Prospal returns, Drury in limbo

In what's been a mostly positive camp that includes a solid preseason, the Rangers still don't know about captain Chris Drury, who remains saddled with a broken index finger which will likely keep him out of the club's first three games. That has left the Trumbull, Connecticut veteran pivot wondering what his role will be. Especially with Derek Stepan looking like he'll stay put while Artem Anisimov's looked stronger. Also boasting Erik Christensen, Tim Kennedy, Brian Boyle and Todd White, who likely is ticketed for Hartford, the Blueshirts have options.

One is versatile forward Vinny Prospal, who returns for a second year on Broadway. A Tort favorite, the alternate captain can double as both a center and a wing if needed. Considering that the club figures to keep Stepan up along with Anisimov and Christensen who should center their top three lines, that leaves Kennedy and Boyle vying for the checking line while both Prospal and Drury could be slated for the wing. Still, on a roster that lacks a go to faceoff guy, Dru's work in the circle can't be overlooked. Neither can his intangibles defensively where he's been a PK fixture along with Ryan Callahan. With him expected to be put on the injured list to start the season, figure Brandon Dubinsky, Anisimov, Boyle and Kennedy to see time shorthanded.

Tonight against Ottawa though, Prospal gets a look in the middle centering Marian Gaborik and Alexander Frolov. John Tortorella gets a chance to see what Prosp can do with the team's dynamic duo. Last year, Prospal worked with Gaborik for a good chunk before being split up. It's hard to say where he'll start but figure at least the second line with possibly Anisimov and Dubinsky.

If we were starting the season, here's what I'd like to see:

Frolov-Christensen-Gaborik
Dubinsky-Prospal-Anisimov
Avery-Stepan-Fedotenko
Boogard-Kennedy/Boyle-Prust

The blueline's still undecided but given how Matt Gilroy's looked, he seems to be back in Tort's good graces. Along with incumbents Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Mike Del Zotto and Michal Rozsival, that leaves just two openings for vet Steve Eminger and kids Ryan McDonagh, Mike Sauer and Pavel Valentenko to compete for. We'd love to see them take both McD and Sauer but not expecting it.

How about:

Staal-Girardi
Del Zotto-Rozsival
Gilroy-McDonagh/Sauer

Perhaps Tort will mix it up, helping balance out the back end. We'll see.

Rangers cut down to 27

Earlier today, the Rangers made their second round of cuts. Team President & GM Glen Sather announced that the club assigned Chad Johnson, Wade Redden, Evgeny Grachev, Dale Weise and Mats Zuccarello to Hartford. Dane Byers, Kris Newbury and Jeremy Williams will also continue camp with the AHL affiliate. While those eight remain in the organization, defensemen Garnet Exelby, Brandon Manning and Alexei Semenov were all released from tryouts, leaving nine players competing for seven spots on the blueline.

Incumbents Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Mike Del Zotto and Michael Rozsival comprise the top four. Steve Eminger, Matt Gilroy, Ryan McDonagh, Mike Sauer and Pavel Valentenko are all in competition for the final three slots. Out of the five, Gilroy, McDonagh and Valentenko have looked the best. But figure the club to start the season with at least vet Eminger as an extra, leaving Gilroy and McDonagh with the inside track. I'd like to see more from Valentenko and Brian Leetch trade holdover Sauer, who's getting one last shot.

As for what's up front, there are 16 players left. With both Chris Drury and Vinny Prospal banged up, it's given golden opportunities to rookie Derek Stepan along with vets Erik Christensen, Ruslan Fedotenko, Tim Kennedy and Todd White. Though Christensen should have a spot based on being re-signed after a solid stint last year, it remains unclear where he'll start. The club remains without a top playmaking pivot to center potential lethal Euro combo Marian Gaborik and Alexander Frolov. Does Stepan get a shot at the start in two weeks when the team visits Buffalo October 8 and the Islanders October 11? The 20 year-old former Badger certainly has the most upside. If he's not ready, they can always ship him to Hartford.

Brian Boyle is competing with Kennedy and White for the fourth line. Though White's capable of moving up due to his experience with Gabby in St. Paul. There's also Fedotenko, who's opened some eyes with a strong camp highlighted by a three-point effort in the Rangers' 5-4 overtime win over the Devils Saturday. John Tortorella knows him well from Tampa where Feds was a hero against both the Flyers and Flames en route to Lord Stanley. Still, the journeyman who also was part of the Pens' Cup in '08-09 would be used in a secondary role where he hopefully could supply offense on the third line with possibly some power play duty in store. Considering that he's here on a tryout, Fedetenko has done enough to warrant consideration. He's capable of contributing 15 goals and at least 30 points. You wonder if MZA could've done that. But he'll start with the Pack.

No surprise that the two goalies are Henrik Lundqvist and new vet backup Martin Biron, who's been steady thus far. Hopefully, King Henrik got the cobwebs out in Newark.

The Blueshirts have three exhibitions left, including the second of a home-and-home with the Red Wings, who dealt them their first defeat yesterday by a score of 5-3 (really 6 if not for ref incompetence). Biron played the first two periods permitting three while Johnson came in relief, letting in two. Sean Avery, Christensen and Artem Anisimov (SHG) were the goalscorers. Tomas Holmstrom netted the winner for Detroit while Brian Rafalski added a goal and three helpers with Jimmy Howard (18 saves) going all the way. They Original Sixes meet again at MSG Wednesday at 7 ET on MSG.


NY RANGERS REMAINING CAMP ROSTER


G (2)-Biron, Lundqvist


D (9)-Del Zotto, Eminger, Gilroy, Girardi, McDonagh, Rozsival, Sauer, Staal, Valentenko


F (16)-Anisimov, Avery, Boogaard, Boyle, Callahan, Christensen, Drury, Dubinsky, Fedotenko, Frolov, Gaborik, Kennedy, Prospal, Prust, Stepan, White

If only it were true

Sometimes, what's buried deep in your mind can really play tricks on you. Ah. The essence of dreams. We all have them. Most of mine don't make much sense but almost always seem to involve things/people I know. Hence, yesterday when I dreamt that the Rangers won the Stanley Cup.

Okay, I know what you're thinking. How illogical and screwed up my head must've been. But let me preface by admitting earlier this week, I also had one where Ilya Kovalchuk scored off a faceoff from the left point, blasting a rocket in for the Devils. What does it mean? I'd rather not find out. While the prospect of the much debated Russian lingers until tomorrow, the actual deep thoughts that my team could ever win another Cup are as rational as Jim Dolan undermining Donnie Walsh, bringing back Isiah Thomas. This from the same owner who's fascinated by Glen Sather.

That's why we now refer to it as Mediocre Square. Home to mediocrity. Where bloggers such as Scotty Hockey know the deal. Just make the playoffs and it's a success so that crook can boost revenue and rip off more fans. Perhaps that's why I finally told my Dad to not renew my seat. Well, that and also saving money right now takes precedence over donating cash to an evil corporate stench who'll never get it. As long as they got enough boosters who couldn't tell the difference between a basketball and a puck, what does it matter?

Oh btw, something I knew for a while thanks to an "insider" who tipped me off before the Olympic Break. The Play by Play is no more. Gone as part of the beloved Renovation which is geared towards more of the higher ups. What? You really thought it was for us? Nothing about the future of MSG will benefit the diehards. So, savor these final years because if you think it costs a lot now, just wait until you're priced out. That sound you hear is the circus clowns laughing uncontrollably.

So, what could I have been on to have actually believed that our team could win another Cup, ending the Curse of '94? Yes. I already refer to it as that based on how far off they still are while an owner who had nothing to do with it still rides the coat tails of Leetch, Messier, Richter, Zubov, Beukeboom and Graves. Leetch before The Captain because it was No.2 who was No.1 that memorable summer. Only Dolan/Slats act as if Messier was the only reason we won. I'm appreciative of The Guarantee but don't act like he did it alone. A guy by the name of Kovalev scored to swing the momentum and Leetch was instrumental along with Richy, who along with a goalpost kept them alive.

The harsh reality is that 1994 is a long time ago, even if I and other True Blue faithful wish otherwise because of what it meant. In another four years, it'll be 20 years since that team won. And by then, do you think our franchise will have made any significant progress? With apologies to Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, Evgeny Grachev, Dylan McIlrath, Ryan McDonagh and Tomas Kundratek, there just won't be much belief as long as Sather is still employed.

Every time the senile old man talks up the future, another over the hill vet is brought in to take a roster spot away from a kid. Todd White?!?!?!?!?! Well, considering what they got at center, it's explainable. But come on. Who does Mats Zuccarello Aasen get to play with? Or is the talented soon to be 23 year-old Norwegian, who turned heads at the Olympics, going to be blocked before he even gets a chance? You do the math.

C-Christensen, Anisimov, Drury, White, Boyle
LW-Frolov, Dubinsky, Prospal, Avery, Boogard
RW-Gaborik, Callahan, Prust

Fyi...isn't it a bit odd how the official New York Rangers site fails to list Frolov up front but includes White? Wasn't the enigmatic yet gifted Russian their best addition? Never mind. Why mess with logic? Especially from a GM who again treated complete strangers better than his own. Even a two bit scrub like Boogard who does one thing well gets the royal treatment while our most important player Marc Staal remains in limbo probably till preseason. How would you feel if you were Henrik Lundqvist?

At least in the dream, even though I wasn't in the building, I was genuinely excited/surprised to see the Rangers win the Cup. Of course, I don't know who they beat, which probably explains why it was just my brain teasing me much like the club I root for. If only it were true.

Rangers dump Brashear and Rismiller for White

In case you were living in a bat cave which sometimes being a fan of this team I wish I was, the Rangers made a deal yesterday. With it first circulating late Sunday night that they acquired Todd White from Atlanta, speculation was a little premature on what the Thrashers got back, which ranged from a fourth round pick to even Michal Rozsival.

Of course, neither were close as instead, our senile GM actually found a way to dump Donald Brashear and Patrick Rismiller on Atlanta, making it almost a match. The 35 year-old White who played the past three seasons with the Thrashers after teaming with Marian Gaborik in St. Paul is set to earn $2.6 million in the final year of his contract. Brashear earns $1.3 million and Rismiller, who became AHL fodder, makes a cool million. In essence, Atlanta saves $300,000. However, White is a $2.375 M cap hit while Brash and Rissmiller combine for $2.4 M. So, it's basically a wash.

Watch Brashear go back to being the royal pain in the ass who knocked Blair Betts into next week. Public Enemy No.1 is sure to get a rude welcome back to MSG. It's not like anyone liked him anyway. Too bad someone forgot to inform Glen Sather and our coach who actually thought a washed up goon was an upgrade over Colton Orr. Now, he's been replaced by Derek Boogard, who can't take regular shifts despite an even heftier pay tag ($1.625 M). Ah. Only in Rangerland.

So, what to make of the latest Ranger? If this were a few years ago, we'd love the move. But fact is White's coming in off his worst year since his final one in Ottawa pre-lockout. A year removed from centering Ilya Kovalchuk and posting career highs in assists (51), points 73), power play goals (12) and games played (82), the Kanata, Ontario native sunk like the Titanic to seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 65 games. He also posted a third consecutive minus season finishing minus-11.

The big question is does he have a place on our roster? Our centers aren't exactly scaring anyone with Artem Anisimov having the most potential. Especially if John Tortorella keeps Brandon Dubinsky on left wing. At the moment, Erik Christensen is slated to center Gaborik. Vinny Prospal can play center but is better suited for the wing. And then there's captain Chris Drury and his albatross ($7.05 M) with the club stuck two more years with him and Rozsival ($5 M). As for Wade Redden ($6.5 M), if White's on the roster, it all but ensures that he's going to Hartford. They have to clear space for Marc Staal. Assuming Ryan McDonagh is ready and Matt Gilroy stronger, the Rangers could be set with a blueline of Staal, Rozsival, Dan Girardi, Michael Del Zotto, Gilroy, McDonagh and Steve Eminger. That would be ideal with Eminger serving as a veteran fill-in.

Is Brian Boyle still considered our fourth line center? White can easily fill that role as he's got experience as a checking type two-way pivot who can kill penalties. He also can play power play if needed and is a much more fluid skater. The question is was last year a tell tale sign that his scoring days are over. Has age finally caught up or can he bounce back? If he does make the team and he certainly can help in the face-off dot (401-344, 53.8 Pct), it's a definite upgrade over Boyle (198-323, 38.7 Pct) with Anisimov (44.9) and Christensen (48.8) not much better. Drury was our best winning 52.9 percent while Dubinsky and Prospal both were over 50 percent.

Adding another center who can win draws is fine. But one look at this roster and who's scoring the goals aside from Gabby? Alexander Frolov better rebound with at least 25. They need more consistency from Ryan Callahan, who's averaged a shade over 20 the past two seasons. Can Prospal duplicate last year's success? Anisimov likely will go up from the dozen he scored in his rookie year. Sean Avery's a candidate for a few more than the 11 he got. Dubinsky enters Year Four coming off a career high 20 markers after being shifted. He's also playing for a contract, which should serve as motivation.

Still, when you look at the roster, it once again looks like a one horse show. Unless Derek Stepan or Evgeny Grachev blows them away in camp, there's not much to get excited over. This looks like a middle of the road team who doesn't know what it is. On one hand, we got kids who'll continue to get valuable experience as part of a retooling. On the other, there's all these vets mixed in making high salaries. Is there any direction?!?!?!?!?!

One word to describe this chaos. Mediocrity.