8/15/18 | Quinn said that a captain "emerges" and that the Rangers don't want to "put a burden on somebody" that isn't ready for the role. (NHL.com)

Quinn said that it will take care of itself and that someone will either separate themselves from the pack and show that they should be captain, "or it won't."(NHL.com)

8/13/17 | David Quinn said that talk about who will be the next Rangers captain is "on the back-burner" and he wants to wait until the team is assembled. (MSG)

Brady Skjei said recently that he thinks he will play more minutes this season and that all of the young Rangers have a "chance to step up." (NHL.com)

Skjei said, "we have a lot of guys that can really prove themselves this year, and I'm excited for that." (NHL.com)

He averaged 21:02 overall last season and in the 50 games prior to the All-Star break he averaged 19:57 and in the 32 games after he averaged 22:42.

Rangers first round pick Vitali Kravtsov scored a first period goal for Traktor in a KHL preseason game on Wednesday.

He scored on Tuesday both in regulation and in a shootout.

Watch below.

The Hockey News has released their annual pool guide and with it a list of the Rangers top 10 prospects.

1. Lias Andersson
2. Filip Chytil
3. Vitali Kravtsov
4. Igor Shesterkin

Rangers first round pick Vitali Kravtsov scored a first period goal for Traktor in a KHL preseason game on Tuesday.

Watch below.

Brady Skjei and Vinni Lettieri each scored on Monday in their Minnesota summer league games

The Athletic's Scott Wheeler put together his list of the Top 50 drafted prospects in the NHL.

The only Ranger to make the list was Filip Chytil at 23. (The Athletic)

On Chytil, Wheeler writes that Chytil projects more as a second line center than a first line center but that he is someone that "loves" to have the puck on his stick and, despite his size, has a "fluid, light stride" and more agility than "you'd expect." (The Athletic)

Mats Zuccarello scored three goals in the charity game that he and Henrik Lundqvist put together in Norway.

Henrik Lundqvist said that he hopes Mats Zuccarello is part of the Rangers plans moving forward.(VG)

Lundqvist said that Zuccarello adds a lot to the team on and off the ice and sets an example with his work ethic. (VG)

Zuccarello is entering the final-year of a four-year deal that has a cap hit of $4.5 million.

Mats Zuccarello's skates for tomorrow's Summer Classic Outdoor Game in Norway feature cartoon versions of Zuccarello and Henrik Lundqvist.

Chris Kreider said that he is feeling "really good" this summer and is continuing to stay at a lower weight like he did when he returned last season. (Salem News)

• He said in June that he was feeling 110%.
• Kreider missed time due to a blood clot and rib resection surgery last year.

Kreider said that he played at around 230 pounds prior to his injury last season and that now he is under 220 but still feels "really strong." (Salem News)

He noted that the lighter weight could help him be more mobile and "quicker to an extent." (Salem News)

Henrik Lundqvist and Mats Zuccarello are putting on an outdoor charity game in Oslo. Norway this season.

In addition to Zuccarello and Lundqvist, some of the other NHLers expected to play include Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm, Derick Brassard, Carl Hagelin, Antti Raanta, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh,William Nylander, Zdeno Chara, Artem Anisimov.

To see the full list, click HERE.

Today is the 30th Anniversary of Wayne Gretzky's trade from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings.

Gretzky was traded to LA for a package that included Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three future first-round (traded to NJ for Corey Foster, Marty Rucinsky, Nick Stajduhar) draft picks and $15 million.

Reports from the New York Times in 1988 indicate that Rangers GM Phil Espositio was approached by Edmonton GM Glen Sather about Gretzky at the draft that June.

Vinni Lettieri scored off the rush tonight in his game in Minnesota summer league Da Beauty League.

Craig Custance took a look at the Capitals, how their roster fit into five categories and then compared that to the rest of the teams in the Metro. (The Athletic)

The criteria he looked at included "great centers," "a game breaker," "offensive defenseman," "playoff experience" and "size." (The Athletic)

Custance notes that the Rangers have had "good" but not "great" centers lately and that the hope is that they will be able to find a "great" center during their rebuild." (The Athletic)

New Rangers assistant coach David Oliver was a 7th round pick of the Edmonton OIlers in 1991 and after playing four years at the University of Michigan, he played half a season for the Oilers in 1994-95.

Oliver then spent the next season and part of another with the Oilers before joining the Rangers for 14 regular season and 3 playoff games at the end of the 1996-97 season.

Edmonton's GM throughout Oliver's entire time in the Oilers organization was current Rangers President Glen Sather.

Henrik Lundqvist is on the ice practicing ahead of this weekend's outdoor charity game in Norway with Mats Zuccarello.

Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who played at BU under David Quinn for two seasons, said that he couldn't be happier that Quinn is now the head coach of the Rangers. (The Athletic)

McAvoy praised Quinn for "the way that he cares" and said that Quinn was around to help him with extra video, one on one meetings and how his game was going.(The Athletic)

He added that Quinn "did so much" for me." (The Athletic)

8/1/18| Jeff Gorton said that Chris Kreider is not a "young player anymore" and that right now he is in his "prime years." (MSG)

Gorton said that because of Kreider's experience and stature with the team he will be a good player for the young Rangers to "lean on" and added that he feels Kreider is "ready for that role." (MSG)

Kreider, 27, has played in 381 regular season games and 77 playoff games in his NHL career.

Former Rangers associate coach Scott Arniel has joined the Washington Capitals as an assistant coach to Todd Reirden. 

He was let go by the Rangers when Alain Vigneault was relieved of his duties as head coach.

Arniel was with the Rangers for the past five seasons as part of Vigneault's staff. 

Jeff Gorton said recently that while the Rangers want their "young kids" to make the team and "do well" they aren't going to be putting any of them in a "tough spot."

Gorton said, "if they are not ready we aren't going to put them in, won't force them in there. We will take our time and it's the right thing to do for the players, for the team, for us."

When he was asked at development camp which players he thinks could make the team, he pointed to Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson as well as European free agents Michael Lindqvist and Ville Meskanen.

Gorton added that the Rangers won't stop anyone from making the team if they are "good enough."

Libor Hajek's coach in the WHL, John Paddock, said that he is close to being NHL ready, could compete for a roster spot next season and also has the ability to be a "top-four defenseman in the league for a long-time." (Newsday & NY Post)

• Hajek has said that he intends to make the Rangers out of training camp.

Paddock describes Hajek, a left hand shot, as "low maintenance" and is a "real good, solid, all-around player who does a lot of things well." (NYRangers.com)

He added that Hajek was like a "sponge' and always doing extra work and talking to coaches about how to become a better player. (NYRangers.com)

Kevin Shattenkirk said that he is "very" excited to play under David Quinn again and said that Quinn "is someone who really fits the bill perfectly for us in what we need to do moving forward."

Shattenkirk said that Quinn had a "huge impact" on his career and helped develop him not just in their three-years together at BU but also at the start of Shattenkirk's pro career in Lake Erie.

He said that Quinn took him as a raw player in college and helped develop him to succeed at the next level. (NYR)

According to reports out of Russia, the Rangers are interested and possibly willing to offer a contract to Russian winger Sergei Shumakov.

Shumakov, 25, is reportedly holding out from CSKA Moscow due to promises that were not kept and that he has offers from other teams. (Championat)

He is supposed to be heading into the second-year of a three-year deal with CSKA and he had 40 points in 47 games last season.

Mika Zibanejad was Jeff Gorton's answer when he was asked which player needs to take a step offensively this season. (NHL Network)

Gorton said, "Mika has to go to another level offensively for us to compete for a playoff spot." (NHL Network)

Gorton added, "I think he has all the tools, at times he shown he can be a number one center, he can play against some of the better players in the league, defend and offensively push and PP is a threat, he is one guy that really jumps out to me that if he has a big year we should be competing for a playoff spot." (NHL Network)

Over the weekend the Rangers signed 24-year old defenseman Brady Skjei to a six-year deal worth $5.25 million per season.

On Monday the Rangers signed 26-year old Kevin Hayes to a one-year deal worth $5.125 million.

On Tuesday, the Rangers came to terms with Ryan Spooner, 26, on a two-year deal that has a cap hit of $4 million per season.

The Rangers have announced that Ryan Spooner has come to terms on a two-year deal.

The deal is worth $4 million per season. (Elliotte Friedman)

Spooner and the Rangers were scheduled to have an arbitration hearing on Saturday.

With the signing of Kevin Hayes on Monday, the Rangers only have one arbitration case, Ryan Spooner on 8/4, remaining.

According to Cap Friendly, the Rangers have $9.67 in cap space right now but that includes Matt Beleskey, Cody McLeod and Peter Holland up front and Brendan Smith, Rob O'Gara and Steven Kampfer on defense.

On a roster that has all of the above players in Hartford but adds Filip Chytil, Lias Andersson and Neal Pionk, the Rangers have just over $12 million in cap space.

The Rangers currently have 45 contracts signed on their 50 contract list and 69 out of 90 spots taken on their reserve list.

5:42PM: Hayes' contract is worth $5.125 million, a number that Larry Brooks calls "surprisingly high."

5:39PM: Kevin Hayes will avoid arbitration with the Rangers and sign a one-year deal worth just over $5 million. (Elliotte Friedman)

Hayes will be a UFA after next season.

Reports circulated over the weekend that Hayes and the Rangers were running into issues on a long-term deal and that a one-year deal was the most likely solution.

Following the last game of the Rangers season, Henrik Lundqvist spoke about how the last few months of the season were about "learning and new experiences" but that next season is about "winning games and getting back into the playoffs." (NYR)

• Lundqvist said before the end of the season that next season had to be about winning for the Rangers.

Lundqvist said that the Rangers need to set a goal right away that if you are on the team you are there to make a difference. (NYR)

He said that he thinks the Rangers can turn things around quickly with the experience that some of the young players got as well as with other moves the team can make. (NYR)

7/29/18 | Rick Carpiniello, of The Athletic, confirms that there is a "significant gap in contract talks and that if Hayes signs a one-year deal it's likely he will be traded before being a UFA next summer.

7/28/19 | According to Larry Brooks, Kevin Hayes is likely to sign a one-year deal with the Rangers that would allow him to be a UFA next summer. (NY Post)

He writes that there has been "little traction" in talks for a long-term deal and that Hayes is believed to be seeking a deal between $5.5 million and $6 million for five or six-years. (NY Post)

7/29/18 | Namesnikov said that he has not yet spoken with David Quinn and doesn't know if the plan is for him to start the season at center or at wing. (NHL.com)

He said that he has to earn his ice time and that he is looking forward to the "fresh start." (NHL.com)

Namestnikov said that he thinks he has had a "long, productive summer," skating in suburban Detroit, and just needs to "keep it up." (NHL.com)

The Rangers have announced that Brady Skjei has avoided arbitration and signed a six-year contract.

The deal is worth $5.25 million per season. (Johnston)

It was suggested earlier in the offseason that the Rangers could sign Skjei to a long-term deal in the same way that they had previously signed Marc Staal and Ryan McDonagh to long-term deals.

Skjei was slated to become a UFA in three season.

7/27/18 | On the NHL Network on Thursday, they had the lines projected as:

• Kreider, Zibanejad, Zuccarello
• Namestnikov, Hayes, Buchnevich
• Vesey, Chytil, Fast
• Cody McLeod, Andersson, Spooner

7/21/18 | At NHL.com, Dan Rosen projects the Rangers lineup to start the season as:

• Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Pavel Buchnevich
• Vlad Namestnikov, Filip Chytil, Mats Zuccarello
• Jimmy Vesey, Kevin Hayes, Jesper Fast
• Ryan Spooner, Lias Andersson, Michael Lindqvist

He has Brady Skjei paired with Kevin Shattenkirk, Marc Staal with Neal Pionk and Brendan Smith with Fredrick Claesson. (NHL.com)

7/26/18 | Dave Maloney was on the NHL Network earlier today and said that Brendan smith has reportedly lost 15 pounds this offseason while training with Ben Prentiss in Connecticut.

Maloney said that Smith is in "tremendous shape" and could be someone who provides some veteran presence and snarl for the Rangers.

7/5/18 | Rangers will give Brendan Smith an opportunity to make the team

USA Hockey announced today that Rangers first round pick K'Andre Miller will not take part in next weeks USA World Junior showcase due to illness.

Miller will play this season at the University of Wisconsin and could still play for Team USA at the World Juniors this winter.

The Hockey News said of Miller that the main word to describe him is "potential" and one scout said "he has a beautiful, powerful stride, and he's becoming a real stout defender. At the least, he'll be a minute-eater because he's such a great athlete. I love his floor and I love his ceiling."

Jeff Gorton said in June that he believes the Rangers have internal options, Alexander Georgiev and Martin Mazanec, to back up Henrik Lundqvist this coming season.

Gorton said this week that Georgiev looked "good" during his time with the Rangers this past season but that when it comes to the back up situation right now, they will "let it all play out." (MSG)

Current UFA goalies include Kari Lehtonen, Steve Mason, last year's back up Ondrej Pavelec, Anders Lindback and Jeff Glass.

David Quinn said recently that when he gathers the team together at the start of training camp one of the main things he will bring up first is "defense." (MSG)

Quinn said that playing good defense is "a want" and that "you can be a good defensive player if you determine that is what you want to be." (MSG)

He has said previously that the style he wants to play is a "pressure, puck possession game that is built around defense."

Quinn said that the Rangers need to work on getting better each day and that the focus will be on getting everyone on the same page and understanding that "the answers are within the walls of our locker room."

While speaking about the Rangers rebuild, GM Jeff Gorton said that he can see this as a "big year" for Pavel Buchnevich. (MSG)

Gorton said that David Quinn will bring in a new system for Buchnevich, and the team, to play, and that the Russian will have "bigger minutes. (MSG)

• As a rookie, Buchnevich had 8 goals, 12 assists and 13:16 per game in 41 games.
• Last season he had 14 goals and 29 assists and 15:01 per game in 74 games.

Gorton said that Buchnevich will be a "top-six forward" for a long time and should be able to build on the 43 point season he had last year. (MSG)

Penguins coach, and former Rangers assistant, Mike Sullivan said that the Rangers are getting a "really good coach" in David Quinn. (NHL.com)

Sullivan and Quinn were teammates at BU in the late 80s and Sullivan aid that the Rangers are getting a "real competitive guy" that will "build relationships" and get the most out of players. (NHL.com)

He added that Quinn is a "real good coach, a good teacher. I think he's going to bring that to the table at the pro level with the young Rangers team." (NHL.com)

Sullivan said that Quinn's "biggest strength" is how he builds relationships and brings a love and passion of hockey to the rink every day. (NHL.com)

While at development camp recently, Filip Chytil said that he wants to show the organization in training camp that he is ready to play in the NHL and ready to play in the Rangers top-six. (NYR)

Chytil said that he feels he can play against the best players in the NHL and said that he wants to improve in all areas of his game and "be better and be ready to play in the NHL." (NYR)

He said that he wants to spend all of next season in the NHL, felt that last year in the AHL was great and was able to receive a lot of support from everyone. (NYR)

So far this offseason, the Rangers have re-signed Vlad Namestnikov, Jimmy Vesey and Cody McLeod, had numerous RFAs accept their qualifying offers and signed defenseman Fredrik Claesson.

The Rangers have around $20 million in cap space depending on roster construction and have long been linked as a team that could possibly take on salary from a team.

Ryan Callahan's name has been mentioned as someone who could possibly return to the Rangers in the event that Tampa Bay is able to acquire Erik Karlsson.

Rangers coach David Quinn was a guest at Kevin Shattenkirk's wedding this week.

Quinn and Shattenkirk go back to when Shattenkirk was at BU and Quinn was an assistant coach.

Other Rangers in attendance included Kevin Hayes, Brady Skjei, Brendan Smith, Chris Kreider and Jimmy Vesey.

While working with the US National team in the early 2000s, David Quinn was named the 2003 USA Hockey Development Coach of the Year. (USA Hockey)

In that time he helped lead Team USA to first place finishes in three international tournaments. (USA Hockey)

While speaking with ESPN Radio after being hired, Quinn said that the key for him to get the best out of a player is to build a relationship and show that you care about them. (ESPN NY Radio)

Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello and Henrik Lundqvist all attended Jesper Fast's wedding earlier this week.

Jimmy Vesey was on NHL Tonight to discuss his new contract with the Rangers and said (NHL Network):

• On staying with the Rangers, "it's a good situation for both sides and glad it worked out. We are a new look team this year with a lot of youth and changes. Looking forward to somewhat of a fresh start and the guys in our room, everyone can be a little bit better and that will bode well for us."
• Where do you want to get better, "consistency for me has been big, I've had good stretches and then quieter stretches as well. I've gone from a younger guy on the team to pretty much one of the older guys. I want to step up my game and be more consistent and develop into a leader for this team."

David Quinn has returned from his trip to Sweden after having met with Henrik Lundqvist, Mika Zibanejad and Jesper Fast. (NY Post)

• Quinn said that if he was "better at geography" he would have visited Mats Zuccarello but he didn't realize that Norway was just a "hop away." (NY Post)

Quinn said that he has spoken with about 10 players so far and that the focus has been on getting to know each other, building a relationship and "getting onto the same page as far as clarifying our expectations of one another and as a team." (NY Post)

He said that he wants the players to believe that they can contend for the Stanley Cup and that if they work at that and buy in "people might be surprised at what we can accomplish collectively." (NY Post)

Kevin Shattenkirk said that this season for the Rangers needs to be about establishing a "culture of winning" and that the focus isn't just to improve a little but to make the playoffs. (NHL.com)

Shattenkirk added, "when you drive that home into players especially early in their career, you don't accept anything less than making the playoffs and trying to make a run for the Stanley Cup." (NHL.com)

He said that when you look around the league at teams going through a rebuild it takes a year or two but that the Rangers are "fortunate" to still have some veterans as well as an "ace" in net."(NHL.com)

Shattenkirk said that it's on him and the veteran players to "bear the burden" and build that culture of winning. (NHL.com)

David Quinn, while discussing why he hired David Oliver and Greg Brown, said that it was important for him to have assistants that he can "trust and have confidence in." (NY Post)

He noted that while he has a past with with both of them, he didn't just hire a "a couple of buddies."

Quinn said that both of them are "extremely well-respected throughout the hockey world" and will be "major factors in helping us become the team we want to be and can be." (NY Post)

Quinn noted that while both lack NHL experience, Lindy Ruff is still around and his experience is "one of the assets he brings to our group." (NY Post)