Rangers Have No One But Themselves to Blame If They Miss the Playoffs

It's come down to this: the New York Rangers currently sit two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Each team has seven games left in the regular season. While the Rangers own the tie breaker by virtue of having more regulation wins, they have the tougher schedule. If the Habs go just 5-2, the Blueshirts would have to go 6-1 to make the playoffs. A herculean task to be sure, but one which they brought on themselves. 

There's no easy way to put this: if the Rangers fail to make the playoffs, they will have no but themselves to blame. Throughout the season, they have had more than enough opportunities to move up in the standings. Having gone through a hellish December in which they went 3-12-0, they began to turn things around in January. After an inspiring 2-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on January 11, New York had finally clawed its way back to the .500 mark.

But they were never able to build any momentum. They'd win two in a row, then lose a game; they'd win another two in a row, followed by another loss; they'd win two more in a row, only to lose three in a row. The last time the Rangers won three games in a row was back on November 19 against the Vancouver Canucks. Their longest win streak of the season was four games back in October. How bad is that? The Nashville Predators - who with 62 points have been an even bigger disappointment than the Rangers - have had two four-game win streaks and one three-game win streak this season.

But it's the manner in which this team loses games that is the most disconcerting. Since the beginning of the new year, the Rangers have lost seven times when they've held leads or been tied in the third period. 

January 7 vs the Dallas Stars at the Garden. The Rangers led 4-3 with three minutes to go in regulation when K'Andre Miller coughed up the puck in his zone. The Stars tied the game and won it in overtime. 

January 14 @ the Colorado Avalanche. The Rangers were clinging to a 2-1 lead late in the third period when Igor Shesterkin gave up a rebound that Arturi Lehkonen pounced on to tie the game. The Avs went on to win it in OT.

January 19 @ the Montreal Canadiens. Once again the Rangers had a third period lead; once again they gave up the tying goal and lost in overtime. 

January 26 vs the Avalanche at the Garden. The Rangers fought back from a two-goal deficit to tie the game with five minutes to go in the third period. Cale Makar then took a penalty with less than three minutes to go in regulation. The Rangers not only didn't score on the ensuing power play, but Will Borgen's ill-advised, cross-ice pass in the offensive zone was intercepted by Makar, who then sped down the ice to set up the game-winning goal with 15 seconds left.

March 5 vs the Washington Capitals at the Garden. In one of their most inspiring efforts of the season, the Rangers led the Caps 2-1 with just over 11 minutes to go in the third period, when Zac Jones took a hooking penalty. Alex Ovechkin scored on the power play to tie the game and Tom Wilson won it in OT.

March 8 @ the Ottawa Senators. This one hurt. The Rangers had a two-goal lead with 10 minutes to go in regulation. The Sens scored twice to force overtime and won it on a turnover by K'Andre Miller. 

March 28 @ the Anaheim Ducks. This one REALLY hurt. The Rangers led by two goals twice in the game, yet still couldn't hold on for the win. The Ducks scored the game-tying goal off a 4 on 2 with less than two minutes to go in regulation, and then went on to win it in OT.

Think about it: if the Rangers had just two of those squandered points back, they'd currently be above the cut line in the wild card race. If they had four of them back, they'd be in the driver's seat right now. 

This team has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory so many times throughout the 2024-25 season, it's a wonder they're still mathematically alive for a playoff spot at all. And when you look at their remaining games - @ the Devils, vs the Lightning, vs the Flyers, @ the Islanders, @ the Hurricanes, @ the Panthers, and vs the Lightning - it's hard to see how they get in, especially when you consider who the Canadiens have left to play: vs the Flyers, @ the Predators, vs the Red Wings, @ the Senators, @ the Maple Leafs, vs the Blackhawks & vs the Hurricanes.

But regardless of what happens over the next few days, the Rangers may have found themselves a budding, young star in Gabe Perrault. The 23rd pick in the 2023 Entry Draft looked good against the Minnesota Wild the other night. Twice he came close to picking up an assist. He may not be the fastest skater in the league, but his passing skills were on full display in that game. Peter Laviolette was wise to put him in the top six. With so many aging forwards on this roster, it is incumbent on the organization to develop what young talent they have, especially given how Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere were brought along early in their careers. Indeed, if, as expected, Chris Drury unloads Chris Kreider over the summer, and then somehow convinces Mika Zibanejad to waive his NMC, the Rangers might have one of the younger lineups in the NHL next season.

But that's next season. We still have seven games left in this one. Anything can happen.

Yogi Berra used to say, "It ain't over till it's over."

Then again, Bob Dylan once sang, "It's not dark yet, but it's getting there."

One of them is right.

Drury Retools on the Fly

To paraphrase that classic line from the Mel Brooks movie Blazing Saddles: "Memo? We don't need no stinkin' memo!"

Regardless of how you feel about Chris Drury, he's never been one to pussyfoot around when it comes to making changes to the roster. Coming off a season in which the New York Rangers won the Presidents' trophy for the first time in nine years, Drury took a long, hard look at his team and concluded it wasn't good enough to win the Stanley Cup. So he went to work.

Barclay Goodrow was waived in June; Jacob Trouba was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in December for Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick; Kaapo Kakko was traded to the Seattle Kraken - also in December - for Will Borgen and a '25 third and sixth-round pick; Arthur Kaliyev was picked up off waivers from the L.A. Kings in early January; Filip Chytil was traded to the Vancouver Canucks, along with Victor Mancini and a conditional first-round pick, at the end of January for J.T. Miller; Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey were traded to the Colorado Avalanche in March for Calvin de Haan, Juuso Parssinen and a '25 second and fourth-round pick; Reilly Smith, who was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins over the summer, was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights the day before the trade deadline for Brendan Brisson and a '25 third-round pick from the San Jose Sharks; and, then Drury sent that third-rounder to Vancouver yesterday for Carson Soucy.

In just nine months, Drury has turned over almost a third of his roster. Think about it: Jeff Gorton needed two years to "rebuild" the Rangers; his successor appears to have "retooled" it in less than half that time. More importantly, by resisting the urge to give up draft capital going after high-priced rentals at the deadline, he has put himself in position to add the pieces he needs over the summer to get this team back into contention for the 2025-26 season. And unlike that 2017-18 team, this team still has a chance to make the playoffs, even with the last two disappointing OT losses. 

Really, if you think Drury sucks as a GM, all I can say is you either haven't been paying attention or you don't know much about hockey. The fact is this is a tougher, grittier team than the one that got eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference finals last year. If anything, Drury should get credit for smelling the caffeine and cutting his losses. I guarantee you the same people who are calling for his head now will erect a statue to him if this team goes on to win a Cup in the near future.

The more I think about it, the more this Rangers team reminds me of the 1992-93 team. If you recall, that team also struggled after winning the Presidents' trophy the year before. Neil Smith acquired Kevin Lowe and Esa Tikkanen during the season, and even though the Blueshirts missed the playoffs, they went on to win the Cup in 1994.

Now I'm not predicting history will repeat itself here; after all, that Rangers team had Mark Messier. And as good as J.T. Miller is, no one who isn't high on crack would ever confuse him for The Captain. But there is a quality Miller possesses that this core has sadly lacked the last few seasons that is already beginning to rub off on his teammates. If Drury can add a few more players like him over the summer, who knows what could happen. If I had to grade his moves, I'd give him an A minus.

Which leads me to my first NHL post trade deadline rankings in two years. I'll just do the top five teams in each conference. 

Eastern Conference:

Florida Panthers: They were already the front runners going into the deadline. With the addition of Seth Jones and Brad Marchant, they are the prohibitive favorites to come out of the conference. 

Tampa Bay Lightning: Julien BriseBois reacquired Yanni Gourde and landed Oliver Bjorkstrand to beef up his bottom six. The goaltending speaks for itself.

Washington Capitals: What a turnaround for a team that barely squeaked into the playoffs last season. They're big and explosive, and they're well coached.

Toronto Maple Leafs: They added some beef on the blue line, but as always, it'll come down to what the fab four do.

Carolina Hurricanes: They traded a point per game player for a player who scored 6 points in 13 games. Then when that player said he wouldn't re-up with them, they traded him for a player who's scored 29 points in 59 games. BTW, they still don't have a 2C or an elite goalie, but then you already knew that.

Western Conference:

Vegas Golden Knights: They reacquired Reilly Smith, but that's about it. Truth is, they didn't need to do much to this roster. They're already loaded.

Dallas Stars: They stole Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes for two first rounders and a bottom six forward. I see a Dallas / Vegas conference final. 

Colorado Avalanche: The additions of Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle give them badly needed depth at center. Were it not for the Stars and Knights, they'd be the favorites in this conference. 

Winnipeg Jets: They might very well win the Presidents' trophy, and Connor Hellebuyck the Vezina. But I'll believe they're legit when I actually see them win in the playoffs.

Edmonton Oilers: Jake Walman will help them on the blue line, and Trent Frederic will give them some badly needed muscle up front. But Stan Bowman would've done better getting a goalie. 

And my pick for the Stanley Cup finals:

Panthers over Golden Knights 4-3

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.

The More Things Change...

In the end, relentlessness won out over resiliency. The relentless Florida Panthers were simply too much for the resilient New York Rangers to handle. Goodbye 1994 parallels; hello futility.

Going into their series against the Panthers, the Rangers knew they needed to have three things go their way in order to have a shot at advancing to the finals: 1. They needed to play almost flawless hockey; 2. They needed to win the special teams battle; and 3. They needed to have Igor Shresterkin be the best player on the ice. As it turned out, one out of three wasn't nearly good enough.

While stats don't always tell you everything about a series, in this case they did. And the stats were not kind to the Rangers: Overall scoring chances: 191-140 Florida; High-danger scoring chances 55-38 Florida; Power play efficiency: Florida 5-19 (26.3%), New York 1-15 (6.7); Shots on goal: 202-151 Florida. About the only stat the Rangers managed to win was save percentage, where Shesterkin edged out his counterpart Sergei Bobrovsky .930 to .921. Indeed, it was only due to the sheer brilliance of the former Vezina-trophy winner that the games were as close as they were. He stole game three, but he couldn't steal the series.

Given the expectations this team had going into the postseason, this will be a very bitter pill to swallow. For the second time in three years, the Rangers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals only to fall short. There will be a lot of questions that need answers to, but before we get to that, let's first acknowledge the accomplishments, and there were several.

The Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy. They set a franchise record with 55 regular-season wins. They led the NHL with 34 come-from-behind victories. Apart from January, where they went 5-7-2, they were the lead dog pretty much the entire year. Their 154 regular-season wins over the last three seasons is fourth best in the league, while their 54 playoff wins since 2014 is tied with the Dallas Stars for third best. Alexis Lafreniere had a break out year under Peter Laviolette. And though they lost to the Panthers, they can boast that they are better than the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Boston Bruins, and, oh yes, the Carolina Hurricanes, whom they've now beaten two out of the last three years.

That's a list of accomplishments most teams would give their eye teeth to have. Whatever else you might think about how the season went, between the two of them, Jeff Gorton and Chris Drury assembled a team that is no worse than fourth best in the NHL. And if they hadn't had the misfortune of going up against the Panthers in the conference finals, they might very well be opening up this Saturday night at the Garden against the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals.

But here's the thing: they did have the misfortune of going up against the Panthers: a team that, pound for pound, was the most complete in the NHL. And let's be honest. For all their elite talent, the Rangers Kryptonite has always been physically imposing teams that take away the middle of the ice. Against the Blueshirts, the Panthers put on a clinic.

So now we get to the number one question: what does Drury do this offseason? Clearly changes will have to be made. The Rangers have three players who are RFAs this summer: Kaapo Kakko, Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider. Does Drury re-sign all three? Or does he trade one or more of them? If it's the latter, the likely one to go is Kakko. For all the intangibles the former number two pick in the 2019 NHL Draft brings to the table, the fact is he just hasn't worked out. Even under Laviolette, Kakko remains a bottom six forward. In hindsight, it was a mistake for Drury not to package him at the trade deadline for a proven scorer.

Lindgren and Schneider made $3 million and $925,000 respectively this past season and both are due for a pay raise. Drury can probably bridge Schneider the way he did with K'Andre Miller and Alexis Lafreniere. $2m x 2 should just about do it. But Lindgren will be a little trickier. He's looking at a multi-year deal in the neighborhood of $4.5 million per. Does Drury want to invest that much in a defenseman who might be the second coming of Dan Girardi? If he can keep the term down to three years, the answer might be yes.

When it comes to the UFAs, it's fair to say that Jack Roslovic, Alex Wennberg, Blake Wheeler, and Erik Gustafsson have all played their last game as a Ranger. The former two were rentals and Drury is not known for re-signing rentals; the latter two were signed last summer to one year deals and have outlived their usefulness. With Brennan Othmann in Hartford, Zac Jones, Matt Rempe and Jonny Brodzinski on the bench, and a - hopefully - healthy Filip Chytil, the Rangers should have plenty of options to fill out their bottom six without going outside the organization.

But the real question for Drury concerns the core of this team. This is now the third year in a row that is has failed to deliver in the clutch. Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider were held to two points a piece against the Panthers. Artemi Panarin had a goal and three assists, while Adam Fox had four assists. As for Jacob Trouba, he was on the ice for more than half the Panthers goals. The cap hit for all five of these players comes out to just over $44 million, or roughly 50 percent of next year's salary cap. Only the Maple Leafs (61.6%) have more salary tied up in their top five players.

We now know that Fox re-injured his knee on that collision with Nick Jensen in game four of the Capitals series. That would explain why he was, apart from a couple of games, a non-factor in the second and third rounds. We'll never know how the Rangers power play would've performed if Fox had been 100 percent. However, the fact that it went 2-25 over the team's last 10 playoff games cannot be a coincidence. 

But while Fox may get a mulligan, the other four have no excuse. Zibanejad, in particular, had a very disappointing season, especially at 5v5, where he was one of the worst centers in the league. Panarin had a career high 49 goals during the regular season, but only one over the Rangers last nine playoff games. After recording a hat trick in the series clincher against the Hurricanes, Kreider had just one goal - a shorthander - in six games against the Panthers. And Trouba's performance was so bad, Laviolette was forced to demote him to the third pairing with Gustafsson.

Does Drury really want to run it back next season with this core? A better question might be what choice does he have? Zibanejad and Panarin both have NMC (no-move clause) contracts, meaning they would have to approve any trade. Kreider and Trouba have 15 team NTC (no-trade clause) contracts. The problem with NTCs is that the teams that have the cap space to take on a large contract are typically the ones on the no-trade list, while the teams that aren't on the no-trade list rarely have the cap space to take on said contract.

In other words, barring a miracle, any speculation involving a trade for Brady Trachuk is just that: speculation. With the Rangers having just over $11 million in available cap space and only 18 players signed next season, Drury is going to have to do pretty much what he did last summer: shop at the bargain basement. store. And after the postseason he had, it's unlikely that Barclay Goodrow will be bought out. If anything, the Rangers need more players like him, not fewer. Jake DeBrusk could be just what the doctor ordered, if Drury if he can shed some salary.

Look, I realize things may seem bleak right now. But here's something that should cheer you up. Among the playoff teams in the Eastern Conference that were eliminated, the Rangers are actually best positioned to make a deep run next year. I'm not joking. The Bruins need, not one, but two centers; the Maple Leafs, despite all that top-tier talent, still can't get out of the first round; the Lightning are finally paying the price for manipulating the salary cap all those years; and the Hurricanes will likely lose several key pieces of their team to free agency, plus their goaltending is suspect. Even the Panthers will have to make some tough choices over the summer.

Bottom line: the glass is half full, Rangers fans. Enjoy the summer.

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.

The Sunshine Snatch

This just in: Authorities in Sunrise, Florida are investigating an alleged heist that took place at Amerant Bank Arena yesterday afternoon. The Florida Panthers, according to law enforcement officials, were robbed of what should've been a win and a 2-1 series lead against the New York Rangers. While they don't yet know the identity of the culprit, they do have a description. He's 6-1, 197 lbs, and was last seen driving on I-95 wearing a goalie mask. Police are encouraging anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of this individual to contact their local precinct before game four on Tuesday.

Seriously, what happened in game three made the 1978 Lufthansa heist look like a couple kids stealing their buddy's lunch money. Igor Shesterkin - the above culprit, in case you were wondering - has stolen many a game in his relatively brief career as an NHL goaltender. None could compare with what we witnessed yesterday afternoon, especially in the third period, when the Rangers spent most of the twenty minutes trapped in their own end. After tying the score at 4 at the 6:58 mark, the Panthers tried repeatedly to get the go-ahead goal, but were turned away each and every time. Not even a time out called by Peter Laviolette with 11:30 left in regulation was able to stem the onslaught.

It was, without a doubt, the worst period of hockey the Rangers have played in these playoffs, and that includes the third period in game five against the Carolina Hurricanes. Conversely, it was the Panthers best period, certainly in this series. Which makes the result - a 5-4 OT win for the Blueshirts - that much more remarkable.

Consider the following: The Rangers are 0-8 on the power play through three games; their top players - Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider and Adam Fox - have yet to score a goal; and the team as a whole has played maybe four good periods of hockey the entire series. By any objective metric, the Panthers should be up 2-1 instead of down 1-2. And yet, strange as it may seem, the Rangers are two wins away from their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in ten years.

The lack of production from the stars is becoming alarming and is unsustainable. As Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post pointed out, "Either the Rangers are so deep that they might be unbeatable, or their stars are in such a slump that they might be doomed." Yesterday, it looked more like the former as Barclay Goodrow - AKA Clarke Gillies - scored a pair of goals, the latter while New York was shorthanded, and Alex Wennberg - one goal in 19 regular-season games as a Ranger and none in the playoffs - netted the game winner in OT.

But if New York wants to avoid the latter, it must get its power play going, and soon. As I wrote in my last piece, "there is no pathway to a Stanley Cup for the Rangers that doesn't include a productive power play." The Panthers, with one power play goal in game two and two in game three, are winning the special teams battle. Their relentless forechecking is starting to take its toll. Eventually, it will wear the Rangers down. It's only a matter of time. Resiliency can only take you so far in the postseason. Just ask the New York Knicks.

Look, the Panthers are the bigger team; that's pretty obvious. The Rangers, when they get their transition game going, are the faster one. We've seen examples of that speed in this series. We need to see more, a lot more.

Two years ago, the Rangers held a 2-1 lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals before finally running out of gas. This year's team didn't have to play as many games to get to this point. That could prove to be the difference between winning the Cup or falling short.

We'll know soon enough if it is.

Goody Enough

For sixty minutes, the New York Rangers threw everything they had at the Florida Panthers. They fought tooth and nail for every inch of ice. They scraped, they clawed, they hit and they got hit. They were twice the team they were in game one. And all it got them was a 1-1 tie going into overtime. The Panthers, having won game one at the Garden 3-0, and with it home ice, were playing with house money. A win would give them a stranglehold on the series going back to their home arena. The Rangers were looking at an almost impossible task, one that only one team since 1945 had accomplished: winning a best of seven conference or league final series after dropping the first two games at home.

Barclay Goodrow's snapshot from the slot at 14:01 of OT didn't just win the game for the Rangers, it saved their season. If ever there was a must win situation, last night was it. So now the Presidents' Trophy winners get an opportunity to recapture home ice with a split in Sunrise, Florida. The hockey gods were indeed merciful, for a change.

But while Goodrow's teammates celebrated their good fortune, there is still much work that needs to be done if this team is to advance to the finals for the first time since 2014, and only the second time since their Cup year of 1994. For starters, the special teams have been anything but special of late. After going 11-25 on the power play in their first six postseason games, the Rangers have gone 1-16 over their last six, including 0-4 last night. The Rangers record over those first six games was 6-0; over the last six, it's 3-3.

The concern is palpable. Going into this series with the Panthers, the Rangers had two advantages going for them: their goaltending and their power play. Well, Igor Shesterkin has held up his end of the bargain. The former Vezina Trophy winner has gone toe to toe with Sergei Bobrovsky. Not counting the own goal Alexis Lafreniere deflected past him in game one, Shesterkin has stopped 51 of 53 shots on goal for a .962 save percentage through two games. That's the sort of brilliance that can earn a player the Conn-Smythe Award.

But no matter how brilliant Igor may be, he cannot drag this team across the finish line all by himself. He needs help. Put succinctly, there is no pathway to a Stanley Cup for the Rangers that doesn't include a productive power play. None. Their 5v5 play simply isn't good enough. During the regular season, New York had a GF% of 50.15 at 5v5. By contrast, Florida was 56.57. The fact is the Rangers got lucky last night. They actually outscored the Panthers 2-0 at even strength. Depending on that luck to continue would be foolhardy.

The problem is a familiar one. For all the elite talent on this team, the Rangers power play remains as predictable as dirt. They tried mixing it up a bit against the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes, and, eureka, it worked. But then like a drunk on a bender, the old habits returned. Since game three of the Canes series, the Blueshirts have stubbornly resisted even tweaking their power play. The results - one power play goal in the last six games - speak for themselves. The Panthers know exactly what's coming and they are prepared for it. In the first two games of this series, the Rangers have yet to register a single high-danger scoring chance with the man advantage. If Peter Laviolette and his staff don't rectify this problem soon, game five will be the last home game of the season for this team.

But even if they manage to fix the power play, there's one more nagging issue that besets them. The Rangers continue to have trouble exiting the defensive zone. While not as proficient as game one, Florida was still able to pin New York in its own end most of the game. The lack of clean exits is bound to take its toll as the series progresses, especially the way the Panthers take the body. The Rangers must find a way to get the puck into the neutral zone that doesn't involve multiple hits along the boards. Laviolette was hired because of his ability to make adjustments on the fly. Now would be a good time to make at least two of them.

Game three is Sunday afternoon. The Rangers are tied with the Panthers. They have Barclay Goodrow to thank for that.

Panthers Send Rangers a Wakeup Call

The scoresheet said Florida 1, New York 0 late in the third period. Close game, right? Well, if you were on the ESPN app, maybe. But no one who watched the game live could, if they were being honest, say it was close. Apart from a brief flurry with just over seven minutes left in the game, in which Alexis Lafreniere hit the post, the Panthers played, for all intents and purposes, a flawless road game.

Quite frankly, I was taken aback by the posts I saw on Twitter. The normally critical fanbase was bending over backwards to rationalize what happened at MSG last night. "It's just one game.""They were one play away from tying the score." "No need to panic." "They were rusty." "The Panthers aren't really that good."

I agree with most of the above statements. Yes, it is only one game. Even the '94 team lost game one against the New Jersey Devils in the Conference Finals and game one against the Vancouver Canucks in the Cup Finals before winning in seven. It still takes four games to win a series. Yes, despite being outplayed, they were one play away from tying the score. Yes, I agree, there's no need to panic; Laviolette and his coaching staff will make adjustments. And, finally, they did look rusty, or perhaps tentative would be a better word; that won't be the case in game two, hopefully.

But let's get something straight right now. The Panthers really are this good. They put on a clinic last night. They pinned the Rangers in their own end most of the game and dictated the play. I counted on one hand the number of times the Blueshirts had a clean exit into the neutral zone that wasn't intercepted by the Panthers and dumped back in. The only reason it was still 1-0 halfway through the third period was because Igor Shesterkin made several key saves, especially in the second period where the Rangers went almost 14 minutes without a shot on goal. The normally raucous Garden crowd sounded more like they were attending a funeral than a playoff game, that's how quiet it was.

Consider the following: since losing game one of their last series against the Boston Bruins 5-1, the Panthers have not given up more than two goals per game once. Check out these scores: 6-1 Panthers, 6-2 Panthers, 3-2 Panthers, 2-1 Bruins, 2-1 Panthers and 3-0 Panthers. And lest you think this was all Sergei Bobrovsky's doing, the players in front of him did most of the heavy lifting. The shots on goal against were 15, 17, 18, 28, 23 and 23 respectively. Even Freddie Andersen couldn't have blown those games, though I suspect he would've tried.

This isn't the Carolina Hurricanes the Rangers are playing here. This is the toughest opponent they have faced, quite possibly in years. The Panthers have size and depth throughout their lineup; they can defend as well as any team in the NHL; and they have a world-class goalie in net just in case they make a mistake. Beating them will require more than just an adjustment or two.

The fact is, despite the outcome, New York didn't play all that badly last night. This wasn't a repeat performance of game five against the Canes in which the Rangers managed only one high danger scoring chance. The Blueshirts actually showed up for this one; the Panthers were simply the better team from start to finish.

Which is why the Rangers, if they have any hope of winning this series, are going to have to go where they historically have resisted going: the middle of the ice. Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanajed must drive to the net when they have the puck. Pulling up in the offensive zone and forcing a cross-ice pass that has no chance of connecting with a teammate is only making the Panthers job easier. To advance in the postseason you need to go where angels fear to tread. Yes, they will get hit, and hit hard, if they do that. But that's part of the game.

Chris Kreider summed it up best: "Our whole entire game has to be a lot better. It wasn't there nearly enough tonight. It boils down to playing north-south hockey, getting pucks out, getting pucks in. That's the kind of hockey they played."

Bottom line: there needs to be a greater sense of urgency from everyone; a desire to do whatever it takes to win. The Panthers showed that desire last night; the Rangers must find it by game two or this will be a very short series.

NHL Playoff Preview (Round Three)

And then there were four.

The conference finals are set to begin this week, and for the second time in three years the Rangers find themselves on the verge of a finals appearance, having dispatched the analytics darlings of the hockey world: the Carolina Hurricanes.

I went four for four in the last round, which brings my playoff record up to an outstanding 11-1. My lone blemish was the Winnipeg Jets. I still can't get over just how badly they were beaten by the Colorado Avalanche. 

Unlike last season, there are no surprises here. No wildcards that got hot late and made a run. All four of these conference finalists are legit Stanley Cup contenders, meaning any one of them could find themselves hoisting that chalice in June. And that makes this the most unpredictable third round in years.

Like the last round, I'll start with the East and end with the West.

Eastern Conference:

New York vs. Florida: The last time these two franchises met in the postseason was 1997. It would be the last hurrah for Messier, Gretzky, Tikkanen, Leetch and Richter, and also the last time the Blueshirts would make the playoffs until 2006.

Both these teams avoided long, drawn-out series in their first two rounds. The Rangers swept the Washington Capitals and beat the Hurricanes in six, while the Panthers needed only five games to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning and six games to send the Boston Bruins packing. That means that both teams will have plenty in the gas tank this round. And they will need it.

It's no secret that the Rangers rely on their special teams and elite goaltending. Against the Canes, New York went 5-18 on the power play and scored two short handed goals, while Carolina went 2-21. Overall in the playoffs, the Rangers power play is operating at 31.4 percent, while their penalty kill is at 89.5 percent. Both are second best among active playoff teams. The Panthers power play isn't quite as impressive, coming in at 22.0 percent. However, their penalty kill is a formidable 86.1 percent.

Both teams have elite forwards in their top six, led by Artemi Panarin for the Rangers and Sam Reinhart for the Panthers, and depth throughout the lineup, though Florida's third line is slightly better than New York's. Both teams have solid defensive pairings, though the Panthers D is slightly bigger and more physical, Jacob Trouba notwithstanding. The key for the Rangers will be Adam Fox. The former Norris Trophy winner has only four assists in the playoffs. He needs to step it up in this series.

As in the last round, goaltending will be crucial for New York. Igor Shesterkin outperformed Freddie Andersen, who as it turned out, didn't quite live up to his billing. The Rangers net minder has a 2.40 goals against average and a .923 save percentage in ten games. His opponent, Sergei Bobrovsky, has a 2.37 goals against average and a .902 save percentage in eleven games.

Unlike the Hurricanes, the Panthers just don't throw a ton of shots at the net in an attempt to create "chaos." They excel at driving to the net and creating high-danger scoring chances. It is imperative that the Rangers stay disciplined with their puck management and do their best to keep the area in front of their net as clear as possible. The more pucks Igor sees, the more saves he will be able to make. The Panthers led the league during the regular season in being penalized, mostly due to their physical style of play. If that trend continues in this series, the Rangers must make them pay.

Interesting tidbit: Paul Maurice and Peter Laviolette share something in common. They both coached the Hurricanes. Maurice was replaced by Laviolette in '04. Then in '08, Laviolette was replaced by Maurice. Both men left notes for each other.

Last year, the Panthers made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Rangers, after advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals the year before, were eliminated in the first round by the New Jersey Devils. Both teams have something to prove to themselves and to their respective fan bases. This should be one helluva series. Rangers in seven.

Western Conference:

Dallas vs. Edmonton: Last season, the Stars lost to the Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals. This season, they knocked off Vegas in the first round and now find themselves up against the NHL's perennial bridesmaids. The Oilers, led by Connor McDavid, have been knocking on Lord Stanley's door for the last four years but have never made it passed the conference finals. This season under Kris Knoblauch, they've learned how to take care of their own end. The result is an offense that can still light up the sky combined with a defense that can shut down opponents.

The Stars have the edge in depth - they can roll four lines - and in goal. But the Oilers have the edge on special teams where their 37.5 percent power play will wreak havoc on a Stars penalty kill unit that is a woeful 69.2 percent. It should be noted that the Colorado Avalanche also had a very potent power play - 36.7 percent - yet still lost to the Stars.

Two years ago, I picked the Oilers over the Avs in six. So what happened? The Avs swept the Oilers. This time around, I'm going with the better all-around team. Stars in six.

Just in case the Rangers don't advance, this is my prediction for the Stanley Cup Finals: 

Panthers over the Stars 4-3. 

Conn-Smythe Trophy: Matthew Tkachuk 

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 Phone It In

"They wanted it more." - Vincent Trocheck

I'll say this for Trocheck, he's honest.

With a chance to close out their series with the Carolina Hurricanes in front of their loyal fans, the New York Rangers had one of their worst performances of the season. How bad was this game? According to CSA Hockey, which is owned and operated by Stephen Valiquette, they had only one high danger scoring chance to the Hurricanes 10 the entire game.* And that one HD scoring chance was Jacob Trouba's shorthanded goal in the second period, which gave the Blueshirts a 1-0 lead that they took into the third period. Think about it: as bad as they played, they were still 20 minutes away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

It is incomprehensible and indefensible that this team was not prepared to play a Carolina team that was facing elimination. Even during their swoon in January, the Rangers mustered better offensive efforts. Frankly, I'm at a loss to explain it. And now this team, which had a commanding 3-0 series lead, heads back to Raleigh, clinging to 3-2 lead, but facing a Hurricanes team that has all the momentum on its side.

It is an axiom in sports that when you have your opponent pinned, you don't let him off the mat. Perhaps it was unrealistic to believe that the Rangers were going to sweep a Hurricanes team that finished only three points behind them during the regular season. And given how tight this series had been through the first three games, two of which went to OT, the law of averages dictated that the Canes were due for a win.

But what happened at the Garden Monday night had nothing to do with the law of averages. This loss was not inevitable; in fact, it was completely preventable. Considering how the Rangers imploded last season against the New Jersey Devils, you'd think every player in that locker room would be cognizant of that fact before the game. You'd think that, but you'd be wrong.

Alarm bells should be going off all over this team. From their slow starts, to their suddenly ice-cold power play, which is now 0 for its last 8 after starting the series 4 for 9, the sense of urgency is simply not there. About the only thing they're excelling at is their penalty kill, which is 19-20 with two short-handed goals in this series. Overall in the playoffs, the Rangers penalty kill is a league-best 91.9 percent.

The Rangers will have to step up their intensity if they expect to put away Carolina. What worked in games one, two and three did not work in games four and five, and it won't work in game six either. Of all the teams in the playoffs, the Rangers should know that most of all. Two years ago, they were faced with no less than six elimination games and they went 5-1 in those games. So far this postseason, the Hurricanes are 2-0 facing elimination; it is imperative that they not get to 3-0 after Thursday night.

If the Rangers need a little inspiration, they need look no further than the other tenant that resides at MSG. After getting embarrassed by the Indiana Pacers Sunday afternoon, the New York Knicks took to the court Tuesday night and, in front of their adoring fans, returned the favor. They outscored the Pacers in every quarter and out rebounded them 53-29, en-route to a 121-91 rout. Now that's what I call resiliency; that's how you take care of business. If the Rangers were smart, they were watching that game and hopefully took some notes.

Fourteen years ago yesterday, the Philadelphia Flyers, down 0-3 to the Boston Bruins, successfully completed a four-game series comeback. They're one of only four teams in NHL history to achieve such a feat. The coach of that Flyers team was Peter Laviolette. If the Rangers don't wake up, Laviolette will have the distinction of being the only head coach to be on both sides of an 0-3 comeback.

And that's a piece of history neither this coach nor this team should want any part of.

* According to Valiquette, this was just the 9th time since 2016 that the Rangers had been limited to one or fewer HD scoring chances in a game.

Are the Rangers and Knicks Bound for Destiny?

Sometimes the stories write themselves. 

In the Spring of 1994, the New York Rangers and New York Knicks embarked on a magical run that saw each team make it to their respective league finals. The Rangers beat the Vancouver Canucks in seven to capture their first Stanley Cup since 1940. However, the Knicks came up short in their bid to win their first title since 1973, losing to the Houston Rockets in seven. 

That would be the last time both teams advanced as a tandem that deep into the postseason. The Rangers lost to the LA Kings in the 2014 Cup finals; the Knicks to the San Antonio Spurs in the 1999 NBA finals. That's as close as either team would get to a championship. One Stanley Cup since 1940 for the Rangers; 51 years and counting without a title for the Knicks. Sad, isn't it? The hockey and basketball gods are indeed cruel.

Fast forward thirty years and the local hockey and basketball teams are once again embarking on what could be another magical run. The parallels couldn't be more striking. 

First, the Rangers:

Coming off a disappointing 1992-93 season, then General Manager Neil Smith hired Mike Keenan, an experienced and accomplished coach with an impressive resume. Keenan brought structure and discipline to the Rangers locker room, and the Blueshirts went on to win the Presidents' Trophy. They swept their first round opponent, the Islanders, and took a 2-0 lead over their second round opponent, the Washington Capitals, before eventually capturing their first Stanley Cup in 54 years.

Coming off a disappointing 2022-23 season, General Manager and President Chris Drury hires Peter Laviolette, an experienced and accomplished coach with an impressive resume. Laviolette brings structure and discipline to the Rangers locker room, and the Blueshirts go on to win the Presidents' Trophy. They sweep their first round opponent, the Washington Capitals, and hold a 2-0 lead over their second round opponent, the Carolina Hurricanes.

Now, the Knicks:

In the 1993-94 season, the Knicks finished as the number two seed in the Eastern Conference. Head coach Pat Riley, in his third year with the team, was an experienced and accomplished coach with an impressive resume. The Knicks beat their first round opponent, the New Jersey Nets, and took a 2-0 lead over their second round opponent, the Indiana Pacers before eventually losing in the finals.

This season, the Knicks finished, once again, as the number two seed in the Eastern Conference. Head coach Tom Thibodeeau, now in his fourth year with the team, is an experienced and accomplished coach with an impressive resume. The Knicks beat their first round opponent, the Philadelphia 76ers, and hold a 2-0 lead over their second round opponent, the Indiana Pacers.

Like I said, sometimes the stories write themselves. 

Of course, we have no way of knowing how all this ends up. It could be that both teams go on to win titles; it could be that one of them goes on to win; or it could be that maybe both teams do what their histories would suggest: fail.

Between the two teams, the Rangers stand the better chance of at least going to the finals. For one thing, they're healthier than the Knicks; for another, their path out of the Eastern Conference is considerably easier. Let's face it: the Boston Celtics are far and away the best team in the NBA. Even with Julius Randle and a healthy OG Anunoby, the Knicks would have a hard time getting past them in a best of seven series.

Frankly, with the latest injury to Anunoby, the Knicks look more like a MASH unit than a basketball team. The return of Jalen Brunson from a foot injury to start the second half of game two invoked images of Willis Reed's grand entrance at the Garden in game seven of the 1970 finals, which ironically occurred 54 years ago to the day. At the rate this team is losing players, I wouldn't be shocked if we saw Jericho Sims and Deuce McBride start in game three.

One of the advantages of being as old as I am is that I've learned to temper my enthusiasm with a healthy dose of reality. I've had more than my fair share of disappointments involving both teams. While I would dearly love to see Jacob Trouba hoist the Stanley Cup, I'm not about to hold my breath.

I will say this: both teams are in good hands. If they don't win a championship this year it won't be because their respective front offices are incompetent; it'll be because the competition was simply better. The fact is Chris Drury and Leon Rose are both outstanding executives who have patiently and methodically assembled rosters that should contend for years to come. Not since the '90s has that been the case.

If you're looking for something to pin your hopes on, maybe that's it.

NHL Playoff Preview (Round Two)

One round is in the books - almost. Three to go. 

Round two begins Sunday afternoon with the New York Rangers hosting the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden. We'll have to wait until later tonight to find out who gets the "pleasure" of playing the Colorado Avalanche: the Vegas Golden Knights or the Dallas Stars. The only surprise so far was how badly the Winnipeg Jets played. The number one defense in the NHL during the regular season got lit up like a Christmas tree by the Avs, and the likely Vezina trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck surrendered a total of 24 goals on 177 shots over five games for a save percentage of .870.

Just like I did in the last round, I will begin my preview of round two with the Rangers and work my way down by conference. I do this in fun, so no wagering.

Eastern Conference:

New York vs. Carolina: For the third time in four years, these two teams will meet in the postseason. The Hurricanes beat the Rangers 3-0 in the 2020 Qualifying Round; the Blueshirts returned the favor two years laster, winning 4-3 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. This will be the first time since round one in '20 that Carolina won't have home ice in a playoff series.

Both teams disposed of their first round "opponents" in short order: the Rangers in four; the Hurricanes in five. Both teams are genuine Cup contenders with elite-level talent that are capable of going all the way. Both are well coached and both have excellent special teams. Ten different players scored for the Rangers against the Caps, while twelve different players scored for the Canes against the Isles, so clearly depth is not an issue for either team.

Since their last playoff meeting, the Rangers and Hurricanes have made changes to their rosters; the former by signing center Vincent Trocheck, the latter by acquiring winger Jake Guentzel at the trade deadline. Both players have improved their respective teams. If Filip Chytil, who's been out with a concussion since November, plays, that will give the Blueshirts a third scoring line.

Two years ago, the Rangers had a huge advantage in net. That won't be the case this time around. While Igor Shesterkin is still the better goalie, Frederik Andersen, who was out due to injury in '22, narrows the gap significantly for the Canes. There'll be no blowouts in this series. Expect a lot of 2-1 and 3-2 games with both teams winning at least one game in the other's arena. Look for Peter Laviolette to use the Alex Wennberg line on the Sebastian Aho line.

This series will go the distance. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it takes overtime to decide the winner. Rangers in seven.

Florida vs. Boston: For those assuming the winner of the Rangers / Hurricanes series is a lock for the finals, I would advise them to cool their jets. Florida was quite impressive in their five-game takedown of the Tampa Bay Lightning. There isn't a weakness on this Panthers team. They have depth throughout their lineup and elite goaltending. Meanwhile, the Bruins needed a full seven games to defeat a Toronto Maple Leafs team that was without Auston Matthews for two of those games. I doubt the Puddy Tats will need that many to do the same to them. Panthers in five.

Western Conference:

Dallas or Vegas vs. Colorado: The Avalanche went through the Winnipeg Jets like shit through a goose. They won't be so fortunate against either the Stars or the Golden Knights, both of whom are putting on a clinic for how hockey is supposed to be played. That's because both teams are considerably deeper and faster than the Jets and can go toe to toe with the Avs. Stars or Golden Knights in seven.

Vancouver vs. Edmonton: In some respects this might be the most intriguing series of the playoffs. The Canucks have made several trips to the finals, but have never won the Cup. The Oilers haven't won it since the glory days of Gretzky and Messier, but have come up short over the last few years. Rick Tocchet might win the Jack Adams award but it's Kris Knoblauch who's gotten Connor McDavid and Co. to commit to playing defense. If Thatcher Demko can't go for Vancouver, this could get ugly. Oilers in six.

In the event the Rangers don't advance, these are my predictions for the balance of the playoffs and year-end awards:

Playoffs:

Eastern Conference Finals: Panthers over Hurricanes 4-2

Western Conference Finals: Stars or Golden Knights over Oilers 4-3

Stanley Cup Finals: Panthers over Stars or Golden Knights 4-3

Conn-Smythe Trophy: Matthew Tkachuk

Year-end Awards:

Hart Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon

Jack Adams Award: Rick Tocchet

Norris Trophy: Quinn Hughes

Vezina Trophy: Connor Hellebuyck

How Sweep It Is

It took them two periods to do it, but the New York Rangers finally woke up and took care of business Sunday night in Washington. They broke a 2-2 tie in the third period with a pair of power play goals - the latter an empty-netter - and put the Capitals out of their misery. The 4-0 series sweep - their first since 2007 - gives the Blueshirts a chance to rest up and prepare for their next opponent, which barring the unthinkable, will be the Carolina Hurricanes.

This was a mismatch from the start. In the four games, the Caps led for a grand total of 3:21, while the Rangers led for 139:08. Ten different players scored for New York, including Vincent Trocheck, whose three goals led the team. Mika Zibanejad, who at times during the regular season was seen on milk cartons because he was all but invisible, had a goal and six assists to lead all scorers. And while Hart Trophy candidate Artemi Panarin only scored twice, both goals were game-winners.

This was a balanced and surgical dispatching. Credit Head Coach Peter Laviolette for making sure his players didn't fall into the Capitals trap. I'm sure the Rangers would've preferred a more up-tempo style of play against what was clearly an inferior team; they resisted. The result was a fairly methodical, if sometimes "boring" series that lacked the excitement of some of the series we've seen in the Western Conference.

The point was to win and win quickly, not necessarily decisively. As Larry Brooks adroitly observed, the Rangers showed a "workmanlike approach" in dealing with Washington. Despite the closeness of some of the final scores, I never once thought the Caps were going to win one, let alone four games in this series.

The detractors will try to diminish what the Rangers did here. Let them. Anyone who has watched this team play over the last few years knows full well that they have historically struggled against underachievers like the Caps. Trust me, this series had six games written all over it, which is why I initially had them winning in six. That they swept is a major accomplishment. Those who disagree will have to deal with it. That's a polite way of saying "fuck off!"

Now the real playoffs begin. The Hurricanes will be a far more formidable opponent for the Rangers than the Capitals. They can skate, they can score and they can defend. This series will likely go the distance, which is why having a few days off and the home ice advantage in a potential game seven might very well prove to be decisive. Two years ago, the Blueshirts needed a full seven games to defeat both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Hurricanes. The wear and tear of two long and brutal series eventually caught up with them against the Tampa Bay Lightning. That won't be the case here. If the Rangers don't win, it won't be from lack of rest.

While I'll wait until just before the start of the next round to write my formal preview, there is one thing that I think needs to be said: Matt Rempe has likely played his final game in the playoffs. Look, I like the kid; he kind of reminds me of Ed Hospodar. But let's face it: he's an unfinished product that against a team as skilled as the Hurricanes will prove to be a defensive liability. So bad was his play away from the puck that Laviolette limited him to just over five minutes of ice time the last two games of the Caps series. Plus there's a bullseye on his back. The interference penalty he took in game three was a borderline call that almost everybody who saw it deemed a hockey play. It's obvious the NHL has him in their crosshairs. Why give the refs an excuse to put you a man down? You think the Canes are going to go 2-17 on the power play? Neither do I.

So who will take Rempe's place? The logical choice is Filip Chytil. The center was medically cleared to play two weeks ago and has been practicing with the team ever since. If Laviolette believes his conditioning is up to snuff, there's no reason not to insert him in the lineup where he can either center the third line or play LW on it. If it's the former, that would mean Alex Wennberg drops down to the fourth line where he could center a line of Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey. That would give the Rangers arguably their best checking line since, dare I say it, 1994. It would also give them the scoring depth they are going to need to advance deep into the postseason.

But, thankfully, that decision won't have to be made for at least a few more days. For now, the Rangers can sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor. They've earned it.

Two Close for Comfort

Two up, two down, two to go. 

Seems like I wrote those words before. Know what? I did. Last year, in fact, after the New York Rangers took a 2-0 lead over the New Jersey Devils in their best of seven series. And then the roof fell in as the Blueshirts dropped four of the last five games. Season over and out.

If you're a fan of this team, you can be forgiven for experiencing a sense of déjà vu. Because, quite frankly, we've seen this movie before, and it never ends well. 

Now, before I go any further, one thing needs be cleared up: the Washington Capitals are NOT the Devils. New Jersey was one of the best teams in the NHL last season; the Caps barely qualified for the postseason and had one of the worst regular-season goal differentials for a team qualifying for the playoffs in league history.

Which makes last night's 4-3 win at the Garden something to be concerned about. Yes, the Rangers defended their home ice; and, yes, the Capitals needed to come out with a much better effort than they showed in game one. But no one who objectively watched that game could come away thinking the Rangers dominated play. Apart from stretches in the first and second periods, the Caps more than held their own with the Presidents' Trophy winners. New York was pinned in its own zone for the last three minutes of the third period, desperately clinging to a one-goal lead that had been a two-goal lead before the home team stupidly took a too-many men on the ice penalty that Washington cashed in on. Overall, the Caps went 2-5 with the man advantage after going 0-4 in game one. As I wrote in my playoff preview, since the All-Star Break, Washington has the number one power play in the league at 28.9 percent. It would behoove the Rangers to do their best to stay out of the penalty box the rest of this series.

Look, do I think history will repeat itself? No, I don't. The Capitals simply don't have the talent to keep up with a Rangers team that is clearly deeper and more skilled. Through two games, eight different Rangers have scored a goal, including the big guns: Vincent Trocheck, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.

And to be fair, when you look at how the other first-round matchups are going, it's not like any team, save for one, has a stranglehold over its opponent. In fact, the Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins have all lost the home ice advantage in their respective series. It wouldn't surprise me if at least one of those teams wound up getting booted.

My concern isn't with this round, it's with the next. Because if a team like the Caps can make the Rangers work that hard, just imagine what the Carolina Hurricanes are going to do to them. Did you see how they handled the Islanders the other night in Raleigh? The Canes made the Isles look like an AHL team, outshooting them 17-1 in the 3rd period. Between the two teams, it's Carolina that has a better shot of sweeping its opponent than the Rangers. If the Blueshirts believe they're going to take four out of seven from that team playing like they did against the Caps, they have another thing coming.

Thirty years ago, another Rangers team made quick work of a Capitals team that was a huge underdog. That team went on to win the Stanley Cup. Will this Rangers team follow in that team's footsteps?

Only time will tell.

Why the Rangers Shouldn't Take Their Foot Off the Gas Pedal

As the regular season begins to wind down, the New York Rangers are currently leading the Metropolitan Division by one point over the Carolina Hurricanes. They are also in first place in the Eastern Conference and are tied with the Vancouver Canucks for the NHL lead. By any and all accounts this has been the best Rangers team to take the ice since that Presidents' Trophy winner of 2014-15.

But while this team continues to amaze even its staunchest critics, there are a growing number of fans who would prefer that they finish in second behind the Hurricanes, and you'll never guess what their reason is.

You see it has to do with which team the Rangers would face in the playoffs. If the Rangers finish first in the Metro, but second overall in the East, their opponent would be the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, if they were to finish in second, they would face either the Philadelphia Flyers or the surging Washington Capitals. The prevailing sentiment among this group is that if you're the Rangers, you'd much rather play the Flyers or the Caps than the Lightning.

There are three flaws in this thinking. I'll list them in order.

One: The Lightning aren't nearly as good as some are making them out to be. Yes, they've been hot of late, but since their last Cup in '21, they have turned over half their roster. The Rangers won the first two games of the season series 5-1 and 3-1, and were 28 minutes away from a series sweep. So thorough was their domination that halfway through the second period of game three, the Bolts had managed a paltry eight shots on goal. If that's your idea of a tough matchup, I shudder to think what an easy one would look like.

Two: Anyone who's seen this Rangers team play over the last few seasons knows all too well that they have a nasty habit of playing to the level of their opponent. For instance, some of the best games they've played this season have come against teams like the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Hurricanes. However, they've also had some of their worst games against teams like the San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets. Now I'm not suggesting that the Flyers are as bad as the Sharks or the Jackets; far from it. But the idea that somehow the Blueshirts are just going to breeze by Philly is absurd. This is a John Tortorella-coached team. They will be a tough out, no matter who they play.

Three: Apparently, these fans must've been in a coma over the last twelve months, because this was the same stupidity we heard out of most of the players last season. It doesn't matter where we finish in the standings, they said, we can flip the switch come playoff time. How'd that work out? Oh, yeah, not so well. After going up 2-0 over the New Jersey Devils, the Rangers dropped four of the last five games and were unceremoniously bounced from the postseason. Arguably the most talented roster in decades never made it out of the first round. The fact is there is no switch. You're either ready for the playoffs or you're not. This is the message Peter Laviolette has tried to instill on his players from the start of training camp, and from what we've seen so far this season, that message has gotten through.

Look, are there inherent risks in going all out to finish in first place? Of course there are. But this is hockey, not baseball. You can get injured just as easily in second gear as you can in fifth. For me, the greater risk is taking your foot off the gas pedal because, as we've seen, there's no guarantee you can get the engine back up to speed.

Besides, if the Rangers finish first overall, their first-round opponent would be the last Wild Card team. That would be either the Detroit Red Wings or the aforementioned Flyers or Caps. They would also have home ice advantage throughout the playoffs. What's better than that?

Yes, there's the matter of the Presidents' Trophy curse. Turns out it's a real thing. In the salary cap era, only two winners of the trophy have gone on to win the Stanley Cup: the '08 Red Wings and the '13 Chicago Blackhawks. That's two out of a possible eighteen. Not a very good showing. And it gets even worse when you consider that the '23 Bruins and the '19 Lightning - both of whom had the best won-loss records since those legendary Montreal Canadiens teams of the 1970s - were eliminated in the first round.

But fear of a curse is no excuse for slacking off. This team is clicking on all cylinders. It would be the height of irresponsibility to throttle back now.

As the motto says, No Quit in New York!