Rangers Review: Brandon Dubinsky
A contract negotiation that dragged on far too long. A week long holdout, trade rumors, a mid-season position change, the first injury of his NHL career, and a career year points-wise. Add it all up, and it was a very busy year for Brandon Dubinsky.
What We Liked: When Brandon is on his game, he has the makings of being a solid offensive player for the Rangers. He can play the physical game, is not afraid to get in anyone's face, and his 20 goals were good enough to tie him for second on the team. He was second to Chris Drury on face-offs among centers, and the Rangers were 12-1-4 with Dubi in the lineup. He is the closest thing the Rangers have to a power forward.
What We Didn't Like: What plagues Brandon plagues the entire team: inconsistency. He is still prone to long scoring droughts, I believe there is still immaturity in his game, still too many nights where he is just taking shifts. He needs to bring the intensity every night. He probably needs to thicken up the skin a little as well, because I do believe the coach was in his head early in the year.
Highlight Game: January 17th, 2010: A three point night against the Montreal Canadiens, including a short handed goal, leading the Rangers to a 6-2 win. It was one of nine multi-point games for Dubinsky this season.
Final Thoughts:
With just three full seasons in the NHL, I think Brandon is still on the way up. As he matures, his numbers will improve, and he will become the player we all believe he can be. We have not seen the best of Brandon Dubinsky, but he needs to play every night like he does against Mike Richards of the Flyers.
