Rangers Come Closer to Finalizing Roster

The Rangers cut two more players from their camp this week, winger P.A. Parenteau and defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti.

Tortorella was very impressed with Parenteau's play during the preseason; there just wasn't a roster spot for him. Parenteau, if he clears waivers, will head to Hartford where he will be an offensive force. I would be shocked if he is not called up to New York at some point during the season to replace an injured or struggling forward.

Although Sanguinetti played great last year in Hartford while appearing to be NHL-ready, he was outplayed in preseason by fellow youngsters Matt Gilroy and Michael Del Zotto. If a New York blueliner goes down for an extended period of time, the Rangers may choose to call up Sanguinetti over a more experienced Corey Potter or Michael Sauer. Also if either Gilroy or Del Zotto do not play well this year, Sanguinetti could replace them on the roster.

The Rangers most likely will only have one more roster cut before the season starts, and that should be Evgeny Grachev. Although he has played very well, there is no spot for him on this team. The final two forward positions will go to Enver Lisin and Aaron Voros, who will be switching off on the fourth line alongside Brian Boyle and Donald Brashear.

It would not be wise for a young top prospect like Grachev to play limited minutes on a fourth line, so there is little doubt that he will head back to the juniors. The reason he is still up with the Rangers is that they are missing a body with Sean Avery's right knee sprain. Avery should be ready to go when the season begins and Grachev can return to the juniors or begin a rookie campaign with the Wolf Pack (as a Russian, he is age-eligible).

My prediction for the Rangers on opening night is:
1st Line: Higgins- Dubinsky- Gaborik
2nd Line: Kotalik- Drury- Callahan
3rd Line: Avery- Anisimov- Prospal
4th Line: Brashear-Boyle- Lisin/Voros
1st D Pair:Staal-Gilroy
2nd D Pair:Redden-Rozsival
3rd D Pair:Girardi-Del Zotto
Goalies: Lundqvist, Valiquette
Healthy Scratches: Lisin/Voros, Semenov

Rangers Roster Cuts: Round 2

The Rangers made 5 more roster cuts today, sending goalies Chad Johnson and Matt Zaba, center Paul Crowder, and defensemen Corey Potter and Ilkka Heikkinen to AAA Hartford.

As I previously noted, Johnson and Zaba were never really in competition for a roster spot. They were just providing preseason depth in net to provide Henrik Lundqvist and Stephen Valiquette some rest. Zaba will most likely split stars with Miika Wiikman in Hartford this year, while Johnson will start in AA Charlotte.

Johnson's fellow University of Alaska-Anchorage alum Paul Crowder will be a top center with the Wolf Pack. The Blueshirts are investing a lot in him (almost $1 million) to develop his skills this season.

At the beginning of training camp, I thought there was a good chance that Potter would make the opening day roster. During the 2008-2009 campaign he played great in Hartford. Potter also played very well in his five games with the Rangers, even contributing a goal and an assist. Heikkinen put up high offensive numbers in Finland last season (8 goals, 26 assists in 54 games), but it appears New York wants him to get accustomed to the North American game with some time in the AHL.

The Rangers now left on the roster (including those in Hartford camp) are:
Goal: Henrik Lundqvist, Steve Valiquette
Defense: Michael Del Zotto, Matt Gilroy, Dan Girardi, Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Bobby Sanguinetti, Alexei Semenov, Marc Staal
Forwards: Artem Anisimov, Tyler Arnason, Sean Avery, Brian Boyle, Donald Brashear, Dane Byers, Ryan Callahan, Chris Drury, Marian Gaborik, Evgeny Grachev, Christopher Higgins, Ales Kotalik, Enver Lisin, Corey Locke, Jordan Owens, P.A. Parenteau, Vinny Prospal, Patrick Rissmiller, Aaron Voros

It will be interesting to see what roster moves the Blueshirts make before the season starts in October. They are set behind the pipes, and Girardi, Redden, Rozsival, and Staal are locks at the blue line. Although New York did not carry a 7th defenseman for almost all of last season, there is a good chance veteran Alexei Semenov (in camp on a tryout) will fill that role this season. The 5th and 6th defensemen positions will be filled by rookies. Gilroy, Del Zotto, and Sanguinetti will battle it out over the remaining preseason games to fill those holes. My predicition is that Gilroy and Sanguinetti make the team while Del Zotto heads back to the juniors for one more season.

My prediction for the New York forward lines is:
1st Line: Higgins- Dubinsky- Gaborik
2nd Line: Kotalik- Drury- Callahan
3rd Line: Avery- Anisimov- Prospal
4th Line: Brashear-Boyle- Lisin/Voros

This would mean that in addition to the 5 players semi-cut this past week, P. A. Parenteau and Evgeny Grachev will not make the final roster. Parenteau, one of the biggest scoring threats in the AHL last season, should start the year in Hartford but keep his phone on and handy. He and Dane Byers will be the top forwards on the pecking order to be called up if someone gets hurt in New York. Grachev has impressed this preseason but can definitely benefit from another year in the juniors.

Dubinsky Signs, Rangers Make First Round of Roster Cuts

After contract disputes that lasted the entire summer, the Rangers have finally reached terms with Brandon Dubinsky. The 23-year-old center has signed a 2-year deal worth $3.7 million.

Dubinsky had a great rookie season from 2007-2008 in which he centered a line with Jaromir Jagr and contributed 14 goals and 26 assists. Duby then failed to build off his rookie campaign last season without a superstar alongside him and scored 13 goals and added 28 assists. This year, the Alaska native should be centering Marian Gaborik on the New York first line and the combination could be lethal to opponents.

The Blueshirt lineup is still far from figured out, but a little clearer after this week's first roster cuts. Most of the players sent to Hartford or the juniors were expected to end up there, but there were a few surprises. The Rangers sent down Michael Sauer, who was in contention for one of the team's vacant defenseman positions, in their first set of cuts. Sauer was called up from Hartford for a few games last year, and Tortorella was not happy with what he saw and sent him right back down. The hard-hitting defenseman clearly seems to be in the doghouse.

New York also sent down goalie Miika Wiikman fairly early on. Although Henrik Lundqvist and Stephen Valiquette are locks behind the Rangers net, the team kept Matt Zaba and Chad Johnson around to share the preseason work load. The Blueshirts seem high on Johnson, whom they traded a 5th round pick this summer to Pittsburgh to acquire, as they have given him a lot of ice time. Johnson is a recent graduate from University of Alaska-Fairbanks where he was a Hobey Baker Award finalist last season. Inversely, the Rangers seem to be low on Wiikman, who did not even appear in a preseason game before being cut. Wiikman should backup/split time with Zaba in Hartford, and Johnson should start in AA Charlotte where he can get many starts and acclimate to the professional game.

There are five members of the organization who were semi-cut this week. Corey Locke, Dane Byers, Tyler Arnason, Jordan Owens, and Patrick Rissmiller will continue camp in Hartford but have technically not been sent down to the Wolf Pack. If these players were sent down, they would have had to pass through waivers, and New York is not looking to get involved with that dangerous process just yet.

The move was designed to give Locke, Byers, Arnason, Owens, and Rissmiller some ice time without losing them but they still each may have a chance to play a preseason game or two with the big club. Byers is the only one who still has a legitimate chance of making the team. He was very impressive in Hartford's playoff ran last year after missing most of the regular season with injuries, and is very versatile. Byers is speedy and physical and can help the Blueshirts in a 4th- line/penalty-killing role similar to the one that the departed Fredrik Sjostrom occupied last season.

Now that Dubinsky has signed, centers Locke and Arnason have virtually no shot at roster spots. These two veterans should provide depth in Hartford for the Rangers. Owens is a fast winger with a lot of talent and needs another year with the Wolf Pack to further develop his skills before he is NHL ready. Rissmiller was an important member of the Pack last year after being sent down from New York, and should continue that role this year. The physical winger is due to make $1 million this season (as well as another million next season), which is an insane amount for a player in the AHL. Although this would not count against the New York cap if Rissmiller is in Hartford, there is no doubt the Rangers hope he is claimed off waivers to save some cash.

The Rangers now left on the roster (including those in Hartford camp) are:
Goal: Chad Johnson, Henrik Lundqvist, Steve Valiquette, Matt Zaba
Defense: Michael Del Zotto, Matt Gilroy, Dan Girardi, Ilkka Heikkinen, Corey Potter, Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Bobby Sanguinetti, Alexei Semenov, Marc Staal
Forwards: Artem Anisimov, Tyler Arnason, Sean Avery, Brian Boyle, Donald Brashear, Dane Byers, Ryan Callahan, Paul Crowder, Chris Drury, Marian Gaborik, Evgeny Grachev, Christopher Higgins, Ales Kotalik, Enver Lisin, Corey Locke, Jordan Owens, P.A. Parenteau, Vinny Prospal, Patrick Rissmiller, Aaron Voros

Rangers Sign Prospal, Bring Back Messier

On a July 25th post I wrote:
"Many fans and writers think the Rangers should go out and sign a top tier center to anchor Marian Gaborik's line instead of Dubinsky, but I think Duby showed during his time playing next to Jaromir Jagr, that he can successfully center a star winger. Instead, New York needs to sign a capable center who can also play wing for around $2 million, so that if Anisimov cannot handle 3rd line duties, he can step in."

Well, the Rangers have filled that hole, and found a center/winger for under $2 million. They have signed 34 year-old Vinny Prospal to a 1 year/$1.1 million contract. This takes the pressure off of both Dubinsky and Anisimov, as Prospal can easily step in to center their respective lines if needed. If both youngsters are successful, Prospal can easily fit with the Blueshirts as a veteran winger.

This is a great signing not only because it fills a major hole in the New York lineup, but also because the Rangers are spending so little to get a player who has the potential to contribute so much. Prospal had success under Tortorella in Tampa Bay, and is coming off of a decent year (19 goals, 26 assists).

This transaction was made possible by the Lightning buying the veteran forward out of the final 3 years of a 4 year/$14 million deal this offseason. It is understandable why Tampa Bay would not have wanted to pay over $3 million a year for the aging Prospal, but $1.1 million for a year is definitely a bargain for the Blueshirts.

Rangers Notes:
-The Rangers have hired Hall of Famer Mark Messier to a front office position as a special assistant to President Glen Sather. New York has done a good job getting retired players with meaningful ties to the organization involved, such as Adam Graves, and I applaud them for bringing in Number 11. Messier has been rumored as a candidate to take over head coaching and/or general manager positions for the Rangers for years, and who knows where this road will take him.
-Rangers AAA affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack will visit the New Jersey Devils AAA affiliate Lowell Devils at the Prudential Center on January 6th and February 3rd. It makes sense for the New Jersey organization to do this, as they do not have many events to bring fans to their Prudential Center (other than NJ Devils games) and their AHL affiliate has been doing terrible in home attendance since moving from Albany in 2006 (where they were the River Rats). New Jersey realizes that many Rangers fans go to Rangers games at Prudential, and hopes many will also go there to see the Wolf Pack. Even a crowd of 2,300 would surpass the AHL-worst 2008-2009 average attendance for Lowell.

Zherdev No Longer a Ranger

The New York Rangers have rejected winger Nikolai Zhedev's $3.9 million arbitration hearing award, making him an unrestricted free agent and ending his short stay in Manhattan.

On his decision, Rangers General Manager Glen Sather said:
"With the additions we've been able to make this summer, we feel we've been able to add scoring and offense from the wing position. Following the arbitration process and subsequent award given, we feel it is in our best interest to walk away and continue to explore all available options to improve our roster."

It was smart for the Blueshirts to not accept the award, and as I previously noted, $3.9 million is a lot of money for an inconsistent, unpredictable player who has shown no signs of fitting in John Tortorella's system.

With the Zherdev situation settled, the Rangers will now focus on signing a deal with restricted free agent Brandon Dubinsky. There is no doubt that Duby, who the organization views as a first line center next season, will be re-signed. The only question is if they want to ink him to a short team contract or a long one. While Dubinsky is the team's only remaining restricted free agent, unrestricted free agent netminder Steve Valiquette will most likely be returning to New York after another solid season backing up King Henrik.

Zherdev Awarded $3.9 million, Rangers Likely to Pass

Newday's Steve Zipay reported on Sunday that Rangers winger Nikolai Zherdev was awarded $3.9 million in his Friday arbitration hearing. This most likely signals the end of the speedy forward's short run on Broadway.

The Blueshirts initially qualified Zherdev at 1 year/$3.25 million and were not interested in paying anything more, while Zherdev was seeking over $4 million a year.

$3.9 million is a lot of money for an inconsistent, unpredictable player who has shown no signs of fitting in John Tortorella's system. New York will most likely pass up on re-signing him, making him an unrestricted free agent. They also could sign Zherdev and trade him before the season starts to get something back for losing him. Zherdev is a very talented player, and I'm sure there is a general manager out there willing to give up a draft pick to try to help him find his game.

It is tough for me to state that I do not want a guy as talented as Zherdev, who the Rangers gave up Fedor Tyutin for, back at Madison Square Garden this fall. But just like with Lauri Korpikoski, all that matters is if a player fits with the team. If he does not, he needs to go, even if it means he has great success somewhere else.

If Zherdev stays, his talents will be lost to Tortorella's system while taking up a big chunk of the salary cap, so the best thing for both he and the Rangers is that he either becomes an unrestricted free agent or is traded before the season begins.

UPDATE: Zipay (the best Rangers beat reporter by far) is now reporting that Toronto is very interested in Zherdev, and is talking with the Rangers about trading for him. New York has until noon today (Tuesday) to decide if they want to accept Zherdev's arbitration award or reject it making him an unrestricted free agent.

Here is a higlight reel of the winger below:

Check This Out: Dan Blackburn

Check out former New York Rangers goalie and top prospect Dan Blackburn talk about the day he was drafted, his time in New York, the injuries that cut his career way too short, Richter, Henrik, and more.
http://rangers.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=763&id=45262

BREAKING NEWS: Lundqvist Leaves NHL, Returns to Sweden

Did that title scare you, Rangers fans? Well, it shouldn't. King Henrik isn't going anywhere, as he is still under contract until the summer of 2014. However, his brother, forward Joel Lundqvist, has left the Dallas Stars organization to sign with Swedish team Frolunda. Both brothers played there before they headed over to the United States to play in the NHL.

Rangers Notes:

-The Blueshirts have added even more defense depth in Hartford by signing 20 year old blueliner Sam Klassen. He isn't a big scoring threat (2 g, 18 a in 72 games in junior league WHL last year), but at 6-2, 200 pounds is a a physical threat who racks up a lot of penalty minutes. Overall, he is a solid developing, physical, two-way defenseman who with all the defense depth in the Rangers organization, will probably spend all of next season in Hartford.

-Nikolai Zherdev's arbitration hearing will be held tomorrow, July 31st. Expect Sather and the Rangers to argue that Zherdev's inconsistency last year and throughout his career is why he should be offered low arbitration money. Most likely, the court will decide a number that is lower than what Zherdev wants, but still higher than what Sather is willing to pay. And after the Kotalik signing, the only price Sather would pay for Zherdev is $20. In all likelihood, the Ukrainian winger will be offered more than that, and his short tenure in New York will end.

Morris Signs with Boston, Rangers Still Have Holes to Fill

The New York Rangers still could use a veteran defenseman who can play the point, but they will need to look outside of their organization. Derek Morris, who New York traded Petr Prucha, Nigel Dawes, and Dmitri Kalinin to Phoenix for in March, has signed a 1 year/$3.3 million deal with the Bruins.

Although Morris's agent had said during this offseason that he was in talk with the Rangers about bringing the blueliner back to New York, I did not see that happening. Morris did not play nearly as bad as Kalinin, the guy he essentially replaced, but he still did not play that great (0 G, 8 A in 18 games, 0 G, 2 A in 7 playoff games). He failed to give a big boost to the Rangers power play by playing the point, which is still a big hole going into next season. Morris didn't fit the bill for what the Rangers need, and he also was going to make around what he made last year which was $.3.95 million. $3.3 million is a tad bit less, but still far more than the cap conscious Rangers could afford.

The way that I see it, the Rangers have two positions they need to fill for next season. One is a veteran d-man who can play the point, and as I noted in a July 14th post:

"A possible option to replace Morris is the soon to be 39 year-old Sergei Zubov. The longtime Star looks to be leaving Dallas after an injury-plagued season which saw him play only ten games. It is believed that Zubov will be fully healthy by the start of next season after coming off of a season-ending surgery in January for chronic hip problems. His age and recent injuries should drive his price down, and the Rangers are rumored to be very interested in him. Zubov can provide a veteran presence and scoring ability, although nobody should expect him to play like he did for the Blueshirts in the 1994 playoffs with nineteen points in twenty-two games. As long as Zubov is truly healthy, it can't hurt for New York to sign him to a low-price 1-year contract."

The Blueshirts also need a center. After losing Scott Gomez, Lauri Korpikoski, and most likely Blair Betts, their center depth chart is looking like: Brandon Dubinsky- 1st Line, Chris Drury- 2nd Line, Artem Anisimov (a rookie)- 3rd Line, Brian Boyle/Tyler Arnason (whoever impresses more in camp,preseason)- 4th Line.

This is not good. Anisimov may not be able to handle centering the third line at this point in his career, and may need to slide down to the 4th Line. That means Chris Higgins, who is more of a winger than center, may have to fill that spot.

Many fans and writers think the Rangers should go out and sign a top tier center to anchor Marian Gaborik's line instead of Dubinsky, but I think Duby showed during his time playing next to Jaromir Jagr, that he can successfully center a star winger. Instead, New York needs to sign a capable center who can also play wing for around $2 million, so that if Anisimov cannot handle 3rd line duties, he can step in.

Rangers Sign Lisin

The New York Rangers have signed restricted free agent Enver Lisin to a contract. The terms of the contract are currently undisclosed. Lisin was traded to the Blueshirts from Phoenix (?Hamilton?) for center and fellow restricted free agent Lauri Korpikoski. The Coyotes have since signed Korpedo to a 2 year/$1.4 million deal.

This is from my post on Tuesday July 14th commenting on Lisin and the trade to bring him from the desert to the world's most famous arena:

One youngster who will not be back in New York is former first round pick (acquired from the Brian Leetch trade) Lauri Korpikoski who was traded to the Phoenix (?Hamilton?) Coyotes for forward Enver Lisin. This marks yet another trade between Sather and his former Assistant General Manager, Don Maloney. Maloney has also brought Marcel Hossa, Al Montoya, Alex Bourret, Nigel Dawes, Petr Prucha, and Dmitri Kalinin, to the desert in the last two years. Many of these players were former top prospects who never really panned out for the Rangers, but whom Maloney hoped would find their game and a fit in Phoenix.

This seems like a good trade to me. Although Korpikoski had a huge playoff goal in his NHL debut in Game 5 against the Penguins in 2008, he was then juggled through just about every possible line combination last season for the Rangers, and did not seem to find a fit. If not traded, Korpi would have most likely centered the third line, but his departure allows top prospect Artem Anisimov that opportunity.

Lisin, although a year older than the 22 year-old Korpikoski, had slightly better offensive numbers last season. He had thirteen goals and eight assists in forty-eight games to the Korpedo's six goals and eight assists in sixty-eight games. Both players are restricted free agents who should make around the same amount next season. Both are young and have similar numbers, but at the end of the day if a player does not fit he needs to be moved. . If Lisin has any sort of chemistry in the New York lineup, he can be very productive for the Rangers.

Donald Brashear vs Colton Orr

Found this fight from this past season on YouTube and I thought why not post it? Ironic that Brashear is now the Rangers enforcer, and Orr is no longer with the club after signing with the Maple Leafs this offseason.

Rangers Name Sullivan Assistant Coach

After Rangers Head Coach Tom Renney and Assistant Coach Perry Pearn were fired in February, Jim Schoenfeld had more jobs than Barbie. Although Schoeny is still Assistant General Manager of Player Personnel and General Manager of the Wolf Pack, he no longer is responsible for the duties of interim assistant coach.

That position has been filled by Lightning Assistant Coach Mike Sullivan. Sullivan held that position in Tampa Bay for the last two seasons including 2007-2008 under current Rangers Head Coach John Tortorella. This move has been rumored for quite a while, as Tortorella begins to assemble a coaching staff of guys that are on the same page with him.

Sullivan was also the head coach of the Bruins for two seasons, including 2003-2004 in which Boston won the Northeast Division Title, before he was fired in June 2006. He has also been the head coach for the AAA Providence Bruins and assistant coach for Boston and the 2006 United States Olympic Team.

Sullivan joins Goalie Coach Benoit Allaire as Tortorella'sright hand men. Although penalty-kill coach Mike Pelino was retained after Renney and Pearn were fired, the Team page on the New York Rangers website no longer lists him as an assistant coach. Pelino was a popular coach amongst the players and ran a great penalty kill, but he may not have blended well with the hard-nosed Tortorella. Sullivan will most likely be running the Rangers power-play which was absolutely terrible under Pearn.

Rangers Notes:
-The Blueshirts have traded Hartford defenseman Brian Fahey for Lake Erie (Colorado) d-man Nigel Williams. Although this is a minor trade, it is a very good one. Fahey was signed before last season to compete for the Rangers seventh defenseman role and/or replace Andrew Hutchinson as the leader of the Wolf Pack defense. After traveling with the Rangers along with Corey Potter to the Czech Republic as an insurance policy (they only had six defenseman on their roster), he was sent down to Hartford where he disappointed throughout the entire season. He slowly slipped from the top D pair to the third as many youngsters surpassed him.

Fahey never seemed to show any fire power, but instead made many stupid decisions on the ice, and this led to occasional healthy scratches. Williams at 21 is younger than the 28 year-old Fahey. The former Avalance prospect had around the same point total as Fahey did last year in Triple-A, but he has the talent to become an NHL player while Fahey is essentially a strictly AHL guy. Very good trade.

-Speaking of Nigel Williams, former Ranger Nigel Dawes was waived by Phoenix(?Hamilton?) and picked up by the Flames. Dawes, a solid shootout scorer, but small body and overall inconsistent player, is a very replaceable player on any team (although many Rangers fans are still upset that he was traded).

Rangers Re-Sign Potter, More D Moves to Come?

The New York Rangers have re-signed restricted free agent defenseman Corey Potter. Although Glen Sather decided to almost always carry six blueliners on the roster last season, Potter was essentially their number seven- waiting in Hartford beside a phone for whenever he was needed in New York. Potter, 25, played in five games for the Blueshirts and registered a goal and an assist. In AAA, he led the Wolf Pack as an alternate captain and contributed ten goals and twenty-two assists in sixty-seven games.

Potter will be part of a crowded group of defenseman in training camp looking to secure a spot with the Rangers. Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Marc Staal, and Dan Girardi (unless any are traded) will definitely be on the final roster. The fifth defenseman will probably be either Matt Gilroy or Bobby Sanguinetti, whichever rookie impresses the most during camp and the preseason. The other will continue to develop in Hartford, and would be called up in case of any injuries.

New York will probably look for a low-budget veteran who can play the powerplay point to fill its sixth defenseman hole. They have been talking with Derek Morris's agent, but Morris should be demanding around the $3.95 million he made last year, and I highly doubt the Rangers will want to pay that.

A possible option to replace Morris is the soon to be 39 year-old Sergei Zubov. The longtime Star looks to be leaving Dallas after an injury-plagued season which saw him play only ten games. It is believed that Zubov will be fully healthy by the start of next season after coming off of a season-ending surgery in January for chronic hip problems. His age and recent injuries should drive his price down, and the Rangers are rumored to be very interested in him. Zubov can provide a veteran presence and scoring ability, although nobody should expect him to play like he did for the Blueshirts in the 1994 playoffs with nineteen points in twenty-two games. As long as Zubov is truly healthy, it can't hurt for New York to sign him to a low-price 1-year contract.

And now...back to Corey Potter. Most likely, he will once again be the Rangers seventh defenseman, but this time on the actual roster and get more playing time. Potter showed last season that he can handle the NHL, and continued to develop his skills in the AHL. His current competition is basically only Michael Sauer-who is more of a physical player than Potter, but has lesser scoring ability, NHL readiness, and maturity. Sauer has a lot of upside, but is not yet NHL ready- an opinion John Tortorella has appeared to support.

Rangers Notes:

New York has announced its 2009 preseason schedule:

Sept. 15 VS Bruins, 7 PM
Sept. 16 @ Devils 7 PM
Sept. 18 @ Red Wings, 7:30 PM
Sept. 19 @ Bruins, 4 PM
Sept. 21 VS Red Wings, 7 PM
Sept. 24 VS Capitals, 7 PM
Sept. 27 @ Capitals, Noon

Rangers Re-Sign Callahan, Trade Korpikoski

Yes, it's true! A New York Ranger from the 2008-2009 campaign is coming back for another season. During an offseason that has already seen Scott Gomez, Markus Naslund, Colton Orr, Fredrik Sjostrom, Nik Antroprov, and Paul Mara leave Manhattan, Ryan Callahan has re-signed with the Blueshirts with a 2-year, $4.6 million deal.

This is a well deserved contract for the right winger who is coming off of a breakout season. Callahan was fourth on the Rangers with twenty-four goals and also added eighteen assists. He led the club with a plus seven rating and led the team and was fourth in the NHL with 265 hits.

Cally also proved to be a hard worker with a great work ethic, thus becoming a fan favorite and 2009 Steven McDonald Award winner for the Blueshirt who performs above and beyond the call of duty. The Rochester native has become one of the core youngsters on the Rangers which Glen Sather expects the team to build around, alongside center Brandon Dubinsky and defenseman Marc Staal.

One youngster who will not be back in New York is former first round pick (acquired from the Brian Leetch trade) Lauri Korpikoski who was traded to the Phoenix (?Hamilton?) Coyotes for forward Enver Lisin. This marks yet another trade between Sather and his former Assistant General Manager, Don Maloney. Maloney has also brought Marcel Hossa, Al Montoya, Alex Bourret, Nigel Dawes, Petr Prucha, and Dmitri Kalinin, to the desert in the last two years. Many of these players were former top prospects who never really panned out for the Rangers, but whom Maloney hoped would find their game and a fit in Phoenix.

This seems like a good trade to me. Although Korpikoski had a huge playoff goal in his NHL debut in Game 5 against the Penguins in 2008, he was then juggled through just about every possible line combination last season for the Rangers, and did not seem to find a fit. If not traded, Korpi would have most likely centered the third line, but his departure allows top prospect Artem Anisimov that opportunity.

Lisin, although a year older than the 22 year-old Korpikoski, had slightly better offensive numbers last season. He had thirteen goals and eight assists in forty-eight games to the Korpedo's six goals and eight assists in sixty-eight games. Both players are restricted free agents who should make around the same amount next season. Both are young and have similar numbers, but at the end of the day if a player does not fit he needs to be moved. . If Lisin has any sort of chemistry in the New York lineup, he can be very productive for the Rangers.

Ranger Notes:

-Although Nikolai Zherdev has a scheduled July 31st arbitration hearing, do not expect the Rangers to re-sign him after signing Ales Kotalik, who is a very similar styled player. Kotalik played very well with Chris Drury in Buffalo, and hopefully will do the same in New York.

-Greg Moore, 2008-2009 Captain of the Rangers AAA affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack, has signed with the New York Islanders. The 25 year-old center is expected to spend the bulk of his time in AAA Bridgeport. Moore played six games for the Rangers during the 2007-2008 season.

-The Rangers have signed two exciting players from last season's Wolf Pack- Dane Byers and Pierre Parenteau. Byers should replace Fredrik Sjostrom on the Rangers 4th line, as Brian Boyle will likely replace Blair Betts, and Donald Brashear replaces Colton Orr. I am disappointed that the Rangers dismantled their best line from last year and league leading penalty kill- but Byers can definitely be a big improvement over Sjostrom (while his linemates will probably not be improvements over whom they have replaced.) Byers can skate and kill penalties like Sjostrom, but also can be a solid scorer and physical presence.

Parenteau had an outstanding 29 goals and 49 assists for Hartford last season, and was one of the AHL's most dominant scorers. His status for next year, whether playing everyday with the Rangers, splitting time between playing and being a healthy scratch, or playing in Hartford- is very up in the air. It all depends on his training camp and preseason, but also if the Rangers send the disappointing Aaron Voros to Hartford along with Patrick Rissmiller in order to save cap space. If Parenteau has a good camp and preseason, it would make sense that the Rangers would keep him in the NHL with is offensive skills and smaller contract over Voros or Rissmiller.

-The Rangers have signed goalie (not wide receiver) Chad Johnson, who was acquired from the Penguins for a 5th round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He is expected to compete with 2008-2009 Hartford netminders Matt Zaba and Miika Wiikman for 2 spots with the Pack, with the loser being sent to AA Charlotte Checkers.

Rangers add Ales Kotalik

After reeling in former Wild RW Marian Gaborik last week to a five-year, $37.5 million contract, the Rangers added some more offensive firepower by inking Ales Kotalik to a three year, $9 million deal.

If your asking who that is, Kotalik split last season between the Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers, and put up some solid offensive numbers with 20 goals and 23 assists. 

The Blueshirts are hoping he can fill the void left behind when Markus Nasland retired after last season. Kotalik has scored 20 or more goals the last four seasons, and he holds the NHL all-time record for shootout winners, so get ready for some shootout drama next season!