New York Rangers News

Change makes it easier to sell Knicks, Rangers
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February 9
New York Post
 
"Investors will get a chance to bet directly on the fortunes of the Knicks and Rangers and their home arena, Madison Square Garden, beginning Tuesday. Cablevision Systems Corp. is splitting into two, returning the company to its roots as mainly a provider of subscription TV. The newly separate Madison Square Garden Inc. will include the arena, the basketball and hockey teams, regional sports channels and famed theaters such as Radio City Music Hall. The move also figures to make it easier for 83-year-old Cablevision founder Charles Dolan or his heirs to eventually sell either company. Members of the Dolan family will own about one-fifth of Madison Square Garden but control 70 percent of the ..."
Devils' Kovalchuk went after Avery for comments to Brodeur
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February 9
New York Post
 
"Newest Devil Ilya Kovalchuk acknowledged before Monday's game against the Flyers that what Sean Avery was saying to his frequent yapping target, Martin Brodeur, prompted Kovalchuk to attack Avery with his stick and fists Saturday. "Marty plays nearly every game. He can't be spending any extra energy on guys like that. Maybe it wasn't the right time to do it, since we lost the game, but I felt I should," Kovalchuk told The Post. Kovalchuk spent the final minutes of the 3-1 loss at the Garden in the penalty box, when the Devils would have used him during their six-man, goalie-pulled attempt to force overtime."
Rangers try not to hit 'break' too soon
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February 9
New York Post
 
"As the Rangers are among seven teams fighting for the final three playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, they cannot afford to give away any games. But with three games still to play before the beginning of the Olympic Break, coach John Tortorella is hopeful the Blueshirts can stay focused on the task at hand. "The important thing is for our guys to make sure that the break is after the Tampa game, and to not look too forward to [the break]," Tortorella said. "It's a very important time for us, these next three games." While he is hoping his players can stay focused for the three games this week -- tomorrow against Nashville, Friday at Pittsburgh and Sunday against Tampa Bay -- ..."
Lundqvist, Rangers stave off lure of Winter Olympics with three games left
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February 9
New York Daily News
 
"Henrik Lundqvist had the Olympics all over his head Monday, and they're inevitably creeping into some Rangers' minds. The goaltender was one of several Blueshirts breaking in new gear in their nation's colors during Monday's practice in Greenburgh, with less than a week before they fly to Vancouver to join their national teams for the Winter Games. Lundqvist was getting a feel for the new blue-and-gold mask that will protect him as he defends Sweden's goal and its gold medal. Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan began breaking in gloves they'll wear for the United States. The Rangers have three games left - beginning Tuesday at the Garden against Nashville - before breaking up for two weeks, and ..."
Gilroy grows into Rangers rush role
Comment
February 8
New York Post
 
"By the way, remember when Rangers defensemen were leading or joining the rush to create offense under the safe-is-death mentality the head coach was imparting to his team? It was a long time ago, wasn't it? The first month or so of the season, actually, during which time Blueshirts defensemen chipped in with 12 goals in the first 14 games, and before John Tortorella became a safety-first conformist and/or realist. Now, heading into the final week and three matches before the Olympic break, Rangers defensemen have scored just three goals in the 33 games since Nov. 28, with two of the goals coming on one night, the 8-2 rout of the Lightning on Jan. 19, and the other off Michael Del Zotto's ..."
NY Rangers' power play success sparks victory over NJ Devils
Comment
February 7
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Saying a successful power play is an important part of winning hockey games doesn't exactly qualify as revealing state secrets. But to Rangers coach John Tortorella, the connection between his team scoring power-play goals and winning consistently is too obvious to miss. "The power play has been really good early in the year when we were winning some hockey games, and your top players just gain confidence through it," Tortorella said after the Rangers defeated the Devils, 3-1, Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. "It's just funny - for offensive people to score, and get that first goal, it just allows the game to come to them, it seems, as far as confidence-wise." It was a power-play ..."
NY Rangers' goalie Henrik Lundqvist relieved to get a win
Comment
February 7
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Henrik Lundqvist had lost his last six decisions and hadn't backstopped a Ranger win since Jan. 19, and the Rangers' netminder admitted that had been weighing on him. "A little bit, yeah,'' said Lundqvist, who made 41 saves. "I've been working hard. Sometimes you try almost too hard, try to get back and feel good and help the team win. That's why I'm here - I want to win. So it's a big relief to get a win and get a good, solid game. I'm happy with the way I played, I'm real happy with the way the team played.'' "He played very well - he made some good saves early, and when they mounted on us in the third period, they were just stretching people behind us in the back end, he made some great ..."
NJ Devils saw a lot of positives in loss to rival Rangers
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February 7
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"The Devils chose to look at the bright side of their 3-1 loss to the Rangers Saturday night. Although they got only one of 42 shots past goalie Henrik Lundqvist, they believe they are on the verge of putting together a winning streak. Coach Jacques Lemaire said he felt the Devils' third period comeback Friday night at home carried over. "I think we played exactly the same," he said. "Even better. I loved the way we played. We had a little down in the second but let's face it, when you get three goals against your team, you're working but you're not as sharp as you can be. "You're still going to work hard but there is a bounce here and a bounce there that goes again you and they're getting ..."
Should Sean Avery's taunting of NJ Devils' Ilya Kovalchuk merit a misconduct penalty?
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February 7
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Martin Brodeur watched with more than a little interest as Ilya Kovalchuk landed some punches in his fight with Sean Avery late in Saturday night's game at the Garden. But if Brodeur was pleased to see Kovalchuk go after one of the Devils goalie's own nemeses, losing Kovalchuk for the final 2:16 of the game was costly. "At a time of the game like that for him to be on the ice (Avery) was there for one reason. To try to get Kovy off his game," Brodeur said. "It worked but he paid a pretty good price. I was right there watching." Not close enough to hear what Avery said. "Even if I heard it I probably wouldn't tell you. It probably wasn't too nice," Brodeur said. "It's unfortunate we had to ..."
NJ Devils lose to NY Rangers, 3-1, as Patrik Elias returns from concussion
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February 7
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"The Devils discovered that their scoring drought isn't over just because they say so. Patrik Elias returned from a concussion and skated on a line with Ilya Kovalchuk to form an obviously dangerous combination, but the Devils were unable to stage another third period comeback as they fell to Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers, 3-1, Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. "They had the breaks and we didn't," Devils coach Jacques Lemaire said. "Not that they didn't play a good game. They played an excellent game, but I think we had great chances. "Their goalie was great for them when he had to be. I think that's the best he plays." The victory was only the second in nine games for ..."
Patrik Elias returns to NJ Devils lineup for game against Rangers
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February 7
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"First Ilya Kovalchuk. Now Patrik Elias. The Devils are beginning to look like a potential goal-scoring machine. Elias, who suffered a concussion on Jan. 16 in Denver when he was hit by Avalanche defenseman Ryan Wilson, was set to return to the Devils' lineup Saturday night against the Rangers at the Garden. "Patty will be playing," coach Jacques Lemaire said. "He's ready." Elias, who missed 10 games after being knocked unconscious from Wilson's shoulder hit to his chin, skated with a few other players Saturday morning. He was cleared by a neurologist Thursday. "I talked to him Thursday night. He just said, 'You're doing the right thing. Keep increasing the work load and everything and ..."
Rangers' Lundqvist brilliant in win over Devils
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February 7
Bergen Record
 
"There were no late miracles for the Devils this time. Henrik Lundqvist saw to that. "It's frustrating we couldn't get another one by him," Devils left wing Zach Parise said. "You're not going to have too many games like that when you have that many shots and chances and only one goes in. It seems like Lundqvist saves his best for us." That's certainly true lately. Lundqvist, brilliant with his glove all game, stopped 41 shots - 19 in the third period - as the Rangers scored three times in a span of 2:39 in the second period for a 3-1 win Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. It marked Lundqvist's first win in his last seven starts, and he has stopped 86 of the last 87 shots he's faced ..."
Ilya Kovalchuk vs. Sean Avery, Round 1
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February 7
Bergen Record
 
"Ilya Kovalchuk used his hands to make his biggest impression during his first Devils-Rangers game Saturday night, but it wasn't to score a goal. The Russian sniper, who the Devils acquired from Atlanta on Thursday night to boost their offense, dropped his gloves to pound trash-talking Rangers' pest Sean Avery in the head late in the third period of a 3-1 Blueshirts' victory at Madison Square Garden. It turned out to be a positive for the Rangers because Kovalchuk and Avery both ended up in the penalty box for the remainder of the game with roughing double minors. With the Devils trying to come back from the two-goal deficit, they needed Kovalchuk, a two-time 50-goal scorer, on the ice ..."
Rangers, Devils land big fish
Comment
February 7
Camden Courier-Post
 columnist Chuck Gormley
"In the span of four days, New York Rangers general manager Glen Sather and New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello took a drive through the NHL's high rent district and came away with Olli Jokinen and Ilya Kovalchuk. And while the two teams certainly stole headlines with the deals, was the risk worth the reward? Let's take a look: Trade: Rangers send forwards Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins to Calgary for Jokinen and Brandon Prust. Analysis: Sather erased two of his own mistakes in this deal. After signing a three-year, $9 million deal with the Rangers over the summer, Kotalik, 31, struggled under John Tortorella's aggressive offensive system, managing just eight goals in 45 ..."
No. 24 shows he can be factor for Rangers
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February 7
New York Post
 columnist Jay Greenberg
"It takes many sets of eyes and legs to shut down Ilya Kovalchuk, and last night Ryan Callahan was just the man for the job. We mean, just after the right winger made the last of at least four good Rangers passes to set up Marion Gaborik's power-play tap-in to put them up 1-0, there appeared to be more Callahans on the ice than the Devils' new star could shake his usually magical stick at. There, following the faceoff, was No. 24 in blue behind the goal, forcing a turnover, walking out and firing a quick, uncontrollable, wide-angle shot. An instant later appeared another No. 24, circling out to the high slot to surprise Kovalchuk before he could turn around to clear Mike Mottau's pass. ..."
King Henrik rallies Rangers to skid-stopper
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February 7
New York Post
 
"It was a night on which all the King's men played well, but let's face it, far more often that not the Rangers are Humpty Dumptys unless the King himself is at the top of his game. And that, friends, is just where Henrik Lundqvist was last night in outplaying Martin Brodeur, his rival from across the river, and backstopping the Blueshirts to a 3-1 Garden victory over the Devils just 48 hours after yielding six goals to the Capitals. "I usually go over every tape, but there are some games you just have to let go because it's hard to find the answers," Lundqvist said after breaking a personal 0-6 streak in gaining his first victory since Jan. 19. "That type of game [against Washington] where ..."
Henrik Lundqvist stands out against New Jersey Devils again as New York Rangers triumph 3-1
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February 7
New York Daily News
 
"Sean Avery will do his bothersome best to make sure of it, even if Martin Brodeur may have to share his attentions from now on. Getting a visit from the Devils' new superstar just two days after Lou Lamoriello shirked conservatism and snatched him from Atlanta in the biggest splash yet of the NHL's trading season, the Rangers last night saw the Ilya Kovalchuk they remember from the 2007 playoffs - a thwarted scorer whose frustration boiled over in the waning moments of the Rangers' 3-1 victory at the Garden. Just as in that first-round series in '07, it was the Blueshirts' No. 16 who bore the brunt of Kovalchuk's aggravation last night, the Devils winger barreling through linesmen to get ..."
Rangers Maintain an Edge Against the Devils
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February 7
New York Times
 
"The Devils may be the new glamour team in the metropolitan area, and they may be headed to a 13th straight season of finishing ahead of the Rangers in the standings, but in head-to-head meetings none of that seems to matter. The Rangers beat the Devils and their new star, Ilya Kovalchuk, 3-1, on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden to boost their record against the Devils to 2-1-1 this season. The victory was the Rangers' second in their last nine games. Henrik Lundqvist, who bounced back from a 6-5 loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday, had 41 saves, and the Rangers contained Kovalchuk with a coterie of players. They even used some taunting from the inimitable Sean Avery."
Rangers 'aware' of Ilya
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February 6
New York Post
 
"In terms up gearing up their gameplan for the Devils tonight, Brandon Dubinsky insists the Rangers don't need to do much differently -- even though their local rivals now have Ilya Kovalchuk. Acquired Thursday, Kovalchuk was set to debut with the Devils last night, and tonight the Rangers will host him and his new team at Madison Square Garden. It certainly is the proverbial bad-to-worse for the Rangers -- they're going terribly (losing seven of eight) and making things more difficult, they play a good Devils team that now features one of the games premier scorers. "Obviously, he's a great player and he makes them better certainly," Dubinsky said of Kovalchuk. "As far as our preparation, I ..."
Reeling New York Rangers see old rival New Jersey Devils' new look
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February 6
New York Daily News
 
"It's not as though losing streaks are anything new to the Rangers, nor is the fact that the Devils will come into Madison Square Garden carrying a better record than the home team - New Jersey has topped the Blueshirts in the standings for 12 years running, going on 13. But the Blueshirts are less familiar with being upstaged on Broadway by their rivals from Jersey. The spotlight will shine a little brighter on the visitors Saturday night as their new superstar winger, Ilya Kovalchuk, plays his second game as a Devil, his first foray into the cross-river rivalry. Acquiring Kovalchuk - who reaches unrestricted free agency in July and already has turned down a 12-year, $101 million offer ..."
High hurdles
Comment
February 5
Bergen Record
 
"The Rangers reportedly were one of the teams to contact Thrashers general manager Don Waddell regarding Ilya Kovalchuk, but the price proved too high. Waddell said Kovalchuk, 26, had turned down a 12-year offer of $101 million before his trade to the Devils later in the day. Waddell was asking for a top six forward (Brandon Dubinsky or Ryan Callahan?), a top four defenseman (Marc Staal or Michael Del Zotto?), a first-round pick and a top prospect, plus was barring teams from talking to Kovalchuk's agent Jay Grossman to work out an extension prior to the trade. Kovalchuk reportedly is seeking a 10-year deal worth $120 million. The Rangers play the Devils three more times, including Saturday ..."
Capitals beat Rangers, 6-5, for 12th straight win
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February 5
Washington Post
 
"The winning streak is alive -- but just barely. Alex Ovechkin scored twice and Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and four assists to help the Washington Capitals rally from a two-goal second-period deficit and beat the New York Rangers, 6-5, in a wild yet sloppy contest that included a combined 15 minor penalties and seven power-play goals between the teams. "We're never out of it," said Poti, whose third-period goal gave him four points in his past three games. "We can be down by one or two or three and we know that we have the offense to come back and score. We never get too down on the bench, and that's a good thing." The win stretched the Capitals' franchise-best winning streak to 12 ..."
New York Rangers offense breaks out, but Washington Capitals win slugfest, 6-5, at Garden
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February 5
New York Daily News
 
"Olli Jokinen gave the Rangers the offensive boost they needed. It's too bad he can't play defense and kill penalties. With Jokinen making his Garden debut as a Blueshirt, the Rangers scored more Thursday night than they had in their last two games combined, but had no answer for Alexander Ovechkin and the Capitals, who converted three times on nine power-play opportunities to beat the Rangers, 6-5. The loss was the seventh in the last eight games for the Rangers (25-26-7), while the Capitals (39-12-6) extended their winning streak to 12 straight. "You plug one hole and a couple others spring up, mainly our discipline tonight," John Tortorella said. "We can't be sitting in the box as much ..."
Report: Oilers' Souray would accept trade to Rangers
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February 5
New York Post
 
"Oilers defenseman Sheldon Souray has the Rangers on a list of six teams he would accept a trade to, according to TSN.ca. Souray, who has a no-trade clause, also would be willing to go to the Capitals, Flyers, Kings, Ducks or Stars, Darren Dreger writes. Souray had surgery on a hand he injured fighting Flames captain Jarome Iginla on Saturday. He is expected to be ready to return in time for the playoffs."
Rangers Surrender Game and Stage to Ovechkin Show
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February 5
New York Times
 
"The hockey world knows how great Alexander Ovechkin is and how dangerous he makes an already strong Russian Olympic team at the Vancouver Games later this month. He showed it again in helping the league-leading Washington Capitals secure their 12th straight victory in a 6-5 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. The Rangers were ahead by 5-3, the only two-goal lead of the game, in the last seconds of the second period when Ovechkin worked his highlight-reel magic. He put the puck between defenseman Michal Rozsival's skates, went around Rozsival and picked up the puck on the other side, then stabbed it one-handed toward Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist. The puck popped ..."
Christopher Higgins odd man in, and out, in Rangers' best deals
Comment
February 3
Bergen Record
 
"Christopher Higgins now has been part of two of the best trades Glen Sather has made since he became the Rangers' general manager before the 2000-01 season. Higgins first came to the Rangers last summer when Sather convinced Montreal counterpart Bob Gainey to take the remaining five seasons of Scott Gomez's seven-year deal worth $51.5 million, then turned around and used the savings to sign Marian Gaborik, his best free agent acquisition. And on Tuesday, Higgins, due to be an unrestricted free agent, went to the Flames as Sather pawned off one of his worst free agent signings - Ales Kotalik and his three-year, $9 million deal. Plus, Sather got back a potential top-line center in Olli ..."
Olli Jokinen not enough to help Rangers beat L.A.
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February 3
Bergen Record
 
"The addition of Olli Jokinen wasn't enough for the Rangers Tuesday night. Anze Kopitar scored a short-handed goal and Jonathan Quick made 20 saves in the Los Angeles Kings' seventh straight victory, 2-1 over the punchless Rangers. New York's only goal came late in the third by Marian Gaborik. Ryan Smyth scored with 8:46 to play for the Kings, who are on their longest winning streak since early 1992, when Wayne Gretzky's Kings won a franchise-record eight straight. Gaborik scored with 2:37 left to ruin Quick's shutout bid, but New York lost its sixth in seven games despite the arrivals of forwards Jokinen and Brandon Prust, acquired in a trade with Calgary less than 24 hours earlier. Henrik ..."
Abysmal offense foils Olli's debut
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February 3
New York Post
 columnist Larry Brooks
"The faces change. The scoreboard doesn't. It was one game, the first with Olli Jokinen in the lineup, and thus the attempt to draw any far-reaching conclusions regarding the center's impact on the Rangers would be nonsensical. Still, the Blueshirts' inability to produce offense persisted here in last night's 2-1 loss to the Kings in which Henrik Lundqvist, back after missing two games with the flu, lost his fifth straight, yielding a two-on-one shorthanded goal to Anze Kopitar at 16:43 of the second when the Rangers had five forwards on the power play before being beaten from point-blank range by Ryan Smyth at 11:14 of the third. As usual, Marian Gaborik was the Rangers' offense, getting ..."
Jokinen looks for chemistry with Rangers
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February 3
New York Post
 
"While his new linemates Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal both suggested that it would naturally take time to develop chemistry with Olli Jokinen, the Rangers' new Finnish center implied that he didn't get much of it from the Flames. "Everyone says, 'Give it time, give it time,' but I got 75 games in Calgary, if that's a lot," Jokinen said before last night's 2-1 loss to the Kings. Jokinen was acquired last March by the Flames from Phoenix before being sent to the Rangers late Monday night with Brandon Prust for Chris Higgins and Ales Kotalik. "We don't have time to wait," he said. "There are six games until the Olympic break. We have to start getting used to each other tonight [last ..."
Olli Jokinen, New York Rangers' offense fails in 2-1 loss to Los Angeles Kings
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February 3
New York Daily News
 
"Olli Jokinen had been a Ranger for a few scant hours yesterday when he spoke about how little time he and Marian Gaborik have to adjust to one another. "It can't be long. There's six games before the Olympic break - we don't have time here to wait 20 games to get used to it," Jokinen said Tuesday. "We have to start getting used to each other tonight. That's the way it goes." Okay, Thursday night. With Jokinen playing his first game as a Ranger after being acquired from Calgary on Monday, it was a power-play miscue between the centerman and his wing that led to the go-ahead second-period goal in the Rangers' 2-1 loss to the Kings in their road-trip finale and sixth loss in the last seven. ..."
Craving Scorer, Rangers Acquire Flames' Olli Jokinen
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February 3
New York Times
 
"Center Olli Jokinen, who was having a subpar season in Calgary and has been traded three times in the past two years, became the latest piece of a Rangers makeover that does not seem to end. The Rangers shipped two recent pieces of that makeover, forwards Christopher Higgins and Ales Kotalik, to the Flames late Monday for the once high-scoring Jokinen and the bruising forward Brandon Prust. Jokinen, 31, has been shuttled from Florida to Phoenix to Calgary in the past two years. "It's a cruel business, but that's the way it goes," Jokinen told reporters in Calgary after the trade was completed following the Flames' game against Philadelphia on Monday. "It comes with the salary. You make ..."
Rangers complete trade with Flames for Olli Jokinen
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February 2
Bergen Record
 
"After some stops, starts and indecision, the Rangers and Flames finally agreed to a trade early Tuesday morning that brings likely top-line center Olli Jokinen to New York. The Flames will get forwards Christopher Higgins and Ales Kotalik, both in their first year with the Rangers, while the Rangers also acquire potential enforcer Brandon Prust. The deal was finalized after both Jokinen and Prust ended their Flames' careers in a 3-0 loss to the Flyers in Calgary. Jokinen took three shots and was a minus-1 in 15:08 while Prust played 7:27 without adding to his team-leading 98 penalty minutes. Christopher Higgins had accompanied the Rangers to Los Angeles, where the team will conclude its ..."
It's the Olli folly trade
Comment
February 2
Calgary Herald
 columnist George Johnson
"The day Olli Jokinen became a Calgary Flame, the adjectives were running thick and fast. Finally. That sizeable, strong, powerful beast down centre. A table-setter for Jarome Iginla. An untameable presence to make the middle of the ice his personal playpen. "It's a dream come true,'' stammered Jokinen, over a crackly conference-call line set up in the Ed Whalen Media Lounge on May 4, 2009. "I can't believe it. "It's a fresh start. Going to a place where there are high expectations and the people expect a 'W' every night, that's what you want. It's very exciting."
Rangers trade for Jokinen
Comment
February 2
New York Post
 
"It's done. For better or worse, Olli Jokinen is a Ranger. In a trade that seemed to take longer to complete than the one that sent Wayne Gretzky from Edmonton to L.A. back in 1988, the Rangers late last night acquired Jokinen and Brandon Prust from Calgary in exchange for Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins. The deal, announced in the wee hours Eastern time, had had been held up for a couple of days while Kotalik played Hamlet, pondering whether to waive his three-team no-trade clause that included the Flames. Jokinen and Prust, who both played in the Flames' 3-0 loss to the Flyers in Calgary last night before the transaction was announced -- how bizarre is that? -- are expected to join ..."
New York Rangers get Calgary for center Olli Jokinen for Ales Kotalik
Comment
February 2
New York Daily News
 
"The deal is done, for real this time. The trade was finalized roughly an hour after the Flames' 3-0 loss to the Flyers at the Saddledome, a game in which Jokinen played 15:08 amid swirling questions of whether his time in Calgary was through. The Finnish centerman (11-24-35) is expected to be at the Staples Center tonight to suit up for the Blueshirts, who complete their three-game Western swing against the Kings. The swap ultimately came to pass following two days of false starts and hand-wringing. The Rangers sent Kotalik home to New York on Sunday, telling him he would be traded, and Glen Sather thought he had a deal in the bag that night, only to have "complications" arise to put the ..."
Flames finally pull trigger on controversial Jokinen trade
Comment
February 2
Calgary Herald
 
"Rumours had been swirling madly. Were the two players gone? Or were they staying? Is it all a bluff? Some weird ploy? Well, no. It turns out that the speculation was bang-on — the Flames traded forwards Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust to the New York Rangers in exchange for forwards Ales Kotalik and Chris Higgins. Confirmation filtered out shortly after the Flames' 3-0 loss to the visiting Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night. Jokinen, minutes after learning his fate from general manager Darryl Sutter, put things in remarkably blunt terms. He did his talking at 11 p.m., near the zamboni entrance. "Eleven months ago when I got traded here I was super-excited . . . I was hoping that I could ..."
Jokinen bound for Big Apple, say reports
Comment
February 1
Calgary Herald
 
"Olli Jokinen is reported to be Broadway bound. After negotiating a seven-player swap, speculation is rampant that Calgary Flames GM Darryl Sutter hasn't finished re-tooling his struggling hockey team. TSN.ca is reporting that the underachieving Jokinen will be officially dealt to the New York Rangers today along with Brandon Prust in exchange for wingers Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins. Between them, the players rumoured to be heading here have compiled 36 points in 103 games and are a combined minus-27. Kotalik signed a three-year deal with the Rangers last off-season and is owed $3 million over each of the last two years of the deal. A sizable hit for a habitually erratic return. ..."
Trade talk "complications"
Comment
February 1
Bergen Record
 
"The Rangers feverishly worked on a deal Sunday to trade underused right wing Ales Kotalik and his three-year, $9 million salary. Multiple outlets reported late in the day a deal had been struck with the Flames that would send Kotalik and left wing Christopher Higgins to the Flames for center Olli Jokinen and forward Brandon Prust. However, the Rangers announced only that a potential deal had hit some "complications" and general manager Glen Sather did not address the media. Jokinen has 11 goals and 24 assists in 55 games with the Flames this season after being acquired from the Coyotes at last season's trade deadline. Jokinen is in the last year of his contract, which carries a salary-cap ..."
Marian Gaborik's hat trick lifts Rangers over Avalanche, 3-1
Comment
February 1
Bergen Record
 
"Marian Gaborik and Ales Kotalik were both signed as free agents in the off-season to drastically improve the Rangers' goal-scoring capability. Kotalik's tenure with the Rangers appears to have been a brief one as he did not accompany the team to Denver from Phoenix and was instead sent home to New York to await the outcome of a trade that apparently will send him and fellow off-season acquisition Christopher Higgins to the Flames for center Olli Jokinen. The Rangers said before Sunday night's 3-1 win over the Avalanche at Pepsi Center that snapped a season-high five-game regulation losing streak that "complications" had delayed the deal. But, later, Gaborik's first hat trick of the season ..."
Gaborik does the trick for Rangers
Comment
February 1
The Journal News
 
"Marian Gaborik 3, Colorado Avalanche 1. Gaborik had his 10th career hat trick, Chad Johnson made 34 saves for his first NHL win, and the Rangers ended a five-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Avalanche on Sunday night. "It's a boost of energy for this club and myself as well to finally get a win and feel good about ourselves," Gaborik said. The hat trick was Gaborik's first since he had five goals for Minnesota against the Rangers on Dec. 20, 2007. He joined the Rangers as a free agent over the summer after spending his first eight seasons in Minnesota. "Anytime a guy scores a hat trick, it's a good offensive night," Colorado left wing T.J. Galiardi said. "We've got to know a ..."
Deal for Jokinen in holding pattern
Comment
February 1
TSN.ca
 
"The New York Rangers and Calgary Flames were expected to announce a trade that would send centre Olli Jokinen and forward Brandon Prust to the Rangers in exchange for forwards Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins, but the deal appears to be stalled. Sources told TSN Sunday night that New York was awaiting Calgary's final sign-off before the trade call was to be made. Jokinen was originally acquired by Calgary from the Phoenix Coyotes at last year's trade deadline. The 31-year old veteran has 11 goals and 24 assists in 55 games with the Flames this season."
Marian's drought is long over
Comment
February 1
New York Post
 
"Marian Gaborik took great delight in pretending he did not remember that his last previous hat trick had come in that five-goal game against the Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist in Minnesota on Dec. 20, 2007. "Oh, that's right," said the Great Gabby, chuckling after the 10th hat trick of his career propelled the Rangers to a 3-1 victory over the Avalanche here last night. "That was a long a time ago." And after his performance last night in which he was flying from the outset, it suddenly seems like a long time ago that No. 10 was mired in a slump in which he had scored once in 11 games, even if it were just last week. "I kind of got into the zone and felt confident," said Gaborik, who scored ..."
Gaborik's hat trick leads Rangers; Kotalik trade near
Comment
February 1
New York Post
 
"The Rangers won for the first time in nearly two weeks, but Glen Sather may have lost again. While Sather appears on the verge of erasing the summer mistake he made in signing Ales Kotalik to a three-year, $9 million free agent contract, one wonders if the Rangers general manager simply will be compounding the error by completing a deal to send the winger to Calgary in exchange for underachieving center Olli Jokinen. According to a variety of sources, the Rangers had a trade in place to send Kotalik and a defenseman, believed to be Matt Gilroy, to Calgary in order to rent the 31-year-old Jokinen, who will be a free agent once his contract ($5.25M cap hit) expires at the conclusion of the ..."
Rangers send Ales Kotalik home, trade appears close
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February 1
New York Daily News
 
"Ales Kotalik has been unhappy in New York seemingly since his first day as a Ranger. Thankfully for him, his last day as a Ranger is fast approaching. The Rangers sent Kotalik back to New York Sunday, telling the right winger that he would be traded and assuring that his short-lived and forgettable tenure on Broadway was through. That deal's progress, however, hit something of a snag - Glen Sather felt confident yesterday that he had a deal in place, but complications arose and the deal was on hold as of last night. TSN reported out of Canada last night that Kotalik and Christopher Higgins likely will head to Calgary in exchange for underachieving center Olli Jokinen and center Brandon ..."
Gaborik's hat trick lifts rookie goalie Chad Johnson, New York Rangers over Avalanche
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February 1
New York Daily News
 
"Marian Gaborik has exactly twice as many hat tricks as Chad Johnson has games of NHL experience. But the superstar and the rookie will be happy to share credit for the crucial two points the Rangers earned Sunday night. Gaborik staged a sublime performance and Johnson one he will never forget, a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche that snapped the Rangers' five-game skid and gave the rookie goaltender his first NHL victory. Pressed into action for a second straight night because of Henrik Lundqvist's flu bug, Johnson barely missed a shutout - Cody McLeod broke that up with the Avs swarming 7:21 from the end - but he rebounded from an uneven performance in Phoenix the night before to ..."
Rangers discussing trade scenarios with Flames
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February 1
Bergen Record
 
"The Rangers feverishly worked on a deal Sunday to trade underused right wing Ales Kotalik and his three-year, $9 million salary. Multiple outlets reported late in the day a deal had been struck with the Flames that would send Kotalik and left wing Christopher Higgins to the Flames for center Olli Jokinen and forward Brandon Prust. However, the Rangers announced only that a potential deal had hit some "complications" and general manager Glen Sather did not address the media. Jokinen has 11 goals and 24 assists in 55 games with the Flames this season after being acquired from the Coyotes at last season's trade deadline. Jokinen is in the last year of his contract, which carries a salary-cap ..."
Jokinen dealt to Rangers?
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February 1
Calgary Sun
 
"Hours after completing a blockbuster seven-player swap with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Flames GM Darryl Sutter was back in the rumour mill — and allegedly back in the office swinging a second deal. According to a TSN report late Sunday night, the Flames and New York Rangers were getting ready to announce a four-player swap that would take forwards Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust to Manhattan in exchange for Ales Kotalik and Chris Higgins. One of the Flames players involved said he hadn't heard anything other than the TSN broadcast. A team spokesman said he hadn't heard anything official, either. Another source suggested it hasn't officially gone through but could be completed as early as this ..."
Rangers look sick without Henrik Lundqvist
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January 31
Bergen Record
 
"Henrik Lundqvist sat this one out with the flu. It was just the latest malady for the Rangers, who seem to ail more and more with each game. Not that they seem to recognize it. "I thought at times in the first period we had good energy to start the game, even with the goals being scored," coach John Tortorella said. "We had good energy with the forecheck. We couldn't finish at first but we stayed with it and we were rewarded at the end." Just not with points as their season-high regulation losing streak rose to five with a 3-2 defeat to the Coyotes Saturday night at Jobing.com Arena. The Coyotes scored three in the first period, including two within 41 seconds, against some sick-looking ..."
Ales Kotalik, Donald Brashear out again
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January 31
Bergen Record
 
"Ales Kotalik and Donald Brashear were the healthy scratches for the Rangers, marking the seventh time in eight games the duo, whose combined salary is $4.4 million, have not dressed. Kotalik was inserted for Wednesday's 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes to re-energize the power play with his point shot. But the power play went 0-for-4 and Kotalik took two shots and was a minus-2 in 14:05. Coach John Tortorella would not answer when asked whether Kotalik had been given enough of a chance to regain a spot in the lineup. "I'm more concerned about [Saturday's] game, not what happened there," Tortorella said."