NYR TODAY Tuesday 7/25: Arbitration Day for Mika, Staal's Fate?, Alumni Birthdays

Rangers, Zibanejad Meet Today for Arbitration Hearing

With the numbers already submitted to the Arbitrator; $4.1 million on behalf of the Rangers and $5.35 million requested from Zibanejad’s side, Jeff Gorton is still expected to meet with Zibanejad and his agent before today’s hearing to try and hammer out a multi-year deal that would likely come in between $5.25 million and $5.5 million according to some sources.

With rumors of a buyout of Marc Staal, the Rangers will have a 48-hour buyout window following settlement of the Zibanejad case that might resolve Marc Staal’s immediate fate.

NYR Alumni Birthdays 7/25:

Tony Granato RW (1988-1990) Ed Harrison LW (1950-1951) Aldo Palazzari RW (1943-1944)

Brooks: Rangers did not ask Staal or Girard to waive NMC

Larry Brooks tweeted yesterday that Sources tell him the Rangers didn’t ask defensemen Marc Staal or Dan Girardi if they would waive their no-movement clauses before the deadline.

Per sources, Rangers did not ask either Marc Staal or Dan Girardi to waive no-trade today.

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) June 12, 2017

Vigneault, Lundqvist and Staal comment on loss to Islanders

RANGERS VS ISLANDERS POST GAME COMMENTS

Alain Vigneault
On the shorthanded goal, "there is no doubt, we had 5 guys standing around and looking at two of their players making plays in front of our net. Without a doubt that put us behind the 8-ball early in the third. I thought we came out good in the first period but we only got 5 shots. We spent a lot of time in their end but didn't get much for it. In the second period we made two puck decisions that were wrong and it ended up in the back of our net. Then you give this team a two-goal lead with that shorthanded goal we gave up there. It makes it real hard and they deserve to win, we didn't make enough plays with the puck."

On the PP, "they got a goal that they shouldn't have got, like I mentioned, 5 guys just looking at them do what they want in front of our net. We got one right back after, just had a hard time making plays in their end. You gotta give them credit, they played a good game. We seem to have issues in this building right now, nothing we can do about that, we gotta get ready for our next game. Practice Saturday and the best team in the league on Sunday."

"When you've got five guys just standing around looking at two of their players making plays in front of our net - without a doubt, that one put us behind the 8-ball early in the third," "They got a goal there that they shouldn't have gotten."

Henrik Lundqvist
On their intensity in the second, "we had a stretch in the second where they came hard and we made it hard on ourselves with a couple of turnovers that cost us. Overall it's a good game, I feel that the third one is a killer, it's our PP and sometimes when you have an extra man you might rely on someone else to do the job and I think that is what happened. We didn't communicate enough in front of the net, we had the guys back but we didn't sort it out. That was the difference. Overall it was a good game, we worked hard and had some chances but when we gave that one up it was a tough hill to climb."

How close were you to covering up the puck, "it was right there, he kept hacking and whacking and the puck kept bouncing. It was right there and when it ended up behind I thought we had the coverage. We had 4 guys back but we didn't sort it out and it cost us. In a game like this where we had some good looks 5 on 5, special teams can decide the game and it did."

"I feel like the third one is a killer," "On our own power play - sometimes when you're an extra man, you might rely on someone else to do the job and I think that's what happened. We didn't communicate in front of the net because we had the guys back. We just didn't sort it out. That was the difference, I think, because overall it was a good game. We worked hard and had some chances, but when we gave that one up it was a tough hill to climb."

Marc Staal on Andrew Ladd's Goal
"I just thought I had a little more time than I did," "I thought Hank stopped it and when I realized he didn't, I've just got to make a better play on the puck … that one is on me."

NYR TODAY Friday 1/13: Game Day Preview, Rangers & Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (28-13-1) TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (18-13-8)
Madison Square Garden, NYC 7:00 PM TV: MSG, RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Good Bye Bye Week! 
The Rangers get back to action tonight after a 5 day Bye Week Layoff taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers and Maple Leafs meet up tonight for the first of three games this season and the first of two this month, the next coming on January 19th.

Both Pavel Buchnevich and Rick Nash will be returning to the Rangers lineup after lengthy IR stints. Mika Zibanejad who was cleared for full practice will not return until he has had a chance to get more practice time.

Defenseman Nick Holden (personal) and forward Jesper Fast (flu) did not practice yesterday. Holden is expected to be in tonight's lineup while Fast will be a game time decision as his bout with the flu was termed "really under the weather". Marc Staal will not be playing as he is going through continued concussion protocol.

The Rangers starting goaltender has not yet been announced but Henrik Lundqvist is expected to get the nod.

The Rangers will honor NYPD Detective Steven McDonald who passed away this week before the game.

NYR GAME DAY STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 19
ASSISTS: RYAN McDONAGH 23
POINTS: DEREK STEPAN, KEVIN HAYES 31
+/-: NICK HOLDEN, MICHAEL GRABNER +22
GWG: DAN GIRARDI, BRANDON PIRRI, JIMMY VESEY, KEVIN HAYES, J.T. MILLER, MICHAEL GRABNER 3
PPG: RICK NASH, JIMMY VESEY, BRANDON PIRRI, CHRIS KREIDER 4
PPP: RYAN McDONAGH 9
SHG: J.T. MILLER 2

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 18
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.28
SO: ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .921
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  18-9-1 GAA: 2.55 SV%: .912 SO: 1
ANTTI RAANTA 10-4-0 GAA: 2.28 SV%: .921 SO: 2

NYR TEAM STATS
28-13-1
5th Overall NHL
4th Metropolitan Division
WINS: 28 (Rank TIE #1)
POINTS: 57 (Rank #5)
WIN%: 0.679 (Rank #6)
GOALS FOR: 144 (Rank #1)
GOALS AGAINST: 106 (Rank #9)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 29 (Rank #)
POWER PLAY RANK: 23.20 (Rank #4)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 20 (Rank #5)
PENALTY KILL: 83.05 (Rank #9)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 5 (Rank #2)
SHUTOUTS: 4 (Rank #5)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 8
SHOOTOUTS: 2/3

NY Rangers Birthday

Marc Staal, 1/13/1987 Thunder Bay, Ontario, CN
Defenseman 2007-Present
Drafted by Rangers 2005 NHL Entry Draft Round 1, #12 Overall

NYR Alumni Birthdays January 13:

Ceasare Maningo G (1965-1967) Graeme Nicholson D (1982-1983) Mike Rupp C (2011-2013)

Today in NYR History January 13:

1927: The Rangers host the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time, tying them, 1-1.

1940: The Rangers defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 to extend their winning streak to 10 games, their unbeaten streak to 19 and their road unbeaten streak to 11 games. The 10-game winning streak (matched in 1972-73) is still the longest in franchise history. Goaltender Dave Kerr extends his personal unbeaten streak to 19 games, a Rangers record that stands until 1994.

1993: Mark Messier scores a goal and has three assists to reach 1,200 points and help the New York Rangers hold off the Washington Capitals 5-4 at Madison Square Garden. He scores the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and sets up Adam Graves for what turn out to be the game-winner at 15:42.

NYR TODAY TUES 5/17; Jensen, NYR Grades, Alumni Birthdat, TDINYRH

Rangers Prospect Nicklas Jensen Impresses at Worlds

The 23 year old Jensen has now collected 5 goals and 2 assists at the Men's World Championships in Moscow for Denmark. On Sunday Jensen scored the game winning goal in the shootout to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1. In 41 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack Jensen scored 15 goals and added 10 assists after coming to the Rangers from Vancouver for Emerson Etem.




RNYRF's GRADING THE RANGERS 2015-2016
MARC STAAL Defenseman

Once again a rough season for Staal whom many say was dealing with nagging injuries during the regular season and playoffs this past year. Collecting only 2 goals and 13 assists along with a plus 2 in 77 games it looked as though the work load over the past 2 seasons for the veteran D Man in his 9th pro season has taken it's toll. Staal who underwent ankle surgery in the off season didn't look his best but still managed to average close to 20 minutes per game. With 5 years remaining on a 5.7 million per year contract the 29 year old Staal is the highest paid defenseman on an already high priced Rangers defense. Hopefully with the extended time off Staal can regain some of what's been missing from his game the past few seasons.
GRADE D-

NYR Alumni Birthday 5/17 
Claude Larose LW (1979-80,1982 Playoffs)

Today in NYR History May 17

1994: Mike Richter ties a franchise record with his fourth shutout in one playoff year with a 4-0 victory over the Devils in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final.

MCDONAGH & STAAL RETURN TO RANGERS LINEUP TONIGHT

The Rangers will receive a significant boost to their lineup tonight when they face the Blues in St. Louis. Both Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal will return to action, it was confirmed following the team's morning skate at Scottrade Center.

However the Rangers may have to go with seven defensemen and 11 forwards because rookie right wing Marek Hrivik is ill and may not be ale to play this evening. Hrivik did not take part in the morning skate, though head coach Alain Vigneault did say "I think (Hrivik) will play tonight."

Should Hrivik not be able to play, rookie defenseman Dylan McIlrath would see some shifts up front on the fourth line, according to Vigneault. If Hrivik is able to play, then McIlrath will be a healthy scratch this evening. The club is currently only carrying 12 healthy forwards on the roster because Rick Nash remains out of the lineup with a bad bone bruise in his leg.

Staal told reporters that he left Monday's practice early because "things locked up" in his lower back and then "needed a couple days to settle down". He missed Tuesday's game against the Devils as a result.

"It felt a lot better this morning so I should be good to go tonight," said Staal. 

McDonagh--who missed the last two games with a sore jaw and neck--was receiving treatment and unavailable to speak with reporters after the morning skate, but he, like Staal, took part in every drill and seemed without issue out on the ice. He also practiced on one of the power play units alongside Dan Boyle at the point, with J.T. Miller, Kevin Hayes and Jesper Fast up front.

The other power play unit saw Keith Yandle, Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello.

Henrik Lundqvist starts in goal for the Rangers, and the Blues will counter with Jake Allen, who has just returned from a knee injury and will need to play a lot moving forward since St. Louis' other netminder, Brian Elliott, is out four weeks with a lower body injury of his own.

Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock joked this morning that he plans to play Allen "as long as he remains upright" in the coming weeks.

Tonight's game will be a stiff test for the Rangers, who are coming off Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the Devils in New Jersey.

"We gave up a lot of two-on-ones and breakaways (Tuesday), and it was just too wide open for how we like to play," observed Staal. "We're going to try and get back on track tonight and play the way we know how to win."

Jim Cerny
BlueshirtsUnited.com