Thursday, July 22, 2010

New York Rangers: The Off-Season to Date


The NHL off-season. Free agents leave, free agents re-sign. Players get traded, and then we see what remains.

The Rangers have re-signed 7 of their free agent players.

The Rangers added 8 new players through trade or free agency.

The Rangers lost 12 players to trade or free agency.

The most notable free agent that has not yet re-signed with the club is defenseman Marc Staal, who is arguably the Rangers’ best and most consistent defenseman. Let’s hope that Glen Sather manages to re-sign Staal…because if he doesn’t, I don’t think that he has much longer before he gets the sack.

Notable free agents that have re-signed with the Rangers are: Vaclav Prospal and Dan Girardi.

Notable additions to the Rangers are goaltender Martin Biron, enforcer Derek Boogaard, and the entry-level signings of World Junior Championship star center Derek Stepan, and defenseman Ryan McDonagh.

Noteworthy players leaving the Ranger organization (through trade or free agency) are defenseman Ilkka Heikkinen (HC Sibir Novosibirsk of the KHL), enforcer Jody Shelley (who signed with arch-rival Philadelphia for 3 years), Olli Jokinen (who signed on for another run in Calgary), defensemen Corey Potter (Pittsburgh), Bobby Sanguinetti (Carolina for two draft picks), forwards P.A. Parenteau (to the Islanders), Corey Locke (Ottawa), and goaltender Steve Valiquette (CSKA Moscow of the KHL).

True statement: The Rangers as an organization have gotten a lot younger, and a lot meaner.

True statement: With the addition of Biron, King Henrik won’t have to play 70 matches this year.

Stay tuned…

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