- The Rangers won’t have forwards Andrew Copp (lower-body injury) and Filip Chytil (upper-body injury) in the lineup on Saturday against Boston, relays Mollie Walker of the New York Post. Both players were injured on Thursday (Copp’s came after scoring a natural hat trick in the first period) and are currently listed as day-to-day.
Rangers Rumors
Snapshots: Kakko, Acciari, Clinching Scenarios
It’s no secret that New York Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko has had some tough injury luck this season. He was sidelined in late January with an upper-body injury, missing about two and a half months before returning. He played just four games before suffering another injury, this time lower-body in nature, but head coach Gerard Gallant believes Kakko, who was injured on April 16th against Detroit, is expected back for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs (if not sooner).
Kakko hasn’t exceeded expectations by any means on the scoresheet this season, tallying just seven goals, nine assists, and 16 points through 41 games this year. The pending restricted free agent was one of the Rangers’ best defensive forwards prior to the team’s post-deadline resurgence in that regard, so it’s not as though he hasn’t brought any real value to the table this season.
- Noel Acciari is returning to the Florida Panthers lineup once again tonight against Detroit. The veteran forward has missed most of the season due to a combination of injuries, and now, he rejoins the team after missing 10 games with an undisclosed injury. Acciari has one goal and five points in 14 games this year.
- Clinching scenarios remain boundless for tonight’s 11-game slate, with many matches still having playoff implications despite 12 out of 16 teams already clinching playoff berths. The Florida Panthers can clinch both the Atlantic Division and regular-season Eastern Conference titles with a win against Detroit, provided the Tampa Bay Lightning also defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs in any fashion. The Calgary Flames will also clinch the Pacific Division title with a win of any kind against the Dallas Stars. Toronto and Carolina can also clinch home-ice advantage in the First Round, while the Wild and Blues can lock in a First Round matchup against each other.
Snapshots: Seattle, Kakko, Blues-Coyotes
The Seattle Kraken have added some famous names to their ownership group, adding Marshawn Lynch and Macklemore as minority investors. The two will “lead major Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena initiatives to connect with hockey fans, music lovers, and community members alike.” Though the on-ice results haven’t come yet for the expansion franchise, the ownership group, led by billionaire David Bonderman, have already established a strong connection to the Seattle area.
More from around the league:
- The New York Rangers have ruled Kaapo Kakko out on a week-to-week basis, following his injury against the Detroit Red Wings this weekend. The young forward had only recently returned from an upper-body injury that stole nearly three months of his season. In 41 games so far, Kakko has just 16 points, a career-low, despite averaging more ice time when he is in the lineup. Two of his seven goals came last week against the Philadelphia Flyers, suggesting he was back on the right track; he was injured the following game.
- The St. Louis Blues and Arizona Coyotes will play a preseason game in Witchita, Kansas next season, in the home of the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder. The two squads will do battle on September 24 in the 15,000-seat arena, giving a whole new fanbase a taste of NHL action. The full slate of preseason games will not be released until later this summer.
Tyler Motte Out For The Rest Of The Regular Season
Not long before the trade deadline hit, the Rangers sent a 2023 fourth-round draft pick to Vancouver to pick up winger Tyler Motte with an eye on deepening their bottom six and adding some more grit to their roster. Unfortunately for them, they haven’t been able to use Motte much so far due to injury, one that head coach Gerard Gallant acknowledged to Mollie Walker of the New York Post will keep him out at least for the rest of the regular season. A return for the playoffs is far from a guarantee either as Gallant indicated that “I just heard he’s out for quite a while”.
The 27-year-old played in nine games before suffering an upper-body injury last month and while he was held without a point, he averaged three hits a game while playing primarily on the fourth line while taking a regular turn shorthanded as well. With Vancouver, Motte had 15 points and 90 hits in 49 games and was in the middle of making a case for a decent-sized raise on his $1.225MM AAV as he gets set to reach the open market for the first time this summer.
Fortunately for the Rangers, they have a surplus of forwards at the moment as evidenced by the 16 healthy ones they have on their active roster. Alexis Lafreniere got the night off on Wednesday and Gallant indicated they’d be looking to get some regulars some rest over the final couple of weeks of the season (Ryan Reaves is sitting today). But most of those 16 don’t play the type of role that Motte does and New York will undoubtedly be hoping that he’ll be able to return at some point in the playoffs.
Kravtsov Will Not Join Rangers For Playoff Run
The New York Rangers are primed for a legitimate Stanley Cup run, but it appears as though their malcontent prospect will not be joining them. Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that instead of joining the Rangers for the playoff run, Vitali Kravtsov will begin his offseason training regimen in Russia, with the plan of arriving in New York well ahead of training camp.
Looking At Ryan Strome’s Impending Free Agency
After looking at Darcy Kuemper’s upcoming contract situation, we move east and take a look at another tricky contract situation, this time regarding New York Rangers center Ryan Strome. Since arriving in Manhattan in exchange for Ryan Spooner, Strome has begun to realize the potential that got him drafted fifth-overall in 2011. Considering the low cost in a trade that it took to acquire him, Strome has been an invaluable “found money” top-six center as the Rangers have clawed their way out of the throes of a major rebuild to become a playoff contender this season. But given the general cap situation of the Rangers, whether the team will be able to keep Strome beyond this season is unknown.
As previously mentioned, this season has been a momentous one for the Rangers. After the famous “letter” sent out by the former regime led by Jeff Gorton and John Davidson, communicating to the fans that a rebuild was in store, the Rangers spent several years building a prospect pool and adding younger talent that could help them compete long-term. With some extra lottery luck and the addition of players who were dead-set on playing for the Rangers (such as Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox and superstar winger Artemi Panarin) the Rangers have this season escaped that rebuilding phase and become a legitimate playoff contender within a stratified Eastern Conference.
In order for the Rangers to become a legitimate playoff contender, many players have elevated their games since arriving in New York, perhaps none more significantly than Ryan Strome. Before his trade to New York, Strome was going through a difficult time as an Edmonton Oiler. His first season there, 2017-18, was decent, as he posted 13 goals and 34 points in 82 games, but the beginning of his second season was a nightmare, as he was only able to generate two points in 18 games before being shipped to New York. In his first season as a Ranger, Strome flashed greater offensive capability, scoring 18 goals and 33 points in 63 games. Since that first season, Strome has blossomed into a legitimate top-six center, and in his most recent three seasons in New York, Strome has 155 points in 191 games, a 67-point 82-game pace. That’s production fit for a high-end second-line center or even a low-end first-line center, meaning Strome has played himself into becoming one of the rarest and most valuable commodities in the NHL.
The Rangers have had Strome at a $4.5MM cap hit, but his contract is expiring and he is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Players like Strome, centers who can score at a 67-point pace, rarely hit unrestricted free agency, and when they do, they get paid. Matt Duchene, coming off of a tumultuous two-year stretch where he scored at a 68-point pace, received a seven-year, $56MM contract carrying an $8MM average annual value. Ryan Johansen and Tomas Hertl, two centers with similar scoring profiles in terms of raw production to Strome, also received deals worth around $8MM per year. Kevin Hayes, a center with a more well-regarded two-way game than Strome but without Strome’s production, got a seven-year contract worth $7.14MM per year from the Philadelphia Flyers. In a world where centers scoring at the pace Strome has scored at these past three seasons are routinely getting to the $8MM mark on long-term deals, and centers who don’t have Strome’s numbers are clearing $7MM, would it be unreasonable to believe that this would be the target for Strome’s representation as well?
Furthermore, if getting a contract comparable to Johansen, Duchene, Strome, or even Hayes is the target, is that a deal the Rangers are going to be able to do? The team already has significant money tied into core players such as Panarin, Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba, and Mika Zibanejad, and Fox’s mammoth $9.5MM-per-year extension is set to kick in at the start of the next league year. Additionally, the team has potential extensions for Kaapo Kakko, K’Andre Miller, and Alexis Lafreniere to either immediately or eventually consider. With an $8.5MM center already on the books, it’s not easy to see how the Rangers could match a major, market-price offer for Strome’s services, especially given that as of the most recent update, no extension talks between Strome’s camp and the Rangers have been held.
With Strome’s recent success as a scorer must come one major reservation. Beyond just the fact that Strome’s production has dipped this year, (he has 47 points in 65 games, which is a 59-point pace) the role that Strome has settled into in New York, the role that has brought him this offensive success, has been as Artemi Panarin’s center. Panarin, as one of the most prolific scoring wingers in the NHL, is the driver of play on that line. The offense flows through him, and that does add some risk to Strome as a potential free agent. With much of his production coming as Panarin’s center and as a supporting character in the Rangers’ blockbuster power play, one has to wonder if Strome is the kind of center who can drive his own line. Before his Rangers tenure, Strome’s best offensive showing in the NHL was when he played next to John Tavares on the Islanders. If he is someone NHL decision-makers tag as being a strong supporting scorer rather than a true play-driver who can run his own line from the center position, that could damage his ability to land a contract of the same magnitude as the centers mentioned earlier.
Overall, Strome’s contract situation is a fascinating one. The numbers are there, there is no doubt about that. But given his level of production, he may not be able to sign the type of contract he might want in New York, meaning he could be a big-ticket free agent elsewhere. And given the role, he has played next to Panarin and on a juggernaut powerplay, perhaps there is more risk to his free-agent profile than there might seem to be. With all those factors in place, one thing is abundantly clear: Strome’s free agency could be one of the most interesting offseason storylines in the NHL.
New York Rangers Activate Kaapo Kakko, Kevin Rooney
Somewhat quietly last night, the New York Rangers activated both Kaapo Kakko and Kevin Rooney from injured reserve, per CapFriendly.
The news couldn’t come at a better time, as the team just lost a Trade Deadline acquisition, Tyler Motte, to an upper-body injury for an indefinite length of time.
Kakko and Rooney were both playing important roles for the Rangers prior to their injuries, but after the team’s multiple moves at the deadline to solidify their depth, it’s unclear Kakko can slot back into the lineup. While Kakko, who has been out since late January with an upper-body injury, had just five goals and 14 points in 37 games, he spent the majority of his time on the top line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. With the success Frank Vatrano has had in that role since coming over from Florida, though, it’s unlikely Kakko slots back into a top-six role for their impending playoff run. Rooney’s role is more solidified, and he’ll undoubtedly replace the mixture of Jonny Brodzinski and Greg McKegg in the team’s fourth-line center spot.
Kakko does still provide value in his return to the lineup, however. After a horrific rookie season defensively, he’s bounced back strongly in the past two seasons to become one of the team’s better defensive forwards at even strength, although he’s not used on the penalty kill. With the Rangers improving drastically in terms of even-strength possession numbers after the deadline, Kakko’s return should only increase that trend.
New York Rangers Sign Bobby Trivigno
2:10 PM: The Rangers have now made the signing official.
10:53 AM: After meeting with him last month, the New York Rangers are expected to sign Bobby Trivigno, according to Corey Pronman of The Athletic. Wherever he does sign, the 23-year-old will be limited to a two-year, entry-level contract following his four-year stint at UMass-Amherst. Undrafted, Trivigno drew interest from several other teams including the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, and Nashville Predators.
Pronman rated Trivigno as the fourth-best undrafted college free agent available this year, noting that he has a good package of skills but some question marks around his skating ability. That lack of true breakaway mobility didn’t hamper him this year for the Minutemen, where he scored 20 goals and 49 points in 37 games. That performance made him a top-ten finalist for the Hobey Baker, though he won’t win it, as he wasn’t included in the final three.
Undersized but always working, the young forward will have a long climb if he wants to make that kind of impact at the NHL level. Perhaps some inspiration can come from within the family. Dana Trivigno, his sister, competed twice for the U.S. at the World Championships, earning a gold medal each time. If Bobby can make it to the NHL with the Rangers, it will be quite a formidable duo–even signing his entry-level deal is an impressive step.
In 2016, even though he was performing well at Shattuck St. Mary’s, his future at the professional level was completely uncertain. He fell all the way to the 17th round in the USHL draft, picked 272nd overall. He was passed over in the NHL draft several times. Now he has won a national championship (and the tournament MVP), wore the captain’s “C” for a top program, and has earned an NHL contract. Not bad for someone who turned 23 just a few months ago.
Carolina Hurricanes Acquire Tarmo Reunanen
The AHL trade deadline frenzy continues, this time with the Carolina Hurricanes adding some interesting defensive depth from the New York Rangers. The Hurricanes have acquired Tarmo Reunanen in exchange for Maxim Letunov. Because this deal was done after the NHL trade deadline, both players are no longer eligible to play in the NHL this season. They can however continue to play in the AHL, where they will report to their new teams.
Reunanen, 24, is in the final year of his entry-level contract, originally signed with the Rangers in 2019, and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season. The fourth-round pick actually played in four NHL games last season, but has been limited to minor league action this time around, recording 17 points in 40 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack. He’ll now join the Chicago Wolves, who happen to be the best team in the AHL so far, sitting first in the Central Division with a 39-11-10 record.
This is an interesting move for the Hurricanes because of Reunanen’s contract status, even though he could potentially return to Finland in the offseason. Adding an RFA for Letunov, who will be a Group VI unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, seems like at the very least a nice swap of assets for Carolina.
The 26-year-old Letunov has been a good minor league player over the last few years, but has seen his offensive output drop considerably this season. In 60 games with the Wolves he had just 23 points, something that will be easily replaced by Richard Panik, who was also loaned to the team today from the Bridgeport Islanders.
That’s not to say the Hartford Wolf Pack are throwing in the towel, though. Letunov was a second-round pick in 2014 and has shown a scoring touch in the past, even reaching 40 points in 50 games during the 2019-20 season. That same season he managed three games with the San Jose Sharks, where he scored his first (and only) NHL goal. With Hartford still firmly in the playoff chase in the AHL’s Atlantic Division, he should help their offensive output down the stretch.
Snapshots: Strome, Abruzzese, McDonough
Some bad post-Deadline news for Rangers fans strikes, as forward Ryan Strome left today’s game with a lower-body injury and did not return. He’s having another productive season playing alongside Artemi Panarin in the team’s top-six, and that line looked to be bolstered by the addition of Andrew Copp at the deadline. If Strome misses any game action, Copp could be thrust back into a center position for the time being. Strome’s health, especially for the playoffs, is of the utmost importance right now for him and the Rangers.
Some more notes, now from the college world:
- New addition Nick Abruzzese will join the Toronto Maple Leafs in Boston tomorrow, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe. The Harvard standout signed his entry-level contract with the Leafs yesterday. There’s a solid chance he could slot into the lineup sooner rather than later, and could help bring some more speed and energy to a bottom-six that’s looked lethargic at times with both Jason Spezza and Wayne Simmonds in the lineup. He’s currently the team’s only extra healthy skater on the roster.
- The Vancouver Canucks won’t be getting a college boost to their lineup, however. The Vancouver Sun’s Ben Kuzma reports that Northeastern’s Aidan McDonough will likely return to the school for his senior year instead of turning pro with Vancouver. McDonough was incredible this season with 25 goals in 38 games, and the 2019 seventh-round pick is quickly rising up the team’s prospect ranks.