Rangers Turn Reilly Smith into Carson Soucy

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Derek

The NHL Trade Deadline finally wrapped up a while ago. For the Rangers, they didn’t do too much in the grand scheme of things. Instead, team president and general manager Chris Drury made two separate moves to acquire the one player he coveted.

As expected, the Rangers traded veteran forward Reilly Smith back to the Golden Knights in exchange for a 2025 Sharks third round pick. I had a hunch that Smith would wind up back in Vegas where he had his most success – helping the Golden Knights win a Stanley Cup.

In 58 games, Smith recorded 10 goals and 19 assists for 29 points in his only season as a Ranger. Originally acquired from the Penguins last year for a 2025 fifth round pick and a 2027 second round pick, Smith moved up and down the lineup after starting the season with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Although he isn’t what once was, Smith’s still a versatile forward who can play anywhere. He was tied with Will Cuylle for second on the team with two shorthanded goals. The injured Kreider leads them with three.

Once it became clear that Smith didn’t have a future with the Rangers, he was held out for trade purposes, with Brett Berard taking his place in the lineup. Now, Smith is back with Vegas, who is quite familiar with him. He returns after two years away.

With Drury still in the market for an experienced defensive defenseman who could play either side, he used the Sharks third round pick he got and sent it to the Canucks for Carson Soucy.

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Now 30, Soucy brings size (six-foot-five, 208 pounds) to the Rangers blue line. A gritty player who likes to use his physicality to hit and block shots, Soucy was having a down year with the Canucks. After going a plus-10 with 64 blocks, 65 hits, and just 14 giveaways in 40 games last season. Soucy declined to a minus-13 with 92 blocks, 86 hits, and a career worst 65 giveaways.

With Soucy signed through 2025-26 at a reasonable $3.25 million cap hit, he’ll be part of the top six moving forward. He was averaging 18:22 of ice time in Vancouver. That was up from 17:29 in 2023-24. Soucy was particularly effective as a defensive defenseman with the Wild. He continued to play well for the Kraken, even putting up career bests in goals (10) and points (21) during 2021-22. Ironically, he scored his third goal of this season in a Canucks win over the Ducks on Mar. 5. It proved to be the game-winner. If there’s a positive, he was a plus-3 over his final three games. Maybe he can carry that over when he meets the team in Ottawa for tomorrow afternoon’s game.

If there’s a downside to the move, it’s that Zac Jones is likely to be the odd man out again. For whatever reason, coach Peter Laviolette doesn’t like playing him. Jones brings more speed, skating, and offense to a back end that’s limited in that capacity without Adam Fox. Jones took a hooking minor that led to Alex Ovechkin’s tying power-play goal on Wednesday night in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Capitals. It’s always the same song and dance with this coach. Other culprits stay in the lineup.

Figure Soucy to join Braden Schneider on the second pair while recently re-signed Urho Vaakanainen teams up with Calvin de Haan. Drury gave Vaakanainen a two-year contract with a $1.55 million cap hit. He was acquired from the Ducks in the Jacob Trouba deal. Here’s what I’d expect the defense to look like for Saturday:

K’Andre Miller-Will Borgen

Carson Soucy-Braden Schneider

Urho Vaakanainen-Calvin de Haan

Drury Believes In Group

For whatever it is worth, Drury believes in this group. To his credit, he made some nice upgrades over the past week to get more mobile on the blue line by adding de Haan, who’s a better skater than Ryan Lindgren. Vaakanainen has worked out alright as well. Though his possession numbers are underwhelming. Let’s put it this way. He isn’t great defensively.

“I wanted to make some changes these last few days, this last week, to show them that the way they played, to me, is how you have to play, night in & night out. I do believe in the group. I think we have enough talent to push forward,” Drury told reporters at today’s press conference.

Obviously, he’s referring to more of a commitment defensively that’s seen the Rangers tighten up against opponents. Even the first place Caps found it difficult to get consistent offense against the improved defense, which has seen a better effort from several forwards. Having kids like Berard and Brennan Othmann has helped. The team is playing more physical, with K’Andre Miller finishing checks. His stock has risen recently to boost his value in a contract year. Just as long as Drury doesn’t overpay in both salary and years this summer.

Drury also emphasized his excitement for both Kreider and Fox to eventually return. Kreider’s closer to coming back. He practiced with J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad on the first line, with Will Cuylle out sick. As for Fox, nobody knows when he’ll be ready. Aside from having some struggles on the power play, they don’t exactly miss him. Nobody can tell me that Fox hasn’t been compromised by the pair of knee on knee hits he got hurt on last year. He is slower and struggles with physicality. Would anybody put it past this organization to not have Fox get surgery when he probably still needs it?

Here’s the bigger question for the Rangers looking ahead. Is a blue line that includes Soucy better for the foreseeable future? Assuming Jones eventually gets moved in the off-season, they still haven’t found a new defense partner for Fox. Miller and Will Borgen work well together and are the match-up pair. That leaves Vaakanainen and Schneider as the third pair. Maybe we’ll have our answer in free agency or a trade this summer.

Chances Are

If you’ve been keeping a close eye on today’s deadline, you already know that both the Hurricanes and Devils got worse. Carolina never worked out for Mikko Rantanen, who was then rerouted to Dallas for a slew of draft picks and Logan Stankoven. The Stars win that trade easily due to Rantanen re-signing for eight years with a $12 million cap hit due to no state income tax.

Once again, the Hurricanes came out losers after acquiring a big name. Last year, it was Jake Guentzel, who produced for them but then left to sign with the Lightning. Now, they only had Rantanen for 13 games, with him only posting two goals and four assists for six points. They gave up Martin Necas and Jack Drury to the Avalanche in the original deal. Necas has been money with the Avs while playing with Nathan MacKinnon. Joe Sakic looks like a genius.

Now, Carolina has plenty of futures with a pair of conditional first round picks in 2026 and 2028 along with a pair of thirds. How does that help the current roster? They look like pretenders.

As for the Devils, they lost Jack Hughes for the rest of the season due to shoulder surgery stemming from the incidental collision with Jack Eichel that sent him flying into the boards against the Golden Knights. General Manager Tom Fitzgerald revealed that Jonas Siegenthaler will miss the remainder of the regular season and that Dougie Hamilton will be out an extended time.

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Fitzgerald overpaid for veteran Brian Dumoulin, who was penciled in on the second pair tonight with recently re-signed defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic (5 years, $4 million AAV). He also traded for Cody Glass and added veteran forward Daniel Sprong, who was on waivers three times this season. Most of the Red and Black Army are up in arms over the lack of activity from Fitzgerald. Hasan touched on it in his recent post. I can only imagine what he must think of these moves.

If you’re looking at where the Rangers are in the division, they trail the Blue Jackets by a point and are five behind the Devils, who at last check were already trailing the Jets 2-0 at home. With 20 games remaining on the schedule, it’s all in front of them. They have the Senators tomorrow and then the Blue Jackets on Sunday.

While the Hurricanes, who have 78 points probably are out of harm’s way, the Devils are within reach. It isn’t out of the realm of possibility for the Rangers to catch their close Hudson rivals. Following the pre-Christmas disaster, the Devils were only too excited to troll our side as only they can do. At the time, the gif was appropriate. The Rangers were a tire fire headed nowhere. Now, the roles are reversed. There is one regular season meeting remaining on Apr. 5. You can now circle the date. It could prove pivotal down the stretch.

A lot can happen between now and then. We’ll see what happens.

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Conservative Strategy Costs Rangers a Point in Loss to Capitals

Posted on March 6, 2025 by Derek

For two periods, the better team donned the navy Blueshirt jerseys. Indeed, the Rangers were the scrappier bunch who frustrated the first place Capitals into taking undisciplined penalties.

Sam Carrick had given them the lead by parking himself in front and steering in a K’Andre Miller pass to score for the first time in 13 games. His sixth goal put the Rangers ahead with under 12 minutes left in the second period. Carrick has become a folk hero on Broadway. A gritty center who likes to mix it up, his line with rookies Brett Berard and Matt Rempe has gained the trust of bench boss Peter Laviolette. When the fourth line is out, they get things done by outworking opponents and wreaking havoc.

Perhaps the Caps got sick of seeing Carrick and his linemates dominate most of their shifts. During a scrum, Brandon Duhaime dropped the gloves with Carrick taking him off the ice for five minutes. Considering how well he’s played that was an advantage for the Caps. Even though there was no loss of manpower, the Rangers didn’t have Carrick available. The energy he brings is infectious. When push comes to shove, Laviolette prefers the hard-nosed style of the fourth line over the new third line anchored by recent pickup Juuso Parssinen. Right now, they bring more to the table.

Despite playing strong defensively, the Rangers cost themselves a chance to win three in a row due to faulty special teams in a disappointing 3-2 overtime loss. On a high-sticking double minor in the first period, they were limited to one shot on goal by the Caps. In fact, Aliaksei Protas had the best scoring chance on a shorthanded bid that Igor Shesterkin stopped.

By that point, Artemi Panarin scored for the third straight game to tie the contest at one. Zac Jones broke up a Caps’ scoring chance in front of his own net to start the scoring play in transition. He took an Alexei Lafreniere feed and made a good pass that Panarin tipped in for his team-leading 26th with 6:23 remaining. Since returning to the lineup, Jones has played well by adding some much-needed speed and skill to the blue line. He has also stepped it up defensively, with partner Calvin de Haan forming a reliable third pair.

Panarin’s goal gave him five points over the last three games. After going through a lull, his game seems to be coming back at the right time. The Rangers need their leading scorer to help carry them into the postseason. They also need more from Lafreniere, who despite picking up an assist for a third consecutive game, only has nine shots over his last 16 games. He didn’t register a shot for the second straight game. Lafreniere’s season has been a nightmare, with him only having 14 goals despite playing in all 62 games up to this point. He needs to be more aggressive. At the very least, he was more physically involved. That included catching Nic Dowd with a big hit that got the crowd going.

The Rangers didn’t let an early Pierre-Luc Dubois tally deflate them. Instead, they got back on track thanks to some good work from Jonny Brodzinski and Brennan Othmann. Following a Charlie Lindgren save on a Brodzinski shot during a previous shift, Othmann came close to scoring his first NHL goal. On a good scoring chance, he had his shot go off the crossbar.

Panarin later had a backhand in tight denied by Lindgren, who was sharp despite only having to make 15 saves on 17 shots. On the same shift, Urho Vaakanainen had a deflection just go wide. It was the best shift from the Panarin line in quite some time. They were more noticeable, generating some high-quality chances. The trio of Panarin, Lafreniere, and Vincent Trocheck can still finish the season strong to push the Blueshirts into the playoffs.

The Caps nearly went ahead by two. After Will Borgen got caught pinching, Lars Eller got behind the defense for a breakaway. Shesterkin snuffed out his backhand to make the big save. Interestingly, Capitals coach Spencer Carberry showed some frustration with Eller’s choice.

During the period, the Rangers made it a point to finish their checks. That included a nice rubout from K’Andre Miller on Tom Wilson. Since Adam Fox went on the injured reserve, Miller has played some of his best hockey. Given more responsibility on the top pair with Borgen, he’s delivered with more consistent defense and some offense. He led all Rangers skaters in ice time with 26:12.

With the Caps threatening, Jones was in the right spot to steal a backhand pass in front and start a transition that led to Panarin tying the score. It was a good all-around play from Jones and Lafreniere. Panarin went to the dirty area to put away Jones’ feed to draw the Blueshirts even.

Any chance to surge ahead was damaged by an ineffective power play. After Ethen Frank drew blood on Berard, neither unit could get anything going. Will Cuylle came the closest but was stopped by Lindgren late to keep the score tied.

Despite having the better of the play at points in the second period, the Rangers wasted another man-advantage, with the Caps victimized for a bench minor. In fact, Dowd had the best opportunity when his shorthanded bid hit the goalpost. The Rangers went 0-for-4 on the power play.

With the game still tied, it was the Carrick line that provided the go-ahead goal thanks to a dominant shift against the Alex Ovechkin line. Rempe got two hits on Ovechkin in what amounted to an outstanding shift. Following Carrick firing a shot over the top, Borgen was able to get the puck up for Miller at the point. He then found Carrick in front for a backhand upstairs to make it 2-1 at 8:05.

Following the goal, Vaakanainen took an unnecessary roughing minor on Dubois to put the dangerous Caps on the power play. Fortunately, the Rangers penalty kill did a good job to limit their chances.

After Carrick and Duhaime fought, both Vaakanainen and Cuylle came close to giving the Rangers a two-goal lead. However, neither chance reached Lindgren. On an active shift that saw Othmann hit Taylor Raddysh, Matt Roy went after Othmann roughing him up to earn a penalty. With Roy visibly frustrated, he then fought Parssinen, who lost the decision despite coming to the aid of a teammate.

Yet again, the Rangers didn’t take advantage on the five-on-four. Jones went wide on a wrist shot with some room. Trocheck would then take a holding minor on Eller to lead to some four-on-four. On it, Ovechkin finally unleased one of his patented big shots that Shesterkin snatched with his glove. The Rangers took a one-goal lead to the locker room.

Instead of coming out and attacking, they opted to sit back and protect the lead. A couple of close calls from the Caps early should have been a warning sign. The conservative strategy cost them.

With the Rangers only having a single shot, Jones led a rush and made a drop pass for a de Haan shot that was blocked. That allowed the Caps to quickly counter in the opposite direction for a scoring chance. Jones hustled back to catch up to Eller but was called for hooking after going for a stick lift.

For most of the penalty kill, they minimized the Caps’ chances. However, a broken play off a faceoff led directly to Ovechkin tying it with a power-play goal. Andrew Mangiapane was able to find a cutting Ovechkin in front for his 885th career goal, which pulled him within 10 of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record. While he set up Ovechkin’s game-tying goal, Mangiapane was hooked from behind by Borgen to put the Caps back on the power play.

The doomsday scenario never played out. Shesterkin made a glove save on a long Ovechkin shot to keep that prevented it. Although they killed the penalty, the Rangers were on their heels. They were lucky just to survive regulation. The Caps kept coming at them in waves and throwing pucks in front. Eventually, the game went to overtime.

In it, Panarin made a nice drop for Mika Zibanejad. Rather than take the shot, he pulled back and reset. The Rangers did this several times, which might help explain why their overtime record is now 1-6. Despite controlling the possession early, they managed just one shot on Lindgren. It was brutal.

When the Caps got the puck, they were dangerous. That included Ovechkin skating inside the blue line and firing a rocket that Shesterkin made a huge glove save on. The closest the Rangers came was when Jones had a great opportunity in front but was unable to win it.

On a counter up the ice, Zibanejad passed up a shot for a low percentage pass to a covered J.T. Miller that resulted in a turnover. It didn’t take long for Dylan Strome to toe drag around Braden Schneider and pass in front for a Wilson tip-in that ended the game. It was a cruel ending. They got what they deserved for being too passive.

Despite outplaying the Caps for two periods, the Rangers never finished them. When you face quality opponents, you have to keep pressing the action. This loss is on Peter Laviolette. For whatever reason, his team backed off. In the process, it cost them a valuable point in the standings. Combined with the Senators winning over the Blackhawks, the Rangers are now out of the second wild card due to Ottawa having one less game played. They’re both tied in points with 67.

That sets up a big match-up on Saturday at Ottawa. The Rangers still hold the number one tiebreaker due to more regulation wins (29). But they really must beat the Senators in regulation. A three-point game isn’t the formula for success. They also face the Blue Jackets on Sunday. These are the teams they’re battling with for the postseason. It’s do or die.

A final point. It wasn’t a good showing for the Miller line. Miller’s been superb since arriving from Vancouver. But his line didn’t have an impact against the Caps. They’ll have to be better this weekend.

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Miller’s Impact on Surging Rangers Deserves Recognition

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Derek

By show of hands, who had the Rangers sweeping two games from the bitter rival Islanders less than a week apart? Better yet, who had Igor Shesterkin allowing only a single goal with the Blueshirts outscoring the Islanders by a combined 9-1 in the pair of wins?

Most probably wouldn’t have predicted it. Usually, getting games at this time of year off the Islanders is like pulling teeth. Fighting tooth and nail in a tight playoff race, the Rangers put together their most complete effort of the season. Playing superb defensively, they made life easier on Shesterkin, who finished with 21 saves for his 19th career shutout (fourth of season).

As a team, they blocked 22 shots with 10 different skaters sacrificing for the cause. That included 14 from the defense led by Zac Jones and Braden Schneider, who each had a team high four blocks. K’Andre Miller blocked three while defensive partner Will Borgen had two. Urho Vaakanainen chipped in with one, with only former Islander Calvin de Haan opting to play strong defense without turning over the puck. In his second game, he finished with two takeaways and a plus-2 rating. So far, so good for the revamped Rangers blue line without Adam Fox.

Since returning to the lineup, Jones has added much needed speed, skating and provided offense. On a fluky play in the first period, after a successful coach’s challenge for offside negated an Anders Lee goal, Jones had the good fortune of his shot taking a funny bounce off the helmet of Will Cuylle and in past Ilya Sorokin to give the Rangers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. It was that kind of night at Madison Square Garden for the home team.

They all were dialed in. As usual, J.T. Miller was the catalyst who led the way. Since being acquired from the Canucks, Miller has been the best Blueshirt by far. In his 11th game since returning to the original team that drafted him in the first round, the 31-year-old center set up and scored a goal to record his sixth two-point game in just over a month. Miller is up to seven goals and seven assists for 14 points since agreeing to waive his no-movement clause to play on Broadway. The impact he’s had has been critical for a team that looked done for most of the season.

Ever since Rangers coach Peter Laviolette decided to play Mika Zibanejad with Miller, the move has helped unlock Zibanejad. Although he didn’t hit the score sheet in Monday night’s victory, Zibanejad’s playing with more freedom and with more confidence. In Sunday’s win over the Predators, he assisted on a pair of goals, giving him 15 points (4-11-15) since Miller joined the team in Boston on Feb. 1. By shifting mostly to the right side, Zibanejad no longer has as much responsibility. He still can take faceoffs, going 3-for-5 tonight. But Miller takes most of the draws on the new number one line that features the emerging Cuylle.

It was Cuylle who scored his 17th goal to place him in a tie with Vincent Trocheck for second on the team. Late in the first period, with the Rangers killing yet another bench minor – their second of the game – there was Cuylle absorbing a big hit from Noah Dobson to force a turnover that led directly to Sam Carrick finding the trailing Will Borgen for the first shorthanded goal of his career, which really sucked the life out of the Islanders. The Rangers rank second in the league with 11 shorthanded goals, with only the Panthers having more (12) this season.

Cuylle has become a valuable asset on the league’s fourth rated penalty kill. They entered play trailing the top ranked Stars, Hurricanes, and Devils. By going a perfect 3-for-3 against the woeful Islanders’ power play, the Rangers continue to climb while shorthanded. For the season, Cuylle has two shorthanded goals and four shorthanded points, with his secondary assist leading to Borgen making it 2-0 with 45 seconds remaining in the first period.

It took him a while to recover from losing former linemates Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil. They formed an effective third line that dominated opponents at five-on-five. When Cuylle played with Zibanejad, who was then at center prior to Miller arriving, it didn’t work. Cuylle fell victim to the same issues that plagued other players. Zibanejad is a skilled forward but lacks the ‘it’ factor. He doesn’t bring the same energy that Miller does. Since his arrival, Miller’s injected a lot of life into Zibanejad, who’s no longer hesitating to shoot the puck. He’s much more involved than at any other point of the season. Cuylle provides a lot of grit and size, which helps open up space for Zibanejad. So does Miller, who isn’t shy about going into the corners and finishing checks. Both Miller and Cuylle play fast, which is why that line is leading the way.

If there’s been a noticeable difference, it’s the increase in speed the Rangers are playing with since Adam Fox went down. By adding the better skating de Haan in place of Ryan Lindgren, and reinserting Jones, the defense is playing at a quicker pace. Without Fox, Miller is now asked to be the team’s number one defenseman while teamed with the grittier Borgen, who plays a similar style to former captain Jacob Trouba. He doesn’t hit as big but plays with the same intensity. He also is a better skater than Trouba, which has allowed Miller to play his game.

With Laviolette more willing to play his bottom six forwards, it’s created more balance. For the second straight game, Reilly Smith sat out for trade-related reasons. It’s a good bet that he’s played his final game for the Blueshirts, with Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard continuing to supply more speed and energy to the third and fourth lines. That isn’t a knock on Smith, who’s put up a respectable 29 points. He became expendable due to what Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury is doing by making the roster younger and better with an eye towards the future. It isn’t about just squeaking into a wild card this spring. But rather about seriously competing moving forward.

The Islanders hardly mounted any shots or scoring chances in a defensive minded second period that saw each side have six shots. The Rangers seemed to always be in the right spot defensively. They kept getting in the path of Islanders’ attempts. They had 34 attempts never reach the net. Similarly, the Rangers had 35 never reach Sorokin. It was a hard-fought game by the crosstown rivals.

With the Rangers still protecting a two-goal lead, Kyle Palmieri came close to making it interesting. After faking out Shesterkin, he had his shot hit the outside of the net. Frankly put, he ran out of real estate. Earlier in the game, Shesterkin let in a bad goal to Islanders captain Anders Lee that would have put the Long Island visitors in front. Instead, Laviolette successfully challenged for offside, with the video replay clearly showing Casey Cizikas ahead of the play. It was a good break that allowed Shesterkin to reset. Nothing got past him the rest of the way.

In the third period, Miller intercepted a Tony DeAngelo pass in the neutral zone and started a two-on-one. He looked pass and then fired a wrist shot top shelf to make it 3-0. The goal mirrored one Rangers legend Mark Messier made famous. The captain did it with a bit more flair off one foot. There’s no question who’s become the team’s unquestioned leader over a short span. This is Miller’s team. If they get in, it’ll be because of him. He’s the driving force.

https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1896745083644657896

In a recurring theme, the fourth line continued to pin the Islanders in thanks to the diligent work of Matt Rempe. No longer a sideshow, he created a couple of scoring chances due to improved skating. On a two-on-one, he nearly had Carrick for a goal. The energy they play with is becoming a trend. In a lot of ways, Othmann and Berard bring a lot of what Laviolette’s asked for. Berard is the smaller player who hustles every shift. Othmann is bigger and brings some skill. You can intertwine Carrick and Jonny Brodzinski, who always seems to challenge goalies with his shot.

Artemi Panarin added the dagger into a vacated net with over five minutes left in regulation.

There’s a lot more youthful enthusiasm in the Rangers lineup. That has helped them tie the idle Red Wings in points (66). There are 21 games remaining, with a step up in weight class with the Capitals up next on Wednesday night. Ever since Nov. 14-19 when they won three in a row, they haven’t been able to put together a winning streak. When Alex Ovechkin comes to town along with the first place Caps, now is as good a time as any for that to change.

Figure Miller to play a key role. He’s made a big difference already.

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Still-struggling Devils at a crisis point after Hughes injury in Vegas

Posted on March 3, 2025 by hasan4978

I’ve been wringing my hands for two months with this Devils team, not wanting to go completely off the deep end in part because of how awful the bottom of the East is – after all, the team is still in a good position to make the playoffs in spite of being sub .500 since Christmas – and in part due to perhaps a misguided hope eventually they’d find a way out of the wilderness one way or another. Even when the team failed to win all of six games on their post-holiday trip or when they lost defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler and goalie Jacob Markstrom to long-term injuries just before the Four Nations break (Markstrom only came back for last night’s game, Siegs should be out a while longer after an undisclosed surgery), overall things were still more in the annoying than alarming column.

Now, however? We’re basically into DEFCON 1 territory after last night’s 2-0 loss to Vegas, not that the loss itself was unexpected or that the team’s been bad on this most recent road trip – beating Nashville and Utah while getting pumped in Colorado and shut down by Vegas is pretty much par for the course, no better or worse. But now we’re about to pay the price for two months of excuses and underachieving, because it was in Vegas where franchise center Jack Hughes had to leave last night’s game late with an apparent serious arm (wrist/shoulder?) injury.

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Given both the reaction of brother Luke Hughes – who was reportedly distraught in the locker room after the game – and coach Sheldon Keefe, who was ejected arguing with the officials and sounded somber in the postgame when discussing Jack, it seems like we’re not going to see the franchise MVP again anytime soon, if at all the rest of this season, which has about six weeks to go before the playoffs. Whether the Devils make the playoffs at this point sadly is no longer a fait accompli. It’s not just because of Jack’s injury though, I don’t want to hear this nonsense in April if the unthinkable happens and the team completely crashes out of the postseason. Jack’s injury is just the bill coming due for ****ing around the last two months.

This is why you don’t take a nap for two months and hide behind every excuse imaginable. Losing games while you had a mostly healthy roster took away your ability to lose them one you no longer have that, and you can never count on having the good health we had the first half of this season. I don’t want to hear about how the whole team had a virus for two months, how tough the schedule’s been at times with all the games up front and the back-to-backs, or how many injuries they’ve had now. One of the biggest injuries – that to Markstrom – wasn’t even a factor due to the goaltending of both vet backup Jake Allen and prospect Nico Daws during this stretch. If it wasn’t for all three of them, the team’s sub-.500 record since late December would be even worse.

How bad is it for the Devils? They don’t have a single regulation win over a playoff team since late December. That certainly fits in with the vibes currently surrounding the team. And we’re past the point of blaming coaches here, we had two different coaches last year, Keefe is the third different coach in the last two years and we’re still seeing the same inconsistencies with this group. While I have issues with him being too stubborn with his lines and d-pairings most of the time, at some point you have to look other places to solve the problem, either above Keefe or below him.

If any single player epitomizes the Devils on the whole right now, it’s Timo Meier, talent and potential up the wazoo but results severely lacking on the ice. To say you need more than sixteen goals and thirty-nine points in 61 games from a guy who’s been a 40-goal scorer in the NHL and making nearly $9 million a season is an understatement. I was actually somewhat excited when Timo finally scored the other night in Utah to break a long drought, but it was kind of a bad goal for the goalie to give up to be fair. Something’s wrong when you’re getting excited about a clunker of a goal.

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Much like with the team itself, the excuses with Timo individually need to end. I don’t want to hear about him playing on the wrong wing, on his stats not being as good because he’s not on the top power play (as if his play has even merited it), on him getting chances as if that’s the same thing as actually converting on it. At some point we need to see more from Timo, his only truly dominant stretch in two years as a Devil to this point was his junktime surge late last season. Not that Timo’s been the only underachiever in the room, Dawson Mercer pales in comparison towards the player we thought was a borderline star in the making two years ago with a 27-goal, 56 point season. Last year’s 33 point, -26 crashout has been followed by a meh 26 points in 61 games this year. Not to mention the fact he can’t play center has severely hindered our depth down the middle, which will be even more of a joke now without Jack.

Also part of the center problem is Erik Haula, who hasn’t scored in over thirty games (and has just eleven points in fifty games overall). I realize the dude’s probably washed but buddy you gotta contribute at SOME point, especially since we’re stuck with him on the books for another year and no other NHL alternative down the middle at the moment. Our bottom six on the whole has completely disappeared down the stretch. Nathan Bastian? Three goals in 44 games. Curtis Lazar? Two goals in 35 games. Tomas Tatar? Six goals and fifteen points in 56 games. Even Paul Cotter after a strong start has pretty much disappeared down the stretch with just five goals – two of them in a loss at Buffalo – since the end of December and a whopping ZERO assists, although that probably has as much to do with the rest of the back six stinking even worse.

While it’s hard to get on the defense for much in spite of the team’s struggles (which have been mostly due to the lack of production from the forwards lately), the fact we have almost zero transition game on our blueline doesn’t really help. Only Dougie Hamilton – who isn’t exactly the force he was two years ago – and Luke even so much as push the play, everyone else is basically a stay-at home D that adds very little to the attack. Granted, that helps our defense actually do its first job of keeping pucks out of the net, but the fact they’re so bad at the secondary part of their job does hinder the offense. And this is where I get to the problem above coach Keefe – our once-again missing in action GM Tom Fitzgerald.

It’s bad enough that Fitz has been a bit of a front runner when it comes to dealing with the media – all too willing to take the plaudits and flowers everywhere from Spittin’ Chiclets to various podcasts early this season or three years ago, but also too willing to go into the bunker when the you-know-what hits the fan a la most of last season or the latter part of this year. Fitz’s media availability wouldn’t even be a big issue if Fitz the GM wasn’t also seemingly in hibernation. At best, he wasted time running the clock to the last week of the deadline with an old-school mentality of waiting on deals when we had the leverage of a team playing well and in good position to address the real issues that were obvious even in January. Whereas now that we’re up against the deadline with the team not playing well for two months and Jack likely out for weeks, clearly the leverage isn’t on our side.

I don’t want to hear that deals weren’t out there in January, clearly they were given all the trades that were done right before the Four Nations tournament. Plus Fitz deserves less of the benefit of the doubt now after waiting too long last year to address a season going up in smoke. Not that his moves have even been working out lately, indeed his contract signings have become more questionable from minor deals like giving Kurtis MacDermid THREE years to play 120 minutes (over twenty-one games) to giving Haula three years last offseason, which looks at least two years too long – never mind the Ondrej Palat deal, which was understandable at the time but clearly hasn’t worked out given we’re in year three of the deal and arguably haven’t had one fully good season from him.

And while his trade for Markstrom this offseason has worked in spite of the fact Kevin Bahl’s playing major minutes in his first season in Calgary, his blockbuster for Timo two years ago hasn’t exactly gone to plan. Even apart from individual moves though, Fitz has clearly changed the direction of the team and not always for the good. Two years ago we were a small, skilled, fast team – clearly not physical or big enough to withstand long playoff runs but at least good enough to win regular season games consistently in 2022-23, and even a playoff series (which would be borderline miraculous this year to be honest).

Instead of merely adding in pieces to replace the departed and fill in around the blueprint already in place, Fitz completely revamped the blueprint and now we’re a slower, more prodding team with a more conservative defense. Not that I would have wanted him to pay the freight to keep guys like Damon Severson and Ryan Graves, or really blame him for trading John Marino after he was one of the players who fell off last season but there was clearly a price to be paid replacing them all with clear stay-at-home guys like Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon and Jonathan Kovacevic. You could definitely argue that Yegor Sharangovich and Jesper Boqvist were expendable or in Sharangovich’s case, not worth the money Calgary gave him as an RFA this year but they were replaceable players who weren’t replaced. Sharangovich turned into Tyler Toffoli, who turned into a big gap in the top six this year. Bringing back Tatar as a middle six stopgap was a sentimental play that hasn’t worked out.

Part of not being able to replace guys who left goes back to drafting and development, which has been objectively poor in recent years. It’s hard to know whether to blame the former or the latter primarily but when you do see guys like Mercer and Nemec regressing it might be more of the latter, even if there have clearly been poor high first-rounders in recent years like Alex Holtz and Chase Stillman and a questionable process in drafting even more big and slow guys this year.

In summation, this team in its current state is your mess Fitz, nobody else’s. Now start fixing it, before you lose your chance to do so, which may well happen if this team crashes out of the playoffs this year.

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Quick Pitches 63rd Career Shutout in Rangers win over Predators

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Derek

A day following the trade that sent Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey to the Avalanche, the Rangers got a vintage performance from Jonathan Quick in a 4-0 win over the Predators. After hardly being tested the first two periods, Quick stopped 19 shots in the third period on his way to pitching the 63rd shutout of his career.

It was another reminder of how brilliant Quick’s been throughout his Hall of Fame career. Even at 39, the winningest netminder in American history continues to get the job done for the Rangers, who bounced back from a tough loss on Friday to gain some valuable ground in the playoff race. By winning over the Predators, they pulled within two points of the Red Wings for the second wild card. They have 64 points with 22 games remaining. The Senators also have 64 points but have played one less game. The Red Wings have 66 points and 22 games left. It’s anyone’s guess what will happen over the final home stretch.

For at least two periods, the Rangers didn’t need Quick to do much. Facing the league’s biggest disappointment, they jumped all over the Predators in a dominant first period that saw them outshoot Nashville 15-6. Justus Annunen did his best to keep the Predators in the game.

It marked the debut of both Juuso Parssinen and Calvin de Haan. Acquired from Colorado on Saturday, Parssinen wore number 71 and centered the third line. De Haan wore his trademark number 44 and paired up with Zac Jones. Each had a positive impact on the victory.

With the game still scoreless, de Haan made a nice recovery to take away a puck in the neutral zone. That led to Alexis Lafreniere making a good cross-ice feed that sent Artemi Panarin in for a slapshot that beat Annunen upstairs for a 1-0 lead. Not known for his offense, the defensive-minded de Haan picked up an assist in his first game as a Ranger. He entered play with seven assists in 44 games with the Avalanche. The 33-year-old veteran acquitted himself well finishing a plus-1 in 16:26 of even strength time.

Prior to Panarin snapping a six-game goal drought, Matt Rempe was called for an elbowing minor on Cole Smith. The much bigger Rempe came in with speed and delivered a glancing blow that sent Smith down to the ice. He was immediately challenged by Andreas Englund, who gave Rempe a bloody nose. Rempe received five minutes for fighting and two minutes for elbowing. Englund received five minutes for fighting, two for instigating, and a 10-minute misconduct. There was no loss of manpower.

With the Rangers ahead by one, the Predators put them on the power play just 26 seconds into the second period. After he drew a tripping minor on Jonathan Marchessault, Mika Zibanejad combined with Panarin on a nice passing play that led to Miller scoring a beautiful goal on a backdoor cut to the net. The goal was Miller’s sixth as a Ranger in 10 games. He continues to deliver since the trade with the Canucks.

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Miller was at it again when he hooked up with K’Andre Miller who cut in and scored a beauty for his fifth goal that made it 3-0. After he received a pass from Zibanejad in the neutral zone, Miller skated into the Predators’ zone and drew two defenders before sliding the puck to a cutting K’Andre Miller who broke in and beat Annunen with a wicked backhand.

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The Rangers remained in control up 3-0 after two periods. The third was a different story. Unlike the previous 40 minutes, the Predators played with more energy. They came out and were aggressive.

After he broke in on a two-on-one and was stopped by Annunen, Sam Carrick banged into the Predators netminder to go off for goalie interference. Although they didn’t score on the man-advantage, the Preds gained momentum from it. Quick came up with his best save when he stole a goal from Marchessault by making a scorpion save. It wasn’t the only time he bailed his teammates out. They got sloppy in the third period. But Quick was there to deliver the big saves.

https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1896395117826904091

As the shots piled up, Quick continued to give the Predators nothing. Their best wasn’t good enough. The Rangers were thoroughly outplayed in the period, getting outshot 19-6. It didn’t matter. They had the better goalie.

On a night when Parssinen played with Brennan Othmann and Jonny Brodzinski, another young Blueshirts forward got rewarded to put the game away. Brett Berard just returned to the team from the Wolf Pack. With the Rangers sitting out Reilly Smith for “trade related reasons,” Berard returned to the lineup. He played mostly with Carrick and Rempe on the checking line.

As usual, Berard was noticeable. On with Vincent Trocheck and Carrick for a late shift, he buried his fourth from in front to put the game away. Following a Trocheck faceoff win, Carrick found Berard open for the final goal that came with 3:03 left.

After swatting aside a couple of more late attempts from the Predators, Quick was congratulated by excited teammates. It was his third shutout of the season. He continues to prove that he can still get it done. The Rangers needed it. They’ll face the Islanders on Monday night in another must win game.

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Rangers Trade Warrior, Lindgren to Avalanche in Five-Player Deal

Posted on March 1, 2025 by Derek

A day after dropping a tough one-goal game to the Maple Leafs, the Rangers decided to move on from another core piece. On Saturday, they traded Ryan Lindgren to the Avalanche in a five-player deal that saved them $1.475 million in cap space.

https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/1895917474207711665

A popular player in the locker room, Lindgren became a first pair defenseman after being acquired from the Bruins as part of the Rick Nash deal on Feb. 25, 2018. Seven years later, the 27-year-old former Bruins 2016 second round pick was sent with Jimmy Vesey, and defense prospect Hank Kempf to the Avalanche in exchange for Calvin de Haan, Jusso Parssinen, and conditional 2025 second round and fourth round picks.

In order to accommodate the Avalanche, the Rangers retained half of Lindgren’s $4.5 million salary to help them save money. Colorado is going for it. From their standpoint, it made sense to add a proven veteran in Lindgren who plays the game with a lot of intensity.

https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1895908833790476526

Nicknamed The Warrior, he will supply depth to an Avalanche blue line that isn’t exactly the strongest. Unlike the situation in New York City, he won’t have to play as big a role. The Avalanche feature All-Star duo Devon Toews and Cale Makar on the back end. An lower-body injury that’s kept Josh Manson out since Feb. 4 might have been the reason that Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic made the move for Lindgren. The Avs had a need in their lineup for a hard-nosed player who has a wealth of experience.

While it’s true that the taxing style was starting to show leaks in his defensive game, perhaps going to Colorado can reenergize Lindgren, who can become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Never the best skater or the biggest defenseman, he was successful due to sheer will and determination. If you needed a big hit or diving block, Lindgren provided it for the Rangers. The guts he played with made him a fan favorite. Even if a few sour apples turned on him due to a predictable decline in his play. It isn’t easy to play those hard minutes. As often happens, classic overachievers like Lindgren play battered and bruised in big games. It took its toll.

When the Rangers became one of the league’s best teams, they were led by the tandem of Lindgren and Adam Fox. They played virtually every game together until coach Peter Laviolette experimented with K’Andre Miller and Fox at the start of this season. Eventually, Lindgren and Fox were put back together. They had chemistry due to having worked together for USA in the World Juniors. Fox provided the speed, skating and offense while Lindgren supplied the grit and physicality. A lot of the team’s success was due to Lindgren and Fox. When they appeared in two Eastern Conference Finals, it was with No. 55 and No. 23 as the top pair, followed by Miller and former captain Jacob Trouba.

Now, the Rangers have turned the page. Team president and general manager Chris Drury continues to remake a roster that has to be changed. Trouba went to Anahaim for Urho Vaakanainen. Will Borgen replaced Trouba after coming over from Seattle for Kaapo Kakko. With Fox sidelined due to an upper-body injury, the blue line will continue to look different. In adding veteran lefty de Haan, they get a no-frills player who is solid in his end. De Haan makes $800,000 on an expiring contract.

Ironically, in his final season as a Ranger, Lindgren tied a personal best in assists (17) and set a career high in points (19). However, his plus/minus (1) was way down from recent years. Giveaways were way up with a career worst 55. He still averaged 19:56 per game while used both at even strength and on the penalty kill where he was an asset. It’s often those blood and guts guys who make the best penalty killers. That was true of both Trouba and Lindgren because they sacrificed their bodies for the cause. The Rangers now have Borgen playing a similar role but need more out of Braden Schneider, who has struggled.

For Vesey, he finally gets a change. He wasn’t playing consistently for Laviolette, but still handled himself like a pro. In a recent 5-3 win against the Penguins, he returned to the lineup and had a goal and assist on Feb. 23. Less than a week later, Vesey will join Lindgren in Colorado on a playoff contender.

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A year earlier, the well-respected veteran forward was part of a good fourth line with Barclay Goodrow and Matt Rempe. After notching 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points, he finished with only four goals and two helpers in 33 games this season. The 31-year-old is a solid checking forward who can kill penalties. He lost that role to emerging forward Will Cuylle, who scored his second shorthanded goal against the Maple Leafs on Friday night.

Similar to former Blueshirt Kakko, Vesey voiced his displeasure about his role under Laviolette, who’s made some puzzling decisions with the lineup. That included stapling Rempe to the bench along with rookie Brennan Othmann in the 3-2 regulation defeat against the Leafs to conclude February. Along with Jonny Brodzinski, they’d shown more than either Artemi Panarin or the ghost of Alexis Lafreniere, who didn’t establish himself in 20 minutes. Unlike last year when the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy, minutes aren’t earned at The Garden. Accountability is out the window in Year 2 under Laviolette. Or is that Gerard Gallant in disguise?

For the Rangers, they added a third pair defenseman and a bottom six center who they hope can untap his potential. Parssinen is the key to the deal. A former Predators 2019 seventh round pick, the 24-year-old Finn is considered a checking forward who can excel defensively. If he can fulfill that role under the bright lights, then he could be a valuable player.

It’s the second time he’s been dealt this season. The Avalanche acquired Parssinen from the Predators on Dec. 28, 2024. In 22 games, he posted two goals and four assists with all six points coming at even strength while averaging 9:47 a night. He also added 41 hits. Parssinen’s best year was as a rookie when he had six goals and 19 assists for 25 points in 2022-23 with the Predators. He hasn’t been in the league that long. Maybe it’ll click in Manhattan. That depends on how he’s used by the wishy washy Laviolette.

https://twitter.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/1895891330238423533

Here are the conditions on the picks. The Rangers will receive the higher second round pick between the Hurricanes or Rangers pick. The Rangers will receive the better fourth round pick of the Avalanche or Canucks.

Basically, it comes down to Parssinen (restricted free agent) and the two picks who won’t be here for years. On paper, it sounds like a decent return for a player they weren’t re-signing. Lindgren will have a chance to help the Avs win. He’ll be cast in a different role under Avalanche coach Jared Bednar. That might be a better fit.

While I’m not crazy about the return, it opens the door for Zac Jones to play even when Fox comes back healthy. Jones has made it no secret that it’s been a challenging season for him. He went from playing with Schneider on the third pair to being the odd man out. Now, he’s slated to play with Schneider for Sunday’s game against the Predators. He was a minus-1 in 15:54 in his return to the lineup yesterday. God forbid Laviolette try Jones on the first power play unit instead of using five forwards.

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If they really think so highly of Parssinen, I’d try him on the third line. I can’t imagine Laviolette will break up Brodzinski, Othmann, and Rempe. They seem to have good chemistry.

With Chris Kreider placed on the injured reserve, the Rangers recalled forward Brett Berard from Hartford. In his first stint, he had three goals and four assists for seven points in 19 games. My guess is that once Reilly Smith is traded before next week’s deadline, Berard will replace him in the lineup. However, what about Arthur Kaliyev? Is he already the odd man out? Nothing about this season makes sense. Nobody knows what Drury and the organization are thinking.

In some related news, the Predators traded Gustav Nyquist back to the Wild for a 2026 second round pick. A similar type player to Smith, that should set the market for Smith, who’s managed to put up 10 goals and 19 assists. That’s better than Nyquist, who had 20 points with the Predators before he was dealt. Smith turns 34 in April.

There’s six days left until the March 7 trade deadline. As it draws near, we’ll see more players getting moved. The Rangers should remain active.

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Rangers Lose Fox to Upper-Body Injury

Posted on February 26, 2025 by Derek

The Rangers will be without Adam Fox for a while. During last night’s 5-1 win over the Islanders, he exited the game after landing awkwardly on his shoulder while taking a penalty.

After being evaluated by the team, it was announced that Fox would be placed on the injured reserve. According to Vince Mercogliano of USA Today Sports, the belief is that he’ll return before the end of the season.

https://twitter.com/vzmercogliano/status/1894874896632815908?t=4NjkpnvIWOo3qqDSsKXfzA&s=19

A former Norris winner, the 27-year-old Fox leads all Rangers defensemen in scoring with 48 points this season. His 43 assists pace the Blueshirts.

Even in what’s been a down year, Fox was carrying the team offensively from the blue line. He picked up an assist last night to extend his point streak to seven (2-6-8). Without him available, the Rangers lose their only offensive defenseman. Remarkably, Fox’s defensive partner Ryan Lindgren ranks second among Rangers defensemen in scoring with 19 points. Lindgren picked up a pair of helpers against the Islanders.

It’ll be a next man up mentality. Urho Vaakanainen had his best game as a Ranger finishing with a goal and two assists in the win on Tuesday night. A third pair defenseman, he’s been playing with Braden Schneider. Considering that they both had good games, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette probably will keep them together for Friday’s home game against the Maple Leafs.

With Fox going down, this opens the door for Zac Jones to return to the lineup. A good skater who’s capable of contributing offensively, he could possibly fill the void on the power play. In 28 games, Jones has a goal and seven assists. If he’s used by Laviolette, Jones could shift over to the right side.

The Rangers recalled defenseman Matthew Robertson from Hartford. A former second round pick, he’s yet to make his NHL debut. At this point, what do they have to lose? That could depend on whether K’Andre Miller is ready for the next game. He left last night’s game in the second period. He’s still being evaluated.

The loss of Fox certainly could impact the Rangers’ playoff chances. With 24 games remaining, someone will have to shoulder the burden. It won’t be easy.

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Othmann Makes an Impression in Rangers’ win over Islanders

Posted on February 26, 2025 by Derek

When the Rangers recalled Brennan Othmann from the Hartford Wolf Pack, it was viewed as insurance in case a banged up Chris Kreider couldn’t go. With Kreider missing a second straight game due to an upper-body injury, Othmann made a good impression in the Rangers’ 5-1 win over the Islanders at Elmont.

Despite lining up on the fourth line, Othmann had a positive impact on the game. Playing with Jonny Brodzinski and Matt Rempe, the 2021 first round pick found some chemistry. The Rangers were led by their supporting cast in winning for the second consecutive game.

With the game still scoreless despite frantic chances at both ends, Sam Carrick’s check on Casey Cizikas kept a play alive down low. With a distracted Cizikas giving Carrick a cross-check, that allowed Urho Vaakanainen to take a Reilly Smith back pass and beat a screened Ilya Sorokin for the game’s first goal. Both Carrick and Rempe were parked in front.

After the Islanders responded less than two minutes later when Alexander Romanov had his shot go through a Kyle Palmieri screen past Igor Shesterkin to tie the score, it was the Rangers’ fourth line that went back to work to retake the lead. On a good forecheck from both Othmann and Rempe, Vaakanainen and Braden Schneider combined to find Brodzinski open for a shot that beat Sorokin. It was part of a big night for Brodzinski, who recorded three points to earn the game’s second star.

With less than a minute to play in the period, it was again the tenacious work of Othmann and Rempe that led to Brodzinski getting his second of the game to make it 3-1. After Ryan Lindgren moved the puck to Adam Fox, he found Brodzinski in the high slot for a long wrist shot that eluded Sorokin.

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On the goal, Othmann was in front and waved his stick at the puck. On MSG Networks during an intermission segment, Steve Valiquette believed that Othmann made contact with the puck. However, they never made any scoring change. It’s hard to tell if it was his first NHL goal. Even if he didn’t get it, Othmann was in the right position on what amounted to a big goal, which put the Islanders in a two-goal hole to conclude the first.

Despite the Islanders dictating most of the action in a second period that saw them outshoot the Rangers 14-6 and outchance them by a wide margin, they never beat Shesterkin again. Unlike his poor showing in a dismal loss to the Sabres last Saturday, he delivered a second straight good performance by making 36 saves on 37 shots. That followed up 37 saves in Sunday’s 5-3 come from behind victory over the Penguins. In the two wins, the Rangers have been outshot 77-34 but came out on top due to taking advantage of some poor goaltending.

It was the Rangers who cashed in on their chances to put the game away. Mika Zibanejad set up J.T. Miller in front for his fifth goal as a Ranger to make it 4-1. Miller’s up to nine points in eight games since he came over from Vancouver. He had a big goal late in the second period against the Penguins two days earlier.

For good measure, it was the Brodzinski line that put the game out of reach a few minutes later. After taking a Lindgren feed up top, Brodzinski had his shot tipped in by Rempe to make it 5-1. It was Rempe’s second goal of the season and first since Jan. 21. Since returning from an eight-game suspension last month, he’s proven that he can be trusted by the coaching staff to play a more responsible physical style while continuing to be effective.

On a night when the top line wasn’t a factor, the fourth line led the way to an important victory that allowed the Rangers to keep pace with the Red Wings and Blue Jackets in the wild card race. They remain four behind Detroit and two behind Columbus with 24 games left.

In his season debut, Othmann came close to scoring on his first shift. He skated well and finished a plus-3 in over 12 minutes. Brodzinski finished with two goals and an assist. Rempe scored his third career goal. The Brodzinski line was the difference along with Shesterkin, who outplayed close friend Sorokin (5 goals allowed on 11 shots in 2 periods).

The only negative is that both Fox and K’Andre Miller didn’t finish the game. Miller left early in the second period. Fox exited early in the third after taking a penalty when he landed on his shoulder. Both were being evaluated according to Rangers coach Peter Laviolette. The next game isn’t until Friday at home against the Maple Leafs. So, they have a couple of days off to find out if Fox and Miller will be available.

If anything was gained from last night, it’s that Othmann looked like he belonged. That should earn him another game. However, when it comes to trusting young players, the Rangers operate very differently. Arthur Kaliyev was a healthy scratch while both Smith and Jimmy Vesey played. The trade deadline is fast approaching. Changes should be coming soon.

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MSG Legendary Studio Host Al Trautwig Passes Away

Posted on February 25, 2025 by Derek

On Monday, February 24, 2024, MSG legendary studio host Al Trautwig passed away due to complications from cancer. He was 68.

New York Knicks studio analyst Alan Hahn revealed the sad news on Twitter yesterday. Hahn paid tribute to Trautwig in a series of tweets on what he meant to his career.

https://twitter.com/alanhahn/status/1894063457453985955
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When it came to setting up a big game on MSG Networks, nobody was better than Trautwig. Whether it was the Knicks, Rangers, or Yankees, he brought so much to the table. It felt different when he hosted a game. He could highlight the bullet points and emphasize the importance during games.

Trautwig also worked for ABC, NBC, and USA Network. When he wasn’t on MSG, he was telling captivating stories about the journeys of athletes during the Olympics. A versatile announcer, he could call big events. It was his tremendous storytelling that made him so great.

In the 90s when the Knicks and Rangers were both their peak, Trautwig was there to anchor everything. That included covering the Rangers winning the Stanley Cup in 1994. After they won Game 7 over the Canucks, he was in the locker room interviewing several players during the celebration, which included champagne. My favorite interview has to be the one he had with Alex Kovalev, who celebrated the victory with his lucky troll.

At the time, Kovalev became one of the first Russian hockey players to win the Cup. That also included Sergei Nemchinov, Sergei Zubov, and Alexander Karpovtsev, who all made history together.

Trautwig was with MSG Network from 1989 until 2019. He leaves behind a legacy that’ll be fondly remembered by his peers and the athletes he covered.

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Shesterkin Deserves Criticism for Latest Mess

Posted on February 23, 2025 by Derek
https://twitter.com/StatBoy_Steven/status/1893431392261873874

After two weeks of time off for most of the roster, the Rangers looked unprepared in a humiliating 8-2 loss to the Sabres last night in Buffalo. That included starting goalie Igor Shesterkin, who let in a soft goal to Jack Quinn less than two minutes in to put his team behind right away.

https://twitter.com/SabresPlays/status/1893431175747711136

Following a K’Andre Miller turnover, Quinn picked it up and fired a shot that Shesterkin butchered to give the Sabres an early lead. As bad as Miller’s mistake was, the Rangers needed Shesterkin to make a save. Instead, he gave up a deflating goal that set the tone for a forgettable game.

As has been the case for most of a disappointing season, the Rangers were a mess defensively. There was hardly any effort from the 18 skaters in a lopsided first period that saw the Sabres dominate the action by outscoring the Rangers 5-0. They were lackadaisical in what was the worst period of the season. There have been plenty of bad periods to choose from for a team that looks destined to miss the postseason after winning the Presidents’ Trophy and reaching the Conference Finals. They hadn’t allowed five goals in an opening period since Oct. 7, 2017.

https://twitter.com/StatBoy_Steven/status/1893445761586647127

How bad was it? After Rasmus Dahlin got a piece of a Jordan Greenway shot that gave Buffalo a two-goal lead, Tage Thompson outworked both Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox to make it 3-0. On a J.J. Peterka play in corner, Thompson outhustled Lindgren and then overpowered Fox to the net to stuff in a backhand past Shesterkin with 4:28 left in the first period. At that point, he should have been replaced by Jonathan Quick.

Inexplicably, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette left a shaky Shesterkin in for too long. Just over two minutes later, Ryan McLeod tipped in a Dahlin shot to make it 4-0. Braden Schneider didn’t close him out, allowing McLeod enough time to get his stick on the shot for the fourth Sabres goal of the period. Schneider’s game has fallen off recently. He and defense partner Urho Vaakanainen were a combined minus-7 in the defeat.

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For good measure, Dahlin added a power-play goal with 1:39 remaining to make it five past Shesterkin on 16 shots, making it the first time in his career that he’s allowed five goals in a period. Laviolette finally put in Quick to end Shesterkin’s night.

He’s 1-5-0 with an .817 save percentage over his last six starts. Aside from a strong January, he’s been subpar in 2024-25. He entered Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh with an 18-20-2 record, 2.98 goals-against-average, and .903 save percentage. The 29-year-old Russian has seen his save percentage dip over the last three years. After winning the Vezina in 2021-22 when he posted a .935 save percentage, Shesterkin’s trending in the wrong direction. He had a .916 save percentage in 2022-23. Last year, it fell to .913. Now, it’s at a career low .903. As bad as the Rangers play in front of him, he needs to be better. There have been too many instances where he’s given up bad goals that hurt the team.

Making matters worse, Shesterkin didn’t take any questions from reporters who requested him for yesterday’s postgame interviews. It isn’t the first time he’s ducked them this season. He’s fallen victim to some embarrassing losses in his sixth season. That doesn’t excuse him from speaking to the media.

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There should be more accountability from the soon to be highest paid goalie in NHL history. Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury signed Shesterkin to an eight-year contract extension worth $92 million on Dec. 6, 2024. He will go from a $5.67 million cap hit to an $11.5 million AAV the following season. The long-term deal includes a full no-movement clause that’ll take him until he’s 37.

Nobody would dispute the importance of Shesterkin to the Rangers. However, it’s selfish for him to duck the media following a bad loss. Win or lose, he should be available for reporters following games.

Rangers’ legend Henrik Lundqvist was at his locker win or lose during his Hall of Fame career. Even when it got bad towards the end, he spoke to reporters. He understood that he had a responsibility. It’s why he remains the most popular former Ranger. We’ve seen him make a seamless transition from the ice to the studio where he hasn’t been hesitant to criticize the team. But as he had during his playing days, he does it in an eloquent manner.

On Saturday, there were too many passengers. That didn’t include Chris Kreider or Mika Zibanejad. They each scored goals and weren’t culpable. Both are usually available after games. It’s inexcusable for Shesterkin to not be. It lacks maturity and reflects poorly on the most valuable Ranger. That has to change moving forward.

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