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After acquiring J.T. Miller in a blockbuster trade on Saturday evening, the Blueshirts are in Boston for an important matchup as they look to make a run for the playoffs (3:30 on ABC). 

RangersRankingsBruins
24-22-4Record25-22-6
22ndLeague Rank17th
15th  Goals For26th
17th Goals Against25th
21stPower play30th
4th  Penalty Kill25th
  • The big news broke on Friday when the Rangers acquired J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks. The two teams had been working on a deal for some time and the two teams finally found an agreement with Filip Chytil as the centerpiece of the package back to Vancouver.
  • Full Trade: Rangers receive J.T. Miller, Erik Brannstrom, and Jackson Dorrington. Canucks receive Filip Chytil, Vincent Mancini, and a 2025 top-13 protected first round pick
  • Miller was originally drafted by the Rangers 15th overall in the 2011 NHL draft. Miller was traded to Tampa Bay in the same deal that sent Ryan McDonagh to the Lightning at the start of the Rangers’ rebuild.
    • Miller recorded 103 points last season with Vancouver and he has been a point-per-game player in four of the last five seasons with the shortened season being the exception. 
    • Miller and former teammate Elias Pettersson allegedly had a major falling out which led to Vancouver wanting to trade one of the two.
    • Miller will wear the number eight and he is expected to join the top-six and top power-play unit.
    • With Miller’s arrival and Chytil’s departure, don’t be surprised if Mika Zibanejad receives a demotion and is removed from the top power-play and is slotted in as the third-line center to make up a more defensive third line. 
  • Chytil will be missed as he is an exciting young center who should have a bigger role in Vancouver as the second-line center.
    • The Czech native has had some memorable moments in New York – perhaps no bigger than his two goal game against Tampa in the Eastern Conference Final. We wish Chytil the best of luck in Vancouver
  • The Rangers will now be hoping that Miller will be able to help them in an important game against Boston who sit just one point behind Tampa Bay for the final wildcard position. 
  • The Bruins sit four points ahead of the Rangers but they have played three more games than New York. With a win, the Rangers can close the gap to just two points with three games in hand. 
  • With the Rangers playing back-to-back, Igor Shesterkin will play Saturday afternoon in Boston, whereas Jonathan Quick will be expected to play on Sunday. 
  • David Pastrnak leads the Bruins in points with 61 points in 53 games. Brad Marchand is second with 40 points in 53 games. 
  • Hampus Lindholm is very close to returning from a lower-body injury. Lindholm resumed skating and he wore a full contact jersey at the beginning of the week. Lindholm could potentially return against the Rangers on Saturday afternoon.
  • Expect the Rangers to really have some jumbled up lines and you could see a handful of tweaks during the game if the line combinations are not working. 

Projected Lineup

Panarin-Trocheck-Lafreniere

Kreider-J.T.Miller-Smith

Cuylle-Zibanejad-Brodzinski

Edstrom-Carrick-Rempe

Lindgren-Fox

K’Andre Miller-Borgen

Vaakanainen-Schneider


Shesterkin

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