New York Rangers News and Rumors 9-26-16
With training camp opening last week and preseason hockey starting tomorrow (yay!), there is plenty of news and rumors floating around again here in Rangersland.
While I don’t think Maxim Lapierre is complete garbage, if Alain Vigneault is giving him a serious look at a roster spot, then he is definitely going to give Tanner Glass a serious look at a roster spot. In case you forgot, Tanner Glass is really, really bad at hockey. Hopefully, Josh Jooris scores 200 goals in the preseason so AV will give him the nod.
Some people (including myself) believe that there is still a move to be made with this defense (although with each passing day it gets a little bit more disheartening.) The fact of the matter is the New York Rangers desperately need Skjei to have a good season and step up into a top 4 role or this team is more or less screwed.
The back of this year’s #NYRTC shirt.
Together We Are RangersTown pic.twitter.com/21RnjQT8PG
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 23, 2016
No “grab it” in the slogan? Well, that’s new.
Who are the best camp performers so far?
One of the most important players for the New York Rangers heading into camp was Chris Kreider. We also questioned how Mika Zibanejad would perform on his new team, and how the Russian rookie Pavel Buchnevich would transition to the most competitive hockey league in the world.
“They were by far the best line and the three best players today in practice.” — Vigneault on Kreider – Zibanejad – Buchnevich line. #NYRTC
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 25, 2016
That is very comforting to hear.
Also, absolutely no New York Rangers blogger or fan threw out the idea of this line. I think I really like it. You got two big bodies in Kreider and Zibanejad with the skinny Buchnevich who probably has the best shot of the three (who each have good shots in their own right). Also, would there be a quicker line in the league than this one? I’m not too sure.
I give AV a lot of credit for his creativity there. It is very good to hear that all three of them came into camp ready to go.
AV said Kevin Hayes was the most improved player in terms of conditioning heading into #NYRTC.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 25, 2016
If the Rangers could get Kevin Hayes to breakout out this year, this team is going to be scoring at the highest clip they have scored at in the past 10 years.
The First Game Roster
OFFICIAL: Here is the #NYR lineup for tomorrow’s pre-season game @TheGarden vs NYI. pic.twitter.com/dD2bkxtSsW
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 26, 2016
And soon after that the team announced the likely power play units for the game
#NYR PP units at practice: Kreider – Zibanejad – Buchnevich – Clendening – Pirri; Kovacs – Stromwall – C. Brown – Bodie – Skjei. #NYRTC.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 26, 2016
I REALLY like that first power play unit. Obviously, we already talked about the Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich line but I like having Pirri and Clendening out there too.
Clendening has had some sneaky offense in his game over his short career (11 points in 50 career games, 6 points in 20 games last season). Brandon Pirri is a goal scorer with a great shot. I like the idea of him firing that baby from the point.
The second unit should be… interesting.
I like Stromwall and Kovacs together because the two of them always seem to find themselves on the same line whether it be overseas or here. My main question is why in the world is Chris Brown here? Brown is not a goal scorer. He is a 4th liner at best in this league. I think that it makes little to no sense to have him on the powerplay unit over somebody like Nicklas Jensen, who does have some offensive talent.
It’s been an interesting couple of days at New York Rangers training camp, and the fact that a real, live hockey game will be going on in the Garden tomorrow night makes me so excited!
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