ISN'T IT TIME FOR RANGERS TO REPLACE LAVIOLETTE?

 

Say good-bye to coach PETER LAVIOLETTE. 

What? He’s been fired by your New York Rangers? … 

Not yet, but (cliché alert) it’s only a matter of time … I 

know, I know … they won last time out 3-1 at Dallas, 

snapping a three-game losing streak … but only 

because IGOR SHESTERKIN stood on his head (to 

coin a very old hockey expression). The Russian 

goaltender stopped 41 shots, most of them difficult … 

including 21 while killing off seven penalties, the last a 

major for elbowing by MATT REMPEwho now faces 

a long suspension as repeat offender. The league’s 

safety department has called the 6-8 ½ forward for a 

meeting – date and time to be determined – which 

could result in as many as six games without pay … a

favorite of the fans, if not Laviolette, for his 

willingness to drop the gloves and create mayhem, 

Rempe drew considerable criticism from Ranger 

announcers SAM ROSEN and JOE MICHELETTI

 after running MIRO HEISTANEN from behind, 

hitting the Stars’ defenseman in the back of the head 

and knocking him into the glass … A brief scrum 

ensued, and Rempe wound up with a roughing minor 

and game misconduct as well as the major that put the 

Stars on a power play (5 on 4) for five minutes 

regardless of how many goals were scored … but they 

couldn’t scratch thanks primarily to Shesterkin who 

stopped nine shots … Otherwise, it was another less 

than impressive performance by the Rangers … who 

nevertheless overcame an early deficit on back-to-back 

first-period goals by REILLY SMITH (short-handed) 

and VINCENT TROCHECK(5 on 5) then got an 

empty-net clincher from CHRIS KREITER2:05 from 

the end. 

Attempting to snap the Rangers out of what is ailing 

them ...general manager CHRIS DRURY has made a 

couple of deals that have been more addition by 

subtraction … or do you think defensemen URHO 

VAAKANAINEN (from Anaheim) and WILL 

BORGEN (from Seattle) are the solution? … Getting 

rid of over-paid JACOB TROUBAJacob Trouba – 

thereby taking his $8 million off the books for the next 

two years – apparently was Priority One for Drury … 

who thought he had a deal worked out with Detroit for 

the Rangers’ captain during the off-season only to have 

Trouba, by certain provisions in his contract, reject it. 

After some lingering acrimony, he finally waived his 

no-trade clause and accepted the swap to the Ducks … 

The Kraken got major-disappointment KAAPO 

KAKKO, chosen by NY with the second overall pick 

in the 2019 NHL draft, for Borgen and two 2025 draft

 choices after the 24 year old forward from Finland 

complained to the media about his treatment by the

Rangers. Kakko had been a healthy scratch Dec. 15 in 

St. Louis and didn’t like it … Veteran defenseman

 K’ANDRE MILLER has missed the last four games 

after apparently being injured (shoulder) Dec. 11 in 

Buffalo … and Vaakanainen made his Rangers’ debut 

in Nashville. He was paired with seldom-used CHAD 

RHUWEDEL on the No. 3 defense … and they were 

on for both goals in a 2-0 win by the struggling 

Predators yet were together again in Dallas … where 

Borgen played his first game for NY, joining

 BRADEN SCHNEIDER in a twosome of 

righthanders … while lefty ZAC JONES, 

unquestionably NY’s most dependable player of late 

on the backline, was a healthy scratch … ADAM FOX

 and RYAN LINDGREN remained No. 1 … 

accompanied by growing rumors Drury is trying to 

unload the oft-injured Lindgren and his $4.5 million 

salary.

New York has gone from 12-4-1 to 16-15-1, playing a 

listless, disjointed brand of hockey that begs the 

question: Has Laviolette lost the locker room? … You 

can only imagine how hard the Big Apple media have 

been on the team that got some calls to win the Stanley 

Cup after losing to eventual champion Florida in the 

conference finals a season ago … Former Ranger now 

NHL Network studio commentator MIKE RUPP tore 

into the team, specifically the front office and coaching 

staff, talking about “distrust and BS surrounding the 

team” and … “They make the same mistakes 

defensively over and over.” He stopped short of saying 

Lavoliette should be fired. But … “Your job as coach 

is to connect with the players,” Rupp said, implying he 

isn’t.

Borgen was the 92d player chosen overall in the 2015 

draft by Buffalo. From Minnesota, he turned 28 

Thursday and was a minus 9 with Seattle … Rookie 

defenseman Victor Mansini was sent back to Hartford 

… while Rempe was recalled from the Wolf Pack. In 

30 games, he had three goals, two assists and 22 PIM 

… playing a regular shift at wing (some center) as well 

as on the power play and penalty kill … Rangers are 

home Sunday afternoon (12:30) against first-place 

Carolina Hurricanes … and they can expect the boo 

birds will be out in force at Madison Square Garden … 

Also said to be on the trading block, Miller is back 

skating but there was no indication about his 

availability.

Until next time ...