Get To Know a Ranger: Blair Betts

by David Getz on Apr 14, 2009 10:00 AM EDT

[Ed. note: As part of the build-up to the first round playoff series between the Capitals and the Rangers, Japers' Rink will be looking at some of the important but lesser-known players on the Rangers and how they might impact the series.]

Blair Betts

#15 / Center / New York Rangers

Height: 6-3

Weight: 210

Born: Feb 16, 1980

Birthplace Edmonton, Alta., Canada

Draft: 33rd overall, 1998

Acquired: Trade with Calgary, March 6, 2004

Strengths	Has good size for the pivot position and solid two-way skills. Displays leadership qualities and a sound work ethic.
Weaknesses	Has limited scoring and/or playmaking ability. Also doesn't have the greatest skating ability, which limits his effectiveness in the NHL.
Potential	Checking line center.

Regular Season	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	SOG	PCT
2005-06	66	8	2	10	-10	24	0	1	0	94	4.8
2006-07	82	9	4	13	-4	24	1	1	1	120	7.5
2007-08	75	2	5	7	-4	20	0	0	0	85	2.4
2008-09	81	6	4	10	-5	16	0	2	1	83	7.2

Playoffs	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	SOG	PCT
2005-06	4	1	1	2	-1	2	4	25.0
2006-07	10	0	0	0	-5	4	9	0.0
2007-08	8	0	0	0	-4	2	7	0.0

Why you should know who he is - Betts is the Rangers' answer to Boyd Gordon, a quietly gritty, defensively sound center man who excels on defense (he was among the team's best in GA/60 this year and last year). Betts isn't likely to see much even strength time, though, and isn't likely to have much of an impact when he does play in five-on-five situations. Rather, Betts' impact will come on the Rangers' NHL-best penalty kill, a unit he led in ice time.

How the Caps can stop him - Betts isn't a player who needs to be "stopped" per se - he doesn't have the potential to change the series the way guys like Brandon Dubinsky, Marc Staal, or Ryan Callahan can. That said, if the Capitals can limit Betts' effectiveness it will go a long way towards limiting the effectiveness of the Rangers' penalty kill unit as a whole. The Capitals ought to look to wear out Betts - and the Rangers penalty kill unit as a whole - by making the effort to draw as many penalties as possible, and by keeping their powerplay fast-moving and agressive when they do have the man advantage.

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Comments

Does Betts PK on 52’s side of the ice, the right point?

Modern Art Notes

by TylerG on Apr 14, 2009 10:01 AM EDT reply actions

I like that you’ve singled out Blair Betts – he is at the heart of the Rangers’ PK, and their PK is going to be one of the top two factors in the series.

In order to get a decent number of power plays, the Caps are going to have to forecheck hard, move the puck, and GO. TO. THE. NET. Once they’ve got them, it’s going to be a matter of getting the puck down low, quieted down (hello, VC ice) and then start to move it around.

The Rags like to disrupt the PP at the blueline, contesting the entry pass, and muddying up the zone. If the Caps can get past that initial line of resistance and get set up, they will get their chances.

P.S. I think the other big factor in the series is going to be control of the neutral zone. Both teams want it, but who’s going to get it?

by fat_daddyo on Apr 14, 2009 10:08 AM EDT reply actions

it’s going to be a matter of getting the puck down low, quieted down (hello, VC ice) and then start to move it around.

The MSG ice is terrible as well. Hopefully the ice doesn’t serve as much of an equalizer for the series.

by Rob Parker on Apr 14, 2009 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Admittedly, I know nothing about Betts but shouldn’t a checking line center be a positive plus/minus player at some point in his career?

by b.orr4 on Apr 14, 2009 10:16 AM EDT reply actions

Since they mainly use him as a PKer there’s probably little opportunity for him to get a + or a -. His line probably gets taken advantage of 5 on 5.

by snowburnt on Apr 14, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions

His quality of teammates for most of his career has been terrible and he doesn’t score much himself, which is part of the reason.

by David Getz on Apr 14, 2009 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

One could argue that the beer vendors might have more of an impact on this series then Betts.

by SA-Town on Apr 14, 2009 10:22 AM EDT reply actions

Let’s hear it.

Modern Art Notes

by TylerG on Apr 14, 2009 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions

If Betts PKs on 52’s side of the ice, the right point, he could have a major impact on the series. But if you’d like to make your case, we’re all ears.

Modern Art Notes

by TylerG on Apr 14, 2009 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Respectfully disagree here.

The Rangers have had a real good PK this year (although they have padded those numbers against the also-rans of the league). On the other hand, the Caps PP has been a big plus for them, both in the sense that they’ve scored a bunch, but also in the sense that when you’re on the PP, you’re not exposing your leaky PK.

The number of penalties the Caps draw, and what they do with them, will go a long way towards determining the outcome of this series. And Betts will be a big part in what the Rangers contribute to the second variable in the equation.

by fat_daddyo on Apr 14, 2009 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions

isn’t this one of the teams the Caps got a shorty against?

by snowburnt on Apr 14, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions

I believe that is correct. And if memory serves, BB put out a very offensive-minded PK unit, and they popped one.

by fat_daddyo on Apr 14, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Yup, I think it was Ovie.

by grapejoos on Apr 14, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions

One could argue that the beer vendors might have more of an impact on this series then Betts.

I’d have to think that the guy who leads the league’s best penalty kill in (forwards) ice time will be pretty important against the league’s second-best powerplay.

by David Getz on Apr 14, 2009 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I agree. And even if he doesn’t usually play opposite the right point, I bet he will on Wednesday night. Apparently the playoffs bring out the usually-dormant Keith Joneses among us.

Modern Art Notes

by TylerG on Apr 14, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Seems like a pick your poison situation to me.

Would you rather shut down Ovie or Green? To put it a different way. As a Caps fan, who would you rather see limited by Betts on the PP? Greener or Ovie?

by Sct112 on Apr 14, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Hmmmm. Once the Caps get set up in the zone on the PP, they’ll get their chances. The real strength of the Rags PK, after watching them an admittedly few times, is their ability to stifle play within a few feet of the blue line. They’ve looked great at preventing the opposition from getting organized in the zone.

I agree with you on the “pick your poison” analysis, though.

by fat_daddyo on Apr 14, 2009 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions

rec’d for the chuckle.

by Yoshietree on Apr 14, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Relax…Just a little joke to downplay the guy.

Everyone knows the Road to the cup runs through Bett’s Living Room.

by SA-Town on Apr 14, 2009 10:38 AM EDT reply actions

You’ve added a lot. Thanks for participating.

Smart post, DMG. I think you identified a key player that we won’t hear the Versus-types shouting about. They’ll be too busy broadcasting to… yeah.

Modern Art Notes

by TylerG on Apr 14, 2009 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions

The Versus talking heads drive me nuts. I mean, honestly, I think my 8-year-old daughter could put down her Barbies and come up with the same level of insight.

by fat_daddyo on Apr 14, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Disclaimer, Bettsy is my favourite player

Just to chip in some firsthand observations here, Bettsy can skate like the wind, he just can’t stickhandle or shoot. Albeit, he did score the gamewinner against the Flyers on Sunday but more often than not he can’t hit the broadside of a barn. He has gotten breakaway after breakaway and totally blown the shot, to the point where he pulls up most of the time now to wait for someone who can shoot better than him.

What Betts does well is kill penalties and win faceoffs. The combo of him and Sjostrom are utterly fantastic on the kill, something the numbers can’t show. If you just look at those, you have to take into consideration that he has skated alongside Colton Orr, Ryan Hollweg and Aaron Voros among others. Not gonna set the world aflame like that …

I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!

by Scotty Hockey on Apr 14, 2009 3:31 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs