Damn it Feels Good To Be a Ranga' What's up all you Ranger fans out there, I am a band-spankin' new blogger for all us devoted, die hard Blueshirt wearing fans of New York City's finest, NYR(PD).   Next season, the Rangers can look forward to success, that's right, you heard it here on The Dark Ranger first, I am gonna go out on a very, very far limb and say that our beloved New York Rangers will win the Atlantic Division title next season.  I know it's a bit early to say this, but with the players they have, it is simply inevitable to have this group succeed and reign over the teams they will face.  Gomez, Drury, Naslund, Zherdev, Prucha, Dubinsky.  Those are the main scoring threats on the Rangers, and any of the other 29 NHL teams would be more than happy to have them on their first or second lines.  It is imperative that these talented forwards lead the entire team with their goal scoring abilities, as the rest of the bench will simply ride their wave of success.  With all the amassed 3rd and 4th liners on the Rangers roster, it is essential that the main group of guys hustle night in and night out, never leave anything on the ice and always play with heart and desire.  With that being said, the Ranger's will have one of the strongest depth charts in the NHL (especially with all of the prospects in Hartford: Sanguinetti, Grachev, Anisimov, Cherepanov).  Redden, Roszival, Stall, Kalinin, Mara, Girardi.  This is a tough, mobile group that is standing in front of one of the NHL's elite goaltenders in Henrik Lundqvist, who is just beginning his already celebrated NHL career (3 time Vezina finalist in his first 3 seasons!).  Not only do we have the KING, but we have the JOKER as well, as funny-man Stephan Valliquette is more than able to cover for Henrik when he's needed, giving the Rangers yet another piece to an already tastyyyy pie. With a team that packs such a swell 1-2 punch in both offensive scoring threats and defensive coverage, including goaltending, the Rangers should be a shoe-in for the playoffs, TO SAY THE LEAST!!  Of course, there have been Ranger teams in the past who have had such expectations as these and who have crumbled (2000-2004), but with many players on the roster under 25, the will to win is greater than ever.  If all goes to plan and the likes of Dawes, Callahan, Prucha, Zherdev (especially Zherdev) and Naslund find their scoring touch, there's no doubt that the Rangers would be a serious Cup Contender.  That being said, if those players don't in fact mature and score a minimum 20-25+ goals, than New York will be up shit's creek without a paddle.  If Lundqvist plays the way he has been, the defense is just as good if not better than last year's squad, and the players that need to lead (Gomez and Drury) come to play every single night, than the sky is truly the limit for the Rangers.  I am no hockey expert, let me say that.  I am not Larry Brooks or Steve Zipay or Sam Weinman (Even though I am 30 years younger than all of them, at least!)  But I have played competitive ice hockey my whole life, I have coached teams to winning seasons, refereed and even water boyed a few times.  I watch every game, follow every player and know these coaches and GM's better than they know themselves.  I am connected throughout the world of hockey and I know how the system works.  The Rangers WILL be a team to beat next year, you can count on that, and if the magic does in fact exist and the Rangers harness the talent that has been brought together by GM Glen Sather (whom, by the way, I happen to think did a terrific job restructuring this organization) then New Yorkers should look forward to a parade down Broadway soon, and I mean soon.  The time has come for Lundqvist to win his first Stanley Cup, to bring hockey back to the city that bleeds Blue, to believe in our Blueshirt Boys and throw them our full support and to foresee the future:  the future that will have the names of players such as Ryan Callahan, Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Petr Prucha, Brandon Dubinsky and of course Henrik Lundqvist to have their names etched onto Lord Stanley's Cup.  I believe that time is coming, and it's coming soon. My take on what Tom Renney's lines should look like opening night: O:  Zherdev-Gomez-Naslund Dawes-Drury-Callahan Prucha-Dubinsky-Sjostrom Voros/Rissmiller-Betts-Fritsche/Betts (Dan Fritsche can play either wing or center) D:  Redden-Staal Roszival-Girardi Mara-Kalinin G:  Lundqvist Valliquette             Happy trails.. ~syr11~