The Sixty-four Thousand Dollar Question Drury Must Answer

With the news that Chris Drury has re-signed Vitali Kravtsov ($875k) and Sammy Blais ($1.525m) to one-year contracts, the Rangers now have 17 players on the active roster with $10 million in cap space leftover to field a team next season. Assuming they elect to go with the full compliment of 23 players, that comes out to an average of $1.66 million per remaining player. And, yes, I'm being facetious.

I don't for a minute believe that it is an accident that Drury locked up both Kravtsov and Blais first. The former gives him some flexibility at right wing in the event that another team swoops in with an offer sheet on Kaapo Kakko that the Rangers will not be able to meet; the latter addresses a need this team still has: a physical north-south winger who's good along the boards and between the dots.

But the biggest question mark hanging out there is who will get the coveted number two center slot? Both Ryan Strome and Andrew Copp are UFAs and will no doubt be looking for huge increases off of their last contracts: Strome at $4.5 million and Copp at $3.6 million. Both had career years and both complimented Artemi Panarin very well. Of the two, Copp is the better option, registering 18 points in 16 regular-season games and 14 points in 20 postseason games. He also had a better face-off percentage than Strome - 49 to 43 - and there was a definite chemistry between him and Panarin.

But if reports are accurate that Strome's agent turned down an offer of $5.25 million at the start of the season and Copp's camp is looking to test the free agent waters in July, Drury may have no choice but to look elsewhere to fill the 2C. But where?

Don't look now but it's entirely conceivable that come training camp Filip Chytil is the team's number two center. From a purely financial position, it makes perfect sense. Assuming he can entice Kakko to accept a two-year bridge deal at $2.3 million, Drury would have himself one helluva cheap second line. And if what we saw in the playoffs wasn't a mirage but the real deal, the Rangers would have one of the youngest and most dynamic trio of forwards in the NHL. Their emergence as a cohesive threat would allow Gerard Gallant to assemble a super line of Mika Zibanejad at center, Panarin at left wing and Chris Kreider at right.

Think of what Drury could do with the extra $5 million in cap money he would otherwise have to spend on either Copp or Strome. He could shore up that all-important third line that often makes or breaks teams. As I wrote in my last piece, both Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos had their way with the Rangers in these playoffs. And if Sebastian Aho had been a better finisher, the Tampa Bay Lightning would've been playing the Carolina Hurricanes instead of the Rangers in the Eastern Conference finals. I'm sure that deficiency hasn't gone unnoticed by Drury, who since he ascended to the dual position of President and GM has been methodical with every move he's made with the notable exception of the Patrik Nemeth signing. That one defies all logic.

Let's be honest here: apart from his friendship with Panarin, does Strome really get this team any closer to a Stanley Cup? He's an above-average skater with an average shot and not much net-front presence. Were it not for the value he brings to the power play, he'd be no better than a third-line center. Drury should consider himself fortunate that he rejected his offer of $5.25 million. As for Copp, he's never recorded more than 39 points in a single season. Like Strome, his owes most of the success he had here to playing alongside Panarin. Rangers fans maybe disappointed with the all-star winger's output, particularly against the Lightning, but Panarin is an elite player who brings out the most in his line mates. If Gallant elects not to create a super line and instead keeps Panarin on the second line, I wouldn't be shocked at all if Chytil ends up having a career year. That's how valuable number 10 is.

Now I know what you're thinking and you can bet the ranch Drury is thinking the same thing. Is Chytil durable enough to play an entire season? That's the sixty-four thousand dollar question Drury must answer. Let's face it: the guy's as brittle as a candy bar. It doesn't much matter how well the kid plays if he can't stay on the ice. The hit he took in game four of the conference finals didn't look all that serious at the time, yet it was enough to sideline him the rest of the game. In his four seasons in the NHL, the most games he's ever played is 75, and that was in his rookie year. This year he missed 15 games; the year before he missed 14. Missing five or six games is acceptable; missing 15 is a problem.

Kakko hasn't exactly been a model of durability either, but that's where Kravtsov comes in. In a pinch, he could easily slot over and take his place. Drury's ability to build a roster deep enough to overcome the odd injury or two will determine whether this team takes the next step in 2023 or is simply a flash in the pan.

As for the third line, as I wrote in my last piece, Drury was definitely interested in signing shutdown center Phillip Danault last summer, but the L.A. Kings outbid him. He's still looking for that center and Nick Paul could be just what the doctor ordered. The burly 219 pounder is having quite an impressive postseason with the Lightning and would make an ideal fit between Barclay Goodrow and Kravtsov. Drury might be able to ink him for $2.5 million x 3 years.

That would leave enough money to get a backup goalie like Braden Holtby ($1.5m), a left-handed defenseman to replace Nemeth ($900k), who I assume will be dealt soon, and a fourth-line center, I'm thinking a Brian Boyle reunion ($800k). They still have Dryden Hunt in reserve if someone gets hurt. And ya never know, Will Cuylle might even get a shot. Bottom line, hopefully we've seen the last of Greg McKegg and Julien Gauthier. 

All this is speculation, of course. For all we know, Drury is cooking up a major trade for a number two center as we speak. But until something concrete happens, it's always fun to speculate.

Over and Out

It's finally over. The New York Rangers' season came to a merciless end Saturday night in Tampa. After falling behind 0-2 in the series, the Lightning swept the last four games to close out the Blueshirts in six. Not even a 5-0 record when facing elimination was enough to save them. In the end, the most resilient team in the NHL simply ran out of gas. Igor Shesterkin was the only thing keeping this game from getting ugly. 

So now what?

Well for starters, let's state the obvious. This was a very successful season. Seriously, if you had the Rangers six wins away from a Stanley Cup in October, you're either a time traveler or high. Chris Drury should be commended for the moves he made both at the trade deadline and before the start of the season. They made this team deeper and harder to play against. And while we're at it, let's also give a shoutout to Jeff Gorton. Most of the players on that ice were acquired by him one way or the other. His decision in 2018 to rebuild was, in retrospect, the correct one, and it is because of his vision and courage that this franchise is on solid footing for the foreseeable future.

And despite some puzzling moves, particularly the benching of Kaapo Kakko in favor of Dryden Hunt in an elimination game, Gerard Gallant did an incredible job behind the bench all year. After three years of David Quinn, this team needed a breath of fresh air and Gallant was the perfect choice. I still maintain he should've won the Jack Adams award.

But as successful as this season was, the real work begins immediately. That's because the Rangers have a number of holes to fill and not a lot of resources with which to fill them. Indeed, they have just over $12* million in available cap space next year with only 14 players under contract. Given that the league allows each team up to 23 players, that doesn't leave a lot of room for Drury to construct a roster. If he can move Patrik Nemeth's contract in the off season, that'd give him an additional $2.5 million to play with.

The first hole is second-line center. It's practically a given that UFA Ryan Strome will not be returning. The fact that Drury didn't lock him up before the season began was a bad omen; that they traded for Andrew Copp at the deadline was a hint that they were willing to move on. But while Copp would be an improvement over Strome, Drury may elect to look outside the organization, especially if he feels Filip Chytil, who had a solid postseason, isn't up to the challenge. Mark Scheifele's name continues to pop up. The Winnipeg Jets center has two years remaining on a $6.125 AAV contract. A package of Kakko, Chytil, Nils Lundkvist and a future draft pick might be enough to pry him away.

Then there's right wing, a sore spot all season long that Drury was able to address in March with the acquisitions of Frank Vatrano and Copp. Vatrano will likely be too expensive to retain, and Copp, if he stays, it will be as a center. The news that Vitali Kravtsov was re-signed to a one-year contract at $875k, makes it clear that Drury is trying to get as creative as he can to shore up his lineup's deficiencies. The Russian winger had a falling out with the organization last fall that led him to bolt for the KHL this season. If both sides can bury the hatchet, the Rangers may have struck pay dirt here. The kid's got talent; it's just a matter of whether Gallant can harness it. And if Alexis Lafreniere can successfully make the transition to right wing, the first two lines should be set next season, regardless of what happens with Kakko.

But while plugging both these holes is essential for Drury, a more glaring and pressing need emerged in these playoffs. Put succinctly, the Rangers do not have a bonafide checking line. Let's face it, Kevin Rooney and Ryan Reaves were ostensibly useless. Turns out the former isn't much of a checker and the latter is way too slow to keep up with the league's elite-level forwards. In the Pittsburgh series, Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust did pretty much whatever the hell they wanted; and in the Tampa series, Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat looked like they were running a track meet. In neither instance did the Rangers appear to have an answer.

If you're thinking checking lines are overrated, consider this: Anthony Cirelli, Alex Killorn and Brandon Hagel didn't score an even strength goal against the Rangers the entire series, and Jon Cooper could not have cared less. They collectively held Mika Zibanejad's line to three even-strength goals, none in the final four games. And against the Florida Panthers, they completely shut down Alexander Barkov's line. That might explain why Drury was so interested in signing Phillip Danault over the summer. The former Montreal center played an integral role in the Canadiens drive to the finals last season. Can you imagine what a line of Danault, Barclay Goodrow and Tyler Motte would've done for the Rangers in this year's playoffs? Perhaps they wouldn't have needed a full seven games to dispatch the Penguins and Hurricanes. Perhaps they'd be playing the Colorado Avalanche this week for the Cup.

Yes, there's a lot on Drury's plate. The draft is coming up, and after that, free agency. The expectations will be high for this franchise going into next season. That's what happens when you advance to the conference finals after a five-year hiatus from the playoffs. The core is pretty much set: Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba and, of course, Harry Houdini himself, Igor Shesterkin. But cores don't win Stanley Cups. If they did, both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers would have at least two a piece.

In the end, the Lightning reminded the Rangers that championships are earned, not awarded.

* An earlier version of this post reported that the Rangers have just over $13 million of available cap space next season, but that doesn't include Braden Schneider's contract which pays $925k. That brings the number down to just over $12 million, and that will be reduced further if Vitali Kravtsov makes the team next year. I have made the correction.

7th Heaven

For the first time since 2017, the New York Rangers won a playoff series. And for the third time in eight years, they overcame a 3-1 series deficit to do it. A power play goal at 4:46 of overtime by Artemi Panarin, who despite his six points looked lost in this series, sealed the deal.

Make no mistake about it, the Pittsburgh Penguins were the better team throughout a good chunk of this series. After getting a split at the Garden in the first two games, they successfully chased Vezina trophy finalist Igor Shesterkin in games three and four, and led by two goals in games five and six and one goal twice in game seven before the Rangers mounted their comebacks. 

The low point was a 7-2 rout in game four, in which their coach Gerard Gallant accused them of playing "soft." The Rangers would never lose another game. The most resilient team in the NHL this season became the first team to post three consecutive come from behind wins while facing elimination in the same series.

But while game seven may have seemed like a given, it was anything but. The Rangers trailed 3-2 late in the third, and unlike the previous two games, there was no indication that they had anything left in their tank to mount another comeback. In fact, had it not been for Shesterkin standing on his head, the Pens would now be on their way to Carolina to face the Hurricanes.

Gallant did everything he could to jumpstart his team, going so far as to shake up his top two lines. He put Andrew Copp, Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanaejad together and the combination finally came through. With less than five minutes remaining in their season, Copp out muscled a Penguins defender along the boards and fed Zibanejad for the game-tying goal. The Pens accused Lafreniere of "intentionally" pulling off defenseman Marcus Pettersson's helmet prior to the goal, but like the accusation that Jacob Trouba deliberately injured Sidney Crosby, it was just a lame excuse to try and justify yet another postseason failure. The fact is that since 2019, Pittsburgh has failed to advance past the first round. If coach Mike Sullivan is looking for a scapegoat, he and his team should look in the mirror.

So how did the Rangers pull off this most improbable comeback? 

Igor Shesterkin settled down after his less than inspiring performance in games three and four. Indeed, the team MVP saved 217 of 232 shots for a .935 save percentage in games one, two, five, six and seven. And since the game one triple OT loss, he has not allow a goal after the second period. Penguins fans may have had some fun serenading Shesterkin earlier in the series, but in the end, it was Shesterkin who got the last laugh.

Mika Zibanejad finally woke up. Going into game six, the all-star center had only four points - all assists - yet recorded three goals and seven points in the final two contests. I've watched Zibanejad since his arrival from the Ottawa Senators prior to the 2016-17 season and this was, by far, the best I've seen him play. Any doubts some may have had about the contract extension Chris Drury gave him hopefully have been put to rest. With all the hoopla surrounding Crosby, it was Zibanejad who came through when his team needed him most.

The return of Ryan Lindgren and Tyler Motte. Since Barclay Goodrow and Lindgren both went down in game one, the Rangers have had problems in the own end. While Goodrow's status remains week to week, the return of Lindgren in game five, followed by Motte - who was injured, ironically, against the Pens earlier in the season - in game six, has given this team the lift it so badly needed. Both will be invaluable against the Hurricanes.

Gerard Gallant pushed all the right buttons. In addition to mixing up his lines, the Rangers' coach called a timeout at the beginning of the overtime power play in game seven that gave his number one unit the rest it needed to stay on for the full two minutes. Without that timeout, Panarin likely would not have scored the series clincher and who knows what might've happened. But even before that, his calm and steady demeanor throughout this series allowed his team to stay focused even when they weren't playing well. I never want to hear a peep from anybody again about this man's ability to motivate his players. This team has grown leaps and bounds since David Quinn was sent packing.

So, round one is in the books. Round two begins Wednesday. I will unveil my predictions for all eight of the remaining teams in my next piece. Not to toot my own horn, but I got seven out of eight correct in the last round. Almost as good as Shesterkin.

Rangers Shouldn't Count Their Chickens Just Yet.

Things couldn't have been going any better for the 1991-92 New York Rangers. They had won the President's trophy and defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-3 in the divisional semifinals. Now they were looking to do the same to the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the divisional finals. 

They were ahead 4-2 midway through the third period of game four and were on the verge of taking a 3-1 stranglehold lead in the series, when at 10:37, Ron Francis, from just outside the blue line, wound up and took a slap shot that flew past Mike Richter to trim the lead to 4-3. The crowd came alive, and a little over a minute later, Troy Loney tied the score. The Pens eventually won the game in overtime and took the series 4-2.

But the most crushing thing about that defeat, apart from the fact that once more the Rangers failed in their quest to capture the allusive Cup, was that the best player in the NHL that season, Mario Lemieux, was injured by a slash from Adam Graves in game two and missed the rest of the series. It's bad enough losing, but to lose to a team whose best player is unable to play, well that really stings. The moral of the story is don't assume anything.

No doubt the Rangers are relieved that Sidney Crosby will not be playing in tonight's game, courtesy of a Jacob Trouba hit that, despite what the Pittsburgh press is saying, was perfectly legal. I've been watching Trouba play for three years now, and let's just say that if Trouba really wanted to hurt Crosby, Crosby would've been carried off on a stretcher. It's time to move on, guys.

But if I'm the Rangers, I wouldn't be making any plans for a game seven at the Garden on Sunday. For starters, while Crosby has lit up the Blueshirts in this series, he is NOT the principle reason why they find themselves on the verge of elimination. Yes, their defense has been putrid, especially in game four, where they humiliated themselves. The two biggest reasons why they are in this predicament is 1) They have been unable to sustain a consistent forecheck against the Penguins, which has hampered their ability to generate offense; and 2) Their Vezina trophy finalist goaltender Igor Shesterkin, since game two, simply hasn't played up to his billing.

Regarding #2, there's no gentle way to put this. Anything other than a stellar performance in game six and it won't much matter who dresses for Pittsburgh. The Rangers season will be over. Come hell or high water, Igor must be Igor.

Regarding #1, this has been the most frustrating aspect of this series to watch. When the Rangers have been able to successfully establish a forecheck, the Penguins have had no answer. Put succinctly, when the Rangers turn on the spigot, Pittsburgh can't seem to turn it off.

Witness the first period in game one, the second period in both games two and three, and that three minute stretch in the second period of game five. Once pinned in their own end, the Pens have been unable to get out of their own zone without giving up successive scoring chances, some of which have wound up in the back of their net. With a few notable exceptions, the Penguins have gotten their goals from either odd-man rushes, deflections or transition plays. In short, Pittsburgh has been the quicker team, but not necessarily the better team in this series.

So how do the Rangers solve this problem? Well, let's be optimistic and assume that Igor regains his form tonight. The first thing that has to happen is the Rangers need to stop those long breakout passes they've been attempting. Pittsburgh's forwards are stepping up and intercepting them before they get to their blue line. This has led to several odd-man rushes that have led to goals. To get around this, the Rangers must attempt shorter passes through the neutral zone and then once across the red line, dump the puck in and chase it.

I know this strategy doesn't sit well with players like Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, but like it or not, this is the playoffs and adjustments have to be made. The reason the Kid line of Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere has been so successful is because they've been dumping the puck in and - surprise, surprise - successfully retrieving it. In fact, they've been giving the Pens fits the entire series. It would behoove Panarin and Zibanejad - who has been abysmal this series - to watch and learn. Who cares how you gain the offensive zone so long as you get possession of the puck?

But even if they do alter their style of play, the other thing that has to happen is that once they get a scoring chance they have to capitalize on it. Throughout the entire series, the Rangers have played musical chairs with the puck; passing up good shots to get the proverbial better one. In the first overtime period of game one, Adam Fox had the puck ten feet out from the Pittsburgh goal, and rather than shoot it, decided to pass it to Ryan Strome who, clearly not expecting the pass, flubbed the shot.

While that may be the most egregious example of their overpassing tendencies, it is emblematic of a flaw that has afflicted them throughout the regular season and now threatens their postseason aspirations. It undoubtedly was the reason they were unable to score on three consecutive power play opportunities in game three, when just one conversion might well have gotten them a win. Whether committed by Fox, Panarin or Zibanaejad, this reluctance by the Rangers to take what the defense is giving them is making Louis Domingue's life a lot more bearable than it should be. The third-string goalie has managed to win three playoff games so far and, despite some major flaws in his technique, is in position to win the first postseason series of his career. 

And if the Rangers let that happen, it will haunt them the entire offseason. 

Soft Served

Before I skewer the Rangers, I wanted to say a few words about the dismissal of Barry Trotz. While the news took a lot of people by surprise, if you examine the history of Lou Lamoriello, it really fits a pattern. In his 28 year run as President and GM of the New Jersey Devils, he fired eleven coaches, three of whom won Stanley Cups for him. Stability and loyalty are not part of his vocabulary.

But while Lamoriello certainly has the right to fire anyone he wants, Trotz was not to blame for what happened to the Islanders. The culprit here is Lou himself. As I wrote last month, "there is a staggering dearth of elite-level talent on the roster." Seriously, take away Brock Nelson, Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal and you've got the Arizona Coyotes. If anything, Trotz probably got more out of this bunch than most coaches would've been able to get. Good luck replacing him.

Now onto what happened last night in Pittsburgh.

The good news for the Rangers? They scored the first goal of the game. The bad news for the Rangers? The Penguins scored seven of the next eight.

This was a total embarrassment. Larry Brooks of The New York Post, summed it up best. The Rangers "dishonored themselves with a humiliating effort." This is eerily starting to look like a repeat of the 2016 series against the Penguins: a split in the first two games, followed by three woeful losses in which the Blueshirts were outscored 14-4.

Gerard Gallant said his team was "soft all over the ice," and called the 7-2 loss "a team effort." Somehow that word "effort" seems strangely out of place given what we witnessed on the ice. If anything, it was disheartening to watch athletes who get paid a lot of money phoning it in like this.

How bad was it? Of the five goals the Penguins scored in the second period, four of them came in under a minute: two in a span of 24 seconds at the start of the period, and two in a span of 35 seconds to close out the period. Four goals were deflections that took place without a single Ranger anywhere in sight; two directly from face-offs in the defensive zone that were cleanly won by the Pens. Igor Shesterkin should sue for abandonment.

The Penguins were allowed to skate into the defensive zone virtually unimpeded. Sidney Crosby, who was fairly contained in game three, put on a clinic in game four. When the Rangers did have the puck, which wasn't long, they were unable to establish, much less sustain, a viable forecheck. And for the second consecutive game they lost the special teams battle.

I don't wanna hear anything about playoff inexperience, or about how this team is still one of the youngest in the NHL. Artemi Panarin is 30, as is Chris Kreider; Mika Zibanejad and Ryan Strome are both 28; and Andrew Copp, Frank Vatrano and Jacob Trouba are all 27. By any standard that is hardly young. They, along with Adam Fox (23), might as well have been in the witness protection program for all the good they did last night. Indeed, the only players who put in even a modicum of effort was the kid line of Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere. It was, by far and away, Gallant's most effective line all night.

I have been a fan of this team since I was ten years old and I have never seen a lay down like this. Not even the four game sweep at the hands of the Devils in '06 comes close. That team at least had an excuse: Jaromir Jagr injured his shoulder in game one and was never the same afterwards. This team, apart from Ryan Lindgren and Barclay Goodrow, is fully healthy. They have no excuse for the way they played last night. Frankly, I was embarrassed by what I saw. Every player in that locker room should be ashamed of himself.

Consider that of the seven series that were 2-1 going into game four, the Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, St Louis Blues, Calgary Flames and Los Angeles Kings all took care of business and evened things up. Only the Rangers failed to win and are now on the verge of getting out their golf clubs.

The only question that remains to be answered is whether this Rangers team can summon enough pride to stave off elimination and extend the series to a game six back in Pittsburgh, or whether this improbable season will come to ignominious end. One thing is for certain: if they play like they did last night, they will be mercilessly booed off the ice.

Relax, Rangers Fans, Things Aren't As Bleak As They Appear.

Want to hear something wild? Saturday night's game in Pittsburgh was the best the Rangers have played so far in these playoffs. I know the final score didn't reflect it, but the Blueshirts outchanced the Penguins in high-risk scoring opportunities 12-8; they owned the puck in the second period; and they held Sidney Crosby to a single shot on goal through two periods. Equally impressive is the way they shut down Evgeni Malkin for the second consecutive game. Had it not been for some uncharacteristic shoddy net minding by likely Vezina trophy winner Igor Shesterkin, the Rangers would be ahead in this series 2-1, instead of trailing 2-1.

Want to hear something even wilder? Had it not been for a bad call that disallowed what should've been a game-winning goal by Filip Chytil with three minutes to go in the third period of game one, the Rangers would be on the verge of a four-game sweep in this series. And, no, I'm not letting that one go. It was an atrocious call.

Unfortunately, in the real world, the Rangers' backs are against the wall. Game four is a must win. They don't dare return home trailing 3-1. Yes, they came back from a 3-1 deficit against the Pens in 2014, but that was a different Rangers team, one with far more playoff experience than this one. Having to win three in a row will be a tall order for this group. Come hell or high water, they gotta win Monday.

So how do they do that? Well, for starters, Igor has to, and will, play better. Even the best are entitled to a mulligan once and a while. Better to have it in game three than a potential game seven. But there's more to it than just that. On the second Penguins power play goal, the Rangers were lapse in their coverage. Yes, they got a lively bounce off the boards. So what? You still gotta clear the puck when that happens. You can't leave your goalie naked like that. It's inexcusable.

Another thing that's inexcusable is failing to convert on three consecutive power plays. After bitching and moaning all series about the lack of calls from the refs, they finally got what they wanted and rather than make the Penguins pay, they handed the game right back to them. If the Rangers have any hope of winning this series, that cannot happen again. They had the fourth best power play in the NHL this season for a reason. They have to capitalize on it.

Finally, despite an overall advantage in high-risk scoring chances, the Rangers can't afford to get into a shooting match with the Penguins. Yes, they have their fare share of elite players like Zibanejad, Kreider and Panarin, and, yes, they're getting better contributions from depth players like Copp, Vatrano and the Kid line, which had a damn good game Saturday, but in a shootout, the advantage would most definitely go to the Pens. The key to the Rangers success this season has been their defense: the second stingiest in the league. Opening things up would literally be playing right into Pittsburg's hands. Gerard Gallant needs to get them back on track, and fast.

And speaking of Gallant, let's knock it off with all the "he's getting out-coached in this series" crap. Right, the guy who's up for a possible Jack Adams award is getting out-coached by the guy who hasn't gotten his team past the first round since 2018. This is what happens when people with too much time on their hands forget to take their Adderall.

Look, it's not the end of the world. The Rangers aren't the only team in this tournament to fall behind 2-1. The Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning are all in the same boat. Anybody think those teams can't come back? Didn't think so. If they take care of their own end, get the goaltending they've been getting all season long, and capitalize on the power play, they will advance. They're better than the Penguins; they just have to prove it.

Chill, people.

NHL Playoff Preview

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

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

Eastern Conference:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Western Conference:

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

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

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

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

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

NHL Playoff Predictions - Play-in Round

After a four and half month sabbatical due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs will finally get under way August 1. The two hub cities - Toronto and Edmonton - will host the playoffs; Toronto the Eastern conference, Edmonton the Western conference.

The Play-in round - or as we used to call it back in the day the preliminary round - will consist of four best of five series per conference between the lower eight teams: five through twelve. The winners will play the top four teams in each conference. Because the top four teams play three games each in a round robin the final seeding is yet to be determined. That and the fact that the league has decided to reseed after each round, makes it impossible to predict what the matchups will be in the second round.

However, we do know, and have known for some time, what the matchups are for this round. Before I get into my picks, some observations. First, there's no way of knowing what effect such a long layoff will have on each team. Consider that in the 1991-92 season, the Rangers were the clear favorites to win the Cup. Then the players went out on strike just before the playoffs began, and even though the stoppage lasted only last ten days, it was enough to disrupt the Blueshirts momentum heading into the tournament. They struggled to beat the Devils in seven in the first round, then got ousted by the Penguins in the second. Just imagine what the Bruins must be thinking.

That being said, since everyone's in the same boat, my gut tells me that the best talented teams will prevail, assuming, that is, that no one tests positive for the virus. If a Sidney Crosby, an Artemi Panarin, or an Alex Ovechkin were to test positive, that would be a game changer. The fact that the playoffs are taking place north of the border in two Canadian cities where the virus for the most part is under control gives me hope that the NHL, of all the sports leagues in North America, may come out unscathed.

So, without further ado, let's get started.

Eastern Conference:

Penguins (5) vs. Canadiens (12). Forget all the hype about Carey Price possibly stealing this series for the Habs. They're just not that good a team. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has the scoring to turn this into a laugher pretty quickly. Pens in three.

Hurricanes (6) vs. Rangers (11). Now you know why Carolina voted no to this playoff format. The Blueshirts, in addition to sweeping the season series against the Hurricanes, had one of the best second-half records in the NHL. When you consider they have two of the best forwards in the league playing on two separate lines, top scoring on the backline and superior goaltending, if Dougie Hamilton can't go, this could get ugly fast. Rangers in four.

Islanders (7) vs. Panthers (10). The Putty Tats do have balanced scoring up front, I'll give them that, but the Islanders style of play and defensive-minded system will take its toll. Both coaches are Cup winners, but only one has the players that can win in the trenches. Isles in four.

Maple Leafs (8) vs. Blue Jackets (9). If the Leafs can't win a series with all the games played in their own host city they should be ashamed of themselves. Fortunately for them they catch a break here. John Tortorella is a great coach but, unlike last season when his team swept the Lightning, he doesn't have the horses this time around. Leafs in five.

Western Conference:

Oilers (5) vs. Blackhawks (12). How pissed are the Oilers? By all rights, they should be the four seed playing round-robin games. Instead they get stuck playing the Hawks, who, let's be honest, are at least three seasons removed from being a serious playoff contender. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are going to have a field day. Edmonton is putting together a team that looks strangely like the one that captured five Cups in seven years three decades ago. Oilers in three.

Predators (6) vs. Coyotes (11). With Nashville, you never know what you're going to get. Since going to the finals three seasons ago, they've been perennial underachievers. Against a Phoenix team that's somewhat undermanned, they should prevail, but I wouldn't bet any money on them. Preds in five.

Canucks (7) vs. Wild (10). When J.T. Miller is your leading scorer that's not saying much. Still against a Minnesota team that did its best to put the rest of the league to sleep this season that might be enough. Interesting tidbit: Miller will be facing another ex-Rangers teammate in Mats Zuccarello, which will only mean something in New York. Canucks in five.

Flames (8) vs. Jets (9). Call this a tossup. Two seasons ago, the Jets made it all the way to the conference finals before being upset by the Vegas Golden Knights. So that's probably enough to tilt the series in their favor. Plus they have the likely Vezina trophy winner. Jets in five.

As in my past predictions, don't put much stock in these. I do them primarily for fun.

Enjoy the games. We've certainly waited long enough for them.