You will not find many more dramatic one-year drop-offs in professional sports than what is happening with the New York Rangers. A team that had made the Eastern Conference Final in two of the previous three years,

The New York Islanders remain near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, with pending UFA Brock Nelson as potential trade bait. Is a move with the Vancouver Canucks in store?

The NHL trade deadline is two months away but the Blackhawks will be sellers, likely dealing Taylor Hall due to their poor season.

And Rempe acknowledged another violation could lead to a “huge suspension,” forcing him to confront the daunting challenge of embracing his physicality — the strength that helped him carve out a marginal role in the first place and become a fan favorite after debuting last February — while preventing it from becoming reckless.

Returning to practice on Wednesday afternoon following an eight-game suspension, Rangers enforcer Matt Rempe admitted that he must play smarter moving forward.