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What Does It All Mean?
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/03/09 at 11:12 AM ET
Comments (6)
As I mentioned to you folks in a blog yesterday, the New York Rangers placed backup goaltender Stephen Valiquette on waivers and at the same time, claimed Erik Christensen off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks.
To be honest with you, I am not sure what to make all of this. On one hand, the Valiquette move makes a lot of sense. He was clearly struggling (2-3, 3.74 GAA, .852 SV%), allowing soft goals and not keeping his team in games, all priorities for an NHL goaltender.
If Valley clears waivers and gets sent to the Hartford Wolf Pack, he will surely some significant playing time and be given a chance to get his game back in order in hopes of being sent back up to the big leagues. He’s had success in the AHL before so there is reason to believe that he will show the same professionalism and success at that level again.
The Christensen move, on the other hand, is a bit perplexing. He had some success with the Penguins a few seasons ago. Other than that, he’s mostly been a third/fourth-line player and has not produced much.
Both Rick Carpiniello of The Journal News and Andrew Gross of The Record say that the move was made because enforcer Donald Brashear is hurt again. If that’s the case, then themove makes sense but other than that, I’m not sure how Christensen can help the Blueshirts much.
What do you folks think of the moves? Do you think Chad Johnson is ready to be an NHL backup? Do you think Christensen can help? Let’s hear your thoughts!
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Chad+Johnson, Erik+Christensen, New+York+Rangers, Stephen+Valiquette,
Comments
I like the Christensen move for the fact well we are suffering with face-offs, something Christensen is well at. He, unlike some of the players we have, actually shoots the puck instead of passing all the time. Christensen’s greatest year was when he was playing in Pittsburgh…on a line with Evgeny Malkin. So move Prospal back to the left wing and put Christensen in the center.
Posted by Scott on 12/03/09 at 11:37 AM ET
Good point Scott! According to Rangers’ beat writer Steve Zipay, Christensen is centering a line with Higgins and Kotalik while Anisimov is centering a line with Prospal (left wing) and Gaborik.
What do you folks think of that?
Posted by Patrick Hoffman from Fairfield, CT on 12/03/09 at 11:39 AM ET
Right now Higgins couldn’t find the back of the net if he ran into it. Kotalik has also been awful except when he’s on the powerplay. Maybe some chemistry can form but seriously… are we going to expect another underachieving player to magically connect with a team that is underachieving as a whole?
Posted by Adam on 12/03/09 at 01:00 PM ET
This team BAFFLES me!! Until Sather is gone and Torts -whom I think did more harm then good since coming to NY, there is no hope. Season tickets have become available and the waiting list is gone, the team have no spark, or passion whatsoever. They are a joke and a BORE. Higgins should have been cleared on waivers instead.
I honestly have no words…..
Posted by Me on 12/03/09 at 03:44 PM ET
HEY !!! I’ve been a LOYAL Rangers fan for 44 years now, ( I’m 54 ) and have stuck by them through thick and thin, Member, WE DID WIN DA CUP 94 !! Shall never ferget da-ole daze when We had Eddie Giacomin in Goal, Brad Park & Jim Neilson on defense and the “KILLER THREE” up front with Jean Ratelle, Rod Gilbert and Vic Hadfield,, I still have pleasant dreams of dem daze !!! So lighten ya all, Let’s give da boyz some breathing room and I’m sure they’ll come round yet this season !!!
Posted by Arn Kozak from Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada on 12/04/09 at 01:33 AM ET
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Patrick has a tremendous passion for hockey. Besides covering the Rangers and the NHL for Kukla’s Korner, you can also find Patrick’s work over at RLD Hockey, Rangers Tribune, and TheGoodPoint.com.
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Neither move addresses the big problem with this team - the fact that they have NO secondary scoring and multiple players are due to have their worst statistical seasons.
The thing I hope is that Chad Johnson comes up with a good game or two and scares Lundqvist. Hopefully then he’ll move out of his crease to challenge shooters and work on his glove hand.
Posted by Adam on 12/03/09 at 11:29 AM ET