NYR TODAY MON 5/16: Notes, NYR Grades, Alumni Birthdays, TDINYRH

NYR Notes 5/16: Bucnevich, Radulov, Coaching Staff. World Championships

Rangers Director of Player Personnel Gordie Clark commented on recent signing of Pavel Bucnevich saying "that he reminds him of late Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov, "same kind of style, real nice head and hands."
Buchnevich is highly skilled, can play any forward position, has skill, hands and good smarts" and made "great strides" from one summer to the next.
In 2015 Clark and Glen Sather told Buchnevich at the World Juniors that he was ready to play in the NHL. The Rangers are still looking into signing Alexander Radulov to mentor Pavel Bucnevich on and off the ice, but it'S said he is a long shot to be signed by New York at best.

Word is that Alain Vigneault's coaching staff will remain intact from this past season.

Derick Brassard had a goal, an assist, was 6 and 5 on faceoffs, 4 shots on goal and 17:26 (5:50, 5:54, 5:42) for Team Canada on Saturday.

Nicklas Jensen scored twice for Denmark Friday, including the shootout winner, to beat Latvia 3-2.

RNYRF's GRADING THE RANGERS 2015-2016
ERIC STAAL Center

 Acquired at the trade deadline from Carolina in exchange for Finnish Prospect Aleksi Saarela, the 2016 second-round pick and the 2017 second-round pick, Staal spent most of his time centering the Rangers 3rd line. Playing in only 20 regular season games, the elder Staal brother tallied 3 goals and 3 assists and was a plus 1 averaging close to 16 minutes of ice time per game. In 5 post season games for the Rangers Staal was held to 0 points and was a minus 7. Factoring in that Staal came to the Rangers having to learn a new system along with only playing in 25 games it's tough to determine a grade in his tenure with the team. Staal is a UFA come July 1 and seeing that the Rangers might be heading in a new direction along with Staal's previous contract of 9.5 million per season it seems likely he will be signing elsewhere.
GRADE: INCOMPLETE 

NYR Alumni Birthday 5/16 
Floyd Smith RW (1960-1961)

Today in NYR History May 16

1995: The eighth-seeded Rangers upset the No. 1 seed Quebec Nordiques in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden, to win the series, 4-2. It's the last game the Nordiques play before moving to Colorado.