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“Boy, that escalated quickly. I mean, that really got out of hand fast!”

NHL owners, from left to right, Ed Snider of the Flyers, Ted Leonsis of the Capitals, and Mike Ilitch of the Red Wings are fearlessly led into battle by Commissioner Gary Bettman.

We can only hope it ends, soon, like this:

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NHLPA Head (and Shark) Donald Fehr is up against a formidable group of Jets, headed by Commish Gary Bettman and, from left to right, Bruins’ owner Jeremy Jacobs, Islanders’ owner Charles Wang, and James Dolan of the New York Rangers.

Will this be the scene next week, when, according to TSN’s Aaron Ward via Twitter, the NHL Board of Governors and NHLPA will reconvene in New York City?

The Blue Jackets’ captain has left for the bright lights of Broadway. This is a good thing.

Gone is Rick Nash.  Gone are his 30 goals and his team-leading 59 points.  Blue Jackets fans hope he’ll take the Jackets scoring woes with him.

(BridgetDS/Flickr)

Columbus had the third worse offense in the league with 202 goals scored.  Only the Minnesota Wild and Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings had fewer, the latter with Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Quick to keep pucks out of the net. Florida, with 203, somehow won the Southeast division.  Altogether, though, of the sixteen playoff teams, twelve had at least 220 goals scored.

Looking at goal differential, the difference between goals scored and goals allowed, the Blue Jackets were dead last. The team allowed 60 more goals than they scored. Only two playoff teams had a negative goal differential – the aforementioned Panthers and their division-rival Washington Capitals. Thirteen of the playoff teams had double-digit positive differentials.

Obviously, the Blue Jackets have plenty of room for improvements, and a long way to go if they hope to make the postseason.   GM Scott Howson has taken steps (however arguably small they may be) to improve their defense and goaltending.  The blueline adds veteran power-play specialist Adrian Aucoin, promising prospect Tim Erixon, and 2012 first-round draft pick Ryan Murray, who is expected to start the season with the big club.   Whether or not Bobrovsky is the answer, he is certainly an improvement in net.  These moves will help cut back on the goals allowed, but has Howson done enough to address their scoring?

(Mykal Burns/Flickr)

Offense was hard to come by in 2011-12 for Columbus. Nearly 15% of the team’s 202 goals scored came from the stick of #61.  Nash’s goals weren’t the only ones to leave Ohio; 55 of the team’s goals in 2011-12 came from forwards no longer in the lineup – Nash, Jeff Carter, Sami Pahlsson, and Antoine Vermette.  Blue Jackets forwards overall accounted for 160 (79%) of the team’s 202 goals.   In fact, half of that 160 came from just four players – Nash, Vinnie Prospal, Derick Brassard, and R.J. Umberger.  It’s safe to say that opposing team defenses knew precisely which line and which players to key in on.  While there’s certainly no one standout forward on the 2012-13 Blue Jackets, the deeper offensive corps can look to spread out that scoring more and possibly find some opportunities against their opponents’ defensive second-pair.

The Blue Jackets were one of only seven teams to have only two 20-goal scorers.  Only one, R.J. Umberger, is still with the team.   This is okay.   The lack of a superstar shouldn’t concern anyone outside of the marketing department.  Sure, there’s no go-to guy, no ‘face of the franchise,’ but there’s a lot to be said for scoring by committee in today’s NHL.  Six teams went without a 30-goal scorer last season; all of them made the playoffs.

General Manager Scott Howson is happy about his team’s current makeup, saying shortly after the Nash deal:

“We think we have a more balanced, a more versatile group up front and we’ll have to get some goals from some people.  We think we have 6 or 7 guys good for 15 to 25 goals.”  

While Howson’s projections may seem like an optimistic leap, there’s certainly a chance to see as many as six players net 20 in Columbus this year.  Prospal’s done it five times, Dubinsky twice, and Umberger four years running.  Cam Atkinson can be counted on to clear 20 in his first full season.  New acquisitions Artem Anisimov and Nick Foligno, given more opportunity and more ice time, also have the potential to hit the mark.

One more thought.  Though it’s vastly oversimplifying things, the combination of Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov outscored Rick Nash last season, with 70 points to Nash’s 59.  Yes, Nash was the best player in the deal, but Columbus did get back two young, hardworking players who continue to improve and develop, and should be expected to build on their numbers.   Nash may never get back to his benchmark 79-point season from 2008-09.

Columbus has no superstars, but that’s what makes them better. History may very well show us that Scott Howson lost the Rick Nash trade, but he’s improved his club – both in the players he’s acquired and in the message to the guys in the dressing room, that there’s no savior to fall back on anymore.

They’re no longer a team waiting for one guy to take charge and lead the brigade.  In fact, they’re more of a team.

Each player in that dressing room has something to prove, and the Jackets will be working hard to show that they truly are better off without Rick Nash.

(BridgetDS/Flickr)

 Originally posted on The Hockey Writers

It was December 8, 2011.  The Rangers were 15-6-3, coming off a loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs that halted a five-game win streak.  The Lightning, 12-14-2, were desperate for a win, having lost their previous five games.

With the score knotted at one, Artem Anisimov carried the puck through center ice, starting off a great passing play with Brandon Dubinsky and Michael Del Zotto.  The puck would eventually find its way back on to Anisimov’s stick at the top of the crease for an easy empty-net goal.

Anisimov’s fifth goal of the year would give the Rangers the lead.   It would also spark a near-brawl that resulted in a combined 38 minutes of penalties to both teams, thanks to his infamous post-goal celebration:

Columbus hopes Anisimov can bring that kind of firepower to the Blue Jackets’ lineup.

Anisimov, a product of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, was drafted by the Rangers in 2006, going 54^th overall.  He played one more season in Russia, picking up two goals and eight assists in 39 games – along with five points in seven playoff games -  before making the jump to North America for the 2007-08 season.

Anisimov got off to a strong start in his first season with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, scoring 16 goals and 27 assists for 43 points. He played alongside future NHL teammates P.A. Parenteau (now with the Colorado Avalanche), Lauri Korpikoski (now with the Phoenix Coyotes), and a fellow rookie named Ryan Callahan.

His second season in the AHL was even better.  Anisimov led the Wolf Pack in scoring, with 37 goals and 44 assists, good enough for fifth overall in the league.  He made his Rangers debut on February 3, 2008, in a game against the Atlanta Thrashers; he was held scoreless over 9:27 of ice time.  Anisimov would return to the AHL for the remainder of the season.   He rejoined the Rangers in the postseason, making his Rangers playoff debut in Game 7 of their playoff series against the Washington Capitals; a game the Rangers lost 2-1.

Anisimov started the 2009-10 season in the NHL with the New York Rangers.   He picked up his first point – an assist – against the Capitals just four games into the season.  His first NHL goal came in the Rangers’ next game, three days later, against the Anaheim Ducks.  Assisting on Anisimov’s power play marker was current Blue Jackets’ teammate Vinnie Prospal.   He finished the season eighth on the team in scoring, with 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points.

Anisimov at home in Yaroslavl (via twitter: @Anisimov42)

The 2010-11 season was Anisimov’s final under his entry-level contract, and, as players often do, he stepped up in his contract year.  Anisimov posted career highs in goals (18), assists (26), and points (44), playing much of his time on a line with Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan.  He finished fifth on the team in scoring.  Anisimov netted his first playoff goal that postseason, opening the scoring in Game 4 of the Rangers’ series against the Washington Capitals.  The Rangers would blow a 3-0 lead in the game, ultimately losing the game 4-3 in double overtime and losing the series in five.

Anisimov came into 2011-12 with a freshly-inked two year deal valued at $1.875 million per season. While he didn’t quite match his career numbers from the prior year, Anisimov still contributed to the team’s offense. The acquisition of Brad Richards and continued development of Derek Stepan rearranged the depth chart and chipped away at Anisimov’s ice time.  His average time on ice dropped from 16:12 the prior year to 15:24 in 2011-12. His shots on goal dropped significantly 190 to 132. Despite this, he still scored 16 goals and 20 assists.  He hit career highs in power play goals (4) and plus/minus rating (+12).  His ironman streak, though, came to an end during the season; he’d played an impressive 233 consecutive games for the Rangers before suffering an upper body injury that sidelined him for three games in March of 2012.  In the postseason, Anisimov scored ten points in 20 playoff games, though he did spend a bit of time pinned to the bench in John Tortorella’s doghouse during the Eastern Conference Finals.

Former Rangers Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky hope to help Columbus return to the playoffs (Bridget Samuels/Flickr)

Anisimov had picked up his overall game and improved his play away from the puck.  The Rangers, though, had other forwards who were doing the same at a more rapid pace.  Derek Stepan, joining the Rangers right from the NCAA in 2010, had outscored Anisimov in back-to-back seasons and was solidly in front of him on the depth chart.  The emergence of Carl Hagelin on the wing further complicated the Rangers’ top six.  Anisimov was effectively trapped on the third line, with less opportunity to continue to contribute and to develop as a scorer.

When the opportunity arose to acquire Columbus winger Rick Nash, Anisimov was an obvious choice for inclusion in the deal.  Rangers’ GM Glen Sather was reluctant to part with any of his top forwards, and, at that time, Anisimov was outside the top six.  On July 23, the deal was made, and Anisimov, along with Brandon Dubinsky and Tim Erixon, was on his way to Columbus.

Only, Anisimov was already out of town.  On his honeymoon.  In Fiji.

“In Fiji, it’s 16 hours ahead, so it was already the next morning. My cellphone had no reception in the room. But when we got to breakfast, my phone started telling me I had all these messages, and before I could look at any of them, my agent called. He’d been trying for an hour or so, I think.”

“It didn’t affect our honeymoon at all. We had a great time. And the more I thought about it, the more I started to get pretty excited. We have a pretty good team here, you know? We have some great players. We have the same dreams they have in New York or on any other team.” – Artem Anisimov, courtesy Blue Jackets Xtra.

Anisimov brings a solid, though not spectacular, game to Columbus. He’s shown flashes of offensive brilliance, though he’s lacked in the consistency to maintain that level of play.  At 6’4”, 200 lbs., Anisimov is an imposing figure on the ice, but needs to better leverage his size to his advantage.  Columbus General Manager Scott Howson expects Anisimov to be able to finally hit the 20-goal mark this season, and, given his progress, that’s certainly reasonable.

“We’re going to be very competitive, we’re going to be hardworking, we’re going to be fast. Our forward group is exciting. It has lots of balance, lots of versatility.”

“Dubinsky and Anisimov [give] us size and skill at the center position. We were small there and we needed to get bigger. They can play center and on the wing and this gives [Head Coach] Todd Richards more options at the top of the lineup.” – Columbus GM Scott Howson via press conference following the trade.

Coach Todd Richards has reportedly penciled Anisimov in at the team’s third line center, according to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch, giving the team greater depth at center:

“I think the guys we added are a reason to be excited. Strength down the middle is a good way to build your team. [Anisimov is a] really big, strong, good skater. The role he was used in in New York was a third-line winger or center. But what has me really intrigued is his size, and the fact that he moved very well on the ice.” – Blue Jackets Head Coach Todd Richards

As Anisimov goes in to the final year of his contract, he’ll also have a great opportunity to step up his game and prove himself as more than a third-line center.  He’ll continue to grow and develop, and hopefully surpass the 20-goal mark.  For Columbus to be competitive, he’ll need to.

Anisimov shouldn’t bother with the ‘sniper rifle’ celebration this year, though.

In Columbus, they’ve got a cannon.

View more articles by Josh at The Hockey Writers

Brandon Dubinsky has spent his entire professional career with the New York Rangers. For the 2012-13 season, though, he’s trading in his Blueshirt for a Blue Jacket.

His path to Columbus started 2,000 miles west of Nationwide Arena at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon.

Playing in his hometown Anchorage All-Stars, Dubinsky was planning to move to the college ranks, likely with the University of Alaska at Anchorage. At least, that was the plan until he visited the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks’ training camp, in an attempt to get some extra ice time, he told USA Hockey Magazine.

The Alaska native began his career with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League.  His teammates included future NHL players  Braydon Coburn of the Flyers, Cody McLeod of the Avalanche, Jannik Hansen of the Canucks, and Michael Sauer, with whom he’d play on the Rangers. Dubinsky joined the team at age sixteen. In 44 games, he scored eight goals and eighteen assists for 26 points. The team struggled during his first season, posting a record of 19-40-8-5.  Though they made the playoffs, they lost in the first round to Spokane. Dubinsky managed two goals and two assists in the series.

His first full season with Portland saw significant improvement both for himself and for the team. The Winterhawks increased their win total from 19 to 34, largely on Dubinsky’s shoulders. His 30 goals, 48 assists, and 78 points led the team, and were good enough to place him eleventh in the league in scoring. He also made his presence felt physically with 137 PIM in 71 games.  The team would lose another first round playoff matchup – this time to the Tri-City Americans – with Dubinsky held to just two assists in the five game series.

Despite a weak showing in the playoffs, the New York Rangers liked what they saw in Brandon Dubinsky, enough so to select him in the second round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.  Aside from current Rangers captain Ryan Callahan, selected in the fourth round, Dubinsky was the Rangers best of the remaining twelve players chosen by the club that year, proving better than fellow draftees Lauri Korpikoski, now with the Phoenix Coyotes, and  Al Montoya, currently the backup goaltender in Winnipeg.  Hockey’s Future weighed in on the selection shortly after the draft:

“With their final pick of the second round, the Rangers took center Brandon Dubinsky from Portland of the WHL. Dubinsky is a highly skilled forward who led his team in points, with 30 goals and 78 points in 71 games. He has excellent puck skills, good on-ice vision and a competitive streak, but his skating is weak and has not committed to defense. At only 5’11, 180 pounds, size is also a concern.”

With the pressure of the draft behind him, Dubinsky’s 2004-05 numbers slipped. While the team improved ever-so-slightly – picking up one more win than the previous year – Dubinsky regressed.  His 59 points, 23 goals and 36 assists were only good enough for third on the team in scoring.  He also logged a career-high 160 minutes in the penalty box, showing his tendency for undisciplined play.   Dubinsky turned it on in the post season, netting a team-leading seven points in nine games, though the team once again was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.  It was that playoff series where Jess Rubenstein of the Prospect Park took notice of Dubinsky:

“To me the one play that told me “here is a future NHL player” happened in the 2005 WHL playoffs as Dubinsky was taking a face off against Everett in the offensive zone. I was sitting next to Everett GM (and former Ranger himself) Doug Soetart in the press box and it seemed only we knew what was going to happen.”

“Dubinsky saw something because using a couple of nods and a shoulder shrug he set in motion a “bang bang” play that had Dubinsky win the draw to his right where his winger had moved and in the same motion fired a shot that beat the Everett goalie. Want to talk about a play that totally silences a crowd then this was it.”

“Up in the press box, Soetart could only shake his head as he saw it coming and it was one of those plays where you knew what was going to happen and there was nothing you could do to stop it. It was an NHL level play that had totally turned the game around. I asked Brandon about the play and all he would say was he knew he could win the face off and put the puck where he wanted.”

In his final year with Portland, Dubinsky found his scoring touch.  Despite only playing 51 games, his 21 goals and 46 assists were good enough to lead the Winterhawks and put him seventeenth in the league in scoring.  He showed better discipline as well, having reigned in his penalty minutes to a manageable 98. The Winterhawks, a .500 team in the regular season, picked up their game in the postseason.  For the first time in Dubinsky’s career, he saw action in the second round.  Portland defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds in the opening series but couldn’t make it past Vancouver in the Western Conference semifinal, losing in five games. Dubinsky led the way through this playoff charge, leading the team with five goals and ten assists in twelve games.

Dubinsky didn’t stay off the ice for long. With his WHL team eliminated, Dubinsky signed a three-year entry level deal with the Rangers, making him eligible to join the Rangers’ AHL farm team, the Hartford Wolfpack, for the Calder Cup playoffs.

 ”It gets you excited, getting the opportunity to step up and play for the big boys,” Dubinsky told The Oregonian.

He continued scoring at just under a point-per-game pace, even against the tougher competition in the AHL. Dubinsky picked up ten points – five goals and five assists – in eleven games, good enough for fourth on the team in scoring.  The Wolfpack would only make it as far as the second round, where they were eliminated by – ironically enough – the Portland Pirates.  (Unlike Dubinsky’s previous club in Portland, Oregon, the Pirates play in Portland, Maine).

Though he had a strong showing in training camp and in the preseason with the New York Rangers, Dubinsky started the 2006-07 season with Hartford.  In 71 games with the club, he piled up 21 goals and 22 assists for 43 points, along with 155 PIM.  Dubinsky’s development continued through the year, with his strong play earning him a late-season call up. His Rangers debut was March 8, 2007, against the New York Islanders.  He went on to play five more games with the Rangers that season, but was held without a point.  Back in Hartford, the team finished with a 47-29-3-1 record, second in the Atlantic Division.  Both the team and Dubinsky just couldn’t get going in the postseason, as they lost their opening round series to the Providence Bruins, with Dubinsky limited to one goal and three assists.

The following season, 2007-08, Dubinsky had a strong camp and started the season with the Rangers.  He was good out of the gate, showing greater confidence than he had the prior year.  It took only sixteen games for Dubinsky to score his first NHL goal, which came in a 4-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Despite playing on a squad that had just acquired highly-coveted free agent centers Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, Dubinsky soon found himself centering future Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr. His ‘north-south’ play complemented Jagr’s style, with both enjoying their complementary partnership.  Coach Tom Renney praised Dubinsky’s commitment to his style of play, and on not trying to change his approach to fit in with Jagr:

 ”Brandon plays his game. He’s a big, strong kid who is only going to get bigger and stronger. And he’s unflappable when it comes to the movement of the puck, where it has to go.”

Dubinsky was rewarded for his strong play with a spot on the Young Stars team at the 2008 NHL All Star Game, where his two goals and one assist earned him the MVP of the game.

He went on to finish the season with 14 goals and 26 assists for 40 points and 79 PIM.  In ten playoff games, a first-round defeat of the Devils followed by a second-round loss to the Penguins, Dubinsky netted four goals and four assists.  Dubinsky was awarded the Rangers’ Steven McDonald Extra Effort award, as voted by the fans, and the Rangers’ Rookie of the Year, as voted by his teammates.  Dubinsky also garnered consideration for the Calder Trophy, where he finished tenth in voting.  He also won the praise of future Hall-of-Famer teammate Brendan Shanahan:

“He’s developing, I guess, as you would wish every player you draft develops. He’s really trying to become all things needed in a hockey game. Whoever drafted him [current Phoenix Coyotes GM Don Maloney] should be very proud.”

Dubinsky avoided the dreaded sophomore slump in 2008-09, though just barely, as he remained nearly consistent on the score sheet in his second full year with the Rangers. Jagr, lost to the KHL, was replaced by Nikolay Zherdev as Dubinsky’s right winger.  Dubinsky got off to a torrid start to the season, with eleven points in his first eleven games, but quickly had his confidence shaken.  After taking two undisciplined penalties and arguing them with the officials, Rangers coach Tom Renney benched the pesky forward.  Dubinsky’s confidence and his scoring touch were derailed. Dubinsky struggled after his benching, enduring a stretch of twenty games without a goal – part of a 33-game run with only one goal and ten assists.

Dubinsky, via New York Post article by Larry Brooks, commented on his struggle:

 ”I’d never gone through anything like that at any level. I’ve gone through stretches of time where I didn’t play well and didn’t score for a while, but those were times when I recognized that I wasn’t working hard enough or was cheating. This was the first time where I felt like I was doing the right things but couldn’t score, and it definitely was a burden to me. “

Dubinsky eventually rediscovered his game, finishing the year with 13 goals and 28 assists for 41 points, fifth on the team, while racking up 112 PIM.   His game picked up under the tutelage of new head coach John Tortorella, who took over for Tom Renney in February.  The Rangers made the playoffs but lost a tough seven-game series to the Washington Capitals. Dubinsky finished second on the team in playoff scoring with four points and was one of only two players with a positive postseason plus/minus score.

At the end of the 2008-09 season, Dubinsky became a Restricted Free Agent.  Unable to come to terms with the team, he held out of training camp. Dubinsky told the New York Post:

“It’s killing me not to be in camp with my teammates. I feel terrible about it. I didn’t come to New York three weeks ago to start skating and training in order not to be there, but we haven’t been able to reach a deal. I don’t want to comment on the negotiations, but this is all part of the business, and it’s unfortunate.”

“I get the team concept, I get the importance of being there with the guys and going through a tough camp with them from the get-go. It’s not a question of not wanting to be there. Everybody knows how much I love New York and playing for the Rangers.”

Eight days into his holdout, both sides agreed on a two-year deal valued at $3.7M. Though he’d only missed a little over a week, there were concerns about Dubinsky’s conditioning, preparation, and focus going into the season.  Dubinsky shared these concerns with the Daily News:

“I’m excited and obviously relieved to have a deal done. I just want to go in and play. There’s definitely going to be questions – ‘Is he ready to go, because he’s missed a week now? Is he fit enough? Will he be prepared to start the season?’ They’re all valid questions. I’ve just got to prove I’m prepared.”

By missing training camp, Dubinsky also missed an opportunity to get acclimated to his new teammates.   Gone were Scott Gomez, Markus Naslund, and Nikolay Zherdev; in came Vinny Prospal and Marian Gaborik.

Dubinsky put up three points in the first two games of the season.   After that, his scoring practically stopped.  It took him nine games to score three more points.   Over twenty games, he scored just one goal.

Then, in a game against the Calgary Flames on November 7^th, Dubinsky broke his hand blocking a shot.  Eighteen games into the season, with only three goals and seven assists, he was on Injured Reserve.

Returning to the lineup on December 14 against Winnipeg, Dubinsky was still a step behind.  Right before Christmas, though, his game began to round into form.  He finished the calendar year with six points in five games, and kept on rolling in the New Year.  Though he missed thirteen games, Dubinsky finished the season with 20 goals and 24 assists for 44 points, good enough for third on the team.  The Rangers failed to make the playoffs, missing out via shootout loss to the Flyers on the final day of the regular season.

Heading into the 2010-11 season, the final year under his contract, Dubinsky stepped up his game.  The Rangers’ top six forwards were ravaged by injuries.  Gaborik missed 20 games, Callahan missed 22, Prospal missed 43, and captain Chris Drury missed 60.  With ice time available, Dubinsky seized the opportunity, carried the load, and posted career highs in goals (24), assists (30), and points (54), and led the Rangers in all three categories.  His 100 penalty minutes were third on the team.  The Rangers bowed out of the playoffs in the first round in five games; the game-winning goal in their lone playoff victory was scored, appropriately, by Brandon Dubinsky.   In a contract year, he couldn’t have picked a better time for such a standout performance.

He even dropped the gloves with Alex Ovechkin for this memorable tilt:

The summer of 2011 saw the Rangers re-sign their two key 2004 draftees, Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky.  Coming off a career year with his new four-year, $16.8M contract, expectations were high in New York.  Disappointment came quickly.

It took fifteen games for Dubinsky to score his first goal of the season.

Fans were hoping that, by finally breaking through, the goals would keep coming.  They didn’t.

It would be another seventeen games until Dubinsky scored goal number two, though, to be fair, it was a beauty.

While he never really sparked offensively, Dubinsky did play a solid, hard-checking, defensively-responsible game.  Unfortunately, that just wasn’t enough, especially under the weight of his freshly-inked, multimillion dollar contract.

Trade rumors were swirling at the deadline that Dubinsky was going to be dealt. Dubinsky addressed them:

 ”It happens every year. Maybe with the exception of last year, I feel like I’ve been a topic of trade rumors quite often. Is it hard? No, I don’t think so. Would it be hard if it happened? Of course. I love this organization, I’ve been here for a long time and put a lot of blood, sweat and tears to this team, so that would be tough. I don’t look at it; I don’t focus on it. They are what they are, rumors. Until the day [general manager Glen Sather] tells me I’m going somewhere, I’m going to continue to come in here and enjoy every day as a New York Ranger and continue to try to help the team win games.”

“If I get traded for Rick Nash … he’s a great player. What can I do?”

The trade deadline came and went, and Dubinsky remained a Blueshirt.   He continued his solid-if-not-spectacular play.  In the postseason, Dubinsky played a gritty, feisty game.

Against the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the playoffs, Dubinsky was ejected as the third-man in on a blindside hit by Matt Carkner on Brian Boyle.  Many disputed the automatic ejection, as Boyle never had a chance to fight back and the linesman, watching the one-sided attack, declined to break it up.  Famously, Dubinsky served drinks on his way off the ice.

Dubinsky would come back.  Though he was nearly held off the scoresheet, his one assist in the series was a big one. In the pivotal game seven, Dubinsky made a key play to set up the series-winning goal.

Dubinsky suffered an injured foot in the same game, and missed the entire series against the Capitals. He returned for the final two games against the Devils, scoring one assist, before the Rangers were eliminated in the Conference Finals.

After the season, the Rangers resumed their pursuit of Blue Jackets winger Rick Nash. While aggressive, the team was hesistant to give up any core players.  Ultimately, they were forced to part with Dubinsky.  GM Glen Sather, as reported by Newsday’s Steve Zipay, acknowledged that both Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov “were pieces of the core, but we think with Kreider coming along . . . and we have more young kids going to come in sooner or later. This kind of quality hockey player doesn’t come along very often.”   Moving his $4.2M cap hit helped to offset Nash’s $7.8M contract, and Dubinsky’s potential was appealing to Columbus, a team with a solid, young defense but thin up front.

The Columbus Dispatch reported that Dubinsky wasn’t exactly shocked to find out he’d been moved:

“I’ve heard my name attached to the trade for months now. But even though you expect it, it still comes as kind of a shock. I’ve never been traded before, so this is tough. It’s a tough day.   It’s one of those things where I knew if it was going to happen, I’d be a part of it.”

He addressed the season leading up to the trade with Steve Zipay of Newsday:

“I think that having the season I had last year sort of opened the door for this trade a little bit more than it was before, but I was traded for a world class player, so it’s nothing that I’m terribly upset about, because in order for the Rangers to get the player that they wanted, they had to give up some good players. And I know the organization thought highly of me and still does. So I don’t really hold any grudges or hold that against them.”

In Columbus, Dubinsky will take the ice with some familiar faces. Coming along in the trade to the Blue Jackets were Artem Anisimov and Tim Erixon. He’ll also be reinuted with former Rangers teammates Fedor Tyutin and Vinny Prospal, as well as Team USA teammates Nick Foligno, James Wisniewski, and Jack Johnson.

In the past, when presented with an opportunity, Dubinsky has stepped up.

There has never been a bigger opportunity for him than this.

Originally posted on  The Hockey Writers

Images courtesy BridgetDS via Flickr