Rangers Rumble: Busy Week Dunham In; Richter Out After meeting with two of North America’s leading neurologists, James Andrews of Chicago and Karen Johnston of Montreal, the decision was made that the last game Mike Richter played, a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on November 5th, would be the last he would play this season. In that game, Richter’s head collided with the knee of Edmonton forward Todd Marchant during a goal-mouth scramble late in the third period. Although the hit didn’t seem out of the ordinary at the time, Richter has not been the same since. Once the team, and more importantly GM Glen Sather, found out that Richter was done for the season, he pulled the trigger on a deal that saw him acquire goaltender Mike Dunham from the Nashville Predators. In return for Dunham, the Rangers sent forward Rem Murray, young defenseman Tomas Kloucek and prospect Marek Zidlicky to Nashville. At the time, it was a very shocking move to say the least.Mike Dunham is a proven number one goaltender in the NHL, despite struggling this season with the Predators, who are currently the last-place team in the entire league. He now gives the Rangers a comfortable goaltending tandem, joining 19-year-old Dan Blackburn between the pipes. The coaching staff has said that there is no number one goaltender and that both will get their fair share of playing time. Blackburn has been carrying the load for the team since Mike Richter went down, starting in all 17 straight games. He was pulled for the first time on Wednesday when he looked fatigued and shaky during the first period, which saw him allow to soft goals against the Chicago Blackhawks. Johan Holmqvist replaced him at the start of the second period, and the Rangers’ went on to lose by a final score of 4-3. Rem Murray was a serviceable forward who was playing on a line with Eric Lindros, but he was expendable. Murray, who was acquired at least season’s trade deadline along with Tom Poti for Mike York and a draft pick, had six goals and six assists for 12 points in 32 games, including 4 penalty minutes. Tomas Kloucek was one of the top prospects in the organization, but his development has been slow and he has not improved the way the Rangers’ thought he would by now. After an extremely impressive rookie season with the Rangers in 2000-01, Kloucek tore his ACL that April and was not the same player the following season. He played in 52 games for the Rangers last season, but spent the entire year up until this point in Hartford this season. Kloucek played in 20 games for the Wolf Pack this year, totaling 7 points on 3 goals and 4 assists, along with 102 penalty minutes. His play had been very inconsistent and he was coming off a concussion that kept him out for an extended period of time. If the Rangers felt that Kloucek would be the player they envisioned he would be just a few short years ago, he would never have been dealt. However, they felt it was best to move him now while he still had some value. Marek Zidlicky is a 25-year-old Czech defenseman who is currently one of the top defensemen in the SM-Liiga, the top league in Finland. He was drafted as an over-ager by the Rangers in the 6th round of the 2001 draft. They attempted to sign him the past two years, but were rejected each time by Zidlicky. Although the reasons why are not known, it is believed that it came down to a difference in money and a guarantee that Zidlicky would not be sent to the minors. Glen Sather apparently was unwilling to give in to those demands. He has been compared to a more physical version of Brian Rafalski, and now it is up to the Predators to sign him and bring him over to North America. The winner of this deal will depend on Tomas Kloucek and whether or not he can develop into a player for the Nashville Predators.Dunham arrived in New York early on Friday and practiced with the team, but head coach Bryan Trottier has confirmed that Blackburn will get the start, his 18th straight, Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto. Dunham is expected to make his Rangers’ debut Monday at home against the San Jose Sharks. Dunham, who was born in Johnson City, New York, has good size at 6’3 and 200 lbs and is 30-years-old. He is signed through 2004-05 and has played with the New Jersey Devils and Nashville Predators during his career. He has played for Team USA at three Olympic tournaments, and was the back-up to Mike Richter at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City Utah.
Rangers Acquire Josh Green
The Rangers announced a second trade on Thursday after they acquired Mike Dunham from Nashville, this time acquiring 25-year-old forward Josh Green from the Edmonton Oilers for a conditional draft pick in 2004. At 6’4 and 215 lbs, Green has the size and the skill to be a pretty good player in the NHL. His problem, however, has been consistency and staying healthy. In 20 games this season for the Oilers, Green tallied no goals and only 2 assists, including 12 minutes in penalties. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2nd round (30th overall) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He played junior hockey in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Swift Current Broncos and the Portland Winter Hawks from 1993-94 to 1997-98. He played one season with the Kings, 1998-99, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists in 27 games. He was dealt that summer to the New York Islanders in the blockbuster deal that saw Zigmund Palffy head to LA. Green would spend one season with the Islanders in 1999-00, tallying 26 points on 12 goals and 14 assists in 49 games, before being dealt yet again, this time with Eric Brewer and a second round pick in 2000 to the Oilers for all-star defenseman Roman Hamrlik. Green had been with the Oilers ever since.With forward Georges Laraque coming off of Injured Reserve, Green cleared waivers and was prepared for a demotion to the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, the Oilers’ top minor league affiliate, before Rangers’ GM Glen Sather decided to take him off their hands. Despite being close to home — Green grew up in Camrose, Alberta — he never was able to find his niche and couldn’t stay healthy for long periods of time. Sather is hoping that all Green needs is a change of scenery, and with Rem Murray dealt to Nashville, there is a spot open for Green to come in and get some playing time. Could he be that big winger that Eric Lindros hasn’t had since he’s been here? Perhaps, but first of all he needs to regain his confidence and stay healthy. Time will tell.
It’s About Time
It took him 54 games, but 22-year-old Rico Fata finally scored his first NHL goal this past Wednesday against Jocelyn Thibault and the Chicago Blackhawks at the Garden. After Petr Nedved cut the Blackhawks’ lead in half with 4:47 remaining in the third period, Rico Fata one-timed a beautiful cross-ice feed from Sandy McCarthy past Jocelyn Thibault only 1:58 later, bringing the Rangers’ within one at 4-3. The goal seemed to wake up the Rangers, who applied constant pressure in the offensive zone for the remaining three minutes but couldn’t get another one by Thibault. Petr Nedved had the best chance to tie the game, when he found himself with the puck on his stick and a wide-open net with only a handful of seconds remaining. Nedved missed the open net as time ticked down, notching the victory for the Blackhawks.As for Fata, it’s about time he got the monkey off his back. For a guy who has scored 87 goals in the AHL over the last three seasons, including a career-high 35 last year with the Hartford Wolf Pack, it’s hard to figure out why his first NHL score didn’t come sooner. Lack of ice-time and lack of offensive opportunities were probably the key factors, considering Fata has averaged about six minutes of ice time a night on the fourth line. Although it is obvious Rico won’t be the high-scoring forward he was in juniors and the minors, his speed and hockey sense are valuable to the Rangers. They envision him becoming a Kris Draper-type forward as he matures and develops.
Canadian Juniors
| Name | Team | League | Position | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- | | Ryan Hollweg | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL | Center | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | -5 | | Bryce Lampman | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | Defense | 27 | 1 | 17 | 18 | 34 | -6 | | Rory Rawlyk | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | Defense | 29 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 24 | -7 | | — | Vancouver Giants | WHL | Defense | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | — | | Leonid Zvachkin | Guelph Storm | OHL | Defense | 25 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 34 | -1 | | Shawn Collymore | Quebec Remparts | QMJHL | Center | 31 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 9 | -3 | | Petr Preucil | Drummondville Voltigeurs | QMJHL | Center | 27 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 44 | -5 |
U.S College
| Name | Team | League | Position | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- | | Lee Falardeau | Michigan State | CCHA | Center | 15 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | -7 | | Nate Guenin | Ohio State | CCHA | Defense | 16 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 26 | +5 | | Mike Walsh | Notre Dame | CCHA | Left Wing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +2 | | Dominic Moore | Harvard | ECAC | Center | 13 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 10 | — | | Rob Flynn | Harvard | ECAC | Right Wing | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | — | | Danny Eberly | RPI | ECAC | Defense | 17 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 22 | — | | Joey Crabb | Colorado College | WCHA | Right Wing | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | — | | Nathan Martz | New Hampshire | HockeyEast | Center | 15 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 2 | Even |
U.S. Juniors
| Name | Team | League | Position | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- | | Jake Taylor | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | Defense | 23 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 72 | -5 |
Minors
| Name | Team | League | Position | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- | | Jamie Lundmark | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Forward | 16 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 14 | — | | — | New York Rangers | NHL | Forward | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -6 | | Garth Murray | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Left Wing | 19 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 49 | — | | John Tripp | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Right Wing | 26 | 15 | 6 | 21 | 38 | — | | Mike Mottau | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Defense | 19 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 12 | — | | Matt Kinch | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Defense | | 1 | 7 | 8 | 8 | — | | Jeff State | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Defense | 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 56 | — | | — | Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | Defense | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | +1 | | Benoit Dusablon | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Center | 25 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 28 | — | | Layne Ulmer | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Center | 21 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 4 | — | | Nils Ekman | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Left Wing | 11 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 12 | — | | Bobby Andrews | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Center | 16 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 16 | — | | Patrick Aufiero | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Defense | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | — | | — | Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | Defense | 8 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | — | | David Inman | Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | Center | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | | — | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Center | 13 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 6 | — | | Dusty Jamieson | Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | Left Wing | 19 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 9 | — | | Craig Weller | Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | Defense | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 24 | — | | — | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Defense | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | | Brandon Cullen | Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | Center | 23 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 88 | — |
| Name | Team | League | Position | GP | W | L | T | GAA | Save% | SHO | | Jason Labarbera | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Goalie | 15 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2.62 | .917 | 1 | | Johan Holmqvist | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Goalie | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2.08 | .933 | 1 | | — | New York Rangers | NHL | Goalie | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.08 | .889 | 0 | | — | Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | Goalie | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.00 | .956 | 0 | | Scott Meyer | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Goalie | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4.83 | .837 | 0 | | — | Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | Goalie | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.00 | .846 | 0 | | Bryce Wandler | Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | Goalie | 8 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4.74 | .820 | 0 | | Niklas Sundberg | Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | Goalie | | 8 | 6 | 0 | 3.27 | .890 | 0 | | Brandon Snee | Muskegon Fury | UHL | Goalie | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2.99 | .900 | 0 |
Europe
| Name | Team | League | Position | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- | | Marcus Jonasen | Hammarby IF | Sweden Jrs. | Right Wing | 16 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 18 | +9 | | Pontus Petterström | Skellefteå AIK | Swe. AllsvNorra | Right Wing | 26 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 12 | +13 | | Stefan Lundqvist | Västerås IK Ungdom | Swe. AllsvSödra | Right Wing | 25 | 18 | 6 | 24 | 6 | -9 | | Petter Henning | Tingsryd | Sweden 3rd Tier | Center | 13 | 7 | 7 | 14 | — | — | | Arto Laatikainen | Espoo Blues | SM-Liiga (Finland) | Defense | 30 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 16 | +6 | | Kim Hirschovits | HIFK | SM-Liiga (Finland) | Center | 29 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 14 | +1 | | Tomi Kallarson | Ilves Tampere | SM-Liiga (Finland) | Defense | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | | Juri Stals | Wasa | Finland | Left Wing | 15 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 16 | — | | Petr Prucha | Pardubice | Czech Republic | Center | 17 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | — | | Martin Richter | Sparta Praha | Czech Republic | Defense | 19 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 43 | +6 | | Premsyl Duben | Dukla Jihlava | Czech 2nd Tier | Defense | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | -4 | | Sven Helfenstein | EHC Biel/Bienne | Swiss Nationaliga B | Center | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | | — | SC Bern | Switzerland | Center | 20 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | — | | Ilja Gorokhov | Yaroslavl Torpedo | Russia | Defense | 19 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | — |
| Name | Team | League | Position | GP | W | L | T | GAA | Save% | SHO | | Henrik Lundqvist | Västra Frölunda HC | SEL | Goalie | 15 | – | – | – | 1.65 | .943 | 3 | | Johan Asplund | Brynäs IF | SEL | Goalie | 4 | – | – | – | 3.45 | .861 | 0 |
NHL
| Name | Team | League | Position | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- | | Rico Fata | New York Rangers | NHL | Center | 17 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | Even | | — | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | Center | 9 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 6 | +4 |
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