Could McIlrath be reunited on a pairing with Keith Yandle in Florida? (Photo by David Hahn/Icon Sportswire)

Could McIlrath be reunited on a pairing with Keith Yandle in Florida? (Photo by David Hahn/Icon Sportswire)

– I wonder if Dylan McIlrath requested a trade and that wish was granted once Jacob Trouba re-signed. I was very skeptical that McIlrath was part of a hypothetical swap with the Jets, but the timing is awfully curious coming a day after the Trouba situation was resolved given that McIlrath cleared waivers a week ago.

– McIlrath himself just wasn’t cut out for the game Alain Vigneault wants to play. You could argue that he deserved a better shot and should have played in place of Dan Girardi last year, but it’s not like the Blueshirts gave up on a future Norris Trophy winner here.

– In any case, let’s hope for the best for McIlrath. He had a great attitude throughout the last couple years under difficult circumstances. By all accounts he was a great teammate. And we’ll always have this.

– Jeff Gorton is being patient and vetting all options on defense – and while he deserves credit for his patience, you can’t help but look around the division where Justin Faulk, Seth Jones and Travis Hamonic went down over the last few days. This Rangers team looks like a juggernaut, but what would a significant injury to Ryan McDonagh do to this team? He’s carrying a huge load right now.

– I’m in the camp that Adam Clendening should be playing over Girardi of Nick Holden, but both veterans have actually been decent. Still, this team is honing a very unique style of play that Clendening could carve a nice role in if given the chance.

– Mika Zibanejad has been very quiet lately. He’s been a little snakebitten for sure, but he also isn’t playing like the dominant player he was throughout the preseason and in the first few games. DJ Z-Bad will get his points, but he’s capable of much more and that was the biggest critique of Zibanejad by the Senators.

– Do you think a person exists that doesn’t like Mats Zuccarello? Islander goalie Jaroslav Halak acknowledged that Zuke was the funniest player on Team Europe during the World Cup of Hockey and joins a long list of players and fans that have fallen under the Hobbit’s spell.

– Brady Skjei, assist machine?

– With Josh Jooris on the mend, it’ll be fascinating to see what Vigneault does if all his forwards are healthy. It’s a little tricky to find a path to playing time for Oscar Lindberg, unless Vigneault would rather have Jooris than Lindberg as his fourth-line center as part of a season-long rotation with Brandon Pirri.

– Still can’t get over Pavel Buchnevich’s goal on Sunday night.


Question time:
1) Which defensemen are you turning your attention to now that Trouba is apparently off the table?
2) Which rookie is most valuable to the Rangers: Skjei, Buchnevich or Jimmy Vesey?
3) Assuming no further moves, who do you view as the #8 D-man now that McIlrath is gone?

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