New Poll

I just put a new poll up on the right - do you like Sunday's 5pm start time for the Ranger game against Anaheim?

The Blueshirts clearly wanted to get an early season afternoon game in, but didn't want it to conflict with the Giants game at 1pm against Oakland (the Jets will play on MNF).

I'm not a fan myself, but what about you guys? Do you like the dinner-time Duck hunting?

Great Expectations

Coming off of the semi-impressive result from Saturday, it's time to address the latest poll results. Using some classic movie quotes, I asked how far you guys thought we would go. Just 44 people chimed in, but the consensus was that the Rangers will at least make the playoffs and 15 actually think this team will do some serious damage. Here are the results:

*We goin' Sizzler, we goin' Sizzler ... 15 (34%)
*Five, four, three, two, one, let 'er fly ... in and out. 12 (27%)
*Juuuuuuuust a bit outside. 5 (11%)
*I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. 5 (11%)
*Eddie, you're a born loser. 7 (15%)

I hope that most of you are correct but - as you have seen - I am more the pessimist when it comes to these things. Before last season some pundits called for a Cup in Broadway and I begged for caution; the best part about being a pessimist is that you are either proven right or pleasantly surprised. However, I do believe that if you write yourself off before the season even starts, then there is no reason to watch the games. So let's hope that the majority does rule and their predictions prove correct!!

Let's Go Rangers!

BTW - Bonus points to anyone who can identify the five movies I used in this poll. And a new poll will be coming soon so I hope for more participation!

Goalie Carousel

ESPN.com actually has a interesting SportsNation hockey poll posted. I put the questions below with my answers starred and explanations next to them. If you want to vote, click here.

1) Which team made the best trade for a starting goalie?
**41.7% Florida Panthers - got Tomas Vokoun from Nashville - This one is a no brainer as Vokoun (when healthy) is a top five goaltender in the NHL, Toskala may not even start and Manny became overrated playing in the Wild system.
37.1% Toronto Maple Leafs - got Vesa Toskala from San Jose
21.2% Boston Bruins - got Manny Fernandez from Minnesota

2) Which team made the best free agent signing for a goalie?
29.2% Phoenix Coyotes (Alex Auld, David Aebischer)
23.5% Buffalo Sabres (Jocelyn Thibault)
17.9% Pittsburgh Penguins (Ty Conklin)
14.4% New Jersey Devils (Kevin Weekes)
13.0% Edmonton Oilers (Mathieu Garon)
**2.0% Chicago Blackhawks (Wade Flaherty) - Ok, so I picked the least popular option but watch out, Flaherty is a wise old veteran who will give the Hawks stability if he is called on. Phoenix signed two backup goalies who had bad years in 2006-07 and the rest of the goalies on this list are has-beens, even Weeksie who was unspectacular for most of his time in a Rangers jersey (the West Coast road trip last season being a lone, but important, exception).

3) Which team that will rely on a rookie as a backup will have the best season?
42.9% New York Rangers (Al Montoya)
**18.2% Minnesota Wild (Josh Harding) - I didn't pick us because I don't think Montoya should be our backup, Stevie Valiquette should. He won arguably the biggest game of the regular season last year (vs. St. Louis), so he should have a shot. And Josh Harding is an utterly stellar prospect and a good kid - read about him here. Montreal's kid Price will probably turn out to be the best of the bunch but, like Montoya, I don't think he will be the backup there - Jan Halak will.
16.2% San Jose Sharks (Dimitri Patzold/Thomas Greiss)
14.4% Montreal Canadiens (Carey Price)
8.3% Nashville Predators (Pekka Rinne)

4) Which team that didn't sign or trade for a starting or backup goalie should have?
48.4% Los Angeles Kings
14.8% Nashville Predators
13.7% Montreal Canadiens
8.4% San Jose Sharks
**7.5% Calgary Flames - If anything happens to Kipper, this team is screwed. That simple. The Kings will have Dan Cloutier healthy and will have Jason Labarbara out to prove something. Labarbara was spectacular last year but was stuck in the AHL due to waiver limitations. He should be able to take the job this season and hold onto it, while the fiery Cloutier pushes him for ice time.
7.2% Minnesota Wild

5) Which team's free agent loss hurts the most?
41.3% Los Angeles Kings (Mathieu Garon signs with Edmonton)
**31.5% Pittsburgh Penguins (Jocelyn Thibault signs with Buffalo) - I explained my thoughts about LA in the last question and the Pens in this case really have no one to push young Marc-Andre Fleury, oh he of the golden pads. Dany Sabourin is young and not very good, he looked like crap last season playing behind Roberto Luongo in Vancouver. We did fine without Weeksie and Jamie Mac's only noticeable accomplishment the last few seasons was this.
16.7% New York Rangers (Kevin Weekes signs with New Jersey)
10.6% Calgary Flames (Jamie McLennan off to Russia)

Total Votes: 6,006 (as of Sunday afternoon at 3:30)