From the “You’ve-Got-To-Be-Kidding-Me” department Bobby Sanguinetti has been named to the PlanetUSA team while Artem Anisimov was not.
Before we write another word, we want to clarify two things:
1) We admire Bobby Sanguinetti both as a hockey player and more importantly as a person.
2) Bobby is a supremely talented young defenseman who absolutely has a long and prosperous NHL career in front of him. We would also add that he is having a fine rookie campaign.
Now, all that being said, Artem Anisimov has clearly been the team’s MVP and has FAR superior numbers to Sanguinetti. Here’s their lines:
# Player Pos GP G A PTS +/- PIM PPG PPA SH SHA GW FG IG OT UA EN SOG SOA SOGW SO% Pt/G PIM/G Shots Sh%
42 Artem Anisimov C 37 16 21 37 1 38 7 8 2 0 2 3 0 1 1 0 2 5 1 0.400 1.00 1.03 90 0.178
21 Bobby Sanguinetti D 37 3 20 23 -12 20 2 12 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.000 0.62 0.54 68 0.044
Both are terrific players and well deserving of recognition. However, given how strong Anisimov has been he deserves to be named to this team more than Sanguinetti does.
You want to make a good argument. Here’s the numbers for the other Centers that were chosen:
Name GP G A PTS +/- PIM
Keith Aucoin 35 14 35 49 20 32 (Well deserving)
Jeff Taffe 31 16 25 45 13 29 (Well deserving)
Petri Kontiola 36 9 24 33 1 10 (Okay…)
Ryan Potulny 34 17 14 31 -2 24 (?)
Nathan Gerbe 24 15 11 26 2 25 (Are you kidding me?)
Nikita Filatov 23 7 10 17 6 10 (This has got to be a joke…)
Someone is going to have to explain to us how a player with the third best numbers doesn’t make it into the Top 6…
Here’s the official release from the Wolf Pack:
WOLF PACK’S SANGUINETTI HEADED TO AHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC
* * * *
Rookie Blueliner Named to Planet USA Team for January 25-26 Event
The American Hockey League announced today that Hartford Wolf Pack defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti has been named to the Planet USA squad for the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Charter Communications, upcoming January 25-26 at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA. A rookie out of the Ontario Hockey League and a first-round selection by the parent New York Rangers in the 2006 NHL Draft (21st overall), Sanguinetti is the leading-scoring defender on the Wolf Pack squad, and ranks third on the team in assists and tied for third in points, with 3-20-23 in 37 games. The Trenton, NJ native also stands tied for third in the AHL in rookie assists, tied for fourth in the league in assists among defensemen and sixth in points among AHL blueliners. Prior to turning pro this year with the Wolf Pack, the 6-3, 190-pound Sanguinetti spent four seasons in the OHL, registering career totals of 70 goals, 142 assists and 212 points in 263 games with Owen Sound and Brampton. The 2009 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Charter Communications will consist of the 2009 AHL All-Star Skills Competition Sunday, January 25 (4:00 start) and the 2009 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, January 26 (7:00 faceoff).
Here’s the Official release from the AHL:
2009 PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team announced
The American Hockey League announced today the PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team roster for the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Charter Communications, to be played later this month at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass.
The team comprises 24 players – 13 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders – born outside of Canada; the Canadian team was announced on Tuesday (release). AHL fans determined the starting lineups via on-line balloting at theahl.com, while a committee of AHL coaches selected the remainder of the rosters. All 29 AHL teams are represented by at least one All-Star.
Among the members of the PlanetUSA team are 19 first-time AHL All-Stars, including rookies Nikita Filatov of the Syracuse Crunch, Bobby Sanguinetti of the Hartford Wolf Pack, Jonas Junland of the Peoria Rivermen, Yannick Weber of the Hamilton Bulldogs, Mattias Karlsson of the Binghamton Senators, Jeff Frazee of the Lowell Devils and Nathan Gerbe and Tim Kennedy of the Portland Pirates. Hershey Bears forward Keith Aucoin has been selected to his fourth consecutive AHL All-Star Classic, and PlanetUSA captain Rory Fitzpatrick of the Rochester Americans will be making his third All-Star appearance and his first since 1998.
Because the Chicago Wolves won the Calder Cup championship in 2008, their current staff of head coach Don Granato and assistants Jason Christie and Wendell Young will serve as the coaches for the PlanetUSA team. John Anderson was promoted to the Atlanta Thrashers after guiding the Wolves to the title last spring.
The 2009 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Charter Communications will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League competing in the 2009 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, January 25 (4:00 p.m. ET), and the 2009 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, January 26 (7:00 p.m. ET). The event will be televised nationally in the United States and Canada.
2009 PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team
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Forwards |
Defensemen |
Goaltenders |
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Keith Aucoin, Hershey |
Rory Fitzpatrick, Rochester ("C") |
Jeff Frazee, Lowell |
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x-Chris Bourque, Hershey |
Jonas Junland, Peoria |
Daniel Larsson, Grand Rapids |
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x-Nikita Filatov, Syracuse |
Mattias Karlsson, Binghamton |
x-Cory Schneider, Manitoba |
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x-Nathan Gerbe, Portland |
x-Jakub Kindl, Grand Rapids |
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Martins Karsums, Providence |
Ben Lovejoy, W-B/Scranton |
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Tim Kennedy, Portland |
Bobby Sanguinetti, Hartford |
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Petri Kontiola, Rockford |
Jaime Sifers, Toronto |
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Drew Miller, Iowa |
x-Yannick Weber, Hamilton |
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Joe Motzko, Chicago |
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Michael Ryan, Albany |
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Ryan Potulny, Springfield |
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Jeff Taffe, W-B/Scranton |
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Ryan Vesce, Worcester |
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x-starters |
Head Coach: Don Granato, Chicago
Assistant Coach: Jason Christie, Chicago
Assistant Coach: Wendell Young, Chicago
Athletic Trainer: Kevin Kacer, Chicago
Equipment Manager: Craig Kogut, Chicago
Comments (6)
Pierresays:
January 8, 2009 at 8:07 AMHey Mitch,
Earlier this season, you said that Anisimov had third or fourth line potential. Have you seen enough progression from the big Russian to change your assessment of him?
Thanks again for the great coverage.
Mitch Becksays:
January 8, 2009 at 8:59 AMPierre,
Thank you for the kind words.
First let me say that Artie is a VERY nice young man and has a world of potential. I’ve never stated anything less than that. To me, and again this is just my opinion so how much is it worth, a person who is destined for a Top Two line person at the NHL level is someone who is just tearing it up at the AHL level. Even that sometimes is not indicative of destiny. Here are a couple of examples… Keith Aucoin, Alexandre Giroux and even Jaime Lundmark. They’re really tearing up the AHL and can barley crack their respective team’s line ups let alone play in a top two line role.
The other end of that spectrum is someone like Brandon Dubinsky. He didn’t impress people all that much at this level. Credit Larry Brooks of the NY Post who first said that he’s more of an NHL player than an AHL player and he was right…except look at him now, he can’t score to save his life.
Artie has shown over the last two months that he can put up a point a game. That’s pretty impressive, but it’s hardly dominating. Hell, even with the terrific numbers like I outlined to you in the piece, he didn’t even make the AHL All-Star team, which is again, a joke.
So having said all of that, my opinion of Artie hasn’t changed. Artie is a third or fourth line NHL’er. Could he possibly do better at the NHL level? Nobody can tell you with any certainty, but that’s my opinion.
Here’s something for you to think about.
Perhaps the Rangers DO feel he’s a first or second line Center. The problem is that the team has too many centers at this point and not enough places to play them in. Perhaps the Rangers hierarchy hasn’t seen in his play yet the level of play they would need to trade a Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Brandon Dubinsky or Blair Betts. Can you truthfully say that right now he would be a better player at the NHL level than any of them? You can’t. There’s not enough evidence to support that.
It could also be that at this point because they feel he still has more work to do at this level. He still needs more work on his defensive game. Like I said, if that’s the case I wouldn’t disagree with them. But in my opinion, he’s earned himself a shot at very least of a couple of games to see what he brings to the NHL table, only time will tell.
kovazub94says:
January 8, 2009 at 6:21 PMMitch, why did you compared Anisimov’s numbers to only 6 forwards of All Start team?
The way these Rangers’ centers have been performing, who said Artie wouldn’t do at least as well and as an added (important) bonus would count less againt the cap to give the Rangers options…
Mitch Becksays:
January 8, 2009 at 8:19 PMKovazub94,
You bring up a lot of points.
1) I’m comparing Anisimov to the other centers that made the PlanetUSA AHL All Star team. My point being that Artie was far more deserving to be there than at least three and possibly even four of them.
2) Okay, let’s examine the Anisimov issue from your point of view. Remember, I like Artie and think he has a bright NHL future so when I make the points that I do understand that it is not a negative reflection on him at all…it’s just the facts.
The Rangers have 5 (five) centers on their roster right now. Drury ($7,050,000 per), Gomez ($7,357,143 per) Fritsche ($875,000), Dubinsky ($633,000) and Betts ($615,000). Artie, if he comes up to the Rangers is an $821,667 cap hit.
My question to you is this:
Artie has not played a single game in the NHL and there is nobody on planet Earth who could tell you how good or how bad he would be with any certainty beyond their own opinion. Therefore, who are you going to sit so that he can play? Fritsche doesn’t matter because he already sits. You aren’t going to bring Artie up to sit in the stands. You want to sit Betts? Okay, where are you getting the extra $206K of cap space from?
You want to argue that you could move Drury to wing? Okay, who sits if you do that? You want to sit Sjostrom and his $840K. You could do that, but then who drops down to the fourth line? Prucha? Not the way he’s playing you aren’t. Drury? Do I even need to spell that one out? Dawes, Callahan, Naslund or Nick Zherdev? There’s just nobody out there that they could effectively sit and make it worth while.
The bottom line is that if he isn’t going to play then he needs to be in Hartford and continue to work on his game.
The only way that Anisimov goes up is if either Drury or Gomez get sent out and that’s just not going to happen.
So hopefully I’ve explain ed in in such a way that you’ll get it…
kovazub94says:
January 9, 2009 at 11:31 AMHey Mitch, thank you for reply.
I understand all your points. My question (or suggestion) to use Anisimov instead of any forwards ahead of him was NOT meant to say that anyone ahead of him currently on the roster should be put on a bench in favor of Artie. I’m just being a bit sarcastic re. production we get out of our $7 m “franchise” centers and would be very happy if the Rangers found a way to move them TOGETHER with their salary hit (meaning w/o replacing them for another expensive underachiever). But it’s not going to happened, and I know and you’d probably agree that the only way this season Anisimov is going to make it to the bigs is if there is a sudden injury epidemic hitting forwards (like in Columbus) which is very unlikely, or if the Rangers completely melt down and out of play-off competition within the next month and a half (even more unlikely).
Keep up the good work!!!
davidsays:
January 12, 2009 at 6:00 PMThis Sanguinetti pick to the All-Star game is a complete joke. I have never said this abut any all star the pack have sent to the game over the 12 years.
I realize that had to pick a Pack player. Obviously it should have been Anisimov.
Points aside, Sanguinetti is a lost child out there on defense. I do not say that as a criticism but an observation. I do not have high expectations of rookies — even 1st round draft pick rookies. cough *Montoya* cough *Jessiman* cough.
This all star pick of Sanguinetti is going to send all the wrong signals to the Ranger faithful who do not pay any attention to the game to game work of these guys in the AHL.