Halpern Placed on Waivers (Update: Clark Says Fasth Is Ready)
Update, 1:01 p.m.:
In related news, Alex Nunn at Pro Hockey News has this quote from Rangers Director of Player Personnel Gordie Clark on Jesper Fasth...
"He is ready and it's up to him if he wants to come over right now. I think he's ready as a player now."
Nunn also has this quote from Fasth...
"It's a dream to play in the NHL. I feel more ready now than last year. But it is difficult to say anything about it now"
...interesting timing from Clark on this quote. Reason for Halpern move becoming clear.
Original Post:
According to Darren Dreger at TSN, the Rangers have placed Jeff Halpern on waivers.
Halpern had zero goals, one assist and was a -5 while playing in all 30 games this season. He also has a .567 faceoff percentage on the season.
If Halpern is not claimed, he will be assigned to the Whale.
...welp, this is what happens when the team is struggling to score and you have zero goals.
...guess this is the transaction to get Asham back in the line-up. Here's my hopeful lines after this move...
Hagelin-Stepan-Nash
Kreider-Miller-Callahan
Pyatt- Richards-Gaborik
Asham-Boyle-Powe
...thoughts?
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Love those lines!!!
Great way to get gabby and richards going having them play on 3rd line.
@PrimsJim I don't like Gabby on the 3rd line. though Richey clearly deserves a demotion the 3rd line is normally your checking line and these are 2 players who don't check. Gabby may be starting to come out of it slowly. Richey still looks lost.
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I wouldn't mind if the Rngers waved Pyatt and Powe also. They have not contributed one bit.Bring up some of the prospects and let them earn their trips in the NHL.They couldn't be any worse then those two. Deep down we all know that we have a better chance of getting hit by lightning then the Rangers winning the cup this year. Even if they get into the playoffs, it will be fou or five and out. So lets develop th talant we have in the minors.
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Pyatt yes, Powe no way. Although he doesn't put up any points he brings so much energy to the 4th line.
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@scrangersfan -- Powe has been as advertised. If you can't see how he's contributed, you don't yet see the game very well.
@PrimsJim @AG_Blue @scrangersfan Pow! has been a fine addition, very steady, a perfect 3-4th liner.
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@AG_Blue I guess you're correct. I only been watching hockey for 50 years so what the hell do I know. Have you ever hear of a difference of opinion?
For the record,I prefer Haley in the lineup. IMO. he brings a lot more energy into the game along with addad toughness..
Has anyone heard any rumblings about this Western Michigan defenseman Danny DeKeyser. Unrestricted free agent as soon as his college team is eliminated from the NCAA tournament. He's 6' 5" 200 pounds and a two defenseman.
I'd like to see Richards on the 3rd line too but it ain't going to happen. Given his play, or lack there of with no benchings, still a 1st liner etc. I'd say he and Torts are in bed together.
Seriously this is how I look at things. The Rangers are almost cup contenders but a few pieces are still missing (what I've said since before the season). they are underachieving now but still have a good team. Moving forward the GM has some tough decisions and my vote would be to continue building rather than make moves for short term success. This would mean (and I'm choking right now as I've been his biggest supporter here) to try to move Gabby for a couple of younger talents and a 1st round pick in this super-rich draft pool this year. I love watching Gabby play and I am grateful for the 2 years he made our team successful but the truth is his entire career has been defined by injuries, and now after shoulder surgery he may never fully regain his scoring prowess. It's uncertain, he may make a full recovery and become a 40 goal scorer again, and he may not, but since he tends to get injured a lot, and the shoulder is a question mark I think you have to play the odds and move him. then buy out Richey after the season and make room in July for a free agent who is either a power scoring forward or a Dman who can score. Make a couple smart moves for YOUNGER players before the trade deadline and work on developing the young talent that is here. We have a good group of up and comings; Step and Hags have matured big time. Cally has overachieved beyond expectation already and continues to improve. Nashty is HUGE. We may be 1 top free agent, a scoring Dman and a few young solid players away from being cup ready by next year. I'm not writing off this team for this year and not suggesting a fire sale but I think it makes more sense to keep the core in tact minus Gabby (and then Richey after the season) and think ahead and build a team that can bring sustainable success.
Like i said earlier in this post. Boyle centering the 4th line. Miller centering kreider and fasth, would be the best we could do if he came to our team...
Fasth was 18-17-35 in 47 games this year in the SEL, and 1-4-5 in 5 playoff games. He was 4-2-6 in 6 games at WJC in 2011.
I feel like Rangers Nation is waiting for the other shoe to drop after Halpern being waived. Not so sure it's coming though.
@Jbianco @KevinDeLury @AG_Blue I think it's quite simple and straight forward. Halpern (besides being a decent face-off man) was a non-entity, virtually invisible with no goals. Not physical enought for a 4th liner. A waste of space. Now they can bring one of their tougher prospects in.
@chetti @TruBluEsp @Betweentheworlds @Jbianco @KevinDeLury @AG_Blue I love it if you swap the 2nd and 3rd line because the 3rd line is better :)
Pyatt would be a healthy scratch. Haley brings something to the table that we desperately miss... Someone willing to drop the mitts. Asham is near to a return supposedly.
Theres the true question, will Fasth get the chance. If he clicks, him and Gabby can be awesome together. I have a lot of hope in Kreider, i personally would of rather seen him in the minors. But if hes going to get minutes then Im fine with seeing him in the NHL. I just want him to be more physical.
@chetti @TruBluEsp @Jbianco @KevinDeLury @AG_Blue Do you think they'd give Fasth a shot? I'd like to see him in the Whale to learn the NHL game, but if he's ready?? One thing for sure, Fasth is fast!! Also on Kreider my thoughts are that he just needs more development time to learn things like body mechanics, positioning and toughness. people think because the smaller Miller plays with so much heart and passion at a younger age that Kreider is meek and expendable but from what I've seen he can learn to use his body more effectively and from the games I've watched this guy should develop into a solid 2nd liner scoring at 30+ per year
@TruBluEsp @Jbianco @KevinDeLury @AG_Blue Good question? monster Mash? Ashram return? Haley? Is Pyatt next on the Waivers train?
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@TruBluEsp @Betweentheworlds @Jbianco @KevinDeLury @AG_Blue
In theory that Fasth does get the call to join the Rangers.
Hagelin - Stepan - Nash
Fasth - Richards - Gaborik
Kreider - Miller - Callahan
Asham - Powe - Haley
How do those lines look. It may be risky, but desperate times call for desperate measures. If they can get Kreider to use his body more, the 3rd line is going to be a real pain to play against, likewise for the 4th.
@Betweentheworlds @Jbianco @KevinDeLury @AG_Blue Who is the tough prospect they are bringing in?
@Jbianco @KevinDeLury Who do you guys expect them to call up? And to replace who in the lineup?
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@AG_Blue @chetti @Jbianco @KevinDeLury Now you sold me on my own wish to have a 4th line of Haley, Powe, Asham. I would move Pyatt on the wing with Richards and Gaborik, move Cally on the line with Miller and Kreider and have Step with Nash and Hags. Yeah .. Yeah .. Yeah .. I know it won't happen b/c Torts doesn't trust Miller at center ice. I just don't get Torts rationalizatios sometimes.
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@TruBluEsp @chetti @Jbianco @KevinDeLury
Powe is a center -- even though we've been playing him on wing -- he can play all three forward positions
@chetti @AG_Blue @TruBluEsp @KevinDeLury I like Haley but I think Newbury is more likely right now mainly because he is a center and i dont think they want miller at center. He also showed good chemistry with kreider and brings more offense than Haley. And is definitely not afraid to drop the gloves
@TruBluEsp @AG_Blue @Jbianco @KevinDeLury I completely agree with this. I would like to see Haley and Asham on a line together, driving the net hard fashwashing defensemen. We need guys in the lineup that are willing to get their hands dirty. That is what we seriously lack this year.
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@chetti @AG_Blue @Jbianco @KevinDeLury Not sure if you guys read what I posted earlier today but I basically said exactly what both of you just stated. This team last night lacked a skater, outside of Cally, who hits hard enough or will drop the gloves in order to spark the team or change momentum. Now I don't want Cally dropping the gloves so I would much rather see Haley and Asham in the lineup at the same time. Can Powe play center? If so, I would rather see the 4th line of Haley with Powe and Asham. My Penalty killers would be Cally, Stepan, Hagelin, Powe, Nash and start working Kreider in there. He was getting PK time for the Whale so maybe he can help there.
@AG_Blue @TruBluEsp @Jbianco @KevinDeLury I want Haley back. We lack a guy that is willing to drop the mitts. He could of sparked something last night with a fight in the first. And he isn't afraid to throw his body around.
@TruBluEsp @Jbianco @KevinDeLury
i don't expect a call up, certainly not to replace Halpern. Newbury is a possibility, and he did better up here than he did last year (dumb penalty and all). At least he brings toughness and grit, and we need those things. No, I'm waiting to hear about a trade or something.
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i'm surprised that Gordie Clark says Fasth is ready. i haven't really seen the kid, but from all i've read, this seems sudden. on the other hand, Clark's word holds more weight than just about anybody's
This probably just saved Boyle's ass. That better mean that Boyle is the 4th line center. He doesn't belong with Miller and Kreider. Too slow.
I'll never forget the time Asham did score! and the couple good chances Haley had ...
i'm trying to remember a time Richards almost scored ...
@JohnPiccini The sad thing is, if he would have scored on that chance last night he's probably still on the team today.
@KevinDeLury he actually did score a goal a couple of weeks ago but the ref lost site of the puck and blew the whistle.
Stay tuned for more news from the Rangers as the Halpern waiver is the signal of other changes looming.
