Change is upon the New York Rangers.
In actuality, it has been for the reason that day captain Jacob Trouba was shipped out to Anaheim.
However the Blueshirts have been lively main into the week of the NHL’s commerce deadline on March 7, making strikes that may guarantee they don’t lose impending unrestricted free brokers for nothing come summer season and making an attempt to retool a lineup preventing for a playoff spot.
Reilly Smith, acquired by the Rangers in July, was held out of Sunday’s matchup with the Predators for roster administration functions.
The 33-year-old wing seems primed to hitch Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey on their means out of city, after the 2 had been packaged in a cope with the Avalanche on Saturday that introduced defenseman Calvin de Haan and ahead Juuso Parssinen to New York.
“Can’t thank Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy enough for what they’ve done for the organization long before I got here and since I’ve been here,” head coach Peter Laviolette stated earlier than the Rangers beat the Predators 4-0 Sunday evening at MSG. “Talking about two really good human beings and two really good hockey players that played hard for the New York Rangers. It’s always tough to see change. I think change is always tough.”
This week might be unfamiliar territory for many of this Rangers locker room, which has solely actually recognized bringing in reinforcements moderately than sending them out.
Between Adam Fox’s injured reserve designation, the commerce with Colorado and those to come back, the Rangers are bracing for an adjustment interval that will take time regardless of not having a sport to sacrifice.
Each de Haan and Parssinen had been headed to extra conferences to rise up to hurry following their morning skate.
However change has been the theme of Parssinen’s fourth NHL season, over which he’s now been traded twice.
“It’s been pretty crazy,” stated the 24-year-old Finn, who was traded from Nashville to Colorado in December. “It’s not every day you get traded and then you get traded twice. First time for me. It’s crazy. I’m here now, it’s a pretty great spot. The city, the team. What everyone’s been talking about the organization. It’s pretty special to be here. It’s been a crazy season, just want to have a good rest of the season.”
Parssinen, who spent components of morning skate chatting together with his fellow countryman Urho Vaakanainen, centered the third line between Brennan Othmann and Jonny Brodzinski and posted two blocks and 6 hits.
Laviolette famous that Parssinen had been enjoying some wing for the Avs, however stated the 6-foot-3, 212-pounder needs to be a centerman.
In 22 video games with Colorado, Parssinen scored two targets and dished 4 assists to offer him 4 targets and 7 assists in 37 contests earlier than he made his Rangers debut Sunday evening.
There’s pleasure inside the group about Parssinen’s potential upside, and it’s a low-risk transfer with the younger middle on the books for $775,00 and set to turn into a restricted free agent (with arbitration rights) this summer season.
The Rangers acquisition of de Haan, nevertheless, comes right down to his expertise.
De Haan seemed like a veteran of 676 regular-season video games, 38 playoff contests and now six completely different NHL groups when he fielded his first questions from the New York media inside MSG Coaching Heart.
“I’m not trying to replace anyone,” he stated, virtually acknowledging the trace of unhappiness within the air on the group’s first day with out Lindgren in six years. “I’m just trying to just play my game, just play steady defense. Just play reliable hockey. Just try and help the team win at the end of the day. That’s my job. Just try to be a calming presence out there, as well.”
The 33-year-old defenseman primarily performed third-pair minutes in Colorado this season and was candid and frank in his evaluation of his sport, saying he is aware of he’s not placing up a ton of factors and that his statistics aren’t “too sexy right now.”
Protection is precedence for de Haan, who recorded an help on Artemi Panarin’s first-period purpose to go together with six hits, two blocks and two pictures on purpose in Sunday’s win.
Parssinen and de Haan could also be going from a playoff spot with the Avalanche to a playoff race with the Rangers, however the two expressed confidence within the group they’re becoming a member of.
“You go up and down this lineup, there’s a boatload of talent on this team,” stated de Haan, who lined up subsequent to Zac Jones on the Rangers backside pair. “There’s no reason why this team can’t make a push for the playoffs. Just happy to be on a team with playoff aspirations. I think we can do some damage if we get to go to the dance.”
