Brady Skjei, New York Rangers
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

With the New York Rangers off until Saturday afternoon, it’s time to find some of those off-beat stories to occupy our thirst for hockey.

New York Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei loves to play golf. The 23-year-old played on his high school varsity team and continues to play whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Skjei spoke with the NHLPA’s Chris Lomon about his golf addiction and laid out his top five list of celebrities he would like to play a round of golf with. Who made the cut?

Jordan Spieth, Derek Jeter, Tom Brady, Justin Timberlake and Steph Curry. He also said he would like a shot at playing at Augusta National Golf Club. With a “two-or-three handicap” he might have a career to fall back on should the hockey thing not work out.

Kreider Recovering

New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider had successful rib resection surgery yesterday and remains sidelined indefinitely.

We wish him a speedy recovery.

Grabs Hits the Beach

Michael Grabner, the team’s leading scorer, wasted no time enjoying his time off as he hit the Bahamas for a little rest and relaxation.  Let’s face it, with the year he has had so far he absolutely deserves it.

Congrats, Marty!

Congratulations to former New York Rangers goalie Marty Biron as he will be inducted into the Rochester Americans’ Hall of Fame on Friday, Feb.16. Biron played for the New York Rangers for four years from 2010-14. He appeared in 46 games with a record of 22-15-3 and a .908 save percentage.

Kovalev’s Not Watching

Former New York Ranger and Stanley Cup Champion Alexi Kovalev was interviewed recently by JF Tremblay of La Presse. In the interview, Kovalev states that he doesn’t watch much NHL hockey these days because he doesn’t like how the game has evolved. He also mentioned that he is concerned about seeing the Montreal Canadiens organization struggle like it has in recent years.

Kovalev spent 19 seasons in the NHL, split between the Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers. He scored 699 goals in his NHL career.

Other Rangers News, Stories

A graduate of St. John's University class of '91. I have been a fan of the New York Rangers since the days of Peter Puck. Founder of Ranger Proud, the Facebook page that covers all news, notes, pre /post-game stats, and player quotes. I can be reached at [email protected]