Nash Skates, Doubtful for Tonight; McD, Staal Miss Practice
In a piece of good news, which Rangers fans are in desperate need of these days, Rick Nash practiced for the first time in nine days during the Rangers pre-game skate this morning.
However, it is doubtful he will be ready to play tonight vs. Winnipeg (via Bergen Record)...
“I’m feeling good, getting better, it’s a positive day for sure when you get back out and skate with the guys. I don’t know about tonight. Obviously I’ll talk to the trainers. But it was a good day to get a good skate in.”
Nash says it's been a number of different things that have kept him out and that the Milan Lucic hit was a factor.
...absolutely shocked to see Nash practicing this morning. I have been preparing myself for the worst. Now this doesn't mean he'll be back for Thursday's game vs. Tampa, because if it is a concussion he could easily have a setback tomorrow. But this is still an awesome development nonetheless.
Also from practice, neither Ryan McDonagh (likely concussion) nor Marc Staal (flu) participated, but both Michael Del Zotto and Darroll Powe did. Powe was also taken off the IR this morning.
...not worried about Staal as he missed pregame skate before Canadiens and seemed fine at practice yesterday, but I am a bit concerned that McDonagh has yet to return to the ice since the Pacioretty hit.
...it's weird saying this about a fourth liner, but I can't overstate the importance of Powe's return to the line-up tonight. Huge boost for penalty kill as well as depth of the line-up. Hoping that Torts will feel more comfortable rolling fourth lines tonight.
Arron Asham (back spasms) was also not at practice while Stu Bickel practiced wearing a forward jersey.
Chris Kreider remained on the ice with Nash after practice was over meaning he is likely the healthy scratch tonight.
...throwing up my hands at this point. Either play the kid or send him to Hartford. Does his development no good watching from the press box. Talk about a mind eff.
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@TheNYRBlog I guess you jumped the gun a bit with Kreider! He played, but he's getting a good look at NHL. He'll go to AHL till playoffs.
@TheNYRBlog All the young guys on the team were minus players last night. They were out of possition on both of Jokinen's goals.
@TheNYRBlog @NYRblogneill I hope Sather can pry this O'Reilly kid from Avs. We need a 3rd line Pivot that can score 15G in a season. <Boyle
@NYRblogneill @TheNYRBlog I like him and he's huge! But right now with so many roster guys out Haley could infuse some life to Forcheck
@NYRblogneill @NYRFan_RF We're having some issues right now. Not sure if they're reconcilable.
@TheNYRBlog That's exactly what I was thinkin. We have plenty of size and They could use his grinding style now. He's a Joker too.
@TheNYRBlog Why haven't they given Haley a look yet. He is a + player in AHL. That's what they need right now. He's good in Lockeroom too
@TheNYRBlog Yeah, if Kreider used his size and played with Miller's Style he'd be a much better Defensive player. He can learn in Conn.
@TheNYRBlog I think DZ could've played but Sathers looking at possible trades involving him. NYR can't score after top 6 guys. Need depth @
@TheNYRBlog I don't think Nash has a concussion. Why would he play last min. Doubtful. He has groin & shoulder injuries that NYR want healed
Bob McKenzie just tweeted that Nash is 1 of the 9 players to get a concussion in the last 12 days
I'm so glad Nash is getting back at it. He's become the straw that stirs the drink. Lets start hurting opponents. There's no reason we should be getting pushed around. Staal and Girardi need to start swinging on people. That would make them the complete defensive players.
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Wow. Nash skating today has made my day a HELLUVA lot better. Makes the fact that I have a test to seriously prepare for and a lab report to finish not nearly as painful.
Another reason he could have been playing as the extra forward was because torts wanted him to get work with multiple lines based on if Nash would be in or out today or on Thursday. Just a thought about the Kreider situation. In which case Bickel comes out tonight, and Boyle moves down.
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Hopefully Kreider is in tonight. He clicked somewhat with Halpern and Miller, and that leaves you with a big 4th line of Mashinter, Boyle, and Powe. Hopefully Staal is feeling well enough to absorb all the extra minutes tonight. Wouldn't be surprised to see him and Girardi play 28 minutes and DZ and Stralman to play 24 each.
@jtf1218 Staal will be fine. He said he felt like crap Saturday and still played 28 minutes so unless he got worse the past two days (which I doubt), he'll be able to play however many ridiculous minutes Torts gives him lol.
All of our toughness and secondary scoring now play for other teams. Were to soft on the man and the Puck. Nobody takes up for each other on this team. Gives the rest of the league a green light to smash us into the boards. I'd be itching to kick someone's ass if you hit my teamates like Montreal did to Mc Donugh. Were a bunch of pussies. Clean hit or not. Typical Rangers tradition.
Until recently, I was OK with Torts as coach but with his treatment of Kreider, a top prospect, plus his inability to adjust his coaching to this different team than last year, I want him gone. This new teams strength is skating plus the Rangers have drafted a bunch of good skaters for the future so this team should be more run and gun and not totally depending on grinding and blocking shots. Last years team was a grinding, shot blocking team which fitted well with Torts style but not this team. If the coach can't adjust and recognize the speed and blistering shot of Kreider he is the wrong coach for Kreider. He wants to mold Kreider into a grinding shot blocking player but that's not his style. Let the offensive guys run and gun and leave the grinding to the 3rd and 4th line.
@TheNYRBlog I wonder if there are trade talks involving Krieder right now.The NYR have contradicted themselves so much w/Chris recently. hmm
@TheNYRBlog Trading him makes no sense to me. I wouldn't. But could there be some problems with him behind the scenes?
I'm calling this now - Kreider is still hurt with that foot issue (or has some other type of injury). I honestly believe he would be in Hartford if that wasn't the case because they wouldn't just be messing around with him like this. That said, I have this strange feeling he plays tonight and another forward (not Powe or Bickel, yes I'm calling Bickel a forward) is out. He was pulled off the ice so that leads me to believe someone is questionable.
@Melissa (blknblueshirts) If that's the case why don't they just say he's injured and put him on IR. No shame in that is there?
@KevinDeLury Agree. Didn't say what they were doing made complete sense but I doubt they are just throwing him around as it looks. That makes less sense than not holding him out. It's either that or someone else is banged up so they can't send him down until they know for sure they have 12 healthy bodies to play up front.
@KevinDeLury @Melissa (blknblueshirts) I don't know if they would be letting him practice if he still had a problem with his ankle that was holding him out of the lineup...
@slapshot13j @KevinDeLury Good point. Didn't think of that. I still think something is up with him and it's not just they don't know what to do with him.
Thank god for Nash. The hockey gods have shines on us. As for Torts, playing Bickel over Kreider is a joke...
@TheNYRBlog Mashinter and Bickel ahead of Kreider??? Torts has lost touch with reality! His son Brian at 6 7" should be Mr.softeee
