Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: Explaining Jeremy Lin's Early, Surprising Success

Artem Anisimov: A few thoughts from Andrew Gross at "Ranger Rants"

Anisimov_mediumI was able to reach out to Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants, and ask him a couple of questions about the Anisimov call up. Since we'd been clamoring for it all week, I wanted to get some insight from Andrew, and he was nice enough to answer a couple of questions for us:

Blueshirt Banter:  Our readers will be thrilled to learn the Rangers finally called up Anisimov, they've been calling for it all week, its just too bad it took an injury to Betts to do it. Why do you think they were reluctant to call up Anisimov prior to this when they've obviously needed an offensive spark?

Andrew Gross:  The fans are not the only ones debating why the Rangers waited so long to bring up Anisimov - or another extra forward for that matter - it's been discussed in the media room since prior to Game 1.

I have two theories.

The first is that John Tortorella was just starting to feel he was getting comfortable with the players he had on the roster and he's stated several times he doesn't like extra bodies hanging around. Torts prefers playing his "top guys" and it was not likely a 20-year-old Anisimov was going to come in right away and be a "top guy" regardless of how ineffective guys like Nikolai Zherdev and, to a minor lesser degree, Nik Antropov, Markus Nasland and Chris Drury (because of injury) have been. So why, Tortorella might have argued, stunt Anisimov's development by having him ride the bench for the NHL playoffs instead of seeing significant time in the AHL playoffs.

The second is that Jim Schoenfeld, who knows the Rangers younger personnel better than Tortorella, simply told Tortorella Anisimov was not yet ready.

Remember, before Blair Betts got hurt, there wasn't really a spot for Anisimov (see theory No. 1).

BB: In your opinion, where do you think AA plays tomorrow night? I don't think we should expect to see him killing penalties, I assume that will falls on Drury and Dubinsky. Is it reasonable to think he'll be the 3rd line center tomorrow?

AG: Just trying to play coach here, and going on the assumption that Tortorella moves Dubinsky to center a second line, I still don't see Tortorella putting an untried rookie in his heavy rotation.

My line guesses:

Sean Avery-Scott Gomez-Ryan Callahan

Markus Naslund-Brandon Dubinsky-Nik Antropov

Lauri Korpikoski-Chris Drury-Nikolai Zherdev

Fredrik Sjostrom-Artem Anisimov-Aaron Voros

That said, I'd love to see a line of Zherdev-Anisimov-Antropov to see if their styles mesh.

 

I love Andrew’s idea on that last one, that might be just the thing to get Zherdev out of his big funk, and Antropov out of his mini one.

Thanks to Andrew for taking time out for us today!

Be sure and stop by Ranger Rants regularly if you aren't doing so already.

 

Comment 4 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

He Will Play...

He will get a shot tomorrow, I can guarantee that. If he plays well in the first half of the game, he will take someones spot who isn’t performing possibly as well.

by Rob L on Apr 27, 2009 3:08 PM EDT reply actions  

I hope so, I just hope its not a case of too little too late. Andrew gave good sound reasoning for why AA hadn’t been called up previously, although it may not be the answer we wanted to hear.

Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers

Big Blue View: Unofficial New York Giants blog

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Apr 27, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions  

He's got to play with offensive players

It seems like it would be a huge waste to call him up and put him with Voros and Sjostrom. Both he and Zherdev are talented offensive players. What do you really risk by putting them together with another good offensive forward? The Rangers offense has done nothing. Might as well give it a shot.

by Reg Dunlop on Apr 27, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions  

Antropov isn't exactly in a "mini funk"...

…he’s just notoriously bad in the playoffs. This is no different from his playoffs in the past. The guy has simply not performed in the post season. If anything, this is the “norm” for him.

One of the main reasons I’d like to see him re-signed only if he takes about 3-3.5M per year. Anything over that and it’s a big pass.

by Jonathan. on Apr 27, 2009 9:22 PM EDT reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

New York Rangers News, Analysis, Line Combinations, Schedule And Stats

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Microphones_small
Who is the Rangers best Defenseman?
Small
The Case for Ray Whitney
Brian-leetch_best_small
Trade For Jeff Carter? Interesting Take.
Rangers_small
Prospal signs extension with Columbus
Small
NHL needs to make a change, officiating has too much power.
Small
Injustice in Pictures
Capt_7819442e90a0442ea68fca0ace6735a4_rangers_islanders_hockey_nyjj111_small
NHLOA Enemy
Small
Time to cool off
Microphones_small
Looking Ahead...
Brian-leetch_best_small
Can We Please Stop Talking About Nash, Weber, Suter, And Parise?

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Atlantic Standings

GP W L OTL PT
New York Rangers 52 34 13 5 73
Philadelphia 54 31 16 7 69
New Jersey 54 31 19 4 66
Pittsburgh 54 30 19 5 65
New York Islanders 53 22 23 8 52

(updated 2.11.2012 at 8:02 AM EST)

35 - 13 - 5

Won 2


Managing Editor

Joe_2_small Joe Fortunato

Editors

Blueshirt-underground-logo1_small Jim Schmiedeberg

Drurybloodsmall_small Rob L

Meandrichards_small Nick Montemagno

Small George E. Ays

Untitled_small Dig Deep

Gaby_small Kevin Power

Nsapcs7_extr_small Brandon C.

Me_small Bryan Winters

Contributors

Twitter_pic_small Laurie Carr