Filip Chytil's Injury & Chris Kreider a Rangers Legend
Plus, a News & Rumors article highlighting K'Andre Miller's injury, Matthew Robertson's call-up, and Erik Gustafsson's opportunity
Welcome to the THW New York Rangers Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Rangers writers.
In today’s edition, we have a News & Rumors column that covers the latest in all things Rangers, Filip Chytil’s injury and its impact on the fourth line, and Chris Kreider becoming a franchise legend.
Finally, how bad have the Rangers been at drafting inside the top 10?
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Rangers News & Rumors: Miller, Robertson, Gustafsson & More
December 12, 2023 by Michael DeRosa
In this latest edition of New York Rangers News & Rumors, Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller will not play in the club’s contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs. In other news, the Rangers have called defenseman Matthew Robertson to their NHL roster. Meanwhile, Erik Gustafsson may have a big opportunity ahead of him against the Maple Leafs.
Let’s discuss all of this and more in today’s (Dec. 12) Rangers News & Rumors column.
Filip Chytil’s Injury Has Galvanized Rangers’ 4th Line
December 12, 2023 by Tom Castro
The New York Rangers certainly have no interest in playing the rest of the season without Filip Chytil, the young center who the Blueshirts see as a key part of their future. Serious concern, though, has to exist within the organization over Chytil’s susceptibility to concussions, the most recent of which (suspected, anyway) has kept the 24-year-old out of the lineup since Nov. 2. Though Chytil has been skating, no timetable for his return has been announced.
The Rangers haven’t suffered much from Chytil’s absence to this point, surging out to a 19-6-1 record on the season. As much as the Blueshirts want to see Chytil back in the lineup, however, his being out has come with one not-so-small benefit that could be lost when (or if) he comes back.
When Chytil went out after being injured in an open-ice collision with the Carolina Hurricanes’ Jesper Fast, Tyler Pitlick drew into the lineup, with usual fourth-line center Nick Bonino moving up to the third unit and Vincent Trocheck taking Chytil’s spot on the second line with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. The addition of Pitlick to the fourth forward unit has, improbably, transformed that line into a highly-effective one after the early-season edition struggled to contribute as a cohesive group.
Jakub Vrána Is Rangers’ Perfect Trade Target
December 12, 2023 by Lucas Standel
With the New York Rangers missing key forwards due to injury, their forward depth has been hit hard so far this season. The lack of depth on the right wing is a glaring issue and one that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. One player who has recently become available is Jakub Vrána from the St.Louis Blues. He was supposed to be on waivers today, Dec. 11, 2023, but it did not happen, and it seems his departure from the Blues is coming soon. With the Rangers lacking depth on the right-wing, Vrána would be a perfect fit for the team as they could use a player with scoring upside and a player who has some speed to their game.
Chris Kreider’s Path To Becoming A Rangers Legend
December 9, 2023 by Lucas Standel
The New York Rangers do not have the best track record when it comes to developing draft picks in recent years. One player who was developed properly is Chris Kreider. Since being drafted 19th overall in the 2009 NHL Draft, he has become a key figure in the Rangers’ lineup. While he has had many up and down seasons, his more recent seasons have shown the kind of player he has grown into and this has led him to hold many Rangers regular season and playoff records. This is why Kreider’s No. 20 will be retired when his career is over.
Rangers Have Real Trouble Drafting in the Top 10
December 9, 2023 by Tom Castro
The New York Rangers continue to have high hopes for Kaapo Kakko, the Finnish forward whom they selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, and Alexis Lafreniere, the Canadian left wing whom they drafted first overall in 2020. The Rangers view the pair as soon-to-be stars, even if both young players’ development arcs have been uneven at best through early careers that have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they’ll need to do more than just steadily hone their elite skills to succeed in Blueshirts.
That’s because if both eventually find their way to stardom, they will be among a very small group drafted in the top 10 by the Rangers to do so. That list includes some decent selections and a couple of big success stories, but is largely colored by busts and a raft of painful missed opportunities. Here’s a look at the lineage of which Kakko and Lafreniere are now a part. We’ll limit it to drafts starting with 1968, the first under new rules instituted by the NHL which effectively eliminated the previous system under which players could be signed by teams at any age and controlled indefinitely. That change made all the best amateur players available through the draft, as is the case today.
