[VICE™]

Compiled from about four or five different Swedish sources. Some quotes from the Rangers' Head Professional European Scout Anders Hedberg.

"We have not recruited him to play on our fourth line or to play in the minors, but we expect him to play in our top six."

"We have been following him for over two years. The first time I saw him was in an international match before Modo signed him. He was good already then, and since then, I think he has taken several steps forward."

"I have no idea how many clubs were interested in him, but I am not surprised that there were more clubs that had opened their eyes to him. He has been among the Elitserien's best players the last two seasons and probably would have won the scoring leaders in his first season too if it were not for that of the ankle injury which caused him to miss about 20 games."

"He had a fantastic Olympic tournament (which convinced Glen Sather to sign him). He has had the odds against him throughout his career but managed all the obstacles he has encountered. Now he has only one obstacle left - the NHL - but I am not the least bit worried. Patrick Kane is not very big but has nonetheless succeeded because he is so darn clever. So is Mats. He has proven that he has the whole package and know how to deal with giants."

"I know he talked to them (Markus Naslund and Niklas Sundstrom) before he decided and do not think they discouraged him from writing for us."

"It's too early to say exactly how the forwards will look as the squad is not finalized. But both he and Marian Gaborik are incredibly intelligent and talented and the dream scenario is that they understand each other and play together."

 

[Bags2]

Good to hear some positive talk for the Rangers scout out there. I really hope he can grab, and hang onto that 2nd line Right Wing spot. It's going to be very hard to send 2 different D pairings out to stop Gaborik, then stop MZA, especially with there speed. It's hard to find two defenseman who can skate with both of them.

But who would center the 2nd line there next year?

 

[VICE™]

But who would center the 2nd line there next year?

They'll probably just rotate centers throughout the lineup. Prospal, Anisimov, Dubinsky and Christensen will probably get chances on the top and second lines.

However, if Anisimov has worked hard in the off-season, I'd go with him. He and MZA can play both the playmaking and goalscoring roles. If Dane Byers can figure out and transfer his game to the NHL, then plugging him as the left wing on the line gives them a good mix of size, pure skill and toughness. The best lines in the league usually follow this recipe, with a grinding guy to get into the corners to receive the puck, and go to the hard areas of the ice. Obviously someone better offensively than Byers would be preferred by Rangers fans, but the cap space just won't be there after re-signing Staal.

It wouldn't surprise me to see MZA play at left wing or center either, since he can play all forward positions. He did for MODO, so if worse comes to worse, the Rangers can experiment.

 

[Bags2]

They'll probably just rotate centers throughout the lineup. Prospal, Anisimov, Dubinsky and Christensen will probably get chances on the top and second lines.

However, if Anisimov has worked hard in the off-season, I'd go with him. He and MZA can play both the playmaking and goalscoring roles. If Dane Byers can figure out and transfer his game to the NHL, then plugging him as the left wing on the line gives them a good mix of size, pure skill and toughness. The best lines in the league usually follow this recipe, with a grinding guy to get into the corners to receive the puck, and go to the hard areas of the ice. Obviously someone better offensively than Byers would be preferred by Rangers fans, but the cap space just won't be there after re-signing Staal.

It wouldn't surprise me to see MZA play at left wing or center either, since he can play all forward positions. He did for MODO, so if worse comes to worse, the Rangers can experiment.

I would like to see at some point next year a MZA-Dubinsky-Gaborik line. I feel like they would work very well together. And I don't see it with Byers. It could happen but I can't see him logging that many minutes and being effective. But that may be the only real option they have. I liked what I saw from Anisimov last year, I fell like he has some real promise.

In the end I think having MZA will do so much for there lineup. I feel like there will be much more positives coming from this than negatives.

 

[VICE™]

And I don't see it with Byers. It could happen but I can't see him logging that many minutes and being effective. But that may be the only real option they have.

He would just skate with them on even strength shifts to prevent the other two from being taken advantage of and to go to the dirty areas of the ice, pretty much playing a retriever role. He wouldn't get powerplay time, or play on the penalty kill unless he earns them. Look at second liner's even strength minutes, most of them are in the range of 12 to 14 minutes.

If Avery were a bit more of a deterrent for opposing players, he'd be perfect on that line. I suppose they could try putting Callahan on his off-wing.

 

[Bags2]

He would just skate with them on even strength shifts to prevent the other two from being taken advantage of and to go to the dirty areas of the ice, pretty much playing a retriever role. He wouldn't get powerplay time, or play on the penalty kill unless he earns them. Look at second liner's even strength minutes, most of them are in the range of 12 to 14 minutes.

If Avery were a bit more of a deterrent for opposing players, he'd be perfect on that line. I suppose they could try putting Callahan on his off-wing.

I would think either Avery or Callahan would be better fits on that line. Especially Callahan. I grew up near Callahan and I got a chance to see him play a few times in high school and I always remember him playing left wing. I know it's just high school, but he's played there before.