Frank Vatrano makes a good first impression with Rangers
Frank Vatrano, in his first game for the New York Rangers, skates during the first period against the Islanders at Madison Square Garden on March 17, 2022. Credit: Jim McIsaac
It will be nearly a week before Frank Vatrano has his first full practice with the Rangers, but he’s already been thrown into the deep end with the Blueshirts. The 28-year-old forward, acquired by the Rangers from the Florida Panthers on Wednesday for a fourth-round draft pick, made his debut with the team Thursday against the rival Islanders, in front of a sold out Madison Square Garden on St. Patrick’s Day.
"It was great,’’ he said afterward. "Especially playing a rivalry game, first game, St. Patrick's Day. It's a lot of fun. Obviously, I wish we got the two points, but I think it was good effort all around.’’
The Rangers fell to the Islanders, 2-1, but were happy with their effort in a high-speed, back-and-forth game highlighted by the performance of the two goaltenders, the Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin and the Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin.
Vatrano, hours after reporting to the team following the trade, played right wing on the Rangers’ second line, with Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome, and the reviews from coach Gerard Gallant were good.
"He looked real good to me,’’ Gallant said of Vatrano. "I mean, I didn't watch him real close [while] we’re trying to change lines and that, but he looked like he played solid, and a real good game.’’
Vatrano missed out on getting his first point as a Ranger after he passed the puck to Panarin with a wide open right side of the net early in the first period. Panarin was foiled when Sorokin reached across and managed to get his stick in the way of Panarin’s shot to keep the game scoreless.
Vatrano, who had been playing on the fourth line with Florida, called it "a great opportunity’’ to get to play with Panarin and Strome, whom he called "two world-class players."
"For me, I'm just trying to bring my speed and get to the dirty areas and create space for them,’’ he said. "But this team is loaded with talent, and I'm excited to play with those two guys right now, and anyone else on this team.’’
Finding the right player to match with Panarin and Strome has been one of the glaring challenges for Gallant and the Rangers this season. The plan going into the season had been to play third-year player Kaapo Kakko in that spot, but that was complicated by an early injury. Then, after Kakko returned, and finally seemed to be clicking with that line, Gallant moved him to the right side of Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
Grinding forward Dryden Hunt filled the spot next to Panarin and Strome for most of the season and looked good there early on, but he hasn’t produced enough goals over the season (four in 56 games), so the search was on to find someone on the trade market who could get to the net and finish some of the chances Panarin and Strome create.
Vatrano had 10 goals and nine assists in 49 games with Florida, so the hope is maybe he can be that guy.
"I just wanted to give him a chance,’’ Gallant said of putting Vatrano in the coveted spot. "He’s a new player coming in and … I think he's a talented guy. He shoots the puck well. And so we'll see how it goes.’’
The Rangers did not practice Friday. They left for a weekend back-to-back road trip Saturday in Tampa against the Lightning and Sunday in Carolina against the Hurricanes.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
More Rangers
