Battle Of Hudson covers the Rangers and Devils, who's intense rivalry heated up in the 90's. With fresh faces added, they battle for supremacy in NYC and NJ..
It’s one thing to beat mediocre competition but quite another to be on the same level as legit contenders. That’s a lesson these new Rangers are learning the hard way.
After falling to Winnipeg at home 3-1, they were completely outclassed by the league’s best team. Indeed, it was every bit as lopsided despite the Lightning easing up in the third period to coast to a 5-3 win at home. They’re up to a league beat 47 wins and 98 points.
Meanwhile, the Rangers dropped to 30-32-6 with their 66 points ranking them dead last in the Metro Division. That ties them with the Blackhawks for the ninth fewest points. Detroit (63), Edmonton (62), Montreal (61), Vancouver (59), Ottawa (57), Buffalo (55) and Arizona (53) are all worse in the tank for Rasmus Dahlin sweepstakes. Obviously, the worse you are, the better your chances are at winning the weighted NHL Draft Lottery.
So, what is the takeaway from last night? Just that the rebuilding Blueshirts have a long, long way to go. They’re in the early stages which means there will be more bumps in the road ahead. With 14 games left and the red hot Panthers next playing for a wildcard, it potentially could get uglier. Especially the way Florida is scoring led by Aleksander Barkov and 38 years young Roberto Luongo, who is in beast mode.
As far as who played okay, Kevin Hayes again did some good things adding to his career high with his 19th goal on a deflection in front of a Rob O’Gara shot. Hayes also added a primary assist when he made a great move around a Tampa player and got off a good low shot that resulted in a rebound from Tampa starter Andrei Vasilevskiy which caromed right to Ryan Spooner for the Rangers’ first goal. A terrific play by a more confident player who I am gonna vote for in the Steven McDonald Award. There aren’t many good candidates. Hayes, Jesper Fast and Marc Staal are my top three with Henrik Lundqvist sure to get plenty of votes. But remember. Lundqvist gets Team MVP every year.
Spooner continued his impressive play scoring a goal and assisting on the other two in the third. He continues to pile up the points. Since coming over from Boston as part of the Rick Nash deal, the versatile playmaker is proving why he has the ability to be a top six forward. In six games, he’s up to 10 points (2-8-10). It will be worth watching what the organization decides to do with Spoon Man in the off-season. He’s restricted for one year and can hit the open market in 2019.
Vladislav Namestnikov skated well and created the only two chances in a nightmarish first that saw the Lightning flex their muscles by outshooting the Rangers 17-1 at one point. It could’ve been much worse than the two goals they scored on 21 shots. Cedric Paquette was left alone to put in a rebound of a Chris Kunitz shot that Henrik Lundqvist couldn’t handle. Adam Erne took advantage of a poor Rangers breakout with three players flying the zone to wrist one past a faultless Lundqvist.
It worsened in the second with Lightning prospect Anthony Cirelli able to tip a Mikhail Sergachev home even with Hayes draped all over him for a 3-0 score. Following Spooner’s goal that made it 3-1, Kunitz took full advantage of a Lundqvist giveaway behind the net for a easy goal into a vacated net. That was enough for Alain Vigneault to give Hank a mercy pull. He faced a onslaught of 31 shots a little over halfway through the game.
It got worse when Tyler Johnson beat the defense to a rebound for his 19th past reliever Alexandar Georgiev to make it 5-1. A play in which Neal Pionk was beaten by Nikita Kucherov and Marc Staal fell down. It was that bad.
If the Bolts really wanted to, they could’ve reached 60 shots and run it up. There were still many good saves by Lundqvist (27) and Georgiev (13) on the 45 they faced. It was nuts.
It’s hard to watch. At one point, I switched to the more competitive games with the Devils falling to Winnipeg who ended Taylor Hall’s streak at 26. Plus the Bruins and Flyers with Brad Marchand scoring another clutch game-winner with less than 25 seconds left in regulation.
I missed Mats Zuccarello’s 11th goal from Spooner. It figures. He’s played so poorly that I think they have to trade him at the Draft. He had a mindless giveaway on a back pass to nobody that fueled a dangerous Bolts counterattack. He isn’t the same player. Even with Namestnikov doing good work with his speed and aggressiveness. Jimmy Vesey continues to struggle finishing despite mixing it up in scrums. He can be saved under a new coach who won’t screw him. I would re-up him on a show me one-year deal.
Chris Kreider left the game for precautionary reasons due to absorbing a high hit. He was okay. I don’t know if he should even play. But if he’s fine, he will. He’s definitely adjusting to a new leadership role and has certainly had a positive impact on Pavel Buchnevich and Mika Zibanejad. Without him, they were lost. I’d still like to see Namestnikov get a crack with Buchnevich. His speed and forecheck is ideal. He also isn’t afraid to go inside. Sometimes, the KZB line is too much on the perimeter despite their positive possession statistics. They don’t take enough shots.
Kevin Shattenkirk wants to return. He’s skating and took warmups. I don’t see the point. If I were management, I would tell him it’s better off resting and not risking reinjury. The most important thing is for him to come into next year’s camp fully healthy.
That’s going to do it for this post. Until next time.
As March rolls in with thunder snow courtesy of the latest, craziest bomb cyclone that dumped between 10 inches to over a foot of the white stuff Wednesday, there’s a similar storm brewing for the NHL’s Hart Trophy.
With just a month left, the MVP race is wide open. Chalk full of contenders, it’s anyone’s guess who will wind up taking home the hardware in Vegas this June. It largely could depend on how the NHWA defines what a most valuable player stands for.
If it’s based on team success and likely winning the scoring title, then Lightning sniper Nikita Kucherov would win. The electrifying Russian leads the league with 86 points (33-53-86) on first overall Tampa Bay. A terrific scorer who can do damage finishing and setting up with his 53 helpers tops in the NHL, he’s been part of a dynamic duo with Steven Stamkos. After nearly carrying the Bolts to the playoffs a year ago with 85 points, his 86 is already a career high in 65 games.
Only 24, Kucherov continues to excel. Of his 33 markers, just six have come on the power play. That means he’s done most of his damage at even strength sniping another 27 past goalies. The breakdown is 55 points at even strength and 31 on the power play. He has six game-winners and remains lethal on breakaways. Just ask Braden Holtby. There’s a reason he was our preseason Hart pick. All signs pointed to a breakout with a Art Ross possible. He leads comrade Evgeni Malkin by two points. It should be a exciting race down the stretch.
Malkin has stayed healthy this season for the Penguins. What that means is dominant play by the lanky Russian who’s been in beast mode for a while. Ever since the two-time defending champs found themselves in trouble on the outside of the playoffs in January, Geno has taken off like a speeding rocket. He’s back to dominating shifts and games with his dynamic skills.
The combination of size, speed and edge have always made the former MVP and Conn Smythe winner a scary player for opponents to deal with. It’s always been about health. He won’t play in 82 games. However, the 64 he already has show that he will come close. Here we are with quite possibly the most overlooked superstar of our time due to Sidney Crosby and oblivious writers ignoring his greatness by excluding him from the Top 100 Players List All-Time. How in a world where Jonathan Toews is somehow in that list is Malkin not? Could it be due to Canadian bias? No disrespect meant to Toews, who’s been a fine two-way player and leader of three Blackhawks Stanley Cups.
Malkin has climbed up to second in scoring with 84 points with his 38 goals tied for second with Winnipeg’s sophomore sensation Patrik Laine, trailing NHL leader Alexander Ovechkin by two. On a talented team that includes Crosby and overlooked American scorer Phil Kessel, Malkin has shined most with a huge second half that’s put him in the MVP conversation. With 38 goals and 46 assists, he leads the Pens in scoring. His 13 power play goals rank third in the league behind Stamkos (15) and Laine (17).
The 31-year old has a chance for his fourth 100-point season of his career and first since taking the Hart in ’11-12 with a career best 50 goals to go with 59 assists for a league-leading 109 points. Ironically, he hasn’t appeared in at least 70 games since that year. He has seven game-winners and also 65 penalty minutes. That’s who he is. A tenacious player who won’t back down. His production breakdown is 52 points at even strength and 32 on the power play.
If it came down to only the scoring title on contenders, Kucherov and Malkin would be 1-2 with everyone else behind. But the award shouldn’t just reward the game’s best scorers on great teams. Let’s face it. The Lightning and Pens have a leg up on most of the competition which benefits its stars.
What about the overlooked player who doesn’t get the same offensive support trying to will their team to the playoffs when most pundits including this blogger had them missing?
The emerging candidate packing a lot of punch is Devils leading man Taylor Hall. Following a disappointing first year in New Jersey on a bad team after being acquired by GM Ray Shero from the Oilers for defenseman Adam Larsson, all Hall has done is lift his team on his shoulders into the first wildcard. On a rebuilding team that wasn’t expected to be in this position due to 2017 first overall pick Nico Hischier along with youngsters Jesper Bratt, Will Butcher, Miles Wood and Pavel Zacha, Hall has been head and shoulders the best player on his team.
Currently on a unofficial streak of 26 straight games he’s played in with at least a point, the 26-year old Hall has finally figured it out with his new team. Having never been part of a postseason before, he’s done it all for Jersey’s team. It’s truly been a Hall of a effort by the 2010 first overall pick of Edmonton.
How important is he to the Devils success? Try this. He not only leads them in scoring with 74 points which include a career high 30 goals and 27 power play points (10-17-27). But those 74 are 33 more than rookie Hischier’s 41 which rank second in team scoring. The 30 goals are 14 better than Kyle Palmieri’s 17 which is second. He’s done this with injuries limiting Palmieri to 48 games. Finally rounding into form, he’s come on lately climbing up to third on the team with 33 points.
There’s a significant difference separating Hall from most of his teammates. It’s not just his skill level but his will. His compete has been much better in Year Two in Newark which explains his success. It’s why Devils fans serenade number 9 with “MVP! MVP! MVP,” chants at The Rock. He deserves it.
More than any other player in hockey, Hall has done more with less. Don’t forget starting goalie Cory Schneider has also missed significant time and not performed up to expectations. The Devs have had to rely on backup Keith Kinkaid for some big wins. They’re not always pretty. But due in large part to Hall, they get the job done.
When scoring dried up until the other night in a wild 6-4 home win over the Canadiens in which vets Travis Zajac and Brian Boyle scored big goals, it’s basically been the Taylor Hall Show for the Devils. When they need a big play, he makes it. When they need a clutch goal, he scores or sets it up. He has been unbelievable since the start of 2018. How special has he been? Try 18 goals and 20 assists for 38 points with a plus-11 rating and three game-winners including two in overtime for huge extra points factoring into the first tiebreaker of ROW (regulation and overtime wins).
More impressive is Hall’s home/road splits. He has two more points away from home with 38 (17-21-38) in 31 road games compared with 36 (13-23-36) in 31 home games. A commendable output that shows even when coach John Hynes doesn’t have the match-up, Hall fares well against the best quality competition.
With another important game tonight against the very tough Winnipeg Jets at home, Hall will be counted on to lead the way down a tough stretch that includes a visit to Stanley Cup contender Nashville on Saturday followed by a stiff challenge in Vegas next Wednesday. With 76 points, 30 ROW and 15 games left, it’ll still be a uphill climb for Hall and the Devils to make the postseason for the first time since 2012. They are currently in the first wildcard three up on second wildcard Columbus and five clear of the surging Panthers, who have three games in hand. If they do make it, Hall has to be at the top of the MVP list.
Perhaps his chief competition is Colorado’s 22-year old young gun Nathan MacKinnon. He’s really taken off since Matt Duchene departed in a three team blockbuster trade with Nashville and Ottawa that sent Duchene to the Senators with Kyle Turris winding up on the Predators. The Avalanche did well getting defenseman Samuel Girard along with good prospects and high draft picks.
Sometimes, less is more. For the surprising Avalanche who are tied with the Kings with 77 points competing for the second wildcard, they have to be pleased with the progress after a forgettable season a year ago that made them a laughingstock. No one had them being this competitive. You can make the case that if MacKinnon gets this team in, he should win the Hart over Hall. But he does have more help. So let’s get to it.
In only 58 games, MacKinnon has 78 points which leads the Avs. The 32 goals, 46 assists, 78 points, 12 power play goals and jaw dropping 10 game-winners (tied for second with Brayden Point trailing Sean Monahan-11) are all career highs. He is a special talent. The fifth-year center has put it together. If the past three seasons were underwhelming following a 63-point rookie campaign in ’13-14 after being taken first overall over Panthers emerging superstar Aleksander Barkov, he’s more than made up for it this season.
The first line of MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen have been front and center in Colorado’s emergence from the butt end of jokes to a potential headache if they make the playoffs. It’s rare that that happens. But in the curious cases of both the Avalanche and Devils, they each could be tough outs. Both are led by great players who are finally discovering how good they can be.
MacKinnon has a flair for the dramatic scoring three OT winners including one on a ridiculous solo effort that had me in awe. In a year where he missed time which hurt his team’s chances, he’s come back with a vengeance. After missing most of last month, he’s put up 17 points (8-9-17) in only nine games. In fact, a heroic five-point effort (2-3-5) in a blowout home win over the Wild on March 2 even left Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau speechless. He gave MacKinnon high marks.
The big question is this. If Colorado doesn’t make it which is a distinct possibility given the competition, would that hurt his candidacy? Most writers like to cast their votes for players who got their team in. Look how many voted for Sergei Bobrovsky last year. He finished a distant third behind Crosby and McDavid.
The Avalanche are in this thing without top defensemen Erik Johnson with Semyon Varlamov having another injury riddled inconsistent campaign on a team who missed Johnson’s leadership. If they do qualify for the postseason, it might be enough to give the edge to MacKinnon, who has the best points-per-game average. It all depends on how it plays out.
A couple of other emerging candidates are Bruins’ pest Brad Marchand and the Wild’s Eric Staal. Marchand remains a head scratcher due to his penchant for dirty plays like the elbow that concussed key top six Devils forward Marcus Johansson following a whistle. He was suspended five games. Johansson meanwhile hasn’t returned with not much in terms of updates.
If he were a clean player, he’d be a lot more respected by peers and press. A recent hat trick and five point performance in a overtime win over the Red Wings highlighted by a Marchand backhand OT winner in a Boston victory is definitive proof of how dominant he can be. The same player who’s hated by most is very skilled. He’s followed a career high 85 points which included personal bests in goals (39), assists (46), even strength points (56), power play points (24) and game-winners (8) with 66 points in just 51 contests. The five-game ban along with a injury explains why he hasn’t taken part in more action.
The 29-year old from Nova Scotia who was a integral part of the Bruins Stanley Cup in 2011 is one of the league’s biggest bargains with a AAV of $6.125 million thru 2022. Imagine a super pest who is over a point-per-game that can both score and set up clutch goals who plays in any situation and can flat out dominate shifts in the offensive zone with his speed and tenaciousness along with elusiveness. He also is money on breakaways possessing great hands. He can beat goalies with the deke to the backhand or wrist shot top shelf.
This is a very dangerous and polarizing hockey player who finished seventh for the Hart a year ago with Edmonton’s Connor McDavid winning the award. Truthfully, Marchand is a top 10 player who’s proving he can still be a big factor minus the game’s best overall center Patrice Bergeron, who himself was having a MVP season.
Think of him as a more skilled Claude Lemieux. The comparison might draw criticism. But Lemieux was a winner helping Montreal win as a rookie and New Jersey win twice and Colorado once. He was every bit as dirty but when it came down to money situations, he was clutch. So, what are his chances? Well, given his track record and another deep field…
Maybe a dark horse is Staal. A well liked and respected veteran who once led the Hurricanes to Lord Stanley over a decade ago after the lockout, the 33-year old number one center on the Wild is having his best year since he was in his prime with Carolina. If you consider what he’s done in St. Paul when many including myself thought wrong about where he was in his career following the Rangers mishap due to Alain Vigneault, Staal’s been nothing but brilliant.
He’s followed up a 65-point ’16-17 with a even better ’17-18. His 36 goals, 67 points, 11 power play goals and two shorthanded goals all pace the Wild. The 36 markers are his most since getting 40 in ’08-09 as a 24-year old. Amazing. It’s his first 30-goal season since ’10-11 when he notched 33 with the Canes.
How hot has he been? Centering a very overlooked top line that includes Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker, Staal has the Wild third in a loaded Central Division with 83 points. It’s the most competitive division in the league with Nashville and Winnipeg battling for first. The Preds lead the division with 95 points which is six ahead of the Jets. Minnesota is three up on first wildcard Dallas and six clear of Colorado and Los Angeles.
Staal is at a point-per-game with 67 points in 67 games so far. He has six goals and eight points in the team’s last three wins. In a victory over the Blues, he recorded his first hat trick as a member of the Wild while adding two helpers. He also torched the Rangers for four points (2-2-4) on Feb. 23 to go over 900 points for his NHL career. An empty net goal in a road win at New Jersey gave him 900. In February, he was on a tear going 13-8-21 with a plus-11 rating to earn the NHL’s First Star of the month.
With Zach Parise a shell of himself due to wear and tear, it’s up to Staal and his line along with Ryan Suter to get Minnesota to another postseason. Assuming they qualify, they won’t be a easy out.
You could mention other players for the Hart as well. Bergeron was in my list before he got hurt. In 55 games, the certain Selke winner was 27-27-54 with a plus-26 rating, nine power play goals, two shorthanded goals and five GWG’s. Blake Wheeler has had a great season with Winnipeg posting 75 points (18-57-75) to lead the Jets into one of the West’s best.
Some have mentioned Claude Giroux from the Flyers with his bounce back season of 23-56-79 and a plus-17 rating in 67 games a big part of the Flyers surprising season that currently has them third in the Metro Division with 79 points. Two behind the Caps and three off first place Pittsburgh. However, he’s shifted to wing with Sean Couturier picking up added responsibility on a unique top line that features emerging second-year forward Travis Konecny. It hasn’t been only one player with plenty of contributions from Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov on the blueline.
So who will win? My guess is they’ll vote for Kucherov because he’s on the best team. I could see the vote being close but also wonder if Malkin will take away votes from Hall and MacKinnon. This has been a fun season despite where the Rangers are in the standings. The Hart race remains hard to predict. It should be one hell of a conclusion.
If you ever lose enough to get into the top three via the lottery, there’s a greater chance of landing a franchise defining superstar. That’s pretty evident with Winnipeg after picking second overall behind Toronto in the 2016 NHL Draft. One that will be remembered for top two picks Auston Matthews and current Jets finisher Patrik “Teemu” Laine.
Greatness was on display at the Mecca between 33rd street and seventh avenue near Broadway. The second-year Finn who reminds me of Teemu Selanne put on a great show for hockey fans. While the Rangers had their three-game win streak snapped by a much better team, it was mostly due to Laine. He recorded his first hat trick of the season and fourth of his brief two-year career. That moved him into the Rocket Richard race with numbers 36, 37 and 38 putting the sizzling sniper two within NHL leader Alexander Ovechkin.
Laine’s talent was too much for the Blueshirts on this night. He had two brilliant finishes on ridiculous shots the first two periods which Henrik Lundqvist had no chance on.
Here is a look at all three goals including the 120 footer into a empty net as a exclamation point.
On goal one, he got a nice pass from Paul Stastny and used the defenseman as a screen with a perfect laser.
The second goal, he caught the Rangers in a bad change. Notice that Ryan Spooner lost his check allowing Laine to walk into the high slot. Kevin Hayes was late to the party. Marc Staal was occupied with a player in front who he left getting caught in between which allowed Laine easy access. Neal Pionk wasn’t in the picture wandering behind the net.
When it comes to the system under Alain Vigneault, it depends on the forwards to rotate in coverage. A part many pundits have left out. Whoever they bring in assuming the obvious with the coach, there must be a better defensive system with excellent communication.
As far as the game, the Rangers didn’t play badly by any stretch. They only hadt three less shots with 31 to Winnipeg’s 34. Mats Zuccarello had the best chances. He found a way not to score twice. Let’s just leave it at that. The less said about it, the better.
The Hayes unit with Spoon Man and Jesper Fast again created shots and chances with Hayes recording seven shots. That line is terrific together.
Vladislav Namestnikov continues to look good. He stayed with Jimmy Vesey and Zucc. They forechecked and generated opportunities. I would’ve liked to see Namestnikov moved up between Pavel Buchnevich and Chris Kreider with Mika Zibanejad out. I feel he deserves a shot with the top line anyway.
David Desharnais cannot play top line. I understand this is what most coaches do. But in the current situation, it’s not what Vigneault should be doing.
The next game is tomorrow in Tampa. Ryan McDonagh isn’t expected back. But J.T. Miller is playing very well with two goals and three assists. Take note.
Henrik Lundqvist is still a champion. The King may not have a Stanley Cup ring but he remains the ultimate team leader of the now rebuilding Rangers. On his 36th birthday Friday night in Calgary, he made history by becoming the first goalie since Gump Worsley in 1963 to make 50 saves in consecutive games.
The best part is he went into the record books by winning both starts to become the first ever goalie to accomplish the feat since the NHL started recording saves. After defeating Vancouver in the first game on a Northwestern Canadian three-game road swing, he stood on his head to backstop the defensively challenged younger Blueshirts to a 3-1 win over the Flames.
When it was over, a jubilant Lundqvist raised his arms skyward as he got a hug from Brady Skjei and plenty of kudos from every teammate. This was a absolutely scintillating performance by a future Hall of Famer who never backs down. It would be easy to considering where this team has been. He’s not used to facing the amount of volume shots and quality scoring chances in a rebuild. But there was the franchise netminder standing tall to heavy pressure from a desperate Flames who only beat him once on 51 shots.
Most impressive remains his attitude. Despite never being on a team where management opted to be sellers even sending out a letter to fans and holding a public press conference, Lundqvist approaches each game the same. He always stays positive and wants to be the difference between winning and losing. This is a prideful man who has embraced the challenge in the face of adversity. It’s what makes him special.
February was not a fun month with all the rumors prior to last week’s deadline. It had to have a negative impact on the team. The way they performed showed it. The added stress of knowing they were losing valuable teammates such as Michael Grabner, Rick Nash and captain Ryan McDonagh who had given so much to the cause couldn’t have been easy. That included Nick Holden, who was used on the top pair out of necessity by coach Alain Vigneault due to a flawed roster. Holden now plays less on Boston and has recently gotten into the lineup and contributed two assists in recent wins. It’s a bit odd to see Nash and him celebrating Bruins goals. But that’s the harsh reality for Garden Faithful.
Wait till the Rangers visit Tampa on Thursday where as many as five former players could be dressed. That includes McDonagh, who has hinted that he should be finally ready to go for his Lightning debut. With familiar partner Dan Girardi plus old teammates Ryan Callahan, Anton Stralman and J.T. Miller, it’ll feel like a homecoming. Almost as if he never left. It’ll definitely be a weird game.
It’s funny how sports works sometimes. Following the end of the road for McDonagh which brought back talented center Vladislav Namenstinikov along with two good prospects, a first round pick and conditional pick, the new look Blueshirts have managed to reel off three straight wins. Even with Lundqvist facing a heavy volume of shots (55 against the Canucks and 51 against the Flames), they scored timely goals to come away with victories. Followed by a strong cameo from new backup Alexandar Georgiev at Edmonton, they swept the three-game Northwestern Canadian road trip.
Mika Zibanejad finally found the back of the net tallying twice including his team best 10th power play goal along with a rare even strength goal. Pavel Buchnevich also scored finally after going cold for 10 games. Chris Kreider’s return has given the top line some added juice. The power forward has brought his combination of speed, strength and net presence. He scored his first goal in five games since coming back and feels good.
Along with solid play from youngsters John Gilmour (overtime winner) and Neal Pionk, things are looking up. They host the Winnipeg Jets tonight at MSG. We’ll see if they can keep it going.
It’s hard to believe that Thursday afternoon (a mere three days ago, to be exact) the Devils were sitting pretty with a nine-point lead on a playoff spot, seemingly in the clear with 19 games to go and dopey message board fans were already debating the merit of possible playoff matchups. Yet even I, with my ingrained Met and Jet fan negativity could not fathom that we’re now sitting here Sunday talking about a team in a death spiral whose lead has gone from nine points to four in record time. Really the four point lead isn’t even that comfortable with a surging Panther team having won six in a row with three games in hand on us, while the Blue Jackets are winning big in San Jose about to pull within three points of the Devils and level in games. So realistically our nine-point cushion on the field is now down to three points. In the space of just seventy-two hours. Even for this Met and Jet fan that’s hard to believe.
Things probably won’t get better before they get worse either. This was supposed to be the part of the schedule where the Devils could put away teams like the Hurricanes, Panthers and Blue Jackets once and for all. Where they needed to put them away before the six-game road trip of doom arrived upon us. Even before that trip though, they have to make some hay in their remaining two games at home, against a suddenly hot Habs team playing for pride and a Jets team we never do well against. Somehow I don’t think the Devils could even beat the New York Jets right now, let alone a Winnipeg team that’s taken it to us in recent years and is sitting near the top of the West this year.
It’s not even that the Devils have lost three straight that has me now pressing the panic button, it’s to who and how they’ve lost these games. To put it succinctly nothing’s working right now for this team except for Taylor Hall and (ironically) the power play which has actually scored in three straight games after a several-week period of being completely clueless. Maybe we were better off with the power play stinking since we seemed to win more then. Of course it’s hard to win any games if you put up a grand total of one five-on-five goal in three games. Our new acquisitions have yet to make any real impact other than Pat Maroon having a decent game in Florida and after getting tons of goals early in the season from guys like Brian Gibbons and Brian Boyle, the secondary scoring has completely dried up.
It hurts to type this but in many ways Boyle’s the poster child for the falling off of the secondary scoring. Even though you weren’t really expecting the ten goals and six assists he put up in his first 25 games as a Devil coming off cancer treatment, by the same token you also need to get better than the one goal and one assist with a -9 he’s had in the 27 games since. Maybe he’s fallen off physically after everything he and his family have gone through this season. I’m not gonna call for him to be scratched, that’s a very delicate situation and I don’t envy the staff on this one. I get he’s got intangibles you want in the locker room for a playoff push but at some point coach John Hynes and his staff really need to cut back their reliance on the veteran role player. Especially on the power play where he’s a total non-factor and skill guys like Pavel Zacha and Jesper Bratt continually get bypassed by this staff’s need to have slow pluggers on the 5-on-4, many times slowing play down and nullifying the man advantage by taking away skill.
Yes, the PP has finally shown a pulse lately in general but much of that’s due to Hall, who’s consistently in the middle of what little good has been happening this week. I bleed for him…how can you not if you’re a Devils fan? He’s putting up a career season and has more than double the points of any Devil not named Nico Hischier. Even Hischier is 31 points behind Hall in production this year. Of course Hall’s probably not going to get serious Hart consideration despite Devil fans doing their best to get his name into the conversation with MVP chants as his scoring streak continues to climb toward thirty straight games and counting. Yet even his production – and the play of defenseman Sami Vatanen (22 points in 42 games as a Devil, consistently playing 23+ minutes a night now as the team’s #1 defenseman) – isn’t enough to patch the hole on a ship that is taking on water.
I’ve seen Titanic-like collapses from my teams before which is part – but only part – of the reason I’m paranoid of a similar fate befalling the Devils now. The 2007 and 2008 Mets. Too many December swoons and January heartbreaks from my Jets to count. Suffice it to say I’ve seen these kind of scripts before. Yes, for a long time the Devils were a shining beacon for me as a sports fan but 2003 was nearly fifteen years ago now. Even 2012 and the Devils’ unexpected run to the Finals was six years ago, and the last time this franchise played a playoff game. Few players or coaches are left from even that point in time six years ago. It’s not as if this franchise is filled with winners who know how to get it done. As far as I can remember the only guy on the roster who has a Stanley Cup is Ben Lovejoy, who shouldn’t exactly be a key player on any team.
It would probably take less time to go over what isn’t a problem (Hall/Vatanen) than what is. I’ve already touched on the secondary scoring, the defense is still spotty at best with all the non-Vatanen defensemen taking turns of having particularly bad games of suckage and providing little offense themselves. Even rookie Will Butcher’s quieted down significantly on the offensive front lately with just one assist in his last fifteen games. Coaching is an issue, or more accurately x’s and o’s. While I’ll still defend John Hynes on his handling of players, he and the staff’s in-game decisions are spotty at best. I already touched on the power play usage earlier, not to mention other bizarre decisions like having Lovejoy on the ice in the final two minutes trailing by a goal. Like, why not just throw out the fourth liners too while you’re at it?
But now I’m finally going to get to my main point of consternation from not only tonight but with this team as a whole – goaltending. Specifically our so-called top ten franchise goaltender. And this doesn’t mean Keith Kinkaid or Eddie Lack or Ken Appelby. No, now I’m looking straight at YOU Cory Schneider. Yes, the position that was supposed to be not a problem anymore once Cory came riding in on his white horse is suddenly even more of a problem than it was once Kinkaid stabilized his own game this month. At least Kinkaid managed to actually make some saves when the team was tied or had a lead and won some big division games, Cory never seems to do either. Whether it’s giving up the killer softy during the game when the team’s tied or in front – twice in fact today – or the killer late goal (see the Florida game), it seems as if this goaltender always finds a way to be anti-clutch.
It was one thing when Cory was putting up .925 save percentages on dogmeat teams that didn’t have a chance, but the last two years Cory hasn’t been anywhere near elite and now this year the stakes are much higher than they’ve been since Cory’s first season as a Devil – where to a degree he was snakebit, but he also crapped out in March when he had his chance to take the job outright from a fading Martin Brodeur. Cory’s failed by any metric over the last two years, whether it’s winning games or stopping pucks. At least in the past he would stop pucks somewhat frequently but putting up GAA’s of 2.8 with save percentages of .910 isn’t what I had in mind from a supposed franchise goalie. After Cory’s first clunker goal allowed – an unstoppable short-side floater that may have been slightly tipped but hardly enough to change course – I told my friend I was basically one soft goal from being off the Cory bandwagon for good. I didn’t think that goal was going to come IN THE SAME PERIOD though, another floater that Cory gave up a soft rebound on.
Not only does Cory need to step up but the head coach needs to have the onions to give him the hook if he doesn’t. It’s not exactly unprecedented for a mediocre starter (which is all Cory is at this point, at best) to lose his job to an unheralded backup. My most vivid example of this is when career minor leaguer Andrew Hammond got on a roll and kept the job for the Senators a couple years ago even when starter Craig Anderson returned from injury. Maybe at this point Hynes needs to keep riding Kinkaid and see if he can put together a Hammond-like stretch. They can’t wait indefinitely for Cory to get going, not when the team’s leaking out points like a sieve and the team’s heading for a brutal stretch of games. This is where the head coach, the goaltender and this franchise as a whole is going to have to prove its mettle once and for all, or gain a reputation as chokers. Maybe it’ll take getting their backs to the wall to get this team to play with the same passion they did early in the season when they had something to prove. That’s always a dangerous game to play though…one that usually doesn’t end well. I know this from plenty of fan experience.
I’m not even sure I want to go Tuesday. I’ve been beaten down by a lot of home losses lately – in fact I’ve only seen two home wins live since late December. I’d traded these tickets in for a buyback credit earlier but got new free ones via a Devils sth giveaway…guess they’re desperate to try to fill the building for weekday games before a long road trip that could make or break this team once and for all. While part of me’s paranoid that I’m going to miss the only likely win this team might get in the next few, part of me is also worried that I’m going to pitch yet another fit if this team somehow loses to a Montreal team that’s been bad for most of the year – albeit they’ve picked it up in junktime lately.
And for the coup de grace after a late failed comeback attempt by the Sharks, the Blue Jackets are now indeed three points behind us. It’s time for a gut check…does this team want to be known as the team that restored pride and honor to the Devils crest or as the team that pulled off an epically horrific choke?
Imagine living a dream as reality. That’s exactly what Stan Fischler has accomplished. Known as “The Hockey Maven,” Fischler has covered the sport since he worked for the Rangers in 1952. A inspiration to many including this writer who was one of those lucky kids who interned for him, he has done everything.
With the announcement that he’ll be retiring his microphone after more than four decades, I can only reflect back on what this man means to me and over 20,000 who interned for him at Fischler Hockey in Upper Harlem. He is a proud and dedicated person who’s always brought tremendous dedication, pizazz, pride and professionalism to each MSG broadcast.
Whether it’s been broadcasting the Islanders at the start or bringing his unique combination of humor and wisdom to the many Islanders and Devils telecasts on first Sports Channel and then later Fox Sports New York before becoming MSG or MSG-Plus, he’s always brought his A Game.
It hasn’t mattered which team he covered. Though more synonymous with the Devils and Islanders, Fischler had his share of Ranger games too. The thing about Stan The Man is he always has that schtick which works so well when you’re watching him. I think having the chance to see him up close when I was driving out to South Mountain at the old Devils practice facility in West Orange and later the former home of the Devs at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, was that I learned not to take everything he said literally.
That’s the misconception of Stan. My close friends didn’t fully understand who the man was. Heck. I didn’t either until I made the phone call that changed my life when I was fresh out of school with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management looking to break into the industry.
Being from Staten Island living on the South Shore, I made the long drive to Fischler’s apartment up on 110th street off the West Side Highway each morning during the week. Of course, I learned to use the Lincoln Tunnel and take the West Side all the way down before exiting and driving up several streets before making that right turn. Then it became about finding a spot which like my father, I became good at.
The first time I was buzzed up into Stan’s building, I can remember walking into this hockey cathedral that also included plenty on the New York City Subway being wowed. It was like being in a mini museum devoted to Fischler’s favorite two pastimes. Hockey and trains. A unique combo that also appealed to me. There was a time when I was a teenager that I used to go on subway trips around the city with close pal Ivan. We would embark on our long journey taking the S74 bus in Staten Island all the way to the Ferry before catching the local 1 or 9 train. In many ways, I could relate to Stan.
Even though I’ve driven a car since I got my license as a senior in high school at 17, buses, the Staten Island Ferry and trains have always appealed to me. On one old job in Jersey City working for Sports Ticker, I would drive into Bayonne and catch the light rail at 34th Street station and take it to work. I usually did a lot of reading always bringing fun novels I enjoyed. Something I need to get back to.
If you’ve ever interned for Stan, you know what I’m talking about. That apartment was like a library. He’s published so many books on hockey and the subway that it was truly mesmerizing. It’s amazing he and wife Shirley could fit all that and a computer in that place. But they managed just fine. It was amazing. I contributed my observations to The Fischler Report and helped write some bios on a Red Wings book. I still have some old print outs from 17 years ago on Igor Larionov, Darren McCarty and a few others that I saved. I guess you could call me a hoarder too. My old work is priceless.
Thanks to this man, I worked as a production assistant on Devils home games during the ‘00-01 season. What a experience that was. Even though I bled Ranger blue, I got to see how much preparation and work went into their telecasts. Seeing director Roland Dratch and producer Larry Gaines in the truck or at production meetings was always fun. There was so much to learn from pros including legendary Hall of Fame play by play man Doc Emrick and old sidekick Glenn “Chico” Resch. I’m glad Chico is back on the radio side with Matt Loughlin.
My favorite part of those meetings had to be at the start when Stan would tell a joke which would crack everyone up to lighten the mood. Sitting in, I got to see them go through the rundown on the pregame and game, etc. There’s one thing you learn right away. In TV or radio, every second counts. One screw up and things can get pretty hairy.
Even though I was a runner bringing old game tapes or highlights to Gaines for pieces or even being the Good Samaritan and doing coffee or lunch runs if there was time, I took my job seriously. During third periods, they would have me log timecodes of highlights for a melt. I don’t mean the kind that has to do with food. If you learn the business, it refers to reels they use for future reference.
The fun thing was I got to see morning skates at times and peak in on players from both teams headed into their locker rooms while also studying the hockey stats they provided us. Once, it came in handy. In a game between the Devils and Thrashers, I noticed that both teams were at the top in hat tricks. Something I pointed out to Resch. It came to my surprise that they used it during the third period. As I was logging highlights, it was Chico who mentioned my name on air. What a cool moment. I thanked him afterwards before making the trip home on I-95 to Exit 13 and the Goethals Bridge and then the West Shore Expressway.
Seeing such a great hockey team had its benefits. The Devils were defending champs featuring Hall of Famers Martin Brodeur, Scott Niedermayer and Scott Stevens. They had Mr. Devil, Ken Daneyko who now works as the color analyst on TV with Steve Cangialosi. There was Patrik Elias. The all-time franchise scoring leader as part of the famed A Line with Jason Arnott and Petr Sykora. Elias’ Game 7 winner with over two minutes left to beat the Flyers in the Conference Finals and his brilliant backhand feed for Arnott’s memorable Cup winner to beat the Stars are highlights that they showed during his jersey retirement in a great night last Saturday that blogger Hasan witnessed. Maybe one day Elias will join the other greats in Toronto.
What I admired most was how professional the players were after games. I got to go into the room sometimes and see them do interviews. That included the legendary Brodeur who would go on to win the most games and record the most shutouts in NHL history. I could go on about how special a group that was. Ultimately, they would lose a crushing seven-game series to the Avalanche in June 2001. A series they should’ve won.
For me personally, I owe so much to Fischler. It was also under him that I made a contact and landed a interview with ESPN for a job as a NHL hockey researcher on their telecasts. You know. Back then, they still cared about hockey. I was there from March through May 2001 and then moved to Bristol, Connecticut on New Year’s Eve for the rest of the ‘01-02 season.
None of it would’ve been possible without Stan. I have done some good things in sports. Even though I didn’t wind up staying with ESPN after just missing out on a Sportscenter Researcher for a permanent position, I had a great experience and time contributing stats paks for graphics that were built or referenced by production talent during games on ESPN and ABC. I also got to work as a WNBA researcher which I had no experience prior but did a great job and enjoyed my summer so much. I even got to come home to MSG for the WNBA Finals which the New York Liberty lost to the Los Angeles Sparks in 2002.
It really was memorable. Though some of it cannot be told following the game. 😂
I went onto blogging. Something I was familiar with due to my unique writing skills. Even though I never fully got back into sports professionally, I still am here contributing pieces like this that inform so many of my time.
Why didn’t I go for it? To quote favorite baseball movie character Roy Hobbs played expertly by Robert Redford in The Natural, “I sorta got sidetracked.”
Sometimes, there are more important things going on at home. I’ll leave it at that. I’m a family oriented guy who was raised right by two caring and wonderful parents with a younger brother who needed me. That will never change.
So now, I embark on subbing in my first year working for the Department of Education bringing all my experiences with me. I like helping others. So, it’s perfect.
That was always Stan. He helped so many into career paths. If you know him, then you are appreciative of what he did for you. Now, he’ll wrap up a brilliant Hall of Fame career with the remaining games he is on with the Islanders and Devils if he gets any playoffs. Though they’re well covered with Deb Placey and Bryce Salvador.
I’m only going to say this once. Not to take away from the job they’ve done during intermission segments. I will always love Matt and The Maven. Two of a kind.
Thank you to Stan for being real and critical when it was needed. All the best to you, your family and grandchildren.
In a battle between two bad teams who will be in the lottery, it came down literally to the final shot. John Gilmour’s goal at 1:22 of overtime from Ryan Spooner (3 assists) gave the Rangers a wild 6-5 win over the Canucks.
It snapped a seven-game losing streak (0-6-1). The win ended a forgettable month on the right side. It was the Rangers third win of February due to it being in Vancouver.
They wouldn’t have stood a chance without Henrik Lundqvist, who tied a career high with 50 saves against a relentless Canucks attack. It marked the first time in his career he faced over 50 shots and won. If anyone deserved a win, it was a relieved King who earned it by making remarkable save after save. That included three with his mask incredibly with the last coming against former teammate Michael Del Zotto.
This wasn’t a Picasso. It didn’t have to be. Playing a Vancouver team that entered with fewer points than them, the Rangers never trailed. In fact, they got off to a great start scoring three times on five shots to chase Jacob Markstrom.
Kevin Hayes was right in the middle of it scoring twice. The first goal of the game might’ve been a break. On what appeared to be a icing, the refs thought Jesper Fast negated it. Hayes wisely wrapped the puck around banking it off Markstrom at 1:22 from Spooner and Brady Skjei.
Jimmy Vesey was able to score his 12th just 43 seconds later when he got a stick on a Neal Pionk shot. On his first shift as a Ranger, Vladislav Namestnikov made a good pass for Pionk for his first point with his new team after coming over from Tampa Bay as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to the Lightning. As far as first impressions go, Namestnikov did well also scoring his first goal by converting a breakaway. Mats Zuccarello got him the puck.
1st game 1st shift 1st point for @Vladdy18! See his 🍏 on Vesey’s 🚨.
With the Rangers leading by two, there was Hayes again notching his 17th on a neat deflection of a Pionk shot pass. Spooner set up the play with a good pass for Pionk at the point. He came over from Boston in the Rick Nash trade. So far, the playmaking Spooner is making good recording three more assists after getting two in his debut. That’s five points already. All helpers by a gifted forward who just needs consistent ice-time to carve his niche. He’s a restricted free agent this summer who is making a good case to stay. He already has good chemistry with Hayes and Fast.
Once Vancouver coach Travis Green changed goalies, his team responded immediately. With Anders Nilsson in, they came back strong scoring the next two goals in the first. Talented rookie Brock Boeser got it started with his 28th from Bo Horvat going high cheese. With the Canucks on the power play, Hayes got a clean breakaway but was unable to get a shot off on his shorthanded bid. As often happens, Vancouver came the other way and scored with Horvat rebounding home a Daniel Sedin shot into a open side from twin brother Henrik at 19:12.
In the second, the Canucks made it three in a row with Daniel tying the score with his 20th unassisted to make it four straight games with a goal. The Rangers turned the puck over and on some sustained pressure, Sedin had a bouncing puck come to him firing a laser past Lundqvist tying the score at three. It might be the final year for the Sedins in Vancity. If it is, they’ll be missed. They’re true artists on the ice.
Quite honestly, Vancouver so dominated play it’s a wonder they only beat Lundqvist once in the middle stanza. They held a 18-10 edge in shots and racked up a plethora of scoring chances. The difference was Lundqvist, who wouldn’t give in making some remarkable point blank stops including with the mask and stacking the pads in tight. He sure deserved the win.
In his debut as a Blueshirt, Namestnikov made a good impression. Playing with Vesey and Zuccarello, the talented 25-year old Russian pivot formed solid chemistry recording a goal and assist. On a turnover at the Ranger blueline, he broke in on Nilsson and went five-hole for his 21st overall unassisted for a 4-3 lead with 5:02 left.
The Canucks kept coming in the third. They benefited from a five-on-three midway through the period. A Mika Zibanejad slash was followed by a Paul Carey two-hander giving the hosts a two-man advantage. They were very deliberate but forced Lundqvist into a few tough saves including a glove stop on Daniel Sedin. With the power play just expiring, Derrick Pouliot got the puck to Brendan Leipsic, who faked the Rangers our completely making a great touch pass across for Nikolay Goldobin, who had Lundqvist dead to rights picking the top half of the net to tie the game at 12:17.
Sometimes, I’m very good at breaking a slump for one of our players. Take this tweet on Zibanejad’s struggles at five-on-five.
Less than a minute later, Chris Kreider set Zibanejad up in front with the Swede remaining patient before shooting over a down Nilsson for a 5-4 lead with 5:13 remaining. My response to it.
Of his 18 goals, nine have come at even strength. So, it’s an area he must improve. Maybe getting Kreider back will help him and Pavel Buchnevich. The assist was Kreider’s first point in three games since returning.
It looked like they would win in regulation with Lundqvist continuing to stymie Vancouver. Pionk took a chance shooting for a empty net from way out missing wide. That meant an icing. That gave the Canucks another chance. They didn’t miss. On sustained pressure around the net, Horvat and Leipsic combined to find the dangerous Boeser on his backhand. He was left alone too long by a scrambling Fast. He quickly got the puck to his forehand and sniped past Lundqvist at 19:14 top shelf to the short side for a tie score at five. His 29th was a goalscorer’s goal that forced OT.
It didn’t take long. The teams didn’t play any defense. On a Vancouver turnover in the neutral zone, Spooner flew down the right wing and was able to make a brilliant pass through the blue paint to Gilmour for a one-timer high short side past Nilsson to give Lundqvist his 24th win of the season. A nice snipe from Gilmour for his second coming at 1:22.
The win gives the Rangers 62 points with 18 games remaining. They’re seven out of the second wildcard. It would seem they’re playing out the string. But with the Islanders losing a bad one to Montreal and Carolina struggling, Columbus leads the final wildcard by four. After adding Mark Letestu, Thomas Vanek and Ian Cole, they are the favorites to get in. Keep an eye on the Panthers who are hot with lots of home games left. With Roberto Luongo healthy and the Aleksander Barkov Line on fire with Vincent Trocheck and Jonathan Huberdeau, they’re five behind with three games in hand. Is this the year they sneak back in?
“It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.”-Boyz II Men
Who ever thought I would start off a hockey post with a memorable lyric from Boyz II Men in the early 90’s of my teenage fandom? However, it feels appropriate today as one era closes and a new one begins.
That’s exactly where the Rangers are as they prepare for Game 63 of 82 tonight in Vancouver at 10 PM. They’ve said goodbye to Rick Nash, Michael Grabner and former captain Ryan McDonagh along with J.T. Miller. Nick Holden too even though he’s yet to play for Boston which makes the return of a third round pick and Rob O’Gara look pretty good.
Of the five former Rangers, the hardest to say goodbye to is McDonagh. A valuable player with character who brought plenty of it to Broadway after being stolen by Glen Sather from Bob Gainey in the Scott Gomez salary dump. Gomez is retired and a Islanders assistant coach.
McDonagh is a proven player who will add a lot to the Lightning defense. The pressure won’t be as great due to anchor Victor Hedman playing top pair with Anton Stralman. One of those ex-Rangers from the 2014 roster that went to the Stanley Cup.
Once he’s ready, McDonagh will find himself on the second pair with familiar pal Dan Girardi. It’ll probably feel like nothing changed for the former shutdown tandem who were largely responsible for three deep Rangers runs in ‘12, ‘14 and ‘15. They played on broken body parts in a gut wrenching seven game series loss to the Lightning in the Conference Finals three years ago. Why does that feel like much longer?
Many will testify that life moves fast. In some aspects, I agree. It doesn’t feel that long ago that I was a senior in high school celebrating the Rangers Stanley Cup victory at the parade down the Canyon of Heroes 24 years ago. But much has changed since then with the sport that now includes 31 teams and too many rules changes to keep track of. Simplicity was better.
Maybe it’s only me. The golden age of Rangers hockey featuring Henrik Lundqvist since 2005 has been fun. The team has made the postseason 11 out of 12 years. That will change in April when this team won’t qualify. That’s life.
The Stanley Cup Final against the Kings and great run in stunning the Caps with their third 3-1 comeback in two years on the tying goal from Chris Kreider, winning goal from McDonagh in Game 5 at a wild MSG remain. Everyone knows the amazing ending with Derek Stepan winning the second round series in overtime on Garden ice.
What if they had taken care of business at home against Tampa? All they needed was to win Game 5 or 7. Instead, they were shutdown literally with the Bolts posting two shutouts to basically end the Rangers run. I think deep down, we all knew it. As hard as it was to grasp even after all the injuries were revealed, they were valiant going as far as they could go.
Sometimes in sports, teams don’t win. It doesn’t mean they weren’t successful. There are plenty who never got over the hump. Recent Mets teams are the primary example. You only get so many chances to be a champion. Not everyone wins. It’s a fact we don’t want to admit.
What’s worse is knowing how much the former players cared. When you see what they say about their time spent here. McDonagh penned a emotional goodbye to the Rangers and fans while at a airport today in the Players Tribune. It included a classic story about the traffic in the city on what was Game 5 of the 2012 Conference Final versus the Devils. Of course, he was with Stepan and Marc Staal and they weren’t getting anywhere. They made it in time for John Tortorella’s pregame meeting.
The part that got to me is how much it meant to McDonagh to see the ‘C’ stitched on that blue Rangers jersey when he was named captain replacing Ryan Callahan, who he’ll now be reunited with and chase a Cup in Tampa. So will Miller, whose time ran out in New York due to wild inconsistency this season despite ranking second in team scoring.
"To actually see the C stitched on that blue sweater … what can I say? There are no words."
It’s going to be strange to see five ex-Rangers wearing the uglier dark navy colors of the Lightning. Eventually, that will be the case with McDonagh joining Callahan, Girardi, Miller and Stralman. Like McDonagh said, it’s part of the business. He knew he was getting traded which explains why he took down his Twitter account and stayed away from the team. It was probably very stressful and hurt a prideful guy who wore his emotions on his sleeves.
There’s a misconception that McDonagh wasn’t the best captain. He might not have been the emotional in your face type on the ice. But he was always pretty vocal following games in the locker room. Seeing how down he was following the Islanders embarrassment told me everything I needed to know. He called it “my worst game,” and spoke about how embarrassed he felt. It reminded me of a emotional Stepan following last year’s second round elimination to Ottawa. He pointed the finger at himself for not being good enough. Maybe deep down, he knew he was gone.
That’s the thing. We may get on these guys too much. We don’t know the first thing about what they go through before, during and after games. The core has been split into pieces that are now mostly on other teams looking to help them win. Only four players remain from 2014. They are Lundqvist, Staal, Kreider and Zuccarello. Kevin Hayes was part of 2015 as a rookie. Everyone else is long gone including inspirational leader Martin St. Louis, who might one day become an assistant coach since retiring after 2016.
In the cap era, this is what happens to successful teams. Even if you don’t win it all, you must make hard decisions moving forward. GM Jeff Gorton knew this was a possibility which is why he dealt away Stepan last summer in similar fashion to moving Derick Brassard before their no-trade clauses kicked in. Now, Brassard is a member of the hated Pens due to the awful handling of the Senators, who eventually will trade superstar captain Erik Karlsson this summer a year removed from losing to the Pens in sudden death of Game 7 of the Conference Finals last year. Stepan is stuck on the rebuilding Coyotes as a leader.
That’s how quickly things can change. Following their 2012 run to the Stanley Cup Final in McDonagh’s first full year, the Devils haven’t been back to the playoffs since. Now, they’re going back barring something unexpected. Their rebuild worked.
With Lundqvist about to turn 36, he doesn’t want to miss the playoffs for long. He’s got three years remaining on his contract that pays him an AAV if $8.5 million thru 2021. It’s up to management to do a good job drafting and developing the right pieces.
First round picks Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil are a big part of the future with both likely Blueshirts as soon as ‘18-19. Gorton now has three first round picks for this year’s NHL Draft including his own which could wind up in the top nine. He can look to move up and also use the three seconds and three thirds.
With McDonagh officially gone, the pressure shifts to second-year defenseman Brady Skjei to learn on the job and develop into a top pair guy. It won’t be easy. Staal and Kevin Shattenkirk are the only vets left on the blueline. If both stay, they’ll provide leadership along with Zuccarello, Kreider and Hayes.
I don’t know how long it will take for the new Blueshirts to be competitive again. If this month is any indication, we’re in for some tough times ahead. On the final day of February, the Rangers enter tonight’s game having lost 13 of 15 (2-12-1).
I’ll miss McDonagh the most. He was terrific as a top pair D who logged a ton of minutes playing every situation. That’s not going to be easy to replace. I wish him the very best as I do all the former players who brought so much to the table.
McDonagh thanked us earlier in that letter. No. Thank you Ryan! It was a pleasure.
Thanks Mac: Ryan McDonagh is mobbed by teammates Derek Stepan and Jesper Fast after his overtime winner kept alive the Rangers season. It was his most memorable moment along with torching the Canadiens to lead the 2014 Rangers to a Stanley Cup Final. Good luck to him in Tampa.
They waited until the last possible second to do it. It happened. The Rangers made a massive trade with the Lightning at the buzzer sending captain Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to Tampa where they’ll join buddies Ryan Callahan, Dan Girardi, Anton Stralman and take their best shot at winning a Stanley Cup. Just call them the Tampa Rangers.
For two good players with McDonagh a great Ranger who led the team to a Stanley Cup appearance and played on a broken foot to come within a period of a return trip against those Lightning, they got a iffy return. Coming back are center Vladislav Namestnikov, prospects Libor Hajek, Brett Holden, a 2018 first round pick and conditional second round pick.
Considering how long they held out, I came away disappointed with the return. Especially with it not only being McDonagh who went. They also included the versatile Miller who for as frustrating as he was at times this season ranks second in team scoring with 40 points (13-27-40). The soon to be 25-year old will have to perform better than his one goal in 40 career playoff games with his new team. He is restricted this summer which means Tampa must give him a raise.
After acquiring similar in skill forward Ryan Spooner from Boston in the Rick Nash trade, that might’ve been a factor in finally dealing away Miller. With Kevin Hayes maturing into a shutdown center in his fourth year, the organization had to choose between him and Miller. Especially if they plan to hold onto Spooner, who recorded two assists in his team debut last night. He’s 26 and makes $2.83 million this year before turning restricted like Miller. Is the plan to keep Spoon Man or reroute him for another draft pick this summer?
It’s a good question. Mika Zibanejad remains the top center locked in for another four years at a AAV of $5 million. Hayes will be re-signed at probably a salary within the same range. Namestnikov is 25 and makes $1.94 million and will be a Group II free agent this summer. So, he should be cheaper than Miller, who was making $2.75 million.
Like Miller, Namestnikov is a former first round pick who is a similar skill set. He had been playing with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov most of the season. Not surprisingly, he saw a hike in production. The 20 goals, 24 assists and 44 points are all career highs already. He’ll look to improve as a Blueshirt in a similar role to what Miller played.
Of course when you trade two proven NHL players, you have to get at least one roster player back. So, GM Jeff Gorton did that. But when it was reported that this was a “massive deal” by TSN, you had to figure just maybe they also got top target Mikhail Sergachev or one of Tampa’s elite prospects Taylor Raddysh or Cal Foote.
That’s the disappointing aspect. Players like McDonagh don’t grow on trees. For eight years after being stolen from Montreal by Glen Sather in the Scott Gomez trade, he became the Rangers’ best defenseman and next captain after Callahan was dealt to Tampa for Martin St. Louis. This is a proven performer who can log big minutes, play in any situation and relieve pressure from Bolts anchor Victor Hedman. A guy who destroyed the Canadiens in the 2014 Eastern Conference Final and was part of a shutdown pair with Girardi, who happens to be doing fine under coach Jon Cooper.
In one giant move, the Lightning upgraded their blueline by adding McDonagh to Hedman, Stralman, Girardi while keeping Sergachev. That is insane. Braydon Coburn is their sixth D. They also added much needed grit up front without subtracting anyone major. The Lightning have Brayden Point, Tyler Johnson and Yanni Gourde at the center position behind Stamkos.
It’s a huge win for Tampa. They win a Cup and it’s worth it. Don’t forget McDonagh is not a one year rental. He’s signed through 2019. So, they get two big shots at this while Miller should be a integral part. Considering that the Pens just added Derick Brassard, they had to do it.
So, how will this deal be judged from a Rangers perspective? Only time shall tell. It all depends on if they got the right prospects and what they can do with their third first round pick of this year’s draft. Logic dictates that Gorton will be working the phones in a attempt to move up from wherever they are which will likely be eight into the top five. He’s certainly acquired enough assets to trade up and land either Quinn Hughes or Brady Tkachuk. It says here he doesn’t have enough to steal the first overall pick and get Rasmus Dahlin unless the impossible happens.
As for the two prospects, here goes. Howden was taken by the Lightning in the first round 27th overall in 2016. A 19-year old center from Manitoba listed at 6-3, 191, he isn’t close to being ready. He’s produced well with Moose Jaw of the WHL tallying 22 goals, 36 assists and 58 points in 38 games after going 38-43-81 over 58 contests in ‘16-17. He went 3-1-4 in a five game stint with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL last year. At the 2018 IIHF U20 World Junior Championship, he picked up three goals and four assists to help Canada win a gold medal. Here’s a video montage of some of his exploits from the tournament. He has some size to him and is a good skater who drives the net.
Somewhat curiously, Hajek was the guy the Rangers wanted. A 20-year old from the Czech Republic who Tampa selected in the second round 37th overall in the same 2016 NHL Draft, he’s a left D who goes 6-2, 210. On paper, that sounds good. He has played in the Western Hockey League since age 17. He played for the Saskatoon Blades three years running putting up respectable numbers with his eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points in 33 games this season solid. He has since been traded to the Regina Rats going 3-7-10 in 19 contests.
At the U20 WJC in Buffalo, Hajek fared well producing a goal and seven helpers for the Czech Republic. He was named one of their top three stars of the tournament despite going minus-five in a lopsided bronze medal loss to Team USA. I’ll see what else I can find on him.
As far as McDonagh goes, he gave his heart and soul to some very good Rangers teams. Don’t forget he played with a broken foot in the crushing seven-game loss to Tampa. I’m definitely emotional about him going. Sometimes, you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. I think many of the critics will soon recognize that. It’ll be very hard to replace a high character player of his caliber. Thank you for being the best number 27 the franchise ever had. Even more so than my all-time fave Alexei Kovalev. I’ll be pulling for Mac in the playoffs along with Danny G, Cally and Stralsy.
It’s hard to believe that only four players remain from the 2014 team that reached the Stanley Cup Final. It’s sad. The four holdovers for now are Henrik Lundqvist, Marc Staal, Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello, who survived the deadline. I personally think he’ll stay put and be that veteran presence up front for young 2017 first round picks Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil to learn from this Fall. It doesn’t mean he can’t be traded. I could be wrong. Zuccarello is up in 2019. We’ll see.
For what it’s worth, I would also keep Staal around. He’s been better and healthier this season along with steadier. While he gets unfair criticism from the usual suspects, the team defense has performed better with him. They don’t have to use him any differently than this season. He can play even strength and penalty kill on either the second or third pair whole providing leadership and intangibles for younger blueliners including Brady Skjei. It’s not a bad idea to have Staal and Kevin Shattenkirk around as the two experienced defensemen for the kids to learn from.
Hypothetically, they would have three spots open with Tony DeAngelo, John Gilmour, Rob O’Gara and Neal Pionk competing for with the seventh slot available. Figure prospects Brandon Crawley, Sean Day and Ryan Lindgren to get looks with possibly Hajek. I think they’ve pretty much given up on Ryan Graves. That’s apparently is the case with him traded to Colorado. Better luck there.
A final thought on Miller. A player I followed closely since he helped lead Team USA to gold in the WJC. I’ll let this tweet stand here:
Over the last 72 hours, Devils GM Ray Shero has certainly spiced things up and enhanced the Devils’ chances of breaking their five-year long playoff drought, first by the historic cross-river trade with the Rangers for Michael Grabner on Friday night, then this afternoon getting yet another deal in under the wire with the Oilers for another winger, Patrick Maroon. Maroon is a rugged forward who put up 49 goals in 154 games as an Oiler, mostly being the protector of Connor McDavid. Certainly before his tenure in Edmonton, Maroon’s career had been a bit undistinguished but he should add another top nine forward to an already crowded forward core and the cost wasn’t really prohibitive as the Oilers only received a 2019 3rd round pick and middling prospect J. D. Dudek, a 6th round pick in 2014 who’s in his third season at Boston College (6-11-17 in 33 GP).
Admittedly I didn’t expect Shero to be anywhere near this active at the deadline considering we’re not in a championship-or-bust mode yet the way teams like Tampa, the Penguins and even the Bruins to a degree are. However, when it’s all said and done I can’t say I have very many issues with Shero’s two moves. Trading a 2nd rounder and KHL prospect Yegor Rykov for Grabner was a bit of a surprise to me and not just cause it involved the Rangers, but because like I said earlier I figured Shero would be looking for depth acquisitions only, or if he did make a big move it would be for a defenseman. If anything Shero’s been greasing the skids for this cold war-ending trade since he first arrived, saying on more than one occasion he’d be willing to trade with anyone in contrast to previous GM Lou Lamoriello who never made a trade with the Rangers and only one minor deal with the Flyers during his three decades here.
Personally I didn’t really get why fans were making a big deal about the cold war…dealing with rivals is tough, especially since you’re likely to have to pay a tax on any trade. Admittedly it looked as if we did that a little Friday for the highly-sought Grabner, until I saw some of the ridiculous rental deals today. A lot of these trades harkened back to the olden days where GM’s routinely lost their minds on deadline day. A 1, 2 AND a 3 for Tomas Tatar?! A 1 plus for rental Paul Stasny? The haul (including another one) the Rangers got for Rick Nash? With the benefit of hindsight I’m fine with the price paid for Grabner, especially if we do re-sign him which is certainly possible given his apparent interest in remaining in the area and the fact the Rangers are clearly in sell mode after dealing off guys like Nash, Grabner and in the biggest deal of all, trading Ryan McDonaugh and J. T. Miller in a blockbuster to Tampa. I’m sure Derek will have more to say on that one later, and the apparent underwhelming – at least to me – return for both players
After dealing for Grabner I didn’t really expect much out of today other than the random minor leaguer for minor leaguer move perhaps but lo and behold after 3 PM in the midst of the chaos around the other big-name deals came word the Devils had traded for Maroon. Twitter was slow to update the details of the trade making me more and more nervous. First it was a 3rd rounder…for now. Then it was a 3rd and NCAA prospect. At that point I was scared Shero had traded one of our real key guys like Joey Anderson or Reilly Walsh but thankfully it wasn’t the case. Perhaps dealing for two wing players is an indication that Marcus Johansson really isn’t an option to return this year, and I said earlier they more or less had to plan as if Johansson wouldn’t be around after getting two major concussions in a short period of time (thanks again, Marchand).
With the two new forwards thankfully the days of Drew Stafford and Jimmy Hayes clogging up the lineup should be over for the most part. And maybe they’ll be able to give teen Jesper Bratt a couple of games off now that he’s passed out from hitting the rookie wall. It’s hard to even imagine what the lineup looks like now – Grabner said he preferred LW and was put there in his first game as a Devil but with acquiring Maroon (another LW) that makes the lineup configuration pretty interesting. Particularly with PK’er Brian Gibbons another week or so from returning. When healthy coach John Hynes certainly has options up front to go along with having arguably 8 NHL D (including Steven Santini, still in the AHL thanks to roster flexibility). My best guess at a lineup when healthy is this:
Hall-Hischier-Palmieri
Wood-Zacha-Bratt
Maroon-Zajac-Grabner
Coleman-Boyle-Noesen
Stafford/Hayes
Then when Gibbons returns perhaps Bratt gets a couple of nights off or Noesen moves back to the press box. Also because there’s been so much happening in the last 72 hours I originally neglected to post that Hynes did get an extension over the weekend, or rather his fourth-year option got picked up. Ostensibly it was decided earlier in the season, why it was announced only now who knows? I suppose you could have worse timing to announce it when the team’s in good playoff position and everyone’s feeling good after the Patrik Elias number retirement ceremony – which was well done pretty much from start to finish. I won’t recap it much here, but the 90-minute(!) ceremony’s worth watching on YT/MSG/wherever you can find it.
In a sense I’m not so much surprised as intrigued they didn’t move one of their defensemen, especially with this deadline being a seller’s market and John Moore still being an unsigned UFA-to-be. They still talk up Mirco Mueller and are high on him (especially judging by the decent amount of icetime he gets when he does play) but as of now he’s on the outside looking in of the current six-man D. Of course if they had dealt a defenseman they really didn’t have anyone else other than Steven Santini to step in, if injury should strike someone else. One of Lou’s tenets – to my chagrin at times – is you need eight NHL-caliber defensemen in the organization and Shero seems to be following that blueprint this year having Mueller and Santini in reserve.
Although the Devils certainly don’t have the superteam that the Lightning, Penguins or Bruins have (a.k.a. the Warriors, Cavs and Rockets of the NHL now after their recent moves), they do have depth at all positions and are in a good position to make the postseason after their Elias night win over the Islanders on Saturday created a little more distance between them and the bubble. In regards to why he would give up futures for rental players, Shero had this to say after the Grabner trade:
Whatever you may think of this approach as a pragmatist, it’s music to fans’ ears after five seasons in our own Dark Ages, finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel now. And Shero did not give up the farm although this year they won’t have a 2nd or 3rd round pick thanks to the Grabner and Sami Vatanen trades, and next year their third went to the Oilers. Still they kept their first-rounders (unlike many other teams the last couple days) and almost all of their top prospects.
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Battle Of Hudson 
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