The New York Rangers are playing well following their huge NHL trade deadline activity. And their play has drawn praise from one of their fiercest rivals in the game.
Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin heaped a ton of praise on the Rangers on Friday. The Penguins are in New York preparing to face the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s a danger team right now,” Malkin told The New York Post after the Penguins’ practice Friday. “Every line is danger. They’re probably, like, best team in the league right now.”
That is strong praise coming from one of the most respected players in recent memory. Malkin is a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Penguins and a former Hart Trophy winner as league MVP.
Malkin has also seen the new-look Rangers up close. He and the Penguins have faced New York more than any team in the league since the NHL trade deadline.
The Rangers acquired forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane ahead of the deadline on March 3. Tarasenko won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, while Kane won three with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Rangers are going all in on a deep playoff run, and hope to emerge as champions. It would be the team's first Stanley Cup since 1994 when they took down the Vancouver Canucks.
While Malkin and the Penguins certainly want their shot, the future Hall of Famer recognizes his opponent on Saturday has as high of a chance as any team in the NHL of winning it all come playoff time.
“They’re focused on winning the [Stanley] Cup,” Malkin told The Post. “If they play hard, they have a chance to win for sure.”
Follow Us
Subscribe