Rangers’ problems go far beyond Mika Zibanejad’s ice time
NY Post
Folks have been clamoring for Peter Laviolette to meaningfully reduce Mika Zibanejad’s minutes and that is what the Rangers head coach has done over the last week.
The problem, though, is while No. 93 has received the fourth-most five-on-five ice time in three of the team’s last four games and the third-most in Sunday’s empty-net abetted 3-1 Garden defeat to the Hurricanes, not one of his teammates has really rushed to fill the breach.
Having gone 4-12 over the last 16 games and at least five points off the conference’s second wild-card spot pending the outcomes of games involving the Senators and Lightning, this no longer is about punishing Zibanejad or sending a message to the 31-year-old Swede, if it ever was.
At this point, it is about rehabilitating Zibanejad to the greatest extent possible. At this point, it is about finding someone to replicate Zibanejad’s past production. At this point it is finding the individual who can rise above the morass.
The Rangers hit the mark with their on-ice ceremony honoring Mika Zibanejad ahead of his 1,000th NHL game Monday night.
PORT ST. LUCIE — For now, Craig Kimbrel is choosing Mets purgatory.
‘Freak of nature: Zion Williamson’s resurgence could pose a Knicks problem versus motivated Pelicans
Zion Williamson is slimmer and healthier for his trip to MSG.
Don’t blame Mikal Bridges for his paltry stats. Blame the role.
Almost a year to the day after a goaltender interference call against Kyle Palmieri lost the Islanders a game against the Blue Jackets that started their season’s death spiral, they were on the wrong end of another controversial call against those same Blue Jackets that might have had the same effect.
On the Queens side of town, the reno began in earnest almost as soon as Francisco Lindor grounded into the 4-6-3 double play. That ended a 4-0 loss before a rare sizable crowd at Miami’s loanDepot Park last Sept. 27, all of them there to witness the final death rattles of an epic baseball calamity.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is being paid handsomely for his breakout season.
Next comes the harder part. Mostly because it can’t get any easier.
It was Kids Day at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, but for the Rangers, it’s been All About The Kids for months.
PORT ST. LUCIE — From the moment he was told he needed surgery on his left hamate bone, Francisco Lindor fixated on the recovery time. Trainers provided the Mets shortstop a six-week pathway to return to play, and Lindor was determined to hit every marker.
Dylan Garand knew the number off the top of his head. He knew that, between the regular season and playoffs, he’d logged over 160 games with AHL Hartford, and he was right. Before the Rangers recalled him Friday, Garand had served as the Wolf Pack’s goaltender 165 times.
SAN DIEGO — As you may have seen elsewhere in this newspaper (and also if you haven’t deleted me yet from your social media), I have a book coming out Tuesday called “The Bosses of The Bronx.” Much of it details the 37 years’ worth of antics, winning, losing, winning again and overall mania of George Steinbrenner’s time with the Yankees.
Don’t close the curtain on “Mean” Joe Greene.