22 replies to this topic

[Rock]

Rangers sign de Vries
http://www.tsn.ca/nh...327&hubName=nhl


TSN.ca Staff
7/14/2003

New York Rangers President, General Manager and Head Coach Glen Sather announced today that the club has signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Greg de Vries. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

"Greg de Vries has developed into a solid, steady two-way defenseman and we are sure that his addition will help strengthen our defense significantly," said Sather. "He will be a great asset to our hockey club.�

De Vries, 30, appeared in 82 matches with the Colorado Avalanche last season, registering six goals and 26 assists for 32 points, along with 70 penalty minutes. He established new career-highs with 26 assists and 32 points, which ranked third on the team in scoring among defensemen and marked the fourth consecutive season in which he posted a new career-high in points. His plus-15 rating placed fourth among Avalanche defensemen. He also matched a career-best skating in all regular season 82 matches for the Avalanche and has appeared in 183 consecutive matches.

Additionally, de Vries ranked second among defensemen with 31 even-strength points last season and appeared in his 500th NHL match on April 6 vs. St. Louis. During the post-season, he skated in seven games vs. Minnesota, registering two goals.

A veteran of eight NHL seasons, de Vries has appeared in 500 regular season matches with Colorado, the Edmonton Oilers and the Nashville Predators, registering 30 goals and 69 assists for 99 points, along with 459 penalty minutes.

Since the 2000-01 season, de Vries ranks sixth among all NHL defensemen with a plus-56 rating and is one of just four defensemen in the league to post a plus-15 or better rating in each of the last three seasons.

He was acquired by the Avalanche on October 24, 1998 from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 1999 second round draft choice (Ed Hill). Prior to that, he was acquired by Nashville on October 1, 1998 from Edmonton, along with Eric Fichaud and Drake Berehowsky, in exchange for Mikhail Shtalenkov and Jim Dowd.

In Stanley Cup playoff action, he has appeared in 94 career games, registering six goals and 13 assists for 19 points, along with 77 penalty minutes. In the 2001 post-season, he appeared in all 23 playoff contests for the Avalanche, recording one assist, along with 20 penalty minutes, helping Colorado capture its second Stanley Cup championship.

The 6-3, 215-pound native of Sundridge, Ontario was originally signed as a free agent by Edmonton on March 20, 1994.

[Derek21]

The reason DeVries was successful in Colorado was because it was the perfect situation. He didn't have to be the guy and he was their #4 defenseman.

In NY, he will fail miserably just like all the other misfits they've signed in the past. Why this was top priority over the franchise's best ever player is mindboggling. It's a slap in the face to Leetch and they overpaid for DeVries in the process. If I were Leetch, I know what I would do.

[SueNJ97]

If I were Leetch, I know what I would do.

Go to Colorado?

[Derek21]

Something like that Sue. Leave Sather in the dust and watch as infuriated fans cancel season subscriptions and have the team play to a half empty Garden. Let's see how the owners would feel about keeping the team then.

If I were Leetch, I'd be mad.

[bg.]

Saying that Leetch is a Ranger come October (which about 95% of us believe he probably will be) where do you think de Vries fits?

He isn't better than Leetch or Poti. That puts him in the next group with Malakhov, and Kasparatis.

Basically he is anywhere from 3-5 on the depth chart, pretty much where he should be.

Truth be told, as far as minutes are concerned...

Leetch and Poti will play 25. Malakhov and Kasparatis will play 20. He'll be in the 15-20 range. Again, where he should be.

I really don't think this is the worst move. I'm not jumping up and down, but sooner or later one of these Avs are going to work out.

[sammyk]

I thought most of the seats were corporate anyways?

[Triumph]

It's an awful move if they expect him to play on the power play, or take minutes away from Leetch. DeVries is a 2nd pairing guy who plays well at even strength. He does take some risks from the backline, so it's hard to say who he should be paired with.

If Leetch had had any balls like that, he would have demanded a trade years ago. He's not going anywhere, not in this market. If he signs with Colorado for less money..

[Derek21]

Poti is scary and isn't a defenseman. I wish they could get rid of him but it looks like they're stuck with him. Malakhov is what he is. A guy who can have good spurts and then be awful for stretches as well. I don't trust him in a big spot. Kaspar might be okay in NY. If the 2nd half was any indication, then he rebounded well from an awful beginning. Without Leetch back, the defense is sunk. The DeVries' signing makes no sense unless #2 returns. I'd also like to see Purinton as a regular. I'd also like to see Tyutin make the team. I guess they'll see how he does in training camp.

I agree with Tri about DeVries. He's a #4 guy who takes risks. That means he needs a steady D partner in order for it to work.

[insanity_gallops]

Yeesh.

If Leetch doesn't return, the Rangers D will be doomed, plain and simple. And if De Vries is used on the top pairing for a significant amount of time, it's sunk as well.

A pairing of De Vries and Poti? Sucks to be Dunham in that situation.

[brylin18]

rangers will make it into the playoffs as a 6th or 7th seed and will lose in the first round.


they will go 0-4 against the devils in the regular season.

[NJayDevil]

Or could be:
Sucks to be Cujo in that situation.

[NJayDevil]

rangers will make it into the playoffs as a 6th or 7th seed and will lose in the first round.


they will go 0-4 against the devils in the regular season.

Don't the Devs/Rags play 6 times this year? Thought it was every team in your division plays each other 6 times from now on.

[insanity_gallops]

rangers will make it into the playoffs as a 6th or 7th seed and will lose in the first round.


they will go 0-4 against the devils in the regular season.

I do agree that the Rangers will make the playoffs this year. I could see them going as high as the 5-spot.

As for losing in the first round, they should, but stranger things have happened.

Besides, if I'm a Rangers fan, I'm rooting for them to make the playoffs and not get swept -- that would be an infinite improvement over the past 6 seasons.


As for them going 0-4 against the Devils, again, stranger things have happened. Devils always have issues beating teams they "should" beat, like Atlanta, Columbus, Nashville, Calgary, etc. I'm really hoping they decide to shake that this year....

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

de vries is a good signing and a step in teh right direction

however you can't just expect the defensemen to play defense and the forwards to play offence, the rangers horrible defence goes far beyond a terrible blue line.

[insanity_gallops]

...the rangers horrible defence goes far beyond a terrible blue line.

Read "Pavel Bure."

[Blackjack]

Here's what I don't understand, DeVries went for 3.25 million dollars, and Hatcher went for 5.5

Ummmm

ohhkayy

Maybe just me but I think Hatcher is worth just a leeetle bit more than $2.25 million more than DeVries.

[sundstrom]

hatcher is paid about right. deVries is grossly overpaid. only the NYR-ATM would give out that contract

[brylin18]

the rangers do not have a bad defense. leetch, malakhov, mironov, kasparaitis, poti, lefebrve, and now devries. that's not a bad defense at all. when sather decides to implement a more modern system, he'll see results from that defense.

but in the meanwhile, it'll be fun to witness the debunking of the hype surrounding another former avalanche.

[Kimi_R�ikk�nen]

they signed devries.....well guess theyre a shoe in fer the cup um no

[DeVFaN]

the rangers do not have a bad defense. leetch, malakhov, mironov, kasparaitis, poti, lefebrve, and now devries. that's not a bad defense at all. when sather decides to implement a more modern system, he'll see results from that defense.

but in the meanwhile, it'll be fun to witness the debunking of the hype surrounding another former avalanche.

They dont have Leectch signed and without him DeVries is their #1 ! Hes a #4 on most teams. Without Leetch that is by FAR the worst d core in the nhl.