New York Rangers lineup notes: Jaroslav Halak starts, Libor Hajek in for Zac Jones vs Jets
The New York Rangers conclude their two-game road trip against the Winnipeg Jets and look to go build on their 2-0-0 start to the 2022-23 season.
Head coach Gerard Gallant confirmed that Jaroslav Halak would get the start in net making his official Rangers’ debut. Additionally, defenseman Libor Hajek will be replacing Zac Jones in the lineup tonight to make his season debut.
Here’s tonights game and broadcast info:
New York Rangers (2-0-0) vs. Winnipeg Jets (0-0-0)
Date/Time: October 14, 2022 at 8:00 PM ET
Arena: Canada Life Centre
TV: MSGSN
Radio: ESPN 98.7
Latest Injury News:
- Vitali Kravtsov (Upper-Body): Day-to-Day
- Sammy Blais (Upper-Body): Day-to-Day
Gallant noted that Blais is not ready which keeps Dryden Hunt in the lineup.
“Sammy’s good– he’s real good,” Gallant said. “He skated again today. I’m just being cautious because I don’t want him coming in and hurting himself again when we have three more days off and he’ll be ready.”
New York Rangers lineup versus Winnipeg Jets
Halak, 37, posted a 4-7-2 record with a .903 SV% and a 2.94 GAA in a limited role with the Canucks in 2021-22 as Thatcher Demko’s understudy. For his career, the native of Bratislava, Czechoslovakia has appeared in 556 games and boasts a record of 285-180-64 with 52 shutouts.
In 13 career games played against the Winnipeg Jets, he is 8-4-1 2 with a 3.12 GAA and an .898 SV%.
Hajek, 24, played in only 17 games last season and registered just 1 assist with a -10 rating. In his 94 game career, all with the Rangers, he’s picked up 3 goals and 11 points while averaging 15:10 per night.
He was selected in the 2nd round of the 2016 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning and was part of the package Tampa sent back to the Rangers in the Ryan McDonagh blockbuster at the 2018 Trade Deadline.
The 6-2, 203 lbs defenseman has also played 94 games in the AHL mostly with the Hartford Wolf Pack (86). His minor league stats includes 2 goals and 11 points, with only one goal registered with Syracuse.
Based on the last game and the latest lineup news the combos, and d-pairs should look as follows:
- Kreider – Zibanejad – Kakko
- Panarin – Trocheck – Lafrenière
- Vesey – Chytil – Goodrow
- Hunt – Carpenter – Reaves
- Lindgren – Fox
- Miller – Trouba
- Hajek – Schneider
- Halak
- Shesterkin
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