2011 New York Rangers Training Camp: Are Erik Christensen And Sean Avery Done?

I think Avery stays with the club but will be a healthy scratch most nights. Christensen is either sent down or traded.

We’ve obviously got more bodies then spots, but rather then sending guys down, or outright cutting them, I think we should be looking at how much more the guys we have penciled in as “on the team” are then the bubble guys. We’ve really only got 3 skill players on the team (Hank, Gabby, Richards), outside of them it’s just a matter of getting guys who backcheck and can handle the puck to varying degrees, depending on where we need them. Rather then hoping that someone wants to give us something for our scraps, what about looking at what we think we can get out of some of these bubble players contributing to the team, and try to get a better return for the roster players they could replace.

Staal is down, and no one has any idea when he might be back. Furthermore, we can’t be sure what type of player he will be once he comes back. I won’t hide the fact that I haven’t supported Staal as much as other people, and two parts of his game I’ve been critical of are his play with the puck, and his lack of a physical game. Coming back from a serious concussion (if he comes back) I’m not expecting either of those parts of his game to improve. The footsteps are going to be louder when he has the puck, and the reluctance to get involved physically is going to be stronger.

Taking a small chance, and making a move for a defenseman who can give us some security while Staal is out, and who will still be able to contribute if Staal makes a full recovery, would be a good move for us. The guys on the bubble list are all servicable bottom 6 NHL players at the very least, no sense buying them or outright cutting them, when they might be able to help us fill a hole in our lineup.

Zuccarello better make this team or Im gonna be pissed, him and Stepan are gonna have great season. Looking at how Bourque and Wiese have been stepping up this training camp Im a little more disappointed in the Rupp signing. I know the guy can fight and has a much better forechecking game than others in the past, but I would really love that lineup if we could slot Bourque or Wiese in that LW spot on the third line.

I don’t understand this article Joe.

Your last sentence states that if MZA makes it than Avery and EC would be sent down.

I don’t understand the logic behind this. I’m almost positive the team will keep at least one forward as a healthy scratch, and possibly two. Even if MZA gets into the starting line-up, why would Avery be sent down rather than staying on as a healthy scratch?

Borque and Weise are solid guys, and I like them a lot, but I rather them play top line minutes in CT than play the extra man role in New York. Avery and/or Christensen will most likely make the team as the 13th and 14th forwards, so this article just confuses me TBH.

It says so in the good book and it shall be so.

I think Moshe is ordering a Chris Campoli jersey for the Winter Classic.

Back to the story above.

Wolski stays on 1st line until he plays himself off it.

I dont want Avery near Bourque and Hagelin up in CT. Make watch from the press box.

Zuccarello has made this team already.

I think Avery brings some positives to the line-up; speed, a tenacious forecheck, and he’s a skilled passer. His finish is poor, though, and there’s always the referee stigma working against him. I do not, however, think he is a bad influence on young players. For all his idiosyncracies Sean does not take a shift off. He skates hard and mucks it up in the corners; he still has value as an agitator, and I think at the very least you platoon him with whatever left over forwards you have. You don’t send Avery to Connecticutt.

I think if Christensen were traded or demoted last week, it wouldn’t be fast enough for me. My biggest pet peeves in hockey are guys like EC; you know they have the skill set, but you can’t ever seem to find it for more than a few shifts here and there. Goodbye; I want to see my team win the Stanley Cup, I don’t want to psycho-analyze these fragile players who can’t get their shit together. Turn Carl Hagelin or Ryan Bourque loose in the shootout; they’ll tear it up I bet………and give you 100% heart and soul effort the other 99.9% of the time; during regulation and overtime. Seriously, enough with this guy already. Its time to move on.

Top line LW: I think Torts has shown us that he won’t marry himself to any particular LW on that top line. He will plug in the hot hand on that line and change it up as needed. I too can’t stand WW; who I believe is a lot closer in overall effort/results to EC than he is to someone like Callahan or even Gaborik. That line screams for either Brian Boyle or Brandon Dubinsky. I think those two are the only guys we have with the combination of skill set, size, and willingness to go to the dirty areas of the ice, and thus the spots should be theirs. If WW gave enough of a shit to play physically; if he could yank out the tamp-on long enough to let his balls drop, he could be a fast, skilled power forward and probably score 40 goals with Brad Richards as his center. Lets hope he gets it. Lets hope he comes out flying and sustains it. Lets hope Gretzky and Messier come to my house for beers this weekend. Hey we can always hope right?

Defense: If we can land Chris Campoli and not give too much up for him, I say do it. I don’t have too much confidence in MDZ; Erixon may not be ready yet, and we do not know what’s going to happen with Marc Staal, and that scares me. He is such a big piece of the puzzle, and right now the organization cannot replace his thirty minutes and his poise from within. With the possible CBA impasse looming after this season, I don’t know about you guys but I don’t want to waste two years of Henrik Lundqvist’s career with taking steps backward and with another work stoppage. Don’t mortgage the future but the time is ripe for a deep playoff run. Campoli gives us a legit veteran presence back there who has experience, skill, and isn’t too old. I say do it.

Don’t you agree Erixon could be better served getting 1st pair minutes in hartford to round out his game and work on his offense? We could have a very polished, very skilled player on our hands in a year or two if we do this. I’d hate to rush him into the linup just to stay strict with the youth movement.

Just something to consider.

Nothing wrong with Emi/ Erixon as third pair.

Avery has played well so far this preseason and as of right now that spot is his.

Christensen was done before he even showed up. Just seeing his emotion-less face every game is enough for me to know that the guy is useless. I also enjoy how Fedotenko is a lock for a spot even though it would be more effective for him to sit all year, play the last five games of the season, and then get plugged into a playoff lineup when he is actually effective. I thought that guy Thuresson looked good (even without the goal) as well as Hagelin…heard their names a lot, in the middle of physical play, and often around the net.

I have always been in the minority in terms of not liking the defensemen that we have and the thought of another softie in Erixon making the roster makes me genuinely sad. There is not a need for 6 puck moving, soft, defensemen. Take a look at any Stanley Cup winning team and notice how there is an even mix of offensive talent, defensive skill, and physicality. Yes, the Rangers at times have the defensive skill but offense and physicality is an issue. You have to admit…wasn’t it nice to watch Stu Bickel last night respond in the way he did? It would be nice to have a guy or two like that, your 5 & 6 guys.