Rangers Clinging to Life Entering Weekend

Posted on April 11, 2025 by Derek

If this were James Bond, Die Another Day would apply to the Rangers who enter the weekend clinging to life. After humiliating the Islanders 9-2 to keep their grim playoff hopes alive, they got help on the scoreboard tonight with the Senators defeating the Canadiens 5-2.

The tragic number remains at 1. When they visit the Hurricanes for a 3 PM game on ABC, the Rangers must win in any fashion. Considering how bad they’ve been against playoff teams, don’t bet on it. Carolina doesn’t have much on the line due to the Devils being unable to catch them for second place in the division. They’re locked into the 2/3 first round matchup versus the Devils (4-2 losers to the Pens).

In three previous meetings, the Rangers have been outscored by the Canes 11-4 in three losses all coming in regulation. Carolina’s superior puck possession and more structured system have been the difference. Their best players have all performed well in the season series, with Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov all averaging at least a point-per-game. Artemi Panarin has been held without a point with a minus-4 rating.

Freddie Andersen won the last matchup 2-0 making 22 saves. He’s been the better goalie for the Canes. Pyotr Kochetkov has struggled losing three of his last four starts. However, Brind’Amour might decide to start him tomorrow due to the Canes hosting the Maple Leafs on Sunday. They could give Andersen the tougher opponent this weekend.

At this point, it’s Igor Shesterkin for the Blueshirts. He made 44 saves to win his 26th game of the season against the Islanders, who peppered him the final two periods. Unlike the dominance he’s had in the postseason, Shesterkin’s 0-3 with a 3.42 goals-against-average and .888 save percentage versus the Canes this season. Much of that can be attributed to the defensive woes in front of him. Inconsistent and unsteady play has been a theme throughout a disappointing season. There have been way too many breakdowns in coverage. Combine that with the rapid decline on the power play and recent issues on the penalty kill and it explains why they’re on the outside looking in.

As for the lineup, it’s anyone’s guess what Peter Laviolette will do. He made the head scratching decision to scratch 2023 first round pick Gabriel Perreault the last two games. So much for letting the 19-year-old play after burning a year off his entry-level contract. It took only three games for Laviolette to have Perreault sit in the press box. Brennan Othmann joined him on Thursday night at Elmont. Othmann has failed to score a goal in 20 games. Despite that, he has positive possession numbers and is a plus-8.

With Brett Berard recording his first two-goal game, including a nice backhand finish off a Matt Rempe pass, the fourth line should remain intact. Laviolette’s gone back to shifting Mika Zibanejad to the right side on a line with J.T. Miller and Will Cuylle. The trio combined for two goals and four assists in the Rangers’ rout of the Islanders. Cuylle snapped a 10-game goal drought by notching his 18th in a four-goal first period.

Even little-used Jusso Parssinen managed to score on a wrap-around that made it 5-0. After going without a point in his first eight games, he managed to pick up a goal and two assists against the Islanders’ AHL goalies. Marcus Hogberg allowed eight goals on 30 shots. Patrick Roy replaced him with Tristan Lennox following Berard’s first of the game that made it 6-1. After Berard beat Lennox to make it 7-2, Roy replaced him with Hogberg, who finished the game. The move opened Roy up to criticism from frustrated Islanders fans, who watched the Rangers sweep the season series for only the third time. The Rangers outscored the Islanders 23-5 to win all four matchups.

Panarin scored twice to hike his team-leading total to 37 goals with three games left on the schedule. If he can get three more, he’d join Jean Ratelle and Mike Gartner as just the third player in Rangers franchise history to record consecutive 40-goal seasons. Gartner holds the team record with three straight from 1990-91 to 1992-93.

If they find a way to earn two points at Carolina, that would pull them within four of the Canadiens. Montreal visits Toronto on Hockey Night In Canada. With the Red Wings also coming back to win in overtime over the Lightning, they’re also still alive. The Blue Jackets have four games remaining entering the weekend. They host the division-leading Caps at 12:30 PM on Saturday. Columbus must win to stay alive. They’re currently tied with the Rangers and Red Wings in points (81). Even the Islanders haven’t been officially eliminated. But they need to run the table and have the Canadiens lose out in regulation, which is highly unlikely.

Any Montreal win in regulation will clinch the final wild card. It would take them to 89 points. Even if Columbus somehow ran the table and tied them in points, they’d lose out on the first tiebreaker. The rest can only get to 87 points. The Rangers are still alive due to having more regulation wins. If by some miracle they make it through the weekend, they then would have to go into Florida and beat the defending champs on Monday night. The Canadiens host the Blackhawks at the same time.

If all of this seems like a waste of time, that’s because it probably is. Everyone who roots for this team knows that they don’t deserve to make the playoffs. Laviolette’s puzzling lineup decisions remain frustrating. At this point, fans want to see what Perreault can do. Nobody cares that Alexis Lafreniere scored his fourth goal in over 30 games. As well as he’s played, nobody is invested in Jonny Brodzinski. There isn’t any rhyme or reason to why Carson Soucy remains in the lineup. I don’t even know why Chris Drury traded for him. Calvin de Haan performed better. He’s since vanished into witness protection.

Can anyone explain why Jonathan Quick started the Flyers game? Better yet, if he was so rusty, why didn’t Shesterkin replace him? Only Laviolette knows the answer. Maybe we’re better off not knowing.

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Sam and JD Deliver One Last Rangers Game

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Derek

It was like old times at Madison Square Garden. For the first time in almost 20 years, Sam Rosen and John Davidson were back together in the broadcast booth calling a Rangers game.

The final act took place thanks to the NHL On TNT. Knowing it was Rosen’s swan song after 40 years calling New York Rangers hockey, the network executives decided to have Sam and JD reunite for a nationally televised game on Wednesday, Apr. 9. For 20 years, they supplied Rangers fans with so much hockey knowledge and sarcasm that was always dripping through the TV set.

You wouldn’t have known that they hadn’t done a game together since Apr. 29, 2006. As usual, they played off each other so well. You had Rosen setting things up for Davidson who supplied the color commentary with the same unique style that made him the best in the business. The Hall of Fame duo called the action just the way you remembered it. Sam and JD once again made you feel like you were there. The way they delivered it had that next door neighbor appeal, as if two old friends were back in town to greet you after not seeing them in quite some time.

Even on a night when the Rangers continued to commit folly after folly en route to an ugly 8-5 loss to the Flyers that sealed their playoff fate, it didn’t matter. For once, it wasn’t about the mistakes they made that have been all too common in a lost season. It was all about hearing Rosen on the call with Davidson there to chime in. They always did it with class. If the opponent picked up their game like the Flyers did in the second and third period to come back and earn the win, they sang their praises.

In this one, it took a high scoring third period to change the script. The old school rivals were dead even at two after two periods. Vincent Trocheck’s shorthanded goal had the Blueshirts on top in a strong opening period that also saw Mika Zibanejad miss wide on a penalty shot. Following his miss, Rosen said, “That’s been the story of his season,” to Davidson. Despite finishing with four assists, Zibanejad remained stuck on 17 goals with four games left in the season. He hasn’t scored fewer than 20 since 2016-17 when he notched 14 in 56 games.

In the second period, Tyson Foerster got the scoring started for the Flyers when he fired home his 20th. It was a harbinger of things to come. Later in the period, with the game still tied, the Rangers continued to struggle on the power play. Having already given up a breakaway with a shot hitting the goalpost, this time they allowed Garnet Hathaway to score shorthanded to put the Flyers ahead 2-1. His shot trickled through backup Jonathan Quick.

Less than two minutes later, Panarin scored his team-leading 35th goal. After picking up a Zibanejad drop pass, Panarin made a nice move, cut towards the net and went to the backhand to beat Flyers rookie Aleksei Kolosov with 1:28 remaining. It was the 300th goal of his career.

The teams were tied at two headed to the third. Nobody could have predicted what happened next.

In what became a wide-open game minus any semblance of team defense, the teams combined for nine goals with the Flyers outscoring the Rangers 6-3. Travis Sanheim put in a loose rebound of a Noah Cates shot after Quick made an acrobatic save on to put the Flyers back in front. Sanheim beat rookie Brennan Othmann to the spot for his eighth.

However, the Rangers responded quickly to tie up the score again. After taking a pass from Urho Vaakanainen, Jonny Brodzinski fired a wrist shot from a sharp angle past a screened Kolosov for his career best 11th of the season. Brodzinski’s been one of the few bright spots on a roster full of underachievers. There’s little doubt that he deserves to have a starting role next season. He’s always played with consistency and energy. On his goal, Matt Rempe helped screen Kolosov, who couldn’t quite pick up Brodzinski’s shot which changed direction to beat him upstairs.

Just over a minute later, Will Cuylle and Zibanejad combined to set up a quick Miller one-timer that surprised Kolosov to put the Rangers up 4-3. But just as PA announcer Joe Tolleson was announcing the goal, Jakob Pelletier escaped Panarin and had an Owen Tippett rebound take a funny carom off him past Quick that tied the score a minute later.

With the game tied up again, Matvei Michkov took a Travis Konecny feed and sent a wrist shot towards the net. Quick overplayed it, leaving a juicy rebound for Flyers captain Sean Couturier to deposit to make it 5-4.

The scoring binge continued when Foerster got his second of the game. Sanheim was allowed to come off the wall by Vaakanainen and made a sweet pass across for a Foerster blast that extended the Flyers lead to two with 4:27 remaining. It was pretty bad defense by Vaakanainen. Trocheck was also a spectator.

Trailing by two, the Rangers lifted Quick for an extra attacker. Some excellent hustle from Adam Fox kept the puck in allowing Zibanejad to set up Kreider for his 21st goal with 1:50 left in regulation. That was as close as they got.

Both Foerster and Tippett added empty netters in the final minute to seal it. Tippett’s goal was pretty cool due to him spinning around and firing the puck off the crossbar and in from long distance. Both Rosen and Davidson chuckled.

When it was over, TNT went back on camera one last time to show Rosen and Davidson talking about their reunion. It was a special moment for both of them.

In many ways, it felt like being in a time warp. Seeing them together took me back to watching Rangers games growing up. The really great part is that they were able to turn back the clock and recapture the magic that made them the best in the game. Even that sounds biased, that’s because everyone knows who Sam and JD are. They’re legendary broadcasters and wonderful people.

We’ve been really lucky to have Rosen call our games for so long. Even now, he still has that youthful enthusiasm that’s made him a fan favorite. I can only think of one other legendary hockey broadcaster who had that. That would be the retired Doc Emrick. Whatever side you rooted for on the Hudson, it’s been a blast. When Rosen calls his final game on Apr. 17 against the Lightning, it’ll be emotional for both him and the fans. I hope the Rangers win that one for him. He deserves to go out with a victory.

I can’t say enough about the NHL On TNT. They did an outstanding job with the broadcast last night. Their coverage is superb. Thank you for bringing back Sam and JD for one more game.

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Rangers’ Disappointing Season Coming to An End

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Derek

It’s been increasingly hard to put into words how disappointing this season has been for the Rangers. At this point, they’re playing out the string with five games remaining. On a special night when Sam Rosen and John Davidson will reunite one last time thanks to the NHL On TNT having the good sense to have them do a game together, the Rangers take on the Flyers at Madison Square Garden.

At least we’ll get to hear and see Sam and JD team up. Outside of that, there’s nothing to get excited about. If you’ve followed this team, then you know how messed up things have been. Even J.T. Miller couldn’t prevent the inevitable from happening. It was apparent as far back as December that the Rangers would go from Presidents’ Trophy winners to failing to qualify for the postseason. You could probably pin it on Chris Drury for the mistimed memo that made both Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider available before Thanksgiving. It created a domino effect. Storm clouds hung over the team from that point on.

Drury desperately attempted to remake the roster by subtracting Trouba, Kaapo Kakko, and Filip Chytil. It produced mixed results, with Will Borgen and Miller having positive impacts. Unfortunately, the malaise known as Rangeritis also affected both Borgen and Miller. Even Igor Shesterkin can’t escape it. He’s gone from a former Vezina winner to a mere mortal. The defensive system they play under assistant coach Phil Housley hasn’t helped. How many instances have we seen opponents left wide open for goals due to players failing to make switches in coverage? The man-to-man defense has been abysmal. Head coach Peter Laviolette never made any changes.

If you’re still trying to understand how we got to this point, it’s quite simple. The Rangers haven’t shown any real desire to play with more consistency and urgency needed to make the playoffs. Instead, they’ve fallen apart due to many established players underperforming. I refuse to use the word stars when discussing this miserable team that’s embarrassed the jersey. Not even Artemi Panarin escapes criticism. For all the offense he’s provided since March, he also looked tuned out during the winter.

The main culprits have been Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere, Vincent Trocheck, and Mika Zibanejad. Only Kreider has been punished by the selective Laviolette, who’s refused to make an example of Lafreniere for his many failures since getting a significant raise at the start of next season. When Lafreniere received a misconduct in a miserable loss to the Lightning, he never missed a single shift. Two goals over the last 25 games and three over a longer stretch sum up his lackluster effort, which has been on full display in the lack of hustle back on defense. For a former consensus top pick, he sure leaves a lot to be desired. Does he even care? How did he go from a breakout season in 2023-24 to this? Is Lafreniere channeling Alexandre Daigle?

As for Zibanejad, he had a nice run while shifting to the right side to play with Miller when he was quite productive. When Laviolette decided to move him back to center the third line in hope of more offense, Zibanejad reverted back to the form that made him one of the league’s most disappointing players. He might not even reach 20 goals. Zibanejad entered Wednesday with 17 goals and a team worst minus-22 rating. At least he had the good fortune of a puck bouncing off him for a rare power-play goal against the Lightning on Monday.

In what really proved to be a do or die game, the Rangers got shut out by the Devils 4-0 this past Saturday. A Zibanejad miscue led to a Jesper Bratt shorthanded goal in the second period. With the top unit again getting nothing done, Zibanejad made a bad read with both Miller and Kreider caught behind the net. That allowed Nico Hischier and Bratt to come out on a two-on-one against Adam Fox, who couldn’t prevent Hischier’s pass from hitting Bratt to make it 2-0. It was the third shorthanded goal they allowed in four games. Two days later, Brandon Hagel came close to making four shorthanded goals in five games, but his shot hit the crossbar.

In the 5-1 loss to the Lightning, it was the penalty kill that got victimized. The explosive Bolts power play struck three times. A lack of discipline led to Nikita Kucherov power-play goal and a pair from Brayden Point. For once, the Rangers didn’t play poorly at even strength. They outshot the Lightning by a healthy margin. However, Andrei Vasilevskiy was on top of his game finishing with 38 saves.

While they continued to lose in bad fashion, the Canadiens have all but wrapped up the second wild card. They deserve a lot of credit for how well they’ve played during the final stretch. Most impressively, they swept a home-and-home series with the Panthers. Nick Suzuki rescued them late in regulation and then got the overtime winner last week at Bell Centre in the rematch. Suzuki has become a star for the Habs. Along with Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson, who really deserves to win the Calder, they’ve carried them to a six-game winning streak. Sam Montembeault has made the clutch saves in five of the six wins. When they defeated the Red Wings 4-1 yesterday, Josh Anderson got the winner. He and Brendan Gallagher have delivered in the clutch.

Unlike the Rangers, who can’t seem to be bothered, the Canadiens play with a lot of heart, determination, and grit. That’s why they’re in position to clinch. They’ve separated themselves from the pack of pretenders, which includes the Rangers, Red Wings, Islanders, and Blue Jackets all tied in points (79) with time running out. Somehow, the Sabres are only three points behind. They’ve played the best out of everyone, scoring goals and having won five in a row. To put into perspective how bad a season it’s been for the Rangers, they haven’t had a three-game winning streak since Nov. 14-19. They’ve earned their trip to the golf course.

Even with them essentially playing out the string, Laviolette decided to healthy scratch first round pick Gabriel Perreault. It took only three games for Perreault to go from a role in the top six to sitting out. The Rangers enter play with a tragic number of two. What’s the point of burning a year off Perreault’s ELC if he isn’t going to play? Meanwhile, other recent college players like Jimmy Snuggerud and Ryan Leonard aren’t sitting while playing for good teams headed to the postseason. Logic doesn’t seem to apply when it comes to the Rangers.

Some will wonder why it couldn’t be Kreider that sits. Laviolette healthy scratched him once earlier in the season. Or what about making an example of Lafreniere? Not with this coach. Even Trocheck has been underwhelming. He entered tonight with 52 points, which is way down from the 77 he posted while centering Panarin and Lafreniere last season. The trio were the best scoring line at five-on-five and largely responsible for the Rangers having a record-setting 55 wins and 114 points in 2023-24. It’s hard to believe that a year later, they were so ineffective that they were broken up. They were on for too many goals against, leading to the change.

Laviolette never considered sitting Zibanejad. Is that because he’s considered too fragile? Win or lose, he’s usually there to answer questions following games. It isn’t a criticism of him, but rather a question about his mental state. At 31, he shouldn’t look finished as an impact player. With the season drawing to a close, his numbers keep declining. Since putting up a career-high 91 points in 2022-23, he’s fallen off a cliff.

MENTAL MIKA

Year GP Goals Assists Points +/-

2022-23 82 39 52 91 25

2023-24 81 26 46 72 15

2024-25 77 17 35 52 -22

Zibanejad has an $8.5 million cap hit that doesn’t expire until 2030 with a full no-movement clause. If the Rangers decide to attempt to move him in the off-season, he’ll have to agree to waive it. When Drury acquired Miller from Vancouver, he waived his NMC to accept a deal to come to New York City.

The more likely player who could be gone is Kreider. A year ago, he was the toast of the town for recording a natural hat trick in the third period of Game 6 against the Hurricanes to send the Rangers to the Conference Finals. He scored 39 goals and posted a career-high 36 assists for a total of 75 points last season. At 33, it’s been a nightmare of a season with Kreider having only five assists to go with 20 goals in 63 games. At times, he’s looked mentally checked out. That could have to do with having his name muddied due to Drury.

Kreider’s also battled injuries which have limited his effectiveness. He tied Camille Henry’s franchise record for the most power-play goals (116) in Rangers history. Even in a down year, his four shorthanded goals lead the team, and the 20 goals rank third – trailing only Panarin (34) and Trocheck (23), who scored a shorthanded goal against the Flyers in the first period of tonight’s game. With a $6.5 million cap hit and two years left on his contract that includes a modified no-trade clause, it’s very likely that Kreider’s in the final stage of his Rangers career. He’s been used mostly on the fourth line while continuing to receive both power play and penalty killing time. Kreider will turn 34 on April 30.

By the weekend, the Rangers could be eliminated. If they lose to the Flyers, all the Canadiens need to do is earn one point over their final four games. The Habs magic number to clinch is three. It’s a far cry from where the Blueshirts were 12 months ago. That team had character and a lot of resolve. They were never out of a game. Too often, this year’s version has quit. The Lightning scored three goals over a 1:45 span in the first period to break open a scoreless game. At times, it’s looked like they’re going through the motions.

I still haven’t figured out what their identity is. We’re at game 78 and there isn’t one. Laviolette had the remarkable quote the other night that he doesn’t go into the locker room after games. Is that due to how tired he is of repeating the same things following losses? He’s been a very successful coach. Never has a team quit on him in the second year the way the Rangers have. Why should they get to choose another coach? It’s Gerard Gallant all over again. As much as I didn’t like him, he’s been proven right about one thing. You can have all the talent in the world. But without players who work and forecheck consistently, you won’t be successful.

This team has sucked the life out of me. There’s a reason why I’ve hardly posted anything over the last month. They lack passion and enthusiasm. Other teams have more excitement after goals. They don’t look dead on the bench. This is easily my most hated team out of all the years I’ve been following them. All things being fair, half the roster deserves to go with Laviolette. We know Drury isn’t going anywhere. If he even considers hiring another retread, I will stop watching. There needs to be a fresh voice who has a pulse. The roster needs to be overhauled. Whoever takes over, they better have the patience to play kids like Perreault, Brennan Othmann, and Brett Berard.

The 2024-25 New York Rangers deserve to rot.

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In memoriam: Ray Shero (1962-2025)

Posted on April 9, 2025 by hasan4978

A lot of times in media, people use the words stunned or shocked a little too liberally but it’s not hyperbole to say pretty much me and the entire hockey world was shocked to see the news of Ray Shero’s passing this morning, originally posted on the Wild’s Twitter account since he was currently a senior advisor there to ex-player and current Minnesota GM Bill Guerin. There was no indication as far as I know of him being sick and he was only 62 years old (I’d guesstimated late 50’s, early 60’s without looking it up) so it’s useless to speculate, I’m sure at some point we’ll get an indicator over what led to this sudden passing.

His tentacles were spread far and wide in the hockey world, starting with his dad former NHL coach, GM and broadcaster Fred Shero, who was a bit before my time so unfortunately so I know very little about him apart from his role in building the expansion Flyers to a two-time Stanley Cup winner in the mid 70’s, then later going on to coach the Rangers and work on the Devils’ radio network after his NHL coaching career had ended. It sounded like he had a very gregarious personality though, which I’d believe judging by his son’s own career and media persona. It is a bit eerie his dad also passed away in his mid 60’s (due to stomach cancer), but it’s entirely possible that isn’t related to Ray’s untimely death.

Like many people, I first heard of Ray Shero when he became the GM of the Penguins, although before that he played a key role as an AGM in building up both Ottawa (from 1993-1998) and Nashville (1998-2006) as expansion teams so taking over a Pittsburgh team in need of a ground-up overhaul was something he was clearly qualified for, albeit one with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin already in place from the previous two drafts. Still, Shero built around them – eventually piecing together a two-time Eastern conference winner and Stanley Cup champion in 2009. Pittsburgh never was able to match the success of the 2007-09 seasons though, and Shero was eventually let go after 2014.

Just one year later, he was tasked with yet another rebuild – the Devils, a team in transition after moving on from Lou Lamoriello as franchise czar and appointing Shero the new GM in May 2015. My initial post on his hiring is still up here (though some of the links have since expired) so I’ll re-post it now. There were certainly ups and downs of what wound up being a nearly five-year tenure as Devils GM. Some would argue his most consequential moves revolved around Taylor Hall, first in trading Adam Larsson for the future 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner with this evergreen Bob McKenzie tweet saying it all:

Hall would become the first – and as of now still only – Devil to win the Hart Trophy for league MVP in a transcendent 2017-18 season, which led to a surprising playoff berth in year three of the Shero tenure here. Unfortunately, Hall’s injury the next season derailed the Devils and a series of win-now moves failed to rejuvenate a stalled rebuild, eventually leading to Shero’s dismissal in January 2020. To his credit, at least Shero didn’t give Hall a stupid contract trying to retain him and wound up working out a good deal with Arizona once he cashed out, getting back defensive prospect Kevin Bahl along with the picks that eventually turned into Dawson Mercer (draft) and Jonas Siegenthaler (pick trade).

I would actually argue his most important move as the Devils GM was drafting Nico Hischier over Nolan Patrick in 2017. It wasn’t a slam dunk move, indeed Patrick was thought of as the clear #1 when we won the first of two draft lotteries in Shero’s tenure. However, once we won the pick gradually word started to leak out we might prefer the young Swiss center over the anoited big North American kid. To his credit, Shero and the people who worked for him – including then-AGM Tom Fitzgerald – had a conviction and stuck to it. While Patrick’s career sadly stalled due to injuries (definitely a pre-draft concern), Nico’s become one of the best two-way players in the game. Shero, and some lottery luck are fully responsible for that guy being in red and white.

I actually thought he’d get one more crack at being a GM after his Devil tenure ended, in spite of my ambivalence over his up and down track record, but it never did. I guess we’ll never know if he just didn’t want to be part of the grind or the league was done with him. While I understand him wanting to stay involved with a front office – going to Minnesota as a senior advisor – it is kind of unfortunate for the rest of us that Shero never got involved in the media aspect of the league, he certainly had enough of a personality that he could have become a good media person if he’d wanted to. Exhibit A being his response to the rumor that holdout RFA Pavel Zacha (Shero’s first-ever draft pick as Devils GM) was considering a move to the KHL.

In a sad irony, the Devils play the Penguins in Newark on Friday – and a lot of people on both sides of the blueline have personal connections to Shero including Crosby and Malkin for the Penguins, and current GM Fitz along with many of the players for the Devils. Among others, Jesper Bratt took to Instagram to leave a note of thanks for Shero, the man who drafted him in the sixth round and saw him develop as an NHL player here. Before a lot of games there’s a moment of silence for someone around the sport who’s passed, but the one before Friday’s game will have a more poignant resonance for everyone in the building.

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As jekyll and hyde Devils zig zag toward the postseason, Carolina ghosts loom large

Posted on April 8, 2025 by hasan4978

Despite the Devils’ inconsistency for the last three months, a playoff berth is all but sewn up now with the magic number at two, where it’ll probably remain with the Devils behind 3-0 in what sounds like a flat effort against the Bruins three days after thumping the rival Rangers all but out of the postseason chase themselves in a 4-0 win where the score was far more dominant than the performance – but by the same token, the Devils never really looked threatened themselves apart from a few minutes early in the second period when the Rangers were on the front foot. Still, if anything shows the inconsistency of the 2025 Devils it’s comparing that result to tonight’s flat performance with a potential playoff clincher in the offing.

At least Saturday was an electric home atmosphere a la the Columbus game a few weeks back, and because of the Devils largely getting themselves off the griddle Saturday was one of the few games I’ve legitimately looked foward to in the last few months. Of course, now barring an unprecedented meltdown on either end of the spectrum we’ll be getting ready for Devils-Hurricanes part VI – a saga that has mostly negative vibes for Devils fans. Because I want to get this over with well before the actual playoffs, might as well go down the rabbit hole now of our playoff history where we’ve somehow met Carolina more than any team other than the Rangers in the postseason. Let’s just face the demons head on and go down memory lane before we go forward with either an exorcism, or just more of the same.

Of course, the first matchup came in 2001 – the only one the Devils won. But even that series was tinged with a warning for what was to come as the upstart Hurricanes came back from 3-0 down to win two games against the most talented team in Devils history…sorry 2022-23 version, you may have the wins record but you still can’t hold a candle to the collection of talent on that team. For the first three games of the playoffs, the Devils played like the defending champs and 111-point team they were, outscoring Carolina 11-1 with the most memorable moments coming from a pair of Scott Stevens hits on Ron Francis and Shane Willis (hits #4 and #6 on this list, respectively).

In many ways though, those hits were a villain origin story for the Canes and their fans developing a generational hatred for the Devils, and while they did circle the wagons in that series winning two tight games to annoy us, our talent eventually won out with another romp in Game #6. Next year was another story though, with the Devils struggling into the playoffs with a sub-100 point season, but still favored over the Canes (despite their having home-ice advantage thanks to winning the Southleast division). Carolina won a couple of tight 2-1 decisions in Raleigh before the Devils romped in two games at the Meadowlands, prompting a goaltender change from Arturs Irbe to the now-ubiquitous Kevin Weekes, who’d already had a bit of a journeyman career with the Hurricanes being his fourth NHL team to that point.

That series made sure Devils fans remembered his name forever though, as Carolina won a third straight one-goal game at home, then sealed the series with yet another one-goal win, a drab 1-0 shutout at the Meadowlands, best remembered as the game where Petr Sykora sealed his ticket out of New Jersey by not trying to play with a foot injury. I’m guessing that was more of a last straw type of deal than an actual reason for trading him for Lou Lamoriello since the vaunted A-line had already been broken up that season with the earlier trade of Jason Arnott to Dallas, and Sykora’s numbers were down that year as well.

Carolina had their revenge, but it wasn’t until 2006 where the rivalry started to take on mythic proportions. This time they were favored, but not by much considering the Devils had won fifteen straight games heading into their second-round series with the top seeded Hurricanes, including blitzing the rival Rangers with a four-game destruction in the first round. Of course, the Canes put a quick and painful end to our white-hot streak, beating us down 6-0 in Game 1…but it was Game 2 that hurt far more. With a tight 1-1 game seemingly headed to overtime, Scott Gomez scored to give the Devils the lead with just over twenty seconds remaining to seemingly stun the Hurricanes and even the series going back to New Jersey – right?!

Not exactly…for the first time (but surely not the last) in this saga, Eric Staal broke Devil hearts all over the east coast with a late third-period goal to restore the tie in a ridiculous finish.

Niclas Wallin’s OT winner seemed more of a formality than anything else after that, and Carolina eventually disposed of us in a quiet five games. Then of course came 2009…the gold standard for not only Devils-Canes playoff heartbreak, but perhaps the worst series loss in the entire Devils franchise history. After all, 1994 against the Rangers may have lasted a lifetime for Ranger fans waiting for their only Stanley Cup since 1940 but it was a legitimately great series against the best team in the NHL when we were just entering the upper echelon of the league, where we’d stay for the better part of two decades. If there was any need for redemption, the Devils got that in 1995. Of course we’ve blown other series as an even higher seed before – 1997 against the Rangers losing on yet another OT wraparound was infuriating, 1998 against the upstart Senators was bad, and 1999 against the bankrupt Penguins with Jaromir Jagr beating us on one leg was annoying as were the other series with the Canes, but no playoff loss – at least in my Devils fandom – compares to 2009.

What makes that ending so gut-wrenching is in part due to the fact that 2008-09 was a dream season in a lot of ways for Devils fans – highlighted by the Cinderella rise of career minor leaguer Scott Clemmensen to step in the breach for the great Martin Brodeur when he missed four months due to injury and win twenty-five games, being the only goaltender other than Marty to lead the team in wins for two decades. Brodeur of course came back late in the season, and did so with a vengeance charging to the all-time goaltender wins record, eventually setting it on a magical St. Patty’s Day where our Patty – Elias, also set the franchise record for career points. Although we’ve had other more dominant regular seasons, 2008-09 went into the annals as one of the most unexpectedly fun ones as a fan.

Then the old nemesis came to town for another playoff series (in the first round this time). After a dominant Game 1 win, the Devils suffered a flat tire with yet another OT loss to Carolina in Game 2. However, this time the Devils showed some resiliency other Devil teams hadn’t had – returning the favor in Raleigh with Travis Zajac’s OT goal in Game 3 giving the Devils back the series lead, and their first playoff win in Raleigh since Game 6 in 2001. Predictably with the Canes a more desperate team in Game 4, the Devils came out flat and trailed 3-0 in the third period until again stunning the home crowd with three goals. Once again, a Devils comeback had seemingly sent a stunned Canes crowd into OT – key word being seemingly. Once again, last-second (or really, last millisecond) heroics from Jussi Jokinen saved the Canes and incensed Brodeur.

For how the series ended a week later, Game 4 gets overlooked by comparison but if the Devils had ever gotten that game to OT with the momentum, perhaps they steal another one there and actually kill off Lazarus once and for all. While we let them off the hook in Raleigh, Brodeur channeled his endgame indignance over Jokinen’s pre-goal contact outside the crease into a legendary Game 5 performance, a 40+ save shutout with the only goal coming from David Clarkson as the Devils won and took their third lead in the series. Of course, Carolina came back to tie the series for a third time with the only forgettable game of the series, a 4-0 curbstomping…which is really what Game 4 should have been if not for the fluke late rally against the run of play, setting up the first Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown moment of the series.

Still, it was a one-game series now, this time in New Jersey where the Raleigh ghosts weren’t going to travel with the team…or did they? In a back-and-forth game, the Devils eventually nudged ahead 3-2 in the middle of the second period and stayed there through the rest of the middle frame and for most of a tense final twenty minutes of regulation. Then came a ghastly final eighty seconds of the third period, seared in every Devils fan’s memory forever – particularly those in attendance like yours truly.

And it was ghosts of playoff failures past again coming back to haunt us with none other than Jokinen scoring the tying goal after a desperate diving play by Tim Gleason saved a clearance with the empty net looming. Of course, it was the future HOF’er Staal who wound up with the winner when the Devils again lost their focus late in a game and Staal found a sweet spot through Marty’s arm with just thirty seconds left, completing a truly stunning turnaround. Less than one minute of gametime in between one team being an empty-netter or eighty seconds from winning the series…to losing the series. It wasn’t even an OT heartbreak this time, though Brian Gionta shockingly almost scored to revive a corpse and draw out the tension even longer. Of course it wasn’t to be, and the Devils suffered yet another devastating loss to the Hurricanes with coach Brent Sutter – who arguably lost the series with regressive line matching – cowardly running home the first chance he got after just two years behind the bench in New Jersey.

Thankfully it was another fourteen years before we again met the Canes in the playoffs, of course mostly due to the fact that both our teams really didn’t make the playoffs much in the 2010’s. In what was a quasi-rerun of 2006 the Devils would roll into the playoffs on the back of a franchise record winning season, and then win an emotional come from behind battle against the Rangers in the first round, seemingly growing up in a hurry before a more experienced and battle-hardened Carolina team throttled us rather easily in five games, with three of the wins (and also our lone win) being in blowouts. Only Game 5’s OT loss was close, but the series was all but decided by then anyway with it being obvious who the better team was.

Maybe I’ll do a proper preview of this year’s playoff closer to the series, but I will say there haven’t been many times where they’ve been THE clear favorite. We were clear favorites in the first two series and in 2009 as well. 2006 and 2023 you could justly say they were slight favorites but given our injury issues and their better record, they’re going to be far more of an experts’ pick this time around. Even if the rumors are true about a possible Dougie Hamilton return for the postseason, there’ll be more pressure on them to win, especially after being a playoff team for longer without any real success yet. Of course being in that building isn’t ideal but maybe it’s better for the start of the series at least to have the pressure on them to get off to a good start.

As far as the present day, of course the Devils wound up losing to the Bruins 7-2, so no playoff clincher today. Maybe Friday when I actually am in attendance again, oh well. Just do it, and we can fully worry about the Hurricane ghosts at that point.

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Gabriel Perreault Signs his ELC with Rangers

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Derek

Earlier this afternoon, the Rangers signed Gabriel Perreault to a three-year entry-level contract (ELC). The former first round pick was selected 23rd overall in the 2023 Draft. In two years with Boston College, Perreault totaled 35 goals and 73 assists for 108 points over 73 games.

After putting up 19 goals and 41 assists for 60 points in his freshman season, Perreault finished with 16 goals and 32 assists for 48 points as a sophomore. Featured on the potent top line that included former Capitals first round pick Ryan Leonard and potential 2025 top pick James Hagens, the 19-year-old forward teamed up with both Leonard and Hagens to help Team USA repeat as gold medal winners at the 2025 World Junior Championships in Ottawa. Both Perreault and Leonard each finished second in the tournament in scoring with 10 points.

Despite being ranked number 1 in the NCAA, Boston College had their season end last night when they lost to defending champion Denver 3-1 in the Regional Final. They fell short of their goal of winning the Frozen Four. It was a rematch of last year’s championship game, which Denver also won 2-0. The Pioneers shut down the Eagles to go back to the Frozen Four. They’ll try to repeat under coach David Carle.

For both Leonard and Perreault, that spelled the end of their collegiate careers. As expected, Leonard signed his ELC with the Caps earlier today. A dominant power forward who won Hockey East Player of the Year, he’ll join the first place Caps in Boston.

As for Perreault, it circulated that he wanted to sign with the Rangers. By signing him, Perreault will burn Year 1 of his ELC. The Rangers have eight games remaining in the regular season. Perreault is expected to join them in Tarrytown tomorrow to prepare for the Wild this Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.

It’ll be interesting to see how coach Peter Laviolette uses Perreault in the lineup. A good offensive player with excellent vision, he should be able to make linemates better with his passing. How well will he adjust to the pro game? He isn’t a big player, going five-foot ten, 179 pounds. Perreault has good instincts, which could be a plus when he makes his NHL debut. Assuming he plays on Wednesday, Nicholas Aube-Kubel is likely to come out of the lineup. He filled in for the injured Matt Rempe on the fourth line.

Unlike Brennan Othmann, who Laviolette was reluctant to use in a top six role until recently, Perreault can’t be babied. He has to play on a scoring line. Considering that they have Othmann with Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin, that means either J.T. Miller or Mika Zibanejad. As well as Jonny Brodzinski has played, he should be shifted to the checking line to make room for Perreault. Lately, Zibanejad has worked with Will Cuylle and Chris Kreider. Miller has teamed with Alexis Lafreniere and Brodzinski. The most likely spot would be on the right side.

Given their recent track record with former first round picks, who knows what to expect. Laviolette likes to lean on his more experience players in close games. Considering that they’re competing for the final wild card, I wouldn’t expect Perreault to see too much ice time in the third period against the Wild if it’s tight. The Rangers currently are ninth in the Eastern Conference with 77 points. The Canadiens also have 77 points but sit in eighth place due to having a game in hand. They’ll make it up on Tuesday when they host the Panthers. The Blue Jackets will also be in action hosting the Predators. The Islanders and Red Wings also have games tomorrow.

As far as making the playoffs goes, if they can win five of their last eight games, that would take the Rangers to 87 points. Given how mediocre the competition is, that should be enough to squeak in. With more regulation wins than the rest of the field, they hold the number one tiebreaker. I’ll delve more into what is a challenging schedule in the next post.

Let’s hope Perreault gets a fair shake.

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Quit In NY: Why It’s Easy to Hate These Blueshirts

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Derek

As a diehard fan of this team, it isn’t easy to enjoy the 2024-25 New York Rangers. Every time you think they reach a new low, they find a way to top it by sinking even further.

Apparently, there is Quit In NY. These Blueshirts have made it easy for fans to hate them. I could easily refer to them as the Booshirts because they’ve certainly heard it from the crowd at Madison Square Garden this season. And why not. They’re under .500 at home with a mediocre 17-17-3 record. Of the nine games that remain, four will be played at 33rd and 7th, including the final one against the Lightning on April 17. Whether or not that game carries any weight remains to be seen.

On Friday night, the Rangers lost in crushing fashion to the Ducks 5-4 in overtime. Facing a much younger opponent who were faster, they restored a two-goal lead when Mika Zibanejad scored on the power play to make it 4-2 with less than 16 minutes left in the third period.

The Ducks kept handing them chances by taking penalties. Following the rare power-play goal scored by Zibanejad, Anaheim took a pair of minor penalties 24 seconds apart to put the Rangers on a two-man advantage. Instead of capitalizing on the golden opportunity to put the game away, the five-man unit kept passing and passing the puck without taking any shots. The worst sequence had to be when Zibanejad refused to shoot from the left circle, instead opting for a lousy forced pass that was broken up by the Ducks penalty kill. What made it more mind-numbing is that he’d just scored his 16th of the season on a five-on-four.

Following yet another Rangers power failure, Cutter Gauthier put in a rebound to make it 4-3 with less than six minutes remaining. Many fans knew what to expect. A Leo Carlsson goal 2:22 into the period had prepared them for what was coming. Even with Zibanejad temporarily restoring order, you knew it was only a matter of time before the blown power play chances came back to haunt them. Once Gauthier scored to cut the lead to one, it was painfully obvious what would happen.

Making matters worse, the Blueshirts wasted a late power play that could have finished the Ducks off. Instead, as it concluded the second unit cost them a win in regulation. After Alexis Lafreniere sent the puck around the boards, both Will Cuylle and J.T. Miller managed to get trapped up ice.

Will Cuylle (#50) below and J.T. Miller (#8) below get trapped up ice leading to the Ducks getting the tying goal with 1:45 remaining.

Once the Ducks came out with the puck, it spelled doom. Somehow, with less than two minutes left, they executed a four-on-two with Olen Zellweger taking a Pavel Mintyukov drop pass and beating Igor Shesterkin high blocker to tie the game with 1:45 remaining.

Once that happened, the end was predictable. It took the Ducks 59 seconds to win the game in overtime. Following a Gauthier drop pass for Jackson LaCombe, he found Mason McTavish alone in front for the overtime winner. Both Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck got burned on the play.

If you’ve followed the Blueshirts, this is who they are. They’re a fundamentally flawed team that doesn’t know how to defend properly. Carlsson scored his goal by catching K’Andre Miller out of position – blowing by him and then beating Shesterkin with a wrist shot. Once Carlsson skated into the slot, he used Miller’s defensive partner Will Borgen as a screen to get off a good shot that Shesterkin couldn’t pick up.

Aside from choking away a two-goal lead, the Rangers prevented themselves from passing the Canadiens, who lost 4-1 to the Hurricanes last night. By only getting a point, the Blueshirts entered Saturday still out of the second wild card due to the Blue Jackets coming back to beat the Canucks 7-6 in a shootout. Both teams have 75 points, but Columbus has two games at hand. The Habs also have 75 points but have played one more game than the Blue Jackets.

How frustrating is this team? They’re probably the most fundamentally flawed one since before the lockout. Despite having established stars who get paid top dollar, they continue to leave fans in disbelief.

Rock bottom never seems to end. There was the Christmas game from hell against the Devils, crushing one-goal losses to the Avalanche and Canadiens, getting blown out at home by the Blue Jackets, and more recently the no-show against the Flames. Even a 5-3 come from behind win over the Canucks wasn’t overly impressive. They played a bad first period but overcame it by beating Kevin Lankinen four times on just 11 shots. If they’d faced a better goalie like Thatcher Demko, they’d probably be entering tonight’s game versus the Sharks on a three-game losing streak.

In fact, they have only one win in their last six games. Somehow, despite earning just three of a possible 12 points, they still remain alive for the final wild card. But with nine games left on the schedule, they’re at a disadvantage. The teams they’re competing with all have extra games left. That includes the Islanders, who also lost earlier today 5-3 to the Lightning. Even the woeful Red Wings are only three out despite losing four of their last five.

Here’s the reality. The Rangers are the most undeserving team of making the playoffs out of all the teams they’re competing with. Since Nov. 14-19, they haven’t won three in a row. In a year, they went from having the NHL’s best record and making the Eastern Conference Finals to being a mediocre team without an identity. At 34-32-7, they’re lucky the competition is so bad. If you looked up the Rangers in a dictionary, here are two words that sum them up. Backchecking Optional.

When you’re so bad that your fans begin to doubt you, there isn’t much cause for excitement. There have been too many games when I’ve tuned out. The team isn’t very likable due to how they play. They are a mentally fragile group who say the right things following losses but make the same mistakes over and over. They’re easy to hate. If you don’t believe me, take a look at what’s been said about them.

There is no reason to watch anymore. If you do, there’s one thing left to add. Misery loves company.

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Sam Rosen Day A Success for Rangers

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Derek

On Saturday, Mar. 22, longtime television voice Sam Rosen was honored by the Rangers before they took on the Canucks. For 40 years, Rosen has been calling Rangers games on MSG Network.

A Brooklyn native who was the captain of the baseball team at City College, it was his childhood dream to one day become the play-by-play voice of the Rangers. That dream was fulfilled when he took over broadcasting duties for mentor Jim Gordon in 1984. Previously, Rosen was a studio host for Rangers pregame.

In a brilliant career that’s spanned four decades, the affable Rosen has been front and center for everything involving the Rangers. That was highlighted by him getting to call the memorable Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals, which the Rangers won 3-2 over the Canucks to finally end a 54-year Stanley Cup drought. When it was finally over, an excited Rosen said, “The waiting is over. The New York Rangers are the Stanley Cup champions! And this one will last a lifetime!”

Back then, little did anyone know that Rosen’s call would prove prophetic. Unfortunately, despite some very good teams, the Rangers haven’t won a Cup since that memorable hot summer night on June 14, 1994. The closest the Rangers came was 20 years later when they reached the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to the Kings in five games. Despite having the lead in all three games at Staples Center, they were unable to hang on and lost each in overtime. That included the Stanley Cup clinching goal in the second overtime of Game 5.

One of the things that made 1994 so special was that Rosen got to call every single game with fan favorite John Davidson. They became affectionately known as Sam and JD due to how well they played off each other during broadcasts. It was made all the better with Al Trautwig hosting each game in studio. As the MSG slogan used to say, they were the best in the game. Between Rosen’s signature “It’s a power play goal!” and Davidson’s “Oh, Baby!” you had to be there for it. Nobody had more fun than Sam and JD during games. They made you feel like you were a part of it.

Davidson was the goalie in 1979 when the Rangers upset the Islanders and went to the Finals before falling to the Canadiens dynasty. A popular player, he made a seamless transition to the broadcast booth. Prior to him becoming the color analyst of the Rangers, Rosen was partnered with hockey legend Phil Esposito. Esposito remained with Rosen until he took over as coach and general manager of the Rangers in 1986. Davidson replaced Esposito in 1986-87, teaming with Rosen through 2005-06.

When he left to become the team president of the St. Louis Blues, Davidson was replaced by Joe Micheletti. Since 2006-07, Micheletti has been Rosen’s partner up in the booth. As hard as it is to believe, he’s lasted almost as long as Davidson. While they don’t have the same chemistry as Sam and JD, they’ve been a good team for two decades.

At 77, Rosen is the longest tenured broadcaster in the NHL. A very nice person who has a great personality, he always tries to keep things light during games. However, if the team isn’t playing well, Rosen will call them out. In what’s been a down season, he’s had to be more vocal along with Micheletti due to the team’s play. When he decided to retire at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Rosen wanted to spend more time with his family. As he told reporters, packing for road trips isn’t fun anymore. Rosen also enjoys golf.

Prior to being honored during the pregame that included a video tribute of Rosen’s best moments, he had a funny remark. When discussing his final season, he said, “I’m trying to drag this team into the playoffs with me. I walk around the locker room at practice giving them encouragement, ‘Come on, guys, you can do it.’ They’re not listening to me, but hopefully that’ll change in the next couple of weeks.”

His good nature drew laughter from the media who attended the press conference. During the on ice ceremony, Rosen was joined by wife Jill, Esposito, Davidson and Micheletti. They presented him with a gold microphone and a Rangers jersey with the number 40 to recognize the 40 years of dedication.

Not one who likes being the center of attention, he kept his speech to approximately 90 seconds. During that time, Rosen spoke eloquently and with great appreciation. He was sure to thank his wife and family first for allowing him to do this for so long. He thanked the Rangers and the fans for the overwhelming support he’s received over the years. Having met him, he’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Rosen has always handled himself with class off the ice. That’s what made him a fan favorite.

“I’m the little kid from Brooklyn and here I am being honored by you and by Madison Square Garden and by the New York Rangers,” Rosen told the crowd last Saturday before the Rangers came back to defeat the Canucks 5-3. “I have truly lived the dream.”

In 2008, he was inducted into National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Rosen also called New York Cosmos games, boxing, and NFL games on Fox. When he wasn’t doing Rangers games, he could be heard on NHL Radio calling the Stanley Cup Playoffs for Westwood One. That included 12 Stanley Cup Finals between 1996 and 2008.

It’s hard to put into words what he’s meant. Rosen is the voice we grew up with watching Rangers games. He’s made them enjoyable even during disappointing seasons such as this one, which can’t end soon enough. I only can think of one reason for it to continue. If they somehow get into the playoffs, it should be for Sam. He deserves to call postseason games one final time. Even if they don’t deserve the playoffs, the legendary Rangers voice does.

Some fans have suggested that Rosen win the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. While that’s a kind sentiment, he isn’t a Rangers player. Besides, he probably wouldn’t accept it. It’s not who he is as a person. He doesn’t like the attention. That much has been obvious during his final season. That hasn’t stopped teams from presenting Rosen with wonderful gifts and video tributes on the road. In a game the Rangers lost 3-1, he received a celebratory cake from and an autographed jersey from the Kings on Tuesday night.

It’s hard to believe that there are only 10 games remaining in the season. Unless the Rangers start winning games, there won’t be any more after April 17. The team is the most unlikable since the Dark Ages. They find ways to lose. I can’t imagine what Rosen must think calling them. You can feel the frustration from both Sam and Joe during the losses. Is this really the way they’re going to send him out?

At least there’s a couple of days off before the next game at Anaheim. The off days are now a relief for fans. That’s how embarrassing this team is. I wish Rosen could call one more period with Davidson. With the Rangers having wrapped up the season series with the Blue Jackets, that scenario remains unlikely. In my heart, I wish MSG would try to get JD to be a guest in the booth for one last time. They probably haven’t considered it.

We’ll see how things wind up. Congrats to Sam on an outstanding career. One that will last a lifetime. Thank you, Sam Rosen for making Rangers games so much fun.

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Stick a Fork In Lifeless Rangers

Posted on March 21, 2025 by Derek

Two days after hardly competing in a one-goal loss to the Flames, the Rangers made too many mistakes in a 4-3 defeat to the Maple Leafs at 33rd and 7th. A more rested team playing at home again lost to an opponent who had to travel for the second game of a back-to-back.

This is who they are. A lifeless bunch who, more often than not, leaves fans frustrated due to how disjointed they play. Even with teams that they’re battling with continuing to lose to keep them in the wild card race, the Rangers can’t take advantage. They simply refuse to play the way they’re supposed to at this crucial part of the season.

A boring team that is tough to watch, the Rangers are about as exciting as watching paint dry. They’re the antithesis of last year’s team that never were out of a game. There was no quit in New York. Many fans have mocked that team slogan by changing it to quit in New York. It seems very appropriate.

This has been an embarrassing season for many reasons. They went from being one of the league’s best teams to becoming one of its biggest underachievers. After the Predators, you can put the Rangers right next to them. Despite being given every chance due to mediocre competition, they refuse to win consistently. This is a team that hasn’t won three in a row since Nov. 14-19.

Even with the Islanders passing them in the standings, the Rangers remain two points out of the final wild card. The Canadiens have 74 points with 14 games remaining. Both the Islanders and Rangers have 72. The difference is that the Islanders have two more games left. They are finding ways to win since Brock Nelson was traded to the Avalanche. They’re doing it without Mat Barzal.

Even J.T. Miller has gone ice cold in crunch time. After coming in hot, he has no goals and four assists in the last nine games. Perhaps he’s suffering from a bad case of Rangeritis. Something that seems to spread quickly with this sad sack roster. The energy Miller provided is gone. He isn’t making any difference in the biggest games of the year.

It’s looking more and more likely that the Penguins will have the Rangers first round pick. That was the worst-case scenario when Chris Drury made the deal with the Canucks. They included that first round pick in a separate deal to land Marcus Pettersson. It’s worked out much better for them than the veteran defensemen Drury added. For reasons only known to Peter Laviolette, Calvin de Haan doesn’t play. Carson Soucy made his fifth appearance last night, recording an assist in place of Urho Vaakanainen.

Nothing Laviolette does makes much sense. In many ways, it feels eerily similar to Gerard Gallant in his second year. The magic is gone. Laviolette’s overreliance on the veterans has come at the expense of younger players who hardly see the ice. Juuso Parssinen, Brett Berard, and Brennan Othmann played less than seven minutes.

Othmann returned to the lineup due to Matt Rempe, who was out sick. By continuing to use him sparingly, they’re not helping the development of the former first round pick. He remains without an NHL point while wasting away. They may as well send him back down to Hartford, where he’ll at least receive top minutes.

K’Andre Miller had one of his worst games. He turned pucks over and was victimized on two Leafs goals. Miller finished with a minus-3 rating, an undisciplined penalty for tripping, and a game worst four giveaways. It was about as poorly as he could play. A polarizing player due to his talent, he remains a question mark for the foreseeable future. He hasn’t shown any improvement since putting up a career-high 43 points in 2022-23. A restricted free agent this summer, the Rangers have an interesting decision ahead.

On the Leafs’ first goal scored by John Tavares in transition, Miller got caught pinching in and couldn’t recover in time. Tavares buried a one-timer off a Jake McCabe feed.

Despite failing to score early on Anthony Stolarz, the Rangers finally drew even in the final minute of the opening period. Will Borgen supplied the offense when he took a Carson Soucy pass and fired a shot off the goalpost and in. However, that was short-lived.

Following a Borgen icing, Tavares won a draw back for a Jake McCabe shot that an unmarked Bobby McMann tipped in front past Igor Shesterkin to put the Leafs back ahead with 10 seconds remaining. The culprit was Miller, who failed to pick up McMann. It was inexcusable. That more than anything typifies this team. They give up the most crushing goals, which usually come after they score or in the final minute of a period.

Artemi Panarin again scored to tie the game when he put home a rebound of a Vincent Trocheck shot early in the second period. If anyone deserves some credit for showing up, it’s Panarin. Even in what’s been a down year, he’s been scoring regularly during this tumultuous stretch. Since Mar. 2, he has eight goals and eight assists for 16 points, recording at least a point in every game7 this month for an 11-game point streak. He’s been the only player who’s providing consistent offense.

Less than three minutes later, Tavares scored his second of the game when he rebounded home a deflected McCabe shot for the 1,100th point of his career. Adam Fox stayed with William Nylander while Soucy was occupied with McMann, who got a piece of the McCabe shot that Shesterkin couldn’t control. Will Cuylle didn’t rotate down in time to pick up Tavares. Cuylle has been one of the few bright spots, but he got caught watching on what proved to be the deciding goal.

Over 10 minutes later, with the Rangers still trailing the Leafs by one, Nylander circled around the net and found Matthew Knies open in the slot for his 25th to make it 4-2. On the play, there was a lot of puck watching from the five skaters wearing the  blue jerseys. That included Chris Kreider, who was beaten badly by Knies on the goal.

It’s been a nightmarish season for Kreider. Injuries have limited his effectiveness, which still doesn’t excuse his inconsistency. There have been too many empty nights for Kreider, who likely will be traded in the off-season. He has two years remaining on a contract that pays him a $6.5 million cap hit. He’ll celebrate his 34th birthday at the end of next month. By which time the Rangers will be on the golf course.

In the third period, the Rangers finally got a power play. It was earlier in the game that an incensed Kreider was upset after getting tackled by Leafs pest Simon Benoit. This time, the refs caught Knies for slashing Zac Jones. It didn’t matter. The Leafs won some key faceoffs to kill time. Stolarz only had to come up with a pair of stops on J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad.

By that point, Laviolette had cut down to three lines. His best players couldn’t find a way to beat Stolarz, who finished with 27 saves. Both Fox and Zibanejad came close but drew iron.

With Shesterkin on the bench, a Panarin shot was tipped in by Kreider with under 35 seconds left. It was his first goal in six games, giving him 19 for the season. Somehow, in an off year, his 19 goals rank third on the team, trailing only Panarin (31) and Vincent Trocheck (20). It doesn’t say much for the rest of the roster. At least Cuylle has 18 goals. He should only get better.

What’s Alexis Lafreniere’s excuse? It’s inexplicable how far he’s fallen. Now, the contract extension looks like a massive overpay. It’s absurd that he and Zibanejad have the same number of goals (15) at this point of the season. For all the crap Kreider gets from our fan base, how can anyone excuse Lafreniere or Zibanejad, who’s considered a team leader. He has two goals this month. So much for Mika March. Lafreniere has one goal, which was a gift into an open net. The lack of production has been problematic. With J.T. Miller going ice cold without a goal in nine straight. It’s’s basically Panarin trying to beat opponents by himself.

You get the idea. Anyway, Kreider’s goal came too late. The Leafs closed it out to win for the third straight time and keep pace with the Panthers and Lightning in a tight race for first in the Atlantic Division. Two total points separate first from third.

Somehow, with the Islanders winning in overtime over the Canadiens, the Rangers remain a point out of the second wild card. But they only have 12 games remaining. The Islanders have caught them in the standings and technically are now ahead due to having two games at hand. They’re doing it without Mat Barzal, and after selling off Brock Nelson. Why? Because unlike the Rangers, they have heart.

On Saturday, they’ll honor longtime TV voice Sam Rosen before they take on the Canucks. Rosen has been calling games on MSG Network for 40 years. “This one will last a lifetime!” remains a memorable call when the 1993-94 New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup. It has to pain Rosen to see the state the current team is in. They play without any intensity or passion. It’s a far cry from a year ago when they were a resilient group who played for each other.

Even with more regulation wins, they keep losing games. It won’t matter if that continues. They’re looking at a long off-season. For Rosen, if there isn’t any playoffs, what a sad way to go out.

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Rangers’ No Show Sums Up Season

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Derek

On Tuesday, Mar. 18, the schedule said that the Rangers were taking on the Flames at Madison Square Garden. Someone forgot to tell them. In what can be best summed up as a no show, they suffered a 2-1 humiliation to the Flames before less than a capacity crowd that let them hear it throughout the game.

The game wasn’t even as close as the final score indicated. Following Artemi Panarin getting his 30th goal just 73 seconds in, the Rangers got severely outplayed and outskated by a more determined opponent who were playing the second game of a back-to-back. You would have thought the Flames were the more rested team despite having to travel from Toronto after a 6-2 shellacking on St. Patrick’s Day. They won all the battles and outhustled a lethargic Blueshirts who looked like they were hungover.

It was the Flames who took advantage of sloppy turnovers to get dangerous chances on Igor Shesterkin, who did his best by making some big saves. Despite stoning Jonathan Huberdeau, he had no chance on a rebound Nazem Kadri converted with the Rangers scrambling around. Urho Vaakanainen was beaten on the tying goal.

Calgary continued to expose the Rangers, who had 11 giveaways and no takeaways in a lackluster first period that saw them muster only four more shots after Panarin’s first one went in. The lack of cohesiveness was mind numbing. For a team that’s fighting for the postseason, there wasn’t any effort.

“No execution. I thought we were slow. I think we got away from the things that we did well in the previous games. We were just slow executing, slow moving the puck, slow getting open. We’re just standing still in the neutral zone, we get pucks deep, we have one guy going. Just break it out, very, very easy. We can’t get anything going and that’s on us,” Mika Zibanejad told reporters in the locker room.

There also was a loss of discipline from Matt Rempe that led to Matt Coronato scoring on the power play to put the Flames ahead with 1:57 left in the period. Rempe took an ill-advised elbowing minor when it came up on Jake Bean, catching his chin with 2:14 remaining. Rempe has been the victim of some bad calls going against him, including one at Winnipeg in a tough 2-1 loss on Mar. 11. The penalty he took last night was atrocious. It cost the Rangers dearly.

The disturbing part is that after getting lambasted by Steve Valiquette during the first intermission on MSG Networks, they were even worse in the second period. Instead of responding, it was more of the same. After outshooting them 9-4 in the first, the Flames held a 10-3 edge in the second. For a long time, the Rangers were stuck on six shots. They didn’t establish anything. There was as Joe Micheletti pointed out to Sam Rosen on the broadcast, no forecheck.

Undisciplined penalties continued to plague the Rangers. Braden Schneider airmailed a clearing attempt for a delay of game less than two minutes into the period. As usual, the best chance came while on the penalty kill. Zibanejad got a tough one-handed shot on Flames backup Dan Vladar, which he turned away. That was the only opportunity of the period.

It basically was all about Shesterkin who kept coming up with difficult stops to keep his team down a goal. They couldn’t or wouldn’t be bothered. After having 11 giveaways in the opening stanza, they had six more in the woeful second.

Alexis Lafreniere took a bad tripping minor to put the Flames back on the power play. Following a successful penalty kill, Chris Kreider replaced him on the second line with Zibanejad and J.T. Miller. Speaking of Miller, he took a slash to the midsection at the conclusion of the first that went undetected. A furious Zibanejad had some choice words for the refs mouthing, “That’s your fault.” Miller didn’t miss a shift. However, it was another frustrating game for him. He’s now gone eight games without a goal.

Since being acquired on Jan. 31 for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a first round pick that now belongs to the Penguins (Canucks traded it for Marcus Pettersson), Miller has still performed at near a point-per-game clip with 18 points in 19 games. But he has a penchant for taking bad penalties that affect his play. When Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury made the trade for the recently turned 32-year-old center, it came with a risk. Miller’s signed through 2030. As good as he is, you do have to worry about when he’ll decline. Even if they fail to qualify for the postseason, the Rangers made the move to improve the roster moving forward. Miller will be front and center along with Panarin next season. They’ll need the good version.

Still trailing the Flames by a goal, the Rangers finally got a call when Martin Pospisil interfered with Vaakanainen. Instead of taking advantage, they didn’t do anything. The Flames penalty kill took away the blue line and kept clearing the zone. Disgusted fans who pay a lot of money to watch this pathetic team promptly booed. It was well-deserved. They stunk it up.

After the penalty expired, Pospisil was sent in on a breakaway. He had Shesterkin down but sent his backhand wide of an open net. The puck was then put back in front in a wild sequence, which somehow the Rangers survived. If any play typified their lack of effort, it was that one. Had the Flames scored on that folly, it would have been replayed all over social media.

The third period was unwatchable. With the lone exception of Miller setting up a Kreider shot that Vladar stopped, the Rangers managed to do nothing. It was so bad that I put the Senators and Canadiens on my laptop. While our team’s game was on the TV, I was more locked in on two Canadian rivals battling it out in a big game that had playoff implications. The Canadiens rallied from a one-goal deficit by scoring four straight to earn a huge 6-3 win on home ice that vaulted them into the second wild card ahead of the Rangers.

Montreal has 73 points and are one up on the Rangers. But the Habs have 15 games left while the Rangers have 13 remaining. Combined with the Islanders rallying for four goals in the third period to defeat the Pens 4-2, they’re locked in a three-way tie with the Blue Jackets and Red Wings. All three teams have 70 points. Both the Islanders and Jackets have 15 games remaining while the Wings have 14 left. If you want to include the Bruins, they have 69 points with 13 games left. Even the Pens aren’t out of it yet. But they only have 66 points with just a dozen games to go. It’s a longshot that Sidney Crosby can drag them into the playoffs.

If you’re wondering about the Rangers, where do they go from here? K’Andre Miller, who struggled with turnovers yesterday, admitted that they didn’t show up in the biggest game of the season to date.

That’s a damning statement. While I appreciate his honesty, it begs one question that wasn’t asked. Why weren’t they ready to play? If coach Peter Laviolette acknowledged that the compete wasn’t there and that the Flames were more ready, how does he still have a job? They’ve played 69 games. Even now, there doesn’t seem to be an identity. How did they go from winning the Presidents’ Trophy to this in a year?

A harder look must be taken at both the general manager and coach. Drury went out and got two experienced defensemen. Calvin de Haan was effective when he played with Zac Jones. Once they acquired Carson Soucy, de Haan came out of the lineup. Soucy has struggled immensely. Laviolette isn’t playing either. He’s been using Vaakanainen with Adam Fox. Jones remains in the lineup with Schneider despite some issues.

The coach also reinserted Juuso Parssinen so he could play a whopping seven-plus minutes on the mismatched third line centered by Sam Carrick. Brennan Othmann was a healthy scratch. Brett Berard played on the fourth line with Rempe and Jonny Brodzinski, who eventually was moved up in the third period. Brodzinski with Carrick and the demoted Lafreniere made up the third line. Parssinen was with Berard and Rempe before Laviolette predictably cut down his rotation. These were the final ice times for those three:

Berard 6:21

Rempe 7:29

Parssinen 7:44

How does that help? It’s bad enough that Laviolette buried Kreider with Carrick, who as honest an effort as he gives isn’t a third line center. He hardly used Arthur Kaliyev before his season ended with an upper-body injury due to absorbing a big hit from Luke Schenn on Mar. 11. Kaliyev was in and out of the lineup. That was another move by Drury, who claimed Kaliyev off waivers from the Kings. He finished with three goals and one assist in 14 games. His appearance last week was his first since Feb. 23.

When he opted to load up by moving Zibanejad off center to play with Miller, Laviolette weakened the third line. Neither Carrick nor Brodzinski are top nine forwards. Zibanejad should be centering a line. Even if his production came back due to having less responsibility. He makes $8.5 million. A top three lines that have Trocheck, Miller, and Zibanejad would have more balance. The real issue has to do with Laviolette who doesn’t show enough trust in a few of the younger forwards to play in the top nine.

Will Cuylle has replaced Lafreniere on the Panarin line centered by Trocheck. Zibanejad knows Kreider well with them forming a dynamic duo while shorthanded. Their struggles at five-on-five led to Laviolette splitting them up and prompted Drury to make the trade for Miller. The underachieving Lafreniere only having 15 goals has really hurt the offense. Following the contract extension, he was being counted on for consistent production. There was no reason to believe he wouldn’t perform. He spent most of the year with Panarin and Trocheck, who’s also struggled with consistency.

Kreider is a big part of the problem. He went from scoring close to 40 goals last season to 18 in 55 games due to injuries being a factor. The all-time franchise record holder in power-play goals (116) still is tied for third in goal scoring with Cuylle. Trocheck ranks second with 20 goals. Zibanejad and Lafreniere are tied for fifth with 15. Sadly, Chytil would still place seventh with 11. His career is now in jeopardy following the latest concussion he suffered due to a dirty hit from behind from Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson. Of course, he wasn’t suspended.

Even after adding Miller, the offense is lacking. The power play remains an issue. Even since Adam Fox returned, they’re 0-for-5 dropping all the way down to 25th (18.5 percent) in the league. Similar to his predecessor, Laviolette has leaned heavily on his top unit. Perhaps it’s too easy to give in due to the personnel that features Panarin, Fox, Zibanejad, Miller, and Kreider. There’s still an overreliance on the Rangers’ best players on the power play. This isn’t the Oilers, who are led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

The same applies to the offense. By continuing to play Zibanejad and Miller together, it limits the bottom six. To their credit, both Brodzinski and Carrick have chipped in. Usually, when either is cast in a fourth line role. Most recently, Brodzinski had some success with Othmann and Rempe. Carrick had similar success when he played with Rempe and Adam Edstrom, who’s been missed since sustaining a lower-body injury on Feb. 1. If he returned now, he’d likely play on the third line.

Gabe Perreault a Possibility

If they’re looking for a spark, perhaps the Rangers can find it by signing Gabe Perreault. The 2023 first round pick’s sophomore season ended for Boston College. He tied for the team lead in scoring with 47 points (15-32-47). Perreault will turn 20 in May. A playmaking pivot who has excellent vision, he certainly would be an upgrade over Carrick on the third line. That assumes a lot. Would they consider it? That remains to be seen.

The organization signed former fourth round pick Noah Laba. He tied for the team lead with 10 goals for Colorado College. In 29 games, Laba totaled 26 points and was a plus-10. The 21-year-old forward will make his pro debut soon for the Hartford Wolf Pack.

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