Category Archives: Rangers Updates

According to Larry Brooks, the Rangers offseason plans are absolutely insane

Bobby Bevilacqua

derek stepan and chris kreider 11-23

Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.

Last night, Larry Brooks posted a column full of updates about the Rangers and their plans for the future, throwing gasoline on the fire of trade rumors and setting up what could be a potential roller-coaster of an offseason.

First off, Brooks wrote that the Rangers do not plan to buy out Girardi and eat dead cap space, which is understandable to an extent. But they also have not asked him to waive his NMC, and don’t plan on doing it. The 32 year old defenseman has four years left on his contract with a $5.5 million cap hit.

You know where I stand on this deal, and if the Rangers plan on having Girardi penciled in as their top pairing, right side defenseman, then the team isn’t going to improve at all. I understand why you wouldn’t want dead cap space right now but there should be an effort made to try and infuse youth and new, more skilled players into the defense. Read the rest of this entry

BREAKING: Rangers sign Pavel Buchnevich to Entry Level Contract

Bobby Bevilacqua

Pavel Buchnevich SKA

Photo courtesy of Claus Andersen/Getty Images.

The long awaited news has finally been announced, with the Rangers breaking the news on Twitter that highly touted Russian prospect Pavel Buchnevich has signed his Entry Level Contract, and will play in North America next season. The deal is believed to be three years with a $925k cap hit. (per CapFriendly)

In this last season in the KHL, Buchnevich scored 16 goals and 37 points in 58 games with the Severstal Cherepovets and SKA St. Petersburg, as well as scoring another three points (1-2-3) in the playoffs. Buch is the best prospect in the Rangers’ system, and his KHL numbers at this age are similar to other Russian NHL players Evgeny Kuznetsov and Vladimir Tarasenko, although on the lower end. Read the rest of this entry

Rangers could sign Buchnevich by this weekend; Moore and Staal not in future plans

Bobby Bevilacqua

pavel buchnevich practice

Pavel Buchnevich during a Rangers scrimmage. Photo courtesy of Paul J Bereswill

Perhaps the most important move for the Rangers to make this summer is an in-house move; signing top prospect Pavel Buchnevich to his first NHL contract. And that just might happen this weekend.

According to the New York Post, there are some hoops both sides have to jump through but it is possible that Buchnevich could sign his Entry Level Contract with the Rangers this weekend.

Buchnevich, 21, was selected in the third round of the 2013 NHL Draft, and has been playing in the KHL for the past two seasons. This year he recorded 16 goals and 37 points as a 20 year old, splitting time between the Severstal Cherepovets and SKA St. Petersburg. His skill-set and talent level has been compared to Evgeny Kuznetsov of the Washington Capitals, which means that he could be an impact player right away. Read the rest of this entry

Adam Huska, Igor Shestyorkin solidify Rangers’ goaltending future, allow for moves to be made

Bobby Bevilacqua

ES_GPG_Gamblers vs. Black Hawks_3.17.15

Adam Huska in net for the Green Bay Gamblers. Photo courtesy of Evan Siegle/Press-Gazette Media

In last year’s NHL Draft, the Rangers selected 6’3” Slovakian goaltender Adam Huska with their seventh round pick, a selection that people didn’t think twice about considering the talent the Rangers already have in their goaltending prospect pool.

Brandon Halverson was considered the brightest goalie prospect in the Rangers organization, winning 40 games with the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds last season in the OHL, and getting regular reps with the USA Juniors team. Mackenzie Skapski was an excellent goalie in the AHL last season, making two NHL starts before a hip injury caused him to rehab for most of this year. Add that with Magnus Hellberg, the goalie prospect acquired from the Nashville Predators in the offseason, and the Rangers are stacked.

So it’s understandable why nobody batted an eye when the Rangers took Adam Huska with the 184th pick of the draft last season. But after being selected, he played well for Slovakia in the WJC, carrying that momentum into an excellent first full season with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL. Read the rest of this entry

Oscar Lindberg undergoes bilateral hip surgery, out six months

Bobby Bevilacqua

oscar lindberg full body good picture 10-18

Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.

The Rangers broke some surprising news today, announcing that Oscar Lindberg had already underwent a successful simultaneous bilateral hip labral repair. The recovery time should be about six months or so.

This is a somewhat common surgery that isn’t uncommon in athletes. Mackenzie Skapski had surgery to repair a torn labrum last season. Lindberg had the surgery on both of his hips. A six month recovery time would mean that he is healthy in November, but potentially not game ready.

This surgery may explain a few things, like perhaps that’s why Vigneault sat him more frequently down the stretch. Lindberg did play in the playoffs, including Game 5, but he was used sparingly after the trade deadline. Read the rest of this entry