Maccabees Games

A look at the New York sports scene and the sporting world at large.

Monday, July 02, 2007

Rangers Rejoice!

The signings of centers Chris Drury and Scott Gomez are a bonanza for the New York Rangers.

The Rangers in one full swoop became younger, faster and more clutch.

It’s a shame that the services of Michael Nylander and Jed Ortmeyer will no longer be needed but Nylander up until the last two years with the Rangers has always been a second tier second line or even third line center. Ortmeyer has never been more than a third line or fourth line right wing.

Gomez, on the other hand, came into his own as a goal scorer two years ago and has consistently averaged almost 50 assists a year throughout his career with a Devils team that stressed defense so much that the only way to score a point was if the opposition made a mental mistake.

Drury has only recently come into his own as a goal scorer but has always been a clutch player throughout the playoffs.

Neither of the two is a true first line center -- at least not yet. But both are first tier second line centers and I believe in the Rangers system, Gomez can become a first rate top line center.

So if Shanahan signs as well, my suggestions for Tom Renney’s lines of Centers, Left Wings and Right Wings are as follows:

1. Gomez Straka Jagr
2. Drury Shanahan Prucha
3. Cullen Avery Callahan
4. Betts Hossa Orr

The rest of the forwards can fight it out for jobs in case of injury or if any of the starters do not play up to their abilities.

Start ordering your tickets.

1 Comments:

Blogger Joe Schick said...

I think Ortmeyer should have been retained as a fourth line wing. I like him better than Hollweg.

Not so sure about Prucha on the second line or Hossa on the fourth. We'll see how it plays out.

I'll miss Nylander but he apparently was asking for $5 million. I'm curious what he got from Edmonton.

7:56 AM  

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