Rangers Top Line Leads Way Against Flyers

The New York Rangers notched a 6-2 victory on the road in Philly against the Flyers. New York’s new top line tallied four goals and three assists, carrying the Blueshirts to the win. A quick turnaround looms as the team plays the Flames at MSG tonight. 

Game recap:

Rangers lines vs. Flyers:

Perreault-Zibanejad-Lafrenière 
Cuylle-Trocheck-Brodzinski 
Kartye-Laba-Sheary 
Edström-Pärssinen-Chmelař

Gavrikov-Fox 
Borgen-Schneider  
Robertson-Vaakanainen

Shesterkin
Quick

Scratches: Iorio, Brisson
IR: Rempe (thumb injury), Miller (upper-body injury)
Non-roster status: Raddysh (dad’s funeral)

A few thoughts:

1) Gabe Perreault-Mika Zibanejad-Alexis Lafreniere: placed together four games ago, the team’s new top line have shown solid chemistry. Perreault has five points (two goals and three assists) in this stretch, displaying the vision and skill that made him a first round pick, especially on the blind pass to Zib for the power play goal. He has praised Zibanejad for helping him feel comfortable while coaching him on and off the ice.

Zibanejad is up to 27 goals and 32 assists in 62 contests, albeit with a minus-21 rating. Moved back to center due to JT Miller’s injury, coach Mike Sullivan needs to leave Zib where he is and this trio together. Zibanejad loves facing Philly, as the NHL.com recap column noted. He has 12 points (six goals, six assists), including four multipoint games, in his past five against the Flyers. He’s one point from becoming the 14th Sweden-born NHL player with 800 points.

Lafreneire is finally showing some of the reasons why he was the first overall pick. Criticized broadly, rightly so, due to his struggles, Laf has raised his game since Artemi Panarin was dealt. Freed up to see top unit PP minutes and first line usage, Lafreniere has five tallies and as many helpers in his last eight contests. Calls to deal Laf have died down substantially. 

When Miller comes back, place him on the second line on the wing. He is ill suited right now for the first line and that would mess up the chemistry. Notice how well the trio has played without him. Keep it that way. 

2) Vladislav Gavrikov added an assist in the win, extending his point streak to five games (three goals and three assists), his longest in the NHL. Who had Gavrikov with 12 goals (along with 15 helpers) at this point? He sits six points shy of tying his career high set in 2021-22 with Columbus. The one negative is that Gavrikov is a minus-14 and he hasn’t been the shut down blueliner we thought the team was getting, but the team’s overall play hasn’t helped much. 

3) Tanking: the majority of the fanbase is not happy that the team earned points in five of their six contests since the Olympics, going 3-1-2 in that stretch. I call this time of the season the race for more pong ping balls. New York sits in 30th place in the standings, one point behind St. Louis and Chicago, a point ahead of Calgary and 12 north of Vancouver, who has all but locked up last place. 

While additional ping pong balls and lottery chances are beneficial, as we have seen the past few seasons, that is no guarantee New York will win the lottery. Building a winning culture and allowing the young players to experience success is key for the future as well. This is partially why I don’t understand, save for maybe experience and nepotism, why Conor Sheary remains in the lineup. He does provide veteran experience to Noah Laba and Tye Kartye, both of whom have been good recently, but why not try Adam Sykora or Brett Berard in that duo to see if that is a possible future option. Somewhat the same on the fourth line, where we know what Jusso Parsinnen is as well as Jonny Brodzinski.

4) Trade deadline: a somewhat underwhelming deadline based on expectations created by the Letter 2.0. Artemi Panarin, who was going to be a UFA and traded if the team was not in playoff contention and decision made not to offer him an extension, and Carson Soucy, another pending UFA, were givens. Sam Carrick was a maybe if the return was sufficient. In Carrick’s case, to me, that certainly was not the case as I laid out in my prior column. Buffalo’s third and Chicago’s sixth round pick were okay but not needle movers especially when you see what others brought back and what Carrick would have returned next year if New York was in the same position, even though his contract would be expiring. 

GM Chris Drury held firm to his high asking price for Vincent Trocheck. Kudos for that conviction, though the view that Vinny might be worth as much or more this offseason is likely untrue given who else might be available. Trocheck clearly was a bit shocked by all the surrounding noice, but as a veteran and leader, he has sucked it up upon his return. Whether he wants out after the season remains to be seen, the same for if Drury decides the team would be better served moving on. Though my trust in the GM to make a good deal is minimal at best. 

Brennan Othmann was moved at the last minute. His time in New York was clearly down as neither Drury nor Sullivan appeared to be fans of his game. The organization didn’t help Othmann develop, but he also didn’t do much to force their hands. New York acquired Jacob Battaglia, whose primary issue is a lack of foot speed (sound familiar?). Since Battaglia has options remains and does not need a new contract, as he is on his ELC, this gives the Rangers time to evaluate him. Hopefully Othmann can find the game that made him a first round pick for New York.