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When it comes to Rangers’ rebuild, rivalry takes backseat

You’ve read that Thursday’s trade, in which the Rangers sent pending free agent winger Michael Grabner to the Devils in exchange for New Jersey’s second-round selection in the 2018 draft plus 20-year-old defenseman Yegor Rykov, was the first ever between the combatants in the 36-year Battle of the Hudson. And that is literally true. But […]

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Chris Kreider’s return a reminder of what Rangers were missing

It didn’t take long for Chris Kreider to remind everyone what the Rangers have been missing. The integral winger returned in Friday night’s 4-1 loss to the Wild at the Garden after missing the previous 24 games with a blot clot that required rib resection surgery. It was a scary moment when he had to […]

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Islanders add depth by dealing with favorite trade partner

The Islanders have enjoyed the return in recent deals with the Oilers and they went back to the bank Saturday for their first trade of the season. Ahead of the trade deadline Monday at 3 p.m., the Islanders acquired defenseman Brandon Davidson from Edmonton in exchange for a 2019 third-round pick. In the midst of […]

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Rangers legendary GM: I know Jeff Gorton’s pain

The man who sat in Jeff Gorton’s seat just over four decades ago is expected at the Garden for Sunday’s Jean Ratelle celebration. General manager to general manager, Emile Francis understands perhaps better than anyone the tear-down, rebuild scenario facing Gorton, because he was forced to initiate the very same action when his beloved team’s […]

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Islanders blow late lead in hard-fought loss to Devils

After believing they had played some good hockey this week, though with just one point in two games to show for it, the Islanders had another chance to win in a playoff-style atmosphere in New Jersey. But if they keep struggling to close out games as they did again Saturday night, they might be in […]

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A fitting tribute for the Devils’ great known as ‘Patty’

And so now we wait. We wait for the Devil of the next generation — perhaps the Devil of this generation — who will join the memorialized Patrik Elias, Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Ken Daneyko and Martin Brodeur at the top of the Rock. Maybe Taylor Hall, maybe Nico Hischier, two kids — hey, Hall […]

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Rangers could face leadership vacuum after trade deadline

The Rangers are rudderless. Perhaps the biggest conundrum that faces general manager Jeff Gorton on the other side of Monday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline might not be the amount of draft picks or prospects he will have amassed — which should be aplenty to fuel a relatively quick rebuild — but who will be the […]

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A team without a country wins hockey gold

GANGNEUNG, South Korea — The Russians triumphed in the no-NHL tournament where they were favored, winning the men’s hockey gold medal at a Winter Olympics where they couldn’t even be called Team Russia, use their colors or celebrate while listening to their anthem. Kirill Kaprizov scored the game-winner as “Team Olympic Athlete From Russia” came […]

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Rangers trade Rick Nash and end an era

And just like that, Rick Nash is no longer a Ranger. After five-plus years with the Blueshirts, Nash was traded to the Bruins on Sunday morning for a 2018 first-round pick; talented NHL winger Ryan Spooner; veteran forward currently in the minors Matt Beleskey; college defenseman Ryan Lindgren and a seventh-round pick in 2019. Nash, […]

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Rangers score big in trade for star who just couldn’t score big one

It was the 9:15 mark of the second overtime of Game 5 in L.A., the Rangers were facing extinction, and here was Derek Stepan laying a gorgeous cross-ice pass onto the stick of Rick Nash for the right-wing one-timer into the yawning near side of the net that would send the Cup final back to […]

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