Player Review

Here at Ranger Blue we are committed to bring you analysis of every player on the ice, not just the superstars.  To accomplish this,  every week of the season, assuming that there are games, we will be bringing you a short review of each and ever player’s performance in that weeks action.

Forwards

-Marian Gaborik (#10) – What can you say about a guy who has been doing as much this year for his team as Gaborik has.  Granted he had a little bit of a slump there in terms of not getting any power play goals.  However, that had a lot more to do with the team around him then with Gaborik, who will find other ways to contibute.   He is arguable the best all around super-star in the game right now and there is a reason that Tortarella has the confidence to put this guy out there on the penalty kill.   As long as this guy stays on the ice then the Rangers still have a chance.  Grade:  A+

-Vinny Prospal (A)(#20)-Probably one of Sathers’ best free-agent signing ever to be honest.  With a 4 point performance in the first Rangers/Devils showdown since the Kovalchuk trade, Prospal continues to play like a man with something to prove.  He has been one of the Rangers best players all year and it is going to be interesting to see if the Rangers look into moving him before the trade deadline since the team does not look like a serious Cup Contender.  Sather might be able to get as much as a 1st Rounder for him, or maybe give him away to someone nice enough to take Redden….. Grade: A

-Ryan Callahan (A)(#24)- He is starting to turn a corner offensively and if he continues to develop that part of his game he could become one of the best all around players in the game.  He hits everything that moves, does anything he can to block shots, and is the hardest working player on this team.  Grade: B

-Chris Drury (C)(#23)- Starting with the positives, the Captain still does all the little things as good as anyone in the league; face-offs, back-checking, blocking shots.  He is an extremely valuable player to this team and a great leader.  However, he also might be one of the most overpaid players in the league in no small part due to the fact that he has totally lost his scoring abilities and is probably the highest paid 4th line player in the game.  Grade: C-

-Brandon Dubinsky (#17)- Is it just me or does he look like Jagr when he has the puck along the boards?  He has all the skills to become a reliable offensive contributer but he has to figure out how to be more consistent with his game.  Some nights he comes out and can control the game when he is one the ice; other nights he barely makes an impact offensively.  However, he almost always does the little things well and should develop into one of the best 2nd line centers around.  Grade: B-

-Olli Jokinen (#12)- Not much to say here. He has looked okay, but the best part of this guy right now is that he contract is expiring at the end of the year.  I do like him on the point of the Power-play and the line of him centering Dubinsky and Callahan looks very good, but I do not see him in Ranger Blue next year unless he takes a pretty big pay cut.  But he has looked good so far.  Grade: B-

-Brandon Prust (#8)

-Enver Lisin (#81)

-Artem Anisimov (#42)

-Sean Avery (#16)

-Brian Boyle (#22)

-Aaron Voros (#34)

-P.A. Parenteau (#38)

-Donald Brashear (#87)

Defensemen

Wade Reddan (#6)

Marc Staal (#18)

Dan Girardi (#5)

Michael Del Zotto (#4)

Matt Gilroy (#97)

Michal Rozsival (#33)

Goalies

Henrik Lundqvist (#30)

Chad Johnson (#29)