Hockeybird.com: Close The Window....There's A draft !

Ranger fans are outraged that Glen Sather selected a goaltender in the 6th pick yesterday.

I'm not. I think it was a solid pick. We now have a few guys who MIGHT become a number one keeper in the NHL. I think Montoya plays the puck well and he's aggressive, both keys to being successful in the big leagues. We'll see how this one plays out in the months (years) ahead.

I can't breakdown the rest of the picks as I'm no expert. I do love the Finn though.....as I mentioned yesterday, it's an Esa thing with me.

Brian Leeds is back with an all new Between Periods. He talks about his dog....oh, and the draft.

Newsday - With their sixth overall choice, the Rangers took Michigan's Al Montoya, who was the top-rated goalie available. They did this with goalie Dan Blackburn, their 10th overall choice in 2001, sitting on the stage at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, watching along with Rangers fans who booed the pick and chanted Blackburn's name.

Daily News - "He is everything we're looking for in a hockey player," assistant GM Don Maloney said. "To me, he's a hidden gem." - On taking the Finn.

Daily News again - "The way things came together, now I have a chance to play where Mike Richter played. And it's always been a dream of mine to play in Madison Square Garden."

NY Post - "[Montoya] is a great player, but that's only part of it," the GM said yesterday. "He has personality and sizzle, he seems to get better in the big games and he relishes the idea of coming to New York."

NY Times - Of Montoya, Sather said: "We drafted him because we'd like him to play for the Rangers. But you can't have four goaltenders playing at the same time for the New York Rangers."

Journal News - One of his ancestors fished with Ernest Hemingway. His mother escaped Cuba on the second boat allowed out after the Bay of Pigs invasion, her family carrying nothing but the clothes they wore. Everything about Al Montoya's life story seems remarkable, and yesterday, it just got better.

Star-Ledger - "My mom's been working hard every day of her life just to give us what my brothers and I had, and I can never repay her for what she's done for our family," said Montoya, who has never had a relationship with his father. "This is just as much for her as it is for me."

Larry's Sunday column - Finally, while the entire Rangers' hockey staff dined in a private room of a downtown steak house here Friday night, Ted Leonsis and his party were at a table in a different section of the eatery. As per terms of the Jaromir Jagr deal, the Washington owner picked up half of the Rangers' check.

One quote I think you should have included:

"If the draft picks turn out, they can be traded for other assets," said Sather. "But we drafted Montoya to play for the Rangers."

Posted by: Papagolash on June 27, 2004 03:53 PM

Maybe you didn't read carefully :-)

NY Times - Of Montoya, Sather said: "We drafted him because we'd like him to play for the Rangers. But you can't have four goaltenders playing at the same time for the New York Rangers."

----}-

Posted by: Bird on June 27, 2004 04:50 PM

oops, my bad

Posted by: Papagolash on June 27, 2004 08:45 PM