Devils season preview

Posted on October 12, 2016 by hasan4978

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Sitting here on Opening Night of the NHL season and the night before the Devils open their season in Florida, I’m finally ready for hockey.  This season couldn’t have started at a better time as a sports fan considering my Mets flamed out in the one-game playoff after a great stretch run, while the Jets’ season was seemingly DOA.  That said, I can’t say that I’ve been sitting there watching every preseason game, catching every video clip from the Devils – who’ve done a good job on social media interviewing most of the key players and coaches on Devils access – or reading every article from our new beat guys (Chris Ryan and Andrew Gross, taking over for the retiring Rich Chere and departing Tom Gulutti respectively).  Shoot, I didn’t even buy my normal pre-fantasy draft magazine this year and more or less just went by ADP’s, instinct and quick news briefs in my epic 14-team 23-man league fantasy draft.  Maybe I’ll save team Swamps’ analysis and my attempt to get over the hump after an unprecedented four straight second place finishes for another random first-week post – spoiler alert, my one token Devil is Mike Cammalleri – and my best value pick was (gasp!) Henrik Lundqvist, as my second goalie along with keeper Jake Allen.  I drafted Lundqvist in basically the eighth round factoring in three keeper selections, which even for a league of mostly Devils fans is kind of insane.

Digression over though, this post is just about the Devils’ upcoming season.  Our offseason of twists and turns took another one with the acquisition of P.A. Parenteau yesterday off waivers after the Isles cut him.  At least it wasn’t too much of an inconvenience for his family in terms of location, although he did admit to having to throw out the new Islanders jerseys he got for his kids.  Parenteau’s arrival fills out the top nine with another 20-goal scorer and led to offseason acquisition Beau Bennett skating with the extras today.  If fast, attacking and supportive were the buzzwords of GM Ray Shero and coach John Hynes last year, improvement and upside is the hope of all fans this year after a steady talent infusion and youth movement to a team that finished 38-36-8 for 84 points last season, a winning record by NHL standards though still a ways out of the playoff hunt in the end.

Goaltending – Nobody needs me to say that the Devils’ best chance of making a playoff push this year starts in goal with Cory Schneider.  In some ways Schneider’s still one of the best-kept secrets in the league considering he was in a messy timeshare with Roberto Luongo in Vancouver before starring here for a team that’s yet to make the playoffs in his three years.  Only the most craven fans would blame Cory for that considering his numbers during those three seasons – highlighted by his 2.14 GAA with a .924 save percentage and twelve shutouts in 169 starts.  Clearly the fact that Cory’s record is under .500 with the Devils is a function of the team’s offensive woes and not anything he’s done wrong in goal.  Only a late-season injury last year kept Cory’s games played total down at 58 compared to the 68 he played two seasons ago, and will be counted on to play this year.  Understudy Keith Kinkaid‘s won the backup job for the third straight year while Scott Wedgewood cleared waivers and will again be starting in Albany.  Management’s clearly hoping for the Kinkaid of two seasons ago (2.59 .915) as opposed to last season (2.84 .904 in twenty starts).  After all, if this Devil team is going to be on the bubble for the playoffs, the fifteen or so games played by a backup could prove decisive.

Defense – Although last season’s no-name unit finished in the top ten both in shots allowed and goals against, there are still many questions surrounding the d-core this year with the trade of Adam Larsson, losses of David Schlemko and David Warsofsky to free agency and early-season injury to Jon Merrill.  Replacing those four on the roster are free agent signings Kyle Quincey and Ben Lovejoy – a vet presence on a championship Penguins team last year – along with rookie Steve Santini and overseas addition Yohann Auvitu.  How both rookies fare are among the most compelling storylines surrounding the 2016-17 Devils.  Much has been expected of Santini since he was drafted early in the second round of the 2013 NHL Draft and in college he lived up to expectations, his one-game cameo late last year only serving to heighten expectations.  Santini should bring a physical element we’ve largely been lacking on our defense the last several years, and a stay-at-home bruiser still mobile enough to keep pace in the new NHL.  Auvitu was a camp revelation, showing enough offensive flair not only winning a spot in the top six but also getting power play minutes.  Although he hasn’t played in the NHL before he has been a professional and is an older (27 years old) rookie.

While it’s still a bit unclear how the seven-man defense will draw out tomorrow night in Sunrise, the one sure thing is that captain Andy Greene will be on the top pairing and play in all situations.  If the staff wants a shutdown first pairing reminiscent of Greene-Larsson last year it might be Lovejoy slotting in on the right next to Greene.  Third-year man Damon Severson (who still doesn’t seem to have the staff’s full trust yet) will probably slot in on the second pairing with the up-and-down John Moore.  Severson’s got all the talent in the world but managment’s been hard on him, and until Larsson got traded I actually thought he might be the defenseman on the block.  Now that he’s still here, hopefully they get the most out of him this year and he takes a step forward.  Although I thought he got too much grief for his defensive work, offensively he was a massive dissapointment scoring one lousy goal in 72 games.  On a team where an overseas rookie might lead the unit in scoring, they need everyone to chip in offensively they can.  Our third pairing will be some combination of Auvitu-Santini with Quincey drawing in if one of them doesn’t do the job and/or gets sent back down to the AHL.  I thought Quincey would be a starter and give us another vet presence on the blueline until Auvitu came out of almost nowhere to win a job, now the starting six is a bit more murky.  Whoever plays will have to create more offensively than our d-core did last year – Severson himself actually led the group in points, but only put up 21 – and step up defensively to match or surpass the production of last year’s unit in that area.

Forwards – Offensively there’s only one way to go after the Devils finished dead last in the NHL in goals in 2014-15 with just 184.  In the four seasons since the lockout the Devils’ rank in scoring has been: 28th, 27th, 28th and 30th.  Small wonder then that the Devils traded a young top-pairing defenseman in Larsson to get the offseason’s biggest fish – acquiring former #1 overall pick Taylor Hall (pictured above) from the Oilers.  At times Hall was criticized in Edmonton for being merely very good, not great but the potential’s clearly there for a player that put up 130 points in 120 games from 2012-14, and he’s still only 24 years old.  Even last year’s modest total of 65 points would have led the Devils by eight.  An added bonus to acquiring Hall is the instant chemistry he has with one-time OHL teammate Adam Henrique, currently the most popular and well-known Devils forward despite his still relatively young age of 26.  Although Henrique’s two most iconic moments came in his rookie season of 2012 (series and conference-winning OT goals against the Panthers and Rangers, respectively), his best NHL season actually came last year when he hit the 30-goal mark for the first time, and finished with 50 points playing in all situations for nearly twenty minutes a night as the team’s top center.  While Hall and Henrique should again make beautiful music together, the team’s leading scorer last year was Kyle Palmieri, a local boy who broke out in a big way in 2015-16 with 30 goals of his own and 57 points.  Like Hall and Henrique, the 25-year old Palmieri’s best years may be in the near future.  Along with the young guns, vet Cammalleri will be called on to help pace the offense.  Unfortunately Cammalleri’s season got cut short with a wrist injury last year, but he produced at a high level when he did play with 14 goals and 38 points in just 42 games.

What seperates this year’s forward core from last year’s isn’t just the acquisition of Hall or the return of Cammalleri from injury though, it’s the youth and improved depth up and down the lineup.  Tomorrow’s season opener may well feature no fewer than three rookies among our twelve forwards – spearheaded by 2015 first-rounder Pavel Zacha, who’ll be looking to show he belongs in the NHL at age 19, starting out as a center on the third line.  Also somewhat surprisingly both Blake Speers and Miles Wood also made the Opening Night roster and will probably play tomorrow.  Speers is still 19 himself, and was a third-round pick in the same draft as Zacha.  Though small, he’s still impressed the staff enough with his intelligence and awareness to merit at least the nine-game tryout juniors players get before management has to decide whether to fish or cut bait.  Wood was a fourth-round selection in 2013 but was a bit of a late bloomer in college and could be a sneaky two-way forward in the making though right now he and Speers might well start out on the fourth line.

Complementing the youth are fellow vets Travis Zajac – who’ll once again assume the top defensive center responsibilities and hopefully chip in 40-45 points, Parenteau who’ll open the season in the top six and will be expected to chip in roughly the same production he gave the Leafs last year while improving the team’s horrid 5-on-5 play, and free agent signing Vernon Fiddler who’s an instant upgrade over the fourth line centers we’ve had in recent years and could take some of Zajac’s faceoff duties.  Late-season revelation Devante Smith-Pelly will also be counted on to chip in some garbage goals, early on it appears as if he’ll be on the third line, while amazingly Jacob Josefson appears to be getting another chance in the top nine, skating on a line with Zacha and Smith-Pelly in the most recent practice.  Somewhat surprisingly it appears that Reid Boucher is in the doghouse enough to be scratched on Opening Night in favor of the speedier Josefson, who plays special teams and fits into the organization’s style more.  Also on the outside looking in at the moment is ex-Penguin and one-time Shero draft pick Bennett, bumped down the depth chart as fast as a person falls down an elevator shaft by Parenteau’s acquisition and Speers crashing the party.  Sergey Kalinin, who is beginning the season temporarily on IR with an illness, can also fill in at center or wing at a moment’s notice.  And then there’s franchise icon Patrik Elias, still in limbo not knowing whether his surgically repaired knee will hold up enough for him to come back at 40 years old and play a twenty-first NHL season.

Albany – Down on the farm in Albany the Devils also have players that can contribute if called upon, such as Wedgewood who shined in a four-game stint last year and played well for the most part in Albany.  On defense the Devils have guys like Seth Helgeson and Vojtech Mozik who would likely be the first considerations for a callup considering both played a number of games on defense last season.  Up front there are kids like speedy grinder Blake Pietella, highly thought of college FA signing Nick Lappin and second-year player Joe Blandisi, who fell off after initially making an impact his first month with the Devils last year.  Now he’ll start this season in Albany, still waiver-exempt and hoping to improve his overall game without the diving that marred his rookie season.  As a unit Albany probably won’t be as strong as they were last year but between the kids down there and with the Devils there should be no shortage of younger players competing for jobs.

Coaching – There isn’t much to say about coach Hynes, last year he did a fine job in his first season looking the part of a dynamic, confident leader who knew what he wanted and expected out of a team that overachieved for much of the season.  Going forward the challenge will be to maintain a scrappy work ethic while dealing with higher expectations and continuing to integrate far more youth than was on the roster last year.  Hynes and coaches Geoff Ward, Alain Nasreddine with new staff addition (also former Devil) Ryane Clowe will be looking to get the most out of this group of players while pushing the right buttons in terms of lineup selections and line/d-pairing construction.  Slowly but surely help is coming, but the turnaround’s still going to take time.  This year the goal is to at least be competitive for a playoff spot the entire season this time, and hopefully make it in an Eastern Conference that appears top heavy with a group of four terrific teams – Pittsburgh, Washington and the two Florida teams (though the Panthers are hurt by the camp injury to Johnathan Huberdeau) and a whole bunch of teams with little margin for error after that, whether they’re up-and-comers like the Flyers or vet teams trying to hang on like Detroit, or retooling teams like the Islanders.

It’s hard to make a prediction since over an 82-game season there are so many variables – hot starts, injuries, breakout performances…but my general feeling on this Devil team is that while they come closer to a playoff spot than the pundits think and should be more fun to watch than the last few seasons, they’re still about a year or so away from a true breakout when the young forwards hit their prime and other younger players get valuable experience, while Shero has one more offseason to add another top four defenseman and top six forward.  I’ll pencil them in for 88 points, four short of a playoff spot this time around.

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Devils make some decisions, wait on others

Posted on October 10, 2016 by hasan4978

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Camp was an interesting one for the Devils, a bit more than their 3-5 preseason record would suggest.  There were some surprising outcomes in position battles both up front and on the blueline with a couple of unexpected breakouts.  While players had to go through waivers by this afternoon to be off rosters before the deadline tomorrow afternoon, that certainly doesn’t mean rosters are final before the Devils’ season opener in Florida on Thursday.  It just means teams have to have a cap-compliant roster.

Perhaps the only predictable outcome was in goal, where Keith Kinkaid‘s experience beat out Scott Wedgewood‘s youth for the backup job behind Cory Schneider, and as such Wedgewood was put on waivers this afternoon.  Either he’ll be in Albany to start the season or with another team, though I find it unlikely he’ll be claimed you never know considering he’s still only 24 years old, a former third-round pick and did well in his limited time last season after a plus season in the AHL.  While camp tryout Anders Lindback is still hanging out on a PTO, it’s likely he’s only AHL insurance if Wedgewood gets claimed.

Defensively the Devils underwent some changes in camp with the signing of ex-Red Wing (and NJ native) Kyle Quincey on a one-year deal to give the D another established vet to help smooth things out.  Quincey’s signing proved doubly important with the injury to Jon Merrill, on IR to begin the season after a broken finger resulted from a blocked shot in the preseason.  However, the D’s also been bolstered by the most surprising breakout of camp – French native and Finnish league import Yohann Auvitu – picture above.  Auvitu opened fans’ eyes with a three-assist performance in the team’s 5-4 preseason win over the Rangers at the Rock, and from the few highlights I saw, he certainly appears to be a dynamic puck-mover that we could definitely use on the blueline.  Coach John Hynes has certainly taken notice:

“If you take his two greatest strengths – offensive instincts and skating – they’ve been factors,” Hynes said. “He’s good on the power play. He breaks pucks out of the zone. He joins the rush. He led the team in points in the preseason. He’s stronger defensively. He understands the system, seeing how the game is different from the European game. In that aspect, we’ve seen steady growth.”

Not only does it appear that the 27-year old Auvitu (pronounced OV2) has made the team as one of eight defensemen remaining, but he also may well have won a spot in the starting six.  With Quincey, captain Andy Greene, FA signing Ben Lovejoy plus holdovers Damon Severson and John Moore seemingly five of the top six, it appears to be down to Auvitu and fellow rookie – though a much younger one – Steve Santini for the last spot in the Opening Night lineup unless Quincey’s lower body injury lingers or coach Hynes throws another surprise at us on Thursday.  With Lovejoy and Quincey still getting acclimated, and Severson, Moore, Santini and Auvitu all still on the youthful side of the ledger, the D will continue to be a work in progress.

Up front there were fewer surprises but still a couple of intruiging players remain – 2015 third-rounder Blake Speers, who’s still 19 but precocious with his ability to play a two-way game among the things that’s impressed the staff.  Speers had 74 points in 68 OHL games last year, and may make the jump all the way to the NHL for at least the nine-game tryout junior players get permitted before the team has to decide whether to send them back to juniors or keep them.

“When you see him, he’s an impact everyday. His hockey smarts and instincts are excellent, he has speed, he has compete, and he has strong puck skills, and we feel like we can use him, up the lineup, down the lineup, wing, power play, penalty kill.”

Another younger player that’s impressed has been recent college import Miles Wood, just 21 himself, who’s also impressed enough to stay through this point, not only with his play through camp but also in his one-game cameo at the end of last season.  Wood could be sent back to the AHL still, with at least one roster cut remaining before Thursday night (perhaps more if the Devils claim/trade for another player) since the team’s currently carrying 14 forwards and eight defensemen.

While the younger players are making noise, there’s still no word yet on what will become of franchise icon Patrik Elias, who’s not ready to skate or make a decision on his future just yet.  Hopefully even in a younger, faster NHL there’s still a place for my favorite Devil, but his body might not cooperate once he gets past his offseason surgery.  With or without Elias, hope and optomism of a new day is certainly in the air…of course that’s the case for just about everyone before the games start for real.

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Islanders waive Parenteau, Barzal and Beauvillier try to stick

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Derek
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The future could be now for 2015 first round pick Mathew Barzal as he and Anthony Beauvillier are still around while P.A. Parenteau is gone for the Islanders. AP Photo courtesy Getty Images via New York Islanders on Twitter.

In a revealing move, the Islanders waived forward P.A. Parenteau. Brought back after scoring 20 goals with the Maple Leafs, the 33-year old veteran won’t be a part of the roster for the upcoming ’16-17 season which begins with a visit to MSG versus the Rangers on Thursday.

Instead, the organization has liked what its seen from 2015 first round picks Mathew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier. Both 19-year old prospects performed well in preseason. Each have scored a goal and impressed coach Jack Capuano enough to keep them around.

Ironically, they were acquired in two separate deals at the 2015 Draft which involved trading away former 2012 first round pick Griffin Reinhart to Edmonton. Barzal went sixth overall and Beauvillier was selected at number 28. While Reinhart has yet to prove he’s an NHL regular with the Oilers demoting him, Isles’ general manager Garth Snow looks pretty good landing two first round picks who could be a big part of the team’s future.

“From Day 1, you can just tell he takes pride in his ability away from the puck,” Capuano said of Beauvillier in a feature on the Islanders official website. “But at the same time he has great offensive instincts on the power play and in the 3-on-3 in overtime. He’s going about his business, he’s doing the right things and he’s going to get an opportunity here as we move forward.”

Neither player is expected to start in the top six. If both make it, they will be used in supporting roles. Barzal has been used exclusively at center while Beauvillier has been tried at center, left and right wing. Capuano likes what he sees from the versatile forward.

“He’s in the mix,” Capuano said. “He’s one of the guys that has emerged. I put him at center, I put him at left wing, I put him at right wing, I put him in all situations and he does things the right way and that’s what we’re looking for.”

As for who plays on the top line with captain John Tavares and Andrew Ladd, that could be either Anders Lee or Ryan Strome. Both of who need bounce back seasons. Brock Nelson and Casey Cizikas should be centering other units. Cizikas has played with Cal Clutterbuck and Nikolay Kulemin. Nelson has worked with Josh Bailey and Jason Chimera.

Depending on who starts with Tavares, that should determine who Barzal or Beauvillier play with. They also have the option of sending either back to juniors. From what I’ve seen, Barzal should make it. If it truly is a youth movement, then you could be looking at an even deeper Isles’ four lines with more scoring capability.

It still remains to be seen how much they’ll miss proven vets Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo, who each signed with other teams in July. Along with Ladd, the Islanders are counting on some of those younger players to pick up the scoring slack.

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Assessing the Rangers roster

Posted on October 8, 2016 by Derek
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Mika Zibanejad is one of the new young faces who should make the Rangers fun to watch. He’ll likely center Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich on Opening Night.

On Friday, the Rangers assigned forwards Nathan Gerbe and Tanner Glass to Hartford along with goalie Magnus Hellberg and forward Cristoval Nieves. None of the moves were a surprise. Gerbe didn’t have a good camp and Glass played hard but was the odd man out. So, they go down with Hellberg, who will probably back up Mackenzie Skapski.

As for Nieves, he was impressive in his only preseason appearance. Coach Alain Vigneault liked his size, speed and defensive instincts which would make him a good fit on the fourth line and penalty kill. He also is a center who can take face-offs. For now, he goes to Hartford for some preseason action and will start there. But based on the praise Vigneault gave, his stay could be short. Especially with Oscar Lindberg still a month away.

At the moment, 24 players remain in training camp. That includes goalies Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta along with 14 forwards and 8 defensemen.

The 14 forwards are Pavel Buchnevich, Jesper Fast, Michael Grabner, Kevin Hayes, Josh Jooris, Chris Kreider, Oscar Lindberg, J.T. Miller, Rick Nash, Brandon Pirri, Derek Stepan, Jimmy Vesey, Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello.

The eight defensemen are Adam Clendening, Dan Girardi, Nick Holden, Kevin Klein, Ryan McDonagh, Dylan McIlrath, Brady Skjei and Marc Staal.

For Vigneault and the organization, they’ll keep eight D at the start with Lindberg not ready. Clendening having a strong camp assured that, which led to Gerbe not making the roster. That also means Skjei starts here with his strong skating too hard to ignore despite a so/so preseason. He should definitely be in the lineup next week. It becomes a tough scenario for McIlrath, who will be a healthy scratch when the season begins against the Islanders Oct. 13. Who else comes out is between Clendening and Holden.

Girardi will be in the lineup. He will be given every chance to redeem himself. However, having eight defensemen means they can sit him out when the time comes. McIlrath is the likely replacement. His size, toughness and physicality are strengths on a team that lacks it. As frustrating as it is for him, he will get his chance.

Holden was added in the off-season from Colorado due to his penalty killing. He gives the coaching staff another left-handed D who can play key minutes. However, he struggled in the loss to the Flyers. Most of the blue line did. With the exception of Girardi, who had his best effort making a couple of smart reads in the neutral zone that created goals for Buchnevich and Kreider.

Clendening was impressive due to his skating and offensive instincts. He can be a weapon on the power play. The right D who has bounced around proved capable of playing the left point. A pass first defenseman who meshed well with new weapon Zibanejad, who gives them that dangerous righty one-timer from the off wing. His play at even strength was okay. But defense isn’t a strong suit. So, he will not be an everyday player.

Staal came in and had a better camp than last year. Healthier, he was one of the best defensemen. If he is back to a higher level, that bodes well. Unfortunately, partner Klein struggled. He’s an important player who Vigneault has leaned on in the top four. Does he start with Staal or McDonagh? Clendening can play with Skjei if they choose him over Holden, who brings more defense.

Even with eight D, there remain question marks. There were too many instances in the last few exhibitions where their play reminded of last season. A recurring nightmare that can’t play out in an improved division. No doubt McDonagh must have a bounce back year. Especially with Keith Yandle gone. The captain will play a key role on the power play and be looked upon for offense. His defense has become an issue. Have the injuries slowed him down? Or can he get back to the All-Star level that had him as one of the top defensemen in the sport.

With the Rangers going with eight blue liners, that means they’ll only carry one extra forward. There’s no doubt Buchnevich and Vesey belong. Both showing glimpses of why there’s excitement for the future. Zibanejad looks like a suitable and cheaper replacement for Derick Brassard. Kreider had his best preseason looking the part. He scored three goals and really looks focused. The top line should be Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich at the start, leaving Stepan with Nash and Zuccarello. That could be a formidable top six.

Hayes should have better players with the talented Vesey, versatile Miller and offensive-minded Pirri options. Pirri is more of a top nine guy than a fourth liner. If both Buchnevich and Vesey are in the lineup, where do they play Miller? He can be plugged anywhere and is playing on the second power play unit. Pirri will also see time there where he was most effective with a shoot first mentality.

The fourth line is interesting. If Vigneault prefers Pirri in the top nine, then it’s possible Miller could center the fourth line with Fast and Grabner. Unless they decide to have Jooris center it and sit Grabner, whose strongest asset is his penalty killing and speed. Once Lindberg returns, the checking line will be improved.

On paper, the Rangers’ four lines look promising. The improved depth and young talent should make them more exciting. It all depends on the defense and goaltending. Yes. I went there. Lundqvist will again face pressure with the D at times breaking down. He’ll have to be better. Raanta is a good backup who can play 20 games and give Lundqvist more rest.

A good start would help. If not for Lundqvist standing on his head the first month last year, they don’t make the playoffs. This roster is deeper. How it plays out remains to be seen.

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Buchnevich impressive in Ranger loss to Flyers

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Derek
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Pavel Buchnevich celebrates a goal during a 4-2 loss to the Flyers in preseason. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy Newsday Sports.

The preseason is finally over and not a moment too soon. The Rangers were 4-2 losers to the Flyers at The Garden. It was a reminder of how last season went with them blowing a lead by giving up three unanswered in a one-sided third.

Bad defense. Undisciplined play. Uncharacteristic goaltending with Henrik Lundqvist allowing a softy following a power play that resulted in the final score.

Rather than rehash the negatives in the team finishing exhibition with four straight defeats, let’s accentuate the positives. In tonight’s game, the talented Russian prospect Pavel Buchnevich distinguished himself scoring a goal and assist. Only 21, the former 2013 third round pick who went 75th overall five spots ahead of former Ranger Anthony Duclair, picked a good time to ave a breakout performance.

He entered the contest with an assist thus far. However, coach Alain Vigneault heaped praise on Buchnevich due to him creating scoring chances and looking like he belonged. He liked the skilled rookie’s work on the power play and has continued to try him with proven players.

In the sixth preseason game, he got to play with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. They looked good together with the top unit factoring in on both Ranger goals. The first coming off the slick stick of Buchnevich over three minutes into the first period. He was able to make a nice deflection of a Dan Girardi wrist shot sneaking it past Philly starter Michael Neuvirth. Zibanejad started the play by handing off to Girardi, whose shot was redirected home by a pumped up Buchnevich.

The Flyers came back on the next shift tying the game 27 seconds later. Following an icing, Claude Giroux won a draw and then went to work with Wayne Simmons. The two combined to set up a cutting Mark Streit, who just beat Marc Staal in front and got just enough of the puck to put it past Lundqvist.

Nearly halfway into the second, some nice work by Buchnevich allowed Kreider to walk in and beat Neuvirth with a filthy shot top shelf for a 2-1 lead. Girardi made a good read in the neutral zone passing for Buchnevich, who gained the Flyer zone and made a nice pass across for Kreider, who finished his third of the preseason. He really has looked good. Hopefully, it carries over in the first year of a new contract that pays him an average cap hit of $4.625 million.

Even though they were very bad in the third period allowing the Flyers to score three times with Sean Couturier, Jakub Voracek (PPG) and promising Philly prospect Travis Konecny beating Lundqvist, there was another positive to take away.

As a shift finished for the Rangers’ top line, Buchnevich went back at Michael Del Zotto, who gave him a chop. After Radko Gudas intercepted Kevin Klein, Kreider came in and grabbed Gudas and shoved him away. He had some words with him and challenged him. But as both men finally dropped the gloves and were ready to go, the linesmen didn’t allow it. They had already separated them. So, nothing came of it.

It was good to see our team stick together. Especially Kreider showing some leadership by sending a message to Gudas a couple of nights removed from his boarding major that bloodied rookie Jimmy Vesey’s nose. Before the game, Vesey won the Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award for the Rangers’ top rookie. He scored a goal in the game at the Flyers on Monday.

As for the defense, even though I missed most, I was able to catch the replay. They struggled with broken down coverage in front including leaving Voracek unchecked for an easy power play goal backdoor from Simmonds and Giroux.

There also was a terrible miscommunication between Adam Clendening and Kevin Klein causing a awful turnover. Zibanejad and Miller had brutal giveaways that led directly to Konecny’s goal with him beating Lundqvist from a horrible angle. Even Sam Rosen thought he saved it only to be shocked it went in. That followed a power play that moved the puck well and caused dangerous chances but didn’t capitalize.

The power play looks like it’ll be better. Zibanejad is dangerous from the off wing with his right-handed one-timer. Pirri was tried on the same unit from the left side and nearly scored. Kreider looks more aggressive. You wonder what’ll be with Clendening, who is an asset as a righty on the left point who is pass first. Are they gonna go with eight D or 14 forwards? More on that in another post.

Notes: Josh Jooris returned for his second game and took 18 shifts including 2:17 shorthanded. … Cristoval Nieves made his first appearance centering a checking line going 4-for-10 on face-offs with three shots in 17 shifts (14:17). He also got 1:51 on the PK. A former 2012 second round pick who spent four years at Michigan before going 2-3-5 in eight games with Hartford last Spring, Nieves will start his first pro year with the Wolf Pack.

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Islanders win in overtime over Rangers 3-2

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Derek
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Josh Bailey celebrates his overtime winner in the Islanders’ 3-2 preseason win over the Rangers. Both teams should be in the mix for third in the division with the Devils also competing. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy NYIslanders.

The Islanders defeated the Rangers 3-2 in overtime at Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn last night. Josh Bailey got the winner at 4:38 from Dennis Seidenberg and Jason Chimera.

To be perfectly honest, I didn’t see much of this one. After all, it is preseason. I had other important family matters to attend to like visiting my Mom for the final night of Rosh Hashanah. I neglected to mention it yesterday. To anyone else who celebrates, L’Shana Tova to our Jewish followers out there. Happy and a Healthy New Year! May it be truly blessed and sweet. 🙂

I only managed to catch a chunk of the second period. No. I didn’t see any of the goals that came after I went back downstairs for espresso, strawberries and chocolate for dessert. Somehow, I missed Chris Kreider scoring and Cal Clutterbuck doing what he usually does- beating a Ranger goalie. He did it twice. Some things never change. As they say, old habits die hard. Bruce Willis’ Die Hard classic character John McClane would be proud of that.

Since I was unable to catch the replay, I missed out on a good exhibition game. Is there such a thing? As far as the league not disciplining Radko Gudas, I told ya. For all the beat writers up in arms, it could’ve been much worse. Whenever a player turns before a hit, it always looks worse. In this case, rookie Jimmy Vesey who was okay returning from a bloody nose even scoring against the hated Flyers. Gudas did admit that he was wrong in finishing the hit. But he also committed to it. Maybe he didn’t have to go with full force. Nothing was gonna come of it. So, will Gudas ever learn? No clue.

What I did manage to see was our defense getting pinned in by a formidable Islanders’ lineup minus captain John Tavares and big free agent pick up Andrew Ladd. Basically, Antti Raanta had to fend for himself making some fantastic saves en route to 39. The Isles out-shot the Rangers 42-25. But still needed to go to the non-NHL 3-on-3 to win.

I noticed on one shift John Gilmour get beat pretty badly. He definitely has some good offensive instincts knowing when to jump in and has a good shot. But he’ll need to work on his defense and can at Hartford. I love that signing. If only Butch Goring paid attention to the off-season. The Rangers lost their best offensive D since that No.2 guy donned the Blueshirt with his jersey hanging from the rafters. Keith Yandle’s offense from the blue line will be hard to replace. Speaking of which, why did Gilmour only get 13 shifts (10:13)? It’s preseason!

I’ve pretty much concluded that Adam Clendening will make the Opening Night roster. He continues to get over 20 minutes and plenty of power play time where the offensive-minded right D is effective. Defense might be why he’s bounced around. Perhaps with the help of Jeff Beukeboom, they can turn the 23-year old into a steal. I’m not saying he’ll become Anton Stralman. Rangers Town wishes. But there’s hope.

I did notice Dylan McIlrath was on the score sheet drawing a primary helper on Nicklas Jensen’s tying goal in the third. Big Mac was also plus-one in 17:26 with most of it exclusively at even strength with the other 1:40 shorthanded. Alain Vigneault knows what he can do. Though I wish he wasn’t a third pair after thought who still might sit on some nights. It is what it is. I like McIlrath’s size, strength and willingness. He also clears the front and is strong. He better get into at least 50-60 games or they’re wasting him.

You know how I feel about Dan Girardi. I love the guy. But unless something drastic changes when Oct. 13 hits, I believe his days are numbered. You know with how loyal AV is, he’s going to get every chance. You can read my column on Danny G here.

I see Tanner Glass had a fight with neanderthal Eric Boulton. Who won? What is Boulton even still doing playing? No disrespect. But it’s time. Watch Glass somehow make the Rangers as the 14th forward. He is a good team guy and gives an honest effort. If only more of our skill guys had shown up last Spring.

I also notice Nathan Gerbe played over 20 minutes. Huh? He is fighting for a job. But that much? At least Skjei got over 25-plus. Marc Staal with 26:28 in 34 shifts with an assist. From the game sheet, it looks like he played well. But that’s a lot for an exhibition. At the very least, there’s one more game against the Flyers Thursday at MSG. I can only imagine what that could be like if Gudas dresses. We know Henrik Lundqvist gets the full 60. And I bet familiar friend Wayne Simmonds will play. I would kill for him on this roster. Shoot me.

I don’t get why Robin Kovacs and Brandon Pirri played so little. Vigneault is a strange cat. Just nine and a half minutes for Marek Hrivik after a solid game? Yikes. I also see Kevin “Slim” Hayes went minus-two. Uh oh.

On the Isles’ side, they played a lot of regulars. Clutterbuck did his usual damage with two markers including a floater that somehow got , past Raanta late in the second. And I’ll bet his power play goal was him untouched in front. Bailey had a goal and assist. He never really became what they thought. But he’s a solid two-way third line checking pivot who can be trusted as a penalty killer. Not every first round pick becomes a star.

Why did Stephen Gionta only get two shifts? I guess he got hurt. That’s probably the end of his tryout. Boulton got an extra two for roughing while battling Glass. I hope Tanner beat him. I’ve never liked Boulton. Former Ranger draft pick.

The Isles’ back end included Calvin de Haan, Nick Leddy, Seidenberg and Ryan Pulock. I came away impressed with Pulock when he was brought up last season. The righty has a big accurate shot and looks like a player. Adding Seidenberg was a good move by Garth Snow. The German vet still proved he could play faring well during Team Europe’s run to the Final at the World Cup. He’s serviceable and can be counted on five-on-five and on the penalty kill.

Considering that the Islanders boast shutdown righty Travis Hamonic and Johnny Boychuk with Leddy and de Haan rounding out the top four, that blue line should be a team strength. They also have the underrated Thomas Hickey, who gave them valuable minutes in their big first round series win against the Panthers. Adam Pelech could go back down to Bridgeport unless Jack Capuano plans to carry eight defensemen.

Neither Isles’ top goalie played. Jaroslav Halak had a great World Cup. Thomas Greiss remains the backup. Jean-Francois Berube supplies good depth. He made 23 saves for the win. Christopher Gibson is the fourth string who will be with the Sound Tigers.

It looks like they’re trying Ryan Strome at center. With P.A. Parenteau returning, he could wind up on the top line with Tavares and Ladd. If 2015 first round pick Mathew Barzal makes the roster, then maybe Strome shifts to right wing again on the second line. The Isles have plenty of center options with Brock Nelson, Cizikas and Mikhail Grabovski if he ever returns from his concussion symptoms. His $5 million cap hit takes up a lot if he’s not placed on LTIR.

The only question is will they miss Frans Nielsen (Detroit) and Kyle Okposo (Buffalo). Both were reliable top six forwards who were right behind Tavares in team scoring. Each could play any situation with Nielsen an exceptional penalty killer. Red Wing fans should love him. Okposo will definitely enjoy life in Buffalo if he plays with Jack Eichel with Ryan O’Reilly the second option.

If Barzal is ready and supplies offense, then the Islanders should be okay. But they need a better year from Strome. Nelson and Lee are keys. How well will Parenteau do in Okposo’s place? Ladd should become a fan favorite. He is a heart and soul player who will add leadership and intangibles.

I believe both the Islanders and Rangers should be competing for third in the Metro Division with competition coming from the Devils. There’s even a chance all three locals can make the playoffs. More to come in our Season Preview. Figure by the weekend.

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Rangers make cuts, Lapierre released

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Derek

Before tonight’s preseason visit at Barclays Center, the Rangers finally made some cuts. Eight players were reassigned to Hartford following last night. They are Ryan Gropp, Adam Tambellini, Calle Andersson, Steven Fogarty, Chris Brown, Tommy Hughes, Philip McRae and Michael Paliotta.

Of the eight, Gropp had the strongest showing. The 20-year old former 2015 second round pick showed the ability to create offense off the rush due to his strong skating and set up a goal in preseason. There should be excitement over the former Seattle Thunderbird who will start with the Wolf Pack and probably stay there.

There were a few more cuts made today. Maxim Lapierre was released from his tryout. The former NHL checking center just wasn’t up to speed. He still is capable of killing penalties but his skating isn’t up to par. He took three penalties and was behind the play at even strength. So to all those experts who assumed he would make it to due to his past relationship with the coach, WRONG! Logic prevailed.

Defenseman Mat Bodie was also placed on waivers. The under sized defenseman who had a nice camp last year didn’t this time. It looks like the 26-year old is an AHL player. If he doesn’t clear, another team will pick him up and assign him.

Chris Summers was also on waivers. The throw in in the Keith Yandle deal that sent Anthony Duclair and too many draft picks to Arizona never proved capable.

So, who’s left still? After an impressive night in which he scored, Ryan Graves is still around. The 2013 fourth round pick had a solid first pro year in Hartford. Only 21 and another solid skating left defenseman, there’s no reason to rush him. Especially with it looking more likely that Brady Skjei could be ticketed for Hartford. He’ll get another shot tonight at the Islanders where he’ll be on the second pair with Adam Clendening.

John Gilmour will also be in the lineup pairing with Dylan McIlrath. At the very least, it looks like Jeff Gorton and his scouts did a great job improving the Rangers’ defensive depth. Gilmour definitely has impressed. The top pair will be starters Marc Staal and Kevin Klein.

Antti Raanta gets the start with Magnus Hellberg backing up. Given the strong showing from Mackenzie Skapski, Hellberg remains fourth on the depth chart. It looks like Skapski will reclaim the starting job with Hartford and be the emergency call up.

As far as the forwards, prospect Robin Kovacs gets another look on a fourth line with Marek Hrivik and Tanner Glass. An afterthought, Hrivik is more of a traditional fourth line option than offensive-minded Brandon Pirri, who Alain Vigneault won’t commit to despite his four goals and two helpers thus far. He actually is preaching team defense. It also could be a smoke screen. Pirri will be on the second line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.

A slimmed down and faster Kevin Hayes will center J.T. Miller and Nicklas Jensen, who is probably on his last chance. Acquired for Emerson Etem and a seventh round pick, he hasn’t shown much. The sad aspect is Etem played better with Vancouver and will have a role.

The third line is centered by Nathan Gerbe with Michael Grabner and Jesper Fast flanking it. That trio very well could be the fourth line on Opening Night against the Islanders on Oct. 13 at MSG. But Gerbe is still in a battle with Hrivik.

As for Glass, he hasn’t hurt himself. His skating has looked improved. He worked with a physiologist in the off-season who told him that his left leg was 50 percent weaker than his right. Still a long shot to beat out the competition, he’s best suited as a second extra who can be inserted for tough opponents. But it is a numbers game.

Vigneault also had some positive thoughts on Pavel Buchnevich, who still hasn’t scored a goal. He’s liked what he’s seen in terms of the scoring chances the first-year Russian has gotten and also likes how he’s been on the power play. Good stuff.

As for the Islanders, center Mathew Barzal looks like he’ll make them out of preseason. He had a goal and assist in a 4-3 win over the Devils Monday night. If he does make it, that should really help the Isles offensively. Especially if he’s ready. They’ll need a better season from Ryan Strome.

Here are the Islander lines for tonight:

Kulemin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck

Beauvillier-Nelson-Bailey

Chimera-Strome-Lee

Boulton-Gionta-Fritz

Pelech-Pulock

de Haan-Seidenberg

Leddy-Mayfield

Berube-Gibson

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Preseason Flyers win in overtime over Rangers 4-3

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Derek

There was a preseason game played between the Rangers and Flyers in Philadelphia. It was the Rangers’ fourth exhibition. They lost in overtime 4-3 with Jakub Voracek getting the winner by abusing Ryan McDonagh and Derek Stepan. Let’s just say it looked like McDonagh and Stepan were imitating their hideous defensive play for Team USA. I’ll just leave it at that.

Considering that they trailed 3-0, the mix of NHL players and AHLers showed something rallying from three down to tie it up. I didn’t watch the whole thing due to the insanity of actually paying attention to what’s been a listless performance by the Giants at the Vikings on ESPN Monday Night Football.

On the Ranger end, goals were scored by Ryan Graves, Brandon Pirri and Jimmy Vesey. The important aspect is some of the key new players showed positives again. Following Miller’s high-sticking minor that allowed the Flyers to score on both ends of a 5-on-3 power play, Miller made a great play to set up the Rangers’ first goal.

Taking an outlet from Robin Kovacs, Miller cruised through the neutral zone and down the right wind before pulling up to find a wide open Graves in the slot. He made a good pinch and then fired a nice wrist shot by Philadelphia starter Steve Mason cutting it to 3-1 late in the second period. The goal awakened the Blueshirts, who then responded with Rick Nash drawing a holding penalty. But the power play was unable to cash in despite some looks.

Pirri continued his great preseason by scoring unassisted on a nice snapshot past Mason early in the third that made it a one-goal contest. He now leads the Rangers with four goals and two helpers. The ex-Panther who also played with the Ducks continues to look like a lock for the Opening Night roster. If he is in the starting lineup and there’s no reason for him not to be, he will either be cast in the top nine or on the fourth line while probably getting power play time.

Even better, Vesey scored his first goal in exhibition from Stepan on a successful power play. He had a scare earlier on when Flyers’ goon Radko Gudas decided to go for a big hit leading to a boarding call that immediately drew the ire of Dylan McIlrath. He was assessed a five-minute boarding major and game misconduct along with a fight major. How they even called it a fight major I have no clue. McIlrath came from the other end and jumped on top of Gudas, who bloodied Vesey’s nose on a hit into the boards.

Let’s be honest. Gudas is a dirty player who also was suspended three games last year. However, as much as our fans crowed about it on Twitter, Vesey did turn and the hit wasn’t that bad. I don’t see the NHL suspending him. But Gudas does have a history of such dangerous hits. The views were mostly negative with many in the media wanting him to pay the price. I agree the league needs to send a strong message. I just don’t believe the hit was that bad that it deserves much discipline.

As for the first part, it was mostly Flyers due to the two-man advantage. Henrik Lundqvist was sharp in his first appearance. He stopped all 15 shots in a busy first and only gave up a goal to Jordan Weal on an extended Flyer shift before giving way to backup Mackenzie Skapski. The coverage was pretty bad on the first goal with Maxim Lapierre victimized. Of course, scapegoat Tanner Glass was blamed but it was really Lapierre’s lack of speed which caused a delayed penalty and him not taking the man that led to the goal. My guess is he’ll be let go following Tuesday’s game against the Islanders.

Unfortunately, Skapski had the misfortune of coming in when the Rangers lost their discipline. It resulted in consecutive Flyer tallies. The first from Voracek which he thought he had but it trickled through. The second was Travis Konecny scoring from in front making it 3-0.

Afterwards, Skapski straightened out keeping his team in the game. He did allow Voracek’s winner but that was a direct result of some lousy defense by McDonagh and Stepan. Two vets who should know better. That it came off the opening draw in overtime was sad. A nice power move and finish by Voracek on the backhand.

Bright spots were Adam Clendening who again didn’t look out of place. He really needs to make the team. His work on the power play has been superb. He definitely is a good enough skater and gives the coaching staff a nice option as another righty shot with offensive capability. The issue is if he and McIlrath are in, then that means Brady Skjei isn’t. He can be sent back.

Dan Girardi remains. Who knows what’ll happen there. Anyway, that’s the end of this review. Until tomorrow.

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Dan Boyle to retire as a Shark

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Derek
Dan Boyle

Dan Boyle is congratulated by Marc Staal and Tanner Glass following his big goal that proved to be the winner in the Rangers’ hair raising 4-3 win over the Caps to take Game 6. AP Photo by Nick Wass/Getty Images

Dan Boyle won’t be fondly remembered for his time spent on Broadway. It didn’t work out for the proud American who will announce his retirement at a press conference as a Shark. A more fitting conclusion than the way his two-year run as a Ranger ended with him shouting and cursing out New York Post troll Larry Brooks.

For a player who went undrafted, Boyle became one of the better offensive defensemen in the NHL. After hardly sticking with the Panthers, he found a home with the Lightning. Under John Tortorella, he flourished in an offensive system helping patrol the blue line as part of a Stanley Cup championship in ’03-04. At one time, Tortorella emphasized a Safe Is Death philosophy that worked perfectly.

Boyle was front and center on the defense contributing big numbers that included a 13-goal, 53 point season, a 15-goal, 53 point season and a career best 20-goal, 63 point season. In ’04, he skated in 78 contests tallying nine goals and 30 assists while adding 2-8-10 in 23 playoff games to help the Lightning win their only Stanley Cup. He logged big minutes and played hurt.

After lasting half a dozen years in Tampa, he was traded to San Jose where he also spent six seasons. Continuing to produce for the Sharks, Boyle added three consecutive 50-point seasons along with a 48-point campaign. That also included a playoff best 16 points (4-12-16) in the 2011 postseason that saw the Sharks reach the Western Conference Final.

Following ’13-14, he signed a two-year deal with the Rangers. Looked at to improve the power play, Boyle was up and down. After not finding his groove in the regular season during ’14-15, he was one of their best performers registering three goals and seven assists in a deep run to the Eastern Conference Final. In scoring 10 goals during his final season, it marked the seventh time during his career that he totaled at least 10 goals-or-more. Seven times, Boyle had at least 40-plus points. He also went over 30 in nine seasons.

Boyle finishes his career with 163 goals, 442 assists totaling 605 points in 1093 games. He went 17-64-81 in 130 playoff games.

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Rangers at Flyers Preseason Game 4

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Derek
Jakub Voracek

The Flyers and Rangers renew their rivalry in preseason tonight.

On MSG tonight, the Rangers renew acquaintances with the rival Flyers in the City of Brotherly Love. It’s the first of two meetings with the Flyers also visiting MSG later this week.

Of course, it is preseason. So, both rosters will feature some players still battling for spots. Though the Rangers will make a slew of cuts following their fifth exhibition against the Islanders tomorrow. They still are carrying 47 players. Many who won’t be part of the 23-man roster in 10 days when the Islanders visit The Garden for Opening Night.

Henrik Lundqvist makes his first appearance of preseason following playing for Sweden at the World Cup where they were eliminated by Europe and Mats Zuccarello. Zuccarello isn’t expected to dress until possibly Thursday. Lundqvist will get half of tonight’s game before giving way to Mackenzie Skapski, who has looked good so far.

Derek Stepan also will play centering Jimmy Vesey and Rick Nash on the top line. Pavel Buchnevich gets a chance on the second unit with Kevin Hayes and Brandon Pirri, who Alain Vigneault singled out as being more of a top nine possibility than a fourth liner. It makes sense based on Pirri’s offensive skill. He’s scored three goals and two assists thus far doing damage on the power play.

A fourth line of Michael Grabner, Nathan Gerbe and Jesper Fast could be a good option assuming Gerbe makes the cut. It looks like Grabner definitely has a spot due to his strong penalty killing and dangerous speed.

As for the defense, Vigneault praised Marc Staal, who he feels has come in more focused injury free. He also said Brady Skjei was a little better Saturday but still has some things to work on. What if they decide to send him down at the start? Something I’m against. Adam Clendening has impressed with his unselfish passing on the power play. Dylan McIlrath has to stay. He has the size and strength the team lacks. Nick Holden is also part of the equation.

Here are the Ranger lines:

Vesey-Stepan-Nash

Pirri-Hayes-Buchnevich

Miller-Hrivik-Kovacs

Glass-Lapierre-Stromwall

D Pairs:

McDonagh-Clendening

Graves-McIlrath

Summers-Holden

Lundqvist

Skapski

As for the Flyers, there’ll be some familiar faces. Claude Giroux will center the first line flanked by 19-year old prospect Travis Konecny and Brayden Schenn. Sean Couturier, Jakub Voracek, Matt Read and 24-year old Russian import Roman Lyubimov will also be in the lineup.

Michael Del Zotto will pair up with annoyance Radko Gudas. Shayne “Ghost” Gostisbehere forms the top pair with 19-year old prospect Ivan Provorov. Andrew MacDonald and Sam Morin also are on the blue line.

1 A Steve Mason and 1 B Michael Neuvirth are the goalies. Considering how well Neuvirth played in last year’s first round after replacing Mason and pushing the Capitals six games, I wonder if he’ll be the top guy. I’m sure coach Dave Hakstol will go with the hot hand during the season.

We’ll have a review later between the Monday Night Football game which hopefully won’t see the Giants get crushed by the Vikings. Hey. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

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