The Rangers are heading into Saturday night’s meeting with the Blue Jackets looking for a reset, and the changes are coming right in the middle of the lineup.
New York is coming off its roughest night of the season, a 7-1 loss to the Devils on Thursday that got away from them quickly between the end of the first period and the second. Dylan Garand had a difficult outing, allowing more than two goals for the first time in his young career. For a team that has mostly played strong hockey this season, it was a loss that stood out.
Even with a 6-3 record, the Rangers are still tinkering. The goal is to get sharper at even strength and settle on the right combinations, and Saturday’s top six will look different again.
Alexis Lafrenière is moving back onto the first line alongside Gabe Perreault and Mika Zibanejad. That group worked well in the second half of last season, and it was logical to see them start there to open this year. Lafrenière has been New York’s most dangerous offensive player, and after spending a stretch on the second line and producing there too, he has earned the spot back on the top unit.
He leads the team in both points and goals, so his return to the first line makes plenty of sense.
That shuffle pushes Pavel Dorofeyev back down to the second line after he had one of the few bright spots against New Jersey, scoring his second goal of the season. There has been plenty of discussion about his production since joining the Rangers, and while he has looked good, the finishing touch has not fully arrived yet.
With the 10th game of the season on deck, New York would love to move to 7-3. The hope is that these lineup tweaks help get them there.
In Other News...
Rangers Add Veteran Goalie Depth As Bigger Questions Still Linger
The Rangers added a familiar veteran name to their goaltending pipeline when James Reimer joined their AHL affiliate in Hartford on a professional tryout agreement. It is a practical move for the Wolf Pack, which had been short on bodies in goal, and it gives New York some extra experience in the system as the organization continues sorting through its depth chart.
For now, the signing answers only part of the picture. It shores up Hartford while the NHL clubs own goaltending situation remains unsettled, and the Rangers could still look around for more help if needed. Reimers arrival buys the organization some breathing room, but it does not make the larger questions disappear. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers May Have A New Goaltending Question After Brutal OT Loss
The Rangers got exactly the kind of road effort they needed from Dylan Garand for most of the night in Columbus, but it still ended with only a point after a 1-0 overtime loss at Nationwide Arena. Garand was sharp throughout, turning aside 28 of 29 shots and helping the Rangers survive key penalty-kill situations, which at least gave a struggling road trip a chance to produce something.
New York still leaves with its record on the road sitting at 1-3-1, and the bigger takeaway may be less about the standings than about what comes next in goal. Garands showing was strong enough to keep the game within reach, but the manner of the finish only adds to the pressure around a position the Rangers suddenly have reasons to keep watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Already Face Pressure Over Their Big Pavel Dorofeyev Bet
The Rangers made a major commitment to Pavel Dorofeyev after bringing him over from Vegas and locking him in on a long-term deal, the kind of move that comes with immediate scrutiny in New York. His track record with the Golden Knights suggested there was plenty of offense still to come, which is why the early returns have drawn attention even as the season is still young.
Through nine games, Dorofeyev has not yet looked like the finishing piece the Rangers are hoping for, and the pressure that comes with a seven-season, $77 million contract is already part of the conversation. Even so, there are reasons inside the organization to believe the scoring will follow, which leaves the Rangers balancing patience with the expectation that their big bet has to start paying off soon. [Read more 🡒]