Nobody understood the signing of Tanner Glass to a 3-yr, $4.5 million dollar deal. This former 9th round pick is playing like a 10th rounder in his first season in New York. Last year he didn’t score a single point in the playoffs but he’s a guy that Alain Vigneault clearly wanted so here he is. Now the big question is how much longer can he stay in the lineup?
After 35 games he has 1 point, he’s a -13 and the team went on a winning streak when he had the mumps. Some would say the mumps and Rick Nash are the Rangers MVP’s this season. At 31, even if he were a great penalty killer, and he isn’t, is that enough to stay on the team?
It’s one thing to have a veteran presence on a young team, and the Rangers aren’t that team. But last night, as an example, he played 10 minutes, had 3 hits, no points, and played 30 seconds on the PK. In a cap strapped world he’s now a drain and the next part of the equation is to consider if he should get the “Mike Richards” treatment.
First up would be J.T. Miller. At 21, he’s already being yo-yo’d more than you’d want to for a young player. He has 10 points in 25 games and yet each turnover gets him another seat on the bench. I’d still like to see him play 25-30 straight games to see what they have in him.
What about Danny Kristo? In 106 games he has 68 points in the AHL. He’s a plus player this year. Martin St. Louis tutored him this training camp and he’s a better player for it. At 24, he’s yet to make his NHL debut and there’s no reason he shouldn’t have gotten a look-see. He is a great skater and he’s a positive guy in the room. I’ve known him since his college days and if the team can’t decide on Miller then play Kristo.
Trade? Most likely this is what will happen and then Glass will be a healthy scratch almost every night. With the Canadian dollar faltering the chances of the cap going up are remote. The Rangers should move Zuccarello who is likely going elsewhere and if they couple him with a pick or a prospect maybe they can get a higher end forward? Or get a defenseman and play Miller and hope for the best. No team will want Glass, that much I know.
If there’s one player who would be a magical fit for the Rangers it would be Antoine Vermette.
Points aside, and he has more than Derek Stepan, and Im not suggesting he’ll be on the first line either. He’d get inserted on the third line and Moore on the 4th. He’s a face-off shark. Hayes then gets moved back to the wing and Glass never plays again. It’s a pipe dream but this would make the club better.
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