FRIDAY NIGHT SHOCKERS
For the second Friday in a row, a Western Conference team sent a star to an Eastern Conference team. Last week it was the Carolina Hurricanes acquiring Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche for Martin Necas, Jack Drury and draft picks. Last night, it was the New York Rangers acquiring JT Miller, Erik Brannstrom and Jackson Dorrington for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini and a protected 2025 1st Round Pick. Who’s coming East next Friday?
CAN JT UNLOCK THE BREADMAN
From afar, I have always felt that Artemi Panarin’s teammates are too much in awe of his talent. It makes you wonder if any of them were comfortable telling Panarin that his effort on the game winning goal against Colorado last Sunday was unacceptable? Or his one-on-three effort on Carolina’s first goal on Tuesday, and another lazy backcheck, was a bad look for one of the leaders on the team. Panarin has been a great Ranger but seems to play his best when the Rangers are on a roll. When the Rangers needed him to be his alpha-self against the Lightning in the 2022 ECF, the Panthers in the 2024 ECF and during their 4-15-0 stretch this season, he wilted. Based on everything we hear about JT Miller, his ability to get “in-your-face” is not reserved just for opponents and referees. Can he become Panarin’s muse?
RANGERS OWN THE 2011 DRAFT
The New York Rangers now employ three centers that were drafted in 2011 and will be playing in the 4 Nations Face-Off later this month in Boston and Montreal.
- Mika Zibanejad (6th overall, Team Sweden)
- JT Miller (15th overall, Team USA)
- Vincent Trocheck (64th overall, Team USA).
The Rangers also have alums who played center for them from the 2011 draft.
- Ryan Strome (5th overall, now with Anaheim)
- Vladislav Namestnikov (27th overall, now with Winnipeg)
- Colin Blackwell (194th overall, now with Dallas)
THIS IS NOT A YOUTH MOVEMENT
There was talk that the Rangers may look to get younger in this “on the fly” retool, but their youngest center is now Trocheck who turns 32 on July 11th.
- Trocheck (DOB 7-11-93)
- Johnny Brodzinski (DOB 6-19-93)
- Zibanejad (DOB 4-18-93)
- JT Miller (DOB 3-14-93)
- Sam Carrick (DOB 2-4-92)
