In this photo released by CBS, Madonna, top, enters the "Late Show with David Letterman" TV studio in the Ed Sullivan Theater while riding on the hockey sticks of ten New York Rangers, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, in New York. The Rangers delivered the "Top Ten List" for Wednesday's broadcast. Host David Letterman applauds from center right. (AP Photo/CBS, John Paul Filo)
By Michael McEnaney
For every NHL club the preseason is a time when, at the very least, you hope to have a few questions answered regarding open rosters spots, areas the team might be a little weak in and that you emerge from the 7-8 game schedule healthy.
In that respect, for Ranger GM Glen Sather and coach John Tortorella this preseason could not have gone better.
Perhaps the biggest question mark for the Rangers heading into the 2009-10 season was their lack of depth on defense. After rock solid Marc Staal and the consistent Dan Girardi there had to be some hand wringing going on upstairs. Was Wade Redden’s career simply in an unstoppable downward spiral? Had they seen the best of Michal Rosival two years ago? And after these four spots even more questions loomed.
Enter North Bellmore’s Matt Gilroy, signed as free agent back in April after a Hobey Baker award winning final year at BU. Gilroy has looked so good this preseason some in the organization have had the chutzpah to mention the name Brian Leetch when discussing the kids’ play thus far. We won’t go quite that far, but suffice it to say Gilroy will be in the line-up on opening night and perhaps for many years thereafter.
As if his skating and puck handling ability weren’t enough, what has been really impressive about Gilroy is his game smarts. His anticipation and timing on when to join the offense or break up a scoring chance on defense has be uncanny and often times has resembled that of a defensemen that’s been in the league for 5 or 6 years. Simply put, the Rangers might have something very special in North Bellmore’s Gilroy.
The other pleasant surprise has been the play of veteran Russian defensemen Alexei Semenov. At 6-6, 240 lbs, Semenov brings some size to a defense that needs some bulk. The team was hoping that Semenov would equate himself well enough to take a 6 th or 7th spot and his steady and sometimes physical play might have earned him just that.
So the defense heading into the regular season will probably be Staal, Redden, Rosival, Gilroy, Girardi, Semenov and possibly Michael Del Zotto, last year’s number one pick, who had a solid camp – though at 19 might join the club later in the season. Bobby Sanguinetti’s play was a bit inconsistent and the 2006 first rounder will be heading to Hartford for now.
Up Front
The preseason figured to be the Marion Gaborik Show and once the sniper, signed away from the Minnesota Wild as a free agent this summer, hit the ice he didn’t disappoint. Looking healthy for the first time in a while, Gaborik gives the Rangers the go to goal scorer they’ve lacked since Jagr left town.
The 27 year-old has really been the best keep secret in the NHL as playing for the Wild has essentially kept him out of the league’s spotlight. Watching him play in the 2006 Winter Olympics for Slovakia it was clear to see Gaborik is a jewel – one that should sparkle brightly on Broadway.
New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, of Sweden, eyes the puck during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game against the Washington Capitals on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Rangers beat the Capitals 3-2. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
Back to those aforementioned preseason questions, we have Artem Anisimov who’s certainly had a couple of cups of coffee with the Rangers in the past but hasn’t impressed. With nothing left to prove in the AHL after a big year with the Wolf Pack last season, Anisimov came to camp this year on a mission. His play in the preseason, sans a mediocre effort against the Caps this past week, was stellar, spending much of his time dancing around opposing defensemen and displaying a heavy, accurate wrist shot.
Also impressive was Anisimov’s responsible play in the defensive zone as the 21-year old has quickly developed into a solid two-way forward. Tortorella had enough confidence in Anisimov to use him on the penalty kill in several games. The only question with the rangy Russian is whether or not he can stand the rigors of a full NHL schedule – but he’ll certainly get that chance now.
With Brandon Dubinsky’s recent signing the team is now a bit more solid up the middle with Anisimov and Chris Drury rounding out the top three. The club has to be excited over the potential in a Dubinsky/Gaborik teaming. Their different skill sets seem like a perfect compliment to one another.
Tortorella has also experimented with Vinny Prospal at center but Anisimov’s arrival may table that for now. Sean Avery is comfortable there as well but Tortorella might have other plans for the team’s resident rash.
On the wings Gaborik is joined by the solid Ryan Callahan, who’ll simply spend the year barreling into everything that moves in an opposing jersey and popping 20-25 goals. New arrival Chris Higgins has made himself right at home, as any native New Yorker should, and the club is expecting a bounce back year out of him. Also – there’s been an Aaron Voros sighting, as the physical style he displayed so effectively at the beginning of last season appears to be back. Voros fell of the radar late last year but a solid camp seems to have him back in the teams’ plans this year.
Ales Kotalik’s speed and versatility – he was used effectively at the point on the power play in the preseason – should also be a nice addition. Free agent enforced Donald Brashear, at 37, doesn’t quite strike the kind of fear into opponents that he used to but he still packs a punch. Not so sure Ranger fans will ever forgive him though for the vicious hit on Blair Betts in the this past Spring’s playoffs. We’ll see.
Right wing Enver Lisin has gotten a much longer look than many expected. Acquired from Phoenix in the Lauri Korpikoski trade over the summer, the speedy Russian had a solid camp and may be hanging around a while.
Brian Boyle is another interesting possibility up front for the Rangers. The former first rounder (2003, LA) certainly brings size (6-6, 225) and may just turn out to be a late bloomer. A solid camp has put him in the mix for a fourth line role
New York Rangers' Marian Gaborik, left, trips over the stick of Washington Capitals' Brooks Laich, right, during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Rangers won 3-2. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
In Nets
Not much to talk about when you examine the Rangers situation between the pipes as “Hank” is the entire story. Henrik Lundqvist will play at least 60 games and help the Rangers finish with one of lower goals against averages in the league. Former Islander farm hand Steven Valiquette has developed into a reliable back-up.
It all adds up to a pretty decent hockey club as they prepare for the season opener on October 2rd in Pittsburgh to take on the Cup carrying Penguins. However, even with the emergence of Gilroy they still appear a little thin on the backline and you wonder about a lack of grit up front – certainly concerns Sather is wondering about as well.
Ice Chips:
• Sean Avery’s bum knee doesn’t appear serious but he isn’t expected to resume skating til later this week. He’s been limited to riding a stationary bike since the knee on knee collision with teammate Ryan Callahan during a morning skate last Monday. His status for Friday’s opening game against the Penguins appears in doubt.
• Among the many niceties planed for the MSG renovation is better sightlines as the plan is to raise the angle of the seats toward the playing surface. Bravo, because that gradual slope back has always looked impressive but has always sucked when you sat behind someone taller than 5’ 10”.
• Islanders first visit to MSG isn’t until December 16th.
• Is it me or does the atmosphere at the Garden for Ranger games this preseason seem a little more ornery than usual? Most of the fans we’ve chatted with still seem furious over the Brashear signing, are convinced Gaborik will pull his groin getting out of a cab and be lost for the season by Halloween and seem to still be smarting from the Scott Gomez trade.
• Okay – so it’s the 30 year anniversary of the season (’79) that the Bruins climbed into the Garden stands and had at it with the fans in section 17. How about inviting Peter McNab, who actually pinned a fan on his back, and Mike Milbury, who then beat the same guy senseless with is own show, back for a ceremonial center ice face off? They can drop the shoe. And as luck would have it, the Rangers are home on the very night the incident occurred, December 23, but they host Florida, not the Bruins unfortunately.
