Rangers’ David Quinn will bench Filip Chytil for an extended period
After implying on Tuesday that Filip Chytil could sit as a for an extended stretch as a healthy scratch, David Quinn was more direct when asked on Wednesday if that was the plan.
“Yes,” said the coach.
“[I need to see] the consistent effort I know he’s capable of giving,” Quinn said before the Blueshirts’ 4-3 overtime defeat to the Lightning, who won their 10th straight game. “By no stretch of the imagination does he show up trying to be lazy or not work hard [but] I think part of the learning curve for a young player is to redefine what hard work is.
“I think he’s just going through that and going through what a lot of 19-year-old’s go through, learning how to redefine what hard work is, redefining what compete is. It is non-negotiable and it has to happen shift in and shift out.”
Quinn then sought to place the current situation within context.
“I’m not surprised,” he said. “It’s not odd. It’s not abnormal for a 19-year-old to sit out. He’s sat out [three] games so far this year and he’s going to sit out a few more. Over the grand scheme of things it’s not that big of a deal. It seems like it is because we’re going through it right now but when the dust settles and the season ends and he comes back with the level of play we all anticipate him to come back with, this isn’t going to be talked about.”
“Filip has had some great stretches here and he’s going to be a great player for us. This is part of the learning curve and development.”
Chytil, who has one goal and one assist in his last 13 games, has recorded 10 goals and 10 assists in 60 games on the season.
Brendan Lemieux, whose previous career high ice time was 13:32 on Feb. 2, played an involved 15:24 in his Blueshirt debut. The 22-year-old winger (23 on Mar. 15) was credited with a game-high seven hits while recording one shot on four attempts. He was engaged around the net front throughout, including during his 5:07 of power play time.
see also
New Ranger Brendan Lemieux has his dads agitator DNA
The rotten apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. “Rotten,”…
“I’m really fortunate to be here. I’m very happy to be here,” said Lemieux, who was acquired from Winnipeg as part of the exchange for Kevin Hayes. “Getting an opportunity is all I’ve ever asked for and I’m getting it, so I have no complaints individually or personally. I’m excited to build on my game and establish myself as a New York Ranger. I’m really excited about it.
“That’s a really good team over there and we took them to three-on-three, so that shows a lot of resilience in a really young group. I don’t even think I’m considered young on this team, there are so many young guys.
“Like I said [Wednesday] it’s a dream to be in New York and it’s a dream to play here. There’s nothing like it.”
Jimmy Vesey recorded a goal and an assist for the third straight game since taking Mats Zuccarello’s old spot on the right side with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
Vesey has 16 goals and 18 assists (34 points) on the season after scoring 16 goals and 11 assists (27 points) as a rookie and 17-11-28 last season.
His gorgeous backhand feed off a nifty move set up Zibanejad for the club’s first goal before he fended off Victor Hedman in a battle to record the Blueshirts’ second goal. Boo Nieves scored the game-tying goal at 14:14 of the second.
Tony DeAngelo logged a career high 26:32 of ice time. … The Rangers, who face Montreal at the Garden on Friday, went 0-for-6 in 10:32 of power play time.