Drury Continues To Clean House

In a move that was widely anticipated, the New York Rangers traded their longest-tenured forward, Chris Kreider, to the Anaheim Ducks. And just like he had done with Patrick Nemeth, Barclay Goodrow and Jacob Trouba, Chris Drury did not retain a cent of Kreider's salary. All $6.5 million came off the books. What made it even better was that Drury managed to convince him to waive his no-trade clause. Kreider will now be reunited with Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano and Trouba.

The return, a third round draft pick and a prospect, was immaterial. This was a salary dump, pure and simple. With Kreider gone, the Rangers now have $14.9 million in available cap space going into next season. And if Drury can somehow get Mika Zibanejad, Kreider's BFF, to waive his NMC, that cap space would swell to  $23.4 million. But according to Vince Mercogliano, that isn't likely to happen.

I know there are a number of Rangers fans who are deeply saddened about Kreider's departure, with some calling for his jersey to be hung from the rafters. I wish I could share their sentiments. The facts is that for all his abilities, Kreider's forte over the last few seasons was scoring on the power play. He literally made a living in his office deflecting shots past goaltenders. In the 2021-22 season, for instance, 26 of his 52 goals were scored with the man advantage. But this season, he managed a paltry 6 out of 22 tallies on the power play.

As someone who's been a fan of this team since Richard Nixon was in the White House, I've seen my fair share of good players shown the door: Rick Middleton, Mike Ridley, Kelly Miller, Mark Messier, Brian Leetch (on his fucking birthday, no less), Ryan McDonagh, the list goes on. Forgive me if I don't shed any crocodile tears over a player who, let's face it, phoned it in for much of the season. If anything, I think I've earned the right to be a little jaded with respect to number 20.

But while getting rid of Kreider was a necessary step in this retool, there's still a lot left on Drury's plate. K'Andre Miller and Will Cuylle are pending RFAs and eligible to receive offer sheets. If Drury doesn't sign them to extensions by July 1, it's conceivable he could lose both. Cuylle, in particular, would be a devastating loss. There were times this season when he was the best player on the ice for the Blueshirts. In only his second full season on Broadway, Cuylle had 20 goals, 25 assists and 300 hits. The 6-3, 212 lb. winger plays the game the way it's opposed to be played. If every player on this team played like Cuylle did last season, the Rangers would've beaten the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference finals. Drury must do whatever it takes to lock him up before the end of the month.

As far as Miller is concerned, he remains an enigma. There are nights when he looks like a Norris trophy candidate; then there are nights when he looks like he could be the seventh defenseman at Hartford. He has the size and skillset to be an elite defenseman in the NHL, yet for some inexplicable reason, he coughs up the puck at the most inopportune time of the game, which leads to high-danger scoring chances that have a nasty habit of winding up in the back of his goalie's net. Since his arrival in New York in 2020, he's played for David Quinn, Gerard Gallant and Peter Laviolette, and he's managed to get worse with each passing season.

I suppose Mike Sullivan could turn him around, but if I had to guess, I'd say he winds up being dealt as part of a package to land a top six forward or a top four defenseman. Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars and Vladislav Gavrikov of the LA Kings are two names that have been mentioned as possible targets for the Rangers. Robertson is entering the final year of a contract that pays him $7.75 million per. Gavrikov made $5.875 million this season and will become a UFA on July 1. Both will command hefty raises in their next deal. Drury will have to be very creative if he wants both players.

All in all, it was a good day for the Rangers President and General Manger. He got rid of a bad contract and put himself in position to land a good one. In other words, he did his job. 

For the Rangers, the Inevitable Becomes Reality

Come on now, you didn't really think the Rangers were going to win out, did you? A team that hasn't had a three-game win streak since mid-November was somehow going to miraculously run the table while the Montreal Canadiens simultaneously were going to lose out? 

That team? 

Seriously? 

Right, and your kid's gonna get a personal visit from the Easter Bunny next Sunday. 

THE Easter Bunny. 

You heard it here first.

Throughout this hellscape of a season, the Blueshirts have had numerous opportunities to take charge of their own destiny and they failed to do so every time. You can point all you want to the horrific December they had - and it was pretty horrific - but there was still plenty of time to climb out of the hole they dug. 

The talent was there. Please spare me the bullshit about how they suddenly got old. Teams don't go from winning the Presidents' Trophy one season to the retirement home the next. That's not how it works. True, several key players had off years, but even allowing for that, the talent on this roster was still better than the one that beat it out for the last wild card spot; in fact, it was better than both wild card rosters.

But then talent was never the problem, was it? To quote former head coach Gerard Gallant, "I love to have talent, but you love to have a work ethic." Tragically for this group, work ethic proved to be its kryptonite. In a league that values grit over glitter, the Rangers were simply unwilling to pay the price to win. The last two games epitomized how their season has gone. Against an Islanders team that was badly outclassed, they had their way with them; against a Hurricanes team that is a genuine playoff contender, they were exposed. Poker players can bluff all they want, but not hockey players. You either have a Royal Flush in your hand or you have a pair of deuces. There's no in-between.

So where do we go from here? For starters, don't expect Chris Drury to go anywhere. James Dolan may not like how this team unravelled this season, but from everything we've heard coming out of the Garden, his job appears to be safe - for now. That's more than can be said for Peter Laviolette. Frankly, I would be shocked if he wasn't relieved of his duties shortly after the season is over.

I've said it before, and it bears repeating, Laviolette doesn't deserve all the blame here. As I wrote back in March, "Coaches can scream till they're blue in the face, but the last time I checked, they're not the ones wearing the jerseys."

But they do make out the lineup cards. And as long as we're being totally honest here, it was Laviolette's refusal to hold his veteran players accountable that proved to be his undoing. The power play was a case in point. It was painfully obvious that the first unit was struggling most of the season, especially down the stretch. But rather than swap out units, he simply moved a few players around, which was the equivalent of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Why Laviolette was this stubborn, we may never know. At this point, it's academic. Barring a last-minute change of heart - doubtful - there will be a new coaching staff behind the bench next season. Whoever it is better be able to motivate this core or next time it'll be Drury who gets the pink slip. 

And speaking of Drury, picking a new coach isn't the only thing on his plate. It's clear this core has some major issues that cannot be resolved with a mere pep talk or shouting match. As I also wrote in that piece back in March, "Scotty Bowman would have a hard time coaching this group." You can fault Drury for the manner in which he moved out Barclay Goodrow and Jacob Trouba, but you can't fault him for realizing that both players had outlived their usefulness to the team. And in the cap era, the Rangers simply couldn't afford to keep either of them. If anything, Drury should've played hardball with Trouba in July rather than let things simmer the way they did over the course of the season.

But that's water over the dam now. Drury doesn't have the luxury of indulging in hindsight. He has more "dead weight" on this roster to contend with. Chris Kreider will almost certainly be the next player shown the door. But where? The thirteen-year veteran has played his entire career with the Rangers. But his 26 points in 66 games was a career low for him. Moving him will not be easy, especially since he has a 15-team No Trade Clause. If Drury can find a team willing to take on his entire $6.5 million contract, he can use the cap savings to go shopping for an impact player that can move the needle on this team; someone like Sam Bennett, who's an unrestricted free agent after this season. 

Then there's Brady Tkachuk. While the Ottawa Senators have publicly said they're not interested in trading him, perhaps a package of Alexis Lafreniere, Gabe Perrault, Brennan Othmann and a first rounder - which could conceivably become a lottery pick if the Rangers lose out - might be enough to change their minds. Imagine a line with both Sam Bennett and Brady Tkachuk on it. Hey, a fella can dream, can't he?

But before Drury does any of this, he has some unfinished business at home. Calvin de Haan, the defenseman he acquired from the Colorado Avalanche for Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey, apparently wasn't too thrilled with being benched the final 15 games of the season, in which the Rangers went 6-8-1, a fact he emphasized in front of the beat reporters yesterday, and later tweeted about. de Haan isn't the only player who has a beef about the way he was utilized, or underutilized. Zac Jones was benched in favor of Carson Soucy, even though it was painfully obvious Soucy was having problems in his own end since his arrival from the Vancouver Canucks at the trade deadline. And then there was Perrault, the highly-touted prospect Drury was forced to burn a year of his ELC in order to keep him from going back to Boston College. For some strange reason, he was a healthy scratch the last couple of games. Thankfully, the kid never said anything about it.

Yes, this will be a busy offseason for Chris Drury. His team shit the bed; it's on him to clean the sheets.

Rangers At the Break

Heading into the break, the New York Rangers record stands at 27-24-4. Their 58 points puts them just three behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Wild Card spot. After a horrific December in which they went 3-10-0, the Rangers have gone 11-5-3 in 2025. The power play was 26.8 percent (7th best), while the penalty kill was 75.6 percent (tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Dicks for 16th best). The team's save percentage was .897 (5th best).

Now before I get into what the Rangers need to do going forward, I wanted to take a moment or two to give a shout out to the NHL and the NHLPA. Regardless of what happens tonight in Boston, the Four Nations Face-Off Tournament has been an unqualified success. Not since 1996 have fans been treated to this kind of competitiveness within the sport in what basically amounts to an exhibition series. Kudos all around.

The only blemish has been Charlie McAvoy. The Boston Bruin and Team USA defenseman sustained an injury on a cross check in the game against Finland, which was apparently misdiagnosed by Team USA physicians. He subsequently developed an infection and was hospitalized in Boston. His presence will be sorely missed tonight against Team Canada.

Apart from that, though, if I were Gary Bettman and Marty Walsh, I would do everything in my power to make sure something like this becomes an annual event. You don't necessarily need a round robin like we saw in this tournament; but perhaps a best 2 out of 3 featuring a team from North America vs. a team from Europe would suffice.

Imagine what the lineups would look like:

Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Sam Reinhart, Branden Pointe, Mitch Marner, Cale Makar, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, both Tkachuk brothers, Jake Guentzel, Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy and Connor Hellebuyck going up against Sebastian Aho, Aleksander Barkov, Mikko Rantanen, William Nylander, Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov, Artemi Panarin, Filip Forsberg, Jesper Bratt, Mikael Granlund, Kirill Kaprizov, Andrei Svechnikov, Rasmus Dahlin and Andrei Vasilevskiy. I'll gladly take that any day over what the NHL laughingly calls an All-Star game.

Now back to the Rangers.

If this team is going to make the playoffs, they need to get serious. No more blown leads like they had against the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens, all of which became OT losses. No more sleepwalking against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that was missing Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. And no more reckless cross-ice passes in the offensive zone with 30 seconds left in the third period of a tie game that directly led to a regulation loss to the Avs. All told, the Blueshirts have given up six points over the last six weeks; six points they can ill afford to give up. If they had just three of those points back, they'd be tied with the Red Wings right now.

Starting Saturday, the Rangers need to go on a win streak. They play the Sabres in Buffalo, the Penguins in Pittsburgh and the Islanders at UBS Arena. Anything less than 3-0 against those teams is inexcusable. Indeed, between now and the end of the regular season, they probably need to go 20-7. If that seems like a tall order, it is. But that's what happens when you dig a hole as deep as the Blueshirts have.

In order to accomplish this herculean feat, the big boys are going to have to come through. Assuming Chris Drury doesn't clean house at the trade deadline - unlikely - it's time for Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider to pull their respective heads out their asses and wake the fuck up. Since the arrival of J.T. Miller, Zibanejad has 2 goals and 6 assists over his last 5 games. He needs to keep that pace up if this team has any chance of making the postseason. Likewise for Kreider, whose shorthanded goal against the Bruins proved to be the game winner.

Adam Fox also needs to step it up. It is unacceptable for a player as gifted as he is to have only four goals on the season, and keep in mind two of those goals were empty netters. Though he was never a particularly fast skater, this season he's looked more like Carol Vadnais than the former Norris trophy winner we all know and love. Vincent Trocheck has filled the leadership void created after Jacob Trouba was sent packing admirably, but even he needs to step it up offensively.

But while the players must ultimately bear the lion's share of responsibility for this nightmare of a season, their head coach isn't without blame. The fact is Peter Laviolette has been way too patient with this group. Case in point: Alexis Lafreniere. Over the last few weeks, the young winger has looked lost; his failure to back check has led to several glaring goals against. It is high time Laviolette employed some tough love and sat him for a game or two, if not for his sake than to send a message loud and clear that lack of effort will not be tolerated. You don't have to be John Tortorella to get your team's attention. 

Bottom line: The Rangers have the horses to make the playoffs. Whether or not they do depends on how badly they want it.

When It Rains, It Pours

This time there was no bank heist; this time Igor Shesterkin couldn't save his team.

The Eastern Conference Finals between the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers are tied at two games a piece, but for all intents and purposes, this series couldn't be more lopsided. Save for five periods, the Panthers have been the better team. Their size and forechecking have been too much for the Blueshirts to overcome.

Tuesday night's loss was particularly frustrating. New York outshot Florida 12-11 in the opening frame and took a 1-0 lead into second period, courtesy of a Vincent Trocheck power play goal, their first of the series. It was, by far, the Rangers best period of hockey since game one against the Carolina Hurricanes, and only the third time in the postseason they held the opponent scoreless in the first period. 

And then, just like in game three, the wheels came off. The Panthers pinned the Rangers in their end pretty much the rest of the game. They outshot New York 29-10. It was only through the sheer brilliance of their Vezina trophy goaltender that they didn't lose in regulation. A reckless cross-ice pass by Mika Zibanejad at the blue line in the opening minute of OT forced Blake Wheeler to take a hooking penalty, which led to the game winning, power play goal by Sam Reinhart.

Optimistically, one could say that the Rangers accomplished what they had to do in Florida: they got the split and recaptured home ice. Realistically, however, they are very fortunate to be tied. By any and all rights, the Panthers should be ahead 3-1 with a chance to close out the series at the Garden Thursday night. And here's the dilemma the Rangers find themselves in: not only are they being badly outplayed by the Panthers, their record going into a game five hardly elicits confidence. Including the last series against the Canes, since the 1991-92 season, the Rangers are 13-23 overall in game fives, 0-6 in their last six conference finals, four of which were at home. Talk about having two strikes against you.

The simple truth is that the Panthers top players are playing better than the Rangers top players. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaaeghe have eight goals between them, while Mika Zibanaejad, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck have two. Indeed, the Rangers most effective forwards against Florida so far have been Alexis Lafreniere and Barclay Goodrow. Each player has three goals a piece.

While it was encouraging that their power play finally showed some life in game four, the Rangers still haven't been able to solve the Panthers forecheck. They continue to get pinned down in their own end. The relentlessness of the Florida attack is forcing New York into turnovers that are leading to scoring chances against Shesterkin. According to Steve Valiquette, the Panthers had 12 high-danger scoring chances to the Rangers 5 in game four. It was 11-2 in the second and third periods.

And even when the Rangers do manage to successfully exit their zone, they have been unable to sustain much of a forecheck in the Panthers zone. That's because Florida is number one in the NHL in puck retrieval. Below is a breakdown of the shot totals in games three and four. They reveal the enormity of the Rangers problem.

Put succinctly, these numbers are unsustainable. No goaltending in the world can overcome such a disparity. The Hurricanes outshot the Rangers, sure, but many of their shots were from the permitter. The Panthers are getting more than a third of their total shot attempts from the slot. There is not one shot stat above in which the Blueshirts are competitive. If these numbers don't improve by game five, the Rangers season will come to an end June 1.

There is plenty of blame to go around, but the lion's share has to go to Zibanejad and Kreider. Neither has registered a point so far in this series. Zibanaejad, in particular, hasn't scored a goal since game one of the Carolina series. He missed a wide open net while the Rangers were on their second power play of the first period in game four, which would've given his team a 2-0 lead. His lack of judgment on that cross-ice pass in OT cost his team a win. And while Kreider's hat trick in game six against the Hurricanes clinched that series for the Rangers, he has a grand total of five shots on goal in this series, none in game four.

Zibanejad and Kreider aren't the only ones with a lot at stake. At his postgame presser, head coach Peter Laviolette expressed frustration at the Rangers inability to handle the Florida forecheck. "We're spending a little too much time playing defense, especially in the second period, and we're not able to move and generate the way we want to out there." Laviolette was brought in specifically to make the necessary adjustments to get this team over the hump. If he's stumped, that's a problem.

Whether it's splitting up Bonnie and Clyde or starting the second power play unit ahead of the first, the time for patience is over. Two years ago, Gerard Gallant chose to stand pat while the Tampa Bay Lightning ended the Rangers season. A repeat performance at the hands of the Panthers will not sit well with a fanbase that has been waiting 30 years for another moment that will last a lifetime.

Kreider and Shesterkin Save the Rangers Bacon

It was May 25, 1994, and the New York Rangers were trailing their rivals, the New Jersey Devils 2-0 midway through the second period of game six of the Eastern Conference Finals. The only reason it was 2-0 and not 5-0 was because of Mike Richter. He practically stood on his head doing his best to keep his team within striking distance. A loss would've ended the Blueshirts season, and 54 years would've become 55 and counting. Those "Nineteen Forty" chants would've gone on, perhaps forever. 

That's when Mark Messier took over. He fed a drop pass to Alex Kovalev in the right face-off circle, and the winger beat Martin Brodeur with a slap shot to cut the Devils lead in half. And then the Captain had the third period of a lifetime, scoring a natural hat trick to propel his team to victory. Two days later, Stephane Matteau completed the series comeback with a double overtime goal. On June 14, the Rangers would finally exorcize their demons and capture the Stanley Cup.

Last night, the Rangers found themselves trailing by two goals entering the third period of a game six. Though the circumstances were different - this Rangers team was ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes instead of behind - the ramifications were almost as dire. New York had jumped out to a 3-0 series lead and the Hurricanes were now twenty minutes away from forcing a game seven at Madison Square Garden. There was a very real chance that the Rangers would become only the fifth team in NHL history to lose a series after leading 3-0.

Igor Shesterkin, like Richter 30 years earlier, had done everything possible to give his team a chance at avoiding what may well have been the worst collapse in franchise history. He made save after save and was even aided by several posts that the Canes hit. But to overcome the deficit, the Rangers needed someone else to step up and take the reigns.

Enter Chris Kreider. The twelve-year veteran scored three consecutive goals to stun the crowd in Raleigh. An empty netter by Barclay Goodrow was the icing on the cake. The Rangers won the game 5-3 and took the series 4-2. For the second time in three years, New York has advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals where they await the winner of the Florida / Boston series.

There's no easy way to put this. The Rangers were very fortunate. They had played five consecutive periods of poor hockey in which they were outscored 7-2. Their power play had gone ice cold. Had Freddie Andersen not gifted them with two questionable goals - the first to Artemi Panarin in game one; the second to Kreider in game six, the final outcome might have gone the other way. For those who still insist that goaltending is overrated, hopefully this series will serve as a wakeup call. From Ken Dryden to Andrei Vasilevskiy, elite goalies have always played an integral role in their teams Stanley Cup championships. Maybe instead of trading for Jake Guentzel, Don Waddell should've traded for someone like Jordan Binnington or Jacob Markstrom. Either would've done a much better job in net than Andersen. The fact is, had the Hurricanes gotten better goaltending in last year's playoffs against the Panthers, there's no way in hell they would've been swept.

But that's Carolina's problem, isn't it? As for the Rangers, they will have their work cut out for them against Florida, assuming Florida wraps up its series tonight in Boston. Unlike the Canes, the team formerly known as the Puddy Tats doesn't take a bunch of shots from the perimeter in the hopes of causing "chaos" in front of the net. They drive to the net and make life a living hell for opposing goaltenders. The only reason the Bruins forced a game six is because Jeremy Swayman did his best Patrick Roy impersonation. I can assure you if Sam Reinhart has the puck on his stick 20 feet out from Shesterkin, he's not going to hit the post. The Panthers have no discernible weaknesses. If the Rangers struggle at all in this series, they will lose. Period.

But for now they can relax and celebrate. They have advanced to the NHL's version of the Final Four. The last time a Presidents' Trophy winner made it this far was 2015. That team, oddly enough, was the Rangers.

And our hero of the day, Chris Kreider, was a member of that team.

Rangers Make Good First Impression

In the end, a win is a win, right? The Rangers opened up the 2023-24 season with a solid 5-1 victory over the Sabres in Buffalo Thursday night.

Winning the first game of the season isn't exactly newsworthy for the Blueshirts. Last year, they opened the season with an equally impressive 3-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Garden, and we all know how that turned out.

But there was something different about this win. That wasn't your typical Rangers performance out there. You know the kind: jump out to an early lead and then hold off the coming onslaught from the opposition. With the exception of a few minutes in the third period when the Rangers were killing off a couple of penalties they unwisely took, New York was in total control of the game. Against a Buffalo team that finished third in the NHL in scoring last season, they gave up a total of 25 shots, only two of which were high danger chances.

For the first time, Ranges fans got to see the deployment of the 1-3-1 defense, which for all intents and purposes is a neutral zone trap; the same neutral zone trap teams like the Devils utilized so effectively in the 1990s. It proved to be the difference Thursday night. The Sabres top line of Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch was held off the scoring sheet, managed just six shots on goal and was a minus two for the evening. When was the last time the Rangers allowed only one gaol and Igor Shesterkin wasn't one of the stars of the game?

But it wasn't just the stifling defense that stuck out. The Rangers were relentless in their forecheck pretty much the entire game. It led directly to two goals, and Alexis Lafreniere figured prominently in both. After an Artemi Panarin shot was kicked out by Devon Levi, Panarin grabbed his own rebound and slid it across the goal mouth to a breaking Lafteniere who stuffed it in the net for a 1-0 lead early in the first period. Then in the second period, Lafreniere forced a turnover in the Buffalo zone that Panarin pounced on and blasted a shot passed Levi for a 3-0 lead. The only blemish on the night came off a rebound shot by JJ Peterka after Jacob Trouba blocked the initial shot. In all, the Rangers blocked 23 shot attempts.

Chris Kreider - two goals and an assist - might've been the number one star of the game, but it was Lafreniere who got the game hat from this teammates. The first overall pick of the 2020 draft is being counted on heavily this season, and after a less than stellar preseason that left many wondering whether the winger was up to the challenge, his performance Thursday night did not go unnoticed, especially his coach. He even went 4-1 on face-offs. If Lafreniere, along with fellow "kids" Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil, take the next step, this team will be a force to be reckoned with.

But for now the Rangers will take the two points. Next up on the schedule is the Columbus Blue Jackets, another team that missed the playoffs last season. Then they fly home to play the Arizona Coyotes at the Garden. Time will tell if they've fully grasped Peter Laviolette's system, or whether the Sabres were just a lucky one off.

Power Outage

There are two ways of looking at Saturday night's 2-1 OT loss to the Devils. 

One, for the third consecutive game, the Rangers did a good job with their puck management, limiting the number of odd-man rushes New Jersey had out of their zone. Indeed, had the Blueshirts converted on just one of the five power plays they were awarded, they most likely would've won in regulation and we'd be talking about a potential sweep tonight.

Two, the Rangers let the opportunity of a lifetime slip through their fingers, and now they have to deal with an opponent that is not only alive and well but is one win away from taking control of this series; a series, to be honest, they have no business even being in.

In this instance, both statements are true. Yes, the Rangers have been, by far, the better team in this best of seven matchup. They have set the tempo in all three games and have forced the speedy Devils to work hard for what little scoring chances they've gotten. Dougie Hamilton's overtime winner was the first 5v5 goal his team has scored in nine and half periods. Think about that.

But like any wrestler knows all too well, you never let your opponent off the mat once you have him pinned. And the Rangers were on the verge of pinning the Devils with both shoulders. Less than a minute after Chris Kreider scored to make it 1-0, Ryan Graves was called for interference. All the Rangers had to do was score on their ensuing power play and it would've been 2-0. Not quite game, set and match, but pretty damn close. Let's put it this way, the fat lady would've been warming up her vocal cords between periods.

I cannot stress this enough. It is vital that the Rangers come out guns a blazin' tonight. No pussy footin' around. Enough with the mutual admiration society posing as a power play unit. This isn't an NHL all-star game; it's a playoff round; the first of what the Rangers hope will be four. At the Prudential Center, there was no dicking around with the man advantage. When they had the shot, they took it. The results - four for ten on the power play - speak for themselves. 

I don't know what happens to this team when they get in front of their home crowd, but if it isn't nipped in the bud soon - and by soon I mean tonight - they will be playing golf with the Islanders in May.

I'm not joking around here. Saturday night's win gave the Devils something they didn't have before: hope. And to paraphrase a famous line from a well-known movie, "Hope is a dangerous thing." Another win by the Devils and the trajectory of this series will change, perhaps irrevocably. The Rangers will have the unenviable task of having to win three games in their opponent's building. Impossible? No. Improbable? Yes.

The good news is that, for now, the Rangers are still the masters of their own fate. They have the ability to correct what went wrong; they've done it all season. They know the Devils didn't so much win the game as they lost it. And that will work in their favor. Though the Devils escaped with a victory, they are by no means out of the woods. Technically speaking, they are still very much the underdogs in this series, regardless of who Lindy Ruff starts in goal.

And that is precisely where the Rangers must keep them. The Devils will push harder than they did in game three, you can count on that. But the Rangers have the deeper and more experienced team. They were made for moments like this. If they stay focused and disciplined with the puck, and they do a better job finishing around the net - especially on the power play - they'll be playing the Carolina Hurricanes in the next round.

If they don't; if they squander this opportunity and allow the Devils to take the series, it will be the longest summer of their lives.

Road Sweet Home

Two up, two down, two to go.

Going into their best of seven series against the New Jersey Devils, I said the Rangers needed to do two things in order to advance: manage the puck well and win the special teams battle.

Well, mission accomplished - so far. Back-to-back, 5-1 road wins by the Blueshirts. Impressive doesn't begin to describe it. Through the first two games, they have not only shut down the NHL's fourth best offense, they've converted on four of ten power play opportunities, while killing seven of eight Devils power plays. New Jersey's top four scorers - Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton and Jesper Bratt - have a combined one goal and no assists. And that one goal by Hughes came courtesy of the lamest penalty shot ever awarded in a professional hockey game. 

Not even the most incurable optimist could've predicted such a dominant performance by this team. And while I'm not one to count my chickens before they hatch, the way the Rangers are playing, I'm not sure there's anything the Devils can do to alter the trajectory of this series. I haven't seen a Rangers team this locked in since - dare I say it? - 1994. That team - led by Mark Messier - swept the Islanders in the first round and beat the Washington Capitals 4-1 in the second, on its way to capturing the organization's first Stanley Cup in 54 years. And this team has more talent than that team. Think about that.

If ever there was an example where analytics was useless, it is here. Every so-called expert - including yours truly - thought the Devils were a terrible matchup for the Rangers. Their speed and skill would be difficult, if not impossible, to contend with. But after two games, it is the Blueshirts that have given the Devils fits. 

The Rangers have been incredibly disciplined with the puck, especially in the neutral zone, and that has limited the number of odd-man rushes the Devils have been able to generate. They have also taken away much of the ice from both Hughes and Hischier, virtually shutting down their passing lanes, In two games, Hughes has nine giveaways. To put that in perspective, the Rangers have that many as a team.

Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane are proving to be this franchise's best trade deadline pickups since Stephane Matteau, Brian Noonan and Craig MacTavish. Yes, I'm going there. Tarasenko has two goals while Kane has a goal and three assists. In game two, he stripped the puck from Bratt in the neutral zone, sprinted down the ice and beat Vitak Vanecek on a gorgeous backhander. So much for a bad hip.

But it is Adam Fox and Chris Kreider who are putting on a clinic in this series. Fox has six assists while Kreider has all four of his team's power play goals. The Devils have had no answer for either. And the Rangers have done all this with their number one center Mika Zibanejad contributing just one assist. Tell me you saw that coming.

Games three and four are at Madison Square Garden Saturday and Monday nights, If the Rangers are smart, they will avoid a repeat of what happened to them last postseason when they were up two games to none over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals and lost in six. That was a bitter pill for this group to swallow. A learning experience, you could say. And while the Devils are no Lightning, they certainly have the ability to extend this series, if the Rangers let them.

That's why they can't allow that to happen. They must put the Devils out of their misery. The Rangers are the better team. They have superior depth, they have more experience, and if that isn't good enough, they have Igor Shesterkin. 

They are in control of their own destiny. This is their moment. They need to seize it.

*Note: an earlier version of this piece had a typo. The Rangers were up two games to none over the Tampa Bay Lightning last postseason. Unfortunately, I typed one instead of none. I have made the correction. Sorry for the confusion.

We've Seen This Movie Before

One of the problems with being 61, apart from the occasional aches and pains that go along with it, is that I'm old enough to have seen a lot of shit go down that others have to look up to find out. As a sports fan who's had a love / hate relationship with my teams over the years, I've had my heart broken more times than I care to remember. The number one repeat offender has been the New York Rangers.

It hasn't been easy rooting for a team that has exactly one Stanley Cup to show for its efforts since the end of World War II. 1972, 1979, 1981-84, 1992, 1997, 2012, 2014, 2015. The list of near misses is as long as it is depressing, and it's about to grow by one.

You don't seriously think that a Jon Cooper-coached team is going to blow a chance to close out a best of seven Eastern Conference final this weekend, do you? If you do, you haven't been paying close attention to the way the Tampa Bay Lightning have played over the last three postseasons. Yes, the Islanders extended them to a seventh game in last year's semifinals, and yes they had to come from 3-2 down against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round this year. But those were the exceptions, not the rule. In every other series this team has played in, whenever they smelled blood they went in for the kill. Just ask the Florida Panthers about the Lightning's killer instinct. They were literally swept out of the playoffs in the second round.

Rangers fans have seen this movie before. During their Stanley Cup reign in the '80s, the Islanders played the Blueshirts four times and went four for four. It was frustrating knowing that no matter how hard they played, the results were always the same. Watching game five last night at the Garden, I had a sense of déjà vu. The Rangers played what was inarguably their best game since game two of the series. They skated with authority, they took the body, they cycled, they even struck first: a seeing-eye puck that found its way passed Andrei Vasilevskiy. It didn't matter. The Lightning got two of their own seeing-eye pucks passed Igor Shesterkin. In the end, the experience and poise of Tampa was simply too much to overcome. The Rangers played not to lose; the Lightning played to win. That was the difference in the game.

We can talk about the overpassing till the cows come home. David Quinn wasn't able to correct it and neither has Gerard Gallant. Face it, it's in their DNA. Last night, it was Andrew Copp's turn in the barrel. You live by the pass, you die by the pass. Right now they're dying by it. My only complaint was the way Gallant utilized the kid line. Given how completely ineffective Mika Zibanaejad and Chris Kreider have been over the last two games, it was disappointing to say the least that they had only eleven minutes of ice time as a unit, not even a minute more than the fourth line. The team's most effective forechecking line in the postseason and they barely touched the ice in the third period. If the season ends Saturday, Gallant will have some 'splainin' to do here.

So now it's onto Tampa for game six. Can the Rangers extend the series to a seventh game at the Garden? They are 5-0 in elimination games, so I suppose anything is possible. But consider this: after being pushed to the brink by the lowly Pittsburgh Penguins in the '82 preliminaries, the Islanders went 12-2 over the next three rounds to capture their third consecutive Cup. Since dispatching the Leafs in round one, the Bolts are 7-2.

I guess what I'm trying to say is don't go betting the kid's tuition on it.

Tropical Depression

Note to self: Next time trust your heart.

The New York Rangers, who entered last night's contest against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh 4-0 in elimination games, are now 5-0. Next stop, Tampa.

The most resilient team in the NHL not only defeated what on paper was their toughest opponent, they did it going away. The 6-2 rout represented their biggest margin of victory in a road game seven since they shut out the Washington Capitals 5-0 in 2013.

Playing with the lead proved to be the difference, that and a potent power play. With the exception of game one, the team that scored first in this series won each game. And just like they had done in games four and six, the Hurricanes took stupid, undisciplined penalties that proved costly. 

Adam Fox and Chris Kreider - who had been held to only one goal thru six games - scored with the man advantage; Igor Shesterkin continued to make everyone who voted for Auston Matthews for the Hart trophy look foolish by stopping all 16 shots that the Canes threw at him in the first period; and the Blueshirts took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

Ryan Strome padded the lead in the second period before Kreider - second of the night - and Filip Chytil broke it open in the third. Andrew Copp added an empty netter for good measure. You know the hockey gods are smiling on this team when Strome scores a goal.

The Rangers bent but didn't break. According to Clear Sight Analytics, while Carolina had more scoring chances in the game, most of them were mid and low quality. For once, it was the team from New York that had the better opportunities, and they cashed in.

But lest you think the outcome was in the bag, there were a couple of close calls that had they gone the other way might've made this "laugher" a barn burner. The first occurred in the first period seconds after Kreider's power play goal put the Rangers ahead 2-0. Teuvo Teravainen fired a one timer that Shesterkin barely got his shake blade on. The second occurred late in the second period with the Rangers still clinging to that 2-0 lead. Copp broke up a potential goal by Andrei Svechnikov, and seconds later Strome buried the puck short side.

But apart from those, admittedly, scary moments, the Rangers were very disciplined in their own end. They capitalized on their scoring chances, they blocked shots - 25 in all - and when they made the odd mistake or two, Shesterkin was there to make the save. You couldn't have choreographed this game any better if you tried. 

The stars came through last night: Mika Zibanaejad, Fox, Kreider, Jacob Trouba, who's devastating check on Seth Jarvis inadvertently led to the second power play goal when Jarvis couldn't make it back to the bench and the Canes were called for having too many men on the ice. Even Artemi Panarin had an assist.

I thought there was a chance they could pull out a squeaker late, but even I couldn't have foreseen this. Credit Gerard Gallant, who kept this team together after they were humiliated by the Pittsburgh Penguins twice in games three and four in the first round. If this guy doesn't win the Jack Adams award, there's no justice. And credit Chris Drury, whose trade deadline acquisitions have paid off big time in these playoffs.

The Rangers are in the Eastern Conference finals. Seriously, if you had this team half way to a Stanley Cup championship before the start of the season, you're a better person than me.

This crazy ride continues. Where it will end, no one knows.

NHL Playoff Preview

The 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs are finally here, and for the first time since the league went with a regional alignment, the Eastern Conference saw all eight of its teams finish at or above 100 points. It was an enormous accomplishment, but it was only possible because six teams in the East are currently in the middle of a rebuild, one - the Philadelphia Flyers - which should be, and one - the New York Islanders - that got off to an horrendous start. 

Another incredible accomplishment is that of the sixteen teams in the tournament, no fewer than eleven have a legitimate shot at winning the Cup; seven in the East and four in the West. Below is a preview of the first round, beginning with the New York Rangers. As with most of my predictions, take them with a grain of salt.

Eastern Conference:

New York vs. Pittsburgh: Since the Penguins last won the Stanley Cup in 2017, they have been eliminated in the first round every year but one - 2018 - when they lost to the eventual Cup champion Washington Capitals. While they still have a potent offense, the loss of Tristan Jarry for at least the first two games of the series will hurt in goal where the Rangers already enjoy a huge edge with Igor Shesterkin.

The keys to a Rangers win will be 1) how well they fare on the power play, which was one of the best in the NHL during the regular season, but failed to convert once over the last three games; 2) whether Artemi Panarin and Andrew Copp are 100 percent after sustaining injuries; and 3) whether the "kid" line of Filip Chytil, Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko can provide enough offense to keep the opposition honest.

Both teams ostensibly play the same style of hockey, which means we will likely see the stars - Panarin, Zibanejad, Kreider and Fox vs. Crosby, Malkin, Guentzel and Letang - decide the winner. That should be good news for the Blueshirts who, despite the additions Chris Drury made over the off season, are still susceptible to teams that are aggressive on the forecheck, i.e., the Carolina Hurricanes and the Islanders. One additional note: since the trade deadline, the Rangers have been one of the best 5v5 teams in the league. 

I expect an exciting series, with both teams winning at least one game in the other's building, one that could go the full seven. But in the end, the Rangers should emerge on top. Rangers in six.

Florida vs. Washington: Even with a fully healthy Alex Ovechkin, this was an uphill battle for the Caps. If he's unable to play or hobbled by his shoulder injury, this could get out of hand quickly. The Panthers are not a particularly strong defensive team, which will no doubt be exploited at some point during the postseason, but not in this series. Panthers in five.

Carolina vs. Boston: To be honest, I've been impressed with the season the Bruins have had without a legit 2C and no Tuukka Rask in net. Credit head coach Bruce Cassidy for squeezing every last ounce of talent out of this bunch. The problem for Bean Town is that the Hurricanes have their own outstanding head coach in Rod Brind'Amour who just happens to have a much deeper team. Hurricanes in six.

Toronto vs. Tampa Bay: Auston Matthews will be the best player in this series. Unfortunately for the Maple Leafs, that's the only advantage they will have going for them. The Lightning are just too deep and too experienced. They also have the best goaltender on the planet in Andrei Vasilevskiy. Bolts in six.

Western Conference:

Colorado vs. Nashville: Imagine busting your ass over a full 82 game schedule just for the privilege of facing the Avalanche in the first round. The hockey gods are cruel indeed. The only way the Preds keep this close is if Roman Josi - a lock for the Norris trophy - plays like a maniac, and Juuse Saros steals a game or two. Otherwise, this could be a sweep. Avs in five.

Calgary vs. Dallas: And Joe Pavelski stayed for this? The Stars have the thinest roster of any team in the postseason, and that includes the Caps. Talk about a mismatch. Darryl Sutter has coached two Stanley Cup winning teams - both in LA. Calgary could be his third. Flames in four.

Edmonton vs. Los Angeles: If Jonathan Quick rediscovers his past magic, the Kings could make this an interesting series. But that's a tall order against the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Another lopsided series. Oilers in five.

Minnesota vs. St. Louis: Only a league as inept as the NHL could have two of the best teams in one conference meet in the first round. Seriously, either one of these teams could go to the finals, that's how good they both are. The Blues have nine 20 plus goal scorers - the most in the league - while the Wild have Kirill Kaprizov up front and Marc-Andre Fleury in goal. Wild in seven.

I'll make my predictions for round two when round one is over. No sense spoiling the anticipation. 

The Rangers at the Halfway Point

41 up, 41 down. Halfway through the 2021-22 season, the New York Rangers are 26-11-4, tied for first place in the Metropolitan division and fifth overall in the NHL with 56 points. If you had this team with that many points challenging for first place in late January you're a better person than me. Last night's disheartening loss to the Carolina Hurricanes notwithstanding, this season has been an unqualified success, so far.

I say so far, because while there are many things to be happy about, there are a few that continue to be a concern. Let's look at the record, shall we?

Against teams with losing records, the Rangers are 12-0-1. Against teams with winning records, their record is 14-11-3. However, against teams that are playoff contenders they're only 11-11-2, 1-5-1 against teams that are either in first place or tied for first.

What that means is that the Rangers are cleaning up against the bottom feeders in the league, as they should, but against the better teams, the results are more mixed. For instance, against teams that excel in the transition game like the Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes, they've been outscored 15-28, including last night's 6-3 drubbing in Raleigh. However, against the rest of the league, they've outscored their opponents 107-77.

So what we can conclude from the above statistics? For starters, despite the acquisitions Chris Drury made during the offseason, the Rangers remain a work in progress. While they have shown themselves to be far more resilient than last year's squad, they are still learning how to play a full sixty minutes. The last two games are a microcosm for how the season has gone, so far. In both games, the Rangers fell behind by two goals early. Against the Toronto Maple Leafs, they recovered and won going away; against a more disciplined and better-coached Hurricanes team, they weren't quite as fortunate.

Is this something to be concerned about? Most definitely. Assuming they make the playoffs - and at this point, with a majority of their remaining games at home, anything else would be seriously frowned upon by ownership, i.e., James Dolan - how far the Rangers go will be determined by how willing they are to play a complete game. Teams like the aforementioned Hurricanes will make quick work of them if they play like they did last night. Think '06 against the Devils. Yeah, that bad.

Part of the problem is psychological. The core of this team - Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome and Chris Kreider - are far more comfortable playing an east-west style of play. Head coach Gerard Gallant has tried to get them to play a more conventional, north-south style of play, with some success. The 4-0 win they had against the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning was the most compete game they've played all season. Zibanejad scored a hat trick, while Kreider picked up three assists. If Gallant could somehow bottle that performance and get his players to drink from it on a consistent basis, this team would be a legitimate Cup contender.

But, alas, he hasn't. And that's why it's incumbent upon Drury to look outside the organization to acquire the missing pieces that will give this team a fighting chance in the postseason. But which pieces should Drury be looking for?

Contrary to what I may have written before, I think it would behoove him to trade for a player with some grit, someone who can drive to the net and knows what to do with the puck when he gets there. Someone like Jesper Fast, for instance. It pains me to admit this but it was a mistake for management to let him go after the '20 season, especially when the Hurricanes are only paying him $2 million a year. Last night, the right winger scored his ninth goal of the season. To put that in perspective, that's only three less than Kaapo Kakko, Dryden Hunt, Julien Gauthier and Ryan Reaves have scored collectively.

If you're as embarrassed about that as I am, you're not alone. The entire league knows the Rangers don't have a legit top six right winger. Kakko has been ineffective on either the Strome or Zibanejad line, to put it mildly. Apart from his two-goal performance against the Coyotes in Arizona on December 15, the third-year forward has been virtually invisible the last two months. Filip Chytil, with the exception of a handful of games at right wing, has been a bust. And neither Hunt nor Gauthier are sufficiently talented enough to warrant being anything more than what they are: fourth liners. As for Barclay Goodrow, the Swiss-army knife's talents are being wasted as Gallant keeps shuffling him around the lineup, desperately looking for some spark that can jumpstart this team's anemic 5v5 play. Last night, his physicality drew a penalty that the Blueshirts converted on. The Rangers need more of that if they intend on making a deep run in the postseason.

The top five players are pulling their weight, but the drop off from there is profound. Among playoff teams, only the Boston Bruins have a similar drop off. Not even the Maple Leafs are this shallow. If this lack of depth isn't addressed, it will threaten the second half of their season. 

I'm guessing Drury already knows this, so look for him to make a move or two. The only question is cost. I don't expect him to part with any of the top prospects in the system, but the first round pick is definitely in play. Depending on how reasonable the other GMs are, help should be on the way soon. Fortunately, the Rangers will have an abundance of cap space at the trade deadline with which to accommodate salaries. That's what happens when you don't waste money on overpriced contracts just to appease the Twitter mob.

The bottom line is the Rangers, after 41 games, have exceeded even the most optimistic expectations. They are tied for first place in their division. They have some very exciting players, including Norris trophy winner Adam Fox and Vezina trophy candidate Igor Shesterkin. With the right additions they could surprise even the experts this spring. But if they do fall short of the Cup finals it will not be the end of the world.

After four long years in the wilderness, it's refreshing to have something to look forward to.

Where Do the Rangers Go From Here?

Now that the season is over, I thought I'd share some thoughts on what lies ahead for the Rangers. I'll confine my comments to the coaching staff and personnel.

Torts, Part Deux?

John Tortorella is out in Columbus, which should come as a surprise to absolutely no one who was paying attention. While the Blue Jackets did make the playoffs four times during his tenure, the bottom fell out this year and both sides had had enough. It's also no secret that James Dolan likes the former Rangers head coach and feels he never should have been fired back in 2013. But while Tortorella is still a good coach, his act is wearing a little thin around the league. He was single-handedly responsible for the trade that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to Winnipeg for Patrik Laine and then benched the latter when - surprise - he wound up in the doghouse. If Chris Drury decides to make a change behind the bench - and all reports indicate David Quinn's chances of being retained are 50/50 at best - he should stay as far away from Tortorella as possible. Quite frankly, the game has passed him by.

Kinkaid or Georgiev as backup goalie?

If, like me, you were wondering why Quinn decided to start Keith Kinkaid instead of Alexandar Georgiev in the season finale in Boston, it probably had to do with determining which goalie the Rangers are going to keep as Igor Shesterkin's backup. Both Kinkaid and Georgiev are signed through next season, but Kinkaid is making $825,000 while Georgiev is making $2.4 million. Assuming the organization believes Shesterkin can handle a workload of 60 games and Kinkaid can cut it in the backup role, they will likely expose Georgiev in the Seattle expansion draft and use the savings to re-sign Brendan Smith to a one-year deal. Keep in mind, Tyler Wall is also in the system and is currently on an entry level contract through next season, so the Rangers have depth at this position.

Eichel or No Eichel?

As expected, the Jack Eichel trade rumors have started up again. The Buffalo Sabres' center missed most of last season with an upper-body injury, but that hasn't stopped every beat writer around the NHL from pontificating on when, not if, the Rangers will land him, especially since Eichel has already hinted that he wants out. But as talented as Eichel is, he's basically a Mika Zibanejad clone. And at $10 million per season, he would tie up a substantial portion of the team's available cap space for the foreseeable future. Not to mention that in order to get him, the Rangers would have to pay a hefty price in players and perhaps even draft choices. The smart move is to bulk up on the wing and leave the center slot alone for now. But if Drury is under orders to improve this position, he should head down the Jersey Turnpike to Philadelphia. The Flyers had a horrific season and could be persuaded to move Sean Couturier for the right package. Couturier is a bonafide 30 goal scorer, who weighs 210 pounds, isn't shy in the corners, and, most importantly, won 56 percent of his face-offs this season. And his $4.3 million salary is far more manageable than Eichel's.

True Grit!

Not to beat a dead horse, but Oliver Wahlstrom scored his 12th goal for the Islanders Monday tonight against the Bruins. He could've been a Ranger. That being said, a number of unrestricted free agents will be available this off season and several of them could be attractive targets for the Blueshirts. Among the forwards, Blake Coleman - who I wrote about in my last piece - and Barclay Goodrow, would be outstanding additions. On defense, Jamie Oleksiak might be the best value in the league. He weighs a whopping 250 pounds, and at 28, he could anchor the backline for years to come. Then there's rookie Morgan Barron who made a favorable impression in the last few games of the season and should earn a spot on next year's roster. Imagine a fourth line of Goodrow on the left, Barron at center and Julien Gauthier on the right; and a third line of Coleman and Chris Kreider flanking Couturier in the middle. That would be a formidable bottom six. I'd like to see the Isles push those guys around.

The Messier factor.

Look, The Captain is my favorite Ranger of all time, but under no circumstances should he be given a prominent role in this organization. The last time the Rangers made the mistake of giving someone who was clearly unqualified the keys to the kingdom, it was Phil Esposito. And it took Neil Smith three years to overcome the damage he did. If Dolan wants to give Messier a job, he should hire him as an announcer for the MSG network. Maybe he can take over for Steve Valiquette, who seems to be bucking for an analytics position within the organization.

The Bottom Line.

The Rangers will have approximately $24 million in cap space to sign their own free agents and/or other teams free agents. That gives them a leg up on just about every team in the NHL. How well Drury spends that money will determine whether this team progresses or regresses. Based on how well Dolan handled not making the playoffs this year, the pressure to succeed couldn't be greater.

Bi-Polar Rangers Aren't All That Hard To Figure Out

We've seen this movie all too often throughout the season. It's a familiar pattern. The Rangers go on a hot streak and torch a few, shall we say, lower echelon teams, which gives fans hope that this rebuild, which started three years ago, is now on the verge of producing tangible fruit. Then they get shut down by a top-caliber playoff team and just like that, the air is let out of the balloon. As Robin Williams used to say, "Reality, what a concept."

After Sunday's drubbing of the Buffalo Sabres, the Blueshirts have the sixth best goals for and against differential in the NHL at plus 33. Their 164 goals are third best in the league; only the Capitals and Penguins have scored more. They are also the only team to have five players with 40 points or more. Their penalty killing is sixth best and they lead the league in short-handed goals. All very impressive stats.

And yet even with all that, this team is still four points behind the Boston Bruins for the last playoff spot in the East Division, with the Bruins having two games at hand. And their 56 points ranks as only 14th best out of 31 teams in the league. That is most certainly NOT very impressive.

So what can we surmise from these two sets of conflicting data? Simply put, the Rangers are two very different teams depending on the opposition. Against opponents that don't cover their own zone very well or prefer to play a wide open brand of hockey, the Rangers do extremely well. Their east/west style of play, so reminiscent of those free-wheeling '80s teams, allows them to generate scoring opportunities that lesser-skilled teams simply cannot compete with. Witness what they did to the Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils, two teams that are to defense what Napoleon was to height. Twice, the Rangers routed the Flyers (9-0 and 8-3), and against the Devils, they swept a recent four-game series in which they did not trail for a single second.

But against the Islanders, Capitals, Bruins and Penguins, teams that are considerably more disciplined in their own end and tend to employ a north/south brand of hockey, the Rangers have had a tough time generating offense. Stars like Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin, deprived of their ability to create off the rush, are reduced to virtual non-factors. For example, so far this season, Zibanejad has scored three hat tricks. The first two came against the Flyers in the above-mentioned routs; the third came against the Sabres this past Sunday. Take away those 9 goals and Zibanejad has a grand total of just 10 goals in 46 games. That comes out to about 18 goals over the course of a full season. And keep in mind, eight of those 46 games were against the Devils, a team they've beaten six times.

Conclusion? This is very talented team with serious flaws that must be addressed in the offseason if it is ever going to become a playoff team, much less a contender. Yes, there are a lot of rookie and second-year players on the roster, but that shouldn't be an excuse. Adam Fox and K'Andre Miller are not the problem here. Nor is Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere. Fox is having a Norris-trophy type season, Miller is fast becoming a dependable defenseman, and Kakko and Lafreniere are improving with each game.

No, it is the core of this team that is the main problem. In short, the stars just aren't pulling their weight. In addition to the issues Zibanejad and Panarin have against tight-checking teams, Chris Kreider is a 210 pound player who plays more like a 170 pounder, which has rightfully earned him a demotion to the third line. Filip Chytil, now in his third season, has yet to blossom into the top-six forward the Rangers were hoping he'd be. And while Ryan Strome has done a good job centering Panarin, he too has a habit of disappearing in big games. Plus next season is his walk year.

With so many red flags, you'd think Jeff Gorton and John Davidson would've gotten the memo by now. Yet every indication is that they don't think there's anything all that wrong, at least not with the forwards anyway. The defense, well that's another matter. 

Larry Brooks of The New York Post is reporting that during the offseason the Rangers made an offer to 43 year-old Zdeno Chara. According to Brooks, it was serious enough that they were "in the hunt until the last minute" before Chara finally decided to sign with the Capitals. Granted, Gorton had no way of knowing that Miller would develop so quickly, but the move reveals both his and the organization's thinking. And that thinking is deeply concerning.

Because this team, even with all its flaws, is still mathematically alive for a playoff spot, and the fear is that coach David Quinn will keep playing the same horses that have consistently come up short in the crunch. Meanwhile, Morgan Barron, a center who had a good year in Hartford and is 220 pounds, still hasn't been called up. Julien Gauthier, a 230 pound winger, hasn't played in weeks because for some strange reason Quinn is still in love with Brett Howden, despite the fact that Howden has a whopping one goal and six assists this season.

There's no other way to put this. Quinn is making a tactical error that may help him in the short run but will come back to bite him in the long run. What he and Gorton should be doing with the remaining games this season is to find out what they have in the cupboard. Barron and Gauthier should be in the lineup and given significant ice time. Vitali Kravtsov should be paired alongside Panarin to see whether he is the real deal. And it is time to find out if Kakko was worth the second overall pick two years ago.

If I were in charge I'd set my lines up this way: 

Forward Line One: Lafreniere, Zibanejad, Kakko

Forward Line Two: Panarin, Chytil, Kravtsov

Forward Line Three: Kreider, Strome, Buchnevich

Forward Line Four: Rooney, Barron, Gauthier

Defense Pairing One: Miller, Trouba

Defense Pairing Two: Jones, Fox

Defense Pairing Three: Lindgren, Smith

By moving Lafreniere, Kakko, Chytil and Kravtsov up to the top six, the Rangers will be able to evaluate who will be the odd-man out during the offseason. And make no mistake about it: not all of these forwards are going to be here next season. One or more may be dangled in a trade to get the help this team needs. It is essential that Gorton and Davidson make an "informed" decision before pulling the trigger. What the organization can't afford to do after going through this rebuild process is to have the player or players they give up come back and haunt them for the next decade. It's been 45 years since Rick Middleton was given away for Ken Hodge and 34 years since Mike Ridley and Kelly Miller were sent packing for Bobby Carpenter. Rangers' fans still haven't forgiven the team for those colossal blunders. Some wounds never heal. The goal should be no more blunders.

On defense, Zac Jones has looked real good so far and has even gotten some time on the second power-play unit. He picked up his first assist against the Sabres, Sunday. Pairing him with Fox makes sense. The more ice time this kid gets the better he'll become. And let's not forget that Braden Schneider - all 200 pounds of him - is waiting in the wings. Imagine a one-two punch of Trouba on one defense pairing and Schneider on the next. Not bad. Trust me, defense is the last thing management should be concerned about. They're loaded.

The bottom line is this: The Rangers are not a playoff team. Despite some flashes of brilliance, the sauce isn't quite cooked enough. What management should be doing is getting all their cards lined up so they know whether they have a full house or a pair of duces.

Rangers vs. Hurricanes: An In-depth Look

The other day I previewed the NHL Play-in round and gave each series a quick synopsis. But I wanted to take a more in-depth look at the Rangers - Hurricanes matchup, because, in my opinion, this is the most intriguing series in the opening round and I thought it deserved a closer look.

First off, I agree that the regular season shouldn't be the ultimate decider when choosing a winner. Yes, the Rangers won all four of their meetings with the Hurricanes, but two of those games were close and the first - in Raleigh - could very well have been a rout for the Canes had it not been for Henrik Lundqvist practically standing on his head.

I also stipulate that this Rangers team, despite an impressive second half, is still learning how to win and was way too inconsistent for my tastes, especially on defense, where they ranked near the bottom of the league in goals allowed. Even if they do beat Carolina, the prospects for them making it past the next round are slim to none, especially if they wind up playing the Bruins.

That being said, two points separated these teams, and given that they have a decided edge at forward in goal, as well as in goal, I feel pretty optimistic about the Blueshirts chances in this series. Let's break it down.

Forward:

There's no doubt the Hurricanes' top line of Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov  is quite imposing. It's arguably one of the best in the league. The Rangers will have their hands full trying to contain them. But once you get past that line, the pickens are slim. Jordan Staal is their second line center and he scored a whopping 8 goals. Trade deadline acquisition Vincent Trocheck only netted 11, one with the Canes. And Justin Williams, yes that Justin Williams, is living on borrowed time at 38. Nothing about these guys puts the fear of God into me.

The Rangers boast two of the best forwards in the league in Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. The problem for opposing coaches is that they play on two different lines. Zibanejad scored an amazing 41 goals in just 57 regular season games. That's a higher goal per game percentage than Alex Ovechkin. He centers a line with Chris Kreider on the left and Pavel Buchnevich on the right. Panarin finished the season with 95 points and could be the best left wing in the game. Ryan Strome centers this line with Jesper Fast on the right side.

Even if you could make the argument that the Hurricanes back six forwards are better than the Rangers back six forwards, which I don't agree with, there's no denying the fact that up front at least, New York is loaded here. In fact, the Hurricanes have only three forwards with over 40 points, while the Rangers have five. Don't be shocked if David Quinn moves Brett Howden to left wing with Filip Chytil in the middle and Kappo Kakko on the right to get more offense on the third line. The kids, as they're called, are all 21 and under.

Edge: Rangers

Defense:

The Hurricanes were very stingy when it came to giving up goals. In fact, they were 6th in the league in goals allowed. And with a healthy Dougie Hamilton, this would've been a formidable group. Unfortunately for the Canes, he still hasn't fully recovered from the injury he sustained in January. If he's unable to play in this series, this will be a huge blow to Carolina.

The Rangers, on the other hand, were 24th in the league in goals allowed. They also gave up way too many shots on goal, often forcing their goaltenders to make incredible saves. But offensively, this is as good a group of defensemen as you'd want. Tony DeAngelo finished the season with 58 points, fourth best on the team, while rookie Adam Fox, a gift from the Hurricanes, had 42 points, good for seventh overall.

Edge: If Hamilton plays, slight edge to Hurricanes; if not, even.

Goal:

This isn't even close. The Hurricanes will go with Petr Mrazek, who is certainly capable, but hardly an elite net minder. How they didn't address this area during the season is beyond me. Instead of taking Brady Skjei and his $5.25 million contract off the Rangers hands, they should've inquired about either Henrik Lundqvist or Alexandar Georgiev. Either would've been a vast improvement over Mrazek.

The Rangers are the only team in the tournament to boast three number one goalies on their roster, one of which won't even dress in Toronto. Expect Igor Shesterkin to start. All he did was go 10-2 with a 2.52 goals against average. If he falters, Lundqvist is waiting in the wings. As I said, this isn't even close.

Edge: Rangers by a ton.

Intangibles:

The Hurricanes went to the conference finals last year and have the edge over the Rangers in experience, but the Bueshirts have the youth and explosiveness to overcome that. That makes them a very dangerous playoff team.

Edge: Rangers.

Coaching:

Both Rod Brind'Armour and David Quinn are second year coaches, but Brind'Armour has more relevant experience having coached his team deep into last year's playoffs, not to mention having spent 10 seasons as a player with Carolina. Both are excellent at getting their respective teams ready to play.

Edge: Even.

Based on the above, the Rangers have the clear advantage in this series. They're deeper than the Hurricanes at every position and they're more explosive, which after a long hiatus will benefit them greatly in a short series.

Rangers in four.

Rangers Had Themselves A Pretty Good Day

I so seldom have the opportunity to say this about one of the teams I root for, but here goes. The Rangers had themselves a pretty good day yesterday. In fact, it was one of the best days the organization has had in quite some time. And that's saying something, given that last year they chose Kappo Kakko with their first-round pick and signed Artemi Panarin. Larry Brooks of the New York Post put it best: "The Rangers are finally back."

Going into the trade deadline, it was looking more and more like the Rangers were going to trade pending unrestricted free agent Chris Kreider to one of several teams for a first round pick and a top prospect. Supposedly, the Colorado Avalanche and the Boston Bruins were the most likely destinations for Kreider.

Both sides, it seemed, were at an impasse. Kreider, multiple sources said, wanted $7 million a year for six years, the Rangers were willing to go as high as $6 million per. Given that Kreider's market value as a free agent would probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of $7.5 million a year, a trade seemed imminent.

But then both sides compromised and met in the middle. They finally came up with a deal that will pay Kreider $6.5 million per year, but for seven years. The extra year was, no doubt, a concession from the organization to keep Kreider in a Rangers' uniform throughout the rest of his playing career.

One cannot overlook the significance of this deal. Ever since Jeff Gorton informed Rangers' fans in February of 2018 that the organization was going to rebuild, the Blueshirts have been in sell mode. There are now only four players left from the team that went to the Stanley Cup finals back in 2014: Henrik Lundqvist, Marc Staal, Jesper Fast and Kreider. And Fast, it should be noted, played only 11 games that year with no points.

A lot of talented players have been shipped out since then and a lot of promising prospects have taken their place. But prospects don't always pan out the way you think they will. And even for a fan base as loyal as the Rangers, management had to give them something to hope for. So Gorton and team president John Davidson rolled up their sleeves, sharpened their pencils and made it happen.

Kreider was having himself one helluva season going into the trade deadline, which usually translates into landing a bigger haul. Either those offers weren't enticing enough or Gorton and Davidson simply decided that it was more important to keep an integral member of this team in the fold. Regardless, it was the correct thing to do. Maybe the last three years of this contract don't equal the first four; that's the chance you take when you sign a player to a deal like this. There's always an element of risk, on both sides. Kreider undoubtedly left a lot of money on the table; and the Rangers compensated him by agreeing to the extra year. Both sides got what they wanted: Kreider got the security of a long-term deal; the Rangers locked up a valued asset at a reduced price.

But Gorton and Davidson weren't done. Now that they locked up Kreider, they had another problem: how to pay him. It should be no secret that next year the Rangers were going to be carrying a lot of dead-cap space, the vast majority of it courtesy of their decision to buy out Kevin Shattenkirk before the start of this season. The amount of that hit comes to $6.1 million, only $400 thousand less than what Kreider will earn. And with three restricted free agents to contend with during the off season - two of them in line to receive significant pay increases - the Rangers were looking at cap hell if they didn't get some relief, and soon.

So they traded Brady Skjei to the Carolina Hurricanes for a first-round pick. For all intents and purposes, it was a salary dump. Skjei was in the second year of a six year contract worth $5.25 million per. Without him on the books next year, the Rangers will have the resources necessary to retain all their RFAs in the off season, and maybe even add a depth player.

So why would the Rangers give up on a promising defenseman who's only 25, especially when they don't have a lot of depth on the left side? Apart from the monetary relief trading him gave them, the fact is that there are currently two players in the system who are projected to be better than Skjei and could compete for roster spots next year: the first is Libor Hajek, the throw in from the Tampa Bay  Lightning in the Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller trade two seasons ago, who is having an outstanding year with the Hartford Wolfpack; the second is 2018 first-round pick K'Andre Miller, who is currently playing for the University of Wisconsin, but could be playing for the Blueshirts next year. And let's not forget that Marc Staal and Brendon Smith are still under contract for 2020-21 and are hardly chopped liver.

To sum up, yesterday was a pretty good day for the Rangers. They kept an important cog in an engine that is a couple of years away from possibly contending for the Stanley Cup, and they did it while clearing the cap room necessary to keep their core together for the foreseeable future. To the fans who have been patient throughout this whole process, they can now take comfort in the knowledge that this organization, while not completely done retooling, has nonetheless committed to putting a winning product on the ice.

What the Panarin Signing Means For the Rangers

Now this is what I call an off season. Since hiring John Davidson to be their President of Hockey Operations, the Rangers have been on quite a roll.

First they acquired defenseman Adam Fox from the Carolina Hurricanes for a second round pick. Next they fleeced the Winnipeg Jets out of defenseman Jacob Trouba for what amounted to Neal Pionk and the same first round pick they received for Kevin Hayes at last year's trading deadline. Then with their own number one pick they drafted Kaapo Kakko, the player everyone agrees is going to be a star in this league.

For most organizations, that would be a pretty good haul. But Davidson and company weren't done. On the first day of free agency, they signed Artemi Panarin - arguably the best player on the board - to a 7 year $81.5 million dollar contract. The cap hit comes out to $11.6 million per year, meaning the Rangers will have to do some pruning in order to sign their other players and still remain under the salary cap. As of this moment they have just over $8 million in cap space and they still need to sign their RFAs: Trouba, Brendan Lemieux, Pavel Buchnevich and Tony Deangelo. Assuming Trouba gets $7 million - he was making $5.5 last season - Buchnevich gets $3 million and Lemieux and Deangelo each get a million, that puts the Rangers $4 million over the cap. With the deadline for buyouts expiring this past Sunday, trades are the only option available to G.M. Jeff Gorton.

So who goes? The smart money's on Chris Kreider who, at $4.6 million against the cap, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after this season and, apart from Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, is the team's most marketable player. He could easily fetch a first round pick. But ask yourself this question: Does this team really need another first round pick or bodies that can help them win? I submit the latter. With that in mind, I think Gorton should do everything possible to keep Kreider. Players who can score between 25 and 30 goals a season don't grow on trees. In fact, the Rangers just ponied up $81 million to get their hands on one.

Yes, I know Kreider can be an enigma. He had 20 goals halfway through last season and just 8 the rest of the way, but part of that slump was due to the fact that Mats Zuccarello, his line mate, had been dealt at the trade deadline. I'd hate to give up on him only to see him become a star elsewhere. Will he demand a huge pay raise? Of course, but keep in mind, the Rangers are currently carrying $3.6 million in dead cap space courtesy of the Dan Girardi buyout two years ago. Next year, that number goes down to $1.1 million. That's a net gain of $2.5 million, all of which can go to Kreider.

If I were management, I'd try to get what I can for Vladislav Namestnikov, who at $4 million against the cap, has been a bust since he came here as part of the Ryan McDonagh deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Even if all they get is a second or third round pick, it's worth it. I'd much rather move an underperforming player than one who could play an integral part in a resurgent team looking to make its first post season appearance in three years.

But apart from the cap concerns, Panarin is the most significant acquisition this team has made in quite some time. He isn't just a scorer, he's a complete player who makes others around him better. He was clearly the best player for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season and he led the team in playoff scoring with 11 points in 10 games. He's Rick Nash, if Nash had been a clutch player. Don't be surprised if head coach David Quinn doesn't have Zibanejad centering a line with Panarin on the left and Kakko on the right.

And now for the sixty-four thousand dollar question. Does Panarin get the Rangers into the playoffs? That depends on whether the "kids" develop the way everybody hopes they do. Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson - both centers - will be entering their second NHL season and one of them has to blossom in order for this team to have a legitimate second line. Brett Howden and Ryan Strome will likely center the third and fourth lines. If Kreider stays, his presence will greatly enhance the team's chances of a post-season spot.

One thing's for certain: this year's Rangers will be a lot more entertaining to watch than last year's, and the following year will be even better. As this core grows up and begins to establish itself, we could be looking at a truly solid team for years to come. Once Henrik Lundqvist and Marc Staal are gone in two years, this will be one of the youngest teams in the league.

The group of players that Glen Sather assembled over a decade ago came close a couple of times to drinking from Lord Stanley's Cup. Maybe with Davidson at the helm this time around, lady luck might shine her light on this organization and bless it with a championship or two.

1994 is getting to be a long time ago.