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Rangers Daily: Changing up ‘below standard’ PP; Kucherov sets record straight
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- Rangers Daily: Changing up ‘below standard’ PP; Kucherov sets record straight
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It appears 15 games was enough of a trial run for the New York Rangers top power-play unit. So, coach Mike Sullivan's making a key change in personnel ahead of their game Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues.
Notably, captain J.T. Miller is off PP1, swapping places with 21-year-old Gabe Perreault , who was promoted to the top unit from PP2. Miller played net front, bumper, and on the perimeter in various formations of the power play this season, but has just one power-play goal and two points on the man advantage. In far fewer power-play minutes, Perreault has three assists on the man advantage, though has only one point (a goal) of any kind in his past eight games.
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The hope here is that Perreault's exceptional vision and high hockey IQ helps generate more power-play goals and more than offsets Miller's considerable net-front presence and ability to consistently win face-offs. Adam Fox , Mika Zibanejad , Alexis Lafreniere , and Pavel Dorofeyev remain on PP1.
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The Rangers scored three power-play goals in their past eight games, and were 0-for-2 in a 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. They are tied for 18th in the NHL on the power play, converting at 20.0 percent. Lafreniere (2) is the only Blueshirt with more than one PPG.
"I felt like we've been patient with that first group for a long time, trying to get it to work," Sullivan explained Monday . "My college coach (at Boston University) Jack Parker always used to used to say when you're putting power-play groups together, it probably makes a lot of sense to start with what you deem the five best players and then go from there. And so that's what we did. We've worked hard at it. Those guys have worked hard at it to try to get it to work. I just think at this particular point in time, I could feel or sense an element of frustration just because these guys care deeply."
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Though likely not happy, Miller supported this latest move.
"We've been way below our standard, I think, so far. I even think when we were scoring goals earlier on we were opportunistic," he said Monday . "At some point, you've got to do a little shakeup. Typically when we do that, we get some juice and try to go from there."
The revamped second unit now features Miller, Tye Kartye , Oliver Bjorkstrand , Will Cuylle , and Vladislav Gavrikov . However, Gavrikov likely is a placeholder for injured defenseman Sean Durz i, who may not play Tuesday.
New York Rangers news and analysis
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Here's a breakdown of the Rangers decision to move Will Cuylle to center , and why it's an intriguing out-side-the-box-idea by Sullivan.
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So, how about those Hometown Remix jerseys the Rangers (and other 31 teams) unveiled Monday? Our Forever Blueshirts staff weighs in on the new threads.
Here are five key storylines for the Rangers in November, including getting their goaltending straightended out.
With the season at an early crossroads, John Kreiser breaks down the Rangers week ahead , including the start to an important four-game road trip.
NHL news and rumors
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TSN: Nikita Kucherov spoke with reporters for the first time since his trade request with the Tampa Bay Lightning and explained why his desire to move on has nothing to do with money , even though he's a pending unrestricted free agent next summer.
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Sportsnet: Ryan Dixon breaks down why the Washington Capitals should do everything they can to try and trade for Kucherov .
Chicago Hockey Now: Not only did the Blackhawks lose 5-2 to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, they lost Patrick Kane for "the next couple games" with an upper-body injury .
Colorado Hockey Now: Aarif Deen reports on how the Avalanche responded positively to recent adversity and subpar play during the win Monday.
Sportsnaut: Erica Ayala reports that Shane Wright wanted to set the record straight, telling the media he didn't exactly request a trade from the Seattle Kraken, before they dealt him the other day to the Nashville Predators.
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Eye on Isles: The Islanders signed veteran defenseman Ben Hutton to a PTO amid a slew of injuries on their blue line.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Evgeni Malkin is day to day with a lower-body injury for the Penguins.
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