September 23, 2011 | Posted by Leslie Treff
After the Rangers’ prospects defeated the Devils 5-4 in overtime this afternoon, the NHL team took the big stage in the Prudential Center tonight and defeated New Jersey by the score of 4-3. The victory was hard fought and featured a waived off tieing goal by Ilya Kovalchuk in the last minutes of the game. The game included goals by Brad Richards, Derek Stepan (who roofed the puck over Marty Brodeur for a beautiful goal), Marian Gaborik, and Branden Bell.
It was the first time we got to see the Wojtek Wolski, Richards, Gaborik line in action, and it did not disapppoint. The line was all over the ice, as Richards is just a fabulous passer, and creator of plays. He has amazing confidence with the puck and seems to be the center that Gaborik needs. Richards scored the first goal of the night for the Blueshirts, with assists from Gaborik and Wolski. Gaborik, who scored a power play goal in the second period, was flying tonight. He had several chances on which he did not convert, but he was weaving in and out, looking hungry in a way I never saw last season. Wolski was effective, both at even strength and on the power play, where he played the point with Richards. Right now, it appears that Wolski is a good fit on the line and will begin the season on the left wing for it. Everyone knows consistency is the issue here and we will just have to wait and see if Wolski can provide it. For now, this looks like a very solid scoring line.
Callahan, who was without his regular linemates tonight, had an excellent game. He is always around the puck, using his body and positioning, and tonight was no exception. He had the primary assist on the Gaborik power play goal, but was involved in several more scoring chances on the night.
Callahan logged the most minutes for a forward tonight, but Brian Boyle was second and was asked to play in all situations, including on the power play. Although Boyle played well, he really did not look like a potential top six player tonight. There has been some talk that if Wolski does not work out on the top line, the coaching staff might try Boyle in addition to Dubinsky at left wing. Although its only one night, and a pre-season game at that, I just don’t get the feeling that using Boyle on the left wing of the top line would work out to the team’s advantage.
The five forward power play that the Rangers used tonight was an interesting twist, and although they only connected once (on Gaborik’s goal in the first period), it had a lot of movement and as the game went on, scoring chances. The power play may also be more effective using either Artem Anisimov or Brandon Dubinsky (neither of whom were playing tonight) as a forward up front instead of Boyle. Don’t be surprised to see that Monday night against Philadelphia.
The defense was much more of an issue than the offense tonight. It was in this game, that we got to see how much of a steadying influence Staal is on the blueline. In his absence, the pairing of Ryan McDonagh and Michael Sauer was the stalwart, and at times, it was pretty shaky. As the game went along the pair got better and better, but at the game’s start, it was iffy, particularly for Sauer.
This is the second game in which Bell has stood out in a positive way. In the game in Albany, he looked very good in his own zone. Tonight, he was paired with Pavel Valentenko, which was not the best defensive pairing, but Bell showed some offensive effectiveness, posting the game-winning goal and an assist.
Michael Del Zotto definitely played better tonight than he did on Wednesday. No cross ice, stretch passes. No leading the rush and getting caught up ice, while the opposition scored on the turnover. Tonight Del Zotto made some very solid passes and worked well at times along the defensive boards; he still needs work defensively but he was a lot better.
Tim Erixon had a really tough game. He looked timid and overmatched for much of the night. Again it is just one game, but, assuming Staal is ready (and that is a very big assumption), Erixon may be better off getting some seasoning in Connecticut than playing at this level to start the season.
Valentenko did not look particularly impressive on the ice tonight. There were times that he appeared out of position and a little slow. But he blocked a shot on the penalty kill and he does have skill along the boards. Paired with the very effective Bell tonight, his +2 plus/minus stat is a bit deceptive. But Valentenko warrants a longer look, if only because sending him down will require him going through waivers before he can be recalled during the season.
The Rangers are expected to announce their cuts tomorrow. At that point, I will write more about the open spot(s) that Sean Avery, Mats Zuccarello, Dale Weise, and Carl Hagelin are competing for.
The next, and last, North American pre-season game will be Monday night in Philadelphia.
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September 23, 2011 | Posted by Leslie Treff
Lots of goings on this afternoon, including a Rangers prospects game in New Jersey against the Devils. The young Rangers who participated in the game included: forwards Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Ryan Bourque, Jordan Hickmott, Shane McColgan, JT Miller, Matt Rust, Michael St. Croix, Scott Tanski, Kelsey Tessier, Christian Thomas, Jason Wilson, and Andrew Yogan. On defense, the Rangers had Stu Bickel, Sam Klassen, Tomas Kundratek, Dylan McIlrath, Jyri Niemi, and Samuel Noreau. In goal were Jason Missiaen and Scott Stajcer.
I was not at the game, so I cannot report back to you much about how everyone looked, but from the reports I got from several of those in attendance (the reports are pieced together), the course of events went approximately as follows.
Stajcer started the game in net and was in goal when New Jersey jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. Bourque got the first Rangers goal early in the second period, to cut the lead to 2-1. A goalie change was made by both teams midway in the second period, after which the Devils converted on the first shot Missiaen faced. New Jersey’s two-goal lead was once again short-lived, when only a minute and a half later, Miller scored on the power play, cutting New Jersey’s lead to 3-2. And then Thomas tied it with just about a minute left in the second period.
It was Bourque who scored for a second time, early in the third period, to put the Rangers out in front, 4-3, for the first time during the game. It remained that way for most of the period, when the rough stuff started. After Kundratek was involved in a scuffle early in the period (not such a great outcome for him, but the Blueshirts got a power play out of it), Noreau got into a fight later and won it cleanly.
But the Devils would not be held down, and Darcy Zajac scored in the last minute of the game, tieing the score at 4-4. Immediately after the goal, Bickel and McColgan roughed up Zajac and were ejected from the game for misconduct. Regulation ended with the score tied at 4 goals a piece.
It was just after OT began, that Audy-Marchessault scored on a long shot that the Devils goaltender would like back. The Rangers won the game by a score of 5-4.
This afternoon was notable not only for this game (which gives us a hint of who will be reassigned tomorrow), but also for the tearful retirement of Mike Modano. A class act, Modano is one of the best American-born players to ever lace up skates. The reception and attention Modano has received over the last few days has been well deserved. His impact on the growth of youth hockey in the US is immeasurable, and many of the Southern fans began their love affair with the game because of him.
The class that Modano and the Dallas organization showed this afternoon is in contrast to the disgusting behavior last night of a fan in London, Ontario attending the Flyers/Red Wings pre-season game. I don’t want to pile onto this story, but I do need to say that a few of our hockey fans certainly could use some sensitivity training.
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September 21, 2011 | Posted by Leslie Treff
The Rangers had a familiar problem tonight, creating offense, and it wound up costing them a 2-1 overtime loss against the Devils in Albany.
To be fair, the Rangers top line was not in Albany. Nor were Derek Stepan or Ryan Callahan. And it did seem that New York’s brass wanted to look at some of the young kids who are either highly touted or fighting for third and fourth line spots.
Lundqvist looked very good, ready to begin the season. Half way through the game, netminding prospect Cameron Talbot took over between the pipes, and he was also excellent, making one save after another. The only goal he allowed was in OT, when Steve Eminger, one of the veteran players fighting for a spot on the blueline, made a poor pass from behind his own net, which led to a turnover and a goal for Patrik Elias from the slot.
Several of the Rangers D were getting their sea-legs tonight, but Tim Erixon and Dylan McIlrath did well. McIlrath was a bit weak to start the game, but he came on strong in the second period, and at times, toward the end of the game was the Blueshirts’ best blueliner.
It was clear that both Carl Hagelin and Dale Weise were battling for roster spots, and although they have a different skill set, there may only be room for one of them on the team. Hagelin has speed and was playing when the Blueshirts were shorthanded, but it was apparent tonight that he has some adjusting to do to this level of play. The game is so much quicker, and although Hagelin has speed, he just does not have the time to make the plays he did in college. So, a couple of times, he held onto the puck too long or could not maneuver. It’s only the first game and he did make needed changes as the game went on, particularly defensively, but he did not win a spot on the NHL team with his play tonight.
Weise, who has bulked up, changed his regimen and his diet, and is very hungry to play at this level, had a good game. He scored (after an excellent hit), he fought (not exactly his strong point, but he hung in there) and generally was positioned well. I would not say that Weise earned the NHL roster spot tonight, but he certainly turned heads.
2011 draftees JT Miller and Shane McColgan were both positively noticeable and should have earned another exhibition game with their play. Finally, an unsung skater whose play I really liked tonight was defenseman Brendan Bell. He made some very good plays in his own zone and has a good hard shot. When John Tortorella says that the Rangers are looking for a veteran defenseman for the team, maybe they should look no further than Bell.
The next games are on Friday. Expect more than a couple of the players on the ice tonight to be playing in the early “AHL” game at 1 pm at the Prudential Center in Newark against the Devils AHL players. The Rangers pre-season game will begin at 7 pm from the same arena.
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September 20, 2011 | Posted by Leslie Treff
Over the last few days, John Tortorella has had to answer many questions regarding the state of the defense and particularly the health of Marc Staal. Staal has been suffering from headaches this summer (and possibly last spring) as the result of the hit his brother Eric put on him in a game against Carolina last February. Tortorella called it a concussion on Sunday, and said, although Staal passed a baseline last Spring and at training camp last week, he was being held out of scrimmages in an abundance of caution.
I guess it was not really being overly cautious after all, as Staal did not feel well yesterday and was sent home. I was not at the training center today, but I understand that Staal skated during the practice, but not in the scrimmage. He told the media later that after very heavy exertion, he sometimes gets headaches. Tortorella said yesterday, that its a “fluid situation,” which, of course, it is, but holding Staal out of contact does not seem like an abundance of caution to me–it should be considered a necessity.
Exactly what the baseline neurological Staal passed and is cleared for contact looks like is not clear to me, so I asked on Sunday. Apparently, it includes questions and answers, but not an MRI. Call me still confused. How can he be cleared and still have headaches? I am not criticizing the Rangers here, as they are going by the league’s rules and will not push Staal to go back into a game situation until he tells them that he is ready, but one has to wonder about the league’s protocol and if it is sufficient.
And what if it is not an NHL all-star, but a “lesser” player who is not guaranteed a spot on an NHL roster. Cleared for contact by the league, wouldn’t he feel pressure to be on the ice, risking further injury? And what about the excellent question one of my colleagues asked the other day–what if the guy does not understand English well when he first takes the baseline test and then has improved his language skills the second time, which could be months later. How will the doctors know if the player just has better language skills the second time and can answer the questions better, or has really recovered?
Lots of questions here about this protocol, which seems to be a work in progress–one that, if done right, could avoid devastating effects for a player’s lifetime. I know its a balance, its a business and players want to play, but getting this right, which may include being more cautious than the current medical guidelines, should be a top priority for the league.
In the meantime, hopefully Staal will continue along his road to recovery and be ready to play in time for the start of the season, two weeks from Friday.
On a separate note, the roster for tomorrow night’s game was announced late this afternoon.
In goal, the Rangers will have Henrik Lundqvist, backed up by Cam Talbot. Somewhat of a surprise that Lundqvist will play in this game, but he has been so anxious to get going, and has been 3-0 in scrimmages. The Rangers do want to get Lundqvist and Biron playing time in the pre-season games, so expect one or the other to play in goal in all three games between tomrrow and Monday evening.
Earlier this week, Tortorella said that players had to earn their spots in this scrimmage with their play. Several bubble players are included. At forward, the roster includes Sean Avery, Brandon Dubinsky, Dale Weise, Andre Deveaux, John Mitchell, Erik Christensen, Artem Anisimov, J.T. Miller, Christian Thomas, Ryan Bourque, Shane McColgan, and Carl Hagelin. On defense, Michael Del Zotto, Dan Girardi, Brendan Bell, Steve Eminger, Tim Erixon, and Dylan McIlrath will suit up.
More tomorrow after the scrimmage, which will be @ 7 pm in Albany against the Devils.
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September 19, 2011 | Posted by Leslie Treff
This morning, yesterday’s two winning teams faced off against each other, and once again, the weaker team, on paper at least, was the victor. The White team defeated the Red 3-2. That means that the team with fewer NHL regulars defeated the one with a top line of Wojtek Wolski, Brad Richards, and Marian Gaborik.
The stars for White this morning were Brian Boyle and Ruslan Fedotenko, who were excellent on the ice together. Both scored a goal, and created many chances. It was Kris Newbury with his second goal of these scrimmages who also scored for White. For Red, it was Wolski and Tommy Grant who cashed in–on Lundqvist, who played the entire scrimmage in goal for White.
Some thoughts about players.
To be honest, I was focusing mostly on Red, but a couple of things about White first.
Lundqvist has looked very solid in both of the scrimmages in which he has played. Outside of a couple of miscommunications behind his own net, which did no damage, he has looked superb. Not only that, he is the most upbeat that I have seen him since the Fall of 2005, when he was first fighting for the number one job.
Boyle should really get some consideration as the left wing on the top line. He has picked up right where he left off last season and, if Wolski does not work out well, Boyle may be a good candidate for that position. The way he plants himself in front of the opposition’s net is exactly what the Rangers need from that slot.
Erixon was quietly very good for White, positioning himself well and using his stick to interrupt plays. He also made a few plays along the boards that were effective in moving the puck out of his own zone. I did not see much offense from him, but there are no power plays here.
A positive surprise today was the play of Collin Bowman on Richards and to a lesser extent Gaborik. Several times, Bowman either used his body or his stick to knock the puck away from the highly skilled top line. It was an impressive show of skill from a player who did not do much in Traverse City.
Now for Red.
Wolski got another goal. He is so talented, its sick. The problem is that as good as he is one shift, he can disappear on the next. It’s incredibly frustrating to watch. He seems to lose focus after he has two of three excellent shifts, and maybe even a goal. I don’t quite understand why it happens, but this is his contract year, and if he is going to solve this problem, now is the time.
Ryan Bourque was also frustrating today, although more in the first period than the second. Bourque is incredibly fast, but he seems determined to just take the puck end to end and not pass it off to the open man. The result is often lost scoring chances. He has great hands, but an NHL goalie (e.g., Lundqvist, who he was playing against today) that can see him coming down the ice, can almost always stop him. Bourque does not use trailers and he needs to start. Later in the game, he did pass to teammates, but not in the situation where he was streaking down the ice.
Michael Del Zotto is the player I focused on the most this morning and I saw good and bad from him. He is still a work in progress as far as his defense goes, and he is still making passes that are easily picked off in the neutral zone leading to scoring chances the other way. We will see how he does in the exhibition games, but the problem appears to be in his head and not his skill or fitness. We shall see if he is ready by season’s opening.
I will not be at the scrimmage this afternoon, but many of the regular beat reporters will be. Make sure to follow them as Torts will be speaking at the end of the day (after 4 pm).
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September 18, 2011 | Posted by Leslie Treff
The rest of the Rangers in camp (except Marc Staal, Michael Sauer and Brandon Prust) were on the ice this afternoon for the second scrimmage. The White team, quite unexpectedly, won the game 4-2. With six regulars on Blue, it was thought that Blue would dominate, but Henrik Lundqvist, White’s goalie for the entire scrimmage, stopped almost all the scoring chances all game. It wasn’t until 23 minutes into the period that Lundqvist was beaten by Derek Stepan in a shot that was pretty much impossible to stop. Brendan Bell had shot a beauty from the point down the center of the ice. Lundqvist, who was screened, had to make an excellent save with a rebound kicked off to his left. There was Stepan with an almost instantaneous release, putting the puck past Lundqvist before he could get there. It was an excellent display, for a Blue team that had until then disappointed.
The other Blue goal was from a one-timer from Ryan McDonagh with six seconds left in the game. The goals for White were Boyle (with two), Fedetenko on a penalty shot, and Kris Newbury tipping in a Andreas Thuresson shot for the finale.
Before we get to how the players looked, let’s talk injuries. Marc Staal is supposedly suffering post-concussion syndrome from a hit last season and did not play in the scrimmage today. He was on the ice yesterday, so this is a rumor right now. John Tortorella is supposed to address the media later and will hopefully answer these questions. Although I hate to spread rumors, this one has too many legs to ignore. More about it after Torts speaks.
Michael Sauer is nursing an injured right knee and there is as of yet no timetable for his return. Another question for Torts later. Brandon Prust was not on the ice for the scrimmage as a precaution due to recovery from shoulder surgery.
Now for what we saw on the ice.
First, I was not very impressed with the Brandon Dubinsky/Stepan/Ryan Callahan line. They did not seem to have great chemistry and generally they did not develop the scoring chances one would have expected. Granted Lundqvist may have stopped most of them anyway, but the chemistry did not look great. Seems that Artem Anisimov should be given a look with this line tomorrow.
Shane McColgan is a lot of fun to watch. Full of vinegar, he will go into traffic, fight for the puck, never give up and then come up with a scoring chance. He seems to defy his 5’9″ frame. For an 18 year old rookie, he looked very impressive this afternoon.
Boyle looked more skilled today than a third to fourth line player, and one has to wonder if he should be tried on one of the top two lines.
Tim Erixon was solid, confident with the puck, and can take the body when he wants to. He has the ability to be physical, and when added to his excellent shot and calm demeanor, that can be pretty potent. Given Staal’s alleged issues, Erixon looks more and more likely to be on the team when the season begins.
Finally, on a less happy note, one of the players that Erixon just crushed along the boards was Christian Thomas, who can shoot, but is knocked off the puck too regularly to be effective. After all the hype, he has disappointed–there is no question that he needs another year of junior hockey to get stronger and generally mature on the ice. He is only 19 and I think very much a victim of too high expectations.
The next scrimmage is tomorrow morning. Look for tweets later to get an update after Torts meets with the media.
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September 18, 2011 | Posted by Leslie Treff
After two days of fitness testing and a long run at the Rangers’ Training Camp in Tarrytown, New York, the first two groups hit the ice for a scrimmage at 9 am this morning.
But before we get to the scrimmage, let’s talk a few preliminaries. Sixty three players are at camp, including all the players who participated in the tournament in Traverse City. But no veteran free agent players were invited this year. There are some open roster spots and as Head Coach John Tortorella said to the press yesterday, he would be disappointed if none of the young players in camp wound up with at least one of the spots.
What he also made clear was that players were going to be on the ice today vying for a spot in Wednesday’s exhibition game.
So with that, let’s get to the first scrimmage. The game itself was a little odd because it featured a 20-minute first and a 25-minute second period. Sixteen players were scheduled to be on the ice for each of the Red and Green teams. However, Marc Staal, who was supposed to take the ice for Green never appeared. The Rangers had no comment on the cause of his absence, however he will be on the ice practicing later this morning and is expected to talk to the media later in the day, so it probably is nothing to really be concerned about. More info on this later today (follow us on twitter #HFNYRangers to get updates on this and anything else going on at the training center today).
As for the scoring this morning, the line of Wojtek Wolski, Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik looked exciting for the Red team, which won the scrimmage 4-2. Wolski had four points (including the first goal of the scrimmage), and Gaborik two goals. Richards was completely dominant on face offs–I did not see him lose one. The other goal for the Red team was potted by NHL roster hopeful Dale Weise, who broke in on Marty Biron (who played the whole game for Green) and beat him easily. For the Green team, John Mitchell scored two, one on Chad Johnson and one on Jason Missiaen (who shared the netminding duties for Red this morning).
What is not in the scoring is always as important here at HF, so let me put down a few thoughts.
First Gaborik looked tremendous this morning. He spoke a bit yesterday about his grief on losing friends this summer and how he hopes to move on by playing an inspired game. If this morning is any indication, he will be very exciting to watch.
Sean Avery was impressive out there today too. Not assured an NHL roster spot this year, he showed grit, good vision, his excellent release and good passing skills. With two assists today for Green, he was one of the best players on the ice for them.
Mats Zuccarello was also wearing green this morning, and although at first he looked very defensively vulnerable, he picked up his game as the first period moved along. By the second period, he was positioned better and began making some excellent plays. None of them resulted in goals (which sounds familiar), but he created chances.
Mike Rupp, who is very strong on the puck and reads the play very well, showed why the Rangers picked him up this summer as a free agent signing. He can bang and works well along the boards, as well as contribute to the offense too.
Pavel Valentenko was impressive on the left side, took one outstanding shot and looked comfortable for Green with Dan Girardi on his right.
On the other hand, Ryan Bourque, who I hoped would continue his play from Traverse City, was pretty ineffective this morning. It is not his last opportunity to show his stuff, but if he does not play better tomorrow, he is likely assured a spot in Connecticut.
And Michael Del Zotto, who had some very good moments when he made passes within the offensive zone, at others was still making dangerous passes across the ice into players’ skates on the breakout. It’s too soon to draw conclusions, but I was a little disappointed that he was still making some of the same errors that got him sent down last season.
Finally, JT Miller–in his first scrimmage here. He looked nervous at first and positionally weak, but he stepped up his game as the scrimmage went along, fighting for pucks along the boards. He still needs to get stronger, but Miller seems to be able to adjust to the increase in skill, which is a very good sign.
More this afternoon.
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September 15, 2011 | Posted by Leslie Treff
This morning I heard about the NHL’s new social media policy and, personally I think that its a good thing (more below), but I was already thinking about social media and hockey, after I decided late last night to watch my DVR of the Traverse City Rangers’ game against Dallas.
Certain things that you should know ahead of this blog entry–first, that I am a lawyer and I can never completely take that hat off. I always see the possible legal disasters that can lie ahead of any action (its in my DNA; I just can’t help it). Second, that I am older than most of our readers. I do, however, use social media extensively–would be lost without my Blackberry, texting, tweeting, and accessing my facebook account.
That out of the way, I have to say that I was not a big fan of how the coverage of Traverse City focused on twitter. John, Dave, and Joe are extremely knowledgeable, are great guys, and cover a game very well. They all have been doing it well for years. But this focus on how many followers each had and posting fans’ tweets was incredibly annoying and took away from the game. I am sure that this was not their idea, but I wanted more play by play as I was watching. Instead what was shown were interviews, tweets and general banter. I hope that this was just an experiment, and it will be put to rest, but if you agree, I would let MSG know, so that they don’t try this again.
Please understand, I appreciate all my twitter followers. I follow different media outlets, a couple of players, and the NHL and NHLPA (along with capgeek). But I don’t think that twitter should be part of the game itself.
The NHL recognizes that the players and the club personnel use twitter and facebook to communicate, and that doing so is to the league’s advantage. But the league also understands that there is a time for it and a time not to engage. Last night, the NHL instituted a “blackout period” on social media (which I assume includes YouTube), which for players “begins two hours prior to opening face-off and is not lifted until players have finished their post-game media obligations. The suggested blackout period for hockey operations staff is longer, beginning at 11 a.m. on game days.”
Of course, the first thing I thought about when I read this policy was the legal implications of a player or staff member saying something about the game or tweeting or posting inappropriate thoughts or pictures while on or off duty. Then I thought of the legality of forbidding behavior while a player is not “on duty,” but I assume that the NHL and NHLPA have considered both and resolved any issues.
Then my mind went to fantasy hockey, which I play in free leagues, but is a big business, with big financial repercussions possibly never even considered by the communicator. Also to be considered is the fact that allowing players, coaches, operations folks, etc, etc, tweeting or posting to facebook takes away from the game itself. A player can innocently or at least unintentionally give info to his opponent, which will quickly “go viral” and be a detriment to the game. Not to mention venting frustration with coaches or other players that can severely affect the morale of a club.
So, to my thinking, a “blackout period” is a good thing and I applaud the NHL and NHLPA for working this out before the season starts.
But thinking about social media also has me considering that all the clubs have media relations departments, which are there to control what goes out into the public from the club and what is asked by members of the press. I personally have seen situations where players have answered questions in a way that they should not (which BTW, I am vehemently opposed to printing) and “media” (not the regulars) who ask outrageous questions, particularly of prospects.
The PR guys do form an extra layer of protection so that players or operations folks are not misquoted or tricked into answering questions they do not mean to, and while these guys are not always loved by us in the media, they do serve an important function. So how will they protect players and the clubs using social media to interact with fans in the future? It is an open and interesting question. One that I am sure that we will be hearing more about in the next few years.
But right now, I would be happy if play-by-play guys never tried to incorporate a twitter race into a hockey game broadcast again.
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September 14, 2011 | Posted by Leslie Treff
The Rangers prospects ran into a buzz saw tonight as Buffalo’s bigger, stronger players defeated the baby Blueshirts by a score of 5-2. The New York team had not previously played a group anywhere near as talented in this tournament. Buffalo had size and skill, both on offense and defense, and used their sticks and superior positioning to stop the Rangers fast breaks and step in the way of passes. Unable to make adjustments or to position themselves in front of the opposition net, New York was playing catch up from the beginning of the game. And since the Rangers just did not play the style of game to be able to compete with the Sabres, it was a losing cause.
What can be said is that until the final buzzer the Rangers played with heart, never giving up. Although several players looked good at times (specifically JT Miller and Shane McColgan), mistakes abounded. It was the kind of game a coach would use the video to go over with his players before the next game. The only problem being, there is no next game in this tournament. Hopefully, there will be some instruction following the game, because some important lessons can be learned from what happened tonight, both for the players’ development, as well as looking toward next year’s tournament.
There many positives to say about the tournament, both in how it is run, and in how the Rangers played. Of particular note was the play of the following skaters:
Tim Erixon, perhaps the best player for the Rangers during this week, looks like he will compete for a spot on the Rangers blueline this Fall. Although he did not have a great game tonight, he may be ready for NHL competition. The Rangers brass will be watching very closely over the next few weeks during scrimmages and exhibition games to see where Erixon is in his development.
JT Miller did exactly what you would hope for from an 18 year old. He was a little shaky at first and got better and better as the week went along. His play in this tournament showed that he deserved to be picked in the first round of this summer’s draft.
Shane McColgan could wind up being a steal in the fifth round. He looks to be a potential third line, speedy, agitating, good face off man.
By making Dylan McIlrath the captain at this tournament, signing him early, and talking him up so much, its clear that the brass wants to give the signal that McIlrath will be a big part of the Rangers’ future. He may just be that, and if his “fight” earlier in the tournament is any indication, his pugilistic skills will be frightening. But he has a ways to go. McIlrath’s defensive play is probably two years from being NHL ready, and maybe more. Usually Traverse City captains don’t return to the following year’s tournament, but I think that McIlrath will be the exception.
One player that I expected more from was Carl Hagelin. At 23 years old, he was one of the older Rangers’ players in Traverse City. He is fast, but I did not see him take very good shots, nor did he appear particularly strong along the boards. It’s not that he played badly, but Hagelin was supposed to be almost NHL-ready, and he just does not look it yet. That does not mean that he won’t get a call-up at some time this season, but I was expecting a more mature player than I saw on the ice.
Ryan Bourque is also about to begin his professional career, and he made some very good plays in spurts this week. Bourque is an interesting case, a long shot to start the season in the NHL, but not totally out of the question if he has an outstanding camp and exhibition season.
Christian Thomas was one of the scoring leaders of the tournament, and he was one of the speediest players on the Rangers’ squad. But there were aspects of his game that seemed to me to indicate that he needs another year of junior play. He was overmatched at times (he needs more body strength), and his decisions seemed questionable at other times. I just don’t see him making the NHL team, so I believe that he will return to the OHL.
One player who started slowly and got generally better as the tournament went along was Samuel Noreau. Not as much tonight, or in the first game, but Noreau showed some defensive skill to add to his toughness, and considering this was his first exposure to this tournament, I believe that he impressed.
All in all, a very good tournament and something to build on for next year. Several of the prospects should return, and Chris Kreider and perhaps Jespar Fasth, Oscar Lindberg and Danny Hobbs will join them. Could be quite exciting.
With another Traverse City Rookie Tournament in the books, the prospects return to New York, where the majority of them will participate in the main camp, which begins on Friday. The announcement of which players have been invited to the Madison Square Garden Training Center will come tomorrow.
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September 14, 2011 | Posted by Leslie Treff
Yesterday afternoon, the Carolina Hurricanes’ prospects, who had been winless until their game against the baby Blueshirts, defeated New York 4-3 in OT. It was not a display of the Rangers’ best hockey (this is being kind), but these are prospects, who have only played together for less than a week. So a very loose game, by a team that did not have a few of its best players on the ice, is not unexpected. Lets just be honest here and say, there were several players on the ice who are most likely not in the Rangers’ long-term plans.
All of the tryout invitees and AHL contract players suited up last night, and the only one who stood out positively was Jon Audy-Marchessault, who has created excitement in all three games in which he has appeared. Audy-Marchessault spent the last four years as a member of the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts. Very small, born late in the year, and not as productive as would be necessary to interest NHL teams, he was passed over in both the 2009 and 2010 NHL drafts (he was not even ranked by NHL Central Scouting either year). But this past regular season, Audy-Marchessault led the QMJHL with 11 GWG, was fifth in goals and tied for sixth in the league in total points. In the playoffs, he was even better, scoring 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 18 games for Quebec.
A speedster, Audy-Marchessault has been defensively responsible in junior hockey, and has even fought. He has been playing better and better over the past four years, but the concern of the NHL teams has been that given his size, he would not have the strength to play at the NHL level. Is he an offensive wizard, who will be run over at the highest level? Is he even strong enough to hold on to the puck long enough to make the play? These are some of the questions scouts had. The Rangers’ scouts following Ryan Bourque saw Audy-Marchessault in Quebec, and the team invited him to the Rangers Development Camp in late June. After the camp, the Rangers organization offered him an AHL contract and he signed with the Connecticut Whale in July. Invited to Traverse City, Audy-Marchessault has been one of the Rangers’ best players in the tournament. He has earned an invite to training camp, where he will get an opportunity to show how he plays against NHLers.
In the meantime, to win tonight, the Rangers will need Audy-Marchessault to continue to win face-offs and create plays. Also, for Shane McColgan, who has been getting better every game, to maintain his level of play. And, of course, for Ryan Bourque and Christian Thomas to continue their scoring ways.
But mostly, to win, the Rangers need to put Blake Parlett back on D. Although Tim Erixon has looked like the most NHL-ready of the players in this tournament, it is Parlett who has been the steadiest influence on the blueline. Without him, the defense was a mess yesterday. Jason Missiaen did an admirable job between the pipes, but it’s Parlett who is the key in the Rangers’ end.
It will be Stajcer in goal tonight at 7 pm, when the Rangers face Buffalo for the championship.
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