This is the beginning of a series that will likely run all summer long - 50 different players wore the Wolf*Pack sweater this year, so it will take me awhile to get through all of them! In each summary you can find their stats for the season, draft history and current contract status, personal stats, a bit of a history on how they came to the Pack, what kind of player they are, and how they did this season - and my prediction on where you might see them next year. As always, comments or questions are welcome.
#7 Center Cory Larose
CAN 5/13/75 6-0 188 shoots right
Signed by Wild in 2000 as a free agent - NYR option
24 GP (82 total) 9G-10A-19P (27-48-75 total) even (+4 total) 4 PP (9 total) 0 SH (2 total) 2 GW (8 Total) 72 S (264 total) 12.5% (10.2% total) 20 PIM (77 total)
Cory arrived in a trade with Houston on February 20th for Jay Henderson, who had become a fan favorite in the few weeks since he had arrived from arch-rival Providence. The subsequent trade of popular goalie Johan Holmqvist to Houston to bring Cory’s former roommate Lawrence Nycholat into the fold didn’t help – the media emphasizing how close the two were left us wondering what we were supposed to read into all this. There is no question that there was a jam up in net for the Rangers (who made the trade with the Wild, parent team of the Houston Aeros) but the way in which it was sold to the fans left us confused; was this a trade to free up the goalie position, or a trade to make Cory happy? Holmqvist and Houston are now in the Calder Cup finals, and while we are happy for Johan…we are left looking at our ugly qualifying round loss. Whether it’s fair or not, Cory and Lawrence will have that on their heads next season.
Cory arrived with excellent numbers, but as a small (he’s 6-0 like Theo is 5-8) skilled player on a team that last stuck up for a teammate during the 1999-2000 season, how would he even survive long enough to put up the numbers he had been acquired to provide? Well, by diving, of course, early and often, regardless of how laughable the situation. When he would get called – which in inevitable when you dive in a manner that refutes the laws of physics – he would whine, argue, stomp his skate and all but pout when sent to the box. Funny the first time, annoying the second time, and after that the crowd would be screaming at him to just shut up and go sit down before he would draw any additional penalties.
It’s frustrating as a fan, because he is talented – in a league that called the rules are they are written he would easily be a 40 goal scorer. And it must be frustrating to be him because he is 28 years old, and he isn’t going to get any taller, stronger, or faster. He lacks the size to push through to the net and the speed that can mitigate deficiencies in size. Cory has an eye for the net and great hands to go with it, but while 75 points in the AHL is impressive, I don’t think it would transfer to the NHL. I imagine what he would like more than anything is a transfer back to Houston.
I assume NY will sign him for this coming year on the grounds of (in their eyes) you never can have enough offense. Will be interesting to see how he changes once he becomes more than just an end-of-season rental. At the very end of the season McGill gave Larose the “A” to wear when Dixon was out with a broken leg. Perhaps with more responsibility, Cory could focus on how much more of a help he is to the team when he is playing instead of whining.
#27 Center Roman Lyashenko
RUS 5/2/79 6-0 190 shoots right
2nd round pick by Dallas in 1997 - RFA
71 GP 23G-35A-58P +25 4 PP 1 GT 179 S 12.8% 44 PIM
Roman arrived in the organization as part of the Malholtra trade with Dallas on March 12, 2002 and played 15 matches with the Rangers that year. In 2002-2003, he played only 2 games with the parent club although he was called up for a number of others as insurance and did not play.
Roman’s game is simple – hit the blue line and make a solid pass if possible and then push for the net to pick up any rebounds. If the pass isn’t there he will protect the puck with his body and fight his way up the boards until someone can get free to receive it from him. In both cases, what you see is calm, organized action – he doesn’t rush the play and or panic.
In addition to his solid offensive numbers, Roman was the best defensive forward we had this year – an astounding +25 on a team on which the next closest for a full season player was 10 points lower. Again, without any dramatics, he would do the right thing each time: prevent the pass down low on a 2 on 1, or give up the body to block a shot.
For a guy his size (in theory, the same size as Larose), Roman puts himself into physical play a lot. Working the boards gets him battered, and his tenacity around the net poking the goalie for rebounds gets him knocked about as well. Only having 44 penalty minutes is impressive in this role, particularly on a team that was pegged as a goon squad by the refs early in the year. In addition to showing a nose for the dirty work along the boards and the nets, he has displayed a level temper when dealing with the ‘extras’ that go along with that.
I have to think that the Rangers will make a qualifying offer to Lyashenko, who still has much potential. During the season he has played on the wing as well, and this increases his value as a part of a creaky Ranger squad. Many had him pegged as a 4th liner to start the season, but a poor camp landed him back in Hartford. Consider him a potential for that slot if not traded away this summer – he is probably one of the few forwards of any trade value that we have in Hartford right now.
#18 Center Layne Ulmer
CAN 9/14/80 6-1 205 shoots left
7th round pick by Ottawa in 1999 - signed
68 GP 12G-20A-32P +15 1 PP 1 SH 2 GW 1 GT 141 S 8.5% 16 PIM
Layne came to the Rangers in 2001 as a free agent, and then spent his first year in the organization in Charlotte. I remember him from camp that year in Hartford – he had good chemistry with Brad Smyth, and showed a talent for feeding Shooter the puck. In the first game he played, he laid out an opponent with a big hit behind the net and was ejected. That was the last we saw of Layne that year.
Layne was back in Hartford this year, and while he didn’t actively suck on a regular basis… there was a reason for him getting tagged with the nickname “stone hands”. It appeared his stick weighed 100 pounds, and he got virtually no puck movement with it. Every shot looked to be a battle, and we started to wonder whether he was playing through a shoulder or abdominal injury.
Then the media got a hold of a little story about how the coaches had been on Layne to try a new stick. Apparently Layne had been using the same stick since his days in juniors, and it took some cajoling to get him to give something else a try. A new Synergy stick was put in his hands, and suddenly we had a whole new Layne on our hands. I'm still not sure whether to applaud this adorable little story or beat Layne senseless with his old log for being so damn stubborn.
So great, now he can hit the net. If only we could get his head more in the game then he might actually become even more of an offensive threat. Layne is more amused by violence than stirred up by it – whenever a fightlette breaks out, he peels someone off the pile and takes them off to the side for a heart-to-heart… I guess pot really does make you sensitive. Layne could use some more snarl to his game. Although you really don' t notice his defensive work, Layne is +15 for the season, putting him tied for second with Benoit Dusablon behind Roman Lyashenko.
Layne is signed for this coming year, and although he is young, I don’t think anyone in the organization is making any long range plans around him. He’s here for now, until someone else can be convinced they want him.
Posted by Bird at May 25, 2003 11:14 PMeMail this entry!
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