Ramblings: Tarasenko Debut on Broadway, Kane Remains in Chicago, Copley Signs Extension (Feb 11)

Ian Gooding

2023-02-11

Vladimir Tarasenko needed very little time to make an impact with the Rangers, scoring a goal just 2:49 into his Rangers debut. Tarasenko finished with two shots in just under 13 minutes of icetime, but more importantly he seemed to click on a new loaded top line with Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. This seems like an exciting opportunity for all three players, and it's hard not to like the Rangers' offense for the remainder of the season.

Tarasenko was mainly used on the second-unit power play, however. Given the Rangers' wealth of forwards, the second unit isn't such a bad place to be. The red-hot Filip Chytil was moved up to the first unit, which might be a reward for his recent production. Chytil's value continues to skyrocket, as he recorded an assist to extend his point streak to six games. Chytil entered this game with goals in five consecutive games.

Regarding Chytil, I just missed out on claiming him in my auction league after he was left on the waiver wire for what seemed like much longer than he should have been. In that league, I already have Zibanejad and Panarin, so perhaps my portfolio would be too Ranger-heavy. I tend to worry a bit if I have more than two players from the same team, as production can be too feast or famine. There aren't many good reasons not to be starting Chytil right now, though.

Here are the Rangers' lines from Friday's game:

ES

FILIP CHYTIL – KAAPO KAKKO – ALEXIS LAFRENIERE

MIKA ZIBANEJAD – VLADIMIR TARASENKO – ARTEMI PANARIN

CHRIS KREIDER – VINCENT TROCHECK – VITALI KRAVTSOV

JIMMY VESEY – BARCLAY GOODROW – JULIEN GAUTHIER

PP

MIKA ZIBANEJAD – CHRIS KREIDER – ARTEMI PANARIN – FILIP CHYTIL

VLADIMIR TARASENKO – VINCENT TROCHECK – KAAPO KAKKO – ALEXIS LAFRENIERE

Kaapo Kakko broke a 16-game goal drought on Friday. Despite the lack of goals, Kakko has four points in his last three games and nine points in his last eight games. He started the season with just eight points in his first 23 games, so you're being rewarded now if you've been patient.

Also acquired in the trade with the Blues, Niko Mikkola also played in his first game with the Rangers. He was held without a point and added six penalty minutes and four hits in 14 minutes of icetime.

Matty Beniers has hit the rookie wall. Held without a point again on Friday, Beniers is now without a point in eight consecutive games (interrupted by injury). To put it another way, Beniers has gone without a point for nearly a month (January 14). Despite the drought, he still leads all rookies in both goals (17) and points (36). He'll break out of this eventually, but your bench might be the best place for him right now.  

This was supposed to be a big week for your Kraken players with a four-game week. However, Seattle entered this game with just one goal in two games since the All-Star break. After the Rangers took a 4-0 lead early in the second period, the Kraken were able to make this game somewhat interesting by scoring three goals. After three consecutive losses in the New York area, they will try to salvage the week on Sunday in Philadelphia.

Martin Jones has turned back into Martin Jones, allowing at least four goals for the third consecutive game. He's also allowed at least three goals in six of his last seven starts. Philipp Grubauer hasn't been reliable this season either, with both goalies showing a sub-.900 SV% and negative GSAA (goals saved above average). Goaltending might present a problem for the Kraken in securing a playoff spot, so I'd be hesitant about starting any Kraken goalie at the moment in spite of the team's success this season.

It sounds like Patrick Kane was interested in a trade to the Rangers.

Since we like to play the "what if" game here, there's no doubt that Kane's value would receive a much-needed boost with the potential to play alongside Zibanejad and former teammate Panarin. There are obviously opportunities on other teams, but Kane's $10.5 million cap hit won't make a trade easy to orchestrate. In addition, Kane is reportedly dealing with a hip issue, which might at least partially explain the noticeable dip in his production. The tank in Chicago likely also factors in, as does luck, as Chris Kane explains in this week's Frozen Tools Forensics.

Kane entered Friday's game with five points in his last four games, but he was held without a point on Friday. You could make a pre-emptive buy-low offer in the event that he is moved, but I'm kind of lukewarm that he would score for a new team at the point-per-game-plus pace that we've been accustomed to throughout much of his career, given the injury possibility and his age (now 34).

The Blackhawks don't need Kane when they have… (looks up boxscore)… Andreas Athanasiou. AA delivered a goal and assisted on two others while firing a season-high eight shots.

Taking a flier on Chicago's backup might not seem like the smartest move. Yet in three starts with the Blackhawks, Jaxson Stauber has three wins. Stauber stopped 23 of 26 shots he faced in the 4-3 overtime win over Arizona. Stauber plays for the Blackhawks, so don't expect him to go on a long run.

Does Pheonix Copley have a future with the Kings beyond this season? Copley was signed to a one-year, $1.5 million extension. If you're surprised that Copley has a future with the Kings beyond this season, keep in mind that Jonathan Quick's long-term contract is on its final season. Since Cal Petersen is signed for two more seasons after this one, this signing could spell the end of the 37-year-old Quick in LA after this season while allowing Petersen to make his way back to the NHL next season.

If you're waiting for Petersen to be recalled this season, I'm going to bet that Copley sticks around for the rest of the season. The extension signals the Kings' intention to keep him around. Copley hasn't taken the world by storm, but the Kings just needed better goaltending than they were receiving from Quick and Petersen.

Matt Murray was placed on injured reserve (ankle) on Thursday, which is nothing new for Band-Aid Boy Murray. That means that the Leafs, who seem locked into another first-round series with Tampa Bay, will need to continue to lean on Ilya Samsonov, who has now started eight games in a row. Samsonov delivered with a 30-save shutout of the Blue Jackets, giving him six wins in his last nine games. Joseph Woll, who was recently recalled from the AHL, may start today's (Saturday's) rematch with the Blue Jackets in Toronto so Samsonov doesn't have to start the back-to-backs.

Kris Letang missed Friday night's game due to illness. Not a problem for the Penguins, since P.O. Joseph stepped up with two goals and an assist. Joseph had not recorded a point in his previous 11 games, so you cannot be blamed if you did not start him in this game (raises hand). Joseph also finished with a plus-4, four shots, and a power-play point.

Glass half empty: John Gibson allowed six goals on Friday. Glass half full: John Gibson set an Anaheim Ducks team record for saves in a regular-season game with 53. Yes, this was a game that the Penguins thoroughly dominated, with two of Anaheim's goals in the 6-3 loss coming in garbage time. The Penguins had 20 shots on goal from defensemen alone. Jeff Petry led the way with five shots, while Joseph and Mark Friedman each had four.

Brock Boeser has seven points in his last four games and 18 points in his last 19 games (since the holiday break). That's a solid run for a player who has had his struggles this season. Boeser's upside has dipped since his rookie season, which I think is due to the hand and wrist injuries that he's had. It wouldn't be a bad idea for the Canucks to move on from his $6.65 million cap hit. Yet if the Canucks are trying to sell Boeser, it makes more sense for them to play him on Elias Pettersson's line instead of Sheldon Dries's line. Rick Tocchet figured that out on Thursday, moving him to the Pettersson line as well as the first-unit power play, where Boeser delivered with a goal and three assists – two of those assists on the power play.    

Beware that today's (Saturday's) games start early at noon ET, or 9 a.m. where I live. Yeah, watching hockey while I finish breakfast. A little early, but this is why it might not be a bad idea to set your lineup the night before.

Follow me on Twitter @Ian_Gooding for more fantasy hockey.

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