Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. It’s time to start questioning Chris Drury’s employment with the New York Rangers.
And no – such a remark stated in the heat of the moment isn’t solely made because of the man with the dual title of Team President and General Manager decided to wink-wink at his buddy in San Jose, his former co-worker and now general manager of the Sharks, Mike Grier – and as Drury did when he waived Barclay Goodrow on Tuesday, then only for Grier to pick up/claim Goodrow a day later.
(“Holy horrible grammar Batman!” “Excuse me, but I’m pissed my dear Robin!”)
Instead, such a thought must be explored because this most recent transaction is just the latest addition to the “sum of the parts” problem – and where in this case, the word “problem” can be defined as “one Stanley Cup win in 84-years – and a new drought that’s now 23-years shy of the previous 54-year drought.”
(“Holy math Batman!” “But at least it isn’t ‘common core’ math Robin – and we’ll see that word ‘core’ again too, my fellow spandex-loving friend!”)
Bottom line about this Goodrow news/Drury’s decision?
If the mission in the Big Apple remains as “CUP OR BUST” – and I’m under the impression that the aim hasn’t changed – then moving on from Goodrow suggests to me the latter – BUST!
Drury’s decision to part ways with Goodrow is pretty much on brand when you really think about it.
After all, whenever a non-homegrown Ranger has had playoff success under the Prince of Pizza, and whether it be Frank Vatrano, Andrew Copp, Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, Niko Mikkola, etc – then once the summer hits – the player splits too.
Somewhat akin to the Vegas Golden Knights, albeit without the silver to show for it – and Drury hasn’t displayed much loyalty to any of his off-season signings either – which is a complete 180 from how the TP/GM views his alleged “homegrown stars” such as Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil.
Ditto his core – and a tired-and-failed-tested core that’s now become the textbook definition of the word “insanity.”
“I promise, I’m really going to show up this time, I swear!” – Mika Zibanejad – or was it Artemi Panarin?
For your consideration, and to put this theory to the test, The Clown of Colony Pizza (and let’s not forget how Jack Roslovic was his answer to the team’s glaring hole at right-wing at the 2024 Trade Deadline), made these following moves in his first off-season in his dual-role after stabbing both John Davidson, and his mentor too, Jeff Gorton, in the back:
— Traded-and-signed Barclay Goodrow from Tampa Bay on 7/17/21 for the price of a seventh-round draft pick.
As you all now know – Goodrow is back with the Sharks – and more about this below.
— Traded Pavel Buchnevich to St. Louis, in another cap-related move, in exchange for Sammy Blais on 7/23/21.
This trade is always recalled whenever talking about Drury’s misfires, but while I don’t really blame Blais (as it’s always been my opinion that P.K. Slewban ruined his Rangers’ tenure) – I do blame the GM – as in his infinite wisdom, Drury thought that the younger-and-cheaper Vitali Kravtsov would be able to both replace and soar above Buchnevich.
And by now – you also know that’s not what happened.
Not even close.
— Traded for Ryan Reaves, from Las Vegas, in exchange for a third-round draft pick on 7/29/21.
Similar to the Goodrow and Blais trades, this transaction always reminds me of what Drury’s predecessor, Jeff Gorton, said during the summer of 2021, when working as an off-season television analyst.
In a tongue-in-cheek tone, Gorton said, “I think I heard that the Rangers wanted to get tougher this season.”
And I won’t play the role of a revisionist here either – as I can’t lie – I thought that these three moves were strong ones – and as is evident here:
Following this trio of trades, Drury then signed the likes of Dryden Hunt, Greg McKegg, Jarred Tinordi – and ugh – Patrik Nemeth too.
And today, now following Goodrow’s dismissal – and not one of these players remain in New York.
(Also worth mentioning? Two players that Drury immediately moved on from during this summer of ’21, Brett Howden and Jack Johnson, soon went on to win the Stanley Cup. Of course – that’s just “The Rangers’ Way!”)
The same statement in regards to none of his signings/traded players remaining also applies following arguably Drury’s biggest hit – his 2022 trade deadline – when he added four key pieces to an eventual deep (and in my opinion – Cinderella too) Stanley Cup Playoff run, when he traded for the likes of Frank Vatrano, Andrew Copp, Tyler Motte and Justin Braun:
To be fair to The Crown of The Connecticut Crust – aka Drury himself (and if you don’t know what these pizza references are all about – then either check out the archives of this site or Google “Chris Drury Colony Grill”) – then when it comes to the regular season – his teams have had a good track record.
Heck, Drury’s regular season teams have had HISTORIC and FRANCHISE-BEST records.
In his first season in the big chair at 33rd and 7th, and the Rangers went 52-24-6 (110-points) under Drury’s first hand-picked head coach, Gerard Gallant.
In Drury’s sophomore season as James Dolan’s most important employee, and the 2022-23 Blueshirts, still under the coaching guidance of “The Turk,” finished again with over 100-points (107-points) – and where as a result of their 47-22-13 record – Gallant and Drury, respectively, became the first head coach and general manager in franchise history to post back-to-back seasons surpassing the century-point mark.
Following Drury’s third season, this 2023-24 campaign, and the Rangers, now under head coach Peter Laviolette, finished with a record of 55-23-4 – a franchise-best of 114-points – and for the cherry on top – the Presidents’ Trophy too.
When you look at Drury’s first three regular seasons as general manger – then without question – and as it once was for him when he was a Little League World Champion – it’s been a homerun.
But alas – success isn’t solely judged by whatever you do in the regular season.
(And as Ranger fans – don’t we know it?)
Also compounding matters?
This is New York City – not San Jose, CA, not Phoenix, AZ – and for that matter – not Salt Lake City, UT either.
In other words, and especially even more so when compared to New York geographical rivals such as Philadelphia, PA or Boston, MA – then the only way to define success in NYC sports is with a championship.
For a then rookie general manger, then without a shadow of a doubt, Drury’s first foray, his 2021-22 season, was a bonafide success – even without a championship – or in this case – the Stanley Cup.
Drury, who took over the reins following the craziest and most unprecedented season in franchise history (2020-21), righted the ship, where at the end of the course, his new-look team fell two wins shy of reaching the Stanley Cup Final.
And while this may sound like “loser speak,” and despite leading the 2022 ECF by a 2-0 margin too – then falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning wasn’t anything to truly be mad about – as after all – the Bolts were then the two-time reigning-and-defending Stanley Cup champions.
And if it wasn’t for that pesky salary cap, which ironically, forced the Lightning’s hand into giving away Goodrow (among others) to the Rangers – then who knows – maybe the Bolts, who ultimately did win three straight Prince of Wales Trophies (ECF) – would have won three straight Cups too.
In other words, the Rangers, somewhat an upstart that year, ran into the best “dynasty” of the salary cap era.
The same could not be said about the Blueshirts one-year later.
In fact, the complete opposite.
After tasting some playoff success in 2022 – and the Rangers absolutely shit the bed during the first-round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs – a playoff loss so devastating that it led me into writing this book:
While I don’t want to go down this tired 2023 road again; in short, it was the same old story, as outside of Chris Kreider, no one else from the core made a difference – and where it were the rentals, where arguably one of them should’ve been retained for the 2023-24 campaign (and it was my opinion that such a thing should have transpired), Patrick Kane (6-points) and Vladimir Tarasenko (4-points), who ultimately out-played the highest-paid players, Mika Zibanejad (4-points) and Artemi Panarin (2) too.
And I’m sick of talking and hearing about how poor old Mopey Mika needs a right-winger to be successful too.
For $8.5M – not only should he be scoring goals – but he should also be lifting up his teammates too – no if’s, and’s or but’s about it.
Ah, and alas, I’ve said all of this before, and as I have most recently done here:
To quickly summarize the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, because by now, I’ve explained all of this before – and most likely – you’re sick of hearing about it too; then there’s only one word that applies – “FAILURE!”
And as the years roll on by, and as the Blueshirts try to match, if not surpass, their previous 54-year Cup drought, then it will be this year, 2024, that will always induce the most heartbreak – and as noted in the link above – it’s my opinion that this playoff loss was the most painful of the many that preceded it.
As I’m flooded with a million thoughts, and without trying to sound redundant here either; but for Drury and his accomplices, who all pushed the “CUP OR BUST” mantra, while the GM also expressed an interest in getting tougher – then three-years removed from his GRIT summer – and it’s like the rug was pulled out from underneath our feet.
Similar to his chronic issues in finding a right-winger to play with the BFF – and even when the Blueshirts, via dumb luck, were gifted with an energetic tough guy – and as they were with Matt Rempe – and for whatever reason, and following opening up the playoffs with a 6-0 record – and the Rangers reversed course.
As Rempe sat, the Feckless Finn, Kaapo Kakko, bounced all over the line-up, while Filip Chytil, who was never 100% healthy (and as the player and head coach admitted), returned.
And while Laviolette would’ve shelved Kakko for good if Jimmy Vesey didn’t sustain a shoulder injury (and as we saw in Game 2 of the ECF), but when Vesey did go do down – another big brute – a fellow skyscraper himself, Adam Edstrom, was never entertained by the bench boss.
But I am now replaying my “Greatest Hits” here – and I’ve also now strayed so far away from our top story in Rangerstown, USA today – the departure of Barclay Goodrow.
Let’s now get back on track.
As a disclaimer – and from the Department of “DUH” too – we’ve barely scratched the surface of Drury’s summer yet.
In fact – far from it – or should I say – so I hope!
In other words, I think there are plenty of more moves still coming – and where we still don’t even know the end result of the GM’s first move, when Drury re-signed Kakko last week.
(There’s always the possibility of a trade – and for my sake – such a scenario can’t happen soon enough – as much like other previous failures that I was right about, such as Vitali Kravtsov and Lias Andersson – I need this Finnish experiment to reach its conclusion!)
That said, and when you look at Drury’s first two moves in a vacuum – then what you’re seeing isn’t looking too promising – and let’s not forget that the other teams from the division will be improving too – and as the Devils most recently did following their trade for goaltender Jacob Markstrom on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, June 18th, it was reported that the Rangers had waived Barclay Goodrow.
I don’t know how others view Goodrow whenever speaking about the “RANGERS’ CORE,” but for me, and despite the “A” that was now once affixed to his jersey – I never viewed him in the same light as I do with Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba, Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin – the other “lettermen” and core players of this team – and largely due to the disparity in their salaries – which is pretty funny and ironic today when you consider that Goodrow was solely waived because of his cap-hit.
But to dare mention Zibanejad’s perennial playoff no-shows for $8.5M?
PERISH THE THOUGHT!
(The most common line of defense from M.I.A. supporters? He has a lot of assists! Not mentioned – most of them are secondary – and again – for $8.5M – HE HAS TO SCORE GOALS – and SHOW UP IN BIG GAMES too!)
While the intended end result of this Goodrow return to the Bay of San Jose did benefit the Rangers (no buyout/cap penalties); what I hate most about the salary cap prevailed once again on Wednesday, when the San Jose Sharks, who needed to add salary in order to reach the league’s minimal requirement, claimed Goodrow on “Juneteenth.”
In other words, and just like it was when Goodrow arrived in New York – a team only acquired his services because his former club could no longer afford him.
But unlike in Tampa, at least the Bolts won two Cups with him.
The Rangers?
They now are without one of their best players of the playoffs – and now without one of their best penalty killers too.
I’m sure that the Feckless Finn and the Concussed Czech will be able to fill-in for Goodrow – and just like how Kravtsov once filled-in for Buchnevich!
UGH!
As a result of Goodrow changing coasts again, the following figures are flying about all over Rangerstown, USA right now – and where you probably can recite them by heart too:
— $3,641,667, which is Goodrow’s annual salary cap-hit – and one now removed from the Blueshirts’ books.
— $12,848,476, which is approximately how much Drury will have to play around with this summer (according to the D.C. bound CapFriendly.com) – and while CZAR IGOR will finish out the last year of his current contract (and for that matter – Alexis Lafreniere too) next season – both players will need new deals for the 2025-26 season – and beyond.
Somewhat lost in these figures?
How the NHL salary cap is expected to exponentially increase over these next few years, as a result of all of the pandemic incurred losses now being made whole, where as a result, Goodrow, and despite his current fourth-line status, isn’t that bad of a deal in his later years – especially even more so when you consider how valuable he is when it matters most – the playoffs.
A prediction?
I expect these same fans who were holding parades today in light of the Goodrow news, to also be clamoring for Trocheck’s annual cap-hit of $5,625,000 to be exorcised from existence in no less than two-years time.
You heard it here first.
And bank on that!
Listen – I completely get it.
After all, who was the first person to tell you that Henrik Lundqvist’s final contract wasn’t a recipe for success?
(And to this day – I still hate that was the case – but again – that wretched salary cap that favors small markets – and teams that play in states with no income tax – thanks Bettman!)
Goodrow was making too much money – but we also knew this going into this deal.
Hell, I even said it at the time – and as I did back in July of ’21 on this site:
For regular readers of this site, then you know that I have the glass half-full approach and also favor the “EYE TEST” over analytics. In short, then I think a lot of the hate that you’re seeing right now from a whiny section of the fan base is all because Barclay Goodrow doesn’t do anything special that pops up on some foo-foo chart, spreadsheet or heat-map. When it comes to the analytical community, then nine out of ten times these people prefer a hairless acne-riddled European teenager rather than a throwback and kick-ass hockey player. That’s on them. For whatever reason, these people can’t comprehend that you just can’t have a roster full of skill-set players. You need a vibrant and a diverse roster to have success.
I do not care about what Goodrow is making. Is a $3.642M salary cap hit too high for Goodrow? Of course – I’m not debating that. However, that’s on the Rangers. They put themselves into this position. The Rangers don’t have a guy like Goodrow on their roster so the Rangers had to go out and buy one. It’s business. And really, come the Stanley Cup Playoffs, no one is going to give a shit about Goodrow’s contract. For Ranger fans, and if things go according to plan – Goodrow’s best value will come during the playoffs – and not during the regular season.
Sure, during the regular season, Goodrow will be there to ward off the Tom Wilson’s of the league and all of that other jazz; but at the same time, Goodrow is not going to light lamps for the Rangers either. That said, Goodrow’s role with this team is not to be a prolific scorer. The Rangers have guys like Panarin, Zibanejad, Fox, Lafreniere, Kreider and others of that ilk to carry the scoring load.
What Goodrow brings to the Rangers is all of the intangibles, including Stanley Cup championship experience, leadership qualities, a warrior mentality and someone who will be there for his teammates. If you’re trying to use analytics to talk about Goodrow – you may as well keep your head up your ass since that’s where the rest of the shit is.
Pretty spot on if I say so myself!
While I’ll reserve my feelings of fury about Kakko’s new deal in the event that he’s not traded; but when I look at the end of Goodrow’s time in New York – coupled with the Rangers’ plans for 2024-25 team – then I’m just not a fan of this move at all.
For all the talk about Goodrow’s salary, then how come no one is talking about Filip Chytil’s annual cap-hit of $4,437,500 – aka another of Drury’s misfires.
Goodrow, in his three-seasons with the Rangers, only missed five-games – and where he only missed games because of the birth of his first child – and while being fitted for new gear after receiving injuries.
Chytil, and if you can believe it, now has parts of seven NHL seasons under his belt, has never played a full 82-game season – and as we saw this season – all of his concussions are piling up for the player that the Rangers said earlier this year, “his health is our top priority.”
And while the black-and-white stats doesn’t even come close to speaking about Goodrow’s true worth – he does have 60 goals and 109 assists in 572 career games played.
Chytil?
64 goals and 80 assists in 337 games played.
(Also worth mentioning? Chytil is a former first-round pick. Goodrow fought for his NHL job as an undrafted player.)
But when you compare the two, while boiling it all down when answering the biggest question of them all – then who brings more to a WIN NOW team?
Without reservation – it’s Goodrow – and this can’t be debated.
Between his penalty killing and faceoff success, two traits/skill sets that Chytil doesn’t possess (in fact – Chytil was the league’s worst center at the dots during his last full season played) – then Goodrow has Chytil beat in every which way.
Then when you talk about leadership, gutting tough times out (as Goodrow’s fishbowl would suggest), winning experience/championship pedigree, and most importantly – SHOWING UP IN BIG GAMES – and this debate no longer has any merit – as Chytil being compared to Goodrow is like me or you being compared to him.
And while some will make much ado about Goodrow’s lack of regular season scoring – that was never his game anyway – and as noted earlier – never the reason why he was traded for either.
Chytil?
How many times does the future vegetable go for games on end without scoring a goal?
Like Chytil’s concussed memories – I too have also lost count.
Need more?
Then try this one on again for size:
The Rangers, and without Chytil this season, finished with their best record in franchise history – and a history that’s now two-years shy of a hundred-years.
Even crazier?
Chytil’s $4,437,500 cap-hit was only addressed at the trade deadline – and not many months before it as it ought to have been – and where let’s face it – Alex Wennberg and Jack Roslovic, the two players that Drury traded for when using Chytil’s LTIR savings, weren’t much of a difference either.
And when Chytil was erroneously rushed back for the playoffs?
Then he looked even worse than he did before – yet it’s he, and with his bigger contract to boot, that remains.
Why?
Just because he’s a “homegrown” guy?
Chytil’s playing time was something that the Rangers invested in during their rebuilding/post “The Letter” years.
To invest-and-pray that Chytil turns out to be a stud during WIN NOW seasons, and where guys like Panarin, CZAR IGOR, Kreider and Mika aren’t getting any younger either – well that’s just ludicrous.
And while the summer will eventually answer this question – who replaces Goodrow right now?
Jonny Brodzinski?
And what happens when Chytil inevitably misses time again next season?
At least moronic Ranger fans won’t be able to blame Goodrow’s almighty CORSI stat anymore.
Again – a reminder about the disclaimer posted above – a long summer is still ahead and these 2024-25 Rangers are nowhere close to being finalized yet.
That said, and in a “QUICK HOT TAKE” reaction – and when you look at Drury’s first two moves following the putrid choke-job against the Cats – then what has been learned here?
The GM re-signed one of the biggest draft pick busts of all-time and then bid adieu to a formidable and proven veteran.
Ugh.
However, the biggest message that’s being sent right now (and this soon can be rectified) is this:
For the Pizza Man – he continues to ignore his most glaring problem – his unsuccessful core – and a proverbial pie that may as well include an “excuse” appetizer with it.
(Excuse Garlic Knots? Or perhaps “sour grapes” and “lemon squares” are more apt!)
Rather than changing the recipe to his pizza pie that isn’t sitting well with anyone; instead, Drury is only changing the toppings.
At the end of the day, and whether it’s Pepperoni Goodrow, Anchovy Kakko or Pineapple Chytil – it doesn’t matter if your dough, “The Breadman,” the sauce, Zibanejad, and your cheese, captain Jacob Trouba, don’t rise when it matters most.
And while CZAR IGOR can heat up like an oven – but if his team is cooked – then even he can’t make this pie salvageable either.
One thing that I’ve often repeated on this site about this WIN NOW franchise still remains:
Despite everything going on right now, and really, anything that transpires thereafter – doesn’t mean a damn thing.
What I mean by that is that no matter how the team looks right now – it’s hard to see them missing the playoffs in 2025.
At “worst,” they should at least finish with a wild card seed.
What matters the most, and as it’s been ever since Drury got here, is what happens at the deadline – when all contenders make their final adjustments for their run.
Had the ALL-IN Drury from 2022 or 2023 been around in 2024 – then who knows – maybe we’re talking about the Rangers being one game shy of closing out on the Oilers right now.
But alas, the likes of Chad Ruhwedel, Jack Roslovic and Alex Wennberg weren’t Frank Vatrano, Andrew Copp, Patrick Kane (even if he wasn’t at 100%), Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola.
I know that I’ve been hammering this point for some time now – but these regular seasons are now becoming boring chores – and having to wait another full-year for a PROVE IT playoff run is unbearable.
But if there’s anything that I’d like to see before now and the first puck drop of the 2024-25 season, then it’s this:
A major change to the core.
Similar to Mike Gartner, and I don’t think that Mika Zibanejad is a playoff performer.
But of course, with a lengthy contract, and with a NMC attached – then he’s nearly impossible to move – and it would take some major hardball (threatening to permanently plant him in the press box) from Drury in order to make this happen – and where such an idea wouldn’t sit well with Mika’s teammates either.
As noted many times since the loss to the Panthers – and Trouba is the easiest to move due to his modified fifteen-team no move clause kicking in.
But should the Rangers move on from Trouba, then, and similar to Goodrow – the Rangers will be looking for a player just like him at the deadline.
They won’t be looking for players like Kakko, Mika and Chytil.
Drury’s failure at the deadline really put this team into a tough spot (a Stanley Cup win would’ve bought Drury ten-years – if not more than that – of wrongdoings and losses) – and for the last time for now – I will never comprehend his game-plan when he decided that Jack Roslovic was the missing piece of a championship puzzle.
And since the birdbrain beat reporters won’t ask the man hiding behind the curtain about his decisions – then we’ll never know, nor understand, his rationale.
Instead, and in another “Wizard of Oz” reference that we’re left asking, “what if he only had a brain!?!?”
We’re also left asking ourselves – is Drury the right man for the job?
But, and as noted before on this site, with owner James Dolan currently embroiled in a sexual assault lawsuit, due to his dalliance with Harvey Weinstein – then the other J.D. of Rangers’ history has bigger things on his mind than the state of his hockey team.
Then again Part I: For an owner that along with his precious Knicks, now has sixty combined seasons without a championship to show for it – then for the soon-to-be 70-year-old – time is tickin’ – and as a result – Drury’s clock should be tickin’ too.
Then again Part II: For Dolan, whose two teams generate the most profits in the leagues that they play in – does it matter? It’s not like he’s losing season ticket holders over this – and more important for him – both of his teams pack M$G on a night-in, night-out basis.
Now just imagine the alternative – if Dolan was running the Rangers in a non-hockey city.
And for Drury?
None of this will ruin his Christmas.
(And if you don’t get this Drury/X-Mas reference – then Google the date of 12/23/08 – and what the former captain, now GM, of this team said following a 5-4 overtime loss to the Capitals.)
Two final predictions as we get to the end of this somber summer slog of a blog:
One, with Goodrow out, it’s now time to put Trocheck in – as an official leader – and by sewing an “A” on his jersey. (And as noted before – if Trouba goes too – then I’m putting the “C” on the #16 jersey.)
Two, since the Sharks have no shot at the Stanley Cup in 2025, then I wouldn’t be shocked if Goodrow is traded to a contender (I’m thinking Tampa) at the 2025 deadline – and with San Jose retaining 50% of his contract.
And I wouldn’t be shocked to see Goodrow win another Stanley Cup either – because as we all know by now – every member of the alumni seemingly wins the Stanley Cup once leaving town.
Last but not least, enjoy Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final this Friday night, featuring Florida’s Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola – and head coach of the Oilers, formerly of the Wolf Pack, Kris Knoblauch too.
Ugh.
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!
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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:
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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:
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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.”
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To purchase Volume I: Conn Smythe (1926) – Craig Patrick (1986), visit Amazon.com
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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:
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Thanks for reading.
LET’S GO RANGERS!
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
@NYCTHEMIC on the Tweeter machine
How about instead of Tampa Bay re-acquiring him, Drury does?
It’s the 1st move. Before you hang Drury, let’ s see what the team looks like in about a month. It as as Brooks called it ruthless. And that’s waht you have to be.
You can’t pay a 4th line center, no matter how good, that kind of $. And Kakko’s contract doens;t preclude trading him.
Frankly would have no problem putting Chytil on waivers and seeing who bites. Nice guy, but never gonna be a bruising center, his production isn’t top 6, awful on faceoffs and ALWAYS HURT.
Mopey Mika pisses me off to no end. But Panarin wasn’t a bum at all. He had 4 GWGs in the early rounds and had Barkov in his face. Cats made a point of trying to shut down that line, and they still got some things done. 93 and 20, not so much. I understand off the Burns uncalled cross check 93 may not have been 100% but it’s the playoffs and everyone is banged up. Shoot and go to the net, for fuck’s sake. Too often they were offensively indifferent, dump the puck, skate around, back to the bench. Fuckin’ PASSENGERS. Look back on Kreider’s game 6 vs. Canes hattie and it leaves me totally confused; did they think the job was done?
Great blog as always, but definitely a frustrating and pretty much sad ending to this year. How does Drury not see this, give Kakko another contract and leave Chytil but waive Goodrow, like you said insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, not going to happen. Hopefully he will make more moves gearing towards the playoffs, and we have grit Rempe and Edstrohm, why were they not playing or playing at a minimum. Utilize the players you have, this is on the coach and hopefully Drury will move Trouba, and other moves. As of now, we are worse off for use, let’s see.
Othmann and Perreault. I know they’re just prospects and none of us including myself are talent evaluators but when hockey insiders and analysts (people who have access to more info and know more than we do) say that the Rangers got steals in the draft and then these prospects stand out and continue to dominate and develop yeah, I DONT want to trade them especially for a rental. I’ve seen too much of this in my lifetime as a fan. Some GMs would reason that if he didn’t win now he wouldn’t be around to see these prospects make their debuts anyway and take their one shot. This shortsighted approach has plagued us for decades. If you think that Guentzel or Vatrano would have been the difference in the Florida series and then against the Oilers that’s one opinion and it’s a fair one. The way the Panthers smothered us in our zone I don’t think one more goal scorer would have made a difference. That’s my opinion and I believe it’s also a fair one. Guentzel didn’t put Carolina over the top so there’s that. I’m not defending Drury because we don’t know how the next few years will play out. But I’m not burying him now either. Most of the players that everyone complains about were not his acquisitions and to say that he inherited some bad contracts would be an understatement. I’m giving the guy a chance. It’s only fair.