Update to the Update: Nash is out of the lineup with neck spasms. John Moore is out of the lineup with Matt Hunwick in. With Nash out, Kevin Hayes will move up to the top line and Oscar Lindberg will center the third line.
#NYR Hayes-Brass-Zucc, Kreid-Step-MSL, Hag-Lindberg-MIller, Glass-DMoo-Stempniak. McD-G, Staal-Klein, Hun-Boyle. Talbot
Update: Word broke around 2pm that the Rangers had promoted Oscar Lindberg due to possible illness, believed to be the flu, for someone in tonight's lineup. That news was confirmed around 4pm that Lindberg has in fact been promoted. No one yet has been given as to who is ill or if that person will sit, requiring Lindberg to play.
Lindberg showed in the SEL as a 19 and 20-year old he could win face offs. This year, he has taken that skill but also shown he could score, especially lately. Overall, Lindberg has 16 goals and 20 assists in 54 games for Hartford (AHL).. But, he as been hot lately, scoring 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in the last 29 games for the Wolf Pack. For a really good read on Lindberg, see Adam Herman column this morning on him (http://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2015/2/24/8091803/should-the-rangers-call-up-oscar-lindberg)
It seems to be that a winger is ill, as Lindberg likely is getting called up to play center with Kevin Hayes shifting to wing. Though, it may be that a center is ill, since Lindberg is really only a center and not someone who could move to wing. He profiles best on the third or fourth line, due to his ability to be very defensively responsible and capabilities in the face off circle.
The Rangers continue their three game homestand Tuesday, facing off against the Flames. New York is 8-1-2 in their last 11 contests, despite some issues with holding leads late. Calgary has fallen one point behind the eighth spot in the West, tied with San Jose and behind Minnesota.
New York has 32 goals the past seven games but just one in their last 17 chances while on the man advantage. Beyond the lack of scoring is the inconsistent approach and attack, resulting in few chances. In an attempt to remediate this, clack Alain Vigneault shifted up the combinations again in practice Monday.
Kevin Hayes was moved up to the top unit, taking Rick Nash's spot in the crease. That change may have been due to Nash receiving a maintenance day but a swap like that with either Hayes or Chris Kreider, as I proposed yesterday, down low would enable Nash to play the half-boards, where he is better suited. Dan Boyle and Martin St. Louis played the points with Derek Stepan and Derick Brassard up front. One will have to move back, so I would think Stepan plays the point with Boyle with MSL on the second unit. Those changes resulted in Matt Zuccarello and Ryan McDonagh getting moved down to the second pairing to play with Kreider, Dan Girardi and JT Miller, with Miller likely the odd man out.
The Rangers tonight will have the same forwards they have used since Jesper Fast went down. The only question is will the wheel spin on John Moore or Matt Hunwick tonight as the sixth d-man. I am predicting Moore is in, but as we have seen with AV, sometimes who he plays appears to have no rhyme or reason, so who knows.
Rick Nash, Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, Marty St. Louis Carl Hagelin, Kevin Hayes, JT Miller Tanner Glass, Dominic Moore, Lee Stempniak
Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi Marc Staal and Kevin Klein John Moore and Dan Boyle
Cam Talbot
The good news was that Jesper Fast, out since Feb. 7 with his sprained knee, wore a non-contact jersey for the second straight day. He was originally expected to miss 2-3 weeks, so given his progress, I would expect him to practice in full late this week and be back in the lineup next week. When he returns, Fast should slot back onto the fourth line, though it's possible, Miller moves down and Fast is on a wing with Hayes and Carl Hagelin.
Everyone should hold their horses on Henrik Lundqvist's return. It's great he is skating and doing some on-ice conditioning but he is still is not any closer to returning. The shots he faced were low to the ice to avoid any possible problems with the vascular issues and he has yet to be cleared. He is not slated to be examined until next week, which means that the Rangers will have to make a tough call as to whether a veteran backup should be acquired prior to the trade deadline. With the other needs that we have discussed and the minimal cap room, acquiring anyone will be tough, let alone someone they could use in a pinch between the pipes.
For the talk that Alexander Burmistrov is available, I agree he is worth a look. But given how far his stick has fallen in the organization and questions as to whether he would be a success in the NHL, I wouldnt pay that much to get him. Yes, he could be a mentor for Pavel Buchnevich, but the Rangers currently have 48 people under contract, leaving two available contacts. As such, if NY could get a D and an F, besides Burmistrov, at the deadline, one player would have to move. That may not be difficult since cap room will need to be freed up, but if Burmistrov is over 900k, even if he sent to the minors, that variance impacts the already narrow cap room the Rangers have.
After tonight's game, the Rangers face Arizona at home on Thursday and are in Philly on Saturday to close the month. Thursday would be a good place to give Mackenzie Skapski a start, as Jimbo and others pointed out. With 15 games in March and no clear indication when Lundqvist will be back, it's important to give Talbot a blow to keep him fresh. The Rangers pick up two of their games in hand on the Islanders in March, as they play 13 games. In April, the Rangers okay six games and the Islanders five to reach the 82 games for the season.