Will the Rangers Thrive and Survive w/out Sean Avery or Wi..

So just how badly do the 2007 / 2008 New York Rangers want greatness?
Are they ready to make the sacrifices physically and mentally that are
the cost of winning the Stanley Cup? Or of even going deep into the
playoffs? The next few weeks should let the world know.

The players needed to win a championship would practically seem to be
a blueprint of the Rangers roster. Of course there's Jags, Shanny,
and the Lead Wall like netminding of Henrik Lunquvist, the Goalie who
came out of no where, Sweden, to become one of the NHL'S top
goaltenders over the last two years. They have Marty Straka, a Czech
for Jags to play on a line with, comiserate to during those mid-
season doldrums, but past being a linemate and a shrink, Straka also
brings some of the NHL'S most underated skills.

No, no, I haven't forgotten about those two huge money free agent
signee's the Rangers picked up in the off season; Chris Drury,
formerly of the Buffalo Sabres, and former bitter arch-rival and hated
enemy Scott Gomez of the despised New Jersey Devils. Drury, who
undoubtedly is the best clutch time player in the League (as the
Blueshirts noticed in last years playoffs), and Gomez, who led New
Jersey to three Stanley Cups while also leading the hated Devils to an
extended winning streak vs. New York (the length of which i'll leave
unmentioned for now), were two of the top three free agents available
in the off- season. As we head into December, the duo seem to be
settling in with ever greater ease, and success, as they grow more
familiar with their new teammates and linemates.

Nor have I forgotten about the Defense; Marik Malik was a healthy
scratch for tonight's (Nov 30) game aganist the even more despised
Islanders, who use the name of New York as if they're located in the
actual city itself and play on a pond with storybook ice such as is
played on by the Rangers in Madison Square Garden. They don't; they
play in the (literally) crumbling Nassau Collesieum out on Long
Island, which is the ugliest piece of land that's an actual coastal
town ever created. The Rangers hate the Islanders, as they should,
for everytime one wants to pity the misery stricken fans or players on
the Long Island Islanders the team resigns players like Brendan Witt
and Chris Simon, don't resign players like Ryan Smyth, trade hardnosed
and skilled young players like Ben Eager, then sign free agents like
Mike Comrie.

Comrie's the kind of player who, like tonight, is playing tough and
has scored a goal; he's the type of player most puck-nuts worship, but
I, like most other puck-heads, just hate him. He's small, barely
5'10, and plays like he's 7'5, hitting and running every opposing
player on the ice, with a permanent scowl on his face. Normally these
are the guys we love; Comrie's a guy who has to sign with the
Islanders. I'm hardly one to talk; i played at 5'7 (+1/2) and 140
Lbs, and used speed and skating ability to create offensive chances
and if those weren't available, than I used it to cheap shot and
agitate everyone on the wrong side of mine I could.

So why did people call me "Crackhead" (with affection) because of my
hyper mode of play that was almost a twin to Comrie's, yet call
Comrie "You Little C**kS**ker!!!" How do you sit a defenseman of
Malik's skill when he's healthy and cleared to play when you're
playing a team with Comrie...the little, well; anyway that also
happens to be the Islanders? Because the Ranger blueline, my
blueshirt faithful, is stout and solid and will only improve.

Ever since trading the skating slug defensemen Aaron Ward to Boston
for defenseman Paul Mara in a straight up deal, the Ranger 'D' has
been a different unit. Why Boston would trade Mara, a big,
dependable, physical, and still improving player for Ward, a big,
undependable, un-physical, not improving or trying to improve player
is beyond me in all ways but one; it certainly makes it obvious why
Boston hasn't won the Cup since a guy named Orr skated for them.

With Mara, and the slight but noticable improvement in Michael
Rosival's play that's come as a bonus, combined with the removal of
the beloved, but beaten down, Darius Kasparitus the Ranger Blueline
has improved vastly. Fydor Tutin has been the same pleasant
consistent surprise he was two years ago, and then there's the odd
Jason Strudwick.

Strudwick, a journeyman D who has normally been a let-down on his
litteny of former teams, is playing smart, tough nosed, heads up
hockey, for the Rangers, and on top of that, he's been paired more
often than not with Marc Staal, the rookie defensemen who, like his
older brothers Jordan and Eric, is getting visibly better and better
on his paved road to stardom.

Brandon Dubinsky, Nigel Dawes, and Ryan Callahan have each added some
suprising offensive spark at needed times or injected energy into
games when they seemed drained of it. Ryan Holloweg, while far from
a legitimate NHL Heavyweight Enforcer, will also drop the gloves with
anybody in the League and skates nearly every shift like an enraged
Bull. When a legitimate heavyweight enforcer is needed, Colton Orr is
there to answer the bell, and like Holloweg, Orr's also brought a
higher level of skill while actually playing the game rather than
fighting.

So what's missing?

Sean Avery. That's who.

Avery was a cast off, nearly blacklisted in the NHL after insulting
the manhood of all French Canadiens in the League who played 'chippy'
yet wore the largest helmet plexi visor's they're allowed to wear, was
quickly labeled a racist instead, his words mistated, and his actions
only reinforcing any negative perceptions of him. When asked about
French Canadien players who wore visor's Avery would play that night
by reporters, Avery's comments didn't endear him to those in Quebec;
he enraged them. Still playing with the L.A. Kings at this point,
Avery, a highly skilled, tough, and smart player seemed to abandon all
aspects of Hockey but one; beating the snot out of French Canadien who
barely brushed him who had a visor on, be it by fists or by bone-
rattling, illegal bodychecks.

The Kings wound up suspending him for the final 20 games of the season
before the lockout after Avery's antics had truly almost started a
civil war between French and non-French Canadiens. From there he sat
in a sort of hockey limbo until 2/3 of the way through last season
when the Kings traded him, mercifully, to the Rangers. When Avery
arrived, the Blueshirts were out of playoff contention, with much of
this same line-up making up the roster. By the start of the playoffs,
the Rangers were in, and Avery's the player who almost singlehandledly
put the team in them.

Having started his career with Detroit, Avery had skated with Brenden
Shanahan when Shanny was still with the Red Wings. Avery quickly
built on the reputation he'd brought up with him from Junior's; a
highly skilled player who was also a highly skilled agitator that was
tough enough to take the rough stuff, but at what cost? Avery didn't
seem to be able to control himself, talking endlessly to the
opposition on the ice, getting in fight after fight despite being told
to stay out of the box by coaches who wanted him and his offensive
skills on the ice. He used up his chances in Detroit, who traded him
to L.A., who traded him to the Rangers after the Rangers decided to
take a gamble on him.

Glen Sather, Ranger General Manager, and Tom Renney, Head Coach,
talked to Brendan Shanahan about Avery and asked Shanny- a highly
respected NHL legend who even Avery, who respected almost no one,
actually looked up to in awe- if he thought he could keep Avery under
control, and if so, was it worth it anyway? It was, in retrospect, a
desperation move by Renney and Sather. The Rangers looked like they
were uninspired and it would take a miracle to make the playoffs.

Shanahan gave a hearty endorsement backing Avery, and felt he could
help keep Avery under control. Renney and Sather brought Avery to New
York from L.A. for practically nothing. What they got was everything
they'd hoped for from Avery, and then twice that.

Avery's hypermania was a perfect fit for the listless Rangers; every
game after he arrived in New York was a highly charged event thanks to
Avery's endless run-in's with seemingly every NHL'er to ever lace up
the skates. The physicality of the Ranger's games after Avery arrived
replaced any memory of the listless team that'd occupied the Garden
ice for the 1st 2/3 of the season, dragging the Rangers emotions up
with every hit. Soon a team that looked like a near hopeless
longshot for a playoff birth was charging up the standings, behind
Avery's play.

Not only did the Blueshirts make the playoffs; they swept the Atlanta
Thrashers in a 1st round sweep. The Thrashers, a team many thought
might make a deep playoff run, were suddenly out of the playoffs in 4
games after making the playoffs for the first time in franchise
history. Who led the Rangers during that playoff sweep? Yup, Sean
Avery.

The Rangers were beaten in a controversial, tough, multi overtime
series aganist Buffalo in the next round, but by all marks the team
had exceeded expectations. They got Drury and Gomez in the off -
season, and are now legitimate Cup contenders this year. Some think
the team is off to a slow start, but working Drury, Gomez, and the
rookie Staal into the lineup is an acceptable excuse, and they are
tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for first place in their division at
present.

However, Avery had surgery on his wrist today, and will be out "a
couple of weeks." I'd plan on keeping him out for a month at a
minimum; with his fiery style of play Avery needs his wrist at 100%.
But how will the rest of the Rangers play without Avery's passion
fueling their play? Will they be able to play like they ended last
season and started much of this one, or will they be the listless team
we grew to accustomed to watching for much of last year and for years
before that?

How badly do the Rangers want to be the best? The way they play with
Avery out of the line-up should answer best; they beat the Islanders
tonight in a hard nosed, pressure packed game. If they keep that
style of play going, when Avery returns they may well be unstoppable.
If they can't keep it up, then Avery's return will probably ensure
them another playoff birth and subsequent exit in the 1st or 2nd
round.

It feels to me as if this season's got far higher prizes that await
this Ranger team, however, than a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd round playoff
exit. I think more and more that for this Ranger team, this season,
they're won't be any playoff exit at all.

Instead, there just might be a Cup Hoisting, eh!?!

On 2007-11-30, Societalretard RemoveThis @gmail.com <Societalretard RemoveThis @gmail.com> wrote:
>
> The players needed to win a championship would practically seem to be
> a blueprint of the Rangers roster.

A rec league championship, perhaps. They still need at least one
strong, physical, defensive defenseman if they really want to be
considered a serious Cup contender (just for starters).

> Why Boston would trade Mara, a big,
> dependable, physical, and still improving player for Ward, a big,
> undependable, un-physical, not improving or trying to improve player
> is beyond me in all ways but one; it certainly makes it obvious why
> Boston hasn't won the Cup since a guy named Orr skated for them.

Mara's not really that physical. It's telling that he's probably the
most physical of the Rangers' regular defensemen.

> It feels to me as if this season's got far higher prizes that await
> this Ranger team, however, than a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd round playoff
> exit. I think more and more that for this Ranger team, this season,
> they're won't be any playoff exit at all.
>
> Instead, there just might be a Cup Hoisting, eh!?!

I believe IommiIsStillJackingOff, but when he returns you and he should
get together.

--keith

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