James Dolan Says “The Buck Stops Here” with “Cowardly Chris;” The Zoom Zoom Pizza Makin’ GM Extended For Two More Years, Drury Lies & Goes Back On His Word (Again); Immediately Gives His Boston Bed Buddy Mike Sullivan The Richest Coaching Contract in NHL History, Major Sully Concerns, All Ranger Problems Still Remain; A New Head Coach Needs a New Core, Trade Targets Outweigh The 2025 Class of Free Agents, Draft Lotto Will Determine Drury’s Next Move, Second-Round & Beyond ’25 Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions & Thoughts, The Classy Joe Micheletti Retires & More

Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. What’s that Al Pacino quote from The Godfather Part III again?

Oh yeah.

This one:

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!“

Then again, perhaps that quote doesn’t fully apply here either – as after all – I still have no faith when it comes to these here New York Rangers.

And not even the littlest amount of iota whatsoever.

(But hey – despite being extremely busy at the moment – and I’m still giving you 10,000 words tonight! In other words – bust out a drink!)

These days, then I still have the complete opposite feeling when compared to a fully bonafide“Blueshirts’ Believer” – and where I’m firmly adamant more than ever about what I first said over eleven-months ago – and where perhaps these words are even truer today than what they once were back then:

“The 2024 Eastern Conference loss to the Florida Panthers will one day be looked back as the peak of this core.”

And as previously suggested throughout this past season, the 2024-25 campaign – then this addendum as well:

“We might not know it now, but we may be experiencing/suffering through the early stages of the third “DARK AGE ERA” in franchise history.”

Suffice to say?

Then the 1-2 punch of news from this past week – Rangers’ owner James Dolan’s extension of his general manager Chris Drury – which was then immediately followed by Drury’s decision to hire his Boston butt-buddy, Mike Sullivan, as the 38th coach in franchise history – well for this particular beer-bellied blogger – and I still remain as pessimistic as ever.

I just don’t see light at the end of this tunnel – and not from this tunnel-visioned T.P./G.M. either.

What an 180 – as after all – and much like every single one of you – then I was brimming with optimism as the Rangers entered the 2024 Eastern Conference Final – and where I had such positivity coursing throughout my veins not even one-year ago (as of this writing).

This franchise has never been the same ever since that six-game ECF defeat – but then again – that’s also on brand for a club that has only one Stanley Cup to their name during the past 85-years.

And I don’t think that we’ll see five Stanley Cup wins during the past 100-years of activity next season either.

(Sorry – but while I’d like to be an eternal optimist – but I’m more of a realist than anything else!)

Before recapping all of the news made from the past two weeks – then here’s where I last left off – and where Chris Drury’s remarks about his decision to fire Peter Laviolette – and how he was going to conduct his then upcoming head coaching search too – are very telling – and to the umpteenth degree at that:

The New York Rangers Give Us “Deja Vu”: The No-Accountability ZOOM-ZOOM GM, “Cowardly” Chris Drury, Fires Three Head Coaches In Four Years; “Fourth Time” Most Likely Not a Charm Either, See Ya LATERALETTE; But Laviolette Had To Go, Potential 38th Coaches In Franchise History (And The Case For Torts Too!), Cryin’ & Complainin’ FAT CATS Conduct Exit Interviews; All Of Them Come Off As More Fragile Than Filip Chytil, 2023 Rangers’ Play/Script More Valid Than Ever; Bird-Brain Beat Acts as Predicted, Artemi “Allegedly a Sexual Offender” Panarin Does Himself No Favors; But His NDA Does Restrict Him, WAKE UP JIM DOLAN, M$GN Ratings Enter The Toilet & More

As it’s largely been throughout the years – then there’s a nary a slow news day in Rangerstown, USA.

No less than 24-hours after posting my latest blog on this site (as linked above) – and the Blueshirts announced that they had extended the contract of their Team President and General Manager, Chris Drury.

The financial terms of the contract were not disclosed – which is the norm – as it is M$G/Dolan policy to refrain from doing so.

(And this is why the Rangers never announce contract terms following player signings/extensions either – and despite nearly 95% of the league doing so today.)

While it is thought that Drury received a raise (and that idea/most likely fact gives me a rash); what has been confirmed since this news broke was that his extension carries a two-year term.

When you look at both the James Dolan era, which also coincides with the Age of the Internet, then this Drury extension was the first time in franchise history where such an announcement was made available to the public.

As we all long know by now – then one of Drury’s predecessors, Senile Glen Sather, seemingly had a life-long deal with Dolan.

Sather’s immediate successor, Jeff Gorton, the man who Drury stabbed in the back, did not.

My point? (And a point that you may already be aware of by now too?)

Then just by making this news public, then it feels like this was a concerted effort from both Drury and Dolan in order to present a united front.

In other words, then M$G brass is telling their underlings – the players, including the FAT CATS, the following:

“SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT!”

However I feel about Drury (and in case you’re new here – then I thought that much like Laviolette – then he should’ve been fired after this season too), however you feel about Drury, however anyone else feels about Drury – including both the players and the staff under him – then it doesn’t matter.

The only opinion in regards to Drury that matters is the one from his boss – the team owner himself.

However, I also do wonder if Dolan, who always pledged his undying loyalty and devotion to someone who didn’t deliver a championship for him during a 25-year period, Glen Sather, is also an owner, one that’s repeatedly alleged to be both detested and standoffish alike, just doesn’t want to “learn” anyone else.

It’s also my belief that Dolan subscribes to the adage of, “go with the Devil you know – and not the Devil that you don’t.”

Here’s how the Rangers officially covered Drury’s stay of power, courtesy of https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/chris-drury-agrees-to-multi-year-contract-extension :

Before getting into our next news item – Drury’s hiring of his good ole boy Mike Sullivan – then I just want to share with you what the team president/general manager had said after his decision to fire Peter Laviolette.

Here’s what Drury said, verbatim at that, in regards to his hunt for franchise head coach #38 – and as he did on Saturday, April 19th:

“I’m not going at this with any preset dispositions.

“If it’s a first-time coach and it’s the best fit, great. As far as what the team needs, again, we’re just trying to find the best fit we can to do what we need to do. We’re looking at a lot of different scenarios and a lot of different candidates.

“We’re going to be looking at everything.

“Whether it’s the specific question you ask or other things that have come up along the way this year that we’ve already begun to look at and looked at during the year.

“Unfortunately, we do have extra time with not being in the playoffs to look at a lot of things this off-season and, again, try and make sure we’re back in the playoffs next year.”

And once Mike Sullivan was fired by the chart-obsessed losing general manager out in the Steel City – and as it became the case on April 28th?

Then I knew it, you knew it, and yep, Bob Dole knew it too:

Ugh #nyr https://t.co/NS92BhVDCu

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) April 28, 2025

What once was promised to be a long and exhausting head coach hiring process not even two-weeks ago, well such a process ultimately lasted all of less than 96-hours – and where really – Drury was on the horn with his Boston alum chum just seconds after Sullivan’s now former boss, Kyle Dubas, broke the bad news to him.

As it’s been very often throughout Drury’s tumultuous tenure – and “Cowardly Chris” (this nickname is in “honor” of how he always hides behind ZOOM calls – and how he never addresses the fans – nor the media for that matter – face-to-face unless when obligated by the league) had lied again.

Rather than conducting full interviews with the likes of John Tortorella, Joel Quenneville, David Carle, Rick Tocchet, Greg Conin, Marc Savard, Jay Pandolfo, Jay Leach, Jessica Campbell, or any other name from a list that has a myriad of them on it – and boom – instead, and Drury, who had longed-and-pined for Sullivan for four-years now, finally got his man.

Even funnier and ironic than that?

Then of the eight teams all presently in need for a bench boss for the upcoming 2025-26 campaign (Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Anaheim, Vancouver and Chicago) – and the Rangers were the first club to exit the proverbial “coaching carousel.”

And that’s on brand for these bad Blueshirts if I say so myself!

But again I must ask you:

Will it even matter?

Furthermore?

Perhaps a new nickname for Drury has emerged from all of this too:

TUNNEL VISION CHRIS!

Here’s how the Rangers broke this expected news (https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/mike-sullivan-named-rangers-head-coach ) on the morning of Friday, May 2nd:

Since the Rangers, and as talked about before, never publicly disclose contract terms, then it was first reported by the Canadian media that Sullivan agreed to a five-year deal worth $42.5M overall.

Sullivan, who was already the highest-paid coach in hockey (he had just signed an extension with Pittsburgh worth $5.5M per-season), remains as the highest-paid coach in all of hockey – and with a $3M raise too – as he will now be earning $8.5M per-season with the Rangers.

Bolts’ bench boss Jon Cooper, a two-time Stanley Cup champion like Sullivan, is the second-highest earner among all NHL head coaches, as he rakes in $5.3M per-year.

Spending the most money in the league on a head coach just screams, “THE RANGERS’ WAY!”

Also screaming “THE RANGERS’ WAY?”

The fact that both Gerard Gallant and Peter Laviolette have one-year remaining on their respective contracts too – and where both of these contracts will expire at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Barring Gallant and Laviolette getting new gigs elsewhere next season; then the Rangers are on the hook for the remainder of The Turk’s $3.5M deal and Lateralette’s $4.9M contract.

In other words, then on paper – and Chris Drury has his owner shelling out a grand sum of $16.9M in head coaching salaries next season.

(The Penguins will assume $5.5M of it this season.)

Again I ask:

How in the hell did Drury get a two-year extension?

Granted, while only player salaries are the only numbers that matter under today’s triple-hard salary-cap system (which means that teams can spend to their heart’s content on everything else, including transportation, medical, lodging accommodations – and yes – coaches too); but it’s only Drury that has his owner spending over $10M at the head coach position – and to be precise – $16.9M in total.

But such bad news won’t ruin Drury’s Christmas!

Another thing to consider?

The fact that it was well-known that the analytical mook in Pittsburgh, the formerly fired in Toronto, GM Kyle Dubas, had desired his own head coach.

Since Sullivan won the Stanley Cup twice during his first two-years with the Penguins – then Dubas was never going to be the head shot caller for the black-and-yellow.

He’d always be second-fiddle to Sullivan in the eyes of both the players and the fans.

What am I getting at here?

Then Drury, a close friend and co-worker of Sullivan himself (the two presently work for USA Hockey during all international tournaments), could have perhaps tried to swing a trade for Sully.

Instead, and not only will Pittsburgh receive a first-round pick from the Rangers in either 2025 or 2026 – but with this contract – and Drury has allowed Dubas off of the hook too.

(The only way Drury can make Dubas pay? By winning the damn Cup – and especially as a Metro Division rival. However, the odds of that happening are like me or you winning the state lottery!)

It must be nice to play with other people’s money – and as Drury has routinely done under Dolan.

Three head coaches on the books!

WHO DOES THAT?

And while I’ll explore this more below – but this is just another example of someone who isn’t in the business – yours truly – being able to see these things way in advance – yet – and these easily predictable mistakes are made by the Rangers all of the time.

And when the Penguins win their next Stanley Cup?

Then maybe Dubas should have Drury’s name inscribed on it too – and as a huge token of his appreciation over Drury’s non-stop executive ignorance.

As of this writing – and the Rangers have yet to formally reintroduce Sullivan to both the fans and the media alike.

Sullivan’s first press conference, when he will officially be installed as the 38th head coach in franchise history, is slated for later this week.

Prediction?

He’ll say exactly what Laviolette said before him – which also includes – “systems and structure.”

If you don’t recall, then here’s a recap of Laviolette’s introductory press conference: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/62023/

As noted, then I am not a fan of this hiring at all – but I’m also aware that unless the core changes – then it doesn’t matter who the Blueshirts’ bench boss is.

As far as why I’m down on Sullivan, then here some of my reasons, including, but not limited to, the following:

— Yes, he won two Stanley Cups during the height of both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s powers. He also had a red-hot rookie in net (Matt Murray) too – and where let’s face it (but let’s not discredit those 2016 & 2017 Penguin teams either) – the teams they met in the Stanley Cup Final (the Predators and the Sharks) weren’t exactly world-beaters either.

— Despite possessing a bevy of talent, including Crosby, Malkin, Jake Guentzel (up to the trade deadline of 2024), Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, etc – and the Penguins hadn’t reached the playoffs in the last three-years.

— Furthermore?

Then the last time the Penguins had reached the second-round of the playoffs was in 2018 – SEVEN YEARS AGO!

— It should also be noted that Gallant’s Rangers defeated Sullivan’s Penguins in a first-round seven-game set in 2022.

— For a country club full of FAT CATS – then are you telling me that Sullivan, who perhaps was just lucky to be in Pittsburgh at the right time, is going to be able to win with perennial playoff failures and no shows such as Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin – and two players that have accounted for 25% of the team’s payroll over the past few seasons?

— As noted above, while Sullivan isn’t exactly your textbook definition of the word “retread” – he also isn’t new either. This is my way of saying that when you look around the league, then it’s often new head coaches that are having more success than the same old boys.

— Yes, I know that some people will combat this “every rule has an exemption” with Florida’s Paul Maurice – but as also noted about 79867986798679867896 times throughout the years on this site – and the Panthers are one of the few teams that play in a state with no income taxes – and it’s of no coincidence that the past five consecutive Eastern Conference Champions have all come out of Florida either.

— Conversely, and New York City has the highest state income taxes in the league, which is to imply that the Rangers have to pay more in order to off-set the non-level playing field that Gary Bettman so – and defiantly still – ignorantly ignores.

— Here’s a #CadillacTrivia Question for you:

How many head coaches have won the Stanley Cup with multiple teams?

Your answers: Tommy Gorman (1934 and 1935), Dick Irvin (1932 and 1946) and Scotty Bowman – who is also the only man to have done so three times (he won nine Stanley Cups with three teams, including five with the Canadiens, one with the Penguins and two with the Red Wings).

Knowing the Rangers’ history – and do you really think that Sullivan will become the fourth-man in all of NHL history to win Stanley Cups with two different franchises?

(And Part I: I think that we just answered this question with the coach who won the 2006 Stanley Cup with Carolina, Peter Lateralette!)

(And Part II: Do you really think that Sullivan and the Rangers will be the first to accomplish this feat in the salary cap era? I think not!)

Rather than praising his buddy, then I think that Drury should be up all night thinking about the one who got away – his former charge in Hartford, and the current head coach in Edmonton today, Oilers’ bench boss Kris Knoblauch.

— Similar to NYC’s Tammany Hall from the latter years of the 19th century – and the Rangers also feel corrupt and ran under a “spoil’s system.”

Over Drury’s four-years – and he’s replaced a lot of people, including trainers, coaches, scouts and other long-term staffers alike, with his friends – and mainly his pals with his fellow entitled New England blue-blood.

Sullivan is no different – as both Drury and Sullivan are Boston College alums.

They may as well take Dunkin Donut belly shots off of each other too – as Sullivan was born in Massachusetts – which seems to be a Rangers’ requirement under Drury’s watch!

The Sullivan and Drury friendship – and somewhat mentorship too – goes all the way back (professionally) to 1994 – as that’s when Drury first played for Sullivan’s alma matter – Boston College.

While Sullivan, formerly a Rangers’ draft pick (fourth-round, 69th-overall in 1987), never played for the team that first selected him, as he opted to spend four-years at the collegiate level before making his NHL debut (1991) with the expansion era Sharks instead; he eventually came to New York in 2009 as an assistant head coach under John Tortorella.

Torts’ captain at the time?

Chris Drury.

Drury, who wasn’t drafted by his favorite team, but eventually made his way here as another overpaid and underwhelming free agent among a huge list of them, worked a lot with Torts’ buffer, his go-between, who of course, was Sullivan himself.

Once Drury retired and then entered the front office ranks, he continued his relationship with Sullivan – and mainly via their work through USA Hockey – and as they still do today (Sullivan serving as a head coach, Drury as a general manager).

Long story short?

Then unlike Drury’s three previous firings – Quinn, Gallant and Laviolette – and Sullivan is the first of four head coaches under the ZOOM ZOOM GM to have a close-and-personal relationship with Drury.

Such a relationship also explains why the Rangers’ offer most likely exceeded any other offer that Sullivan would receive – and conversely – why Sullivan would rule out a lot of potential suitors too.

As someone formerly “glass half-full” but now completely at the bottom of the “glass half empty” pool, then is there anything positive to come from this?

Admittedly yes – as combined with Drury’s own extension – and these crybaby FAT CATS should no longer possess any power.

Everyone has now seen Dolan’s public endorsement of Drury.

Everyone also knows about Drury’s close relationship with Sullivan.

In turn, then these soft and mentally-afflicted Rangers won’t be able to bully another head coach out of town.

Rather than that – and they’ll be shipped out themselves.

But prior to any potential player vs. head coach and/or front office battles playing out in the media commencing – and the Rangers, MUST, and this is not up for debate, part ways with Mika Zibanejad.

I’ve covered all of this before, so I won’t go blue in the face over this topic again – but simply said – and he can’t be here next season.

He is an albatross. He is a sad little man. He is soft. He brings people down with him.

He can’t be around these young-and-promising players – as his black cloud will bring these guys down along with him.

J.T. Miller, a true competitor like Crosby, but without the hardware; should be made Sullivan’s captain from DAY ONE.

Miller’s work ethic and his anger over losing can be contagious and effective.

Such traits must be spread throughout.

To a lesser extent – and it might be time to bid adieu to Artemi Panarin too.

Granted, while Panarin is the greatest free agent signing in franchise history – he’s also a player that never plays to his potential and contract when it matters most either – the playoffs.

(Ironically? His biggest playoff moment was his fluky Game 7 overtime goal scored against Sullivan’s Penguins in 2022.)

And if Panarin, who is looking more guilty by the day in regards to the sexual assault allegations levied against him (why did he agree to a NDA – and especially when he has enough money to fight/publicly disparage these accusations?) – then you don’t want someone like him around anyway.

Right-or-wrong, and I err on the side of the latter, and all of this news is pretty much like “The Harry Truman Show” – as for the first time in a while – and you know where “the buck stops” – as it completely takes a full-halt on Drury’s desk.

This is also to say that if the Rangers continue their rotten ways – then Dolan, who seemingly has no problem blowing an ungodly amount of money on coaching contracts, must also bite the bullet on his new GM extension deal too.

James Dolan turns 70-years-old on May 11th.

In his now sixty-two seasons (combined) of owning both the Knicks and the Rangers – and he doesn’t have one championship ring or banner to hang from his arena to show for it.

He’s a very vain man – and he’s also made a lot of bad choices in the past (drugs – and I’m not breaking news here – as this fact is very well known/publicized) which could ultimately impact his health of today.

This is to say that Dolan doesn’t want to go to the grave being known as the worst owner in all of sports’ history – and one to have never won a championship either – and despite a combined sixty-two years of ownership.

The time for the Rangers (and the Knicks for that matter too) to win is NOW.

These Blueshirts don’t have the time for another rebuild (nor will the fans, and the struggling attendance numbers neither, will accept such a reconstruction either) – which is what makes Drury’s dumbass decision to NOT go ALL IN at the 2024 Trade Deadline even more frustrating.

Unless Mika Zibanejad is deported from this Rangers’ roster prior to the first puck drop of the 2025-26 campaign – then really – I’m not excited about this team at all.

They just seem like a franchise on the decline – and having four different men behind the bench during the past four-years isn’t a recipe for success either.

The players have grown far too powerful as the salary cap era has progressed – which is also a product by design due to all of these disgusting NMC’s that are handed out – and as if they were Tootsie Rolls on Halloween.

I’ve been running this site for nearly a dozen years.

In this time, I have predicted so many things that wound up happening.

I don’t want to do the Barry Horowitz act here (self-pat on the back), but who was the first person to publicly say that you can’t make your goalie your highest-paid player – and as I was doing all the way back in 2014 – and to much criticism and disdain from my peers at that?

Fast-forward to today – and EVERYONE is now saying this – including Ranger fans in regards to CZAR IGOR’s new deal.

Again, I don’t want to link all of my past blogs to you (you can find all of them yourself by checking the right-hand of this site, the archive section, for all of that), but there have just been so many things that I’ve successfully predicted – and whether it’s the topic of goalie salaries, going for Justin Williams, keeping Mats Zuccarello, not making that trade with Tampa (Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller), trying to trade Tony DeAngelo for Sam Bennett, going for Jack Eichel over Mika Zibanejad, trying to swing a deal with Calgary for a departure-bound Matt Tkachuk, bringing up CZAR IGOR a year earlier than they did, going for Guentzel or Miller last year instead of Jack Roslovic and Alex Wennberg, and so on and so forth – and I just feel that going with both Drury and Sullivan – instead of outsiders with fresh eyes – is a major mistake.

And yep – keeping Zibanejad, and I’m now saying this for the third straight year, will be another horrendous error.

This is all to say that I don’t have any faith in the present powers-to-be – and especially not after what Drury did in his first player transaction move once receiving his extension.

Right after the news of Sullivan accepting Drury’s offer to replace Lateralette, and it was announced that the other Finn of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, one drafted some 200+ spots after Kaapo Kakko, Juuse Parssinen, was extended.

Again, while the Rangers wouldn’t disclose terms, it was then soon reported that this Finnish Flash In The Pan was extended for two-years at $2.5M in total – or $1.25M annually.

Why the Rangers, who already have a litany of bottom-sixers, would sign a player that presents no true upside at all, is beyond me.

Not only was Parssinen made a healthy scratch once acquired in the stupid trade of Ryan Lindgren (Colorado) – then he didn’t do much of note during the rare times when he did actually play.

This is what Drury was thinking about after signing Sullivan?

Injecting him with some “Juuse?”

Truth be told – and we won’t know what this roster will truly look like until the first few weeks of July.

(After all – and there’s a huge K’Andre Miller question to be answered too – and where I’m already on record – due to a lack of options – and I see #79 back in the line-up come Opening Night.)

I would like to think that Drury learned something over his self-made Jacob Trouba debacle last year – which is to say – goodbye Mika – and yep – goodbye Chris Kreider too.

(And perhaps the only way to get Mika to waive his iron-clad NMC is by trading his BFF, CK20, who has a modified NTC.)

What’s really testing my Rangers’ fandom these days – and to the point of where I’m really debating about keeping this site going anymore – as I’m now resigned to the fact that I’ll never see this franchise win a Stanley Cup ever again; is that I don’t see one player, who is realistically out there, who can really change the Blueshirts’ fortunes next season.

Unless the Rangers can get Brady Tkachuk – and I don’t see him leaving Ottawa either; then who from the Free Agent Class of ’25 really wows you?

For reference, then here are a few of the top names that will be available this summer:

— Mitch Marner

Much like Panarin and Mika – and he’s another core player from another Original Six team that doesn’t do much when it matters most – the playoffs.

— John Tavares

He’s similar to Marner – but the former Islander captain has had a few big playoff moments. However, he’s also soon to be 35-years-old – and the Rangers need to get younger – and not older.

— Brad Marchand

He’ll soon be 38-years-old – and he’s probably best suited in the role that he’s in today – as a depth rental for a Cup contender – and not as a featured face of a franchise.

— Sam Bennett

The Rangers could’ve had him in his prime four-years ago – but former GM, Jeff Gorton, decided to have an ego trip over Tony DeAngelo instead. He’s going to be 30-years-old soon enough – and do you really want to give him a long-term deal with, and most likely, his best years behind him?

— Aaron Ekblad

He’s turning 30-years-old soon – which is the age when most defensemen start falling off. He’s also using illegal substances and playing dirty these days – and where I don’t think that he’ll leave Florida either.

— The Brocks – Brock Nelson and Brock Boeser

Yeah right – although J.T. Miller may be able to recruit Boeser – but do you really want the struggling 29-year-old on a big-term deal anyway?

— Patrick Kane

If he wasn’t retained after 2023 – then he’s never coming back.

Ditto Vladimir Tarasenko, who #88 played with in Detroit during this 2024-25 season.

— Tony DeAngelo

To quote Al Boreland, “I don’t think so Tim!”

The same probably goes for another member of the Rangers’ alumni too, Ryan Lindgren.

I just look at all of the players that will be available via free agency come 7/1, names which also include Jamie Benn, Jack Roslovic, Ryan Donato, Alexandar Georgiev (LOL), Jeff Skinner, Kyle Palmieri, Vladislav Gavrikov, Ivan Provorov, Reilly Smith (Ha!), Claude Giroux and others – and I don’t see one name that can change things for the Rangers.

Then again – perhaps I’m also too focused and upset about the players that the Rangers could have got but refused to make a real play for – Matt Tkachuk and Jack Eichel – you know – a pair of Stanley Cup champs – and two American players that just make you proud.

(And none of this is a case of hindsight being 20/20 either – and as proved last blog when I shared my previous writings from the time, which was in 2021.)

Elsewhere, and I don’t see how the Rangers can make a real run either.

Division-wise, and I don’t see the Capitals repeating this magical run that they are on right now next season.

(But of course – and I didn’t see Washington experiencing their current run either!)

A healthy Devils’ team provides more competition – and they will be a major threat too.

The Canes are always formidable – but they can be beat.

I can see the Penguins taking a leap – and just because that’s “The Rangers’ Way” – and where I fully expect their next head coach to do what Sullivan couldn’t do in the last three-years – reach the playoffs – and then win a round once there.

The Blue Jackets, the biggest surprise in the league this year, should now attract more high-class and productive players.

The Flyers will most likely stink again – but I could see them being a tough out – and just as Columbus was this year.

It’s the Atlantic – and not the Metro – that provides the toughest path of resistance for the Rangers.

Whatever happens next – and you have to figure that Tampa, Florida and Toronto will all be in the mix next season again.

Montreal and Ottawa are now emerging – and it’s only a matter of time when Detroit snaps their playoff drought too.

And eventually, the law of averages will have to play out in Buffalo’s favor – and in the form of snapping their 14-year playoff drought.

Only Boston seems to be resigned to rebuilding – but like the Rangers – they do have a strong goalie and a top defenseman there too.

This all to say that I believe that the Blueshirts have to find a major trade – perhaps something even akin to an Emile Francis in 1975 blockbuster deal – or else it will be the same old shit – another year without a Stanley Cup parade.

And should the Rangers ever march down the Canyon of Heroes again?

Then not only will Sam Rosen not be there – but neither will his partner of the last nineteen-years be in-attendance either – “Jumpin'” Joe Micheletti.

On May 1st, what I had been predicting all-season long became reality – Joe Micheletti’s retirement from the M$GN broadcast booth.

In a statement with not much fanfare at all, then here’s how the news was broken by both Micheletti and the network, as it was M$GN that issued the following:

I must’ve said some iteration of the following over a hundred times on this site ever since the news of Sam Rosen’s eventual retirement broke:

“I fully expect Joe Micheletti to ride off into the sunset with him – but since Micheletti is too classy – then he won’t say anything – as he’d rather have Rosen have all of the spotlight on him.”

And that’s now the case – as I was able to confirm that once Rosen announced his retirement – and Micheletti had planned the same future for himself.

As first opined here – and which is now true/a fact today – and Micheletti didn’t want to do anything to take away from Rosen’s retirement tour – and one that celebrated forty-years of service.

While Micheletti (soon to be 71-years-old) is seven-years younger than Rosen (soon to be 78-years-old); for Mike Modano’s father-in-law (his daughter Allison married the famous Dallas Star) – it’s been a lot of tough years recently.

While unlike Rosen, Micheletti remains astute, clear-headed and devoid of “grandfatherly moments;” he’s also battled through cancer (and thankfully – won that battle) – while also losing a brother (Thomas) last year (https://www.davidleefuneralhome.com/obituary/Thomas-Micheletti ).

In total, Micheletti, never a Ranger himself, spent the bulk of his 50+ years in the sport (at a professional level) by broadcasting Blueshirts’ matches – and as he did during the past 19-years.

With Rosen gone, a clean number of 20-years with the Rangers wasn’t in his future – as even he realized that it was now time for a new future duo to take over.

We already know that Kenny Albert, who was always the most obvious Rosen successor, will take over next season.

As far as who replaces Micheletti – then you already know who I want – Albert’s M$GN radio partner – former Rangers’ captain, Dave Maloney.

While Maloney will turn 69-years-old (nice) on July 31st – he’s still lucid, entertaining, and damn it – more on point than ever.

And nothing against Micheletti – but Maloney is also a real Ranger – and you won’t find anyone more passionate about the club than the youngest captain in franchise history either.

While I know that some detractors will complain about Maloney’s age (some are already campaigning for Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan and other ex-Rangers) – but I’m not one of these people.

As a frequent radio listener – then you won’t find anything better than the Albert-Maloney duo.

While Albert is already a long-proven and seasoned vet (meaning that he doesn’t need any help/anyone to guide him); but why not promote both members of the radio program to the television screen?

As Ranger fans – give us what we want – as we already know that we won’t get a Cup!

Let us have a few years of Maloney & Albert – and then – and when Maloney decides to retire – then bring up a new face – and perhaps that person can be whoever replaces Maloney’s jack-of-all-trades role on M$GN TV broadcasts – and work that he’s been doing prior to throwing on the A.M. radio headsets with Albert.

To Joe Micheletti – good luck in the future.

I always thought that Jumpin’ Joe was a very knowledgeable guy – but where I also thought that he was better off as an analyst in the studio.

I also felt that his national work – where he didn’t have to be a homer/placed under M$GN shackles – was his best work.

But since he knew that he was retiring this year – and with the team sucking ass too – then I think he just came off his best M$GN year yet – and unlike 99.9% of everyone else associated with this organization – he leaves on a high note.

Both Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti are gone – and for me – it’s two voices that I’ve heard together for about 45% of my lifetime.

I’m going to miss them.

For all of my silly “OH JOE” and “SAM, THAT’S FABULOUS” material (and where I even crossed the line about a million times or so whenever making sexual references!) – and stuff that I’ve probably written about a 798678698679866 billion times on this site over nearly the past dozen years or so – then I’ve now lost all of my comedic relief for these manifestos/blogs too.

(But I’ll always reference them moving forward – as that’s how entrenched they are in my brain – and in my heart too.)

It should never be forgotten how Micheletti handled his final days in the booth.

He was a class act.

He was also “FABULOUS” too!

“OH JOE!”

(And to this day – then I’m still looking to purchase a puck signed by Micheletti with the word “FABULOUS” written on it!)

Lastly on this topic, then here’s how the man that’s receiving the torch handled the news – the always classy Kenny Albert:

Congrats to Joe Micheletti on a tremendous career! Won HS (state) & NCAA championships. Played in WHA & NHL. Blues assistant coach. 30+ years in NHL broadcast booths including FOX and NBC. Also called 5 Olympics and 20 Stanley Cup Finals! @MSGNetworks 🏒 🎤

— Kenny Albert (@KennyAlbert) May 1, 2025

Exhibit #7896788968786869676967986 Zillion of Why The NHL Playoffs Are The Best In All Of Sports:

Despite watching about 400 hockey games a year, following every piece of news and minutiae on a 24/7/365 basis – and I only went 3-5 on my first-round picks – and where worse than that – the two teams that I predicted to win the Stanley Cup are already out!

Of my five losers, then I did feel that I was right on the money a bit – as both Colorado and St. Louis lost seven-games series – and with the biggest underdog of the whole thing, the Blues, losing a double overtime Game 7 after having a 3-1 lead with just 2:00 remaining in regulation.

UGH!

The Colorado and St. Louis losses, and ditto Los Angeles too, were all the same – they were the better teams for the majority of their respective series’ – but through a series of self-forced errors, choke-jobs and most important above all else – an inability to close out – and all three of these teams left the playoff field way too early.

Over in the East – and two teams that I predicted to move on – Ottawa and Tampa – didn’t really stand a chance.

While they played valiantly and did give an effort – they were just out-matched.

And cry about the first-round format all that you want – but you must also admit the fact that this seeding style also gives us the most unpredictable and best first-round match-ups in all of sports – hence my 3-5 record here!

As far as the three series’ winners that I did get right – Carolina, Washington and Vegas – then the first two went as expected – as the Devils were too injured and beat-up to get past a veteran-laden Canes team, while the Capitals’ experience willed them over Montreal.

That said – and overtime wins were required for both teams.

Ditto the Knights – who won a pair of bonus time games against a Wild – but also a Minnesota team that lived up to their history – nothing but first-round exits.

And all of these overtime games from this first-round?

Just another example of why the NHL playoffs are the best in sports!

Moving forward and we now have Jets vs Stars and Knights vs Oilers out in the West, while in the East, we’ll see Capitals vs Canes and Leafs vs Panthers.

As noted – I’m 3-5 thus far – so don’t listen to me.

However, I do like Dallas and Edmonton to battle for the Western Conference championship – and Florida and Washington to fight for Eastern supremacy too.

With both Colorado and Tampa out – the two teams that I predicted to reach the Final – and I’m torn when it comes to who I want to see win the Stanley Cup.

Call me a patriot, accuse me of having an anti-Canadian team bias all that you want – but I hope that Canada’s Cup drought, which goes back all the way to 1993, continues – as I do get a perverse enjoyment in that – and especially with these Mother Canuckers routinely booing our U.S. National Anthem!

This is my way of saying that I hope to see Winnipeg, Edmonton and Toronto to shortly join Montreal and Ottawa as Canadian playoff exits!

But of those three teams?

Then I can see the Oilers going all the way – and just so Kris Knoblauch can shove it into the face of the Rangers!

My updated second-round and beyond picks (no drum roll required):

Stars over Jets.

Knights over Oilers.

Panthers over Leafs.

Capitals over Hurricanes.

Knights over Stars.

Capitals over Panthers.

And a Stanley Cup Final featuring a 2018 rematch – and a similar result too – a Washington win over Team #31.

Rooting-wise?

Then I’m hoping to see Alex Ovechkin add to his legacy by winning his second Stanley Cup – or seeing Matt Tkachuk – an American hero in my household (akin to Christopher Columbus being a hero in Tony Soprano’s home) – doing the same.

One last topic, then I’m going home – I promise!

As talked about several times before on this site – and the Penguins, as a result of two trades (J.T. Miller to the Rangers, then the Canucks flipping the first-round pick received to Pittsburgh for role-players), have full possession of a Blueshirts’ first-round pick.

It’s up to Chris Drury to decide if Mike Sullivan’s former club gets the Rangers’ first-round pick this year (2025) or next year (2026).

And if it’s this year – then the Penguins will have two high-end picks during the upcoming 2025 NHL Entry Draft – as here are the odds of landing the first-overall pick prior to Monday night’s (5/5 – Cinco de Mayo!) draft lottery:

With only a three percent chance of landing the first-overall pick, and in what’s expected to be one of the weakest draft classes in some time (and where next year’s class is also alleged to be leaps-and-bounds better than this one) – and it’s very likely that Drury bids adieu to his first-round pick this year.

Then again – if the goal is to reach the playoffs this season – then perhaps Drury maintains this pick – and then hopes to deal a late first-rounder (which would assume a deep playoff run) next year.

But these are the Rangers – which is to say that whatever they do – then I’m sure that they’ll louse it up!

What would I like to see?

As mentioned before – Long Island product, although an Islander fan himself, James Hagen, winding up in Rangers’ blue.

Up Next For The Rangers: A Mike Sullivan press conference hosted by his butt buddy and the results of the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery.

I really don’t expect anything major from either event – but since it’s news – then I guess that I’m forced to cover it!

Up Next For Me: As noted all-season – then I’m still working a ton of overtime at the real j-o-b – so very much like this blog – and a recap of all future events, including the two noted above, may be delayed.

(But you can follow everything in real-time on my Twitter/X page, over at @NYCTHEMIC).

I’m also going to need a break from this site too – as I need to devote all of my free time to the two book projects, hopeful September releases, that I’m working on.

I also have a Marilyn Manson concert that I’m attending this Tuesday too – a perfect rock act for these hellacious and woe-is-me Rangers!

Up Next For You: Hopefully a break too – because if you’re like me – then your spirit, faith, hopes and dreams with this team are all also shattered!

And of course, we still have your favorite segment too, 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

@NYCTHEMIC on the Tweeter machine