HOCKEY ... HOCKEY ... NOTHING BUT HOCKEY

SPENCER CARBERY for NHL coach of the year. Or 

did you miss where his Washington Capitals are in the 

standings … Would you believe first in the Metropolitan 

Division … winners of nine straight on the road … 

without red-hot ALEX OVECHKIN … injured three 

weeks ago but skating again … despite suffering a broken 

fibula? … The addition of defenseman JAKOB 

CHYCHRUN (in a one-for-one deal with Ottawa) could 

very well be the steal of the year … 22 games, 8 goals, 8 

assists, plus 11.

Your New York Rangers finally unloaded over-priced 

defenseman (and captain) JACOB TROUBA to 

Anaheim for a fourth-round draft pick in 2025 plus a 

defenseman likely bound for AHL Hartford once he 

recovers from an upper-body injury ...The key here was 

the last-place Ducks were willing to take on the entirety 

of Trouba’s contract which has two years remaining at $8 

million per, the classic salary dump … New York GM

 CHRIS DRURYthought he had a between-seasons’ deal 

with Detroit … but Trouba exercised his right-by-contract 

to refuse the trade, leaving the organization in turmoil. 

Apparently the Ducks were on his list of 15 teams he 

could reject, too … but opted to join Anaheim when faced 

with the likelihood of being put on waivers if he didn’t … 

There reportedly were other teams interested in Trouba, 

who seldom lived up to his reputation as a tough guy … 

but all apparently wanted New York to pick up at least 

some of his bloated contract.

All in all, it was a good 24 hours for the Rangers, who 

have not played well after an encouraging 12-4-1 start. It 

also was announced goaltender IGOR SHESTERKIN

 signed an eight-year contract to ostensibly finish his 

career in the Big Apple … then the team beat Pittsburgh 

4-2 at Madison Square Garden after losing six of its last 

seven … Meanwhile, rumors continue to run wild … such 

as … the Rangers were talking to Vancouver which wants 

veteran sniper CHRIS KRIEDER, said to be available 

… for former Blueshirt J.T. MILLER? … Drury also 

supposedly discussed a swap with Anaheim involving 

high-scoring wing FRANK VATRANO, who was a 

rental with the Rangers in 2022-23.

Now the highest paid goalie in NHL history ($92 million, 

$11.5M per season), Shesterkin skipped Sunday’s (Dec. 

8) game with Seattle to be with his wife who was in labor. 

Say thank you, Igor … Leading 3-1, the Rangers gave up 

five unanswered goals … including three in the final 5:54 

of the second period … and lost 7-5. Veteran goalie

 JONATHAN QUICK was left to endure breakdown 

after breakdown in the defensive end. K’ANDRE 

MILLER was on the ice for five even-strength goals by 

the Kracken; ADAM FOX four and RYAN LINDGREN

 three. Only the No. 3 tandem of Richmond’s ZACH 

JONES and rookieVICTOR MANSINI were spared.

Mansini and CONNOR MACKEY, another young 

defenseman who appeared in one game last year, were 

recalled from Hartford … as was young netminder

 DYLAN GARAND as temporary backup while 

Shesterkin is away … Coach PETER LAVIOLETTE

 said there were no plans to name a new captain … which 

should come as good news to the anti-Miller crowd … 

following some speculation the big-but-soft defenseman 

was being considered as a replacement for Trouba.

Until next time ...