The Rangers made an immediate move to deal with their uninspired play and lack of effort. By promoting New York twitter's favorite pariah - Tanner Glass - along with Steve Kampfer, they all but endured that the blogosphere and columnists would have material to fill up enough pages requiring a river of ink. Welcome to sideshow.
After yesterday's loss and poor play the past few weeks, we knew a change was coming. As I wrote in my earlier blog, I wanted Marek Hrivik and Nicklas Jensen to be promoted and play those two on a line with Oscar Lindberg. Instead, the team decided to call up Glass and Kampfer, using up two more of the four call ups a team gets after the trade deadline, having used one to promote Pavel Buchnevich earlier in the week.
Glass will give an honest effort on each and every shift and is always to stuck up for his teammates. His skating actually looked like it improved last year, so he isn't completely out of place on the ice. But, his lack of possession metrics overshadow most of the positives he brings. It's that reason why I felt Hrivik was a better option; Hrivik would at least help drive possession and chip in offensively. In addition, the team was 11-5 with Hrivik in the lineup earlier this season. But Av and GM Jeff Gorton went back to the well with a player they know. Of course, making this move calls into question why Gorton didn't get a Dwight King or a Steve Orr or Andreas Martinsen type as Montreal did.
Kampfer, who played against Washington earlier in the week, gets a second shot. With Nick Holden and Marc Staal both struggling and Adam Clendening having a rough time of it last night, someone will sit. With Dan Girardi and Kevin Klein still out, New York decided to give Kampfer another chance. Having him and possibly Clendening in the lineup means that you are dressing a pair of seventh d-men types. If Holden is scratched, look for Brady Skjei to play with Staal and Clendening with Kampfer.
Calling Glass doesn't resolve the scoring issues in New York. In addition, if calling him up means that Buchnevich is sat, you may have a revolt at MSG as well as on twitter. This may just be a move to shake up the troops and provide a spark to a lineup needing one. Personally, as said, I would have gone with Hrivik, but Glass will being a lunch pail effort. Something that is desperately needed but doesn't detract from the other issues.