Bear in mind just a few years in the past when the NHL had that bizarre advertising and marketing marketing campaign promising “no cleaning soap operas, simply hockey”? I don’t assume they obtained the memo in New York.
The Rangers have been tumbling down the standings currently, however they’ve shot to the highest of the rankings of the league’s most fascinating groups. Simply two months into the season, we’d already had a scorching begin, a shedding streak, a mysterious commerce memo and all kinds of rumors. Then Friday rolled round, and all of it blew up.
Let’s work our means by way of some ideas on a few of the information.
Bonus 5: Ideas on a weekend of Rangers drama
5. The Jacob Trouba commerce — Seen purely as a hockey commerce, it’s not particularly fascinating. A workforce strikes out a good participant on an enormous contract, sending him to a rebuilding workforce that wants some veteran stability and has the cap room to make it work. If something, it’s mildly stunning that the Rangers obtained belongings again, though the worth wasn’t excessive. Finally, it makes sense for both teams.
However after all, “purely as a hockey commerce” doesn’t work right here due to the way more fascinating piece of the puzzle …
4. The Jacob Trouba risk — Trouba was the one who used the word “threat,” and he’s proper. The Rangers performed this one a bit soiled, utilizing the potential of a waiver declare to strongarm their very own captain out of his no-trade safety. In the event you’re a Rangers fan, you most likely don’t thoughts seeing Chris Drury prioritize the final word aim over enjoying good, particularly in a league the place groups just like the Golden Knights and Lightning have had loads of success with that method. However as Arthur Staple explains, there’s a possible value to this manner of doing issues, and Drury better hope that the move is worth it.
3. The Igor Shesterkin extension — We waited all yr for the information, after which it dropped on a day when it may not have been probably the most fascinating story of the day. It can undoubtedly be an important one, although, because the Rangers lock down their celebrity on a contract with all kinds of potential to go bad down the line. Did they’ve a alternative? In all probability not, and Drury most likely is aware of that any worst-case state of affairs can be another GM’s downside.
2. The Brady Tkachuk subplot — Apparently the New York market didn’t need to have all of the enjoyable, so that they determined to rope in an Ottawa Senators fan base that was simply attempting to thoughts its personal enterprise. It’s truthful to say Senators administration was not impressed, and I can’t provide you with any affordable state of affairs the place the Sens would transfer their captain, however we will not less than recognize the added drama.
1. The place that is all goes from right here — OK, now what? Shesterkin’s extension is a reduction and perhaps takes an emotional load off of his shoulders, nevertheless it doesn’t change something for this yr. And whereas the Trouba drama wanted to discover a end line, his commerce continues to be a case of a workforce subtracting a participant off the roster, not including. All of the weekend’s information does is put the Rangers in a greater place to execute half two of the plan. We’re unsure what that’s, however “sit again and simply hope for higher outcomes” doesn’t seem to be it matches Drury’s present method.
Honorable point out: They really performed some hockey too — It couldn’t crack the highest 5, however we must always most likely point out that the Rangers capped off that wild Friday with a win over the Penguins, then fell aside towards the Kraken on Sunday. In different phrases, they’re not fastened fairly but. And in the event that they lose to the Blackhawks and/or Sabres this week, perhaps we do that once more subsequent weekend.
Spoiler alert: The Rangers won’t be on this week’s prime 5. However a brand new workforce can be, so let’s take a look …
Street to the Cup
The 5 groups with the very best possibilities of successful the Stanley Cup.
The Stars drop out of our prime 5 for the primary time this yr after a pair of regulation losses, however the greater information in Dallas is Tyler Seguin occurring the LTIR with the potential for a Vegas-style playoff return. Jim Nill lined that and more with Pierre.
5. Winnipeg Jets (20-9-0, +28 true targets differential*) — They’re hanging by a thread after 5 losses in seven, together with final night time’s regulation loss to the Blue Jackets. Worse, their solely wins have come towards Buffalo and Chicago, so that they barely rely. That is their seventh straight week within the prime 5, and it sort of feels prefer it might be the final.
4. Washington Capitals (19-6-2, +35) — It’s time. Generally a scorching begin is only a flukey streak, however we’re a 3rd of the way in which into the season and the Caps are nonetheless sitting in first place. They’ve obtained factors in seven straight, and Alexander Ovechkin on the way in which again.
We’re giving the Caps the Metro spot this week, nudging out a Hurricanes workforce that’s gone chilly however has the Sharks, Senators, Blue Jackets and Islanders developing on a get-right homestand. Up subsequent after that: The Capitals, within the second assembly of the season between the 2 groups.
3. Minnesota Wild (18-5-4, +23) — Nicely that is vaguely terrifying:
Kirill Kaprizov video games this season
0 factors: 4
1 level: 7
2 factors: 7
3 factors: 7— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) December 7, 2024
By the way in which, Minnesota followers who assume I ought to have them even increased, the Friday people have the Wild as their unanimous choice in the top spot.
2. Vegas Golden Knights (18-7-3, +17) — After a formidable 3-0-0 week that included wins over the Oilers and Stars, they’re the one division chief to carry a lead of greater than two factors. They’ll have their work lower out for them this week with highway video games in Winnipeg, Edmonton and Minnesota.
1. Florida Panthers (17-9-2, +14) — The groups with the very best data nonetheless don’t essentially really feel like Stanley Cup favorites, and the groups which are imagined to be Cup favorites don’t have the very best data, so I’m simply going to maintain the defending champs in prime spot like a coward.
*Targets differential with out counting shootout choices just like the NHL does for some cause.
Not ranked: Los Angeles Kings — It didn’t really feel like there was a lot buzz across the Kings heading into the season, and no matter there was appeared largely destructive. Their largest offseason transfer concerned dumping Pierre-Luc Dubois, which was a pleasant bit of labor to right a mistake however nonetheless reminded everybody simply how unhealthy the error had been. Their fan base had just about lost all faith in the front office. And after three straight years of first-round exits by the hands of the Oilers, it felt like we knew that the Kings had been: A playoff workforce, positive, however not any form of precise risk to the groups that mattered.
Two months later, it may be time to reevaluate. The Kings hold banking factors, with a five-game win streak transferring them as much as second within the Pacific. They’re solidly within the prime 10, proper there with groups like Florida and Carolina in factors proportion, and doing it with out Drew Doughty. And this week included dwelling wins over the Stars and Jets, so it’s not all empty energy.
Saturday night time introduced one other alternative towards a Central contender with the Wild on the town, and the Kings turned it into one other spectacular win.
And positive, perhaps they’re simply headed to a different first-round matchup with the Oilers that everybody will choose them to lose. Nothing concerning the roster essentially screams elite, with the potential exception of Anze Kopitar not realizing he’s 37. And it’s price considering again to final December — a yr in the past in the present day, the Kings had been tied for the very best factors proportion within the league, they usually’d find yourself firing their coach only a few weeks later. Issues can change.
However for now, don’t sleep on the Kings, even in case you wrote them off in the beginning of the season. They’ve obtained one thing getting in L.A. proper now.
The underside 5
The 5 groups headed towards useless final, and the very best lottery odds for James Hagen, or maybe someone else.
A reminder that in case your workforce is all the time on this part, you could possibly all the time simply discover a new league to watch for the following few months.
5. Anaheim Ducks (10-12-3, -15) — It seems like Trouba will make his debut Monday in Montreal. They may use the assistance, with only one regulation win of their final seven. Eric Stephens has extra on how Trouba will fit in Anaheim.
In the meantime, the information isn’t nice on Trevor Zegras. We don’t have particulars on the precise damage, nevertheless it didn’t look good and he’s headed to the IR.
4. Nashville Predators (7-15-6, -27) — The shedding streak is as much as seven video games, and it feels prefer it’s going to take greater than a canceled U2 live performance to show this round. We hold seeing studies that Barry Trotz doesn’t need to overreact or panic, however in some unspecified time in the future, you’re simply conceding a season, no?
3. San Jose Sharks (10-15-5, -22) — They’ve misplaced two straight in regulation since Mirtle tweeted this. Season turning level? In all probability too early to inform, but when they lose to the Hurricanes tomorrow then sure, undoubtedly.
2. Montreal Canadiens (10-14-3, -22) — It was very cool to see Patrik Laine return to the lineup, particularly with targets in every of his first two video games. In the event you’re questioning, he’ll get an opportunity to make a return to Columbus within the workforce’s final sport earlier than the Christmas break.
1. Chicago Blackhawks (8-17-2, -21) — This week featured a fired coach, an injured goalie and Laz on the team’s “slow slide into irrelevance.” That column options the query “Does something matter at this level on the subject of the Blackhawks?” in case you had been questioning how bleak issues are in Chicago proper now.
Not ranked: Buffalo Sabres — It’s been a tough week in what some are calling the NHL’s most hopeless market. They’ve misplaced six straight, and their GM is attempting to calm nerves. That half will not be going nicely.
Right here is the complete chunk the place Adams mentions "we dont have palm bushes, we have now taxes in New York."
"Take a look at the payments, they’re an ideal instance. I'd assume this wasn't a vacation spot or a spot individuals had been signing as much as once they had been in a 17 yr playoff drought….you get Josh… pic.twitter.com/CJru2gn4fz
— Sara Holland (@SaraaHolland) December 6, 2024
I’ll be sincere, that doesn’t sound unreasonable to me. However I’m not a annoyed Sabres fan who hasn’t seen a postseason in occurring 14 years, so I may be feeling only a bit extra charitable than others. And the cash line about palm bushes and taxes got here in the context of a defensive availability that will have tip-toed slightly too shut to creating excuses.
All of it led to followers displaying as much as Saturday’s loss with inflatable palm bushes, which is fairly improbable. In addition they chanted “Fire Kevyn,” which isn’t as humorous as well-executed prop comedy however most likely issues fairly a bit extra. It undoubtedly looks like we’re nearing some form of tipping level in Buffalo, but once more.
This week begins with tonight’s matchup with the Red Wings, a fellow self-proclaimed Atlantic playoff contender that’s crashing and burning to the tune of 5 straight losses. And if that wasn’t sufficient of a Hopelessness Bowl for you, the Sabres’ subsequent opponent is the Rangers.
That might be two wins that take a few of the warmth off. It is also two losses that crank the temperature in Buffalo even increased. Not fairly palm-tree excessive, thoughts you, however nonetheless fairly excessive. In the event you see a Sabres fan, hug them. They may use it lately.
(Photograph of Igor Shesterkin: Bruce Bennett / Getty Photos)
