First, the Rangers do not play on Monday. They don’t practice either. All good. There’s been just too much on-ice ugly for the Rangers lately. There won’t be any on-ice ugliness Monday.

Second, their next game is against the a team even more disappointing than they’ve been this season. The Rangers visit the last-overall Nashville Predators on Tuesday. The Predators (8-17-6) make the Rangers look like an absolute juggernaut by comparison, and are easily a bigger disappointment after the signings of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei this past offseason.

That’ll all be for our three things to watch for preview story on Tuesday. Unfortunately, so, too, will be the fact that recently the Rangers faced another last-overall team, the Chicago Blackhawks. And lost 2-1. So, yeah, so it goes.

The Rangers (15-14-1) just had another lost weekend; they were hammered 5-1 at home by the Los Angeles Kings before losing 3-2 on the road to the St. Louis Blues. They’ve dropped four of five and are 3-10-0 in their past 13 games.

New York is in a three-way tie for fifth in the Metropolitan Division with 31 points, just two ahead of the last-place Columbus Blue Jackets. The Rangers sit 10th in the Eastern Conference, passed this weekend by the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators in the standings. Yeesh.

CLICK HERE to shop at the Forever Blueshirts store

New York Rangers news

Here are three takeaways from the Rangers’ latest loss to the Blues, as the seat gets hotter under coach Peter Laviolette.

Adding to their woes, the Rangers were without leading scorer Artemi Panarin on Sunday. Panarin is day to day with an upper-body injury. Oh, and Kappo Kakko was a healthy scratch, too, against the Blues.

The Rangers goals scored Sunday came off the sticks of a pair of 22-year-old forwards, Brett Berard and Will Cuylle. That was a positive.

Brett Berard gives the Rangers some life. 🚨

📺: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/MRyD6LjE30

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 16, 2024

WILL CUYLLE!

(via @NYRangers) pic.twitter.com/6vCcwqfeVR

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 16, 2024

NHL news

Petr Mrazek is expected to skate with the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday for the first time since the goalie sustained a groin injury nine days ago.

Former NHL defenseman Justin Schultz, who played eight games in Switzerland this season, announced his retirement.

Reports out of Buffalo are that owner Terry Pegula will meet the team in Montreal on Monday, either to make a coaching or general manager change, or to speak with the team, which has lost 10 straight games.

The Sabres latest loss came at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. WATCH John Tavares net a hat trick, the 14th of his NHL career, in Toronto’s 5-3 victory.

The Islanders got Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech back in the lineup, but Connor Bedard scored the tie-breaking goal with less than a minute remaining in the third period in Chicago’s 5-3 win.

In a battle between two of the top teams in the NHL, the Vegas Golden Knights edged the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on Victor Olofsson’s third-period goal. Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov scored twice and is tied with Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl for the League’s goal scoring lead with 22.

Running out of words to describe how good Kirill Kaprizov is… pic.twitter.com/vkv67d3TUs

— NHL (@NHL) December 16, 2024

The moment grew more horrifying as Toronto’s medical staff tried to get Tavares back up. That’s when a stretcher was called for as panic was visibly seen on Leafs GM Kyle Dubas. Fortunately, Tavares gave the thumbs up sign as he was being taken away. Both the Leafs and Canadiens players were showing their support for Tavares.

An extremely frightening situation on the ice in Toronto. Our thoughts are with John Tavares after this hitpic.twitter.com/QV0TtbEP6A

— Snipe N’ Celly (@SnipeNCellyPod) May 21, 2021

John Tavares released from the hospital

In a statement released by the Maple Leafs they note that Tavares is doing well after leaving the hospital.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares has been discharged from the hospital the morning. He was thoroughly examined and assessed by the neurosurgical team at St. Michael’s Hospital and the club’s medical director. He was kept overnight for observation and is now resting at home under the care and supervision of team physicians. Tavares will be out indefinitely.

An update on @MapleLeafs captain John Tavares. pic.twitter.com/sV0dlfpdI8

— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) May 21, 2021

Corey Perry was sick to his stomach

The accidental collision with Corey Perry’s knee caused head and neck trauma to the Leafs captain who was bleeding on the side of his head. Perry after the game said he was “sick to his stomach.” Perry made sure to go over to Tavares as he held his thumb up in the air and tapped his leg for support.

“I’ve experienced a lot of different things, a whole lot of tough injuries and stuff like that in my time as a player and as a coach, but in an empty building like that, that was probably the most uncomfortable situation that I’ve been a part of on the ice,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “It was tough to get through. Our players were rattled and concerned.”

NHL.com

John Tavares’ injury is a stark reminder how dangerous the sport of hockey can be. We wish him well.

John Tavares was stretchered off the ice after taking an inadvertent knee to the head.

He gave a thumbs up as he was leaving the ice.

(via @sportsnet)pic.twitter.com/potjpvujFX

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 21, 2021

Scary scary stuff here.
Let's hope John Tavares is OK. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/OOtzg2tVK4

— For Future Considerations (@PodcastFFC) May 21, 2021

John Tavares suffers serious injury, leaves on a stretcher

The moment grew more horrifying as Toronto’s medical staff tried to get Tavares back up. That’s when a stretcher was called for as panic was visibly seen on Leafs GM Kyle Dubas. Fortunately, Tavares gave the thumbs up sign as he was being taken away. Both the Leafs and Canadiens players were showing their support for Tavares.

John Tavares gives a thumbs up from the stretcher after a scary head injurypic.twitter.com/PoMO2YRl94

— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) May 21, 2021

We pray that John Tavares is ok and has a speedy recovery. We will provide updates as they come in.

Updates:

Just received the confirmation from the @MapleLeafs that John Tavares was transported to hospital for further evaluation.

— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) May 21, 2021

Other NHL news

John Davidson says he and the Rangers mutually agreed to part ways. Read more.

If you clicked on this article and you were ready to jump to the comments with a furious rage in your fingertips, then GOOD. You already proved to me that your passion was challenged, and you wouldn’t take that sitting down, metaphorically speaking of course.

TR91TOR

Onto business: the whole hockey community is buzzing with the recent blow out of the Maple Leafs by the hands of the Metropolitan division leaders, the New York Islanders. In his first game back to the Island, former captain John Tavares was greeted with boos, hisses, chants, jerseys and plastic snakes. Not to mention the god awful “Dear John” video that I can’t even stomach for 30 seconds.

Now I don’t agree with the throwing of objects at a player, the tantrums and especially not the jersey burning (SERIOUSLY THOSE JERSEYS ARE EXPENSIVE WHAT’S WRONG WITH EVERYONE? WHO DOES THAT?!), I understand the frustration and passion these fans are showing year after year. This intense loathing spewing from the fans to a former player has gotten mixed reviews with either surprising support for the passion or the obvious disgust that fans can act in such a way.

Why am I talking about the Islanders you may ask? Well if you read the title, you’d understand why I bring this up. The Rangers fans don’t seem to have the same passion at the games as other teams do. Now there can be a few reasons for this but one of the biggest and easiest to point out is that tickets to Rangers games, even when they play like a dysfunctional mess of a hockey team, are exceedingly overpriced.

If you’ve been to a Rangers game EVER you would see that the lower bowl is only barely patched together with a sea of blue or white button up shirts, maybe a fancy tie or two, the occasional actual fan that is either lucky enough to get upgraded that night or can actually afford it and let’s not forget the celebrity guest that gets blown up on the big screen.

Seats even remotely close to center ice in the lower bowl can go for almost $450 a ticket sometimes even more if we’re playing the Devils or an original 6 team. The real issue is that sometimes the cheapest tickets can go for $90! But hey, we’re a big market team. The Rangers are in the heart of the city and right above Penn Station, so I get why their lease is expensive and I’m sure other big market teams like the Blackhawks, Bruins and Flyers have similar issues.

The Rangers are just starting to build a new identity under David Quinn. Still they don’t have a captain or superstar (who is not a goalie) that establishes who they are. If we look at the reining Stanley Cup Champions and you already have a player that fits the bill in mind don’t you? The Great 8, the Russian sniper, Alex Ovechkin is a huge presence on and off the ice. He’s gritty, a goal scorer and we all saw what he did with the Cup after he won last season.

I’ve always felt that the Rangers haven’t had that one guy who always had that presence and moxie on the ice that is just needed in hockey since Mark Messier. We see it with guys like P.K. Subban that are beloved by the fan base and always a factor in their games. I know Henrik Lundqvist is the heart and soul of the team and Mats Zuccarello was a fan favorite but Hank is a goalie and Zucc isn’t here anymore. The Rangers need something to bring the fans together on a daily basis.

So, what could another problem be? Well for one, we have the same chant since 1979. I understand that back then it was a huge issue, its embedded into our history and the fans will never let it go no matter what but that was 40 years ago!

We chant it no matter who is in the building. We could be playing the Las Vegas Golden Knights and you’ll hear that whistle and the roar from the crowd all in unison “POTVIN SUCKS”. It’s outdated, most kids that go to the game don’t even understand why they end up chanting it but it’s a tradition that will just be associated with the Rangers.

Learn about the Potvin Sucks origin here

I wish I was there back then to feel why this chant was so powerful and what brought Rangers fans together. I can see the makings of a new tradition for the island with JT and his “betrayal.” It was his hometown team give it a rest already. See? I’m already mad at this new chant of “pajama boy” and “snake” and it hasn’t even been a day.

We need a common enemy as Rangers fans. We need someone or something to bring us together to wake us up while cheering on the Rangers. Kind of like John Tavares to the NY Islanders.

The usual “Let’s Go Rangers” chants will stay but we just lost ZUUUCCC and in a few years we’ll have to say goodbye to HEN-RIK. We’re going to have nothing to cheer for, or against. Other franchises in our area have things that bring fans together, the Mets have the Wilpons, the Devils have the Rangers, the Yankees have all their “haters”, the Jets have their common misery and anguish, the Nets have…I’ll come back to that one, the Giants have the whole NFC east, the Knicks have James Dolan and the Islanders now have Tavares.

The Rangers don’t have Denis Potvin, or a disgruntled ex-teammate or even an owner that is so bad that he can simultaneously ruin two franchises. We are always split on players, coaches, prospects and the GM. We can’t decide who or what to hate effectively. A common enemy will bring us fans together…one day. To be honest, we have more infighting on social media than we do anything else.

For now, though, we need to celebrate and be excited for the future of the Rangers. Not declaring kids busts because they aren’t a superstar at age 18, no discrediting a goalie for letting up 4 goals in one game for the first time in a season, and no drunken brawls with EACH OTHER during games. At least fight those opposing fans that thought they would enjoy a nice trip to New York City, screw those guys! Just kidding, we don’t condone any violence unless it’s Brendan Lemieux against the opposition on the ice.

I know it’s frustrating to be a bad team, but accept the fact that the Rangers may still be a year or two from contending. We need to accept that we’re getting rid of fan favorites and that just because you tweeted someone about why you love a player doesn’t mean anything to the brass up in the front office.

You can be mad we got rid of players or be mad that we aren’t great as a team right now, but use that anger and frustration in a constructive way. Next time when you see the Blueshirts play, use all those emotions and cheer. Make sure the other teams hear us and have them afraid to come back to the world’s most famous arena. I know the Leafs and John Tavares will will remember that loss and that treatment. We also know the Islander fans will never let it go.

They found their rally cry and it is time for Rangers fans to unite and find theirs.

The number one name on the market this summer without a doubt will be goal-scoring winger Artemi Panarin. Over the course of his three-and-a-half year career, Panarin has solidified himself as an elite forward in the NHL, and you better believe Panarin will ask for the maximum when negotiating a new contract.

But how much is too much? With the rarity of having an everyday goal scorer on your team, the Rangers need to give Panarin whatever — and I mean whatever he wants.

With the NHL salary cap increasing an extra few million dollars before next season, there is no doubt that Panarin will get a contract in the double digits, and the Rangers better be the highest bidder. With the amount of cap space the Rangers should have going into next year, this isn’t the time to play it conservative.

While looking at past Ranger teams, even the team that went to the Cup, you could argue that the reason they didn’t make it over the hump was because they didn’t have a prolific goal scorer. Yes, they had guys like Rick Nash, Marian Gaborik and company, but nobody that can score at will like Panarin. As of this year’s NHL All-Star break, the Russian sniper has played in 306 games – regular season and playoffs – while recording 301 points. That almost a point-per-game, and this season he is averaging over that mark, with 53 points (19G, 34A) in 46 games with the Blue Jackets.

The ball is in Panarin’s court when it comes to negotiating, as his numbers speak for themself. Trying to pinpoint the exact number Panarin will ask for isn’t possible at this point, but comparing his stats with top players in the league can give us a good idea.

Starting with Patrick Kane, whose AAV currently sits at $10.5 million, is a good place to start. In the 2016-17 season, Kane recorded 89 points in 82 games, as Panarin recorded 74 points in 82 games. Kane has Panarin by doubt digits that year, but you must remember Kane has been doing this thing since 2007, and that was Panarin’s second year in the NHL. Following up in the 2017-18 season, Kane recorded 76 points in 82 games, as Panarin got back on top by scoring 82 points in 81 games. With these guys having close statistics over the last two years gives Panarin’s team a good idea on where they stand. With Patrick Kane getting $10.5 million AAV years ago when the salary cap wasn’t as large as it will be for Panarin, I expect the highest-bidder to go north of that $10.5 million mark, and that shouldn’t scare away the Rangers.

Next, we’ll compare Panarin to a former Islander, John Tavares. Arguably in the top-10 players in the NHL, Tavares just signed a brand new contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs for an AAV of $11 million. As stated before, in his first three full seasons in the NHL Panarin has 301 points in 306 games. Over that same time frame, Tavares has skated in 286 games while scoring 274 points. On paper, Panarin produced more than Tavares, and with Tavares getting $11 million in a market that will be close to next year, I expect at the minimum Panarin to ask for that same $11 million.

Leading the pack when it comes to AAV is none other than Connor McDavid. Flat out, McDavid is deserving of that money and is the best player in hockey. However, with the demand being through the roof for Panarin, don’t be shocked if someone offers him a similar contract. And if that is the case, the Rangers need to be that team.

The Rangers haven’t had a guy of Panarin’s caliber in a long time. Panarin, who will turn 28 at the beginning of next season, would give the Rangers the scorer they never had.

The Blueshirts can’t back away from the challenge of a bidding war. It is already stated that multiple teams plan to go “all out” for the Russian winger, who has openly stated his curiosity with playing in New York in the past.

No number is too high for Panarin. The timing is perfect, the big contracts have been dealt away and the Rangers have a bunch of young guys to look up to Panarin and play with a superstar. It would be truly upsetting if the Rangers back away at the risk of spending too much money, especially because Jeff Gorton won’t have the opportunity to sign someone like Panarin for a very long time.

On this episode of Forever Blueshirts Radio, Host Russell Hartman is joined be 4B Editor in Chief Zak Chiger and 4B Writer Kevin Crupi as they answer some questions from listeners and discuss some topical NHL news. They are also joined by sports writer Daniel Friedman and discuss John Tavares’ move to Toronto, updates on the Erik Karlsson saga and more.

Getty Images

Yesterday, as the NHL free agency period opened, teams jumped on available players on the open market in order to make their rosters better. Additionally, the extension of players already on teams was something a few teams made a point to go for, such as Vladislav Namestnikov back to the Rangers and former Blueshirts captain Ryan McDonagh. The former Ranger inked a seven-year deal worth $6.75 million AAV for Tampa Bay, which kicks in at the start of the 2019-2020 season.

Good for McDonagh. He is an incredibly talented defenseman who put his all for New York and deserves what he got with that contract. At the end of the day though, it’s also good he didn’t get this money from the Rangers.

Another former Ranger signed an extension as well. J.T. Miller re-upped with Tampa Bay for five years and $5.25 million per season. It’s also good that the Rangers did not give this money to Miller.

Sure the Rangers could’ve signed both players to similar deals, considering the salary cap is more than likely going to go up, but it’s good that the Rangers were able to move both Miller and McDonagh for future pieces. Both Miller and McDonagh were vital pieces to fruitful Rangers playoff runs, but with the Rangers rebuilding, their time was coming. Many Rangers fans seem to have wished that we kept McDonagh and/or Miller and kept them on comparable deals. But, at the end of the day, Jeff Gorton put aside the emotion and nostalgia and acquired future prospects and potential stability.

Another reason why moving McDonagh was a solid move was his age. Now, he’s not the oldest of players but clearly, he isn’t as agile or mobile as he used to be. Sure, he’s still a solid defenseman in this league, but he’s had a ton of mileage put on him over the last few seasons with grueling playoff runs and multiple injuries, which ultimately means he’ll be on the decline soon. In a rebuild, the Rangers do not need another heavy contract with an aging defenseman.

Jeff Gorton and company maximized on their chances to gain something from two of these players and in return, was able to gain players and assets from a trigger happy Tampa Bay team, who was searching out pieces for a cup run. Looking at this situation compared to the New York Islanders/John Tavares situation, the Rangers came off as bandits. The Islanders had a chance to bring in a massive haul of players and prospects at the deadline for Tavares, who is a number one center in the NHL. Knowing that, they could’ve maximized the return and had the loss of Tavares sting a little less. They did the opposite and drew out the clock, hoping he would stay, but instead, ghosted them and Tavares fled to Toronto.

Meanwhile, the Rangers front office are grinning at the fact that they got pieces for two of their top players, setting themselves up for potential future success. To any Rangers fan that may still be upset that we may have lost McDonagh or Miller for “nothing”, I kindly ask you to think about it and see how the Rangers benefited from this, even if the haul they got in return was not what was expected. It could be worse, they could’ve lost McDonagh at the end of next season without anything in return; all while sitting on their hands waiting on a decision only to be snubbed and left to watch while he signs with someone else.

I guess we don’t have to worry about that now. Libor Hajek and Brett Howden are going to look great in Rangers blue!

Here are the latest rumblings around Rangerstown.

Vladislav Namestnikov

The Rangers didn’t make a lot of noise on the first day of NHL free agency, but they did re-sign C/W Vladislav Namestnikov to a two-year deal.

The Rangers are hoping that Namestnikov can regain the level of play he had while in Tampa. Granted that he was playing on the same line as Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, but he does have the talent to last in the NHL.

Fredrik Claesson

The Rangers made one UFA acquisition yesterday, signing former Senators defenseman Fredrik Claesson to a one-year deal. Claesson is a stay at home blue-liner that saw time playing alongside all-star defenseman Erik Karlsson.

This is a low-risk move by Gorton with the Rangers blue-line uncertain coming into training camp. Aside from Kevin Shattenkirk, Brady Skjei, and Marc Staal, the opening night defense corps is up in the air. Will Neal Pionk, Tony DeAngelo, or John Gilmour be able to extend their stay on Broadway? Will Brendan Smith have a good camp and get back to MSG? Time will tell, but bringing Claesson aboard gives the Rangers another NHL-level defenseman.

Rangers Alumni On The Move

There was plenty of action yesterday involving former Rangers heading to a new club for the 2018-19 season.

Michael Grabner, who the Rangers traded to the Devils at the deadline, signed a three-year contract with the Coyotes. Former Rangers teammate, and now current teammate, Derek Stepan welcomed Grabner in the most hockey way possible; by chirping him.

https://twitter.com/DerekStepan21/status/1013510871409184768

Former Rangers blue-liner John Moore signed a five-year contract with the Boston Bruins. A mobile defenseman, Moore will give the Bruins another great skating defenseman who knows how and when to jump into the play.

Adam Clendening, who spent 31 games on the ice for the Blueshirts, was signed by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Clendening’s roster spot won’t be guaranteed for John Tortorella’s club, but he could crack the opening night lineup as the team’s sixth defenseman.

Paul Carey was signed by the Senators after spending last season with the Rangers. Carey was a solid fourth-liner last-year and will bring hard work and consistency to Ottawa, even if they thought he was a defenseman.

The Penguins are bringing back Matt Cullen who, once upon a time, spent a season with the Rangers.

Aside from signing John Tavares, the Maple Leafs signed two former Rangers in Josh Jooris and Adam Cracknell. Neither player spent much time with the Blueshirts, but as they say: “once a Ranger, always a Ranger.”

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights signed defenseman Nick Holden to a two-year deal. Holden started off well with the Rangers back in 2016, but his play declined significantly and he became an asset that needed to be moved. Vegas also brought back Brandon Pirri on a one-year deal.

In non-NHL signings, David Desharnais has signed with KHL club Lokomotiv. There had been rumors that Desharnais was heading over to the KHL when the Rangers season ended, and now it is official.

The John Tavares decision was reportedly coming today and it appears it’s been made.

I am told (though not by agent or NYI) that Tavares will meet with five teams during interview period that opens tomorrow. Rangers are not among them.

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) June 23, 2018

Predicting the 5 Teams

At this time Stars are believed to be one of three teams on Tavares list to meet with this week https://t.co/9A9yqoL8VD

— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) June 23, 2018

The Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, and San Jose Sharks sound like the 5 teams that will comprise that list.

The fact that the Rangers are not on the list is surprising but it doesn’t mean they weren’t interested. As I’ve written before, John Tavares is not all bout the money and he wants to win. Tavares also would feel like he’d be sticking a dagger in the hearts of Islanders fans with a move to Broadway.

Gorton as is evident with the draft is committed to this rebuild and that means at some point, we have to address the 800 lbs gorilla in the room, Henrik Lundqvist. Will he change his mind and waive his no trade clause to go to a contender at the next trade deadline? It’s certainly going to be a question all next year.

The fact that Tavares is going to meet with five teams sometime in the next few days is not shocking. He should. But #Isles still seem optimistic he’s coming back.

— Brett Cyrgalis (@BrettCyrgalis) June 23, 2018

If you’re a hockey fan, you are dead smack in the middle of summer hockey rumors season. The NHL draft marks the midway point of this crazy period in hockey that concludes once Free Agent Frenzy dies down. If you’re a Rangers fans, this silly season really hasn’t stopped since the moment the organization announced a commitment to rebuild.

There are many rumors and stories out there. So many in fact, that not only are Rangers fans confused, but so are many of the beat writers as well. This is simply my attempt to give some probability to each.

Tavares on Broadway

The Rangers were ready to make a big offer if Tavares decided to go to the Free Agent market. There is still a slim possibility he will at least talk to some teams before free agency opens but the Islanders have proven they want to win. The hiring of Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz should be enough to bring JT back home. That and the fact only the Islanders can give him an 8 year deal means he isn’t going anywhere.

Probability: Extremely Low

Trading for Karlsson

This one has been widely talked about over the last few days. If the Senators feel forced to move him, and Karlsson is only willing to talk to 1 or 2 teams about an extension prior to a trade maybe the Rangers can get him at a reasonable price. The truth is that the Sens aren’t forced and they also want to have a team take on Bobby Ryan’s contract too. It just doesn’t make sense for a rebuilding team.

Probability: Low

Zuccarello Staying or Going

A week ago, Larry Brooks was reporting that Zuccarello was going to be at camp unless something happened by the draft. Yesterday, we heard that Zuccarello was being talked about at the NHL Awards show. So what happened? I believe once the rumors of Tavares likely staying put gained steamed (Barry Trotz said he spoke with upon his hiring), the Rangers revisited the possibility of moving the veteran forward.

Probability: 50/50

Rangers Trade either Namestnikov or Spooner at the Draft

This has been talked about for weeks and if the Rangers want to move a few spots from #9 to say #5 or #26 into the teens, they could use either as a sweetener. Even if they don’t utilize either for that tonight, it’s possible they could trade one or both before July 1st in another deal.

Probability: Extremely High

Kevin Hayes Being Traded

This is one name that has been talked about a lot recently and if the deal is right, Hayes could be on the go. He certainly represents Jeff Gorton’s best chance to either a) move into the top 3 in the draft, or b) land a defenseman like Doug Hamilton in Calgary.

Probability: Low

Kovalchuk Signs with Rangers

What a long road Rangers fans have been on here. The latest rumors has an offer on the table from LA, with Boston, SJ, and Vegas also in the mix. Amazing how the Rangers have walked away from him, or have they? Gorton said he would revisit and I’ve yet to hear that has changed. So let’s just say that Kovalchuk may still have one more conversation with Gorton before going elsewhere.

Probability: 50/50

Rangers Stay the Course and select 9th

The Rangers aren’t likely to make all three picks in the 1st round. At least not all three picks in their current slots. However, it is very likely the Rangers would move either the 26th or 28th selection to move into the teens of this draft and nab another highly touted player in this deep pool.

Probability: Extremely High