Opening Night: Bruins beat Devils 3-2 after shootout

Posted on January 15, 2021 by hasan4978

During training camp, the Devils’ team slogan was ‘eNJoy the ride’ with an accent on the NJ logo for t-shirt purposes. As corny as it might have sounded at first blush, there was a very real message in it…this season will be like no other before and hopefully after, with many unique challenges. Enjoy the ride is also an implicit reminder to just be glad hockey is back. Indeed, Opening Night proved to be one wild ride indeed.

Of course that ride was more like a roller coaster valley in the first period, as the Devils were dominated by a frightening margin not inherent in the 1-0 score. Fans and teammates alike had only Mackenzie Blackwood’s performance to thank for the Devils still being in a game after a period where they looked like a high school team playing the ’76 Canadiens. Perhaps some of that was the inevitable rust of not having played competitively – aside from a couple of team scrimmages – in ten months, while the Bruins played two playoff rounds (ten games) plus preliminary games during the bubble postseason. There could also have been a more emotional factor to that first period, as coach Lindy Ruff observed both in the locker room and after the game (per Miles Wood).

Wood himself typified the up-and-down nature of the team’s performance with the down being two goaltender interference penalties which (to his credit) he termed selfish after the game, while the up was a team-leading five shots on goal including a sweet breakaway goal that tied the game in the third period when the Devils were still trailing by that 1-0 deficit. If the Devils had one thing out of last night’s game they clearly need to work on it’s their PK, which gave up both regulation goals to Brad Marchand in the first and Nick Ritchie in the third, the latter coming just a few minutes after Wood’s goal had tied it up.

It was an interesting mix that coach Ruff threw out for the PK at times, which included rookie Yegor Sharangovich – who didn’t disappoint despite failing to get on the scoreboard, he certainly made an impact to the tune of drawing three penalties including one that canceled out an early Bruins power play in the first period. Fellow rookie Ty Smith also made his mark after a shaky opening period, playing 17:09 and finishing with a +2 after his memorable first NHL goal. Not exactly a work of art, as his point shot ricocheted like five different times (I’m not exaggerating) before finally getting past Tuukka Rask to tie it up again the shift right after Ritchie’s goal had put us behind again. As Doc Emrick once observed though, ‘they don’t ask how, they ask how many’.

Eventually the game crept into OT where the Devils at least assured a point. They could have easily had two, but Kyle Palmieri flubbed a breakaway where he also had Jack Hughes as a trailer, while Travis Zajac also just missed a tap in off a rebound with seconds remaining in the three-on-three. For his part Hughes also overcame a shaky first period (this is a theme) to have a strong game overall getting assists on both goals, including some nice body positioning on the first to get the puck to Wood for his breakaway. Of course the dreaded shootout went as so many shootouts have since 2012, where we failed to score at all – even broadcaster Ken Daneyko openly wondered why every shooter was coming in slowly with no speed – and Marchand’s goal in the third round was enough to get the Bruins the extra point and Marchand the post-game interview with Erika Wachter much to my horror. I guess there’s a lot of pooled material each team’s broadcast has to use this year, but still that wasn’t a great visual and I muted it until the next commercial break.

While I stuck with the TV telecast for the most part, I did want to sample the online stuff the Devils were offering up which included their own pregame and postgame as well as some ‘in-stadium jumbotron’ experience during the games, which was mostly just some of the arena stoppage games they put up plus promos. It was nice being able to scroll backward through the live feed and watch the online pregame when the TV one was on commercial, though there wasn’t much to the online pregame other than lineup discussion which was fine. Postgame I actually liked the online one, which included all the interviews with Blackwood, Smith, Wood and coach Ruff whereas the TV one was just analyst-based. So at least they both brought a different element and weren’t redundant.

As will be the case so many times this year, the Devils will play a two-game ‘series’ against the Bruins with the second game being tomorrow afternoon. It’ll be interesting to see how these series turn out since generally teams only play back-to-back when it’s really close travel for a home-and-home, so there’ll be some adjustments made by both teams. Baby steps were the order of the night for the second youngest roster in the league, after the team’s improvement in the last forty-five minutes and with Blackwood and Smith getting the 2nd and 3rd stars (Marchand got the 1st star) – although I should also give some dap to PK Subban for playing a shade over thirty minutes last night. Coach Ruff even joked he was trying to get him in shape, but if you look at our lineup it was inevitable that either he or Damon Severson would be playing big minutes considering Matt Tennyson was our third RD, and thankfully played just ten minutes last night.

Devils Three Stars:

  1. Mackenzie Blackwood (35 saves including 15 in a tilted first period)
  2. Jack Hughes (two assists, three SOG in 21:50)
  3. Ty Smith (first NHL goal, +2 in 17:09)
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Islanders take sloppy Rangers to school

Posted on January 14, 2021 by Derek

If this were a prize fighting match, they would’ve stopped it early. It wasn’t even close. The Rangers stumbled and fumbled literally against a superior Islanders, who skated away with a routine 4-0 shutout victory at an empty MSG.

It was the Islanders by TKO. On a special night for top pick Alexis Lafreniere and 20-year old defenseman K’Andre Miller, they couldn’t do enough to overcome a very sharp Islanders. They were the harder working team who were better in the corners, in front and defensively. It all added up to a 24 save shutout for starting goalie Semyon Varlamov, who was barely tested.

The final shots read: Islanders 33. Rangers 24. But it really wasn’t a fair fight in a lopsided first that saw the Long Island rivals dominate play at even strength and on special teams. They put up a three spot in a great period. It wasn’t as close as the shots (10-9 Isles) indicated. The Rangers came on towards the end to make it respectable.

There were far too many undisciplined penalties by the guys wearing the classic Blueshirts. Following player introductions even without fans, it didn’t take long for the Islanders to make themselves right at home. New Rangers defenseman Jack Johnson took a holding the stick minor with the game not even two minutes old. On a little bit of a break, Anthony Beauvillier had his shot bounce off Adam Fox right to Brock Nelson for a power play goal.

Before they even could get into the game, the listless Rangers turned over the puck resulting in Islanders captain Anders Lee surprising rookie goalie Igor Shestyorkin with a wrist shot that squeaked through. It gave the Isles two goals within a 1:19 span. The guilty party was Jacob Trouba, who got caught pinching at the Islander blue line. With only Miller back, he gave Lee the shot which a shaky Shestyorkin didn’t stop.

Already down a pair, coach David Quinn sent out Lafreniere with Filip Chytil and Julien Gauthier. An aggressive Lafreniere nearly had his first goal. He buzzed around the Isles’ net looking to stuff in a backhand. But Varlamov covered up. The teenager didn’t look fazed like some of his older teammates. Although he only had one shot in 18 shifts (15:27) with a hooking minor that Lee scored on to put the game out of reach later, he looked confident. Quinn even used him on the penalty kill. He tried different combinations due to how many penalties they took. Both Pavel Buchnevich and Chris Kreider each killed penalties.

Nothing worked. In an inauspicious debut, Johnson had a forgettable night. After being off while the Islanders scored on the power play, a simple dump in at center ice turned into an adventure. Somehow, Johnson had the puck take a funny hop right to Cal Clutterbuck, who fed Mat Barzal in transition for a pretty goal that made it 3-0.

Barzal skated by Johnson and put a juke move on Tony DeAngelo, who could only watch the dangerous Isles’ top center beat Shestyorkin high glove side inside the goalpost. It was a good shot, but one he should’ve had. That goal typified how brutal the Rangers were. It felt like preseason for them while the Islanders did whatever they wanted.

They took more undisciplined penalties including a lousy change that resulted in a bench minor for too many men on the ice. Quinn looked thrilled to death on the bench. At least the penalty kill improved as it went on. They didn’t allow the Isles anything on three consecutive power plays. There was even a very strong shift from an aggressive Kreider working the puck deep and killing 15 seconds. Buchnevich also showed more hustle when used.

For the most part, the Blueshirts had a much better second against a conservative Islanders, who chose to sit back. But with the top power play unit in particular failing to get anything accomplished, they didn’t test Varlamov enough.

It was actually the Rangers’ play at five-on-five that improved. With Quinn mixing up his lines, he had Julien Gauthier on for a shift with Ryan Strome and Artemi Panarin. Gauthier was the most consistent forward in the second. His grit and sheer hustle were noticeable. If anything came out of this game, he deserves more ice time. Gauthier received 10:12 in 16 even strength ahifts with two shots and four hits.

A frustrated Ryan Lindgren took an unnecessary run at Jordan Eberle by getting his shoulder up on the Islander who was headed to the bench. It was called a charging minor. Lindgren likes to play aggressive and I don’t mind the physicality. It just wasn’t the right moment. At least they bailed him out.

There were opportunities to get back in it. Varlamov made a good save on a quick Mika Zibanejad one-timer off a turnover. He got across and didn’t let up any rebound. He played well throughout. Zibanejad looked rusty in his first game. He missed most of training camp due to quarantine. He was not sharp and it showed. That line with Kreider and Buchnevich never got going. They were bottled up by the Islanders, who were splendid defensively. They blocked 20 shots including four apiece from defensemen Andy Greene and Adam Pelech.

The Blueshirts generated chances off the forecheck. Something that was absent in the first. The problem was Varlamov, who made half of his 24 stops in a busier second. He also caught a huge break.

The Rangers appeared to score on a play in tight before the whistle blew. Kevin Rooney was parked in front of Varlamov with Trouba poking at the loose puck behind the net. They celebrated because they knew it went in. However, they got screwed by the NHL on the intent to blow the whistle rule. One that needs to be adjusted. MSG replays clearly showed the puck cross the goal line before the whistle went. It was an absolutely horrendous miss by Toronto. It could’ve swung the momentum. That summed up an empty night.

Fresh off a line change following Kaapo Kakko somehow missing the net on a great setup, Lafreniere took a hooking penalty. This time, the Islanders were successful with Eberle passing for Lee in front with the puck going in for a four goal Islanders lead. Originally, Lee was credited with his second. But they appear to have changed it. It now reads Eberle PP from Lee and Noah Dobson at 14:54. I thought Lee got it by just getting enough of the puck with Trouba on him. I guess we’ll have to take another look. On second look, it should be Lee’s goal. Here it is.

That goal finished off the game. The Islanders played like a five man unit. At one point, with the Rangers fishing for a rebound on a big Varlamov save, the guys in the white and orange with navy blue jerseys all converged on the net and wouldn’t allow a Ranger near the puck. That’s how you know it’s a Barry Trotz coached team. They’re fundamentally sound. They can put you to sleep. That’s essentially what happened to the Blueshirts. They never had a chance.

The only noise that was made was by the little used Brendan Lemieux at the conclusion of the period. He swung his stick to at Jean-Gabriel Pageau leading to some chaos after the buzzer. It probably was a slash that went undetected. Instead, they called Lemieux for embellishment after Pageau roughed him up. It was mostly frustration.

For reasons only known to Quinn, Lemieux was sparingly used getting only 10 shifts for a game low 5:23. On a team that’s not hard to play against, that’s inexcusable. They must become a four line team. Even if Lemieux isn’t killing penalties, I don’t get it. Trotz has no trouble finding eight minutes for enforcer Ross Johnston, who looked concerned after accidentally having his leg collide with Rooney in the third.

Surprisingly, there were no fights. Only a boring final period that couldn’t end soon enough. They got dominated by a better team. The effort must be a lot better in the rematch on Saturday at Nassau Coliseum. If it isn’t, it could be a rough start.

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Zibanejad in for tonight’s season opener versus Islanders

Posted on January 14, 2021 by Derek

The last time the Rangers faced the Islanders, it was electric at Nassau Coliseum in Long Island. The Islanders had rallied to force overtime in a huge match. The building was loud and full of fans from both sides of a great rivalry. How I wish that were true for tonight’s season opener at MSG tonight. Ditto for the rematch at the Coliseum in two days.

Before we get to the current situation, let’s remember that final meeting from last season. On Feb. 25, the Rangers visited the Islanders knowing they needed two points. They were behind in the standings. After winning three straight, they came in hot while the Islanders were slumping. It made for a compelling match.

The game saw the crosstown rivals go back and forth. Early on, it was the Rangers who jumped out in front. On goals from Mika Zibanejad and Greg McKegg, they led by a pair. But a late second period tally from Rangers killer Jean-Gabriel Pageau made it interesting. Pageau remains a gritty player who scores clutch goals like he had to help his former team Ottawa eliminate the Rangers in that last postseason with Henrik Lundqvist in 2017. That feels like a lifetime ago.

A Brett Howden goal with over 11 minutes left should’ve been enough to put the Islanders away in the third period. But not the scrappy Barry Trotz coached Islanders. They kept coming at Alex Georgiev, who was in goal again due to his record versus the top rival. He was very good turning aside 42 of 45 shots.

However, the pesky Isles scored twice in the final 6:37 to force overtime. A Jordan Eberle power play goal and a Brock Nelson goal with 18 seconds to go tied the game up. The Islanders had the momentum. None of that mattered in a frantic three-on-three extra session that lasted just 28 seconds.

On a steal from Artemi Panarin, the Bread Man went to work. He stuck with a puck as three Islanders chased him down and sent a perfect back pass to a blind spot for Zibanejad, who did the rest. He scored a thrilling overtime goal to beat Semyon Varlamov and send the Blueshirts to a huge 4-3 win. They won once more at Montreal for a season best five-game win streak. They won nine of 10 to get back in the wild card race.

That team didn’t play well afterwards losing three in a row and five of seven before the NHL pause. Yet found themselves a couple of points out due to the Islanders reeling with the Panthers also in contention. Despite only winning twice in their final 10 games including the forgettable sweep at the hands of Carolina in the Qualifying Round, one of those victories was highlighted by a memorable performance from Zibanejad.

On Mar. 5, he became the third Ranger to score five goals in a game by doing so in dramatic fashion. Following Alex Ovechkin completing the hat trick to force OT, Zibanejad won the crazy game 6-5 on a breakaway going backhand top shelf at a loud Garden. An exciting moment.

At the time when the regular season was stopped, Zibanejad was on fire with a career high 41 goals. In 57 games, he was 41-34-75. Remarkable numbers for the first line center. That included a team best 15 on the power play and 23 at even strength. Three came shorthanded. He had six game-winners. He was a force with Panarin playing on the top power play while dominating at five-on-five with KZB line mates Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich.

After having COVID-19 which kept him in quarantine until he was cleared to return to practice, Zibanejad is good to go for tonight. That’s great news for the Rangers, who want to get off to a good start versus a good opponent fresh off its first Conference Finals appearance since ’93.

Tonight marks the debuts of Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller. There is plenty of excitement surrounding the team. We will finally get to see Lafreniere in his new number 13 Blueshirt jersey show what he can do against a tough defensive minded opponent. He’ll get introduced to a unique rivalry. Ditto for Miller, who’ll start with Jacob Trouba on the number one pair. There will be nerves.

At least for later, it’ll be Igor Shestyorkin finally facing the Islanders in net. He’ll oppose Varlamov, who is the Isles’ starter for now with highly touted Russian Ilya Sorokin the backup. Interestingly, he and Shestyorkin are best friends off the ice. On it, they’re competitors. Whenever they face off against each other, it’ll be storybook. All of Russia will be watching. Could it happen Saturday? Who knows.

A heated rivalry still features some mainstays including Kreider, Zibanejad, Buchnevich and former Islander Ryan Strome. The Isles boast more seasoned vets in Nelson, Josh Bailey, Anders Lee, Mat Barzal, Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin, Cal Clutterbuck, Ryan Pulock, Scott Mayfield, Nick Leddy and ex-Devil Andy Greene. Their experience could be a difference.

It’s still about putting on that jersey and once you do, you’re in the battle. Panarin knows that. So do Ryan Lindgren, Adam Fox, Trouba, Tony DeAngelo, Brendan Lemieux, Howden, Brendan Smith and Strome. Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil are still learning. Lafreniere and Miller will be baptized into the rivalry once the puck drops. It’s probably good that they’ll work double-duty versus the Islanders to start their NHL careers. It’ll help prepare them for the grind.

The excitement will begin around 7:10 PM EST. Maybe a few minutes later depending on what the Rangers do with player introductions and fan oriented stuff for all the people who won’t be there physically, but will be in body, mind and spirit.

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Opening Night thoughts

Posted on January 14, 2021 by hasan4978
https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1349405625126678538?s=20

Well, the NHL is finally back in the Metro area tonight after a number of games around the league last night, as all three locals return to the ice tonight with the Devils taking on the Bruins at the Rock while the Isles take on the Rangers at the Garden. In any other season, having all three teams open the season in Newark and Manhattan respectively would have NJ Transit buzzing with fans going to the games. Hopefully there’ll be nights like that again in 2022 and beyond.

Over these last ten months everyone has moments of clarity when it dawns on them they’re going to miss something that’s become part of their routine. For me, one of those moments was realizing that tonight will be the first home opener I haven’t attended since 2005. Ironically that’s the home opener that’s most seared into my head from a positive standpoint, in large part because it was the season opener after the long, dark lockout of 2004 thus it was our first game in eighteen months – and also because of who was involved since we were playing the Penguins when Sidney Crosby played his first NHL game. It was also the debut for highly touted Zach Parise for us, and round one went to the Devils 5-1 as the crowd had fun chanting ‘Zach is better!’ after our prized rookie had a goal and an assist in the big win.

I was actually looking through YouTube to see if somehow there were highlights of that game but I could only find the pregame intro which – given the circumstances and the fact Doc Emrick is narrating the first couple of minutes is worth the watch anyway – other than tonight that was our longest break between games for a very different reason.

Looking through the various seasons to see just what we did on our home openers you realize a lot of these games – even classics like our 7-6 shootout win over the Leafs the following year or our 6-0 demolition of the Capitals just a couple seasons ago – generally fade into the background, partly due to what happens the rest of the year. It takes something either really good or really bad to be memorable after a long season when you go to nearly thirty games a year and the team has 82 games overall. In that vein I’m not even going to discuss 2010 or last year, which both fall into the category of cataclysmic openers which had ramifications long after the game.

Our Rock opener in 2007 wasn’t great on the ice either as we lost 4-1 to Ottawa, but definitely memorable since it took us waiting through a nine-game road trip get us to that much anticipated night. I can’t say I miss much about the Meadowlands even though I did see a Stanley Cup win there in 2003, the fact I was only a season ticket holder a couple seasons there versus every season at the Rock probably contributes to that place feeling more like home to me. Not to mention the ease of walking around the building and driving in and out of it compared to East Rutherford, where you were elbow to elbow at times going around the concourse at the CAA, and frequently it took fifteen minutes or more just to exit the complex, while where I park just outside of the Rock it’s a straight shoot out to the highway.

Another opener that stands out from a more positive standpoint is 2017 where our 4-1 win over Colorado was a showcase for a lot of our rookies – Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Will Butcher. That win, and the young blood contributing to it kicked off an emotional 9-2 start during our surprising playoff season. Home openers generally are more memorable when they are the actual season opener but that isn’t always the case every year, as in the aforementioned Rock home opener example.

Tonight would have been very memorable to be at in person given it’s our first game in ten months, I suppose that’ll just make it more so in another nine months when we’re presumably able to attend next season’s opener. Maybe we’ll be able to attend games later in the season, who knows – I pretty well doubt it. I’ve already given a season preview in the last blog, not so much a prediction though you could probably glean it from its tone, I pretty much agree with Derek’s division predictions though. Now that we’re at Opening Night I wanted to strike a more positive tone before the season starts though. Especially since I tried to watch the team’s final scrimmage, my attention wavered with the on-ice stuff after the first period but listening to our current radio guys Matt Loughlin and Chico Resch do their thing was a kick. God knows the last time I listened to them do a full game.

Yes there are a lot of reasons to be apprehensive about this season for Devils fans but here I wanted to focus on the positives. The ten things I’m looking most forward to with hockey’s return, not entirely in order of preference but more the order that I think about them:

1. Watching my actual team play live again for the first time in ten months, nothing more needs to be added here.

2. Our improving social media content – which on some level makes me annoyed we couldn’t have this level of coverage when the team was actually good, but listening to the podcasts every week and watching some of the online stuff including a few of the daily ‘camp recaps’ is actually a more entertaining season preview than most years just watching one or two preseason games. Supposedly there’ll be a postgame show online every night now, while I’ll probably default to watching the TV one more it’ll be a nice follow-up viewing the next day or so for certain games.

3. No matter how pessimistic you are there’s always that ‘everyone is 0-0’ anticipation and what happens if we win a game or two to start a shortened season? Yes I know it can be illusory – just look at 2018 for an example where we started the season in a dominant fashion, then crashed and burned after the first four games. Still if there’s ever a season where we could use even some illusory optimism the first few games, it’s this one.

4. Even though it’ll be different watching games this year without a crowd in the sport I’m most used to crowd interaction (since I only go to a handful of Met games a year and a Jet game once in a blue moon), seeing the TV crew again will be nice and no doubt help with the transition. Although Steve Cangialosi and Ken Daneyko aren’t prime Doc and Chico they both have their own place in the fabric of Devils lore. Cangi’s been covering the team in some capacity since I’ve started watching while Dano’s been playing or broadcasting pretty much every season since then and before.

5. Our off-ice crew is also worth watching. Erika Wachter simp jokes aside, it’ll be nice to see her host the pregame and interview players of the game after wins again. Even if this year it’ll look a little different than the traditional post-ice interview. And as much as I like Cangi and Dano, Bryce Salvador is a better analyst on and offline. He could actually coach if he wanted to, I’m selfishly glad he doesn’t want to for the time being.

6. Even though I don’t listen to the radio as much I’m definitely going to make the effort to listen to a few this year. Matt, like Steve is a longtime employee who’s covered the team since I’ve started watching so he’s definitely one of us. Of course Chico is a national treasure, a point I was reminded of listening to the scrimmage broadcast. And he isn’t gonna be around forever, as much as he’s omnipresent throughout all eras of Devils history – we’ve already dodged one attempted retirement, so we might have to be extra attentive to enjoy him while he’s still around.

7. If there’s one beacon of hope on the ice right now, it’s goalie Mackenzie Blackwood who’s the unquestioned starter now in his second full season with the team. Whatever problems the team had on the ice, Blackwood kept the team competitive in most games last year after a slow start for him and everyone else. Just 24 years old, there’s reason to hope his best days are still in front of him.

8. My biggest hope off the ice is the new coaching staff, led by Lindy Ruff. Initially cool on his hiring, I quickly warmed up and it wasn’t a hard sell since I always liked the guy when he was in Buffalo anyway, and he’s generally kept his teams competitive while getting the most out of his younger players in both Buffalo and Dallas. If there’s ever a season where you need a steady pro to guide a turbulent ship it’s this one, with all the challenges this season will present on and off the ice.

9. You always want to see all the new acquisitions and rookies going into a season, of which we have plenty. Among the vet acquisitions (not counting the welcome return of Sami Vatanen) are Ryan Murray, Dimitry Kulikov and Andreas Johnsson while rookies and younger players looking to make a name for themselves include camp stand out Yegor Sharangovich and the much-anticipated debut of defenseman Ty Smith. Nathan Bastian, Jesper Boqvist and 2020 trade deadline acquisition Janne Kuokkanen are also younger players looking to keep full-time spots this year.

10. If we’re gonna go anywhere long-term, we’ll need our #1’s to step up. Although Nico Hischier’s season debut will have to wait eventually he’ll hit the ice for his fourth season, hopefully he’ll be able to make the jump from good to great in the near future. For our other #1 in Jack Hughes, it’ll be interesting to see how he plays with some much-needed extra muscle on his frame after the long layoff. Him making the jump to a solid regular would be a welcome addition after a rookie campaign where his production and consistency was lacking.

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New look Rangers even younger headed into 2021 season

Posted on January 14, 2021 by Derek

Expectations will be much higher for new starting goalie Igor Shestyorkin and a young, talented Rangers roster featuring top pick Alexis Lafreniere and former first round pick K’Andre Miller.

AP Photo by New York Rangers via Twitter Copyright 2021

This is indeed a new era for the New York Rangers. Youth will be served on Broadway. For better or worse, the new look Rangers are moving forward with even more young talent into a shortened 56-game NHL ’21 season.

The action will be fast and furious. All 56 will be played inside the newly created East Division. Well, really the old Patrick times two. You have mainstays such as the Capitals,Devils, Flyers, Islanders, Penguins and the Rangers competing against each other. Add in the Bruins and Sabres. That makes this division even tougher. With a more regional schedule featuring multiple match-ups versus the same opponent due to COVID-19 restrictions, it’ll make for compelling hockey. Hopefully, there won’t be too many cancelations like the NBA. The Stars have already been hit hard. They won’t start on time.

It gets going right away for the Blueshirts on Thursday night at what will be a hauntingly empty Madison Square Garden. They’ll battle the archenemy Islanders for the first of two meetings of eight. The second one is at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday in Long Island. It’ll be a good test for a younger 22 man roster that now features top pick Alexis Lafreniere and 20-year old defenseman K’Andre Miller. Both will make their NHL debuts.

If you think it’s only about winning with third-year coach David Quinn behind a bench that includes dynamic duo Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, then you are not thinking clearly. Sure. They’d love to win as much as possible due to the dynamic skills of Panarin and Zibanejad along with the leadership of power forward Chris Kreider.

However, it will hinge more on the development of kids like second-year right wing Kaapo Kakko and 21-year old third line center Filip Chytil. If they can become more consistent along with key top line right wing Pavel Buchnevich, then maybe they can surprise some by finishing in the top four to qualify for the playoffs.

It’s the younger core which features Igor Shestyorkin, Alex Georgiev, Tony DeAngelo, Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren who’ll determine what kind of year they have. Yes. I haven’t forgotten depth forwards Brett Howden or Brendan Lemieux, who if all goes well will comprise two-thirds of the fourth line. They’re counting on unproven right wing Julien Gauthier to start on the third line with Chytil and Lafreniere, who’ll be worked in slowly by Quinn. The 19-year old wiz kid from the Province of Quebec will see power play time on the second unit.

If you’re not excited for Lafreniere, who’ll wear number 13 and make it very lucky, then you may as well go watch the Edmonton defense or Chicago. This is the kind of young future star that this team hasn’t had. He’s a special talent who accomplished so much by winning MVP at the ’20 World Junior Championship for Canada with 10 points (4-6-10) in only five games, that he didn’t return to play this year. It wasn’t worth the risk for the Rangers. Look what happened to Kirby Dach in a tuneup. How unfortunate for the Blackhawks. They sure could use him.

It’s easy to light up thinking about what Panarin can do for an encore after putting up 95 points (32-63-95) in 63 games in his first season as a Blueshirt. The 29-year old Russian is a brilliant player who’s a puck wizard. He can skate into open space and find teammates or hit twine with his shot. He made Ryan Strome so much better. Strome is a key player to watch. Can he continue to produce alongside the Bread Man? They’ll have a new casting mate in Kakko, who looks to erase the nightmare that was his first year. He should get plenty of opportunities. Don’t forget he went second in ’19 behind Jack Hughes. Now, we’ll see how much work he put in.

Picture the KZB Line buzzing during a strong shift with the cohesive trio of Kreider, Zibanejad and Buchnevich combining for a signature goal. Consistency is the key for both Buchnevich and Kreider, who are slow starters. They don’t have that luxury this year. Not with four point and three point games up for grabs nightly. Zibanejad makes it go with his superb skating and ability to both finish and set up teammates. Kreider is one of the fastest skaters in transition. For his size, he can fly. He also brings the intangibles by going to the hard area in front where he makes his living. Buchnevich has the playmaking capability and works well with Zibanejad and Kreider. It’s about second effort with him.

If the top six works, then it becomes about the bottom six forwards. How Quinn handles the third and fourth lines will be important. Until proven otherwise, Chytil and Gauthier are not finished products. Lafreniere is the new kid on the block. He can push them to be better. Hopefully, it’ll work out so we don’t have to contemplate the Pierre-Luc Dubois to Manhattan rumors from an impatient faction of fans have already started. Not if I can help it. It’s hogwash. He’s a Blue Jacket for now. Let’s focus on our team.

The fourth line might not be asked to do a lot if those top three lines are going. But it’s still crucial to have a checking unit you trust. Especially without too many off days. Even with there not being many back-to-backs, they need to become a four line team. That way they’re harder to play against. Howden and Lemieux should be able to handle that role while also killing penalties. Phil Di Giuseppe will complement them at the start. They all got to play last year. There’s speed, smarts and grit. We’ll see how they do.

Former Devil Kevin Rooney is a solid extra who can step into the lineup and win draws while playing penalty kill. He’ll definitely see some action. Maybe Morgan Barron will too. For now, the former Cornell center is on the Rangers’ Taxi Squad. The 22-year old from Halifax is a former sixth round pick in ’17.

Jacob Trouba will lead a young defense that includes new freshman partner Miller. It’ll be trial by error. We’ll see how well Trouba works with the former Badger. Can it be any worse than former partner Brady Skjei or Brendan Smith? Don’t answer that. Smith is the extra defenseman for now. Let’s hope it stays that way.

In order for the Rangers to be successful, they need the cohesive tandem of Lindgren and Fox to prove they are fully capable of neutralizing the opposition. They’ll see plenty of time against opponents’ best scoring lines with Quinn balancing it out. He’ll give Trouba some of the responsibility. He might not have had the best first year after coming over from Winnipeg. But it wasn’t an ideal situation. Trouba improved towards the end by playing the hard edged style he’s known for.

Both Fox and DeAngelo will be the focal point of the team’s transition. Each are superb skaters who read the play well and know when to jump into the rush. They’re also terrific passers with DeAngelo dynamic in that department along with his accurate shot. Fox is the more reliable defensively, which is why he has a chance to be special. Just remember, it’s only Year Two.

Regarding DeAngelo, he deserves to be recognized for how much he improved last season. He also was a great teammate who is just as happy for everyone’s success. He along with Strome were two of the first Rangers to stick up for Miller during an unfortunate incident with a Zoom Conference interview that became sad. Along with Trouba, they supported their future black teammate during a tumultuous time for the organization.

It’s time to put to rest all the negative propaganda being spewed from fraudulent blogs, whose only purpose is self-serving and toxic. Those aren’t true fans. If you play for the Rangers, we all root for you. It’s the logo on the front. Nothing else matters. This shouldn’t have to be said.

For DeAngelo, he also will have higher expectations too. He plays first power play and will be utilized more offensively by the coaching staff which now includes Jacques Martin running the defense. He knows a thing or too about the position. That’s not a knock on current Devils coach Lindy Ruff, who became a ridiculous scapegoat by unrealistic skeptics. We’ll see how Martin deploys the third pair of veteran Jack Johnson and DeAngelo.

Johnson is the replacement for popular locker room leader Marc Staal. Good luck to him in Detroit. He’s going to need it. We understand that Johnson has limitations with his skating due to the physical style he’s played. He’s another high character guy who will give his all every shift. Just as long as he doesn’t get caught out too long in his end. But he’ll deliver hits and block shots. Things the team will appreciate. We’ll see how it goes.

If the blueline is a problem, they’ll need Shestyorkin and Georgiev to save them literally. By now, we all have come to grips with the expected departure of the ever popular Henrik Lundqvist. It’s still shocking that he’s not playing this season. He had successful heart surgery. All we can do is send our best wishes to him and hope that second game against Carolina wasn’t the final one of his great NHL career. Let’s hope for the best.

With Lundqvist gone, it’s Shestyorkin’s net with Georgiev a good supporting act. Their time is now. It’ll be the 25-year old Shestyorkin who’ll be the number one goalie responsible for how the season goes. We might even get a treat and see an all Russian netminder Battle of New York between KHL stars Shestyorkin and newest Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin. He’s expected to backup behind Semyon Varlamov.

It’s easy to forget that Shestyorkin has only 12 NHL regular season games of experience and one forgettable qualifying game which could’ve made for a good EA Sports NHL ’21 poster if you are a fan of Hurricanes star center Sebastian Aho. Shestyorkin has excellent rebound control and a quick glove. He also is like a third defenseman in that he can move the puck up ice. A huge contrast from Lundqvist. It’s up to him to live up to expectations.

Georgiev is actually the younger goalie. He doesn’t turn 25 until February 10. However, this is his third full season. No longer a third wheel, he’s the backup to Shestyorkin who Quinn will count on. An aggressive netminder who’s good on breakaways and has a good glove, he’s technically sound. If Shestyorkin struggles, they won’t hesitate to go to Georgiev.

If they are to be successful, the Rangers don’t want to make it a habit of relying on each goalie to bail them out. If they’re both seeing over 30 shots with regularity and even 40 plus, that doesn’t bode well. It’s one thing for Shestyorkin and Georgiev to cover up mistakes during a tough stretch. Quite another if it becomes a trend.

The truth is it’s going to be crucial for these Rangers to spend more time in the opposition’s end than defending their own. That means a sustained forecheck, fewer neutral zone turnovers and less mistakes when they defend. They’re notorious for having issues clearing the zone. That can’t happen. The breakouts need to be better and both the D and forwards must be on the same page.

This isn’t as easy a year for Quinn. While the division is quite challenging with the Bruins added to good teams in the Caps, Flyers, Islanders and Pens, who looked quite susceptible in their first game versus Philadelphia Wednesday night, it won’t be a picnic. It’s up to Quinn to deliver results. Before last year’s stoppage, the Rangers were streaking. They were in playoff contention.

It’s about building off last season. The whole thing is not to dig themselves an early hole. It won’t be as easy to climb out of. Every game counts. It isn’t 82. It’s the same 56 as Joe DiMaggio’s baseball record hitting streak. It’ll take a total team effort to make the playoffs with only the top four qualifying due to the old divisional format. That means having enough success in these eight game match-ups versus old rivals and the Sabres. A team that should be a rival given the location. Or did you forget Game Five in ’07? I haven’t.

Whatever happens, it should be fun to have hockey back. We’ve missed it. There’s a unique opportunity here for the Rangers to do something. It won’t be easy. But the excitement surrounding this year’s team is palpable. Buckle up.

Prediction: 6th place in Patrick Division

No record or points. It’s too hard. I think they’ll be competitive and might even go to the final frantic week with the Islanders and Penguins. Let’s hope they prove me wrong.

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NHL ’21 Division Rankings and Playoffs

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Derek

These are just rankings based on what I think. In a 56-game season where there could be Covid positives, pauses and player movement at the trade deadline, a lot can change. Keep that in mind.

Only four teams per division make the playoffs. It’s divisional format like the old days which means 1 plays 4, 2 plays 3 and the winners face each other for a chance at the Conference Final. Very simple. Now can we go back to the Wales and Campbell? Get back to tradition.

WALES CONFERENCE

Patrick Division

*1. Flyers

*2. Capitals

*3. Bruins

*4. Islanders

5. Penguins

6. Rangers

7. Sabres

8. Devils

(1) Flyers over (4) Islanders

(3) Bruins over (2) Capitals

Flyers over Bruins

Adams Division

*1. Lightning

*2. Hurricanes

*3. Stars

*4. Blue Jackets

5. Predators

6. Panthers

7. Blackhawks

8. Red Wings

(1) Lightning over (4) Blue Jackets

(3) Stars over (2) Hurricanes

Lightning over Stars

Wales Conference Final

Lightning over Flyers

CAMPBELL CONFERENCE

Norris Division

*1. Golden Knights

*2. Avalanche

*3. Blues

*4. Wild

5. Coyotes

6. Kings

7. Ducks

8. Sharks

(1) Golden Knights over (4) Wild

(2) Avalanche over (3) Blues

Avalanche over Golden Knights

Smythe Division

*1. Maple Leafs

*2. Canadiens

*3. Flames

*4. Canucks

5. Jets

6. Oilers

7. Senators

(4) Canucks over (1) Maple Leafs

(2) Canadiens over (3) Flames

Canadiens over Canucks

Campbell Conference Final

Avalanche over Canadiens

Stanley Cup

Avalanche over Lightning

NHL Awards

Conn Smythe Nathan MacKinnon

Hart Nathan MacKinnon

Norris Seth Jones

Vezina Carey Price

Calder Kirill Kaprizov

Selke Anthony Cirelli

Byng Artemi Panarin

Adams Claude Julien

First Coach Fired Jeff Blashill

First Coach Hired Gerard Gallant

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New NHL Season Starts Up

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Derek

Following a lengthy wait, hockey finally is back. A new NHL season starts up later today with five games on the schedule. It even features an early bird special with the Flyers and Penguins doing battle in Pennsylvania at 5:30 PM EST.

In what should be a challenge for the league due to the unforgiving and unpredictable nature of COVID-19, they’ll try to work around the early positives with the Stars, whose schedule has been pushed back. Indeed, the threat of the global pandemic isn’t going away. With it already forcing cancelations in the NBA and now even before they drop the puck in the abbreviated 56-game ’21 season, questions linger. How successful will they be at avoiding a pause? It’s a legit concern.

Everyone should be happy to have the sport back. We’ve missed it. With the league realignment of divisions that have been altered due to location even if one doesn’t make sense, you’ll have teams in each division jockeying for position with only the top four making the playoffs. It’ll be like the old days of the old divisional format when you had the Adams, Patrick, Norris and Smythe when there were a lot less teams. I don’t know why the NHL doesn’t go back to the traditional names. It was better due its unique nature.

Be that as it may, you have the East and Central comprising the Eastern Conference. Why is our division called the East? They can’t just call it the Patrick for old times sake. Then there’s the weirdness of the North Division comprised of seven Canadian teams that stretches from Ontario to Alberta with British Columbia and Manitoba. The West (Pacific) making up eight teams with a couple not even in the right timezone. This is strange. But that’s what you get these days.

It’s not worth going through all the changes to teams. Some notables. Zdeno Chara in DC will be strange. So will Torey Krug in St. Louis. Joe Thornton in Toronto will be odd. It’s blasphemy. But he’s sticking around for at least this year to see if he can help solve the Maple Leafs playoff woes. Good luck. Jacob Markstrom has changed addresses from Vancouver to Calgary. Taylor Hall is in Buffalo to team with Jack Eichel for a year. Paul Stastny returns to Winnipeg after never fitting in Vegas, who uses players as chess pieces like Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit. They paid former St. Louis captain Alex Pietrangelo a lot of cash to change sides. That’ll be strange. Braden Holtby now is in Vancouver where he’ll share the net with Thatcher Demko.

These are strange times. Montreal has the look of a playoff contender with the addition of Josh Anderson even if that contract is risky. Nick Suzuki should blossom into a top center. Carey Price won’t be asked to start 50 of 56 with Jake Allen backing up. Tyler Toffoli is a good addition.

Edmonton is hoping the Connor McDavid/Leon Draisaitl tandem along with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can carry them into the playoffs despite Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith. Maybe the return of Jesse Puljujarvi along with key additions Tyson Barrie and Kyle Turris will help. They couldn’t even get by the Blackhawks in the qualifying round last August.

Kirill Kaprizov will compete for top rookie status after dominating the KHL. He’ll boost the Wild’s offense which still features Kevin Fiala and Zach Parise. Plus a solid D corps. Can Cam Talbot get them into the playoffs? The goalie situation will be interesting.

The Rangers are hoping the arrival of top pick Alexis Lafreniere will brighten their playoff chances. He’ll start on a questionable third line with Filip Chytil and Julien Gauthier. Chytil will make or break it. Kaapo Kakko must improve and newcomer K’Andre Miller will be looked upon to boost a shaky defense. Igor Shestyorkin is the new starter with Alex Georgiev backing up.

These are just some of the storylines entering the new season. One which could be unpredictable. Keep an eye on this year’s rookie class which prominently features Kaprizov, Shestyorkin, Lafreniere, Tim Stutzle, Alex Turcotte, Trevor Zegras and Ilya Sorokin. Defensemen could include Jamie Drysdale, Bowen Byram and Ville Heinola.

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Unsettled camp adds to questions surrounding Devils’ 2021 season

Posted on January 12, 2021 by hasan4978

With hockey finally set to return in the next couple of days, I should be excited to see my team play for the first time in ten months. In general there’s always a lot of optimism going into a season when everyone is still undefeated and usually when you have a new regime there’s an added feeling of anticipation. I certainly don’t want to bring anyone else down, I’m glad the majority of fans can enjoy hockey’s return and on a certain level I’m still looking forward to Wednesday night as well.

Unfortunately on the whole, I’ve never been so passive or felt the same feeling of dread as I do now going into this Devils season.

Clearly there’s stuff more important and more dire going on in the country which probably contributes to my general malaise, but that’s not really a matter for comment in this blog. Except to the extent that the COVID vaccine really needs to get distributed faster and more efficiently in the next several weeks, and that’s certainly contributing to my general bleh mood on the eve of the Devils’ return to play. Looking at all the games getting canceled around the NBA give me pause about this NHL season. I thought the NHL and NBA would be able to get through their seasons because baseball and football have, but the virus has only gotten worse despite the vaccine starting to be publicly available and I’m starting to doubt whether that can happen, at least not without another big pause.

But let’s say for argument’s sake the NHL somehow, someway gets through a 56-game season and playoffs all the way through – then we get to the macro worries about the Devils themselves. For a camp that only lasted two weeks, the Devils had more than their fair share of drama and considering this team’s already precarious position they could ill afford it.

First of all, franchise center Nico Hischier came into camp with a still mysterious leg injury, where all we know is he’s week to week and not skating. So he won’t be on the ice in the near future, yippee. Then there was the senseless Jesper Bratt holdout, which finally concluded a couple of days ago but with Bratt still in limbo because of visa and quarantine concerns, he’s still likely weeks from playing a game. Why Bratt thought he was worth some big contract after three promising but still uneven seasons where he hasn’t put up more than 35 points yet is beyond me, and why Fitz let the holdout get to this point with months to negotiate only to settle for the bridge deal way after the deadline to get Bratt in for the season is also beyond me. This was the rare holdout where nobody won. Bratt missing for weeks was really worth trying and failing to get a long-term deal and/or getting a few pennies off the next two years where we don’t have cap issues anyway? Garbage.

Then you have the Corey Crawford disaster, where apparently at the beginning of camp and on the eve of the season he had a change of heart about playing and abruptly retired. Crawford was supposed to be if not our starting goalie, certainly a viable 1A which we didn’t have last year. As angry as I am with him for leaving us in the lurch (especially given he never did a thing for the Devils to begin with, this isn’t someone like Travis Zajac hanging it up on the eve of camp), I can’t ultimately blame him if his heart wasn’t in it. I suppose it’s better to leave now than to have him play a half-hearted season before that point. After Crawford’s abrupt exit, GM Tom Fitzgerald probably felt like Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer after his ex-fiancee gives the reasons why she dumped him at the altar.

So we’re out two top six forwards and one half of our goalie tandem going into a season where we were already rated no higher than 7th out of 8 teams in a stacked Patrick Division plus (the hell with all of the NHL’s new corporate names they’ve gotten for their temporary divisions). With a new staff and a team that hasn’t played an actual game in ten months. Not exactly ideal. It’s anyone’s guess what we’re going to do in goal although they claimed Eric Comrie off of waivers to compete with one-time draftee Scott Wedgewood for the backup job. Of course that’s a fluid situation.

At this point in the blog I’m wondering why I still have any anticipation at all for Wednesday’s season opener. I haven’t even really watched any of the scrimmages though it’s always difficult to know what to ‘root for’ in scrimmages anyway.

With all the things that actually happened which have short and long-term consequences, I can’t even get annoyed over things like P.K. Subban and Miles Wood’s infantile fight during the team’s final intrasquad scrimmage, or the forced bro-hug posted on social media after it. At least I suppose it’s a good thing two of the bigger disappointments last year are coming out like they actually give a crap about rebounding.

If you’re still reading you might be wondering if there is even any good news in Newarkville? Well by all accounts the best player in camp is 22-year old Yegor Sharangovich, a 5th rounder in 2018 who was off to a hot start in the KHL this year with 17 goals in 34 games and has kept up that scoring touch in camp. I suppose it should be pointed out it’s easier for a guy like Sharangovich to shine in scrimmages (and perhaps early in the season) considering he’s one of the few players on the ice that’s been playing regularly, but with his KHL season so far you’re allowed to have some optomism we might actually be adding a legit scoring forward. God knows we can use one.

It also seems like 2018 1st rounder Ty Smith will finally make the NHL roster although whether he actually plays on Opening Night is still a question mark considering the Devils have kept eight defensemen on their active roster, which doesn’t even include the recently signed Sami Vatanen who’ll likely replace one of the other guys like Matt Tennyson after he clears his protocols to come over. It’ll certainly be a roster filled with youth and a couple more of the younger guys will get an early chance to play with Hischier and Bratt still missing.

I wish I could get more excited, especially with a lineup of younger guys looking to prove themselves. I’m just not feeling it right now. Who cares whether the lineup’s younger guys or older guys if they’re just getting their face kicked in? And how invested can I get if we’re headed straight for another March pause?

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Rangers sign first round pick Braden Schneider to AHL contract, Devils re-sign Jesper Bratt

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Derek

In some more local hockey news, both the Rangers and Devils made interesting moves. Each signed a young player. One will be on an NHL roster as expected while the other will get their first taste of pro hockey in the AHL.

The Devils re-signed restricted free agent Jesper Bratt to a two-year deal worth an average cap hit of $2.75 million. The 22-year old from Stockholm, Sweden is entering his fourth NHL season.

A former sixth round pick in the ’16 NHL Draft, Bratt has played in a top nine role for New Jersey. In all three of his seasons, he’s recorded over 30 points while filling a role on the penalty kill. Last year, he hit a new career high with 16 goals while adding 16 assists for 32 points in 60 games. Look for him to slot in on one of the top two lines.

In other news, the Devils waived Nick Merkley, Colton White, Josh Jacobs, Ben Street and Brandon Gignac.

Nico Hischier is still not skating according to new coach Lindy Ruff. He will not start the season in time. For now, Travis Zajac will center one of the top two lines while ’19 top pick Jack Hughes anchors the other which will likely feature Kyle Palmieri and possibly Andreas Johnsson or Nikita Gusev.

In Rangers news, they decided to sign recent ’20 first round pick Braden Schneider to an AHL contract. Having missed the cutoff to sign him to an entry level contract (ELC), they apparently liked what they saw from the big right defenseman at the World Junior Championships. He played well in a second pair role for Canada. Schneider showed off his physical style while also jumping into the play where he contributed a goal and two assists with 25 penalty minutes and a plus-eight rating.

Schneider is 19 from Prince Albert, Saskatoon. The Rangers thought highly enough of him that they swapped first round picks and gave up a third to the Flames to select Schneider at number 19. A good skater who isn’t afraid to use his size to finish checks, he could become the hard-nosed physical defenseman the team lacks. They have changed the look of the roster over the last year plus by adding Jacob Trouba and finding out that Ryan Lindgren is a solid top four defenseman.

With plenty of defensive depth in the system that features Nils Lundkvist, Zac Jones, Matthew Robertson and Tarmo Reunanen, the organization is in good hands under Team President John Davidson and GM Jeff Gorton. They have to be excited about ’18 first round pick K’Andre Miller impressing coach David Quinn enough to make the NHL roster. He’ll get the chance to start with Trouba on the number one pair. Only 20, it’s a great opportunity for the former Badger.

Even though he didn’t make the team, Quinn told reporters that we could still see forward Morgan Barron get into some games. He felt Barron looked a little tight. Barron will likely be on the taxi squad. They also could get him into AHL games when it starts up.

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With K’Andre Miller making the team, the Rangers have a bright future, Seven players on Waivers

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Derek

It’s only been a week since training camp opened. Over that brief time, coach David Quinn was so impressed with K’Andre Miller that he gave the rookie defenseman a ringing endorsement a few days ago.

The 20-year old left defenseman spent two years playing college hockey at Wisconsin. He also represented Team USA at the ’19 and ’20 World Junior Championships. Even though he disappointed last year, Miller returned to the Badgers and put up 18 points (7-11-18) in 36 games. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, there was no Frozen Four.

Following his sophomore year, Miller signed an entry-level contract (ELC) with the Rangers to turn pro. Were they rushing the former forward who converted to defenseman? Based on how he handled himself while getting to practice with the team in the playoff bubble, the coaching staff liked what they saw. Even though he wasn’t eligible to play against the Hurricanes, there was optimism. That has continued with a strong camp with Quinn liking Miller enough to pair him with Jacob Trouba.

In doing so, it looks like Tony DeAngelo will start on the third pair with Jack Johnson. The veteran replacement for Marc Staal. Of course, the only pair that’ll stay intact is the cohesive second tandem of Ryan Lindgren with Adam Fox. They were so effective during their rookie year that Quinn leaned on them a lot with former assistant Lindy Ruff, who takes over the Devils.

The defense is more interesting. If Miller proves he can stick and play responsible minutes, you have another recent former first round pick cracking the roster. Defense isn’t an easy transition at the NHL level. The Rangers will have to remain patient with Miller. There’ll be mistakes. It’s how he learns and responds from those mistakes that’ll determine his rookie season.

With number one center Mika Zibanejad finally cleared to practice with the team three days before the home season opener versus the Islanders, he’ll have to catch up quickly with cohesive line mates Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich. Considering the chemistry they have, that shouldn’t be an issue. In one of the scrimmages, they played well with fourth line center Brett Howden. Howden had a goal and assist. He’ll slide back down to anchor Brendan Lemieux and Phil Di Giuseppe.

For now, Quinn is sticking with his top six. In an important second year after struggling in ’19-20, Kaapo Kakko looks to take a leap up on the second line where he’ll replace departed right wing Jesper Fast (Canes) to play with Ryan Strome and Artemi Panarin. It’s a great opportunity for Kakko to benefit from playing with Panarin, who is one of the game’s best players. Strome fits in well with Panarin due to his unselfish nature and skating. One would th*ink Kakko will have plenty of scoring chances while teamed with those two. We’ll see if he can take advantage.

So much hype is surrounding top pick Alexis Lafreniere. The super gifted Canadian scoring left wing is a fast skater who can do things with the puck at a high level. The former 2020 WJC Most Valuable Player is the kind of future star the Rangers haven’t had. They never picked first since the Entry Draft was formed. It’s true that they got lucky by losing in three to Carolina to somehow win the lottery. Now, it’s showtime for the wiz kid from Quebec City.

The good thing is there won’t be as much pressure at the start. He’ll slot in on the third line with Filip Chytil and Julien Gauthier. It’s a golden opportunity for Chytil to raise his level. He’s shown flashes so far, but hasn’t been consistent. We’ll see if he can take the next step in his development. Gauthier was acquired from Carolina last year. A player with a willingness to work, he has some power forward moves to his game. While it might be a stretch for him to be in the top nine, it’s an opportunity to see what he is capable of. He’ll be asked to do the grunt work on the new line.

For now, it’s Howden back at center on the fourth line with agitator Lemieux and skater Di Giuseppe. Howden had a good abbreviated miniseries. He wins draws and will play penalty kill. Something we should also see the energetic Lemieux do. The Grate One must play on the edge without going overboard. He will finish checks and stand up for teammates. But he also is capable of potting a few goals. They need him to draw penalties. Not lose discipline. Di Giuseppe was solid after his recall. He’s a good skater who works hard. The fourth line has potential to be trusted. Will Quinn show enough faith to play them regularly?

The goalies are Igor Shestyorkin and Alex Georgiev. They’re a young tandem. Shestyorkin will be expected to prove himself following the brilliance he showed. Don’t forget it was not that many games. We’ll see how he handles the pressure. Georgiev has been a good backup with lots of character. He handled a tough situation well last year. Now, it’s just him and Shestyorkin. Consistency will be the key in net in the post Lundqvist Era.

Former Devil Kevin Rooney is the extra forward. He is a hardworking center who kills penalties. Not a bad pickup. Will we see Morgan Barron? It all depends what happens with the fourth line.

Veteran Brendan Smith is the extra defenseman. He practiced with prospect Matthew Robertson, who’ll likely be reassigned to his junior team.

The Rangers placed the following players on waivers. Some will report to the taxi squad.

Nick Bitetto

Jonny Brodzinski

Colin Blackwell

Brandon Crawley

Gabriel Fontaine

Anthony Greco

Keith Kinkaid

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