New Look Rangers in Must-Win Scenario as Trade Deadline Looms

With the Ranger officially shaking the core on Saturday afternoon, the Blueshirts find themselves in a must win game against the offensively challenged Nashville Predators (7PM on MSG2).

Rangers	Rankings	Predators
29-26-4	Record	21-31-7
23rd	League Rank	30th
14th	Goals For	29th
21st	Goals Against	28th
20th	Power play	21st
4th	Penalty Kill	11th

Trade!

On Saturday, the Blueshirts traded Ryan Lindgren, Jimmy Vesey, and prospect Hank Kampf to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Calvin De Haan, Jusso Parssinen, a second-round selection, and a fourth-round selection. According to Rangers media, the Blueshirts wanted to get their hands on Parssinen as they believe there is untapped potential there. The 24-year-old has six points in 22 games this season. Parssinen has played both center and wing, but the Finnish forward wants to be a center long-term so the Blueshirts will give him that opportunity as he will start as the third-line center.

“A little bit shocked, yeah,” Parssinen said on his reaction being traded. “But then when you heard it’s the Rangers, I mean, it’s a pretty legendary organization. It feels pretty special today to put on the jersey, for sure.”

De Haan will likely start on the third pairing with Zac Jones. Both are left sided defenseman and will likely take turns playing the right side. At 33-years-old, De Haan has seven points on the season, but that is not what his game is about.

“I’m just trying to just play my game, just play steady defense,” said De Haan. “Just play reliable hockey. Just try and help the team win at the end of the day….”

More on the Horizon?

For Sunday evening’s game against the Predators, Reilly Smith will be a healthy scratch for trade related reasons. Smith has 29 points in 58 games this season. The Rangers would have hoped for slightly more production out of Smith given his role in the lineup for the majority of the season. Head coach Peter Laviolette had hoped that Smith would complete a line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad, but the trio never really got going. The trade deadline is on March 7th, and the Rangers are one of the teams expected to have another move or two in them. Smith will be an unrestricted free agent this upcoming offseason and the Blueshirts do not want to lose him without recouping an asset or two for him.

Rangers vs Predators

Also on Saturday – the Blueshirts placed Chris Kreider on retroactive IR and he can be activated at any time off the IR. Kreider is not expected to be a factor against the Predators. Brett Berard has been recalled and he will likely slot on the fourth line on Sunday night.

Jones will get a chance to show what he can do on the offensive side of the game as he is slated to join the top power-play unit. The Rangers went with five forwards against Toronto which had very little success.

It is getting to that time of year where you have to start scoreboard watching and unfortunately for the Rangers – the results did not go their way on Saturday. The Blue Jackets, Bruins, Canadiens, Flyers, and Islanders all won on Saturday. The only team to lose that the Rangers are fighting with were the Red Wings and that was against the Blue Jackets in the Stadium Series in Ohio. New York now finds themselves four points back of the final wild card position, but they could get within two points and jump as many as three teams on Sunday.

Despite having many young and new faces, the Rangers are very much alive in the hunt and are in a must win situation against the Predators. Nashville sits 30th in the league and they really struggle to score goals. In their past twelve games, the Predators have scored more than two goals just three times. With the Predators going to miss the playoffs, the Rangers have to take advantage and pick up two crucial points.

Nashville’s captain Roman Josi was placed on the IR on Saturday and will not be available on Sunday night in New York. The Predators will also be without the hard-hitting Jeremy Lauzon and defenseman Adam Wilsby. This leaves Nashville’s defensive core very weak and vulnerable to the high caliber players of the Rangers.

Backup netminder Justus Annunen is expected to get the nod for the Predators. Annunen is 13-8-0 with an .888 save percentage on the season.

Nashville still has dangerous players who can hurt you including Filip Forsberg who has 54 points this season. He is joined on a line with offseason acquisitions Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault. Nashville were probably hoping for more out of their new acquisitions at the beginning of the season, but the veterans just have not been ready to lead the team. Marchessault does have a respectable 45 points, but he is a minus 20 on the season. Stamkos on the other hand has just 33 points and he is a minus 23 on the season.

Jonathan Quick will be in goal for the Rangers. The Blueshirts are trusting the backup netminder in a very critical game as the Rangers have to get ready to play the Islanders on Monday in another must win game against another playoff hopeful. Quick is 8-5-2 with an .897 save percentage on the season.