Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. Imagine if Matvei Michkov and CZAR Igor were allowed to play in the Olympics?
(AND GOOD LUCK TO RON DUGUAY TOO – WHO WE’LL TALK ABOUT AT THE END OF THIS GAME REVIEW.)
As Mike Sullivan, boss of both the Blueshirts and Team USA, would say, these Russians, known for their vodka, sure looked like whisky drinkers during Thursday night’s Rangers’ 3-2 loss to the Flyers – while the Blueshirts themselves, especially the dry-haired hippie Mika Z. – looked like they were drinking out of sippy cups and juice boxes!
But let’s be fair.
Not only was another Blueshirts’ loss to be expected – but it was good for both the franchise’s immediate and long-term futures – that is – providing the Rangers can land the first-overall pick of the upcoming 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
And how expected was this loss?
I bet some beer money on it – then easily foresaw the inevitable defeat to one of the worst teams in the league too:
Flyers feel due for a win tonight #NYR
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) February 27, 2026
Never in doubt kid #nyr pic.twitter.com/wCBrywOM6e
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) February 27, 2026
To be frank (hey, my name is Sean – har-har-har), then, and as noted many times before on this site prior to the Olympic break – and it’s in the Blueshirts’ best interest to lose games.
While we all know what “tanking” is, and how players and coaches will never do as such (they are playing for their jobs, their futures, their reputations, etc); but we can also admit that general managers (and in any sport) will try to tilt the scales whenever they can.
Of course, then that nimrod, Mr. ZOOM ZOOM himself, a one Chris Drury, also entered this season with the real thought that these centennial Rangers were a Stanley Cup contender.
He should’ve been fired for that one notion alone – and as explained in this space about 798678967986 zillion times before.
(Who did he replace Chris Kreider with?)
That said?
Then knowing the deal doesn’t make watching these games any easier either.
Granted, while we all have our own individual approaches and different levels of fandom too, but for this here disgusting diehard fan of this rotten franchise – and not only does the thought of watching these games, but then to write about them afterwards, make me ill – well all of this also feels worse than a full-time job at the zoo where you shovel elephant shit for eight-hours a day.
It’s just a lose-lose situation.
(And a stinky one too!)
If the Rangers play well, then it hurts the future/draft.
If the Rangers play like crap, then it’s just your natural instinct to be pissed-off about it.
Praise the hockey gods that the Americans won gold in Italy – because without that – and we’d have nothing but misery, agony and everlasting pain.
And I’m dead-serious about this – as USA Hockey returned me to some level of sanity and elation – two things that I sorely needed after watching the Rangers during the past two-years!
In tonight’s latest travesty and crime committed against the sport, then truth be told – and the Rangers actually got out of the gate hot.
It should also be mentioned that while the Blueshirts were returning to action, then the Flyers were on the second half of a back-to-back, having dropped a 3-1 decision in Washington on Wednesday night.
Whether the Blueshirts were motivated at first puck drop or if the Flyers were just gassed-and-tired from the night before; but either way – and the Rangers completely dominated the first period.
At one point, the Rangers had won 90% of all faceoffs and were out-shooting their I-95 rivals by a tune of 9-2.
But what dooms them every night, and especially at M$G (their home record fell to a league-low 6-15-5 – as they still haven’t won a regulation game in front of the Garden Faithful since November 24th – and where they’ve also been shutout seven times too), is their inability to score goals.
Orange-and-black goalie, Samuel Ersson, not really a world-beater in anyone’s view, made a bevy of tough saves.
But as it sometimes goes, and it was a fluke goal allowed, scored by SAM I DAM Carrick, at the 9:56 mark, that finally broke the Swedish netminder.
Carrick’s 1-0 goal was the equivalent of the goal that Jeremy Swayman gave up to Denmark during the preliminary round of the Olympics.
That bad.
Rather than building up their momentum against the shaky sophomore – and instead – and as they always do too – and the Rangers took their feet off of the pedal.
Again, and please keep this in mind throughout this tome – YES, LOSING IS WHAT’S BEST FOR THE RANGERS RIGHT NOW BUT THE PLAYERS AND COACHES AREN’T THINKING LIKE THAT.
Following this Carrick fluke job (but they all count – and good for him too – more on #39 below) – and the Flyers woke up a bit.
They recorded the remainder of all shots taken on goal in this period – and then started a fight too – and as regular Rangers’ agitator, Garnet Hathaway, did at the 16:11 mark – as after brutalizing “The Appendix,” Brennan Othmann, Carrick answered the call.
At the time, and the person who should win this year’s Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award (providing he’s still here), the only player who will drop the gloves for the Blueshirts, was now two-thirds of the way to a Gordie Howe Hat trick.
And outside of the PIZZA MAN, COLONY CHRIS, getting booed during the Olympic intros – and that was our biggest highlight of the night.
One of the biggest first-overall busts in league history, Alexis Lafreniere, put the Rangers ahead, 2-0, at the 1:23 mark of the second stanza, following one hell of a pass from Will Cuylle.
This felt like opposite day – as it’s usually the Rangers who give up goals at the start of a period.
But don’t fret yet – as we still had a final frame yet to play!
While the six-year veteran was celebrating his thirteenth goal of the season; over in Montreal, and the Islanders’ rookie sensation, Matthew Schaefer, scored his 18th – a new league high scored by a rookie defenseman.
In other words, as Lafreniere continues to set bust and Quebec summer softball records; then the Isles’ first-overall pick is smashing-and-surpassing records once held by Bobby Orr.
I’m not here to praise baby brother – but I can admit that I’m freakin’ jealous.
And as noted before in these pages, and right before the break too when the Rangers dropped a back-to-back set with the Isles?
I don’t see how anyone can hate Schaefer either.
He’s that damn good.
He’s that damn likeable.
And these are two traits and adjectives that you can’t use to describe the Rangers this season.
Following Lafreniere’s once-in-a-blue-moon goal, the second period became a never-ending trip to the sin bin.
In a game decided in overtime, then the Flyers’ special teams brought them there.
Philadelphia went only 1-5 on the power-play, while New York went 0-3 – including the aforementioned 4 x 3 man-up to start the overtime period.
Down 2-0, and Michkov drew the returning golden nephew-in-law, Conor Sheary, for high-sticking.
Down to just two-seconds remaining on this particular Flyers’ power-play – and the electric Russian cut the Rangers lead to one – following his one-timed goal from CZAR IGOR’s doorstep.
2-1 – and that’s where we remained after two periods of play.
Speaking of “2-1?”
Then just 39-seconds into the third-and-final frame – and there was Trevor Zegras, long the apple of many a Ranger fan eye, to tie the game via his 2 x 1 odd-man rush goal.
Same old Rangers, SAME OLD RANGERS!
We remained at two goals a side as we got into crunch time – and where entering the final minute of it – and it looked like the Blueshirts could stave off the embarrassment of blowing another two-goal lead to another bad team. (Albeit – just not one as bad as them! After all, and the Rangers are now second-worst in the league!)
With about 51-seconds left in regulation, Michkov, after blowing by Ranger defenders, got to CZAR IGOR – but once there – bowled over his fellow comrade.
In turn, the Blueshirts now had a 6 x 5 empty net delayed penalty attack.
Some may say Sullivan’s next move was smart.
Some may say it was cruel (because it extended the game).
And some may say it was an act of cowardice too.
The Rangers, going absolutely nowhere this season, played for overtime – and rather to win in regulation.
In theory, then having a 4 x 3 power-play to open an overtime is much more advantageous than burning the final minute by playing a traditional 5 x 4 man-up attack and for the obvious reasons (less men on the ice/more space to work with).
It wasn’t until Ersson stopped a Hail Mary try from Vladislav Gavrikov with nine-seconds remaining in regulation when the Rangers’ man-up time finally commenced.
Entering the overtime, Sullivan went with Fox, Zero Zibanejad, Captain Clutch and Vincent Trocheck.
Here’s how it went:
Mental Mika sent one of his patented one-timers nowhere close to the net, and in turn, cleared the puck for the Flyers on his own.
Once returned to the opposing zone, this headcase whiffed on another puck which led to another free clear for Philly.
As the power-play was set to expire, Mika couldn’t bury a loose puck for the loose change goal.
Immediately after?
The Flyers cleared the rubber, Michkov, now out of the box, got the puck – and then blew past J.T. Miller – a defeated captain as he just stopped skating (he’s done this before – so save me the “he was tired” excuse) – for the 3-2, Rangers suck, goal.
As is always the case, the Rangers forgot that games are decided via sixty-minutes of play – and not twenty.
For a team that’s set so many futility records this season, both in franchise and league history – then this was just another “milestone” of many.
After all, then despite everything – and Gritty’s favorite club is the one team that the Blueshirts always tend to dominate.
Tonight – and the Rangers were on the other end of it, the ass end if I say so myself – but where as we all know – losses is what this franchise needs.
But as also noted previously in this space – CZAR IGOR is not going to allow them to tank – and in turn – you can feel a New York Giants ending to this campaign (the team wins meaningless games late, thus taking them out of a prime draft position).
If you just read the black-and-white stats, and didn’t see this game in living color, then you would have thought that he had a bad game due to his three goals allowed and .875 save percentage.
In reality, then had Spencer Martin been in net tonight – and the Rangers probably would’ve lost by a field goal.
The Rangers showed up for one period, looked like crap for the next forty-minutes – and then couldn’t bury a puck when given a late power-play.
This 2025-26 season can’t end soon enough – and where let’s face it – Drury will blow the draft anyway.
In case you missed it, then here’s where I last left off – celebrating Team USA’s gold medal win:
After several days of practice, including a Wednesday skate in Tarrytown where both Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller returned to the club (the captain noted that he and his buddy needed a hard skate in order to sweat out all of the booze consumed following the epic gold medal win in Italy), the team reconvened one more time on Thursday morning, GAME DAY, ahead of the tilt against the Flyers.
While a lot of political-oriented questions were asked among the Olympians; not one member of the beat asked the players what they thought about Artemi Panarin’s Wednesday night debut as a King – as it was “The Breadman,” Mr. NDA himself, who took a dumb penalty late, which directly afterwards led to the Vegas game-winning goal in their 6-4 victory over L.A.
As noted last time around in this space, the four injured players in New York – CZAR IGOR, Adam Fox, Adam Edstrom and Conor Sheary – are all back skating with the team.
It was revealed at Thursday’s practice that Fox, Shestyorkin and of course, the golden nephew-in-law, Sheary, would pick up their 2025-26 campaigns against the Flyers.
Unlike the others – and Edstrom needs a few more days before resuming his career.
Just to mention it in case you forgot, then the other skyscraper of the Blueshirts, Matt Rempe, will be missing significant time, if not the remainder of the season, as he tries to surgically correct his broken thumb.
Why the Rangers ever brought him back when he wasn’t 100% still remains beyond me.
Since we’re just trying to get to the end of the season, then there’s no reason to reprint everything that Sully said – especially when I can just share the video of what he said for you here:
If there’s anything else worth noting, then it was the fact that Brendan Brisson, son of NHL super-agent Pat, is not only with the team (he was an Olympic break practice call-up) – but now playing for the Rangers too.
Obviously, and with the Blueshirts “retooling,” then this was just a way to give another player from the minors a look.
But with the trade deadline looming, then it could be argued that it was in Chris Drury’s best interest to have Brisson’s son in the line-up.
After all, nobody knows nepotism like Drury!
I did some of the political stuff last time, therefore, and I don’t want to do it again here.
Or at least I’ll try to keep it short!
All I’ll say for this particular tome is that, and as you long know by now, was that the gold medal American hockey team spent Tuesday afternoon meeting President Donald Trump at the White House – and then spent part of their evening while attending the POTUS’ State of the Union Address.
Since the birdbrain Blueshirts’ beat is plagued with raging and psychotic liberals, and where to be fair – it’s a story for these miserable folk too – then both Miller and Trocheck were pestered and asked about their presence in D.C.
The concept of this whole thing being a “once in a lifetime experience” never crossed these reporter’s minds – and where furthermore – these scribes think that hockey players should agree with their political leanings too.
(One example? How every member of the beat fawned over Henrik Lundqvist – that is – until he was spending his time during COVID supporting and donating to the NYPD. How that was considered “heinous” is something that I can never forget when talking about this pathetic Blueshirts’ beat.)
You can also just ask that groomer Keith Olbermann for more about this – and a “Krazy Keith” that’s now attacking his former co-worker at ESPN, Ranger superfan, Linda Cohn, about this topic.
Anyway, both Trocheck and Miller were forced to “defend” their recent appearances – and this was all just silly.
Just like any other sane major championship or gold winning team – and they accepted the President’s invite to visit the greatest home in the land.
And who had Trocheck and Miller attending a State of the Union Address on their bingo cards too?
Bottom line?
Both players were there for practices and ready for Thursday night.
Therefore, then all of this is really a “non-story.”
And with the way that the ragin’ Canadian liberal media is going after Auston Matthews for attending the ceremonies in Washington – then perhaps, and fingers-crossed, I can get my wish – a Matthews for Mika trade!
(I won’t hold my breath!)
Here was Silly Sully’s line-up for the fifty-eighth game of this wretched-and-rotten 2025-26 season:
FIRST LINE: Miller/Mika/Perreault
SECOND LINE: Cuylle/Trocheck/Lafreniere
THIRD LINE: Sheary/Laba/Brisson
FOURTH LINE: Othmann/Carrick/Raddysh
FIRST PAIR: Gavrikov/Fox
SECOND PAIR: Schneider/Borgen
THIRD PAIR: Robertson/Iorio
STARTING GOALIE: CZAR IGOR
BACKUP GOALIE: Quick
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Scott Morrow, Urho Vaakanainen and Jonny Brodzinski
LTIR: Adam Edstrom
IR: Matt Rempe
BOX SCORE time.
The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:
SCORING:
PENALTIES:
TEAM STATS:
GOALIES:
|
NYR
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 24 | 3 | 21 | .875 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61:42 | 0 |
|
PHI
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 25 | 2 | 23 | .920 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 61:40 | 0 |
As noted above – and the Rangers honored their Olympic gold medal winners prior to tonight’s game – a far contrast to how they honored them prior to the break – as the Blueshirts were the only team in the league not to do so.
Cowardly Chris Drury, not there (he was probably on ZOOM), had his name read to the Garden audience.
His boos and jeers received were much larger than any cheer that you heard at M$G on this night.
A polite response was reserved for Sullivan. Ditto Miller.
Only Trocheck got a raving ovation – but even then – and it was still quiet – so silent that even ESPN, tonight’s broadcaster, repeatedly brought up how eerily devoid of noise that the building was.
In other words?
This wasn’t like Wednesday night in Newark when Jack Hughes received a hero’s welcome – then made a speech too.
(Hughes also got a hero’s welcome in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.)
All of this was because of how bad the Rangers are this season – and where not even a gold medal can rinse the stink off of them.
Also of note?
Then the Rangers and M$G decided to use the communist Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” as the song behind this celebration.
So tone deaf, so tone deaf.
I don’t think it’s just me – but I would’ve preferred Hulk Hogan’s old theme song – “REAL AMERICAN.”
And that’s a fact, BROTHER.
RIP HULKSTER!
For those who missed it, then here was the golf-clap ceremony.
Here is the pregame ceremony at Madison Square Garden honoring the members of the Rangers that were a part of Team USA: Chris Drury, David Quinn, Mike Sullivan, J.T. Miller & Vincent Trocheck pic.twitter.com/Zg3gJAMuFv
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) February 27, 2026
GAME REVIEW time – and let’s try to blow through this as fast as humanly possible.
(Easy for me to say!)
But as always, then if you want the complete play-by-play from the match, then check out my Tweeter/X feed here: https://x.com/NYCTheMiC
Let’s roll.
FIRST PERIOD
As CZAR IGOR and Ersson approached their barrels, it was then reported that Ersson was one of the worst goalies in the league, while this was Shestyorkin’s first start since January 5th.
Since IGOR’s injury and the Rangers went 2-11 in that time.
In other words, then without #31 in net tonight – and the Blueshirts most likely wouldn’t have received an unnecessary point in their quest to land Gavin McKenna come June.
Just thirty-seconds in and Fox, while on a FOUR VS ONE ODD-MAN RUSH – couldn’t bury a puck.
Holy Nate MacKinnon Batman!
I haven’t mentioned his game tonight yet, but Brendan Brisson, son of an agent, had a hell of a first period – so much so that he almost scored on his first shift during a rebound try.
I thought that Brisson had a hell of a first period – and while he did total 11:21 of ice time tonight – but I didn’t notice him after these first twenty-minutes either.
To be fair, then I could say this about many Rangers tonight too!
CZAR IGOR, not challenged much this period, made his first save 2:54 in off of an odd-man rush shot from Grundstrom.
By the 3:50 mark and the Rangers were out-shooting the opposition to a tune of 5-1 – an unheard of figure for this group!
With the Rangers challenging but not getting much results, then this is when Carrick scored his fluke goal – but this was also another example of “good things happen when you shoot the puck” too:
Sam Carrick – New York Rangers (4) pic.twitter.com/TyppVZaLDM
— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) February 27, 2026
Following the goal, and with how well the Big Apple club were looking out there – then you were thinking to yourself, “who are these guys? What happened to the bad-and-boring Blueshirts?”
But alas – and the Rangers soon reverted to their same old terrible selves.
WHEW!
I gotta say, and this game was another example of how bad ESPN is – and how far superior the crew at TNT is too.
While you can never fault Kenny Albert for having a day off, as he is the hardest working man in all of sport today (he was probably off calling badminton in his free time!); but yeah – I freakin’ missed him.
No one does it better.
As we hit 7:00 remaining, the Rangers were out-shooting the Flyers by a total of 9-2.
While I understand that ESPN had this stuff in the can; but it was around this time where Sean McDonough and Ray Ferraro were telling us how much the Rangers suck at home, how they can’t win, and how they should all collectively jump off of the Empire State Building.
Granted, while that was all true – this was just a poorly placed segment.
And knowing how the Blueshirts blow everything – then they should’ve saved this shit for the third period!
Again, while they weren’t wrong here – but what they were saying at this particular moment didn’t match what we were seeing on our screens.
If anything, then more talk should’ve been spent on the Flyers’ malaise and rebuild.
But ESPN did get one thing right – and that was when they were talking about how quiet M$G was throughout the night – and including during the ceremony to honor the American Olympians.
To their credit and whoever was running sound at M$G tried – but, and as a diehard fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd myself – and I never heard a mass group of people sound so quiet while “FREEBIRD” blasted among them.
Up next was Hathaway making short work of Bitchy Brennan, which then led to the Carrick/Hathaway tilt:
Sam Carrick has a goal and now also a fight. #NYR pic.twitter.com/M676f3g6nV
— Remy Mastey (@MasteyRemy) February 27, 2026
I said it at the start of the season and I’ll say it again – Carrick is going to be useful depth player for a contender – and as he was in Edmonton two years ago.
And to callback to Sullivan’s quote of “whisky drinkers?”
Then Carrick doesn’t just drink whisky – he freakin’ gargles it too!
The Rangers, now on the power-play, did nothing.
Not one shot on goal.
Not one shot attempt.
OO-GATZ!
For whatever reason, and with under a minute remaining, Trocheck and Zegras were jaw-jacking about something.
ESPN just showed us their verbal altercation from the bench – and while thirty-seconds of game-time rolled by.
The only thing worse than this (they could’ve done picture-in-picture) was whatever P.K. Slewban was wearing during the intermission segments.
1-0, home team, after twenty-minutes.
Here’s what I said at the time:
1-0, #NYR, through 20. 1P Thoughts:
— Carrick is only one assist away from the Gordie Howe hat trick.
— Carrick is the only one who’ll fight on this team – kudos to him – and especially considering the Rangers’ situation.
— The Olympians got a tepid response – but that’s…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) February 27, 2026
SECOND PERIOD
As Schaefer was making league history with his 18th goal scored thus far in his rookie career, and this is when the six-year vet, the handsomely paid Lafreniere, scored his 13th of the campaign:
Alexis Lafreniere gives the Rangers a two goal lead 😤
Watch Flyers-Rangers on ESPN and the ESPN App 🏒 pic.twitter.com/iy3JVx1dGJ
— ESPN (@espn) February 27, 2026
2-0, Rangers – and the end of their scoring for this night too.
From here on out – all Philly – and a bunch of Ranger penalties to boot.
On the Flyers’ best even-strength shift of the game yet and CZAR IGOR was forced to make three saves in rapid succession. To stunt their momentum, THE APPENDIX cross checked Bobby Brink Truck.
CZAR IGOR then made four saves on the Rangers’ PK – half of his eventual eight short-handed save total.
While the Trocheck line was the Rangers’ best on this night; they also blew a chance to go up 3-0 – and as they did with 12:27 remaining – as Lafreniere had Cuylle wide-open to the left of Ersson – but opted to force a pass to the trailing Trocheck instead.
No SOG.
The Flyers went back on the power-play with 11:33 remaining after Sheary’s high-stick on Michkov.
Here’s the sweet Cates-to-Michkov 2-1, still Rangers, goal:
GOL DO MATVEI MICHKOV NO POWER PLAY #NHLnaESPN | #LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/eQsPNeh6GC
— Out Of Context Flyers (@OFContextFlyers) February 27, 2026
Following the goal, Cuylle, and as Hathaway did to Othmann earlier, boarded Christian Dvorak.
No call.
In retaliation, Zegras got pissed and then whacked Cuylle in the mouth with 8:07 to go.
The Rangers’ power-play did nothing here – and where Hathaway, while short-handed, had the best scoring chance during all of this – and where afterwards, and with 36-seconds remaining on the Flyers’ kill – and Trocheck decided to cross-check Cates.
Following all of the special teams play and the Rangers’ power-play was now 0-2, while their penalty kill was 2/3.
In what you’ll never hear during an M$GN broadcast, then the ESPN crew openly wondered if Drury should be fired – while also even bringing up how just his name uttered out of the mouth of the Rangers’ public address announcer got everyone in the building sick to their stomachs – and much like any food eaten at one of his crappy Colony Grill restaurants.
2-1, through forty-minutes.
Here’s what I said at the time:
2-1, #NYR, through 40. 2P Thoughts:
— Brisson started off good, but between all the special teams and I didn’t notice him at all this period.
— Flyers picked it up this period, but the Sam Carrick fluke goal – and CZAR IGOR – are the difference in this one-goal game.
—…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) February 27, 2026
THIRD PERIOD
As mentioned earlier, just 39-seconds in – and the Same Old Rangers – another goal allowed at the start of a period:
Zegras with a WICKED WRISTER past Igor 🤧🚨 pic.twitter.com/2qAiQ9ARSX
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 27, 2026
2-2.
Right after this?
And Brink almost scored the go-ahead goal – but CZAR IGOR said “NYET NYET!”
The Rangers, once out-shooting Philly 9-2, were now being out-shot 18-14.
Down to 12:32 remaining and Lafreniere just chopped Travis Sanheim’s stick in two – a slashing infraction.
The Flyers’ power-play, and even with their goal scored earlier (again, with only two-seconds remaining on that man-advantage), was never particularly good.
They didn’t do anything here with a chance to go ahead with just ten-minutes left in regulation.
In this “BATTLE OF THE BAD,” but where the Flyers’ rebuild is ahead of the Rangers’ retool; and down to 7:00 remaining and this game was dead-even – 2-2, 19 SOG each and equal zone possession time too.
Philly got their fifth-and-final power-play with 5:20 to go, as Gavrikov high-sticked the hyper-active Hathaway.
CZAR IGOR made three saves on this kill.
This all brought us down to the final minute, the Michkov penalty and of course, the soon-to-be failed Rangers’ 4 x 3 attack.
2-2 through three periods. Here’s what I said at the time:
2-2 after 60. Overtime is required. Quick thoughts:
— Feels like cruel and unusual punishment to watch any more of this.
— 16 straight home games without a regulation win for #NYR
— Called it – CZAR IGOR is going to NY Giants the end of this season – already gained one…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) February 27, 2026
OVERTIME
Here’s Michkov absolutely embarrassing the Rangers:
MATVEI MICHKOV YOUR OT WINNER
Puts JT Miller in a blender #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/b1AMf3iCjN https://t.co/KtRrfDnuOe
— Joseph (@HockeyJoseph10) February 27, 2026
Welcome back Igor.
3-2, Flyers, your final from M$G.
The post-game stuff, and as usual, was blah-blah-blah and pointless – and just like these GAME REVIEWS!
However, one thing stood out – Fox’s comments:
Adam Fox was asked about his future with the Rangers
“I’m just trying to focus on this year right now. That’s a conversation when we’re done playing games. We’re just trying to win games, we didn’t do that tonight. That’s where my focus is right now” pic.twitter.com/XHCEBRQofK
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) February 27, 2026
“We wanna play with pride, obviously,” Fox continued. “We haven’t liked our performance this year. We’re in a awkward situation where we know where we are in the standings, but at the same time there’s 20+ games left.”
We all know how Fox moved heaven-and-earth to come to the Rangers, but who knows?
Maybe he’d be willing to accept a trade if offered.
Presently, Fox has a no move clause that runs through the 2026-27 season.
After that, then the final two-years of his deal turns into a modified 16-team no trade clause.
With the Blueshirts’ future looking bleak, would Fox, 28-years-old today, look to chase a Cup elsewhere?
I always envisioned Fox as a career Ranger (and as his idol, Brian Leetch, should’ve been), but as we know – and we don’t see many players stick with one club for their entire careers.
Based on what both Sullivan and Fox said this week, then, and at the very least – and I do think that you have to consider the possibility of a trade of the former Norris* winner (2021 season, 56-games, eight games against the same seven teams).
Obviously, and this is a situation to monitor – although Fox is saying wait until the summer.
One last thing to talk about – and a real topic, far much more important than the Rangers these days, too.
As many of you know by now – and Ron Duguay has been battling cancer over the past year.
Since his personal health is solely up for him to discuss – and not yours truly – and I never really talked about it much on this site – aside from sharing what he chose to share on social media.
(While talking to him about other Ranger topics, I never asked him about his own medical situation either, as I just didn’t think it was my place to intrude. It was always his story to tell.)
The New York Post, via writer Matt Ehlat (and not the harlot Mollie Walker, who previously stabbed Duguay in the back with what was originally Duguay’s “Up in The Blue Seats” podcast that she took over – and all because of political differences), broke the story that Duguay is battling stage-four cancer – and where his current girlfriend of the past four-years, former U.S. V.P. candidate Sarah Palin, has been at his side the entire way.
(Much respect to Palin too – as she’s been there every step of the way.)
Since Ehlat did such a tremendous job in presenting the story, then check it out here: https://nypost.com/2026/02/25/sports/sarah-palin-in-touching-hospital-scene-with-ron-duguay-during-stage-4-cancer-battle/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social
Duguay, 68-years-old, as a result of his cancer, recently had both his gall bladder and appendix removed.
Duguay, always philanthropic in his post-playing days, has done more charity than he probably can remember over the years.
And despite what’s going on with his health – and he was at another autograph signing just this past week.
While the cancer has slowed him down – he’s still trying to make every appearance – while also trying to play in every charity game possible.
That’s the kind of guy he is – loyal and benevolent.
Due to sky-rocketing expenses incurred, and Duguay’s family has opened up a GoFundMe for him, one that you can donate to by visiting this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ron-duguays-fight-against-cancer
(And as anyone knows, and no matter what health insurance you have – and fighting cancer is always a difficult and grueling financial battle too.)
According to the GoFundMe page and the charity drive has already raised $100,000, money that Duguay will be using for various cancer treatments, both modern Western medicine and alternative/holistic remedies.
Duguay, like many other Canadian hockey players, has made America his home – and where you won’t find as many people as invested in the U.S.A. as the former #10 of the Blueshirts.
He’s an American success story and hopefully he comes out of this ordeal successfully too.
Furthermore, he’s also somewhat become a martyr – as he doesn’t hold back in his sensible political opinions – and opinions that have also cost him employment over the years (M$GN/NYP).
In other words?
Had Duguay waved a transgender flag around and said “EFF THE POLICE” – he’d still have his M$GN and NYP gigs today.
Obviously, all the best to Duguay, who during this process, was recently honored during the Rangers’ centennial “Fan Favorite” ceremony.
We’re all rooting for Doogie.
And as I’ve told Ron before?
Please write that tell-all autobiography!
Up Next For The Rangers: A scheduled Saturday matinee home loss against the Penguins.
With nothing else on, and ESPN has the rights to this 12:30PM puck drop game.
Up Next For Yours Truly: I’m going to the bar with my family and friends for Pittsburgh/New York.
After all, and as noted earlier – “MISERY LOVES COMPANY!”
I won’t be back on Saturday to talk about this terrible team – but I may return on Sunday with a few words – and especially if Drury makes a deal with the trade deadline (3/5) looming.
Check my Tweeter or anyone else who covers the Rangers too – as there’s a chance that Trocheck may be bubble-wrapped soon enough – and as soon as Saturday.
Up Next For You:
Your favorite segment and mine, you know…
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
