Five Days to Find the Groove

Spring Break for the Rangers comes about a month early this week as the Blueshirts have five days of inactivity. Or do they??? Could this be the week where someone is sent packing? Could this be the week that Forsberg joins the team? Could this be the week Dan Girardi joins his long lost brother Joe at Spring Training when pitchers and catchers report? All of these burning questions…..well some of them….will be answered by the end of the week. But, I figured before any of that happens and before our show tomorrow, I’d give my thoughts on the past two games and what this team needs to do in the off week…

1) Flyers game was great. Another prime example of this team playing hide and seek with success. As soon as you can’t see it anymore…BAM! hits you right in the gut with a 2-0 win in Philly.

2) Road Wins – Taking 3 of 4 possible points against two conference opponents, I think is a big step. Sure this team lost two games to the west coast teams. But its all about how you bounce back. Even though they couldn’t pull off the W against the Caps, they still got one.

3) Speaking of the Caps game. Again, its not a win but there are plenty good things you can take from that game. Drury is continuing to score. Team penalties were low. And Valiquette played well enough in two straight games to win some points for this team.

4) But there were plenty of BAD things as well. This game should have been an easy win. Power Play unit is awful. They eased up at the end of the second period and let Washington back into it. And………….

5) RYAN HOLLWEG is still playing hockey. Another dumb penalty by Hollywood costs this team the game. Absolutely INEXCUSABLE. The only good he serves this team is that the custodial crew at MSG can flip him upside down and use him for a mop after the game.

This team needs to make some moves this week. I don’t necessarily think they need to be huge moves but if there is someone on the market that can….

a) Help Jaromir Jagr (i.e. Peter Forsberg) than now is the chance to get the captain straightened out. And if the team is not willing to go after a player to help Jagr, you have to GET RID of him. He’s not getting to 84 points, he will be gone after this year, so if you can get someone for him now, DO IT.

b) If someone on the market can come in here and run the Power Play unit for a cheap price, FIND HIM.

c) If there is a barber out there who can cut Hollweg’s hair before he gets on the plane out of NYC, HIRE HIM. Nothing says we appreciate your hard work and dedication to our team more than a hair cut and a “Get the Hell Outta Here”

Much more on the show tomorrow.