it's likely he's going to have to play one more year overseas due to contractual obligations. But most teams thought he'd be tied up for at least two years, which is why he dropped to 17, though he was the best european player scouted in the draft.

What's the line on "Zero Major franchises in Buffalo in 10 years?"

You know, I'm sorry, but the Sabres really screwed this up. The "we're in a small market and couldn't afford to bring at least one of these guys back" thing is bologna with the hard cap and floor that are in place.

It's too bad because the fans up there are really passionate and will come out to support a winning team.

Just because he was a Devil and he was probably my least favorite Devil since Scott Stevens.

Rangers fans will love Scott Gomez as soon as he dons the uniform for the first time.

His puck-rushing ability is tremendous, his vision is excellent, and his passing is unbelievable. He is a great guy and a terrific hockey player.

He will be terrific in Ranger blue.

This was an awesome job by Sather....A) up the middle was a glaring weakness on this team B) by all accounts both are great locker room guys C) still have 12 million to take care of Avery/Shanny/Prucha and Henrik is still restricted for 2 more years D) Drury is great at face-offs and is an above average penalty killer (which is why I believe he will anchor the 2nd line)

The Drury signing was good, but Gomez not so much.

You would think that if Sather would have learned anything after the lockout, is that a team is not always best built with a bunch of stars.

Seven years from now I have a feeling that the Gomez signing will be tough to defend.

I don't think you have to wait that long.

I know its very early, but this is beginning to look like the old addage of "you can buy players, but you can not buy chemistry"

That's absolutely correct.

Hockey is a fluid game.

Plugging two new centericemen into the top 2 lines means your 4 most counted on wingers have to completely adjust to the way they play.

Chemistry takes time and is completely unpredictable- sometimes it takes weeks, sometimes months, sometimes years.

And, sometimes, it doesn't pan out at all.

I believe the Rangers will hit their stride at some point later this season and they'll make the playoffs.

But, they won't be the Cup contenders that some were tauting them as.

They're an average hockey team.

I don't agree with that. The main problem is that they're not finding the back of the net, despite the 30-35 SOG they put up each night. Obviously chemistry is still an issue and the injuries are starting to pile up, but I still feel like this is a good team who will turn it around sooner than later. I'd be more worried if they were giving up a ton of goals, but there's only a handful of teams who have given up less than the Rangers have at this point. There aren't too many goalies who are better than Lundqvist and with an offense that is due to score some goals, they won't be an average team for long.

I agree that they are better then an average team, but they certainly are not the juggernaut that some media and Ranger fans were making them out to be. It looks like the defense is coming through, as I predicted, but the offense just isn't as good as advertised. Nylander has and will continue to be missed while Gomez will continue to be a dissapointment. Drury will have a good year, no where near what he is being paid like, but he is not a huge improvement over Cullen. In the end, the Ranger will be a playoff team, but I just don't see them being any better off then last year.

BTW, Injuries are part of the game and should rarely be used as an excuse.