2005 New York Rangers Preview
Welcome to the 2005 New York Rangers Preview page. The NHL Hockey Season is around the corner and what better way to remind the public how exciting the NHL can be with a 2005 season preview from Maddux Sports. Remember if you are betting on NHL hockey look no further, as we are one of the few sports handicapping services that offers NHL picks against the hockey betting line and can help you be a winner this NHL betting season.
2005 New York Rangers Hockey Season Preview
After sporting a huge payroll and dismal results the question is not can the New York Rangers improve, but by how much? The team in Manhattan missed the playoffs for their seventh straight season in 2003-04 and have since seen Messier, Lindros, Holik and Kovalev depart. To say the team never gelled is like observing there was a hole in the Titanic when it sank. The question is now what?
The answer seems to be simple: a team composed of many talented prospects and peppered with one major veteran. Oh, yes, and another new coach--the team's fourth in four seasons. This year Tom Renney will take over bench duties from interim coach and Ranger G.M. Glen Sather.
The one superstar on the team and the NHL's highest paid player at $8.36 million is Jaromir Jagr. The question on everyone's mind is-- instead of overspending on a bunch of players have the Rangers now overspent on one? In his last NHL season the winger earned 74 points in 77 games. During the lock out, Jagr played for two teams-- Kladno of the Czech Elite league and Omsk Avangard of the Russian Elite league. During that time he scored 27 goals and earned 40 assists in 49 games. Over his career he's notched 1,309 points in 1,027 games.
But perhaps Jagr's most amazing stat is that in 14 NHL seasons the superstar winger has never led any team to a Stanley Cup Championship. The Rangers are hopeful that both his fortune and the team's will change this season.
