Rangers News: Paul Mara signs with Montreal Canadiens
by Jim Schmiedeberg on Jul 10, 2009 12:45 PM EDT
in New York Rangers News
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From the Montreal Canadiens website:
MONTREAL – Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey announced today the signing of defenseman Paul Mara to a one-year contract for the 2009-10 season. As per Club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
" Paul Mara will bring size and experience to our group of defensemen. He can contribute to all facets of the game ", said Bob Gainey.
Last season, the 6-4, 212-pound defenseman scored 21 points (5 goals, 16 assists) with 94 penalty minutes, 102 shots on goal, a plus-2 rating and an 18:57 time on ice average in 76 regular-season games with the New York Rangers. In 10 NHL seasons, the 29-year-old amassed 239 points (63 goals, 176 assists), fired 943 shots on goal and served 640 penalty minutes in 639 regular season games, with Tampa Bay, Phoenix, Boston, and the New York Rangers.
A native of Ridgewood, New Jersey, Mara represented Team USA at the World Junior Championship on three occasions (1997 to 1999) and won a bronze medal at the 2004 World Championship, in Czech Republic.
Mara was selected in the first round by the Tampa Bay Lightning, 7th overall at the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.
Well Ranger fans, that puts to bed the "Mara vs. Morris" debate, at least from Paul Mara's end. Now the question is, do the Rangers look to bring back another veteran defenseman, or will they look into bringing back Morris? My guess is, they let Morris walk, and look for a cheap veteran alternative. Thoughts?
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Its sad to see him go but it is about time we move on. He was a great role player for the team but never stayed consistent in any one department. One week he was an “enforcer” next week he was our “Powerplay Quarterback” but never was he anything the whole time.
As for adding a veteran defenseman I say we already have four guys on the squad with a great deal of experince. Well two with a great deal and two that are still learning. I say its about time we bring up Sauer and Sangs or MDZ, or hell even that Swedish guy Heineken (I know its Heikenen but Heineken sounds much funnier) and see how our prospects do. Its not like every single veteran defenseman on the market right now will be signed by the time the season so if we need a void filled we can do it then.
Ok. I Have a couple of thoughts here.
First, if you blinked you missed it, but does anybody have any clue what Montreal is doing right now? Is it desperation because of last year’s centennial collapse to their fans (Go Big or Go Home) or are they actually trying to put together a winning franchise for the future? Will this huge roster turnover turn into instant chemistry or utter destruction?
Second, Good Luck Mara. With out a doubt one of the Rangers’ best, if not thee best, defenseman this year on their squad. The Rangers definitely lose a big bodied presence on defense, and a leader in their locker room. He and his beautiful playoff beard will be missed.
Third, this signing by Montreal instantly puts a huge hole in the Rangers’ defense. As of now, the Rangers’ signed defenseman are Girardi, Staal, Redden, and Rozsival. There was a question mark about Mara and Morris, and I think we all knew at least one of them wasn’t coming back. There are three things this signing could mean. A) either the Rangers sign a FA defenseman, B) Rangers trade salary for a defenseman (feel free to interpret what “salary” means) or C) the Rangers are committed to youth in our defense. For one thing, this almost guarantees a prospect makes the team in my opinion, and my guess is Gilroy.
Montreal’s turnover is less radical than it might seem. Many of the UFAs they lost were rentals or depth players.
Now, teams don’t usually sign an entire new top line on the UFA market, but the idea here is to get younger players that will mesh better with Montreal’s young core, as well as players able to implement Jacques Martin’s puck possession style. Montreal had a huge age gap between its young up-and-comers (Plekanec, the oldest, is 26) and its veterans (long-serving captain Koivu being 34). This will smooth out the curve. They have only lost Higgins among its young forwards, and they have the young depth to replace him. The key forwards from their 07-08 season, Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn, are still with the team and will look to be given key roles.
On D, the Habs retained their #1 and #2 D-men in Markov and Hamrlik, as well as their fourth-best guy in Gorges. Their youth are still a couple years away, so they got a few guys to act as stopgaps and upgrade the talent level. Losing Komisarek was a blow, and not part of the plan, but they’ve added people to compensate and I think with this last signing come out with, overall, an upgraded unit, but one that is still built around the same players (Markov and, to a lesser degree, Hamrlik.)
In short… the turnover numbers are high, but it’s actually a stretch to say the team was blown up.
You still have to question the chemistry. As Rangers fans, we know all too well about big signings and failed chemistry. Montreal could very well be going for a bumpy ride this year.
"Jaromir Jagr.... it's a POWERPLAY GOAL!"
I thought Mara and Staal were the best on the D squad last year. I wish him the best and I hope we’ll all miss his spirit.
RMC235 – You’re spot on. Montreal is working this offseason, but with what goal in mind? Not sure.
"Malik now." "6 foot 6, 238, not a noted goal scorer but he's gonna give it a shot here." "Malik has not scored this year. In on Kolzig, faked it....SCORES"
Now it’s not Mara vs. Morris but Morris vs. Zubov. Personally, I pass on both … save the money and let the kids compete for two spots instead of one …
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
Good Luck Mara
He grew on me as a player the more I saw him, and I heard he was great in the locker room, but in the end he just wasn’t what we needed. Forget Morris, Zubov, or any other FAs. Everyone has talked about all the awesome prospects the Rangers have on defense. Staal is working out well so far. Time to give two more of the kids a shot
by AllHailTheKing30 on Jul 10, 2009 3:26 PM EDT reply actions
What I would do
Sign Morris. That gives you 5 defenseman in Staal Girardi Redden Roszival and Morris. Use Rosz in a trade with someone else (Zherdev and/or Voros) to get a nother D man/scoring Forward or both. You’ll dump almost 7 mill getting rid of those 3 right there. IF nothing else, it allows for Ranger youth to make their debut.
I dont know
I have a soft spot for Zubov. He would def help our PP but I am not against bringing up DZ or Sangs or Gilroy. We gotta see what we got down there. I agree w/ no more. They cant be that much worse than Redden right?
by giantsNYrangers on Jul 10, 2009 5:23 PM EDT reply actions
Gilroy is a virtual lock right now so he fills mara’s spot…question is how many other spots are there to fill. is it just one or is rozy gone and then it becomes two. if rozi goes away i have no problem with zubov for a year to buy a year for MDZ and McDonagh to develop further. We have Sauer, Potter, Sangs and Heikken who apparently impressed at development camp who can compete for the other spot.
That's right
I forgot about Heineken. The Rangers have been signing random Euro league players the past couple years only to never hear of them again.
Id think Gilroy makes the squad, but what they do with Heineken should be interesting.
by FreeBradshaw on Jul 11, 2009 8:02 AM EDT up reply actions
re: I'm split but...
I love prospects, so I would let the kids play. What’s the deal with Michael Sauer? I’d like to see him get a shot, since the Rangers did trade Brian Leetch for him!
"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"
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