Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. What a week!
Off puck drop, sorry for my seven-day absence, but between the Rangers’ schedule where they had three straight off-days, my own busy work schedule, my mini-vacation in Detroit, and oh yeah, that whole U.S. Presidential Election thing too – then my time was limited.
Plus, I’m still writing these manifestos on my 2001 dinosaur computer and whenever I’m up against the clock – then if this inferno machine isn’t working, then I don’t have the patience, nor the time neither, for when this hunk of junk finally decides to run properly again!
However, I am here now – and I’ll make it up to you too tonight – as there’s a lot to get into.
While it’s always my goal to present these blogs and GAME REVIEWS in a chronological order, but just to break tradition and jump ahead bit; then earlier on Sunday night (11/10), I posted over 300 pics from my trip to Detroit – and where I saw Jonathan Quick post a 4-0 shutout against the Wings to boot.
I also saw the rest of the Rangers play too.
You can find that blog here:
The Detroit Road Trip Pictorial Blog: Over 300 Pictures From Motown, Including The Rangers’ 4-0 Win Against the Wings!
In case you missed it, then here’s where I last left off prior to my one-week sabbatical – and a game today that now feels like it took place ages ago – the Rangers’ 5-2 home win against the Islanders from November 3rd:
NYR/NYI 11/3 Review: New Rangers’ Line-Up Handles Business Against Wounded Islanders; But What Really Was Learnt? Dr. Laviolette Tries To Cure “The Mika Virus;” Blueshirts Use The Same Old Script To Win Anyway, Excellent Showing From Improved Fourth Line; Defense Still Struggles – And Immensely At That, Rempe Demoted (Again); Mancini Scratched Too, CZAR IGOR Keeps Making His Agent Ecstatic & More
As I attempt to switch gears and get back into a chronological state of order; then the Rangers, following a not-so-impressive victory against a banged-up Islander team from this past Sunday afternoon (11/3), returned to their training facility in Tarrytown, NY on Monday, 11/4.
The only true news to come out of that practice was that Blueshirts’ bench boss, Peter Laviolette, was going to keep the same line-up that he employed in the win against baby brother – and no matter how hollow and paper tiger that victory was.
(And if you recall, then all of the evidence is in that NYR/NYI GAME REVIEW which is linked above – as I said the same exact thing then as I’m saying now – as that win against the Islanders didn’t tell us a thing – and furthermore – “THE MIKA VIRUS” was nowhere close to being cured either.)
While Tuesday, November 5th, was a HUGE (or “YUGE”) day in American history; for the Blueshirts, it was a day of rest – and where like us – I’m led to suspect that many of the players and staff members were also glued to their screens as they too awaited the result of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election – a white-wash and landslide of a win for noted New York Rangers’ fan, Donald Trump.
I’m also led to believe that the majority of players and staff that were legally able to vote in the election voted for Trump too.
After all, what millionaire wants their paychecks taxed even more than they already are?
Furthermore?
With Trump’s campaign promise of no taxes on overtime pay – then perhaps the Blueshirts stand to make a few more bucks during bonus periods – and where I’m using the word “period” here to describe an amount of time in a hockey game – and not how Tampon Tim believes that males can get periods!
(I can hear it now: “Sean, you said that you would stop talking about politics on this site as whenever you do, then you’re bound to alienate half of your readers!” To that I say – you’re right – so I’ll limit such talk to just this one segment and then drop it, but I can tell you that the worst earning years of my life have been under the Biden/Harris administration, while the best earning years of my life were under Trump’s first administration. And in my defense, I always talk about topical subjects on this site anyway!)
(Another reason why I’m so high on Trump away from all of his policies that I think are far superior than what Biden and Harris support? Easy. I find that a lot of the liberal fans from this Rangers’ fan base are also the same people who compromise the arts & crafts, charts & graphs community – you know – the same new age crybabies who also want fighting outlawed from hockey – while also hoping for rainbow parades and mass abortions at center ice prior to the start of every game too.)
But I just said that I’d dead this talk (and not to be confused with the twenty-million dead people who voted for Biden in 2020, but weren’t around to vote for Harris four-years later) – so that’s the end of my victory lap.
After all, we have more pressing matters to discuss here, such as the state of these present 2024-25 New York Rangers!
Come Thursday, and after having three off-days where you’d assume that the Blueshirts would be refreshed; the Rangers finally returned to action, when they hosted their WINTER CLASSIC RIVALS – the Buffalo Sabres – and a foe that hasn’t reached the playoffs during the past fourteen-years.
By the end of the night, a 6-1 final where the Rangers were cut-up and massacred by the Western New York Swordsmen – then you would have thought that the Blueshirts were the team that hadn’t reached the playoffs in a dog’s age – and you may have also thought that they were playing for the third straight night too!
Without question, Thursday’s loss was the worst defeat of this young season – no ifs, ands or buts about it.
Since the game is a tad dated now, then I don’t want to get into every single piece of minutiae from it (plus, who wants to relive that horror anyway?); but at this time, just a few thoughts from that nightmare, as it is important to talk about it (mainly for both the sake of posterity and when looking ahead), rather than pretend/ignore that it never happened.
However, and prior to that, and as a way to work in some of the pictures that I took from my trip too (and yep – I’m trying to keep everything chronological here); then at this time, some pics that I took from my JFK to DTW flight – and where once upon landing – the Gotham Sports App actually worked on my phone, where in turn, I watched the first period in the airport and then into the cab – and then watched the final two periods from the sportsbook at the casino I stayed at.
(Holy run-on sentence Batman – a staple of this site!)
When it comes to the 6-1 loss to the Sabres – then as seen above – at least I beat the Buffalo over at the slots.
What a way to find a silver lining.
Ugh!
For the Rangers, then this all-out molly-whooping, one so bad that you had to wonder if the Blueshirts sustained any anal bleeding and/or leakage afterwards, and as if they were the gimp from “Pulp Fiction,” felt like it was bound to happen.
As noted on this site ever since the loss to the Capitals from two-weeks back – then the Rangers don’t look the same as they were last year this season.
Granted, while this team has relied on their goalie, CZAR IGOR, more times than not, and just like how the core that preceded this one once did with Henrik Lundqvist – you’re not getting strong play on a consistent basis from Lavy’s Lot this season – and as you did last year – that is – until the 2024 playoffs rolled around.
As you all know by now, the defense often looks like they are skating around like chickens with their heads lopped off, while the anchor who wears the #93 jersey has been sinking this team like the Titanic.
That said, it’s not all doom-and-gloom, as the GAG LINE 2.0 were doing what their nickname suggests – scoring a goal every game (if not multiple goals), while also getting strong efforts from the likes of Filip Chytil, Will Cuylle and the new fourth line of Adam Edstrom, Sam Carrick and Jimmy Vesey.
Defensively, it’s been the young guns, Braden Schneider, Zac Jones and Victor Mancini, that have out-shined the big-name and big-buck rearguards, such as Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren, K’Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba.
And of course, goaltending remains the team’s greatest strength – and where in addition – the CZAR IGOR/Jonathan Quick tandem is tops in the league.
Going into this season and one common talking point from all sides of the aisle was that this campaign felt like a continuation of last year’s – as not much had changed during the off-season.
In other words, GM Chris Drury and the team were “running it back.”
As you already know, I wasn’t a fan of this strategy going into this season, because after all, what does “running it back” imply?
Another six-game Eastern Conference loss – and similar to the two ones sustained during the past three-years?
Rather than upgrading and retooling; instead, it felt like Drury was just going to play the season out – and then go nuts come the trade deadline.
We’ll see if that strategy works/plays out – and since that’s what I ultimately believe will happen – it’s led me into reprinting my daily mantra during every blog written this season.
For the uninformed, our daily disclaimer, and one that I will continue to reprint all-season long on this site (and as I’m doing right now), are these following 33-words:
“WHATEVER THE RANGERS DO FROM NOW UNTIL THE TRADE DEADLINE DOESN’T MATTER. THEY CAN ONLY BE JUDGED BY WHATEVER THEY DO FOLLOWING THE DEADLINE AND BY WHAT THEY DO IN THE 2025 PLAYOFFS!”
In other words, let’s get the regular season out of the way, and then get to the only games that matter – the playoffs.
Here was Laviolette’s line-up for the twelfth game of this 2024-25 season – an identical line-up from the team’s last game against the Islanders:
FIRST LINE: Panarin/Zibanejad/Lafreniere
SECOND LINE: Cuylle/Trocheck/Smith
THIRD LINE: Kreider/Chytil/Kakko
FOURTH LINE: Edstrom/Carrick/Vesey
FIRST PAIR: Lindgren/Fox
SECOND PAIR: Miller/Trouba
THIRD PAIR: Jones/Schneider
STARTING GOALIE: CZAR IGOR
BACK UP GOALIE: Jonathan Quick
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Brodzinski and Mancini
If you notice, and with Matt Rempe now in Hartford, then Jonny Brodzinski has become the team’s defacto 13th forward.
For the past several seasons, and while being jettisoned up-and-down varsity and junior varsity, Brodzinski remained as the captain of the Wolfpack.
However, and ever since his full-time promotion to the Rangers that took place mid-way last season – and Brodzinski hasn’t returned yet to his Hartford troops – and it doesn’t look like the plan is to have him howlin’ with the Pack anytime soon either.
On Wednesday, November 6th, the Wolfpack announced a change to their team leadership:
While congratulations are in store to Fitzgerald, perhaps bigger kudos go out to JONNY BROADWAY himself – as this news only rubber-stamps his status as a full-time big leaguer – and forever as long as it may last.
Even better?
Despite his present status as an everyday scratch, an NHL paycheck is significantly worth more than a daily AHL payday.
While I know that many will say that CZAR IGOR had an off-night on Thursday – and I guess that he somewhat did – but really, was goaltending ever truly the issue in the 6-1 loss?
Granted, an opening goal allowed at the 26-second mark to Rasmus Dahlin wasn’t the most ideal thing in the world; but at the same time, CZAR IGOR kept the Sabres away from the scoreboard for the remainder of the first frame, including when he made a total of four saves during 2:03 worth of a Rangers’ penalty kill.
Conversely, the Blueshirts’ heralded power-play, where for whatever reason, the useless Mika Zibanejad remains on the first unit, while the team’s best five-vs-five scorer from the past 125 games played, Alexis Lafreniere, watches all of Zibanejad’s shots hit anything but the back of the net, sits; went 0-2 in the first period, and ultimately, 0-4 in the game.
(They also failed to score a man-advantage goal with a 1:57 power-pay to open the second period.)
But special teams isn’t what doomed the Rangers on Thursday night.
Instead, it was a complete lack of effort – and where the team may as well have had the letters “L-E-T-H-A-R-G-I-C” sewn across their chests.
After an uninspiring first period where not much really went on, and where it felt like the Rangers were just scrambling to keep the Sabres out of their zone too, we remained at 1-0, in favor of the road team, and where I also said this at the time:
1-0, bad guys, after 20. 1P thoughts:
—- At least the league’s top PK remains flawless and dominant, not much anywhere else.
—- Maybe #NYR was celebrating Trump’s win? They look flat to start.
—- Igor doesn’t give up many bad goals, so I’m not worried.
—- They aren’t playing an…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 8, 2024
At the time, and as my comments suggest – I really thought that the Rangers would bounce back.
After all, the Sabres aren’t really any good.
And with CZAR IGOR in net against UPL, then I thought that the Blueshirts would get Buffalo to crack.
Fat chance.
What happened during the next twenty-minutes of play was the worst period of the Rangers’ season – and where by the half-way point, I tweeted out the following:
I don’t think I’ll be wasting my time and writing a blog from my hotel room tonight lol #nyr
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 8, 2024
The Rangers were completely embarrassed, outclassed, outworked, outhustled, out-everything’d (except out-sucked) during the middle period, where as a result – the Sabres pumped in four goals within a time-span of ten-minutes – which also led to CZAR IGOR’s first benching of the season.
5-0, bad guys, by the 13:51 mark of this frame – and where no – I’m not going to recap every goal allowed, but I will say that no forward, outside of perhaps Chytil and Cuylle, looked any good.
Defensively, only Jones and Schneider had a pulse, while the Top-4 had as much life as a Kamala Harris campaign. (That’s a topical joke – not a political one – and that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!)
A Cuylle goal, as set-up by the two third-pair defensemen, was the only Rangers’ score of the game.
However, this goal came long after the final result had already been determined.
Following Cuylle’s fourth goal scored at the 4:21 mark of the third period (he now has two times as many goals as Zibanejad – and where one of Mika’s “strikes” were of the empty-net variety – and one gifted to him by Panarin – as “The Breadman” could have boosted his own goal total instead); a rare power-play goal afforded by the league’s best penalty killing team, a Zach Benson goal scored at the 11:55 mark, returned the five-goal lead to the visitors.
6-1, bad guys – and where it should be mentioned that Jonathan Quick played admirably (9 saves on 10 shots in 25:57) in his relief of CZAR IGOR.
In a word, this game was a “trainwreck” – and where I thought that Laviolette shouldered some of the blame too.
After all, it was the head coach that broke up his two best scoring lines in order to get his overpaid center going.
Instead of going up – Zibanejad took the team down – and as Lafreniere’s poor stat line (0 SOG, -2) would indicate.
For a player that’s now on the rise, and who has overcome some tough times too, then attaching Lafreniere to Mika’s stink is not a good decision.
While Panarin somewhat overcame it (he picked up a secondary assist on Cuylle’s goal, and ultimately finished as a 0 and with 1 SOG), he’s been hampered big-time by the Swedish-Iranian dee-jay.
As noted many times over, what makes the GAG LINE 2.0 work, Panarin too, is whenever the center is a guy with some jam and snarl.
Say whatever you want about Ryan Strome, and now Vincent Trocheck today, and Panarin is at his best whenever he has had a hard-nosed center that’s willing to get physical, which in turn, opens up ice for the elite playmaker and scorer.
Since Zibanejad possesses none of these traits (too bad you can’t rack up points by ferociously hugging Chris Kreider) – then it only brings down the team’s best skater – and the entire team too.
While yeah – it’s only one game – and an early one at that; it doesn’t change the fact that this was a reminder that when the going gets tough, then the Rangers wilt.
It just felt like the Blueshirts threw in the towel – and there were no excuses for the no show either.
I also felt extremely bad and sympathetic for anyone who paid to attend this game – and especially even more so for the fans who can only afford to go to one game per-season at the uber-expensive M$G.
(Put it this way, and my gambling wins aside: It was cheaper for me to fly out to Detroit, stay at a hotel and then buy a ticket eight rows off the ice at the Little Caesars Arena rather than attending a Rangers’ home game. But alas, as long as people are willing to pay the high prices that the Rangers charge, then no price-drop will ever be seen.)
I also thought that the box score, especially the plus/minus statistic, told the story – but at the same time – it actually hid some of the ugliness – as many of these minus performances were much worse than what’s indicated here:
Three more tweets of mine from after the game, then I’ll move on:
Not one of these birdbrain beat reporters asked him why is Mika still on PP1! These reporters are worse than MSNBC! #nyr
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 8, 2024
Accountability and doing what’s best for your BFF CK20, would be waiving your NMC #nyr https://t.co/aJ2vH7tStz
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 8, 2024
What needs to happen is for the long haired hippie dee-jay to be held accountable, rather than blowing up the lineup in order to cater to the guy with the worst contract on the team.
Be nice if the beat asked Lavy why he handles the center with the worst contract in the league… https://t.co/M4DNjWi9b1
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 8, 2024
Granted, while I’m putting a lot of the blame on MISSING MIKA – the fact is not many looked good on Thursday – and where if you’re still of the opinion that Jacob Trouba has the worst contract on the team – then you’re not paying attention.
Moving on!
As I talk about my trip, the non-hockey activities, prior to getting into Saturday night’s game (some readers like this, and if you don’t, then you can scroll on down), I want to mention Detroit’s reputation.
Eight-years ago, when I last visited, the city felt like something straight out of “The Walking Dead” – as all you saw were rundown/boarded-up houses, drug deals in the streets and just a strong overall vibe of the criminal element.
It’s also why I stayed in Windsor, Ontario at the time (yep – at another casino – Caesars) – a stone’s throw away from Detroit – and literally from my hotel window:
This time around, we decided to stay in Detroit itself, and mainly because we heard that things have been improving – as due to construction – the city has received a much-needed facelift.
And if you can recall, then the last time that I was in town, then that whole Flint, Michigan water debacle was a major story.
And a word to the wise for people nervous about staying in a crime-ridden city – and where I should say that Detroit is no different than the streets of Manhattan today?
Always stay at a casino.
After all, they have more cameras, security guards and overall deterrents when compared to any other normal hotel – and it’s not even close.
We decided to stay at The Hollywood Casino at Greektown, as it was highly-rated on all of the travel sites – and based on what we read before booking the place – considered as the best joint in town.
Funny enough, when we first arrived after our cab ride, and where I had the end of the Rangers’ first period against the Sabres on my phone too; we saw a hooker across the street, with no pants on, being slapped around by what I assumed was her pimp.
Ruh-roh shaggy!
(And while this weathered lady of the night has had better days, I still don’t think that Mika Zibanejad, and with his $64M bank account, could score on her either.)
My good old chum, “Ten O’Clock Tommy,” just gave me the evil eye and implied, “I thought you said that this was a nice place!”
Away from this incident, then the only other nefarious characters that we saw during our stay (aside from looking at mirrors) were the ones that you’d expect to see outside of any casino in the country – homeless people looking for hand-outs when camped outside liquor stores – and liquor stores that had all of their wares on lockdown – and with security guards posted inside.
As far as the casino itself, I thought it was a nice place – and I’d 100% go back.
Granted, while I’m used to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, where both the booze and beer are free; $6 for a Labatt Blue and $8 for a vodka & soda didn’t break the bank either.
After all, I’ve been to other casinos where they sometimes charge $10 or more for an adult beverage.
(This all comes down to state law anyway – so there’s no use griping about this.)
What really worked out for us, was that as new gamblers in a new house, was all of the promotions that we received.
Right off the bat, and ESPN Bet, the official-and-only sportsbook of this gambling hall, gave us a free $1,000 – and where after placing bets – our points gained netted us two free dinners.
This is my way of saying that while I hardly had to go into my pocket much, this wouldn’t be the same case during my future-and-second stay, as such enticing offers won’t be thrown my way again, now as a “seasoned customer” of the casino.
As they say in real estate, “location, location, location” – and “The Hollywood Casino at Greektown” had that in abundance.
The casino is the crown jewel of the historic Greektown area, and an area where many excellent restaurants can be found, including the top place for feta cheese, “The Golden Fleece.”
The dad of my friend, “Big Tommy C.,” is a diehard Detroit Tigers fan, as Al Kaline was/is his favorite player.
One of the goals on our trip was to visit Comerica Park, home of the baseball team, and a ballpark that lies in the middle between where the Red Wings (and Pistons) and Lions play.
If you’ve ever been to Philadelphia, then the set-up in Detroit is pretty much identical, but perhaps with a few extra steps required when visiting all of the stadiums and arenas.
You can find all of the pics from my trip by visiting https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/det24/
For now, here are just some of the better ones that I took on Friday:
After traveling the streets of Detroit on Friday, and where I must admit, I was surprised how there weren’t that many people around, we moseyed back over to the sportsbook at the casino and took in the Wings/Leafs game.
As noted earlier during this past summer (https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/7824/ ), I have a keen interest in how the Red Wings do this season – and yes – mainly because two of my favorite players in the league, Cam Talbot and Patrick Kane, now wear the spoked wheel.
Furthermore, there are also four other members of the Blueshirts’ alumni in Detroit too, including Erik Gustafsson, Tyler Motte, Andrew Copp and Vladimir Tarasenko.
While Talbot and Kane are personal favorites of mine; but as a “Rangers’ Historian” (that title and $6 will get me a Labatt Blue at the casino that I stayed at), then I’m always interested to see how the alumni do once moving on.
(It’s also a way to determine how Ranger GMs do too – and if you actually read the daily PLUGS segment – then you’ll see that there’s a four-volume set of books on this very topic!)
Long-story short – when I can (my vacation aside, my work schedule has been a killer – you may have heard!), then I always watch the Wings.
And since we were in Detroit, where the Redshirts were the Blueshirts next opponent – then of course we had to take in Friday night’s Wings/Leafs game from the sportsbook.
Previous to puck drop in Toronto and the Rangers practiced in New York on Friday, prior to boarding their flight to Motown. Revealed during that skate was that Jonathan Quick was going to be in net on Saturday.
While I have no problem with Quick (or at least not anymore – and as you can read here: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/villains/ and here: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/112223/ ); obviously, I would have much rather to have seen CZAR IGOR get the start – and solely for my own selfish and personal viewing purposes.
And leave it to me, to fly out to Detroit, in hopes of seeing my two favorite goalies of today, Cam Talbot and CZAR IGOR, go head-to-head – and then not seeing either one of them in action!
While Cam Talbot took the loss in the Leafs’ 3-1 empty-net abetted victory; but similar to the Rangers – and the Wings were buried in their own zone for most of the match.
This was important to know, as not only did the Wings run out of steam in their eventual loss in Toronto, but heading into Saturday, and the home team were now playing their third game in a span of four nights, while the Rangers, who just had three days off prior to their brutal beating sustained by Buffalo, came in well-rested.
Come the end of Saturday night?
Then you would have thought that the Rangers had the more grueling schedule and travel, as despite the 4-0 final – this game was all Detroit.
It was also all Quick too.
On Saturday, and once all of the pregame pops, belts and meals were consumed, we made our way over to the arena – where again – you can check out https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/det24/ for all of the pics.
For now, here are just a few:
In other line-up news aside from the goaltender switch, then the only other move made was Kreider bumped up to the second line and with Cuylle returned to his usual line mates of Chytil and Kakko.
Mika remained as the team’s first line center – and on the Rangers’ first power-play unit too.
In other words, that meant that Laviolette felt in order to get his team going, that he had to go back to his strong third line, while ignoring the team’s best line from the past two seasons.
Perhaps there is something to the talking point of Laviolette always having a strong start during his first season with a new team, then quickly dropping off in Year 2.
“LATERALETTE” anyone?
Before getting into the game itself, just a few words about the arena – and as a fan who has attended 29 NHL arenas in my lifetime.
Going into this game, then I thought that the new barns in Vegas and in Belmont were the best in the league – and with M$G all the way down at the bottom of the list too.
Perhaps M$G is a great place for a tourist (and as I was in Detroit), but as both a Ranger fan and as a hockey fan – such a statement couldn’t be any further from the truth.
In reality, M$G is a shithole, not fan-friendly at all, full of many lines (where sometimes, it takes you thirty-minutes to take a piss in-between periods) and where the costs for anything are through the iconic ceiling.
Having attended the old “Joe” many years back, then of course, I expected something nicer – and that’s what I got – and with no more dick-swingin’ urinal troughs either:
Little Caesars Arena, aka “The Pizza Palace,” is one of the nicest and best arenas I’ve ever watched a hockey game in.
All of the concourses are spacious, meaning there was no shoulder-to-shoulder bumping around.
Drinks and food could be had for a decent price (at least for an arena) and about one-third cheaper than what M$G charges for the same stuff.
Similar to both Vegas and the IBS arena that the Islanders shit the bed in on a daily basis, there were many bathrooms all over the place – crucial for a hockey game – as the longest I waited to drain the main vein was two-minutes – and where my urination time was longer than my wait time!
There were also short wait-times/lines for food and drink.
As far as Detroit fans go, all of them were friendly – even if some of them were wondering why the hell I was wearing a Cam Talbot jersey!
Of course, there was some light ribbing (to be expected as a fan of the visiting team), but since the Wings haven’t made the playoffs during the YZERPLAN era, then there wasn’t that much ball-busting.
And in another scoop that you will only get here, and not from any other beat scribe when it comes to the BATHROOM REPORT – all of the facilities were clean – even after the game – as two attendants were stationed in each bathroom.
And yep, the topic of the election came up too while shortly waiting in line – and where I’m not making this up – every fan was shocked, surprised and elated to hear that I voted for Donald Trump – you know – being a guy/fan from the liberal shithole known as New York!
My vote was appreciated by the swing-state votin’ Red Wing fans – who voted red themselves!
(And there was a reason why I was wearing a red Rangers’ hat too!)
Let’s see the likes of Mollie, Wince and Larry give you such information like I’m dishing out here!
While I did have good seats and can only tell you about my perspective, then I thought that the sight lines were fantastic, the seats were comfortable and it was easy to navigate from the corridor to where your ass plopped down.
Overall, and to quote Joe Micheletti, then I thought that the Little Caesars Arena was “FABULOUS” – and I’d definitely go back again.
The Rangers on this night?
“Not so fabulous Sam!”
Again, I’m not going to do my normal style of a GAME REVIEW tonight, as after all – everything is now dated, you already know what happened and you really don’t need a blow-by-blow account from another disaster either – or should I say – a disaster averted by Quick.
Everything that’s been plaguing the Rangers ever since the 7-2 win against lowly Montreal reared in its ugly head in this game – and where once again – goaltending was the difference between a win and a loss.
As we saw against Buffalo, then if a Rangers’ goaltender can’t make 40+ saves, and where more than 50% of these stops are of the high danger variety, then don’t expect a win.
Unlike the box score from Thursday night, one littered with many minuses next to each Ranger, and a box score that didn’t tell you how truly bad it was; conversely, and now 48-hours removed from that horror and now in Detroit – and the box score was completely misleading – that is – unless you only read Quick’s line of 37 saves in his shutout victory – and the 61st no-no of his future Hall of Fame career.
Also not told to readers in the black-and-white box score?
How nearly 30 saves were of the HIGH DANGER variety, as Quick just stopped everything and anything – and perhaps got some help from his two best friends too – the post and the crossbar.
But when you’re in the zone, it forces shooters to tighten up a bit, and with the way Quick was playing, then the Wings had to have perfect precision shooting in order to beat him.
And while Quick has already earned enough money to last several lifetimes, but if he could ever bottle whatever fountain of youth he jumped into, then he’d a be a billionaire many times over.
What he’s done since joining the Rangers is nothing short of Hall of Fame worthy.
And yep – expect the CZAR IGOR vs JQ32 talk to heat up again too – but where let’s face it – CZAR IGOR is the guy – and who knows if Quick could be an everyday starter in the first place at this age, as he’ll turn 39-years-old later this season.
But what I will say is what I always say – you don’t need the highest priced goalie in the league to win a Stanley Cup either – and a point that I think my buddy, “The Maven,” Stan Fischler, is eager to agree with!
The 2024-25 Rangers, and really, throughout their franchise history, have proved this point over-and-over again – and now 99 times too – as they are now one season away from celebrating their centennial anniversary.
If it hadn’t been for Quick, then the result of Saturday’s game would’ve been the same as it was on Thursday night – if not worse than that 4-1 final.
Instead, Quick posted a 4-0 shutout – and NO – I didn’t bet it – as I retired that bet last season.
That said, there’s still a reader, Dan R., that sends me $40 after every Rangers’ 4-0 victory – as a good luck/tradition thing – and as a way to pay tribute to this site that never runs any advertisements.
(Yep, you know the motto here: 10,000 words, one click, no ads!)
(And thank you Dan!)
(And should you ever want to contribute to my beer/road-trip fund, then my paypal remains at BULLSMC@aol.com – what a whore!)
To go back to my whippin’ boy of the past two seasons, STINKA ZIBANEDUD, then what I said about him in the loss to Buffalo rung true again here – as once again – Lafreniere was absolutely hampered by this Swedish anchor.
While #13 did pick up an assist in the game, he also finished with no shots on goal – and if it hadn’t been for Quick, then for the first-overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft – he would’ve finished with a plus/minus rating of a -3 or worse.
Panarin was slightly better in this go-around, as he did score a goal, but it was mainly the end result of a poor Detroit defense rather than Missing Mika setting him up.
Again, this line, these flanks, needs Trocheck back on it in order to have success – and where Laviolette needs to make the tough decision too – and like one of Zibanejad’s dee-jay records – HE NEEDS TO BE SCRATCHED.
And Drury needs to make the tough decision too – either Mika waives his NMC – or he gets “Goodrow’d” to San Jose, or a team like it.
You simply can’t have this contract weighing this team down until 2030 – and with Zibanejad’s decline more rapid than ever – the time to strike is now – rather than being saddled with this mopey miserabe forever.
More important than all else?
For a WIN NOW team, Mika ain’t it – as he’s not a playoff performer, and where almost as equally as worse than that – he’s no longer productive in the regular season either.
Outside of Quick’s epic performance, then the only other players that stood out to me was the fourth line and third pair.
Go figure: It’s the lesser paid guys that wanted it more than Drury’s FAT CATS.
As it’s been for a while, and the Rangers were caved in their zone for the majority of the game, and where if I had to guess, then I’d suspect that Detroit spent 90% of the game, while at even-strength, just peppering away at Quick.
It should be noted that like CZAR IGOR, Quick is due for a new contract next season.
And if he’s going to continue to sign team-friendly deals in order to stay close to home, then you might as well get this $1M or less deal out of the way now.
Even if he completely implodes and/or time catches up to him – it will be a cheap deal – and it wouldn’t hurt to have him as a coach, analyst, some association with the club, following his playing days.
And since the Rangers/M$GN love having an idiotic two-goalie panel on their pregame shows (rather than having a skater paired with “THE KING OF COMMENTARY”) – then wouldn’t it be better to have Lundqvist paired with another fellow Hall of Famer, Quick himself, rather than the useless seven-foot turd, the never-did-anything, Sieve Vagistat?
One more time, or maybe 37 times in homage to Quick’s 37-save shutout, but yeah – QUICK, QUICK, QUICK!
To illustrate how bad the Rangers were, and AGAIN, against a team playing their third game in four nights (and one on a back-to-back set too – with a late Friday night flight from Toronto included as well), and Detroit out-shot their Original Six rivals to a tune of 37-24 – 8-6 in a sleepy first period, a whopping 19-8 in the second period and a 10-10 final frame, where perhaps the Wings’ grueling schedule finally caught up to them.
The Blueshirts, despite their ass-kicking from Thursday night, and their bravado words of wisdom afterwards, had no pop at all.
It’s like nothing has been learnt whatsoever.
Where’s the motivation? Where’s the heart? Where’s the EFF-YOU, WE AREN’T GOING TO TAKE IT, factor?
Too bad Quick and CZAR IGOR can’t share this character trait with their flawed teammates.
As Quick was just waiting for any type of support, it finally came at the 13:06 mark of the period, when Zibanejad, and I guess to his credit, drew Simon Edvinsson for a tripping call.
Seven-seconds later, and following Panarin retrieving a Trocheck faceoff win, Adam Fox blasted a puck at Wings’ goaltender, Ville Husso – and a puck that probably would’ve been a goal anyway, had Kreider not have gotten a piece of it.
For CK20, it was his eighth goal of the season, and his chase for Rod Gilbert’s all-time franchise goals record continues.
At the time – no one knew that this would wind up as the game-winning goal – and again – more praise and adulation for Mr. Quick for that.
As the game progressed – and you had to wonder what the hell Lavy was thinking when he returned K’Andre Miller, to his mentor, captain Jacob Trouba.
This pair was a Hiroshima like disaster.
No joke – I don’t know what’s scarier these days – the Trouba/Miller pair – or eating White Castle and Taco Bell after a long night of drinking – and with no bathroom in sight.
I’m not exaggerating.
I don’t know what’s up with Miller these days, who very often, can be hit-or-miss, but just like the state of the New York/New Jersey NFL teams – and it’s been nothing but misses.
Also a miss?
Kaapo Kakko – and where I had to check the box score to see if he got hurt in the game – as he did OO-GATZ.
(Funny aside? I saw a conversation on Twitter, started by @LAF4MVP, where he asked, “Please describe to me Daniel Jones (Giants QB) in NHL terms.” My answer – Kakko. After all, both were high-end draft picks who show rare, and I mean rare, flashes of brilliance from time-to-time – yet only score once every other blue moon. And both should be removed from their present teams too. And this too – BUSTS!)
And do you know who would be a great veteran right-winger for Cuylle and Chytil?
Like you even had to ask:
The Kreider goal held up as the only Rangers’ goal of the first period.
Prior to the two goals that the Blueshirts would score in the middle frame, I tweeted the following:
I’m a goalie guy, probably been to 500 games and this Quick performance is already top ten that I’ve seen live. #nyr
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 10, 2024
As noted, I’ve probably attended 500 Ranger games in my life, and at my ripe-old age of 42-years-old, I can’t remember them all either, but when I think about the best goalie performance that I’ve ever seen live from a Blueshirts’ backstop, then Henrik Lundqvist’s shutout of the Islanders, in a 2013 roadie, a 1-0 Dan Girardi overtime goal win (against Evgeni Nabakov), was probably the best I’ve ever seen.
While of course, the opponent, where the two teams were at the time, and the other goalie playing well all factors into this opinion – but at the same time – this Quick showing was just as impressive.
Zac Jones, who is making Victor Mancini look more Hartford bound by the day (and not because of anything that Mancini has done – it’s just that Jones has been strong too), was on the ice for the second Rangers’ goal of the game, as at the 16:52 mark of the period, Vesey, who had missed the first ten games of the season, scored his first goal of this campaign, following a pass from new Rangers’ revelation, Sam Carrick.
With the goal, Vesey now has as many even-strength goals as Zibanejad – and a Missing Mika who hasn’t missed a game, and plays top-minutes too, all season.
And just to go back to Mancini for a minute.
Another tough decision for Laviolette?
Bench K’Andre Miller and let’s see how Mancini does with either Trouba, Jones or Schneider.
Like Mika, Miller needs a time-out – and perhaps both should shave their heads too – and like Panarin did prior to last season.
If not, then Mancini may be “Rempe’d” – as it seems like Laviolette has no clue whenever trying to develop new talent – and often gift horses who were delivered at his door step.
If only Rempe and Mancini had as many chances as Mika – you know – a player that the head coach should have no allegiance too, as the prime years of Zibanejad took place long before, and two coaches ago, before Lavy rolled into town.
Vesey’s goal, scored with only 3:08 remaining in the period, was soon matched some 48-seconds later, as “The Breadman” baked his tenth goal of the season, following one of his wicked moves at the opponent’s net.
3-0, GOOD GUYS, but where this score felt more hollow than ever – as Detroit could’ve had a touchdown on the board if it weren’t for Quick.
This score held as we entered the final frame.
As noted above – and the fans at the “Pizza Palace” couldn’t be any more friendlier.
I don’t know if many Detroit season ticket holders off-loaded their tickets to this game or what once seeing the “New York money,” but whatever the case, my section was a sea of Rangers’ blue.
Since we were all bullshitting throughout the game (and where “where in New York are you from?” was the first question asked by everyone), I mentioned that I had a silly parlay bet on this game.
Come the third period, and all I needed was a Chytil shot on goal to hit.
“The Concussed Czech,” playing clearer than ever before (and where as noted in previous blogs – if he can remain healthy, something that I question, then he’s basically the equivalent of landing a nice free agent over the summer), got that shot on goal for me – and on his first shift.
That weird roar that you may have heard on TV at the time was yours truly – and my entire section too!
And with $232 in profit netted – this bet paid for my ticket – and a drink or three too!
The third period was more of the same – Mika sucks, the third-pair and fourth line played well and Quick just dominated.
Down by three goals, and Detroit head coach, Count Dracula Lalonde, pulled Husso with four-minutes to go.
It was a failed effort, as a few seconds later, Reilly Smith scored his third goal of the season, which means he now has one more goal than Zibanejad does this season.
4-0, GOOD GUYS, your final – and yes – I was kicking myself for not throwing $5 on my favorite final score – and one that would’ve paid me $450!
But I’ll take the win – even if every problem and concern still remains – and where I feel no better about the Rangers’ chances of winning the Cup – much less even getting out of the second-round.
At the 15% mark of the season, then I think it’s safe to say that despite their 9-3-1 record – and the Rangers don’t look like the Presidents’ Trophy champions as they were last year.
The standards are now sky-high in New York – and just reaching the ECF won’t cut it anymore either.
Similar to Neil Smith and Mike Keenan in 1993-94 – and Drury and Laviolette really need to make the tough decisions, rather than to play favorites and pray to the hockey gods that players like Miller and Mika somehow find their way.
Do you want to win a Stanley Cup – or do you want to keep going down by doing the same old shit?
And for argument’s sake, say CZAR IGOR does stay, signs the biggest and most lucrative goalie contract in NHL history and then earns every penny of it.
It will be all for naught should the team in front of him remain in-tact.
While the Miller/Trouba pairing is getting the most disdain out of residents from Rangerstown, USA today, the Fox/Lindgren pair hasn’t been much better either.
Again, it says a lot when the rotating third-line pair (Mancini, Schneider and Jones), admittedly often against weaker competition than the Top-4 faces, look light-years ahead.
While that’s good for them, that’s not good for Fox, Lindgren, Trouba and Miller.
Nor the Rangers either.
It says even more when Zibanejad, despite where he plays in the line-up, is the worst center on the team – and that’s not up for debate.
It’s even worse when you consider that the line-up, and at the expense of the overall betterment of the team, has been shaken like a snow globe in order to accommodate him.
Since being paired with Mika, and Lafreniere, who started the season as a red-hot ball of fire, hasn’t scored a goal yet.
When does Lavy and Drury do what’s best for the team – and not what’s best for what’s now the equivalent of a Wade Redden 2.0?
Up Next For the Rangers: A home game against the best team in the league, the 14-1 Winnipeg Jets.
If the Rangers couldn’t come up for Florida, and later Washington, and combined with their past two games too, then what’s to suggest that they’ll show up in this one too?
And trust me – Winnipeg wants a win at the World’s Most Expensive Arena.
This could be a blood bath – and perhaps afterwards – maybe Lavy and Drury will discuss the future of the $8.5M Swedish contract in the room.
Then again, I could see the Rangers pulling this game out – which will lead to everyone saying that the Blueshirts are back – then followed up by a dreadful Thursday night loss to the putrid San Jose Sharks – and where of course – Goodrow will score a goal or two.
I’d also expect a goalie match-up featuring two of the best today, two former Vezina winners to boot, CZAR IGOR vs. Connor Hellebuyck.
Up Next For Me: SLEEP – and plenty of it!
Up Next For You: Your favorite segment…
PLUGS TIME! (Buy a book and support my Rangers’ induced therapy bills. After all, I don’t run ads on this site!)
My fourth title and tenth book is now available!
“The Top 100 Villains of New York Rangers History,” is now available for sale!
For complete information, please visit: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/rangerkillers/
My second plug of tonight’s blog – the mandatory plug for my book, “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden.”
As mentioned previously, the book is now available in hardcover, in paperback and in Kindle formats. To purchase a copy of the book, visit this link:
https://www.amazon.com/Rangers-Rafters-Madison-Square-Garden-ebook/dp/B09CM5N2WD
For those still looking for signed paperback versions of the book, I have re-ordered more copies. I now have a few signed copies for sale at $25 a pop (includes shipping price) through me directly. Here is all the information on that:
Order “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden” Book Today
My four-volume set of books, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is a game-by-game recount of the Rangers 2021-22 campaign.
My second title as an author, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is now available in eBook, paperback and hardcover formats.
To obtain signed copies, visit: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/onegamebook/
To purchase all four volumes on Amazon, visit: Amazon.com – “One Game at a Time.”
The greatest volume-set of books on Rangers’ history today!
“Tricks of the Trade – A Century-Long Journey Through Every Trade Made In New York Rangers’ History,” a four-volume set of books that meticulously covers every trade made in franchise history, is now on sale.
All four volumes of the title can be purchased on Amazon.com and are presented in three different formats – eBook, paperback and hardcover.
To purchase Volume I: Conn Smythe (1926) – Craig Patrick (1986), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume II: Phil Esposito (1986) – Neil Smith (2000), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume III: Glen Sather (2000-2015), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume IV: Jeff Gorton (2015) – Chris Drury (2022), visit Amazon.com
To purchase signed copies of all four volumes, visit https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
If you haven’t already, subscribe to this blog for the next update:
Don’t forget to order my four-volume set of books, “Tricks of the Trade!”
If you don’t order through me, all four volumes are now available on Amazon.com
For more details, check out: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
Thanks for reading.
LET’S GO RANGERS!
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
@NYCTHEMIC on the Tweeter machine
Sean-Welcome back. I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist writing about Trump’s “campaign promise of no taxes on overtime pay.” He’ll make good on that promise as soon as the Rangers win the Stanley Cup.
Let’s hope you’re wrong on that as I can use that money! Thanks for returning!