Almost a month into the 2007-08 season, the Blueshirts are 5-6-1, good for fourth in the Atlantic Division and tenth in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers offense has been virtually unable to score so far. The team is dead-last in the NHL in goals scored. They are in the bottom third of the league in power-play scoring.
This comes after an offseason in which the Rangers paid $86.75 million to sign two of the top free-agent centers on the market. The team signed Scott Gomez away from the crosstown rival New Jersey Devils for $51.5 million. The same day they lured Chris Drury away from the Buffalo Sabres with a $35.25 million contract. The pair have combined for four goals in the teams first twelve games. Gomez especially has struggled in the early going, notching only three total points. 
New York also resigned forwards Brendan Shanahan and Sean Avery this summer. Shanahan signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million with another $2.8 million possible in bonuses. He has tallied only six points so far this season. The Rangers agreed with Avery on a one-year deal as well, worth $1.9 million. Avery suffered a separated left shoulder during the second game of the season and is still out. New York Daily News sports writer John Dellapina wrote in his Rangers blog that coach Tom Renney is being cautious with Avery, but setting Saturday's game against the New Jersey Devils as a target for his return. Dellapina quoted Renney as saying, "But we're going to be real smart about this and make sure we have him for the balance of the year and not just one game because we brought him back too early."
The only investment that has paid off big for New York was giving Henrik Lundqvist a contract extension worth $4.25 million. Lundqvist, a Vezina Trophy finalist the last two years, has started every game for the Rangers this year. He has posted a 1.67 goals-against average and .937 save percentage, putting him in the top six of the league for both categories. After the Rangers shutout the Capitals 2-0 last night, Washington goalie Olaf Kolzig told ESPN.com, "[Lundqvist's] definitely on his game. He's the reason the Rangers have won five games." Lundqvist has three shutouts already this year and 10 for his career in only his third season. The Rangers are showing signs of snapping out of their offensive slump. They have won their last two games, the team's first two-game winning streak this season. They will try to build on that momentum tomorrow, when they play the New Jersey Devils at the Garden.
1 comment:
Jordan your piece was well written. I like how it was conversational in a sport-like way and had several links to additional information. I know absolutely nothing about hockey so I couldn't tell you more than this.You seemed to be very interested in what you had written about.
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