Day: February 10, 2023

Libor Hajek‘s sideline ordeal is over for the moment.  The Czech defenseman cleared waivers today, and has been reassigned to Hartford, where he’ll finally get the chance to play some hockey.  Stuck in the category of “not good enough to make the roster”, but “maybe good enough to be claimed”, he has spent the majority of the last three seasons watching the games, with only 49 games in the line-up over that period.

Part of perhaps the biggest trade that came in the aftermath of “the Letter”, Hajek was acquired from Tampa along with Brett Howden, a 1st round pick and a 2nd round pick in excahnge for then captain Ryan McDonagh and forward JT Miller.  It was perhaps former GM Jeff Gorton’s worst result in a ledger that saw several much more successful moves.

With Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola joining the Rangers for tonight’s game against the Seattle Kraken, coach Gerard Gallant has rolled out a reconfigured line-up….and even new power play units, but perhaps the most surprising move is that Vitali Kravtsov is back in to the line-up after sitting out the last four as a healthy scratch.

As expected, Tarasenko slots in alongside Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad to form what the team hopes will be a formidable first line.  How well they will do in their own zone remains to be seen, with both Tarasenko and Panarin noted for having some gaps in defensive game.