Tags: Aaron Voros, Alex Auld, Alexander Frolov, Alexander Radulov, Anders Eriksson, Artem Anisimov, Bobby Ryan, Brandon Dubinsky, Brandon Prust, Brian Boyle, Chris Drury, Corey Potter, Dan Girardi, Dane Byers, Dean Lombardi, Enver Lisin, Erik Christensen, Evgeny Grachev, Free Agency, Glen Sather, Henrik Lundqvist, Illka Heikkenen, Illya Kovalchuk, Jack Johnson, Jeff Beukeboom, Jody Shelley, Joe Thornton, John Tortorella, Larry Brooks, Los Angeles Kings, Marc Staal, Marian Gaborik, Matt Gilroy, Michael Del Zotto, Michal Roszival, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, NHL, Nikolai Zherdev, P.A. Parenteau, Patrick Marleau, Pavol Demitra, playoffs, Ryan Bourque, Ryan Callahan, Ryan McDonagh, Sean Avery, Stanley Cup, Trades, Vinny Lecavalier, Vinny Prospal, Wade Redden
Posted in Analysis |
Let’s start by saying what everyone knows: this team is FLAWED. It was built with no real direction and couldn’t help but fail with this collection of spare parts, playing out of position, and expected to excel. The fact that this club even sniffed the postseason is testament to the incredible talent of franchise cornerstone Henrik Lundqvist and an inspired first season on Broadway by sniper extraordinaire Marian Gaborik. Even with the huge holes that management could never fill despite making in-season moves and numerous call-ups from the minors, the team still strung together an impressive first month of the season and an exciting last few weeks to make a serious run at the final playoff spot. This team is not in need of a total rebuild and there shouldn’t be close to the wholesale turnover we saw at the end of last season but there are a few moves that GM Glen Sather must make if this team is going to make it back to the playoffs and actually be expected to make noise once it does.