Rangers Roundup: NHL Russian players facing threats, Nils Lundkvist big weekend, and more

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Feb 21, 2020; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) and left wing Artemi Panarin (10) celebrate there win against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The New York Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Rangers and NHL teams across the league are being asked to beef up security for their Russian players.

Per TSN’s Darren Dreger, he spoke with agent Dan Milstein, who also represents Blueshirts’ prospect Vitali Kravtsov, about the safety of Russian-born players. Milstein said that some of his clients have received “real threats” both in-person and via social media.

TFP’s David Pagnotta followed up the report stating that several teams gave already upped their security after players were sent death threats.

Rangers Roundup: Russian Players receiving threats

The Rangers currently have two Russian-born players on their roster in Artemi Panarin and Igor Shesterkin. Alexandar Georgiev was born in Bulgaria but moved to Moscow at an early age, his mother is Russian.

At this time there are no known threats to any of those players, but the New York Rangers are likely on heightened awareness as the Russian invasion in the Ukraine continues.

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Panarin, 30, is an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin and was subject to a political hit-job last season that forced him to take a two-week leave of absence.

Former Rangers GM Jeff Gorton discussed on the Cam & Strick Podcast how the organization helped him get through the incident.

“We gave the Breadman his space and time he needed to figure things out,” former Rangers GM Jeff Gorton said on the Cam and Strick Podcast. “We have security staff and people in place that had a lot of connections just making calls and making sure everyone is fine. It was about letting him get through it mentally as far as feeling confident that his family was going to be ok.”

Related: NHL comes down hard on Russia

Nils Lundkvist big weekend

Promising Rangers’ prospect Nils Lundkvist finally had a big weekend for the Hartford Wolf Pack. In two games he registered a goal and two assist after going three straight without a point.

Since being sent down, Lundkvist has struggled going 8 straight games without a point after picking up an assist in his AHL debut. For the season, Lundkvist has 2 goals and 7 points in 17 games. The 2018 first round pick (28th overall) had 1 goal and 3 assists in 25 games with the Rangers earlier this season.

Lundkvist, 21, is a possible trade chip for Chris Drury come the NHL Trade Deadline. He is unlikely to be traded for a rental.

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What’s likelihood J.T. Miller will be moved? What about Claude Giroux or Tomas Hertl? Read more here.

Anthony Scultore is the founder of Forever Blueshirts and has been covering the New York Rangers and the NHL... More about Anthony Scultore

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