The Rangers (21-20-3, 45 points), fresh off their 4-3 shootout loss to Columbus, take a major step up in class facing the reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks (29-7-9, 67 points) Wednesday at the United Center. The Blueshirts, who have an impressive seven Olympians, face a Chicago squad that boasts 10 Olympians, are 6-0-4 in their 10 and have a two-point lead over St. Louis in the Central Division while trailing Anaheim by two points for top seed in the West and right now, in the NHL. To give you a sense on just how potent the Chicago offense is, they have scored 167, which is first in the NHL by 12 over the Blues, 20 over the Penguins, the top-scoring team in the East, and 59 goals above the Rangers. If the team has a "weakness," it's stopping the puck, as they have allowed 124 goals, though much of that occurred earlier in the season, they have a solid blueline and Chicago now has Corey Crawford, who was out with an injury and more than ably replaced by Antti Raanta, back between the pipes.
Now that the Olympic teams have been chosen, my hope is that debate on who should and should not be in will die down at least until the Games start (though I know that's wishful thinking). Maybe Rick Nash and Derek Stepan were doing too much to impress, though as we have discussed, I view that argument as a copout. But if their selections jumpstart their games, which I think happened to Nash over the weekend even before the selection and Stepan has been a bit better lately, it works for me.
For now, I am all trade talked out. Be trading or not trading Del Zotto. Whether Girardi and/or Callahan should be dealt because they will want too much, dollars and years, to come back or to improve a roster that has no realistic shot at making a run. If Brassard, who despite his early-season struggles has 11 points his last 16 games, needs to go for a scorer. We can go on and on and I am sure we win, but for now, and possibly at least until the Olympic break, this looks to be our team, for better or worse. So get behind it while also recognizing the flaws while also keeping an eye on the possibility - and not probability - of deals that could occur, because if not, we will make ourselves batty discussing and re-discussions and hashing and re-hashing the same arguments daily.
Rangers’ lineup, (updated: not the same as Monday, Carcillo in, Miller out:
Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Rick Nash Carl Hagelin-Brad Richards-Ryan Callahan Benoit Pouliot-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello Brian Boyle-Dominic Moore-Daniel Carcillo
Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi Marc Staal-Anton Stralman Michael Del Zotto-John Moore
Henrik Lundqvist
Pat Leonard wrote the following today: "Once the Rangers return from Chicago, they must improve at home (8-10-3) in order to challenge for a playoff berth. Beginning Friday night against the visiting Stars, Alain Vigneault’s club will play seven of its next eight games, 10 of its next 14 (which breaks down as Home Games: Dallas, Philly, Tampa, Detroit, Washington, Islanders, St. Louis, Islanders, Colorado and Edmonton, Traditional Road Games: Ottawa and Pitt and Stadium Series (Road Games): Devils and Islanders), and 13 of its next 18 at the Garden. That 18-game stretch will take the Rangers through the Olympic break until March 6, before they will close the regular season with an imposing 12 of 19 games on the road." If the team can't make any inroads on home ice, even with an imposing schedule, then that end stretch could kill them.