Post by future on Mar 10, 2007 1:12:16 GMT -5
Many fans were skeptical when GM-Coach Steven Jakobsen of the Rangers decided to place Mats Sundin on his left wing during the trading break, however, critics have been silenced with Sundin's play since the break.
Since the break Sundin has scored nine points in seven games placing him near the top of the Rangers scoring chart. Of those nine points, four have been goals, including two powerplay goals, and five have been assists.
When asked about how he felt about moving to the wing, Sundin said this "Well, the GM (Steven Jakobsen) came up to me and said that he was going to be dealing some wingers in order to get a center and another premier winger and that he didn't want to cement the deal without knowing whether or not I would play wing to fill the hole. I said that I would and asked who was coming in, and the GM said, well, I have a couple of people on the ready, but I am going to get the best I can."
Boy did he ever. Acquiring, maybe not a premier, winger Fredrik Modin and centerman Mikael Samuelsson. "I felt that Michael (Nylander) and Mike (Ribiero) were having good seasons, and that also factored into me asking Mats if he wouldn't mind playing wing. Mikael (Samuelsson) gives me somebody I can depend on to play third line and still provide some scoring if I need it. Rucinsky was playing great, but so were so many other players, and Martin (Rucinsky) knew that, so he didn't mind moving down to the second line."
Will this be enough to push the Rangers into a playoff spot? With their play slumping a little bit as of late, GM Jakobsen hopes it will be, his team needs to make up four points but he feels that it is possible. "I am going to change the lines a bit, I believe that I have found a problem and I have found a way to address it." When asked, GM Jakobsen said this "My top line can pass with the best of them, so I am going to move Mike (Ribiero) up there, he can still pass well, but is more opt to shoot, which will cause some more chances, and I am going to get Michael (Nylander) to play second line, between him and Martin (Rucinsky), Freddy (Fredrik Modin) should be able to get a lot more pucks to shoot into nets, which will give us more goals in which we hope to win games with.
Since the break Sundin has scored nine points in seven games placing him near the top of the Rangers scoring chart. Of those nine points, four have been goals, including two powerplay goals, and five have been assists.
When asked about how he felt about moving to the wing, Sundin said this "Well, the GM (Steven Jakobsen) came up to me and said that he was going to be dealing some wingers in order to get a center and another premier winger and that he didn't want to cement the deal without knowing whether or not I would play wing to fill the hole. I said that I would and asked who was coming in, and the GM said, well, I have a couple of people on the ready, but I am going to get the best I can."
Boy did he ever. Acquiring, maybe not a premier, winger Fredrik Modin and centerman Mikael Samuelsson. "I felt that Michael (Nylander) and Mike (Ribiero) were having good seasons, and that also factored into me asking Mats if he wouldn't mind playing wing. Mikael (Samuelsson) gives me somebody I can depend on to play third line and still provide some scoring if I need it. Rucinsky was playing great, but so were so many other players, and Martin (Rucinsky) knew that, so he didn't mind moving down to the second line."
Will this be enough to push the Rangers into a playoff spot? With their play slumping a little bit as of late, GM Jakobsen hopes it will be, his team needs to make up four points but he feels that it is possible. "I am going to change the lines a bit, I believe that I have found a problem and I have found a way to address it." When asked, GM Jakobsen said this "My top line can pass with the best of them, so I am going to move Mike (Ribiero) up there, he can still pass well, but is more opt to shoot, which will cause some more chances, and I am going to get Michael (Nylander) to play second line, between him and Martin (Rucinsky), Freddy (Fredrik Modin) should be able to get a lot more pucks to shoot into nets, which will give us more goals in which we hope to win games with.
