The Rangers (34-26-4) off their 4-3 comeback win over the Hurricanes on Friday have an early start at MSG on Sunday facing the Red Wings (29-21-13). Despite all their injuries this season, including Jimmy Howard, Pavel Datsyuk. Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Stephen Weiss etc., Mike Babcock has found a way to keep the Red Wings in playoff contention. At the deadline, Detroit paid a hefty price in giving up Calle Jarnkok, though there are rumors he may go back to Sweden, to acquire Michigan native David Legwand. Due to all the players out, Legwand is now likely the de-facto top center and he lived up that status with two goals and two assists while Gustav Nyqvist had a goal and three assists and Franzen, now recovered from his concussion, contributed two goals and two assists, to give up 11 in his last five games, in a 7-4 win over the Devils on Friday.Detroit is 3-1-1 since the break, but have not won two in a row since November. A battle of Original Six teams today at the Garden.
Despite some bobbles, New York finally turned it up in the third Friday. Coach Alain Vigneault shifted lines during the contest, both upfront and on the blue line, but settled back into sticking with the usual combinations. That is expected to continue, meaning that Raphael Diaz, Justin Falk and Derek Dorsett will be healthy scratches once again. In today's contest, Henrik Lundqvist aims to pick up his 300th win, attempting to join Mike Richter as the only Rangers' goalies to notch that mark as a Ranger.
Lineups:
RANGERS
Kreider – Stepan – Nash Hagelin – Richards – St. Louis Pouliot – Brassard – Zuccarello Boyle – Moore – Carcillo
McDonagh – Girardi Staal – Stralman Moore – Klein
Henrik Lundqvist (starting) Cam Talbot
RED WINGS
Nyquist - Legwand - Franzen Tatar - Sheahan - Jurco Abdelkader - Andersson - Alfredsson Miller - Glendenning - Bertuzzi
Kronwall - Ericsson Quincey - DeKeyser Smith - Lashoff
Jimmy Howard (starter) Jonas Gustavsson
Injuries: Weiss, Kindl, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Helm, Cleary
Larry Brooks reported today that Anton Stralman rejected an offer before the Olympics in the three-year, $9 million range. Stralman, who is the final season of a two-year deal paying him $1.7 per season, sees heavy minutes on the right side of the second pairing with Marc Staal. that Kevin Klein, who the Rangers acquired for Michael Del Zotto and is playing on the third duo, is making $2.9 mil per for the next four seasons after this one.
We had spoken earlier this year how the Rangers should lock up Stralman based upon his fine play and how three or four year offer around three-mil per seemed fair. Recently, Stralman's play has fallen off, though that shouldn't preclude trying to re-sign him. That said, having Klein does give the team a fall-back option if Stralman walks with his role likely to be filled by Connor Allen, Dylan McIlrath or possibly Raphael Diaz, who is a UFA making $1.225 mil this season. I would expect the Rangers to up the offer to either three years at around $3.75 per or possibly go four and 14 for Stralman but no higher and if he does come back, look for McIlrath to be dealt to obtain a pick in this or next year's draft.
I will get more into the thought of amnestying Brad Richards in another blog, but since it was brought up in the comments here is my view, which mirrors several others. As much as it make sense to buyout Richards, including to free up cap room to sign or re-sign others and open a spot for JT Miller to be a full-time regular, I just don't see it happening as we sit here on March 9. The Rangers brought in Martin St. Louis, to improve the offense, banking on the reunion with Richards to do that. Plus, a big selling point for MSL to come to NY, beyond the family reasons, was for him to play again with Richards. With designs on re-signing St. Louis when his deal expires after next year, I doubt the Rangers jeopardize that by jettisoning his best friend and line mate. The hope clearly has to be that they go at least several more good seasons from Richards, and if he does decline, it comes when the cap his risen, so the adverse impact of that cap hit isn't felt as much, especially if he opts to retire in any of his final three seasons, when the hit would be the highest based on the variance between his salary and AAV.