Rangers president and common supervisor Chris Drury is predicted to talk to the media for the primary time this season after the March 21 commerce deadline, which is already lower than every week away.
There’s a plethora of subjects to deal with with Drury, however the coming days ought to reveal rather a lot about how the player-turned-executive views the present state of the Rangers. Whether or not he’s all-in on a season that exceeded expectations, or opting to be affected person with the method and ready for a greater market within the offseason.
One factor that's sure, nonetheless, is that retooling the third line ought to be on the prime of the to-do record.
The third unit has featured myriad mixtures over the previous couple seasons. Final 12 months, it was residence to gamers who couldn’t fairly crack the highest six. This 12 months, the fixed modifications have made for a line that's uncertain of its identification. Each have been largely ineffective.
Regardless that Kaapo Kakko and Kevin Rooney aren’t anticipated to be again for at the least one other week, based on head coach Gerard Gallant, they need to be again in time for the playoffs. That’s a top-six proper winger and a fourth-line heart the Rangers can be getting again.
And with Braden Schneider means forward of schedule in filling out the again finish, the Rangers might, in idea, make do with their D corps proper now. Regardless that including one other defenseman can be on Drury’s agenda, probably the most logical place to start out is with the third line.
Filip Chytil has been a staple on the third line for a lot of the season, other than a number of appearances on the best wing, in addition to a pair wholesome scratches. Enjoying with Sammy Blais for a bit earlier than his season-ending damage and Alexis Lafreniere earlier than his promotion to the highest six, Chytil has additionally skated with some mixture of Julien Gauthier, Barclay Goodrow, Dryden Hunt, Greg McKegg, Jonny Brodzinski, Tim Gettinger and Morgan Barron.
“For me, simply attempting to play my recreation, I do know I've totally different linemates virtually each recreation, however I've to [do] what I can do,” Chytil mentioned Tuesday because the Rangers prepped to face the Geese. “I've to nonetheless speak to them [about] how we’re going to play as a line, nonetheless I attempt to convey my recreation to the workforce. After all, we now have nice gamers in [the] first two strains. Everyone has a special position and we simply should play like that.
“I can’t select the lineup. There are accidents, sickness and all these things [that] we are able to’t select. It’s simply a part of the sport. I’m simply taking part in after I’m on the market, simply taking part in my recreation. What linemates I've, I attempt to speak to them, attempt to construct some chemistry in that little time.”
One of many Rangers’ potential targets to rectify this third-line drawback, Geese winger Rickard Rakell, watched the sport from above Tuesday night time on the Backyard on account of an upper-body damage. With 16 objectives this season, together with eight in his final 15 video games, Rakell can be an prompt offensive improve over Gauthier, Brodzinski or McKegg. He additionally could possibly be an possibility for the right-wing spot on the second line subsequent to Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome.
The 28-year-old Rakell is within the closing season of a six-year take care of a cap hit of $3,789,444 per 12 months, which is a less expensive rental than a few of the different choices on the market such because the Flyers’ Claude Giroux ($8.275 million) or the Sharks’ Tomas Hertl ($5.625 million).
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