Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Rangers Rumors

Poll: Who Is The (Second) Best Team In The East?

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The 2017-18 NHL season has not gone to plan. Ask any prognosticator from the preseason where their projected standings compare to those today and you’ll get grim looks and uninterested shrugs. The Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadiens are all far underachieving, while Vegas, Detroit, Winnipeg, Los Angeles and New Jersey are all showing that they shouldn’t be counted out so soon.

Tampa Bay of course, leads the entire league with 32 points and a whopping +28 goal differential through 20 games. Their dominance this year has led to just three regulation losses, and two early favorites for the Hart Trophy (three, if you think Andrei Vasilevskiy has a shot). Right now most would call them the class of the Eastern Conference, and who would disagree? With the best line in hockey, a stud defenseman entering his prime and an up-and-coming Vezina candidate they’re poised to compete for the Stanley Cup for at least the next few years.

But who does that leave in the second slot? Several teams have claims to stake on the silver podium, but each have their warts. Toronto had a struggling goaltender through the first month of the season, while Columbus can’t get their powerplay working properly. The Penguins have been blown out several times while the Devils have won just three of their last nine games.

Vote below on who you think is the second best team in the east, and make sure to leave a comment if you disagree with the original premise of Tampa Bay as the class of the conference. We’ve included all of the teams within 10 points of the Lightning.

Who is the (second) best team in the East?
Toronto Maple Leafs (14-8-0, 28 pts) 30.33% (353 votes)
Pittsburgh Penguins (11-8-3, 25 pts) 18.21% (212 votes)
Columbus Blue Jackets (13-7-1, 27 pts) 18.04% (210 votes)
New York Islanders (11-7-2, 24 pts) 9.28% (108 votes)
New Jersey Devils (12-5-3, 27 pts) 9.02% (105 votes)
New York Rangers (10-9-2 22 pts) 6.79% (79 votes)
Washinton Capitals (11-10-1, 23 pts) 2.23% (26 votes)
Detroit Red Wings (10-8-3, 23 pts) 2.15% (25 votes)
Carolina Hurricanes (9-6-4, 22 pts) 1.55% (18 votes)
Ottawa Senators (8-5-6, 22 pts) 1.37% (16 votes)
Other (leave in comments) 1.03% (12 votes)
Total Votes: 1,164

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Morning Notes: McDonagh, Ekman-Larsson, Kane

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The New York Rangers haven’t encountered this type of season often before, if ever. The team seems to be a bubble team with no true chance of making a deep playoff run or even winning a Stanley Cup. Yet, the team also finds itself with a handful of expiring contracts who could be utilized as key trade chips to refuel their retooling process.

New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes the Rangers need to think about dealing players like Rick Nash, Michael Grabner and Nick Holden and get what they can for them. The scribe believes that general manager Jeff Gorton will have one of the biggest challenges in front of him in a long time as he will have to make a decision on which direction the team should go. Could Nash bring back a first-rounder in next year’s draft and if they can, would it be worth his value anyway? What can they get for Grabner? Should the team go full in and start shopping captain Ryan McDonagh now?

The latter claim, Brooks writes, might make the most sense. The Rangers should be able to bring in a huge haul for McDonagh, who is still in his prime, is locked up until 2019 and is one of the top defensemen in the league. As there are quite a few playoff teams in need of defense, like the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Rangers could truly change the way the franchise is heading at the trade deadline.

New York wouldn’t be better off without McDonagh, but with long-term deals already having been handed out to Kevin Shattenkirk, Marc Staal and Brendan Smith and the young talent the team has on defense in Brady Skjei, Neal Pionk and Anthony DeAngelo, the team should be able to survive without him if they can get a talented scorer in his place.

  • Hidden among yesterday’s stories was TSN’s Bob McKenzie refuting rumors that the Arizona Coyotes are thinking about dealing defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the Toronto Maple Leafs for William Nylander. McKenzie writes that as of Sunday, there had not been one conversation between the two teams about Ekman-Larsson. He also points out that since most teams do not view Nylander as a center, he wouldn’t bring enough of a return for Ekman-Larsson as just a sniper. However, from what McKenzie can see, the Coyotes are not willing to discuss moving Ekman-Larsson as of now. The Atheltic’s Sean Tierney tweeted today that with general manager John Chayka in charge, it’s hard to see the team trading Ekman-Larsson at all.
  • John Vogl of The Buffalo News writes that frustration is hitting in Buffalo as the 5-12-1 Sabres continue to struggle, yet one player is thriving in Evander Kane. Dating back to last year, the 26-year-old wing has scored 40 goals in his last 79 games. He also has 11 points in the last 11 games. Kane added his 12th goal of the season Monday in the team’s 3-2 loss to Columbus. The secret to his success? Shooting the puck. He leads the team with 96 shots on goal this year.

Poll: Which Team Needs Help At Forward The Most?

at CDT | by 3 Comments

In last night’s Insider Trading on TSN, the panel—comprised of Pierre LeBrun, Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger—spoke about the increased demand for top forwards around the league. According to them, the supply isn’t quite there for all these teams to go out and acquire someone impactful, so it’ll have to come down to the highest bidders.

The list of ten teams that McKenzie gave that are in the market for a forward include some surprises like Tampa Bay—who LeBrun clarified are currently looking for a winger to play with Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn—and obvious choices like Anaheim and Montreal.

Columbus put together a trade offer for Matt Duchene, and as LeBrun stated on TSN radio yesterday they’re still in the hunt for an upgrade down the middle. There’s no clear option at center as impressive as Duchene (or Kyle Turris, who was included in the same trade), but players are sure to shake loose as the season progresses.

So, who on this list needs the forward help the most this year? While deciding your vote, make sure to not just take in the offensive struggles but the proximity to Stanley Cup contention for each club. Which team will be the most willing to spend at the deadline, and go after the big fish to put them over the edge?

We’ve included all the teams on McKenzie’s list, but if you feel strongly that another should join the pursuit of another forward make sure to leave your comments below.

Which team needs forward help the most?
Montreal Canadiens 24.60% (185 votes)
Boston Bruins 19.41% (146 votes)
Anaheim Ducks 16.22% (122 votes)
New York Rangers 11.57% (87 votes)
St. Louis Blues 9.18% (69 votes)
Edmonton Oilers 6.78% (51 votes)
Columbus Blue Jackets 5.59% (42 votes)
Florida Panthers 2.79% (21 votes)
Tampa Bay Lightning 2.79% (21 votes)
Ottawa Senators 1.06% (8 votes)
Total Votes: 752

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Metropolitan Notes: Santini, Ho-Sang, Hunwick, Niskanen, Vesey

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The New Jersey Devils got back into the win column Saturday after failing to win their previous four games. Despite that fact, New Jersey remains in first place with a 10-4-2 record in a tough Metropolitan Division. Yet, the team’s 2-1 victory Saturday against the Florida Panthers was a defensive effort in which many players praised the play of unheralded defenseman Steven Santini, according to The Record’s Andrew Gross.

The physical 22-year-old defenseman only played in 38 games a year ago, but is a mainstay on the team’s defense this year. The former second-round pick from 2013, showed off his physicality against Florida with big hits, most notably a hit in which he dumped the Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov into his team’s own bench in the second period. Santini got plenty of ice time with 23:42, was credited with four hits and was smart enough to avoid a penalty when challenged by Panthers’ enforcer Micheal Haley in the third period.

  • New York Islanders Joshua Ho-Sang made the most of his emergency recall Saturday when he scored a goal against the St. Louis Blues last night, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday. Ho-Sang, the team’s first-round pick in 2014, had played six games with the Islanders to start the season, but was sent down to work on improving his in-game mentality — knowing when to drive to the net and when to dump the puck. Ho-Sang had put up two goals and four assists in six games during that span with the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers, but with Anthony Beauvillier day-to-day, Ho-Sang got his chance to redeem himself. He can stay up on an emergency basis for 30 days or 10 games, but the team could always officially recall him as well.
  • Jonathan Bombulie of The Trib Live writes that Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Hunwick, who has already missed 12 games due to a concussion diagnosed on Oct. 17, has hit a plateau in his recovery and will be held off the ice for a few more days. “He’s been having a tough time getting over that last hurdle, and so they want to take a little bit of a different approach to try to get him over that last hump,” coach Mike Sullivan said.
  • NBC Sports Tarik El-Bashir writes that Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen will travel on the team’s upcoming road trip to Nashville and Colorado, according to head coach Barry Trotz. Niskanen, who has been on LTIR since Oct. 14 due to an upper-body injury, will not suit up tonight against the Edmonton Oilers, but could be ready to suit up for one or both of the away games this week. The Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan tweets that Niskanen has been cleared for contact, but is not “full go” and may or may not be ready for games this week. A key veteran defender, the team’s defense would get a big boost upon his return.
  • New York Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey went straight to the dentist after Saturday’s victory over the Edmonton Oilers, according to Newsday’s Steve Zipay. The 24-year-old wing took a Zack Kassian skate to the mouth in the second period. Two of Vesey’s teeth had to be removed from his lip. Despite the injury, Vesey returned for a shift in the third period and wore a protective plastic cage attached to the lower part of his helmet. He is day-to-day.

Boo Nieves Set To Return On Saturday

at CDT | by 1 Comment

  • Rangers center Boo Nieves will return to the lineup today after missing the last three games with a stomach virus, Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post reports. The youngster has made a good impression since being recalled on October 24th as he has a trio of assists in four games while logging a regular shift on New York’s fourth line.

Despite Lack Of Playing Time, Brendan Smith Still Happy In New York

at CDT | by 5 Comments

Brendan Smith’s first full season with the Rangers has not gone as expected.  After being a top-four option down the stretch and in the playoffs, he has been a healthy scratch for four straight games and six times already this season.  That’s not good for someone that the team committed four years and $17.4MM to back in June.  Neither side has to be thrilled with how things have gone so far making it fair to wonder if there could already be buyer’s or seller’s remorse from New York or Smith.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post spoke with Smith’s agent, Anton Thun, who made it clear that the Rangers’ defender has no regret about signing despite the lack of playing time: “I’m not sure who’s the buyer and who’s the seller in this case, but there are no regrets at all from Smitty.  And while I don’t want to speak for the Rangers, I talk to Jeff (Gorton) pretty regularly and I’ve never gotten that impression from him. This is where he wanted to be and this is where he wants to be.”

Alexei Bereglazov Loaned To KHL

at CDT | by 5 Comments

Last we heard on Alexei Bereglazov, a decision was to be made in early November on whether the would utilize his out clause and return to the KHL. The New York Rangers defender has been playing in the AHL all season after being a sought-after free agent this summer. Now here we are in early November, and the head coach of Magnitogorsk has told Alexei Shevchenko of Sport-Express that Bereglazov will be heading back to his former Russian team while Larry Brooks of the New York Post confirms the assignment with the team.

Bereglazov, 23, was one of several KHL players to come over this summer in hopes of making a name for themselves in the NHL. He joined the likes of Jakub Jerabek, Victor Antipin and Vadim Shipachyov as undrafted players who suited up in Russia last season, only to be pulled over to North America. That group is obviously a mixed bag, with only Antipin playing more than a handful of NHL games so far.

The Rangers will maintain rights to Bereglazov, and could bring him back next season. For now, he’ll technically play as a loan to Magnitogorsk, burning the first year of his entry-level contract. While it hasn’t worked in New York so far, this is better news than a potential termination or retirement like the Shipachyov situation.

Stamkos, Killorn, Hayes Fined By NHL

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The punishment doesn’t always fit the crime, especially in the NHL’s fine system. In early October, some fans were outraged when St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo received a fine of just over $3,000 for repeated cross check to the back of New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson. The fine was the maximum amount prescribed by the NHL collective bargaining agreement, but many felt that such a relatively small amount of money was not nearly enough for a fairly brutal showing by Bortuzzo.

Now, the script has flipped. Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn and New York Rangers counterpart Kevin Hayes have all been fined $5,000 for a conspiracy of… water squirting? TSN reports that in Thursday night’s game the trio all engaged in what the league has defined as unsportsmanlike conduct. Hayes got the affair started when he sprayed Killorn with water from the Rangers’ bench prior to the pair taking the ice. On the ensuing face-off, Killorn retaliated with multiple jabs directed at Hayes, for which he received a slashing penalty. In defense of the perceived wrong to his teammate, Stamkos went the “eye for an eye” route and sprayed water at the Rangers bench. All three were determined to be equally guilty in the affair, while J.T. Brown and Steven Kampfer, whose fight was heavily endorsed by their respective benches, received no share of the blame.

Objectively, it seems silly for water squirting to warrant a $5,000 fine, even if that amount is equivalent to roughly $5 for the majority. However, in the context of Bortuzzo’s maximum $3,000 fine for cross-checking, it seems that the league has their priorities out of alignment. A re-haul to the fine structure in the CBA may be need to be addressed at the table during the league’s next bargaining, if not sooner.

July 1, 2017: An Early Retrospect

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Brian Burke isn’t one to mince words. The long-time NHL general manager who now serves as president of the Calgary Flames has uttered innumerable one-liners and catchphrases over the years, many of which are meant to entertain but none that are anything but truthful. One of his most common, was that front offices “make more mistakes on July 1 than any other day of the year.” He obviously wasn’t a fan of the free agent frenzy that happens each year as franchises rush to improve their teams.

In 2016, just a few weeks after Pro Hockey Rumors was launched, we saw an incredible number of long-term deals handed out to players that were either already in, or just past their prime. Milan Lucic, David Backes, Loui Eriksson, Kyle Okposo, Andrew Ladd, and on and on all secured huge paydays last year. Each of them have dealt with levels of inconsistency even in their first season, and still have several years of high cap hits left on their deals.

This summer though was different. The free agent cupboard was almost completely bare, save for a few aging legends and controversial defensemen. On July 1st, we saw just four free agents sign contracts that would pay them at least $4.5MM annually, and only one of them was for five years or more. Let’s take a look at those four, and see what the early results can tell us.

Martin HanzalMartin Hanzal (DAL) – Three years, $4.75MM AAV

Season stats: 11 games, 1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point, -9 rating, 19 shots, 14:53 ATOI

Hanzal has been a terrible disappointment in Dallas so far, scoring just a single point while carrying some of these worst possession stats in the league. He’s currently out with a lower-body injury, but the Stars will need an immediate improvement upon his return to start recouping the money they handed out.

Dallas spent heavily in free agency this summer, signing Hanzal and Alexander Radulov while inking Ben Bishop before he hit the open market. You’re bound to miss on some of the shots you take, but at 7-6 it isn’t quite the immediate turnaround they were hoping for. Hanzal’s contract isn’t back-breaking, but it’s certainly not helping the situation.

Justin Williams (CAR) – Two years, $4.5MM AAV

Season stats: 11 games, 1 goal, 8 assists, 9 points, -3 rating, 25 shots, 17:25 ATOI

For being 36 with over 1,200 NHL games on his body, Williams looks as fresh as ever. Returning to the place where he won his first (of three) Stanley Cup, Williams has added a different dimension to the Hurricanes. Though Carolina is still off to a shaky start, Williams is tied with Jeff Skinner as their leading scorer and has been as dominant as ever five-on-five.

While it’s unlikely he’ll carry this 67-point pace through the entire season, he’s an incredibly responsible defender and has always been an opportune goal scorer. The Hurricanes are off to a shaky start, but it’s not because of the Williams addition. His contract is so reasonable that it will invariably draw trade speculation if the Hurricanes aren’t in playoff contention at the deadline. It came with trade protection in the form of a 15-team no-trade list.

Kevin ShattenkirkKevin Shattenkirk (NYR) – Four years, $6.65MM AAV

Season stats: 14 games, 2 goals, 9 assists, 11 points, -4 rating, 27 shots, 21:33 ATOI

The prize of free agency was Shattenkirk, even with a poor showing in the playoffs for the Washington Capitals. No, he’s not an outstanding defender in his own end and he won’t lead the league in hits anytime soon. What he is though is an elite powerplay quarterback that can log big minutes and provide a positive impact in the possession game.

Shattenkirk has come just as advertised, scoring more in New York than anyone not named Mika Zibanejad or J.T. Miller. His offensive game is among the best in the league, but the Rangers are struggling to keep their head above water at 5-7-2. The 29-year old defenseman could have signed a longer deal somewhere else, but wanted to help New York get over the hump. If it starts to look bad in a few years, remember that it’s so front loaded that he’ll earn just $4MM in the final year of the deal (half of which is owed as a signing bonus).

Karl Alzner (MTL) – Five Years, $4.625MM AAV

Season stats: 13 games, 0 goals, 4 assists, 4 points, -6 rating, 12 shots, 20:28 ATOI

It’s not pretty in Montreal right now with the Canadiens off to a 4-8-1 start. There are many factors that have gone into that record, but Alzner is certainly one of them. For the UFA who signed the longest deal (along with Alexander Radulov) Alzner is sure making a pretty lukewarm first impression.

Alzner’s not without redeeming qualities. He logs a ton of ice time for the Canadiens against some top competition, and is a primary penalty killer. The problem, is that Montreal’s PK is among the worst in the league and they’ve been routinely out shot when he’s on the ice at even strength. He only recently turned 29, but Montreal won’t be able to rely on him for 20+ minutes for the entire length of the contract.

Morning Notes: Fines, Froese, Fraser

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Three fines were handed out by the Department of Player Safety for an incident in last night’s Tampa Bay Lightning-New York Rangers game. Kevin Hayes, Alex Killorn and Steven Stamkos have all been fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The incident occurred when Hayes squirted water from the bench towards Killorn, who then retaliated by swinging his stick towards the bench. After a scrum ensued, Stamkos also squirted water towards the New York bench (h/t Shayna Goldman of Hockey Graphs for the clips). The Rangers would win the game in overtime.

  • Byron Froese has been named the first captain of the Laval Rocket, Montreal’s new AHL franchise. Froese made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs a few seasons ago, playing 56 games in 2015-16. Since then he hasn’t been able to find a full-time NHL role, playing just six games last season between Toronto and Tampa Bay. He signed a two-year deal with the Canadiens this summer which will turn into a one-way deal next season.
  • Terrible news out of the league site today, as long-time referee Kerry Fraser shares his diagnosis of cancer. Anyone who watched hockey prior to 2010 remembers Fraser as one of the household-named officials in the league, and as one of the most beloved and reviled refs in Los Angeles and Toronto respectively (not really, but talk of “Gretzky’s high stick” seems to live on forever around the league). Fraser, 65, shared his story as part of Hockey Fights Cancer month in the NHL, and PHR would like to send our thoughts to him and his family. If you’d like to donate to the league’s cause, the link can be found here.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top