As the trade deadline approaches it’s a very interesting time on Broadway. The Rangers have played very well for over a month now and sit near the top of the league standings, despite a tough loss to the elite Panthers. While losing is never fun, Monday nights defeat to the “cats” was certainly not one to hang your head about. The Blueshirts battled a fellow cup contender to the end for the second time this season, an effort that once again proves they belong in the discussion to win it all. They were undone by a host of unnecessary penalties in the second, a missed call in the third, and a puck off of Jacob Trouba’s foot. Sometimes the margins can be that small, and it serves as a good lesson to the group as the playoffs get closer.

There is no denying how good the Panthers are, even if their tactics are annoying to face. They have a wonderful balance of skill, speed, and tenacity, all while playing a very structured and committed defensive game. And when that structure fails them, they are bailed out by Sergei Bobrovsky, who continues to enjoy a renaissance that began last spring. They are frankly the kind of team Chris Drury is trying to replicate as the deadline arrives, as the new faces he plans to add will hopefully complete a project he has worked on since the summer. Last year’s Rangers team became too one dimensional offensively and lacked structure in their game, something that this year’s squad avoids, when at their best. You can credit Laviolette and his staff, along with the players, new and old faces alike, for the success in this department.

The players themselves are about as close to firing on all cylinders right now as they have been all year. They are creating chances at even strength, and the power play is showing some signs of life again after a slump. Adam Fox has looked more and more himself since the start of February and the top forwards have been awfully busy of late. While some of them still have a higher gear to reach, it feels like it’s coming, particularly given the chances they’re on the end of. Mika Zibanejad is perhaps the best example of this, as his season of hot and cold streaks continues. Number 93’s 200-foot game remains impeccable but his lengthy 5 v 5 goal drought is perplexing to say the least. He is shooting as much as he usually does in a season, getting on the receiving end of quality chances, but almost seems snake bitten right now. Whatever the reasoning he needs to shake it off and perhaps some new faces in the lineup (and on his wing) will help him do so.

All this is to say, this team is right there, and has proven it with their body of work this year having beaten a number of contenders and strung together long winning streaks several times. It is time for Chris Drury to give them a boost with the reinforcements they need to go deep in the playoffs. There are lots of rumors swirling with plenty of names linked to the Rangers, but at the time of this pieces publishing the most prevalent are the Kraken’s Alex Wennberg and former Ranger Frank Vatrano. It sounds like Wennberg is the closer of the two potential deals at the moment so keep an eye on him as the Rangers look to seal negotiations.

Around the Rink

I wanted to include an around a quick around the rink in this post as we haven’t done one in a bit and there is some breaking news to discuss. We have a late season firing and a trade to get deadline week going, let’s dive in!

Third Prize is You’re Fired: Well, it finally happened. Lindy Ruff didn’t win the Cadillac El Dorado or the set of steak knives, he won the third prize, a pink slip as the Devils relieved him of his duties Monday. To call this season a disappointment for Jersey would be an understatement. They sit eight points out of a playoff spot and look to be fading fast. For all their firepower, they have shown no ability to adjust at either end of the ice while getting miserable goaltending. Ruff certainly deserves blame for this mess but he’s not alone. It feels like he is taking the hit for a team consumed by drama and underachievement and a GM who failed comprehensively in the summer. Travis Green takes over behind the bench, looking to give the team a shot in the arm as they run out of racetrack in their season. As for Ruff, maybe he can go sell North Jersey real estate or star in Glen Garry Glen Ross revival.

Mantha Hits the Jackpot: Our first trade of deadline week sees Anthony Mantha get shipped to the Golden Knights for pair of draft picks. The big winger arrives in Vegas off the back of a resurgent run in the nation’s capital, where he has already scored 20 goals this season. He has always been a bit of an erratic talent during his NHL career, but Vegas feels like a good fit for a player of his style as they look to solve their depth scoring issues. Injuries have thrown the Knights off track, but this move is a step towards solving that issue. Something tells me they’re not quite done as they got the Capitals to retain half of his salary and they are sitting on lots of LTIR space with several key figures “sidelined with injuries” until the playoffs. Keep an eye on them until the Friday deadline.

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