Devils Playbook: Rangers Face Questions Heading Into Thursday’s Rivalry Game

The last time the New Jersey Devils saw their rivals, it was the first meeting with the New York Rangers in a new era. Jacob Trouba, their former captain, was traded to the Anaheim Ducks and no longer manned the Blueshirts blueline. And although the Rangers began to make major changes amid their floundering season, the Devils still routed them to embarrassment, defeating them 5-0 on the night before the holiday break. Heading into their third meeting on Thursday night, the Rangers face multiple questions when they host the Devils.

READ: Devils Forward Injured, ‘Could Miss Some Time’

It’s continued to go from bad to worse for the Rangers. On Tuesday night, they squandered a three-goal lead to the Dallas Stars and eventually fell in overtime, leaving a point on the table. In their last 10 games, they’re 3-6-1. One victory came against the Chicago Blackhawks, who are a non-playoff team. Another against the Boston Bruins, who are facing their own struggles this season, however, perhaps not as severe as the Rangers. Their first victory amid the three was against the Stars in a previous matchup to Tuesday’s. It was a win against the playoff-bound Stars that right after you’d rightfully question if it was the beginning of a turnaround.

Instead, the Rangers went on to lose four straight games.

The Devils haven’t necessarily been all that great themselves lately, sans Jacob Markstrom. They won their last tilt against the Seattle Kraken to finally get back in the win column after a four-game losing streak. Thursday’s tilt against the Rangers is another stepping stone for New Jersey to stay in the right lane of getting back on track. So what’re they in for?

Matt Rempe Return?

The Devils haven’t seen Rangers enforcer, Matt Rempe, since last season, when the Hudson River Rivals participated in an April line brawl at puck drop.

Since then, Rempe has made plenty of noise around himself, and not necessarily the good kind. In the Rangers’ Dec. 20th tilt with the Stars, Rempe illegally elbowed Miro Heiskenen and promptly received an eight-game suspension. Rempe fully served his suspension as of Tuesday, and is now eligible to return to the lineup.

The Rangers called Rempe up to the main roster on Tuesday in a corresponding move to putting Chris Kreider on the injured reserve.

Could the 22-year-old enforcer draw in against the Devils on Thursday at Madison Square Garden? Head coach Peter Laviolette was hesitant to change his lineup after a win over the Blackhawks two games ago.

As of Wednesday’s practice, Rempe will be a healthy scratch despite now being available to play post-suspension. Peter Baugh of The Athletic explained he took rotations on the fourth line and stayed on for extra work after practice.

Arthur Kaliyev NYR Debut?

If Rempe doesn’t draw into the lineup, it very well could be due to new Rangers forward, Arthur Kaliyev.

Kaliyev hit the waiver wire over the weekend, and not many expected him to make it through unclaimed. The Blueshirts—who are in search of a spark—claimed the former first-round selection.

On Wednesday morning, Kaliyev took rushes on the Rangers third line alongside Jonny Brodzinski and Brett Berard. There were a few absences due to injury, but it would indicate that perhaps Kaliyev is making his Rangers debut on Thursday against the Devils at MSG.

The Rangers are hoping Kaliyev’s fresh start brings out the scorer in him that he was drafted to be in Los Angeles.

Injuries to Key Players

The Rangers are a bit nicked up to add injury to insult… that’s how the saying goes, right?

On Wednesday, the Rangers placed forward Chris Kreider on injured reserve, and he’s going to miss some time. During Tuesday’s tilt against the Stars, center Filip Chytil suffered an upper-body injury and was absent from practice on Wednesday. Returning to the crease, however, was goaltender Igor Shesterkin after hitting the injured reserve on January 1st, missing the last four games.

Louis Domingue was up in Shesterkin’s place, while Johnathan Quick took the brunt of the workload. Domingue was not present at practice on Wednesday, indicating he’ll be reassigned to the Hartford Wolfpack. Therefore, it’s likely Shesterkin returns on Thursday. The question that looms is whether it’ll be Quick who starts, or if Shesterkin jumps right back into game action.

As for Chytil’s status, Laviolette didn’t give much information. With his injury history, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him scratched against the Devils.

Jack Hughes and the Devils take on the Rangers at MSG on Thursday at 7 P.M.

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