Rangers Daily: Blueshirts turn the page; Early NHL trade candidates
When the New York Rangers board their charter flight to Calgary on Friday, they’ll carry the baggage of a sloppy 6-5 OT loss to the San Jose Sharks from the previous night, as well as an 0-4-1 winless record on home ice at Madison Square Garden.
But that doesn’t mean there won’t be laughter and jokes during the flight. Nor will the card table be empty.
The players and coaches aren’t happy about what happened Thursday night, nor with their struggles at MSG. But this is a business, their business. And the Rangers understand that sitting silently for four hours in the airplane cabin isn’t the answer to their troubles.
Now, that doesn’t mean a party will break out mid-flight. But professional athletes and their coaches know the importance of turning the page over the course of an exceedingly long season. Be true to who you are, win or lose. “Not too high, not too low” sounds like a cliche, but it’s their reality.
It’s different when you’re a fan. Emotions typically run like a roller coaster. You have zero control over what happens. Nights like Thursday at The Garden drive you bonkers.
But players and coaches need to re-set quickly. Don’t ignore what happened previously; learn from it and move on. There’s another game to play, in this case another important road trip ahead.
Hey, the bright side here is that the Rangers are Road Warriors, have been for years. They’re 3-0-1 off-Broadway this season. And the woeful Flames await them to start that road trip Sunday night.
Of course, the woeful Sharks were there for the taking Thursday, and that didn’t go so well for the Rangers. But we digress.
You may not like that it’s business as usual for the Rangers on Friday after that unacceptable loss less than 24 hours ago. But that’s how professional sports works.
New York Rangers news and analysis
Here are our key Rangers takeaways, including an unacceptable mindset, from the overtime loss to the Sharks.
Our John Kreiser weighs in and agrees with coach Mike Sullivan, who said postgame that the Rangers “have to learn how to win.”
Matt Rempe’s being evaluated for an upper-body injury after his first fight of the season, a rousing heavyweight tilt with former Rangers forward Ryan Reaves.
To trade or not to trade Brennan Othmann? That is the question Jonny Lazarus tried to help answer for us and the Rangers.
Before the game, Sullivan explained why he’s not concerned about the ups and downs in the play of rookie center Noah Laba.
The Rangers signed another towering prospect Thursday, agreeing to terms with 2024 draft pick Nathan Aspinall on an entry-level contract.
Here’s a dose of good news: Rangers prospects Dylan Garand and Bryce McConnell-Barker stood out in helping the Hartford Wolf Pack win their first game of the new AHL season.
NHL news and rumors
Sportsnaut: Marc Dumont’s got the latest from the Montreal Canadiens after Cole Caufield sarcastically called out the referees following a 6-5 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
The Athletic ($$): Chris Johnston breaks down an early top-10 trade candidates list in the NHL, headed by Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
NHL.com: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk told reporters that he’s already skating, six days after he had thumb surgery, and hopes to be stickhandling again in 3-4 weeks.
Sportsnet: Morgan Rielly may miss the Toronto Maple Leafs’ game Friday against the Buffalo Sabres after the defenseman didn’t practice Thursday. All coach Craig Berube said was that Rielly is “dealing with something.”
TSN: That news came on the heels of the Maple Leafs placing veteran defenseman Chris Tanev on IR with an upper-body injury.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Dan Kingerski reports that the Pittsburgh Penguins are gaining respect around the League for their overall play and early-season success under new coach Dan Muse.
Sportsnet: The struggling Oilers could get forward Zach Hyman back in the lineup sometime in early November, per coach Kris Knoblauch. Hyman is still recovering from offseason wrist surgery.
NHL.com: From coach Marco Sturm and all the way through the lineup, the Boston Bruins said they are “embarrassed” by their six-game losing streak, following a 7-5 loss to the Anaheim Ducks at home Thursday.
New Jersey Hockey Now: Zach Berman breaks down how the red-hot New Jersey Devils can manage the inevitable challenges that await them this season.
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