If you look at the four-year, $17.4 million commitment Brendan Smith and the Rangers made to one another on June 28 as a kind of marriage, it is safe to say that neither party thought the “for worse” part of it would arrive so soon. But it has. And through a confluence of circumstances involving […]
Read MoreInfection in his left eye, benchings in his very recent past, an uninspiring stat line through the first 16 games of his second NHL season — and now, the Broadway Hat atop his head. Jimmy Vesey had to ask exactly the proper way to wear the fedora bestowed upon the Rangers’ team-picked best player from […]
Read MoreSo , how about we start a list of the Rangers’ elite skill guys over the last decade? “Rick and Gabby, obviously,” Marc Staal said, referring to Rick Nash and Marian Gaborik. “Nikolay Zherdev was really talented, no question about that. “And if you want to go way back, Michael Nylander, with his little plays […]
Read MoreHenrik Lundqvist debuted his new mask with the shiny silver cage on Halloween, what turned out to be a game when the Rangers goalie backstopped his team to a victory over the Golden Knights. It just so happened to also be the first game of a winning streak that extended to five straight games following […]
Read MoreClick:bronze valve It is one of life’s eternal mysteries, like which came first, the chicken crossing the road or the egg hatching? In this case, as it applies to the Rangers, it is this: Are the Rangers playing better hockey because Henrik Lundqvist is elevating his game or is the Swede the beneficiary of his […]
Read MoreBrian Boyle’s first goal since being diagnosed with cancer wasn’t enough to break the Devils out of their slide. Leon Draisaitl scored with 16.3 seconds left in overtime to lift the Oilers to a 3-2 win over the Devils at Prudential Center on Thursday night. Boyle opened the scoring as he jammed a loose puck […]
Read MoreIt came early this year, the annual reminder that the NHL trade market is not established by some league consensus of what a player is worth, but rather only what one (or two) people are willing to pay. So the feeling that Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic was going to come down on his sky-high […]
Read MoreIt seems like getting sick didn’t make Boo Nieves lose his job. The Rangers’ fourth-line winger is expected to return from a three-game absence because of a stomach bug when his team plays host to the Oilers on Saturday afternoon at the Garden. Nieves got ill after a bad meal in Florida last Friday, but […]
Read MoreIt’s a little like a yin-and-yin, without the yang — but it’s working. Since Rangers coach Alain Vigneault put Brady Skjei and Kevin Shattenkirk, two of his best offensive defensemen, together five games ago, they arguably have become his most reliable pair. The two terrific skaters, who both like to get up in the rush […]
Read MoreDALLAS — This Islanders loss left coach Doug Weight steaming. Ben Bishop made 14 saves in his 20th career shutout, and the Stars beat the Islanders 5-0 on Friday night. John Klingberg had a goal and two assists for Dallas, and fellow defenseman Esa Lindell added a goal and an assist. Weight called out his […]
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