WWJJD: What Will Jagr Do?

Will Jaromir Jagr be back in New York next season? That is the first question that must be answered before the Rangers can begin to conceive a plan for building their 2008-09 roster -- if Jagr comes back, that plan will center upon him, maybe not as much as in the past, but still... But if he decides to play elsewhere, the Rangers will need to consider Plan B -- acquiring another player as their centerpiece -- or even Plan C -- that's the one where fans have to be patient through a losing season while we wait for homegrown centerpieces to arrive and develop. Whatever plan they choose, let's just hope we don't end up with Plan 9 From Outer Space.

But back to Jagr. We know he had his worst season statistically since his sophomore season as Mario Lemieux's protege. We know he could have personally done more -- especially on the power play -- to score the 13 additional points he needed to automatically extend his $8.36 million a year contract. But what matters is not what we know, it's what he knows. Jagr knows he cannot get that much money next year, not from any team in creation, not at his age after the season he just had, though the way he finished the regular season and performed in the playoffs demonstrated that he's not finished as a team-carrier.

Presumably, the Rangers will be willing to pay him the $4.94 million they would have been thrilled to pay him yet again had his contract extension kicked in. They may even be willing to pay him more than that, especially since they know that at his age they can fashion a contract that can defer easily achievable bonuses into the following year's cap calculation. But will that be enough to keep him here, or will another team break the bank for him? If Michael Nylander commanded $4.875 for four years as Jagr's sidekick, how much will Jagr himself command with the cap bumped up to $55 million? If Brendan Shanahan was worth $5.3, how can one expect Jagr to settle for anything less than, say, $6 million -- or more?

But it's more than just money for Jagr. All other things being equal (i.e. the money), will Jagr choose to come back and play Tom Renney's defensive scheme and Perry Pearn's power play for another year? From his point of view (though some fans may think differently), sacrificing his numbers -- and his automatic contract extension -- to play dump and chase and to play defense and to mentor a rookie center was something Jagr was obviously willing to do this past season (he no doubt thought he could hit his target anyway), but it would be hard to imagine him being willing to do it again next season, especially if he doesn't get a long term contract.

Would Renney be flexible enough to alter his game plan for Jagr if Jagr demanded it? That would no doubt mean giving him more power play time, which he kind of complained about this season -- his time went down from 1:10 per power play in his first two full seasons as a Ranger to 55 seconds per power play this season. It would also no doubt mean letting Jagr resume control the of power play the way he likes to control it. Would that even be a good thing for the team overall, given the tepid power play results over the past two season? And to allow a player to dictate his preferences, if such was the case?

Finally, there is the issue of the dwindling Czech contingent on the team. One would be shocked if Martin Straka did not hang them up after the season he had -- one may be even more shocked if the Rangers bring him back for another season after the season he had, which could only be as a concession to Jagr should he re-sign. Marek Malik is gone for sure. Petr Prucha might as well be gone, having fallen off the depth chart -- he'd be worth more to the Rangers now as trade bait than anything else.

That leaves Michal Rozsival, who had a poor playoff showing against Pittsburgh -- it makes no sense to re-sign Rozsival, not at the price he will probably command, if Jagr is not around, since his success is tied to Jagr's presence. Conversely, if the Rangers value Rozsival that much, they have to consider that he is as likely to sign elsewhere if Jagr leaves as he is to re-sign here. Some may consider that a good thing, but replacing Rozsival will be no easy feat under the salary cap.

Finally, there is Jagr's public presence. Jagr knows that the media goes to Brendan Shanahan, Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Henrik Lundqvist, and even Brandon Dubinsky and Dan Girardi for the easy interviews, and that they come to him only to ask the tough questions on the tough nights. He never shied away from that, but the strain was evident for all to see. That could weigh into his decision. He has often said that he loves playing in New York and that it is his top choice in the NHL, but the pressures of playing in New York may very well have gotten to him over this three-plus seasons here.

And no pressure is greater than that of a fan base that is very demanding. Jagr knows that his name was not chanted by the Garden crowd until Game 4 of the playoffs while others were lauded all season long -- and he knows he got a smattering of boos too when the team was at its lowest point. It cannot be lost on him that some still refuse to accept him as team captain, and he wouldn't be certifiable to wonder if his nationality figured into some of these equations. He is not so vain as to not realize that that was a reflection of his scoring slumps this season. But he may just decide that if he has worn out his welcome, there will be a line of other teams ready to snap him up.

When I add it all up, I don't see Jagr returning next season. He'll get his money somewhere, and he'll get it with assurances that he will get prime playing time in the kind of system he enjoys, and he may even get it with a team that will be closer to a Stanley Cup than the Rangers will probably be next season as they slide back necessarily into at least partial rebuilding mode. He said a while back that he knew what he wanted to do next season but he wouldn't tell -- if that decision was to return to New York, there was no reason not to tell (unless it was a return conditional on style of play and ice time).

Personally, I hope I'm wrong, because I love what Jagr has brought to the Rangers, on and off the ice, both as a fan and as someone who covers the team. And I can't see the Rangers replacing him without spending too many cap dollars, cap dollars already heavily committed to Gomez, Drury, and Lundqvist. He is the best option for New York for at least the next season or two. But is New York the best option for Jagr? I don't see how it can look that way to him at this point.

Sean Avery spoke to Larry Brooks of the New York Post by phone and reported that he is nearly back to full health, was injured when he tried to hit Brooks Orpik early in Game 3, and wants to return to the Rangers next season. Elsewhere, the local papers and whatnot have begun taking stock of the Rangers while still looking back a bit at the playoffs and season -- see the Daily News, Journal News, Newsday, Times, Record here and here, Blueshirts Blog, Blue Notes, Prospect Park, Stan Fischler at Game On!, Spector at FoxSports, and NY Sports Day. Oh, and did we mention how bad the officiating was?

Comments

[Marty]

Jagr will get a lucrative offer from one of several teams. A more offense orientated team would benefit him greatly. I would love to see him back on a 2 year deal at most but someone will overpay for him and do it for a lengthy period of time.

The way I see it:

He gets a deal done before the July 1st or he is not a Ranger.

Either way LGR!!!

[NYRFAN9]

Nice blog...but I have to disagree with something. You cannot write off Prucha just yet - I know that he had a terrible year, but his rookie year he scored most of his goals on PP. He needs t obe back on the PP, especially cause he will drive to the net. he is fast, he is young and he WILL rebound.
As far as Jagr, I too hope he returns because even at 1 point per game (which is low for him) he is a force and takes away other team's best D-men. But we all have to be patient. Rangers are moving in the right direction, we just have to stay positive!

[paularensburg]

rb94

Saw an awful lot of 1-2-2, which I think is the trap. As for Hank's Vezina noms, whatever? A losing season to me isn't made less disappointing by individual honors.

[paularensburg]

From Dellapina:

"The Pens’ D-men were just as panicky under pressure and routinely rimmed the puck up the boards in the hope that their forwards would win it back.

"That worked back in the Lemieux-Jagr days and it works again now for a very simple reason: opposing forwards and defensemen back off when those types of forwards fly their defending zone (as Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Hossa so often do). Makes you wonder whether, rather than expending so much energy coming all the way back only to get pinned along the right half-boards so many times, Jagr might have been better off doing what he insists all the top scorers in the league do: cherry picking.

"Just asking."

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/rangers/2008/05/what-went-wrong-in-game-5.html#comments

Don't think I've read a better argument against Renney's system.

[cwgatti]

Jagr is the Rangers Achilles heel. The Rangers need to break away from him and his aura at some point, but with the pieces they have now, that doesn't look too promising. I would accept a one or two year deal now, with the emphasis on developing defense (which except for Stall is below average at best).

And another thing, Jagr is still a dominant player. But there is no question that he is treated with bias by the refs. Jagr gets fouled on every shift. How he doesn't draw more penalties is just a travesty.

And as far as Prucha goes, I believe he is finally succumbing to the brutal hits he has been taking the last three years. . . . .He may have played his last game at MSG.

[Joe]

I've seen enough during the Pen series to cancel my Center Ice package for next season. If the inept officiating is the best the league could produce, I'd rather watch reruns of Hanna Montana with my daughter rather than suffer through Bettman's vision of fair gamesmanship.

[pj]

Jess, You are the one who doesn't get it. Saying "wake up" to people is not demeaning in anyway shape or form.

Your projection is pathologic.

Whenever anyone dared to criticize the rangers, you would jupmp down their throats. Yet, you tell me that everyone is entitled to their opinion!

And you make assumptions about the type of fan I am. You have no idea what my Ranger Fandom encompasses. You have no idea if I postponed my honeymoon due to the Rangers being in the playoffs.

So don't make any assumptions about me.

You picked the Rangers to win this series going away! Those who didn't agree with you were dismissed and criticized. Who was right and who was wrong? With all your great insight into the rangers (being a professional "journalist" and all) those who were not wearing their fan blinders turned out to be correct.

It is interesting how Lynn Zinser ( a REAL journalist mind you) in todays NY Times expresses the SAME OPINION I HAD that led me to write "wake up" in my post:

"If the Rangers keep him from returning to Pittsburgh, they would take a chunk out of the lineup of a division rival, one that looks as if it will be formidable for years to come."

Thanks Lynn! It sure is nice to be validated by a real journalist.

[TonyM]

Bob McKenzie on NHL Live yesterday said that JJ may very well return to NY , as he likes the City and he likes playing for Renney.JJ wants to be with a coach he likes. So I think if JJ and Slats agree on a price he will come back to the Rangers.
But he is an enigmatic, finicky player and he may just want to get away from the NHL and play a less demanding shchedule with OMSK.

Ron Duguay when asked what the Rangers need to get to the next level said" The Rangers need more grit and toughness, especially on the back line"
Renney said that going forward the Rangers needed to improve in the " physical engagement" of the game.
The sad thing is we have been saying it as fans for over a decade. So what did Sather do in the face of this need? He traded for Backman at the dealine, clearly a move that did not help for the playoff run.
This could be a fun summer as Sather retools the team that has some very good parts to it i.e.a franchise goalie. but if he retools the way he did after the lock out ( lots of soft Euro types and undersized wings) than we are all going to be very disappointed,

[David]

Its purely speculation but if Jagr re-signs and we could add Hossa in place of straka (while weakening Pitts) that is a pretty good 1st line.

[out0fyourelement]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=2005111615

from my research, this is the first occurrence of the "Sidney Crosby Hat Trick"

Goal, Assist, Unsportsmanlike Conduct Penalty

[Bob Merchant]

All I know is that this team was designed to win this year with JJ, Gomer, Hank, Drury and Shanny. It obviously did not pan out.

I guess only JJ will know or already knows what will happen but this team without 68 leaves a void that will not be filled from the ranks.

Even if JJ was not scoring, the other team was so preoccupied with him, it left holes for guys like Dubi as JJ was double covered.

Who will be our "go to guy"? Where is our Ilya Kovalchuk, Evgeni Malkin, Marian Gaborik or Vincent Lecavalier?

Oh by the way, check the leading scorers on NHL.com. Jagr is still showing top dog at 15 points through the 2 rounds. Amazing eh?

Can we really wait for our miracle kid to get out of Russia, play with the Pack and then become our guy? By then, Gomer and Drury will probably be free agents. *sigh*

[Pavel]

Jagr should be allowed to take his sweet time. IMO, he should pull a Selanne.. get your money, but wait.

I'd like to see Slats go after Orpik, Redden, and Hossa, but Marian will be pricy!

[ivrfydov]

Not a rich UFA list this year. The Rangers could do worse than Michael Ryder on RW.

For those who are interested in Elisha, she's now hanging out with Dion Phaneuf.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article1130475.ece

[laurie]

A very well reasoned piece. Yet my instincts tell me that -- despite all those good reasons not to -- he'll be back. I don't expect the decision to be made early, though, and would not be surprised to see July 1st come and go without word on his future plans. One thing I do know is that the deciding factor will not be the money, unless of course Slats offers so little (i.e. less than Shanny got this year) as to completely offend him. And despite all the talk out of Russia, I don't for a minute believe he will play for Omsk next season. He's not done in the NHL, and he proved that to himself and everyone else this spring. I do think what Slats does on July 1st could be the deciding factor. The system Renney plays is due in large part to the pieces with which he has to work. And in this case, the pieces on defense required a strong defensive effort on the part of the forwards. Upgrade the defense and you allow for a little more freedom up front.

[Alan]

and there's also the scheduled trip to prague for the beginning of next season to consider. would the jagr/rozey/straka-less rangers really be the team to invite? i hope i'm wrong, because i want those three gone, but i wonder if that was a sign of things to come.

[kovazub94]

I think Jagr will come back. I won't be surprised if he's signed to 3 more years. It probably will be in $6.5 to $7 mil range. Our forward unit will be easier to replace or even upgrade (over departing Shanny & Straka) just by continued development of players that are going to stay + new promotions from AHL + UFA (just one please).
I TOTALLY disagree with Dubi re. Prucha. He has the LEAST value as the trade bait in his 3 years with the Rangers, but if he stays he could provide valuable depth on any 4 lines next season in case of injuries (and also hopefully a chance to bounce back to his old form).
My biggest concern is on the defense. I doubt Rangers are going to bring up more than one true rookie. That means that it's going to be very difficult and expensive to get upgrade on D that includes a true # 1 defenseman (and get them all to play well as a unit). Currently we have three players that we know of definitely - Tyutin, Girardi & Staal. Rosival and Mara will ask for two much $$ (especially Rosival). Malik, Backman & Strudwick are just not good enough. Who can replace them (4 positions)? Hatchinson is not a rookie and after a good season in AHL he might be up to play 6 or 7. Sanguinetti is the first in line of true rookies to also get a shot because of his offensive potential. He should be slotted to be 5 or 6. Mara can be brought back if he's willing to play for less. Or either Pock, Baranka or Potter could get a chance too. But Rangers are lacking a true # 1 defenseman and IMHO it's the most glaring Rangers need for this offseason ir-regardless of anything else.

[Jess]

PJ

With all your great insight into the rangers (being a professional "journalist" and all) those who were not wearing their fan blinders turned out to be correct.

Uh PJ you keep harping on my being a professional journalist when I am the first to admit that I am not. Is that some kind of sexual obsession for you?

You also ignore the other criticisms I have of you about your trashing people for not having a detached or realistic view of the Rangers.

That makes you again a pompous self-righteous clown, again who are you to decide the standards for this blog?

Answer a nobody and that you are unwilling to allow anyone to be a cheerleader fan speaks volumes about yourself. None of which are nice.

I am not the one who brought up being a season ticket holder or length of service as some way to validate your status as a Ranger fan. That was you.

Oh wow you use the New York Times of all places with their part time Ranger coverage to think it makes your point special. Try using someone who provided full time coverage of the Rangers.

I do not need such validation, I predicted that the Rangers would win in 5 and was wrong oh well pooh pooh happens.

Seeing being wrong is something I can live with it.

On the other hand it makes me wonder if you can't because you have been about the folks here.

Now WAKE UP yourself, I am not a trained professional journalist, I am a trained scout who is studying journalism.

Get it right already

When there are no prospects to evaluate I am allowed to return to being a fan (except it seems in your world). That call is not yours to make until the day you own this site.

Again you seem to have this obsession with what roles I play here so until I see your name on those checks I cash then yours is a view that has no value to me.

You are nothing more than a person trying to be a pompous donkey rear end and you do it quite well.

Lynn Zinger as a point of validation, wow that is almost as funny as saying Larry Brooks is a super special reporter.

You would have cited the National Star if it "validated" you.

[Paul R _ _ _ _ _ D]

---Now WAKE UP yourself, I am not a trained professional journalist, I am a trained scout who is studying journalism.---

Boy, girl, cub or brownie scout?

--You are nothing more than a person trying to be a pompous donkey rear end and you do it quite well.--

You just called him an ass' ass, now that says something!

[Paul R _ _ _ _ _ D]

with the exception of beligerant Pen's bandwagon fans we are all Ranger fans, why do people feel the need to put there team down? this is our team if you don't like it pick one of the other 29, instead of constantly berating the team coach and gm pick new clothes to root for becuase in essance thats all we are really voting for here the blueshirts the player are wearing at any given time. Instead of saying how much better you would be as coach just be thankful for the fact that the last three seasons we have had somethig to do in the spring other then watch basbeall, we are watching kids come into there own on our team, a lot of teams have gotten younger talent so have we, instead of bitching and moaning about what we don't have lets look at what we do, and whats in the pipeline. I picked the blueshirts to win in 6 I was wrong, but you'll never hear me say in the beggining of a series oh god we are going to lose, I don't think that way I felt since the first puck drop that we would go deeper, and now I look forward to next season where I will do it again. the off season could see players stay come and go, so again we have something to look forward to now. I am a ranger and i believe in this team, it was not to be this year, maybe next year.

[Jed Orts]

is it october yet??

Philly is going to go at Pitt really hard, every single game and I wonder if that will be what's needed to beat them.
I hope the Stars win and Joel lights up Biron in the finals.

[kovazub94]

Even though it was a pretty bitter series, I can't bring myself to root for Phily. If the SC final is Pens vs. Detroit/Dallas, I'm going to be happy from the entertainment standpoint.

[And This One Will Last A Lifetime]

I agree taht raising the talent level of D should help alleviate some of the defensive responsibilities for the forwards. As great as it is to see Gomez generate rushes from our end, he rarely had the support coming down the ice to truly make the most of penetrating the attack zone. Often times you could see the opposing team form a box around him and let him veer off to the boards where rarely it turned into any sort of threat. I have no idea who will be used to fill out the half of our D that isn't committed to next year (Staal, Girardi, Tyutin...Backman needs to earn his spot and should thus be designated as a 7th D). Maybe Drury can at least get Campbell interested in coming here but from what I saw of him in the playoffs he's prone to overplaying the puck near the blueline. Also, San Jose looks to have plenty of cap room to give him the $6 million he'll probably command.

The size issue will need to be addressed, although I don't think it would hurt to let Sjostrom play 3rd line minutes next year. True, he won't be mistaken for a former Legion of Doom winger but he plays well on the boards and doesn't have the stonehands like his predecessor Marcel Hossa.

As far as Jagr goes, in a perfect world they'd open up the playing style (not just for him) and he'd register around 30 goals and 80 points. They'd also be able to see what they've got in the youngsters without being overly reliant on their production. Don't get me wrong, I loved watching Dubi, Cally and Dawes progress this year but let's see them take that next step. That means around a 20G/30A season for Dubi, 12-15G from Cally and at least 15G from Dawes before thinking our franchise is set for next year and beyond.

We might not have the top end young talent of Pittsburgh but there's no guarantee that they'll be able to keep their team intact. I've said before that they'll be unable to keep both Hossa and Malone, unless Malone gives them a tremendous hometown discount. Malkin won't be an RFA until after next year but the Pens would be stupid to not buy out some of his restricted free agency since they'll be more than just Kevin Lowe willing to throw a individual cap limit offer sheet to him. Fleury will also get a pay raise as well.

As for the rest of our division, the Flyers have more questions marks than their current run suggests. Who knows whether Simon Gagne will come back as an effective player if he comes back at all. They've got some fossils or guys entering the backside of their career on defense as well.

The Islanders are probably going to go with a glorified AHL team next year and the Devils aren't quite as far under the cap that miserly LouLam likes to project.

The Caps are on the rise and maybe Carolina gets their act together, but I don't see anything to worry about with the Florida teams and it very well looks like Atlanta is on the path to losing their second NHL franchise.

The Habs should be the front runner of the NE although how much of their success this year was underpinned by Kovalev having a good year? What happens if he goes back to having a trademarked frustrating year? The Bruins could have something to build on, the Senators will most likely be gutted, the Sabres could put a respectable team on the ice but who knows if Miller's impending contract situation will throw the team in disarray. Then there's Toronto, it can't be so bad if people aren't waiving their NTC's.

[njaco1215]

well now theres too long to wait for next season. im glad we didnt get swept by pitt.seeing the young guys step up this year was great so i'll deff be getting center ice again next year.Now i just wish i got a pic of b.dubi signing my jersey last year down here w/ the pack.
as for next year i dont see pru going somewhere w/ the possibility of atleast 4 wingers leaving(JJ,Straka,Avery,Shanny)unless he's packaged in a deal for a better pick or other trade. bring on next oct, i cant wait to see what the youth brings next year.

[Chris QCT]

Jed Orts - I think you're exactly right. I think Philly is going to get in their faces and slam them around. The NYR had better games when they stopped sitting back and decided to take away time and space. Philly is not going to take their crap. They're not going to play this passive, turn-the-other-cheek, sissy trap hockey that Tom Renney demands.

We had what was considered a soft 'European' team 3 seasons ago. Sather made the moves to bring in more North American players. But now we're just a soft team overall.

[Dubi]

Jess, PJ -- Please, calm down, guys.

PJ, no one needs a wake up call to realize how good the Pens are, we just saw them beat us in five games. But since you need a "real" journalist to tell you what's really going on, how about JD at the DN: "It will be quite another [thing] for Shero to keep even a Sidney Crosby-centered team at or near the top with almost every other important skater in the Penguins' lineup either entering unrestricted free agency this July (Hossa, Ryan Malone, Brooks Orpik) while Evgeni Malkin enters the final year of his entry-level deal."

And PJ -- It is not "cheerleading" to believe that the Rangers could have won this series -- even Crosby said so. And it is not "cheerleading" to be optimistic about the future even if Pittsburgh seems to be developing into a potential powerhouse. Your entitled to your opinion, but it is in fact demeaning to other people to label their opinion as "cheerleading" when it is, in many cases, just a contrary opinion to yours.

[Nickyboy44]

Dont fear Rnager fans...Jagr will be back. However the rest of the Czech contingent needs to go. They can find a cheap countrymate somewhere. The Rangers need to become more physical. It killed them in the series (outhit 36-17 ib final game). I have never been a Jagr fan but he was spectacular in the playoffs, and from all acounts he is well respected in the locker room. The guy deserves another contract. As far as the rest of the Czechs (Rosival, Malik, Straka)...goodbye! It's time to match size with size. The fans of the Prucha's and Dawe's of the NHL need simply to look at the two teams that are going to the conference finals. Both Pitt and Philly agre huge and physical up front. Something the Rangers are definitely lacking,

[Bones]

Getting to the next level, has nothing to do with whether JJ returns, its all about overhauling our stereotyped and unoriginal coaching staff. I'll say it again---Renney is just like Roger Neilson and he'll never ever take a team to the Cup and I'll bet on it, just like I bet that Mottau would eventually play in the NHL. But folks, believe it or not, Slats is actually clueless as a GM. He's only as good as whoever he designates to actually figure things out, like Muckler or Maloney. What would get ME excited would be to see MM behind that bench coaching Dubinsky, Callahan, Dawes, Staal etc. Winners breed winners, nothing complicated about it. The talent was there to get the job done, but the leadership wasn't there to make it happen.

[Dubi]

Deadly -- You're right that the team didn't intentionally tank to get their recent high draft picks -- the intentional tanking was in Mario Lemieux's draft year. You remember that one, right? That was the one that forced the NHL to change its draft rules and institute a lottery so that no one would tank again.

Actually, it was Penguins fans tanking in recent years that got those draft picks used on Malkin, Fleury, and Staal (Crosby was a gift from the NHL). Maybe you don't understand the economics of any business -- no customers, no profits and the first thing you do is lay off workers. The disappearance of fair-weather Penguin fans as soon as the team ran into hard times caused them to have to sell off their players, not vice versa.

For Pittsburgh fans to be rewarded for their lack of faith in their team with the high draft picks that helped build their current team is sick.

[Paul R _ _ _ _ _ D]

--What would get ME excited would be to see MM behind that bench coaching Dubinsky, Callahan, Dawes, Staal etc.--

Who is MM? the only person I can think of with those initials does not deserve to be in a hockey broadcasting booth.

[paulinflorida]

Thanks Dubi, some good insight on Jagr's situation. I also don't think he will be back next season and based on his regular season performance (playing not to get the automatic extension)he made that decision months ago. I have said that in previous posts and my original thinking was that he may be done with playing in the NHL. After reading your article and a little after thought he may still want to play in the NHL but with another team. I don't see Renney altering the style of play for the entire team in order to let jagr do his thing and open up his game. I also believe that his awesome playoff performance was to prove to everyone that he can still be a dominant player either in the NHL or any other place on this planet. Not having him next year leaves a big hole in next years version, one not easily filled for sure. Also agree that it is time for Straka and Prucha to move on. The defense is another story....I am sure you can write a whole article on that subject and what needs to be done there..........

[ntb]

Dubi, I am unfamiliar with the Crosby as an NHL gift to the Penguins storyline. What exactly happened? How did (could?) the NHL ensure Crosby would go to the Pens with the lottery system?

[Paul R _ _ _ _ _ D]

short version, bettmen in all his high and mighty god like power decided instead of having crosby go with the first pick "all" teams would have a shot and magically pitts came out on top.

[oleosmirf]

dubi

unfortunately i have to agree with you. Renney's system isn't good for Jagr and his teammates, aside from Dubinsky, just werent able to play up to his level.

I stated before the season that the Gomez signing could wind up to be the worst move in Rangers history and while that seems a bit extreme this is what I was afraid of.

I was afraid the Rangers would build a team around Scott Gomez and have our franchise player putting up 16 goals and 50 assists a season. Don't get me wrong Gomez is a very good player but he's not good enough to build a Stanley Cup team around.

To win a Stanley Cup, you need to build a team around a star player, someone like Iginla, Lecavalier, Crosby, Ovechkin Lidstrom, E. Staal etc.

Unfortunatly we dont have that type of player in NY or in the system (Jess might beg to differ though). Jagr is the best option at this point in time. The UFAs this season are very weak and letting Jagr go and overpaying for guys like Huselius, Malone or Vrbata is a terrible way to go.

Keep Jagr and appease him with resigning Straka as well and then when a guy like Kovalchuk hits the market in 09-10 then let Jagr and Straka go and pay Kovalchuk who i'm sure would love to play on a line with Anisimov and Cherepanov.

I dont know who else is available in 09-10 but in a bad UFA year the Rangers cant fall into a trap of giving a guy like Malone 5 million for 5 years b/c he played with Crosby and Malkin and then when he goes to NY he plays with Dawes and Gomez and barely puts up 15 goals.

We have cap room go resign Jagr and Avery. If Straka wants to play keep him or take the money left over from his and Shanny's retirement and go after Prospal, a big czech winger who can finish. Package Prucha and a pick/prospect for a decent 2nd line RW. Replace Roszival with Hainsey and sign a guy like the older Sauer and someone else to sure up the blueline and if we need cap room dump Backman's 3.4 million for a 7th rounder. There has to be a team like Phoenix or Florida that would take him for nothing...

Prospal-Dubinsky-Jagr
Avery-Gomez-Somebody via trade
Dawes-Drury-Callahan
Korpikoski-Betts-Sjostrom

Scratched: Byers/Orr/Jessiman, Moore

Staal-Hainsey
Tyutin-Girardi
Baranka/Potter-K. Sauer

Stratched: a better version of Strudwick

Lundqivst
Valliquette

[Paul R _ _ _ _ _ D]

who woulda thunk 2 years later he would be playing captain, and all this good fortune comes as pitts had no superstars, so they got luckey

[deadlyd]

The team went bankrupt before they had to sell off the majority of their star players. It seems you have the order of the events mixed up. The team made the playoffs every year until they traded Jagr before the 2002 season, also due to their economic situation. They were pulling in 16,000-15,000 through the 2002 season before their first losing season. Of course Penguins fans, who along with the rest of America are suffering through an economic recession, aren't going to blindly support a team who is selling off all of its star players and finishing in last.

[deadlyd]

Paul, you do realize the Penguins came in last place the year before and thus, in a normal year, would have the best chance to pick first. Bettman giving all teams a chance was a gift to the REST of the NHL, NOT the Penguins.

[aneirin]

This is the dilemma for next year. The team without Jagr will not be as good because they'll find it very hard to make up those 70+ points that he'd contribute and would almost definitely become a team primarily dependant on it's goaltender and defense to get them into the post season. On the other hand, the team with Jagr absolutely cannot do any better than they did this year because in order to win in the post season, you need your power play working, 2 pp goals (not counting the empty netter) in 5 games is what cost the series nothing more nothing less and a Jagr centric power play is going keep going in the same direction we've seen over the last two years. Nowhere.

So what's your poison. Take the step back this year or wait another year or two before you still have to take that step back. Me, I'd just bite the bullet, get a workmanlike team who'll run an honest power play and trust the draft, our stable of prospects, and gaming the system to get the missing offensive and defensive pieces. We've got a very young core, we should show the patience we all said we'd have when we were clamoring for a rebuild.

[Bones]

Paul R--- no its not Mike Milbury I refer to, I thought it would be obvious but apparently not----Mark Messier.

[NCSteve]

Thanks for a great year to everybody on this board. Thanks for the all the great games, insights, and laughs. Thanks for the Blueshirt Bulletin. And thanks to the Rangers for getting better and better. It'll be sad to see guys go (I hope Jagr and Shanny stay), but with developing players likely to be part of the mix, it will be interesting to see who arrives for the team in the fall.

I'm just sorry that I don't have any more Rangers games to watch for awhile. I figured the series would continue, maybe even go seven. THAT would've been some great hockey. Those were tough games to watch for a lot of different reasons, but all-in-all they were entertaining and exciting. Who could ask for more?

One last plug, Dubi: If you haven't subscribed to the Blueshirt Bulletin, wadda ya thinkin'? Do it today!

[oleosmirf]

if Jaromir Jagr is not a NY Ranger next season and a star player is not brought in to replace him then the NY Rangers will not make the playoffs next season...

[Paul R _ _ _ _ _ D]

ok so the diving birds know how to tank religiously, even though it s lottery and its not always the person with the worst record that picks first.

[Phill]

How about the Rangers 'pull a Penguins' and tank to draft Stamkos?

[Phill]

Whoops, I actually meant Tavares--- Stamkos is already a Bolt as far as I'm concerned.

[oleosmirf]

paul R_D

the Penguins sucked for a number of years and as a result they got Fleury after trading up from 3rd overall, Malkin 2nd overall and Crosby 1st overall.

They just got lucky and got 3 stud players at the top of the draft. How can you blame the NHL for that????

[Paul R _ _ _ _ _ D]

Sorry Phill cann't do that, never root for my team to lose

[Dubi]

Deadly -- The bankruptcy is not an excuse -- Pens' fans could have saved the team by sticking with them. The bankruptcy was the price for winning the Cups in the early 90s -- the deferred salaries came due. The Rangers likewise paid the price for their Cup win in terms of the pipeline of players having been bankrupted with guys like Tony Amonte, Doug Weight, and others traded for rentals needed to win that Cup.

But long after the bankruptcy was settled, all the Pens' players were still in place in 2001 and the team had been profitable in the two seasons leading up to that point (look it up if you don't beleive me). But the Pens traded Jagr, and then Lemieux and Straka got hurt, the Pens missed the playoffs, and bye-bye fair weather fans -- only then did the team start to lose money and lose all the other players and lose all its games.

[rs27]

I thought the D was much better with Strudwick in there. Maybe its because Hank was making the saves but there seemed to be a better sense of calm. Somehow the Rangers need to get a puck moving defenseman, a big winger, and a big defenseman this offseason to contend for the Cup, I just don't see those 3 things out there at once.

I think the major hope is Staal grows into a qb on the powerplay and try to pick up the other two pieces elsewhere.

[And This One Will Last A Lifetime]

Mark Messier will not be coach of the Rangers any time soon. Successful playing career does not always equate to successful coach, just ask Gretzky. Could he become a successful coach, maybe. But for every Larry Robinson you have a Trottier. And the most successful coach in NHL history never made it beyond the minors.

[deadlyd]

Baldwin made many bad decisions, no doubt about it. However, the bankruptcy is an excuse when the bankruptcy court ruled they could not have a payroll above $32 million. They economics of hockey made it impossible to compete with teams with large revenues in big markets like the Rangers, Flyers, etc.

The Penguins players were still in place in 2001, but they year after came many hard decisions in regards to signing players. The Jagr trade was inevitable, as was the trade/inability to resign the other players. The Penguins couldnt afford it. Patrick made horrible 1st round picks for years leading up to this as well.

But you're right. The Pens inability to afford talent, along with Patrick's inability to be a somewhat decent GM had nothing to do with the Penguins tanking. It was all Craig Patrick's plan to tank and lose his job to save the Penguins in Pittsburgh.

[paulf]

I don't think any team that had one of the top 3 picks the prior year should have been allowed to get the no. 1 overall in the Crosby draft. The Pens got a No. 2 for being bad in 03-04 and a No. 1 overall the next year even though no season had been played. I do NOT think the NHL weighted the lottery to favor the Pens, but it is unfair to the rest of the league that they got Top 2 picks two years in a row for playing one lousy season.

That is neither here nor there anymore.

Bottom line is the Rangers didn't strengthen the team at the deadline because they wanted to keep kids. They still had a shot, they were the second-best team in the east, unfortunately they ran into the first in the second round.

With Lundqvist in goal, the Rangers will be competitive for years and we know they will spend up to the cap limit to field a talented team. There is no one formula for winning the cup. Teams with weak goalies and no offensive stars have won, it's just a matter of getting hot and playing the right teams. San Jose has a lot more to be surprised about right now than the Rangers.

Reading Stan Fischler's piece, he was hard on Prucha, blaming him for the OT goal that ended the season. I get the feeling that reflects management's view and he may be gone. With Dawes and Callahan, we have a quota of small wingers, and they are much stronger and tougher despite their size. Prucha gives effort, but he spends too much time on his butt.