Embarrassing themselves

The press release from the New York Rangers basically says it all in regards to Carl Hagelin's three-game suspension by the NHL;

STATEMENT REGARDING CARL HAGELIN SUSPENSION


New York, April 15, 2012- The New York Rangers accept the NHL's three-game suspension of Carl Hagelin and will not pursue an appeal. However, we are thoroughly perplexed in the ruling's inconsistency with other supplementary discipline decisions that have been made throughout this season and during the playoffs. himWe will have no further comment on this decision.

I would've loved to have gotten to listen in on the phone conversation when Brendan Shanahan or Colin Campbell called Glen Sather to inform him of the NHL's "decision." It probably would have been a very colorful one-sided conversation with Sather reading either one of them the riot act.

What really is sad is that the NHL doesn't realize the damage being done right here and right now. Anyone that knows Carl Hagelin knows that he is not the type of heavy hitting or dirty playing type of player.

Yet he gets three games while a Shea Weber who is well-known for his physical play doesn't even draw a single game suspension. Repeat offender Matt Carkner gets and we have to post this video from Brendan Shanahan where he shows Carkner doing the same thing in 2009.



Now if you remember that we wrote that Carl Hagelin deserved 1-2 game suspension for his elbow on Daniel Alfredsson of the Senators. This was a reckless play by Hagelin and but we had hoped 1 game for being a first offender; it was shocking to see 3 playoff games especially considering what was NOT given to Shea Weber or a 1 game suspension where Shanahan himself calls Carkner an aggressor who was a repeat offender.

How strange is it to see Brendan Shanahan build a strong case against Cartner including showing an offense from 2009 but yet he only gets 1 game? And whether they like to admit it or not given the circumstances of the playoff series between the two teams, there has to be a rational and logical explanation offered.

Carl Hagelin is going to miss games 3,4,and 5 so what happens if there's a game 6 and Hagelin is back in the lineup? You just know that he's going to have a bull's-eye on him because of what he did to the Senator's captain. Hagelin is not a fighter so what then? What is Hagelin supposed to do if Matt Carkner start running him?

The man who really right now is on the spot is John Tortorella because while we know that Chris Kreider really has to come in the lineup to replace Hagelin's missing speed, who does Tortorella sent out to start the game for the Rangers?

The Senators as the home team has last change so the Rangers have to declare first their starting lineup. John Tortorella is basically pushed against the wall and in a no-win situation here.

If he sends out his first line and the Senators send out their "chippy" players than Tortorella is taking a huge risk. But at the same time if Tortorella starts again like he did against New Jersey then you can just imagine everybody's going to say "look what Tortorella is starting."

If John Tortorella goes with John Scott instead of Chris Kreider then you know again Tortorella is the bad guy because he dressed a goon. And if we have a repeat of what happened against New Jersey then guess who's going to get the blame?

Why of course John Tortorella.

As the expression goes "if I'm going to be blamed, then I might as well make it worthwhile" so coach go right ahead and start a forward line of Rupp, Bickel, and Prust.

You didn't start this war but you know you have to win it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday prospect action saw two teams with an opportunity to close out the series they were in and advance to the next round. Neither team was able to cash in on their chance which means Tuesday is going to be game seven, sudden-death, win or go home.

What makes this even better is that if Halifax can win on Monday then there will be combined from the OHL and QMJHL, a total of five separate game sevens. If you're faint of heart then don't watch because all of these games will be heart stopping.

In the QMJHL, Kirill Kabanov (NYI 2010 3rd) and his Shawinigan Cataractes could not find a way to even score against the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and their goalie Chris Gibson. Gibson stopped all 33 shots that he faced as the Saguenéens shut out the Cataractes 2-0 to tie the series and force the game seven.

According to our friend Neate Sager, Kabanov and his teammates will be looking to avoid becoming the first host of the Memorial Cup to fail to make it to his league's third round since 2003. Kabanov we can't blame for the loss as he took 6 shots and registered 1 hit.

In the OHL, JT Miller (NYR 2011 1st) and his Plymouth Whalers also had the opportunity to end their series with the Kitchener Rangers and move on to the OHL Western Conference finals. The Whalers lost 4-2 on Kitchener's home ice setting up the Tuesday game 7 in Plymouth.

Miller had the primary assist on Plymouth's second goal for just his second point of the series but still has yet to score a goal in the series. It's not all on Miller but come Tuesday he and 18 other skaters had best figure out how to get the puck into the back of the net our their season is done.

Miller also took a hooking minor at 4:50 of the first period then teammate Beau Schmitz took a tripping penalty 4 seconds later giving Kitchener a two-man advantage and Kitchener scored their first goal of the game 45 seconds later.

Finally we got this from the Boston College Sports Information Department regarding the Boston College Hockey Awards banquet:

Junior forward Chris Kreider earned the team’s Most Improved Player award that is named for James E. Tiernan, the 1956 Beanpot MVP. Kreider, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound defenseman, led the team in scoring this season with 45 points – 23 goals and 22 assists.

Congratulations to Chris and we hope that it's a good sign on Monday night when or if Chris Kreider makes his NHL debut. There is really no other option but to play Chris Kreider at this time as there isn't another player anywhere in the system signed or unsigned who could replace Carl Hagelin and his speed.

To all of you who asked the question "what do we think Chris Kreider can do against Ottawa?"

Please don't expect a hat trick like Derek Stepan scored in his debut but there is a couple areas where Kreider could be a good weapon for the Rangers. He is 6 foot 3 220 and while he may be just 20 but he is a load to try to handle in the slot.

Put Derek Stephan with Chris Kreider and Brandon Prust. We would put Kreider on the power play but we would not use him on the right point like Boston College has. Put him down low on the wing and let him cycle the puck.

Kreider can score but he can also create so we would tell John Tortorella to take advantage of that. We also would not be afraid to use Kreider on the penalty kill because while he may be a step slower than Hagelin, he is much bigger and much stronger.

We think if Kreider is used he will be okay.

(New York Ranger logo- New York Rangers)