Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. Well – and suffice to say – this trade deadline went over like a fart in church for our beloved Blueshirts.
(HOLY DASHES BATMAN – GIVE IT A REST MR. WEST!)
Following months-and-months of spoken speculation and rumor mill trade targets, where come the final week of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, all of the said speculation only intensified while the rumor mill trade targets increased in numbers too; come 3PM, 3/8, we finally had all of our questions answered – and while you can understand the answers – that doesn’t mean that you have to be satisfied with these answers either.
Of course, the reason why a majority of Blueshirt backers feel disappointed with Drury’s deadline is the obvious – while names such as Jake Guentzel, Frank Vatrano, Pavel Buchnevich, Tomas Hertl, Adam Henrique, Noah Hanifin, Jakob Chychrun, Radko Gudas, Boone Jenner, Tyler Toffoli, Brock Nelson, Matt Dumba, Anthony Duclair, Vladimir Tarasenko, Kyle Okposo, Jason Zucker, Patrick Maroon, Jordan Eberle, Yanni Gourde and other top names were all being bantered about as “Big Apple Bound” – rather than splurging – instead, Drury did some dollar store shopping with the four players that he ultimately netted – Alex Wennberg, Chad Ruhwedel, Nic Petan and Jack Roslovic.
Worse than that?
While not every one of these players listed above were moved by Friday’s cutoff date (most notably Vatrano and Buchnevich) – a majority of them were – and to the teams that the Blueshirts will sooner-or-later have to best in order to satisfy their now thirty-year old thirst for the Stanley Cup.
I’d like to keep this to the Eastern Conference for tonight, as we can worry about the West once we get there – which would be the hopeful event should the Rangers reach the final round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs; but I’d be remiss if I didn’t follow up on what I wrote on Wednesday night (https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/3724/ ); as right before the horn – Vegas did it again – this time, when they landed Hertl of the Sharks.
Crazier than that?
The Sharks are retaining some of Hertl’s salary for the next six-seasons too.
Once again, Vegas g.m., Kelly McCrimmon, is playing 906786896966 dimension chess while his peers fiddle around with checkers – if not “Candy Land” too.
As said on Wednesday – all you can do is tip your cap to McCrimmon – and yes – you can be jealous of the VGK too!
Going into the final week of the deadline, there was a lot of talk about the Rangers addressing their usual need at this time of year – an annual requirement that began once the quick rebuild was complete – a first-line/top-six right-winger.
Call it fate, call it irony, call it whatever you want; but this year, many of the right-wingers available during this go-around were mainly former Blueshirts.
Tarasenko, as talked about on Wednesday, is now with the Panthers.
Duclair, a former Panther and who spent the majority of this season in San Jose, is once again playing in Florida – Tampa, FL that is.
Two other potential reunions were left on the cutting room floor on Friday, as it was reported that the asking price for Pavel Buchnevich was astronomical (two first-round picks) – but even with such chatter, and as said many times on this site before – I don’t think that Drury was ever interested in bringing back #89 to begin with.
The other potential reunion, and the one that seemed to have the most legs to it, concerned Vatrano.
On Thursday, and while there was still a chance of seeing #77 again; Emily Kaplan, of ESPN, reported that Drury actually turned down Ducks’ head honcho, Pat Verbeek – as the Pig Farmer in Anaheim offered Vatrano and Henrique to the Rangers in exchange for Kaapo Kakko and a first-round pick.
And while we’ll get more into this below; if anything was truly learnt on Friday, then it was the fact that Drury really believes in the Feckless Finn – as it was rumored-then-reported that other trades involving Kakko going the other way were squashed by the general manager too.
How does this read to me?
Just like other recent Ranger first-round picks that were once considered “untouchable” or “off-of-the-table.”
By the way, how’s Lias Andersson and Vitali Kravtsov doing these days?
And I also wonder what prolific beer-bellied blogger said that the Rangers should’ve cut bait on them as soon as possible – and as a result – then get the best return possible too?
But don’t worry, in Year Six, Kakko will become a superstar – or at least that’s what the children in their Andersson and Kravtsov jerseys on Tweeter tell me!
Again, you can check the archives of this site for all of it, but as repeatedly stated/opined on this site – I never envisioned Guentzel being traded to the Rangers.
However, and in a rarity (shock!), I was also wrong in my opinion on why such a trade wouldn’t happen – as I didn’t see two rivals, like the Rangers and Penguins are, trading with one another.
As we’ll get to below, Pens’ g.m. Kyle Dubas, who doesn’t have any black-and-yellow connections or history with the franchise aside from the bi-monthly paycheck that he receives – did deal with Drury – but it was a minor trade involving a depth defenseman and a late-round draft pick.
According to all reports, Drury and Dubas also put the rivalry aside and were talking about Guentzel – but when it came time to pull the WIN NOW trigger – Drury got gun shy.
The Canes, who in a way, kind of feel like the Lightning in all of their come-up-short seasons prior to getting to the top of the mountain (and twice at that) – made an unprecedented trade for them – and as they did when they mortgaged their future in order to finally WIN NOW.
Not only did the Canes trade away prospects, players and draft picks; but to open up cap-space for Guentzel (and later, Evgeny Kuznetsov too), they also waived a bulk of “Raleigh Rangers” to boot – Brendan Lemieux, Antti Raanta and <gulp> Tony DeAngelo.
For a team that once boasted eight former Blueshirts, the Canes are now down to two of them (Brady Skjei and Jesper Fast).
I don’t want to give you a State of The Hurricanes address here, but since DeAngelo has always been a player that we’ve discussed on this site – it’s alarming to me that the former #77 of the Rangers – and just like Raanta and Lemieux – not only cleared waivers – but now is in the AHL.
I’m not going to get into all of it, as you can read “Tricks of the Trade” (check the PLUGS segment) and the archives of this site too for every detail; but no one, including TDA himself, can blame his controversial departure from New York for where he’s at today.
Put it this way:
Had DeAngelo continued his fall from grace following essentially being fired and then being paid to stay-at-home during the craziest season in Rangers’ history (2020-21) – then yeah – you can say all that time off and the way that he was presented buried his career.
However, once returning to the league for the 2021-22 season – he had a phenomenal year in Carolina.
Then again, I guess the Rangers aren’t absolved from all blame, because since he was forced to play on a cheap “prove it contract” for the Canes – then TDA had to take the money (in order to recoup all of his Ranger-related financial losses) when the Flyers came knocking for his services prior to the start of the 2022-23 season.
Once leaving Raleigh – DeAngelo hasn’t been the same player since – as not only was he soon jettisoned out of the City of Brotherly Love – you know – his favorite and hometown club – but DeAngelo’s second stint in Carolina during this 2023-24 campaign has been a complete 180 – and to be clear, a negative one – and just two-years removed from one of the best seasons in his career.
And what does it say when Carolina was asking for a sixth-round pick in a trade prior to waiving DeAngelo – and where as a result – there wasn’t one taker.
Egads.
Even worse?
No one even claimed him for free – including the Devils – who most certainly could use a right-handed shot following the season-ending injury sustained by Dougie Hamilton.
But of course, and while there’s still a chance that DeAngelo could be recalled should a red-and-white defender receive an injury – he’s just a footnote in this story – The Jake Guentzel Story.
When you break it all down, the Canes waived three players, traded four players, and not only dealt a fifth-round pick, but a first-rounder too, in order to land the top prize of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline.
And with the extra cap space afforded?
The Canes also took a chance on the maligned and ran-out-of Washington Evgeny Kuznetsov too – which also means that in essence, DeAngelo was waived for a drug user!
Ouch.
But I will say this – and I’m not hatin’ – I’m just stating:
Despite all of these moves, and where Carolina arguably is the second-biggest winner of the deadline (Vegas, and without a doubt, is the biggest winner – and especially when you consider what they parted with when compared to everyone else) – do you know what the Hurricanes don’t have?
A goalie that can stay healthy for more than two weeks.
While yes, I’m exaggerating here, but as has been the case for some time now – not only was the waived Raanta always injured – but so is Frederik Andersen, the top backstop for the Canes, too.
The other goalie in Carolina, the 23-year-old Pyotr Kochetkov, and ten-years younger than both Andersen and Raanta, has also been plagued by injuries this season – and where perhaps goalie injuries are just contagious on Tobacco Road.
That said, and to give you the full story – despite all of Carolina’s goaltending injuries, poorly timed physical ailments that have also taken place in all of their recent playoff runs too – goaltending has really never been the issue there.
Instead, a lack of goals, and where the Canes have lost many one-goal games in the postseason, has always been their biggest playoff weakness.
Waddell took care of all of that by Friday – which only grew the importance of my season-long daily disclaimer on this site, you know, this one:
“WHATEVER THE RANGERS DO IN THE REGULAR SEASON DOESN’T MATTER. THEY CAN ONLY BE JUDGED BY WHATEVER THEY DO IN THE 2024 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS!”
Much like those 25-words – Carolina’s trades, and the Rangers’ four deals – can only be judged by whatever happens in the postseason.
Furthermore?
The biggest in-house trade that Drury could’ve made on Friday would’ve been this version of Mika Zibanejad for the 2019-20 incarnation – but I know that I’ve said all of this before – and I’ll probably repeat myself later on during this blog too!
And before I forget – this is a Rangers’ blog as well!
In other words, instead of talking about what Drury “coulda, woulda, shoulda” done, and all of the “that’s it?” reactions too; at this time, let’s talk about what the general manager actually did – and where one last time – I covered “WENNBERG WEDNESDAY” here: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/3724/
As I usually do, let’s take a look at what the Rangers said about all of these trades – and then dissect them.
However, before getting there, I must first note, and to jump ahead a bit (as I’m trying to do this in chronological order – and where yes – a lack of sleep is derailing my mission too!); following the deadline, both Peter Laviolette and Chris Drury spoke to the media.
Laviolette spoke first, following Friday’s practice – and where for the second consecutive day – captain Jacob Trouba was nowhere to be found.
According to Laviolette, Trouba was “day-to-day.”
Following Dr. Laviolette’s medical diagnosis, Drury, in a closed-session chat that was held exclusively with his North Korean State reporters (more on this below too); the general manager/team president said that Trouba would be out anywhere from 2-3 weeks – which pretty much takes us to just about the end of the season.
Why bring this up?
Easy – it tells us that Drury didn’t learn one damned thing from McCrimmon out in Vegas – nor the captain of the Golden Knights either – as Mark Stone, and for the third consecutive year, is conveniently on LTIR right now.
With nearly an extra ten-million smackers to play around with – Vegas added Anthony Mantha, Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl to their already impressive ranks – and where need I remind you – team #31 is currently the reigning-and-defending champions too.
Had Drury pulled a McCrimmon – then perhaps rather than trading for a depth defenseman as he did on Friday – than instead, he could have added a major improvement to his blue line – and whether it be Jakob Chychrun, Radko Gudas, Hanifin and hell why not – a Rangers’ reunion with one of their former captains to boot, Ryan McDonagh.
Rather than employing this WIN NOW strategy – Drury decided to go back to his summer playbook instead – by looking for cheap veterans and reclamation projects.
And this now brings us to Drury’s first trade from Friday, d-man Chad Ruhwedel.
Here’s what the Rangers had to say about Ruhwedel (and who due to the Trouba injury, will now be battling it out with Zac Jones for ice time) courtesy of https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-acquire-chad-ruhwedel :
INSTANT REACTION:
This is a fine trade, as everyone knew that the Rangers would trade for depth at the blue line.
Plus, Drury only gave up a fourth-round pick (2027) – where in a way – means that Ruhwedel was just traded for a ninth-grader.
But between Trouba being out, not putting him on LTIR to spend on a better rearguard, etc – big picture – this is like bringing a sparkler to a Fourth of July fireworks party.
As a trade in a vacuum?
Good work.
As I said twice last week, and as I always say whenever the trade deadline approaches – expect the Rangers to make a trade featuring two AHLers exchanging places.
And that’s what happened again on Friday, as the Rangers swapped Turner Elson for Nic “You’ll Never See Me As a Member of the Varsity Club” Petan.
Here’s what the Blueshirts officially said, courtesy of https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-acquire-nic-petan :
INSTANT REACTION:
Personally, I’m not vested in this trade – as I’m tunnel-visioned on the Rangers winning the Stanley Cup.
But hey, if this trade helps the ‘Pack howl to the Calder Cup – then that’s good too.
If anything, then I’m just surprised that more AHLers weren’t acquired – as many from Hartford are presently in New York these days – that is except for Adam Edstrom, the victim of Drury’s deadline – and who we’ll talk more about below.
One last Wheeler reference before continuing?
If you can remember all the way back to the Summer of ’23, then you’ll recall that Wheeler was one of the last dominoes to fall – and the “biggest” name signed.
While over time, Jonathan Quick has stood head-and-shoulders amongst all of the six-figure summer signings, and with a nod of the cap for Erik Gustafsson too (don’t forget how he filled in for Adam Fox during nine games); when all of the summer dust had settled – Wheeler was considered to be the best “low risk, high reward” signing.
Fast-forward to today, and all of this now applies to Roslovic – as he was the last player traded for, the biggest name of the lot – and where many hope that the pending unrestricted free agent, in the last-year of a contract that annually pays him $2,000,000, can resurrect his career – and in the form of a strong performance when it matters most – the playoffs.
Here’s what the Rangers had to say about the once promising forward – and one that now has 400 career games under his belt too, courtesy of https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-acquire-jack-roslovic :
INSTANT REACTION:
Everything that I said about Ruhwedel applies here.
When you just singularly look at this trade in a vacuum, then it’s a homerun, as nothing of consequence was surrendered.
But when you look at the big picture – then this feels like a consolation prize, a pivot trade if you will, after not being able to make a true splash.
Roslovic, now traded for the second-time in his career (but this one doesn’t have the same fanfare when he was first dealt in 2021 with two other first-rounders who never lived up to their potential either, Patrik Laine and Pierre-Luc Dubois), and by default – now becomes the latest Rangers’ Right Wing Du Jour with the BFF line.
And just to think – the Rangers refused to take a shot on Patrick Kane this season – and where I wonder who could have predicted this – hasn’t missed a beat this season – and as his 31-points in 31-games would suggest.
But PRAISE BE – Kakko’s 11-points, mainly A-Rod points too, in 41-games, are UNTOUCHABLE!
Ugh – and yes – I’ll stop myself here – especially since you don’t want my Kane fanboy stuff anymore – and also because it pains me to know how right I was about this while he succeeds elsewhere!
If anything else caught my eye, then similar to Dubas, I was surprised that Drury was able to pull off this trade with a divisional rival – and perhaps Drury’s second-biggest (Jeff Gorton being the first) personal arch-nemesis in the league today – John Davidson.
Gorton, now in Montreal, has yet to make a trade with Drury.
Furthermore, Gorton has hired every staff member that Drury has fired too – but I don’t think that I need to give you my ODE TO JIM RAMSAY for the 98678687686th time on this site tonight!
For those keeping count, this was the first trade between Drury and Davidson.
My opinion, and based on the stuff that I’ve been told by people who would know?
The Drury/Gorton cut runs deeper, as Gorton groomed (it’s a shame that people go to the sex stuff right away whenever seeing the word “groomed” – but that’s not what I mean here!) Drury – and only for his understudy to stab him in the back during his backdoor dealings with the team’s owner and his own advisor.
“Et Tu Drury?”
JD?
His “heat” (that’s wrestling lingo for “bad blood”) is more with Senile Glen Sather and James Dolan – and even if Drury became his successor in the team president title – a title where unlike JD – Drury NEVER publicly addresses his constituents – aka paying customers – aka Ranger fans.
Final thoughts on the “what if’s?”
What’s done is done – and yeah – I can’t believe that Drury, the guy who said “WIN NOW,” settled on Wennberg, Ruhwedel and Roslovic as the three missing pieces to the puzzle – and when trying to win the franchise’s second Stanley Cup in a time period of 84-years.
But as noted, we can only judge this deadline by whatever happens in the playoffs.
That said, while I wouldn’t say that I’m “defending” Drury’s logic – however, I do “understand” it.
If you can temporarily ignore all of the moves that Carolina and Florida made (and I know that’s tough to do), then keep in mind, the Rangers have pretty much owned their present first-place ranking in the Metro Division all season – and where should they maintain this status – then they would have essentially wired-to-wired the regular season race.
But of course, and as I give you every angle while talking out of both sides of mouth like a politician – and one more time – playoffs, playoffs, playoffs!
That said, on this date, Chris Drury gave a full vote of confidence in all of his players.
Stinka Zibanedud, government name Mika Zibanejad?
Drury is banking on him to flip the switch – or perhaps the word “dreaming” is more proper than “banking.”
Since the g.m. decided not to beef up on defense in light of the Trouba near season-ending injury, then that means that Drury is really expecting Braden Schneider, and K’Andre Miller too, to fill the humongous void that “The Great Eight” leaves.
The biggest vote of confidence, and as alluded to earlier, was the one that Drury instilled in Kaako.
You already know my thoughts on the Feckless Finn (and as this alliterative nickname suggests), so I don’t have to rehash all of them all again – but for the life of me – I don’t see what Drury sees in the poor man’s (but being paid like a rich one) Jesper Fast.
Turning down Vatrano and Henrique in order to keep a pending restricted free agent who has never lived up to his potential during the past five-years – and one that’s injury-prone as the kicker in this horrible equation?
That’s insanity – and if you don’t know the textbook definition of the word, then look it up.
Also look up Kravtsov, Vitali and Andersson, Lias.
Furthermore, while we don’t officially know what Pittsburgh’s ask to Drury was for Guentzel; we do know that Kakko was in the mix.
It should also be considered that trading Kakko wouldn’t be thought as waving the white flag for Drury – as not only was Double K the consensus second-overall pick at the time (he just didn’t work out) – but he was also a Gorton pick too.
When it comes to the no-go on Guentzel, I’m just left to assume that they demanded Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault to be included in the deal too – and where if that’s the case, and even if “WIN NOW” is the goal – then I can understand balking on such a transaction.
To wrap up what’s an underwhelming trade deadline (for the Rangers – and not the other fifteen contenders) – and even if it’s understandable too – at the end of the day – it all goes back to what I’ve been saying for months now:
It’s up to Zibanejad to pull his head out of his ass.
Not even the best right-wingers in league history could save him.
It’s up to Mika, and with his Jesus hair, to save himself.
Somewhat akin to a returning player following injury; the best trade for the Rangers is Zibanejad losing this version of himself for the one that we have seen before.
While Kakko is a lost cause for the bottom-six – and let’s face it – not a cap-hit that severely impacts the team either; Zibanejad can’t be a lost cause too.
He makes too much money, he’s locked up with a NMC and the Rangers need to see the fruits of this marriage.
While of course, come the playoffs, everyone will be looking at Panarin to do it in the postseason too; all of the onus right now falls on Zibanejad.
END OF STORY.
Speaking of the word story?
We’re not even done yet – as the Rangers practiced on Thursday and Friday too.
But let’s quickly jump ahead to right now before talking about the Tarrytown skates.
Not to do the Barry Horowitz deal again (self-pat on the back) – but I did tell you that I thought that Edstrom would return to horrible Hartford come Saturday.
As said 2875682452834 times – Matt Rempe is too valuable to be returned to the ‘Pack – and for both roster and financial reasons.
While Edstrom could later return as a “Black Ace” barring injury – then he most likely will compete for the Calder Cup before returning to the confines at M$G.
And while Rempe is printing money for both the Rangers and the NHL right now – despite that – it’s my belief that #73 has been more noticeable and impactful than #84 anyway.
While I wouldn’t say that Edstrom fell to the wayside or anything like that; but Rempe is just more ready and since someone had to go – Edstrom, and pretty much by default (he doesn’t need to clear waivers, as say a Jonny Brodzinski would), became the odd-man out.
But I don’t think that we’ve seen the last of him yet – and where I see him as a regular roster member next season too.
Since this is going long, and because I’m running on no sleep too, let’s conflate (talk about a SAT word) the last two practices (Thursday and Friday) in Rangerstown, USA.
If there’s anything to truly note, outside of Wennberg’s presence at both practices and the aforementioned Trouba injury news too (no one knows what the injury is – praise the hockey gods for this excellent crop of Blueshirt beat reporters), then it’s all of the talk about defending Kakko’s poor play – and where Thursday pretty much told us that Kakko wasn’t being traded either too – as not only was the Finn there – but the head coach was defending him too:
As far as anything else newsworthy from Thursday, Wennberg, and as you’d expect, said that he was happy to be a Ranger.
Also expected and said?
Everyone, including Wennberg’s buddy Mika, was happy that the former Krakhead was there too.
It was all KUMBAYA in SHANGRI LA!
On Friday, and prior to the Roslovic trade, the Rangers skated again – and where you can’t really take much from this practice – or at least the line-up anyway (more below) – as the former Blue Jacket is expected to play on Saturday night against the Blues.
Here’s the Friday edition of “LAVY’S LOUNGE” for you below:
These remarks, while still maintaining some validity, were pretty much dated just hours later – as that’s when Drury held his press conference with the people who agreed not to ask him anything tough, what happened with Gallant, why he fired Ramsay, what trades he balked on, etc and et al!
According to the worst group of beat reporters in hockey today, and when amalgamating what these yes-men (and yes-women – as the cackling hyena, the worst reporter on the beat, Mollie Walker, was also there while laughing her way through everything too) tweeted; here’s what Drury told these bozos to release to his plebeian public – and gee – if there was only a cable network, a YouTube account, a website, or something else that the Blueshirts could use to share these rare team president interviews with their fans – you know – the people who will be asked to pay four-figures to walk through the door come the playoffs:
— Drury confirmed that Trouba could miss up to three-weeks – if not the season – but would be available for the playoffs.
Again, with that being the case – why the dual-titled Drury didn’t LTIR his captain and look for better help is beyond me.
But since the cowardly media never dare to challenge Drury – we didn’t get an answer to this burning question – but thankfully – we did find out what Wince Mercogliano had for dinner (chicken marsala).
— Drury alluded to the fact that Roslovic wasn’t his first option – but when seeing the price tags and asks elsewhere – it was the best option. What a huge vote of confidence!
Since the beat reporters are obsessed with posting pictures of their food consumed and PROPOZED LINEZ too – when asked about where Roslovic fits in, the GM said that was a decision for his head coach.
And if you watched Lavy’s interview from Friday – then you’ll know that his line-up for the next twenty-games will be ever-changing – as he tries out new things and holds auditions for playoff roster spots.
Final result?
This rare follow-up question was meaningless – and just like the paper where these beat reporter articles appear.
— Drury, and like everyone else, made Darren Dreger (who actually blocked me on Tweeter over this), look like an asshole – as he refuted what Dreger reported when the TSN scribe said that the Rangers wouldn’t trade their 2024 first-round pick since the draft was being held at the Dolan owned M$G $phere in Vega$.
Funny enough – Drury didn’t trade his first-round pick – but it wasn’t because of a made-up owner mandate – where you know – the owner is currently in hot water and has bigger fish to fry these days.
Instead, Drury stated that had a move made sense, then he would’ve done it.
But since he was scared to move Kakko to Anaheim (the Blueshirt beat reporters were trembling at their keyboards at just the idea of asking Drury a follow-up question in regards to what Kaplan had reported) – a trade and/or play for this pick, in order to become a true “WIN NOW” team, didn’t take place.
— When asked about doing jack-shit, outside of Jack Roslovic at the deadline (my words – and you know that these subservient scribes didn’t use these words verbatim either!); Drury said what I said a few times above – he believes in this core – and in his head coach too.
We’ll see how Dolan feels about this core (and Drury too) should this team not win the Stanley Cup this Spring.
— Since the beat values pimply faced kids over players who can actually win you the Stanley Cup (most of their pre-trade deadline stories had Barclay Goodrow out of town – and with the idea of trading away Kakko considered to be blasphemous), the only current roster member (besides Roslovic) asked about was the Finn himself.
“We’re going to keep supporting him and working with him. I think he’s going to find his game.”
That was Drury’s quote about Kakko – and not Gorton’s old quote about Kravtsov and Andersson.
Six-years to find his game!
I wish I got this much lee-way from my boss at work – and Kakko’s salary too!
And should the Rangers not win the Cup this season?
Then, and only then, will I blast Drury for holding onto Kakko – and at the expense of adding both Vatrano and Henrique.
My famous three words?
PROVE ME WRONG!
Ugh.
I hate to do this – but I know it’s a story – and one that everyone cares about too – PROPOZED LINEZ!
As previously noted; on Friday, Laviolette said that he would be playing around with his line-up as he tries to find the perfect formula.
In other words, what you may see on Saturday against the Blues is most likely what you won’t see when the Rangers host the Devils on Monday night – nor what you will see either a day later – and when the Blueshirts get their first look at Jake Guentzel in a home Hurricane jersey on Tuesday.
And as someone who listens to these games live on the radio at work, re-watches them back on TV once returned home at midnight – and for the kicker – then writes about them until 4AM – how the league’s schedule makers gave the Rangers a week off, then follows this break with three games in four nights – well that’s just a kick to my own sack!
So much for sleeping next week!
Here’s my educated guess for Saturday’s line-up – and where I’m assuming that Roslovic, despite not having a full practice with the team just yet – gets thrown right into the fire:
FIRST LINE: Panarin/Trocheck/Lafreniere
SECOND LINE: Kreider/Zibanejad/Roslovic
THIRD LINE: Cuylle/Wennberg/Vesey
FOURTH LINE: Brodzinski/Goodrow/Rempe
FIRST PAIR: Lindgren/Fox
SECOND PAIR: Miller/Schneider
THIRD PAIR: Gustafsson/Ruhwedel
STARTER: CZAR IGOR
BACK-UP: Quick
Healthy Scratches: Jones
IR: Trouba
Another educated guess?
Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti will tell us everything about the Blues – and where they’ll intermittently work in some Blueshirt talk too!
Like Drury’s future – Bless Sam’s heart!
Up next: Blues v. Blueshirts – the Emile Francis Cup!
And like “Back to the Future,” I’m running “Outta Time,” which brings us to…
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/
Here are my last few blogs, in case you missed them:
Wacky Wednesday Produces Several Wild Trades; The Loophole Golden Knights Big Winners (Be Jealous – But Don’t Hate!), Rangers Dip Their Toes in the Water with Wennberg; But Will The Blueshirts Make a Big Splash? Who The Former Swedish Krakhead Knows, Two Members of the Alum & A Pen New Drury Trade Targets, Bad News for Brodzinski, The East Runs Through Sunrise & More
NYR/FLA 3/4 Review: 62 Games Down; The Final 20 Featuring a Different Roster Ahead, Latest Trade Talk, Potential “Turning Point Loss,” Chris Drury’s Biggest Trade Deadline Yet – But Does It Matter with Missing Mika? Kakko Fails Top-Six Audition (Again) – But Is It 100% On The Finn? If The GAG Line 2.0 Don’t Score Then Don’t Expect Anyone Else To; “Beating The Blueshirts Blueprint,” “S.O.S.,” Pride Night, M$G Radio & More
Jonathan Quick Re-Signed For One More Year in a No-Brainer of a Deal, Latest “LAVY’S LOUNGE,” Final Game Before Trade Deadline Ahead; Rempe v. Tkachuk Next? Don’t Forget Radko Gudas In Potential Swap with the Ducks & More
NYR/TOR 3/2 Review: Original Six Marquee Match-Up Exceeds All Hype & Expectations; Refs Rob Rangers in Shootout Loss, Historical Similarities & Differences Between Two Aging Cores, All Strengths & Weaknesses Remain, GAG Line 2.0 Does All of The Heavy Lifting; “Mika Marchless” Does Nada, Rempe & Reaves Deliver in Anticipated Heavyweight Tilt; Both Come Out as Winners, Mr. Mackey Re-Signed, Laviolette, Kakko on the Blockko, Best M$GN Broadcast of the Season & More
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
Ty Sean another great read from you. You were on my mind thru the trade finale as like most of I was disappointed in the lack of Vatrano and others. As you said about Gallant previously, you have to trust in….. Drury? This is his story he’s made this bed and I’m hoping his long list of accomplishments will include his manufacturing a champion, dare I hope dynasty? Always a fan know we have a good stable of prominent talent and hoping for the best!
Your posts are priceless to fans like myself keep on brother! LGR
Thanks Jim – and we’ll have to wait until the playoffs, and hopefully the parade too, in order to judge Drury.
I usually agree with 90% of what you say, this one I think you are way. While it would have been a nice luxury to have Guentzle, they didn’t need him, they already have a star in Panarin. Carolina needed him. Wennberg is exactly what they needed in a 3C, they needed D depth, and Roslovick is a top 9 piece. Did not touch anything important to do all this. Drury was smart and efficient.
Don’t disagree with what you’re saying, but I was hoping for one big splash to put them over the top. Too bad Guentzel didn’t land in the W.C.