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Rangers Look to Open Season with Back-To-Back Road Wins
Drew Williams
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
The New York Rangers will faceoff Friday night against a revamped Columbus Blue Jackets team at Nationwide Arena, and will look to build on a 3-2 win over Chicago in their season opener.
This Metropolitan Division matchup will certainly be different from last year, as Columbus added a big name in the offseason in Brandon Saad, at the expense of forward Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin, Artem Anisimov, Corey Tropp, and a fourth-round pick in 2016. The addition of Saad makes for a potent top line for Columbus, as he will play with center Ryan Johansen and winger Nick Foligno.
The Rangers lines will stay the same in Columbus, according to SNY. Read the rest of this entry
What we learned from the Rangers season opener
Bobby Bevilacqua
- Oscar Lindberg seems like a bona fide pro. His performance against the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks was an encouraging sign of what is to come, and he was my first star from the game.. Lindberg opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game, killing the atmosphere at the United Center. He nearly scored again, but was denied in front by Crawford. For a lot of the night, Lindberg was the best forward on the team. He was a monster defensively, won six of the nine faceoffs he took, and helped spark the offensive production from the third line. Vigneault trusted him enough to try him out as the third line center, giving him more offensive freedom and opportunities to score. Lindberg’s performance, and the whole line’s performance, is part of the reason why there’s no lineup change for tomorrow. Excellent first game from Lindberg.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
- JT Miller was Lindberg’s linemate last night, and my goodness was he impressive. Miller kicked off the night with an assist on Lindberg’s goal, making a sweet cross crease pass right to the rookie’s stick. He made an equally impressive pass to Keith Yandle, picking up a secondary assist on Kevin Klein’s goal. While I said that I thought that Chris Kreider could eclipse 30 goals this season, or in the near future, I also said that JT Miller could easily be a 40 point player. Vigneault knows him and trusts him now, which is great for his confidence.
- Speaking of Chris Kreider, he was playing like a man possessed against Chicago. He was effectively using his blend of speed and strength to pressure the opposing defenders. If he hit the net a bit more consistently, I’m sure he would have scored a goal or two. And I think he will score in Columbus.
- No need to worry about Kevin Hayes. After a poor preseason, Hayes fit in perfectly alongside Derek Stepan and fellow Boston College Eagle Chris Kreider. There was some concern over whether or not Hayes could still be a playmaker on the wing, and it seems like he can be. His assist on Derek Stepan’s goal showed excellent awareness and hockey instincts. On top of that, he won all five of the faceoffs that he took. Hayes can stickhandle in a phone booth and pass just as well as anyone on the team, so I’m excited to see him in a top six role.
Which NHL teams improved the most this offseason?
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of psdcovers.com
Expect some new playoff challengers for the 2015-16 NHL season.
Every season, there are a few teams that surprise everyone, surge into the playoffs and have an improved season overall. This past year we saw the Winnipeg Jets, the Calgary Flames and the Ottawa Senators all climb their way into the playoffs, bringing new blood into the chase for the Stanley Cup.
This year, it will be no different, and there will be new teams rising in the standings, catching everyone off guard and making a push to get into the playoffs. A few teams have made huge strides in improving their teams, and could be surprise contenders during this upcoming season.
Here are some of the most improved teams heading into the upcoming season. Read the rest of this entry
What Metropolitan teams will challenge the Rangers in 2015-16
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers look to be a top team in the East yet again, but which teams will rival them in their own division? Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
That trend continued this year, with the team making it all the way to the Conference Finals yet again, falling in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and just missing out on a second straight Stanley Cup Finals appearance.
Alain Vigneault and his squad appear to be in good shape again for another run at a Stanley Cup Championship, keeping the majority of their core intact, and bringing in some nice pieces through trades and free agency. Some work remains to be done, like re-signing Derek Stepan, but for most part, this team is in good shape.
But the Metropolitan Division is getting better and better with each passing year. No longer is it dominated by two teams, which has really been the Penguins and Rangers for a few years. There are other teams in the division that have been getting better and better. Read the rest of this entry
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