Extra Effort. . . ?

Well, to start, since I wrote the last post following the Boston game, the Blueshirts have gone 5-0-1 and garnered 9 of the last 10 available points. They've done it with grit, they've done it with tenacity, and they've done it with heart.

For that I give them a hearty bravo.

And, of course, a small chastizing for not having started doing that - playing hard, coming from behind, winning! - 10 games prior. You know, so we wouldn't be watching our team, with four games remaining, and seriously having no idea whether or not they'll make the playoffs.

As much as it's in the NYRs hands to win - and win out - it's in the hands of the others surrounding them - Philly, Boston, Atlanta. The Rangers must win, but two of the above must falter as well.

I won't say it's over til it is and they can very much still make the playoffs - they can - but it's been fun to watch them over these last week of games. It really has.

A shame it wasn't sooner, but...again...what can we say?

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Which brings me to The Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, the annual award as voted by the fans for the player that goes "above and beyond the call of duty."

Normally, almost ever year in fact, I have a clear cut favorite, a "that's my guy," a "he's the one."

This year, I am in a quandry. I come up with two answers.

a) No one

b) A bunch of someones.

Last year, Ryan Callahan exemplified the award and he deservedly won it. My rational was explained here.

He gave his all, every night, but more importantly, it was not expected of him. Who was Ryan Callahan? I mean sure he was great, the fans loved him, but he was not the guy anyone expected to be "that guy" going into the year. But he was, when all was said and done, the ONLY guy it seemed, that showed up and gave 100% every single game.

Well, even Ryan Callahan couldn't live up to his own billing this season. I love the guy. Think the Rangers are a better team for having him. I hope he stays a life-long Ranger.

But Ryan Callahan doesn't even make my cut.

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I will again go back to the days when the Award was given to the Jed Ortmeyers, the Sandy McCarthys, the Matthew Barnabys. The guys that weren't the highest paid, the guys that didn't play the most minutes, but the guys that got the job done, did the little things, and did them humbly, with the team in mind.

I've always had a very specific vision of this, and that's why, oftentimes, one player just jumps out at me.

This year, not so. I mentioned in my Ryan Callahan epic of last year, that I didn't think this award was for the highest paid or for the team MVP. Sometimes it works that way. Maybe when Lundqvist won it in 06 he was our MVP (next to Jagr of course). And maybe on last year's at times disaster ridden teams, Cally was our MVP. I can accept both of those.

But I hesitate to do the same this year. Instead, I'll give you a handful of guys, and see where we go from there.

Lundqvist, to some degree, has gone above and beyond his expectations for himself and that we have of him. More-so, at times, than even last year, he's had to carry this team. Go further than we thought he could. Further than we should expect. For that, I'm okay if he gets the award. He should be one of our best players, yes. But we are spoiled rotten by how he's kept the Rangers in this playoff race at all. No Hank - no chance.

Gaborik, in any normal sense, would not have my vote for this award. He's paid the most money and we had amazing expectations of him. But did we? I'd consider Marian Gaborik for this award not based on the fact that he is the second half of our MVP tandem (Hank the other), but because with his injury-riddled past - who could have legitimately seen this happening? A 41-goal season? Only a relative few man games lost to injury? A stretch for much of the season where he scored what seemed like 50 percent of the teams goals? (In actuality, he's got 41 of the teams 210 - so 20%). Even though we knew he potentially could, and hoped against hope that he would, can we honestly say that we knew this would happen? I can't.

Prospal, even though he has trailed off as the season has gone on, has been perhaps the biggest surprise. I know he only got paltry $$ because he knew Tortorella, had no other offers at the moment, and, perhaps, understood that thanks to Fisher Price Glen the NYRs simply had no more to give, but he has been the biggest steal the Rangers have. He's one goal shy of 20, is second on the team in points with 56, and is a plus 10. And those smiles after someone scores. I can believe, for a while, he was the only true veteran leader these kids were looking up to. Having been around, having won a Cup, having been a positive person to be around. The Rangers are much better for having Prospal. If he's stay (sadly for the again paltry $$ they'd be sure to give him) I'd love to have him in blue next season.

I'm not sure if anyone else would give a vote to the guy I'm going to talk about next, but I would. (And did).

Erik Christensen. Erik Christensen may have just blown up anyone's expectations of him when the Rangers claimed him off the waiver wire in early December. Why? Because I don't think anyone had ANY expectations for this kid. I heard of him, saw him play sparingly, but I sure didn't. I didn't think he'd be the guy that could play with Gaborik. I didn't think he could be the guy winning faceoffs. I didn't think he could be the guy making those sweet moves (goal on Brodeur, set-up to Drury on goal on Brodeur). Heck, right there alone we should love him - he plays well against Brodeur! Kidding aside though, to me, Erik Christensen may just be the best true example of "above and beyond." The guy may have made it clear he had to try hard because this was, perhaps, his last shot. But he didn't let the pressure get to him. Not on the ice, or off of it. For putting aside those pretty moves for a minute, the top reason I respect Erik Christensen? He tells it like it is. Not the "we did what we had to do, things just didn't go our way," variety to often spun in the NYR lockerroom. But real, to-the-core honest assessment. Of himself and of the team. I may have thought nothing of him coming onto this team, but once he was on it, I think he has cemented himself as a valuable asset and someone who clearly gets what it means to "Be a Ranger!"

And there you have it, my (one-less-than) handful of players who I can see winning the award, for very different reasons. If I have to cast my vote here, I pick Erik Christensen, for getting back to what I felt the award was truly about. But any of these guys are very deserving.
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Ah, it's been a weird year in Rangerland. I love this team when they play the way I know they can. I hate that they wait so long to do it.

Four more games to go. Where the team will end up...they have to win to find out.

Ryan Callahan Wins Extra Effort Award. . .

On March 22nd, here at National Hat Trick Productions, I cast my vote for Ryan Callahan.

And tonight, he did indeed win the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award on Garden ice. Very much deserved and I don't think anyone can deny it. The guy has played game in, game out, for the Rangers this year. A spark when they needed it, and never taking a night off.

Any time Steven McDonald is at the Garden, and especially on the nights he's there to give the annual award given in his name, it is special. A man that sacrificed everything for others and yet who still has such a strong spirit, Mr. McDonald is a shining example of what any person - and any Ranger - should be.

A willingness to sacrifice.

A passion for the game.

A strong determination to make it happen.


Congratulations, Ryan. An honor very much deserved.




To flash back, here are some highlights of what I said a few weeks ago on #24:

". . .he is one of perhaps only three - three - players on this team to have played the game with the same exact attitude and energy - the right attitude and the right energy - since game one this season. If this guy took a night off, I didn't see it."

"His linemates may have been switched around constantly, and he may have played on every line this season, but his attitude and work ethic never wavered. He is a great team guy and someone I always noticed and respected on this team."

"That's why guys like Adam Graves, Sandy McCarthy, and Jed Ortmeyer won the award. They did more than what was expected from them. They were guys giving extra, and giving it all the time.

Ryan Callahan is very much in that same mold."

"The Rangers have a few more guys as of late that are playing with energy and enthusiams, joy for a game we all love. But Ryan Callahan did that each and every game, even in the very, very bad ones.

Ryan Callahan for Extra Effort. The guy truly has gone above and beyond."


**Big win for the Rangers. I am still not sure what this all means in "big picture," but they did all they had to do tonight, and did it pretty convincingly. Entertaining game all around.**

Rangers/Sabres Wrap, My Steven McDonald Vote, and Around the League. . .

To start, a quick wrap of last night's affair at the Garden.

I felt, and many would agree, it was a must win game for Buffalo. They couldn't afford to fall too far in the standings, especially with how close everything has been. Only the top teams have assurance of making the playoffs. For everyone else, it's another season of claw and grab.

The Rangers didn't let that happen. With their fourth win in a row at MSG, they hit a season high. They came on strong to start, and despite owning a 4-1 lead at one point, made it interesting towards the end. But, good teams, they say, find a way to win in the end.

Since the Rangers started scoring four goals or more (7 out of the last 11 games), their win totals have gone up, not at all surprisingly. It is still, weeks into Tortorella's regime, surprising me to see what a completely different team we have been blessed with.

It's amazing what a system - the right system - can do.

Hank has not been perfect, at times far from it, but in the new system he hasn't had to be. I see the visible relief on his face.

Gomez's game has improved and his gaffs that used to be a constant, are now much more infrequent.

Antropov has done nothing but impress me. I am not sure if it's a release from being in a new city, but this guy has, so far, done everything and more in his short tenure with the Rangers. A big guy that was very much needed. It's amazing. Add one guy that's 6'6" and the rest of the team doesn't look so small anymore.

Or perhaps that's just because they are no longer playing like it.

Drury was finally able to score a goal against his former team, and now leads the Rangers with 9 powerplay goals.

Staal, who impressed me from day one of the season and had less than a handful of off games this year, is looking like a marvel. I got such insane pleasure out of watching him join the rush last night. It made me think that it was possible for the Rangers to have a real honest to goodness two-way defenseman again. A guy who was superb in his own end, but who could contribute offensively. If early indications are correct, he can be that guy.

The team is fun to watch again. No, they are not perfect, and there are still going to be major problems - both financially and on ice - in the months and seasons to come. But it felt great going into this weekend to be so excited for not one, but two, games at the Garden.

Thanks for giving us our team back, for the time being at least.



My Extra Effort Award Winner:

Ryan Callahan.

Not for the two goals last night, on his 24th birthday. Not at all.

But for the fact that he is one of perhaps only three - three - players on this team to have played the game with the same exact attitude and energy - the right attitude and the right energy - since game one this season. If this guy took a night off, I didn't see it. Whether he scored goals - and he now has 19 on the season, up over 10 from his career high - or made plays, he was always in the game. He was the first person to set the tone with a big hit. He'd scrap with someone if necessary.

His linemates may have been switched around constantly, and he may have played on every line this season, but his attitude and work ethic never wavered. He is a great team guy and someone I always noticed and respected on this team.

Why him? Why Extra Effort?

I'm still, and I alluded to this before, holding true to the true meaning of Extra Effort in my mind. The guy that went ABOVE AND BEYOND the call of duty.

To me, the highest paid, or the best players, should be the best players. You expect that from them. That is a given. Granted the two have not been connected very much this year on the Rangers - the best and the highest paid - but let's not go there.

My point is, I don't look at the Extra Effort Award winner as a Team MVP award. I don't think that was the original intention. People are allowed to vote for whomever they want, and they should, but I personally don't see it that way.

I think of it as an award for the guy that does what is NOT expected of him. The guy that steps up and does good for the team in all capacities. Sticking up for teammates. Creating energy and enthusiasm from the fans. And being a good and responsible player.

He doesn't have to be your leading goal scorer. In fact, he probably shouldn't be. He's just the guy taking everything he has and making you take notice.

That's why guys like Adam Graves, Sandy McCarthy, and Jed Ortmeyer won the award. They did more than what was expected from them. They were guys giving extra, and giving it all the time.

Ryan Callahan is very much in that same mold. He's a really solid hockey player and has come up with career totals this year, but no one expected him to be that guy. The goals - those are nice, but those are a bonus. No one is asking Ryan Callahan to score 19 goals.

That happened as a result of his never say no attitude for going to the net, going to the corners, being in the right spot, and playing with his head up.

The Rangers have a few more guys as of late that are playing with energy and enthusiams, joy for a game we all love. But Ryan Callahan did that each and every game, even in the very, very bad ones.

Ryan Callahan for Extra Effort. The guy truly has gone above and beyond.



Around the League:

Forgive me that I'm still not getting around to the Coyotes quotes that I promised earlier in the week. It's been another busy one. They will come eventually.

In other Saturday action, THE game to watch was Montreal/Toronto. Granted, I did not watch because I was at the Garden, but I got the score update and when it was 3-0 Toronto, I took a breath and thought about those in Montreal.

Here's my personal opinion. As a hockey fan and a fan of all that is great in hockey, I would surely have loved to see the Montreal Canadiens make the playoffs, in this, their 100th season. I know all of Montreal wanted the same thing.

But, as was the case when Montreal played Boston in the opening round of last year's playoffs, I was forced to face reality. Whoever the better team is, they should be the team moving forward. It doesn't always work that way - I honestly think Boston was the better team in that series - but most of the time the water levels out.

If Montreal does not make the playoffs this year, it is because they just weren't good enough. It will be a shame for their fans and for the city, but it has to be that way.

I've listen to debates rage on the Team990 and on HNIC for months now, about everything from a lack of passion, the necessity for franchophone coaches, incidents of inpropriety with those with mob connections to the never ending saga of Alex Kovalev. I've listened to it all.

My personal advice. If the Habs make the playoffs, fine. But if they do not, everyone in that organization needs to take a gut check. Granted, the team stands to be a different team anyway next fall because of free agency and contract expirations, but whoever is left has to take that time. That time to see what pieces belong, those that are not needed, and what they want from this team.

Do they want to be a team that has to have a franchophone coach and players from Quebec, even if another coach or another player is better? Do they want a team that has leaders that the players can emulate, as PJ Stock brought up on Friday's show?

They are the Montreal Canadiens. They should want to be the best hockey team in the league. With players who understand that. A key group of leaders, but more importantly, a group of guys who take TRUE pride in the sweater. A group of guys that even if they are not the best, will take every effort night in and night out to be the best, so that even the fans can say, yes, they gave their all.

True, in Montreal, the city where the team is disected by each and every person in the media and on the streets, such things are hard. But all the more reason for the management - whoever that may be going forward - to make sure they have the right group of players in that locker room. The right mix with the right attitude. If ever a player on a team needed a rock solid attitude to do their jobs it is for that team, in that city.

I am not sure what quite changed with Montreal from last year to this. I thought they would be among the best in the east. They don't have too many more games to figure it out.