The Rangers headed out West for two days of practice before their contest against Vancouver. Being on the road and practicing should accelerate the integration of both Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola onto the team as a whole but especially within Gerald Gallant’s system. Western Canada will be a good test for where New York is, but as you will see below, it's kind of been a take of two halves.
Lines yesterday were the same that ended Saturday's game. If anyone expected a tweak, they haven't paid attention to the last year and a half and how Gallant rolls. When something works, he usually stays the course, The top two left wingers may swap as needed with the Kid Line overall remaining intact. We have discussed the fourth line a lot and know if an add is made, that is where the uplift will take place. Nick Bonino has come up as an option, Nick Bjugstad and Nick Ritchie as well, so don't just look at the first name to get a tell if a move is made. Sam Lafferty would be a great add as well, especially given his salary for 2023-24.
Kreider-Zibanejad-Tarasenko Panarin-Trocheck-Vesey Lafreniere-Chytil-Kakko Leschyshyn-Goodrow-Gauthier
In wake of Vitali Kravtsov’s trade request, Gallant was asked if he had to have a conversation with the Russian winger. From the below, it sure doesn't appear he had a discussion with him. But as we have discussed, both sides are culpable here and a change is likely best for all. Between Lias Andersson and Kravtsov, not great drafting and/or use of assets, especially seeing who else could have been selected in those spots.
As Larry Brooks noted in his Post Sports+ column today: Martin Necas (12) or Nick Suzuki (13) at No. 7 in 2017 and either Noah Dobson (9), Oliver Wahlstrom (11) or Joel Farabee (14) at No. 9 in 2018. Granted, most years we could go back and look at who was missed, as we have done for time immemorial and especially in 2010 when Vladimir Tarasenko was left on the board. But look at the names above compared to who New York drafted and think what might have been.
“It’s not easy,… he said. “He’s a top-nine player, and right now, he’s not in our top-nine. He’s not going to be a fourth-line player. He doesn’t play in that role for our team. We like him, I like him. He’s a good kid. He’s got to continue to work hard when the chance is available. Take advantage of it. You don’t give anything to anybody. You got to make them earn it.…
Nearly every season has a demarcation point. Last year for New York, it was the uplift of talent at the trade deadline. This season, the Chicago debacle and helmet throw looks to be the bridging off point for the Rangers, as seen by the numbers below. Causation or correlation? I like to think it is causation based on how the team responded and reacted.
A look at #NYR from Oct. 11-Dec. 3 compared to Dec. 5-Present: pic.twitter.com/zXGautRGJ6
— NYR Stats & Info (@NYRStatsInfo) February 14, 2023