For 2010, USA Hockey will have its deepest goaltending trio between Ryan Miller, Tim Thomas and Craig Anderson, who stamped his place on the roster with a red hot month of October. The battle now for the next three and a half months will be about which one will watch from the press box at GM Place and which two will dress.

Coming into this season the debate was between Miller and Thomas for the No. 1 job; but if Anderson continues to carry the Colorado Avalanche, how can his place in the argument be denied?

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“Ryan Callahan is a guy who blends in, especially in a short tournament,” Tortorella said. “When you have a versatile guy, that’s very important because there may be an injury along the way, and when you have someone who can do a lot of different things and play in different situations, that’s an important guy to have.”

Callahan’s style of play hasn’t gone unnoticed around the League, either.

Leafs coach Ron Wilson will coach the U.S. team in Vancouver, and he has been impressed with Callahan’s well-rounded, physical game. When asked what Callahan’s chances were of donning the red, white and blue in February, Wilson said “very good.”

“He’s the type of player that you need in your lineup because he can play in every single situation,” Wilson said. “He’s good defensively, he’s a great skater, he plays with a lot of intensity, a lot of pride. From a coach’s point of view, I’d love to have him on my team.”

Click here for more on New York Rangers’ assistant captain Ryan Callahan.

Tyler was kind enough to tell us about how he got into the game of hockey, who is favorite team/player was growing up, how he came up with and helped develop NHL Digest along with his thoughts on the current season.

PH: How did you first get into hockey?
TM: I started playing hockey at the age of 5. I grew up in a small town in Manitoba, Canada and there wasn’t much going on other than hockey in the winter...And, I just happened to live right across the street from the rink!

PH: Growing up, who was your favorite team? How about your favorite player?
TM: No question about it. From day one it has always been the Montreal Canadiens. Mats Naslund was my favorite player growing up. Why Mats with all of the storied Hall of Famers in the history of the Habs? Well, he just happened to be the leading scorer for the Canadiens when I first seriously started watching hockey and I admired his skill and ability for a player his size.

Continue reading "An Interview with Tyler from Nhl Digest"

Michael Del Zotto was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for the month of October. Here is a brief description of what Del Zotto did this month:

Del Zotto edged Colorado Avalanche center Ryan O’Reilly (2-9--11, +10 in 14 games), New York Islanders center John Tavares (4-6--10 in 13 games), Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (3-7--10 in 14 games), Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers (2-3--5, +7 in 11 games) and Philadelphia Flyers left wing James vanRiemsdyk (2-8--10 in nine games) for the award.

Del Zotto, 19, made his NHL debut in the Rangers’ season-opener at Pittsburgh Oct. 2, becoming the youngest defenseman to suit up for the club since 18-year-old Dave Maloney in December, 1974. He posted points in nine of 14 games, including the game-winning goal in the home opener, a 5-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators Oct. 3, and two-assist efforts in wins over the Los Angeles Kings (4-2, Oct. 14) and Phoenix Coyotes (5-2, Oct. 26). He also quarterbacked a Rangers power play that ranked seventh in the NHL with a 25.0% success rate (14 for 56).

You can read more about Del Zotto here.

Continue reading "Two Rangers Honored"

They’re getting the pucks to the net but not many of them are of the quality scoring chance variety. Last night, Rangers’ star Marian Gaborik was not given much room to operate as Canuck players got in his way to block shots, check him out of position and throw him off his game.

As has been this case thus far in the early going, if the opponent can shutdown Gaborik, they’ll have a pretty good chance of beating the Blueshirts. If the Rangers want to get back to playing consistently good hockey, this will have to change in a hurry.

Continue reading "Not Enough"

Unfortunately, Drury, who was named the team captain in 2008, has not come close to reaching the level he did in 2007 and has looked out of place offensively this season. Through the team’s first 15 games, the Trumbull, CT-native has just 5 points (2g, 3a).

Yes, he’s done a tremendous job with the defensive side of the game, especially on the penalty kill but offensively, he’s been practically non-existent. 

Continue reading "What is Going on With Chris Drury?"

On taking the job as Quinn’s associate coach:
“He hired me for my first coaching job in Vancouver in 1996 as the GM of the Canucks and as soon as he (Oilers GM Steve Tambellini) said it, I said, ‘OK, this could work.’ I said, ‘Steve, listen, I’m going to need a little time to think this through. Tell me about your program.’ When I finished with Steve, I thought there probably isn’t another guy in the league that I could do this with and feel good about it. And I don’t mean that with any disrespect to anybody else. But I’m a head coach. And yet Pat is the type of guy, he gives the horse the bit. He’s given me a lot of freedom, lots of opportunity, lots of voice with all those types of things. He is the head coach and there are no two ways about that I certainly don’t blur the lines. But it’s one of those situations I think to myself that this will definitely work.
“I consider myself a hockey leader of sorts. I think I can help anybody win given the opportunity to contribute to my strengths. When I landed in Edmonton for my press conference, there were two voice mail messages to come to head coaching interviews. But I knew this is where I wanted to goo, the look of it all, the longevity of it, the whole setup. I said this is going to add years to my NHL career.”

On what he learned from his Rangers’ tenure:
“First of all, it’s all good. If you’re going to fall, fall forward and I think I always do that. The big thing for me is recognizing, again, the pulse of your team. I certainly had a voice of where we were going and how we were going about it and I certainly appreciate it. The big thing is tapping into the room, your people, keeping your finger on the pulse of what’s going on with those guys but, at the end of the day, making sure you continue to draw the line. Democracy doesn’t work in a crisis, not to suggest that we were in one. But at some point, you’ve got to step up. I think I did a decent job of that.
“I think I learned that I’m a pretty good coach. I think I learned I can adapt. I can put a game plan on the ice given whatever the talent might look like. Whereas, coming out of Vancouver, I came out of there wondering, ‘Am I right for this?’ I was certainly disheartened, disappointed. Pat was fired before I was and he was the GM. I didn’t feel real good about that. I didn’t have that feeling this time. I honestly felt like I could turn it around and why would I feel that way? If you don’t feel that way, don’t do that job. Coming out of Vancouver I felt, ‘Ehhh, I missed the mark a little bit.”

Click here for more on a truly decent human being and an above average hockey coach. 

For all subscribers out there, you can hear his voice on the “Around the Rink Updates”, as host of “Ice Cap” and filling in on various programs. Shalley was kind of enough to take time out of his busy schedule to tell us how he became a fan of the sport, how he got into the game on the media side of things as well as his two cents on what’s going on around the league this season.

PH: How did you first get into hockey?
JS: I would say that hockey got into me!  Growing up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, it is part of your life from when you’re old enough to stand. I recall countless pick-up games in my driveway, on the street in front of my house, and on outdoor rinks. I would go to watch games as a kid at the Fort William Gardens pretty much every weekend, watching our senior league team, the Twins, and the junior Flyers, who played in the USHL at that time.

Continue reading "An Interview with Jamie Shalley of XM NHL Home Ice"

The lack of a homosexual presence in hockey must mean one of two things: either homosexual men don’t play the game or they don’t feel comfortable admitting it — in which case I, and my brethren, were offending some teammates with our close-mindedness, and furthering what must have been unsettled feelings of fear and general exclusion.

For us as a culture, that means another two things. That either we need scientists doing research on professional hockey players ASAP, because apparently there’s a link between our sport and sexuality. Or, much more realistically, we need to alter the culture of hockey, because homosexuals are being forced to play entire careers masquerading as people they’re not.

As many times as I used these slurs, I heard it back tenfold. As well as I fit in behind the doors of a dressing room, I had pursuits that made me seem different. I kept a journal while I played. I’m into piano music and reading. In the hockey world, that’s your basic formula for eliciting more comments about sexual orientation than acting in “Rent.” It’s always the first shot fired.

Hockey culture is something I’ve known and loved, but I’m not oblivious to the disconnect between how players and coaches act behind that dressing room door and how society expects them to act in public. Since we have to change something about how we act and what we say when we leave the team room, we’re probably acting improperly in the first place. And during my playing days, I was aware that was the case.

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So why so many injuries?

Caps owner Ted Leonsis shared a theory with the guys on Hockey This Morning over at XM Home Ice earlier today.

“The schedule is responsible for these injuries,” stated Leonsis. “We just played four games in less than six days. We had two sets of three games in four nights one right after the other. It’s too much. We have to take a really hard look at this. We are talking about very big men, and a very violent, fast game. Too many games in too few days is a problem.”

Good points. But what is the alternative? Play fewer games? Expand the season to include more days off, and, as a result, play the Stanley Cup Finals closer to the month of July? Do not participate in the Olympics?

The answer is that there is no real clear answer. But what is obvious is that the league needs to take a close look at the injury issue. It’s not good when any group of players is getting hurt on a regular basis, no matter the sport.

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Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist ruled the afternoon as he made 29 stops, many of them critical in the third period as many of them were in terrific fashion. Without Henrik between the pipes, this could have been a much better outcome.

The game also marked the return of Marian Gaborik, who admitted that he was less than 100 percent but wanted to be on the ice to help out his team. He did just that by scoring the games’ only goal and also by generating several quality scoring chances. When this guy is healthy, he’s one of the best, folks. 

Continue reading "A Positive Note"

Katrina took the time to tell us how she got into hockey, where and who she has written for, how her favorite team, the Phoenix Coyotes, are doing and more. Enjoy!

PH: How did you first get into hockey?
KC: It’s hard to escape hockey living in Canada, but I personally got into the game as a kid when my uncle took me to my first Leafs game. After that I sought hockey out on my own time. My parents weren’t big into watching any sports unless I was playing.

Continue reading "An Interview with PsychoPuckLady"

Okay let’s do this the way the league does it...and take each of the last five controversial hits over the last while incident-by-incident.

Let’s start with the Mike Richards-David Booth hit. David Booth comes through the middle of the ice...makes a pass to the wing...and continues to stare at the pass until just before he’s creamed by Mike Richards. Richards didn’t charge after Booth...he met him just over the blueline as he (Richards) was backchecking on the play. Richards hits him with a shoulder....and never leaves his feet to do it. He did get Booth in the head....but considering how fast everything happened....I sorely doubt he was aiming at Booth’s noggin. Let’s also factor in that Richards reputation around the league is that of a clean....honest...two-way player...not a head-hunter. Mr.Booth...I’ll bet every hockey coach you ever had looked at that play and thought the the same thing....DON’T SIT THERE ADMIRING YOUR PASS! LOOK OUT FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC! I sincerely hope that David Booth is 100 percent okay...and that this in no way affects his career...other than to serve as a reminder that he’s in the NHL...and he will get run over if he’s not aware on the ice at all times.

Evgeni Artyukhin-Matt Niskanen

I would have given Artyukhin more than 3 games. He’s making a clean play by taking Niskanen out of the play by pinning him along the boards...but then for no reason decides to slew-foot him...one of the most dangerous plays in any sport. Niskanen is totally vulnerable because Artyukhin comes in from behind as Niskanen is making a play. What I don’t understand about this one is that Artyukhin has the reputation as a tough-guy...while Niskanen is a skilled...clean player. What was Artyukhin’s impetus for such a move? Niskanen hadn’t done anything to any of Artyukhin’s teammates....so what gives? It was just a reckless...irresponsible play...and deserved more than a 3-game unpaid holiday for Artyukhin.

Click here for more on controversial hits.

This was especially true of last night’s 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild. For the most part, the Blueshirts were outplayed by a usually offensively-challenged Wild hockey team and as such, lost for the second straight game.

Yes, the team was without the likes of Marian Gaborik, Christopher Higgins and Sean Avery but other players such as Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, and Chris Drury need to pick up the torch and be the players that the team is paying them to be. This message is not so much for Callahan and Dubinsky but more for Drury, who seems to be pressing offensively. 

Continue reading "Time To Step Up"

As you all know, Gaborik was out of the lineup on Wednesday night against the Islanders and it certainly showed as the Rangers had trouble putting the puck in the net. Against a struggling Wild team (only 6 points this season), may be the team will find a way to put more pucks in the net but remember, most of us thought that on Wednesday night as well.

According to Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants yesterday, Gaborik sounded doubtful about playing tonight against the team that broke him in in the National Hockey League:

Marian Gaborik certainly didn’t sound hopeful today that he’d be able to play tomorrow night, which would ruin his homecoming to Minnesota. The short version: He’s going to make the trip, he’s still sore, he lists himself as day to day, he’ll try to skate tomorrow morning and see how he feels, he won’t try to rush himself back and put himself at further risk for injury.

Still not definitive word on what his injury his but there seems little disputing that it’s a right leg issue. Gaborik had some ink marks just above his right knee, indicating perhaps a thigh or a hamstring problem. His right knee was not wrapped but it could be a knee issue. Gaborik said he was hurt in a collision in front of the net, not along the boards as first believed, and he played a shift after hurting himself. He initially thought the injury was worse.

Continue reading "Will he or Won’t He?"

The Islanders were all over the Blueshirts, beating them to lose pucks, generating more quality scoring chances, being more physical and in general, the Rangers made themselves an easy team to play against last night.

Obviously, if Gaborik gets injured again and ends up being out for a more significant amount of time, this team will need to learn to win without him. They will have to learn how to match the other team’s intensity and ultimately, goal-scoring capabilities as last night’s loss to Isles bought back memories of last season.

Continue reading "Somewhat Different Without Gaborik"

P.A. Parenteau has been summoned from the Hartford Wolf Pack as a potential replacement for Marian Gaborik against the Islanders tomorrow night.

Parenteau, a left wing, is the team’s leading scorer; Gaborik, who injured his right leg in a collision late in the game against the Coyotes, did not practice today. Presumably, the Rangers are being cautious with Gaborik, who had termed the injury as “nothing major” and unrelated to groin and hip issues from the past.  Head coach John Tortorella said that today after practice as well.

As Zipay mentioned, this is just a precautionary measure for the Blueshirts, who are doing everything they can to be cautious with one of their most prized possessions. 

Through the team’s first 12 games, Gaborik has 18 points (10g, 8a) and Prospal has16 (4g, 12a). They’re scoring on the power play, they’re making their linemates better and they’ve shown a tremendous amount of chemistry.

In my eyes, it’s been Prospal that’s been the surprise. We all knew that he could put up points but we also knew that he had trouble with consistency. So far at least, he has shown the team that he has bought into their system and that he can produce at a point-per-game pace.

Continue reading "Some brief observations on Gaborik and Prospal"

If you’re a die-hard Ranger fan, you should absolutely get this book in stores or at Amazon.com and take the time to read it.

What makes this book so interesting as it is filled with terrific Rangers, great pictures (some never before seen photos), tremendous quotes and it really gives you a sense of pride of being a Ranger fan. This should not come as a surprise because Halligan, a former New York Rangers Public Relations Director and NHL Executive, has been able to do that in all of his books about the Blueshirts. 

Continue reading "And the Greatest Ranger is…"

The team has dropped three straight games to the San Jose Sharks (last Monday), New Jersey Devils (last Thursday) and the Montreal Canadiens (two nights ago). They jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead last Monday night against the Sharks only to see poor goaltending, defensive positioning and ill-timed penalties seal their fate. They were able to come back from a 2-0 deficit against the Devils only to see an unlucky bounce get past goaltender Henrik Lundqvist in a 4-2 loss. The team blew a lead against the Habs and lost 5-4 in OT thanks to a Mike Camalleri hat trick.

Tonight’s game should not be considered an easy one for the Blueshirts as the Desert Dogs are currently 6-3-0 in nine games. Normally, this would be the kind of game that backup netminder Steve Valiquette would start but given the way things have gone in the past week, it’s time for Lundqvist to right the ship and help out his hockey club by getting a win tonight on home ice. 

Continue reading "Time to Get Back on Track"