Rangers Roundup: Winter Classic 2018, injury updates, lineup noise

Arthur Staple of Newsday states sources say the Rangers will play the Sabres at Citi Field in the 2018 Winter Classic.

It’s About Damn Time!

After years of watching Chicago (3x), Detroit (2x), Boston (2x), Philly (2x), Pittsburgh (2x), and Washington (2x) play in multiple Winter Classics to the point of nausea, the Rangers finally make their return 6 years later.

Mind you, there have only been 9 Winter Classics and Chicago has played in a third of them.  Not a single WC has been played without either both or one of the teams mentioned above in it. Way to spread the wealth Mr. Bettman.

Injury Updates

Dan Girardi (ankle): Resumed skating, possible return next week.

Kevin Klein (back): Has resumed skating, but no timetable on return.

Jesper Fast (shoulder): May play tonight versus Florida.

Henrik Lundqvist (lower body): Feeling better per AV, more info next week.

Buchnevich May Sit in Favor of Glass and the ensuing social media hysterics

Based on practice, Tanner Glass appears to be staying in the lineup tonight versus Florida. This started an uproar on social media. I get it, new age hockey fans want 18 forwards who are all Wayne Gretzky. Sorry, but hockey doesn’t work that way because there isn’t enough ice time to go around.

Pavel Buchnevich is an offensive talent, who in all fairness has been struggling late in the season (3g, 2a, in his last 20 games). If AV can’t continue to feed him 13-15 minutes a game on the top 3 lines, how does 9 minutes of grind time help? It’s a fair question when you think about roles on a hockey team and finding lineup balance.

Still, the hysteria was real and here’s how I addressed it. Let me know if you agree or disagree in the comments below.

 

Anthony Scultore has been covering the New York Rangers and the NHL since 2014. His work also appears at... More about Anthony Scultore

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