The Rangers Tribune

Prospect Profile: Brett Connolly

pgcougars.com

Picking up the prospect profiles where we left off as my trip to Chicago sadly comes to a close. I will be heading back to the Big Apple this morning, but will be back in time to cover game two, just not live. Anyway, I appreciate you following my updates all throughout my Stanley Cup Final experience. It was a blast being able to cover it live.

Name: Brett Connolly

Position: Right Wing

Height: 6-2

Weight: 181 lbs

Age: 18

Home Country: Canada

Playing In: Western Hockey League (Juniors)

Scouting Reports

Rangers Tribune: Brett Connolly is a premier goal-scorer; there is no doubt about that. However, just like the Rangers' Marian Gaborik, injuries throughout his young career have dramatically slowed him down. He has that natural ability to find the back of the net and to get to the open area of the ice. He can be compared to a Brett Hull because of that ability to navigate through the open lanes, and that makes him a very special individual. Unfortunately, the team selecting him will take a risk with his injury-filled past.

Hockey's Future: Suffered a hip injury at the 2009 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament prior to the WHL season which caused him to miss a good portion of the season. Connolly played in 16 games for the Cougars, scoring 10 goals and chipping 9 assists for 19 points. He played in 4 playoff games for the Cougars, picking up 2 assists in those games. he was named to the 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game but had to withdraw due to his injury. Read More...

NHL Fanhouse: Connolly is one of the most talented players to be found in this draft pool. He has good size, and he should fill out and become a powerful forward in the NHL. He's not just a big, strong kid. Connolly has great hands, and he has the ability to become a big-time goal-scorer.

But there are legitimate concerns.

During an international tournament last summer, Connolly injured his hip. It eventually required surgery, and he missed most of this past season. While his WHL team struggled through an awful season, Connolly tried to rehab and play as much as possible. Read More...

The Hockey News: Brett Connolly has won over most team's scouting staffs, but as the draft approaches, he's bound to get scrutiny from their medical teams. Had Connolly not been limited to just 16 games with hip flexor injuries this season, there's a good chance he'd be challenging Hall and Seguin for No. 1 overall status.

But after scoring 30 goals as a 16-year-old and being named CHL top rookie, Connolly tweaked his hip last summer. He came back too soon and injured his other hip by overcompensating. (Read more in the THN Draft Preview 2010 edition)

Projected to be Drafted: 6th overall

Hawks Go Up 2-0 on Flyers in Cup Final

It may not have been as exciting as game one of this Stanley Cup Finals series, but tonight's win by the Chicago Blackhawks gives them a two games to none advantage as they head to Philadelphia for game three. When the home team takes a 2-0 lead in the series to open things up, that team has went on to win the Cup ninety-four percent of the time. So things right now are looking very good for the Blackhawks moving forward.

Both clubs tightened things up defensively in this one, hence the reason there were only a combined three goals scored as opposed to eleven on Saturday. Two of those three goals came 28 seconds apart when Marian Hossa (continuing his domination) and Ben Eager scored back-to-back for Chicago, which gave them a lead that would stand up for the remainder of the tilt.

As far as goaltending goes, both Niemi and Leighton were much sharper on this night, putting any goalie controversy heading into the game to rest. There was nothing much Leighton could have done on the Hossa goal but the Eager one was definitely stoppable. This late in the playoffs, unfortunately one mistake is going to cost you the game and that is what happened tonight with Mike Leighton.

Game three will be on Wednesday at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

SCF Game One Recap: Blackhawks 6 Flyers 5

Hawks take ice for warm-ups at United Center

So I guess I wasn't lying to you earlier today when I said that fans a) would be in for a treat with this year's Stanley Cup Final match-up and b) did not know what to expect. From a coach's standpoint, I am sure a tighter, lower scoring game would have been much more pleasing, but for us spectators, tonight's back-and-forth action provided for spectacular entertainment, especially for those who were fortunate enough to witness it live like myself. My goal here is to not only recap game one's action, but to walk you through the night as if you were in attendance, because let me tell you, something like this is not an everyday experience; it is something special.

The night began with one of the more breathtaking National Anthem performances I have ever seen. It was not the singer who was amazing though, it was the crowd, who would just not stop screaming for the entire minute or so. Then, to start the game, the Hawks seemed to be a little cautious while the Flyers came right out and attacked. Ville Leino was credited for the first goal of the contest at 6:38 of the first period, which bounced off Niemi's shoulder and into the net. Chicago, like they seemed to do all night long, had an answer. It was Troy Brouwer's slapper from the point that beat Michael Leighton and sent the United Center faithful to their feet. To put the reaction into perspective, just take a Madison Square Garden goal celebration, and times it by five.

Dave Bolland would later score shorthanded on the breakaway to give the Hawks a 2-1 edge, but that would not last very long with both Briere and Hartnell notching goals in the final four minutes of the first stanza. So after one, Philadelphia led 3-2. During that intermission, I sensed some nerves coming from the fans with their boys down by one, but I knew all they needed were shots since Leighton had been struggling majorly.
1:11 into the second, Patrick Sharp did not waste his 3-on-1 opportunity as he lasered a wrister over Leighton and now it was tied, once again. However former Ranger Blair Betts replied six minutes later with a shot that went off the post and in to regain the lead for Philly.

As I suggested above, the Hawks began shooting and back-to-back goals by Versteeg and Brouwer (second of the game) gave the home team a 5-4 advantage and would chase Leighton from the goal. Leighton was replaced by Brian Boucher, who just returned from injury today. To start, he held his own but was struggling to hold onto the puck. This gave Philly the opportunity to tie things up yet again, as this time it was beautiful puck movement by the Broadstreet Bullies that led to an Aaron Asham tally.

Tomas Kopecky was the hero for the Blackhawks, somehow threading the needle with a difficult goal from a sharp angle midway through the third period. Some noteworthy goaltending by Niemi and improved defensive play allowed the Hawks to preserve the lead and ride it to the final buzzer.

It is hard to figure out an exact turning point in this game, but I would have to say it was when coach Laviolette decided to yank Leighton and replace him with Boucher. Oddly enough, I thought Boucher played well, but for some reason the change gave the Hawks more of a spark than it did the Flyers.

Wrapping up here, I thought the United Center was a fantastic arena that holds some dedicated fans. I felt like they were a lot like Ranger fans in that they are very hard on their club when they make a mistake or suddenly trail in the game. Also, I have never been to a hockey game with the noise levels so extreme. That started during the introduction videos, before the teams even hit the ice.

Day Two in Chicago: Hawks Have Room to Improve

Hawks salute the UC crowd following game one victory

Despite grabbing a win in the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals last night at the United Center, there is no doubt that the Chicago Blackhawks feel that they can play a much more formal and organized game compared to what we say in the series opener on Saturday. It is not always that you are going to allow five goals and still win the game, in fact, the probability of that actually occurring is very slim. With that, I think Chicago realizes that they have room to improve and should come out much stronger in game two on Monday night.

First off, Antti Niemi looked to be a bit nervous to me in the opening period, and maybe a little in the second as well. He was not the same goaltender we saw in the previous two series against the Canucks and Sharks. Granted, the defense in front of him was not much better, but I felt that he would like one or two of those Flyers goals back.

Secondly, the Hawks blue-line was playing a loose brand of hockey last night. They allowed too much traffic in front of Niemi, which led to Leino and Briere's goals, and too often they allowed Philadelphia to control the forecheck down low. I felt like they adjusted and fixed many of these flaws in the third, but if you want to win a Stanley Cup, you have to know how to put up a 60-minute effort. Especially against the Flyers, because as we saw again in game one, they are a relentless group of guys that do not simply "give up" on anything.

Lastly, their are several players on offense for Chicago that can take their game to the next level.

First-liners Toews-Kane-Byfuglien combined for zero points and a minus rating. That trio right there is a major reason why the Hawks are where they are in the first place, and they will need all three to get on the board in the future if they want to take four out of seven.

The Flyers' goaltending was shaky and all the Blackhawks needed to do was get shots. I felt like their first line did not shoot as often as they could have, and when they did, the Philly defense, mainly veteran Chris Pronger, forced them to the outside.

Who I did think had an excellent game was Marian Hossa. He may not have recorded any goals but his two assists earned him second star and his skating was incredible. He is very experienced when it comes to the Stanley Cup Finals, but he is often criticized for not having a ring to prove it. That could change if he continues to play like he did Saturday night.

I will be out and about on the streets of Chicago today, so I will check in later tonight. Until then, keep tabs on my twitter as I have been posting updates on anything pertaining to the finals and also check out my twitpic page to see all the photos I have been tweeting throughout my experience.

Off to Chi-Town

Writing to you as I prepare for my flight out to Chicago where, as you know, I will be providing live coverage from game one of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Blackhawks and Flyers at the United Center later tonight. There has been a lot of pregame chatter in both locker rooms and in the media, so it is about time the puck will actually be dropped and we can get the ball rolling.

Just to layout how the next few days are going to go on the site, our daily Prospect Profiles will pause for the weekend and will resume on Monday (Memorial Day). In its place will be constant coverage of the cup finals from Chicago, including pregame/postgame analysis as well as in-game updates on Twitter. In addition to that, I will be writing a daily blog on Blueshirt Banter to document all of the happenings during my experience in Chi-Town, so be sure to check that out as well. 

Again, we are thrilled to bring you along board on this championship journey as it is not something many other websites get the chance to do all the time. Hopefully I will snap some pictures while at the United Center and get them up here on the blog, just to give you an even better sense of the environment, which I am quite sure will be magical.

Check back later for my Stanley Cup Finals Preview........

Blackhawks vs Flyers Stanley Cup Final Preview

Getty Images

Fans are in for a treat with this year’s Stanley Cup Finals since they are so used to seeing the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings battle it out for Lord Stanley’s mug, just as they have for the past two years. The Chicago Blackhawks are a team comprised of pure skill, while the Philadelphia Flyers, as they have been for their entire history, are a rough and tough club that wins games by grinding. When two different styles of play, two teams that see each other only once or twice during the regular season meet up in a best of seven series, you know you are most likely going to get your money’s worth.

The boys from Chi-Town have defeated some tough competition in their journey leading up to the finals. First, it was the young and fresh Nashville Predators in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, who surely gave the Hawks a run for their money. It took six games, but Chicago bested the Preds four games to two to move on to play the Vancouver Canucks, who were being favorited to go all the way by many.

Shockingly, the Blackhawks were the better team for the entire series. Sure, Van’s goalie Roberto Luongo was nothing special in the series, nor was the offensive in front of him, but once again, the Blackhawks found themselves moving on to the next round, one that they thought would be the toughest one of them all; Not quite.

The San Jose Sharks were rolling ever since their first round defeat of the Colorado Avalanche. They had just upset the 2008 Championship Detroit Red Wings in the semifinals and were set to clash with the Hawks for a tough battle that they were expected to come out victors in. Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton were starting to score, Dany Heatley was heating up and Patrick Marleau was scoring at least a point per game. However, all of that combined would not even add up to a single win in the series. Chicago dominated in a 4-game sweep and for the first time since 1961, gave themselves a chance to win the Cup.

AP Photo

Then you have the Cinderella story over in Philadelphia. It took the Flyers until game 82, the very last of the regular season to even get into the playoffs in a shootout win over the New York Rangers. From there they were headed to New Jersey where they would go head-to-head with Marty Brodeur and the Devils. After upsetting the Devs in six, they would go on to face the Boston Bruins, who also just barely sneaked into the playoffs.

The Broadstreet Bullies cruised past Boston rather easily and were set to have their hands full against the Montreal Canadiens in the Conference Finals. Montreal took the first three and seemed to be going to the finals yet again. The Flyers, though, had other plans and wrote history by pulling something off that had only been done twice in the history of the sport. They won four straight and ended up ousting the Habs in what seemed to be a miracle.

So now, here we are, the Stanley Cup Finals. Two different teams with two different journeys getting here, two different styles of play and two different fan bases behind them. To be honest, I do not think anyone knows what to expect because match-ups like these are so rare. Personally, I am leaning towards the Hawks, but out of respect, I cannot count Philly out after seeing their magic against the Canadiens.

All I can say at this point is that I am thrilled to bring you coverage live from the United Center tonight, so be sure to follow my updates on twitter as well as postgame analysis here on the site. Enjoy the game folks!

Prospect Profile: Brandon Gormley

Getty Images

Name: Brandon Gormley

Position: Defense

Height: 6-2

Weight: 187 lbs

Age: 18

Home Country: Canada

Playing In: Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (Juniors)

Scouting Reports

Rangers Tribune: Brandon Gormley may not be flashy or excitable like Cam Fowler and Erik Gudbranson, but he is a steady defenseman that does not make many mistakes in his own zone. He is your steady blue-liner that you can always rely on to shutdown the opposition's top offensive threats. He is that player that when you put him on the ice, you know what you are getting and you do not have to worry about him out there. Because of this, I compare him to no other but the Rangers' Marc Staal.

They are both quietly effective and know how to play the position very well. You really cannot go wrong in picking Gormley for your team, unless you are looking for a tremendous impact immediately.

Hockey's Future: Played in 58 games for the Wildcats, scoring 9 goals and adding 34 assists for 43 points. Registered a +31 rating while compiling 54 penalty minutes. Played in 21 playoff games for the Wildcats, scoring 2 goals and adding 15 assists for 17 points to help the Wildcats win the QMJHL championship. Played for Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament, but missed the cut for the WJC Under-20 squad. Played for Team Orr at the 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game. Read More...

NHL Fanhouse: Gormley lacks flair and flash, but he does all the important stuff well. He can skate, he's physical, he moves the puck extremely well, and he can play in any situation without hesitation.

Unquestionably, Gormley is a safer pick than Fowler. He isn't as advanced offensively, however, and there's a little less upside with his game.

For those who think Gormley is just another stay-at-home defenseman, watch him intercept this pass and score while his Wildcats were down two men earlier this season. Read More...

The Hockey News: There are some scouts who wouldn't be shocked if Brandon Gormley was selected third overall ahead of Fowler and Gudbranson. Certainly a team looking for a safe pick who will be a steady defenseman for years should consider Gormley. He was Canada's best player at the Ivan Hlinka tournament last summer, but there isn't a "wow" factor.

Gormley has above-average mobility, can move the puck well and play on the power play. He's not overly physical, but is a smart player. (Read more in THN Draft Preview 2010 edition)

Projected to be Drafted: 5th or 6th overall

Gary Bettman's "State of the League", Draft Combine Begins

Several things to talk about on this Friday afternoon as it was a very busy day in the National Hockey League, despite the Stanley Cup Finals not beginning until tomorrow. First, commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the media today in Chicago for his annual "state of the league" speech. Steve Zipay at Blue Notes has everything Gary talked about over on his blog, so I take out some of the highlight points and discuss them with you below.

As we reported last night, the 2011 NHL Winter Classic will be held at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where the Penguins and Capitals will go head-to-head in hopes of raising the ratings from this year's outdoor game between the Bruins and Flyers. In addition to that, an outdoor contest between the Flames and the Canadiens is expected to be hosted in Calgary and played sometime in February. From my understanding, they are not calling that the Winter Classic also, but the game will be held outdoors nonetheless.

NHL revenues went up four percent this season according to Bettman, so as long as the NHLPA accepts an escalator, you can expect the salary cap to be raised by $2 million for the 2010-11 season. At least some of the league's promotion and introduction of new events is raising the bar as far as what the league is able to do and how they do it. Events like the Winter Classic have brought in more money and now good things like the cap being raised by a couple of million dollars are happening. That is certainly a plus for the NHL.

Also, ESPN's Pierre Lebrun brought up the fact that the past All Star weekend's have been "stale" and Mr. Bettman did not seem to disagree. He states that a new format is currently being worked out and that changes could be made for next year's ASG in Raleigh, North Carolina. Of course, this has not been entirely confirmed just yet, but I think fans will begin to get  bored of the usual format if they continue to use it. Change is always good.

Lastly, Bettman said that another matter currently being discussed is whether or not NHL players should participate in the World Champions from this point on. Certain individuals such as Sidney Crosby were criticized for not making the trip to Germany this past month to play in the tournament, but the league is considering having everyone skip it in the future. We'll see if they actually follow through with that.

Aside from Gary's speech, today also marked the beginning of the NHL Draft Combine, in which the top 100 prospects expected to be drafted into the NHL in June undergo a series of both physical and mental tests. Among the major storylines, Tyler Seguin, expected to be selected in the top three, completely tore up every test by exceeding expectations and outworking all of the players participating. Taylor Hall, on the other hand, did not participate in any testing as his agents urged him not to because of "fatigue" and "lack of preparation".

Honestly, I don't know what his agents were thinking because now Seguin has a clear edge to be drafted first overall by the Oilers because of that, if he did not already.

As for me, I prepare for my trip to Chicago for game one of the Stanley Cup Finals. Don't forget to check in for live coverage both on the blog and on twitter.

Prospect Profile: Erik Gudbranson

OHL.com

Name: Erik Gudbranson

Position: Defense

Height: 6-4

Weight: 195 lbs

Age: 18

Home Country: Canada

Playing In: Ontario Hockey League (Juniors)

Scouting Reports

Rangers Tribune: Erik Gudbranson is undoubtedly one of the better defensemen in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. One thing that sets him apart from, say, Cam Fowler is his physicality and his "old school" style of play. While he has some offensive potential, he is more well known for throwing the body around and playing a feisty style of hockey. For this reason, he is often compared to veteran Cris Pronger of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Also, Gudbranson is great at making the first pass out of his own zone. It is rare that you get a crossbreed of an offensive but also physical blue-liner. He is a gem just waiting to be claimed by a National Hockey League franchise.

Hockey's Future: In 41 games for the Frontenacs, Gudbranson scored 2 goals and added 21 assists for 23 points. He finished with a +11 rating and 68 penalty minutes in a season that was shortened due to a bout with mononucleosis. In 7 playoff games, Gudbranson scored 1 goal and added 2 assists for 3 points. Gudbranson was supposed to play in the 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game but missed it due to his illness. Read More...

NHL Fanhouse: Multiple scouting reports I've read compare Gudbranson to Chris Pronger. Suspension jokes aside, this is quite the lofty praise for a kid who just turned 18 in January.

Gudbranson shouldn't be mistaken for a Cam Fowler type of player. Fowler's game is defined by his ability to see the play developing in front of him and move the puck to the right spot. Gudbranson's impact may come more without the puck than with it. Read More...

The Hockey News: If not for a bout of mononucleosis and a knee injury, Erik Gudbranson would be challenging Fowler for the top defensemen. And in the eyes of some scouts, he's doing just that. "We've got him ahead of Fowler," one scout said. "I think he has the potential to be Chris Pronger Jr. He has a real nasty streak and has more offense than people give him credit for." (Read more in THN Draft Preview 2010 edition)

Projected to be Drafted: 4th or 5th overall

Rangers Organization Ranked 12th in NHL (UPDATE)

Recently, Hockey's Future ranked each and every organization in the National Hockey League based on their past accomplishments, present acquisitions, and how they look heading towards the future. The New York Rangers, who were placed at second in the previous year's rankings, now sit at twelfth out of thirty. Clearly, a major drop in a year's time and while I agree they should no longer be in the top three, I do not think that they should be at 12th either. Below, I included all of the team rankings based on the Hockey's Future piece, and in it, you will see several teams that do not belong ahead of the Blueshirts.

1. Nashville Predators
2. Los Angeles Kings
3. St. Louis Blues
4. Washington Capitals
5. Columbus Blue Jackets
6. Toronto Maple Leafs
7. Atlanta Thrashers
8. Vancouver Canucks
9. Edmonton Oilers
10. Boston Bruins
11. Florida Panthers
12. New York Rangers
13. Buffalo Sabres
14. Phoenix Coyotes
15. Detroit Red Wings
16. Montreal Canadiens
17. Carolina Hurricanes
18. Chicago Blackhawks
19. Anaheim Ducks
20. New York Islanders
21. Ottawa Senators
22. Colorado Avalanche
23. Tampa Bay Lightning
24. Pittsburgh Penguins
25. San Jose Sharks
26. New Jersey Devils
27. Calgary Flames
28 Philadelphia Flyers
29. Dallas Stars
30. Minnesota Wild

I know, ridiculous, right? Not only should some of the teams listed be below the Rangers, but many of them that are below New York should be ahead of them. I am not too sure what Chicago, Philadelphia, Montreal, San Jose, Pittsburgh, and Colorado are doing so low in the ranks. I mean, all of them are serious contenders that will all be good teams in the future if they aren't already, so I do not see how they can be below clubs like the Oilers and Leafs, who were complete cellar dwellers for a majority of the regular season this past year. I think this list could be adjusted a lot and I feel like I speak on behalf of many when I say this. 

Also, besides just the 1-30 ranking, Hockey's Future also offered their analysis of each and every team. Below are their thoughts on the Rangers.....

Strengths: The Rangers have excellent depth at both center and on defense. New York has been very successful in drafting top talent players in the middle of the first round, and Chris Kreider, who was drafted out of prep school in 2009, looks to be another of those gems.

Weaknesses: The Blueshirts biggest organizational weakness is on right wing. There are only two wingers on the right side in the entire organization, and one, David Kveton, may never again play in North America. There is also uncertainty between the pipes. Chad Johnson has played well in his first professional season, but his upside is still uncertain. University of Alabama-Huntsville netminder Cameron Talbot was signed recently. However, it is unclear whether there is a true NHL backup to Henrik Lundqvist within the system, let alone a starter.

Top 5 Prospects: 1. Evgeny Grachev, C; 2. Derek Stepan, C; 3. Chris Kreider, LW; 4. Bobby Sanguinetti, D; 5. Ilkka Heikkinen, D.

I do not see not having a back-up goaltender as a "weakness". When Henrik Lundqvist is defending your net, there is never a problem at the goaltending position. Other than that, I thought their assessment was fairly accurate, except I felt like they left out their scoring disabilities and the struggle to rid themselves of Wade Redden and Michal Rozsival.

I have a weakness that I would like to add to the list as well and that is leadership. I felt like when leadership was needed, it came from the unsuspected guys like Jody Shelley and Brandon Prust. Do not get me wrong, I like Callahan and Prospal with the letters and I think they should keep them, but Drury's lack of emotion hurts him in the role of Captain. You can say all you want about him wanting to win and his relentless effort, but he can do that without a letter. A John Tortorella team should have a very vocal captain and Drury does not fit that description.

UPDATE: Okay so apparently this ranking is only based on prospects, not the current National Hockey League team. This makes much more sense. Stick salute to Harrison for letting us know.