Interview With Brett Cyrgalis of The New York Post

This Week TheNeilShow sits down with NY Post Sports Writer Brett Cyrgalis to talk New York Rangers hockey

TheNeilShow – How has Chris Drury’s arrival helped the Rangers so far?

Brett Cyrgalis-It’s really tough to be decisive on what kind of impact Chris has had on the club so far. He hasn’t really put up any numbers (following suit with the whole team) and he really is still trying to find some chemistry with…well, anyone. Right now Tom has him centering Shanny and Nigel Dawes, but as we’ve seen so far this season, nothing’s really set in concrete.

TheNeilShow -How does the dressing room react to some of Sean Avery’s antics on and off the ice? Do some players think it’s distracting?

Brett Cyrgalis – When it comes to Avery, it’s really about being a good teammate. He’s the kid of guy that sparks a team, as he did last year when they started really playing hard after he showed up. So do his antics distract some guys on the team? Yea, probably. But he contributes a lot more by helping to bring the team together rather than divide them. [see my article running in today's Post about him coming back].

TheNeilShow -The New York Rangers have gotten off to a pretty normal start considering the talent that is there. First 11 games they have only 19 goals and 4 wins. Are you surprised with the start? And do you just think this team needs to get to know each other a bit better or is it something else they may be lacking?

Brett Cyrgalis – I think to call this start for the Rangers “normal” would be giving them a free pass. This team was incredibly talented last year, and had above “normal” success. This year they’ve added one of the most clutch players in the last ten years in Drury and possibly the best moving-with-the-puck forward in the game in Scott Gomez. I know Tom and the whole team is not happy with their 4-6-1 start, and they’re expecting a lot more out of this squad.

Of course they need to gel. When you get this much talent, this much star power, it’s going to take time. I think the front line of Jagr-Gomez-Marcel Hossa has a lot of chemistry, but Hossa’s future in terms of staying with the big club all year is always in flux. They’re really not lacking anything. They’ve got the moxie and the ability, now they just need to get it done.

TheNeilShow -Rookie Marc Staal made the defense corps this year. What does Marc bring to this team? And how has he looked so far?

Brett Cyrgalis – Marc is quite a talent. I remember the first practice of the year when I saw his name and was immediately excited to see him play. Within the first couple minutes of practice, I saw him roof a wrist shot, make a solid outlet pass and then later win a battle in the corner during a three-on-three. Of course, he’s so young and has a lot of maturing to do, especially defensively, but his game is sound and his talent in indisputable.

TheNeilShow – How excited was Glen Sather getting Alexei Cherepanov so late in round 1? Any ideas why his stock dropped so much?

Brett Cyrgalis -I can’t speak for Glen on this subject, as I haven’t spoken to him about it, but I can only imagine he thinks what everyone else does about this kid. Apparently he can skate figure-eights in a phone booth, but he needs to grow up a little bit. I’m not too sure if being drafted 17th overall in the NHL draft is really dropping too low, but if anything, I imagine GM’s were somewhat put off by his inability to be physical.

TheNeilShow – Al Montoya seems to be a solid goaltending prospect for the Rangers.He is playing in the AHL with Hartford this year. With the Rangers having a world class goalie already in Henrik Lundqvist,Do you see the Rangers maybe using Montoya as trade bait? Or will they just bring him along slowly?

Brett Cyrgalis – This is really a tough subject to judge. Al is a phenomenal goaltender, as he has proven in the AHL, but Steve Valliquette really looked sharp in camp and, barring injury, looks like he’s got the backup spot locked up. As for trade bait…I think if the perfect offer comes along, it’d be hard for Glen to turn it down. Hank is the future – really the present, too – of this franchise and Al has a chance to be a starter in this league…just not as long as Hank’s healthy.

TheNeilShow -It seems like the first few weeks in this early NHL season there have been some big stories on the lack of respect “hits” with Steve Downie and company. Last year the Rangers went through something similar with the Islanders Chris Simon two handing New York Rangers Ryan Callahan. Is the NHL taking good measures in your opinion on these “dirty plays”? It just seems like there is a new one every week and the players just aren’t learning.

Brett Cyrgalis -Last year, Simon’s two-hander was actually to the face of Ryan Hollweg, but the question is still a valid one. Physical play and the presence of an enforcer have always been a part of the game, but as for McSorely-like stick hits, there’s just no place in the game for it. I think Bettman is taking things pretty seriously with these suspensions and fines, so if players aren’t learning; they sure are still paying for it.

TheNeilShow – The Rangers will be retiring Brian Leetch’s no.2 jersey at Madison Square Gardens on Jan.24th.How much did Brian mean to fans and to the Rangers team? And will he play a role in the future with the New York Rangers organization front office wise?

Brett Cyrgalis – Leetch is really one of, if not the most revered Ranger of this generation. Along with Messier, Graves, and Richter, every die-hard fan would bleed for them. That night is going to be ridiculously emotional for both the team and the fans, as evidenced by when he came out during opening night and got a five-minute standing ovation.

TheNeilShow – Do the Rangers lack any ingredients this year from keeping them from going all the way in the spring?

Brett Cyrgalis – No. They really have everything a team needs to be a serious contender: an elite goaltender, a potent offense (still to flourish), and solid defense. What it really comes down to is them just getting the job done.

TheNeilShow – Who is the leader in the Rangers dressing room this year from what you have witnessed?

Brett Cyrgalis – The real leaders of this team are Jagr and Shanny. They both have extensive experience and are proven winners. Jagr is a lot more vocal this year than in years past, and he’s actually a lot looser than he’s been. A joke here and a nudge there go a long way in a locker room and it seems that Jagr has learned how to keep his competitiveness while at the same being a calming influence.

TheNeilShow – What is the timetable on Sean Avery’s return from his shoulder injury?

Brett Cyrgalis – He could very well play Thursday (today) against the Capitals. Since both Straka and Callahan are out, Tom could really use another productive forward. Also, as mentioned above, Avery brings a real toughness to this team and can really light a much-needed spark under them. [again, check out my article running in the Post].

TheNeilShow – New Ranger Scott Gomez signed a huge contract with New York over the summer. He has 3PTS and is a minus 2 through 11 games. Are the Rangers concerned over his lack of production?

Brett Cyrgalis -Scotty is still finding his legs as a Ranger. Right now, Tom is really trying to get him and Jagr to gel, and after Monday’s performance, it looks like they’re going in the right direction. He is such a talent that I would be really, really surprised if at the end of the season his number didn’t reflect his ability.

TheNeilShow – Can you explain to me why the New York Rangers are fighting with the NHL over their website?

Brett Cyrgalis – This website thing is really a joke. After the new CBA, the league is now power-hungry and trying to run the businesses of the clubs. A lot of small-market teams are not run very well, and because of this, they would actually profit from the league taking over their websites. The Rangers, on the other hand, are a well-run club (simply because Jim Dolan stays out of their business) and they don’t want their free-standing enterprise to be taken over by a league that is struggling to stay relevant.

Imagine you’re running a successful business and the government decided that the whole industry was doing poorly so they were going to take over your business. Would stand by the wayside and let it happen?

TheNeilShow – Who has been the “Hero and the “Goat” for the Rangers so far this season?

Brett Cyrgalis – 11 games into the season, I think that question is hard to pin down. If there is a hero, it has to be Hank. He’s really kept them in a lot of games, even if they were games they ended up losing. Without him, they wouldn’t even have the record they have now. If there is a goat, it has to be the offense production as a whole. At the time of this writing, they’re last in the league averaging 1.73 goals-per-game. That’s pretty abysmal and if that continues, forget the playoffs, more-or-less anything beyond that.

TheNeilShow – Can you tell our readers at nhldigest.com what you do and where we can read your writings? Thanks

Brett Cyrgalis – I write for the New York Post. During hockey season, I mostly cover the Rangers, although every now and again I find myself assigned to cover another local team. You can find my work both in the paper and at www.nypost.com

If you have any questions or comments, please share a comment on the site or email Neil at theneilshow(@)nhldigest.com