Days and weeks continue to pass in the National Hockey League season, and the New York Rangers continue to sit last in the Metropolitan Division. An annual fixture in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Rangers currently own a 4-7-2 record against a schedule that ranks 22nd in terms of strength, per hockey-reference.com.
Such a start would cause any team to look at potential changes.
A team that the Rangers appear to be in talks with is the Montreal Canadiens. The Rangers have expressed serious interest in forwards Andrew Shaw and Alex Galchenyuk, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
The Rangers need depth, particularly up front, so it makes sense they're talking with Montreal. Much of the center ice burden has fallen on Mika Zibanejad and David Desharnais, and GM Jeff Gorton can't count on that being a long-term solution.
Bad Karma
Negotiations between Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos Jr. and Chuck Greenberg appear to have hit a snag, per Chip Alexander of the News and Observer.
That snag, according to Karmanos, is his asking price of $500 million, which he doesn't seem to believe Greenberg's group of investors can raise.
“The sale of the team is just sitting there, waiting for Chuck to say, ‘Geez, I can’t raise the money,’ ” Karmanos said. “We have a commitment to Chuck, and we’re going to see it through. And quite frankly I wish he would pick up the phone and say, ‘Geez, you know what, I can’t get it done.’ Because it looks like he can’t get it done.”
Karmanos has owned the Hurricanes since 1994, when they were the Hartford Whalers, and says the price will only rise as time continues to pass.
Not So Capital
The Washington Capitals lost some depth in the offseason, but a not-so-powerful 5-6-1 start for the two-time defending Metropolitan Division champions probably wasn't expected. It could be time for a change in the team's identity.
“Maybe we’ve got to grind it out, if you will, instead of wanting to play the wide-open game,” said head coach Barry Trotz.
It's still early in the season, but figuring out such an identity problem could be crucial for the Capitals in the near term before time becomes of the essence. In the Metropolitan Division, a poor start is the worst kind of start, because catching up is a near-impossible ask in the overtime/shootout era.
Gostisbehere Be Gone (Temporarily)
The Philadelphia Flyers played in Chicago on Wednesday night without defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, and are expecting to do the same tonight against the St. Louis Blues.
Gostisbehere had played on the Flyers' top defense pair with Ivan Provorov for much of the season, averaging over 21 minutes on the ice and blocking 11 shots through 11 contests. His absence is significant for the Flyers at both even strength and on the power play, where his booming shot is their most potent weapon.
Jarry Behind Murray?
A solid backup goaltender is key to the success of any NHL team, and the Pittsburgh Penguins' efforts to secure one have had the luck of people involved with Superman movies thus far. They've already moved on from Casey DeSmith, who allowed a goal only 11 seconds into his NHL career earlier this week, after putting Antti Niemi on waivers the day before.
Searching for a solution, they've recalled Tristan Jarry from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Jarry is 22 years old and has one game of NHL experience that came with the Penguins last year. He allowed three goals in a loss to the New York Rangers.
Islanders Get New Practice Facility
The New York Islanders unveiled a brand new practice facility this week, complete with hydrotherapeutic pools and interactive video room. They're continuing their efforts to secure a new arena in the Belmont Park area while current playing home games at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Boyle Back
In an update from last week's notebook, Brian Boyle made his season debut Wednesday night for the New Jersey Devils when they played the Vancouver Canucks. Boyle, who signed with the Devils as a free agent, is battling leukemia that was diagnosed just prior to the regular season.
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