The Rangers Tribune

Player of the Month: October 2009

Well here it is, our very first Player of the Month poll on Rangers Tribune. Since this is the first time we will be doing this, I will give you a quick rundown of how it will work. At the conclusion of the final game of each month (yesterday vs Minny), I will post up the POTM (player of the month) poll, which will include my top four candidates for the best player on the Blueshirt squad during that specific month. From there, you, the readers, will have the opportunity to submit your votes over a one to two week period. After the one-two week stretch is up, I will close the voting, and crown the Rangers Tribune Player of the Month. At the end of the season, the player with the most accumulative votes including every poll will be the reigning Player of the Year.

So without further ado, here are October's Candidates for Player of the Month:

1. Marian Gaborik

Games Played: 12

Goals: 10

Assists: 8

Points: 18

plus/minus: 6

2. Mike Del Zotto

Games Played: 14

Goals: 4

Assists: 8

Points: 12

plus/minus: 3

3. Vinny Prospal

Games Played: 14

Goals: 4

Assists: 13

Points: 17

plus/minus: 7

4. Henrik Lundqvist

Games Played In: 13

GAA: 2.68

SV %: .914

Record: 7-4-1

So now it is your time to be heard. Head over to the sidebar where the polls are always located, and submit your vote for player of the month. I am really looking forward to doing this every month, and it would not be possible without you guys, so I thank you in advance. Now get out and vote!

(Images courtesy of AP Photo and Reuters Pictures)

Practice Update: Gaborik, Higgins, Avery Skate

According to recent tweets from Steve Zipay, all three injured forwards Marian Gaborik, Christopher Higgins, and Sean Avery took part in practice earlier today in New York. Focusing on one at a time, Marian Gaborik, who has missed two consecutive games due to a sore knee, skated today and should be in the lineup against the Boston Bruins tomorrow afternoon at Madison Square Garden. Gaborik first suffered the minor injury on Monday, but says that the discomfort has improved everyday.



Chris Higgins missed out on yesterday's contest because of a lower body injury that occurred Wednesday on Long Island. The night off on Friday may have helped Higgins both physically and mentally, as he was struggling greatly leading up to this point. The New York native will most likely play tomorrow against Boston.



Sean Avery also did not play last night in Minnesota also because of a knee problem. Sean skated for the first time today since suffering the injury, and he did so without a brace. Avery will take part in warm-ups, but remains questionable heading into the game.



Both P.A. Parenteau and Dane Byers are still with the team if they are needed, and if they are not sent down prior to the Western Road trip, I would expect them to fly out with the team to Vancouver tomorrow night.

(Sent using my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry)

Parenteau Re-Assigned to Hartford

The Rangers have announced that forward P.A. Parenteau has been returned to the Hartford Wolf Pack in anticipation of either Gaborik, Higgins, or Avery returning to the lineup tomorrow against Boston. Parenteau was recalled to the Blueshirts on Tuesday in place of the injured Marian Gaborik, and ended up registering his first NHL goal against the Islanders. In fact, Parenteau was one of the very few players who actually played well in that game on the Island, so expect him to be back up with the team if need be in the future.

Obviously this move implies that at least one of Gaborik (right knee), Higgins (left foot), or Avery (right knee) will return tomorrow, most likely two of the three. As I reported earlier, all three skated in practice today.
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Morning Update: Rangers in Minnesota

Coming off of a devastating loss on the Island on Wednesday, the Rangers now travel up north to Minnesota where they will match-up with the Wild tonight at 8 pm. Obviously no one is happy with the effort displayed against the Isles, but it has become a concern if that was totally due to the lack of Marian Gaborik in the lineup. While I do believe there is talent on this team beyond the Slovak star, it was not visible the other night.



The big question heading into the contest is whether or not Gaborik will be able to play against the team he spent nine years with. Right now, I do not have a definite answer as it is 50-50, but we expect to know after today's morning skate. Hartford call-up P.A. Parenteau will be ready if needed, and he skated very well on Wednesday.



Minnesota, 3-9-0, has clearly struggled this season, but this Rangers team evidently cannot be trusted against lowly clubs. There is no doubt the Blueshirts can handle the task, but it is a matter of execution and there was none on Wednesday.



Check back later for lineup updates and postgame this afternoon. Also be sure to follow my twitter for instant updates. Back later......

(Sent using my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry)

Avery, Gaborik, Higgins Out- Brashear, Byers In

It has been reported that the Rangers have recalled forward Dane Byers from Hartford in order to replace the injured Chris Higgins and Sean Avery, who will not play in tonight's contest. Gaborik, skated this morning, will also not play. Brashear will return after sitting out two out of the three previous games.

More in a bit......
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Pregame: Rangers Match-Up with Wild in Minny, Gaborik/Higgins/Avery Out

The Blueshirts, now 8-4-1, are coming off of a pathetic effort against the Islanders on Wednesday, but now have the opportunity to redeem themselves against another low-ranked team in the Minnesota Wild tonight at 8 pm. After the early season surge during the first two weeks of October, the Rangers have certainly slowed down since, and have a horrendous record of 1-3-1 in their last five games, in which the team has been inadequate overall. The Wild are on a two game losing streak, and have put up a 3-9-0 record in their first twelve, which places them dead last in the Western Conference with only six points. This is yet another game that can and should be labeled a "must win" for the Rangers considering what Minny has accomplished this season, but as we have learned the hard way, we cannot count on an easy victory tonight.

In the matter of 24 hours, the injury list has grown quite drastically. It is now definite that Marian Gaborik will not be playing against his former team tonight, but he did skate earlier in the morning drills. This is most likely a case of the coaching staff preserving their star forward and not putting him at risk of a more severe injury against a cellar dweller like the Wild. Whether or not he will play in Boston on Sunday, I am not sure, but the fact that he skated today is a good sign.

Moving right along, both Chris Higgins and Sean Avery were banged up Wednesday on the Island, and will sit this one out. Quite honestly, Higgins needs the rest, not only for physical purposes, but to straighten himself out mentally as well. It is suspected to be an ankle problem for the struggling winger. As for Avery, he tweaked his leg after a scrum for a loose puck against the Isles, leaving him out for now. No word on when exactly either of the forwards will return.

With this, the Rangers elected to recall forward Dane Byers of the Wolf Pack earlier today, and is currently on a flight to Minnesota as we speak. He will be in the lineup in place of Avery/Higgins, and Donald Brashear will return as well, as he missed two of the three previous contests. With Gaborik out, P.A. Parenteau will play his second career game as a Ranger.

Tonight's projected lineup for New York (totally based on speculation):

Lisin - Prospal - Callahan
Parenteau - Drury - Kotalik
Byers - Dubinsky - Voros
Brashear - Anisimov - Boyle

Staal - Girardi
Redden - Gilroy
Del Zotto - Rozsival

Lundqvist

Scratch(es): Gaborik (right knee), Avery (right leg), Higgins (left ankle)

While the offensive lines may not be confirmed, one thing is for sure, and that is Henrik Lundqvist will be between the pipes for the Blueshirts in this one. I felt Hank played exceptionally well against the Islanders, holding off the pressing attack, and preventing the game from being a lot worse than it ended up. Lundqvist did not receive much help from his defensemen in that game, and I would hope that it will be a different story tonight.

Speaking of defense, Marc Staal and Dan Girardi have been straight-up horrid. I never really thought I would be saying this, but Staal's play as of late has hurt this team, and his partner in Dan Girardi has not been much better. Neither can be found in position, they are constantly getting caught, and an ongoing problem of clearing the front of the net continues.

Now we all know Staal is a much much better player than what he has displayed in recent games, but he must settle himself, and get back to playing his game. I know that the coaching staff wants him in on the offense more often this season, but at this point, Marc should focus on straightening out his game in his own end, and then worry about the offense.

Matt Gilroy also had a rough outing against the Isles, maybe even his worst yet, but games like that are expected from a rookie, no question. However, it cannot become a consistent problem. Del Zotto, on the other hand, skated quite well on Wednesday, as he was one of the few players that I did not have complaints about.

The offensive game for the Rangers was not present on Long Island, and it has raised the question of whether or not Marian Gaborik accounts for this team's production in its entirety. I do believe that there is talent beyond Gabs, as I stated this morning, but that talent was far from viewable without the Slovakian star.

Now with the injuries, this lineup is even more handicapped than what we saw earlier in the week, so I am honestly not sure how the Rangers will respond to that. I mean, two impact players in Sean Avery and Marian Gaborik will not be playing, and that will hurt this team, no doubt. But at the same time, the available individuals must realize this and up the anty, if you will, because we cannot rely on Gaborik to do everything, especially him being the injury-prone forward that he is.

With that said, I do feel that this roster can rise up to the occasion and defeat a dismal team in the Wild, but there cannot be effortless play like we saw against the Isles, because than you will be outworked, outhustled, and outplayed, and there goes the "easy win".

Minnesota Wild Projected Lineup:

Brunette - Koivu - Miettinen
Sykora - Belanger - Havlat
Kobasew - Brodziak - Nolan
Pouliot - Sheppard - Clutterbuck

Zanon - Burns
Hnidy - Zidlicky
Schultz - Scott

Backstrom

When looking at the Wild team on paper, they are improved from last season. With the additions of Marty Havlat and Petr Sykora, the offense is a bit more capable, but they obviously have not been efficient just yet. But like I said, if the Rangers choose to have their heads in the game for only 25% of the sixty minutes, this team will find ways to beat us, and that would be nothing short of a total embarrassment losing to two last place clubs back to back.

As usual, you can follow live game updates all throughout the night on my twitter, as well as any lineup changes prior to the drop of the puck. Also, tonight's game will be televised on MSG2, check your local TV listings for details.

(Images courtesy of AP Photo)

Postgame: Rangers Topped by Wild in Minnesota, 3-2

With their second consecutive loss to a lowly team such as the Wild, the Rangers now have five losses in their last six games. Tonight, it was a lack of effort and emotion that hurt the Blueshirts, and the way in which they played reminded me a lot of last year's team, which was unable to gain the zone and not execute the dump and chase method. Granted, there were three players out with injuries for New York, but regardless, there is no excuse to display little to no effort against a struggling club like the Wild. This game should have been a win whether or not Gaborik was in the lineup, but again, there was no sense of urgency from this team.

I do not know what Tortorella is waiting for to change the defensive pairings. I mean, the defense, game after game, has been putrid, and although they may be making small mistakes, the opposition is burning them on almost every one. On the first Minnesota goal, no one was covering the wide-open Sykora who tapped home the beautiful pass by Koivu. Instead, everyone collapsed on Koivu to prevent the pass, and when Miko ended up threading the needle, the defense was completely lost and out of position. In addition to this, there was a lazy back-check by Aaron Voros as well. Yes, he had a goal, but that does not erase his defense errors.

Marc Staal has been terrible as of late, and I never really though that we would be concerned over his play in a million years, but here we are. I thought head coach John Tortorella summed it up best in the postgame media conference; Staal needs to learn that he is there to begin the rush, not lead it, and that is where he ran into trouble in this game, and many others lately. Staal made a great play along the boards to retrieve the puck, and then had Drury wide-open in the neutral zone. Instead of making the pass and joining the offense, Staal attempts to skate it out of the zone and start up the rush himself. Staal was rejected, and Minnesota quickly turned it the other way and made it a 3-1 game. This is what I mean about such acute mistakes costing the Rangers the game.

Staal's partner in Dan Girardi has not been much better, if not worse. Unlike Staal, it is not on the transition where Dan runs into trouble, but rather in his own zone is where he is having difficulties. Defense is all about positioning, and knowing your surroundings. Girardi, as of late, has been out of position because of the lack of knowledge of where the opposing forwards are located. I feel like Girardi is taking on too much responsibility on the first pairing, maybe more than he is able to handle, and I believe it is time for a change.

Matt Gilroy also had yet another rough game, specifically because of turnovers. I think Gilroy will eventually learn to get rid of the puck quicker, as he is constantly getting pick-pocketed in his own zone, but that is just a matter of holding onto the puck for too long. I would like to see Gilory playing with Staal, but there has been no signs of Tortorella changing up the pairings.

I will say this, however, Wade Redden is my vote for player of the game. While Redden my not be putting up the points that we would like to see, he has been lights out on the defensive side of things, and also picked up an assist on the Byers tally. Redden has flourished under Tortorella, and has made a complete a 180 from last season.

The offense, much like on the Island on Wednesday, was not present. First off, the Rangers were outshot 32-20 by an offensive squad that only had eleven goals in twelve games played in Minnesota. That is pathetic, and there really is no better adjective to describe that statistic than that. The forecheck was only half there, as one player would dump it in, and then the defense would beat out all of our players to the puck and clear the zone. Nothing gets more frustrating the the inability of a team to gain the zone, and that has been the exact problem for the Rangers in the previous two contests.

Players like Chris Drury, Ryan Callahan, Ales Kotalik, and Vinny Prospal are expected to step up their play when you lose man power to injuries, but they did not, and were near invisible in the game. Drury is producing at an even lower rate than he did last season in the month of October, which is quite alarming for the Rangers' Captain. Something needs to be done, and I think that a good 'ol benching would do him well.

Donald Brashear, playing in his return, was guilty of a terrible turnover on the first Minnesota goal. Brash decided that he would attempt to make a move out of the zone and it ended up behind the Rangers net and in front for the goal. Ignorant errors such as this one are unacceptable, especially when the game is tied at zero.

In place of the injured Avery/Higgins, the Rangers recalled Harftford forward Dane Byers earlier today, and after arriving at Excel Energy Center just fifteen minutes before gametime, the gritty winger came out and skated very well for the Blueshirts. I really like his game, as there is a grit presence, a determination presence, as well as the ability to create offense, as we saw on his first NHL goal. Much like Byers, Enver Lisin was all over the place tonight, and had some great opportunities. Enver was one of few Rangers to express any emotion over the course of the game.

Henrik Lundqvist kept the Blueshirts in the game, no question. Hank made some remarkable saves, and the ones he did not stop were either one-timed tap ins, or shots through traffic. I have no complaints with the way Lundqvist played, but once again, he did not receive much help from the defense in front of him.

At the conclusion of Wednesday's postgame analysis, I asked whether or not this team is any better without Gaborik than last year's team with Gaborik. Based on the past two performances, the answer is no. The fact that the Rangers offense has been so ineffective without the aid of Gaborik is not a good thing at all, especially considering how injury prone Gaborik is. There needs to be a team beyond Marian Gaborik, and right now there is none.

The Rangers will now get back to work in practice on Saturday in preparation for the Bruins on Sunday. That game will be at 1 pm and will be the Rangers' first matinee of the regular season. Hopefully updates regarding the statuses of Gaborik, Avery, and Higgins will be available tomorrow, and I will be sure to share any information I am made aware of about the situation as soon as I get word.

(Images courtesy of AP Photo)

Gaborik to Make Trip to Minny

According to a recent tweet from Steve Zipay of Blue Notes, injured winger Marian Gaborik will be making the trip to Minnesota where the Rangers will face the Wild tomorrow night, but it remains unclear whether or not Marian will play against his former team. Gaborik said that he felt a but better today, after sitting out last night's contest due to a right leg injury he suffered on Monday night against Phoenix.

Gaborik has a nine year history with Minnesota, so clearly this game would have a lot of meaning to it, especially that it will be played in front of the Minnesota fans.

While Gaborik did not skate today in practice, he will most likely participate in the morning skate on Friday, depending on the severity of the soreness in his leg. Marian mentioned that he still felt discomfort in that area today, so I am not sure of the likelihood of him returning to the lineup so quickly.

Remember, the coaching staff is going to be extra careful when it comes to handling any injury involving their star forward. With that being said, do not count on the Blueshirts having his services available to them against the Wild, as they would be Gaborik-less for the second consecutive game.

The Rangers were completely out of sync without Gabs against the Islanders and the Wild are a bit tougher opponent, so at this point, we must keep our fingers crossed, hoping that the unlikely will occur tomorrow in Minnesota.

More Later.....

Another Gaborik Update- Doubtful Aganist Wild

Earlier today, I reported that injured winger Marian Gaborik will make the trip to Minnesota with the rest of the team, which is true, but it is becoming increasingly unlikely that we actually see Gaborik in the lineup tomorrow night. While the right leg injury has been improving, and was "not as bad" as Gaborik originally thought it would turn out to be, it is still sore, and there is no reason to rush his return and put him at risk for a more concerning setback.

Yes, the game would mean a lot to play in for Gabs because, as I mentioned earlier, he would be facing the team he spent nine years playing on and entering the NHL with, and also playing in front of his former fans to boot, but he realizes more than anyone that with his brittle body, the recovery cannot be rushed. Now I am well aware that this team was putrid without the Slovak forward in the lineup against the Isles, but there needs to be a team beyond Gaborik, and so far that team has been invisible.

Anyway, here is what Steve Zipay of Blue Notes had to say about the situation. Click for Article

Personally, I believe the Slovakian right winger isn't playing until Sunday afternoon against Boston in the Garden, but there's a chance he'll dress in Minnesota, where he played eight years, on Friday night.

Standing in the locker room with reporters after another practice in which he did not participate ---he was receiving treatment on his right leg, possibly thigh or hamstring, the club is not disclosing---he called himself "day-to-day."

Not playing would be disappointing, Gaborik said. "We don’t play them that often. Definitely it would be something special."

He confirmed that he was still sore from a front of the net collision late in the third period against Phoenix on Monday, but would be on the plane to Minneapolis this afternoon. The team's top scorer, with 18 points, said he initially thought the injury was more severe.

"It’s not that serious," said Gaborik, who skated another shift after the hit before shutting down. "I thought it was going to be worse the way it felt. I have to make sure I do the right thing and treat it and take it day by day. It doesn’t feel great but it feels better."

Head coach John Tortorella has been pretty mum about the ordeal and has released limited details regarding the injury, which is standard procedure now-a-days in the NHL. Torts must get the Gaborik-less lineup in order if he feels that his top forward will not be available for him in the contest. The lines were changing much to frequently for my liking on Wednesday night, but at the same time, the team was giving him nothing so there is some understanding there.

Rangers fans are up in arms after lass night's loss, and I do not blame them, and the main reason for that is because the team was ineffective without Gaborik providing his services, and that is unacceptable. Tomorrow will most likely be a second chance to prove us fans wrong that there is offense on this team beyond Gaborik, and that opportunity will come against a not so hot team in the Minnesota Wild.

If Gaborik Sits.....

The following is what I believe tonight's offensive lineup will look like if the coaching staff elects to give Marian Gaborik the night off on account of his undisclosed lower body injury.

Prospal - Dubinsky - Lisin
Avery - Drury - Kotalik
Higgins - Anisimov - Callahan
Brashear - Boyle - Parenteau

First off, with Gaborik absent, it is likely that Torts moves Brandon Dubinsky up to center the first line like he did earlier in the season. That would move Prospal to wing, and keep Lisin where he is. Lisin has been improving more and more every game so there is no need to remove him from the first unit, as he has earned his spot on that line.

With Dubinsky now on the first, I would assume that Anisimov would be placed between Higgins and Callahan on the third line. Anisimov has a goal in each of his past two games, and has made the most of his limited ice time. Anisimov deserves an upgrade in the lineup, and now is a perfect opportunity with Gaborik out.

Yesterday, the Rangers recalled forward P.A. Parenteau from Hartford as insurance. If the AHL scoring leader is needed, I would expect to see him on the fourth line in his National Hockey League debut. Brian Boyle would then move back to center, and Brashear remains at left wing.

Remember, this is just speculation by myself, as there has been no guarantee whether Gaborik will be in the lineup or not. Based on the fact that Parenteau was recalled yesterday, I would deem it probable that Gabs sits this one out, and quite honestly, I rather him be well rested and 100 percent against his former team in the Minnesota Wild on Friday than aggravate the injury tonight against the uni-win Isles. Be sure to keep tabs on my Twitter, as well as here for any lineup changes or updates on Gabby prior to puck drop. Pregame, as usual, will be up this afternoon.
(Image courtesy of Getty Images)