The New York Rangers have spent the last two weeks retooling their team by beefing up its roster with both smöl and lörge enforcers. They’ve traded for Barclay Goodrow, signed Jarred Tinordi as a UFA, and acquired Ryan Reaves – the self-proclaimed “solution to your Tom Wilson problem.”
The moves scream as an overreaction to the melee Wilson started with the Rangers in early May, which resulted in two line-brawls, over a half-dozen fights, an aggressive press release from the Rangers, and NYR mass-firing nearly everyone who had decision-making power over the team.
Friday, Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan was asked what he thought of all the hubbub during an interview on DC101’s Elliot In The Morning.
LISTEN: https://t.co/iNXH8MezGp
— ELLIOT IN THE MORNING (@EITMonline) July 30, 2021
“[Reaves] will add a little extra spice to the game,” MacLellan admitted. “That’ll start the season off the right way.”
MacLellan was then asked if he was surprised that the first game of the year would be against the Rangers.
“No!” he said laughing. “I thought it was pretty ironic that was the way it was set up. It’ll be a fun game to start the year off.”
Goodrow recently predicted the contest “should be interesting” and that he’s “drawn to those kind of situations.” Those situations, of course, being sideshows that measure each team’s overall toughness.
Both clubs appear to realize that they’re on a potentially violent collision course in October and that the season opener could produce fireworks.
✈️ NEW YORK BOUND. pic.twitter.com/a8zGEQYo5E
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 30, 2021
Personally, I can’t wait.
Talk to me New York. https://t.co/nGKcVyiHsu
— Ryan Reaves (@reavo7five) July 30, 2021
