Drury Silences the Critics, for Now

Let's face it: the last twelve months have not been particularly good for New York Rangers fans. Barclay Goodrow waived, the infamous memo, Jacob Trouba traded, the team imploding, Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil and Ryan Lindgren sent packing, Peter Laviolette fired, Mike Sullivan hired, Chris Kreider shipped out. Jesus, a circus has less excitement. One could certainly be forgiven for being jaded about this team's prospects going into free agency. To tell you the truth, my expectations were pretty low.

But you know the old saying, when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade out of them. Well, Chris Drury did better than that; he took those lemons and he made a lemon soufflé out of them.

At 12:49, the first domino fell. Vladislav Gavrikov: $7 million x 7. Those of us who were following the news on Twitter thought it was a misprint. No way Drury signed the number one UFA defenseman on the open market for that much. Only the previous day, the Columbus Blue Jackets re-signed Ivan Provorov to a 7 year, $8.5m AAV extension. Based on that, you had to figure Gavrikov would come in at $9m easy. But, sure enough, it wasn't a misprint. Drury got his man for below market value. So far, so good.

Over the next several hours, the majority of us kept refreshing our time lines, widely speculating on what Drury's next move would be. Re-sign Will Cuylle, dump K'Andre Miller, add a scorer.  At 5:24, Larry Brooks broke the news. Cuylle was re-signed to a two year bridge deal with a $3.9m AAV. A sigh of relief went up in Rangersland. With Matthew Knies getting $7.75m x 6 from the Toronto Maple Leafs, the prevailing sentiment was that Cuylle would certainly get an offer sheet somewhere around $5m. But as the hours wore on, it was looking more and more like the Rangers were going to dodge a bullet.

The next domino fell right before 6:00. Miller to Carolina in a sign and trade for a conditional first round pick, a second round pick and defenseman Scott Morrow. Murrow was considered the top prospect in the Hurricanes organization. Eric Tulsky actually agreed to an 8 year, $7.5m AAV contract for a player with more turnovers than a bakery on Christmas morning. Maybe Rod Brind'Amour can turn him around, but, frankly, I have my doubts. Good luck, Canniacs, you're gonna need it.

Wow! What can I say? In less than six hours, Drury signed his number one free agent target for less than what most thought he would have to pay, re-signed one of his best two-way forwards to a very team-friendly deal, and rid himself of a defenseman responsible for more gray hairs than Methuselah. 

But Drury wasn't done. Later that evening he signed forward Taylor Raddysh to a two year, $1.5m AAV contract. Raddysh had 7 goals and 27 points for the Washington Capitals last season, and in 2022-23, registered a career-high 20 goals for the Chicago Blackhawks. At 6-3, 198 lbs, he should make an ideal bottom six forward. Even the Drury haters were forced to admit he was on a roll.

Now by no means is this team a Cup contender. They still have Carson Soucy on their roster, and if you thought Miller was bad, Soucy makes him look like a cross between Scott Stevens and Brian Leetch. And Mika Zibanejad, who had his worst season since 2017-18, is still a huge question mark going into this season. Pending any additional moves, the Rangers are a Wild Card, borderline third-place team at best. Sullivan may wish he'd stayed in Pittsburgh.

However, that shouldn't detract from what Drury has done here. Think about it: in just over a year, he has turned over more than a third of the roster and made this team younger and tougher. Gavrokov is the best left-handed defenseman the organization has had since Ryan McDonagh; Will Cuylle has a chance to become one of the best two-way forwards in the NHL; and in just the last three months, the Rangers went from having practically no draft capital to having two first rounders in 2026, one in '27 and one in '28. They also have second round picks in '26 and '28, as well as a third, fifth and sixth-round pick in all three years. In other words, they're loaded.

Sam Pollock he ain't, but he sure as shit ain't Phil Esposito.

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

NHL Power Rankings: Separating the Contenders From the Pretenders

Before I get to the power rankings, I wanted to take a minute to personally thank Gary Bettman for shutting down the NHL over the Christmas holiday. It isn't everyday that a commissioner of a major professional sports league decides to remove his sport from all public exposure at a time when millions of fans are home with their families. Way to go, Gary.

And to think this league had the nerve to only raise the salary cap $1 million because the players still owed $70 million in back escrow. To quote Forrest Gump, "Stupid is as stupid does."

Now onto the pièce de résistance.

Unlike traditional power rankings, which are typically league based, I've decided to break mine down by conference. Until the NHL goes to a 16 team playoff format, it doesn't make sense to do it any other way. I've also decided to break it down further by contender and pretender, and to omit the very worst teams in each conference. Why waste time on the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Chicago Blackhawks?

As always, don't take it too seriously. It's all done in fun.

Eastern Conference:

Contenders:

New York Rangers: They're off to their fastest start since the '94 Cup team. And they've managed to do it with only two scoring lines. Just imagine how much better they'll be once Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko return. With Igor Shesterkin regaining his Vezina-trophy form and Jonathan Quick in reserve, they will be very tough to beat in the postseason.

Boston Bruins: The retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí haven't stopped this team from once more ascending to the top of the standings in the Atlantic division. What they lack in offensive explosiveness, they more than make up for in grit. They have the defense and goaltending to go all the way.

Florida Panthers: Last year's Cup finalists are no fluke. With Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart, they are loaded up front; and with Sergei Bobrosky in net, they have a clear path back to the finals.

Toronto Maple Leafs: The fab four - Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Tavares - might be the most talented quartet in the NHL. They are fast and lethal. The only question mark - and it's a big one - is their goaltending.

New York Islanders: Their minus 4 goal differential is a concern, but their offense - long a sore spot - is starting to percolate. They're tough as nails to play against, and with their goaltending, they will give any opponent they meet in the first round fits.

Philadelphia Flyers: If you had the former Broadstreet Bullies as contenders prior to the season, you're a better man than me. I didn't even have them as a "close but no cigar." But John Tortorella has somehow managed to get this team to believe in itself. The return of Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson hasn't hurt either.

Pretenders:

Washington Capitals: Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. The Caps are a painful reminder that no matter how good your defense is, you can't win in this league when you have the second worst offense.

Tampa Bay Lightning: One game they look like the team that won back-to-back Cups; the next they look like the San Jose Sharks. They are finally paying the price for manipulating the salary cap. Karma truly is a bitch.

Carolina Hurricanes: They've never had great goaltending or elite-level forwards, but now their defense is leaking like a sieve. Hard to believe this is a Rod Brind'Amour-coached team.

New Jersey Devils: Serves me right for picking them to win the Metro. Tom Fitzgerald was trying to create an east-coast version of the Edmonton Oilers. He seems to have succeeded, though not the way he intended.

Detroit Red Wings: Since Patrick Kane's arrival in Motown, the Wings are 2-6-1. Maybe Steve Yzerman should've gotten himself a legit goalie instead of a future hall of fame winger.

Pittsburgh Penguins: The oldest team in the NHL underachieving for the second straight season. Gee, who coulda seen that coming?

Buffalo Sabres: Don't beat yourself up. I, too, was taken in by their potential. They can score; it's stopping the other team from scoring that's the problem.

Montreal Canadiens: They're still a year or two away, but credit Marty St. Louis for turning around a locker room that had gotten used to losing.

Western Conference:

Contenders:

Vegas Golden Knights: They can role four lines and their defense is big and battle tested. Vegas's strength is their depth throughout the lineup. They won the Cup last season and are the odds-on favorites to repeat.

Vancouver Canucks: In just over a year Rick Tocchet has transformed this perennial underachiever into a bonafide contender. They have the best goal differential in the NHL, the number one offense and the sixth best defense.

Los Angeles Kings: Very quietly, Cam Talbot is making his bid to win the Vezina trophy this season, which would be quite a feat given he was supposedly washed up last season. They're deep down the middle and have the best defense in the league.

Dallas Stars: This is a team that can compete with the best in the league. The only concern is in goal where Jake Oettinger hasn't quite gotten back to the level of excellence he showed last season.

Colorado Avalanche: Their core is as elite as it gets; it's the rest of the roster that gives you pause. Still, they are quite capable of making a deep run in the playoffs.

Winnipeg Jets: They traded arguably their second best center and got better. Connor Hellebuyck might be the most under-appreciated goaltender in the league, and Mark Scheifele is finally emerging as a leader on this team.

Pretenders:

Nashville Predators: Like the Washington Capitals, they're using smoke and mirrors to conceal their deficiencies. It'll catch up to them eventually.

Edmonton Oilers: Don't be seduced by the wins in New York and New Jersey. This is not a team that is built to go four rounds. Would loved to have seen what they could've done in the '80s when defense was optional.

Minnesota Wild: As long as they have that dead cap weight on their books, GM Bill Guerin will struggle to fill out a roster that will be good enough to compete in the regular season, much less in the postseason.

St. Louis Blues: The only reason they might sneak into the postseason is because the Western Conference is so weak in the middle. Don't let that fool you. They're in rebuild mode.

Calgary Flames: Boy was I wrong about this team. I figured the problem last year was Darryl Sutter. Turns out it was the roster all along. Makes you wonder how the hell Brad Trelving got the gig in Toronto.

Seattle Kraken: After coming within a win of advancing to the conference finals last season, they are in contention for biggest disappointment of the 2023-24 season. Which is saying a lot given how many teams could qualify for that distinction.

Arizona Coyotes: How 'bout this for the storyline of the year? The Yotes are sellers at the trade deadline yet still manage to make the playoffs. Don't laugh, it could happen.

Drury Has His Coach. Now Comes the Hard Part

Five weeks after he fired Gerard Gallant, Chris Drury finally hired his replacement. Let's be clear: Peter Laviolette is no Scotty Bowman; nor is he Al Arbour, or, for that matter, Toe fucking Blake. But based on his resume alone, he was the best option available.

Key word "available." Because if we assume Mike Sullivan wasn't going anywhere - and based on the information coming out of Pittsburgh, ownership didn't think the problem with the Penguins was behind the bench but rather in the front office - and Rod Brind'Amour and Jon Cooper are secure in Carolina and Tampa respectively, the list of candidates from which to choose was considerably small.

There was no way that Drury was going to hire someone with no head coaching experience, so that eliminated Chris Knoblauch and Seattle assistant Jay Leach. And the Patrick Roy rumors were just that: rumors. Drury never even bothered to interview him. As for John Hynes, friendship is a beautiful thing, but it doesn't overcome an otherwise less than stellar coaching career. And even if Joel Quenneville got reinstated by Gary Bettman tomorrow, the baggage he'd bring with him to the Garden would probably be too much, even for James Dolan. Mark Messier? If Glen Sather didn't hire him ten years ago, what makes anyone think Drury was going to do it now? Face it: he'll always be a legend. But not every legend gets to drive the car.

In the end, Drury went with Laviolette because he was the most qualified. Period. Among active head coaches, only Lindy Ruff (834) and Paul Maurice (817) have more wins than Laviolette's 752. He's only the second coach in NHL history to pilot three different teams to the Stanley Cup finals; the other was Bowman. Anyone who has a problem with this hire doesn't know jack shit about hockey.

Yes, he's a retread who's been fired multiple times. Know who else is a retread who's been fired multiple times? Bruce Cassidy (twice) and the aforementioned Maurice (four times). All both men did was guide their respective teams to the Stanley Cup finals this year. Cassidy's former employer - the Boston Bruins - were eliminated in the first round by Maurice's Florida Panthers; while Maurice's former employer - the Winnipeg Jets - lost in the first round to Cassidy's Vegas Golden Knights. How's that for Karma?

For me, the only pertinent question is whether Laviolette can turn this talented group of players into a team capable of competing for the Cup. From what we can gleam from his past, there are two things that distinguish him from Gallant.

One, while technically a players' coach, Laviolette's leash is considerably shorter than Gallant's. If the Rangers struggle out of the gate like they did this season, he isn't likely to be as patient. It's worth noting that even before Jacob Trouba's helmet-throwing incident against the Blackhawks, Drury was starting to have doubts about the nonchalant way that Gallant was handling the team's inconsistencies. Those inconsistencies plagued the Rangers all season long, and things came to a head between both men after the game-four loss in the Devils series.

Two, Laviolette is quite adept at making both in-game and in-series adjustments and is an advocate of matching lines, something Gallant was either too stubborn to do or incapable of doing. Against the Devils this year and the Lightning last year, Gallant was badly out-coached by Ruff and Cooper, both of whom made adjustments that allowed their respective teams to overcome 0-2 deficits and eventually win the series. The Devils series was particularly frustrating because the Rangers, after going 4-10 on the power play in the first two games, went 0-5 in game three. Had they converted on just one of their man-power advantages, they would've gone up 3-0 in the series and likely advanced to the second round.

But short leashes and adjustments notwithstanding, can Laviolette get Artemi Panarin to stop making those risky cross-ice passes in the offensive zone that lead to odd-man rushes the other way? Can he convince Chris Kreider to park his 230 pound carcass in front of the net? Can he persuade Adam Fox to shoot more from the point instead of deferring to others? Can he transform a predictable, if lethal, power play into one that has multiple looks and can survive any adjustment an opposing coach might make? Because if the answer to those questions is no, then we're right back where we started.

And that's where Drury comes in. Now that the coach is in place, the GM has to give him the horses he needs to succeed. That won't be easy. The Rangers have just over $11.7 million in available cap space going into next season with only 14 players under contract. Assuming Drury elects to go with a roster of 22, that comes out to an average of $1.5 million per player. With both Alexis Lafreniere and K'Andre Miller RFAs, Drury will have to decide whether to bridge both or sign one to a long-term deal and bridge the other.

If he chooses to go the latter route, the most likely player to lock up would be Miller. While the third-year defenseman took a step backwards this season, he still has the potential to be a star in this league. A similar deal to what Filip Chytil got ($4.4m x 4) sounds reasonable. Lafreniere would then get the same bridge deal Kaapo Kakko got last year ($2.1m x 2). That leaves $5.2 million to sign a backup goalie, another defenseman and four more forwards. Clearly, Drury will have to shed some salary in order to fill out the roster.

The most likely sacrificial lamb is Barclay Goodrow. The Swiss-army knife, as Gallant once referred to him, is making $3.64 million per season. Given his skill set, that isn't too outlandish, especially when you consider the Calgary Flames are paying Blake Coleman - Goodrow's linemate from his days with the Lightning - $4.9 million per season. But in the flat-cap era, his contract is an albatross around the neck of the organization. With that money Drury could sign someone like Nick Bjugstad for about $1 million. Then he could call up his counterpart in Carolina and inquire about the availability of his nephew Jack. With a cap hit of only $925k, the 23 year old winger would be the ideal fourth liner. That would leave Drury with $1.7 million to add to the $5.2 million in the kitty.

The problem is that Goodrow has a no-trade clause which includes 15 teams, meaning Drury will have a hard time finding a suitable trade partner. If there are no takers, he could always buy him out. The way Goodrow's contract is written, the Rangers would net $200k and $100k in cap space the first two years respectively. But then after that, the cap hit goes up as follows: $1.15m in year three; $3.65m in year four, followed by $1.258m for the next four years. That's a ton of cabbage to doll out for a player that no longer plays for you. With this upcoming season being the first in the last four that the Rangers won't be carrying any dead-cap space, I doubt Drury wants to repeat the mistakes of his predecessor, Jeff Gorton. Then again, with the cap expected to go up considerably over the next few seasons, maybe Drury takes the upfront savings and kicks the can down the road.

So let's say Drury buys out Goodrow. With $7.1 million in available cap space, he can re-sign Tyler Motte and Jaroslav Halak for $1m each; re-sign Niko Mikkola for $1.3m; and give Will Cuylle and Brennan Othmann - $828k and $863k respectively - a shot at making the team. That leaves $2.1 million in reserve for Drury to sign a certain someone who might not be available to play until, say, late winter or early spring, assuming he'd be willing to play for that amount. Drury could place him on LTIR and activate him later.

That would give the Ranges the following roster:

Forwards to start the season:

Kreider, Zibaejad, Lafreniere

Panarin, Trocheck, Vesey

Othmann, Chytil, Kakko

Motte, Bjugstad, Drury

Cuylle 

Forwards going into the postseason:

Kreider, Zibaejad, Mystery player

Panarin, Trocheck, Vesey

Lafreniere, Chytil, Kakko

Motte, Bjugstad, Drury

Othmann, Cuylle

Defensemen:

Lindgren, Fox

Miller, Trouba

Mikkola, Schneider

Harper

Goalies:

Shesterkin, Halak

It's not a bad roster, assuming Laviolette can get it to play up to its potential.

Who Will Drury Hire to Replace Gallant?

Well, at least this time Gerard Gallant didn't get fired on his way to the airport. Chris Drury had the good taste to do it in person, even if his explanation for making the move didn't pass the smell test. "Mutually agreed to part ways," my ass. I remember the last time I "mutually agreed to part ways" with an employer. I was walked back to my desk, gathered my personal belongings, and allowed to say goodbye to my former coworkers while I was being escorted out of the building. To paraphrase a line out of the movie Forrest Gump, "termination is as termination does."

So now that Gallant is out, who will replace him? Drury has made a lot of critical decisions over his tenure as President and GM; none more critical than this. For his own sake and that of the franchise, he cannot afford to screw it up.

But before we get to the available candidates, it needs to be acknowledged, if it hasn't already, the amazing job Rod Brind'Amour is doing behind the Carolina Hurricanes bench. Despite getting blown out by the Devils in game three in New Jersey, and with three key forwards out of the lineup due to injury, he has his team up two games to one. Maybe it would've been impossible for Drury to sign him two years ago, but for my money, that is the type of coach the Rangers need; one who's not only good with Xs and Os but who can motivate his players to play a disciplined style of hockey. Take a good look at the teams that are ahead in their respective series. It is not the stars who are leading the way, but the foot soldiers. That is a tribute to the men behind the bench.

And speaking of the men behind the bench, the list of candidates Drury will have to choose from will be minus one important name. Larry Brooks of The New York Post is reporting that Joel Quenneville will not be considered for the job. As I pointed out in my last piece, Quenneville certainly has the credentials to coach this team, but his conduct in the sexual assault of Kyle Beach in 2010 has tarnished his reputation, perhaps beyond repair. I'm guessing either James Dolan got cold feet or Drury simply put his foot down. Regardless, it's good news for the Rangers.

Peter Laviolette: Out of all the big names out there, he's probably the most qualified. He guided the Hurricanes to their one and only Stanley Cup in 2006, and he took two other teams to the Cup finals: the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 and the Nashville Predators in 2017. He also kept a Washington Capitals team riddled with injuries in the playoff hunt going into the final few games of the season. A no-nonsense coach who demands accountability from his players and excels at Xs and Os, he's the closest to the Brind'Amour mold in both temperament and style as Drury is likely to find.

Andrew Brunette: After Quenneville was suspended by the NHL early in the 2021-22 season, Brunette took over the coaching duties and guided the Florida Panthers to their first and only Presidents' trophy. And for his efforts, he was replaced behind the bench this season by Paul Maurice. What impresses me most about Brunette is how he turned an underperforming team into an offensive juggernaut before the flaws finally caught up with them in the second round against the Tampa Bay Lightning, He's currently an assistant with the Devils so Drury would need permission to speak with him.

Kris Knoblauch: While it would be a reach for Drury to go this route, there are a couple of positive attributes that would make him a good choice. For starters, he has the Hartford Wolf Pack in the third round of the AHL playoffs with a lineup that consists of maybe three players who are NHL-caliber. Secondly, he's been behind the Rangers bench twice when David Quinn and Gallant both got Covid, so the players are familiar with him. And last but not least, he's considered a good teacher and a good motivator; the latter being something that could've come in handy in game seven against the Devils.

Mike Sullivan: Yes, he won back-to-back Cups his first two years in Pittsburgh, but the Penguins haven't gotten out of the first round since 2018, and this season failed to even make the playoffs. That ownership decided to fire GM Ron Hextall and President Brian Burke and keep Sullivan is an indication that they don't feel the problem is behind the bench but rather in the front office. Translation, if Drury wants him, he'll have to fork over a draft pick or two to get him. Doubtful that'll happen.

Bruce Boudreau: Yet another players' coach who got fired from his last gig, he makes Gallant look like John Tortorella. Somehow I don't see Drury going down the same rabbit hole twice, but you never know.

Mark Messier: What he accomplished as a player for this franchise will never be forgotten. And I must admit the idea of "The Captain" leading this team to only its second Stanley Cup championship since World War II is enticing. But just because Messier was a great player doesn't necessarily mean he would make a great coach, and like I wrote above, Drury can't afford to get this next decision wrong.

Darryl Sutter: If you think the exit interviews from Gallant's players sealed his fate, you should check out some of the ones Sutter got from his players in Calgary. Supposedly several demanded to be traded unless he was fired. There's no doubt Sutter can coach - he won two Cups in L.A.; the problem is the way he treats his players. Next to him, Mike Keenan was Father Flanagan.

Of the above choices, Laviolette is the safe one. But if I recall, we said the same thing about Gallant two years ago. While Knoblauch would be a risk, the upside could be huge. Drury has said he's going to take his time, but realistically, he'll need to fill the position soon. The entry draft is June 28 followed by the start of free agency July 1.

If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on Laviolette becoming the next head coach, but then I had the Bruins, Avalanche and Rangers all advancing in the first round.

Now What?

To say this Rangers season was a colossal failure would be putting it mildly. Going into game seven against the New Jersey Devils Monday night, the Rangers knew they had to do two things: 1. Not let the Devils run them ragged around the hockey rink; and 2. Score on the power play. They did neither.

For all intents and purposes, this game was over in the first period. The Blueshirts went 0 for 3 on the power play and were thoroughly outplayed from the opening puck drop. It was only through the sheer brilliance of Igor Shesterkin - who with a GAA of 1.96 and a SV% of .931 deserved a better outcome - that the score wasn't 3-0 New Jersey going into the second.

This series in many ways was a microcosm of the Rangers season. When they played against teams that gave them the room to create, they lit them up like a Christmas tree. But when they played against teams that knew how to check and took away their passing lanes, they struggled to generate offense. Just look at the scores in this series; they tell the whole tale. In the games they won (one, two and six) they outscored New Jersey by a combined 15-4. In the games they lost (three, four, five and seven) New Jersey outscored them by a combined 13-2. Worse, their power play, which had played such an integral role in their success during the regular season, went 5-14 (35%) in the three wins, but a woeful 0-14 in the four losses.

So what went wrong? How did the most talented Rangers team in over a generation get booted in the first round? 

For starters, it's time to admit the obvious. Despite the success of last year's postseason, this was and is a flawed team. Talented, yes, but flawed nonetheless. Their inability or unwillingness to play a north-south stye of hockey that is demanded of all Stanley Cup contenders proved to be their Waterloo. Think back to the Eastern Conference finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After he lost game two, Jon Cooper put the Cirelli line out against the Zibanejad line and the result was that the Rangers managed just one even strength goal the rest of the series.

Another problem that has consistently plagued this team is its lack of grit. In short, they still struggle to win battles in the corners and along the boards. Again, when they play against porous teams, they're fine; when they have to work to retrieve the puck, that's another story. All the more reason to question the decision to trade for Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane. Yes, both are incredibly talented players; the latter is arguably the greatest American ever to lace up a pair of hockey skates. But talent was never a problem for the Rangers; intestinal fortitude was.

Just take a look at the greatest Rangers team of all time. That 1994 team, by any reasonably objective standard, was not the most talented team to ever take the ice. Indeed, the '92 team that was ousted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Penguins was much more talented. But what the '94 team lacked in talent, it more than made up for in guts. They weren't just seasoned veterans; they were warriors who were used to the rigors of a long and grueling postseason. That team had the heart of a lion, and through sheer force of will, they brought a Cup home to a city that hadn't seen one since 1940.

Where are the Messiers, the Graves, the Matteaus, the Tikkanens, the MacTavishes, the Beukabooms on this Rangers team? Don't bother looking because they're not there. In fact, so long as we're being honest here, this team more closely resembles the '92 team - sans Messier and Graves - than the '94 team. Like I said, talented but flawed.

So now what? Where does GM Chris Drury go from here?

Clearly, Drury has some tough decisions ahead of him. Does he fire Gerard Gallant? If so, who does he bring in to replace him? What roster moves does he make? Does he tweak the lineup or are more drastic changes needed? Let's go through them one by one.

The head coach:

Two years ago, before Gallant was hired, I thought it would be a good idea for Drury to at least interview Rod Brind'Amour and Rick Tocchet. Brind'Amour's contract with the Carolina Hurricanes was expiring and he was available, while Tocchet had managed to get an Arizona Coyotes team that was barely north of an AHL roster into the qualifying round of the 2020 playoffs. Both men - especially Brind'Amour - are widely respected coaches who excel at Xs and Os; something Gallant is not particularly adept at. But Drury opted to go with "the bird in the hand," as I wrote back then. 

A players' coach, Gallant was the polar opposite of his predecessor, David Quinn. Not only did he make the playoffs last year, but he had the most wins by a first-year Rangers coach since Mike Keenan in '94. But the struggles that plagued them that year became exacerbated this year. An early-season slump led many to speculate that Gallant's days were numbered. After the Jacob Trouba helmet throwing incident against Chicago, the Rangers turned their season around, thus saving Gallant's job. But now with this humiliating defeat at the hands of the Devils, it's no better than 50/50 whether he survives. And that's a shame, considering he was one win shy of being the first coach in franchise history to reach 100 wins in his first two seasons behind the bench.

So who would replace Gallant? Joel Quenneville's name has come up. The former Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers head coach certainly has the credentials. He guided the Blackhawks to three Cups over a six-year period. It's his checkered past that is problematic. At best, he ignored the sexual assault scandal that rocked the Blackhawks organization and shocked the hockey community; at worst, he helped cover it up. Either way, it would not be a good look for the Rangers to hire him. Knowing James Dolan, I wouldn't put it past him to do just that. Assuming Gary Bettman reinstates Quenneville, he would be the odds-on favorite if a change is made.

Tarasenko and Kane:

There's been some speculation about keeping one of these two UFAs on a team-friendly deal. Hopefully, that's all it is: speculation. Frankly, neither contributed much since their arrival; in fact, their presence likely hurt the team chemistry, particularly the power play. The gymnastics Drury had to subject this team to just to fit Kane in under the cap became something of a running joke throughout the league. It was one of the few times during his tenure that he forced a square peg into a round hole, which leads me to believe that maybe Dolan had something to do with it.

What Drury needs to do is let both players go and use the cap savings to re-sign his own RFAs over the summer. There's a reason why they're called rentals and not purchases. The smart move is to give more ice time to Alexis Lafeniere and Kaapo Kakko, and bring up Will Cuylle and Brennan Othmann. If the Devils proved anything in this series it's that youth and inexperience aren't the liabilities some think they are.

Panarin:

While the Bread Man is unquestionably the most talented player on this team, and one of the league's elite playmakers, he is also the Mike Gartner of this generation. A great regular season player who wilts under the spotlight of the playoffs. He had two measly assists in the Devils series and frequently turned the puck over in the offensive and neutral zones.

His $11.6 million salary is the largest on the team, and even if Panarin would be open to waiving his no-move clause, Drury would have a hard time finding a team with sufficient space to accommodate his cap hit. And those teams that do have the cap space, would probably be teams Panarin would not agree to go to. 

But let's be optimistic and say there's a team willing to take on Panarin's contract - with a little salary retention by Drury - that Panarin would agree to go to. The Rangers could use that money to add some size to their lineup. Maybe Drury can finally get the checking center he's been after since he became President and GM. Both Sam Lafferty and Nick Bjugstad were supposedly on his short list at the trade deadline before he got distracted by Kane. As good as Barclay Goodrow is, he's not a natural center; his talents are better suited as a winger.

The Kid line:

It is time to shit or get off the pot for this trio. Assuming Drury re-signs Lafreniere - be it a bridge deal or something similar to what Filip Chytil got - the Rangers must find out what they have with these players. Chytil finally had a breakout year in his fifth season, while both Kakko and Lafreniere showed definite signs of improvement. Regardless of who is behind the bench next season, it is imperative that all three get more ice time, either as a unit or on different lines.

For those who feel that Drury should trade Lafreniere. I would caution against doing that. Having lived through both the John Ferguson and Phil Esposito eras, the last thing this organization needs is another Rick Middleton or Mike Ridley flourishing on another team. Even if Othmann does get promoted, there's no guarantee he would be become the player in the NHL that he is in the juniors. 

Use the trade deadline the way it was intended next time.

Teams make trades for a variety of reasons, but typically playoff-bound teams use the trade deadline to add complimentary pieces to a roster that is otherwise set. That is precisely what Drury did last season when he acquired Frank Vatrano, Andrew Copp, Tyler Motte and Justin Braun. All four complimented what was already there. Adding Tarasenko and Kane had the opposite affect. Instead of complimentary pieces, Tarasenko and Kane were viewed as mercenaries brought in specifically to deliver the Cup. Just imagine the message that sent in the locker room. You're not good enough so we imported these two future Hall of Famers to save your ass. And people wonder why this team looked lost the last month of the season. 

Look at what Toronto and Edmonton did at the deadline. The Leafs acquired Ryan O'Reilly, Noel Acciari and Sam Lafferty, while the Oilers picked up Nick Bjugstad and Mattias Ekholm. All have been solid additions to their respective teams. That's how it's done. Next time around, Drury should stick with what works. Compliment your talent; not supplant it.

Yes, the 2022-23 season didn't end the way it was supposed to. But given the plethora of NMC contracts on the team and the lack of cap space that Drury will have to work with next season, there isn't much he can do to dramatically change this roster short of blowing it up. That would mean another rebuild, and I doubt Dolan would stand for that.

If he does decide to replace the coach, he should go with someone who doesn't have enough baggage to start his own airline; someone who works well with younger players as well as older players; someone who can finally convince players like Panarin and Zibanaejad that playing north-south hockey is in their best interest.

Wonder what Mike Keenan is doing these days?

Latest Pierre-Luc Dubois Rumors Have That "Déjà Vu All Over Again" Look and Feel

It was about this time last year that rumors started surfacing about Jack Eichel being traded to New York in a mega deal that lit up the Twitterverse. The names that were being tossed around as a possible return haul included Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko, a number one pick and a prospect or two. Putting aside Eichel's neck injury - which thankfully has healed since - it was simply too steep a price to pay, I argued at the time. And besides, the contract ($10 million AAV) would hamper Chris Drury's ability to field a roster capable of competing in an NHL that demands, above all else, depth.

Well, as it turns out, Eichel wound up in Vegas, and the Rangers, with a slightly more robust lineup, had their best season in seven years, advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference finals before finally losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Funny how things have a way of turning out.

Fast forward a year and another high-profile center's name has popped up as a potential trade target for the Blueshirts. To be clear, Pierre-Luc Dubois would make a great addition to the Rangers lineup. He's young (24), big (6'3" 218 lbs), and, unlike Eichel last year, completely healthy and ready to go on day one. And, as Larry Brooks wrote in The New York Post, he was Artemi Panarin's center back in the days when both played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, so there's no chemistry issue here. 

I confess, the thought of this team having two number-one lines next season intrigues me. It also would make it harder for opposing coaches to key on Mika Zibanejad's line the way Rod Brind'Amour and Jon Cooper did in last year's playoffs. And let's be honest, the Rangers haven't had a genuine one-two punch since 1997 when Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky were reunited for the last time. That was twenty-five years ago!

But I keep coming back to a salary cap that increases about the same way glaciers melt. The last two seasons, the cap was stuck at $81.5 million; next season, it increases to $82.5 million; and the season after that, it goes up to $83.5 million. It won't be until the 2025-26 season that the salary cap will resume its pre-pandemic upward trend. In the meantime, every general manager in the league will have to make some hard and unpleasant choices with respect to their rosters. Just yesterday, Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin was forced to trade the rights to RFA Kevin Fiala in exchange for a first round pick because they couldn't afford to re-sign him. The explosive winger finished second in team scoring behind Kirill Kaprizov. Think about the anguish that must've caused Guerin, who now has the unenviable task of finding a replacement for such a talented player.

Guerin isn't the only GM up against it. In Colorado, Joe Sakic is going to lose the services of his number two center in Nazem Kadri to free agency because the Avalanche don't have the cap space to re-sign him. In Florida, Bill Zito has about $3 million in cap space with which to sign six players. I imagine he's going to have a pretty busy summer. If Panthers fans thought it couldn't get any worse than being swept in the second round, just wait until they take a gander at what next season's roster is likely to look like. To quote the late, great Robin Williams, "Reality, what a concept."

Compared to what some of his fellow brethren are going through, Drury is living the high life. Including Vitali Kravtsov and Braden Schneider, the Rangers have 16 players on the active roster. The maximum number allowed is 23. That leaves them with about $10 million available to sign seven players. If he can unload Patrik Nemeth's contract, he would have an extra $2.5 million in the kitty, but then he would have to find someone to replace Nemeth, so some of that $2.5 million would be re-allocated.

Assume for a moment that Winnipeg GM Kevin Sheveldayoff is in a good mood and only asks for Filip Chytil and a draft pick in return for Dubois. Let's also assume that Vladimir Putin pulls all his troops out of Ukraine tomorrow while we're at it. The Rangers would gain $2.3 million in cap space, but would have to sign Dubois, who last season earned $5 million and is arbitration eligible. That means even without a long-term deal, Dubois is looking at an increase of somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.2 million. If the Rangers want to avoid a messy arbitration battle, they will have to come to the table with a substantial offer. Think $7 million x 7 years. That comes out to $49 million over the duration of the contract. And that assumes Dubois would even agree to that number. Let's not forget it costs a bit more to live in New York than it does in Manitoba. For what a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan goes for, you can buy three four-bedroom, two-bath houses in Winnipeg and still have enough left over to buy your own Zamboni. 

But let's say they get it done. Consider the ramifications here. The Rangers would have a staggering $51.1 million committed to just six players. That's 62 percent of the team's salary cap. To put that in perspective, the top six players on the Toronto Maple Leafs comprise 65 percent - $53.5 million - of the team's salary cap. And the last time the Leafs won a playoff series, George Bush was still insisting the U.S. had won the war in Iraq. With K'Andre Miller and Alexis Lafreniere both up for extensions in '23, the Blueshirts are staring at cap hell. Is this really the model Drury wants to adopt? A roster so top heavy it will fail in the postseason? Somehow I doubt it.

What I think is going on here is that Drury is exploring all his options, which is the smart thing to do. Only a fool would shut the door on the possibility of adding a player as talented as Dubois. And Drury is no fool. But make no mistake about it, he took notes during the playoffs and he knows that even though they were denied in their quest for a threepeat, the Tampa Bay Lightning model is the correct way to go. If he's not entirely sold that Chytil has what it takes to assume the duties of 2C, and he's unable to re-sign Andrew Copp to a manageable number, he will look outside the organization for a player that will meet the team's needs while affording him the financial flexibility to build a Stanley Cup championship roster.

That's how every team that's been successful has done it in the cap era. The fact is, as exciting as fantasy teams might be, they seldom win in the playoffs. That's why they're called fantasy teams.

Rangers Have the Opportunity of a Lifetime

The Rangers took care of business Saturday night. After their "tired" performance in game five, in which they managed a paltry 17 shots on goal, they limped out of Raleigh on life support. A loss at the Garden meant their season would be over. So they summoned what resiliency they had left and beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2.

Don't be fooled by the score. The Blueshirts got two soft goals in the first period off Antti Raanta, who was lifted after Filip Chytil went top shelf on him early in the second. The Canes outshot the Rangers in every period and had the better scoring chances. If Igor Shesterkin had been playing for Rod Brind'Amour last night, this series would be over and we'd be talking about the 2022-23 season.

And now they hit the road, where they are 1-5, to play a team that is 7-0 at home, for the right to play the two-time Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals. The Rangers are 4-0 in elimination games, so theoretically a win is possible. But in the three games they've played in Raleigh so far, this resilient team has managed exactly two goals, one off a turnover in game one and the other on a power play in game five. Sadly, the Rangers have given zero evidence that they are capable of mustering the kind of sixty-minute effort it would take to advance and every indication that when the final buzzer sounds Monday night, they and not the Canes will be the ones headed home.

So why am I cautiously optimistic about their chances? Two reasons and they both have to with who's in goal. The fact is Igor Shesterkin doesn't play for Rod Brind'Amour; he plays for Gerard Gallant, which means that any game he suits up for is a game he is capable of winning, er, stealing. Ask Mike Sullivan what he thinks about Shesterkin. The Pittsburgh Penguins threw the kitchen sink at him in the third period of game seven and couldn't beat him. Anybody else in that net and Artemi Panarin doesn't get to score that power play goal in overtime.

As for Antti Raanta, he's starting to show why he's been a backup goaltender his entire career. There was simply no excuse for that performance in the first period. He whiffed on a shot by Tyler Motte and was cleanly beaten five hole by Mika Zibanaejad. Igor would've stopped those shots; in fact, any half-way competent net minder would've stopped them. His body language after getting pulled by Brind'Amour was all you needed to know. I'm telling you he's teetering and if the Rangers are smart, they will make the most of the opportunity the hockey gods have bestowed upon them.

Despite getting thoroughly outplayed and outshot in game five, the Canes only had a one-goal lead with just over seven minutes to go in the third period, and if Adam Fox handles that loose puck at center ice instead of muffing it, who knows what might've happened? 

Now imagine if the Rangers manage to establish even a modest forecheck Monday night. Let's say they get a "soft" goal on Raanta early, the score is tied at two late in the third and Carolina gets called for a penalty. Now imagine a one-timer by Zibanejad with just under two minutes left.

You might be thinking that's quite an active imagination you have there, Peter. To be fair, it is far fetched. But here's the thing: with six minutes to go in the third period of game seven against the Pens, the Rangers were trailing by a goal and looked for all the world like they were done. Then all of a sudden, Andrew Copp wrestled a puck out of the corner and fed Zibanejad for the tying goal. You know the rest.

This entire season, the Rangers have confounded the so-called analytics experts. Their ability to stare death in the face and come away unscathed has paid huge dividends. Of course, it doesn't exactly hurt that they have the presumptive Vezina trophy winner playing for them. Consider that not once in these playoffs have they led in a series. They trailed the Pens 1-0 and 3-1 before coming back; they trailed the Canes 2-0 and 3-2 before coming back. They seem to relish being the underdog; it has served them well.

With all the talk about how the Rangers have had a difficult time playing a full sixty minutes, it's not like the Hurricanes have dominated this series. Games one and two could easily have gone either way; they got outplayed in game four and they were downright sloppy in game six. Yes, they're 7-0 at home in the postseason, but the problem with going to the well that many times is that sooner or later your bucket comes up dry.

Bottom line, yes the Rangers can win game seven, but to do so, they will have to play considerably better than they did in game five. They are going to have to manage the puck well, avoid turnovers at center ice, and get the puck in deep. Shesterkin will keep them in the game as long as he can, just like he has done throughout the playoffs, but the Rangers will have to meet him half way.

They have the talent, now they have to find the will.

Rangers Get Just Enough

Gerard Gallant had seen enough. Through the first two games of this best of seven series with the Carolina Hurricanes, his team had managed just one goal. At the rate things were going, the Rangers were looking at a four-game sweep. Clearly something had to be done. So he shook up his top three lines. The new lines were as follows: Mika Zibanejad centering Chris Kreider and Filip Chytil; Ryan Strome centering Artemi Panarin and Kaapo Kakko; and Andrew Copp centering Alexis Lafreniere and Frank Vatrano.

An offensive onslaught it wasn't. But then in a series where goals have been as rare as an honest salesman in a used-car lot, anything was better than nothing. The Rangers skated with authority, took more chances in the offensive zone and, yes, surrendered more than their fair share of chances the other way. Thru two periods, the Hurricanes outshot the Blueshirts 35-23. But Igor Shesterkin stood tall in net, stopping all but one, while Zibanejad scored a power play goal in the first and Kreider padded the lead early in the second to give New York its first two goal lead of the series. An empty netter by Tyler Motte late in the third sealed the deal.

We now have a series; a series that will test the Rangers mettle in ways they could only imagine. Before the series began, I wrote that the Hurricanes were the worst possible matchup for this team. Well they played what was arguably their best game of the playoffs and they still needed everyone of Shesterkin's 43 saves to preserve the win. Things will only get tougher from here on out, you can count on that.

This is the assignment the Rangers have drawn; a seemingly impossible assignment, but one they seem more than eager to take on. And if they somehow manage to tie this series on Tuesday, they will at the very least succeed in forcing the Canes to defend their home ice advantage. Of course, should they lose, they face the dire prospect of going home for the season on Thursday.

To have any chance at advancing to the conference finals, the Rangers MUST win the special teams battle. Apart from Shesterkin, it's the one area in which they enjoy an advantage. Throughout the regular season, they posted the fourth best power play in the NHL, while the Hurricanes were only the thirteenth best. So far, Carolina has been a woeful 0 for 7 in this series and 5 for 43 overall in the postseason. If the Rangers can covert with the extra man, they will have a fighting chance.

And if the Hurricanes try and goad the Rangers into physical altercations, as both Max Domi and Tony DeAngelo did at the end of game three, that will only be playing into the Rangers hands. The Canes maybe the faster team in this series, but they are clearly not the bigger one. I doubt Rod Brind'Amour would be dumb enough to allow that, but in the event he does or can't stop it, expect Gerard Gallant to say, "Thank you."

This season has been full of surprises. If the Rangers can pull off a few more, who knows where they might end up?

Playing Not To Lose Is No Way To Win

Well at least Igor Shesterkin's save percentage is looking good. In the first two games of the Rangers' best of seven series against the Carolina Hurricanes, the presumptive Vezina trophy winner has a .923 and a .952 save percentage respectively.

That was pretty much it for the good news. In six periods of hockey, the Rangers have managed to score exactly one goal and generate a total of eight high-percentage scoring chances. To put that in perspective, in the first two games of the Pittsburgh Penguins series, the Rangers scored eight goals and generated twenty-two high-percentage scoring chances. 

So what's responsible for the power outage? Certainly the opponent has had something to do with it. Let's face it, despite the marque talent on their roster, the Pens aren't exactly the defensive stalwarts the Canes are. Head coach Rod Brind'Amour has his team firing on all cylinders. As I wrote in an earlier piece, "they are a better, younger version of last year's Islanders."

But there might be another reason for why the Rangers offense has been so anemic in this series, and it may have something to do with the results of their four regular season meetings. If you recall, the Blueshirts went 1-3 against Carolina; their lone win was a 2-0 shutout, courtesy of Alexandar Georgiev stopping 44 shots. But it was their first meeting back in January in which the Hurricanes ran circles around them on their way to a 6-3 rout that might be screwing with their heads at this moment. It is quite possible that the coaching staff and players have concluded that the best chance they have of winning this series, or at least avoiding getting embarrassed, is to play risk free hockey, capitalize on the rare mistake, and let Igor do his thing.

For 57 and a half minutes in game one, that strategy looked as if it might work. Alexis Lafreniere intercepted a Tony DeAngelo errant pass, skated into the offensive zone and fed Filip Chytil for the one timer. 1-0 Rangers after one. And it stayed that way until the third when Sebastian Aho picked up his own rebound and put it past Shesterkin at 17:37 to tie the game. We all know what happened in OT, so let's not rehash that.

The bottom line is that the Rangers find themselves in an 0-2 hole because they've talked themselves into believing that if they open things up against a team as quick as the Hurricanes, they'll be sliced to ribbons. That might be the case, but putting a leash on players like Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox, Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin is the equivalent of hoisting up a white flag. You get no brownie points for losing 2-1 and 2-0. Playing not to lose virtually guarantees you will. Ask any football coach what employing the prevent defense did for his team. The annals of sports history are replete with examples of over cautious teams that thought they could run out the clock on their opponents. Few, if any, succeeded.

When the Rangers take the ice Sunday afternoon for game three of this series, they must do everything within their power to generate some offense. If that means that head coach Gerard Gallant has to mix up his lines to do so, then do it. For a team with this much firepower to be held to only one goal after two games is unacceptable. That the Kid line is the only line generating anything resembling a forecheck in this seres is something that should raise eyebrows within the dressing room.

Panarin spoke of not wanting to do "some stupid shit" with the puck, but there is a huge difference between being reckless with the puck and being timid. And right now, Panarin and his line mates look timid. Worse, they look indecisive. That was painfully obvious during a four-minute power play late in the second period, when Fox, pinching to try and keep the puck in the offensive zone, got caught on an odd-man rush that resulted in a short-handed goal by, of all people, Brendan Smith: the only Ranger who stood up to Tom Wilson last year. Irony abounds.

If the Rangers have any hope of getting back into this series, Panarin must be the player he was during the regular season when he finished fourth in the NHL in assists. When he's on his game, he's one of the best playmakers in the league. Is there a risk that one of those cross-ice passes could wind up in the back of their own net? Of course there is. But the Rangers aren't paying him $11 million a year to play like Tyler Motte or Barclay Goodrow, and asking him to do so now, with the season on the line, makes absolutely no sense.

If this is some sort of master plan by Gallant and company to lull the Hurricanes into a false sense of security, it isn't working. Brind'Amour could care less whether his team wins 2-1 or 5-4. A win is a win. To borrow a baseball parlance, they all look like line drives in the box score.

Look, the Rangers are who they are. It's the reason they won 52 games during the regular season and it's also the reason they were able to beat the Penguins in the first round. Should they go down swinging against an admittedly superior Hurricanes team, they can at least hold their heads up high knowing they gave it their best shot. But if they go out with a whimper, the way they've done so far in these first two games, it could have long-lasting repercussions for the core of this team. Chris Drury is trying to mold the Rangers into the image of the Tampa Bay Lightning. But before the Lightning could learn how to win, they had to first learn how to lose. Before they stopped doing "some stupid shit" with the puck they first had to do "some stupid shit" with the puck.

Translation, Gallant has to let his players off the leash. Will it work? Probably not. Sadly, the Hurricanes are just too good. But it will give the fans something to cheer for these next two games at the Garden. Who knows, if they can get the power play going, maybe they can extend the series to six games. Absent that, we're looking at a four-game sweep with the boo birds out in full force Tuesday evening.

Before we got married, my wife had this plaque that hung on her bedroom wall that read, "Ships are safe in the harbor, but ships were never meant to stay in the harbor."

Words to live - or die - by.

Drury Goes With Gallant

In the end, Chris Drury went with the bird in the hand. Before we go any further, let's get something straight. Gerard Gallant is no Barry Trotz, nor is he John Cooper or even Rod Brind'Amour. But with the first two gainfully employed for the foreseeable future and the third likely to remain in Raleigh, he was the best available option on the market. And to be fair to Gallant, it's not like he's the second coming of Jean-Guy Talbot. The man has won everywhere he's gone. His resume speaks for itself.

This is a good move for the Rangers; the smart move. The reality is that had Drury gone after Brind'Amour, not only would he have most likely struck out, he most assuredly would have lost Gallant. And with the Seattle Kraken still looking for a coach, that was a risk Drury was not prepared to take. So he played it safe and got himself one hell of a good coach. As I wrote in my last piece, I wouldn't have a problem if Drury inked him to a contract. Well, he did.

So now that the Rangers have found their head coach, they need to find his assistants. While Gallant has an excellent track record dealing with players, he's not terribly good with the X's and O's. And in this conference, with coaches like Trots, Cooper and Brind'Amour, having someone on the bench who can make adjustments on the fly is critical. Fred Shero had his Mike Nykoluk, so Drury and Gallant will have to find theirs.

Then there's the issue of input. How much of it will Gallant have with regards to the roster? The sad truth is that for all their talent, there is a dearth of size and grit on this team. In short, they're soft as hell, and no amount of coaching can overcome that. Even if Gallant manages to get players like Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin to buy in, Drury's going to have to get him the horses he needs to turn this ship around. Rangers' fans may not want to admit it, but the team playing in Uniondale is a far better representation of what a contender looks like than anything the Blueshirts bring to the table, and if they manage to win seven more games this postseason, they will hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1983. Imagine that nightmarish scenario.

But regardless of what happens over the next few weeks, we can honestly say that Drury's first hire is an unqualified success. With his coach in place, the President and GM can now focus on the Expansion Draft, the Entry Draft and free agency, all taking place next month. It would behoove him to find an assistant GM to help lighten the load. Remember, the reason Drury had so much on his plate to begin with is because his boss fired everyone else.

That's what happens when you work for an owner like Jim Dolan.

Coaching Matters

Chris Drury will be making a lot of important decisions this year. Who will the Rangers protect going into the Seattle Expansion Draft? Who will they select in the Entry Draft? Which player or players will they add to or subtract from next season's roster? But the decision that will have the biggest impact on the fortunes of this franchise, and the one Drury can't afford to screw up, is who will be behind the bench when the season starts?

As any trainer knows full well, you can have the best horse in the world, but if you don't have the right jockey, you're not going to win many races. Since Barry Trotz departed the Washington Capitals for the New York Islanders, the Isles have won five playoff series in three seasons, the Caps have won none.

The job Trotz has done since arriving in Uniondale has been nothing short of extraordinary. Not since the glory days of Al Arbour have the Islanders had a coach with a resume like this. Consider that going into the 2018-19 season, the Isles lost their captain and best player, John Tavares, to the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency. Not only didn't they miss him, they went from 7th in the Metropolitan division to 2nd, and from 31st in the league defensively to 1st. Last year, they were two wins away from going to the Stanley Cup finals.

This year's team struggled to score goals and finished 4th in the pandemic-constructed East division. Their best offensive player, Anders Lee, went down with an ACL tear. And yet, even with all that, they managed to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Boston Bruins in consecutive series. The latter team was considered a legitimate contender for the Cup.

The reason for this is simple: Trotz has gotten his players to buy into a hard-nosed, defensive-style of play that frustrates opponents and forces them into making mistakes. And those mistakes then get converted into scoring opportunities. This team clogs the passing lanes better than any team I've seen in years. Wayne Gretzky would have a hard time scoring against the Islanders.

Despite not having a single player on his roster finish in the top 40 in league scoring, Trotz was able to role four lines this post season - a testament in large part to Lou Lamoriello's predecessor Garth Snow. That proved to be the difference maker, particularly against Boston. While the Bruin's top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak had a good series, the other three lines were completely ineffective. By contrast, Trotz got significant contributions from every line. Part of that is talent; the rest is simply great coaching.

The Rangers are a team with a lot of talent; some would say more talent than the Islanders. What they don't have is the right coach who can get the most out of that talent. David Quinn was a good teacher, and that no doubt was beneficial on a team with so many young players. But he struggled to reach veterans like Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin, and with the former entering his walk year, it is vital that the next coach be able to get through to those players.

Gerard Gallant might be that coach. Like Trotz, he has an impressive resume; he came within three victories of being a Stanley Cup-winning coach. Yes, he was fired from his last two gigs, but apart from that he checks all the boxes. Good with young players, connects with veterans. I wouldn't have a problem if Drury inks him to a contract.

But it would behoove him to at least put in a call to Rod Brind'Amour. With the Carolina Hurricanes having been dispatched by the Tampa Bay Lightning in five, Brind'Amour is now a free agent. Reports are that owner Thomas Dundon has an offer on the table worth $1.8 million per year for three years. That's a lot of bread for Raleigh. In Manhattan, it's practically minimum wage. 

Bottom line, James Dolan has the resources to make Brind'Amour a very wealthy man. By wealthy, I'm talking $5 mill per year guaranteed over five years. The question is does Brind'Amour really want to leave a situation where he's laid down roots and has a team that is a player or two from winning a cup?

That's why Drury needs to feel him out and see where his head is at. Perhaps Brind'Amour takes a look at the Rangers roster and thinks maybe this could be the next Lightning in the making and he wants in. Or perhaps he sees what happened to John Davidson and Jeff Gorton, wants no part of that circus and just uses Dolan's money to entice a better offer from his owner.

Either way, Drury has to find out. Gallant will still be there, especially since the Columbus Blue Jackets have opted to promote someone from within their own organization to fill their head coaching vacancy. What Drury can't afford to do is pass up an opportunity to get what I believe is the third best coach in the NHL. The first two are Trotz and John Cooper of the Lightning.

Larry Brooks has an excellent piece in the New York Post about just how far away the Rangers are from the Islanders that's required reading.

You watch the Islanders and you see that three of their four lines can be utilized as checking units, every one other than the Leo Komarov-Mat Barzal-Jordan Eberle trio. Brock Nelson, between Josh Bailey and Anthony Beauvillier, can center a matchup line. Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s unit with deadline expatriates Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri can handle the assignment. And we know that the Matt Martin-Casey Cizikas-Cal Clutterbuck Identity Line can take on any line on any team.

Three checking lines for the Islanders.

Not a one for the Rangers.

Of course, Brooks left out one very important detail: with the exception of Pageau, Martin, Zajac, and Palmieri, all of the above forwards - plus Tavares - were here four years ago, and as I pointed out above, they finished an abysmal 7th in the division and dead last in defense. The reason why this team is now eight wins away from a Stanley Cup championship is because of the man behind the bench. If Drury doesn't get that, than everything we've read about him over the last few weeks is good for shit.

During the 1980s, I was forced to watch an Islanders team reel off four consecutive cups while the team I rooted for spun its wheels in futility. The hard cap will probably prevent the Isles - or any team - from doing that again. What it won't do is save a Rangers organization with a long history of screwing up from a repeat performance.

Rangers Need To Find Their Own Tom Thibodeau

Before I get to the Rangers head coaching vacancy, I want to send a shoutout to "JD" John Davidson, who according to The New York Post, will be rejoining the Columbus Blue Jackets as President of Hockey Operations, his old job. JD was a class act and he deserved a much better fate than the one he got at the hands of James Dolan. I wish him nothing but the best.

Now onto to the head coach.

With all the talk about rebuilding, it's worth noting that the most successful rebuild going on at Madison Square Garden has nothing to do with the hockey team. It involves the basketball franchise that since the 1972-73 season has made the finals just twice. The New York Knicks are the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and this Sunday they will begin a best of seven series against the Atlanta Hawks.

Just seeing the words "Knicks" and "postseason" appear in the same sentence is like seeing the words "Nickelback" and "outstanding rock band" appear in the same sentence. Well almost. Since their last trip to the NBA finals in 1999, the Knicks have made the playoffs six times and only twice have they advanced to the second round. Going into this season, they had seven consecutive losing campaigns.

The man most responsible for this tremendous turnaround is head coach Tom Thibodeau. Not since the glory days of Red Holzman have the Knicks had a coach who commands the respect of his players the way this man does. A coach who is equal parts teacher and disciplinarian; a coach who preaches defense first, and who got his players to buy into a team concept in a league that is obsessed with individual stats. If Thibodeau isn't coach of the year, the award is meaningless.

As Chris Drury conducts his search for the next head coach of the Rangers, he would be wise to take a good hard look at what his counterpart - Leon Rose - accomplished by hiring Thibodeau, and then copy it. The days of a head coach screaming at his players is over. To earn their respect, coaches these days have to wear multiple hats: Yes, they still have to hold players accountable, but not by humiliating them the way John Tortorella often did. To succeed with today's players, coaches have to have a temperament that can both inspire and correct at the same time. 

As much as I liked David Quinn, he just wasn't able to get through to the veterans on this club. Players like Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin resisted Quinn's calls for a more conventional north-south style of play that teams like the Islanders and Bruins have adopted successfully. The result was that this team, exciting to watch though they may have been, severely underachieved and missed the postseason, despite having more talent than last year's roster.

Whoever Drury hires as Quinn's replacement has to be able to harness that talent while also convincing it that this isn't the 1980s anymore. Today's NHL is about aggressive forechecking and driving to the net. It's about taking care of your own end first and getting the puck in deep. No reckless, cross-ice passes that can wind up in the back of your net. You get a scoring chance, you take it. Period!

The Capitals / Bruins series is a case in point. All three games in this best of seven series so far have gone into overtime and all three have been low-scoring affairs. No 9-0 or 8-3 blowouts. No sequence of three or four passes by self-indulgent players trying to come up with that "perfect" shot that in the postseason almost never materializes. The best teams in the league are simply too quick and too big to let that happen. The core of this Rangers team never fully accepted that reality. The next head coach will be tasked with driving it home.

With that in mind, who will Drury choose? So far, Gerard Gallant is the only candidate that's been interviewed. Gallant has an impressive resume. In his last two stints as HC he led the Florida Panthers to a second division title and the Vegas Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup finals during its inaugural season. However, Gallant was fired from both jobs in only his third year behind the bench, and that is a red flag for a team looking for long-term stability.

Another candidate is former Arizona Coyotes' head coach Rick Tocchet. Though the Coyotes severely underperformed during Tocchet's four-year reign, the team's defense did improve dramatically. Last year, it was 3rd in the league. The Coyotes also made the play-in round in 2020 and beat the Nashville Predators before losing to the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs.

We likely won't know until after the playoffs are over who the next Rangers head coach will be. That's because one candidate is Rod Brind'Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes who is unsigned beyond this year. In his three seasons behind the bench, the Hurricanes have been one of the toughest teams in the NHL to play against. Last year, they swept the Rangers in the play-in round. This season, they finished first in the Central Division and came within two points of winning the President's Trophy. They currently have a 2-0 lead over the Predators in the first round of the playoffs and are among a handful of teams that have a legitimate shot of winning the Stanley Cup. 

Brind'Amour wouldn't be the first Stanley Cup-winning head coach to switch teams. Barry Trotz left the Washington Capitals after they won the Cup in 2018 to become the Islanders' head coach. And let's not forget Mike Keenan, the last Rangers' coach to hoist Lord Stanley, departed for the St. Louis Blues barely a month after the season ended.

The bottom line is this: In addition to deciding on a head coach, there's the upcoming Seattle expansion draft as well as the league draft, not to mention off-season trades and/or potential free-agent signings. Drury has a lot on his plate. The moves he makes over the next couple of months will go a long way towards determining whether the Rangers progress as an organization or slide into oblivion. One thing's for certain: with Dolan taking a sudden interest in the hockey operations, you can bet the ranch Drury's leash will be a short one.