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As we said yesterday the Ranger Prospect team was going to give us a better idea about where they were at by playing the Atlanta Thrasher prospect team. A 4-1 win later and one has to say that the Ranger prospects are right on track to bring Ranger fans a very promising future.

Everyone else is talking about the goals and assists but what deserves notice is what is not being said. Starting with how this prospect team has been getting contributions from everyone who has played.

After 2 games the Rangers have 7 goals from 7 different players and points out of 10 players. That is a welcome change from the offensively challenged Ranger team last year and it is a good sign when you see everyone who is dressing making contribution to the team.

It is easy to talk about the young stars like Grachev and Del Zotto but what is standing out for us is the depth of this group of prospects. It is a strong sign that the prospect pipeline is getting stronger and much deeper.

Our Stars

We have to start with Sam Klassen as he has played well in both games so far. Leading the prospect team in +/- at +3 is not as big a surprise given his +27 last season with the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL.

What has been the surprise is how easy he has adapting to the faster speed of this level. Got to really like the discipline that Klassen has shown on the ice as well as how smoothly he and defensive partner Trevor Glass have taken to each other on the ice.

Klassen who was signed as a free agent is eligible to return to the WHL as an overage player is going to make it very difficult for the Rangers to send back. Klassen is supposed to be a stay at home defender but is showing an offensive side that many did not think he had.

Also got to like how he is watching the ice and staying in position, one very cool customer who does not panic under pressure and is one of the reasons why the Rangers have killed off 11 power plays.

Klassen's main partner has been Trevor Glass who was the one we were expecting to be the offensive minded player of the pairing. Glass is someone we have watched during his time in the WHL and one of the things we really liked about him was his winning attitude.

When you come to the rink expecting to win it rubs off on teammates as Glass has been a 2 time WHL champion and won the Memorial Cup with the Spokane Chiefs. Like Klassen, Glass is also a free agent signed by the Rangers.

We have talked with Glass on a couple of occasions and find him to be very mature and quite grounded for a 21 year old. That he has a lot of experience playing in big games is going to help him as he develops.

Glass, Klassen, Dowzak, Berube, and Michael Sauer all come from the WHL which we feel is the better of the 3 CHL leagues in preparing a prospect for an NHL career.

More Kudos

In all honesty we really did not expect much from Daniel Bartek who is at Traverse City on a tryout basis. Bartek who finished off his WHL career playing for former Ranger Doug Soetart is a tall stringbean (6'3 195) who actually was heading to a Canadian college on a scholarship.

Bartek though has some supporters among the WHL writers who think he has the potential to become a very good NHL checking forward. Bartek we are not ready to say is NHL material but is showing he is worth bringing to the main camp for a longer look.

Nice hands, needs to be a bit more aggressive at both ends of the ice but has not been caught out of position and it does help that he has been playing with fellow Czech Roman Horak.

What We want to See in the Last 2 games

The Rangers are not going to play for the Traverse City Title after the Hurricanes defeated the Red Wings so what we hope the Rangers mix up the lines and give everyone a chance to play in different situations.

There is no question that the draft picks are showing NHL potential whether it is Grachev, Bourque or Horak but what we would like to see them show some leadership, some snarl and how they react to adversity.

Put Grachev with Bourque and Horak so the bigger Grachev will show whether he will stand up for his smaller linemates. Now we are not asking Grachev to drop the gloves but rather to push back when someone tries to push his teammates around.

Put Del Zotto with Kundratek as while we have no worries about Del Zotto there are some concerns about Kundratek. Kundratek has the talent to be a top 4 defenseman but the question is does he have the mental makeup (read that as mental toughness).

The Rangers have been using Del Zotto with Daniel Maggio and Tysen Dowzak who is the defensive specialist with Kundratek. Kundratek we do not believe offers enough offense to be a 4 so force him to work harder if he does not want to be sent back to Medicine Hat.

Scott Stajcer is going back to Owen Sound so go with Chad Johnson in the last 2 games as we believe he can push his way on the Hartford roster and push Miikka Wiikman off it. Johnson going to the ECHL serves little purpose at his age so it should be Hartford.

Finally let the free agents get top line duty as well as special team duty as players like Bourque and Grachev are sure shots for main camp. Players like Luke Walker, Luke Pither or Craig Cunningham have 2 games to earn that prized ticket to New York so let them take their best shot.

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Wednesday night I will be appearing on Blueshirt Banter radio talking with those folks there about the Ranger prospects and more. Check the Blueshirt Banter website for a link so you can listen to the broadcast as well as call in with your questions.

If you do not know the folks at the Banter, I have gotten to know them over the summer and they have put together a strong group of Ranger fan reporters including Laurie Carr of Beyond the Blueshirts and Ryan of The Manic Ranger. Joe and Jim who run the site do a great job so check them out.

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It is kind of hard for me to ask people to do more than they already have done for me but if you notice on the upper right corner there is a widget from people at Social Vibe. Social Vibe is a site that uses the power of the web to help raise money for worthy causes.

I joined because I have been lucky for the most part to have had a healthy life (bad knee and all) but I know of others who have not been so lucky. I joined because as a Ranger fan I have watched over the years, Ranger fans consistently supporting Children's Charities.

Prospect Park is has selected the Children's Miracle Network as who we would like to raise money for. When you click on the ad then we earn points toward a contribution for the folks at the CMN.

If you would like to learn more about Social Vibe then click here

(Sam Klassen: Saskatoon Blades, Trevor Glass and Daniel Bartek: New York Rangers)

What We Learned

If you go by the score then a 5-3 loss does not look really nice but as we keep saying Traverse City is not about winning. Traverse City is about seeing prospect development and how far the prospects have traveled on the road towards Broadway.

It is interesting to see how people are raving about Michael Del Zotto's effort against the Hurricane's prospects. Del Zotto led the Ranger prospects in on ice time and according to the Ranger's version of events was the spark behind the 3rd period rally.

The Del Zotto they saw in this game was the one we saw playing for London in last season's playoff run good and bad. Yes Del Zotto led the rush but there were also reasons to bolster our belief that Del Zotto should go back to London for another season.

For all his spark and being on the attack, Del Zotto only registered 2 shots on goal; if he is going to rush the puck like that then he needs to get more shots on net for trailing player to feast on the rebounds. The other concern was 2 stick minors that Del Zotto took as slashing and high sticking penalties show the need for more work on defense.

Ryan Bourque's play like Del Zotto's should not come as any surprise because this is what Bourque has been showing so far with Quebec in the QMJHL. The offensive leader for the Rangers here with 5 shots, Bourque will be interesting to watch with some more muscle on his body.

The real nice surprise was the play of Mitch Gaulton who is healthy and in great shape. The 2008 6th round pick is 30 lbs lighter and skating with a purpose.

Against the Canes, Gaulton went on the attack taking 4 shots on net but his passing is what got noticed besides his breakout to Grachev. Good energy from Gaulton who has missed out on almost 2 years of playing time.

Gaulton and his defensive partner Tomas Kundratek need to work on their communication but this was the first time they paired up so it will be interesting to see how they gel over the next couple of games.

Roman Horak we will be sending a nice tip for making us look good (actually the credit belongs to Jacob Bestebroer of the Chilliwack Bruins for his scouting report) as his play at both ends is giving reason think the Ranger's European scouts found a gem. We really hope that the Ranger staff will give Horak a look with Bourque and Werek before they leave Traverse City.

Scott Stajcer in our book was the Ranger player of the game as he showed flashes of brilliance despite giving up 4 goals as he kept the Rangers in the game despite being outplayed in the first 2 period. 28 shots over the 1st 2 periods against a Hurricane team that is borderline prospect in our eyes (how is a player who has 50 NHL games under his belt on this roster?)

Let us remember that Stajcer is just 18 and coming off just his first year at the OHL level. He was going up against a very talented Cane team and did not show any sign of nerves or being rattled under pressure.

Stajcer shows some signs of very strong potential and unlike the other goalie prospects in the Ranger system, Stajcer is the only goalie prospect in the Ranger system that we view as starting goalie material.

What was not mentioned was the play of Daniel Maggio as Michael Del Zotto does not have the freedom to go on the attack if his defensive partner is not covering his back. Just like his OHL coach Jeff Beukeboom used to cover for Brian Leetch, Maggio got his job done without fanfare.

Trevor Glass and Sam Klassen played well as the Ranger's 3rd pair and like Maggio without fanfare. The duo who should be headed to Hartford did not rattle under pressure and even combined for a +3.

The Ranger's 2nd and 3rd line struggled in this matchup but again it has to be taken into consideration that many of the Cane roster was older and more experienced.

A good test comes in Game 2 against an equally young Thrasher team on Monday as the talent level in this matchup will be a little more level than this Hurricane roster is.

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Wednesday night I will be appearing on Blueshirt Banter radio talking with those folks there about the Ranger prospects and more. Check the Blueshirt Banter website for a link so you can listen to the broadcast as well as call in with your questions.

If you do not know the folks at the Banter, I have gotten to know them over the summer and they have put together a strong group of Ranger fan reporters including Laurie Carr of Beyond the Blueshirts and Ryan of The Manic Ranger. Joe and Jim who run the site do a great job so check them out.

(Horak courtesy of Bob Frid Freemotion photography, Gaulton courtesy of Mark Bell/Erie Otters, Stajcer courtesy of the Owen Sound Attack, Maggio courtesy of the New York Rangers)

And It Begins

And so the 2009-10 New York Ranger year begins at 9:30 AM on Sunday when the Traverse City roster hits the ice for a practice prior to facing the Carolina Hurricane prospects at 3 PM. This group of prospects is one of the most talented that the Rangers have had in years and it is not including 4 of the best prospects who are attending college.

For the Rangers, Traverse City provides a great opportunity for the prospects to show the coaching staff how well they worked on the things that they were asked to over the summer. Winning the tournament is a nice bonus but the real goal is to get a good look at the kids to judge how far they have come.

For both Rangers and prospects, Traverse City is a great teaching tool because you will have a nice mix of prospects at various stages of their development. One thing the tournament is going to do is give the prospects a real taste of the faster speeds that they will see hockey played in while in a teaching environment.

Traverse City allows the prospects to go against their peers rather than fight for ice time at the training camp with the veterans. For those who are just joining the Ranger pipeline it is also a chance to develop and build chemistry with their (hopefully) future teammates.

Still when you look at the Traverse City roster it is hard not to get excited at those who will one day be Ranger regulars. After almost a decade of nothing in the pipeline the Rangers have finally restocked it with but quality and quantity.

So even though watching the games at Traverse City is not going to happen there are some names for Ranger fans to write down as those we believe they should watch. It is easy to say Michael Del Zotto and Evgeny Grachev but these are prospects who Ranger fans will really enjoy watching in the next couple of years.

Scott Stajcer- Of the 2 new goalies in the Ranger system we believe Stajcer has the better pro potential than Chad Johnson. Nothing against Johnson but Stajcer has faced a higher quality of prospects at a younger age and is going to get much better.

Stajcer playing in the OHL last season went up against 7 of the 2009 first round picks along with Del Zotto and Grachev and held his own. You will be hearing a lot about Stajcer this season.

Ethan Werek- Werek went up against the same players that Stajcer did and also held his own. Werek at Traverse City should be the first line center and we want to see him playing with Grachev and Bourque.

Roman Horak- few people knew much about Horak when he was drafted but he has made a very good impression in a hurry with the WHL Chilliwack Bruins.

There were some questions about Horak's efforts away from the puck but so far Horak has shown a responsible effort as he adjusts to life in North America. It is going to be interesting to see Horak play with guys who can finish plays as this is a very talented playmaker who will dazzle Ranger fans with his moves.

It will be interesting to see how Horak responds to a step up in class when he plays in Traverse City but we think he will do quite well.

In addition to the Baby Canes, the Rangers also have games against prospects of the Thrashers and Red Wings and depending on how they do in these 3 games one game against prospects of a "Western Conference" team (Bluejackets, Wild, Blues and Stars) on the final day of the Tournament.

We believe the Rangers will bring 16 of the Traverse City roster to the main camp which starts next Saturday but we also expect to see John Tortorella make cuts to the main camp roster within the first week to a more manageable number of about 30.

Let the fun begin.

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Thanks to regular reader Lee who noticed that Chris Doyle was not listed on the Traverse City roster. We did some checking and the decision not to include Doyle on the TC roster was not made by the Rangers but rather Doyle's own doctors.

Last season Doyle suffered a serious back disc injury which ruined his season and while Doyle is playing now; his doctors felt that Doyle had not recovered enough to play against NHL caliber players.

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Due to my recent knee surgery I get to miss Traverse City but more disappointing was the NHL Network's decision not to offer coverage of the Traverse City prospect tournament. The best suggestion we have as to where to get information about how well the Ranger prospects do in our eyes will be the good folks over at RedWingsCentral.com.

We would like for Ranger fans to show the NHL Network how much they appreciate the decision to show the 2003 Classic Series between the Lightning and Capitals by dropping them a line via this link. Please pass the word and show your "love" for the network that claims to offer the best coverage of everything NHL.

It is sad that the NHL keeps going backwards instead of looking for more ways to improve their relationship with hockey fans everywhere. Traverse City is where many a NHL player got their start and the decision not to provide coverage is another example of the narrow vision the NHL has about building the game.

(Werek and Bourque courtesy of Aaron Bell, Stajcer courtesy of the Owen Sound Attack, Horak courtesy of the Chilliwack Bruins)

Chasing A Dream

For New York Ranger fans, Traverse City is the kickoff of the 2009-10 hockey season. For 22 young men it is one of the many crossroads they face while chasing the dream of playing in the National Hockey League.

When you look at the Ranger's Traverse City roster you see a real assortment of prospects that reflects the challenges of becoming a Ranger let alone a player in the NHL. The Rangers even before adding any of the Traverse City prospects have invited 44 to the main training camp which is a high number as it it is.

For draft picks like Michael Del Zotto and Evgeny Grachev it is almost a given that they will be heading to the main camp. Both already have their entry level contracts and the expectations of, their NHL career are more about when not whether.

Under Tom Renney, the Rangers normally brought the prospect roster to the main training camp as a reward for those who worked hard. Tysen Dowzak turned Traverse City into a contract, Dale Weise used Traverse City as a springboard to Hartford instead of returning to Swift Current.

On the flip side Chris Doyle struggled last year and was the only draft pick not brought to training camp along with the other tryout players. Our belief is that John Tortorella will follow in Renney's tradition and reward those who work hard with an invite to the main camp and cut those who don't.

For someone like a Luke Walker of the Portland Winterhawks, the odds are stacked against him. The more bodies the Rangers have coming to either camp the harder it is going to be for Walker to stand out and earn that contract.

Yet for us, Walker is the one who we are rooting for to make it to the main training camp. Yes we have a soft spot for Portland Winterhawk players and all they have done for Prospect Park but there is more to it. Portland hockey is in it's own way steeped in history and tradition just like the Rangers so we feel at home at a Winterhawk game.

Anyone who have ever laced up a pair of skates as a kid has dreamed of getting to play in the NHL and Luke Walker is no different. NHL fans do not realize the lengths that a prospect like a Walker goes though just earn the tryout opportunity.

Walker comes to Traverse City off a 29 goal season where he led Portland in goals. 29 goals may not seem like a whole lot but here is something to factor in here as Walker was going up against the other team's best players or first line every night.

Walker may be a long shot but we root for him because hard work should have some rewards. Every night Walker was out there busting his tail, fighting for pucks, for space and against the despair of being on a losing team eliminated from playoff contention way too early.

In the games we watched Walker play last season he was the hardest worker on the ice for both teams; Walker was the one who was going into the corners and fighting for the puck. Walker was the one taking the beating in the crease creating space for his linemates and in way just like a former Winterhawk Brandon Dubinsky; if need be dropping the gloves to protect a teammates.

Yes Walker need to improve his game on the defensive side but his 6'2 frame should top out at 6'3 and with weight training close to 210. You can not teach heart and desire but if we were going to pick the long shot to earn a contract this is why we are writing about Luke Walker.

If John Tortorella is walking his talk then a Luke Walker is going to have a fair shot at earning himself a trip to the Ranger's Training Camp. Let us see if hard work is going to be the Tortorella standard.

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So how come after all these years of a Ranger policy where they do not reveal terms and conditions of anyone's contract that Ranger asst. GM Cameron Hope tells Larry Brooks what the Rangers were qualifying Brandon Dubinsky at?

Yes here is my required "I am very biased due to Brandon and his family" statement but put that aside and ask how come the Rangers are willing to give Brashear 1.4 million and are putting the screws to Dubinsky?

It is yet another disgusting example of what is wrong with the Ranger mindset when you will toss money to a Kotalik who does not always show up to play or a Redden but you refuse to take care of your own.

Yes the Rangers are within their rights under the CBA to offer Dubinsky what they are but that is not the point. The point is that Dubinsky is homegrown and if you are willing to pay Ryan Callahan 2 million off one good year then why are you screwing over the player you called a "possible 1st line center"?

Dubinsky has 2 options, sit out or accept this garbage of an offer but some words of warning for Glen Sather and his staff. Just remember that Marc Staal's entry level contract is up after this season and his agents are very much watching what is happening to Dubinsky.

Staal who is the Ranger's best defenseman has watched the Rangers pay out fat contracts to even unproven prospects like Matt Gilroy has to be wonder how Sather is going to screw him come next year.

And the saying "what goes around comes around" just might cost the Rangers more than a few dollars when all is said and done


(Walker courtesy of Portland Winterhawks)

Middle of the Week Update

First I want to apologize for the lack of updates but as I am discovering the hard way; a torn MCL hurts a heck of a lot more than I expected and it is really hard to sit down to write. Still it is no excuse as things do happen and that is what this place is for.

Back in June when the Rangers drafted Daniel Maggio of the Sudbury Wolves with their 6th round pick in the 2009 Entry Draft we knew is a gamble as Maggio was coming off a serious knee injury that limited him to just 44 games last season.

Maggio is a stay at home defender who plays the body just like a guy who used to patrol the Ranger's blueline. As luck would have it the perfect guy to teach the young prospect was hired by the Wolves as their assistant coach in charge of the defense.

Jeff Beukeboom in our eyes is the perfect teacher for Maggio to learn how to play a hard defense the "clean" way. Beuk was know for his hard hitting game that freed up Brian Leetch to be who Leetch was.

Sudbury is going though a rebuilding phase made harder when long time coach Mike Foligno resigned as coach to concentrate on his duties as General Manager last Thursday. On Tuesday, the Wolves had their exhibition opener against the Saute Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

No word as to whether or not Maggio played but the Wolves lost 4-3 and it is expected that Maggio will sit out the Wolves game on Thursday against the Barrie Colts. Ranger prospects are expected to report on Friday to get ready for the Traverse City tournament.

Roman Horak was expected to sit out Wednesday's game for the Chilliwack Bruins to get ready for his cross country trip to join the Rangers. Horak is a player to keep an eye on as all reports say he has some serious offensive game.

Scott Stajcer made his 2009 exhibition debut in his new role as the starting goalie of the Owen Sound Attack on Monday evening giving up 4 goals on 40 shots as the Attack lost to the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors 4-2. 4 goals may seem like a lot but that is about average for a CHL team to score and Stajcer did not play badly despite facing 25 shots in the 3rd period alone.

Owen Sound is also in a rebuilding phase and Stajcer is being counted on to help speed up the improvement. Stajcer has size (6'3) but like most young goalies needs a ton of work to steady up his game.

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With Traverse City just around the corner; it is a huge shame that the NHL Network has decided not to televise the tournament as they did last season. The NHL has not given any reason for why they have decided not to return to what is becoming a tournament that is gaining more and more fan interest with each passing year.

The NHL does want you to know that they are sending writers to cover the event but sorry NHL once again you shoot yourself in the rear end when you could have generated a lot of good will for hockey fans. For the majority of hockey fans, the Traverse City Tournament is the only chance for them to see the future of their hockey team.

Guess the NHL would rather have our attention focused on those bankruptcy hearings in Phoenix than actual live hockey action. One day the NHL is going to wake up and realize that the best way to build up interest in the sport is to show as much of it as possible.

What the games were not going to be of Cup Final's quality? Who cares as it was live hockey, it is the start of the 2009-10 season and for most hockey starved fans it would actually provide much better ratings than repeats of 2007 playoff series games.

The NHL has people on Twitter, on Facebook and at their own fan sites; if they were actually paying attention to the pulse of the fans then the NHL is blowing a huge opportunity at generating good will among hockey fans.

But sadly the NHL just does not get it and one day we have to hope they will before they implode the league.

(Jeff Beukeboom courtesy of the New York Rangers)