Rangers drop Game One to relentless Hurricanes 3-2

Posted on August 1, 2020 by Derek

From the start, the Rangers were flat. They looked lethargic in the early going of this best of five preliminary series. The poor start along with a bad break cost them in a 3-2 loss to a stronger Hurricanes team in Game One of this expanded format.

It’s a bit different. With it being a five game series, the Rangers know they must respond quickly on Monday. There is no home ice advantage here in the bubble. The first game of the unique Stanley Cup Tournament was played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto without fans. So, there wasn’t much noise aside from all the physicality we saw. There was plenty of hitting throughout.

With rookie Igor Shesterkin ruled out due to being “unfit to play,” Henrik Lundqvist made his franchise record 128th consecutive postseason start. Even though it started inauspicious for the 38-year old veteran, it sure wasn’t his fault. He played as well as can be expected, finishing with 34 saves including a pair of dandies to deny Warren Foegle and Jake Gardiner.

To be blunt, it wouldn’t have even been a game without Lundqvist doing his best work in a lopsided first period to keep his team in it. After allowing an early goal to top Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin short side off a great pass from Teuvo Teravainen 61 seconds in, Lundqvist settled in. Aside from a strong power move and dangerous Vincent Trocheck backhand that had him beat but went off the crossbar, he was splendid in making the next 11 saves in a period the Hurricanes outshot the Rangers 12-4.

Following Teravainen and Sebastian Aho (goal and assist) setting up Slavin’s first, the march to the penalty box began. Each team had seven power plays. It was on Carolina’s first man-advantage that Ryan Strome got into a fight with Justin Williams. It was obvious that he was trying to awaken his teammates. They looked like they were skating in quicksand.

Credit the Canes for being very aggressive. They finished every check and took away time and space while controlling puck possession. Ironically enough, it was Brady Skjei who got the best hit in when he lined up Jesper Fast at the Carolina blueline and caught him with a clean shoulder to send his former teammate to the locker room. Fast never returned.

That loss hurt. If he doesn’t return for Monday’s all important Game Two, it’ll be up to coach David Quinn to decide who should dress. The choices are Steven Fogarty, Tim Gettinger, Vitali Kravtsov, or Danny O’Regan. Vinni Lettieri was also listed as a scratch, but I’m not sure what his status is.

Forced to mix and match, Quinn tried different combinations. In the near disastrous first, he saw a couple of bright spots in Julien Gauthier and Kaapo Kakko. Both young forwards didn’t look intimidated despite all the hitting. Gauthier got off a couple of shots and Kakko wound up leading the team with five. He looked much improved and saw some shifts with Mika Zibanejad. Maybe this is the moment to see what the 19-year old second overall pick is all about. He should be in the top six without Fast.

Despite the Canes swarming Lundqvist’s net, they only took a one goal lead to the locker room. There had already been nine penalties called. That included a undisciplined Andrei Svechnikov hook that Kakko drew with six seconds left in the period.

However, one of the league’s best penalty kills frustrated the Rangers, who looked out of sorts. They were unable to get much set up time in the Carolina zone. The Canes were aggressive and forced turnovers for easy clears. We didn’t see Artemi Panarin get one clean look. Zibanejad didn’t find much space either. Tony DeAngelo got off a good low shot that Petr Mrazek handled. Adam Fox made a back pass to nobody out of the zone. Chris Kreider didn’t get anything done. Period. They must be better in the second game.

The fact that the Rangers went 0-for-7 on the power play was frustrating. They lost the battle of special teams with the Canes able to convert on one chance thanks to an Aho deflection in front off a set face-off play. With Brett Howden off for slashing Gardiner, it didn’t take long. Carolina connected 15 seconds in thanks to a Svechnikov shot pass being tipped in by Aho for his first past Lundqvist.

Sami Vatanen drew the secondary helper. Making his debut for Carolina following a trade from the Devils along with a injury, he was good throughout. Paired alongside Slavin in place of Dougie Hamilton, Vatanen recorded an assist with four shots and took two minor penalties in 20:35.

Even though they trailed by two, the Blueshirts picked up their play in the second. Generating momentum off a better power play in which Mrazek made some good stops, they started to turn the tide. A Panarin shot pass for an open Zibanejad at the doorstep just missed. If he gets it clean, he scores.

Speaking of Zibanejad, he was named the Rangers’ Extra Effort Award Winner for a second consecutive year. It was well deserved. John Giannone did a taped interview with him and he spoke about how honored he was to win the Steven McDonald Award. Mika has led by example on and off the ice all season. It’s no wonder he bounced back with a good final two periods. True to his character.

In a game that felt like one extended power play, it was Zibanejad striking at even strength for the Rangers’ first goal. On some sustained pressure from Pavel Buchnevich, Kreider kept the puck alive for Ryan Lindgren. Following a shaky first in which he showed nerves in his first postseason game, he did the right thing and got a low shot through that Zibanejad could redirect with Buchnevich screening Mrazek for a big goal. That made it 2-1 with 5:34 left in the second.

Simply put, it was the first consistent shift from the KZB line at five-on-five. A rarity in this game. Each team recorded 21 penalty minutes for a game total of 42. Following the Zibanejad tally, Kreider took a needless hi-sticking minor on Vatanen nine seconds later. That was the kinda game it was. Most of the calls were legit. It had a lot to do with the players not being game ready. So, you had a lot of unnecessary stick fouls. There were only a couple of ticky tac calls.

Lundqvist made some key saves on the Canes power play to keep the Rangers within one. He was sharp throughout and showed some of his brilliance versus an opponent he’s historically owned. If Shesterkin can’t go in two days, I have no problem with Lundqvist starting Game Two. This was as good as he’s looked all season. Maybe the extra time off helped. He looks fresh.

A Strome hook on Williams handed the Canes a late power play with 73 seconds remaining in the period. It was one of those mindless Strome penalties he can’t take. With no Fast available and Strome in the box, Quinn used Filip Chytil for a penalty killing shift. It worked out okay.

The only gripe I have is why didn’t Quinn consider using Panarin shorthanded. He wasn’t a factor due to little five-on-five. They needed offense. After the first period, Howden fed all Ranger forwards in ice-time. That made no sense. Panarin still would up with 20:59 including 7:46 on the power play. But Howden received over 17 minutes including 5:50 shorthanded. He also saw extra shifts at even strength with Fast out.

By comparison, Zibanejad logged a game high 25:32 because he plays in every situation including power play (8:35) and penalty kill (6:21). He also took 21 draws winning nine. Strome was good going 6-for-11 while Howden dominated by winning 6 of 8. Chytil struggled losing 8 of 11. On the Carolina side, Jordan Staal went 10-for-18, Trocheck 8-for-12 and Aho 10 of 21. Overall, the Canes won the face-off battle 31-26.

Predictably, the teams finally adjusted in the third which was played mostly at five-on-five. That’s where I believe it must be played in order for the Rangers to win. They were coming on. With the exception of minors on Greg McKegg (boarding) and DeAngelo (interference), it was played at even strength.

Even though the Hurricanes got 14 shots on Lundqvist, he was equal to the task. Following McKegg’s penalty expiring, he came out of the box and back in the play. Unfortunately, a Nino Niederreiter pass for a Martin Necas low one-timer took a unfavorable bounce off Marc Staal’s skate right past an exasperated Lundqvist. He was set for Necas shot with the glove ready, but instead it changed direction and went right through for a crushing goal that allowed Carolina to take a 3-1 lead with 9:09 left in the third.

It sure looked like it was over following the DeAngelo minor. However, Quinn finally wised up and sent Panarin out with Zibanejad for a penalty kill shift. Searching for offense, he found it from an unlikely source. After some good stick handling from Panarin, he got the puck to Zibanejad, who passed for an open Staal one-timer that beat Mrazek with 1:55 left in regulation. It was a good shot that deflected off a Hurricane for a rare Staal shorthanded goal. He deserved a break following what happened.

The Rangers were able to pull Lundqvist for an extra skater. But the stingy Canes wouldn’t allow them to tie it. They earned the first win of the series by being better overall. More complete. Now, it’s up to the Rangers to respond.

Battle of Hudson Three Stars

3rd 🌟 Jaccob Slavin, Hurricanes (1st of postseason 61 seconds in plus 🍎 in team high 24:40 including 7:28 shorthanded)

2nd 🌟 Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes (power play goal plus 🍎 in 21:33)

1st 🌟 Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers (34 saves including some gems in team record 128th straight postseason start)

Notes: Rangers wound up with 40 hits including nine from Howden and six from Kreider. The Canes recorded 28 with no one with more than three. … Blocked shots were 15-9 NYR. … Carolina outshot the Rangers 37-29 and out-attempted them 69-49. … Game Two is Monday at noon.

Posted in NHL Playoffs, NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stanley Cup Qualifying Round Picks

Posted on August 1, 2020 by Derek

It’s Day One of the NHL expanded playoff format. Over the next week and a half, sixteen teams will compete for a chance to advance in a Best of Five preliminary round. Only eight will make the true Stanley Cup Playoffs. Four in the East and four out West.

A unique postseason that features 24 teams competing for a shot at Lord Stanley. Maybe there’s a sleeper from this class that makes a deep run in the playoff bubble of either Edmonton or Toronto. There won’t be any fans. So no home ice. Not even for the Oilers or Maple Leafs, who both must advance to the Sweet Sixteen to still be alive.

Even the championship pedigree Penguins must prove themselves. On paper, their match-up against Team Price Montreal looks like a mismatch. But these are short series. Anything can happen. While the 16 teams that don’t have byes battle it out, a round robin format will determine the top four seeds in each Conference. The East featuring the Bruins, Lightning, Capitals and Flyers. The West including the defending champion Blues, Avalanche, Stars and Golden Knights. That won’t be as stressful as the teams playing for their playoff livelihood.

So, what should we expect? It’s hard to predict. A lot will depend upon which teams rediscover chemistry quickly following a four and a half month layoff. They’re going on training camps and one exhibition game. It won’t be easy.

Let’s take a look at the eight Preliminary Series:

EAST

(5) Pens vs (12) Habs

Analysis: Carey Price is capable of stealing a game. Unless their spotty defense can slow down Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, a healthy Jake Guentzel, Kris Letang, Patric Hornqvist and key addition Jason Zucker, it’s hard to see Montreal prevailing. I’ll be curious to see who Mike Sullivan goes with. Matt Murray or Tristan Jarry. The Canadiens need big performances from Price, Shea Weber, Jeff Petry, Max Domi, Nick Suzuki, Jonathan Drouin and Tomas Tatar.

Prediction: Pens in 4

(6) Hurricanes vs (11) Rangers

Analysis: I had a more detailed outlook in a previous post. To reiterate, the Rangers have the best player in the series and better goalies. They’re more top heavy. The Hurricanes are deeper. However, their goalie tandem would have to really come up to deny the likes of Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. I trust Igor Shesterkin or Henrik Lundqvist more. If Tony DeAngelo can’t go, then take Carolina. Otherwise, go with the bigger stars in a short series.

Prediction: Rangers in 5

(7) Islanders vs (10) Panthers

Analysis: Top to bottom, the Islanders under Barry Trotz are deeper due to their system. They beat a different Panthers team thanks to the heroics of John Tavares. That feels like a lifetime ago. Both rosters have changed. Florida features top tier talent in Sasha Barkov, Evgenii Dadonov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Mike Hoffman, Keith Yandle and Aaron Ekblad. Joel Quenneville is counting on Sergei Bobrovsky to dust off the rust. The Isles do it with grit and determination. Mat Barzal, Brock Nelson, Anders Lee, Josh Bailey, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Pulock are the key guys. Keep an eye on Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Derick Brassard. Key supporting Cats include Noel Acciari, Brian Boyle and Frank Vatrano. I’ve gone back and forth due to the differences in two balanced rosters. If Semyon Varlamov performs, the Isles should advance.

Prediction: Islanders in 5

(8) Maple Leafs vs (9) Blue Jackets

Analysis: On paper, the more talented Leafs are better due to established stars Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Tavares, William Nylander. Tyson Barrie and Morgan Rielly lead a defense that’s scary in its own end. Jake Muzzin could be a key. Freddie Andersen is the last line of defense. Andreas Johnsson, Kasperi Kapanen and Zach Hyman play supporting roles. Do they trust Rasmus Sandin enough to play him? John Tortorella somehow got his Blue Jackets here without Panarin, Matt Duchene, Bobrovsky and countless others due to injuries. They’ll have Seth Jones back teamed with Zach Werenski. Elvis Merzlikins can steal games. It could come down to the forwards led by Pierre-Luc Dubois, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Cam Atkinson, Gustav Nyquist, Boone Jenner and Nick Foligno. They have the better defense and more proven coach. But the pressure is all on the skilled Leafs.

Prediction: Maple Leafs in 5

WEST

(5) Oilers vs (12) Blackhawks

Analysis: New guard versus old guard. The electric duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl vs Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. The Oilers should be hungry. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a difference maker. Zack Kassian should wreak havoc against a weak Chicago defense that still hinges on Duncan Keith. Kailer Yamamoto is a weapon for Edmonton. Darnell Nurse is the best defenseman in the series. James Neal was acquired for this scenario. Does it matter whether it’s Mikko Koskinen or Mike Smith? I doubt it. If Corey Crawford plays, he could have recurring nightmares of McDavid and Draisaitl on breakaways. Alex DeBrincat and Dominik Kubalik are key youngsters for Chicago along with vet Brandon Saad. I don’t see it.

Prediction: Oilers in 4

(6) Predators vs (11) Coyotes

Analysis: Even though it’s likely the unproven Juuse Saros in net over Pekka Rinne, the Preds are better than the Coyotes. Maybe Duchene and Ryan Johansen will step up. They have before. Along with Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg, they had underwhelming seasons. That’s forgotten. Led by Roman Josi on a strong blueline that includes Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm and Dante Fabbro, they’re a good team that knows this could be it. I’ll take the experience of Nashville over the youth of Arizona, who need a signature series from Taylor Hall. Christian Dvorak, Clayton Keller, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jakob Chychrun and Conor Garland are good. Darcy Kuemper has to steal games and the experience of Derek Stepan and Phil Kessel must come through.

Prediction: Predators in 5

(7) Canucks vs (10) Wild

Analysis: Logic says the top tier talent of Elias Pettersson, JT Miller, Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat and Quinn Hughes are enough for Vancouver to prevail. However, the Wild did improve down the stretch. They boast a deeper blueline with Matt Dumba healthy along with Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin and Carson Soucy. It isn’t only Zach Parise, Eric Staal or Mats Zuccarello. Kevin Fiala is the key forward along with Luke Kunin, Ryan Donato and Marcus Foligno. What will they get from Alex Galchenyuk? Vancouver gets the edge in net with Jacob Markstrom back. He was having his best year. Alex Stalock is the Minnesota number one for now. Devan Dubnyk backs up. Kaapo Kahkonen is the wildcard.

Prediction: Canucks in 5

(8) Flames vs (9) Jets

Analysis: This is the hardest series to call. They’re so similar. Both love to play up tempo and utilize their skating to dictate play. It’s an old rivalry from the Smythe days. I prefer the core of Winnipeg. How can you not love Mark Schiefele, Blake Wheeler, Kyle Connor, Patrik Laine and Nik Ehlers. As questionable as the D is anchored by Josh Morrissey and ex-Ranger Neal Pionk, they boast the better netminder in likely Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck. He’s miles better than either Cam Talbot or David Rittich. Calgary has a better defense with Mark Giordano, TJ Brodie, Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson. No Travis Hamonic will hurt. Unless the core of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Elias Lindholm, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett outplay the Jets stars, it’s hard to see them coming out on top. Milan Lucic needs to be effective. I keep pointing to Hellebuyck and Connor, who I believe is a breakout star. It’ll be exciting.

Prediction: Jets in 5

Posted in NHL Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How They Stack Up: Rangers vs Hurricanes

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Derek

In less than 24 hours, the puck will drop on the first of eight best of five Preliminary Series. The Rangers and Hurricanes will be featured in the Stanley Cup Qualifying Round. Only one team will advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

The 6/11 match-up should be closely fought between two teams that were separated by two points in the standings before the pause. It is a contrast of styles and a difference in experience.

Undoubtedly, the more proven Hurricanes have the edge in the latter due to their run to last year’s Eastern Conference Final before the Bruins rolled them in four. Stylistically, they play an aggressive puck possession game based on skating from the defense out. Assuming Dougie Hamilton can’t go, that’ll hurt. They still boast strong skating Jaccob Slavin, Sami Vatanen and former Ranger Brady Skjei to push the pace.

The Rangers also like to use quick transition up the ice due to gifted defensemen Tony DeAngelo and Adam Fox. Both will be counted on to lead an attack that features superstar Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Pavel Buchnevich and Ryan Strome.

If there’s a similarity, both teams prefer to have the puck and apply forecheck pressure due to their speed and skill. The Canes feature Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov. A dynamic trio that can’t be overlooked. Maybe none have the star power of a Panarin or finishing ability of a Zibanejad. But they are three superb skaters with Aho and Svechnikov explosive if they’re given time and space. Teravainen is a great passer.

The Rangers boast the best power forward in the series with a healthy Kreider, who combines a unique skill set of size, speed, and grit. Very adept at screening goalies, he can be a decoy due to his net front presence or tip shots in. Rebounds are also an area he excels. If he’s in transition at full speed, he is lethal on breakaways where he can either fire a wrist shot or go to his patented forehand, backhand deke to beat goalies. Don’t forget he’s playoff proven since his introduction during the 2012 Playoffs.

In terms of proven performers, nobody has the resume of Mr. Game Seven, Justin Williams. He returned to the Canes after some time off. The 38-year old veteran right wing isn’t quite a future Hall of Famer. However, he’s the epitome of clutch. A three-time Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe winner at the expense of the Blueshirts in 2014, Williams usually saves his best for these big spots. Though not quite as productive as what he once was, he is a winning player, whose 101 points (40-61-101) in the postseason are proof that he is someone you don’t want to get going.

In terms of Stanley Cup experience, give the edge to the Hurricanes. They total seven including Williams with three, Joel Edmundson (1), Jordan Staal (1), Teravainen (1) and Trevor van Riemsdyk (1). Four Rangers are left from the ’13-14 roster that lost to the Kings. They are Jesper Fast, Kreider, Henrik Lundqvist and Marc Staal. It’s also interesting to note that Kreider has the most points in the postseason from a Blueshirts perspective. Panarin is just under a point-per-game in appearances with Chicago and Columbus. Zibanejad doesn’t have too much experience, but was productive in 2017. He scored the clutch overtime winner at Montreal.

Goaltending should favor the Rangers thanks to rookie Igor Shesterkin and Lundqvist, who is a proven performer if the kid struggles. Carolina will go with the tandem of Petr Mrazek and James Reimer. Reimer performed better during the season than Mrazek. Who knows what coach Rod Brind’Amour will decide.

In terms of how they match-up up front and on the back end, here’s how it looks.

FORWARDS

The Rangers top six of Kreider, Zibanejad, Buchnevich, Panarin, Strome and Fast should give them an edge due to boasting two scoring lines. However, the Hurricanes boast some solid checkers like two-way pivot Jordan Staal, who should see a lot of either the KZB line or Panarin unit. That depends how Brind’Amour plays it. He will have last change in Games 1-2 and 5 if necessary. He could opt to go head to head with the trio of Teravainen, Aho and Svechnikov against the Zibanejad scoring unit.

The Canes may boast more depth due to Staal, Williams, Vincent Trocheck, Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Dzingel, Warren Foegle and Brock McGinn. While much of the focus will be on Kaapo Kakko for the Rangers along with Filip Chytil, keep an eye on Martin Necas (probable for tomorrow) and Morgan Geekie. Both could be factors if Carolina is successful. The Rangers will look towards kids Chytil and Kakko for scoring help. Wildcards are Brett Howden, former Cane Greg McKegg and Brendan Lemieux if he gets in following the two game suspension. Phil Di Giuseppe is a good skater, who’s been a nice fit on the third line.

Edge: Even

DEFENSEMEN

Even without Hamilton (out for Game 1) and Brett Pesce, the Canes are still formidable thanks to Slavin, who can control the tempo. A good all around player, he will draw the assignment with Vatanen against either KZB or the Bread Man line. It’ll be interesting to see how Brady Skjei performs versus his former team. Will he fare well or commit some of the mind-boggling mistakes that turned fans off? He has postseason experience, doing well in his one appearance three years ago.

The Canes also have Jake Gardiner, who was a big disappointment. He can play third pair and power play. Edmundson is probably the most overlooked. A solid, steady D who won with the Blues, he came over for offensive defenseman Justin Faulk. Boasting depth with the likes of van Riemsdyk, Haydn Fleury and Jake Bean, Carolina has plenty of options. If Hamilton returns for a potential Game Four or deciding Five, that could tilt it in their favor.

David Quinn will lean on the rookie tandem of Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox. Lindgren plays the strong, physical game that can agitate opponents, allowing the smoother skating Fox to transition quickly. Very slick and poised for a first-year player, he can make plays look easy. A terrific passer, Foxy is effective at five-on-five and plays on the second power play unit with Jacob Trouba. Trouba was a bit inconsistent after a good start. Maybe it was the tough transition from Winnipeg to New York. His former partner Skjei didn’t help. Now, he is teamed with Brendan Smith. Trouba must carry that pair for it to work. He can supply offense with a heavy shot.

Unless he can’t go tomorrow, DeAngelo will be with familiar partner Marc Staal. Staal is good to go after sitting out the third period in a tuneup against the Islanders on Wednesday night. The savvy veteran provides the nuts and bolts. He will draw tough assignments, check and block shots. He’s part of the penalty kill with Lindgren, Trouba and Smith. DeAngelo is the dynamic offensive defenseman who’s been splendid. A great skater who has excellent vision, DeAngelo can find open teammates while finding room for his accurate shot if left open. If he can’t go on Saturday, that’s a big hit. Libor Hajek would replace him and that could jumble the Quinn’s pairings.

Edge: Hurricanes

INTANGIBLES

If you’re looking for a gray area in what shapes up to be a competitive series, this could be it. There’s the Hurricanes’ experience versus the Rangers’ youth. You have the star power of Panarin, who’s up for the Hart, against the emerging star of Aho and Svechnikov. There’s the unique combination of Kreider and skill of Zibanejad vs the stick to it mentality of Jordan Staal and been there done that before in Williams. The playmaking of Teravainen vs the emergence of Strome, who’s benefited greatly from playing with Panarin. The grit and hustle of Fast vs the similar Foegle.

The youthful exuberance of Kakko and Chytil vs Necas and Geekie, who looked the part in a brief stint. The unique storyline of Skjei up against the team that found him expendable. The subplot of Fox vs Carolina, who he didn’t sign with. They traded him to the Rangers, who are extremely happy. What about McKegg, who was played a role last Spring for the Canes? Or Julien Gauthier, who they gave up on. It’s juicy.

ANALYSIS

In order for the Rangers to prevail, they must do a good job winning enough key face-offs against a better opponent on draws. That means Quinn will use a lot of Zibanejad and Strome when he can. He also should utilize Howden or McKegg when possible. They don’t match up in the circle. Puck possession will be huge. Shesterkin can’t be under siege. That might’ve worked in the regular season, but won’t now. That means winning board battles, clearing the zone and minimizing icings along with undisciplined penalties.

This has the feel of a long series. Contrasting styles usually make for good match-ups. There should be plenty of skating and transition. However, what if Brind’Amour decides to slow it down? A track meet would probably favor the Rangers due to their game breakers. A tight checking affair would actually benefit the more proven Canes.

What about the goalies? Will the Blueshirts make quick work of Mrazek and Reimer like the season series? I’ve said before that doesn’t matter. The winner will be determined by who’s able to defend better and execute their strategy at even strength. Special teams will play a part. It’ll go the distance.

SERIES PREDICTION

Rangers in 5

Posted in NHL Playoffs, NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rangers drop tuneup against Islanders

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Derek

In the first hockey they’ve played since March, the Rangers had an exhibition game against the Islanders at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. It was a tuneup for both old rivals as they each get ready for their respective Preliminary Series that starts this Saturday, August 1.

Considering that it was only one game prior to the expanded format starting up for real, the lineups were about what you’d expect. The Rangers dressed what will be their Game One lineup plus suspended forward Brendan Lemieux. Here are the projected lines for Carolina:

Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich

Panarin-Strome-Fast

Di Giuseppe-Chytil-Kakko

McKegg-Howden-Gauthuer

Lemieux

The defense pairs were the same with rookie tandem Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox leading the way.

Lindgren-Fox

Smith-Trouba

Staal-DeAngelo

Hajek

Igor Shesterkin got the first half of the game. He permitted one goal on an Anthony Beauvillier rush before giving way to backup Henrik Lundqvist. Beauvillier made a smart play by looking pass and catching Shesterkin by surprise with a good wrist shot short side to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead.

The exhibition was a bit sloppy. That was expected. You had some good scoring chances created early by Hart candidate Artemi Panarin, who along with Ryan Strome just missed. Pavel Buchnevich also was aggressive on a shift looking for his shot to force Isles starter Semyon Varlamov into a good save.

The Rangers got into some penalty trouble in the first period. After Tony DeAngelo hooked Matt Martin, they had to deal with some strong Isles pressure in their end. In particular, Derick Brassard created some good opportunities for teammates including Brock Nelson, who had a pointblank chance go wide.

The Isles also had an abbreviated five-on-three that didn’t accomplish anything. The Blueshirts penalty killers did a strong job blocking shots and intercepting passes to make key clears down. They were sharper than their opponent’s power play.

In fact, despite not getting a power play in the first half of the tuneup, the Rangers outshot the Islanders 12-5 in the opening 20 minutes. Kaapo Kakko showed more confidence on a shift with the puck by skating into the Isles zone and getting off a good wrist shot that Varlamov stopped. The rookie showed improved skating on the play. He is a key player who could be an X-Factor versus the Hurricanes in the best of five match-up.

Defensively speaking, the Rangers did a nice job keeping the Isles attack outside. Tony DeAngelo made a nice recovery down low to break up a scoring chance, deflecting the shot wide. That’s an area he continues to work at to improve. The offensive defenseman certainly should provide quality chances at both even strength and on the power play.

On the strange side, you had Lemieux get into a tussle with Isles veteran defenseman Johnny Boychuk. It amounted to a wrestling match. Meaningless. What’s the point? Especially in a exhibition after everyone has been medically cleared to participate. I doubt you’ll see too many scraps in this Stanley Cup Tournament. It doesn’t make sense. The physicality will be there along with the board battles.

Speaking of which, Barry Trotz dressed Russ Johnston as his extra forward. That’s basically what he is for the Isles with both Cal Clutterbuck and Martin healthy to play with Casey Cizikas. Johnston loves to goon it up and finish checks. He’s a legit heavyweight. Something the Blueshirts don’t have. Nothing materialized with the Rangers lacking a true heavyweight.

Overall, Varlamov was very sharp making some excellent saves to deny the Rangers. That included a couple on Jesper Fast at the doorstep. The veteran netminder went the first two without allowing a goal on 19 shots. He should start the Isles series versus the Panthers. It’ll be a battle of Russian goaltenders unless Joel Quenneville isn’t confident in Sergei Bobrovsky, who was rusty in Florida’s tuneup. The former Vezina winner has been a huge bust in Year One for the Cats.

In the third period with the Rangers still trailing by a goal, Sam Rosen noted that Marc Staal was done for the night. They term it as unfit to play. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious. The defensive depth is weak with Libor Hajek the seventh defenseman. Staal looked okay paired with regular partner DeAngelo. We’ll have to wait and see what his status will be for Saturday afternoon.

Hajek took regular shifts as the extra D in the final stanza. He looked alright while mostly teamed with Staal’s partner DeAngelo. The skating isn’t the issue. It’s the physicality. We now have to hope Staal will be okay for the first game against the Canes.

The Rangers didn’t mount much in the third. Credit the Isles stingy defense as they did a good job of checking and clogging up the neutral zone. Time and space was taken away from Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. The Isles should benefit from having Adam Pelech back for the qualifying round. Added to a solid D corps that includes Ryan Pulock, Scott Mayfield, Andy Greene, Devon Toews, Nick Leddy, Boychuk and rookie Noah Dobson, that should give them a defensive edge over Florida.

In the last half of the period, Toews (far side) and Filip Chytil traded goals for the 2-1 final. Toews was able to beat Lundqvist with a good wrist shot inside the goalpost. Otherwise, Lundqvist was sharp with his best stop on Mat Barzal, who tested his glove on a power play.

Chytil benefited from some excellent persistence from Fast, who took a Brendan Smith feed and broke in to get a tough backhand on Greiss that caromed into the corner. Fast got to it and centered for Chytil, who got enough on the shot to have it deflect off Josh Bailey and in. A good sign for the young center. He and Kakko looked good on the third line with Di Giuseppe.

David Quinn pulled Lundqvist following an icing with 2:13 left. However, the Rangers hardly tested Greiss, who got strong defensive coverage from his teammates. The Isles were stronger on face-offs and won most of the battles to clear the zone. The Rangers even with the KZB line plus Panarin, Fox and DeAngelo, couldn’t mount anything.

DeAngelo took some shifts late playing the left side with Fox. He did that in a few games before the break when Quinn searched for offense. Maybe he winds up on that side eventually. Something I suggested here and now Larry Brooks did in the NY Post today.

I felt the Rangers were a step behind at the end while the Isles looked in sync playing that air tight defensive system under Trotz. Hopefully, they’ll pick up the pace when it gets going for real on Saturday at high noon.

Posted in NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Igor’s net to lose unless something changes

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Derek

When examining the goaltending in the preliminary series that begins this Saturday, all one has to do is point to the outstanding play of rookie Igor Shesterkin. After coming up from Hartford in January, the Rangers net became his to lose.

That’s how well the poised 24-year old Russian netminder played. In 12 starts, he went 10-2-0 with a 2.52 goals-against-average (GAA) and .932 save percentage. Four of those victories saw him make over 40 saves including 44 against the Sharks. He also made 46 in his second career start versus the Devils. The only opponent who scored over three against him in a rematch when Shesterkin returned from an injury sustained in a car accident.

To his credit, he recovered quickly by stopping 31 of 33 shots in a victory over the Stars. One opponent he did face was the Rangers upcoming one on August 1. He defeated the Hurricanes in Raleigh by stopping 27 shots on Feb. 21. The other three victories in the season series came from Henrik Lundqvist. However, he’ll be the backup when things kick off in Toronto. Not a bad option if something changes.

For coach David Quinn, it’s an easy decision to go with Igor. He’s given him no reason not to. Once Shesterkin arrived, the Rangers season changed. They got the key saves and their confidence grew. This isn’t about what Lundqvist or Alex Georgiev didn’t do. They weren’t as consistent. The team had a lot more success after Igor arrived. It showed in their improvement that had them within two points of the wildcard when play was paused due to COVID-19.

In the unique best of five preliminary series, the first two games will be back-to-back this weekend. I’ve seen some people suggest going back to Lundqvist for Game Two. That should be a last resort. If Shesterkin performs well, he should play. However, it’s imperative that the team wins that first game. That could be a factor in what Quinn determines.

Personally, I feel most comfortable with Shesterkin as the Rangers goalie. He’s proven capable and been unflappable. He has a calm demeanor and presence that rubs off on teammates. That allowed them to play their game and have a strong finish to the regular season.

Unless there’s a hiccup, there’s no debate. Even with Lundqvist playing his best versus a team he’s owned, it’s Igor’s net to lose. Let him get the experience. This is how it’s going to be over the long term. The franchise has a bright future ahead with the former 2014 fourth round gem taken number 118.

Whatever they decide in the off-season regarding Lundqvist and Georgiev is on the back burner. Right now, they’re all in on a big opportunity. Advance to the Stanley Cup best of seven phase and anything can happen. The focus is on Carolina.

It’ll be exciting for fans, who have missed the Blueshirts these past few months. This will be unlike any postseason we’ve seen. Following tomorrow’s tuneup against the Islanders, it all starts up for real on Saturday. Get ready.

Posted in Column, NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rangers leave for Toronto, Hamilton’s status doubtful for Hurricanes

Posted on July 26, 2020 by Derek

As the Rangers flew out to Toronto for the rest of the foreseeable future, they will be one of eight Eastern teams competing in the expanded Stanley Cup Tournament which begins in six days.

The masks are in supply as pictured above courtesy the official Rangers Twitter account. Now, they’ll be in the bubble making preparations for the Hurricanes. That’ll include a exhibition tuneup on Wednesday against the rival Islanders, who’ll be doing battle versus the Panthers. Both teams are looking to advance into the real Stanley Cup Tournament. Eight of sixteen teams competing in the preliminary round will move on to the Round of 16.

While all systems are go for the Rangers, who haven’t been hit by the injury bug, the Hurricanes could be missing a key player. Unrelated to his previous injury, defenseman Dougie Hamilton is hurt. As reported below by Carolina beat reporter Sara Civian of The Athletic, the top right defenseman could be out week to week. If that’s true, his status is in doubt.

That would be a significant loss for the Canes. Especially given the skating, puck possession and offense Hamilton brings from the blueline. In 47 games, the 27-year old was on pace for a career season. He led all Canes defensemen in scoring with 40 points (14-26-40) along with a plus-30 rating. The breakdown was 27 even strength points and 12 on the power play. Plus a shorthanded assist.

Hamilton averaged 23:17 of ice-time in the regular season. Only ace shutdown D Jaccob Slavin averaged more going 23:24 over 68 games. He is the second leading point getter from the Carolina back end, chipping in with six goals, 30 assists and 36 points along with a plus-30. A rising star, the 25-year old will be a key for the Hurricanes.

Without Hamilton, Slavin took practice shifts with former Devil Sami Vatanen. He was acquired for a bargain to help improve the Canes’ depth. Assuming Hamilton can’t go in the upcoming series, Vatanen will team with Slavin on the top pair. That leaves open slots for ex-Ranger Brady Skjei, Joel Edmundson, Jake Gardiner, Jake Bean and either Haydn Fleury or Trevor van Riemsdyk. Brett Pesce remains uncertain for the Play In phase. He’s a top four D on the Canes who’s probably their most underrated defenseman.

If you take away both Hamilton and Pesce, that negates the Canes’ biggest edge. They still would have a solid group, but losing half of their top four including their top offensive weapon in Hamilton, who acts like an extra forward, would hurt their chances of winning against the Rangers.

The Blueshirts know they can roll out a top six that features KZB line members Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Pavel Buchnevich along with Hart candidate Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome and Jesper Fast. They also should feel pretty good about rookie tandem Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox, who’ve been their most dependable at even strength. Having savvy veteran Marc Staal with Tony DeAngelo behind Brendan Smith and Jacob Trouba provides balance. However, if someone goes down, it gets thin real quick with extra defenseman Libor Hajek.

Look for improvement from rookie Kaapo Kakko, who drew praise from coach David Quinn. He took some shifts when Buchnevich missed practice. He and Filip Chytil could play a pivotal role on the third line with Phil Di Giuseppe.

With Brendan Lemieux serving the first two games of a well deserved suspension for a foolish hit from the blindside on Joonas Donskoi against the Avalanche, the frustrating agitator is his own worst enemy. You have to think he’ll get back in the lineup for Game Three. But that could depend on how the series is going. For now, the fourth line consists of Brett Howden, Greg McKegg and Julien Gauthier. Two former Canes who should be motivated. Skjei has the same incentive versus the Rangers, who decided he was expendable.

Tomorrow, I’ll get into more of the forwards and goalies.

Posted in NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Case for Panarin for League MVP

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Derek

Earlier this week, Artemi Panarin was among the league’s elite for the prestigious Hart Trophy. Given how well he performed in turning the Rangers into a much improved must see Broadway act, Panarin is definitely worthy of being up for the NHL’s Most Valuable Player.

The Bread Man signed on the dotted line over a year ago for a cool $11.6 million average cap hit through 2026. As much as I was a skeptic regarding the total cost, he’s well worth it. In fact, I now view that seven-year, $81.5 million figure as a bargain. Where else can you find a true superstar who makes everyone around them better? Unless you luck into a Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews /Patrick Kane, Alex Ovechkin or Auston Matthews (I could list more), they don’t grow on trees.

Right now, I feel pretty good about the Rangers’ chances against the Hurricanes in the upcoming best of five preliminary series that begins a week from now in Toronto. No disrespect to the Canes, who are a proven opponent that made last year’s Conference Final. It’s the Rangers who have the best player in the series.

Panarin has been unbelievable in his first season as a Blueshirt. The electrifying 28-year old Russian forward leaves fans breathless with his uncanny ability to possess the puck, control play and find open teammates. Whether it’s his excellent release that is a scoring threat or his dynamic playmaking and vision to thread the needle, this is a driven player who’s unselfish play is refreshing. Who doesn’t love his enthusiasm when a teammate scores? He’s selfless.

Honestly, we should be grateful to have such a superstar. They don’t come around often in the Big Apple. Let’s appreciate how special Panarin is. Thank you to both John Davidson and Jeff Gorton for landing last summer’s big fish. Ditto for poised second-year coach David Quinn, who’s done a masterful job utilizing the Bread Man as he sees fit. It’s that same bench boss many of us questioned, who realized splitting up Panarin and top finisher Mika Zibanejad would be beneficial for the team to have success.

What that translates to is opponents having to pick their poison. Either shadow the Panarin line with the cohesive Ryan Strome and two-way complement Jesper Fast, or match-up against the cohesive KZB line of a now healthy Chris Kreider with Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich. That gives the Rangers an edge. They know they can send out two dangerous scoring lines that are a threat every shift.

Even better, having Panarin on the top power play unit with Zibanejad, Kreider, Strome and Tony DeAngelo makes them scary. Quinn knows he can count on that five man unit for 90 seconds if they control the puck. The precision passing allows for great scoring opportunities for the trio of Zibanejad, Panarin and DeAngelo. Strome is more playmaker while Kreider can either slide out into the slot for the one-timer or provide the grunt work on front screening goalies. That also includes his nice scoring touch on deflections.

The second unit is nothing to sneeze at either. When Quinn can send out the more traditional three forwards of Filip Chytil, Pavel Buchnevich and Kaapo Kakko along with defensemen Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba, it gives the Rangers a different look. They can look for shots rather quickly or rely on the skill of Fox up top with Buchnevich and Chytil each able to distribute or shoot. Trouba has the green light obviously due to his top heavy shot. Kakko excels on the man-advantage where his confidence grew prior to the pause. He should be more of a scoring threat in seven days.

None of this is possible without Panarin. He’s elevated teammates to higher levels. It’s not a coincidence that Strome and DeAngelo produced career best seasons. So did Zibanejad with a good chunk of it on the power play. However, the top center’s improvement at even strength and on the penalty kill has been due to his commitment.

A potential future captain, he deserves full credit for what he’s done. Taking on more of a leadership role along with Kreider and veteran Marc Staal, Zibanejad has blossomed into a star. He was on fire when the season stopped. With 41 goals including his signature five goal game in a breathtaking 6-5 overtime win over the Caps, he might’ve hit 50 goals. Only three other Rangers have reached that figure. Vic Hadfield. Adam Graves. Jaromir Jagr.

When the Blueshirts line up for real on August 1 to battle the Canes up North, it’ll be with the knowledge that they boast the best player in the series. In 69 games, Panarin registered 32 goals with 63 assists for a total of 95 points and a whopping plus-36 rating that led all NHL forwards. His 95 points tied for third in NHL scoring with omitted Bruins star David Pastrnak. Someone had to be left out of the Hart nomination which includes Art Ross winner Leon Draisaitl (43-67-110) and Nathan MacKinnon (35-58-93). No Connor McDavid either despite the Oilers superstar still finishing second with 97 points (34-63-97) behind teammate Draisaitl.

Of the deserving MVP trio, it’s the Bread Man who paced all skaters in even strength points with 71 points (25-46-71). It exemplifies how valuable he is at five-on-five. Astonishingly, Panarin only wound up with 24 power play points (7-17-24) despite being a constant.

If you were to compare what he did at even strength to Draisaitl, who wound up second with 66 even strength points, it’s not as close as it looks. One player finished a minus-seven which means he also was on for a lot of goals against. Draisaitl also produced 44 power play points (16-28-44). That paced everyone with McDavid right behind with 43 PPP. In case you’re wondering, MacKinnon’s breakdown was 62 even strength points (23-39-62) and 31 power play points (12-19-31). The Avalanche captain was a respectable plus-13. He did play mostly with Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. One of the game’s top scoring lines. He’s a superb player.

Neither Panarin nor MacKinnon has a McDavid. However, you can make the argument the Bread Man did the most with the least by primarily dominating with Strome and Fast as a line. The seven power play goals and four game-winners aren’t jumping off the board. But that’s because of the caliber player he is. He is as team oriented a player as you want. If they used him on the penalty kill, there’s little doubt he could succeed. Especially with the subtle plays he makes. But that’s not his job.

While it would be nice to see Panarin rewarded for his special season, I highly doubt he won. The gaudy numbers Draisaitl put up that included 16 power play goals and 10 game-winners probably won him the Hart. You’re likely looking at the first German born player to win NHL MVP. Even if that is indeed the case, Panarin deserves to win the Lindsay Award that’s voted on by his own peers. That would be fitting.

Regardless, these awards aren’t as important as what begins in a week. Panarin knows that. He helped lead the underdog Blue Jackets to the big first round shocker over the Lightning last Spring. A clean sweep. The only time Columbus ever advanced past the first round.

In a short series, it’s usually up to the standout players to step up. If the Rangers do advance into the true Stanley Cup Tournament, it’ll be in large part due to the wonderful Bread Man. He wanted the bright lights and big city. Something Billy Joel would sing. He’s in a New York State Of Mind.

It’ll be exciting to see what Panarin does against those Hurricanes. Don’t put any stock into the Rangers sweeping the four game regular season series. It means nothing. Just ask the Lightning after their 128 point season went up in smoke a year ago. You have to play the games, which will be much tougher. It always is.

This is a great time to be a fan of the Blueshirts. Like the Bread Man, let’s embrace it.

Posted in Column, NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Calder snub of Adam Fox isn’t important

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Derek

This week, the NHL has been revealing the three candidates for each regular season award. That includes the Calder Trophy which goes to the league’s top rookie.

We knew both defensemen Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes would be locks. The only question was would Adam Fox be joining them for a unlikely D trio. That wasn’t the case as top rookie finisher Dominik Kubalik was tabbed as the third choice over Fox, Nick Suzuki, Victor Olofsson and Elvis Merzlikins.

Even though Fox was snubbed, it doesn’t matter. The 22-year old Jericho, New York native was outstanding in his first NHL sesson for the Rangers. His 42 points (8-34-42) placed second among team defensemen and ranked seventh in scoring. He also was impressive at five-on-five finishing plus-22 to pace all NHL rookies.

Of the 42 points he put up, 29 came at even strength. The breakdown is 7-22-29. He also went 1-12-13 on the power play. An area he’ll improve upon in the coming years. Due in large part to leading Rangers offensive defenseman Tony DeAngelo, Fox played mostly on the second unit. An area you’ll see him in the upcoming preliminary series versus the Hurricanes starting August 1.

It’s also worth noting that the chemistry between Fox and fellow rookie Ryan Lindgren has been a big reason for the Blueshirts renaissance. The cohesion between each is uncanny. In the past, they played together for Team USA at the World Junior Championship. It still is extremely hard to duplicate that success against the game’s best players.

While Fox possesses the game breaking skating and offensive instincts, Lindgren does the nuts and bolts of the work. A strong defensive defenseman who is a solid skater that can play physical while limiting mistakes, he’s been a pleasant surprise. In his first full season, the player who came over from Boston as part of the Rick Nash trade was superb. In 60 games, he totaled 14 points (1-13-14) with 47 penalty minutes and a plus-16 rating.

To say the cohesive rookie pair is important would be an understatement. They were the team’s most dependable. Both Fox and Lindgren will be tested by Carolina in the best of five play in round. They could see a lot of Canes trio Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov. Given that it’s their first postseason, I’m sure the Rangers coaching staff will try to balance out the match-ups. Especially with vets Jacob Trouba, Brendan Smith and Marc Staal having necessary experience.

For Fox, it’s not about individual awards. Would it have been nice if he was recognized? Sure. But being able to contribute to team success starting next month is more important. He said the same thing recently as the Rangers continue to prepare for Carolina.

Of course, he has the strong support of his coach.

Not surprising considering how valuable Fox has been to the team. David Quinn always has his players’ backs. That’s why the team is so close knit and capable of making a run. In order to do that, they’ll have to get by a more experienced Hurricanes, who made last year’s Conference Final. It won’t be easy.

Personally, I don’t view Fox as a snub. We know either Makar (my pick) or Hughes is going to win the Calder. Kubalik was a good choice for third. He came out of nowhere to score 30 goals and tally 46 points on the Blackhawks, who’ll battle the high scoring Oilers. There’s nothing wrong with him being nominated.

While it could’ve been Fox, you could easily have made strong cases for Suzuki and Merzlikins, who was vital in taking over as the Blue Jackets starter and keeping them afloat following Joonas Korpisalo’s injury.

Now if Artemi Panarin, who was nominated for the Ted Lindsay Award, isn’t up for the Hart, that’s highway robbery. Then, we’ll talk. For now, let’s just enjoy the bonus hockey this summer. Hopefully, it goes off without a hitch.

Posted in Column, NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

As Training Camp heats up, Panarin up for prestigious Award

Posted on July 14, 2020 by Derek

On Day Two of the new training camp during the dog days of summer, Artemi Panarin is the story. The very successful 28-year old Russian left wing, who was on his way to 40 goals and 100 points prior to the Coronavirus interrupting play, was nominated by his peers for a prestigious award.

The NHL made it official by listing Panarin as one of three candidates for the Ted Lindsay Award. Formerly the Lester B. Pearson as voted by players on who they feel to be the Most Valuable Player, it recognizes what his peers think about his season. Joining Panarin is Art Ross winner is Hart favorite Leon Draisaitl and superstar Nathan MacKinnon.

You can’t argue with any of the choices. This trio are the most deserving for the Lindsay and probably will also be nominated for the Hart Trophy as official league MVP. I expect Draisaitl to win due to his astonishing season where he paced all scorers with 110 points including a league high 67 assists with 43 goals. He had 16 power play goals to finish second behind David Pastrnak, who could be up for the Hart as well. His 48 goals tied for the league lead with Alex Ovechkin and his 95 points were third most, tying with Panarin.

The Bread Man was outstanding in his first season as a Blueshirt. His 32 goals trailed only Mika Zibanejad (41) while he paced the team in assists (63) and points (95). Panarin proved how dominant he can be at even strength. Mostly separated from Zibanejad, he worked with Ryan Strome and Jesper Fast to form a cohesive trio that controlled puck possession at five-on-five and did damage. In fact, no forward ranked higher than Panarin in plus-minus (36). Only Avalanche defenseman Ryan Graves ranked higher with a plus-40 rating. To think the Rangers gave him away without looking at him.

Panarin led all skaters in even strength points with 71 (25-46-71). Despite being a weapon on the power play where he went 7-17-24, he produced most of his magic at five-on-five. Even better, the Bread Man didn’t rely on just the friendly home ice of Madison Square Garden. His home/road splits are almost identical. Of his 95 total points, 50 (15-35-50) came at MSG. On the road, he put up 45 (17-28-45) along with a plus-22. That means he was plus-14 at home.

It signifies how tough it was for opponents to shut him down despite having favorable match-ups due to the final change. That’s when you realize you have a special player. Panarin wanted the big stage and he’s delivered. Though we’ll never know if the Rangers would’ve qualified for the true postseason over a full 82 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they were right there in large part due to their meal ticket.

Look how well Strome performed while with Panarin. He set a new career best in points (59) and plus/minus (21) while ranking third in team scoring behind the Bread Man (95) and Zibanejad (75). The chemistry the restricted free agent center formed with Panarin allowed coach David Quinn to have Zibanejad reunite with KZB line members Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich. It gave the Blueshirts better balance with valuable two-way forward Fast able to be plugged in on the second line. He had 29 points (12-27-29) and was on pace for new career highs across the board. He notched the first two shorthanded goals of his seven-year career. That included a career best plus-16. The 28-year old Fast is unrestricted this October.

By adding Panarin last summer, both Team President John Davidson and GM Jeff Gorton dramatically improved the team. A unselfish player who controls the puck so well and possesses superb vision, he had splendid chemistry with leading scoring defenseman Tony DeAngelo. DeAngelo achieved new personal bests in goals (15), assists (38), points (53), games played (68) and power play points (3-19-22). At 24, the Sewell, New Jersey native has finally demonstrated why he was a first round pick for the Lightning. He’s backed up a career high 30 point season with a huge breakout in a contract year. A RFA like Strome, he won’t be cheap this Fall.

One of the smartest things Quinn did was play DeAngelo as much as possible with Panarin. Especially on the power play that prominently features Zibanejad, Kreider and Strome. A good skater with a accurate shot to go with excellent passing capabilities, he worked well on the top unit. Highlights included his first career hat trick versus the Devils at home. It also featured a smart back pass to Panarin, who sent Zibanejad in alone on Ilya Samsonov for his fifth goal in a wild 6-5 overtime win at The Garden.

When I think of my favorite Panarin moment, it’s not a goal. It’s the sheer hustle and determination along with the wherewithal to make a terrific back pass for a streaking Zibanejad to blast a one-timer past Semyon Varlamov for an OT winner in a big 4-3 road win over the Islanders in an exciting game at Nassau Coliseum.

That was unreal. It speaks to the hockey IQ of the Bread Man. A player who not only has the skill, but the will to thrill hockey fans in this area. That never say die attitude is what makes him such a fan favorite. He is worth every penny of the long-term contract that averages out to $11.64 million per season through 2026. Astonishingly, it now looks like a bargain.

As we inch closer to Game One of the best of five preliminary series with the Hurricanes that begins on August 1, Panarin will be front and center. I don’t worry about him. He wants to be the man like so few who have come here. The best examples that come to mind are Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lundqvist, who took Manhattan by storm despite being a homegrown product selected in the seventh round back in 2000. Eric Lindros would’ve been successful if not for injuries. Ditto Pavel Bure. Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards had good success on Broadway, providing some memorable moments along with Marty St. Louis, who came over after Gaborik was gone.

If anyone deserves to be recognized by his peers that included high praise coning from MacKinnon, it’s Panarin. He may not win the Hart, but deserves the Lindsay as voted on by the players. That would be fitting.

As for camp, all three netminders are getting similar reps. Igor Shesterkin is expected to be the starter for the upcoming series to make the real Big Dance. Barring something unforeseen, it is his job to lose. How Quinn plays it along with valuable goalie coach Benoit Allaire will be interesting to see. Will Lundqvist be the backup over Alex Georgiev? It’s too early to say.

Included in the camp is defenseman Brandon Crawley. Taken as an overager in the fourth round of 2017, the 23-year old Glen Rock, New Jersey native took a step back in his third pro year. He only played in nine games for the Wolf Pack while posting a dozen points in 38 contests for the ECHL Maine Mariners.

As expected, both Libor Hajek and former first round pick K’Andre Miller practiced. Miller is signed, but cannot participate in the postseason. Similar to recently signed top Islanders Russian goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin, who agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract on Monday. He’ll be 25 when he finally makes his NHL debut for the Isles. Interestingly, the rivalry will be renewed up North with a tuneup in Ottawa.

NHL teams are allowed to sign players. But they cannot take part in the expanded Stanley Cup Tournament. The Wild also just signed Kirill Kaprizov today. A 23-year old former fifth round pick who was a high scoring forward for CSKA Moscow in the KHL. Wild reporter Sarah McLellan has more on that situation.

As for Panarin, he is all smiles now that he’s back at work.

The interviews will all be via Zoom due to the circumstances. Kreider provided some great answers regarding how the practices have been and what the mindset is entering this unique playoffs. He reiterated what Zibanejad said the previous day. They’re in it to win it.

The new Rangers hashtag is #NoQuitInNY. Why not them? I’ll have more coming up this week.

Posted in Battle News, NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

As Rangers get ready, Gord Murphy replaces Lindy Ruff, Observations on potential roster

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Derek

The days are moving closer to the official restart of training camp. Once Monday hits, it’ll finally be here. For 24 teams that are participating in the expanded playoff format with the first part focusing on 16, they’ll have a little over two weeks to get ready.

Of course, most players are back practicing for the Rangers. That even includes Henrik Lundqvist, who finally skated at the Westchester facility.

Lundqvist is expected to be the backup behind rookie starter Igor Shesterkin. Or at least I think that’s how coach David Quinn will go. It probably makes more sense to have the experienced veteran backing up over Alex Georgiev for the five game preliminary series against the Hurricanes. However, much will depend on how the goalies look in camp.

As they get ready to prepare for what should be a formidable opponent in the Canes, who’ll have both Dougie Hamilton and Sami Vatanen back to boost their defense, the Blueshirts have decided on Gord Murphy to replace former assistant Lindy Ruff behind the bench.

A former NHL defenseman, Murphy has worked as an associate head coach with Hartford this past season. He has NHL experience having served as an assistant coach for Columbus, Florida and Philadelphia. Given that he was a solid defenseman over 15 years with four teams (Flyers, Bruins, Panthers, Thrashers) and has good experience in the assistant role, it should be a solid fit. He’s 53 and replaces the newly hired Ruff, who takes over behind the Devils bench.

In terms of where the Rangers will be playing, it looks like they’ve settled on Toronto for their play in round against the Hurricanes. The Islanders will also be headed north to Ontario when they battle the Panthers. All 12 Eastern participants will play in Toronto while the dozen Western teams will compete in Edmonton. The Oilers home ice will also be where the Stanley Cup is played.

I’m not sure I agree with the conferences having their games in the same region. But it requires less travel. So, due to the circumstances with the COVID-19 pandemic, I understand why. It’s similar to baseball deciding to keep each division in the same time zone over the 60 game season. Like the Yankees playing the NL East including the Mets and vice versa. They don’t want to take too many risks with the unpredictable nature of the Coronavirus.

Quinn discussed one of the keys to success in a brief highlight package courtesy the official Rangers Twitter. Not surprisingly, it focused on defensive coverage. An area the team improved on when they turned their season around.

In terms of which players are gonna be on the expanded Rangers roster, they’ve decided on 18 forwards and eight defensemen. All three netminders are included. No shock. Here is the breakdown by position per Rangers beat writer Vince Mercogliano. This BTW is unofficial. John Davidson told Mercogliano the expanded roster could have up to 31 players on it.

FORWARDS

Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich

Panarin-Strome-Fast

Di Giuseppe-Chytil-Kakko

Howden-McKegg-Gauthier

Extras: Brendan Lemieux (suspended), Steven Fogarty, Tim Gettinger, Vitali Kravtsov, Vinni Lettieri, Boo Nieves (just a guess)

DEFENSEMEN

Lindgren-Fox

Staal-DeAngelo

Smith-Trouba

Extras: Libor Hajek, Darren Raddysh

GOALIES

Shesterkin

Lundqvist

Georgiev

Here is what the Carolina roster will look like:

With the NHLPA and NHL agreeing on a four-year CBA extension that includes a flat cap at $81.5 million due to the current situation, Lundqvist could be bought out.

That would create room to potentially keep unrestricted free agent Jesper Fast, who is a bargain at $1.85 million. Ryan Strome and Tony DeAngelo are key restricted free agents who could command a lot. But with a quick turnover from the conclusion of the ’19-20 season in October to the projected December 1 start, they could have less bargaining power.

Georgiev is also a RFA with the exasperating Brendan Lemieux while Greg McKegg and Micheal Haley are UFA’s this off-season.

I’ll have more in the coming days on what I could see the Rangers organization doing once the season ends. For now, let’s try to have some enthusiasm for the proposed opening round. Here are the dates courtesy veteran New York Post columnist Larry Brooks:

Posted in NYRangers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment