New York Rangers: Drop the Puck

From the desks: RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

Get Well, King

TONIGHT

New York Islanders

vs.

New York Rangers

33rd Street Ice House

The Rangers are still a rebuilding team, right?

Therefore, I have no expectations.  But I'm excited as hell.  I have but one request from Coach Quinn: let them play.  Let everyone play and let them learn.  Let teenagers gain valuable experience.  Let them lose; let them win; let them play.

Last year's number one overall draft selection Alexis LaFreniere and Kaapo Kakko selected second overall in the 2019 draft, are both just nineteen years old.  Selected in the first round of the 2018 draft, K'Andre Miller is still twenty years old until his birthday one week from today, when he'll join 2017 first-round pick Filip Chytil as the resident 21-year olds.  Otherwise, the Rangers have fifteen players age twenty-five or younger and just two players over thirty years old.

I'm in lockstep with the decision to again not name a captain.  Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Artemi Panarin know many of the "C" responsibilities fall on them, anyway.

I bid Henrik Lundqvist a full recovery from recent open-heart surgery.  I remember his Rangers debut and his rookie season like yesterday.  It's just a matter of time before his #30 is raised to the rafters, and I hope to be there when they do.  He'll forever be The King, our liege in the net.  Henrik was 23-years old when he took over goaltending duties for the Rangers back during the 2005-2006 season.  It's Igor Shesterkin's net now.  He is 25-years old, and his companion Alexandar Georgiev is 24-years old.

An exciting 56-game schedule lies ahead.  Oh, Canada is grouped together in the North Division.  The Rangers are grouped in the East Division with the Islanders, Devils, Flyers, Penguins, Sabres, Capitals, and Bruins.  All but the Sabres and Devils qualified for last year's playoffs.  The Rangers will play eight games against each division member.  In most instances, teams will play a pair of games before moving on to the next opponent.  In April, the Rangers and Devils will play four games in a row.