Waived: Jeff Halpern (Claimed by Montreal)

[ImIdaho]

Don't really know how anyone could really be upset over this. Team is dying in the standing do to lack of offense, we lost a player who hasnt scored a single goal all season and will likely add someone who can (Fast? Zuke?)

He was good on the draws thats about it, what good is that if we never have a lead to protect? He's certainly not going to be taking draws in the offensive zone with 5 minute left since he cant score.

It's like people frothing from the mouth over Boyle because he can win a faceoff.

So what? He'll win one, they'll get a shot or two, end up giving the puck away, and then the Rangers just end up getting pinned in their own zone one way or another.

 

[Analyzer*]

Not sure if anyone cares, but according to Renaud Lavoie Halpern was really well liked in Montreal.

For Centres havs have: Plekanec, Desharnais, Eller, Galchenyuk, Dumont* and White. White and Dumont are alright on the draw, but aren't as experienced. The others can't win a draw to save their life.

I see he has 36 hits in 30 games. In his season with the habs he had 42 in 72 games, so he better not drop off on his physicality. Otherwise, the habs should have just traded for Boyle.

 

[NYR Sting]

The thought of squaring off against a team with Jeff Halpern centering the 4th line will haunt my nightmares every night until the playoffs.

We narrowly escaped the playoff matchup against Halpern's Caps last season. If I recall correctly, all the talk during the series was about Halpern (When is Halpern getting into the lineup? When did the Caps get Halpern again?).

We both enjoy sarcasm often 31, but you well know that this isn't the point I'm making. You can argue that the impact made by a player like Halpern isn't great, but it doesn't change the fact that the Rangers just made themselves worse by giving away a player who wasn't playing poorly (there are players still on the roster who were a bigger negative relative to their cap hit) got nothing in return, and in the process, strengthened a competitor for free. Halpern is one of the better faceoff men in the league, and the Habs struggle with faceoffs.

Faceoffs were enough of a concern for this club after last season that they signed Halpern specifically for that very reason, and he did exactly what he was signed to do: he won faceoffs and he played well defensively.

 

[Punxrocknyc19*]

it doesnt make sense that Newbury is replacing Halpern on the roster... something else must be happening. if nothing happens within the next few days ill be shocked.

 

[aufheben]

Good for Halpy, gets to play for a real team. Thanks for the effort Mr. Halpern!

 

[Graves94]

it doesnt make sense that Newbury is replacing Halpern on the roster... something else must be happening. if nothing happens within the next few days ill be shocked.

I agree. I think a trade is very likely happening. Sather has a history of lining all his ducks before pulling the trigger on a deal.

 

[Punxrocknyc19*]

I agree. I think a trade is very likely happening. Sather has a history of lining all his ducks before pulling the trigger on a deal.

what type of deal do you think it is??

 

[eco's bones]

And Tortorella voiced his concern over the lineup during an interview before one of the first few games of the season. He was talking about shuffling lines and said that the Rangers lost players over the summer who he would move around to give other players a boost. Players like Dubinsky and Anisimov gave Tortorella flexibility because he could put these players on scoring lines or checking lines depending on how the team was playing and the type of game it was and they wouldn't look lost. The team's more top heavy now and the bottom forwards are worse. I'm sure Sather was banking on Kreider being a point producer to help offset the loss of some of those players but as of now Nash has had little help at all from the new additions.

30 games and 1 assist and he's playing well? That anyway is what I've been reading through all these pages. I know there's a lot more to the game than stats but 1 point in 30 games = practically no offensive impact at all. Think about it--a center is the guy who supposedly sets up his wings for goal scoring opportunities--think some more about the young ones Kreider and Miller who have Brian Boyle centering for them. Nice. It impacts the whole team when the bottom two lines are producing absolutely nothing. Frankly Halpern sucked--just like Boyle and Pyatt are sucking. If all a 4th line center has to do is win more face-offs than he loses and kill penalties (and our penalty killing is not nearly as good as last year's) then great but expect what you get then--a mediocrity of a team. AFAIC Halpern can hit the road and there's a few others that can follow him.

 

[Graves94]

what type of deal do you think it is??

Really don't know, but I'm thinking it will be a puck moving Dman that can help the PP. Just a hunch.

 

[pld459666]

You don't think Callahan is a player similar to Backes, Doan, or Lucic?

No.

He's a capable scorer. But they provide a level of toughness that Cally canot match.

n

 

[Callagraves]

You don't think Callahan is a player similar to Backes, Doan, or Lucic?

The most similar player there is Backes, He and Cally are virtually the same player. Backes is a little more quiet in his playstyle; just as good defensively, but a different style. He's similar, but a more methodical player in contrast to Cally's crash-bang playstyle.

Doan and Lucic are true powerforward builds; Cally plays that style but doesn't have the size to overpower people the way they do. He's better defensively than either of them, and these days he's on par with them offensively (Doan used to be the far and away best player of that group, but he's slowed a bit in the past few years).

The best comparables to Cally are Backes (who might be better defensively 5 on 5), and Brown (again, has some better size).

 

[Punxrocknyc19*]

http://snyrangersblog.com/2012-13-players/jeff-halpern/read-why-jeff-halpern-isnt-a-ranger-anymore/

 

[Samuel Culper III]

We both enjoy sarcasm often 31, but you well know that this isn't the point I'm making. You can argue that the impact made by a player like Halpern isn't great, but it doesn't change the fact that the Rangers just made themselves worse by giving away a player who wasn't playing poorly (there are players still on the roster who were a bigger negative relative to their cap hit) got nothing in return, and in the process, strengthened a competitor for free. Halpern is one of the better faceoff men in the league, and the Habs struggle with faceoffs.

Faceoffs were enough of a concern for this club after last season that they signed Halpern specifically for that very reason, and he did exactly what he was signed to do: he won faceoffs and he played well defensively.

This is as accurate as it gets.

it doesnt make sense that Newbury is replacing Halpern on the roster... something else must be happening. if nothing happens within the next few days ill be shocked.

Agreed. Do we save (significant enough to comment on) money by dressing Newbury over Halpern? Are we under ANY illusions that Newbury will be better than Halpern? I don't get it.

 

[Blueblood9]

Do you think this means Boyle 4th line center now and miller moves to center on 3 rd with Kreider and maybe fasth

 

[polako]

Good riddance.

37 year old 4th line center. Doesn't score, doesn't hit. Possibly opens up a spot for a younger player to breathe some life into the 3rd line. Sends Boyle to his rightful place on the 4th line.

No harsh feelings towards Halpern, but he certainly never matched the quality of some of our other 4th line PK specialists of the past, like Dom Moore, Betts, Prust and Ortmeyer.

 

[Kershaw]

Agreed. Do we save (significant enough to comment on) money by dressing Newbury over Halpern? Are we under ANY illusions that Newbury will be better than Halpern? I don't get it.

It's to free open a contract spot for a potential overseas player signing (Zuccarello or Vermin) or a trade where we receive an additional player or two.

 

[Kreider Typical]

Good riddance.

37 year old 4th line center. Doesn't score, doesn't hit. Possibly opens up a spot for a younger player to breathe some life into the 3rd line. Sends Boyle to his rightful place on the 4th line.

No harsh feelings towards Halpern, but he certainly never matched the quality of some of our other 4th line PK specialists of the past, like Dom Moore, Betts, Prust and Ortmeyer.

he was brought in as a faceoff specialist-- not a pk specialist(or to add scoring as some others have suggested). that's why he was here. faceoffs. both ottawa(konopka?) and washington(halpern) had faceoff specialists that destroyed us. i'm sure it's the same reason montreal picked him up.

he was fine on the pk, and defensively-- but the reason he was here was to take important draws. if we had our 3rd line scoring goals, he might still be here for that reason, but we don't so he is forced to move on.

i'm also fine to see him go, but he filled his role as good as could've been expected.

boyle's has more upside outside of draws, so as long as boyle drops to the 4th i'm extremely content with losing halpern, even if there's no return, it opens our options up for kids.

 

[Callagraves]

I liked Halpy, but we have an abundance of strictly defensive bottom six forwards. Hopefully, this means Boyle will be the official 4th line center.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

It's to free open a contract spot for a potential overseas player signing (Zuccarello or Vermin) or a trade where we receive an additional player or two.

Maybe. That's speculation for now. And we couldn't have tried waiving Bickel (on waivers today, obviously) first? Why waive the most useful option (among guys you don't really mind losing on waivers) first? Did we announce a signing today that we needed the spot immediately? We couldn't trade Bickel + 7th for 7th to open a spot? I'm just saying; it's not the most logical move. I'm not crying over spilled milk; it's not a big deal to lose Halpern, but it just doesn't make a lot of sense either.

 

[Tawnos]

If he was here to take important draws, how come he never took any?

 

[Kershaw]

Maybe. That's speculation for now. And we couldn't have tried waiving Bickel (on waivers today, obviously) first? Why waive the most useful option (among guys you don't really mind losing on waivers) first? Did we announce a signing today that we needed the spot immediately? We couldn't trade Bickel + 7th for 7th to open a spot? I'm just saying; it's not the most logical move. I'm not crying over spilled milk; it's not a big deal to lose Halpern, but it just doesn't make a lot of sense either.

My guess is we're probably getting a center back in a trade who can play on the 3rd line immediately.

 

[Thirty One]

We both enjoy sarcasm often 31, but you well know that this isn't the point I'm making. You can argue that the impact made by a player like Halpern isn't great, but it doesn't change the fact that the Rangers just made themselves worse by giving away a player who wasn't playing poorly (there are players still on the roster who were a bigger negative relative to their cap hit) got nothing in return, and in the process, strengthened a competitor for free. Halpern is one of the better faceoff men in the league, and the Habs struggle with faceoffs.

Faceoffs were enough of a concern for this club after last season that they signed Halpern specifically for that very reason, and he did exactly what he was signed to do: he won faceoffs and he played well defensively.

Halpern takes 5.5 faceoffs per game. Let's say you replace Halpern's 56.7% with an average faceoff man. The Rangers would lose another 0.37 faceoffs per game.

We'll survive.

If the teams involved are worse strengthened as you say, it's very marginally. Halpern's scored 4 goals in his last 101 games. (At least) 27 teams decided they didn't want Halpern for free this week. Do you wonder why that may be?

 

[5 4 Fighting]

The problem with the Rangers isn't that we have 2 fourth line centers. It's that we have no first line center.

 

[Blueshirt Believer]

The problem with the Rangers isn't that we have 2 fourth line centers. It's that we have no first line center.

Well, Step(when paired with Nash)can at least pretend to be a first line center.

 

[chosen]

We both enjoy sarcasm often 31, but you well know that this isn't the point I'm making. You can argue that the impact made by a player like Halpern isn't great, but it doesn't change the fact that the Rangers just made themselves worse by giving away a player who wasn't playing poorly (there are players still on the roster who were a bigger negative relative to their cap hit) got nothing in return, and in the process, strengthened a competitor for free. Halpern is one of the better faceoff men in the league, and the Habs struggle with faceoffs.

Faceoffs were enough of a concern for this club after last season that they signed Halpern specifically for that very reason, and he did exactly what he was signed to do: he won faceoffs and he played well defensively.

If I told you before the season that after 30 games Halpern would have one point but that he had been pretty good on faceoffs, that you would have said that that would be acceptable?

One statistical oddity I have noticed about Halpern over the years is that he scores way more in the second half of seasons. I have no verifiable proof of this, but that has always been my impression of him.