The Rangers have just announced defenseman Alexei Semenov is making the trip to Pittsburgh. No clarification beyond that as to whether all issues have been resolved or if Semenov would be available to play against the Penguins.
Semenov is not on the Rangers' roster officially released by the NHL but that was likely based on yesterday's deadline, before Semenov initially agreed to the contract.
More on this if warranted...
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Wow Flyers will really suck this season--crappy goaltending and they just signed garbage softie Betts.
Posted by: bob | October 01, 2009 at 02:51 PM
betts is really good on the pk and is also a class act unlike the player we signed who put an end to betts season last yr
Posted by: LI Joe | October 01, 2009 at 03:02 PM
I am glad they put the end to his season. I can't stand the way he played never throwing any hits. 4 years of torture.
Posted by: bob | October 01, 2009 at 03:05 PM
well you feel that way and no one will change your mind but he is gone now so no sense still bashing the guy.
Posted by: LI Joe | October 01, 2009 at 03:10 PM
LI JOE, I was fighting the urge to reply to Bob since I disagree with almost 100% of the things he says, but now that you have commented, I will, too, and say that Betts is one of the best money players in the game. As many penalties as we took last year, Betts and Sjostrom saved us from losing, probably, 10-15 games more than we did. Very underrated, and would give up, maybe, Avery to have him back.
Posted by: CP (Chris) | October 01, 2009 at 03:21 PM
Gee Chris, I like the guy too, but Avery?
Posted by: Charles | October 01, 2009 at 03:55 PM
Betts tortured me for 4 seasons with his garbage brand of hockey. I will bash him as much as I feel like. CPChris is an absolute moron. Get a clue. 10-15 games? you are abour 9 -14 off the mark. And you are not considering how many games they cost us by bein unable to score or hit or pass.
Posted by: bob | October 01, 2009 at 04:01 PM
cp - most of the rest of us know your value here. so don't bite on the insult.
Posted by: LI Joe | October 01, 2009 at 04:08 PM
Bob, considering we averaged 2.44 goals/game, 3rd WORST in the NHL, I think if we did not have the BEST PK, we would have lost more games than we did. There were only probably 10-15 games where we won by 2 goals or more; so, if you consider that, one PP goal ties the game and ruins any momentum the team has. PLUS, there were probably 4-5 games where the Betts line was the best line working for the Rangers at EVEN STRENGTH!
Charles, you're right, in the end, I wouldn't give up Betts for Avery straight-up, but Betts + Sjostrom for Avery. I would be hard-pressed to say "no" to that deal if it was offered to me as a GM, now knowing what we know from last year.
Posted by: CP (Chris) | October 01, 2009 at 04:23 PM
By the way, I realize there's more than one PK unit, but Betts and Sjostrom were the anchor...
Posted by: CP (Chris) | October 01, 2009 at 04:27 PM
Sorry, correction. I meant "wouldn't give up Avery for Betts."
Posted by: CP (Chris) | October 01, 2009 at 04:30 PM
OK, I would do the same deal for the two of them, although under this PK scheme they might not be quite as effective. I have to agree that they probably saved us a decent number of games, when you consider how many shootout and 1 goal games we won last year.
Putting it another way, who here wouldn't trade Boyle and Voros for Betts and Sjostrom???
Posted by: Charles | October 01, 2009 at 05:34 PM
Torts 4th line is going to get very little playing time; and with that, Betts and Sjostrom lost some value. I liked them both; it was likely time to move on. Strange to have Betts be a Flyer though.
I would be hard-pressed to trade Avery, period. I really like the guy -- I think he's a difference-maker for us; especially at his reduced salary now. I know he comes with alot of buts and ifs -- and there's some of his behavior that I can't begin to defend or make excuses for. But to my shame, I'm really a fan of the guy. And I'm not trying to sound like the reavers on the, won't be named other blog. But it's Avery against the league, and he's one of ours. So it makes us against the league -- us against the whole of Canada. Us against Marty. And I'm rooting for him to stick it to everybody.
And they were a great set of posts, Chris -- whether I agree entirely with you or not.
Posted by: Rogan | October 01, 2009 at 05:54 PM
I think we will all see how much we miss Betts when we see either how good or bad the penalty kill is this year. Not saying we should have signed him back or not, but I think if we can finish top 15 that is not bad because Torts style of play will be going for plenty of shorthanders this year. Time for hockey, oh never mind no Versus on Directv, thanks guys.
Posted by: Mark | October 01, 2009 at 07:00 PM
betts was good on the pk but thats about it, he wasn't even a faceoff specialist. i didn't hate him as a player but he had not an ounce of offensive ability and when you couple that with orr and sjostrom that line was almost guaranteed not to score. And yes the 4th line should be able to pot a dozen goals a year. Further, you can teach the pk, so I am not too worried about it
Now when we got rid of those three players I sure didn't think we would have voros around but hopefully that is short lived. If i had my druthers I would have Byers, Brash and either Boyle or hell sign D. Moore to a cheap deal (if he would sign one that is).
Posted by: Pete | October 01, 2009 at 08:34 PM
Caps look really good. Bruins not so much they will miss Kessel badly. They really don't have any natural scorers.
Posted by: graves9 | October 01, 2009 at 08:39 PM
Betts was a great pker but a medicore face-0ff man(mid 40's I believe) and under Renney he played way way too much. He added zip 5 on 5. Trading off Avery for him is wrong imo. Avery is a great agitator with good speed that can put up 40+ points a year.
Posted by: graves9 | October 01, 2009 at 08:43 PM
ahh just saw the correction.
Posted by: graves9 | October 01, 2009 at 08:45 PM
I would take Hollweg over Betts any day. At least he would go out and hit everything that moved. Betts and Sjostrom were despicable wusses, I wanted to puke watching them play. Ortmeyer and Jason Ward were a lot better than those 2 overrated softies.
Posted by: bob | October 01, 2009 at 08:47 PM
i am glad all 6 of those players are off the team
Posted by: Pete | October 01, 2009 at 08:49 PM
Hollweg took a million different dumb penalties.
Posted by: graves9 | October 01, 2009 at 09:06 PM
Pete, Betts had 6 goals last year and barely 10 and a half minutes of ice time a night --- how much of those 10 minutes were spent on the PK? Any guesses? Had to be at least 4-5 minutes.
Sjostrom had 7 goals last year and 12 minutes of ice time. I'm pretty sure he spent the same amount of time on ice PKing as Betts.
So 2/3's of the 4th line scored 13 goals, about a dozen as you suggested the 4th line should score. Not bad for about 6 minutes of even strength ice time.
Posted by: Charles | October 01, 2009 at 09:16 PM
i am very glad that ortmeyer (at one time some fans choice for future C - i think i just threw up), hollweg (never saw an illegal hit that he didn't like and usually good for 5 minutes per bad hit), and jason ward are gone. very much for all three.
i will miss sjoe and betts and wish them well although not too well for betts in philly. at least good health though.
Posted by: LI Joe | October 01, 2009 at 09:27 PM
Ortmeyer was an excellent pker too. Ward was a good player in 05-06 but stunk after that.
Posted by: graves9 | October 01, 2009 at 09:30 PM
ok thanks for taking what i said so literally. life will go on without those two around and the pk won't be that much worse for the wear if it is at all.
Posted by: Pete | October 01, 2009 at 09:32 PM