Which NYRangers Name is Cooler?

Just a simple question I ask of you Ranger fans out there.  Which young New York Rangers star do you think has the cooler name?  Is it second year player MDZ, Michael Del Zotto or Swedish rookie star MZA, Mats Zuccarello Aasen?

Michael Del Zotto is already a star on Broadway and a fan favorite after his up and down rookie season.  MDZ will definitely be on the Rangers opening night but we will have to wait and see for Aasen.

If you had a choice to be one of these young Rangers players not based on skill but just based on there name, who would you choose? You can answer in the comment section or @ me on twitter @NYRangers365.

Was Dan Girardi Overpayed?

Dan Girardi was signed earlier this summer to a four year deal with a cap hit of $3.325M a year.  The contract has an overall value of $13.3M.  He will be payed $3.1M the first year and $3.4M a year over the next three.

Most Rangers fans hated Girardi after he did not go in and defend Marion Gaborik while he was fighting Daniel Carcillo. They never wanted to see him wear the Rangers sweater again.  It seems those feelings have gone away and most Rangers fans were happy to see Girardi re-up with the Rangers.  Not many were really sure about this deal right away as a market value was not really set on Girardi and thus no one was sure if this was a fair deal or not.  Well a signing this week may dictate whether or not Glen Sather over payed for the Rangers blueliner.

Join me after this for more on this story........

2012 NHL Lockout Would Be Pure Insanity!!

With the Ilya Kovalchuk hearing and situation nearing an end, talk about what this whole mess could lead to is heating up.  A word that most NHL fans are used to and would not like to hear ever again is Lockout.  With that said, the likelyhood of another lockout is still there.  Would the NHL be that stupid? Could they possibly lock us out of another NHL season after all the success they are seeing? To be honest I would not be surprised if the NHL did but I can't see Gary Bettman shutting down another season after all of the Ratings, Attemdance and Merchandise gains the NHL has expirienced over the last five seasons.

We as hockey and NHL fans were all devestated to a certain degree when the NHL was locked out in 2004-2005 but looking back on it now, most of us can agree that it has worked out great for the overall quality of the game.  All the new rule changes and the salary cap have been great for the NHL.  I really can' think of one rule change that has hurt the game (I can think of some unnecessary ones). The salary cap has helped inject some youthfulness into the game as most teams need to have a certain amount of Entry Level Contract's to fit under the cap.

Join me after this for some of my reasons as to why the NHL will not lockout in 2012......

NHL News: Chris Chelios Retires!!

Chris Chelios has announced that he will finally retire at the age of 48! He would have turned 49 in January if he played this season.  The U.S born defensemen did not have a very memorable last NHL season.  But he went out on his own terms when he felt like he was done and could not play at the top level.  He feels like he can be more of an asset to a team in the front office then on the ice.

Chelios will definitely be looked at as one of the best U.S born defensemen in NHL history with many many trophies, awards and memorable moments that will fill highlight reels for years to come and inspire young U.S defensemen.

Join me after this for more on the retirement of Chelios......

NHL Has Best Buisness Year in History in Terms of Ratings, Attendence, Merchandise Sales and Much More !!!

Well this is kind of old news but for people who have not seen it, well now you will.  The NHL had a press release in mid-June that stated some of it's best accomplishments this season and also some of the brighter moments.

The NHL saw an increase in TV Ratings throughout the season and playoffs, greater attendance, merchandise sales, and saw its most watched games in a LONG time.  NHL Network also had a large increase in subscriptions this season. 

Join me after this for the full press release from the NHL....

Heritage Classic News!! Alot of PICS from Press Conference!!

The NHL today held a press conference for the Heritage Classic which is the Canadian version of the Winter Classic.  The game will be played on February 20th and will be played between the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames.  The Canadiens played in the first Heritage Classic in 2003 against the Edmonton Oilers.  That year the Canadiens would go on to win the game. Obviously both teams have a lot of history so it seems like a great game will be played in Calgary 

The game will be played at McMahon Stadium which hold 40,000 plus seats which with no doubt will be filled up with crazy Canadian hockey fans of all teams.  The NHL has said they will most likely continue this as an every year tradition like the Winter Classic but will wait until after this years plays out to see how everything goes.

Join me after this for Pictures from today's press conference including logos and jerseys that will be worn during the game......

Is Brian Boyle The Odd Man Out??

With all the moves the New York Rangers have made so far this offseason, someone will end up being the odd man out.  And is Sather is not done there could end up being more then one returning Ranger sitting in the press box or playing in Hartford.  Not only do we have a lot of forwards but most are at center which does not make the tunnel any brighter for Mr. Boyle.

Boyle had a tough first year in New York only scoring two goals and six points.  He played in 71 games missing eleven due to a foot/ankle injury. He will most likely be given a second chance during training camp but he will have to work extra hard and put in as much effort as he can to show he belongs on this team and to show he should play on a nightly basis.  With a clog at center it could be hard for the Rangers to find a spot for him.

The Rangers have seven centers under contract, Boyle, Christensen, Anisimov, Dubinsky, Drury, White and Prospal.  Now it seems as though Dubinsky will be playing the wing and it is very possible that Prospal will be also.  Anisimov and Christensen are ahead of Boyle on the depth chart so that leaves us with White, Drury and Boyle for the final 2 spots. 

Join me after this for a final conclusion on Brian Boyle's future as a Ranger.....