@RNYRF Staff Report
The consensus from the players is disappointment in the way the season ended and all felt they could have played better against the Penguins in the first round.
Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist let it be know that winning a Stanley Cup next season will be his main objective as it means more to him now than when he first came into the league.
Captain Ryan McDonagh was playing with a broken metatarsal bone in his pointer finger blocking a Brandon Dubinsky shot back on April 4 in Columbus, missing the final 3 games of the regular season and two games of the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals vs Pittsburgh.
Dan Girardi who missed the final game of the regular season and games 2,3 & 4 of the ECQF had suffered a concussion when he was hit by former Ranger Brian Boyle of the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden on April 5. Girardi also played the last four months of the season with a cracked kneecap. Although he said that the injury hindered his play, it was not an excuse for any downturn in his play.
Defenseman Dan Boyle all but announced his retirement due to "family reasons" after a confrontation with NY Post beat writer Larry Brooks in a expletive laden rant.
Roster questions abound as July 1st fast approaches with pending UFAs Antti Raanta, Eric Staal, Dominic Moore and Viktor Stalberg, Keith Yandle and Dan Boyle are without contracts along with RFAs Dylan McIlrath, J.T. Miller, Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes needing new deals. Pending UFAs Keith Yandle, Viktor Stalberg and Eric Staal let it be known they were open to returning to the Rangers for next season but deals still have not been discussed and need to be worked out.
Both Head Coach Alain Vigneault and GM Jeff Gorton agreed that it was best to take a week or so to "decompress" before breaking down the 2015-2016 season and evaluating what needs to be done to move forward. It is obvious though that changes will be made to improve but whether that means a younger team or more veteran influence is to be seen.
Two New York Rangers will be heading to Russia for the 2016 World Championships. Both Brady Skjei Team USA and Derick Brassard Team Canada will be the Rangers represent their countries so far, Mats Zuccarello did not know if he would be playing for Norway as of yet.
NYR Alumni Birthdays 4/27
Vern Ayres D (1935-1936) Jeff Ulmer RW (2000-2001)
1990: Ron Greschner plays in his final game as a Ranger. He retires as the Rangers' all-time leader in penalty minutes and first among defensemen in goals, assists and points.
1992: Mike Gartner records his second playoff hat trick as a Ranger in a 8-5 win over New Jersey.
2013: Henrik Lundqvist records his 51st overall shutout (regular season and playoff) in a 4-0 win over the Devils. Lundqvist passes Ed Giacomin for the most overall shutouts in Rangers history.
No comments:
Post a Comment