Mark Your Calendars - Preseason Dates

The full NHL 2010-11 schedule will be released on Tuesday (the 22nd) but today the Rangers announced their preseason slate - a trio of home-and-homes. They set up with the rivalry to see which players have passion, they move on to the class to see which players have skill and finish with Ottawa, to see who can win when no one cares.

RANGERS 2010 PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE
Day Date Opponent Site Time

Thursday Sept. 23 New Jersey Madison Square Garden 7:00 PM

Saturday Sept. 25 New Jersey Newark, NJ 7:00 PM

Sunday Sept. 26 Detroit Detroit, MI 5:00 PM

Wednesday Sept. 29 Detroit Madison Square Garden 7:00 PM

Friday Oct. 1 Ottawa Madison Square Garden 7:00 PM

Saturday Oct. 2 Ottawa Ottawa, ON 7:00 PM

Training camp opens with players reporting to the Madison Square Garden country club in Greenville on Friday, September 17th.

Mark Your Calendars

Just released:

RANGERS ANNOUNCE PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE
Seven Games on 2009 Slate

New York, July 14, 2009 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced the 2009 pre-season schedule today, featuring three games at Madison Square Garden and a total of seven games in 13 days.

The Rangers will kick off the 2009 pre-season with a back-to-back set, opening against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, September 15, before travelling to Newark to face-off against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday, September 16. New York will then head to Detroit to face the Red Wings on Friday, September 18, in the first of back-to-back road games. The Blueshirts will travel to Boston to face the Bruins in the second game of the back-to-back road set on Saturday, September 19. On Monday, September 21, the Rangers return to The Garden to host the Red Wings. The Rangers will wrap up their pre-season schedule with a home-and-home set against the Capitals beginning on Thursday, September 24, in their final home game of the exhibition season, and concluding on Sunday, September 27, in an afternoon contest at Washington.

The 2009 New York Rangers training camp begins with players reporting to New York for physical testing at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility on Saturday, September 12.

RANGERS 2009 PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

Day Date Opponent Site Time
Tuesday Sept. 15 Boston Madison Square Garden 7:00 PM
Wednesday Sept. 16 New Jersey Newark, NJ 7:00 PM
Friday Sept. 18 Detroit Detroit, MI 7:30 PM
Saturday Sept. 19 Boston Boston, MA 4:00 PM
Monday Sept. 21 Detroit Madison Square Garden 7:00 PM
Thursday Sept. 24 Washington Madison Square Garden 7:00 PM
Sunday Sept. 27 Washington Washington, D.C. 12:00 PM

All Times Are Eastern Standard Time.

Scheduling?

NBC just announced during the Wings/Hawks game that they will have Rangers/Caps on next Saturday at 1pm. That kinda causes some scheduling chaos as Game 1 has been virtually confirmed for Wednesday. So Wednesday-Saturday-Monday-Wednesday? That way Versus can take the Rangers nationally on Monday?

I know they are saying the scheduling will come out later tonight but dammit, a man has gotta plan!

Good Games, Bad Games

Some people may hold up tomorrow's game against the Phoenix Coyotes as a reason to decry the NHL's upcoming schedule changes. 'I would rather see the Islanders or Flyers again rather than the crappy Coyotes.' Well, they aren't that crappy, but that isn't my point.

My point is that for every game like Phoenix, there is a San Jose. The Rangers play the Sharks on Sunday, February 17th, and I can't friggin' wait. Sitting at work today I have to cover the Sharks Stars game and through one period it is already one of the most exciting games I have seen all year (and its just 1-0). San Jose is a really well rounded team of big, smooth skating players. They move the puck well, block pucks well, hit well ... I have got to say that I am impressed.

They play pretty much how I wish the Rangers would play. The entire team plays the same way, playing as cohesive units, get into open spaces and shoot. The Rangers ... well ... don't. But who knows, there is always tomorrow's game, right?

Days Go By And Still I Think Of You ...

Since so many people have asked me, here are the upcoming important dates for the Rangers:

September 7: Prospects tournament in Traverse City, Michigan starts (Rangers roster is here and the full schedule for the tourney is here)

September 14: Training camp starts at the Training Center in Tarrytown, New York

September 21: First home preseason game. New Jersey at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
September 22: Preseason vs Philly at home
September 24: Preseason vs Isles on Long Island
September 25: Preseason vs Detroit in Detroit
September 28: Preseason vs Isles at home
September 29: Preseason vs Philly in Philly

and finally:
October 4: Regular season opener vs Florida at home

Let's Go Rangers!

Really quick

Since I got all of three hours of sleep on a horridly uncomfortable couch, a quick note on today's precedings.

-The Rangers have the nerve to give a guy they hope wins them some games a seven year deal (Gomez) and give the guy who has won them some games a one year deal (Hank). Doesn't make much sense to me. I guess once we get Scotty and Al Montoya together, I am going to have to learn how to say 'waste of money' in Spanish ... while Hank wins some team the Stanley Cup (Detroit?? Hasek will only be back for one year and that town has been quite Swede-friendly).

-The schedule came out and the Rangers are playing their home opener against Florida ... think the league wants New York to look good in their first game?!?

-No Brian Leetch night announced as of yet but with both Boston games being on Sundays late in the season, I wouldn't be shocked if it came against Toronto on December 6th ...

-We get to see LA, Anaheim, Phoenix, Dallas and San Jose for our Western Conference home games this season. I don't know about you, but I just hope that Colton Orr is in good shape as four of the five boast heavyweights ...