Rangers Roundup: Kakko heading home, Scouting the Avs, and NYI notes

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The latest news and buzz around the Blueshirts on Kakko, scouts in Colorado, and getting ready to take on the Islanders for the 3rd time this season.

Kakko heads home

Kaapo Kakko will be heading home during the All Star break and the kid is pretty happy about it.

“It will be so good for me,” the 18-year-old freshman told The Post following Monday’s practice. “I have the chance to be with my family and my friends. It has been some time.”

NYPOST

David Quinn also thinks this will be good for the 18 year old rookie and expects him to come back refreshed and ready to show what he can do in the second half.

Kakko (Jim McIsaac)

NYR keep scouting the Avs

The Rangers were at the Avalanche game yesterday and even though they could be there to scout the Red Wings (next opponent), something is brewing.

So what would a deal with the Avalanche look like if Kreider is indeed traded as a rental at the deadline? Even if the Rangers decide to retain 50% of Kreider’s salary, the asking price starts with a 1st rounder. I reached to Adrian Dater of ColoradoHockeyNow.com to get his thoughts on a deal.

The last several games involving the Avs have had scouts from the Blueshirts in the press box, including today’s game with the Detroit Red Wings. Are the Rangers really that concerned about that March 11 game at the Pepsi Center against the Avs? Yeah, no, I don’t think so.

Adrian Dater

According to Dater, he feels the Avs would likely be willing to part with their 1st rounder and a prospect. Another name connected in possible Kreider rumors is Avs prospect and 2018 first round pick Martin Kaut. When asked about the talented Czech prospect, he said it’s either Kaut or their first, not both.

Pre-Game Notes:

  • All-Time: 129-115-19-9 (73-46-11-6 at home; 56-69-8-3 on the road)
  • 2019-20: Tonight’s game is the third of four meetings between the Rangers and Islanders, and the second of two meetings between the two teams at MSG. The Rangers have posted a 2-0-0 record (1-0-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road) and won the last game between the two teams, 3-2, on Jan. 16 at Nassau Coliseum. Artemi Panarin leads all skaters with six points (two goals, four assists) in two games, and he and Chris Kreider are tied for first among all skaters with two goals in the season series. Alexandar Georgiev has posted a 2-0-0 record, along with a 2.01 GAA and a .946 SV% (70 saves on 74 shots) in two appearances. The Rangers are 3-for-7 on the power play (42.9%) and 7-for-8 on the penalty kill (87.5%) in the season series. Following tomorrow’s game, the Rangers and Islanders will face each other on the following date: Feb. 25 (at Long Island).
  • Alexandar Georgiev – 5 GP, 4-1-0, 1.40 GAA, .955 SV%, 1 SO – Georgiev has allowed two goals or fewer in each of his five career appearances against the Islanders, including one goal or fewer in three of those appearances, and he has stopped 128 of 134 shots in the five contests. In addition, in his four career startsagainst the Islanders, Georgiev has posted a 4-0-0 record, along with a 1.25 GAA, a .961 SV% (123 saves on 128 shots), and 1 SO. He stopped all 29 shots he faced to earn his first career NHL shutout on Nov. 21, 2018 against the Islanders at MSG.
  • Artemi Panarin – 14 GP, 7-14-21 – Panarin tied a single-game career-high with five points (two goals, three assists) on Jan. 13, 2020 against the Islanders at MSG. Panarin has also registered more points against the Islanders than against any other team in his NHL career; he has recorded a point in 10 of 14 career games against the Islanders and has posted five multi-point games, including four three-point games.

Notes courtesy NYR

By Anthony Scultore

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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