Very Busy Wednesday in Rangerland

December 2, 2009 | Posted by Leslie Treff

There has been lots going on today with the Rangers, from the prospects to the NHL team.

Let’s start with excellent news. Derek Stepan, who had an up and down start this season, has been on fire this last week. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, Wisconsin participated in the College Hockey Showcase, in Ann Arbor, and Stepan posted six points in two games, including a five point night on Friday. For this performance, today Stepan was named the WCHA Offensive player of the Week.

It was a great day for Stepan, who was also named to the preliminary USA World Junior Championship roster this afternoon. Rangers prospects Ryan Bourque and Chris Kreider were also named. The three will attend the three-day pre WJC tournament training camp in Grand Forks, ND from December 17-19th, in anticipation of the WJCs in Regina and Saskatoon at the end of the month. Bourque, who already played for the US in the U-18s, and Stepan have to be considered favorites to make the team. Kreider is more of a long shot, but with his speed and size, he does have a real chance to make the team.

There is good news about another prospect too. University of Michigan’s Carl Hagelin now leads the team in scoring. With 12 points (7 goals, 5 assists) in Michigan’s 14 games played, he has recorded 2 goals with the extra man and one short-handed. The shortie was part of a two-goal Friday night, when the Wolverines blanked Minnesota 6-0, and Hagelin was named the game’s first star. This comes only 10 days after Hagelin was named a team alternate captain for the rest of the 2009-10 season.

If this was not already a busy day, there was news on the professional front too. Today the Rangers waived longtime NHL backup Steve Valiquette. The Toronto native has been with the team since the 2003-04 season, is well liked by his teammates and is a Rangers union rep. Vali has not looked good backing up Henrik Lundqvist of late, and it would probably be good for him to get some games in at the AHL level and then come back up. But will he get picked off waivers and never see another game in a Rangers uniform? I think that this is a real possibility, and that at this point, the Rangers are prepared to part with Vali.

Although not yet official, the Rangers are expected to recall Chad Johnson from Hartford tomorrow. After a shaky start early in the regular season, Johnson has been stellar between the pipes  in Hartford since the end of October. In the last twelve games, he has not given up more than three goals in any one game and has three shutouts. It seems to me that its a bit early to call him up, especially if he is going to just sit on the bench while Lundqvist gets all the ice time, but if the plan is to give Johnson time in net over the next week or two, it might not be such a bad idea to see how far he is from being NHL ready.

There is no question that the Valiquette move has been in the works for several days, as Miika Wiikman was removed from the Charlotte Checkers roster over the weekend. He has been practicing with the ECHL team, but if Valiquette is claimed, then Wiikman will be recalled and fight for the number one position in Hartford.

In the other move of the day, the Rangers claimed Erik Christensen off waivers from Anaheim. With no points in nine games thus far this season, he was floundering with the Ducks. But he plays well in an offensive system (like the one in Pittsburgh in 2006 and 2007), and he may be able to win face offs on the fourth line, which this team needs desperately.

All in all, a busy day. Not a big change for the Rangers, and certainly not enough to turn the season around. But it is at least a recognition that something has to be done. Let’s hope that this is a beginning, and not the only moves planned.

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