Read: Rangers Roundtable Games 6-10
This is a feature that will run through the entire season and aims to recap the events of each segment of five Rangers games. The sites involved are 5-hole, SNY Rangers Blog, Blue Seat Blogs, The Rangers Tribune, and Bleeding All Blue. There will also be a short prospects piece by The Prospect Park.
CLICK HERE to read the previous roundtable
1) When will Brandon Dubinsky score his first goal and how many will he end up with?
Mike: Dubinsky might get on Thursday, but I will go with Saturday against Montreal for his first. Think he ends the season with the same 24 he had last year. It will be another streaky season in the goal department for Dubinsky.
Dave: I think he finally gets his first against the Ducks on Thursday. He’s been playing better, taking less lazy penalties, and doing more of what he did last year. As his linemates, specifically Ryan Callahan, heat up, it’s only a matter of time before he does too. He’s also one of the streakiest Rangers on the roster, so once he gets his first, he could go on a tear. I think he gets to 25 goals this year.
Eric: Dubinsky will score his first goal of the season on Saturday against the Habs. He’s more of a playmaker than a goal scorer though so I see him getting around 20 goals again while increasing his assists total from last year.
Adam: Against Anaheim and he will end up with 26.
Aaron: Brandon Dubinsky needed to score yesterday for all I care. This is what I get for drafting him in the 3rd round of an Eastern Conference only Fantasy Hockey League (yeah they do exist!) I don’t know when he’ll score. Never? Tomorrow? 10 days from now? Just make it soon Brandon. I don’t want to have to trade you for a 3rd liner with more goals than you.
Suit: To me it all depends on who Dubinsky ends up playing with. If he sticks with Richards, there will be less pressure on Brandon to make plays. He should be able to pot a few more than if he ends up back with Arty and Cally. On that line I think Dubi will really need to be the primary feeder for those two. Overall, I’d be happy with low 20′s for goals and around 40 assists.
2) What have you thought about Michael Del Zotto through the first ten games?
Mike:Del Zotto is doing exactly what the Rangers hoped he would be doing last season. He is never going to be great in his own zone, and will give up chances or goals because of it, but they need him to be an offensive threat. Del Zotto is doing that so far this season and his confidence seems to be growing with each game.
Dave: I think that as you all know, I’m an unabashed Del Zotto supporter. The announcers were throwing out that he leads the team in +/-, but that’s only a fraction of the story. He seems more confident, which has led to better plays with the puck. He’s still prone to the brain fart, but that’s expected for a kid who can still legally sleep with that “Friday” chick. The Rangers have been babying him a bit, but there’s nothing wrong with letting a kid gain some confidence.
Eric: Del Zotto is still a young hockey player but needs to stop getting treated like one. He’s definitely improved since last season but we still see him making boneheaded plays. If he wants to pinch, he has to pick better spots to pinch. I mean, no one thinks he’s going to turn into the next Nik Lidstrom but if he needs to cut down on the offense to improve his defense, I’m quite alright with that.
Adam: Del Zotto is still a bit of a work in progress but for the first time in a while he looks like someone who can play at the NHL level. I think he will only get better and hopefully continue to get better in both zones.
Aaron: He’s looked more mature that’s for sure. I think he’s still developing, and is a work in progress. But a good work. Defensemen typically take longer to develop (see Staal, Marc and Girardi, Dan), but the reward can be greater. If he becomes a solid PP QB and isn’t a -20 every year, we got a win. He’s looking more like that could happen than it could not, which is all you can ask in a 10 game sample.
Suit: I’m content with MDZ’s play thus far and I am glad they didn’t send him to Hartford to start the season. I love that Torts is using him on the power play. It’s the ultimate vote of confidence. He’s back to always having his head up when he’s carrying the puck up ice and once he learns how to better time his pinches/gap control, he is going to be a very solid player for us. The skills are there, he’s still just a little raw. He’s on the right path.
3) Which player have you been most surprised with?
Mike: Since I am going to assume surprised is meant in a positive way, I will go with Dan Girardi. The fact that Girardi is playing excellent hockey is not a surprise to those who have paid attention the last few seasons, but now he is considered the number 1 guy instead of Marc Staal‘s partner. The way Girardi has played has held the unit together earning him the ‘A’ he is wearing right now.
Dave: Ryan McDonagh. We all knew he was going to be good, but none of us expected him to contribute too much offensively. After all, at Wisconsin he was more of a crease clearer than an offensive defenseman. He’s maturing into an all around threat with a great hockey sense. Scott Gomez is the gift that keeps on giving.
Eric: Gaborik. Last season after his shoulder injury and his knee injury, I honestly thought he was done. That he’d never be the same. Currently he’s on pace to double his goals from last season.
Adam: I will go with McDonagh. I really like him, and his potential, but I wasn’t expecting him to play at this high of a level this quickly.
Aaron: Can I say Andre Deveaux because never in a million years I thought he’d be playing with the Rangers. No one said it had to be a good surprise! He’s from the Bahamas! That’s cool I guess? Seriously why is he on the team.
Suit: Probably McDonagh. I said in our season wrap ups last spring that I expected more offense from him this season, but it’s one thing to have expectations and it’s another to see them come to fruition. He is just locked in right now.
4) Are you happy with how Brian Boyle has played so far this season?
Mike: Boyle was struggling during the first few games of the season, but he has been picking up his game recently. Opinions on Boyle will inevitably vary based on what the expectations were for him. Those who expected a repeat of last year are likely going to be disappointed, while those who were looking for a solid defense center to kill penalties and chip in a few goals will be happy with him.
Dave: There was no way he was going to repeat his performance last year. The best that can be asked of Boyle is to play solidly in all three zones, and hopefully chip in offensively. A line of 10-10-20 may be a regression from last year, but it’s still productive for someone I think is a fourth line player on a team in Cup contention. Boyle is also known to be streaky, so maybe he turns it up a notch. Either way, it’s about what I expected from him.
Eric: It’s safe to say that Brian Boyle is not a repeat 20 goal scorer. On top of the fact that his ice time is down from last season, he’s just not the goal scoring type. I think of him more like Blair Betts. Defensive, PKer.
Adam: I just want Brian Boyle to be a solid center who John Tortorella can put out in key situations and be comfortable with. 20 goals may be a stretch again, but 10-15 is probably realistic.
Aaron: No. I don’t have unreal expectations for him either. I don’t even notice him. I know he’s not going to score 20-25 goals, but 15 is not unrealistic for a former first round draft pick playing as a solid third liner on this team. He’s not getting 6 minutes a night (unless Andre Deveaux is going to take his spot (I’m totally going to use Deveaux as a running joke throughout the year just warning you)), and can get in front of the net to help create chances. I don’t recall ever thinking about him during this 10 game stretch.
Suit: Eh…all I want for Boyle is to win more than 50% of his faceoffs. I can live with everything else his game provides.
5) How long until MSG starts selling a version of the Broadway Hat?
Mike: Hopefully never, but likely early December for a huge markup.
Dave: It’s a fedora. Marshall’s sells them for $10.
Eric: Probably never.
Adam: I am actually surprised that they haven’t yet.
Aaron: Is this hat really going to become a big deal?
Suit: They should offer it for free to season subs!
Prospect Report: Jess at Prospect Park writes about Andrew Yogan:
Andrew Yogan just like his Peterborough Petes has had his share of ups and downs which is also why Yogan is perhaps the most frustrating Ranger prospect to follow.
When you see Yogan, you see many things starting with his size (6’3) and skill set which for a big man is very strong. He can handle the puck, he can create and he can shoot. From a potential standpoint you really want to see Yogan make it since he would give you the big talented center. There is legit offensive talent that would make him a valuable addition to the Rangers.
Yogan is also his own worst enemy as for all his talent, he clashed with his coach in Erie which led to his being traded and already this season found himself in the press box after a series of games where Yogan just took some really poor penalties that hurt his team. To cite how serious the coach (former NYR assistant) Mike Pelino felt about Yogan’s poor judgment that he benched Yogan in the middle of a scoring streak.
The legit fear here is that for all his talent Yogan could cost himself a chance at the NHL if he does not mature and work harder at becoming a better team player.
