Toronto Raptors name Masa Ujiri new General Manager.

 

 

After weeks of speculation, it seems that the Raptors have found their new GM in Masai Ujiri. Earlier today, Yahoo’s  Andrian Wojnarowski tweeted out the following confirming that indeed the Raptors have found their new General Manager.

 

https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/340594132353445888

 

Ujiri has spent the last few seasons as a General Manager for the Denver Nuggets. Ujiri has been with the Raptors before becoming GM for the Nuggets in 2010 making the postseason the 3 years he has been there.

After Bryan Colangelo was let go of his General Managing duties, it seemed clear that Ujiri, after the Raps were granted permission to speak to Ujiri, it looked like a done deal that he would be joining the squad.

After getting a new MLSE president in Tim Leiweke it seems the Raptors are heading in the right direction in terms of having a shake up, what do you think? Do you like the move? or would you have liked  someone else?

Losing Henrik Lundqvuist would mean giving up on everything the rangers have built

After another early playoff exit, or at least for a team like New York, the Rangers were once again a big disappointment in the shortened season. Just making the playoffs and finishing in the six seed, the Rangers surprised some people on where they would be in the Eastern conference. Many, including me, thought the new revamped Rangers with Rick Nash, Manny Gaborik and a healthy Brad Richards would be at the top or near the top of the East. But with scoring problems and injuries the Rangers quickly plummeted into the bottom and was on the outside looking in  They made it into the playoffs, but bowed out to the tough Bruins in 5 games.

As the Rangers players cleaned  out their dressing room, questions were thrown and doubt started on whether this team can continue with this core core group of players. With Brad Richards having the worst playoffs of his career while not looking like Brad Richards and being benched, there were wonders on if the amnesty clause coming into effect will be placed on him. Head Coach John Tortorella was under fire as he can be after the exit, fans, reporters and bloggers made the same point and right point about the coach. In which they should fire him, yes he has won a cup with Brad Richards and Tampa Bay  back in 2004, but he has put a bad rap into the team and his constant media tyrants certainly put the team in a bit of an awkward spot. Torts has been with the club for a while now and the ax should fall on him

But one guy who I think should not go is All-Star goaltender Henrik Lundqvuist. He had one his best seasons ever, posting a .926 Save Percentage and a .205 Goals Against Average. Game in and out it seems he steals games for the Rangers and constantly puts them on his back, while still remaining to be the best goalie in the world today.

He is set to make 6 Million next season before coming an Unrestricted Free-Agent come 2014. If the Rangers want to continue to be near the top of the Eastern Conference, and be in playoff contention, they need to keep Lundqvuist, and sign him as soon as possible. The Rangers have come to close so many times to going to the Stanley Cup Finale that just losing one of your best players if not your best players would just mean you are relying on another goalie with Biron set to be a free agent as well, which would probably mean the Rangers would need to look on another direction, and would have to add more patience to an impatient fan club.

As for Lundqvuist side, it would be easy to just take the money for another team and get a fresh start, but like I said before, he has given so much to that club and I just don’t see him throwing that all away.

With the chances of Tortorella leaving the Big Apple increasing, having a new coach in and having a new mindset for Lundqvuist would be interesting to see. Especially since Gaborik got traded and newcomers like Chris Krieder and Mats Zuccarello will get more playing time. Hopefully Michael Del Zotto will bounce back and have a promising year for the boys in blue, he has offensive talent and the rangers need that  offensive boost that, on paper has looked super, but it has not payed off on the ice for a long time.

I hate the rangers as much as the next guy, but having this team be good and in the “cup hunt” year in and out is good for the league, and Lundqvuist who the Rangers need if they wish to do just that. For a team that depends on defense and solid goal tending, having Henrik just walk away makes no sense and pretty much means they are giving up, and thought that all this was a waste and want to rebuild, and with the patience of Rangers fans thinning, Glen Sather would be in a very sour situation.

As a Lundqvuist fan it is hard for me to say I want for him to win a cup because he plays for the Rangers, but I hope he does. Because if there is one player that deserves it, it would be him. I know it is the Rangers and everyone likes to see them fail, but honesty will take over me and say that I really don’t want Lundqvuist to end up like Mats Sundin or Daniel Alfredsson, who are exceptional players, but have never won the big one. Who, when it comes to success are more known what they did overseas to win gold then what they could not do in the NHL and win a silver cup.

Henrik Lundqvuist is too darn good and special to watch to have his career wasted on not winning a cup, This kind of goalie fans rarely get to see on a daily basis, so I should sit back and while smiling and wowing at every miraculous save he makes, have that glimmer of hope that he stays with the club he has protected for all these years, because it would be weird if he won anywhere else.