Rangers: First-half awards
Henrik Lundqvist at Madison Square Garden. (Dec. 5, 2011) Credit: Jim McIsaac
Not since the 1993-94 Stanley Cup championship season have the Rangers been off to such a sizzling start, and the sports world is starting to take notice. With that, our first-half awards:
MVP
Henrik Lundqvist. At 29, The King is having his finest season. Positionally sound, confident and ultracompetitive, Lundqvist was second in save percentage (.939), third in goals-against average (1.89) and was among the top goaltenders in wins (18) and shutouts (three) through Friday's games.
ROLE MODEL
Ryan Callahan, named captain to replace the departed Chris Drury, sets the tone with his relentless hitting, shot-blocking and grit. The Rochester native has some skills, too: 14 goals and 30 points in the first 38 games.
COMEBACK KID
Marian Gaborik. By Jan. 5, the Slovak sniper had 23 goals, one more than he scored all last season and near the top of the NHL stat sheet. Gaborik is playing inspired, thrilling hockey, reminiscent of his vintage years with the Minnesota Wild.
MOST IMPROVED
Michael Del Zotto. Coming off a nightmare sophomore season that included a demotion to the AHL, Del Zotto rededicated himself to the game. Always an offensive threat, he is playing smarter and more physically in his own zone. He ranks 13th in points among NHL defensemen and his plus-25 through 38 games was tied for the lead among defensemen.
Prospect Watch: BC's Chris Kreider
Despite the Rangers' outstanding record, some fans are clamoring for a trade-deadline deal for a top-six forward such as Columbus' Rick Nash to solidify the offense. Any such move would be costly, not just in terms of salary, but by shipping out young regulars and draft picks, and might affect the chemistry of this developing team.
A better option is playing for Boston College: Top prospect Chris Kreider, who has been dominant in Hockey East and is leading the Eagles, the No. 3 team in the NCAA, in scoring with 14 goals and 11 assists in 20 games.
Kreider, a 6-3, 225-pound forward who has astonishing speed and international experience with the U.S. national team, was a first-round draft pick in 2009 who decided to return for his junior year last September. He has taken extra courses and could sign with the Rangers when his college season ends. The Boxford, Mass., native will be 21 in April, which means he could start in the AHL and possibly turn into an impact player next season.
Coach John Tortorella calls January and February, when a team has to grind through after the excitement of the holidays, the "dog days" of the regular season. But March will have decidedly more bark and bite; it behooves the Blueshirts to rack up as many points as possible before then.
Beginning March 1, the Rangers have a brutal trek through the first week of April. They will play 21 games, including four back-to-backs -- three of which are on the road -- and there will be little rest.
The only time they will have more than one day off between games is a two-game hiatus March 25 and 26. That's a real grind.
No yelling at the 'D'
Veteran goalie Martin Biron, a terrific storyteller, was discussing the difference in how NHL defense has changed over the years. The former Sabre recalled that Dominik Hasek, who won the Vezina Trophy six times between 1993-2001, used to shout "I must see, I must see!" at his defensemen to force them to move to avoid shots through screens. Biron says he never yells at his defensemen when they're in shooting lanes. "You don't tell them to get away. I want them to be there," he said. "I can position myself because they are so good at blocking shots."
