25-9-1

The positive record continues. The Rangers rolled the Capitals 5-1. A 4-3 loss to the Panthers, but it was an electric game. Last night, a 5-1 win against Tampa Bay. That 51 points seat the Rangers the first in the league and the Metro division. Vancouver and Las Vegas are closest with 49 points (Van has played one more game and Vegas 2).

It’s taking this team’s most consistent high-quality playing to keep pace with the best. Losing just two games can mean a big change in the standings. With the aforementioned two teams, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, Colorado, Carolina, Boston, and the Panthers are currently fighting tooth and nail for the top. There’s a pack of teams just behind that tier as well (looking at Dallas and Philadelphia in particular) that no one should count out. My dark horse team for making the playoffs is Arizona.

Panarin is playing out of his mind. He’s a playmaker in scoring and assists. He’s skating fast and every shift he looks determined to make something happen. Last night he tallied his 6th career hat trick. Each goal is wilder than the one before it. He made this surprise twisted shot that caught everyone by surprise. Mika is having a hell of a month too, with around 17 points in the last 10 games. Igor has returned to form, winning his last 5. Quick has lost his first two regulation games in his last two starts but in each game, he did play outstandingly. In the Florida loss, defensive breakdowns right in front of the net are largely to blame, not him.

The third and fourth lines continue to make the lives of opposing teams difficult. The entire team is playing really well now. Shout out to K’Andre Miller for his recent improvement in his game.

In injury news, Kakko has been skating on his own. He’s been out for more than a month and there’s no time frame for him to come back. It does sound like he’s improving, at least. Chytil has returned home to continue his recovery. Apparently, he’s seen a top doctor for concussions and while he’s been skating on his own, his improvement is slower than expected. He’ll continue to heal and train as much as he can but this means they don’t think he’ll be ready anytime soon. Will he come back in time for the playoffs or is his season over? He’s had at least 4 concussions so this isn’t a good sign. We all hope for the best for 2024.