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..
After failing to make the Rangers out of training camp, the writing was on the wall. A former 2021 first round pick, Othmann looks like he’ll never get a chance in the Big Apple. Having been passed by Brett Berard, Noah Laba, and Gabe Perreault, it’s pretty clear that he needs a change of scenery.
Even with the Rangers struggling to score, Othmann remains at Hartford in the AHL. The Wolf Pack play their next game tomorrow night. In a 2-1 loss to Wilkes-Barre last Saturday, Othmann had a secondary assist on their only goal.
The question is, what is Othmann worth? If he’s drawing interest around the league, that means other teams still value him. But is it due to thinking the return won’t have to be much? That largely depends on what Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury is seeking.
Once considered a good prospect due to strong performances for Canada in the World Junior Championships, the 22-year-old right wing has never scored a goal in 25 career NHL games. He recorded his first two assists in 22 contests last season.
In parts of two seasons spent in Hartford, Othmann has totaled 33 goals and 37 assists for 70 points over 95 games.
In a move that didn’t come as a surprise, the New York Rangers placed Vincent Trocheck on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) earlier today. In a 4-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 9, Trocheck left the game in the second period. After blocking two shots on a previous shift, he took one more before exiting with an upper-body injury.
The 32-year-old center is in the third season of a seven-year contract worth a $5.63 million cap hit. He’s already missed the past three games due to the injury. By putting him on LTIR, it opened up cap space for the Rangers.
They recalled defenseman Scott Morrow from the Hartford Wolf Pack to fill the empty roster spot. According to Puck Pedia, Morrow takes up $1.16 million of cap space due to not being on the roster. That includes performance bonuses along with his $917,000 cap hit. In addition, they have $2.7 million remaining in LTIR.
The #NYR put Trocheck on LTIR allowing them to exceed cap by $3.8M & then called up Morrow.
Because Morrow was not on roster when LTIR was set, he takes up $1.16M (his AAV which includes perf bonuses) cap space, not his $917K Cap Hit.
The move was made due to defenseman Will Borgen being banged up after last night’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. At the moment, Morrow is a placeholder in case Borgen can’t go tomorrow night when the Rangers visit the Toronto Maple Leafs. During a team practice, he was rotating in on the bottom pair along with Matthew Robertson and Connor Mackey.
Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan was pretty clear on things this afternoon. Regarding Morrow’s availability for Thursday, he said, “I’m not sure either way. … It all depends on the injuries.”
On whether he thinks Borgen will play tomorrow, Sullivan said, “I’m not sure either way.” I asked if he plans to get Morrow in and he said, “It all depends on the injuries.” So sounds like he only plays if Borgen is out. #NYR
Morrow was acquired in the summer as part of the deal that sent K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes on July 1. A 22-year-old right defenseman who possesses offensive skills that could be utilized on the second power play unit, Morrow has played in 16 career games. Last season, he had a goal and four assists in 14 contests for the Hurricanes. He also got into five postseason games. In a limited role under Rod Brind’Amour, Morrow was a minus-five with four shots while averaging 10:29 of ice time.
Considering the state of the blue line, it couldn’t hurt to see what Morrow has to offer. At the moment, there’s the very possibility that Urho Vaakanainen and Braden Schneider could play in the top four against the offensive-minded Maple Leafs in Toronto. That doesn’t exactly sound promising. If that’s indeed the case, you’re probably looking at a third pair of Robertson and Morrow. Two young defensemen paired together on the road. The Leafs would definitely try to get a favorable matchup with Auston Matthews.
It all depends on whether Borgen plays. If he doesn’t, it could be a tough night. Even though they’ve scored all of their goals (10) on the road, those came against weaker opponents. For as weak as the Leafs are defensively, they’re still a stronger team. We’ll see how it goes.
History was made at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. For the New York Rangers, it wasn’t the kind of history they wanted to make in their centennial season.
In an alarming trend that continues to plague them, the Rangers got shut out for the third straight home game by the Edmonton Oilers. By failing to score a single goal in their first three home games at MSG, they made NHL history by becoming the first ever team to achieve that record – breaking the previous mark held by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1928.
The New York Rangers have made NHL history in the worst way, going scoreless in their first 3 games at MSG 😬❌ pic.twitter.com/vGu268cc5T
In falling to the Oilers 2-0, most astonishing is that Rangers’ goalies have only allowed four goals over the first five games. However, all 10 of their goals have come on the road where they’ve had more success.
At least they next visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. In my favorite Dumb and Dumber quote from Jim Carrey’s Lloyd character, “So, you’re telling me there’s a chance.”
If you can’t make light of this start, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s one thing to lose and get outplayed. Since dropping the season opener 3-0 to the Penguins, the Rangers have been the better team against both the Capitals and Oilers at The Garden. It hasn’t mattered. If you can’t score a goal, you can’t win.
On Sunday, the Caps made an Anthony Beauvillier goal stand up in a 1-0 shutout. In that one, Charlie Lindgren was the best player, finishing with 35 saves to steal a win. Last night, it was Stuart Skinner who got stronger as the game went on, going on to make 30 saves for the third shutout by an opposing goalie at MSG. If you add Arthur Silovs from last week, that’s three goalies who aren’t household names.
It’s become a comedy in record fashion. The Rangers have rolled out the welcome mat for journeymen. They’ve accomplished something significant by turning these guys into Vezina winners. You’d think they faced Dryden, Brodeur, and Hasek.
Even better, they’ve gone 0 for 90 in 180 minutes at the World’s Most Expensive Arena. The 90 represents the total amount of shots they’ve had in the three losses. With a 0-for-3 effort on the power play, they’re now a perfect 0-for-6 at MSG. It’s hard to win hockey games when you can’t take advantage.
Trailing 1-0 in the third period, their best chances came on their final power play. Following a Skinner save on Adam Fox from long distance, Mika Zibanejad missed wide from in front. J.T. Miller followed that up by having his tip miss the mark. After making another stop on Fox, Skinner got over to deny Artemi Panarin twice.
Panarin can’t buy a goal. He had his most shots (5) so far. The Rangers’ best offensive player has two assists in five games. He still hasn’t looked like the same player. Whether the injury he had his limited him doesn’t matter. He’s paid top dollar to carry the offense. At least in the third, his line with Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere was buzzing. They’re getting closer.
If there’s an issue beyond the top line not scoring, it’s Mike Sullivan’s insistence on playing Conor Sheary in the top six. I have nothing against Sheary, who gives an honest effort. His hustle is noticeable. However, he’s being overused by Sullivan, who loves him. Newsflash to Sully: It isn’t 2016-17 or 2017-18 anymore.
The last time Sheary was a solid contributor was with the Caps three years ago. He scored 15 goals and had 22 assists for 37 points in 2022-23. Since then, he’s totaled 16 points (4-12-16) in 67 games. He was so bad for the Lightning that he only got into five games last season. Astonishingly, he’s already matched that with the Rangers.
Even more absurd is how many minutes he’s getting. Sheary is averaging 15:23 of ice time a game. That included 18:13 last night. That’s more than Will Cuylle (17:19 TOI) had. They play on the same line. Cuylle’s the much younger player.
What’s even more mind-numbing is how little use Sullivan has for Noah Laba. After he notched two assists last Saturday, his ice time has gone dramatically down with linemates Jonny Brodzinski and Taylor Raddysh. All three received under eight minutes against Edmonton. That’s not ideal for Laba, who’s shown the ability to make plays due to his size and speed. He hardly touched the ice in the third.
The line of Sam Carrick, Adam Edstrom, and Matt Rempe continues to play well in an increased role. Carrick created chances for both Edstrom and Rempe. Edstrom just missed on a wide open opportunity.
If there’s a dilemma, it’s the lack of finish on the line. They can’t count on Rempe for more than a few goals. Carrick scored six last year. Edstrom had five in his rookie year. He has the most skill of the three. But how many can Edstrom get while playing with those two? Their chemistry has never been better. But they flub a lot of point blank chances.
Edstrom should play with Laba. Neither Brodzinski nor Juuso Parssinen have shown enough to stay on that line. Elevating the more capable Edstrom makes sense. At least he can use his big body to forecheck and get in front. He’s a good skater who puts himself in position. If they’re not going to recall Brett Berard anytime soon, I’d like to see Edstrom play with Laba and Raddysh. To be honest, Sheary fits that line better.
The problem is for how well they’ve played over the last two games. The Rangers are offensively challenged. Without Vincent Trocheck, it puts a lot of pressure on Panarin, Zibanejad, Lafreniere, Miller, and Cuylle to carry the offense. It’s not happening so far.
While the Zibanejad line had more opportunities, the Miller line was matched against McDavid, who played most of the game with Leon Draisaitl. Along with Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov, who had his best game, they did a superb job stifling McDavid. So much so that Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch split them up for most of the third.
By doing that, the Blueshirts didn’t have enough offense to seriously threaten Skinner, who was dialed in. When told after the game about the Rangers’ offensive woes at home, he said he had no idea about it until Calvin Pickard told him following the win. Skinner had high praise for the effort the Rangers gave.
Stuart Skinner on handing #NYR their 3rd straight shutout at MSG to start the season:
As it turned out, even on an off night for McDavid and Draisaitl, who were pinned in their end more often than usual, all Edmonton needed was a lucky bounce to grab the lead.
On a strange play in the neutral zone, the puck took a funny bounce off a linesman right to Kasperi Kapanen, who moved the puck up for Trent Frederic. He then got behind Urho Vaakanainen to beat Igor Shesterkin on a breakaway with 9:38 left in the second period.
Vaakanainen tried to make a pass up. However, the puck hit a linesman to give the Oilers an opening. They took advantage. Vaakanainen lost Frederic rather quickly. Partner Braden Schneider was too far up ice, leaving a gap.
From seeing him play, Vaakanainen struggles defensively. He doesn’t win any battles in his end and is frequently caught out of position. It’s hard to believe he was re-signed. He isn’t a top six defenseman.
Sullivan again played Matthew Robertson with Will Borgen, who had a strong game. Robertson is better in his end than Vaakanainen. He’s only played four career games. If they played together, it wouldn’t work. Maybe that’s why Schneider has remained with Vaakanainen. There are still instances when he should be moved up.
The Rangers hit two goalposts. Schneider and Carrick just missed ending the scoreless streak at home. There were other close calls. Rempe fanned on a shot right in front. He was set up by Sheary, who had an open net until an Oilers defenseman recovered in time to prevent him from putting it in.
Afterward, Zibanejad was left speechless at the Rangers’ ineptitude.
"I don't know whether to laugh or cry, honestly. I honestly don't know. We've got to keep going"
He’s correct about how they’re playing. They’ve been much better defensively than at any point last year. However, they are offensively challenged. If the top players aren’t scoring, they’re going to continue to struggle.
It doesn’t matter if Shesterkin is playing well. If he allows a goal, they can lose. That’s how bad they are offensively. They could use Chris Kreider right now. He’s in Anaheim. Chris Drury didn’t improve the roster. Until Gabe Perreault is ready, they’re stuck.
Brett Berard should be playing with Laba. He isn’t because Drury spent too much money on vets. They’re up against the cap. At least they made history.
It took a while. However, the power play finally broke through for the New Jersey Devils to highlight a 3-2 win on the road against the Blue Jackets on Columbus Day.
After going 0-for-6 in their first two games of the new season, the Devils were a perfect 2-for-2 last night. Dawson Mercer and Timo Meier each scored power-play goals to give the Black and Red a big division win over the Blue Jackets and spoil their home opener. Mercer added an empty netter that proved essential, with it holding up as the game-winner due to Dmitri Voronkov’s late goal that came with 21 seconds left in regulation.
Special teams and strong goaltending from both Jake Allen (23 saves on 24 shots) and Jacob Markstrom (8 stops on 9 shots) proved to be the difference in the victory which improved the Devils to 2-1-0 on a successful road trip to begin the season. They will finally return to Newark for their home opener against the defending champion Florida Panthers on Thursday night.
With Allen getting his first start, the veteran backup proved his worth in a busy first period marred by undisciplined penalties. The Devils were forced to kill a Dougie Hamilton high-sticking double minor after he drew blood on Miles Wood. The penalty kill did a good job limiting the Blue Jackets to the outside, allowing Allen to see the shots. He made five, including a big save on the dangerous Zach Werenski with the power play set to expire.
Back at even strength, the ice was tilted with the Jackets continuing to apply pressure in search of the game’s first goal. But Allen denied bids from Kirill Marchenko and Sean Monahan to keep it scoreless.
After Jet Greaves was tested by Connor Brown, another penalty was called on Brett Pesce for taking down Mathieu Olivier behind the net. He hooked him just enough to be sent off despite a mild protest to the ref. It was an aggressive Devils penalty kill that eventually forced Adam Fantilli to take an even-up minor that led to some four-on-four. A strong play from Mercer led to Fantilli hooking him from behind. The Blue Jackets forward thought he lifted the stick, but the replay showed otherwise.
Once Pesce left the box, the Devils went on the man-advantage. They were dangerous throughout due to quick passing. After captain Nico Hischier missed twice from in front on deflections, Greaves made a save on Hamilton. Jesper Bratt kept the play alive. With time running out, Jack Hughes had a Bratt pass deflect off him right for Meier, who quickly let go of a sharp angle shot that fooled Greaves for the game’s first goal as the power play expired. Meier was able to go short side on Greaves for his second of the season.
Funny enough, that is almost exactly where #NJDevils Timo Meier was on the ice when he scored during that practice in September.
Prior to the game, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe decided to move Meier up to the top unit by moving Mercer down to the second unit. The move paid immediate dividends. Meier entered the game needing one more goal to match the identical amount of assists he had for his career. By getting it, he’s now up to 219 goals and 219 assists for 438 points in 624 games with both the Sharks and Devils.
Pesce nearly doubled the lead when his shot hit the goalpost. Another try was stopped by Greaves. Outside of the Meier goal he gave up, Greaves had a good night turning aside 25 of 27 shots. He could finally supplant incumbent Elvis Merzlikins as the Columbus starter.
In the second period, the Devils picked it up. After getting outshot 16-8, they held an 11-8 edge in shots. Both Meier and Bratt were denied early by Greaves. It remained a one-goal game until nearly the half-way point of the contest.
Following a good defensive play from Hughes in the first part of his shift, he made a glaring mistake that led directly to Marchenko tying the game. He tried to skate through the middle in the Blue Jackets zone. Instead, he was cleanly stripped by Marchenko, who took the puck away and turned it into an unassisted breakaway goal.
For Hughes, he continues to make the same mistakes. A dynamic offensive player who’s capable of putting up 40 goals and 100 points if he stays healthy, the 24-year-old former 2019 top pick still takes too many risks. He finished the game with an assist, six giveaways, and a minus-2 rating in 21 shifts (18:40 TOI).
Fortunately, the Blue Jackets put the Devils on another power play shortly after Marchenko’s game-tying goal. Luke Hughes drew a hooking minor on Cole Sillinger. On the five-on-four advantage, this time it was the second unit that struck to put them back ahead. On a quick feed from rookie Arseny Gritsyuk in transition, Mercer fired a one-timer from the slot past Greaves to make it 2-1 with 8:51 remaining in the period. It was the third point for Gritsyuk in the last two games. He has three assists since Keefe moved him off the fourth line. The former 2019 fifth round pick is a player to watch for the Devils.
A few minutes later, the Devils killed off a Blue Jackets power play. For the night, they went 5-for-5 on the kill while converting on both their power plays. That was the deciding factor in the first matchup of four between the teams. They won’t see each other again until December when they’ll play twice, with the Devils hosting the Blue Jackets on Dec. 1. They’ll then visit them on New Year’s Eve. The final meeting will be back in Newark on Feb. 3 before the Olympics.
Following a lighter middle stanza that saw him make seven saves on eight shots, Allen departed the game due to cramps. Markstrom replaced him for the third period.
With the Jackets on a sustained forecheck, Gritsyuk held Adam Fantilli to put them back on the power play. Markstrom came up with three saves, including one on Voronkov from in close. He turned away Voronkov again late in the period.
The Jackets came close to tying it. Olivier hit the crossbar with over five minutes left. With over two minutes left in regulation, they lifted Greaves for a six-on-five. Following a Kent Johnson missed shot, Mercer scored into a vacated net for his second of the game.
Despite trailing by two with so little time left, the Jackets didn’t give up. An Ivan Provorov backhand was rebounded home by Voronkov to make it 3-2 at 19:39. However, the Devils were able to successfully run the clock out for the well earned victory.
It wasn’t without an ailing Markstrom limping back to the locker room. Following the game, Keefe didn’t have any update. The injury seemed to occur on the Voronkov goal.
#NJDevils Jacob Markstrom skating off the ice gingerly right after the final buzzer after appearing to suffer an apparent injury on the late Voronkov goal. Seems like he was in severe pain or something the way he reacted in the crease, but stayed in for the final 14 seconds… pic.twitter.com/H31hlU1BMj
Sometimes, your best effort isn’t good enough. To quote play-by-play announcer John Forslund, “That’s hockey.”
The New York Rangers ran into a hot goalie last night. Despite playing their best game of the young season, they were shut out 1-0 by Charlie Lindgren and the Washington Capitals at 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue. Lindgren was brilliant in making 35 saves to stone the Rangers. The older brother of former Blueshirt Ryan Lindgren was particularly strong in the first two periods – stopping 13 shots apiece for 26 of his 35, with nine more coming in a stronger third by the Caps.
Rangers had some grade A chances vs the Caps; goalie Charlie Lindgren stole the show. pic.twitter.com/K7Zr4JCUYn
In failing to score a goal against Lindgren, the Rangers tied a record. They have been shut out in their first two home games, becoming the 10th team in NHL history to start the season in that fashion. They’ll look to avoid making even more history when they host Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the Edmonton Oilers tomorrow night.
Even more strange is that they’ve scored all 10 of their goals on the road in two victories over the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. Odder is that in each of the first four games, a Rangers goalie has allowed only one goal. Igor Shesterkin did it in his first three starts, including a shutout at Buffalo. On Sunday night, Jonathan Quick permitted one goal on 20 shots to become the hard luck loser.
The only goal he allowed came late in the second period to Rangers killer Anthony Beauvillier. Beauvillier moved around the net and into position to tip in an Alex Ovechkin shot pass for the game’s only goal with 6:16 remaining. While he got set, Rangers defenseman Urho Vaakanainen vacated the area. With partner Braden Schneider’s attention turned to Ovechkin, Vaakanainen failed to switch onto Beauvillier, who had plenty of time to deflect home the Ovechkin feed.
Beauvillier has always killed the Rangers. Ever since he was a New York Islander, the gritty forward has had a knack for scoring backbreaking goals. In fact, he’s never scored more goals against an opponent. The goal was his 14th versus the Rangers. Updating the numbers, Beauvillier is up to 27 points in 35 career games, which of course is his best against any opponent. Fittingly, the goal was his first of the season, and third game-winner against the Blueshirts.
Facing a division rival that dominated them last season, the Rangers were the better team for the majority of the game. It was the opposite of how they played against the Caps last year. They skated faster and with more purpose. They established a forecheck, with the energy line of Sam Carrick, Adam Edstrom, and Matt Rempe again leading the way. They were hard on the puck and won most of the battles. They were strong in transition, creating high danger chances off the rush. It was exactly how they must play.
“I thought the team played extremely well, and that’s what I said to the guys after the game. For our coaching staff, we’re most concerned about how we play, how we win and how we lose. Sometimes, you can’t control whether the puck goes in the net or not. I thought from an effort standpoint, determination, our attitude — for me, this type of game is the kind of game that we’re trying to build. We had our looks, we had some great looks. They got some key saves at key times, give them credit… If we continue to play with that kind of an effort and that kind of focus and attention to detail, I think we’re going to win more games than we lose, that’s for sure,” a pleased Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters afterward.
In a dominant second frame, the Rangers created several chances to take the lead. However, Lindgren wouldn’t cooperate. Similar to how he played against them in 2023-24, when he went 2-1-0 with a 1.35 goals-against-average and .955 save percentage with a shutout, Lindgren was a brick wall in net. He made a few highlight reel saves, including committing highway robbery on Mika Zibanejad.
Following some strong defensive work from Alexis Lafreniere, he sent Artemi Panarin in on a two-on-one. With only Matt Roy back defending, Panarin patiently waited and send a perfect pass across for Zibanejad, whose one-timer was labeled. Instead, a diving Lindgren got across to make an acrobatic glove save to deny Zibanejad of a sure goal. He could only hang his head in disbelief.
One thing that makes Lindgren tough is that he’s an unorthodox goalie who catches with the right hand. In a league where most netminders catch left, both Caps goalies are unorthodox, with starter Logan Thompson also catching right. Shooters prefer to go to the same spots. Lindgren has had success against the Rangers due to his right glove. He improved to 4-1-0 versus the Rangers. In five starts, he’s only allowed six goals on 141 shots with two shutouts. Not bad for a backup who got the start on a back-to-back.
Later in the second, he turned away Panarin, who had a similar reaction after failing to score in his fourth consecutive game. Playing in a contract year, the 33-year-old Russian hasn’t found his stride yet. Two separate injuries kept him out of preseason. The skating is still there, but he hasn’t looked dominant. Panarin is also adjusting to playing with Zibanejad, who’s now the center on the big scoring line without Vincent Trocheck. While Zibanejad has continued to play well, leading the Rangers with seven shots last night, Panarin is still searching for that big game to get him going. His next chance will come against the Oilers on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
When Zibanejad wasn’t testing Lindgren, the Blueshirts were getting a tremendous effort from the fourth line. The cohesive trio of Edstrom, Carrick, and Rempe spent some time in the Caps end. On one strong shift, Rempe sent a tricky shot from a tough angle in front that nearly led to a goal. The line finished with a 66.67 CF and created two high danger chances while allowing none. They were so effective due to Rempe’s noticeable improvement that Sullivan didn’t hesitate to send them out for a late shift down a goal in the third.
The biggest highlight came when Rempe caught Tom Wilson with a clean hit during a shift. He sent Wilson flying to the ice. A rarity for the Caps power forward, who usually is the one dishing them out.
The most effective line was centered by captain J.T. Miller. His line spent a lot of time on the attack. Miller and Will Cuylle were very effective with Conor Sheary on the forecheck. On one extended shift, Miller had two cracks at a rebound, but was unable to beat Lindgren. Miller, Cuylle, and Sheary combined for 10 shots and six high danger chances for to only one high danger chance against. They held a 9-4 edge in shots and had an expected goals percentage of 89.19.
If there was a difference in the third period, it was the Caps playing more aggressively. They activated their defensemen, which created more zone time and a few chances. Quick was strong when he had to be turning away seven shots. Jakob Chychrun was superb defensively. He stood up at the blue line and made several strong plays. He and John Carlson logged over 19 minutes at even strength.
The Rangers found it more difficult to gain access and generate quality chances. It took a while for them to force Lindgren to make some saves. When Quick was lifted for an extra attacker, Cuylle put a shot from the circle right on Lindgren, who saw it easily. A hustling Zibanejad prevented an empty netter. That allowed for one more final chance. But his shot was handled by Lindgren, who wasn’t having it.
Following an icing, the Rangers had one more crack at it. With time running down, Wilson made a diving block of a Panarin attempt, and cleared the zone.
Robertson Fares Well in Season Debut
In just his third career game, Matthew Robertson made his first appearance of the season for the Rangers. Taking the place of injured defenseman Carson Soucy, who was placed on injured reserve, Robertson fared well in his season debut.
With Sullivan opting to play Robertson with Will Borgen on the second pair, they actually had a strong game together. They both were over a 60 CF with Robertson finishing with a 67.74. He played a safe defensive game, and looked for offense when there were opportunities. Robertson had a shot and four attempts all at even strength (22 shifts for 18:08 TOI).
Miller Leads The Way on Faceoffs
The Rangers were particularly strong in the circle. They won 32-of-49 faceoffs. Miller led them by going 14-of-18. Carrick won 6-of-7 draws. Zibanejad went 8-and-6. No Cap was .500. Nic Dowd led them going 5-and-7.
Power Play Takes the Collar
There weren’t many chances. But the Rangers failed to capitalize on two power plays in the second period. After falling behind on the Beauvillier tally from Ovechkin, they drew two consecutive penalties. Neither of which they took advantage of.
Sheary was taken down by Wilson for the game’s first man-advantage. Despite the top unit getting some good looks, they were unable to solve Lindgren. The best chance came when Zibanejad was set up for a one-timer in the opposite circle. But Lindgren read the play and cheated to get over and make the save.
With Carrick drawing a minor on Beauvillier with 2:18 left, Sullivan had no choice but to go with his second unit. Despite moving the puck around nicely, they were unable to find any shooting lanes. The Caps were more aggressive on the penalty kill. That led to Noah Laba having a shot blocked and cleared. After registering four shots on the first power play, the Rangers got nothing done on the second. It was a wasted opportunity.
During Saturday night’s 6-1 victory over the Penguins, Rangers defenseman Carson Soucy was injured early in the second period on a play involving Rickard Rakell.
With 16:22 left in the period, Soucy missed on a hit on Rakell, who just got out of the way. Instead, Soucy’s left skate made contact with Rakell’s left skate sending him awkwardly into the boards with his head exposed. Shaken up on the play, he went to the locker room and didn’t return to the game.
Carson Soucy left the ice without assistance after a collision with Rakell and into the boards pic.twitter.com/lbTx6jXdnX
After taking 10 shifts and logging 6:35 of ice time, Soucy suffered an upper-body injury in the game. Two days after losing Vincent Trocheck to an upper-body injury that’ll keep him out week-to-week, it appears that the Rangers will be without Soucy for a while. He was placed on the injured reserve by the team earlier today.
#NYR Carson Soucy listed on IR on official media site. Connor Mackey has been added to roster.
In his place, Connor Mackey was recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack. The 29-year-old journeyman skated in three games the past two seasons for the Rangers. Mackey has had a pair of fights, including a memorable one against Brady Tkachuk in 2023-24 that led to a Rangers’ come from behind win over the Senators. A serviceable defenseman, he’s been used in emergency situations. It looks like he’s up for the time being due to the salary cap.
The question for Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan is whether or not he’ll play Matthew Robertson for Sunday night’s home game against the Capitals. A former 2019 second round pick, Robertson debuted towards the conclusion of last year taking part in two games. Now 24, he made the roster as the seventh defenseman. With Soucy going down, is this his time? That depends on the coaching staff.
With Soucy going down after a more promising start than when he came over from the Avalanche at last year’s trade deadline, Sullivan has a decision to make regarding the Rangers blue line. Will he keep Braden Schneider and Urho Vaakainen together and use them more? Or will he elevate Schneider up to play with Will Borgen on the second pair? Neither Mackey nor Robertson should play in the top four. Their minutes must be sheltered. It’s a bit easier to do with the final change at home.
Quick tonight, Mike Sullivan said. And Matthew Robertson steps into the lineup for Soucy. Sullivan would definitively say whether Braden Schneider will play with Will Borgen on the second pair, but suggested we might see that at points in the game.
Updating things, Colin Stephenson of Newsday tweeted that it’ll be Schneider moving up to play with Borgen on the second pair. Robertson is a go for tonight’s game. He will start with Vaakainen on the third pair. That’s the right decision.
Morrow Stays With Wolf Pack
Meanwhile, prospect Scott Morrow skated with the Wolf Pack last night in a 2-1 loss to the Wikes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The plan is for Morrow to stay in the American Hockey League and continue to develop for the time being. That can always change depending on how things go with the big club.
In the loss, Gabe Perreault picked up a primary assist on a goal scored by Trey-Fix Wolansky. Brennan Othmann picked up a secondary helper. Along with Brett Berard, the Rangers have four young players in the AHL. For now, they can remain patient. However, if more injuries occur to the main roster, it could change what the organization’s plans.
Four days later, it was the New York Rangers who returned the favor against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In a rematch of the season opener, the Rangers took it to the Penguins in a dominant 6-1 win at PPG Paints Arena.
Adam Fox led the way with a standout performance. He had two goals and an assist for a three-point night to highlight the Rangers’ second straight victory. It was an inspired effort from the 27-year-old defenseman who didn’t have many big games last season. If he can get back to the level that made him an elite player on the blue line, it would be huge for the Rangers’ chances this season. He finished the game with an even strength goal, a power-play goal, and a plus-3 rating in 23:41 of ice time.
Following a sluggish start that required Igor Shesterkin to make some crucial saves, Fox made a great play in the defensive zone. While killing a Juuso Parssinen minor penalty, Fox made a good lead pass to Sam Carrick in the neutral that created a two-on-one with Mika Zibanejad. Carrick made no mistake by passing the puck across for a Zibanejad shorthanded goal.
A good penalty killing forward, Zibanejad is up to a dozen shorthanded goals as a Ranger, which is tied with Bill Fairbairn for fifth on the franchise list. Ironically, if he gets another shorthanded tally, he’ll draw even with former teammate and close friend Chris Kreider. On the same night that Kreider scored his first two goals for the Anaheim Ducks, Zibanejad picked up his first of the season.
With the Blueshirts playing without injured center Vincent Trocheck for a while, it falls on Zibanejad to pick it up while centering Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere on the top line. He’s skated with more purpose and continued to look for his shot. That trend must continue. Maybe he can rediscover the form that made him a 30-goal scorer three times, with the last coming in 2022-23 when he had 39.
Despite getting outplayed and outshot (9-4) by the Pens, it was the Rangers who took a one-goal lead to the locker room. They needed Shesterkin to be at his best in a first that saw them kill off two penalties, including a Vladislav Gavrikov one late in the period.
In his first three games thus far, Gavrikov has yet to establish himself. With the Rangers still ahead early in the second period, he forced a stretch pass at the Pens blue line that led to a turnover. After receiving a feed from Caleb Jones, Pens rookie Ben Kindel gained the Rangers zone and beat Shesterkin high glove to tie the score. Despite that mistake, Gavrikov and Fox finished with a 57.14 Corsi according to Natural Stat Trick.
Following Kindel’s first career NHL goal, it was the Rangers that responded well. A strong shift from the fourth line led to Fox getting his first of the season. On some good work from Matt Rempe down low, Adam Edstrom retrieved a loose puck and set up a Fox shot from the point that beat Arthur Silovs with Carrick providing a screen in front.
The Blueshirts took control following the Fox go-ahead tally. It was the second power play unit that made a difference to convert on a five-on-four advantage. With Kindel in the box for holding Urho Vaakainen, the second unit put in some work. After taking a Rempe pass up top, Noah Laba moved the puck down low for Conor Sheary, who came out and made a nice backdoor feed for Will Cuylle in front for his first of the season. With an assist on the play, it was Laba’s first career NHL point.
With a secondary assist on Cuylle's power play goal, Laba notches his first NHL point. 👏 pic.twitter.com/XJB4yNW590
After killing off another Gavrikov minor, the Rangers went back on the power play due to the Pens getting caught with too many men on the ice. This time, the number one unit came through. On a clean Miller faceoff win, Panarin moved the puck across to Fox, who waited before firing a high shot past Silovs for his second of the game to make it 4-1. Miller drove to the net and created enough of a distraction for Silovs, who couldn’t track the shot. The power-play goal matched Fox’s 2024-25 season total. If he thinks shot more, that could bode well.
Before the period concluded, Laba caught Blake Lizotte with a clean hit. He didn’t take too kindly to it. Pens rookie Harrison Brunsicke responded by punching Laba to pick up a roughing minor.
This is another way to become a fan favorite. Also why did it take 10 hours for a single Ranger to come to the aid of Noah Laba? Needs to be addressed. Rangers need to be like a pack of dogs there if they see Laba getting jumped by two Penguins.#NYR pic.twitter.com/jCDyKqslIb
In the third, it was the supporting cast that put the game away. On some sustained pressure, Carrick set up a shot from Edstrom, who thought he had his first. However, the replay showed that Edstrom’s shot banked off a Penguin and touched Rempe before going in. Rempe was credited with his first instead, making it 5-1.
With the game out of reach, Laba made a nice backhand pass in front that Taylor Raddysh put away for his first as a Ranger. Laba made it possible by outskating the Pens to create the goal. In his third game, he recorded two assists for the first two points of his career. He continues to grow in confidence.
Unlike his last win, Shesterkin didn’t face a lot of rubber, finishing with 18 saves on 19 shots. In three games this season, he’s 2-1-0 with a 0.67 goals-against-average and .976 save percentage. It’s exactly the quick start he needed. With the Rangers getting ready for the second game of a back-to-back on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden, he’ll get a breather.
Jonathan Quick will make his first start of the season against the Washington Capitals. They should present more of a challenge. A strong defensive team who have good skaters, the Caps beat the Islanders 4-2 last night to even up their record. They don’t allow a ton of shots or scoring chances. We’ll see if the Rangers are up to the challenge. They had problems with the Capitals last season, losing all three meetings to them. The two old Patrick Division rivals will play four times, including two in late December before Christmas and on New Year’s Eve. The final meeting isn’t until April 5, 2026.
THREE STARS OF GAME
3rd Star Noah Laba 2 assists for the first 2 points of his NHL career
2nd Star Edstrom-Carrick-Rempe goal, 4 assists, +7 combined
1st Star Adam Fox 2 goals, assist, 4 SOG, +3 in 23:41
All is not well for the New York Rangers, who despite earning their first win of the season by shutting out the Buffalo Sabres 4-0 on Thursday night, will be without Vincent Trocheck for a while. The key center sustained an upper-body injury early in the second period on Oct. 9 against the Sabres.
After blocking a pair of shots during a shift early in the second period, Trocheck only took one more shift while the Rangers were shorthanded, killing an Urho Vaakanainen minor penalty with under 14 minutes remaining. Afterward, Mika Zibanejad took his place by shifting over to center Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere.
Back in the first period, Trocheck was involved in the Rangers’ first goal of the season scored by Lafreniere. He was able to get a piece of a Panarin shot that rebounded out to Lafreniere, who had just enough wiggle room to tuck it in. Before he left the game due to the injury, Trocheck took had an assist, two blocks, and went 7-for-11 on faceoffs in 12 shifts (7:48 TOI).
A very important player due to his capability at both even strength and on special teams, he’ll be sorely missed. The 32-year-old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native has been a constant for the Blueshirts, as their best faceoff guy. Over his 803-game NHL career that’s included playing for the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes, he’s won 54.1 percent of draws. Without him, the Rangers will need both Zibanejad and J.T. Miller to win their fair share in the faceoff dots.
#NYR captain J.T. Miller on the loss of Vincent Trocheck:
"It sucks. He's such a big part of the team, leader for the team. Plays in all situations. But just his presence being around — it's been a short time, it's only been half a day, and it's already a crappy feeling. I…
Miller has been good throughout his career, winning 54.4 percent. The 31-year-old Rangers captain had a good game against the Sabres, posting his first goal and assist of the season. Both came in a strong third period that saw the Blueshirts outscore the Sabres 3-nothing. After helping set up the first of the season from Carson Soucy, Miller redirected a Braden Schneider shot to put the game away with 2:49 left in regulation.
In addition to Zibanejad moving back to center to play with Panarin and Lafreniere for tonight’s game at the Pittsburgh Penguins in PPG Paints Arena, former Penguin Conor Sheary will move up to play with Miller and Will Cuylle. At the moment, the Rangers don’t have a lot of players who can play a top six role. With prospects Brett Berard, Brennan Othmann, and Gabe Perreault all set to play for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL, Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan is going to mix and match with his lineup for the time being.
When asked about moving Zibanejad back at center, Sullivan indicated that he wants to have balance moving forward. “Because I think we need balance… and we need to give some of our other offensive people a center iceman that can think the game at their level and give them an opportunity to set them up for success.”
Sullivan on why he opted to move Mika to center with Trocheck out: "Because I think we need balance… and we need to give some of our other offensive people a center iceman that can think the game at their level and give them an opportunity to set them up for success."
At the very least, rookie Noah Laba is winning faceoffs. In his first two games, he’s gone 12-and-4. That included going 7-for-9 versus the Sabres. After having a good NHL debut, Laba didn’t spend as much time in the offensive zone with Sheary and Taylor Raddysh. Let’s see how he responds in a rematch of the season opener against the Pens.
With Sheary getting bumped up in the lineup, Juuso Parssinen will make his season debut on the third line. He’ll play on the left side with Laba and Raddysh. Parssinen is a good skater with size and solid defensive instincts. He deserves more of a chance to show what he can do. I didn’t agree with him being a healthy scratch. He needs to play.
The only line that’ll remain unchanged is the checking unit. Sam Carrick continues to center Adam Edstrom and Matt Rempe. That line had a better second game. In fact, on a make shift line, Rempe had a good forecheck that led to Lafreniere setting up Schneider at the point for a shot that Miller deflected home. Following Sabres coach Lindy Ruff’s ridiculous decision to lift Alex Lyon for an extra attacker down three, Carrick got the lone helper on Adam Fox’s empty netter.
Shesterkin Off and Running
So far, so good for Igor Shesterkin. In two starts, he’s allowed only one goal on 66 shots. That included a 37-save shutout to pick up his first win of the season against the Sabres.
He was tested often during the lopsided second period in which the Sabres dictated the action. With the Rangers in the box three times, Shesterkin made the key stops to keep Buffalo off the scoreboard. In total, he had nine shorthanded saves for the game. For the period, he stopped all 14 Sabres’ shots.
The 29-year-old turned aside a dozen more shots in the third period to record the 22nd shutout of his career. With the Rangers looking like they’ll struggle offensively, they’ll continue to need the very best from Shesterkin.
With the Rangers having a quick turnaround to host the Washington Capitals tomorrow night, it’s probably a good bet that Shesterkin will get the night off. In what will be the first of 12 back-to-backs, expect Jonathan Quick to make the start.
If last night was any indication, it explains why my expectations were realistic going into the season. It was a season opener dud for the Rangers, who were shut out 3-0 by the Penguins at the World’s Most Expensive Arena. From reading one post on Twitter, a fan shelled out $350 for seats and spent over twice more on a Centennial jersey and fancy drinks. No word on if those drinks came with a magic elixir to fix the team.
Facing his former team who he coached for a decade, new Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan quickly discovered what life could be like on Broadway. Madison Square Garden is very different from PPG Paints Arena. It didn’t take long for boos to rain down as some disgruntled fans jeered the team as they left the ice after failing to score on a goal on household name Arthur Silovs. He hardly broke a sweat in posting the first regular season shutout of his career. After helping the Canucks to the second round in 2024, he lost his confidence and rebuilt it by leading Abbotsford to the Calder Cup last spring.
Regardless, it was a bad way for the Rangers to usher in the centennial season. At least the traditional jerseys that date back to the franchise’s inception looked good. I really like the white for the both the team name on the front and jersey numbers on the back. Whatever they did, it looks sharp. Hopefully, the team can put in better performances on other nights when they wear the old fashioned blue and white sweaters.
As expected, the lineup was what I gathered. Here’s how they lined up on Tuesday night:
50-8-93
10-16-13
43-42-14
84-39-73
44-23
24-17
18-4
If you were optimistic coming in, your concern level had to be raised early on. None other than Sidney Crosby went around Vladislav Gavrikov with ease to get a dangerous scoring chance that Igor Shesterkin stopped. It wasn’t the only time the ageless Pens legendary captain turned Gavrikov inside out. It wasn’t a good Rangers debut for the former Kings defenseman. But he was far from alone. Adam Fox was caught out of position several times. The more we see Fox, the further away he gets from his Norris season in 2020-21. He continues to look slower. Ever since the injury that occurred due to a knee on knee collision with Sebastian Aho, he hasn’t been the same player.
Maybe the worst part of the game was how few of the top players showed up. If you went based off analytics, Gavrikov and Fox were pinned in their end for most of the night. New captain J.T. Miller looked out of sorts returning from the injury that kept him out most of the preseason. Will Cuylle didn’t fare any better. It was a rough night for the third-year forward who will shoulder a lot of responsibility without Chris Kreider. Cuylle still paced the Blueshirts with eight hits.
If you were looking for a positive, Mika Zibanejad had a lot of jump. He finished with a game-high seven shots in a dozen attempts. Unlike last season, he wasn’t shy about shooting the puck. In fact, with the Rangers behind 1-0 in the second period, Zibanejad created the best scoring chance. He intercepted an errant Erik Karlsson pass, broke in on Silovs, and had his forehand shot stopped. Silovs was able to get his glove up in time to deny the bid.
Alexis Lafreniere also had some opportunities, finishing with six shots. If they are to be successful, a lot will hinge on how the former 2020 number one pick performs. He needs to be much better than last year. Following an encouraging start that earned a big contract extension that pays him a cap hit of $7.45 million through 2032, it’s up to the 23-year-old forward to deliver. He must move on from the disappointing 17-goal 45-point season in which defensive lapses and inconsistency really hurt the Rangers. He’s still playing with Vincent Trocheck and most notably Artemi Panarin, who was kept to the perimeter by the stingy Penguins defense under former Rangers assistant Dan Muse, who picked up his first career win as the Pens bench boss.
If there was a play that was a flashback to 2024-25, it came with 32 seconds remaining in the first period. Following a pair of Shesterkin saves on Brazeau due to Fox leaving the front of the net to help Gavrikov, the Pens struck on a faceoff win from Evgeni Malkin. Instead of winning it back, he went forward with the puck and made a nice pass for an unmarked Brazeau, who had enough time to go forehand, backhand top shelf for a 1-0 lead. The coverage breakdown was due to Lafreniere, who vacated the area too soon. With Urho Vaakanainen leaving to go after Malkin, it was the responsibility of Lafreniere to stay home. That led to Brazeau notching his first goal.
Although the Rangers were better in the second period by outshooting the Pens 13-8, they couldn’t solve Silovs. He was equal to the task stopping all 13 shots, including the critical save on the Zibanejad solo effort. Had he been able to tie the score, who knows what would’ve happened.
Aside from the pair of Zibanejad and Lafreniere combining for over half their shot total, Panarin had the next most with two shots. Neither of which seriously threatened Silovs, who closed everything up on one attempt to get a stoppage.
It was the more locked in Pens who closed it out by playing a more aggressive final period. They easily could’ve scored more on Shesterkin, but the league’s highest paid goalie prevented it. He made 13 of his 28 saves to keep the Blueshirts in it. They never generated much due to Pittsburgh using their team speed and discipline to make life easier on Silovs, who only had to make five saves in the third.
With over two minutes left, Sullivan made an iffy pull of Shesterkin for a six-on-five. Even though the Rangers got the puck in, they never had clean puck possession. The move backfired with Anthony Mantha and Malkin combining to clear the puck out for Brazeau to get his second into an empty net with 2:12 left. Blake Lizotte added another one 20 seconds later for the final margin.
On a night when Crosby didn’t hit the score sheet despite his line with Rickard Rakell and promising rookie Ville Koivunen generating quality chances, the Pens got strong performances from Malkin and Brazeau. Young rookies Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke had good NHL debuts.
The Pens were the better team from start to finish. The Rangers will see them again following a visit at the Sabres on Thursday night. When asked to assess the first loss of the season, Sullivan was diplomatic. He spoke about wanting to move forward. The one big quote was, “I think my first observation is we’ve got a long way to go to become the team we want to become.”
"I think my first observation is we've got a long way to go to become the team we want to become."
Sullivan doesn’t like to dwell. He’s a straight shooter. There won’t be any bull in his postgame following losses. If you’re looking for a lineup change at Buffalo, it isn’t happening. Even if neither the third or fourth line have much skill, aside from rookie Noah Laba, who didn’t look out of place in his first game. He won five of seven faceoffs while having a positive effect on line mates Conor Sheary and Taylor Raddysh. The fourth line will also remain intact with Adam Edstrom, Sam Carrick, and power play specialist Matt Rempe looking to make an offensive contribution. We’ll see how long the Rempe experiment on the second unit lasts.
The Rangers will need a stronger effort when they face the Sabres. They’re one of the fastest skating teams in the league. That means both Fox and Gavrikov better get into gear. They can’t be at the bottom of a chart. Neither can Miller, who admitted that he struggled. He’s clearly not 100 percent yet. Of course, he’ll play through it. Is it worth dressing him if he isn’t effective? That’s for the Rangers 29th captain to answer over the next three days with games on Thursday and Saturday night.
A new season is finally upon us. Hockey fans have been counting down the days to the start of 2025-26. With it comes the possibility of the Panthers dynasty ending. They’ll be without captain Aleksander Barkov for the entire season due to right knee surgery to repair torn ACL and MCL ligaments. Matthew Tkachuk isn’t due back until January. The Panthers should still have enough to reach the playoffs in an Eastern Conference that lacks a dominant team. There will be a lot of parity.
Without Barkov and Tkachuk, the two-time defending champs will be in action later this afternoon when they host the Blackhawks as the first part of a tripleheader exclusive on ESPN at 5 EST. I’m not sure whose brilliant idea it was to have the first game so early. They’ll be going against playoff baseball with the Tigers and Mariners on Fox Sports 1 starting an hour earlier. The diehards will get to see the Panthers raise their second Stanley Cup banner. What do Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar have in store for the Panthers? The Blackhawks remain a work in progress. Former Panther Spencer Knight goes against Sergei Bobrovsky in net. How’s that for a storyline?
While most of the focus will be on a remaining Panthers core that still features Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Brad Marchand, Eetu Luostarinen, Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, and Bobrovsky, the second game of the night has the Rangers hosting the Penguins at 8 EST. Sidney Crosby remains one of the league’s greatest players. His team has missed the playoffs the past three years. An aging nucleus that still includes Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust (out), Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson will have some fresh faces, with Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke both starting the season as teenagers. Ville Koivunen is expected to start with Crosby and Rakell on the top line. Keep an eye on the rookie this season.
I had plenty to say about the Rangers in my team preview. To summarize, they’re counting on the top six led by new captain J.T. Miller and top scorer Artemi Panarin to carry an offense that’s paper thin. They’re expecting a lot from Vladislav Gavrikov, who will team up with Adam Fox on the number one pair. The same can be echoed for Igor Shesterkin. Outside of that, there remain many questions. The Matt Rempe experiment on the second power play should be interesting to watch. So will promising freshman Noah Laba. Hopefully, Gabe Perreault joins him at some point.
With the Yankees and Blue Jays on at the same time playing in the Bronx, I’m curious as to how many fans will tune in to the hockey game at Madison Square Garden. Had Aaron Judge actually hit in the clutch and they’d gotten the Blue Jays out, maybe I wouldn’t be so down about their chances. It looks like more of the same from the Yankees. An all too familiar feeling that Rangers fans can identify with. No wonder I’m not that positive on their outlook.
If you’re not exhausted, the third ESPN game probably is the best matchup, with the Avalanche visiting the Kings at 10:30 EST. If you know anything about network TV, that won’t start until almost 11 here. That’s too bad because that could be a playoff series preview. It depends on how good the Kings are in Anze Kopitar’s swan song. A brilliant two-way player who’s a Hall of Fame lock, Kopitar has been a pleasure to watch. He still remains a top player and great leader for Los Angeles. They should score enough with a core that features Adrian Kempe, Kevin Fiala, Quenton Byfield, Kopitar, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Alex Laferierre. Can their defense contain a loaded Avalanche cast led by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar? The Avs get a full season of Martin Necas, Brock Nelson, and the return of inspirational captain Gabe Landeskog. Can Mackenzie Blackwood duplicate last year’s success? Ironically, another former Devil Scott Wedgewood is the backup. Colorado is stacked.
If you really love hockey, Wednesday night is even better. Four games are on tap, with the traditional season opener between the Canadiens and Maple Leafs in Toronto. Both teams made the playoffs. The Habs now have the best defenseman in the rivalry with Lane Hutson. Cole Caufield should finally eclipse 40 goals. Who’s better? Auston Matthews or Nick Suzuki. I’ll still take the well-rounded Matthews, who probably needs to go 50/50 to offset the loss of Mitch Marner. I’m looking forward to the 1-2 punch of Matthews and William Nylander.
I’m not sure how many people care about the Capitals and Bruins. But Alex Ovechkin needs three goals for 900 in his brilliant career. Will the Caps take a step back after having the East’s best record? They’re still very good defensively. It’ll probably depend on Logan Thompson. The Bruins boast David Pastrnak, who’s a great player. He can score 50 to 60, but the supporting cast isn’t good. Morgan Geekie will be hard pressed to duplicate the 33 goals he put up. Jeremy Swayman should be better. Expect Boston to be sellers.
The schedule maker didn’t do fans any favors by having the Battle of Alberta start at the same time as the heated rivalry between the Kings and Golden Knights. Both go off at 10 EST. If you’re looking for some rough stuff, you can usually count on those teams to provide it.
The Flames and Oilers remain fascinating to watch. From an entertainment standpoint, it’s excellent. Connor McDavid extended for two more years at a team friendly $12.5 million cap hit. That gives Edmonton a window to win with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They extended defenseman Jake Walman, going seven years at $7 million AAV. How much will Evan Bouchard cost? I’m most curious to see what Isaac Howard and Matt Savoie can bring to an explosive offense. Can they win with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard? At what point is Connor Ingram recalled?
Calgary nearly made the postseason last year. Nazem Kadri’s scoring returned to form, and Matt Coronato started to finish. Jonathan Huberdeau played better down the stretch. The additions of Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost will both need to provide more consistency. Connor Zary and Yegor Sharangovich need to be better. If Rasmus Andersson is to stay put, the Flames will have to convince him. Dustin Wolf is a stud in net. He stole a lot of games in his rookie season. What can he do in Year 2?
Marner will make his Vegas debut playing with Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev, who should see a spike in production. It’s a safe bet that Pavel Dorofeyev won’t be their leading goal scorer. It’s amazing how easily Reilly Smith fits when he plays with sidekick William Karlsson. Pittsburgh and New York fans couldn’t wait to get rid of him. Brett Howden scored a career-high 23 goals and had a career best 40 points last year. Another former Ranger who’s done better elsewhere. He’s got a Cup. Henrik Lundqvist and Shesterkin don’t. That stings. The Knights should be very good, but they are an older team. Will that become a factor next spring?
Demidov Leads A Strong Rookie Class
If you love rookies, this could be your year. There’s a slew of promising first-year players to watch. I mentioned Koivunen before. He went to Pittsburgh from Carolina in the Jake Guentzel trade. A former second round pick, Koivunen debuted with seven assists in eight games last season.
The much hyped Ivan Demidov scored a goal and assist in his first two games with the Canadiens. In the first round, he had two assists against the Caps. An explosive skater with great hands, the 2024 fifth overall pick could turn the Habs into a better offensive team. He doesn’t turn 20 until December. Most NHL pundits list him as the favorite to win the Calder.
The Islanders boast number one pick Matthew Schaefer after winning the NHL Draft lottery. Just from catching glimpses of him in preseason, he looks like another future star on the blue line. The skating, acceleration, and skill is top notch. He also recovers quickly. What can Schaefer do in his first season as a teenager?
Both the Flames and Wild each feature promising rookie defensemen. Zayne Parekh scored in his NHL debut and finished a plus-3 against the Kings. The 2024 first round pick is expected to make an impact on the Calgary back end. Minnesota boasts 2024 first round selection Zeev Buium. After helping USA repeat at the World Juniors, he finished his second year at the University of Denver before debuting with the Wild. He had an assist in four games. A smooth skater who possesses all the tools to become an top pair defenseman, Buium will be a big part of the Minnesota blue line.
Team USA will be well represented in this year’s rookie class. Both the Caps and Blues boast promising American forwards. Ryan Leonard was also part of USA’s gold medal victories, scoring setting up some big goals during he WJC. A player who has power forward potential due to the combination of his skating and size, the 2023 first round pick didn’t score in eight games. However, he’s expected to play a key role for Washington. That should include receiving power play time. Leonard loves to battle in front of the net.
Jimmy Snuggerud has the look of a good finisher in St. Louis. A 2022 first round pick who scored a goal and three assists in seven games, he fared better in the playoffs – putting up two goals and two helpers for four points. Like Leonard, he represented Team USA at the WJC. After putting up five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 2023, Snuggerud had five goals and three helpers for eight points in 2024 as part of the gold medal winning championship team. A right-handed shot, expect him to become another finisher for the Blues.
Other rookies to watch include Isaac Howard and Matt Savoie from the Oilers, Michael Misa and Yaroslav Askarov with the Sharks, and Sam Rinzel of the Blackhawks. If he plays himself into a role, Gabe Perreault probably will be on the third line for the Rangers.
Season Rankings and Predictions
At the start of the season, I like to rank teams in each division and put up some predictions. Let’s see how wrong I can be. 😉
hasan4978
Derek
Battle Of Hudson 
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