You Pick the Title

Champs to Chumps! Travesty in Traverse City! Michigan Massacre! You pick the title you want. With their sixth place finish, and 1-3 record over the course of the prospect tournament I get the idea that the things are not going to go well for the Rangers organization this season. I would not be surprised if both the Rangers and Wolf Pack do not make the play offs judging by the lackluster effort witnessed over the last five days in northern Michigan.

I kid.

It is true the prospects did real well in Traverse City in September 2007. It is also true they did not do so well this September. Big deal. These teams are comprised of guys who have not practiced together, and they show up in the middle of nowhere in Michigan and are asked to play a few games together. It is amusing to pay attention to the write ups because it is hockey when there is no other hockey to watch.

Two years ago I was in Michigan, one hour away from Traverse City during the tournament and I could not be self motivated to go and watch a game or two. This tournament is a glorified junior hockey game — and probably not as good as a mid to late-season junior hockey game.

The Rangers prospects, and the sprinkling in of un-drafted guys on tryout contracts is a minimal recipe where the coaching staff can watch, get some game film, and evaluate the guys against their peers.

This season’s Ranger’s prospect team had only two players with legitimate AHL experience — Anisimov and Dupont. Sure some of the guys had a few games at the end of the AHL season, like Sanguinetti. And Tom Pyatt split his time between Hartford and Charlotte. (Yes, you may have missed it. The Pack did have a player last season by the name to Tom Pyatt.) But the real experience was the two aforementioned guys. In contrast, last season’s prospect team had 4 legitimate players with AHL experience — Bourret, Dubinsky, Potter, and Korpikoski. Plus, Marc Staal was on the team. Then take into account that a few short weeks after last season’s tournament both Dubinsky and Staal made the varsity in New York demonstrates that both in quality and quantity version 2007 was superior to version 2008.

Version 2008 came in sixth place among the 8 teams. They won one game. They were outscored 14 goals to 7 goals. And they were shut out twice. They did not score their first goal until 121 minutes into the tournament.

Nice diversion. Hockey is back. But as I said when leaving the Wolverine State after living their for 2.5 years in the late 1980's — "Happiness is the ‘Welcome to Michigan’ sign viewed in my rearview mirror."

". . . leaving the Wolverine State?" Who the hell do I think I am? Bob Crawford?