The New York Rangers remain fully intact from the previous year - sans a few mediocre players. Chris Drury retired. Congratulations on a terrific career! Drury is the one the classiest individuals to ever play the game. Tortorella is still behind the bench and I anticipate even more emotion from him, especially in this year's "HBO 24/7" special against the Flyers. This is by far my favorite program...ever.
The big story out of the Big Apple this off-season was the acquisition of Richards. Richards rejoins Tortorella for what they hope will be a repeat of the 2004 performance that saw both men raise the Cup. Richards signed a massive 9-year, $60 million contract. Check this out. He is a phenomenal playmaker and the organization is hoping he meshes well with Gaborik. Gaborik is a sniper with tremendous speed when healthy. That stipulation is very important because he has a long history of injury woes that date back to his days in Minnesota. If Gaborik can stay on the ice and harmonize with Richards, this team will be lethal. The next two players listed on the salary cap chart, Callahan and Dubinsky, were both signed over the summer and are integral parts of the Rangers' future. Dubinsky had a great season last year - eclipsing 50 points. My guess is he stays right around this figure after being bumped to the second line. Callahan reminds me so much of Drury. Fans can tell he truly enjoys playing the game. He works hard on every shift and has a nice skill set to complement. He should be right around the 50-60 point mark this year. Wolski had an underachieving 35-point campaign last year. If he doesn't come out of the gates firing, I could see the Rangers trading his services away - most likely back to Phoenix. I like Sean Avery, I just wish he wasn't such a jerk. I understand that it's his job, but he usually takes it one step, or dive, too far. Hopefully he can get along with the officials both on and off the ice. Anisimov is a big body that controls the puck well along the boards. I like his game and hope he takes a step forward this year. Boyle and Rupp are two more big bodies - just bigger. Boyle stands at 6'7" and Rupp at 6'5". Both players are experts at grinding out their opponents but also contribute a bit offensively. Boyle cashed in 35 points last season and I can see 40 points for him this coming season. Rupp will be used as protection for some of the more skilled players. What can you say about Stepan? At $875,000, this kid is an absolute steal and will only continue to grow and mature. Good news for you Ranger fans! Fedotenko and Christensen are both fillers, although Fedotenko holds more value. Christensen is a very talented player, but he seems to miss that drive Callahan and others possess. Fedotenko has his moments and I anticipate him being more productive this year. Prust rounds out the troops and brings some more grit to the lineup.
Offensive Score: B+
While the Rangers defense is very young, it's also quite talented. Girardi is a terrific all-around defenseman. He kills penalties, blocks shots, shoots the puck and puts up points. Any team would be lucky to have this stud on the blue line. One could say the same thing about Staal. Coming from such a hockey-rich family, Staal knows what it takes to make it in today's NHL...and so do his brothers. I have yet to see Erixon really play, but all I hear are good things. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what this guy can accomplish. Honestly, this applies to much of the defensive group. Del Zotto took a slide towards the end of the year, but he's a very skilled player who I'm sure can rebound just fine. I think this is McDonagh's year to breakout. I watched him play a few games and was impressed with his composure. Eminger, I wish I could see you another way. Sauer is another defenseman with a chance to shine. We will see what he does with it. This whole defensive corps has something to prove. In a way, I'm taking a shot in the dark here.
Defensive Score: B-
Goaltending is where the Rangers really shine. In my opinion, Lundqvist has been the most consistent goalie over the past five or so years. He is easily one of the best league. His positioning is absolutely impeccable and he never seems to scramble. At times, he doesn't seem aggressive enough but his reflexes make up for this. And with Biron at $875,000, this is quite the tandem. I got to watch Biron in Buffalo and the combination of his blue eyes and wild saves make for exciting hockey.
Goaltending Score: A
How much of a difference can one player make?
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