Counting backward: Jagr, Messier, Leetch, Kisio, Greschner, Beck, Tkachuk, Dave Maloney, Espo, Park, Hadfield and all the way to the first, Bill Cook in 1926-27.
Who's next?
My money's on Chris Drury.
It's all but certain Brendan Shanahan won't be back, and personally, a "C" for Brendan would have been purely ceremonial at this final stage in his career. Going forward, the Rangers should have a captain in command for more than a year.
Drury was co-captain with Danny Briere from 2004-07 in Buffalo.
Next, Scott Gomez as one 'A' would be the way to go.
Should Markus Naslund have the other ''A''? He wore the C for Vancouver for eight years.
Thoughts?
Also, with thousands of page views and hundreds of questions, the first live chat we had here last week blew the roof off the servers. They're repaired, so we'll host another tomorrow, Tuesday, at 11:30 AM.
I'll post another reminder in the morning, in case you need to set some time aside to pose questions on the Rangers and the NHL as the dust settles on free agency, cap space (I believe there's some more moves to be made) arbitration, rosters, training camps, the whole enchilada.
Comments (38)
An imported mercenary for captain is a joke. I say DUBINSKY deserves the "C." At least he hasn't opted-out to New Jersey, or wherever for more money yet, and he represents the newer, younger, more spirited Rangers than a selfish player like Jagr ever did.
drury-c
gomez-a
roszy-a
Drury for Captain. It's best for the team in the long run. Drury for Captain!
I have an inside track on a little rumor floating around about Toronto.
The Rangers are believed to be in the hunt for Kubina or McCabe.
With Toronto, there are 8 signed d-men. Schenn and another prospect are on the way.
Toronto will have 10 d-men by the end of the week.
Kubina's NTC kicks in Aug 15th
McCabe is being asked to waive now in preperations to resign Stejan to a multi-year deal. That's the official internet rumor all sumed up.
My little bird has passed along to me that the Rangers are still very much in the off season hunt to make a substantial improvement to last years PP and Defense. The Rangers are believed to be dangling some of it's young wingers in a player swap type deal.
Would lvoe drury as C, Gomer as an A, and NAslund? Maybe.
I dont think anyone in there first year on any team should be given a mantle of leadership til they can prove it to the team first.
MAybe give Dubi the A, and show the young kids there hard work is rewarded.
I still dont like this treatment of Shanahan. The guy worked his ass off for us, albeit hurt for the better part of two seasons, has probably one season left in him. Why not resign him? I understand the youth movement, but Shanny isnt JAgr, and will work with a new role. Hell it would probably make him play better having to show what he can still do.
IF Sather lets him go without even an offer, IT will be very disappointing. And Ill still wear my #14 to the games
c'mon now
there is no way we'd be able to fit either of those Leaf defensemen under our cap
The Leafs are stuck with McCabe, they will need to buy him out
Mikey,
if we signed Shanahan, there would be a thousand posts complaining that he is too old, too slow, what the heck is Sather doing.
You are complaining that they haven't signed him, what the heck is Sather doing.
this is definitely a tough crowd
Hey Zip whats the Status of Dan Fritsche?
Oh, there is always a way that those defensemen can fit under the cap.
Kubina - 5 mil
McCabe - 6.5 mil this year, then falls to 4.5 next year.
very easy to make fit.
c'mon Dude, this is Sather and Dolan we're talking about, they'll make it fit if they really want it.
Time will tell.
Freddy,
I don't think it's happening
you try and come up with a realistic trade where 5 million goes back to Toronto to make up for the Kubina salary
it's impossible
Capmess11,
the Rangers will be going to arbitration with Fritsche, the hearings are from July 20th-August 4th, unless they sign him to a deal before then.
I really am surprised that an offer hasent been made to Shanny!
He could make the difference with all the new guys on this team with his leadership, experience and skill.How disapointing to all us Ranger fans that he hasent been brought back already! He is the best! He should get the "C" for 1 year.
C=Drury
A's=Gomez and Rozsival, with Smiley Gomez being the first interview after the game.
Naslund and Redden can be alternate alternates. They should just come here and play without any extra burden, at least in the beginning.
Shannystheman,
Even though the cap is tight I think ounce the dust settles BS will be in a ranger uniform this year.
Just posted a blog on Hockeybuzz. Fritsche is on the Columbus Roster and not on the Rangers anymore. I wonder if he went back to OH.
Dude,
It is impossible when you set the stipulation that 5 mil goes back to Toronto.
A stipulation that doesn’t play along with the idea that Toronto is also trying to free up cap space, hence asking McCabe to waive his NTC, and looking to deal Kubina before Aug 15th. So there won’t be a trade for “salaries” with Toronto.
There is 4 mil free (at this moment) in the cap.
Betts, Hollweg and Orr, let’s say we waive them all to Hartford.
That 1.5 mil more freed up. Now we’re looking at 5.5 mil.
We’re both smart enough to know Betts, Hollweg and Orr are not being traded for a Pavel Kubina. We’re also smart enough to realize there are 6 extra forwards (as of today) either waiting to see where they fall into the line-up, or are hoping to brake into the line-up. Not all of them will play this season in NY.
(For all the smack folks talk about Prucha, you’d think they’d remember that 1.6 mil hitting the cap this season. I don’t expect Prucha to be around in Oct., do you?
Now the cap space is looking a little larger huh?)
You might not want it to happen, but don’t underestimate the value a 31 yr old defensemen can make on a team icing 1 over 30 forward.
Time will tell.
A - Drury, Gomez and Redden
no captain this season.
Drury, Gomez and Redden all have long term deals. naslund wil probably be gone in 2 years and rosi never really struck me as a leadership type (probably because he always deffered to jagr on the pp).
2 over 30yr forwards. Drury is 31.
Bring Shanny back!!!
Shanny for "C"
Freddy,
I wish we had 4 million in cap space
the way I see it, we have no cap space right now, between 1-2 million
We need to give Dawes, Fritsche and Sjostrom new deals and they would probably offset guys leaving like Hollweg, Orr or Betts.
We can go over the cap by 10% until opening night.
I never said I didn't want Kubina.
I just don't see it possible.
Freddy,
If the Leafs trade does happen, I guarantee you I will be the first to come on here and say you were right.
Dude,
It's not about being right, for me anyway. Just feasilbe. There rumors for god sake, and if Eklund (I refuse to read his crap) reports it, than it'll never happen, and then your right.
Gomez should be captain. I'd like the team to have his personality. We need a captain you actually talks to the refs. Drury has all the personality of a third line checking center.
RB - no way Dubinsky is captain nor should he be. of the youth Staal will get an A before Dubinsky will.
maybe go 3 A's this year with no captain like they did coming out of the lockout
I think it is obvious that Drury C, Redden and Naslund A
Drury for Captain!
I'm gonna say Gomez for captain
Drury wears the C - no doubt. He is the leader of that team and will be for years. Gomez wheres the A for his fun loving style and he ust crack up that locker room. Watching him enjoy the spotlight of NY was a treat.
I see a lot of people putting down A's for Rosy, but he just isn't a leader, so I really don't see that happening. My money is on Nasland.
Good question Zip..
With all the Roster changes, the 'Senior Statesmen' with most tenure on the Team are:
Roszival
Prucha
Betts
Hollweg
Lundquist
Given that the Acquisition of Rissmiller (or Fritsche) could mean that Blair Betts is out of a job, it's hard to imagine he'll be included in leadership.
Since the Team wanted Drury for his intangibles, he's the likely pick. Gomez and Roszival likely next, with Naslund in the mix.
gomez for captain - he's got more rings than drury and was an instrumental cog in all of new jersey's championships, drury wasn't for colorado
first a - drury
second a - either redden or naslund - this can be solidified during training camp and preseason
drury has to be capitan he has the composure and can speak to the locker room. Gomez has to get an A for his experience in the post season and I feel Rozival deserves one as well as the leader in years played for the defense. He earned it playing on a knee that needed to be surgically repaired. Plus I dont like the idea of rewarding players like naslund or redden who won anything and havent played a game for the rangers yet
THE HELL WITH THE RULES HENRIK FOR CAPTAIN
Shanny is done forget about him on the team he will only be a hinderance, Drury for C Naslund+Gomez for A
Shanny is the best choice for "C". Pay him some money and get him signed
I agree, no way Dubinsky will actually be made captain so early in his career, but it is not hard to see it happening in the future. Still, I think it would be quite a creative inspiration to do it now.
As regards Shanahan, the club having turned the corner on Jagr and Straka, it would make a lot of sense to commit to the next generation of Rangers across-the-board by sweeping Shanahan out the door, as well. And by the way, Shanahan's shooting percentage has decreased over the last three seasons from 14 to 11 to 8+ percent. His leadership does not offset his declining level of play and that's before bringing discussion of his exorbitant salary into the mix. The compensation curve upward spike has passed the performance curve downward spiral on the value chart.
You guy's are dreaming RE: the players on Toronto com'n here...where's the $ com'n from?.....the only way is to trade a high priced player so to drop the cap #...ie: trading Rosy for example 20 Mil for 4 years....that killed our cap room...and yeah, I like Rosy because when he shoots-it's always on net...but still, we need cap room to retain the services of the above mentioned....and btw, my opinon; Gomez for Captain...he's a better leader and when he really picks up his game, the team seems to follow suite....I'd give AC to Drury, Redden and Naslund...yeah, why not have 3 assistant captains?...where is it written you can only have 2?...more leadership is what we get.
You guy's are dreaming RE: the players on Toronto com'n here...where's the $ com'n from?.....the only way is to trade a high priced player so to drop the cap #...ie: trading Rosy for example 20 Mil for 4 years....that killed our cap room...and yeah, I like Rosy because when he shoots-it's always on net...but still, we need cap room to retain the services of the above mentioned....and btw, my opinon; Gomez for Captain...he's a better leader and when he really picks up his game, the team seems to follow suite....I'd give AC to Drury, Redden and Naslund...yeah, why not have 3 assistant captains?...where is it written you can only have 2?...more leadership is what we get.
Rich - a team can have a "c" and 2 alternates for a given game. they could switch who wears the "A" in a given game. But they can not have 3 A's unless they have no Captain for that game.
id say shanny maybe 3 years ago, but why would we give him a C if hes only coming back(if he even does) for a year or at most 2
plus you dont need a stupid letter on your jersey to lead a team, tell me who u thought led the team last year, jagr or your chioce of gomez drury shanny
id pick the last 3