Here are today’s news and links:

Rangers News:

• Larry Brooks writes that Mats Zuccarello has started his final month as a Ranger off on the wrong foot (NY Post)
• Brooks also heard from Ryan Strome about his take on the team’s current mindset heading into the stretch run (NY Post)
• Brian Heyman chatted with Kevin Hayes about the possibility of his time on Broadway coming to an end sooner rather than later (Newsday)
• Colin Stephenson writes that the Rangers are hoping the time off will allow their previously injured players to return to the lineup and make an impact (Newsday)
• Dave Shapiro hands out report cards to New York’s bottom six forwards (Blue Seat Blogs)
• Frank Curto notes that Alexandar Georgiev spent his All-Star break getting more ice time with the Hartford Wolfpack (Elite Sports NY)
• Steve Paulus suggests that Hartford’s dismal performance as of late doesn’t bode well for the Blueshirts’ future (Blue Line Station)
• Nicholas Zararis ponders what could have been if the Rangers traded Ryan McDonagh to the Edmonton Oilers at the 2016 Entry Draft (Blue Line Station)
• Thomas Conroy believes that the time is now for the Blueshirts to send Mats Zuccarello packing (The Hockey Writers)
• Tom Albano notes that what few bright spots came from the first half of the Rangers’ season were due to Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Kevin Hayes (The Hockey Writers)
• Prospect Report: Nils Lundkvist, Morgan Barron, and K’Andre Miller were named the organization’s three stars of the week among prospects (Official Team Site)/

Around the NHL:

• The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defenseman Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for prospects Carl Grundstrom and Sean Durzi, and a 1st Round selection in the 2019 Entry Draft (Pension Plan Puppets)
• That wasn’t the only trade consummated yesterday, as the Pittsburgh Penguins traded defenseman Jamie Oleksiak to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a 4th Round selection in the 2019 Entry Draft (ESPN)
• Adam Gretz relays word that Columbus Blue Jackets forward Artemi Panarin will not engage in contract negotiations until the end of his team’s season (NBC Sports)
• Andrew Berkshire lists six under-the-radar trade targets for teams looking to make shrewd additions leading up to the trade deadline (Sportsnet)
• Travis Yost argues that the NHL should extend the current five minute 3-on-3 overtime format (TSN)/