No doubt, opinions regarding the Petr Prucha trade are divided. A mix of shock and Ahhh! in Rangerland.
Sam Borden / FaceOff / LoHud.com:
Question #165: How much better are the Rangers today than yesterday? --
I like what the Rangers did yesterday. I like the moves, specifically adding Antropov. Anyone who might score a goal is absolutely welcomed on this team as far as I’m concerned. On a personal note, I was sad to see Prucha go though – not only did I like him, but he was my wife’s favorite Ranger and she even had one of those Prucha t-shirt jerseys which she wore to games. She liked him because he was “little” and “always fell down” on what seemed like every shift, while still being scrappy. Kinda hard to argue with that assessment, no?Jim / Rangerland.net:
News Roundup, I Hate Glen Sather Edition --
It’s true. I hate Glen Sather with every drop of blood in my body. I pray for the day when he finally decides that he needs to hand over the team to someone younger who has a clue how to operate a hockey club.Dubi / Blueshirt Bulletin:
As far as the last week goes, though, the old man gets an A+.
Let me be clear on this - I don’t believe that the Rangers got themselves a Stanley Cup with the moves. Far from it, probably. But they are significantly closer than they were two weeks ago...
Slats Completes His Spring Housecleaning --
The Rangers also shed a pair of wingers who lack size in acquiring defenseman Derek Morris from Phoenix. Petr Prucha and Nigel Dawes, both tagged as smallish players but who on the other hand do have scoring touch, plus disposable Dmitri Kalinin, were a hefty sum for the Rangers to pay for a player about to become a free agent. As we noted this morning, the Rangers are in a weak salary cap position that made it likely that they would trade at least two of their impending RFAs, and have done so in moving Dawes and Prucha -- while that appears to be a necessary move at the moment, it does represent a mismanagement of the salary cap...Two Line Pass
Trade deadline winners and losers (hint: you are the latter) --
WinnersNY Rangers Blog:
The Phoenix Coyotes. They got rid of Derek Morris (awful), Olli Jokinen (ugly) and Dan Carcillo (stupid) and got a boatload of guys and picks back, including a first-round pick (good!), Matt Lombardi (handsome!), Scottie Upshall (smart!). They almost certainly had the best day of anyone...
Losers
The New York Rangers. They gave up a lot to get Derek Morris, and probably think Nik Antropov is going to help them. He isn’t...
Antropov & Morris Rentals? --
Not only are the Rangers better today, they're not locked into either one of these guys long term. So if one or both of them don't work out, they're free agents at the end of the year and the Rangers now have some cap space to re-sign other players and look elsewhere.Hockey Rodent:
...as far as the two players go. I really do think they will help.
..less excited about Morris, especially since the Rangers had to give up Prucha to get him, but he has a nice shot from the point...
The Healthiest Scratch --
I'm going to call it "Black Wednesday". It ranks up there with Eddie Giacomin in terms of personal sadness. I always wondered whether Petr Prucha would outlast nemesis Tom Renney on Broadway. Kid Kourageous won... but by the merest technicality...
Antropov is a rent-a-mercenary as is Morris. It leaves a bitter taste.
As for my evaluations of the new arrivals and how they position the Blueshirts for the stretch run. . . . You'll have to pardon me. This is petrprucha.com you're visiting. I've got other things on my mind tonight. I'm in mourning...
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Natural Hat Trick has a great Petr Prucha tribute.Kels / Natural Hat Trick:
We Were The Ones That Were Lucky. . . --
When I heard that Nik Antropov - a right wing - was coming to New York, my heart started to pound. When I heard Derek Morris's name, and they ticked off the names of the Rangers going back. . .Dmitri Kalinin, Nigel Dawes. . .I thought he was safe. But then there it was. Petr Prucha. My heart sank. I had a very unprofessional reaction for a person listening at work. I immediately stood up and went to take a walk.
So, I said to myself, it seems the "heart" of the Rangers would be a Ranger no more...
... we get the memories. Memories of a guy [Prucha] who along with the greatest European scorer ever and one of the brightest young goaltenders in the game - in Jagr and Lundqvist - played a big role in bringing back pride to a Rangers organization sorely lacking something to cheer about.
He gave us hundreds of reasons to cheer. Right up until his last moment on Garden ice.
Pru-cha!
Pru-cha!
Pru-cha! . . .
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ICINGS:Did Gary Bettman help bring Sean of the Dead back to Broadway?
FauxRumors:
Was The Fix In? --
1) We have received many E-mails (and we thank all of you for your interest) concerning the apparent 'about face'; with regard to the Sean Avery situation. We went very on the record relating what we heard about his reinstatement. We were told as recently as last week that Dallas would/may let sean-to-rot-in-minors. So what happened? We simply had to know why Dallas would make this move.
2) One source, who we regrettably didn't ask for input prior to the report we published last week, was quite direct in his assessment based upon what league sources have told him. That in essence Gary Bettman and the league office intervened on Avery's behalf. Not quite forcing, but being quite persistent in urging the Stars, and specifically owner Tom Hicks to release Avery from his banishment. Interestingly also this source went on to admonish us at Fauxrumors. "Guys, this has been a done deal since late January". We guess it was a great secret if many other folks who we respect apparently didn't get the same memo! LOL ...
Welcome back, Mike. We missed you. Keep up the good fight.
Tony
I'm really sorry Petr had to play under a goof like Tom Renney. Simply sad.
When he did not go down to Hartford as requested, I clapped my hands. "Stick it to the man, Petr" was what I said to myself. And of course a whole bunch of mild-mannered psycho-babble was what Renney came up with regarding this.
Nothing was ever direct, forceful and clear with this coach.
I am happy that Dawes was traded, Kalinin I was 50/50 on, as he has been playing okay the last few games.
It's just too bad Petr never got the chance to actually make it or break it based on merit, and clearly due to political reasons espoused by the mild-mannered Professor.
Shitty treatment. What a cool guy Petr is.
GM: We all missed Mike.
B-M-D: I hope Petr has a great career out West. That would of course mean that he was totally mis-used by Renney, which we know is the case.
I think we realize now that it was Jagr etc. who carried Renney into the playoffs the past three years. Left to his own devices Renney's whole approach is bankrupt.
I'll try and follow Prucha and see how it goes.
For those who might care, I have a very different take on the NHL and the Rangers over the past few years. I agree with JB, and here is why.
I think that the salary cap has changed everything. The teams are all the same except for their goalies and first lines - on defense and offense. That is where all the money goes. Everyone else is just an exchangeable part.
With Jagr, we had a first line that could equal most other first lines. Renney was right to play 0-0 hockey and hope that Jagr's first line would beat the other team's first line. That worked when Jagr tried. The only teams who could top us were teams with two first lines for non-cap reasons - Detroit because people will play for less to play there and Pittsburgh because young players get less than they are worth.
Without Jagr, the Renney way could not work.
The only other way is a great power play. Three or the top four power plays in both the East and the West are in the top four in rankings.
The only chance the Rangers will have is for our goalie to steal a few games and our power play to click all the time.
Last night was an example.
Sec 335,
The power play is certainly a big deal for the fortunes of this Rangers team.
Glimmers of optimism last night (for PP) under Torts. Is it as simple as adding more movement to the mix?
What if better coaching actually helps? Brilliant!
Don't think the PP has to click all the time. If the PP just clicks 3 out of 5 games, or 4 out of 7 games then maybe they get past a round or two in the playoffs.