Did the Rangers Wait Too Long to Re-Sign Adam Fox?

By now you've heard that the Boston Bruins have re-signed their all-star defenseman Charlie McAvoy to an eight-year, $76 million dollar contract extension beginning in 2022-23. For those who didn't bring their calculators with them, that's $9.5 million per year. Or, as we say in New York, "a fuckin' lotta dough."

Just where the Bruins, who are $1.2 million under the cap this season, intend to get that "dough" remains a mystery, especially since Patrice Bergeron, their all-star center, is currently making $6.875 and will be a UFA next summer. But that's their problem.

They say timing is everything. Lost in all the hoopla of the Rangers signing Mika Zibanejad to an eight year, $8.5 million AAV contract is the fact that they have a plethora of pending contracts that will have to be either re-upped or moved over the next couple of seasons. And the biggest of those is Adam Fox, who is in the last year of an entry level contract worth $925,000 per.

With Cale Makar re-signing in Colorado for $9 million per over the summer, the market for defensemen who can score is pretty much set. By waiting as long as they did, the Rangers may have boxed themselves into a corner with their Norris-trophy winner. After the Zibanejad signing, there was some optimism that Chris Drury might be able to persuade Fox to agree to a similar, team-friendly contract. The McAvoy signing pretty much tosses that scenario out the window. At this point, Drury will be lucky if he can get Fox to accept $9 million per. Shit, if Seth Jones is worth $9.5 million, how much is Fox worth?

Welcome to life in the flat salary cap era, or as it's better known in the NHL, the Hunger Games. The Rangers, who for the last three seasons have "enjoyed" the benefits of being among the youngest teams in the league, are about to find out what happens when that youth grows up. In addition to Fox, Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere and K'Andre Miller will all see their ELCs expire over the next two years, and barring something unforeseen, all will be due substantial pay raises. Maybe Vitali Kravtsov did them a solid by going AWOL after all. If they can move him for a 2nd rounder or a serviceable forward with a reasonable cap hit, that'll be one less headache for Drury to deal with next summer.

But getting back to Fox, did you see the way he played Thursday night? It was as if the puck was glued to his stick. If Wayne Gretzky had been a defenseman instead of a center, he would've looked just like Fox. Drury is going to have to bite the bullet here. There are some contracts you don't fuck around with. If he's this good at 23, imagine what he's going to look like two or three years from now. 

Get him signed. Get him signed now! If it takes $9.5 mill per to get it done, then that's what it takes. Fuck it, if it takes $10 mill, do it. In five years, it'll be a bargain. Think about it: right now, Artemi Panarin is the best player on this team. Who knows, in a couple of seasons, Fox might supplant him. He's that good.

I know there are risks involved in assembling a top heavy roster. Just ask the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers. Both teams have a substantial portion of their salary cap tied up in just a few players. And as a result, both have had a hard time acquiring the depth needed to make a serious run at the Cup. I won't lie to you, that fate could await the Rangers.

But the greater risk, in my opinion, would be letting a generational player like Fox walk because you want the "freedom" to pursue lesser players that, and let's be honest, can be had in any given off season. Yes, the Tampa Bay Lightning would not have won either of their two Stanley Cups if they didn't have foot soldiers like Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman in the trenches; but they would never have gotten close if they didn't have world-class talent like Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. You need both types of players to win a championship these days.

Adam Fox is the best defenseman the Rangers have had since the days of Brian Leetch. Hell, he might even be better. Chris Drury must make every effort to ensure he never plays for another organization.

Kravtsov Debacle Is a Self Inflected Wound for Rangers

Of all the human vices out there, pride and stubbornness might be the most costly. Both basically prevent people from admitting mistakes, some of which are beauts.

In the Spring of 2018, the New York Rangers traded Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Libor Hajek, center Brett Howden, a first-round pick in 2018, a conditional second-round pick in 2019 and forward Vladislav Namestnikov. It was the start of the team's rebuild under then GM Jeff Gorton, and this trade was suppose to be the centerpiece of it. 

Three years later, it's obvious that the trade was a bust. Yes, the Rangers used the first round pick they got to select Nils Lundkvist, the talented Swedish defenseman who has a chance to become an elite player in the NHL. But the jury is still out on second rounder Karl Henricksson, who was just sent down to Hartford in September. Hajek is the last of the three players still with the team, the other two having been dealt.

For the better part of the last two years, Hajek has struggled to crack the Rangers lineup. At times he has looked good, at others he has not. As of now, he isn't even in the top ten in the organizational depth chart. Chris Drury would like to send him down to Hartford, but to do that he would have to clear waivers first, which means the Rangers would likely lose him for nothing.

So rather than bite the bullet and close the book on the McDonagh / Miller trade, Drury decided to send down 2018 first-round pick Vitali Kravtsov instead while he attempts to convince a GM dumb enough to take his call to give him a mid to late-round pick in return for Hajek.

Understandably, Kravtsov didn't take the news of his demotion very well, so he opted not to report to Hartford. And now the organization that was too stubborn to admit it got fleeced by the Lightning, has a disgruntled first round pick on their hands. Their solution to suspend the winger and give his agent permission to contact other teams to seek out a trade not only makes no sense, as Vince Mercogliano pointed out, issuing a public statement like that actually "diminishes his trade value."

The Rangers have had their fair share of self-inflicted wounds over the decades. But this one takes the cake. On the cusp of a season opener that was to begin a new chapter in the franchise's storied existence, for something like this to happen is unforgivable. It's bad enough they opted to pass on Oliver Wahlstrom, the burley, 200 pound winger taken by the Islanders two picks later, but now they've alienated the player they did choose - a player, mind you that has a promising future - in order to protect their interests in a player they have no use for. If your head is spinning, you're not alone.

This didn't have to happen. Drury should've swallowed his pride and cut his losses on Hajek in order to keep Kravtsov in New York. Even if, as Gallant has said, Julien Gauthier and Dryden Hunt had more impressive camps and would most likely have gotten more ice time, just being on the team would've helped his development. There is nothing more Kravtsov can learn by playing with the Wolf Pack. He's not Morgan Barron. Some additional seasoning isn't going to improve his game.

Hopefully this gets resolved before things go too far. Maybe someone can step in, calm down the young player and remind him of the bigger picture here. Perhaps fellow countryman Artemi Panarin can have a heart to heart with him. If that doesn't work, Drury should call up John Davidson in Columbus and, as Rick Carpiniello mused on Twitter, see if there's any interest.

Bottom line, it would really be a terrible waste if Kravtsov ends up becoming the next Lias Anderssen.

2021-22 NHL Predictions

I'm not a big fan of regular season predictions because too many things can go wrong during the course of an 82 game schedule. Injuries, for one. Still, given this will be the first full schedule in three years, I thought I'd stick my big toe in the water. So, here we go.

Eastern Conference:

Atlantic Division:

Tampa Bay Lightning: Yes, they lost their entire third line and the center on their fourth. But this team is loaded with talent; their defense is intact; and they still have the best goaltender in the world, not to mention the second best coach in the league in Jon Cooper.

Boston Bruins: David Krejci's unexpected retirement hurts, as does the loss of Tuuka Rask. Still, the Marchand line is the best line in the league and that should carry them to a solid second place.

Florida Panthers: They went all out to acquire the depth they believe will get them over the hump. The only problem is their best goaltender is the guy not making $10 million a year. Hard to see them making a deep run with this group.

Metropolitan Division:

New York Islanders: They lost Jordan Eberle in the expansion draft, but Lou Lamoriello was able to keep the rest of this core intact, including their "identity" line which has given every team in the league fits the last three years. The defense is lights out, the goaltending is solid and, oh yes, they have Barry Trotz.

Carolina Hurricanes: Hard to figure what they were thinking letting Dougie Hamilton go in free agency. Tony DeAngelo can score, but as Rangers fans know all too well, his defense leaves a lot to be desired. The forwards are deep enough to keep them in the hunt.

New York Rangers: Chris Drury overhauled the lineup just enough and hired the right coach for this still very young team.

Wild Cards:

Toronto Maple Leafs: Replacing Zach Hyman with Nick Ritchie won't help a team that relies too much on finesse. Yes, they'll qualify for the playoffs again, but then that's not the problem, is it?

Washington Capitals: This team is starting to show its age but they'll be good enough to squeak in.

Western Conference:

Central Division:

Colorado Avalanche: They were forced to let Brandon Saad go because of the salary cap, but they have the best one-two punch in the league with Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog, plus Darcy Kuemper is an upgrade in goal.

Winnipeg Jets: They have arguably the second best goalie in the league in Connor Hellebuyck and one of the best centers in Mark Scheifele. Defense is good if unspectacular.

St. Louis Blues: They have the goaltending to contend and they added a couple of solid forwards to an already deep lineup.

Pacific Divison:

Vegas Golden Knights: What's there not to like? They play an uptempo, physical-style of play, and assuming the guys in white coats don't come for Robin Lehner, they should run away with the division.

Edmonton Oilers: Zach Hyman was a good pickup, albeit at a high price. But the operative question remains can this top heavy team advance in the postseason?

Vancouver Canucks: They have a future super star in Elias Pettersson and former Ranger J.T. Miller. Questions remain, though, in goal and on D.

Wild Cards:

Chicago Blackhawks: Hoping to squeeze the last ounce of life out of the careers of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, they went shopping during the offseason and bagged a couple of nice additions; the biggest one being Marc-Andre Fleury.

Seattle Kraken: Ron Francis was smart to stock up on quality defensemen in the expansion draft. They still don't have a number one center and will likely lead the league in one-goal games, but at least they won't embarrass themselves.

Playoffs:

Eastern Conference Finals: New York Islanders over Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2

Western Conference Finals: Vegas Golden Knights over Colorado Avalanche 4-3

Stanley Cup Finals: New York Islanders over Vegas Golden Knights 4-3

Year End Awards:

Art Ross Trophy: Connor McDavid, Oilers

Hart Trophy: Artemi Panarin, Rangers

Norris Trophy: Cale Maker, Avalanche

Vezina Trophy: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning

Conn Smythe Trophy: Mathew Barzel, Islanders

  

Analyzing the 2021-22 Rangers

One of the most consequential seasons in the history of the New York Rangers begins this Wednesday in Washington against the Capitals. I'm not being hyperbolic here. After four years of rebuilding, this franchise is at a crossroads. Management can say all they want that the postseason is not a requirement. Tell that to James Dolan. Trust me, if this team doesn't make the playoffs this season, more heads will roll.

So let's take a look at the moves Chris Drury made during the offseason and whether or not they will make a difference.

Gerard Gallant: If the preseason is any indicator, Galant's simple, low-key coaching style appears to be the perfect antidote for the overly hands-on approach of David Quinn, who for all his teaching acumen, was never quite able to win over the veterans on the team. The players seem more relaxed and cohesive as a unit. There's a sense of unity and camaraderie that simply was not there during Quinn's tenure. Whether he can get players like Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin to play the kind of north-south style of hockey that physical teams like the Islanders and Bruins employ remains to be seen.

Pavel Buchnevich: It's obvious from the Tweets I've been reading that most people still don't understand why he had to go. Ostensibly, the trade was a salary dump. Period. Thanks to the flat cap, the Ranges couldn't afford to keep the top-six winger anymore. Just like the Vegas Golden Knights couldn't afford to keep Marc-Andre Fleury. The reality is the worst pandemic in a century forced teams into making moves they would otherwise have never made. That Drury was able to get a physical winger like Sammy Blais, who has looked impressive in the preseason, in return was fortunate.

Barclay Goodrow: It cannot be overstated that this team lacked a spine the last few years. And while Goodrow is no Clarke Gillies, he ain't Nick Futiu either. In addition to being strong in the corners, he can play some center where his face-off ability will come in handy on a team that sorely lacks that skillset. If Gallant chooses to play him with Blais, the Rangers will have a formidable checking unit that can drive opponents up the wall. Well worth the money.

Patrik Nemeth and Jarred Tinordi: Apart from Jacob Trouba, there wasn't a single defenseman on this team who was capable of clearing the slot. Ryan Lindgren is a solid, stay-at-home D but lacks the size of Nemeth and Tinordi. Nemeth is the key here. He's a Swede who will likely be paired with fellow countryman Nils Lundkvist, the young phenom who had a solid preseason. This is the deepest and most balanced backline the franchise has had in years. Solid signings.

Ryan Reaves: I'll admit I was dubious when I heard about the acquisition. Frankly, I would've gone after Nick Ritchie, who at 230 pounds at least scored 15 goals for the Bruins last year. But Reaves has made a positive impact on this team so far. Even if you believe the whole Tom Wilson incident was overblown, there's no denying what his presence on the ice will mean to a team that got manhandled on a consistent basis last season. If he scores 8 goals this year, he'll be worth what Drury paid for him.

Mika Zibanejad: Just as I was sitting down to write this piece, news broke that the Rangers re-signed Zibanejad to an eight-year extension at $8.5 million AAV with a full no move clause. The timing is odd, given that less than 24 hours earlier, Larry Brooks of the New York Post reported that the only way the Rangers would be interested in trading for Jack Eichel is if the Sabres retained a substantial portion of his contract, or - and this is crucial - "they know they won't be able to sign No. 93 to a contract extension." How much you wanna bet Drury planted that story to let Zibanejad's agent know he was willing to let Mika walk if the salary demands weren't reasonable?

Regardless of how it went down, this is a win for both sides. The Rangers lock up their number one center - albeit for a longer term than they would've preferred - at a cap hit they can live with; and Zibanejad doesn't have the distraction of not having a contract hanging over his head. Hopefully, this puts to bed all the Eichel trade talk, though knowing the Twitter crowd, I doubt it. Drury can now use the savings from the Zibanejad contract to re-sign Adam Fox, who should come in at around a cool $9 mill per for eight years.

So after all the moves, is this Rangers team better than last year's? In a word, yes. They're tougher, deeper, and if the kids - Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko - take the next step, they could be one of the more exciting teams in the NHL. All three had a strong showing against the Islanders in the preseason finale with Chytil scoring a hat trick. Gallant should consider putting them together to form a solid second line. If he has the balls to do it, he can have Zibanejad center a super line of Panarin on the left and Vitali Kravtsov on the right. Ryan Strome can then center the third line of Chris Kreider on the left and Julian Gauthier on the right. And bringing up the rear would be Goodrow centering Morgan Barron on the left and Blais on the right. Reaves and Kevin Rooney would fill out the forwards.

Now for the sixty-four thousand dollar question. Will they make the playoffs? Also yes. Zibanejad and Panarin are poised to have exceptional seasons with the latter expected to be in the running for the Hart trophy. Fox will continue to improve on his Norris-trophy winning campaign, and Trouba - who most expect to be name captain by the season opener - might be one of the best defensemen in the league. If Igor Shesterkin develops into the goaltender the organization thinks he is, I like this team's prospects.

No they will not win the Cup, but they could actually win a series depending on where they finish and who they meet. It pains me to admit this, but barring a serious injury, the Islanders are the odds-on favorite to at least get to the finals. They have the best blend of talent and grit in the league and with the Tampa Bay Lightning losing four valuable players during the offseason, I don't see anyone else in the conference capable of beating them in a seven-game series.

The bottom line is this: Rangers' fans will finally have something to cheer about this season. The hard work of Jeff Gorton and his successor Chris Drury will finally pay dividends. They're closer than most people think to the Holy Grail, and perhaps in a year or two, they'll drink from it.

An Open Letter to John Mara

Dear Mr. Mara,

How are those trash cans doing? I heard you threw a couple of them around your suite at Met Life Stadium after the game against the Falcons. Hopefully they didn't get too badly damaged. Good trash cans are so hard to come by these days.

Seriously, though, have you had enough? How long are you going to let this nightmare go on before you wake up and do what has to be done? This franchise is a fucking joke, and frankly it's been that way for a very long time.

Since your last Super Bowl win in 2011, the Giants have had exactly two winning seasons (2012 and 2016) and one lousy playoff appearance (2016). The overall record during that span is an abysmal 57-80, including three losses this season. During the reign of Dave Gettleman, the man you hired to replace Jerry Reese, the record is 15-36.

You fired Tom Coughlin because you felt the game had passed him by. OK, fine, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. It's a business, I get it. But here's the thing: at least he had a resume. Ben McAdoo was an offensive coordinator under Coughlin and a quarterback coach at Green Bay, Pat Schurmer was a failed head coach at Cleveland and an offensive coordinator at Minnesota, and Joe Judge was a special team's assistant under Bill Belichick at New England. 

While you were drooling over landing Judge, several quality candidates slipped through your fingers. One of them, Matt Rhule, after going 5-11 with the Carolina Panthers last year is currently 3-0 and in first place in the same division as Tom Brady's Buccaneers, with a starting quarterback New York's other moribund football team discarded during the offseason. 

Transforming losing programs is Rhule's specialty. He successfully turned around both Baylor and Temple before jumping to the NFL. As of right now, he has the inside track to be coach of the year. Your guy? So far, he's no better than his last two predecessors. The Giants still commit way too many costly mistakes at critical moments and seem incapable of making key stops on defense when they need to. Last Sunday, Atlanta marched down the field and kicked a game winning field goal as time expired. The week before that, Washington did the same thing. Yes, Dexter Lawrence jumped offsides, but the bottom line is the defense still couldn't protect a lead.

The offensive line remains a problem; the receivers drop way too many balls; and the team hasn't had a legit edge rusher in over a decade. Gettleman has had four years to fix what's wrong and he's thoroughly failed. His decision to take Daniel Jones with the 6th overall pick in 2019 instead of Josh Allen should've earned him a pink slip. Instead, you gave him two more years to inflict yet more damage. And true to form, he didn't disappoint. Last year, he took offensive tackle Andrew Thomas with the 4th overall pick, bypassing more skilled tackles like Tristian Wirfs and Jedrick Wills, Jr, the latter played at Alabama for Nick Saban, Judge's old boss. Thomas has been underwhelming, to say the least, while the other two have excelled.

It's time to wipe the slate clean. Gettleman's gotta go. I realize you may have to keep some of the coaching staff until the end of the season, but I've seen nothing from Judge that leads me to believe he is capable of turning this ship around. If anything, he's a slightly improved version of McAdoo, but without the play calling ability.

What this organization needs is a complete makeover. The game has changed considerably since the days of George Young. The best franchises today aren't run from the front office; they're run from the sidelines. You want to know who the best GM's are, Mr. Mara? Simple, take a look at who's wearing the headsets. Besides Belichick and Rhule, Pete Carrol, Sean Payton, Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, John Harbaugh and Andy Reid all run the show from top to bottom. And with the exception of Rhule, all have been to the Super Bowl at least once.

You need to get one of these guys, and now. Someone who knows how to evaluate talent and can bring out the best in it. You have two first round draft picks next year. Maybe you could dangle both to pry Sean Payton away from New Orleans. He once worked for your father as an assistant under Jim Fassel, so it'll be a sort of homecoming for him. Payton checks all the boxes and has one of the best minds in the game. If anybody can figure out Daniel Jones, it's Payton. And he'll finally fix this offensive line so you don't have to worry about stupid-assed holding penalties in the red zone that kill scoring drives.

It's time the New York Giants entered the 21st century. This is one of the premiere franchises in the NFL. As principle owner, you have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure it doesn't become a laughingstock. To allow the stars quo to continue is a slap in the face to the tens of thousands of fans who each Sunday shell out their hard-earned money to watch this team in person, and the millions more who watch it alone at home. 

It's all on you, Mr. Mara. What are you waiting for?

Same Shit, Different Year!

First, the good news. Daniel Jones had his best start as a Giant. The beleaguered quarterback threw for 249 yards and a touchdown; he also ran for 95 yards and a touchdown. And he would've had another running TD had C.J. Board not been called for holding. 

More good news: the offensive line also had its best day in years. Going up against arguably the best defensive front seven in the NFL, Jones had plenty of time in the pocket to hit his receivers. Frankly, I was stunned at how little pressure Jones got during most of the game. I haven't seen a Giants offensive line protect this well in a decade.

Unfortunately, that was the end of the good news.

The defense, which was supposed to be the strength of this team, was about as tough as a Mister Softie ice cream cone. Between the lack of a genuine pass rush and a porous secondary that played way too far back, Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who a year ago was in the XFL, looked more like Tom Brady than a backup. Receiver Terry McLaurin ate cornerback James Bradberry alive for 11 catches and 107 yards. The lone exception was when Bradberry jumped a poorly run route by McLaurin and intercepted a pass deep in Washington territory to set up what should've been the winning field goal. 

But that was not where this game was lost. As is typical in most Giants games, mistakes proved to be the difference. I'll do my best to catalogue them.

There was the above-mentioned holding penalty against Board that nullified a 58-yard touchdown run by Jones. Instead of being up 14-7, the Giants had to settle for a field goal that put them ahead 10-7.

But before that, there was the costly false start and the sack on the second possession that took the Giants out of field goal range. If your counting, that's seven points so far.

And then there was play that could've iced the game. With the Giants up 23-20, Darius Slayton was all alone in the Washington secondary sprinting towards the end zone. Jones threw a perfect pass to him. All he had to do was catch it and his team would've been up by ten with just over 6 minutes left. Instead, the ball bounced off his fingers and landed in the end zone. The Giants settled for another field goal, making the score 26-20. That's eleven points that got away.

Even with all that, the Giants still could've won this game. That's because kicker Dustin Hopkins, with five seconds left and his team trailing by two, did his best impersonation of Scott Norwood and kicked what should've been a game-winning 48-yard field goal wide right. Game over. Giants win, right?

Wrong!

Dexter Lawrence, who was lined up over the center, jumped offsides, thus giving Hopkins a shot at redemption. And unlike the Giants, when presented with a second chance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, Hopkins didn't blow it. He nailed it as time expired, and for the fifth year in a row, the Giants start the season 0-2.

It's getting a little tiresome to keep saying this. But sine its last Super Bowl win in 2011, this franchise, save for the 2016 season, has been one of the worst in the NFL. It constantly finds new ways to lose. Last night was particularly tragic because for much of the game, the Giants were clearly the better team on the field. Jones looked great, the offensive line did its job, Saquon Barkley had a nice run for 41 yards, and kicker Graham Gano nailed five field goals. This team deserved a better fate than the one the football gods ordained for it.

Since his arrival in New York, Joe Judge has promised Giants fans that this team would be a blue-collar team that will "punch you in the nose for 60 minutes." Well, last week they laid an egg and last night they shot themselves in the foot. The simple truth is there are still way too many careless mistakes that are being made at critical junctures. The irony of last night's mistake was that it occurred on special teams, Judge's last coaching job with the Patriots.

Is the season over? A lot depends on what happens next Sunday against the Falcons at MetLife. Atlanta is one of the worst teams in the league, so the Giants should be 1-2 after three weeks. Unfortunately, they go on the road to New Orleans to play the Saints in week four. So, 1-3. The frustrating thing is that Denver and Washington were winnable games that got away. In a 17 game schedule, games like that don't grow on trees.

The bottom line is this: until Judge gets this team to play a full 60 minutes of mistake-free football, any chance of winning a division title will continue to remain elusive. It's on him to right this ship and to hold his players accountable. As I wrote in my last piece, the jury is still out on whether he is the best coach to lead this franchise.

Will the Giants Benefit From Playing in the NFC East?

Last year, the Giants finished an abysmal 6-10, yet were still mathematically alive for a playoff spot pending the result of the Philadelphia / Washington game. And had former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson not decided to bench quarterback Jalen Hurts in the second half, the Jints might've snuck in. Unfortunately, he benched Hurts and the Washington Football Team wound up winning the game and, with it, the division with an underwhelming 7-9 record.

Welcome to the NFC Least, where mediocrity is the norm and excellence is a word best left to other teams. Indeed, it remains to be seen if the team that wins the division will even have a winning record. Thursday night's game between the Cowboys and Buccaneers notwithstanding, I haven't seen any evidence that indicates the road to Super Bowl 56 will go through any of this division's cities.

So, when all is said and done, will the Giants be the ones left standing after week 18? Remember starting this season each team has to play 17 games. The defense won't be the problem. In fact, this team should have one of the better defenses in the league. So where are the concerns? It comes down to several:

The Offensive Line. While it began to jell in the second half of last season, it reverted back to form during this preseason. Basically, it's still a work in progress, and if last year's number one pick Andrew Thomas doesn't pan out, this will be another in a long series of lost years.

Daniel Jones. The guy Dave Gettlemam took sixth overall in 2019 is entering his third season and, suffice to say, there's a lot riding on his shoulders. The issue is not his arm; it's his judgement. In a nutshell, he continues to make rookie mistakes. His decision in the Patriots game to force a throw into the end zone that got picked off is typical of so many errant passes he has thrown throughout his brief career. And while he's only thrown 22 INTs over two years, it's the timing of those pics that's problematic. When you combine that with his lack of pocket presence and the fact that the Giants have two first-round picks in next year's draft, this is Jones's make or break season.

Joe Judge. Judge's system of discipline has given this franchise something it hasn't had since Tom Coughlin was shown the door: accountability. But while Judge may have learned at the feet of legends like Nick Saban and Bill Belichick, it remains to be seen if his tough, take no prisoners approach is well suited to today's NFL. If the team gets off to another slow start, will he be able to hold the locker room? Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is on the hot seat. Jones has not progressed the way the organization had hoped he would, and the play calling has been predictable. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham seems on solid ground, but overall, the jury is still out on the rest of this group.

Saquon Barkley. The most talented offensive player on the team has had season-ending injuries the last two years. It is critical for the Giants that Barkley return to form, or at least as close to it as possible. Garrett will have to proceed with caution with the star running back over the first few games. That won't be easy given Barkley's nature and that fact that game two is next Thursday night. If Barkley does manage to stay healthy and Garrett can successfully thread the needle, the Giants might just have the multi-dimensional offense they've been dreaming about since they drafted the Penn State stud in 2018.

Washington and Dallas. The Washington Football Team has the best front seven in the league and Dallas's offense will rank in the top five or six. But both have their own issues to contend with. The Cowboys defense was horrific last season and even with the addition of Micah Parsons, it won't be that much better this season. Washington will go with Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB and hope they squeeze one more year out of that 38 year old arm. If you could somehow combine Dallas's offense with Washington's defense, you'd have a Super Bowl contender. Unfortunately, you can't. And therein lies the problem for both teams.

One final thought: In 2016, the Giants made it to the postseason as a wild card on the strength of an outstanding secondary and a below average offense. One can only wonder what a healthy Barkley would've meant to this team in 2020. Remember, they only missed the playoffs by a single game last year.

That being said, here are my final predictions for the NFC East:

Washington: 9-8

Dallas: 8-9

Giants: 8-9

Eagles: 5-12

As with all my predictions, you can take them with a grain of salt. And if you're dumb enough to wager any money on them and you lose, my evil twin Ivan is the one responsible.

Henrik Lundqvist Calls It a Career

I won't mince words here. Henrik Lundqvist was the greatest Ranger NOT to win a Stanley Cup in the history of the franchise. There, I said it, and the facts bear me out. Jean Ratelle, Vic Hadfield, Rod Gilbert, Brad Park and Ed Giacomin were all a part of the best Rangers team since the days of Lester Patrick, and while all were outstanding players in their own right, none were on the same level as the King.

Lundqvist wasn't just the best player for a Rangers team that flirted with the Cup for several years; he was the best goaltender in the NHL for most of his 15-year playing career. Among his peers, only Carey Price ranks as a close second.

And yet this first ballot Hall of Famer never once drank from the chalice of champions. That's because as great as he was, the team he played on just didn't have that one elite player who could make a difference in a tough, seven-game series. 

In 2014, the year the Rangers went to the Cup finals, they lost to a Los Angeles Kings team that had Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty; the following year when they won the President's Trophy, they were bested in the conference finals by a Tampa Bay Lightning team that had Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman. 

A goalie can do many things, but he can't constantly be his team's best player. As brilliant as Andrei Vasilevsky is for the Lightning, he isn't their best player. Neither was Mike Richter back in 1994. He had Mark Messier, Brian Leetch and Adam Graves on that team; poor Hank had Derek Stephan, Rick Nash and Ryan McDonagh. Who would you wanna have playing in front of you?

When I heard that Lundqvist was retiring, my heart was heavy. On the one hand, I will treasure each and every save he made; on the other, I will grieve for what might've been. This mountain of a man might be at peace over his decision to hang up his skates, as Larry Brooks wrote in The New York Post, but for the millions of us who bleed blue, we will never get over the missed opportunities. 

Consider that during the reign of Lundqvist, the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins each won three Cups; the LA Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning won two; while the Detroit Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues won one a piece. And what did the Rangers accomplish? Two trips to the conference finals and one to the Cup finals, that's what.

Now you know why this moment is so bittersweet. The best goalie of his generation will leave the sport he loved without so much as one lousy ring. He deserved a better fate than the one the organization he called his home for 15 years gave him. True he isn't the only elite player not to win a championship. Dan Marino played 17 seasons for the Miami Dolphins without winning a Super Bowl, so it does happen. Greatness is no guarantee of postseason success. The sports gods can be cruel when they want to be.

But all that's of little consequence to a franchise that since 1940 has won the Cup once. Henrik Lundqvist gave this team a shot at a championship every season he played for them. And for that, all of us should be grateful. I know I am.

So long, Hank. In the words of Bob Hope, thanks for the memories.

No Jack City

Well, day one of free agency in the NHL came and went and Jack Eichel - or as he's known in certain social media circles, the second coming of Wayne Gretzky - is still a member of the Buffalo Sabres. Apparently, the fact that Chris Drury didn't panic and give away the farm for the privilege of bringing the injured center to Manhattan isn't going over very well among the faithful.

Frankly, I'm relieved. I am on record as being against this trade. It's risky, given Eichel's health; it would cost too much in assets; and it doesn't make this team better where it counts - in the playoffs. So, as far as I'm concerned, Jack can stay in Buffalo until it snows in August.

If anything, I was a bit miffed that Drury wasn't a little more aggressive shoring up his bottom six. Barclay Goodrow and Samuel Blais are a good start, but when you consider that the Calgary Flames were able to sign Blake Coleman for $4.9 million AAV, it's a little hard to imagine Drury couldn't get him for an even $5 mill. The guy's a legit 20 goal scorer and he and Goodrow would've made a great PK unit.

Now Drury will have to look elsewhere to complete that line. Might I suggest he place a call to Nick Ritchie's agent. The now former Boston Bruin scored 15 goals last season and weighs an impressive 230 pounds. I'd say that's pretty gritty, wouldn't you? He's currently a UFA and made only $1.5 million last year. I'm guessing three years at $2 mill AAV should close the deal. If that's too rich for the Rangers, they could inquire what it would take to pry Ryan Reaves from the Vegas Golden Knights. Reaves (34) is in the final year of a two-year contract with an AAV of $1.75M. He's 6' 2", 225 pounds and hits anything that moves. In his first two years in Vegas, he registered 305 and 316 hits respectively. The man's a truck on skates.

But the day wasn't a total loss for Drury. He did manage to complete the back end of his defense by signing Patrik Nemeth and Jarred Tinordi. The former was a rental with the Colorado Avalanche last season, and at 6' 3", 229 pounds is a classic stay-at-home defenseman who will play alongside Nils Lundkvist next season; the latter played for the Bruins last season, and at 6' 6", 215 pounds is a depth defenseman who will fill in on those nights when the opposition is a bit more, how shall I say it, brawny. Nemeth's AAV is $2.5 million times three years and Tinordi's is $900k times two. One additional note, Tinordi went toe to toe with Tom Wilson last year and held his own, so circle October 13 on your calendar when the Blueshirts open their season against the Capitals in Washington. Might want to set the DVR while you're at it.

Drury also inked a couple of depth forwards that will likely start the year in Hartford. Their salary won't count against the cap, which is good. That leaves the Rangers with about $18 million in available cap space to re-sign their own RFAs plus any additional players they may want. Assuming they trade Ryan Strome, that should give them more than enough cap room to extend Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox and Kaapo Kakko next year. If not, they can always consult Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BrisBois. The man is a genius when it comes to working around the cap.

To sum up, a good day that could've been better, but at least wasn't a disaster. I'll take it.

P.S.: Just as this piece was being put to bed, Larry Brooks of The New York Post reported that the Rangers have come to terms with RFA Filip Chytil. Two years at $2.3M AAV. That leaves Igor Shesterkin as the lone RFA yet to re-sign. I don't count Libor Hajek, who with the signing of Tinordi, is now pretty much out of a job with this franchise. That makes all three of the players the Rangers got in return for Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller in 2018 bonafide busts: Hajek, Brett Howden and, wait for it, Vladislav Namestnikov. Not quite the worst trade in Rangers' history, but definitely in the top five.

Chris Drury Comes Face to Face with Basic Math

In a perfect world - before the NHL instituted a salary cap - Pavel Buchnevich would still be a New York Ranger. Don't kid yourself. When Chris Drury says that there's only so much cap space and ice time to go around, he's only being half truthful. You think for one moment that Gerard Gallant wouldn't have found ice time for a top six forward who scored almost a point per game this past season? Of course he would've, and so would you or any half-way reasonably sane head coach.

The problem was the salary cap. Period. No matter how many permutations you care to run - and, trust me, I ran them all - beyond the 2021-22 season, there was simply no room for him. Not with the contract renewals that are coming over the next three years. Below are the estimates of where I expect each player to wind up at. Remember, these are ONLY estimates.

2021-22: Filip Chytil ($2M) and Igor Shesterkin ($4M); 

2022-23: Mika Zibanejad ($9M), Ryan Strome ($6.5M), Adam Fox ($9M), Kaapo Kakko ($4M), Vitali Kravtsov ($3.5M) and Alexandar Georgiev ($3M); 

2023-24: Alexis Lafreniere ($6M) and K'Andre Miller ($4M). 

That comes out to a cool $51 million.

Now let's add in the players currently under contract through at least 2024. Chris Kreider ($6.5M), Jacob Trouba ($8M), Ryan Lindgren ($3M), Barclay Goodrow ($3.6M), Blake Coleman - yes, I'm including him - ($5M), and figure an additional $6 million to fill out the roster. That comes out to $32.1 million.

All told, the final nut is $83.1 million. Let's assume the salary cap goes up two million to $83.5M. You're pretty much maxed out. Now if you can somehow manage to squeeze an additional $5.5 million - the expected value of Buchnevich's next contract - into that mix and still come out under the cap, you must be using some imaginary math I'm not familiar with. And keep in mind, since the above numbers are only estimates, the actual total could be higher.

The bottom line is this: It wasn't a question of why Buchnevich had to go, but when. The truth is that by choosing to hold onto him at last year's trade deadline, the Rangers lost any chance they had of extracting equal value for him. And now with every GM in the league knowing the tight spot Drury was in, there was zero chance he was going to get a decent return on investment. Face it, it was a buyer's market and Drury knew it. With no other choice left to him, he was forced to sell low.

And just in case you were wondering why Drury didn't sign him to a one-year deal, the reason is that Buchnevich had already agreed to a two-year deal once before. This time around he was looking for a long-term contract. It's highly unlikely he would've agreed to a one year deal. But let's say he did. Do you think the outcome would've been any different? If anything, Drury might've had a harder time moving Buchnevich at next year's trade deadline, especially with the entire league knowing he was going to be a UFA. Hell, he'd be lucky to get a mid-round pick for him.

Be grateful that Drury at least got a bottom six forward and a second round pick in next year's draft. Out in Colorado, the Avalanche might well end up losing one of their top forwards for nothing. Brendon Saad, who made $6 million last season, is now a UFA. After signing Cale Maker to a $9 million per year contract, the Avalanche have about $20 million in cap space left to re-sign four forwards (one of whom is Gabriel Landeskog), a defenseman and a goalie. Landeskog recently rejected an offer of $6* million per for five years. Let's assume that both sides eventually come to an agreement on $9 million per over seven years. Now you've got $11 million leftover for three forwards, one defenseman and the goalie. That's an average of $2.2 million per player. In other words, bye, bye Brendon Saad.

And it gets worse for the Avalanche. In two years Nathan MacKinnon ($6.3M) becomes an unrestricted free agent. You think Jack Eichel's worth $10 million? Wait'll MacKinnon hits the open market. The bidding will start at a cool $12 mill. This is the nightmare scenario every GM in the league is grappling with right now. Over the next couple of years, teams will be forced to part with top-tier talent for little or next to nothing just to remain compliant with a cap that, thanks to the worst pandemic in over a century, is artificially low. Whether you're name is Chris Drury or Joe Sakic, the job is the same. Put the best possible product you can on the ice and let the chips fall where they may.

Speaking of Eichel, if we're going to skewer Drury over the Buchnevich salary dump, he deserves credit for not panicking and giving up the farm for the disgruntled star. The Buffalo Sabres seem to have miscalculated here. Their excessive and unrealistic demands were soundly rejected, not just by the Rangers, but by every other team they were in discussions with. Kudos to Drury for holding the line. With the 15th pick in the draft, the Rangers took a winger who is the sort of north-south type player they desperately need more of. 

Yes, yesterday was a rough day; a sobering day. Pavel Buchnevich is gone. It sucks, I know, but that's life. They'll be better days ahead. This team should continue to improve, and if the kids play up their potential, they could make the playoffs this coming season.

Last time I checked, that was the "unofficial" goal, right?

* Correction: earlier I wrote that Landeskog had rejected a $7 million offer. It was actually $6 million. I have made the correction.

 

Three Reasons Why the Rangers Shouldn't Trade for Jack Eichel

Before I get to Jack Eichel, a few thoughts on the Goodrow signing. $3.642 million per year for six years may seem a little steep, but when you consider what he brings to the table, you can live with it. In fact, when this contract expires in 2027, Goodrow will be the same age Cal Clutterbuck will be next year when his contract expires, and he's getting paid $3.5 million. Question, who would you rather have, Goodrow or Clutterbuck? Before you answer that, go back and watch game seven against the Islanders. It's pretty clear that Goodrow was the better player. 

The fact is Yanni Gourde, Blake Coleman and Goodrow were, pound for pound, the best skaters on the ice for the Lightning in both the semifinals and Cup finals. If Chris Drury can add Coleman and a physical defenseman this summer, he will go a long way towards making this team considerably tougher to play against next season.

Which leads me to... the main course.

There are three reasons why the Rangers should NOT trade for Eichel.

The health concerns: I've never had a neck injury, but from everything I've read, it's one of the most serious and chronic conditions an athlete can have. And it's nothing to trifle with. Even if Eichel is 100 percent ready to go by September - and that's highly unlikely given what we know about his condition - he's one cross check away from spending half a season or more on the I.R. It would be the height of irresponsibility for Drury to acquire a player who might not be able to finish out his contract, and even if he does, will be a shell of himself for the balance of it. The risk is simply too great here.

The contract: Given that there will be a flat cap in the league for the next few years, Eichel's $10 million salary is a huge nut for an organization that still hasn't signed its own RFAs, a list that includes Pavel Buchnevich and Igor Shesterkin. Next year, they will have to pony up to retain Adam Fox, Kaapo Kakko, Ryan Strome and Mika Zibanejad. And the year after that, Alexis Lafreniere will be a restricted free agent. Even if Drury trades both Buchnevich and Strome - and there appear to be some suitors - as I wrote in my last piece, whomever he gets in return will not come cheap. 

Fox's contract alone could come in at between $7 million and $9 million per year depending on what the Colorado Avalanche and Cale Makar come to terms with this summer. Makar, an RFA, was the runner up to Fox for the Norris Trophy last season. If Drury doesn't have the money to keep these players, then everything this organization and its fans went through the last four years will be for naught. The key to his success will be how well he manages the resources he has.

The wrong fit: Even without the neck injury and with a salary cap that isn't flat, Eichel is the wrong fit for this franchise. He does nothing to address the team's most glaring needs. If anything, he's a younger version of Zibanejad with a higher price tag and a slightly less imposing shot. If Drury were to trade for him, he'd have to give up assets that would weaken other areas of the team - I'm guessing Filip Chytil, K'Andre Miller, either Vitali Kravtsov or Kakko and a number one draft pick. That is simply too steep a price to pay.

Instead of trying to replicate the Toronto Maple Leafs, an organization that has been an unmitigated disaster in the postseason, Drury should borrow a page out of Lou Lamoriello's playbook. There isn't one player on the Islanders with a contract over $7 million, and they were one win away from the Stanley Cup finals. With a few maneuvers this off-season, the best GM in the business is positioning his team to, once again, contend for the Cup. And with a healthy Anders Lee, they might just win it.

I'll say it again: The way the NHL is currently structured, teams that are overly laden with talented players simply don't succeed. What you need is a healthy balance between talent and grit. The Lightning have some of the most talented players in hockey, yet it was their foot soldiers who were responsible for them winning back-to-back Cups. Don't take my word for it; just go to the video tape, as an old New York sportscaster was fond of saying.

The Rangers have some talented players of their own. Maybe not on the same level as the Lightning, but hardly chopped liver. After they buy out Tony DeAngelo's contract, they will have around $23 million to spend, minus the $3 million or so they will need for performance bonuses. Drury has the 15th pick in Friday's Entry Draft. He can either keep it or include it in a package for a player or players that can help this team become a legitimate playoff contender. For instance, Tampa doesn't have a number one pick this year. Would they consider trading Anthony Cirelli and Ross Colton for Chytil, Kravtsov, Zac Jones and the Rangers number one pick? It's certainly worth a phone call to find out. 

In Seattle, after a less than impressive Expansion Draft, it's obvious that Ron Francis needs help at center. Given he's got enough left handed defensemen to start an army with, I'm sure a trade could be worked out. Perhaps Strome straight up for Carson Soucy. The Kraken get a solid pivot man and Drury gets the sturdy defenseman he needs on the third pairing along with $1.75 million in cap relief.

And then there's the free agent market. As we've already seen, Drury isn't hesitant about going that route. While Goodrow was a nice beginning, as Larry Brooks writes in The New York Post, he needs to be surrounded with "complimentary players" in order to be effective. The Rangers didn't sign Nick Fotiu here.

The point is, Drury has options available to him. What he can ill afford is to tie up 12 percent of his salary cap on a one-dimensional, albeit, star that'll light up the score sheet against the Devils and Sabres but get pushed around by the Islanders and Bruins. He already has an abundance of those types of players.

Which direction will he go? We'll know soon enough.

Drury's on the Clock

With his head coach and assistants in place, Chris Drury turned his attention to next week's Expansion Draft. But before he submitted his list of players he was going to protect, only one of whom - Kevin Rooney - was unexpected, he managed to swing a couple of deals, one of which could end up being the springboard that transforms this team of cream puffs into a team with some spine.

In a move that took most people by surprise, Drury traded a 7th round pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning for UFA Barclay Goodrow. You might ask why would Drury waste a pick on someone who's going to be a free agent in 10 days? Because he now has exclusive rights to negotiate a deal with Goodrow BEFORE he hits the open market, that's why.

The other move was equally surprising and provides some closure on one of the worst trades in Rangers history. Drury unloaded Brett Howden - acquired in the now infamous Ryan McDonagh / J.T. Miller deal -on the Vegas Golden Knights for a 4th round pick and defenseman Nick DeSimone, who's also a pending UFA but will likely sign elsewhere. The fact that Drury got anything north of a used puck bag for Howden was a bonus. While McDonagh has been a major cog for a Lightning team that has won back to back Stanley Cups, Howden has been a huge bust, scoring a paltry 49 points in three seasons in the NHL.

But getting back to Goodrow, Drury cannot afford to let him test the free agent waters. At 6' 2", 203 pounds and only 28, he's just what the doctor ordered for a team that looks at driving to the net the same way vampires look at sunrises. Though he played mostly left wing for the Bolts, Jon Cooper often relied on him to take important draws. His 50 percent win ratio would instantly make him the Rangers best face-off man. Don't be shocked if Gerard Gallant uses him at center. Imagine Goodrow and fellow Lightning line mate Blake Coleman out there killing penalties and making life a living hell for opposing teams best offensive lines. 

A while back I wrote that Drury needed to target both Goodrow and Coleman during the off season. If he were to sign Goodrow before the 28th, he would be half-way home. How hard do you think it would be to entice Coleman to come to New York with Goodrow already inked? I'm guessing not that hard at all.

The question is how high does Drury go? The last two seasons, Goodrow made $925,000 per. Clearly, having played a not-so insignificant role in this year's Cup run, he's due for a substantial pay raise. Word is Goodrow is looking for a six-year contract at $3.25 million per, while Drury would prefer a four-year term at $2.5 million per. I'm thinking split the difference: five years at $3 million per. That's $15 million over half a decade. More than fair, and it gives Drury the flexibility he needs to go after Coleman and retain his own RFAs, plus add a physical defenseman to play on the third defensive pairing. Perhaps Ryan Suter could be had for $1.5 million.

Let's not forget that while the Rangers have $23 million in available cap space to play with this offseason, after next year, they will have several players who will be seeking huge pay increases. Mika Zibanejad, who's currently making $5.35 million, will be a UFA, and Adam Fox, fresh off his Norris Trophy win and making only $925,000, will be an RFA. Even if Zibanejad were to take a home-town discount, you gotta think he's going to get somewhere in the neighborhood of $9 million per over six years. As for Fox, assuming the Rangers opt for a two-year bridge deal, that's still going to translate to at least $5 million per. And then there's Ryan Strome, who's signed to a team-friendly $4.5 million this upcoming season. If Drury decides to retain him, he too will come with a hefty price tag. If he trades him, whoever he gets in return will not be cheap.

Welcome to today's NHL, where the salary cap is expected to stay flat for quite some time. Money just doesn't go as far as it used to. Now you know why I was so against the Rangers trading for Jack Eichel. Not only is he the wrong player for this franchise, his $10 million cap hit would cripple the team's ability to make the changes necessary to become a contender for the foreseeable future. Ask the Edmonton Oilers how it feels to have two players tie up over $20 million in salary cap space. The same Edmonton Oilers team, mind you, that has won exactly one playoff game the last two seasons. Or how about the Toronto Maple Leafs, who haven't won a playoff series in seventeen years and blew a 3-1 series lead against the Montreal Canadiens? With three players combining for $33 million in salary and $75 million already committed next season, they don't have enough cap space to sign their two best checking forwards, Zach Hyman and Nick Foligno. That's called incompetence, people.

Drury cannot allow that to happen to the Rangers. He knows he'll only get one shot to get this right. He has all the chips he needs to make the right moves. What he can't do is panic just for the sake of making a splash. His counterpart on Long Island wrote the book on extracting maximum value from players, and he has the championship rings to show for it. Love 'em or hate 'em, right now the Islanders are closer to winning a Stanley Cup than the Rangers are. Only a fool would bet against Lou Lamoriello, or think he can be upstaged. This about it: while Drury was getting the negotiating rights to Goodrow for a seventh rounder, Lamoriello got the Arizona Coyotes to take Andrew Ladd and his $5.5 million cap hit off his hands for two second rounders and a third rounder. Who do you think had a better day?

The bottom line? Drury's on the clock. This is his make or break moment.

The Lightning Just Gave the Rangers a Blueprint for Success

For any and all Rangers' fans who still cling to the silly belief that acquiring Jack Eichel is the ticket to a future Stanley Cup championship, I hope they had a chance to watch game five of the finals last night between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens. The Bolts, behind Conn-Smythe Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy, shutout the Habs 1-0 to capture their second consecutive Cup.

The significance of this achievement cannot be overstated. Consider the following: In the final round, Brayden Point, the NHL leader in postseason goals with 14, didn't score once. Nikita Kucherov, the leading scorer in the postseason, had a grand total of three points, all in game one. Steven Stamkos scored his one and only goal of the series on the power play, also in game one. Alex Killorn, third on the team in playoff scoring, went down with an injury in game one and missed the rest of the series.

And yet this team still managed to hoist the Cup last night. How was that possible? Simple, because for all their world-class talent, the Lightning have some of the best and grittiest foot soldiers in the NHL. 

Players like Ross Colton, Blake Coleman, Barclay Goodrow, Pat Maroon, Yanni Gourde, David Savard and Anthony Cirelli are the reasons this team won back-to-back championships. Shit, they're the reason they got past the Islanders in the semifinals. Cirelli was the best player on the ice in games six and seven of that series. He set up Gourde's short-handed tally in game seven, the only goal of the game. It was Coleman's goal in game two of the finals that proved to be the difference. It was Maroon's goal that sent game four into overtime. And it was Goodrow's shot-blocking prowess that allowed Colton's tip in in the second period of game five to stand as the lone goal; that and the clutch goaltending of Vasilevskiy.

For less than what it would cost the Rangers to acquire Eichel, they could easily sign three players like Coleman, Goodrow and Colton. The first two are UFAs; the last is an RFA with matching rights. But since the Lightning are already over the Cap and will have to shed salary during the offseason, it is unlikely they will be able to retain him. A total of $9 million per year for all three should do it.

They could then trade Filip Chytil, Vitali Kravtsov and their number one draft pick to Tampa for Cirelli who is a future star in the making. On defense, they could re-sign Brendon Smith to a one-year deal for $1.5 million and trade Zac Jones and a second-round pick to the St Louis Blues for Vince Dunn, who they would then sign to a three-year deal for $3.5 million per.

Think of the possibilities. Ryan Strome centering Artemi Panarin on the left and Colman on the right; Mika Zibanejad centering Chris Kreider on the left and Colin Blackwell on the right; Cirelli centering Alexis Lafreniere on the left and Kaapo Kakko on the right; and Colton centering Goodrow on the left and Gauthier on right. The defensive pairings would be Jacob Trouba / K'Andre Miller, Adam Fox / Ryan Lindgren, and Smith / Dunn.

Over night, the Rangers would be a deeper, tougher team to play against. Apart from Panarin, not a single player would be at or over the $10 million mark. And best of all, the Rangers would still have the cap space needed to sign their young, budding stars to the contracts they will undoubtedly deserve in 2022 and 2023.

I will keep saying it until the doubters are convinced. To win in the NHL these days you need players that are willing to deliver and take a check. Anybody can score against teams that don't play defense. The real challenge comes when you try to score against teams that defend well, and against those teams, the Rangers struggled mightily last season.

Chris Drury, I'm sure, realizes this. At the press conference to introduce Gerard Gallant, he said, "It’s hard not to watch these playoffs and notice the physicality, the energy, the effort and the intensity it takes to win and to succeed and we’re certainly going to need to play that way to have success in the regular season and in the playoffs."

That's why it's imperative that he resist the urge to go for the glitter and instead grab the grit. It won't be the sexy move, but it will help this franchise, which has now gone 27 years without a Cup, get closer to the Holy Grail.