The Rangers lost 4-1 to the Jets on Friday. Dryden Hunt, who had a solid game, tied the game in the third but Sam Gagner scored, knocking in his own rebound, with less than four and a half minutes remaining in the third to give Winnipeg a lead they never relinquished. Connor Hellebuyck stood on his head throughout the contest, especially in the second period, and the Rangers clearly had heavy legs in the third. Ryan Carpenter was injured in the second period (see below for more information). and did not return. New York takes on Ryan Strome and Anaheim on Monday and San Jose on Thursday with Strome deserving a video tribute and ovation from the crowd.
Game recap:
Lineup versus Jets: The key change was Libor Hajek dressed in place of Zac Jones and we knew Jaroslav Halak would start in place of Igor Shesterkin
Kreider-Zibanejad-Kakko Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière Vesey-Chytil-Goodrow Hunt-Carpenter-Reaves
Lindgren-Fox Miller-Trouba Hajek-Schneider
Halak Shesterkin
Scratches: Blais (upper body), Kravtsov (upper body), Jones
A few thoughts: 1) The loss - three games in four nights, traveling from St. Paul to Manitoba on Thursday, facing a team having their home opener for the second straight game with Helly standing on his head as well. Halak was very good early and most of the game but the Rangers just ran out of gas in the third. I would have loved a 3-0 start, but 2-1 is a fine start and the team has a pair of winnable games upcoming.
2) Hunt had a beautiful goal, stopping the puck with his skate and roofing the puck short side over Helly. With Carpenter likely sidelined, Hunt should remain in the lineup. Sammy Blais, who missed the first three games of the season, skated with Jimmy Vesey and Filip Chytil on the third line in practice Sunday. Hunt was on the fourth line with Barclay Goodrow taking Carpenter's spot and Ryan Reaves on the wing. Vitali Kravtsov, sidelined since opening night, skated in a non-contact jersey today, meaning he likely is out tomorrow but is a possibility for Thursday.
3) Carpenter suffered a cut behind his ear during the Jets' game from a skate blade. The picture below shows just how bad the cut is and how lucky - as odd as that sounds - he got. Seeing where the skate blade hit and the extent of the cut, Carpenter could have been injured a lot worse. Not surprisingly, he did not practice Sunday and I don't expect him to play tomorrow.
Ryan Carpenter good Lord. pic.twitter.com/ktAdIUS9Tc
— New York Rangerstown (@NYRangerstown) October 15, 2022
4) The salary cap - Larry Brooks laid out nicely several of the salary cap issues with the league. Why the NHL has not tried to work with the PA and figure out a solution is beyond me. But teams are playing with no bench or cap room, which if a short-term injury arises, they have no recourse and will have to dress less than 12 skaters or six defensemen.
It was Mickey Mouse Time in Edmonton on Wednesday when the Oilers took the ice one man short, with a 17-plus-two lineup, because of flat cap issues created by COVID-19. And that will not be unique to this club, this time. That is the stuff of garage leagues.Teams that plotted their business responsibly while anticipating an annual increase to the cap have been cut off at the knees by terms of a collective bargaining agreement extension forged in a time of economic — and psychological — duress.
As of Saturday, according to CapFriendly, five teams had zero cap space and another six owned space of less than $250,000, all an injury or two away from calamity. That represents more than a third of the league. Thirteen teams are dipping into long-term injured reserve replenishment.
Right now, what's happening is not working, and teams who signed deals prior to the pandemic are suffering due to the lack of rise in the cap. Brooks' suggestion covers the future. Granted, this presumes that the projected rise does occur and nothing else impacts the increase, but it smooths out the rise - borrowing for the future for years 1 and 2 - allowing some cap flexibility. The league does not appear inclined to follow the NBA model with Larry Bird rights etc. or paying luxury tax as an option, so a flat cap it is.
Here’s how: The NHL has projected that the cap will increase approximately $9.5 million, from this year’s $82.5M to $92M in 2025-26. That anticipates a $1M increase next year, a $4M-$4.5M increase the following season, and another $4M-$4.5M increase for 2025-26.Instead of applying that formula, the league (with advise and consent provided by the PA) should divide the three-year $9.5M increase equally, starting with 2023-24. Thus, a $3.15M increase for each of the next three seasons, which could be adjusted in concert with revenue projections.
For the here and now, Ray Ferraro on the Ray and Dregs podcast put forth a really good suggestion. Have a three man taxi squad in the minors. If any of the teams flush against the cap suffer a short-term injury, one of those plays can be recalled without impacting the cap. Once the original player returns, the promoted player goes back to the minors. This way teams can play with a full roster and not dress less than the maximum because they don't have enough room to add anyone. Not ideal but a creative solution to the problem.
As a reminder, I am out of pocket tonight through Tuesday night for the final Jewish holiday of the season.