David Quinn is making a pretty significant change when the Rangers’ Drive to the Deadline commences Friday night at the Garden with the opener of a home-and-home against the 31st-overall Red Wings.
And maybe, just maybe, the Feb. 24 trade deadline does indeed have something to do with this.
The coach is switching his top defense pair, elevating Ryan Lindgren onto the shutdown pair with Jacob Trouba on the right while Brady Skjei moves down to skate with Adam Fox. This represents a notable shift from Quinn and the staff after months of stability. (At least regarding the combinations, that is.