The Rangers fell 4-3 to the Panthers on Saturday. Following the loss, New York shuffled the roster slightly Sunday. Michael Haley, who took a brutal penalty and was stapled to the bench nearly the entire game, playing just 1:26, was placed on waivers. Later in the day, in what could be called a mercy move, Lias Andersson was sent down with Tim Gettinger promoted to take his place.
Game recap:
David Quinn Post-Game:
A few thoughts:
1) I thought New York actually played a pretty decent game. They had a shot to win the contest but Sergei Bobrovsky came up big in the third when needed. The Rangers' top line was brilliant but the remaining lineup was average at best.
2)
Stay out of the damn box - you would have thought that after being shorthanded eight times and surrendering five goals vs. Tampa, the Rangers might have learned their lesson. Au contraire mon frer, four more penalties with two goals against. Haley with a dumb penalty and Pavel Buchnevich with one, earning him a spot for a long stretch on the bench. This is on Quinn, as the team continues to take undisciplined and stupid penalties, shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly. The same with the team's inability to stop the cross ice pass or limit time and space in the defensive zone.
3)
Artemi Panarin - straight up beast. Extended his point streak to 11 with a goal and an assist. Ryan Strome continues to benefit from skating on a line with Panarin, same for Jesper Fast. As I said before when Mika Zibanejad (neck? concussion?) finally returns to action, keep Panarin and Strome together.
4)
Henrik Lundqvist - not great. A pair of goals he would like to have back. We could see Alexandar Georgive on Wednesday. Larry Brooks has started the promote Igor Shesterkin campaign.
It is time for the Blueshirts to summon Shesterkin to Broadway in an exchange for Alex Georgiev, because three-into-two creates fractions in nets, and because Georgiev’s waivers-exempt status will expire after he plays eight more games in the NHL.
The Rangers only play one game over the next five days, Wednesday at home against the Capitals. But beginning Nov. 22, there will be six games in nine days. That represents the perfect time for Shesterkin to get into the NHL mix and work on a daily basis with goaltending coach Benny Allaire.
Brooks covers these topics, but are you sending Georgiev down? How much time are you giving the Russian wunderkid in net? Is Lundqvist going to be okay with ceding time to the rookie? If the kid gets hot, does Quinn run with him? Would demoting Georgiev adversely impact his trade value? If Shesterkin is not called up, would that result in him heading to the KHL, like Vitali Kravtsov?
Haley on waivers
Haley was a surprise addition to the team following training camp. He and Greg McKegg took turns on the fourth line until Mika Zibanejad was sidelined and then Kaapo Kakko was sidelined for two games with the flu. Thursday, Haley took 24 minutes in penalties, as he was unable to get anyone to engage with him in a fight and spent 10 minutes in the box late in the second and into the third period. Then, he took a bad slashing penalty on his first shift Saturday, leading to the Panthers’ second power-play goal in the opening 6:50 and an and he received only three more shifts after that. Quinn was seen talking to him after the game, so Haley landing on waivers is not a real shocker, especially since McKegg deserves his roster spot.
Andersson sent down to Hartford:
Andersson had a strong training camp, lending credence to the view that his usage would be better than in year's past. That never came to fruition, as Andersson was buried on the fourth line. As such, his demotion is a move likely overdue by a week or two, after Quinn challenged him to "earn" his ice time.
Blame should be laid on several. Quinn for not giving Andersson a chance to build off his strong camp, burying on the fourth line with Haley and Brendan Smith. Andersson for not forcing the coach to play him more, failing to produce during his ice time. Regardless of your linemates, you need to maximize your time on the ice and Andersson failed to do so. at this point, viewing Andersson as a complete bust is likely slightly premature, but you can rightly question Gord Clark and Rangers' management for taking Andersson seventh overall. That is still the case even though the players taken shortly after Andersson have yet to pan out, though Nick Suzuki sure looks like he is figuring it out. In addition, and possibly more damning, what was the plan with Andersson? If the upside is a third line center, then use him there. If you believed in his training camp performance, then give him a chance to succeed. Neither occurred, creating the rightful consternation most of us have, even though Andersson has done little to aid his case.
The hope has to be that Andersson handles his demotion like Filip Chytil did. Go to the minors, dominate, force management to recall you. Just as important, make your play change the narrative, so when you are promoted, you are used in a better situation. Play both ends of the ice with the same intensity, prove to be a defensive stalwart with offensive capabilities, and if Andersson does so, he should be back up. If Brett Howden doesn't improve his game, he may be the next one voted off Rangers' Island.
Gettinger, a 6-foot-6 left-handed winger selected 141st in 2016, got off to a slow start in Hartford this year. But the winger’s heated up as of late, with four points in his last five games. Gettinger had a cup of coffee last season, playing in four games. and should slide onto the fourth line. Steven Fogarty and Boo Nieves would each need to pass through waivers if they were to be sent back down.
He should skate for now with McKegg (center) and Smith. When Zibanejad returns to the lineup, which could be Wednesday against Washington, one of the top-nine wingers, probably Fast but possibly Brendan Lemiuex or Howden, will likely slot down to the fourth and bump one of these players. It's possible that Lemiuex or Howden end up a healthy scratch, keeping the current fourth line intact, but that remains to be seen.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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