A BJ On Broadway

So the long-rumoured deal is done, the Rangers have acquired Rick Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The cost? Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon and a first round pick.

First, on what the Blueshirts gave up to the Blue Jackets:

*Neither Dubi nor Arty have reached their potential and there is no telling if either ever would have in New York. Dubi could have been an Arnott-esque force but he struggled to reach that level with any kind of consistency. He got the big contract and, as is typical, struggled in the first season of the deal. In postseason interviews he acknowledged it and promised to work to be better and now, Columbus will find out if he stands by his word. Arty had multiple 'wow' moments but they came when he was paired with big, tough wingers. Without burly Blueshirts to have his back, the Russian played on the fringes and was ineffective.

*Losing Tim Erixon is the most painful part of this deal. To let Erixon go and keep Del Zaster is simply stupefying. In 18 games last season we saw Erixon improve and adapt, held back only by his size and the ice time allotted him. Meanwhile Del Zaster continues to make the same mistakes now that he did three seasons ago but Torts loves him so he avoids any accountability for his errors. That being said (through gritted teeth), Erixon is now unlikely to become the great player he could have been, as he will surely be unhappy in Ohio - a worse locale than Calgary, where he refused to play in the first place.

*The first rounder will likely be late teens, early 20s so it really isn't that big of a loss. When you consider that the kids that are in the system now, outside of Kreider, will need a few seasons of seasoning before coming to Broadway, losing one pick isn't the end of the world.

And now for Nash:

*You've seen the highlight reels; he's big, he has good hands and elite offensive instincts.

*Those instincts may be completely wasted in Tortorella's uncreative, talent-stifling, killer instinct-lacking, shot-blocking, defensive system.

*There is no denying the multiple moments of singlehanded sheer brilliance Nash has performed but, in typical fashion, the Rangers picked up a player who's numbers have decreased each of the previous three seasons.

*He is signed for the next six seasons, at an exorbitant cap hit of $7.8 million. Given that the NHL is looking to lower the cap, having a massive hit like that for what, come January and a full recovery by Gaborik, will be the second-line right winger is more than a little silly. He has a higher cap hit than Stamkos, Parise, Kovalchuk and Vanek (among many others).

*The captain of Columbus, Nash asked to be traded - a request that was made public and a sure reason to worry about his character. That being said, he stepped up his game with nine of his 30 goals in the 20 games after the trade deadline - either to make other teams more willing to increase their offers in the offseason or because there was no more pressure to carry the BJs.

*The only real centers during Rick's time in Columbus were old Sergei Fedorov and unhappy Jeff Carter, but he played alongside Joe Thornton in Davos during the last lockout (and may again in the next one!). Automatically thinking he will star alongside Richard$ may be a mistake; adding Gomez to Jagr seemed like it would be a sure thing but we all know how that worked out. Perhaps Nash can fall in with Derek Stepan, and help the kid meet his potential.

*As an outsider, it did not seem like Nash helped anyone in Columbus meet their potential. Gilbert Brule, Derick Brassard and Nikita Filatov all busted under his watch (there is still a little hope for Brassard, but who knows).

*It is interesting that Hockey-Reference lists former Ranger Bun Cook as a 'player with a career of similar quality and shape.' However, the Blueshirts are hoping and paying for Nash to be more Bill Cook than Bun though, as Bill was the best winger in the game and he led the team to two Stanley Cups.

And that is what it will come down to: winning Stanley Cups. The team just choked away a prime chance and the flash of adding Nash will be long faded if the team doesn't take the next step next season.

The Saddest Hockey Card Of All Time?

I was looking around the evil eBay today and came across this card. I have it at home and must say that it is heartbreaking to look at. It is the 1975-76 O Pee Chee card of Eddie Giacomin with the traumatic note that he was "Sold to Detroit Oct. 31". Of note, the Topps version does not have the update.

In the Legends Of Hockey series, Giacomin and the Cat re-told the story of that direful deal and Eddie's emotional return the next game. Sure it saddens up your Sunday but it shows just how great Ranger fans are.

Side note: if you guys are interested, I can do more pieces like this about cards, jerseys or other Ranger memorabilia - I have a decent collection. Just let me know.

So Much For That ...

@thenyrangers #NYRangers trade Aaron Voros & Ryan Hillier to @AnaheimDucks for Steve Eminger.

The Rangers dealt the People's Champ, a forward who would run through a wall for the team, and a prospect with no future in the organization for an overpaid, journeyman seventh defenseman.

Just 26 years old, Eminger has played for five NHL teams since the lockout - four in the last two years. He is in the last year of a one-way deal and will make $1,500,000 this season; but a cap hit of 'just' $1,125,000 (thanks CapGeek). He has a laundry list of injuries and has not played a full season since making his debut in 2002-03.

He moves the puck pretty well but takes a lot of bad penalties. He has just three NHL fights to his resume but 301 PIM.

Adding Eminger creates an interesting wrinkle in the Blueshirt blueline - when is he going to play and at who's expense? Will he platoon with Hobey Gilroy? Given the Ranger cap situation, will he get the sixth defenseman spot should Staal not re-sign or be given an offer sheet? We shall certainly find out ...

But before that, best wishes to Voros in Anaheim. Sure he wasn't particularly good, but he was dedicated and earned his nickname as the People's Champ with his effort. It was great to chant his name back in January and hopefully he will become a regular part of the Quack Attack.

Why Not Arnott?

The saying goes that sometimes the biggest moves are the ones you don't make. What usually goes unsaid is that it cuts both ways.

Today the Devils reacquired Jason Arnott in a deal with Nashville for a second round pick next year and right wing Matt Halischuk, a low-level prospect. Glen Sather either did not get in on the negotiations for Arnott's services or he decided that the Predator captain wasn't worth it. Either way, the Rangers are less off for not swinging the deal.

Let's look at why:

*Adding Arnott would have given the Rangers a first line center. Having a depth chart of Arnott-Dubinsky-Anisimov-Drury would have made the middle a position of strength. (Yes, Drury would be manning the fourth line; as he showed at the Olympics, that is where he excels.)

*While his leadership was questioned in Nashville, he still brings 1,205 NHL games, 939 points and a Stanley Cup ring to the table (numbers include playoffs).

*At 6'5, 220 Arnott would have provided size the Rangers need, and at a far higher skill level than Brian Boyle. Boyle should go to Hartford, directly to Hartford, without passing go and without collecting a NHL salary.

*His experience as a big man and his particular skill set would have provided a perfect role model for Brandon Dubinsky, who did not particularly progress in his development last season.

*While waiver wire addition Erik Christensen showed some chemistry with Marian Gaborik, he certainly did not draw the defenders to him. Everyone watching knew Christy was going to look for Arnott 49 times out of 50 before taking things himself - after the defense has secured the zone. Arnott forces teams to take notice of him and is willing to go hard to the slot - something that would open more ice up for our Slovak sniper.

*With one year left on his contract, Arnott would have bought the Rangers a season for Derek Stepan to learn the pro game in either the AHL or the WHL.

*Despite a string of injuries the last few years, Arnott still has averaged better than 0.7 points per game. Drury, by the way, averaged 0.42 last season. And if those injuries were a concern, well, look at Gaborik last season.

*On the Devils, Arnott will make himself quite familiar with the front of the crease in front of Henrik. Not good. Not good at all.

As the move was not made, the Rangers are still without a top pivot. If they want to re-sign Christensen, that works but they can't give the lip service that they are going to make the playoffs and make a run for the Cup. And that is fine - this team is long (long, long, long) overdue for a rebuild. Let Prospal walk, re-sign Brodie Dupont and give him a shot at the roster, bring up Bobby and Dane and Dale (Weise), trade Rozy for picks (or a bag of pucks) and banish Redden from Broadway.

But let's face it, that is about as likely as Dolan selling the team and Sather offering an official apology for his reign of ridiculousness. It is still far, far too early to condemn him for the coming season but letting Arnott go to Jersey may be the biggest move he made.

Deadline 2010: Much Ado About Nothing

Trade deadline day has come and past and the New York Rangers you know and love (har har) are still New York Rangers. After rumours of big package deals, Glen Sather and company made just two minor transactions on Wednesday, neither of which should have a big impact on the Blueshirts.

First they traded Hartford's Jordan Owens to the Detroit Red Wings for Kris Newbury and then they dealt goaltender Miika Wiikman and a seventh round pick in '11 to Phoenix for Anders Eriksson.

Eriksson is a good addition should the Blueshirts actually make it to the playoffs or suffer a injury on the blueline (please be Redden, please be Redden). Much like the finally-healthy Mathieu Dandenault, Eriksson has a Cup on his resume and a helluva lot of experience. Even if he never steps on Broadway, he should be able to help Bobby Sanguinetti and the rest of the cubs on the Pack make a real run at the Calder Cup playoffs.

I remember watching Wiikman in the morning skates in Switzerland before last season and seeing some good things but he has been bouncing to the ECHL and clearly has been passed by Zaba and DosNueve on the depth chart. So no big loss there. I saw Owens play twice this season for Hartford and was impressed each time but will ultimately defer to Laurie at Beyond The Blueshirts for analysis (and she agrees):

"Newbury, a 28-year old center, gives the struggling Wolf Pack another option down the middle, while adding veteran experience and a player who’s not afraid to drop the gloves.

The cost, Owens, will be a tough pill for Wolf Pack fans to swallow."

The full piece is here and is well worth a gander. Both Newbury and Eriksson are pegged for Hartford and Mitch over at Howlings will be talking to both on Thursday so make sure you head over there to see what they have to say.

Sather had nothing to say today and he didn't bother meeting with the media. But he did make a statement and it isn't a bad one: 'this is the team I built and this is the team I think will make the playoffs.'

I had hoped he would use his Jedi ways of persuasion to get rid of Redden but have to admit that I don't mind that he failed. I mean, I mind that we still have to deal with Redden, but I'm glad Glen didn't do anything dumb to get rid of him - like package him with Ryan Callahan or Brandon Dubinsky and a top pick. I don't like that Corey Potter got the boot back to the bus league but I guess nothing can sway Sather that the team would be better off with the kid instead of Redden or Rozsival. Or nothing can sway him from taking the ego hit that would be demoting the multimillion dollar mistakes that he signed.

That is to be expected, it is the same old story. The final chapter of this season's tale will be written by the same players who are currently on stage, strutting and fretting. Let's hope it is more than a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

But I wouldn't bet on it.

I'm So Confused

Could Glen Sather actually be deserving of his Hall of Fame status?

That can't be possible, can it? I looked outside and there doesn't appear to be any airborne swine. But Sather did it again, getting a blue chip blueline prospect for virtually nothing. First he gets Montreal stud Ryan McDonagh as a throw in return for the Gomez salary dump and now he deals a career AHLer for a defensive defenseman the like the Rangers haven't seen since Jeff Beukeboom. Sure, Nigel Williams hasn't gotten to that point yet, but the boys-in-the-know over at HFBoards are raving about the former Colorado second rounder's potential.

Jess from Prospect Park didn't share the same enthusiasm for the Belleville blueliner when I asked for his two cents but even if this kid doesn't work out, all it cost us was Brian Fahey - a defenseman who was never going to make the team anyway. I saw him in Switzerland last September and was unimpressed; apparently he was even worse in Hartford.

It's a good, smart transaction - certainly not the type of thing we are used to from Joe McGrath our fine general manager. Seriously, what is going on? Are we being Punk'd? It certainly seems like we are being set up for a big, unfunny joke. So what is it? What does Sather have up his sleeve? What horror are we in for? A deal for DP? A Redden contract extension? Marek Malik's return as a assistant coach in charge of the defense?

Speaking of coaches, today Torts brought in his right hand man from Tampa, Mike Sullivan. It will be sad to see Jim Schoenfeld kicked back upstairs; I liked having someone behind the bench who was tougher than anyone on the other team. But Sullivan was a rock solid player and a capable coach in Boston before riding shotgun with Torts so this seems like just another wise move.

I'm trying not to get my hopes up here so the ground doesn't shake as much when the other shoe drops but I may just be starting to like the direction the Ranger franchise is going in.

Scary.

Just Some Thoughts ...

I understood the rumours of the Rangers bringing Sergei Zubov back. He is a smart veteran who isn't likely to play 82 games but can be counted upon to QB the power play and take the young defensemen in the organization to the next level. Zubi is great and he would certainly be a big veteran addition to the team.

But now Beyond the Rangers is reporting that the Blueshirts are showing interest in Anton Babchuk. Now, don't get me wrong - Babchuk is just 25 years old, had a solid season for the Canes and still has not reached his potential. For a team without cap issues, a team without five or six almost-NHL-ready youngsters ready to step in, Babchuk would be worth the money he is looking for (over a million per year, likely around two). Vancouver, L.A., Phoenix, Florida, Columbus, St. Louis ... not New York.

Considering Dubi has yet to be re-signed and Sather admitting he wouldn't be opposed to dealing the young center, perhaps the Rangers would sweeten the pot with one of the blue chip blueliners. But even then, they would be getting a true first line center in return and the contract that surely comes with it - so they wouldn't have the money to afford a guy like Babchuk. I just don't get it.

What's next? Bringing back Marek Malik or Christian Backman? Both are still on the market ... even I don't think Sather is that cruel ... is he??!?!?!?!?

Peepin' Foes: NHL Trade Deadline Edition

NHL general managers have two days a year when they get to step in to the limelight and tomorrow is one of them - the trade deadline. The final bell rings at 3 p.m. EST but since the NHL insists on using archaic faxing technology, deals will come to light all the way up until six or so. Much like the first day of free agency, GMs can make or break their franchises on deadline day. Granted, more often then not it is break (Atlanta, 2007), but it is still great fun for us hockey fans.

Where We Are: The Rangers are really close to the cap and still needing a scoring winger and help on the blueline.

Where They Are: Philadelphia is flirting with the idea of Jay Bouwmeester. New Jersey already added a solid defenseman in Havelid and still have a goaltender to trade. Pittsburgh added Chris Kunitz in what is turning into a stellar deal but is still sorely in need of help all over the ice. The Islanders are going to deal Bill Guerin, it is just a matter of to which team. The other teams we will be fighting with outside of the Atlantic - Buffalo, Carolina and Florida - could all make big moves. Buffalo needs a goaltender, Carolina needs ... well, Rod Brind'Amour to return to being Rod Brind'Amour, and Florida could use some veteran help up front (but not much else, these kids are hungry).

Who To Watch For: Buffalo and Columbus. If Buffalo gets a goalie to fill in for Miller, they will certainly up the ante in the race for the playoffs. Columbus is worth watching because they are almost certain to make a big move and that is what makes deadline day fun.

What To Watch For: If Boston makes a big move, Montreal will almost certainly follow. The Habs reaaaaallllyyy want to win this season and they need more then a revival by Alex Kovalev to get there. The B's are the Beast of the East right now and any move they make to get better would make their Original Six rivals (and the team that beat them in the playoffs last season) look worse.

What We'll (Hopefully) See: Glen Sather not doing anything stupid. Blair Betts not getting traded. Buffalo not getting their netminder. Islanders not getting any return for their veterans. Dominic Moore to end up somewhere good that isn't in the East (always liked that guy).

Also Check Out: The first place you should go is TSN since they are usually the first to report big deals, Blue Notes since Zipay is really on the ball lately with Blueshirt news, SB Nation's Deadline Center, the new crew at Barry Melrose Rocks plans to live blog and that should be good for some laughs and Puck Daddy, just cause I like those guys.

Cramming For The Deadline

I kinda touched on this over at Illegal Curve a few weeks back but as Wednesday's deadline is on the horizon, here is a quick primer of what I see that the Rangers have and what they need heading into the GMs' swap meet. It is certain that the new coach will want some new players who aren't entrenched in the locker room already, who haven't soiled the Garden ice this season. On Wednesday I will be around and should be able to keep on top of the deals but have an appointment right in the middle of the afternoon so I will likely keep an open post atop the blog for you guys to throw updates, comment and cause chaos. Here is something to get started on:

What The Rangers Have To Trade:

*Guys who will be unrestricted free agents after this season: Blair Betts, Colton Orr, Dmitri Kalinin, Paul Mara and Stephen Valiquette. Of those five, you can be pretty sure that Colt and Valley aren't going anywhere - they are virtually irreplaceable. If Paul Mara has made it known he will test the free agent waters this summer, Glen Sather may try to put him out there - even if he has been the Rangers best blueliner. Let's face it, no one will take Kalinin because he is too much of a defensive liability at this time of year. That leaves Bettsy. Regular readers and friends know that Bettsy is my favourite Ranger so this is tough but Bettsy is really a good player to trade. Any team that feels that they are a contender needs a solid defensive forward like Bettsy - let's face it, Detroit still relies heavily on Kris Draper after all these years. Tortorella is notorious for his usage of three lines so fourth liners are expendable - granted, he has rolled four lines pretty steadily of late but who knows if he has been just testing guys or this is a new leaf he has turned over.

*Spare parts - Depth guys like Mark Bell and Patrick Rissmiller are decent players who could contribute to a contender, even if only in a Black Ace roll. EDITBoth also have no usefulness for the Rangers, outside of filling a Hartford roster spot. Bell will be a UFA after this season.

*Players who will be restricted free agents after this season. This is where it gets tricky because who knows if Sather and Tortorella are truly trying to win the Cup right now and are willing to sacrifice the future. If Sather isn't prepared to give big contracts to some of these kids, he would be wise to deal them before they get poached and all he gets back is some meager draft picks. The list is pretty extensive - Nik Zherdev, Brandon Dubinsky, Lauri Korpikoski, Freddie Sjostrom, Nigel Dawes, Ryan Callahan, Petr Prucha, Erik Reitz and Corey Potter. Zherdev continues to tantalize with his skill and he seems to have already pulled the wool over Tortorella's eyes. Dubi has been a beast but will be looking for a big contract. The Korpedo has been pretty steady for a rookie but what does he add that others don't? Torts said he missed Sjostrom's presence on the PK but Freddie hasn't contributed much more than that despite his speed and a seemingly big offensive upside. Dawesie is good to trade, but who would take an undersized skill player who can't score? Cally and Pru have been heart and soul guys and now they have a coach who loves that quality so both are pretty much assured of sticking around. Considering no one claimed Reitz when he was on waivers with the Wild, it is safe to say no one really wants him except for the Rangers. And despite solid play, Potter never was able to sell Renney that he is ready for the NHL. Perhaps another team will think that he is.

*And I believe that the Rangers still possess their full slate of draft picks as well as Toronto's 5th round pick (acquired for Ryan Hollweg).

What The Rangers Need:

*A shutdown defenseman. Redden and Rozy are soft, Kalinin is a joke and Staal and Girardi are trying to recoup after months of having to cover for their partners. That leaves Paul Mara as the toughest Ranger blueliner and he has a bad shoulder now. Scotty Hockey recommended targets: Greg Zanon (Nashville). Niclas Havelid (Atlanta) was my initial pick but as I was working on this, the damned Devils got him. Zanon is one of the best shot blockers in the NHL and makes less than a mill this season so he can certainly fit under the cap with little maneuvering. Derek Morris is the dark horse here since Sather seemingly loves to deal with Phoenix but he may come at a higher cost then he is worth.

*A power play quarterback. Redden and Rozy were both supposed to be that person but neither one is capable of keeping the puck in the zone and both are reluctant to shoot more often then not. Best odds are on Sather just leaving things in the hands of his overpaid "stars" but just in case, Scotty Hockey recommended target: All of the talk is about Chris Pronger getting dealt from Anaheim but Scott Niedermayer will be unrestricted and his brother is a healthy scratch nowadays. Niedermayer is one of the top defensemen of the last decade and still has some left in the tank for a big playoff run. Then again, to get him there would have to be a significant package going the other way (if only to get him under the cap), which is dangerous.

*A top line scorer. Nik Zherdev doesn't care and Markus Naslund has a skate in the grave. There really aren't a whole helluva lot out there that won't cost half the roster. Detroit has a glut of top notch guys going to free agency (Franzen, Hossa, Hudler, Samuelsson, Leino) but Ken Holland is too smart for Sather - the Rangers would get raped. After the Fritsche-Reitz deal there is a relationship with the Wild but Marian "Ouch my groin" Gaborik would be waaaay too much of a gamble and waaay too expensive. Borat Antropov is terrible and not worth it at all. Scotty Hockey recommended targets: Mr. X from the Blue Seats pitched Marty Havlat to me months ago and I couldn't find any flaw with him unless he was hurt. He has been healthy and a steady contributor for the Hawks but the price might be too high - he is 28 and makes $6 mill. Otherwise let's just hope Tortorella can get Big Z play to his potential ...

*A gritty veteran leader. Renney didn't want Shanny. Putz. Neither Drury nor Gomez are capable of leading this team through the regular season, much less the playoffs. Everyone keeps floating Keith Tkachuk and Bill Guerin but they are both well past their primes. Tkachuk is a better than the Islander but would come at a high cost and require some salary cap magic. Scotty Hockey recommended targets: It was easy to hate him last year but Gary Roberts really is a tough sonofabitch. If Sather does deal away Sjostrom, Roberts would be a fine fourth line winger who could bring the grit. Jeff Halpern is a former captain and Phoenix's Steve Reinprecht has a Cup on his resume but Erik Cole, who won one with Carolina, could contribute some goals. The former Cane and New York native is on the block in Edmonton and all he does is give 100% every game. He came back from a broken neck to play for the Cup, 'nuff said.

*Heart and fire. Sean Avery is a possibility and is headed through waivers but there is no guarantee that the Rangers will get him. Scotty Hockey recommended targets: I would love Ian Laperriere but considering he nearly took on the Ranger coaching staff the other night, I don't think he will be joining the team. I guess that just leaves Sean ...

Then again, all of this is likely crap because no one can say what is going on in the foolish mind of Glen Sather. The guy is the worse GM in the NHL so predicting what he should do is easier than what he will do. We can only hope the other GMs don't take too much advantage of him. No more Christian Backmans!

Make The Trade Glen!!

There is a great article on Yahoo! by Dan Hickling catching up with former San Jose Shark defenseman Kyle McLaren. For those of you who don't remember him, he used to push the Rangers around as a blueliner on Boston. He isn't flashy, he doesn't put up big numbers but he hits people and keeps them away from the crease. And, according to Hickling's piece, he still does that - just in the AHL. It is a shame that a player of his skill set is languishing in the bus league.

He would be the perfect pickup for the Blueshirts.

Someone has to defend Hank, and McLaren can do it. While he isn't likely to be the locker room luck charm that Jason Strudwick was last season, McLaren is better than Struds was on the ice and his presence certainly would push Rozy, Redden and Kalinin. He has the strength to battle the big boys and keep them away from the paint while being capable moving the puck. He would be the closest thing this team has had to Jeff Beukaboom since the big man had his career end prematurely.

And you have to figure, with his salary of $2.5 million, he could be had for Petr Prucha. Let's face it, no matter how much everyone is pushing for Mats Sundin, it would take a minor miracle to fit in his salary demands. Even with the brave Prucha gone, McLaren would push the Rangers cap, but it would be well worth it.

Are You Kidding?

This is ridiculous:

[Toronto] has acquired forward Lee Stempniak from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo and forward Alex Steen.

The Leafs utterly rob the Blues, getting a solid young American scoring winger for Thomas Steen's disappointing son and Don Cherry's favourite, the oft-injured Colaiacovo. That is insane. Glen Sather couldn't get Stempniak for a package of Prucha or Dawes and/or the oft-injured Mike Sauer or picks? This is twice this franchise passed up on getting Stemper - the first being the mistaken drafting of his Dartmouth teammate Huge Mistake Hugh Jessiman. Ugh.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

I wrote my post about Sean Avery leaving, then went to settle down and watch a movie - the Shawshank Redemption. Now, I've seen that flick a hundred times, but its wonderful each watching. I get back to my computer and find another movie awaiting me: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

The Good: The Rangers traded away Christian Backman.

The Bad: The Rangers traded away Fedor Tyutin.

The Ugly: The Rangers acquired Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche.

I had hoped that I would be overcome with joy when Backman was bounced but my celebration is certainly muted by the rest of the deal. The Rangers got rid of the only defenseman on the team who hit people last season for virtually nothing. Zherdev is almost as lazy as Pavel Brendl/Alex Bourret was, has had some minor injuries and has no idea of what the defensive zone looks like. Fritsche is a good heart and soul working winger, but the Rangers picked up two of them YESTERDAY!

Now, I said that Sather had better have something up his sleeve to get Marc Staal back some ice time, but this wasn't what I had in mind. Dealing away half of the best defensive pairing last season, the closest thing to a crease-clearer on the roster was not it.

Losing Tyutin had better be offset with the acquisition of Rod Langway or Scott Stevens out of retirement and a better backup goaltender because otherwise Hank is going to get hurt quickly. The defensive physical play was in question last season and Hank was ran many, many times. The Rangers came into the offseason looking for a big body to help counter it - perhaps Brooks Orpik, who is now returning to Pittsburgh - and instead they dealt away the only player who did something about it.

There has to be a final piece to this puzzle. There just has to ...