John Tortorella speaks at 9:30 a.m. We'll have player access afterwards on break-up day. Check back for updates on what the Rangers are saying as they head into their offseason. No doubt, today's the last day we'll have to speak to several players, at least as Rangers.
From today's Record/Herald News, analysis of what went wrong against the Capitals and five questions for the offseason.
Chat later...
My Player by Player analysis on who Sather should re-sign -- http://tinyurl.com/NYR-FAs
Posted by: PuckCentral.net | April 30, 2009 at 08:53 AM
Benching Avery was the right thing to do. EVERYBODY has to be held accountable or else it is back to Renney's type team.
What Avery did that game, I thought was so brutal that maybe Tortorella would never forgive him. It was a well deserved punishment. But Tortorella did lose the series by playing injured Drury and by destroying Zherdev's confidence. Zherdev was our biggest offensive weapon and he just shot the team in the foot.
Posted by: bob | April 30, 2009 at 09:26 AM
Joe, in case you didn't read the last thread my response on you Nylander comment. Nylander leaving didn't work out for him or the Rangers. He was a better Ranger than either Drury or Gomez have been. He had remarkable chemistry with Jagr. He was a point a game player here and he was flat out great in the '07 playoffs.
Posted by: graves9 | April 30, 2009 at 10:04 AM
graves - nylander will be 37 in october. time catches up to them all. i don't want him back and don't regret him leaving
Posted by: LI Joe | April 30, 2009 at 11:59 AM
puck central read your writeup
potter is 25 -turned that age in jan
bell in ahl does not help as he would have to clear waivers to come back during the season and if claimed would count 1/2 vs our cap
by the way parenteau is also a free agent and i fully expect him to go elsewhere. he'll be 26 next month
Posted by: LI Joe | April 30, 2009 at 12:11 PM
LI Joe - Potter's age was a typo, good call.
I got my numbers from Nhlnumbers.com - I'm assuming that Parenteau wasn't on their Free Agent list because he was never on the Rangers' roster this season while everyone else that I profiled was.
As for Bell, I don't see anyone placing a claim for him. I don't really see him as being useful, just trying to figure out why Sather bothered claiming him this past season. Like I said, I hope he's not seen as a replacement for Orr down the line.
Posted by: PuckCentral.net | April 30, 2009 at 02:13 PM
Good stuff PuckCentral!
Posted by: Sec67RowG | April 30, 2009 at 02:23 PM
puck central - i don't want to take a cap hit on any player not playing here. so i would not take a chance on subjecting a bell or rissmiller to reverse waivers with the 1/2 cap hit in play. in the off season that is not in effect. i have little problem with putting 1 of them in hartford but they will have to stay there all season. bell is a free agent and i expect him to go elsewhere.
Posted by: LI Joe | April 30, 2009 at 03:46 PM
I don't like it either, I'm just questioning what Sather may do & what he's thinking. He brought Bell in for something at the end of the season. I don't care either way if he re-signs or not because I don't see him playing in the NHL.
Posted by: PuckCentral.net | April 30, 2009 at 04:30 PM