Bantering Points: 12/23/16

The Rangers will take the ice for one final game before the Christmas break tonight, as Nino Niederreiter and the Minnesota Wild are in town tonight. After getting embarrassed by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night, New York will look to go into the holiday on a high note with a win against Bruce Boudreau's squad. Here are today's news and links:

Rangers News:

• Brett Cyrgalis discusses how the Rangers' winning ways have kept Adam Clendening out of the lineup (NY Post)
• Steve Zipay heard from some of New York's players after the their first practice in nine days (Newsday)
• Tom Dianora points out how the team's condensed schedule means that the Christmas break is even more refreshing than it usually is (The Hockey Writers)
• Brandon Cohen notes how two of the Rangers' former coaches have become a thorn in the team's side as of late (Blue Line Station)
• Cohen also offered a solution to New York's perceived lack of meanness (Blue Line Station)
• John Williams responded to Larry Brooks' call for the Rangers to recall Tanner Glass (Blue Line Station)
• Dave Shapiro crafted his own response to the Brooks piece (Blue Seat Blogs)
• Jan Levine also offered a take on Brooks' call to remedy the team's lack of toughness (HockeyBuzz)
• Matt Calamia gives an update on Mika Zibanejad's recovery and Adam Clendening's possible re-entry into the lineup, (Official Team Site)
• Post Practice Interviews: Alain Vigneault (5:38) and Mika Zibanejad (1:51)
• He played 11 games for the Rangers in 2009, and averaged over two PIM's per game during his short stay on Broadway. Yesterday's player in the picture was.....Erik Reitz (Wikipedia)/

Around the NHL:

• Jason Buckland believes that Minnesota Wild forward Eric Staal has made a statement with his comeback season (The Hockey News)
• Frank Seravalli chatted with Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr about what's allowed him to play the game he loves for so long (TSN)
• Jagr made history last night, recording his 1,888th point in the NHL, moving into sole possession of 2nd place all time in the league in points (Sportsnet)
• Mike Halford reports that David Legwand, most recently of the Buffalo Sabres, announced his retirement yesterday (NBC Sports)
• Sean Leahy lists the top 10 shootout goals in hockey from 2016 (Puck Daddy)
• loserpoints gives an update on how teams have been performing at five-on-five (Hockey Graphs)/

Do you know who the Ranger in the picture is?