Here are today’s news and links:

Rangers News:

• Highlights: NJD 4, NYR 3 (4:59 video via NHL.com)
• Game Recap: A strong effort from Mackenzie Blackwood earned Lindy Ruff a victory against his former team (CBS)
• Mollie Walker sees that after being a healthy scratch on opening night, Brendan Smith is making the most of his most recent opportunity (NY Post)
• Walker also noted another slow start, a sign of poor coaching, as one of the main reasons for last night’s defeat (NY Post)
• Colin Stephenson writes that after crashing into the boards during the game Mika Zibanejad was unavailable as the Blueshirts attempted to rally late in the game (Newsday)
• Vincent Mercogliano offers his takeaways from New York’s defeat at the hands of New Jersey (LoHud)
• Media Availability: Chris Kreider,(4:20) David Quinn,(4:02) and Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox (3:11) (Official Team Site)/

Around the NHL:

• Hardev Lad relays word that the Colorado Avalanche acquired defenseman Greg Pateryn from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Ian Cole (Mile High Hockey)
• Elliotte Friedman authors another edition of 31 Thoughts (Sportsnet)
• The league has temporarily pulled the plug on using its pucks with tracking chips in them, and will be using pucks that were used throughout the 2019-20 regular season (NBC Sports)
• The TSN staff discusses the holes in the league’s COVID-19 protocols, who will coach team Canada at the 2022 Olympics, and the IIHF Women’s World Championships in May (TSN)/