The New York Rangers/Blue Jackets face the Columbus Blue Jackets/Rangers at MSG tonight. The game, which is the fourth of a nine-game homestand for the Blueshirts, has the feel of a family reunion, though some members are missing. It will be the first time that Rick Nash, John Moore and Derek Dorsett face their former Columbus friends while the same applies for Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov. However, injuries will sideline Derick Brassard (sore butt) and Marian Gaborik (knee) will miss the contest.
With both squads now in the Metro Division, this would be a key game regardless of the circumstances, but the Rangers recent struggles coupled with the absences of Marc Staal (concussion) and Ryan Callahan (Grade 2 MCL strain in left knee) add another layer of importance to the contest. Add in the return of the aforementioned prior Rangers, the move into a top-four role of Michael Del Zotto, reinsertion to the lineup of Benoit Pouliot and Taylor Pyatt due to the Callahan and Brassard injuries along with the debut of Dylan McIlrath and what will prove to be a riled up MSG, and you have enough subplots to last a while.
McIlrath, who the Rangers selected 10th overall in the 2010 draft, was viewed as a bit of a project when he was selected. His status and view as to the selection as a whole in the eyes of Rangers' fans took a bit of a hit when Cam Fowler, who New York bypassed and went to Anaheim, had a big rookie campaign in the year he was taken. Despite Fowler's struggles the next two seasons that little to mollify and pacify those who viewed McIlrath as a bust. Add in how well Fowler has played this year and you have a fanbase chomping at the bit to see McIlrath. The Rangers wisely were patient with him letting him develop in Hartford under the tutelage of Wolfpack coach Ken Gernander and Jeff Beukeboom, whose style should be that McIlrath tries to mirror, and should benefit from having Ulf Samuelsson and Jim Schoenfeld as coaches to learn from in the NHL. McIlrath was third in the AHL with nine fighting majors, and carries the nickname of “The Undertaker," though Jess Rubinstein said he prefers Truck to that moniker. McIlrath probably needs more seasonING, but I would expect him to establish his physical presence early and try and play a simple game while replacing Justin Falk to mask the skating and on-ice decision making deficiencies he has. It will be nice to have someone in the lineup who won't allow his teammates to have liberties taken against them.
The absences of Staal and Callahan and Brassard take a bit chunk out of a struggling Rangers squad. Plus knowing that your coach believes he does not have the talent needed to play the style he was can't help the psyche of a team on the possible precipice of disaster. A slow start or deficit could be enough for the Garden faithful to turn even more on this squad. Someone like a Brandon Dubinsky, who most of you know I loved but whose cap hit, lack of production and overall deterioration of his game here mandated a move, would be huge as he would assume the mantle of leader on the ice and play with the heart and soul needed. You can say the same about a Brandon Prust but neither one of those players are walking through the door in the Red, White and Blue of the Rangers. In addition, making a deal to jumpstart the team, like the Gaborik one last year, is one possible option but unless the team itself starts to believe and play like they can win and has a major 180-degree attitude adjustment, it may be no matter who you bring in won't matter. Success breeds success and confidence breeds confidence, and the Rangers are playing with little of the latter leading to none of the former. Adding talent could help the latter lead to the former, but right now, it's up to those in the room, on the bench and in the GM/owners and count me amongst those that have little belief that right now a change for the better is in the air.
I hope I am wrong, but right now this is a team adrift at sea needing a rescue that appears far off in the distance at best. Personally, I think it's too early for a complete tear down, especially knowing how James Dolan wants this team to make the playoffs given the Knicks slow start and fact he is still paying John Tortorella. I can see a smaller deal to infuse some offensive talent, especially with Callahan out and the others struggling, but selling off major assets is not in the cards right now. In addition, given how bunched up the Metro Division is and how despite the lousy the team is still in contention for an auto berth to the playoffs as the third seed, expecting Girardi or Callahan to go to bring back LT assets, or Stepan to go to try and get an Evander Kane are unlikely. Could MDZ or Brassard go, sure, but given their slow starts and histories, what are they bringing back? Maybe Sather makes a surprise deal like last year to turn an asset into multiple ones to fill several holes, but I would be shocked if a major deal happens. For now, we may be stuck with what we have with a small boost to come on board in a deal, but as we have seen, that likely may not be enough.
Projected Lineup: Kreider-Stepan-Zuccarello Hagelin-Richards-Nash Pyatt-Boyle-Dorsett Pouliot-Moore-Asham
McDonagh-Girardi Del Zotto-Stralman Moore-McIlrath
Lundqvist