Girardi is the most reliable

Del Zotto has the most upside offensively

Staal is better than Girardi offensively but Grairdi has it on him defensively

McDonagh has the potential to be the most well rounded out of the group

Sauer, when healthy, would be the player to bait other teams for scoring help
If the Rangers are looking to upgrade the top six, it would likely be on the left side. Gaborik and Callahan are the Rangers top two right wings, as we all know, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Richards and Stepan, when Richards is right, is completely ok too.

On the left side though, there is a problem. They have used two natural centers(Dubinsky and Anisimov) pretty much all season long on that side. Both are having medicore to subpar seasons.

Bobby Ryan is a left wing...just saying. Until the deadline passes, and Dubinsky and Anisimov don't step their games up, this will not go away.
- MidnightMarauder

haha I am a ranking slave...I don't get your order. I need digits

haha I am a ranking slave...I don't get your order. I need digits
- TPC

I can't believe that almost everyone put Girardi No. 1. I thought I was going out on a limb on that one.

I can't believe that almost everyone put Girardi No. 1. I thought I was going out on a limb on that one.
- Pete V

For what he does for the Rangers, he almost has to be number 1. I have never seen a player have to rake so much ice time vs other teams top players, take a constant beating from blocked shots and continue to get back up and ask for more. The guy isn't human.

I can't believe that almost everyone put Girardi No. 1. I thought I was going out on a limb on that one.
- Pete V

Im a little surprised staal was 3rd or lower on everybody's list. i still see him as a top pair shutdown dman

Im a little surprised staal was 3rd or lower on everybody's list. i still see him as a top pair shutdown dman
- bonzo11

For me I want to see him fullly get back to where he was prior to the concussion. Once he does then I feel he will rise on those lists.

For what he does for the Rangers, he almost has to be number 1. I have never seen a player have to rake so much ice time vs other teams top players, take a constant beating from blocked shots and continue to get back up and ask for more. The guy isn't human.
- TPC

I view him and Callahan as the soul of the Rangers. They are not untouchable in the traditional sense, but I find myself not even being able to imagine the Rangers without them. Not to mention, you have to be a bit of sucker for their stories -- Callahan being a fourth rounder and Danny G going undrafted.

For what he does for the Rangers, he almost has to be number 1. I have never seen a player have to rake so much ice time vs other teams top players, take a constant beating from blocked shots and continue to get back up and ask for more. The guy isn't human.
- TPC

It's amazing that he never misses a game considering the style he plays. He is always among the league leaders in blocks and defenseman hits

Im a little surprised staal was 3rd or lower on everybody's list. i still see him as a top pair shutdown dman
- bonzo11

You're right, especially considering that at the end of last year, he probably would have been an undisputed number 1.

But, what I think this exercise does is show how through defensemen 1-4, the Rangers are really damn solid and how it is hard to distinguish between these guys.

For me I want to see him fullly get back to where he was prior to the concussion. Once he does then I feel he will rise on those lists.
- TPC

Yeah, i figured the injuries had something to do with it. Amazing how fast a player can move up after having a good half season. There weren't many DZ supporters at the start of the year. nice that im not alone anymore

haha I am a ranking slave...I don't get your order. I need digits
- TPC

Hahaha, you and Pete got me on this one. Pete calling me a politician was tremendous.

This season:

1.Girardi
2.Del Zotto
3.McDonagh
4.Staal
5.Sauer

In a season or two:

1.McDonagh
2.Staal
3.Del Zotto
4.Girardi
5.?

You're right, especially considering that at the end of last year, he probably would have been an undisputed number 1.

But, what I think this exercise does is show how through defensemen 1-4, the Rangers are really damn solid and how it is hard to distinguish between these guys.
- Pete V

Next year we could have an entire homegrown defense. is there any other team in the league that can say that? i can't think of any off the top of my head

Next year we could have an entire homegrown defense. is there any other team in the league that can say that? i can't think of any off the top of my head
- bonzo11

Wow that post just made me so pumped

You kids are very chatty today.

You're right, especially considering that at the end of last year, he probably would have been an undisputed number 1.

But, what I think this exercise does is show how through defensemen 1-4, the Rangers are really damn solid and how it is hard to distinguish between these guys.
- Pete V

The top four is tremendous and I have no problem with their current other two defensemen. Stralman and Bickel have done a really good job. I like Bickel's potential...you can't teach size and he is a tough kid too.

You kids are very chatty today.
- bodiva88

It is Friday, and I am sitting at work haha

The top four is tremendous and I have no problem with their current other two defensemen. Stralman and Bickel have done a really good job. I like Bickel's potential...you can't teach size and he is a tough kid too.
- MidnightMarauder

If you could...Boyle would be franked

New blog up, orry or delay, work computer crashed, just did it via iPad on LIRR

Next year we could have an entire homegrown defense. is there any other team in the league that can say that? i can't think of any off the top of my head
- bonzo11

There isn't another team, that is why you can't think of one.

Say what you want--not directed at you--but Sather has done a really good job since those two terrible summers of '07 and '08. He has one real black eye on his resume since then; signing Brashear in '09. But other than that, he has corrected bad signings with trades and his draft team has done a really good job as well.

That whole terrible GM moniker doesn't really apply anymore.