Blog Archives
Rangers aim to start season strong on the road in Chicago
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers are back! Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
The long wait is finally over, and New York Rangers hockey is back!
The New York Rangers will begin their 89th season in the NHL on the road against the defending Stanley Cup Champions, fellow Original Six franchise, the Chicago Blackhawks. This is now the eighth straight season that the Rangers begin the season away from Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers will have to watch as they raise yet another Championship banner into the rafters at the United Center, a reminder of what has eluded them over the past few seasons. Perhaps the Rangers could use this as a source of motivation and work towards having this ceremony at MSG next season.
Tonight’s matchup is a game between two of the elite teams from last season. The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy last season with a franchise record 113 points, while the Blackhawks won their third Stanley Cup since 2010. Read the rest of this entry
Six Questions the Rangers face heading into opening night
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Each season, fans and analysts have plenty of questions regarding their team as the season draws near. The Rangers are no different. While the preseason answered the questions about depth, lines and defensive pairings, a lot remains unanswered.
This is a very important year for the franchise, with new GM Jeff Gorton at the helm and the Rangers looking to get oven the final hurdle and win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1994.
Here are some of the biggest questions that the Rangers face heading into the 2015-16 season. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers roster decisions may hint at a future trade
Bobby Bevilacqua
Raphael Diaz cleared waivers, but where does his future lie? Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
After a successful summer and some smart moves to improve the roster from top to bottom, the Rangers headed into training camp with some questions. Who would play center, would the prospects finally crack the roster, and what would the line look like? These were just a few of the questions that plagued Vigneault and his staff.
With the preseason over, there are still a fair amount of questions that remain unanswered.
The Rangers current roster situation doesn’t make much sense. During the preseason, Vigneault talked about wanting to keep eight defensemen and 13 forwards, but wasn’t sure if they could fit it under the cap. Instead, the Rangers decided to keep 14 forwards and push themselves right up against the salary cap. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers “minor” offseason moves proving to be not so minor
Bobby Bevilacqua
Viktor Stalberg is just one of the many successful depth moves made by Jeff Gorton to improve the roster, prepare them for any potential injuries, and give them options at other positions. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
The Rangers didn’t make any big splashes in free agency like they usually do. No huge signings, no blockbuster trades. And that’s why people wrote off their offseason moves as just slight depth moves, and not major improvements.
But if you look at the situation that Vigneault faced during final cuts after last year’s preseason games and compare it to now, those so-called “minor moves” are actually pretty darn important.
Last year, the Rangers were in a lot of trouble before the season started, losing Derek Stepan to a broken leg. He was slated to be their number one center, and Vigneault didn’t have Brian Boyle or Brad Richards anymore to step up as a substitute. Read the rest of this entry
BREAKING: Rangers set lines for practice, and likely season; Diaz and Megna waived
Bobby Bevilacqua
Oscar Lindberg (L) and Viktor Stalberg look on during the preseason game against the Bruins. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Although nothing is official yet, it appears that we have the finalized Rangers roster heading into the season opener.
Here are the lines from today’s morning practice:
Rick Nash-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Kevin Hayes
Viktor Stalbreg-Oscar Lindberg-JT Miller
Dominic Moore-Jarret Stoll-Jesper Fast
Spare: Emerson Etem Read the rest of this entry
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