Last night was a game whre the team really missed Nash

thats the kind of game where your goal scorer comes through and scores a big goal to tie it. Hopefully he comes back soon

 

Not just his goal scoring ability that we missed.

ANH is real big and real fast. They play tough defense and don't let you carry the puck easily. Nash is one of the only guys we have with the ability to carry the puck effectively against a team like that. Our forwards were doing alot of dumping and not winning enough of the battles as we had to. Without anybody able to carry the puck effectively, we were settling for real bad shots. Hence all the blocks ANH had: nobody had any space.

We need him healthy.

 

Apparently there were a whole bunch of EDM scouts at the game.

 

Why aren't they saying anything about Nash status? Are they hiding him somewhere in the pacific island?

 

From Pierre McGuire:

He adds “they desperately need the presence of Rick Nash back in the lineup and talking to people around the Rangers he isn’t even around the group right now so there is no timetable on him. One of the things I can tell you with Rick Nash, even though he is a guy that has huge Olympic pedigree, there is no guarantee he is going to be on Team Canada if he can’t get back playing pretty soon. That becomes a story as you go along because of the concussion issues. The Rangers can start scoring when they get Nash back.”

 

Not coming back anytime soon. We need to accept that and deal with it.

 

4 weeks ago tonight, 10/8, the Rangers played the Sharks and Brad Stuart hit Rick Nash in the first period in a play that resulted in a three-game suspension.

Nash didn’t return for the second and third period and said after the game that he had a headache.

That was the last time that Nash has spoken publicly.

On 10/14 Alain Vigneault said that Nash was still suffering from post-concussion symptoms and the response from the media when they ask about Nash is “no change.”

Yesterday, Larry Brooks tweeted that the Rangers stance on Nash right now is “status quo.”

The Rangers Game Previews list Nash as having a “head injury” and being “out indefinitely.”

Last night, on Rangers post game, Dave Maloney said that he thought the third period against Anaheim was the first time all year that the Rangers really missed Nash.

 

Fire up the Yakupov rumors again.....

 

All the articles mentioning the EDM scouts are saying either Yakupov or Hemsky. Really don't want either, but if one is coming here then give me Hemsky over Yakupov every day of the week. Last thing we need is another Russian space cadet.

 

Here's Eklund's take (and yes I know it's Eklund)..."First off, and I honestly am just reporting this because of the source being very reliable, the Canucks have major interest in Rangers D-man Michael Del Zotto and could be willing to part with a major offensive player to make it happen. Knowing Vigneault as I know you all do....the name shouldn't be too hard to figure out..."

 

I doubt you'd get Kesler for DZ without throwing in a 1st or 2nd and prospect, but I'd do a 2nd and maybe Tambellini. With Edmonton I agree Prodigy I'd rather give up less to get Hemsky than have to give up Kreider or Miller with a 1st for Yakupov.

 

I would do a 1st, a mid prospect, and a MDZ for Kesler in 1 second. I would pay for the flight to Vancouver myself for DZ if it got a deal done.

I would be shocked if they made that deal though.

 

8:07PM: In the Edmonton Journal, Jim Matheson says that the Rangers would not surrender Chris Kreider in a deal unless Nail Yakupov was part of a package coming back.

He says that Glen Sather has always liked “high-end skill” and that Yakupov reminds some of Pavel Bure.

Matheson says that the Oilers have long liked Michael Del Zotto.

 

I would NOT deal Kreider for Yakupov unless we got another nice player in the deal as well. To me what is the point really. Kreider to Yakupov is not a big upgrade IMO. So I wouldn't do that deal.

I would do a package around MDZ for Yakupov though. Why wouldn't we considering the makeup of the team.

 

If they took MDZ, Miller and a 1st I'd go with it, but yeah I'm not even dealing CK for Yakupov. They should(and i've said this 289 times)just go after Hemsky and Petry for DZ/prospect/5th rounder.

 

The Rangers just need another scorer until the end of the year, then they can assess the Nash situation and make a move in FA. Edmonton is going to pick in the top 5 again either way, so they get DZ as another offensive guy and can take a stay at home type to add to it with their 1st rounder. Petry becomes expendable for them.

 

8:27PM: Nick Kypreos, on Sportsnet, said this evening that MacTavish and Lowe weren’t in NY to see their banner 20 years later and it’s about the Rangers needing offense the Oilers needing defense.

He says, “you wanna connect the dots…how about Yakupov to the Rangers and Del Zotto to Edmonton. Is that enough for the first pick overall from a few years ago?”

8:23PM: On TSN Drive earlier tonight, Darren Dreger said “What the Oilers need to do is get help on the blue line. Going into this road swing it’s about getting help on their blue line. Jokingly some people around the team said that during the Detroit game you could pull 3 or 4 of their defensemen out and replace them with their AHL defensemen and it wouldn’t be much of a backpedal. That tells you how interested MacTavish is on upgrading his back end.”

 

I think we could have a match with the Oilers. They need D and we need O. They have extra O and we have extra D. Get it done Glen. We cannot count on Nash right now.

 

Kreider should not be part of a deal right now. He's showing that he has the size, speed and skill to be a top 6 forward. We're short a guy in the top 6, makes no sense to get one by dealing another. Deal from your strength (defenseman) to improve your weakness (front end scoring). Miller/DZ was my package this summer for a top 6 forward so I stand by that. I don't want that top 6 guy to be Yakupov at all, there has to be someone else out there. Hemsky would be cheaper and would help but I think we can do better with a Miller/DZ package.

All these EDM rumors and I havent heard a thing about Eberle, what are the chances he's available?

 

We agree 223. Makes no sense to me at all to deal Kreider. Deal from D depth, and I think that's what we will do.