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Left Wing --
Locks:
Jan Hlavac, Martin Rucinsky, Chris
Simon
Bubble: Dan Lacouture, Ronald
Petrovicky
Farmhand:
Lucas Lawson, Garth Murray, Richard Scott, Juris
Stals, Chad Wiseman
Unsigned:
None
Skinny: Last season the left wing
position was particularly problematic for the
Rangers, this year things still remain uncertain
though there appears to be more depth with the
additions of Hlavac, Rucinsky and Simon. Last
year's duo of Lundmark and Petrovicky figure to move
to the right wing this year or perhaps further down
the depth chart and maybe to the minors.
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Center --
Locks:
Bobby Holik, Eric Lindros, Mark Messier, Petr Nedved
Bubble:
None
Farmhand: Bobby Andrews, Benoit
Dusablon, Cory Larose, Dominic Moore, Layne Ulmer,
Mike Wirll
Unsigned: None
Skinny:
It was expected to be a strength for the Rangers
last season, but with no depth on the wings, the
Rangers highly touted centers were relegated to also
ran status. The same core four pivots will
return for the 2003-04 season with depth provided by
rookie Dominic Moore and playmaking Cory Larose if
they can put in solid training camps.
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Right Wing --
Locks:
Matthew Barnaby, Anson Carter, Alexei Kovalev
Bubble:
Pavel Bure, Paul
Healey, Jamie Lundmark, Ronald Petrovicky
Farmhand:
Brandon Cullen, Ryan Cuthbert, Ken Gernander, Jason
MacDonald, Jed Ortmeyer
Unsigned: None
Skinny: Many
expect to see Pavel Bure retire in the coming weeks,
which could well free up a spot for Jamie Lundmark
to return to the line-up. Petrovicky may find
himself the odd man out in this situation, while
Paul Healey would have to have an outstanding camp
to make an impression.
Jed Ortmeyer may also be worth watching as a
possible call up during the year if injuries force
replacements.
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Defense --
Locks:
Greg de Vries, Darius Kasparaitis, Brian Leetch,
Vladimir Malakhov, Boris Mironov, Tom Poti
Bubble:
Dale Purinton
Farmhand: Pat Aufiero, John Jakopin,
Matt Kinch, Bryce Lampman, Lawrence Nycholat, Rory
Rawlyk, Karol Sloboda, Jeff State, Vladimir Tjutin,
Craig Weller, Mike Wilson
Unsigned:
Ales Pisa
Skinny: The Rangers appear
to have set their top six defensive spots in stone
with the signing of Boris Mironov last week.
The situation appears to consign Purinton to the
dreaded seventh defenseman spot once again, though
injuries will always be expected with this group.
A handful of the farmhands and rookies have a chance
to make an impression at camp and move up on the
depth chart, most notable Vladimir Tjutin, although
Jakopin, Lampman, Nycholat and perhaps Rawlyk too
could make an appearance this season especially if
Leetch's recent foot injury proves to be worse than
it looks.
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Goaltender --
Locks:
Mike Dunham, Jussi Markkanen
Bubble: none
Farmhand: Jason Labarbera,
Scott Meyer, Phil Osaer, David St Germaine
Unsigned:
none
Skinny: Dunham has the
starting job with Mike Richter retiring over the
summer and it looks as if Markkanen will serve as
his backup to allow Blackburn to get more playing
time down in Hartford, although it is unknown at
this stage whether his recent shoulder injury will
cause him to miss any time.
Labarbera will split time with Blackburn, which will
force Meyer, who is coming off a terrible sophomore
season, back down to Charlotte.
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Strengths --
The
Rangers offense should be improved over last season
with Kovalev and Carter replacing an injured Bure
and Dvorak from last year. The additions of
Hlavac and Rucinsky also should go some ways to
improving a previously weak left wing, allowing
Lindros to perhaps gain back some of his old form.
Goaltending too should be somewhat more reliable
this year with Dunham between the pipes and backups
Markkanen and Blackburn providing much needed depth.
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Weaknesses --
The
same question marks reside over the Rangers this
season as in previous years. What will their
defense and special teams be like and in particular
can the penalty kill become stronger?
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Opportunities --
With
a veteran line-up once again, there are few
opportunities for players to break into the NHL
roster. But with veterans come an increased
risk of injury, especially on the defense where
Leetch and Malakhov in particular have missed
significant times in recent years.
Perhaps the
biggest opportunities might go to the likes of
Richard Scott (backing up Simon?) and Fedor Tjutin,
though another possibility might be Jed Ortmeyer if
he has a strong camp and moves up the depth chart.
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Threats --
With the
glut of veteran defenseman and the inability to pass
through waivers, it's possible that Ales Pisa and
Dale Purinton may find themselves on the waiver
wire. Pisa remains unsigned at this stage and
may not return to the Rangers at this stage, while
Purinton again finds himself on the outside looking
in.
Petrovicky and
Lundmark too may find they have difficulty breaking
into this veteran laden roster. Lundmark can
still play in Hartford and may find himself there at
the start of the season, while Petrovicky could
become a waiver casualty before the season
officially gets under way.
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Attending Training Camp --
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Roster Cuts --
As part of the current collective
bargaining agreement, NHL clubs cannot carry more than 23 players on their
active roster. There are no mandatory cut down dates, but teams must be at
their limit by their first regular season game. Additional players attending
camp, but not making the Rangers, will be assigned to the
Rangers top development
affiliate, the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey
League or Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL, other minor league teams or returned to
their Junior or European clubs. |
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9/26
Final cuts made
Rangers have now reduced their roster to
23 players by sending down Moore, Lampman,
Tjutin, Nycholat and Stals
9/16
First cuts at camp
The Rangers trimmed their roster to 32
players today, sending the remainder down to
Hartford. Preseason
Roster
9/14
Sunday session
A day late, but here are my notes from
Sunday's sessions here
9/13
Afternoon session
Lindros and Simon look leaner than
previous seasons, a recap of the 4th session
here
9/13
Morning session update
Pictures and a recap of the Saturday
morning session are now available
here
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| Pre-Season Schedule |
9/19 -
@ Dallas (8:30) 3-5
9/20 - @ Detroit (7:30) 5-3
9/21 - @
Minnesota (7:00) 1-9
9/24 - @ Columbus (6:00) 2-3
9/25 -
COLUMBUS (7:30) 5-0
9/28 - BOSTON (5:00) 4-1
10/1 -
NEW JERSEY (7:00) 2-4
10/3 - @ New Jersey (7:30) 2-0
10/4 -
@ Boston (7:30) 2-1 |
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| Cut Counter (23 roster spots) |
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| Players Remaining |
Cuts Remaining |
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23 |
0 |
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Numerical
2 -
Leetch 
3 - Poti
4 - de Vries
5 - Purinton
6 - Kasparaitis
9 - Bure
11 -
Messier
12 - Gernander
13 - Scott
16 - Holik
17 - Simon
20 - Healey
21 - Lundmark
22 - Carter
26 - Rucinsky
27 - Kovalev
29 - Mironov
30 - Dunham
31 - Blackburn
32 - Malakhov
34 - Labarbera
36 - Barnaby
37 - Hlavac
38 - Petrovicky
39 - Lacouture
40 - Markkanen
41 - Nycholat
42 - Kinch
43 - Jakopin
44 - Aufiero
45 - State
46 - Weller
47 - Ulmer
48 - Wiseman
49 - Guite
51 - Tjutin
52 - Moore
53 - Lampman
55 - Dusablon
56 - Andrews
57 - Larose
58 - Cuthbert
59 - Lawson
60 - Stals
61 - Jamieson
62 - Murray
63 - MacDonald
65 - Cullen
71 - St Germaine
88 - Lindros
89 - Ortmeyer
92 - Rawlyk
93 - Nedved
94 - Sloboda
95 - Wilson
96 - Meyer
97 - Wirll
98 - Osaer
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Alphabetical
Andrews - 56
Aufiero - 44
Barnaby - 36
Blackburn - 31
Bure - 9
Carter - 22
Cullen - 65
Cuthbert - 58
de Vries - 4
Dunham - 30
Dusablon - 55
Gernander - 12
Guite - 49
Healey - 20
Hlavac - 37
Holik - 16
Jakopin - 43
Jamieson - 61
Kasparaitis - 6
Kinch - 42
Kovalev - 27
Labarbera - 34
Lacouture - 39
Lampman - 53
Larose - 57
Lawson - 59
Leetch - 2
Lindros - 88
Lundmark - 21
MacDonald - 63
Malakhov - 23
Markkanen - 40
Messier - 11
Meyer - 96
Mironov - 29
Moore - 52
Murray - 62
Nedved - 93
Nycholat - 41
Ortmeyer - 89
Osaer - 98
Petrovicky - 38
Poti - 3
Purinton - 5
Rawlyk - 92
Rucinsky - 26
Scott - 13
Simon - 17
Sloboda - 94
St Germaine - 71
Stals - 60
State - 45
Tjutin - 51
Ulmer - 47
Weller - 46
Wilson - 95
Wirll - 97
Wiseman - 48 |
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= in
camp |
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= cut |
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All times are
EST
and are SUBJECT TO CHANGE
FRI OCT.
10 8:30 P.M.
REGULAR SEASON OPENER VS MINNESOTA @
MINNESOTA, MN |
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