It's February, Now The Fun Begins For The Rangers

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will both miss tonight’s game.

That is a huge help and it will be big points to win tonight if we can pick up two against the Penguins.

I agree that the team would do well to string together a few wins here while other teams catch up in GP. What I hope for even more than that is for everyone to stay healthy. I’ve seen the what the Rangers look like when we had 5 or 6 or 7 guys out of the lineup and it isn’t a very pretty sight. Stay healthy, pick up some points, hope that Prospal might spark Gaborik (what a gift it is to get him coming back Thursday), and put some distance between those teams nipping at our heels.

Good write-up; short, sweet, and to the point.

I need my Rangers fix pretty bad, this ‘6 games in the next 17 days’ nonsense might not be enough for me.

I think as much as this was a gritty team to begin the season, I think the second half Rangers will show even more effort and determination as these injured players return to the lineup and try to prove that the Rangers are for real, and that the beginning of the season wasn’t a fluke. Specifically, I’m talking Cally, Dubi, and Feds. I think Prospal comes back strong to prove last year wasn’t a fluke, and obviously, to make himself more attractive to potential suitors. And I think EC comes back strong for the same reason as Prospal. Lez get the ball rollin!

To see some of the returnees that tend to bounce around the lineup (EC, Prospal) not get consistent playing time unless they come back on fire.

I agree though, rentals might not make a tremendous amount of sense if they plan to bring back a lot of the same guys next year why not see what you’ve got in the current group? They have excess players already and they can’t package multiple marginal players (like Christensen and Gilroy) to get a huge impact player.

Also rentals aren’t always cheap, Dom Moore has twice been traded for 2nd rounders, the Pens gave up a young asset + draft pick (IIRC) for Ponikarovsky, Ollie Jokinen was involved in a trade from Phoenix to Calgary that included a 1st round pick. So few teams out West are truly out of it, about 10 of 15 teams in the East will have a fighting chance by the deadline, prices will be expensive.

Unless you can move pieces from Connecticut for an NHL player who can contribute

I would go even further by saying don’t move anyone from the Whale. I agree about Drury, but with the play of some of the kids due to injuries, I would put Christensen on the tradeable block as well. I would figure Prospal would “ease back in” with some old-man-drury 4th line minutes, so the lines could look like this – maybe some tweaking, but that is basically the line-up … except, where to put MZA? Who’s the scratch?

Gabby Step Wolski
Dubi AA Cally
Fedex Boyle Prust
Avery Drury Prospal

Figure next season FEDEX and Prospal will be gone, so there will be room then. Also, with the performance of our D so far, as well as the three youngins’ lurking in Conn, I would not make any deal for some “proven”, “high paid”, “cornerstone”, “PP QB”, “veteran presence”, or whatever you want to call it. Of the 9 young, quality defenseman in our system, one of them will fill that role. Trading for players like that would be a last push for a deep playoff run. This team isn’t yet ready for that – STAY THE COURSE!

What was Prospal’s faceoff percentage last year?

Yeah I say we leave wolski stepan mza and feds boyle prust together as much as possible..juggle the other two lines a little…like we know torts will do anyways lol

i get the feeling dubi was sitting because the injury was minor and it was in lieu of the AS break… had it been normal scheduling i think dubi would have continued playing until the other players had returned… same with Girardi…

I’m excited to see how this team comes together if/when everyone is healthy. We only saw Dubi for a few games while MZ and Wolski were around. Cally hasn’t played while either of those guys or some of the D call ups have been in the line up. Obviously Prospal is another addition to supplement the scoring. I just hope we can get and stay relatively healthy to see what this team can really do.

1) Gotta start playing better at home
2) Dubi, Cally, Gabby have to take control of the rest of the season. Gabby, especially, IMO.
3) Stay healthy and rested as much as possible.

Thank god we are getting back some of the crew. I’m sooooooooo pumped for the second half.