Here are today’s news and links:

Rangers News:

• Larry Brooks notes that New York’s decision to send Colin Blackwell, K’Andre Miller, and Kaapo Kakko to the taxi squad was just a paper move to save a bit of salary cap space (NY Post)
• Colin Stephenson writes about Blackwell’s unlikely ascension to becoming one of the Rangers’ bright spots thus far (Newsday)
• Stephenson also details how Miller’s maturity is a sight to behold (Newsday)
• Vincent Mercogliano hears that the organization has examined the possibility of bringing Vitali Kravtsov back to North America once his KHL season ends (LoHud)
• Sean Hartnett sees Alexis Lafreniere’s first NHL goal as a sign of his growth as a player (WFAN)
• Jim Bay wonders if Lafreniere’s overtime winner will be the turning point for the season (Empire Sports Media)

Around the NHL:

• New Jersey Devils’ forward Travis Zajac missed yesterday’s practice due to COVID Protocols (TSN)
• A pair of games scheduled for February 1st and 3rd between the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks have been rescheduled due to the Golden Knights’ COVID-19 outbreak (Sportsnet)
• James O’Brien reports that Minnesota Wild forward Kevin Fiala has been suspended for boarding Los Angeles Kings’ defenseman Matt Roy (NBC Sports)