New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has claimed goaltender Alex Auld off re-entry waivers from the Dallas Stars.
Auld, 29, has posted a record of 9-6-3, along with a 3.00 goals against average and an .894 save percentage in 21 appearances with Dallas this season.
For those out there who thought that this New York Ranger season would be properly written off with an eye to the future, you have my sympathies. By adding Alex Auld off the waiver wire, you can be assured that the Blueshirts will make a desperate grab at one of the final playoff spots. Other teams' fans may be reinvigorated by the move to bring in a veteran backup goaltender for a push at the postseason but here in New York, this is the same old story. The flawed franchise as it stands has zero chance at a Stanley Cup but will put just enough effort in to ensure some playoff revenue to keep their jobs, as the ownership sees only dollar signs. The players may change but the director (Dolan), the producer (Sather) and the script (ultimate failure) remains the same.
Sather went the familiar route of tossing aside a perfectly capable youngster for a veteran, and one who has been in the playoffs just twice - with Vancouver before the lockout. Auld went 1-2 over four appearances in those postseasons but he went
2-0-1 while allowing just three goals in '08-09 against the Rangers and that is all Sather remembers.
But it is not like Auld will see much action; John Tortorella will ride Henrik Lundqvist until the King breaks to ensure those home postseason revenues, while Chad Johnson gets banished back to Hartford. The likely thinking is that DosNueve's development is better starting down there (with Miika Wiikman sent to Charlotte) than it would be with him getting splinters in his ass up here. And you know, it is probably right as Hartford, like the Rangers, is a few points outside of playoff position and will make an attempt at extending their season. Of course, nothing would be better for the kid than to get some starts with the big boys but Torts doesn't trust him so its back to the bus league for the youngster.
Up here we will pray that the King can hold up the castle on his own and put up the bucks until the bitter end - as we always do. Because we are diehards, because we love that sweater, because we bleed blue.
"And this one will have to last a lifetime ..."
5 comments:
im with you 99 percent of the time, but chad johnson is worth more in a trade than on the bench. he'll never develop behind henrik (who, yes, plays 9 of 10 games), thus never be a capable back-up. auld is a proven, average nhl keeper, like they havent had since weekes.
as for what sather will do as the deadline nears... there youre right. hhe's gonna go for it. it being two extra home games. shame, but he knows as long as dolan gets those two gates, he'd never even entertain the concept of potentially maybe finding someone new. only hope is fan riot and then we'd just get messier, who may or may not know what he's doing. ugh. so.. USA USA.
It's going to be such a downer to watch my pathetic little Rangers again after watching so much effort and talent in the Olympics. Gee, I wonder why the Albatross Twins weren't asked to represent their countries.
Personally I don't think the Rangers will make the Playoffs this year what with the likes of so many harder working hungrier teams in the east like Buffalo, Devils, Caps, Philly, Pitt, etc. In a way I hope I'm right too because only through absolute failure can this team institue change, real change.
Yes, Sather has made some bad moves in the past, esprcially when it comes to D-men (whom he invaribly overpays), but the acquisition of Auld off re-entry waivers is not one of them.
In fact it's a very good acquisition of a much needed experienced back-up...
Johnson, needs more seasoning, the kid is young so there's no reason to rush him.
By the way, Aud's record with the Stars has been 6-1 since January 1st with a save percentage exceeding .925, darn good numbers
for anyone.
His cap hit for the rest of the season is somewhere around $82,000.
I say this time Sather got him self a real bargain, especialy if he plays like he's played since January 1st.
And there's no sign of Valley coming back either with him not doing that great at Hartford.
11 games, 4 wins 5 losses 1 tie at 87.7%. When he was waived by the Rangers, he was at 85%.
Stats at hockeydb.com
nice post. thanks.
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