New York Rangers add Martin Biron Derek Boogaard

For those fans who have come to see July 1 as Major Splash Day for the Broadway Blueshirts, the series of ripples the Rangers kicked up Thursday will have to suffice. Surely Henrik Lundqvist must appreciate how Glen Sather is looking out for his well-being.

With cap space in short supply but needs aplenty, Sather Thursday bucked his flashy trend and settled on two new players and two return engagements - the new guys are a backup goaltender and an 18-wheeler for the fourth line, all, as the GM put it, to provide a little protection for the franchise goalie. Erik Christensen (two-year deal) and Vinny Prospal (a reported one-year, $1million), two castaways who became bargains on the Rangers last year, also re-upped with the team; all four cost one-eighth what the Rangers poured out to Scott Gomez and Chris Drury three summers ago.

Free agency was only minutes old Thursday when Martin Biron and the Blueshirts came together on a two-year deal worth $1.75million, and hours later, Derek Boogaard became the latest heap of muscle to be heralded as the end of the Rangers' days of getting pushed around. Boogaard, all 6-8, 258 pounds of him, will be called upon to fight and facewash those who mess with Henrik and others - although for $6.5 million over four years, does he have any other tricks? The Rangers, allergic to goals and still paying Donald Brashear, are now hooked in until 2014 to a player who scored all of twice in five seasons for Minnesota - and not since January of 2006."