The New York Rangers got a glimpse of what their team might look like if Chris Kreider gets traded before the Feb 24 deadline. On Monday night, Kreider sat out of the Rangers game against the Dallas Stars as he continues to recover from an injury sustained when teammate Mika Zibanejad accidentally kneed him in the head. The Blueshirts missed the veteran as they lost to the Dallas Stars 5-3.
Kreider held out of New York Rangers lineup
Kreider did skate on Monday morning but was held out of Monday night’s lineup. Head Coach David Quinn said that Kreider was almost ready to return but needed a little more time. The Rangers did score three power-play goals in his absence, but the defense played poorly in the Dallas loss. This game did give the Rangers a taste of what life would be like if Chris Kreider is traded. Despite the three power-play goals, it was apparent that the Rangers did miss Kreider and physical play. Kreider has been linked as a possible trade option with no less than eight different teams. After the game, head coach David Quinn indicated that he was close to returning, but apparently was being cautious with Kreider.
Injured Toronto Goalie could prompt trade with New York Rangers
On Monday night, Maple Leafs goaltender Fredrick Anderson was injured in a collision with Flordia Panther Frant Vatrano. This could be a massive blow to Toronto as Andersen headed into Monday with 24-9-6 record and a .910 save percentage. He has often carried a heavy burden behind a dicey Leafs defense. Michael Hutchinson, Andersen’s replacement, provides little reason for optimism.
Alexandar Georgiev has been frequently mentioned as a trade candidate to back up Anderson. Still, his injury could expedite the process, especially after Hutchinson gave up three third period goals in the Maple Leafs loss to the Panthers. After the game, the Leafs stated that said Andersen is feeling better, but they were going to give him the night to see how he feels. He went through the concussion protocol, and the results were good, but the team wanted to be cautious.
Georgiev came in the third period to relieve Henrik Lundqvist and gave up one goal. After shutting out the Red Wings Saturday night, Lundqvist gave up four goals on 15 shots and was pulled.