What could they possibly have to do with the New York Rangers?
Apparently, a whole lot. Over the past month or so, trade rumors have been swirling around both clubs. The Rangers have been sending scouts to the Blue Jackets' games. The Blue Jackets have been sending scouts to the Rangers' games. And with the trade deadline approaching in February, an almost constant barrage of rumors have begun circulating around the two teams.
It seems the Rangers have been interested in almost half of the Jackets' lineup. Well, not really, but the list of named names (sorry Senator Mitchell, we're not naming steroid users) is quite long. Adam Foote, Rostislav Klesla, David Vyborny, Manny Malhotra, Jason Chimera, Duvie Westcott, and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (now on IR). Whew. That's quite the list. On the Rangers' side, Petr Prucha, Marek Malik, Paul Mara, Marcel Hossa, and most recently, Fedor Tyutin, have been named.
As it stands right now, no deals have been made. A trade for Vyborny was close to completion, but that never came to be. While on paper, Vyborny would have been a spark to the offense. But if there is one team in the NHL right now who can defy the logic of talent on paper, it's the New York Rangers. Though any of the Jackets' players would certainly have brought something to the table, I do not think any of them are what the Rangers should be looking for right now. There are deals that can be made, but we'll get to those later. Trading Prucha or Tyutin would be counterproductive for the Rangers – both are very young and very talented. Prucha has started to regain his scoring touch recently, and Tyutin continues to develop into an above-average defender.
I won't argue, however, that what the Rangers need at this point in the season is a boost of any kind. Offensive or defensive. They have the talent on their roster to compete at the highest of levels. That talent, however, has not gelled as a complete unit so far this season. One of the biggest criticisms of the Rangers is their defensive unit. They were criticized before the season even started, and they continue to be criticized now. Though they play a strong defense, defensemen in the modern-day NHL must be able to do more. They need to be able to hit, to move the puck, to pass, to shoot, and to score. The Rangers lack this type of defenseman. They don't have a Nikolas Lidstrom or a Dion Phaneuf. What they have is a young core of players – Daniel Girardi, Fedor Tyutin, and Marc Staal. All great young talents. But none of them have developed into a complete defenseman yet – what would be compared to a 5-tool player in baseball. Even Michal Rozsival, a player with years of NHL experience, isn't the type of player the Rangers need. He's got a great shot, but he rarely lets it go. He passes too frequently, and his physical game is lacking. Paul Mara and Marek Malik have both been criticized for their lazy play this season, and neither have elite defenseman status.
So the Rangers certainly need to bring in a solid puck moving defenseman. They need to spark their play. They need something big to drag them out of the depths of the Eastern Conference. Obviously the return of veteran Brendan Shanahan and agitator Sean Avery will provide a much-needed boost. But that won't be enough. Not in this writer's opinion.
What about trading Jaromir Jagr?
That's right, I said it. Bring out the firing squad, right? 'Blasphemy!' thousands of Broadway Blueshirt fans cry out! But hold on just a minute. Before you go making me a sacrifice to the hockey gods, listen to what I have to say. Let's take a look at Jagr's stats while with the Rangers.
Jagr's best year with the Rangers came in 2005-2006, the year following the lockout. He fell just short of the scoring title that year, and he set Rangers' records in goals and points scored. Last season, Jagr wasn't nearly as productive; however, he was still effective, scoring a very respectable 96 points. Now looking at this season, more than halfway through, and Jagr is on pace for one of his worst seasons ever. He's had flashes of brilliance, very small stretches where it looks like his play is coming back. It has yet to return though. He's yet to get on the point-per-game pace we're all so used to. He's 35 years old and obviously in the declining stages of his career.
But is he completely useless? Has he truly lost all touch as an elite NHL forward? Of course not. That would be ridiculous to assume. Jagr still has the talent that made him a 5-time scoring champ. Just for whatever reason, he's not performing with the NYR. I can offer two reasons, outside of his age having an effect.
The departure of Michael Nylander. In order to sign Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, Sather had to let Nylander go. He ended up signing with Jagr's old club, the Washington Capitals (he's now out for the year after undergoing surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff). But what made Jaromir Jagr so successful during those two seasons with the Rangers was Michael Nylander. Nylander provided the perfect complement to Jagr. Their chemistry was incredible, something most Rangers' fans didn't want to see be broken up. Sather, however, thought that either of the free agent signees could recreate that chemistry – and the entire fan base hoped so as well. Sadly, this chemistry hasn't even come close to being duplicated. Consequently for Nylander, he only recorded 37 points in the 40 games he played with Washington. Not quite as good as his seasons with Jagr, but not as bad a drop off.
Being “Number One”. After the signings of Gomez and Drury, the focus shifted from Jagr to the newcomers. It's possible to say that once Jagr left the spotlight, he either no longer felt any pressure to perform or no longer had a desire to perform, perhaps out of jealousy. This is a bit far-fetched, but with superstars like Jagr, who knows what's going through their minds.
If either of these are the true reason for Jagr's lackluster season, neither can be fixed. As stated, Nylander is done (and signed to a large contract – it'd be ludicrous for Sather to bring him back), and Gomez and Drury are not leaving. Maybe both are wrong, maybe Jagr's just in a slump. It's very possible that he's just very streaky this year. But how long with this cold streak last? Is it worth dropping further in the standings? Do the Rangers wait around for an explosion of goals that may never happen, or do they take their best bargaining chip and make a bit of a high-stakes gamble with it?
I personally think that they need to trade Jagr. He still has great value – it's possible he could return two or three talented players. And there are teams out there who would certainly love his veteran leadership and superstar pedigree. For the Rangers though, Jagr is 35 years old and fading. And as of right now, he certainly doesn't seem to fit into their long term goals. But maybe a change of scenery is exactly what Jagr needs. Maybe he's exactly what another playoff contender needs.
For example, the Colorado Avalanche. They're currently without stars Ryan Smyth and the ever-popular Joe Sakic. That's a big chunk of goal scoring prowess right there. Jagr could be the boost the boys out in the Rockies need. And in return, the Rangers could bring in someone like John-Michael Liles, a puck-moving U.S. Olympian defenseman, plus maybe one or two other lesser players. I think this would greatly benefit the Rangers – they'd get a solid defenseman, unload a bit of money, while hopefully igniting a fire under the team. Other possible destinations could be San Jose (Jonathan Cheechoo has certainly underperformed) or Vancouver (the Sedin twins could use someone like Jagr on the right side).
To close this out, I'll address one or two more things. First off, Brooks Orpik of Pittsburgh is rumored to be on his way out of the Penguins' organization. He's due to be an unrestricted free agent during the off season, and it seems Pittsburgh has no intention of resigning him. It's very possible that he'll be shipped off someone at the deadline. Though it'd be hard to believe the Penguins would trade within the division to the Rangers, Orpik would be a very nice addition to the Rangers. Though he hasn't scored much, Orpik has a strong shot, and he moves the puck very well. He's a big guy who won't shy away from laying hits down on the ice. He's had several years of experience, but he's certainly still young and developing. He'd be a great fit in New York, but I highly doubt the Rangers will swing a deal for him. And finally, Brandon Dubinksy and Marc Staal have both been named to the NHL Young Stars team. Congratulations to both of them (Dubinsky is a very possible Calder Trophy winner this year).
For now, I'll leave all of you to ponder the future of the Blue Jackets' organization, as well as the merits of trading Jaromir Jagr. Let's hope that the Rangers defeat of Buffalo is a sign of good things to come. Until next time...
