SHESTERKIN, REMPE RETURN ... BUT JONES DOESN'T

 

Goaltender IGOR SHESTERKIN was back in 

the New York Rangers’ lineup last night, having 

missed four games (2-2) with an upper-body 

injury. Also returning was 6-8 forward MATT 

REMPE from an eight-game suspension. Still 

missing, for reasons still not explained, was 

ZAC JONES. The native Richmonder 

(Glen Allen) sat out his seventh straight game (9 

of the last 10) as a healthy scratch

… The newest Ranger, forward ARTHUR 

KALIYEVpicked up on waivers from Los 

Angeles Kings Tuesday, made his debut, 

replacing FILIP CHYTIL (upper-body injury) 

against the New Jersey Devils at Madison 

Square Garden.

Talk about not paying attention … NHL Rangers 

fans keep insisting Jones, a 5-11, 190-pound 

defenseman, doesn’t clear the area in front of NY 

goaltenders because he isn’t big enough … Like 

who does in today’s watered-down (sorry about 

that) game? … Check it out … not even the 

really-big d-men do it, much less try. At least 

Jones keeps a stick on would-be scorers most of

the time … and seldom is caught out of position, 

which has become modus operandi of 

teammates, most notably K’ANDRE MILLER

 and ADAM FOX … The days of ED VAN 

IMPE, the Broad St. Bullies’ defenseman 

driving a stick into the ribs (or worse) of anyone 

crazy enough to get near Flyers’ goalies, much 

less try to screen them from incoming shots … is 

long gone.

In the Broadway Blueshirts’ latest misadventure, 

Tuesday’s 5-4 overtime loss to Dallas after 

leading 3-0 at MSG … first it was Miller, having 

all kinds of time to pass the puck instead diddled 

around with it and finally lost possession, 

leading directly to the Stars’ game-tying goal 

with 2:39 left in regulation, forcing OT … Then, 

Fox was left alone at the Rangers’ crease with 

Dallas’ JAMIE BENN … who almost gently 

(by hockey definition) push the 2022 Norris 

Trophy winner out of the way then scored the 

game-winner on an unobstructed tip in … while 

Fox, who is the same size as Jones, gave what 

could only be described as a half-hearted effort 

to recover.

In defense of Fox … he has been over-used by 

coach PETER LAVIOLETTE to the point he 

occasionally takes a harmless penalty … delay of 

game usually … to get two minutes of much-

needed rest … There have been unsubstantiated 

reports the Rangers are trying to unload the 6-5, 

220-pound Miller. We can only hope … The 

Vancouver Canucks were offered center MIKA 

ZIBANEJAD and Miller for veteran center J.T. 

MILLER (no relation), high-scoring former 

former Ranger who, like Zibanejad, would have 

to waive the no-trade clause in his contract. 

According to several reports, the Canucks want 

23 year old defenseman BRADEN 

SCHNEIDER instead.

Now comes word from an NFL insider that the 

Rangers are trying to “unload” Miller, Jones,

 WILL BORGEN and RYAN LINDGREN, all 

defensemen … and all due new contracts prior to 

next season … Borgen came from Seattle in the 

recent swap for forward KAAPO KAKKO, 

Lindgren is a much-injured veteran who signed a 

one-year contract for $4.5 million last spring … 

Miller makes $4.6M and is said demanding a 

substantial increase … Jones is paid $835,000 

and remains in Laviolette’s dog house … despite 

having an excellent season in which he has been 

the team’s only reliable defenseman when it 

comes to getting the puck out of the defensive 

end.

Until next time ...