Belated Thoughts on 1st Pre-season Game and...Redden...

Before we get to the news of today, let's get to the news of Thursday night.

I didn't get to see as much of the game as I wanted to - would have liked to spend more time studying the new guys like Zuccarello and Stepan - but what I saw, I liked. I liked the way the team looked, even if it was just pre-season. Even if it wasn't a Hall of Fame goalie the Rangers faced in net for NJ.

Oh wait, that was future Hall of Famer Brodeur?

Then just how nice were those goals by Frolov and Boyle huh? I loved that!!

Overall though, Stepan played with poise and looked quite comfortable in his role with top players - Frolov and Gaborik. In my mind, if he's good enough and almost close enough - let him do it. We may just be lucky enough to have that good a talent that young. (Makes me all the more mad we have to make room for Drury when he comes back - see last post - but it makes me all the more happy we have a guy like Stepan on the way).

Boyle had a good game, and showed two sides of his game: ability to step in and fight, and ability to use his body to gain position. His goal was actually pretty sweet. Brodeur wasn't given a ton of help from defense - it seemed at times - but, he was beaten by Boyle here, and Frolov, and both were very nice goals.

Frolov made a nice first impression, Gaborik (2 goals including Game Winner) picked up right where he left off. Prust had a very nice fight. Staal played almost 30 minutes in the game - what else is new?

Very happy, and very excited hockey is back!!


____________________________________

It'll be said a hundred times today about Redden:

Haha!
Well deserved!
About time!
Thank goodness!

Redden needed to go to Hartford, this year, if not last year. It was too much money to tie up in one player that was certainly not worth it now, was maybe never worth it. We expected it would happen, but we weren't sure it would. Although given the math, we didn't see how it could possibly not happen. This morning, it finally did.

And many such variations.


However, I don't think many people will be saying this, so I will:

While it is Wade Reddens' responsibility that he's not playing up to his contract, - it is NOT his responsibility that it was given to him. He didn't ask for the $39 million Sather threw at him, undeservingly though it may be. No one would ever have expected him not to take it.

So while everyone is happy today that he has finally been waived, the NYRs can finally move on, a small part of me feels bad for Redden the person. He did what almost every human being would do - took what was given to him. And now, his life will change because of something he never really had control of.

I know that's business, and I know that's life, but a small part of me feels for the guy beyond the athlete and beyond the Ranger.