Rangers the favorites in the East?

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Rangers General Manager Glen Sather made the move that all the Rangers fans wanted to see this off-season, an elite scorer in a Rangers sweater. 

With the acquisition of Rick Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Rangers bulked up an offense that was less than stellar last season. The cost to bring Nash to the Rangers was Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon, and a first round draft pick. 

Dubinsky was a fan favorite and could spark the Rangers with his speed and energy. Unfortunately Dubinsky had one of his worst offensive seasons scoring only 10 goals and recording 34 points for the year. Dubinsky's playoff performance was not much different. Dubi failed to find the back of the net and tallied only two assists in nine games. 

Artem Anisimov was a consistent third or fourth liner who put up respectable numbers for the Rangers. Anisimov netted 10 goals and recorded 30 assists in 79 games for the Blueshirts. 

As hard as it is to see these two players leave, it was obvious the Rangers offense needed serious help, especially the power play. 

Last season, Nash posted 30 goals and 59 points for the NHL worst Blue Jackets. Nash has scored 40 or more goals twice, and has scored 30 or more seven times. 

With Nash on Broadway, it is hard to believe that the Rangers are not the favorite coming out of the Eastern Conference in the 2012-13 season. The Blueshirts are coming off a remarkable season that ended in the Eastern Conference Finals, somewhere no one thought they would be at the beginning. 

Adding a 30 plus goal scorer to a roster with players like Brad Richards, Marian Gaborik, and Ryan Callahan, has made the Rangers offense lethal instead of lacking. 

Of course there are teams in the East that can be considered favorites like the Pittsburgh Penguins, barring any injuries to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and the Boston Bruins. The Philadelphia Flyers have suffered severely along the blue line, and could not land Nashville's Shea Weber when the Predators matched their offer sheet. The New Jersey Devils saw their captain Zach Parise leave for Minnesota during free agency, and were content just to re-sign their young talent, and Martin Brodeur is 40 year old goaltender. 

The Rangers seem to have found the missing piece that would make them a complete team, and a team that can make a Stanley Cup run. The added offense will help take the pressure off of Vezina Trophy winner Henrik Lundqvist, and will not force Hank to make highlight reel saves game after game. 

The Rangers are a well balanced team that have already shown that they can shut teams down with their defense, and now added the necessary offense to make them a favorite to repeat as Atlantic Division Champions, and the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Rangers Acquire Rick Nash

Rangers Acquire Superstar Rick Nash

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There will be a Nash playing home games at Madison Square Garden this season after all, as the New York Rangers have acquired winger Rick Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Rangers traded away forwards Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, blue line prospect Tim Erixon and a first-round pick.

Nash is a seven-time 30+ goal scorer and will add some much needed offense to a Rangers team that lacked firepower, especially in the postseason when they averaged only 2.15 goals per game.

Dubinsky was a fan favorite of the Rangers faithful, but had an off year offensively after signing a four year $16 million contract before the season.  Dubinsky managed only 10 goals and 24 assists for the season in 77 games and was even less effective in the playoffs, managing only two assists in nine games.

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 Anisimov scored 16 goals and added 20 assists in 79 regular season games and three goals and seven assists in 20 playoff games.

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Erixon is said to have the highest ceiling of any player going to Columbus in the trade.  The 21 year old played in 18 regular season games as an injury replacement, accumulating two assists.  

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Dubbed-Binsky



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Although he has struggled at times, Rangers Forward Brandon Dubinsky was certainly missed in last night game 2 loss to the Washington Capitals, who evened up the Conference Semi Final Series at 1. Dubinsky seems to have a lower body injury, which the Rangers as a whole have done very little talking about since its existence.

The 2011-2012 season was a season in which Dubinsky could not wait to end. Dubinsky, who netted 24 goals last season took a step back this season only cashing in on 10 goals throughout the course of the season. So that leads us to the question, if Dubinsky isn't in the lineup are the Rangers better off?

Let me be the first to tell you that your dead wrong. Dubinsky is as responsible of a forward in both the neutral zone and defensive zone that you'll ever have. Grinding along the boards, blocking shots, and the potential of scoring a "big" goal along the way is something that Dubinsky brings to the table each and every night. All of those details of the game  are important, but the one thing you lack when Dubinsky is out of the lineup, is fire.

You can rest assure that if a guy like Washington Capitals Matt Hendricks, who last night took some liberties on Rangers undersized forward Carl Haglein was to run around, Brandon Dubinsky will be that player to make sure that it will not happen again.

The New York Rangers need "Dubi" back in this lineup. Whether it is tomorrow night or Saturday afternoon, you can bet your bottom dollar that in one way, shape, or form, Dubi will come up with one big play of importance.