New York Rangers Daily: Surprise signing, Blue Jackets receive brutal Sean Monahan injury update

NHL: Boston Bruins at New York Rangers
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Funny how this business works sometimes. You write a column about how the New York Rangers have some big decisions to make on several of their defensemen, both before and after the March 7 NHL trade deadline. Then, some seven hours later, the Rangers go public with one of those big decisions, announcing a five-year contract agreement with Will Borgen on Saturday evening.

So, now we know part of their plan moving forward. We’ll see how the rest plays out in the coming months, though it feels more and more that Ryan Lindgren’s days with the Rangers. are numbered, likely exiting after the season as an unrestricted free agent.

It’s back to the business of hockey Sunday, though. The Rangers try to extend their season-long 10 game-point streak (7-0-3) and keep the good vibes rolling, when they host the Colorado Avalanche. It feels like Colorado is still reeling a bit after the massive Mikko Rantanen trade Friday, understandably. A quick Rangers start Sunday might be the best course of action against such an opponent.

New York woke up Sunday 11th in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the two wild cards — the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets. They’re also two points behind the Ottawa Senators and one in arrears of the Montreal Canadiens. Pretty much everyone ahead of the Rangers and even right behind them in the East won, or got at least one point, Saturday.

So, time to take care of their own business again in a Sunday matinee at MSG.

New York Rangers news

NHL: Ottawa Senators at New York Rangers
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Here are three things to watch for when the Rangers host the Avalanche, including the importance of getting bodies to the net, just as the Blueshirts did in their 6-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Rangers made a minor trade with the Lightning, acquiring forward Lucas Edmonds in exchange for forward Ryder Korczak. Edmonds was assigned to Hartford of the American Hockey League.

Their advanced stats haven’t been pretty, but our Tom Castro writes that the Rangers’ third line, consisting of Chris Kreider, Filip Chytil and Arthur Kaliyev, has plenty of potential to be a major contributor if coach Peter Laviolette keeps it intact.

NHL news

NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets at Calgary Flames
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The Avalanche lost their first game after the Rantanen trade, 3-1 to the Boston Bruins. Martin Necas was minus-3 in his Avalanche debut.

Rantanen and Taylor Hall were held without a point in their debuts with the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, a 3-2 overtime loss to the Islanders.

How about former Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo logging 25:07 TOI in his debut after signing with the Islanders on Friday?

The news wasn’t all positive for the Islanders on Saturday. They lost defenseman Ryan Pulock and goalie Marcus Hogberg, each with an upper-body injury, in that home-ice win against the Hurricanes.

Hot on the heels of the Rantanen trade, Elliotte Firedman reported that another star player, Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks, has drawn serious trade interest from the Buffalo Sabres.

In a big blow to their playoff hopes, the Columbus Blue Jackets will be without injured forward Sean Monahan for an additional 6-8 weeks after it was determined his wrist issue is not healing as quickly as expected.

The New Jersey Devils skated to a 4-3 overtime win against the Canadiens. But it may have been a costly victory. Captain Nico Hischier left the game in the third period with an apparent upper-body injury.

Watch Jack Hughes score the overtime winner for the Devils in Montreal.

The Pittsburgh Penguins lost their game — 4-1 to the Seattle Kraken — and center Evgeni Malkin — who left the game with an apparent lower-body injury.

Shane Pinto scored in the third period to lift the Senators to a 2-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Quinn Hughes scored twice to lift the Vancouver Canucks past the Washington Capitals 2-1, ending Washington’s six-game win streak.

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Nashville Predators 5-2, but lost goalie John Gibson to an upper-body injury in the first period.

Jim Cerny is Executive Editor at Forever Blueshirts and Managing Editor at Sportsnaut, with more than 30 years of ... More about Jim Cerny
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