Zuccarello has 4a in three games since being sent to the Whale.

...h/t to @brianring.

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In an article on the devastating effect the Ryan Callahan injury will have on the Rangers chances of winning in the playoffs, Scott Burnside at ESPN.com gives us the secret to the Blueshirts success this season...

"In a recent interview with assistant GM Jim Schoenfeld, he told us the management team rarely gets upset with the players even when they lose because they are so hard on themselves. And that's how the Rangers have managed to stay in the hunt, by playing hard, relentless hockey."

...wow that's actually pretty awesome. In a time when athletes are more concerned about their next contract than winning this is real nice to see and Torts deserves all the credit for fostering this mindset.

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Hockey's Future continues their look at the Top 50 NHL prospects with numbers 21-30 which includes Rangers 2009 first round pick Chris Kreider...

"Sitting in exactly the same position, #23, as he did in the last edition of our Top 50 rankings is New York Rangers prospect, Chris Kreider. The speedy forward turned in a solid season for a Boston College team ranked second in the nation during the regular season. Kreider's performance with the U.S. squad at the 2011 World Junior Championship added to what has been a steady 2010-11 season for the Boxford, Massachusetts native."

...as Larry Brooks reported yesterday it looks like Kreider is headed back to BC next year, which may end up being the best thing for him. While having a steady season is nice, I feel a first round pick needs to be more of a standout. Let's hope he can take it to the next level next year in college or with the Whale.

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Larry Brooks at the New York Post reports that Vinny Prospect wasn't happy with the Garden Faithful's fickleness Monday night...

"I remember at the beginning of the game they were booing us," said Prospal. "The chills are for us, for the hockey players, for the bench, for the coaching staff, for whoever believes in us. Just an hour-and-a half before, they booed us.

"It's great that they cheer, but holy smokes, give us help when we're down. It's easy to say right now, and they have the right to express their opinion, but we're fighting for big points right now. This is karma."

...Prospal is 100% correct that the Garden crowd should have been encouraging the Rangers when they were down, but c'mon Vinny Monday wasn't your first game at MSG. You know what it's like to play in New York so deal with it. This isn't St. Louis where they blindly cheer every player, this is New York. You either perform to the best of your ability or be prepared to feel the wrath of the home crowd.

...and Vinny might want to take a look at the tape of the first period and a half because the team deserved to be booed. Especially when the Rangers are on the brink of a second straight playoffless season.

...although he was the hero, so I guess he can say whatever he'd like.

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Jesse Spector at The Blueshirts Blog says with Ryan Callahan going down with a season ending leg injury Wojtek Wolski may get more of an opportunity now. Here's Wolski on taking advantage...

"These next couple of games are really huge," Wolski said. "I'm sure that with Cally out, I'm going to be counted on a little more, and I'm going to make the best of it."

Wolski on his time with the Rangers...

"It's obviously frustrating, not playing the way you can, and not performing," Wolski said. "It's been a disappointing year, but I'm happy that I have been able to come up a couple of times – shootouts, and here and there during games. Yesterday was an example of it. I hope it continues, and I hope that I'm given the opportunity to perform."

...Wolski has been as advertised, a player with a ton of skill who doesn't always give 100%. And I think he's learning that his lack of effort won't fly under Torts.

...Wolski is one of a number of players who will have to step up their game to get the Rangers into the playoffs and then make a possible run.

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Bergen Record - Rangers' Ryan Callahan out indefinitely with broken ankle

New York Post - Rangers' Callahan done for season

New York Post - Rangers slip to 8th

Daily News - Rangers lose Callahan to ankle injury

New York Times - Callahan Is Out With a Broken Ankle

Wall Street Journal - The Season Henrik Stopped Everything

Wall Street Journal - Callahan's Blocked Shot Proves Devastating

Newsday - Rangers' Callahan out for season

Newsday - Briefs: Idle Rangers fall to eighth place

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Update, 2:34 p.m.:
Tortorella post practice presser (via The Blueshirts Blog)...



Update, 2:07 p.m.:
Jimmy Murphy at ESPN Boston reports that Zdeno Chara was really upset that his shot broke a bone in Ryan Callahan's leg. He had tremendous praise for Callahan's grit and passion.

...obviously no anomosity towards Chara. He was shooting the puck towards the net not at Callahan.

Update, 1:56 p.m.:
Rangers officially calling Callahan injury a fracture of the leg.

Update, 1:41 p.m.:
Drury will begin practicing with the team tomorrow and Matt Gilroy will move to wing.

Torts says calling up Mats Zuccarello was not considered.

Torts on moving Gilroy to wing...

"gives us some flexibility with having a 7th D in there"

Update, 1:38 p.m.:
Andrew Gross reports that the official report on Callahan is a non-surgical broken ankle and is out indefinitely. "It's long-term," Tortorella says.

Update, 1:29 p.m.:
Drury on loss of Cally...

"Does all the little things, does all the big things. Going to be a big loss."

...while Callahan cannot be replaced, this Rangers team has stepped up in the face of adversity all year and I fully expect them to do the same now.

Update, 1:26 p.m.:
No official word from team but Prust, Stepan, Gaborik, Drury all talk to Andrew Gross about what a big loss Callahan is.

Update, 1:05 p.m.:
Rangers were 10-7-2 without Callahan when he broke his hand in December.

Update, 12:53 p.m.:
Gross reports that the Rangers are sending Kris Newbury back to the Whale and may try Matt Gilroy on the wing.

...sure the playoffs are as good a time as any to try and convert a defenseman into a winger. That's called sarcasm folks.

Update, 12:36 p.m.:
Bob McKenzie at TSN, who is never wrong, says broken ankle for Callahan.

...this pretty much confirms our worst fears.

Update, 12:29 p.m.:
Michael Sauer discusses Callahan and Boyle blocking Chara's shots after the game last night (via Slap Shots)



Update, 12:26 p.m.:
Chris Drury one of 12 Rangers on the ice for optional practice this morning.

...with Callahan possibly done for the year, Drury becomes an important piece moving forward.

Update, 12:11 p.m.:
Jim Cerny reports word coming shortly on Callahan from Rangers.

Update, 12:03 p.m.:
Jesse Spector says nothing has been confirmed by the Rangers. While WFAN says they are reporting based on a source.

Original Post:
I've been holding on to this until a credible source confirmed. Unfortunately, Andrew Gross just tweeted that Ryan Callahan broken ankle rumor may be accurate. Also hearing WFAN is reporting a broken ankle.

The assumption is it happened while blocking a Zdeno Chara shot late in the third period.

...devastating.

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Here's the NHL's latest "History Will Be Made" commercial featuring the iconic Stephane Matteau OT winner...



...yeah, still gives me the chills.


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For those of you not familiar with the Yahoo Sports fantasy rotisserie scoring system click here. For more on TheNYRBlog Fantasy Hockey League Championship round click here.

OVERALL POINTS
Team   G   A  +/-  PPP  SHG  GWG  H   W  GAA  SV%  SO  TOT
JDAS   8  2.5  5   7.5   7   7.5  5  7.5  3    3  2.5  58.5

GS    3.5  8   6    2    3    4   1  7.5  8    8  6.5  57.5

MSGU  3.5 6.5  8    3    3   5.5  3  5.5  7    4  6.5  55.5

TG    6.5 6.5  2    5    3   7.5  4   4   2    2  6.5  49

FS     1  4.5  3    5    3   5.5  6  5.5  5    7  2.5  48

S'94   5  4.5  4    5    7    2   2   2   6    6  2.5  46

GTFM  6.5 2.5  1   7.5   7    2  7.5  2   1    1  2.5  40.5

BLUE   2   1   7    1    3    2  7.5  2   4    3  6.5  39

Team Key: JDAS = Jim Dolan's All Stars, TG = The Greeks, S'94 = Spring of '94, GTFM = GetTheFrolovMatteau, BLUE = BLUESHIRTS, FS = Fire Sather, MSGU = MS G-Unit, GS = Glen Sather

Scoring Key: G = Goals, A = Assists, +/- = +/-, PPP = Power Play Points, SHG = Shorthanded Goals, GWG = Game Winning Goal, H = Hits, W = Wins, GAA = Goals Against Average, SV% = Save Percentage, SO = Shutouts, TOT = Total Points

OVERALL STATS
Team         G  A  +/-  PPP  SHG  GWG  H  W  GAA  SV%  SO
GTFM        11 15  -6    9    1    1  73  2  3.35 .886  0

Fire Sather  7 17   0    7    0    3  62  4  1.92 .938  0

Spring '94  10 17   1    7    1    1  49  2  1.87 .932  0

Glen Sather  9 22   7    4    0    2  38  6  1.33 .950  1

The Greeks  11 18  -3    7    0    4  56  3  2.39 .920  1

MS G-Unit    9 18  14    5    0    3  51  4  1.82 .930  1

Dolan Stars 14 15   4    9    1    4  61  6  2.33 .923  0

BLUESHIRTS   8 12  12    3    0    1  73  2  2.21 .922  1

Thank you to the Rangers and Glass Bangers T-Shirts (I definitely recommend checking them out) for hooking us up with some great prizes.

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Larry Brooks at the New York Post reports that the Rangers have yet to open talks with 2009 1st round pick Chris Kreider about leaving Boston College to turn pro and that an individual close to Kreider says he is currently planning to return to school for his junior season.

This also reported back in February.

Kreider, who suffered a broken jaw on March 4th, recorded 24 points (11-13) in 32 games for the Eagles, who were eliminated from the NCAA tournament as defending champions in the semifinal of the Western Regional by Colorado College.

...in speaking with lots of readers the consensus is that Kreider is not ready for the NHL needs to remain at BC for at least another year. The kid is raw and is still learning the game. But man I'd love to have his speed on the Rangers next year.

...the other option would be to get Kreider signed and send him down to the Whale for a year to learn the Ranger way. I think this actually might be the better option. It didn't seem like Kreider's game progressed from his freshman to his sophomore year so you have to wonder if staying at BC is actually best for his development.

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