NYR

Canadian Medical Official Not Optimistic About the New York Rangers/NHL Resuming Play

by
New York Rangers, Chris Kreider

The New York Rangers and the NHL are in a more unique position them some of their other league counterparts. Hockey is a sport that is more of a shared sport of nationality than most of the others as Canada plays a huge role in the NHL, and frankly, it is more their sport than ours. With that being said, A top Canadian medical official does not share the same optimism as our United States officials concerning the resumption of the NHL season or any other sports for that matter.

Dr. Allan Drummond says that sports not be considered “for quite a while”

TSN recently conducted an interview with Dr. Drummond, who represents the Association of Emergency Room Physicians in Canada. Dr. Drummond was asked about what it would take for pro sports to start up again, and in part of his response he emphatically replied that “this is not the time for sports, this is a time for saving lives.” Dr. Drummond went on to say that he understands that many people’s livelihood depends on the income from working in the sports industry, be also mentioned that everyone should be concerned about the players’ lives as well. “They may be icons, but they are not immortal.” He went on to question why “we would put so many young men and women’s lives in harm’s way, by making them travel, crowding into crowded locker rooms, playing against another team, and exposing them to a virus that could potentially kill them.”

Dr. Drummond questions whether the New York Rangers and the NHL should start even in October

While it was apparent that Dr. Drummond was not a fan of any sports starting this summer, he also questioned whether the NHL should start again in October of 2020. He explained his rationale by saying that “This being Canada, starting in October/November we start sneezing and getting runny noses, which makes it difficult to tell who has influenza and who has COVID since they mimic one another. So are we going to crowd hockey stadiums and run a risk of a second wave (of COVID-19)?” Sharing the sentiments of many California officials, he believes that sports should not be considered until 2021 at the earliest.

Dr. Drummond was even more direct when he responded to a question of leagues coming up with a plan to try to play this summer by sequestering players, etc, he responded by saying” “I think it is time for everyone to grow up.” He specifically addressed MLB who have floated out plans to start earlier than everyone else when he said “The boys of summer can wait” and again questioned those on how much they value the lives and well-being of their players. Dr. Drummond also believes that sequestering players would still put them at great risk.

The NHL has been suggesting one idea to resume its season by playing games in neutral sites that have had less impact from COVID-19, such as in North Dakota. Dr. Drummond does not see that as a good alternative, because he believes that the United States has not handled the pandemic well. “Are we going to risk Canadian athletes or any other athlete at risk which I think frankly America poses right now.”

This is a vastly different take then our own Dr. Fauci has stated earlier when he suggested that leagues could get up and running in some fashion this summer. However, both men agree that the virus is novel and that the virus will determine the direction that we and sports take in the future.

Official Program Release: MSG preparing to feature amazing re-runs of classic Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, Devils games

by
Madison Square Garden

*Offical programming release below via MSG Networks*

MSG Networks Announces Programming Lineup for Week of Monday, March 30th

Lineup to Include Top Games from the Knicks’ ‘12-‘13 Playoff Season, the Rangers and Devils’ Respective

Stanley Cup Finals Runs in ‘14 & ’12 & the Islanders’ Franchise-Record 17-Game Point Streak This Season

New York, NY (March 30, 2020) – MSG Networks (NYSE: MSGN) today announced its programming lineup for the upcoming week for both MSG and MSG+, beginning today, Monday, March 30th.

Each night this week, MSG Networks will be featuring the best games from the Knicks 2012-’13 season, which resulted in an Atlantic Division title and a first-round playoff series win versus Boston, as well top games from the Rangers run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2014. The Knicks and Rangers re-airs will each be 60-minutes versions of the game.

Throughout the week, viewers are also encouraged to tune-in to MSG+ for top games for top games from the Devils run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012, along with notable games from the Islanders’ franchise-record 17-game point streak set earlier this season.

Here’s a look at the complete schedule this week on both MSG and MSG+. The programming throughout the week will also be available on MSG GO, MSG Networks’ live streaming and video on demand platform for smartphones, tablets and computers.

MSG SCHEDULE

Monday, March 30th

11a/9p Rangers at Kings – 10/7/13

Brad Richards scores twice as Rangers get first win of season in a Stanley Cup preview

12p/10p Rangers at Islanders – 10/29/13

Ryan McDonagh and Benoit Pouliot each score a third period goal to lead the Rangers

1p/11p Rangers at Montreal – 11/16/13

Rookie goalie Cam Talbot notches his first career shutout as the Rangers beat the Habs

2p/12a Knicks at San Antonio – 11/15/12

Knicks improve to 6-0 with terrific road win vs. the ‘13 Western Conference Champions

3p/1a Knicks vs. Golden State – 2/27/13

Carmelo Anthony and Steph Curry battle it out as the Knicks edge out the Warriors

4p/2a Knicks at Charlotte – 12/5/12

JR Smith hits a buzzer beater as the Knicks prevail on the road vs. the Bobcats

5p Knicks vs. Houston – 3/2/20

RJ Barrett drops 27 points and grabs 5 rebounds to snap Rockets 6-game winning streak

7p Rangers at Islanders – 2/25/20

Mika Zibanejad scores in overtime to help the Rangers defeat the Islanders

Tuesday, March 31st

11a/9p Knicks vs. Nuggets – 12/9/12

Carmelo Anthony Melo drops 34 points against his old team at the Garden

12p/10p Knicks at Nets – 12/11/12

Carmelo Anthony scores 45 points to lead the Knicks in a classic battle vs. the Nets

1p/11p Knicks vs. Cleveland – 12/15/12

Raymond Felton scores 25 points as the Knicks improve to a perfect 10-0 at home

2p/12a Rangers at Florida – 12/31/13

Brad Richards scores the shootout winner to close out ‘13 with a key road victory

3p/1a Rangers at Toronto – 1/4/14

Dominic Moore scores two goals as the Rangers put up seven goals vs Toronto

4p/2a Rangers vs. Islanders – 1/31/14

The Rangers beat the Islanders at Yankee Stadium with Daniel Carcillo’s third period goal

5p Knicks vs. Chicago – 10/28/19

Bobby Portis and RJ Barrett each get double-doubles as Knicks grab first win of season 

7p Rangers vs. Capitals – 3/5/20

Mika Zibanejad scores five goals as the Rangers top the Capitals in overtime thriller

Wednesday, April 1st

11a/9p Rangers at Pittsburgh – 2/7/14

The Rangers record a road shootout win vs. their Eastern Conference rivals

12p/10p Rangers vs. Chicago – 2/27/14

Cam Talbot shines as Rangers return from the ‘14 Olympic break with a big win

1p/11p Rangers at Ottawa – 3/18/14

Henrik Lundqvist passes Mike Richter for the most wins by a goalie in franchise history

2p/12a Knicks vs. Minnesota – 12/23/12

Carmelo Anthony scores 19 of his 33 points in the fourth to lead Knicks to comeback win

3p/1a Knicks at Phoenix – 12/26/12

JR Smith scores a fall away jumper at the buzzer to lift the Knicks past the Suns

4p/2a Knicks vs. San Antonio – 1/3/13

JR Smith scores 20 points off the bench to help Knicks get season sweep of the Spurs

5p Knicks vs. Portland – 1/1/20

Led by Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle, the Knicks kick off the New Year with a win

7p Rangers @ San Jose – 12/12/19

Artemi Panarin scores a hat trick as the Rangers defeat the Sharks

Thursday, April 2nd

11a/9p Knicks vs. Atlanta – 1/27/13

Carmelo Anthony explodes for 42 points, including 9 three-pointers in Knicks win

12p/10p Knicks vs. Golden State – 2/27/13

Carmelo Anthony and Steph Curry battle it out as the Knicks edge out the Warriors

1p/11a Knicks vs. Detroit – 2/4/13

Tyson Chandler ties a franchise record with his third straight, 20-rebound game

2p/12a Rangers at Devils – 3/22/14

Henrik Lundqvist notches his franchise record 50th shutout, passing Eddie Giacomin

3p/1a Rangers vs. Phoenix – 3/24/14

The Rangers rally back as Ryan McDonagh scores the overtime winner vs. Arizona

4p/2a Rangers at Edmonton – 3/30/14

Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello each score 2 goals as Rangers make their playoff push

5p Knicks vs. Orlando – 2/6/20

Julius Randle drops 20 points and grabs 8 rebounds as the Knicks take down the Magic

7p Rangers vs. Devils – 1/9/20

Tony DeAngelo scores a hat trick as the Rangers take down their tri-state rivals

Friday, April 3rd

11a/9p Rangers vs. Flyers – 4/17/14

The Rangers erupt for 3 goals in the third to win the first game of the first-round series

12p/10p Rangers at Flyers – 4/22/14

The Rangers take game three of the first round series behind play of Henrik Lundqvist

1p/11p Rangers vs. Flyers – 4/30/14

Benoit Pouliot’s second period goal is the deciding factor as the Rangers advance

2p/12a Knicks at Charlotte – 12/5/12

JR Smith hits a buzzer beater as the Knicks prevail on the road vs. the Bobcats

3p/1a Knicks vs. Philadelphia – 2/24/13

Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire combine for 51 points in Knicks win

4p/2a Knicks vs. Sacramento – 2/2/13

Amar’e Stoudemire goes a perfect 10-10 from the field as the Knicks defeat the Kings

5p Knicks vs. Miami – 1/12/20

Julius Randle and RJ Barrett combine for 49 points as the Knicks beat the Heat

7p Rangers @ Senators – 10/5/19

Mika Zibanejad gets his third career hat trick as the Rangers defeat the Senators

MSG+ SCHEDULE

Monday, March 30th

5p Devils at Nashville – 10/15/11

Devils win in the shootout after rallying late with two goals in the third

7p Islanders vs. Florida – 10/12/19

Brock Nelson’s shootout heroics lead Islanders to the win that starts the streak

9p Devils at Philadelphia – 11/3/11

Adam Henrique nets his 1st NHL goal as the Devils win in a shootout

11p Islanders vs. Blues – 10/14/19

Devon Toews overtime winner caps off big comeback against defending Champions

Tuesday, March 31st

5p Devils vs. Winnipeg – 11/5/11

Adam Henrique nets the game-winner in overtime

7pm Islanders @ Winnipeg – 10/17/19

Mat Barzal’s pair of second period goals lead Isles to their 3rd straight win

9p Devils at Toronto – 12/6/11

David Clarkson scores the game-winning goal in overtime

11pm Islanders @ Columbus – 10/19/19

Brock Nelson’s overtime winner lifts the Isles to their 4th straight win

Wednesday, April 1st

5p Devils vs. Ottawa – 12/8/11

Devils rally back from 3-0 deficit to defeat Senators in a shootout

7pm Islanders vs. Phoenix – 10/24/19

Anders Lee scores the game winner as the Islanders take their 5th straight

9p Devils vs. Dallas – 12/16/11

Devils rally for 6 goals on Scott Niedermayer night

11pm Islanders @ Ottawa – 10/25/19

Nick Leddy scores twice as the Islanders win their 6th straight

Thursday, April 2nd

5p Devils vs. Florida – 1/6/12

Patrik Elias scores a goal in his 1,000 career NHL game

7pm Islanders vs. Philadelphia – 10/27/19

Barzal leads the Islanders to their 7th straight win

9p Devils at Edmonton – 1/11/12

Zach Parise scores a power play goal in overtime for the win

11pm Islanders vs. Tampa – 11/1/19

Anders Lee’s 3 point night leads the Islanders to their 8th straight win

Friday, April 3rd

5p Devils vs. Rangers – 1/31/12

Devils tie the game with :48 left and then win in a shootout

7pm Islanders @ Buffalo 11/2/19

Varlamov with the shutout as the Islanders win their 9th in a row

9p Devils at Rangers – 2/7/12

Brodeur outduels Lundquist for the shutout win

11pm Islanders vs. Ottawa – 11/5/19

Cole Bardreau with his 1st NHL goal, leads the Isles to their 10th straight win

How About This Destination For Some New York Ranger “Home” Games?

by
New York Rangers

Practicing social distancing gives one a lot of time to think about things, including the New York Rangers. One of those thoughts was that it is possible that the NHL might be ready to play games, even without fans, before New York State or New York City deem MSG open for business. In an earlier article, I wrote about this possibility and suggested some alternate locations, which include some nearby facilities. As the NHL has stated previously, almost anything is possible in attempting to finish the season. So the suggestion, that I actually sent to the Rangers, is to play any “home” games in Lake Placid N.Y.

Why Lake Placid makes sense as an alternate home for the New York Rangers

Picture this: The New York Rangers come out to a playoff game at the Herb Brooks arena, home to the greatest achievement the hockey world has ever seen. They are wearing special uniforms, with NYR placed on the front of their jerseys in the same manner that the USA was placed across jersey’s forty years ago, when a bunch of college kids beat the best hockey team in the world, and then went on to win the gold medal. What a great way to bounce back from inconveniences of the Covid-19 virus, to play a meaningful game as we celebrate the fortieth anniversary of one of the great moments in USA hockey history.

The arena is named after the legendary coach of the 1980 Olympic Hockey team Herb Brooks, who also coached the Rangers from 1981 to 1985. Brooks was also the first American-born coach in Rangers’ team history to win 100 games.  In addition to the Rangers connection, the arena itself makes sense. If games are to be played without fans, or even with fans but MSG is closed, this arena makes sense. With a capacity of 7,700, it is big enough to allow people to spread out but cozy enough for players to feel that there are not playing in the Grand Canyon.  I was able to watch my son play in a couple of youth tournaments in Lake Placid. It is not as big as it looks on television. But its size and facilities allow it to be a suitable venue for NHL games. They are also no stranger to holding big-time hockey tournaments. The site has previously hosted ECAC hockey tournaments as well as the NCAA Women’s frozen four in 2007.

The NHL said anything and everything is being considered. Lake Placid should be one of those being considered for the New York Rangers.

If NHL Players Take Self-Quarintine Seriously, The New York Rangers Season Could Resume Sooner

by
New York Rangers

The New York Rangers and other NHL players were given guidelines to follow in the wake of the season shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the message the NHL sent to its teams and players on Friday, which was written in conjunction with the NHL Players’ Association, the league strongly encouraged players to “self-quarantine” in their homes for “the next week or so.” How seriously NHL players, with the reminder that club personnel is in close contact with players frequently, take the recommendation could have a significant say on the timetable to return.

What the New York Rangers and other NHL players need to follow

As part of the self-quarantine, the NHL urged players to “remain in your home as much as possible and practicable and avoid unnecessary interactions with non-family members or roommates.”

Also, team practice facilities are to be off-limits, except for players with “disabling injuries.” Even those players with injuries were encouraged to communicate and continue rehab via alternative means, including FaceTime or webinar, to any extent possible. The NHL also asked players not to organize informal skates at public facilities, because players will be afforded “sufficient time to resume skating and game preparation activities prior to any resumption of play.” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly shared with players that “While self-quarantine will undoubtedly impose lifestyle limitations and may seem like an overly precautions measure, adherence to these principles for a relatively brief period of time … should allow us to be in the best position possible to assess the next steps regarding the potential resumption of play.

Players seem to be on board with the NHL’s response. San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane tweeted the NHL “has done the right thing in taking this pause to help the risk of spreading this virus.”

The effort could pay off sooner than other sports leagues as NHL Players’ Association chief Don Fehr tells The Associated Press that he expects teams will be cleared to open their training facilities to allow player workouts as early as next week. Of course, a positive test could set back any NHL timeline that is tentatively planned.

If the NHL Resumes, Could the New York Rangers End Up Being Road Warriors?

by
New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad

Even if the New York Rangers get to resume playing hockey this season, they face another problem. It appears that their home ice at MSG may not be available for the foreseeable future. New York State had banned gatherings of more than 500 people, which includes venues such as Madison Square Garden. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio said he’d work with the state to enforce the new rule. He added he expects it to be in place for “a number of months.” This means that if the NHL resumes in a month or even two, MSG would not be available. de Blasio was recently quoted as saying that “This ban is for over 500 people, and so they’re never going to have events at those places under 500 people. It’s not a binding commitment, but we’re saying, our estimate is, this will go through September. That’s for six months. I think that’s the right way to think about it right now.”

What would the options be for the New York Rangers if MSG is not available?

We are in unchartered waters here, and probably at this point, nothing is for certain. But we can take a look at some other situations in which teams have been forced from their home arenas, which usually means that most they want their events played at comparable “big league” facilities. Let’s look at three possible options that could be in play.

Option 1: Play at another venue close by.

The problem with this is that many of the other venues close by maybe in the same situation. The Devil’s Prudential Center is closing through the end of the month, so that could be an option. The Sabres and Islanders are also in New York state of course, so they may also have to follow the same ban. Philadelphia, D.C.? Maybe but not likely

Option 2: Play all games on the road.

This may depend on what the NHL does with the schedule. If the cut the number of games down, that could be a strong possibility.

Option 3: Play home games in Hartford.

This may be the most favorable option for the Rangers. The XL Center (formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center) is not only home to their AHL affiliate, but it was also the home of the New England/Hartford Whalers of the WHA and NHL from 1975 to 1978 and 1980 to 1997. It seats 15,635 for hockey, which would certainly make it big enough to qualify for a major arena. It is a rink that many of the young Rangers are familiar with.  Relocating to Hartford may not be ideal, but with the current situation at hand, doing the next best thing would certainly work.

NHL Suspends Season: New York Rangers and Islanders playoff hopes stifled by Corona Virus

by
National Hockey League, NHL

The NHL has officially suspended any further league play, indicating the playoff runs by the New York Rangers and Islander may have been stifled from something other than their own misfortune.

The Corona Virus has caused all 31 teams to hat lt play in the United States, Canada, and around the world.

The NHL released the following statement:

“In light of ongoing developments resulting from the coronavirus, and after consulting with medical experts and convening a conference call of the Board of Governors, the National Hockey League is announcing today that it will pause the 2019‑20 season beginning with tonight’s games.

“The NHL has been attempting to follow the mandates of health experts and local authorities, while preparing for any possible developments without taking premature or unnecessary measures. However, following last night’s news that an NBA player has tested positive for coronavirus – and given that our leagues share so many facilities and locker rooms and it now seems likely that some member of the NHL community would test positive at some point – it is no longer appropriate to try to continue to play games at this time.

“We will continue to monitor all the appropriate medical advice, and we will encourage our players and other members of the NHL community to take all reasonable precautions – including by self-quarantine, where appropriate. Our goal is to resume play as soon as it is appropriate and prudent, so that we will be able to complete the season and award the Stanley Cup. Until then, we thank NHL fans for your patience and hope you stay healthy.”

How Will the New York Rangers Respond to Adversity?

by
New York Rangers

The last couple of weeks have seen a lot of ups and downs for the New York Rangers. They started with a three-game losing streak, then hit the peak of elation after beating one of the best teams in the NHL, before losing to a rival with less talent.  So the big question is, how will these young Blueshirts react to this bump on the road as they face three opponents away from home?

Post-game reactions from the New York Rangers

We can get a little from the post-game reaction from players and coaches. Last Saturday night was also the first night in which the media were not allowed to go into the locker room. Players and coaches were now made available in a separate room, at either a table or podium, much like what you will see in a couple of weeks when the NCAA tournaments begin.  As expected, coach David Quinn was mad. Really mad. It may not have shown too much as his comments were measured, but you could see it in his face. The quote that really summed it up was: “There really isn’t much to talk about. They were better than us in every capacity. Want is a very, very important characteristic of this sport. We played a team that wanted it much, much more than we did.” Mika Zibanejad was a little more analytical when he said that “We made it really easy for them and we just didn’t have an answer. We dug ourselves a hole. Going forward, with the playoff-type of games we have in front of us, we just can’t do that.” The final bit of information post-game came from Igor Shesterkin, who was pulled after the second period after allowing five goals. This was the first game back in thirteen days as the young goalie was recovering from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. The rust of not playing in this time showed, and Shesterkin knew it.
“I felt good. It was just hard to get back into the game.” However, the look he showed on his face post-game was enough to convince most that this would be a one-time thing.

What was the New York Ranger’s mindset at Monday’s practice?

Having a day to get rid of that bad taste in their mouth, the Rangers were back at practice and focused on the task at hand. David Quinn was a little more analytical after Monday’s practice, especially when it concerns his defense. “From Jan. 7 through that Montreal game, we were second in the league in goals per game and we were fifth in the league in goals-against. We had the 2nd most wins in the league but it was all stemming from playing good defense.” Strong defense has been lacking in the last five games. The players’ mindset appears to be good. Mika Zibanejad stepped up to the podium and said: “We’ve just got to remember what made us successful over the last two months and keep it going.” Wise words to play by as the Rangers face three critical road contests.

 

The New York Rangers Embarrassing Loss Hurts Playoff Chances

by
New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad

The New York Rangers were feeling really good after Thursday’s night dramatic win over Washington. That all came crashing down Saturday night in a horrible loss to the New Jersey Devils. The 6-4 loss means that the Rangers fail to gain ground in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. After Mika Zibanejad gave New York a 2-1 lead with his 39th goal of the season, the Rangers gave up four straight goals to trail by three at the end of the second period. Greg McKegg scored on a deflection in the third period to cut the lead to 5-3. After a New Jersey empty-net goal, Tony DeAngelo scored at 19:17 for the 6-4 final.

The New York Rangers make a huge mistake in starting Shesterkin

Igor Shesterkin made his first start after suffering an injury and was pulled after two periods in favor of Henrik Lundqvist. It was not like this was all Shesterkin’fault. Most of the Blueshirts did not play well in front of them. The bottom line was that either head coach David Quinn or someone up the line in the Rangers made a huge miscalculation. Shesterkin was not ready to play tonight. It is not like they did not have options, either in the preparation or the fact that they have two competent goalies on the roster. So, they could have waited a little longer and let Shesterkin get more practice time in before he started. The option was to send him down to Harford for a game or two to let him work out the rust. It is not like he is a 38 year veteran like Lundqvist. He is a young talented player who could have benefited from some real game action. Even one game before the Rangers head out on a little road trip goes a long way in reacclimating a young player back to action. But no, they started him and that, along with a lackluster team effort for most of the game, puts a huge dent in any possible playoff action, with road games against Dallas, Colorado, and Arizona on the docket for the next three games.

Zibanejad’s Five Goal Night Boosts the New York Rangers Playoff Hopes

by
New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad

Thursday night was a historic night for Mika Zibanejad and the New York Rangers. Not only did Zibanejad score five goals, but the fifth goal scored was an overtime game-winner that gave the Blueshirts two critical points in their chase for a playoff spot. They are just two points away and are easily within striking distance of the team’s first postseason berth since 2017.

Islanders and Hurricanes are faltering as the New York Rangers are surging

It’s been the perfect scenario for the Rangers, getting white-hot and quite literally every team in direct competition with them starting to crumble for a variety of reasons. The Islanders still have a decent hold on a Wild Card spot but have been one of the league’s worst teams since their early-season point streak came to an end in late November. Most recently, they have won just two of their past 11 games and take a five-game losing streak into Saturday’s game with the Hurricanes. And the Hurricanes, they have some struggles of their own. They are still playing without both of their regular goalies, Petr Mrazek and James Reimer, and have lost four in a row since they left the lineup. EBUG goalie David Ayres is still actually the last goalie to secure a win.

The Rangers win on Thursday night ended a three-game losing streak for them. They recently lost games against the playoff-bound Philadelphia Flyers and the defending champion St. Louis Blues, a sharp halt in the momentum built in February, when the Rangers won 12 of 15 games. The road ahead is still rough because after facing the Devils on Saturday, the Rangers will play nine of their last 14 games on the road. Rangers Coach David Quinn said, “that his young squad will get a primer on the rigors of a playoff chase.” Which is what the Rangers were really hoping for at the very least.

After signing Chris Kreider at the trade deadline, making a run for the playoffs was what President John Davidson had in mind. “We want them to go through the experience of a chase down the stretch for the playoffs. It’s very important for young people and veteran players,”

Go back to the start of February and the Rangers were 10 points back of the Islanders and seven points back of both the Hurricanes and Panthers. The odds are still a little bit against them, but the fact they are even in the race at this point is a remarkable accomplishment.

Expectations are Too High, Too Soon for New York Rangers’ Kaapo Kakko

by
New York Rangers, Kaapo Kakko

When the New York Rangers drafted Kappo Kakko, many were expecting, and not hoping that he would come in and have an immediate impact in the NHL. However, the Austen Matthews like performances has not happened, leading many to be disappointed with the young Finn.

The first thing to remember is that he just turned 19 years old. Unlike Matthews, who does have a unique talent that we might not see duplicated, was born in the United States.

Kakko was born and raised in Finland, and an 18-year-old, coming to the United States, let alone coming to New York City, is quite a lot to digest. But the bottom line is that Kakko has what it takes to be one of the top players in the NHL for many years to come. Patience is required.

Kakko will eventually be an impact player for the New York Rangers

So right out the gate, Kakko had many ups and downs. The season started slow, and Kakko was starting to feel the pressure.

In October of 2019, he told reporters:

“Hockey isn’t much fun for me right now. Things haven’t started to roll. Sometimes I feel I could get more ice time and play on the top line. I understand why I haven’t got that chance: my performances haven’t been that good.”

It is at this point to remember that despite being a second pick overall, it makes little sense to compare Kakko to Connor McDavid or Matthews, who was born to play the North American style of hockey and are centers. At this point, I am not going to go in long details about the difference between the two styles, other than to say that there are some notable differences.

This also leads to the reminder that much of this could have been due to difficulty in adapting to his new environment far from home. It might be more realistic to compare him to some other Europeans who started playing over here when they were 18.

One such player that comes to mind is a winger that I personally saw for the first time, Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov. In his rookie season, Svechnikov had 20 goals and 37 points in 82 games. Now, after a year in the league, he is quickly becoming a sniper who’s ready to score goals on a regular and consistent basis. Someone with the natural talent that Kappo has can hopefully continue to develop and become a star for the New York Rangers for the foreseeable future.