The much anticipated "fire sale" began last night as the Rangers dropped even further away from 8th place with their third loss in a row and after the game shipped Alexei Kovalev to Montreal for a prospect and a 2nd round pick in the upcoming draft. With seven days remaining until the trade deadline, how many more of them will be gone? Personally I'm hoping they sell off everything but the light fixtures. Most of these guys are pending unrestricted free agents and can be re-signed in the off-season, get what you can now!
Rodent: Whether the new addition actually helps is of less import to me right now than the message this move telegraphs: Sather understands that speed may become important again under the "new" rules being contemplated by the league to re-energize the game.
NY Times: Also on the trading front, the Bruins, according to a team official in the N.H.L. familiar with Boston's conversations, have made the Rangers an offer for defenseman Brian Leetch.
NY Post: The move, merciful for Kovalev, the Rangers and the home fans - all of whom had become increasingly frustrated with No. 27's incomprehensible incompetence wearing the Blueshirt - surely signals the beginning of a purge that is expected to claim (or set free) up to a half-dozen veterans who played in last night's match.
NY Post #2: It appears the Rangers will not even get the opportunity to interview Joel Quenneville for next season's vacant head coaching position. The Post has learned that Quenneville, fired last week by St. Louis, is on the verge of replacing Tony Granato in Colorado. Quenneville, who had been an assistant with the Avalanche in 1995-96 prior to taking over the Blues, was believed to be the leading candidate to assume the Rangers job.
NY Daily News: Kovalev's departure figures to be only the first of many before March 9 trade deadline. As a league executive told the Daily News last night: "When Glen and Donnie started calling around they basically said: 'Who do you want?' They were willing to trade anybody. They even asked about (Jaromir) Jagr."
Newsday: "I knew that eventually I was going to go somewhere, so I was ready for that," said Kovalev, 31, a former All-Star who has only 13 goals this season and was becoming increasingly frustrated with his play. "I just didn't fit in with this team. Maybe I will fit in better with a young team. I'll get a chance to go back to the playoffs."
Star-Ledger: Maloney, who is also the vice president of player personnel, is considered the authority on the Rangers' farm system and the young prospects coming up through it, and was excited about Balej. The young winger is currently playing for Hamilton in the American Hockey League, and has 25 goals and 33 assists in 58 games along with 32 penalty minutes. He is 5-11, 191 pounds and can play either left or right wing. "He plays a competitive, combative style," Maloney said. "He's not a finished product yet, but we'll get a look-see at him. He's had a terrific year in Hamilton, he's on the rise. We think this guy can score at the NHL level."
Journal News: Kovalev, who is earning $6.6 million this season and is headed for unrestricted free agency, probably has finally played his last game with the Rangers. Still, Kovalev would not rule out a third go-round and will maintain his offseason residence in Mamaroneck, just as he did when he was with the Penguins.
- Rocha
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