How Long Until Hockey Season? August 13, 2007

Summer Boredom Leads to Some Wild Speculation

Most avid New York Ranger fans are genuinely excited about the coming year. The Acquisition of Chris Drury and Scott Gomez, along with the signings of Henrik Lundqvist, Brendan Shanahan, Sean Avery and Marcel Hossa, bode well for the team. Most experts are picking the Rangers to finish second in the Atlantic Divivion behind the young and talented Pittsburgh Penguins.

However, there is still a level of unrest among devoted Ranger fans. Although experts like Rangers radio analyst Dave Maloney have stated that the Rangers roster is set, some fans seem to expect more trades and signings.

One of the saddest yet most understandable moves by the Rangers was the release of Jed Ortmeyer. Ortmeyer was highly respected by the teammates and loved by many of the fans. In his three seasons with the Rangers, he shared the team’s Players’ Player Award (2005-2006) and twice won the Steven MacDonald Extra Effort Award (2003-2004 and 2006-2007). While most Ranger fans hated to see him go, they also understand that the team needed to clear cap space and it was time for another player.