The New York Rangers were seeking an experienced blueliner heading into this year’s trade deadline and found him in St. Louis.
The Blues shipped Christian Backman to the Rangers in exchange for a fourth round pick in 2008.
He'd been considered a possible trade candidate this season to make room for younger defensemen the Blues had been rotating in and out of their lineup this season.
Backman brings some decent size to the Rangers blueline (6-4, 206) which he uses to play a physical defensive game. Unfortunately that style has led to injuries for much of his career, including a recent foot injury that sidelined him for ten games.
If Backman can stay healthy he should be a good defensive depth acquisition for the Rangers. With Marek Malik unlikely to return after this season they could use Backman as a potential replacement, as he’s signed through next season albeit at $3.4 million.
Who the hell is this guy!!!!We could of had campbell from buff!!!!! We make some stupid trades! And trade for nobody"s, and give our future goalie away for nothing!!!!!!!I thought we could win a cup with this team,ya right!!Am sorry because, i was a big fan of this guy but he's desrtoyed this team with his attitude(Jagar) needs to goooooooooo!!!!!!!!!
I get seeking a replacement for Malik, and I've heard some good things about Backman, but the price tag on him is a bit too rich for my blood. For that kind of money I'd want more of a proven commodity. I really think the Rangers must have been desperate for D and looking for the best name that was left on the boards. Good move by the Blues in my opinion. Playing a physical style won't do you much good if you're on the DL.
Looking at this on paper, the Rangers didn't give up much, Montoya had no real shot of being a main stay on the roster behind Lundqvist and Valiquette, and Hossa hasn't lived up the potential he has/had, and was at best a 3rd line wing. They got a replacement for Hossa, and most likely an upgrade. The Rangers needed D, and the put a 6-4 200 plus pound body on the line, now hopefully he can stay healthy. It would have been nice to land Campbell or Foote, but those contracts wouldn't have worked for the Rangers.
I laugh at the average fan who doesn't realize salary and cap hit come into play when these moves go down. Yes it would be nice to have a roster full of all-stars, but it's impossible.
Fedorov going to Washington and Prospal going to Philly should make the last month and a half an interesting one in the Atlantic Division.
Really? The Sabres are a point out of the playoffs and one of the teams they are chasing are the Rangers. Why then would the Sabres, even for a second, consider dealing Campbell to the Rangers given that scenario?
And Montoya was certainly not the future goalie of the Rangers, not with Lundqvist locked up for the next six years.
As for the $2.3 mil cap hit next year - the Rangers are shedding Malik, Mara, Roszival, Jagr, and Shanny - there will be plenty of cap space.
I think Sather did ok this deadline day. I think he was really hot for Dan Boyle and when that didn't happen things got complicated. I agree with Chip S. there was no way Buffalo was going to trade Campbell to the Rangers this year when they are competing for a playoff spot. Hopefully Drury can convince him this off season to come to the Rangers next year (they apparently are good friends). Thank you Chip S for actually understanding that the Rangers will have cap room next year by shedding some salary, I do hope they hold on to Rosival but the rest can go. The Rangers for once have some nice prospects and good younger talent (Gomez, Drury, Avery, Dawes, Dubinsky, Staal, Tuytin, Giardi). Maybe not the household names we used to get, but that didn't get us anywhere before. Overall a decent day for Sather he didn't panic and all those "names" that were out there may be available again this summer.
I don't think they'll let go of Roszival. He's their number one defenseman. Staal, Girardi and Tyutin are the face of tomorrow, but they really don't have much else in the system. They might bring back Shannahan if he's up for it, or he might retire. I hated him as a Whaler, moreso as a Redwing, but I wouldn't mind seeing #14 hanging from the rafters at MSG.
Chaas I know the Rangers are really high on Bobby Sanguinetti (19 yrs old, OHL)and Micheal Sauer (20 yrs old, AHL)but I think they are 2 years away the other is a Ivan Baranka he is 22 yrs old. Then they have the 2 Russian forwards Anisimov and Cherepanov. I think it was nice to not see these guys shipped off. We would then watch them turn out to be like Zubov, Nordstrom, Weight, Savard, Kovalev, Amonte, Marchant, Zidlicky etc.
wow ynkees dude, get off this subject. you have absolutely no idea what your talking about. montoya wouldnt have had a CHANCE at even the backup job for years and jagr is one of the main reasons the rangers have points in 7 straight. you'll notice that they play their best when hes skating all over teams like the good old days. which is now.
and broadway blues, why would fedorov going to washington have anything to do with the atlantic division race, especially the rangers. the rangers dont play the caps at all the remainder of the year. hossa going to pittsburgh makes it interesting.
and russou! the rangers have the 22nd worst offense (gfa) in the nhl and the 5th best defense (gaa). between henrik and the collective team defensive efforts that go into every game their defense needs absolutely no help. But until recently the rangers couldnt put the puck in the net.
and chaas, seeing a 14 in the rafters representing shannahan would make me want to kill myself. youre willing to say hes as good enough a ranger as the 5 (soon to be six) hanging now? that would be the biggest disrespect ive ever heard. hes great and all, but NOWHERE near graves, messier, leetch, richter, eddie, and gilbert.
so basically, ChipS and seniahs are the only guys who have any idea what they're talking about. well done haha.
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
