Jan Levine: Game 27: NYR 5 VAN 1, A Game of Firsts for the Blueline, @EDM Tonight Back-to-Back wins, Rangers go for three in a row tonight

Great game/tempo by the Rangers, AV certainly outcoached/schooled Willie last night. That Rangers team reminded me of the Canucks a couple months into the season; good luck the rest of the way.

Time to put our big boy pants on for real this time and beat a crappy team as well as getting 6-7 points over the next 4 games.

So glad to see Miller playing the way he is and Hayes is getting better every game. I think they are getting close.

Kill the Oil!

i looked at the standings and thought damn Rangers still have a lot of work to do. Then noticed they still have about 3 games in hand on everyone. Really nice to see.

i looked at the standings and thought damn Rangers still have a lot of work to do. Then noticed they still have about 3 games in hand on everyone. Really nice to see.
- TPC

Games in hand plus many 4 point games against teams they are close to like Wash, Fla and Ottawa. Plus we still haven't played Buffalo. But all that doesn't matter too much if you don't take advantage and beat the teams you should beat. We better start making up ground with our schedule the next few weeks.

i looked at the standings and thought damn Rangers still have a lot of work to do. Then noticed they still have about 3 games in hand on everyone. Really nice to see.
- TPC

That's such a change from the last 5 years where we always have played like 6 games more than everyone.

Glad to see Miller doing well I always felt like he never got a legit shot. Playing with MSL/Step show he's ready to stay with the big club. I would like to see Kreider with Hayes maybe Hags is the odd man out there. I love his hustle/speed/play along the boards but he has 5 goals and 6 assists on the season and I think Kreider might be able to get something going and create a mismatch for the other teams D with 2 guys 230 on the same line.

Glad to see Miller doing well I always felt like he never got a legit shot. Playing with MSL/Step show he's ready to stay with the big club. I would like to see Kreider with Hayes maybe Hags is the odd man out there. I love his hustle/speed/play along the boards but he has 5 goals and 6 assists on the season and I think Kreider might be able to get something going and create a mismatch for the other teams D with 2 guys 230 on the same line.
- nyrangers9479

The Rangers have a bid of a conundrum of their hands right now with Kreider. Both the Brass, Zucc and Nash, and Stepan, Miller and St. Louis lines are going good, so there is current reason to change those lines up. On the third line, both Kreider and Hags are left wingers, so despite how enticing it may be to play those two guys together on the same line someone would have to play a position to which they are unaccustomed. In the perfect world, I would like to see a third line of Hags, Hayes and Kreider, and move Stempniak to the fourth line, but not sure how well either Hags or Kreider would do on the right side.

Maybe you could eventually try Hags on the fourth line with Moore and Fast, which I think would make for a real good fourth line.

Maybe you could eventually try Hags on the fourth line with Moore and Fast, which I think would make for a real good fourth line.
- Pete V

I think this could be enticing to see, the third line could really use a better finisher in Kreider than Hags, and the 4th line would become more defensively reliable with him there as well. Plus the few games or shifts with Hayes and Kreider together, they looked really good.

I think this could be enticing to see, the third line could really use a better finisher in Kreider than Hags, and the 4th line would become more defensively reliable with him there as well. Plus the few games or shifts with Hayes and Kreider together, they looked really good.
- MatzCT

The suggestion of that type of switch makes sense. Hagelin will get minutes on the PK and since AV likes rotating four lines, he shouldn't see major drop in ice time. His production would fall and it would be interesting to see what that would do to his next contract.

The Rangers have a bid of a conundrum of their hands right now with Kreider. Both the Brass, Zucc and Nash, and Stepan, Miller and St. Louis lines are going good, so there is current reason to change those lines up. On the third line, both Kreider and Hags are left wingers, so despite how enticing it may be to play those two guys together on the same line someone would have to play a position to which they are unaccustomed. In the perfect world, I would like to see a third line of Hags, Hayes and Kreider, and move Stempniak to the fourth line, but not sure how well either Hags or Kreider would do on the right side.

Maybe you could eventually try Hags on the fourth line with Moore and Fast, which I think would make for a real good fourth line.
- Pete V

I actually didn't mind Kreider on the 4th line. Fast has shown that now with a bit more confidence he is capable of holding onto the puck and making a play. Moore is fully capable of making a play too.

I think that Kreider on that 4th line adds a different element to it...if it's Stempniak - Moore - Fast, you essentially have 3 of the exact same players on that line with no dimension or dynamic.

Basically, I think with Kreider on the "4th line" and the 3rd line kept the same, we could essentially have two 3rd lines rather than one 3rd and one 4th. I fully expect Kreider to regain a spot in the top 6 though pretty soon.

I actually didn't mind Kreider on the 4th line. Fast has shown that now with a bit more confidence he is capable of holding onto the puck and making a play. Moore is fully capable of making a play too.

I think that Kreider on that 4th line adds a different element to it...if it's Stempniak - Moore - Fast, you essentially have 3 of the exact same players on that line with no dimension or dynamic.

Basically, I think with Kreider on the "4th line" and the 3rd line kept the same, we could essentially have two 3rd lines rather than one 3rd and one 4th. I fully expect Kreider to regain a spot in the top 6 though pretty soon.
- rangerdanger94

Actually I like the top 6 as is right now.

Actually I like the top 6 as is right now.
- TPC

For sure. Hoping Miller keeps it going.

For sure. Hoping Miller keeps it going.
- rangerdanger94

He's got some real slick hands. That goal last night was a goal scorers goal, bringing the puck back across the crease like that. He is more skilled than I thought he would be, but less consistent than I thought he would be. He has the potential to be a real good hockey player, IMO, but he has to really take advantage of this opportunity and not let himself be sent back.

He's got some real slick hands. That goal last night was a goal scorers goal, bringing the puck back across the crease like that. He is more skilled than I thought he would be, but less consistent than I thought he would be. He has the potential to be a real good hockey player, IMO, but he has to really take advantage of this opportunity and not let himself be sent back.
- Pete V

He's reminds me a lot of Dubi.

Kill the Oil!
- evitageN

I think you mean to say kick a dead horse!

at your RT, Jan.

I didn't even realize the Blue Jackets traded Tim Erixon to the Hawks

I didn't even realize the Blue Jackets traded Tim Erixon to the Hawks
- TPC

For Jermey Morin, who's just having an awful year.

The suggestion of that type of switch makes sense. Hagelin will get minutes on the PK and since AV likes rotating four lines, he shouldn't see major drop in ice time. His production would fall and it would be interesting to see what that would do to his next contract.
- airjan23

His production would be falling from 5 goals and 6 assists through 27 games. The upside to kreider playing with Hayes would offset that IMO

Brass has the (frank)ing mumps too....

John ShannonVerified account
‏@JSportsnet
NYR Derek Brassard is the latest NHL player with the mumps. Being sent back to NYC.

Have any americans had it so far this year?

Wondering if Canadians get the mmr, very strange.


edit: official now

New York Rangers ‏@NYRangers 29s29 seconds ago
#NYR Update: Derick Brassard has been diagnosed with the mumps and has been sent back to New York

Brass has the (frank)ing mumps too....

John ShannonVerified account
‏@JSportsnet
NYR Derek Brassard is the latest NHL player with the mumps. Being sent back to NYC.

Have any americans had it so far this year?

Wondering if Canadians get the mmr, very strange.
- NYRangers1124

Christ we can't get more than two games with a full team, I think Glass is American but he's dirty looking

Brass has the (frank)ing mumps too....

John ShannonVerified account
‏@JSportsnet
NYR Derek Brassard is the latest NHL player with the mumps. Being sent back to NYC.

Have any americans had it so far this year?

Wondering if Canadians get the mmr, very strange.
- NYRangers1124

I knew last night was to good to be true. This team can't stay healthy together

Christ we can't get more than two games with a full team, I think Glass is American but he's dirty looking
- HankdaTank

haha he's canadian im 99% sure