Blue Notes

Ryan Bourque ended a short scrimmage with a quality play, a backhanded roofer from the right post off his own rebound for a 3-2 win. "Good way to finish off the week," he said afterward.

Bourque said he'd been speaking with his dad, Ray, on the phone every night. "He just told me to have fun," Ryan said.

John Tortorella's conditioning camp, he said, was "tougher than I expected, but I guess what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

The Rangers third pick in last weekend's draft will be at home the rest of July, then report for World Juniors camp in Lake Placid and then Quebec for Remparts camp on Aug. 15.

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Evgeny Grachev didn't skate today. A Rangers spokesman said he was "a little banged-up, but he's fine." Grachev, it should be pointed out, hadn't skated since May 8, when Brampton was eliminated from the playoffs. Every time his missed a shot during the week, he banged his stick or waved it in frustration.

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Two other notable goals in the scrimmage: A nice Matt Gilroy drop pass at the top of the right circle to Ilkka Heikkinen, who scored on a wrister. The 24-year-old Finn has opened some eyes with his shots in camp. Heikkinen, 6-2, 200, also collected an assist on Justin Soryal's jam-in.

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Scott Stajcer, the Owen Sound goalie who was selected in the fifth round, was wearing Steve Valiquette's mask. Didn't get a chance to ask why. I do know that in a breakaway drill, all three of the Rangers' top picks (Chris Kreider, Ethan Werek and Bourque) scored consecutively on him.

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Just musing here, but I figure at least seven of the attendees will be at camp: Ds Gilroy, Del Zotto, Heikkinen and Kundratek and forwards Grachev, Soryal and Chris Chappell

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Tomorrow, we'll sketch out some lines, but for today, so long....

From X: (The LA band's version of Alvin/Keen was rolling through my head)

Whatever happened,
I apologize
So dry your tears, baby
And take a walk outside
It's the Fourth of July...

On the stairs I smoke a cigarette alone
Mexican kids are shootin' fireworks below
Hey baby, it's the Fourth of July....

Arnason, 30, could be a fourth-line center or play in Hartford---or even be packaged. Another American.

No fireworks on the other two.

Corey Locke was a PP specialist in AHL.

PA Parenteau is a mainstay scorer in Hartford.

More later...

...a two-way deal, Rangers say...

To me, there are a couple key questions about Gaborik and I him asked both: About his health and his contract:

From Slovakia, he said he was glad that he chose to have hip surgery in January and now, "I feel great. I played the last 11 games of the year and I took time off after and tried to get to 100 percent. Now, I'm in full training, getting ready for the season. I'm very excited. I don't see any problems down the road."

Gaborik, who has a limited no-trade clause, said the Rangers sent a scout to his house in Slovakia with a video presentation. It was unbelievable. I felt right away they were interested in me. A few other teams were interested, but it was coming down to the Rangers in every aspect, the term, whatever." His former team, the Wild, did not make an offer.

Chris Drury made a call right after the market opened, and Gabby---who grew up with the Hossas---spoke with them and fellow countryman Martin Rucinsky as well as former teammate Aaron Voros. "They had nothing but good things to say about New York, everybody was impressed."

Sitting out with the injuries "just made me stronger. You see your teammates out there battling hard and workign hard and you can't help. It was tough times. I'm gonna do all that I have to do to take care of my body, so hopefully everything's behind me."

You may remember this from a noon post yesterday. "Forward Chris Chappell, (6-4, 209) wearing No. 59, 38-38-76 in OHL Saginaw will be signed today, I'm told..." It's official. He is headed to Hartford.

Rangers should be in on him for a couple years:

He made $4.75 mil last season and at 34, averaged 17 minutes a game...

Said Higgins: "I haven't talked to him in a little bit...July 1st just came and went, so...his game is still really strong, that guy plays with a lot of heart, competes every night, he's a winner and he's a leader, have not one bad thing to say about him."

Not a lot of UFA centers (Marleau or Richards in a trade is possible, I guess, but one's earning $6 mil and the other $7 plus), there's Sundin, Morrison, LaRose (who I like but not as a No. 1), Perrin, J. Williams....

UPDATE/MORE THOUGHTS

Sorry, just don't see Dubinsky as a No. 1 play-making, get the puck to Gaborik, center in 2009-10. Down the road, maybe. Even Torts has said he had a lot of maturing to do. But sure, they may give Dubi a op with Gaborik.
I still believe he would be more effective as a winger down the road. Drury doesn't have the wheels to play with Gaborik. Anisimov still green. Not Korpi. And certainly not Boyle.

And there might be some chemistry with Higgins on a PP unit.
If not the first, the second. Just sayin'.

Speaking to Gaborik in about 5 minutes....stay tuned

Brian Boyle, the middle child (No. 7) in a family of 13 kids, had a funny line. Asked him how that was growing up, and he said, "Not bad, really. There was a birthday party every three weeks."

Christopher (which he prefers) Higgins said the media in New York won't be anywhere near as pervasive as in Montreal, when cameramen follow the players around at night and home and all over the city. Although an a MSG crew did corral him in his Huntington home on Wednesday...

With all the friends and relatives in the area, I asked if season-ticket sales at the Garden were getting a boost. He laughed: "I'm playing for free next season." FYI, he's unsigned yet, but doesn't anticipate a problem.

MIA: John Tortorella. Back in Tampa. He and the family will be moving up here in mid-August.

Martin Havlat confirmed to Minny, six years, $30 mi
Fredrik Sjostrom, Calgary, 2 years, $1.5 mil (Good luck, Freddy)
John Madden, Chicago, 1 year $2.75

And someone just mentioned: Les Smurfs.
Could this be a Montreal line? Gionta-Gomez-Cammalleri
The big Bruins might be drooling