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Game 27: NYR-CLM, Artemi returns to Columbus...

December 5, 2019, 8:45 AM ET [105 Comments]
Jan Levine
New York Rangers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Rangers take on the Blue Jackets tonight in Columbus and face Montreal at home tomorrow. Artemi Panarin returns to Columbus to face his former team for the first time since signing with the Rangers as a free agent. Will be interesting to see if there is any sort of tribute video for Panarin, who was well loved by the fan base and who hoped he would re-sign with the team.



At practice yesterday, coach David Quinn restored Kaapo Kakko to the top power play unit. Kakko replaces Ryan Strome, which is a swap we and many others recommended, manning the circle opposite Panarin, allowing both sides to shoot one timers off the pass easily. Promoting Kakko to that first unit also balances out the grouping, with Mika Zibanejad, Panarin and Tony DeAngelo as right-handers and Chris Kreider as the other left-hander.

The second power-play unit will also consist of three righties — Fox, Strome and Jacob Trouba — along with two lefties in Brendan Lemieux and Filip Chytil. Maybe the restoration of this balance - especially to the top unit - will enable New York to break out of their recent funk on the man-advantage. As we know in general but saw especially the last several games, special teams play a huge part of winning and losing and New York’s struggles while 5-on-4 and 5-on-3 likely resulted in a pair of their recent defeats.

Lines were changed up, yet again. As Vince Mercogliano noted, Wednesday's practice featured Brendan Lemieux and Kakko with top-line center Zibanejad, while Kreider moved to the right wing on the second line with Panarin and Strome. Unsure the love for Lemieux on the top unit. To me, he is better served as a third line winger but his ability to crash the net and play a physical game might mesh with Zib and Kakko, thought I would rather see Panarin or Kreider or Buchnevich on that line.

The third line will include Chytil and Pavel Buchnevich, with Jesper Fast likely on the wing after missing practice for maintenance. Quinn said he expects Fast to play in Columbus. I would have Chytil as the 2c, moving Strome down or to the wing. He finally gets to work with a good winger in Buchnevich, while Fast is a Swiss Army knife, though I would like to see a more offensive minded player there.

Greg McKegg returned to practice after missing five games with a lower-body injury. He worked in Fast's spot on the third line, with Quinn saying he "could be in" Thursday. if McKegg goes, look for Michael Haley to be scratched. I wonder if at some point we see McKegg on the third line, especially if Boo Nieves ends up In the lineup as the fourth line center.

Yegor Rykov, out all season with an injury suffered in Traverse City, was finally activated and will be in the Hartford lineup, replacing Sean Day, who was sent down. We have spoken a lot about the Rangers’ depth on the blue line, but Rykov at times has been forgotten. He took a step up last season and a strong start with the Wolf Pack could get him a look see this season.

Defenseman Nils Lundkvist (2018 1st) and center Karl Henriksson (2019 2nd) were named to Sweden’s 2020 World Junior team roster. Lundqvist has taken his game to the next level, scoring 16 points in 22 games in the SHL. Henriksson, who is in the SuperElit league this season as an 18 year old, has a line of 5-18-23 in 17 games.

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