Here are today’s news and links:

Rangers News:

• Highlights: LAK 3, NYR 1 (5:00 video via NHL.com)
• Dan Greenspan recaps yet another Rangers’ defeat in the Staples Center (NY Daily News)
• Brett Cyrgalis notes that whether Ryan Strome plays on the wing or at center, his performance (and trade value) just keep going up (NY Post)
• Cyrgalis also ponders if Henrik Lundqvist’s recent play could relegate him into more of a traditional backup role (NY Post)
• Evan Romano and Ted Stafford sat down with Lundqvist to discuss his gameday routine (Men’s Health)
• Colin Stephenson hears that in spite of being less than halfway through the season, a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a topic on plenty of people’s minds around the organization (Newsday)
• Curtis Jetter questions the virtues of daydreaming about the playoffs vs maintaining the course and continuing the rebuild the “right” way (Blue Line Station)
• Tom Castro pinpoints speed and physicality as two focal points of New York’s defense corps (The Hockey Writers)
• Dylan Spilko argues that it would be best for the Blueshirts to be sellers at the trade deadline (The Hockey Writers)
• Rick Carpiniello believe$ that for all of the team’$ incon$istencie$, the only thing con$i$tent with them i$ their in$ipid mediocrity (The Athletic)/

Around the NHL:

• Taylor Baird reports that the Dallas Stars fired head coach Jim Montgomery for unspecified “unprofessional conduct” (Defending Big D)
• Frank Seravalli relays word from Toronto Maple Leafs’ President of Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan concerning the Mike Babcock incidents involving Mitch Marner and Johan Franzen (TSN)
• Chris Johnston hears that after plans for a World Cup of Hockey in 2021 fell through, the league has set its sights on a full blown WCoH later in the 2020’s (Sportsnet)
• Ryan Kennedy examines some of the snubs and surprises from Team USA’s preliminary roster for the upcoming World Junior Championships (The Hockey News)/