It is the time of the year where prospects are brought in by teams to take a look at for future possibilities. The Pack are no different in that regard.
Critics of the Rangers organization have constantly bemoaned the fact that the team did not have depth of talent on the blue line. The organization certainly seems to be taking a very serious look in that direction. Friday they signed Hobey Baker Award winner, defenseman Matt Gilroy and today the team is bringing in another blueline stabilizer in Trevor Glass. When you add in the fact that they have also brought in Tomas Kundratek and will probably look at a couple more players before it’s all over, its safe to say the team sees this as an issue going forward as well.
But getting back to Glass for a moment, the 21 year old comes to the Wolf Pack from the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. In 57 games with the Chiefs this season, the 6-0, 197-pound Glass scored six goals and added 19 assists for 25 points. Those totals ranked him third among team defensemen in points, goals and assists. The Cochrane, Alberta native also registered 28 penalty minutes and a +16. In the postseason, Glass led all Chiefs blueliners in assists, and finished second among team defensemen in points, with four helpers in 10 games.
Last season, Glass won a Memorial Cup with the Chiefs, after being acquired in a trade with the Medicine Hat Tigers. He also helped the Tigers win a WHL championship, and get as far as the championship game of the Memorial Cup, in 2006-07, teaming with current Wolf Pack defenseman Michael Sauer on the Medicine Hat blueline corps.
In 247 career WHL contests over five seasons with Medicine Hat and Spokane, Glass totaled 21 goals and 61 assists for 82 points, along with 126 PIM.
Jess Rubenstein of The Prospect Park says of Glass, "He's a serviceable defender who does the little things one needs to win. While he's not a big banger, he plays a steady
positional defense and chips in the occasional point. Proven playoff player
who elevates game in big games."
Getting back to the discussion on these defensive prospects, the major obstacle at this point is what kind of a future do these kids have with the organization?
Granted, you can never have too many assets, just ask Donald Trump, but there is the serious and very real problem of two VERY big contracts blocking the path to the NHL; Altogether now…Wade Redden and Michael Rozsival. MAYBE someone in the Western Conference (Don Maloney, are you listening?) will take Rozsival’s contract if he has a decent playoff, but Redden (Oh PLEASE Donny come to the rescue for the team that gave you everything just one more time) is going nowhere. Assuming that Marc Staal is not being moved, which given he’s the best defenseman the team has, that’s a pretty safe bet, that leaves only four spots.
Dan Girardi is in all likelihood not going anywhere either. So unless the Rangers are going to dump both Paul Mara AND Derek Morris, there really is nowhere for these kids to go.
What do you tell Corey Potter who is on the cusp of ready to play in the NHL and probably should have a spot on the team in the fall? What do you tell arguably the Pack’s best defenseman over the second half of the season, and Glass’ friend, Michael Sauer? He did get a look at in a call-up and should be ready for the move upward in the fall as well.
How about Bobby Sanguinetti? If the former Rangers first round pick continues to improve on his defensive game where does he go? Sanguinetti has certainly shown he has the offensive chops to play at the NHL level.
David Urquhart has made enormous strides this season and as a puck mover who isn’t afraid to hit, another year in Hartford and he could possibly be ready for the show as well.
David Stich is in Hartford and should be next season. Kundratek will be a big question and this isn’t even mentioning the 500 pound gorillas in the room of Evgeny Grachev and Michael Del Zotto.
On the bright side, there is for Wolf Pack fans, a lot to look forward to. This team should be brutal next season and could possibly have the best defensive corps in the AHL.
Given the depth this team will have in the nets next season with Matt Zaba and Miika Wiikman, the question becomes how does the organization address the need for scoring up front?
Does this team finally commit to unrestricted free agent P.A. Parenteau and give him a legitimate shot to play in New York? He’s certainly paid his dues and earned it. Howlings will address the front line situation in the days ahead…
From the AHL notebook comes these notes on tonight’s Game two challenge for the Pack against Worcester.
Game 2 – Worcester at Hartford, 7:00
Hartford and Worcester return to the XL Center ice for Game 2 of their Atlantic Division semifinal tonight… The Wolf Pack captured a 2-0 win on Thursday behind a 38-save shutout performance by rookie goaltender Matt Zaba in his AHL playoff debut… Artem Anisimov – Hartford’s regular-season leader in goals (37) and points (81) – netted the game-winning goal in the opener… Dane Byers, in his first action since Oct. 31 due to injury, posted a goal and an assist for Hartford… The Wolf Pack will try avoiding a repeat of the 2008 division semifinals, when they defeated Portland in Game 1 at home only to drop the next four contests and the series… Hartford is going for its first 2-0 series advantage since the 2004 Atlantic Division Finals against the Worcester IceCats… The Sharks are now 1-3 all-time on the road in the playoffs, the lone win coming at Manchester on Apr. 27, 2007… Worcester registered 26 shots on goal to Hartford’s 13 over the second and third periods of Game 1… Defenseman Patrick Traverse recorded a team-high five shots for the Sharks.
Comments (7)
elsiesays:
April 18, 2009 at 1:08 PMThanks as always for your efforts. Please do let us know if Gilroy signs an ATO. The blueline is certainly crowded. You didn’t even have to mention 6 or 7 other players in the near-term mix – Ranger properties Dowzak, Denisov and Busto (Fahey is too seasoned to be labeled prospect) or Urquhart’s peer WP-signees Nightingale, Graham or Murray! My view is don’t overthink how the opportunities will fall – most seasons won’t be as injury-free as this one. Let’s Go ‘Pack.
Mitch Becksays:
April 18, 2009 at 2:17 PMElsie,
Dowzak is also a legitimate prospect and I forgot to mention him. The understanding that I have with him is that he is probably a CHarlotte project.
Denisov is in all likelihood, gone after this season. He hasn’t impressed.
Busto is a bust…pardon the pun.
Fahey was supposed to be more than he turned out to be and will also probably be elsewhere next year.
I didn’t mention Nightingale because I don’t think he’s a serious prospect. He easily could be in Charlotte or elsewhere next year.
Graham and Murray are most likely going to be in Charlotte.
rcmsays:
April 18, 2009 at 7:31 PMMy take on the Ranger defensive quandary is they want plenty of competition. From all the choices they must develop somebody that can be an offensive threat on the power play. The more they try the better the power play could possibly be next year.
From what you said in earlier columns about Avery’s play in Hartford, I didn’t expect much. He has been a pleasant surprise. I credit alot of it to how Torts handles his players. If Avery screws up he simply won’t play .
Jesssays:
April 18, 2009 at 7:33 PMKundratek has a Ranger contract but should be sent back to the WHL IMO.
Dowzak heads to Charlotte unless the light bulb kicks in and he develops physical consistency.
Del Zotto goes back to London (and Dale Hunter) because he still needs to improve defensively
I think Gilroy will show that he can make the jump to the Rangers next season which allows the Rangers to not resign Morris but I think they buy out Redden for cap reasons (which is going to be the excuse not because his play was bad)
Staal/Girardi
Rosy/Mara
Gilroy/Potter/Sauer
rcmsays:
April 19, 2009 at 10:50 AMJess -you are too hard on Redden. Probably Naslund.also.For the big games that count,these seasoned veterans seem to come through.
What your saying for Kundratek ,Dowzak,Del Zotto – OK now. Training camp may change the fortunes of all.
As for Morris -3.9 mil is too high. As for Mara – Rangers need to development younger talent at the NHL level.
As for Redden – he locked himself into a contract which locked him in period.
Jesssays:
April 19, 2009 at 5:16 PMRCM
Your own words “seems” is not an acceptable standard for a seasoned vet, either they come though or they do not.
You need them to be there for you during the season to set up your playoff chances as well
As for the kids, other than Dowzak who does not have any more junior time left they can be returned to their junior teams and not waste a year of service towards UFA status.
Del Zotto goes back because either he makes the Rangers or he does not, he can not go to Hartford.
Kundratek I see all the time and I really doubt the summer is going to wake him up. He needs some growing up time.
Grachev I can see making the move to Hartford because the light bulb is in fact starting to glow and he is getting it that he needs to work hard every night.
rcmsays:
April 20, 2009 at 9:13 AMJess-Just change the word “seem” to “came through in a big way”. Brooks wanted to trade away Yagr just at the wrong time.(Ouch!!!) An 82 game schedule is too much for an older guy to race up and down the ice at full speed all the time. But when the chips are down,these guys have to excel. And the good ones do. I think Redden and Nasland have performed great so far. And they are entitled to some slack so long as it doesn’t cost you games.
Boil the hockey game down. You focus on a great goaltender first. The Rangers have that.
Now you must work on specialty teams (especially the power play). The guys get bigger and bigger -the rink smaller and smaller. I see guys coming up from the collegiate ranks(the quality of the play is not that far behind the NHL). The play of the game becomes more of a defensive standoff unless you have a man advantage and can produce points. Look at Montreal last year,Boston this year. Look at San Jose.Or Detroit every year.
They have to develop that power play and thank the lucky stars that Torts arrived on the scene.
Maybe the Stanley cup not this year. But hopefully soon.