Monthly Archives: July 2009
Tomorrow morning Cablevision, which owns the Rangers, Knicks and all MSG properties, will report its second quarter earnings.
Cablevision’s shares are reportedly set to drop to 29 cents, down from 34 cents from a year ago.
Stu Hackel of the New York Times writes extensively about this and mentions the talk of the last few year about Cablevision spinning off its MSG properties.
Why would Cablevision have a more clear perspective on the sale now than it did three months ago? Because since then, the Montreal Canadiens sold for an N.H.L.-record $550 million, a very surprising figure in a recession. “Many suspect that the New York Rangers would be able to garner that amount or more considering the recent success of the team and its location in the Big Apple,” Magpily writes
It is highly unlikely, if not unthinkable, the Rangers would ever be sold apart from the rest of Garden unit — especially building, the Knicks, the Liberty and the MSG cable networks — since these businesses are so highly intertwined. And Magpily writes that “Analysts say the Madison Square Garden unit … could be worth anywhere from between $1.75 billion and $1.9 billion.” (The unit also includes Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theater, the Chicago Theater and the FUSE cable network.)
…Nearly two billion, and the Knicks stink. What if they get Lebron? How much would the whole number jump then.
…Its hard for me to believe that Cablevision would ever sell though, it would almost admit defeat in some way, and as the case with Glen Sather, and for awhile, Isiah Thomas, the Garden doesn’t do that.
…I have said it before, but I loved Dan Blackburn. He was going to lead the Rangers to the top and be the anchor of the team, like Henrik Lundqvist has become, and it just crushes me that it didn’t happen for him. His injury cost him his career and that happens to a lot of players but Blackburn was different to me.
Former Ranger Tony Amonte was elected to the United States Hockey Hall Of Fame yesterday.
He will be joined by John LeClair, Tom Barasso and the 1998 Women’s Olympic team that won gold in Nagano.
Amonte played three seasons with the Rangers scoring over 30 goals twice and putting up 84 goals and 99 assists in his 234 games as a Ranger.
He was traded at the trade deadline in 1994 to Chicago, along with Matt Oates, for Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan.
Amonte finished his career with 416 goals and 484 assists in 1174 games split over four over teams during his 15 year career.
…Amonte is one of the casualties of the 1994 cup. We will never know if the Rangers would have won had they kept the young Amonte but it certainly paid off as Stephane Matteau had his moments against the Devils. Still, Amonte scored over 400 goals and carved out a very nice career for himself.
The guys over at NYRangerscast recently condcuted an interview with Ranger Artem Anisimov.
Here is a sample:
You had a great season in the American Hockey League last year. Do you feel you are ready to make the jump to the NHL?
Last season was very successful for me. I was flattered to be invited to the all-star game. That was my first time participating in something like that. I received good experience playing North American hockey last year. I played 80 games for Hartford, scoring 81 points which, in my opinion, is a good indicator. I have been living in the U.S. for two years now and I feel that I have gained enough experience. I understand the style of North American hockey and I like it very much. I now feel I have the strength to play in the NHL
Read the rest over at NYRangerscast.
…Anismov should have a lock on a roster spot for this season but the question is, which one? He is the darkhorse candidate to center Marian Gaborik. He may start out the season on the third line but he will no doub’t immerse himself into the top six soon enough.
According to Beyond the Blueshirts, three Rangers prospects, Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan and Ryan Bourque have been invited to take part in Team USA’s four game series with Russia’s Under 20 team in Lake Placid.
Kreider and Stepan will get their first chance to play for the U-20 team while Bourque will be in his second go around.
For the Russian side, Evgeny Grachev was not invited to play.
…Good for Kreider and Stepan and Bourque as playing on the international level seems to be very prideful and provide great hockey and experience for them.
As for the Grachev situation, check out Beyond the Blueshirts as more coverage is devoted to it there.
Yesterday, the Star Ledger reported that Brendan Shanahan will play this coming season and is ready for training camp.
There is no confirmation on where Shanny would play, but his agent does say that he will play.
“I have nothing to report at this time,” Curran said. “I’m encouraged to the extent that I know Brendan will be playing this year. That’s all I’m prepared to say.”
The Devils and Rangers both are reported to have interest in bringing back the 40 year old forward.
…This Shanny stuff needs to end soon. It seems that all the coverage of Shanny is coming from the Devils end of the spectrum, not the Rangers, so the Devils at least seem to be the front runner. While the Rangers may have expressed some interest, I would imagine that the Rangers are only, and once again, being used for leverage in negotiations.
The Rangers have announced that they have come to terms with free agent defenseman Sam Klassen.
Klassen. 20, played in 72 games last season for the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL, scoring two goals and adding 18 assists.
He is 6-2, 200llbs.
…He seems like he is another depth guy to play in Hartford or Charlotte, can’t go wrong with adding guys like this. Low risk, Dan Girardi like reward if it works out.
Here he is fighting Brayden Schenn who was the fifth overall pick in last month’s draft.
The Province caught up with recently retired and former Ranger Markus Naslund to talk about his time with the Vancouver Canucks and his career. He briefly touched on his time with the Rangers.
Q: When you signed with the Rangers year ago, had you made a decision it was time for a change or were you still open to returning to the Canucks?
A: I hadn’t made a decision prior to July 1. I was still talking with Mike (Canucks GM Gillis). I was hoping and expecting to have a choice about coming back. But after July came around, more and more I had the feeling it wasn’t meant to be and it was time for a change. Looking back, it was probably the right thing. I had a great time in New York. I was treated like a king there.
Q: Was being in a secondary role in New York a relief in some ways?
A: It was good for me to go to New York and not be the focal point and not have that media attention. I felt I could relax a bit.
…Good for Naslund to have loved his time in NY but who was treating him like a king? The players? The media? This isn’t a knock on Naslund, I am just wondering. While he didn’t entirely reach the expectations that were set out for him, Naslund was still solid for most of last season scoring 24 goals and adding 22 assists. It didn’t replace Jagr’s production but Naslund was still a solid player and a good leader.
The Boston Globe has a report on how former Ranger Derek Morris ended up in Boston.
The Bruins contacted Morris upon the opening of free agency July 1. They indicated their interest while informing Morris that they had to clear cap space. Earlier this month, Morris traveled to Boston to meet with Chiarelli and coach Claude Julien. Once the Bruins traded Ward and initiated the buyout of Patrick Eaves (the forward cleared waivers yesterday), they finalized their offer to Morris.
“We’d been talking for a little while,’’ said Morris. “Nothing really heated up until the last little bit. It was kind of the way I was leaning to start with. Once I heard of the opportunity to play there, it was a no-brainer.’’
Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli seems to have high expectations of Morris:
“We feel we’ve added a No. 2 defenseman to our mix,’’ general manager Peter Chiarelli said during a conference call yesterday. “We feel that we’ve improved and upgraded.’’
..Number two! Wow, if Morris had been brought back to the Rangers he had an outside shot at number four but most likely being on the third pair. Scout’s seem to agree:
“Morris has gone backwards,’’ one Eastern Conference executive wrote in an e-mail. “No longer a top-four D. His mobility for a 6-foot guy is surprisingly average at best. Offensively, his game isn’t what it once was and he has trouble defending the rush. Shocked at what they paid him. For close to the money, [Francois] Beauchemin is a way better player. They were better with Ward for my money.’’
Morris signed with Boston on Friday. a one year deal worth $3.3 million.
Please answer the following question, while considering the team’s ownership, current management, talent, minor-league system, etc…[poll id="63"]
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