Blue Notes

August is upon us and questions remain unanswered...
If Avery's salary arbitration number is reasonable and the Rangers don't walk, the roster puzzle is becoming more complete.
Jagr, Drury, Gomez, Straka, Shanahan, Prucha, Hossa, Betts, Callahan, Hollweg and Orr are signed.
Will there be room and playing time for Dawes and Dubinsky? Bourret or Anisimov?
If the Rangers don't land Peca, obviously Dubinsky will have a better shot at sticking, right?
Or should the Rangers be tempted by another free agent center: Forsberg, Allison, Vasicek, Bulis? Someone's going to get these guys cheap.
And how about trades?
Rumors persist that Jovo and Redden might be on the radar, but some salary would have to go the other way.
Rozsival and Tyutin are keepers; Girardi needs to continue his growth; Mara and Malik will be UFAs after the season; their days may be numbered. Hutchinson is a mystery. Should Pock get consistent playing time or be moved?
Will Staal initially be sent down for more seasoning?
Is anyone but me a little concerned about Vally as a backup to Henrik?
Camp will be intriguing. One thing for sure, the opening-night roster won't be one that ends the regular season.
Never happens.
But let the speculation begin....

The Rangers have re-signed restricted free agent Marcel Hossa to a one-year, $780,000 contract, avoiding an arbitration hearing scheduled for Thursday.
Hossa, 25, earned $600,000 last season. The left wing, who earned a spot on the first line by playing tough, two-way hockey as the season progressed, had only 10 goals and eight assists during the season. But he registered eight goals and five assists in the last 15 games.
No word yet from the arbitrator in the Sean Avery hearing....

The arbitrator has 48 hours to issue his decision, which generally consists of five or more pages. It will likely come tomorrow, but possibly Wednesday.

The Avery hearing is still going on, an official monitoring the process just told me, and a ruling may not come until tomorrow....

The phone calls are out, but we haven't heard from Toronto yet on today's arbitration hearing for Sean Avery.
For his numbers last season, a fair award would be about $1.8 million for a year for what the rambunctious Avery can bring on and off the ice.
The arbitrator, who must rule within 48 hours, isn't supposed to weigh intangibles, just the numbers.
By all means, Avery's in-your-face style certainly stirred the dozing Rangers in the final 29 games after he was acquired from the Kings. And for the most part, he kept the filter between his brain and mouth in place.
But he slipped off the wagon near the end of the season and referees warned Coach Tom Renney about his yapping.
And saying he wanted "to hurt" the Sabres wasn't very classy, especially in hindsight, after he came up scoreless in six games.
Avery, 27, is an asset, albeit a volatile one.
He was the perfect guy for the team at the time of the trade; over 82 games with a different mix of players, who knows?
Marcel Hossa's hearing is Thursday.
More later...

The Peca Watch:

At a charity golf tourney today, UFA Michael Peca told the Canadian Press:

''I think there been some interest (from the Rangers),'' said Peca, an 11-year NHL veteran. ''That would be a great fit. Is it going to happen? I'm not 100 per cent sure. We'll have to see."

The Leafs are interested as well, and former Islander Jason Blake has been lobbying him to return to Toronto, said Peca.

Again, as suggested the other day, if the money's right, I'd really like to see him in New York....

And staggering with jet-lag, but this to report:

Former NHL coach Jim Schoenfeld has been named assistant general manager/player personnel of the Rangers, replacing Don Maloney, who joined the Phoenix Coyotes as general manager in May. Schoenfeld, 54, will continue to oversee the Hartford Wolf Pack as general manager, but will be replaced as head coach by assistant Ken Gernander. Schoenfeld has coached the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals and Coyotes.

And nobody asked me (tough to access the internet on safari), but I'd love to see the Rangers sign Michael Peca for a year. Third-line center, toughness, PK. So I'll bang the drums on this one...
It's not too late, guys....

Nice to be back. More to come...

Greetings, fans. Mike Casey filling in for Steve Zipay, who I promise will be back soon with regular updates. (When you travel with a team for eight months of the year, you've gotta take your vacation in bunches.)

I'm wondering what everyone is thinking about the Matt Cullen trade. Seems to me it was a smart move to get rid of a guy who just wasn't worth the $2.8 million he was earning. It's not his fault the Rangers gave him the money -- Matt was a good guy and a hard worker -- but he couldn't finish and thus wasn't worth the investment over the next three years.

Sean Avery proved himself to be a much more valuable player than Cullen last year, and Avery will probably get a deal close to Cullen's $2.8 million.

Most of the NY papers this morning took the straightforward angle that Cullen's departure was essential to create the cap space needed to sign Avery and Marcel Hossa. But another tabloid expressed concern that this would create a hole for the Rangers at third-line center.

Frankly, I don't think that will be a problem. They've got some options in Hartford (Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov), some versatile players who they can move around in the lineup (Avery, Hossa, Martin Straka) and some free agent options, any of whom could potentially fill a third-line role (Alyn McCauley, Mike Peca, Trevor Linden, Dave Scatchard, and maybe even Petr Nedved).

In today's game, the salary cap is sometimes overlooked, but when you can remove a bad contract from your payroll without significantly impacting your roster, you do it. Finding another third-line center won't be nearly as difficult as it would have been to trade Cullen at the end of this season after another 15-goal, 40-point campaign. And the Rangers got a little upside back in the form of prospect Joe Barnes, a former third-round pick who suffered a major concussion and missed most of last season, which was his first in the AHL.

I've taken shots at Glen Sather at different times throughout his career here, but this is one time when I have to give credit where credit's due: It's a smart move. He got two players and a third-round pick in return, and it helps the Rangers keep salary-cap purgatory at an arm's length.

So now that I've tainted all your opinions with my point of view, what do you think? Are you worried about replacing Cullen? Disappointed that his chemistry with Ryan Callahan and Petr Prucha won't be rekindled next year? Who would you like to see replace him at third-liner center? Rant away, and I'll try to respond in the comments if I get a chance later today.

Just FYI to all: I always post on a new entry, never on the boards....

By the time I'm back home, presumably Shanahan, Lundqvist and others will have signed.
Newsday's Mike Casey and others on the staff will monitor developments.

I sense a trade coming at some point though.

At least one player has told friends he wouldn't mind being moved. That's all I can pass along at this point because I haven't got it confirmed----or whether the player has since changed his stance.

My mind is already on vacation: Of course it's "Au Revoir", I was subconsciously "X"-ing out the guy who posts under my name. Thanks, though...

Of course, most of you saw right through it.

You guys might be right about Philly in pre-season, just passing along what I heard. Didn't have time today to check it out.

And for those who asked, we'll be discussing some potential changes for monitoring the comments section with the newsday.com folks before the season begins.....

The NHL regular-season and exhibition schedules are expected to be released later this week----when I'll be out of the jurisdiction on vacation---so here's a preview:

If form holds, the Rangers and their Atlantic Division rivals will be headed northwest to Colorado, Minnesota, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary (two separate trips for the Blueshirts) and the Ducks and the Pacific Division teams will visit the Garden. Dates TK.

No word on exhibition schedule, but figure Philly, Boston, Devs and perhaps the Islanders.

Training camp is expected to open on Sept. 13.

While I'm travelling, please keep posting news and rumors and commentary in an adult fashion, OK?

Thanks and aux revoir....

Unless the Rangers really move salary (and taking Lundqvist to arbitration means they'll pay handsomely) such as Cullen ($3.1 million per) and Malik or maybe Prucha, I can't see the Souray cap fit.

In truth, I'd rather trade for a more well-rounded, younger top 4 D during the season. In looking long-term, Souray might have priced himself out of NYC (although, again, who can blame him: look what Timonen--- and even Cory Sarich for pete's sake---received). Meanwhile, Sanguinetti and Sauer are on the horizon.

Souray could end up in New Jersey or San Jose, according to reports. I have no inside info on that though.

Boy, some folks are sensitive.

First of all, having watched the NHL for three decades, I'd love to see all the local teams make the playoffs. More press, more interest in the games for new fans, etc.

And if you've read this blog during the season, I've slammed the Rangers as much as anybody covering them. Ask around.

For those who think we only write about the Rangers here, wrong again. Yes, mostly, but we touch base on a lot of topics around the league and off the ice, because we do have some very savvy, forward-thinking readers in the area and across the country.

I do wish more had the guts to keep it adult and civil, however. That's my biggest regret; dignity and integrity is often trampled by someone's concept of free speech.

And please don't lecture on journalism, OK? There's a difference between reporting and opinion. We crank out both here...
(Well, actually my pal Chris Botta can say whatever he wants, of course, remember it's his job to defend the Isles, stir the pot and by the way, his responses on Deadspin to the creation of the Isles Blog Box were the funniest of the year).

Now to the UFAs. If the Rangers don't at least get to the Finals in the next two years---before Jagr hangs em up---the Drury and Gomez moves were flawed. They have decided to be a "now' team. The division and conference is stronger.

With that in mind, I'd love to see the Islanders rebuild with younger guys, but I understand they're in a tough spot with the defections and have to be competitive while remaking the team. I hope Guerin and Tank and Comrie earn their money, I really do, and then bring some picks/prospects back. So we'll see...

Love the passion (and thanks to my defenders), so keep it up. Should be a swell season...

Unsigned by 5 p.m., Sean Avery (earning $1.1 million) and Marcel Hossa ($600,000 last season) were among 29 players who filed for salary arbitration at the deadline.

Hearings are set for Toronto from July 20 to Aug. 4.

No official word on Shanahan or Lundqvist at this point.

Isles, by the way, will pay $9 million, yep, $9 million mazzonies, over two years to Bill Guerin, a good soul, a born-in-the-USA vet, but let's be honest, he's 36 years old, made $2 mil last year on a one-season pact and vanished in San Jose after being shipped from St. Loo....

I don't blame Guerin. Hey, Ruslan Fedotenko got $2.9 mil....

Together, that's $7.4m in Isles' crazy money next season...

His two-year deal is for $1.375, about right for a veteran backup who will play perhaps 10-12 games behind Brodeur. Weekes, 32, made almost $2 million last season with the Rangers....

First Rachunek crosses the river, now Weekes. No details on deal yet....

Question:

How comfortable should the Rangers feel with Valiquette/Montoya behind Henrik?

I'm predicting right now that they will have a veteran backup signed before the trade deadline or sooner, for the playoffs...

Your thoughts?

Hmmm.

Prucha made $550,000 last year and apparently said recently that he wanted to come back to the Rangers and wasn't concerned about the money.

So why the huge raise?

Something night be cooking.

Could the Rangers be loading up on salary to move it?

Don't be surprised if Prucha and his $1.6 million are sent somewhere in a trade.....

Rangers still could use a top 4 D, either now or at the trade deadline...

Good deals.

Petr Prucha has signed a two-year, $3.2 million contract.. and I'll have surreal tales from the recovery room and rehab from hip surgery shortly. I'm day-to-day, but improving and it's nice to be back....

Rangers fans, today offered your first glimpse at what the core of your team will look like in 2009-10.

Jaromir Jagr's contract expires after the 2008-09 season, and from every indication he's given, there's plenty of reason to believe he'll finally hang up his skates then.

Many fans have wondered aloud, "What will our team look like when Jagr is gone?" Without any big-ticket forward prospects coming down the pike (we'll see whether Alexei Cherepanov is worth all the hype), it was a reasonable thing to ponder.

Now we know, at least in financial terms, where the Rangers will cast their lot when Jagr is gone.

Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, both of whom are locked up to deals that will keep them on Broadway long after Jagr is gone, will play a signifcant role in the direction the franchise takes in the distant future.

That said, it's time to react to the deals in a big-picture sense. Are Drury and Gomez the types of players you want the Rangers to build a team around? Are you satisifed with the lengths of the contracts? Are you nervous that the Rangers might have given the keys to the franchise to two players who have never proven capable of leading a team by themselves?

While my colleague Steve Zipay recovers from offseason surgery, hopefully I can stir some debate in his absence.

P.S., Steve wants to let everyone know he'll be back soon, and he is looking forward to camp and the season.