The Rangers were already relatively well-equipped when it was announced that Brett Berard was a healthy injury ahead of the AHL Wolfpack's Sunday 4 p.m. game against the Bridgeport Islanders in Hartford, Conn. I got home after a good night's sleep.
In fact, the 22-year-old was on his way to New York with his first official call-up to the Rangers after the national team's disappointing four-game trip.
The Blueshirts appear to be looking to a leading scorer in the AHL to shake up their system.
The Rangers probably won't bring back Verrado unless they intend to play him. Just like they weren't going to transport Victor Mancini across the country to replace the injured Zach Jones in Saturday night's game against the Oilers.
Incidentally, Mancini returned to Hartford along with Chad Ruhwedel in a subsequent transfer. That's a good sign for Jones, but forcing Mancini to miss just one game instead of facing Ruwedel, who is already on the road, was a tough call, especially if it only meant having Mancini back the next day.
It was all very indicative of head coach Peter Laviolette's assessment of the blue line.
Berard could be scheduled to make his NHL debut Monday night against the Blues at Madison Square Garden.
Laviolette is likely looking to revitalize the Rangers as they have been playing mid-major for the past month, and predicts exactly how the Rangers will compare to other teams in the NHL. It is very difficult to do so.
They will win even unrelated games, like their 4-0 victory over Detroit.
One period can be detrimental against any opponent, as it was in the middle frame of the Sabers' 6-1 loss.
At the end of this road trip, the power play ranked 10th in the NHL, a low mark for a group that has been consistently at the top for the past few seasons.
Most nights, only one line can maintain zone time. Protecting the rush has been a weakness against teams that excel in that area.
The Rangers could feel really good coming off this road trip.
Instead, the focus is on rebuilding the team for the final two games before Thanksgiving, at home against the Blues and away against the Hurricanes.
“The last two games have been tough, but I think we're off to a good start,” Adam Fox said after the Rangers' 6-2 loss to Edmonton. “I think we lost our way a little bit. With a start like that, it’s not going to work, especially against a team like this. [the Oilers]. Get down early and start pressing, start pinching a little bit more, stay there and start trying to attack some guys who are trying to punish you.
“It was good to win the first two games, but the last two games were really disappointing. It was a home game. [against the Blues on Monday] To regroup and definitely find something and bounce back well. ”
The Rangers were outscored 3-0 and trailed 41-14 in the previous two first periods combined.
As a team that insists that offense is the best defense, and as a club built for that purpose, the Rangers have zero killer instincts these days. They have a very hard time retrieving pucks, evidence of one-and-done opportunities in the offensive zone and repeated losses in puck battles.
If this trend continues, it will be interesting to see how much of a leash the Rangers are under Laviolette.
Laviolette certainly has the option of a power play unit. The same can be said about his defensive combinations.
The anticipated return of Sitiru should buy the line some more time, especially since the Czech center unit with Quill and Kaapo Kakko is probably their best.
His record of 12 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw is not as good as it seems. After Saturday's loss, the Rangers sounded like a team that knew they were lucky.
Vincent Trocheck said “there is an urgency” to the Rangers' slow start. “We are fortunate that [Shesterkin and Quick] It's behind us so far this season. I plan on letting it dry as soon as possible. ”
