NHL 2013

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

 

Have at it.

Go Kings Go.

[tim_m]

Many times i thought this wasn't going to happen! Go Rangers!

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

I'll be at training camp in about 7 hours.

[Alan]

playoffs please Oilers 

[CheapJon]

Why do you guys need a new thread every year? It would be much simpler just keeping one NHL thread for all seasons. Same with NBA, NFL etc. Especially since there's no "post limit" in the threads at this place.

Oh well! 


Brad Richards missed first day of camp with the flu. Del Zotto is now re-signed to a 2 year/2.55million cap hit.

[tim_m]

Good news about Del Zotto.

[Alan]

great deal for the Rangers with MDZ

[CheapJon]

Rangers winger Gaborik switches to left side

If there were a sight stranger than the Rangers actually on the ice for their first sanctioned team practice after all these months of being locked out, it was Marian Gaborik lining up on the left side.

And as Gaborik told The Post, that?s where he anticipates opening the season Saturday night in Boston after an 11-year NHL career spent all but exclusively on right wing.

?Torts [coach John Tortorella] told me that?s where he?d like to see me, so I?m going to prepare and practice at left wing,? said Gaborik, whose 41 goals last season were third most in the NHL behind Steven Stamkos? 60 and Evgeni Malkin?s 50.

N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg
LINE DANCE: The Rangers plan to move Marian Gaborik to left wing, where he would skate on a line with Derek Stepan and Ryan Callahan.
?There?s definitely going to be an adjustment, especially in our own zone and with wall play, so I?ll work on that whenever I get the chance.?

Gaborik, a left-hand shot, has played the left side for Slovakia in the Olympics. He started one game at left wing in three seasons as a Ranger, on Jan. 30, 2010 in Phoenix, with Vinny Prospal in the middle and Ryan Callahan on the right. When the Blueshirts fell behind 3-0 after the first period, the experiment ended. Gaborik shifted back to the right on a unit with Prospal and Erik Christensen for the remainder of what became a 3-2 defeat.

?I like shooting from the left side,? Gaborik said. ?I feel very comfortable with my shot from [the left wing circle], so that could be an advantage.

?Also, if I?m playing with Step [Derek Stepan], it?s good that his first instinct as a right-hander is to move the puck on his forehand to the left side.?

If Tortorella likes enough of what he sees from Gaborik this week, No. 10 will likely open with Stepan ? his partner in the middle for 60 games last season ? and Callahan while Brad Richards, out yesterday with the flu, skates between Carl Hagelin on the left and Rick Nash on the right.

The Rangers always have the option of creating a power first line with Richards, Nash (on the left) and Gaborik, but the coach not only likes Hagelin?s speed with Richards, but splitting Gaborik and Nash at least in theory diversifies the attack.

?If Rick and I are on different lines, it makes it a lot more difficult for opposing coaches to match their defense against us,? Gaborik said. ?If moving to the left makes us a more dangerous team, I?m all for it.?

Gaborik said he is fully healed from the June 6 surgery he underwent to repair a torn right labrum suffered midway through the first round of the playoffs against the Senators and through which he labored in subsequent series against the Capitals and Devils.

?Everything feels good, but the real test starts now,? Gaborik said. ?I feel pretty confident, though; I?m not holding back or hesitating from going in traffic because I?m trying to protect the shoulder.?

When Gaborik arrived as a free agent from Minnesota, he spent a fair amount of the 2009 camp off the ice, attempting to protect against a history of hip and core injuries. That has not been the case since.

?From the first day he came here to the way it is now, Gabby has changed,? Tortorella said. ?He has a different mentality. And he?s still growing as a player.?

Perhaps even sprouting at age 32 (33 next month) as a left wing.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/rangers/right_to_left_x8yq7qtfK1PO95bRlCQ8wK



Also, I read on thehockeynews.com that Ovechkin had been playing RW instead of LW on Caps camps yesterday. "Oates said Ovechkin suggested the move to right wing, which is an experiment for now." What's up with these changes? 

[tim_m]

That could be a good move for Gabby. I assume this means we'll see RIchards/Nash on the first line. That could be two deadly lines for the rangers. Definitely great news with Del Zotto. One of the best young defensemen in the league.

[tim_m]

Thanks to the accelerated buyout rule the Rangers were able to rid themselves of Redden. We take a full cap hit for this season. That is better then the alternative though making him sit in the minors and have to pay him next year too. Now we'll have extra cap room next year.

[CheapJon]

Thanks to the accelerated buyout rule the Rangers were able to rid themselves of Redden. We take a full cap hit for this season. That is better then the alternative though making him sit in the minors and have to pay him next year too. Now we'll have extra cap room next year.

Yeah buying him out was mostly good for Redden. He gets a chance to play this season and with a NHL club. The Rangers would not have let him play due to the risk of injury. If they would've put him in the minors and he would've been hurt there they wouldn't be allowed to buy him out in the summer.

Montreal did the same with Gomez. We'll see what clubs they'll sign with.

Former Ranger, 40 year old Alex Kovalev has signed with FLA Panthers. I doubt he has much left in the tank but he got a try-out with the team and appearantly had good chemistry with their top rookie Huberdeau

[tim_m]

Yeah, i'm still glad they did it. I think it was the right thing to do this way he and the Rangers can both move on which he has, signing a 1yr deal with St Louis.

[tim_m]

Opening night is upon us, we've waited a helluva long time for this and many times it looked like it wouldn't happen. Hockey finally returns tonight!

[AxlsMainMan]

How 'bout 'dem Blackhawks?

[tim_m]

They looked really good opening day against the Kings.

[Alan]

The Oilers are actually looking quite good, (aside from the 1st in the San Jose game) been carrying the play a lot of the time and that's against 3 of the leagues best teams.

[CheapJon]

Great with an early Western Conference game, rarely see any those due to time difference.

San Jos? is getting a great start of the season. Especially Thornton and Marleau. 11 points each after 4 games. Marleau with 8 goals. Second ever and first player since the very first NHL season 1917 to start a season with 4 multiple goal games.

[CheapJon]

Jason Arnott has signed with the Rangers.

[tim_m]

Jason Arnott has signed with the Rangers.

He will definitely add some depth and experience for the young guys.

[tim_m]

Finally seeing the Rangers i've expected to see the first 4 games of the season. That's how you play good hockey!