Monday, December 1, 2008

No need to panic but...

Mats Sundin will be a Ranger. New Toronto GM Brian Burke doesn't seem to be chasing down the stubborn Swede and the Rangers continue to hold interest. I don't know when, and I honestly don't feel like getting into all the roster moves Glen Sather will pursue to make this happen (other than trading Petr Prucha, that's a given), but I feel he will be a Ranger shortly.

This current Rangers team needs to make moves before the deadline, and if they feel Sundin will help them, it's better to get him in uniform sooner rather than later to better assess the team at the deadline with him in the makeup.

The Rangers also need to clear cap space--not only for Sundin--but to also call up a defenseman from Hartford. I'm not saying this team isn't a top-four team in the Eastern Conference, but there are definitely some issues to work out.

Wade Redden has been skating around like Eric Lindros the first day back from a concussion, and Kalinin, with the exception of a couple games here and there, has not impressed. Rozsival has not played well, but do fans realize he is coming off major offseason hip injury? I am not impressed with his play either, but he has always been a serviceable NHL defenseman, he didn't turn into Marek Malik overnight. Stay calm Garden Faithful, you will see his transformation as he continues to get healthier. But they still need a hungry defenseman from Hartford to scare the current six from losing their job. I would love to see Corey Potter in the regular season - he had a monster preseason.

Will Sundin help the Rangers? I don't think so, but I feel as if the Rangers think he can help. Sundin has always been a good player, but a bit overrated throughout his career. Does this opinion come from a narrow view? Of course, I live in Jersey and watch him play maybe 12 times a year if I catch all four games he plays against the Rangers, Devils, and Islanders. And let's be honest, can Islander fans even sit through an entire Islanders game? I mean, it is pretty tough to watch a game after you break the TV with a beer bottle midway through the first period after the Isles are down 3-0 and are trying to kill off their ninth penalty.

Sundin has never won anything and is old. Why not just re-sign Brendan Shanahan? He can give you 20 goals, proven winner, leadership, he loves New York, loads of intagibles, and he knows the system already. I'd rather see Shanahan on Broadway than Sundin.

Unless of course if Sather could swing a deal for (the oft-injured) Marian Gaborak (Mike Cammalleri would be a nice addition also), but we'll save that for another day - I'm too busy watching Jacque Lemaire's super-defense Minnesota Wild give up six right now to the Sakic-less Colorado Avalanche.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Jets Suck

Last week, I warned the non-Jets fan about getting too excited about Gang Green.

They will always let their fans down, and today was no different. I'm assuming at this point, the Mets/Jets fan has to be right on the verge of suicide. Good thing for me the Yankees keep me afloat (And the fact that the NFL is creeping further and further away from my interest in recent years because of the constant Jet heartbreak).

8-4.

The Jets are now 8-4. A week ago, Jets fans across the tri-state area were calling a win-out.

Someone explain to me why in the first quarter of a scoreless game, deep in your own end, in the rain, Brian Shottenheimer called for a fake option reverse with Brad Smith. You can't. It's unexplainable. The game was over from that moment on.

Go ahead, look at the box score.

"Thomas Jones had 138 yards on 16 carries! The Jets should have run it more!"

No, they shouldn't have. They had one good drive that stalled in the red zone. It started at their own 2-yard-line. A couple penalties and a few big screens (With equally as many Bronco injuries) got the Jets all the way down the field, where they settled for a meaningless field goal.

Take away Jones' 59 and 29-yard touchdown runs, and he had 50 yards on 14 carries. Nothing spectacular. I don't usually like to use foul language, so what I will say is that the Jets played like this today.