Forsberg, who last appeared in the NHL in 2008-09 with the Colorado Avalanche, still could play in the NHL next season, if his chronic foot problems hold up in Sweden.

The 36-year-old Forsber made  his NHL debut  in the strike-shortened  1994-95 season and posted 15 goals  and 35 assists  in 47 games, earning him the Calder Trophy that year as the league’s top rookie.

Forsberg  spent the  next nine  seasons in  the Mile  High city  where he  won
Stanley Cups in 1996 and 2001 and captured the Hart Trophy in 2003.

Signed  as  a free  agent by  Philadelphia prior  to the  start of the 2005-06
season,  he appeared in  100 games with the Flyers and tallied 30 goals and 85 assists before the team dealt him to Nashville last February, where he managed to appear in just 17 games and totaled two goals and 13 assists.

In  706 career  games, he has posted  249 goals and 636 assists in the regular
season and has added 64 goals and 107 assists in 151 playoff games.

Apparently Ryan Callahan suffered an upper body injury during Thursday’s morning skate.

Callahan is listed as questionable for tonight’s tilt, but the Rangers aren’t taking any chances and recalled Evgeny Grachev from Hartford.

For whatever reason, Semenov impressed head coach John Tortorella in camp and will start the year as the team’s seventh defenseman.  Although, he is likely to assume the role of healthy scratch in the  early going.

I am not sure if this has more  to do with the way Semenov performed in camp, or more likely, the sorry state of the Rangers’ blueline heading into the season.
The  28-year-old Russian notched one goal and eight points in 47 games for the San Jose Sharks in 2008-09.

Over  six  NHL seasons  with Edmonton,  Florida and San  Jose, he has compiled seven goals and 33 points in 211 contests.

The Rangers who are scheduled to appear include: Henrik Lundqvist, Marian Gaborik, Sean Avery, Chris Drury, Chirstopher Higgins, Marc Staal, Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Dan Girardi, and Donald Brashear.

Of course, the Rangers last appeared on Letterman’s Late Show during the 2008 postseason when comedian Chris Elliot tried out for the team.

The Late Show with David Letterman begins on CBS at 11:35 p.m. (EDT), following the local news.

Del Zotto, the 20th overall selction in the 2008 draft, still has junior eligibility, so he can play nine NHL games before his entry level contract kicks in.

Obviously, though, the London Knights of the OHL could be without a key defenseman if he plays well with the big club early on. Or will the Rangers send him back no matter what just so they don’t waste a year of eligibility?

I think there is a good chance, though,  he is here for the long haul, as TSN’s Bob McKenzie has also noted that Del Zotto is expected to run the point on the power play.

Let me make this exactly clear. He has ZERO leverage. If Dubinsky were as good as he and his representatives seem to think he is, why hasn’t there been one team to come after him with an offer sheet?

Larry Brooks wrote a great piece the other day, comparing Dubinsky’s situation to that of Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera in theri first few years with the Yankees. The jist was that they had to deal with it, knowing their time would come.

And so will Dubinsky’s.

Dubinsky has a shot at being this team’s first line center. He is probably going to play with Marian Gaborik. If Gaborik stays healthy, Dubinsky could very well be in for a career year.

But, he  hurts himself more and more each day he’s not in camp. You already get the feeling that John Tortorella is starting to look  in another direction for a No.1 center.

One really has to wonder where Dubinsky is  getting his advice from. This isn’t exactly the type of reputation you want to be building.

I grew up in Queens, New York, which if you are not from the area is generally considered Islanders country and I was no different. I was just getting into sports around the time the early 80’s teams were dominating the NHL, so being an Isles fan was pretty much a given.

That is until the Summer of 1983.

You see, that summer Isles great Bobby Nystrom was having an autograph signing at a sporting goods shop near my house and I, as an eight year old, was all pumped up to go.

For whatever reason I wore a NY Jets jersey, Freeman McNeil’s 24, to be exact. Well I am waiting in line to meet the great Nystrom and once I get up there he makes a crack about the Jets. Something about me having awful taste in football teams.

I don’t know if he was joking, but I remember thinking, who is this clown to knock the Jets? It is amazing what sticks with you, but ever since that day I cannot even stand the site of Nystrom.

More importantly, however,  from that day  forward my allegiance went to the Rangers.

In hiI am not going to lie when I tell you that I enjoyed the fact that he was swindled by Bernie Madoff. That is probably more on me being an awful human being, though,  than anything else.

In hindsight I guess I should probably thank “Mr. Islander”. Being an Isles fan in the time since would have been tough to take. Especially, since we all know by now, I love the New York Jets.

How much can one person stand?

Anywho Nystrom’s little slight towards my beloved Jets made me a full-fledged fan of the Blue Shirts. It is the reason I wear an Adam Graves jersey. And it is the reason that the thought of June 14, 1994 still brings a tear to my eye to this day.

I grew up in Queens, New York, which if you are not from the area is generally considered Islanders country and I was no different. I was just getting into sports around the time the early 80′s teams were dominating the NHL, so being an Isles fan was pretty much a given.

That is until the Summer of 1983.

You see, that summer Isles great Bobby Nystrom was having an autograph signing at a sporting goods shop near my house and I, as an eight year old, was all pumped up to go.

For whatever reason I wore a NY Jets jersey, Freeman McNeil’s 24, to be exact. Well I am waiting in line to meet the great Nystrom and once I get up there he makes a crack about the Jets. Something about me having awful taste in football teams.

I don’t know if he was joking, but I remember thinking, who is this clown to knock the Jets? It is amazing what sticks with you, but ever since that day I cannot even stand the site of Nystrom.

More importantly, however,  from that day  forward my allegiance went to the Rangers.

In hiI am not going to lie when I tell you that I enjoyed the fact that he was swindled by Bernie Madoff. That is probably more on me being an awful human being, though,  than anything else.

In hindsight I guess I should probably thank “Mr. Islander”. Being an Isles fan in the time since would have been tough to take. Especially, since we all know by now, I love the New York Jets.

How much can one person stand?

Anywho Nystrom’s little slight towards my beloved Jets made me a full-fledged fan of the Blue Shirts. It is the reason I wear an Adam Graves jersey. And it is the reason that the thought of June 14, 1994 still brings a tear to my eye to this day.

Dubinsky, of course, remains unsigned and is at a stalemate with the Rangers brass. Unfortunately for Dubi, he has no real options since he is not eligible for salary arbitration.  So basically, unless the Rangers trade him or Dubinksy signs an offer sheet with another team, he pretty much has to suck it up deal with it.

The Rangers offered the 22-year-old Dubinsky a qualifying offer of $522,000 for one year back in June and has barely budged since.

I wouldn’t expect this to last much longer, but as each day passes the possibility of a trade grows. Phil Kessell anyone?

Leave it to Sean Avery to make some light of the situation, as after he left the ice, he stated how he would be holding another one of these skating sessions later in the day at Chelsea Piers with Dubinsky.

“I’m honored to be named Avalanche captain,” said Foote. “I’ve been with this franchise for the majority of my career and I know what the standards are here. I look forward to the challenge of leading this team, starting with training camp and heading into the regular season.”

Foote becomes just the second captain in Avalanche history, joining Joe Sakic. Overall, Foote is the ninth different captain in the franchise’s 30-year history in the National Hockey League.

“We feel Adam’s leadership skills and veteran presence will make him a great captain,” said Avalanche Head Coach Joe Sacco. “He has been with this organization for a long time and he truly deserves our trust to
lead this team at the present time.”

The Avalanche also announced today that forwards Milan Hejduk and Paul Stastny will serve as assistant captains for the upcoming season.

Saturday, September 12

9:15AM – 10:15AM                Group 1 On-Ice

10:30AM – 11:30AM              Group 2 On-Ice

11:45AM – 12:45PM               Group 3 On-Ice

1:00PM – 2:00PM                    Group 4 On-Ice

Sunday, September 13

9:30AM – 10:45AM                Group 4 On-Ice

11:00AM – 12:15PM               Group 3 On-Ice

12:30PM – 1:45PM                  Group 2 On-Ice

2:00PM – 3:15PM                    Group 1 On-Ice

Monday, September 14

9:00AM – 10:00AM                Group 1/Group 4 Scrimmage

10:00AM – 11:00AM              Group 4 On-Ice

11:00AM – 12:00PM               Group 1 On-Ice

1:00PM – 2:00PM                    Group 2/Group 3 Scrimmage

2:00PM – 3:00PM                    Group 3 On-Ice

3:00PM – 4:00PM                    Group 2 On-Ice

An official announcement is expected to at 2 p.m. today, at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, N.J.

To watch the unveiling, as well as a rookie game between the Flyers and Washington Capitals click here.

UPDATE:  HERE THEY ARE.