VANCOUVER, British Columbia _ Vladislav Namestnikov has gone from playing for the best team in the NHL to a team in rebuild mode, a stripped-down New York Rangers club that will now evaluate their new acquisition over the final five-plus weeks of the season to see how he might fit into its plans.
He certainly made a good first impression. Namestnikov had a goal and assist Wednesday in the Rangers' 6-5 overtime win over the Vancouver Canucks after coming over in the blockbuster deadline deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning that saw the Rangers deal captain Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller for Namestnikov, prospects Libor Hajek and Brett Howden, a 2018 first-round pick and a conditional 2019 second-rounder that can turn into a first.
"It's part of the business. Everyone can get traded," Namestnikov said. "I wasn't really that shocked, but this is the first time I've been traded so it's a weird feeling."
Namestnikov's good zone exit and entry led to Jimmy Vesey's goal 2:05 in, and a defensive-zone takeaway put him on a breakaway that ended with a goal at 14:58 of the second. The Rangers (28-30-6) are 1-0 A.D. (After Deadline) and snapped a seven-game losing streak. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 50 of 55 shots. John Gilmour scored the winner after Vancouver tied the game with 45.9 seconds left in regulation.
"The first period was tough. I didn't have any legs, long flight (Tuesday) night," Namestnikov said. "But as the game went on you kind of settle in and just enjoy the game."
The win was Lundqvist's first ever when allowing at least five goals, and the 55 shots against tied the most he's faced in a game while tying a single-game best in saves. No matter how it came, he was just happy to get a win again.
"It doesn't matter what you go through," Lundqvist said. "All the trades, that alone is depressing I think. It is, to be honest. But we've got to move past it now.
Tampa Bay hosted Toronto Monday several hours after the 3 p.m. deadline. Namestnikov said he woke up from a nap to prepare for the game when he received phone calls from both general managers, the Rangers' Jeff Gorton and the Lightning's Steve Yzerman.
"Obviously it's tough, but I think there's a bright future here with the Rangers and what they're trying to accomplish in building a young team, so I'm excited to be a part of it," Namestnikov said.
Gorton's deadline plans revolved around stockpiling prospects and draft picks, but Namestnikov is joined by 26-year-old Ryan Spooner as an NHL player who arrived from a contending team in Boston, where he has also played multiple forward positions. Both players are restricted free agents at season's end. With significant center prospects in the pipeline such as Lias Andersson, Filip Chytil and now Brett Howden, determining how and where Namestnikov and Spooner _ who had three more assists after notching two on Sunday _fit will be important.
