New York Rangers Flashback Friday: 2012 Stories
Every Friday the Blue Line Station team will look at a past article from the site or happening in the team’s history. In today’s article, we look back at the stories that were featured here on January 20th, 2012.
Does Artem Anisimov Finish the Season in New York?
Ah, Artem Anisimov. What an interesting path his career has followed. Anisimov started as a touted 2nd round prospect for the New York Rangers, then earned the ire of the league by performing a massive celebration following a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
After Anisimov’s goal, he fell out of favor with the coaching staff. John Tortorella has never taken well to shenanigans, and this was no different story. So, Blue Line Station took a look at Anisimov’s standing with the Rangers.
"Anisimov has gone scoreless in 13 straight contests with last goal coming on Dec 20 against the Devils. He’s been relegated to bottom-six minutes as he struggles to recapture his game.The organization expected continued development from the 23-year-old — he’s increased his point totals each season since his rookie year — but it’s tough to do when you’re struggling offensively and seeing limited ice-time. However, when the team overall is not scoring, it’s tough to place the blame on one player."
This is especially interesting because it further displays how the depth of the current roster is valuable. Anisimov had his every move examined and broken down because the rest of the team could not pick him up when he was struggling. When a team rolls four lines like the current Rangers do, players are able to go through hot streaks and rough stretches without it being the end of the world.
Anisimov would end up being traded in the ensuing off-season in the Rick Nash trade. Anisimov played well enough in Columbus to be the centerpiece in a trade that brought back Brandon Saad from Chicago. None of the three teams regret their time with Anisimov, and it appears his time in Chicago will last.
Whale Mired In Seven-Game Losing Streak
Rather than analyzing this heavily, let’s enjoy the craziness of the following blurb.
"With all the bad luck injuries (Mats Zuccarello reinjuring himself in his first game back), suspensions (Andre Deveaux getting three games for two separate boarding penalties) and NHL recalls, the Whale have fought adversity all season. When they lost Carl Hagelin and John Mitchell to the Rangers, other plays filled their scoring shoes. Fans thought the demotion of Sean Avery and the addition of Erik Christensen would help add a scoring punch to a team desperately in need, but they’ve only been the poster boys for the team’s seven-game losing streak, which includes five regulation losses."
Mats Zuccarello was injured, Carl Hagelin was first being promoted to the NHL as a relative unknown, so the Rangers relied on Sean Avery and Erik Christensen to help their AHL team. The Whale. Not the Wolfpack, the Whale. We may be in a Black Mirror episode, as everything going on at that time in the AHL feels like it’s from a different universe.
"With unreliable goaltending from Chad Johnson and Cameron Talbot behind a struggling defense, it’s rather clear to see why a team so dominant early on in the season has taken a complete 180 and turned the other way"
If you told anyone at the time that both Johnson and Talbot would be regularly playing NHL goalies five years later, they would have called you crazy. But both Johnson and Talbot, who battled for playing time on the 2012 Whale team, are NHL goalies. Wonder which players on the current Wolfpack will work their way to unlikely, consistent NHL careers.