Projecting Ahead

In somewhat of a surprising move, the Rangers cut defenseman Tim Erixon, reassigning him to Connecticut. The 20-year old Swede who impressed so much at Traverse City, still needs fine tuning. Though the son of former Ranger Jan Erixon possesses the speed and skating along with a potent shot, he had trouble with the speed of the game defensively- forced into bad penalties this preseason.

There's no shame in not making the roster even if Marc Staal remains very much up in the air due to headaches. It's unlikely Staal will join the team in Europe for the final two preseason matches before '11-12 gets going with back-to-back games versus Pacific rivals Los Angeles and Anaheim. As I've repeatedly said, the Rangers are better off playing it safe with their 24-year old D anchor. If that means missing the first seven games before the club finally returns to a renovated MSG for the home opener on Oct.27, so be it. His health is the most important thing.

Erixon will start with the Whale like Ryan McDonagh, who had a better camp last Fall before going down to get ready for the bigs. His development paid off with the former Wisconsin standout becoming a reliable top four blueliner, allowing the Blueshirts to trade Michal Rozsival to Rangers West Phoenix. Hopefully, Erixon can make a similar progression. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him.

Joining Erixon in Connecticut are defenseman Blake Parlett and forwards Ryan Bourque, Carl Hagelin, Dale Weise, Kris Newbury and John Mitchell. Considering nearly everyone showed something, it's easy to be excited about our team's depth. Especially Bourque, Hagelin and Weise, who deserved a better fate. Perhaps another team will give him a shot.

Not surprisingly, 2010 first round pick Dylan McIlrath was set back to his junior club Moose Jaw. I really liked what I saw from the big guy, who Garden Faithful should be counting down the days till he becomes part of our team. Sure. That probably won't be till '12-13 at the earliest but it's hard not to like the edge he plays with along with underrated stickhandling and passing capabilities.

With the Rangers down to 25, Erik Christensen, Stu Bickell and Brendan Bell are still around. So are Sean Avery and Mike Del Zotto, who boosted his chances with a goal in the club's 4-2 win over Henrik Lundqvist's former pro club Frolunda yesterday. Hopefully, that'll give the third-year defenseman some much needed confidence as they get down to the nitty gritty. Steve Eminger is likely to start until Staal returns. The gritty vet was a revelation last year, silencing many cynics with sound physical play and elevating his level when called upon. It looks like Del Zotto, Bickell and Bell are fighting for a couple of spots while Avery has the inside track as an extra forward over Christensen, who also notched a goal Friday.

If I had to guess what the Opening Day lineup will look like, here's what I see:

Wolski-Richards-Gaborik
Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan
Fedotenko-Stepan-Zuccarello
Prust-Boyle-Rupp

Extra F: Avery

McDonagh-Girardi
Del Zotto-Sauer
Bell-Eminger

Extra: Bickel

Lundqvist
Biron


For now, I excluded Staal, which means Bickel stays as the backup. I wouldn't be surprised if Tort teams Eminger with Sauer and has Del Zotto with either Bell or Bickel. Last year, Eminger stepped up. We'll see.

Staal loss showing

Already, the loss of Marc Staal is showing. The Rangers have played three exhibition games and the defense has been dismal minus the 24-year old anchor who didn't accompany the club to Europe due to headaches. Even if Glen Sather's right that it might not be caused by concussions, it's still a lingering issue that must concern the organization as '11-12 approaches.

With the team still carrying 11 defensemen (10 without Staal) including Dylan McIlrath, Stu Bickell, Blake Parlett and ex-Sen Brendan Bell, John Tortorella's still trying to figure out what his blueline will look like when the Rangers take on LA and Anaheim back-to-back at the end of next week. Meanwhile, second-year blueliner Mike Sauer is out at least a week with a shoulder sprain after taking a spill into the boards courtesy a clean check during last night's preseason match at Philadelphia.

"My adrenaline was going so I tried to gather myself," Sauer told Blueshirts United. "But then the pain just kept coming. It's frustrating because you never want to come out of a game like that, especially before this trip we've got going. The good news is that the x-rays came back negative."

Tortorella still hopes to get Sauer into some preliminary games. With Staal's status still uncertain, the Blueshirts can't afford to lose another top four D who logs important minutes. Much depends on the sophomore tandem of Sauer and Ryan McDonagh, who last night paired with Dan Girardi. Meanwhile, Mike Del Zotto and Tim Erixon are competing for a spot while vet Steve Eminger seems a virtual lock despite a poor showing in a loss to the Devils. Brendan Bell helped his case with a good performance that included the decider in a rematch with the Devs at Newark. Tortorella will get more looks at everyone, including McIlrath, Bickell and Parlett before making more cuts.

With the back end uncertain, it's had trouble clearing the puck and failing miserably on the PK, where Rangers have made frequent trips to the box. With the Flyers lighting it up for three more, including a pair from ex-captain Jaromir Jagr, they've allowed at least half a dozen thus far with five all off uncovered one-timers. Areas where Staal excels include getting in the path of shots and making great reads defensively for key clears that allow a penalty killing unit to change and get fresh bodies.

Until Staal's given the okay, the Ranger D is a question mark with everyone except Girardi moving up on the depth chart, which means increased responsibility. When healthy, Staal works well with Danny G as a top pair that sees the league's best- allowing McDonagh and Sauer to face secondary scoring. Subtract Staal and they're broken up, which leaves a bevy of question marks (Eminger, Erixon, Del Zotto, Bell) as to how Tortorella will deploy the remainder. Unless McIlrath surprises, he's going back to Moose Jaw while Bickell and Parlett are ticketed for the Whale.

The Rangers are doing the right thing making sure Staal is 100 percent before allowing him to even have full contact. The season is 82 games. So, if it requires him to miss the crazy first part that has the Original Six club traveling all over, including a three-game Northwestern swing featuring matches in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver before finishing at Winnipeg, they're probably better off being cautious. With stops in Prague (Thu), Gothenburg (Fri), Bratislava (Sun), Zug (Mon) before headed to Stockholm for the opening pair against the Kings and Ducks, the Rangers will be doing a lot of flying before coming back to face the Islanders on Oct.15. Their first seven games are on the road due to the renovation with 10/27 the home opener against the Leafs.

It's still hard to say when Staal will be ready. However, Slats may want to bring in an insurance policy just in case. Much depends on Tortorella, who will make important roster decisions in the next week, finalizing the roster. The Rangers don't want to rely too heavily on their offense even with Brad Richards. Defense and goaltending are what's defined them. It says here that if Staal is out a significant amount of time, the playoffs take a backseat.

Sabres defeat Rangers to win Traverse City

A good prospect tournament was once again held at Traverse City, concluding earlier this week with the Buffalo Sabres just a bit stronger than a younger New York Rangers squad that reached the Final. Both teams fought hard the other night but ultimately, the bigger more experienced club pulled away for a 5-2 championship win.

Playing their fourth game over five days, the Ranger prospects coached by a determined Ken Gernander certainly gave it their best, rallying from a two-goal deficit thanks to goals from 2011 first round pick J.T. Miller and they're most consistent forward, Ryan Bourque. Miller put away a Carl Hagelin feed in the slot that got them back in it despite Sabre dominance mostly on the strength of big line Luke Adam, Zach Kassian and Marcus Ruutu. That line combined for six points, including Adam's early power play tally followed by Ruutu's sweet finish off a Kassian set up.

The trio took advantage of a turnover that allowed Kassian to find an unchecked Ruutu 10 feet away for a quick shot that beat Ranger goalie Scott Stajcer for a two-goal lead. However, the Blueshirts replied back 19 seconds later thanks to some nice work from Hagelin in the corner, allowing Miller to cash in. After a stern talking to from Gernander who was displeased with their lack of discipline, the club cameback with a strong middle stanza. Similar to their struggles in the first, the Sabres hurt themselves with a lazy turnover resulting in Bourque's equalizer. Thanks to great pressure from Christian Thomas, the son of former NHLer Steve Thomas intercepted the puck and then got the puck to Bourque, who buried his fourth past Nathan Lieuwen.

Dylan McIlrath, who captained the Rangers- nearly put them ahead with a strong move to the net but his backhand try slipped wide. The '10 No.1 pick was alright during the tournament but definitely still needs work. Another year of juniors should help. He did use his size during a few instances, throwing some good checks and challenging when needed. He also showed off underrated passing skills, finding teammates for chances. The skating and decision making can still improve as evidenced by a pinch that forced him to take a penalty in the third.

Jason Wilson lost a scrap to Buffalo's Corey Tropp, who seemed to enjoy the festivities. Ironically, Tropp notched the winner 78 seconds into the final stanza thanks to a nice set up from Jonathan Parker. The Sabres then played steady D, limiting the Rangers to the perimeter, allowing Lieuwen (21 saves) to see everything. Gernander emphasized taking 10-15 shots but his troops couldn't break the Sabre D. Eventually, they took chances that led to Stajcer getting victimized with Daniel Catenacci beating the netminder on a clean breakaway, backhand five-hole. A move I called. The sweet finish came with five minutes remaining. Kassian put the icing on the cake with 2:13 left.

Finally, the clock wound down and the Sabres celebrated a well deserved victory. Both teams shook hands before the winners took a nice photo with their trophy. Buffalo replaced Tampa Bay, who didn't participate this year- opting to stay close to home with rival Florida.

POSITIVES

-Tim Erixon stood out on defense, making a lot of good reads while also contributing offensively. He's not expected to provide a ton of offense like now project Mike Del Zotto but it's the Swede's uncanny ability to be in the right positive defensively that has Ranger management excited. In a game they gave up a tourney high five goals, Erixon managed an Even rating while teaming with McIlrath, who finished plus-one. Erixon definitely will compete for a job with Del Zotto in camp that began today.

-As noted above, Bourque was Mr. Consistency throughout- notching a shorthanded goal while outworking opponents. A small guy who's unfairly viewed by many fans who don't pay attention, Bourque could be another gem who overachieves. He's sound overall and uses his speed effectively. Another short kid with a big heart.

-Hagelin impressed, demonstrating what four years at college can do for an afterthought. There's a lot to like here. Perhaps we'll see the Swede sometime soon.

-Of all the guys, Shane McColgan was the biggest surprise, showing off tons of grit and speed. He was willing to get dirty, scoring both his goals from in tight while providing energy and even standing up for a teammate. Looks like a character player Garden Faithful will be rooting for.

-Both Miller (2 goals) and Thomas (1-4-5) showed flashes of why they are highly regarded. Each possess speed and playmaking abilities. In particular, Thomas was really strong at finding open 'mates. Both are slippery and look like fun prospects who could be heard from.

-Randy McNaught provided a lift physically, even going in a 5-2 win over the Blues while also notching a goal.

-Jonathan Audy-Marchessault was a revelation offensively (2-3-5) but needs work in his end.


NEGATIVES

-Jyri Niemi struggled badly, often caught out of position. One such poor read led to a goal against versus Buffalo.

-Niemi wasn't alone with Blake Parlett lost defensively in spite of five helpers. He has a good shot from the point but must improve in other facets.

-Sam Noreau and Kale Kerbashian were pretty blah.

-Of the two netminders, Stajcer's considered the better prospect but was beaten easily a few times. It wasn't all his fault with plenty of breakdowns. He needs to work on challenging shooters. Especially on breakaways where he was beaten twice in the third by Catenacci and Kassian. It wasn't all bad for Staj, who made a couple of nice sprawling saves that allowed his team to get back in it.

-I didn't see enough of Jason Missiaen, who went 1-1 in his two starts.


Overall, it was a chance for the hockey community to get a closer look at their teams' prospects. One of the cooler aspects was the interactive questions used via Twitter by John Giannone and Dave Maloney, who asked guests such as Adam Graves, Mark Messier, John Davidson, Darcy Regier, Ken Holland, etc. quite a few. It was nice to see some familiar faces in Tweepland getting through!

All in all, a great tournament well put together and outstanding job by MSG, who when they really cover something, always go the extra mile. Kudos to the entire production crew for all their hard work and dedication.

Doughty, Selanne lead remaining FA's, Devs/Rangers go young on D

Believe it or not, there are 16 days left in August. That means hockey's around the corner. It still is offseason with some names still lingering around like former Ranger captain Chris Drury, who hopes to get a tryout somewhere. That's probably the best bet. While some familiar faces like Alex Kovalev and Nikolai Zherdev have left for the KHL, vets like Cory Stillman, Sergei Samsonov, Marek Svatos, Marty Turco, Bryan McCabe, Craig Rivet, Nick Boynton, John Madden, Jarkko Ruutu, Mike Grier, Brian Sutherby, Ethan Moreau, Steve Staios and Paul Mara are still available. Finnish Flash Teemu Selanne won't decide if he's returning until September. American hero Mike Modano still hasn't retired.

There are also key restricteds with Drew Doughty still the main headliner. One of the game's bright stars on the blueline, still hasn't come to terms with the Kings on a new contract. Considering what Shea Weber was awarded, it probably didn't help, even though Doughty has hardly achieved that lofty status. Something will get done. Our guess is the closer it gets to camp, they'll work something out. Other Group II's of not are Winnipeg's Zach Bogosian, Toronto's Luke Schenn, the Isles' Josh Bailey, Chicago's Chris Campoli and the Yotes' Kyle Turris and Mikkel Boedker.

Two players who were signed by the Hudson rivals are both defensemen added for depth. The Devils signed ex-King Peter Harrold to a one-year two-way deal. Considering the Devs' youth transition, figure Harrold to spend his time in Albany. Meanwhile, the Blueshirts signed former Senator Brandon Bell for essentially the same reason. With Steve Eminger re-signed and the likes of Mike Del Zotto, new Ranger Tim Erixon, plus hopefuls Pavel Valentenko and Tomas Kundratek, Bell should be ticketed for Connecticut.

Indeed, both the Devils and Rangers are now on a similar path with youth served on the back end. New Jersey boasts No.1 pick Adam Larsson, who's expected to step into the top four. There's also Andy Greene, Mark Fayne, Matt Taormina, Mark Fraser and Matt Corrente- plus hopefuls Alexander Urbom, Tyler Eckford and Eric Gelinas. That doesn't include American prospect Jon Merrill, who the club selected in Round Two a year ago. He's one to keep an eye on.

While the Devils re-load with key cogs Anton Volchenkov and Henrik Tallinder vital to any success, the Blueshirts again will not boast a D over 30 thanks to the core of Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh and Mike Sauer. With Eminger the elder statesman at 27, the Rangers are banking on a turnaround from Del Zotto and key acquisition Erixon to round out one of the league's youngest bluelines. Figure Valentenko and Kundratek to provide stiff challenges in camp while Bell looks to impress brass. Others to watch for are Sam Klassen, Lee Baldwin and Jyri Niemi, with the latter two taking part in Traverse City next month. Former No.1 Dylan McIlrath will also be included.

Factoring in the up and coming Islanders, youth will be served in the metro area for the future.