team’s training camp and preseason games for quite some time now. He played his first season in the AHL, finishing with 33 points (15-18-33) in 76 regular season games. He never really did enough to stand out amongst the other prospects, and the Rangers didn’t have any room for him on the NHL roster. Haggerty will surely get a chance to compete for a spot on the Blackhawks roster, mainly because they are looking for cheap, effective forwards.
Antti Raanta was the third goalie for Chicago, behind Scott Darling and Corey Crawford on the roster. But it wasn’t because of his skill. The cap-strapped Blackhawks went with the cheaper, and solid option in Darling for the second half of the regular season and the playoffs. Read the rest of this entry
Around the League: Overtime changed, coach’s challenge, Schedule released, expansion?
Bobby Bevilacqua
The NHL announced the move to 3-on-3 overtime hockey for the 2015-16 season, which means that guys like Rick Nash will have plenty of room to work with. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
With the NHL draft looming, and the end-of-season meeting taking place between the league’s GMs, the NHL made some changes to the overtime rules in the regular season, and discussed some other potential changes as well.
The first change will begin at the start of next season, with the overtime rules being changed in an effort to make the shootout less frequent. The NHL will feature 3-on-3 overtime play in hopes that more space on the ice and less players will lead to more scoring chances, more odd man rushes, and more goals.
The format that will be used in the NHL next season is different than what was seen in the AHL this year. In the AHL, they played 4-on-4 hockey for three minutes, and then switched to 3-on-3 for the final four minutes. The NHL will have just one five minute overtime period, with 3-on-3 played for the entire time. Read the rest of this entry
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