Blog Archives
Kevin Hayes and avoiding the sophomore slump
Bobby Bevilacqua
Kevin Hayes will be entering the second season of his NHL career, but will he fall victim to the dreaded Sophomore Slump? Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
For example, Nathan McKinnon scored 10 less goals and 15 less assists this season after capturing the rookie of the year award for the 2013-14 season with his 63 point (24-39-64) season. Jonathan Huberdeau had a strong showing with 14 goals and 17 assists in the lockout shortened 2012-13 season, but failed to match that mark the next year despite playing in 69 games. However, he finished this last season with 15 goals and 39 assists, and is starting to show flashes of what the Panthers saw in his rookie season.
The Rangers have a few second year players in their lineup, such as JT Miller and Jesper Fast, but perhaps the most important one is Kevin Hayes, the big man out of Boston College. Read the rest of this entry
Quick Hits: The future of NHL advertising, Carl Hagelin may have wanted to stay, NHL top 200 players
Bobby Bevilacqua
Welcome back to quick hits, and here is some of the news surrounding the Rangers and the NHL.
NHL moves to Adidas for production of hockey jerseys (TSN.ca)
Adidas is taking over jersey production, and advertising is possible. Do we really want the NHL to look like this? Photo courtesy of Thomas Oswald/Keystone/AP.
Every once in a while, the NHL changes the makers of their jerseys, usually bringing some slight changes and style choices with them. For the start of the 2017-18 season, Adidas will be taking over the jersey production from Reebok, a sports brand owned by Adidas.
Adidas beat out Under Armour and Bauer Hockey for the jersey contract, a deal which will pay the league $35 million. Neither side commented, but the deal is expected to be formally announced in September.
This could mean some significant changes to the jerseys, including the trademark three stripe design down the shoulders and arms. But there could be an even bigger change coming with Adidas, who design a lot of the soccer jerseys in leagues like the MLS and the Premier League. Read the rest of this entry
McDonagh and Yandle: A match made in hockey heaven
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers have not had a really good offensive, puck moving defenseman in over a decade. Now that they do have one in Keith Yandle, it’s time for Vigneault to utilize him in a top-pair role. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Ever since making his NHL debut with the Rangers back in the 2010-11 season, McDonagh has spent the majority of his career, especially in recent seasons, paired alongside Dan Girardi, the veteran defenseman that has played his entire career in New York.
For the most part, the pairing has been very successful, regularly playing 20+ minutes a night, facing the best of the best in the NHL, and limiting the offensive capabilities of the other players for the better part of the past four seasons.
But for the upcoming season, Alain Vigneault may want to consider breaking up that longtime defensive partnership, and instead having the captain play alongside Keith Yandle, who will be playing in his first full season with the Rangers. Read the rest of this entry
Clear your calendars: Games to watch out for in the 2015-16 season
Bobby Bevilacqua
Hockey season is around the corner, and excitement is building. Here are some of the biggest games to watch out for throughout the season. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Last season, the Rangers season came to a disappointing end in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. But with every new season comes new opportunities, and another chance to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Any game can be exciting, because you never really know what will happen in each game. But here are some games that should be interesting, exciting, or eventful in the 2015-16 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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