CityGuy

Whats up with the rangers losing three games in row...losses to NJ Devils, Carolina and Atlanta.

CityGuy

The NY Rangers acquired defenseman Sandis Ozolinch from Anaheim on thursday for a third round pick. This will definitly make the Rangers a more powerful team at the blue line. He has a hard shot and is now the most offensively gifted defensmen the Rangers have. This was an excellent pick up for the Rangers as they head towards the playoffs.

SwimCoach

Well the Rangers have changed there ways since the last post. They are def going to be playoff bound and I can actually see them making noise in the playoffs. The only downside is having a young rookie goalie.

CityGuy

Today they beat the Boston Bruins in overtime and Jamor Jagr has broke the goals record in one season. He has 53 goals on the year so far. With 100 points they are more likely to win the division being that Philly lost today as well.

CityGuy

Last night the Rangers lost to the Penguins 5 -3. They should have plenty of motivation trying to win the division. Now they have to play at Philly and Ottawa. They remain idle with 100 points and three points ahead of Philly and NJ.

Will Tom Renney be coach of the year?? The Rangers are seriously improved compared to their last season..

PaullyInNYC

Well I dont even know what to say to about the Rangers. The fact is they lost 5 in a row, which cost them the division as well as falling a spot behind Philly. Overall they had an impressive season and this will be the first time they have been to the postseason since 1997. Despite the injuries, the fact that they could not pick up a point in the last 5 games is scary. Especially since one of those teams was the Penguins. They have no confidence going into the playoffs, so im not sure how this will play out for them. The team they face, has all the confidence in the world winning their last 11 games. The key for the Rangers is to strike early and the big boys such as Jagr, Sykora, Ozolinch, and Kasparitis MUST step up and play their A games. That and Henrik Lundquist must prove confident in between the pipes.

PaullyInNYC

Well if you look at my previos post on April 19th, you can see everything I said the Rangers must do, they did not do. Hence they got swept by a much better confident team. But the Rangers had an outstanding season and they should be better next year.

CityGuy

Elias found a group of reporters waiting for him inside the Devils' dressing room. An unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, he can bolt and chase the riches that await a forward of his caliber. So far I keep hearing the New York Rangers want the Czech native to play with fellow Czech natives Peter Sykora (who is a free agent) and Jamir Jagr. Will Elias leave the team that has given him this opportunity once the playoffs are over?

Should be interesting especially since Scott Neidemayer also left for less money to play with his younger brother.

PaullyInNYC

July 9, 2006 -- Brendan Shanahan, a three-time Stanley Cup winner in Detroit and one of the NHL's most accomplished veterans, was seeking a new challenges. He'll find them next season on Broadway with the Rangers.
The Post has learned the 37-year-old free-agent left winger has accepted a one-year contract worth approximately $4M to join the Rangers after spurning more lucrative offers from both the Red Wings and Canadiens.
The signing, expected to be announced today, comes one day after Shanahan informed Montreal GM Bob Gainey he was rejecting his team's bid to sign him.
Shanahan, who scored 40 goals last season for Detroit, has registered 598 goals in a 17-year career that began in New Jersey in 1987, and included stays in St. Louis and Hartford prior to his decorated tour in Detroit. Though he is not the physical menace he was as a younger player, he remains a strong skater who excels in a north-south game, a presence on the ice while possessing one of the best shots in the league.
In addition, he brings charisma and leadership to the locker room that should augment the attributes of Jaromir Jagr, both on and off the ice. Shanahan may or may not skate on Jagr's line at even strength, but there is no doubt the right-handed-shooting left winger will skate on the first power-play unit. In theory, the Rangers may have the most dangerous PP bookends from the circles in the league.
This signing isn't a case of the Rangers bribing a veteran to wear their uniform. This isn't Valeri Kamensky or Theo Fleury. Indeed, sources have told The Post that Shanahan sought out the Blueshirts after having received offers from several teams including Detroit and Montreal.
The Post has learned that after Shanahan had visited Manhattan on Wednesday to meet with Ranger front-office and coaching personnel - a "Welcome Brendan Shanahan" message with a visual of Shanny wearing the Blueshirt went up on the Garden Seventh Avenue marquee to coincide with his visit - the Rangers increased their original $3.5M offer in order to signal their commitment to completing the deal.

bigapple

GREENBURGH, NY - It wasn’t just the injuries that curtailed the Rangers playoff run last season. The New Jersey Devils also exposed the Blueshirts lack of experience in the post season during their Quarterfinal Round sweep. As a result, this off-season, general manager Glen Sather not only went out to fill holes in the team’s lineup, he specifically targeted good locker room guys, who also had a few Stanley Cups under their belts. The signings of forwards Brendan Shanahan, Matt Cullen and defenseman Aaron Ward give the Rangers players who not only have winning experience [Cullen and Ward with Carolina last season and Shanahan and Ward in Detroit], but will speak up in the dressing room as well.

These three players bring valuable experience that could help the Rangers come playoff time.