Minus Sundin, Rangers look to run table in California

December 20, 2008   ·   Derek Felix   ·   Jump to comments

By now, everyone knows Mats Sundin isn’t coming to New York instead opting for more guaranteed money in taking the Canucks’ prorated 10 million for a year.

As it turned out, the 37 year-old Swedish star did what was his best for himself. Certainly can’t fault the pivot who will continue one of the brilliant careers for a European born player with a third Canadian team.

He began his career with Quebec before being dealt straight up for Wendel Clark. For more than a decade, Sundin shined with the Maple Leafs becoming one of the franchise’s best players. Unfortunately, the best he and the club did were a Conference Final appearance keeping the Stanley Cup drought intact. It’s now been 41 years since they won and it doesn’t look like Toronto will even sniff the playoffs this season minus their former captain.

Now, after a long thought out dragged process, Sundin opts for British Columbia to team with fellow countrymen The Sedin Twins. He’ll play with another elite goalie in Roberto Luongo assuming he returns from injury by December 27 when the newest member of the Canucks is expected to make his debut.

With the Sundin Saga finally over, the Rangers can move forward with their roster still intact having lost out due to not having enough cap space. It was also hinted that Sundin didn’t feel totally comfortable coming in with players being moved as part of the process. Classy move on his part.

Who’s fault was that? That would be Glen Sather who foolishly overpaid Michal Rozsival, Wade Redden and even gave over two million to human traffic cone Dmitri Kalinin who for some inexplicable reason continues to remain in the lineup over rookie Corey Potter. If only he had swallowed his pride and dumped the ex-Sabre from the roster along with waiving both jailed Petr Prucha and Dan Fritsche, they would’ve had more room to maneuver without contemplating moving other key parts.

That’s life as we have come to know it in Ranger Land. Where they don’t do what it takes to really make this team a true Cup contender. Does anyone believe they’re good enough as constituted? Something definitely needs to happen before the trade deadline.

In the mean time, they’ll go for a perfect Californian swing thanks in large part to Stephen Valiquette, who stoned the Kings and got help from Rozsival who had his best game of the season scoring on a weird penalty shot backhand deke and winning the game in overtime on a great play by improving partner Marc Staal.

The encouraging news is that Chris Drury looks rejuvenated having scored in two straight- three if you actually count his shootout winner over Carolina a week ago. The Ranger captain just might’ve gotten a spark from that winner and has flourished now that he’s been realigned with Nigel Dawes and Ryan Callahan.

Now, if only Scott Gomez, Markus Naslund and Nikolai Zherdev would start perculating.

Tonight, the Blueshirts face a stiff challenge in the NHL best Sharks who have actually dropped two in a row and are coming off a 6-0 pasting courtesy of the Red Wings. They are playing for the third time in four and had to travel back while the Rangers rested for two days.

Still, you know San Jose is going to come with a stellar effort. The Rangers must be a lot better than they were in LA or it could be a long night.

We’ll see how it goes. There won’t be any Sundin to save them.