Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs is in full swing, and each series is two games deep. We've already had some special moments, like double overtime in…
Patrick Kane, Rangers Wow Twitter With Offense in Game 2 Win vs. Devils
Apr 21, 2023
NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 20: Patrick Kane #88 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal during the third period of Game Two of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on April 20, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images)
Once again, the New York Rangers dominated the New Jersey Devils on their home ice.
Chris Kreider scored twice and Patrick Kane registered three points as the Rangers poured on five unanswered goals to rout the host Devils, 5-1, on Thursday in Game 2 of the first round. New York now holds a 2-0 series lead.
If the Devils want to reach the second round for the first time since 2012, they will need to win four of the next five games—and three of those contests will be taking place in Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers are in an enviable position, and their fans know it.
Kreider screaming in excitement at the Rangers fans and banging into the glass made me feel something
Vladimir Tarasenko opened scoring for the Rangers six minutes into the second period to tie the game at 1-1.
New York picked up Tarasenko and Kane at the trade deadline to be difference-makers in the playoffs. Considering Tarasenko now has two goals in two Rangers playoff contests and Kane had three points in Game 2, that plan seems to be working.
They added Kane & Tarasenko to a team that went to the ECF last year
The ice tilted definitively in the Rangers' direction after Kreider tipped home a pair of passes from Kane on consecutive power plays in the second period. Kreider is now the first player in NHL history to score four power-play goals in his first two games during a playoff year.
The Devils have no answer for Chris Kreider. He is bullying them.
It looked like Kreider might start the third period with a hat trick after Kane stripped the puck from Devils defender Jesper Bratt and earned the pair a two-on-one rush, but Kane took the puck to the netfront himself and flipped it over New Jersey goaltender Vitek Vanecek to extend the Rangers' lead to three goals.
Minutes later, Kaapo Kakko blasted the fifth tally past Vanecek, marking the fourth Rangers goal on nine shots. The Rangers are now outscoring the Devils in the series by a 10-2 margin.
The Devils arrive in New York City for a rematch on Saturday. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. ET.
The Rangers will stick with this winning lineup as the Devils prepare to shake up some lines—and make a potentially difficult decision as to who should start in goal—as New Jersey attempts to gain control of this series in Game 3.
Video: Rangers' Jacob Trouba Presents Sandy Hook Survivor with Law School Scholarship
Apr 14, 2023
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 13: Jacob Trouba #8 of the New York Rangers skates during warmups prior to the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden on April 13, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
Isaiah Márquez-Greene had a Thursday night to remember.
The 18-year-old hockey fan had the opportunity to meet New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba on the ice at Madison Square Garden. The defenseman gave Márquez-Greene his autographed jersey and even exchanged phone numbers with him.
That wasn't all, though.
Trouba presented Márquez-Greene with the Garden of Dreams Inspire Scholarship that will help put the young fan through law school.
Rangers captain Jacob Trouba surprised fan Isaiah with a full scholarship to law school.
Isaiah, who survived the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, also exchanged phone numbers with Trouba ❤️ 💙
As Scott Fontana of the New York Post noted, Márquez-Greene is a survivor of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting in Connecticut. His younger sister, Ana, was one of the victims of the tragedy, and their mother, Nelba, is a therapist who honored her daughter with the creation of The Ana Grace Project which works with children, families and professionals to promote "love, community and connection."
Márquez-Greene plays hockey at Taft High School in Watertown, Conn., and was accepted to study at the University of Connecticut. Per Fontana, he will study in UConn's Special Program in Law which allows undergrad honors students to attend law school seminars and then provides admission to the law school.
Filip Chytil, Rangers Agree to 4-Year Contract Worth Reported $17.75M
Mar 29, 2023
CALGARY, CANADA - FEBRUARY 18: Filip Chytil #72 of the New York Rangers in action against the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on February 18, 2023 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Flames defeated the Rangers 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
The New York Rangers and forward Filip Chytil have agreed to a four-year contract extension through the 2026-27 season, the team announced Wednesday.
Chytil's deal is worth $4.4 million per season for a total of $17.75 million, according to The Athletic's Arthur Staple.
Chytil was set to become a restricted free agent following the 2022-23 season after agreeing to a two-year, $4.6 million deal with the Rangers in July 2021.
The 23-year-old has spent his entire six-year career with the Rangers, who selected him in the first round of the 2017 draft. He made his NHL debut during the 2017-18 season and appeared in nine games, notching one goal and two assists for three points.
Chytil went on to notch at least 22 points in four straight seasons from 2018 to 2022 and he is now in the midst of a breakout year while centering Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko. In 66 games, he's tallied a career-high 22 goals and 20 assists for 42 points.
With Chytil's production on the rise, it's no surprise the Rangers wanted to get him locked up as soon as possible. The franchise also needs to extend the contracts of Lafreniere and defenseman K'Andre Miller this summer or both will become restricted free agents.
Vladimir Tarasenko, Niko Mikkola, Patrick Kane and Tyler Motte, who were all acquired at this season's trade deadline, will also need new contracts after the 2022-23 season. However, it's unlikely the Rangers will be able to retain all of those players, who will be unrestricted free agents.
The Rangers recently locked up a spot in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs and sit third in the Metropolitan Division with a 44-20-10 record and 98 points. They sit just two points behind the New Jersey Devils for the No. 2 seed in the Metro.
NHL Playoff Picture 2023: Maple Leafs, Rangers Clinch; Updated Standings
Mar 28, 2023
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - MARCH 25: Patrick Kane #88 of the New York Rangers skates the ice during a break in the action against the Florida Panthers at the FLA Live Arena on March 25, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Stanley Cup playoff picture continued to crystallize Monday after the New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs punched their ticket to the postseason.
The latter became the second team from the Atlantic Division to clinch its spot. The other is the Boston Bruins, who have been the best team in the league by far this season and have already clinched the division title.
The Rangers and Maple Leafs join the Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils in the playoffs.
Here are the updated standings for both conferences following Monday's results.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Boston Bruins: 57-11-5, 119 points (clinched division)
Toronto Maple Leafs: 44-20-9, 97 points (clinched playoffs)
New Jersey Devils: 46-20-8, 100 points (clinched playoffs)
New York Rangers: 43-20-10, 96 points (clinched playoffs)
Wild-Card Race
New York Islanders: 38-28-9, 85 points
Pittsburgh Penguins: 36-27-10, 82 points
Florida Panthers: 36-31-7, 79 points
Buffalo Sabres: 35-31-7, 77 points
Ottawa Senators: 36-33-5, 77 points
Washington Capitals: 34-32-8, 76 points
Detroit Red Wins: 31-32-9, 71 points
Philadephia Flyers: 28-32-12, 68 points
Montréal Canadiens: 30-38-6, 66 points
Columbus Blue Jackets: 23-42-7, 53 points
Western Conference
Central Division
Minnesota Wild: 43-22-9, 95 points
Colorado Avalanche: 43-23-6, 92 points
Dallas Stars: 39-20-14, 92 points
Pacific Division
Vegas Golden Knights: 46-21-6, 98 points
Los Angeles Kings: 43-20-10, 96 points
Edmonton Oilers: 41-23-9, 91 points
Wild-Card Race
Seattle Kraken: 40-25-8, 88 points
Winnipeg Jets: 41-30-3, 85 points
Calgary Flames: 33-26-15, 81 points
Nashville Predators: 36-28-8, 80 points
Vancouver Canucks: 34-34-5, 73 points
St. Louis Blues: 33-34-6, 72 points
Arizona Coyotes: 27-34-13, 67 points
Anaheim Ducks: 23-40-10, 56 points
Chicago Blackhawks: 24-32-6, 54 points
San Jose Sharks: 19-39-15, 53 points
The Rangers booked a spot in the postseason without even having to play Monday night after the Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres each lost their respective matches.
They return to the playoffs for a second-consecutive season and will look to improve upon an unexpected run to the conference finals in 2022, where they lost in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who were the defending champions at the time.
Meanwhile, Toronto has been a postseason regular over the last few years but has continually disappointed.
The Maple Leafs have lost in the first round of the playoffs every single season dating back to 2017, including last year when the team managed to score 115 points, the most in a single season in franchise history.
They'll be looking to finally get over the hump this year.
The NHL took a nod from reality at the trade deadline this
season. Like how some enjoy turning their birthday into a week-long event, general
managers across…
Patrick Kane Says Rangers Debut 'Was a Pretty Cool Experience' After Blackhawks Trade
Mar 3, 2023
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 02: Patrick Kane #88 of the New York Rangers on the ice during the national anthem against the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden on March 2, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
Despite a 5-3 home loss to the Ottawa Senators, future Hall of Fame winger Patrick Kane largely enjoyed his New York Rangers debut Thursday night.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Kane said: "My first game as a Ranger was a pretty cool experience. Obviously, I would've liked to play a little bit better and come out with the win. But hopefully it'll come. I haven't played in a little bit. Maybe a little bit rusty."
Kane, 34, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft and had spent his entire 16-year NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks before getting sent to the Rangers this week as part of a three-team trade that also included the Arizona Coyotes.
The Rangers parted with a conditional 2023 second-round pick, a 2025 third-round pick, a 2025 fourth-round pick and defenseman Andy Welinski to bring in a three-time Stanley Cup champion, one-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner, one-time Art Ross Trophy winner and one-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner in Kane.
With the Blackhawks being among the NHL's worst teams this season and Kane set to hit free agency during the offseason, it was long expected he would be on the move.
Because of that, he hadn't played since Feb. 22, as the Blackhawks sat him in anticipation of a trade.
Even so, Kane played 19 minutes and 36 seconds on Thursday, recording no points, four shots on goal and a minus-2 rating.
It was something of a rocky start, but the Rangers are expecting plenty of production out of Kane down the stretch based on his 1,225 points in 1,162 career NHL regular-season games.
The Rangers fell just short of the Stanley Cup Final last season, losing in the Eastern Conference Finals, but a player like Kane with tons of playoff experience and success could be precisely what they need to get over the hump.
Kane's next opportunity to get his Rangers tenure moving in the right direction will come Saturday afternoon when they travel to Boston to face the first-place Bruins.
Patrick Kane: Waiving No-Movement Clause for Rangers Trade Wasn't 'Easiest Decision'
Mar 2, 2023
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 21: Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at United Center on February 21, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
After 15-plus years with the Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Kane is bringing Showtime to Broadway, but the star winger said his decision to waive his no-movement clause to join the New York Rangers was a difficult decision.
"You definitely go back and forth in your head a bunch of times on what was right," Kane told reporters Thursday. "It wasn't the easiest decision, but I'm just really excited to be here. With the amount of skill and good players they have here, it's another chance to make a run."
Considering Kane had spent his entire career in Chicago, it's no surprise it took him so long to waive his no-movement clause. He won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks and notched 1,225 points (446 goals, 779 assists) in 1,161 games with the franchise.
The Rangers acquired Kane earlier this week in a three-team deal that included the Arizona Coyotes. New York sent defenseman Andy Welinski, a conditional 2023 second-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round pick to Chicago in the deal.
Arizona retained a portion of Kane's $10.5 million 2022-23 salary in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick from the Rangers. The Coyotes also sent defenseman Vili Saarijarvi to the Blackhawks in the deal.
Kane is set to make his debut with the Rangers on Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden. He will skate on a line with Vincent Trocheck and former Blackhawks teammate Artemi Panarin.
"Today's the first time I've seen him in a long time," Kane said of Panarin. "He's a fun guy to be around. I definitely missed that for the last six years. We picked up right where we left off. Hopefully it's the same on the ice.
"It might not be as smooth as everyone thinks it's going to go. There might be some bumps in the road, but hopefully in due time we can figure it out."
Kane has notched 16 goals and 29 assists for 45 points in 54 games this season. He's going from a Chicago franchise entering a full-scale rebuild to a New York squad that's hoping to bring home a Stanley Cup for the first time since 1994.
The Rangers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with a 35-17-9 record and 79 points, just seven points behind the first-place Carolina Hurricanes. With Kane on board, they'll be able to compete with any team in the division, and the league, for that matter.
Grading the Rangers' Trade for Patrick Kane from Chicago
Feb 28, 2023
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 18: New York Rangers Defenceman Braden Schneider (4) poke checks the puck away from Chicago Blackhawks Right Wing Patrick Kane (88) during a game between the New York Rangers and the Chicago Blackhawks on December 18, 2022 at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The New York Rangers' acquisition of Vladimir Tarasenko in early February appeared to end speculation regarding what many perceived to be a likely move for Patrick Kane to New York. General manager Chris Drury then went on to address depth. The Rangers brought in Tyler Motte and were reportedly in the market for one final forward for the fourth line.
But gossip quickly spread that Kane would not give up. He reportedly asked Chicago to explore a trade with the Rangers. The cap situation was incredibly tight even with the Arizona Coyotes helping to broker the deal. The Rangers were forced to play with a shortened lineup for a few games to make the math work.
It was a mammoth effort, but the Rangers pulled off the move for Kane on Tuesday, just days before Friday's NHL trade deadline, as ESPN.com's Emily Kaplan reported:
Rangers trade conditional 2023 second-round pick, fourth-round pick, and Andy Welinski to Chicago Blackhawks in return for Kane (50 percent of his $10.5 million salary retained) and Zech Cooper
Condition: 2023 second-round pick becomes 2024 or 2025 first-round pick if the Rangers make the 2023 Eastern Conference Final.
Rangers trade 2025 third-round pick to Arizona Coyotes in return for retaining 25 percent of Kane's salary.
The deadline trades involving Timo Meier to New Jersey and Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders are objectively bigger in terms of on-ice impact. When it comes to the league's optics, a well-known player such as Kane moving to the United States' biggest city beats all of them in terms of marketability.
It's a big addition for the Rangers on the ice and major news for the league on the whole.
Let's break down what this trade means for both New York and Chicago.
New York Rangers
Kane is a future Hall of Famer and arguably the best men's American hockey player of all time. He heads to New York with 1,225 points in 1,161 regular-season games. He won the Hart Trophy in 2015-16 and three Stanley Cups in Chicago, earning the Conn Smythe in 2013.
Now 34, the Buffalo, New York, native is no longer that player. He knows it, and the Rangers know it. He is no longer the driver of possession he once was. He lacks the speed and agility of the past to carry the puck up the ice. Perhaps his hands are not as quick as they once were.
In fact, there is an argument to be made that he is the wrong addition for New York. He has had a tough year in Chicago. The point total (45 in 54 games) looks all right, but the underlying numbers are brutal. Evolving Hockey's model puts him in the fourth percentile among NHL players this season by impact, and that is largely due to his arguably being the worst defensive forward in the league.
Plus, Kane is enduring a hip injury. That may, in part, explain the suboptimal play, but that only raises questions about his ability to hang in an arduous playoff run.
Context is key. Kane's most common linemates this season have been Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou. Both are respectable players, but each is a third-liner at best. The Blackhawks' blue line might also be the worst in the league.
In a tug of war against the rest of the team's best, he was the only one tugging on the rope.
Emotions also must be accounted for. The Blackhawks sold their top players at discount prices at the 2022 trade deadline and in the summer. Let's just say the organization is not particularly devastated by losses, as general manager Kyle Davidson is pursuing the most radical of rebuilds. Playing for nothing had to have been demoralizing for someone as proud and accomplished as Kane.
Kane was publicly upset about the Rangers' decision to initially pass on him in favor of Tarasenko. He must have taken it personally. With something to prove, he produced seven goals and three assists in the following eight games.
Kane's heading to Broadway to join a Stanley Cup contender and will presumably play on a line with Artemi Panarin, with whom he had lots of chemistry in Chicago. He'll have a chip on his shoulder and a strong desire to prove he can still play at a high level.
Kane has always been a player who steps up in critical moments, and his joining the Rangers as an impending unrestricted free agent will provide a new challenge that he will be hungry to take on.
Given his performance this season and the hip concerns, there are no guarantees this move will work out for New York. But after beginning the season with a horrible situation at right wing, the Rangers will enter the playoffs with Tarasenko, Kane and Kaapo Kakko in the top nine.
The Kane deal is the final touch that clinches their status as a legitimate threat to any of the serious Cup contenders alongside them in the Eastern Conference.
Drury likely intended to spend this final week shopping for one more depth forward. But when one looks at the prices players such as Tanner Jeannot and Ivan Barbashev went for, it's easy to see why Drury felt this offer was too good to pass up.
He managed to make this deal without giving up any of the team's notable prospects. If the Rangers do end up parting with a first-round pick, then it will be a minor consequence of a second straight successful playoff run.
Grade: A-
Chicago Blackhawks
Davidson did the best he could. Kane will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and had a full no-trade clause, and all indications are that he was determined to go to the Rangers.
The only leverage at Davidson's disposal was the threat of keeping Kane on principle if the Rangers did not make a decent offer. Such an outcome would have left a franchise legend incensed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF3KQdMGS5g
There is a scenario in which Chicago does well in this trade. If the Rangers do make the Eastern Conference Final this season and then struggle in 2024 and 2025, then Chicago may end up with an early-first-round pick.
Otherwise, the return reflects the circumstances. It will be a late-first-round pick in the best-case scenario and a 2023 draft pick around 55th overall if not.
Davidson was beholden to whatever Drury was willing to hand over. It's not much, but it's better than nothing. Depending on the Rangers' finish, the Blackhawks will enter the offseason with six or seven first-round picks as well as six or seven second-round picks over the next three seasons. That's a sizable collection.
Though Jonathan Toews remains, Kane's departure signals the end of an era in Chicago. Now the organization can move on and begin anew.
Grade: C
Rangers' Updated Roster, Lines and Pairings After Reported Patrick Kane Trade
Feb 28, 2023
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 21: Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at United Center on February 21, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
It's Showtime on Broadway.
The New York Rangers are acquiring Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane in exchange for a 2023 conditional second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-round selection, per ESPN's Emily Kaplan.
If the Rangers make the Eastern Conference Finals, that second-round selection will become a first-round pick in either 2024 or 2025.
The Arizona Coyotes will receive a third-round pick in 2025 for facilitating the trade, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Kane's move to New York was inevitable as the star winger said this month that he was keeping tabs on the Blueshirts as a possible destination should he decide to leave Chicago.
The 34-year-old, who has notched 16 goals and 29 assists in 54 games this season, could make his Rangers' debut as soon as Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.
With Kane set to join the Rangers, there have been questions about where he'll slot into the lineup. Let's take a look at New York's updated roster and depth chart following the move.
New York Rangers Projected Lines, Pairings
Keep in mind that New York's offensive lines, particularly within the top six, could look different depending on how head coach Gerard Gallant wants to split up the star power he has received over the last few weeks.
For now, here's how the lines and pairings are projected:
Injury: Ryan Lindgren (defenseman, upper-body injury)
The Rangers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with a 34-17-9 record and 77 points. While they're nine points behind the first-place Carolina Hurricanes, they're within striking distance of the second-place New Jersey Devils (39-15-5, 83 points).
New York owns the NHL's 11th-best offense, averaging 3.30 goals per game. In addition, the franchise has been 22.7 percent effective on the power play.
The addition of Kane should help the offense improve drastically, but it's worth noting that the Rangers could use some more depth on defense. Whether general manager Chris Drury is interested in acquiring a defense before the deadline ends at 3 p.m. ET Friday remains unclear.
