It is good to see that there is some activity on Broadway even after John Tortorella sent the team to the golf course. Sather managed to spend more money, signing last year's top draft pick Mike Del Zotto to a contract today. I can't say I'm all that excited or even pleased, but whatever. After grabbing Bobby Sanguinetti in '07, the Rangers picked this kid - another offensive defenseman - and then signed Wade Redden for six years. Apparently the team thinks Marc Staal can play defense on his own, I don't know. Del Zotto seems like another one dimensional defenseman who isn't a game breaker. Sure he averaged a point per game but, despite playing alongside future Islander bust John Tavares, he couldn't elevate his team into the Memorial Cup. He couldn't even make the Canadian World Junior team, something that is pretty much the benchmark of quality for kids nowadays.
We saw him in the preseason and, as I said then, I was entirely unimpressed as he played a Rozsival/Redden-esque game with a bad penalty, a few turnovers and a goal against scored while he was out of position.
But, seeing as that was all I saw of him I will leave it to the experts to judge and Jess at Prospect Park seems pleased with his progress over the last year and thinks there is a future on Broadway for him. We'll just have to wait and see.
Some other random Ranger notes, while I am typin':
*First off, vote in the poll at the right. Who is the biggest villain for you as a Ranger fan? The results thus far have been quite amusing and no, I wasn't one of the ones who voted for Poti ... yet.
*If you haven't already heard, Pat Quinn went to Edmonton, where he will be assisted by Tom Renney. Quinn would have been nice to replace Renney behind the Ranger bench, instead of the megalomaniac we did get. Yes, I am still bitter we lost and yes, I still blame Torts for singlehandedly giving up a 3-1 series lead. But back to the Oilers, my question is will Jaromir Jagr come back to the NHL now? He already was interested in going from Siberia to the Canadian prairie last season and now that Renney is there?
*Heard from my ticket rep and she said that the biggest renovations to the Garden - the ones that will force most folks out of the locations they've loved for years - won't happen until next summer. *whew*
*Since Mikael Samuelsson is playing so damned good this postseason for Detroit, how much do you think Glen Sather will overpay for him on July 1st?
*Speaking of free agency, On Sunday Brooksie said in the Post the Rangers should go after another former Blueshirt, Mike Knuble. Like we need another over-priced old guy? Totally random - is it me or does Saku Koivu this summer look like Markus Naslund of last - a former captain making over $4 mill with diminishing numbers ...
*If the Rangers hadn't picked Del Zotto and already had all of the other defensive-deficient blueliners, it woulda been really cool if they had used their second rounder this coming draft on Jan Erixon's kid. While he is an offensive defenseman instead of a defensive offenseman like his old man, you'd have to think something from the old man had to wear off ...
*Another former Ranger, Tie Domi, was in the luxury box with Mario Lemieux as the Pens beat the Canes to get to the Cup tonight. He looked quite happy to be there, we need to get him back in the Garden, and we need to get this far in the playoffs too.
Now I'm depressed. I'll be back soon - quite soon possibly as there is a distinct possibility I will be able to report back from the Stanley Cup Finals so keep comin' back!
5 comments:
your being too negative about del zotto, guys like him take time to develop, and besides at this point, no one can be as bad as redden. Give the kid some time before you give him an F in your report card. And to be honest you still cant blame giving up the 3-1 lead on torts. Sure his ego contributed, but also look who the rangers have as their offense and defense..... its a miracle they made the postseason, in fact to game 7. A coach cannot do everything. I think at this point the rangers have enough defenseman prospects, they need some real goal scorers, because their only high goal scorer who looks promising, is evgenni grachev
You saw Del Zotto play one game and your ready to write him off? Are you kidding me? Politics kept him off the Canadian Junior Team.
One last thing, have you ever played hockey? Because if you have it's pretty simple that Torts could no way be responsible for them losing a 3-1 lead.
Actually I had written this kid off when he was drafted as I saw this as yet another grasp at the straw of replacing Brian Leetch. Del Zotto fell down the draft to us like Cherry did the year prior, but there wasn't the Russian factor there. Hey, maybe I will be wrong and he will come in in two or three years and become like his idol Bobby Orr. But seeing all of these kids jump into the lineups of their teams within a season or two makes me quite envious. It just feels like waiting for Jessiman all over again. But Jess stands by this kid so I won't write him off yet. But I am getting more and more excited for Grachev ...
And I know that the coach doesn't play, the players play and all that but Torts' decisions just helped the Sather-bought roster fall apart with an opposing team on the ropes. I sure as hell am not going to blame Hank ...
Del Zotto played in one NHL game this season. I know you're probably anxious to have another player with whom you have an axe to grind (because I'm sure devoting as much time as you do to bitching about Wade Redden gets boring sooner or later).
You don't want veterans like Knuble being signed. You don't want younger, untested guys like Del Zotto being signed. Who should play for the Rangers then? Players in their second year in the pros, exclusively?
If you dislike the Rangers players, style of play, performance and management so much, I think there's a mediocre team across the river that could use some fans.
Bitching about Redden gets old? Never!
I don't exclusively want second year players, I have no problem with rookies - just ones that are capable of playing. I don't want another defenseman who can't play defense, that's all. As for Knuble, recycling another slow, past-his-prime vet just doesn't seem to make sense to me. I liked him when he wore a Blueshirt the first time, he always hustled. I'm sure I will like him again because he is a hard worker, but I don't think that he will be all that helpful.
As for rooting for another team, never going to happen. Over 25 years of fandom won't change with a crappy coach, GM and overpriced roster.
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