This Sunday it was about telling us that Ryan McDonagh was going to sign with the Rangers. Sorry Larry that is no scoop for you as anyone who was at the Ranger prospect camp saw that by the end of it; McDonagh knew what he was going to do.
It does not matter if it is correct or even close to being accurate, Larry Brook's job is to get you to either buy the Post, get you to visit the Post or do as I am doing here talk about his work. If he can get people to do any of the above then he has done what his employers expect of him to draw attention to himself and the Post.
At the same time though what is wrong about how he goes about his business is that he gives the real reporters like Andrew Gross, Michael Obernauer, Rick Carpiniello, and even Steve Zipay a bad name. See they work hard at getting their facts right and reporting the news with as much accuracy as possible.
When one of them makes a mistake you see them own up to it and admit it to you the Ranger fans. It takes a lot of courage in today's web word to own up to your mistakes cause you know there are going to be those who will trash you for it.
Brooks will rarely ever own up to his mistakes or wild rumors no matter who they hurt or how wrong they are. Let us see if Brooks will acknowledge that Ryan McDonagh was not a member of the Under-20 Gold Medal winning team.
That is way too big a mistake to let slide as McDonagh is 21 and was not eligible to play on this year's team. It is funny too how about a month ago it was Brooks who was reporting that McDonagh had no intention of signing with the Rangers.
You want to cite multiple sources for McDonagh's signing? There is really only one real source here and that is McDonagh himself.
I can say that with confidence because what I saw happening was that McDonagh attending the Ranger prospect camp; saw for himself that he was head and shoulders better than any other defensive prospect on the roster and realized what everyone has been saying all along.
That he was ready to turn professional; McDonagh is more developed to make the jump to the NHL than even his friend Derek Stepan. I would not even think twice about pairing McDonagh with Michael Del Zotto as there is nobody else not even Marc Staal who plays a stronger defensive game than McDonagh.
And McDonagh is also pretty smart on his own as he took a very good look at the Ranger's blueline situation and knew that the Rangers needed him more this year than he needed them. Any rumors of McDonagh's not being able to work out a contract with the Rangers was not at all factual.
How much money McDonagh was going to make was already decided by the CBA so this was never about money. What it was in my eyes was McDonagh seeing for himself that he was ready to play at the professional level.
Now that he does then it is just a matter of getting the paperwork done and come Traverse City there will be McDonagh in the first pair of the Ranger defensemen. Even Mr. Magoo can see that one.
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Even with McDonagh's signing the Rangers are still going to be short defensemen whether or not they waive Wade Redden like everyone is praying for. The Rangers have put themselves into a position that could force them to keep Redden on the roster.
With Staal and Dan Girardi still unsigned then right now the Rangers really only have 3 defensemen under contract for next season. It gets worse as in Hartford there is not anyone there who is going to inspire confidence to get John Tortorella to carry him.
The Rangers might have to move another part either from the roster or in the system to fill the holes on the blueline on the Rangers, the Hartford Wolfpack and the still unknown ECHL team.
What they better pray for is that either Tomas Kundratek, Sam Klassen or Jyri Niemi can step up and fill the holes on the blueline. If they can not then what was supposed to be a strong point in the system will turn into a huge weak spot in a hurry.
(Mr. Magoo courtesy of PopCultureMadness)
3 comments:
Girardi and Staal will re-sign.
If Mike Sauer isn't close now, will he ever be? McDonagah likely jumps inot top 7, maybe ahead of Gilroy. Would be great if Redden is subtracted, but also the Rangers D has been remarkably healthy the last 2 seasons. Surely, along w TK or SK, Sauer, Valentenko or Williams could also contribute the same less than 10 games that Heikenen, Potter and Eriksson did. I'd doubt Niemi goes to Hartford, when you add in Baldwin, Henley, Glass, the kid HW signed from RIT and ?Berube?
Larry Brooks is exactly why I love the rise of the hockey blogosphere. It's not really just him, it's all of the journalists in the mainstream media that treat their job the way he does. A perfect example was his season-long dealings with John Tortarella.
Make the story and make it about them. It's one of those things, "any publicity is good publicity."
What sucks is that he will have good insights from time to time. Hell, anyone with that kind of access SHOULD have decent takes. But he does what most people from the Post do-- sell papers and ask questions later. At some point, there's a bit of a conflict of interests for fans here. The journalists #1 goal is to sell papers and make the editors happy. Our #1 goal is to get decent reporting and behind-the-scene facts. Unfortunately, those two don't always go hand in hand....
Great post... Ryan McDonagh should be a damn good defensemen. Glad to see he's getting a little love...
Elroy,
I think it is more that Tortorella has no confidence in Sauer but at the same time; Sauer can not walk and chew gum without getting hurt.
That is what keeps hurting his development.
Williams will not be back, he was a huge waste.
I can picture Klassen, Kundratek, Baldwin, Henley at the top of the list for Hartford.
Glass and the others to the ECHL
Valentenko is someone who I would not touch with a 10 foot pole. He plays for himself and his money so I wonder if the Rangers send him to Hartford will he report?
Matt
There is not a thing I can say to add to your own excellent points.
Bravo well said
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