Whether your answer to that question is yes or no; then, and without a shadow of a doubt as well – and I can tell you that I haven’t missed the Rangers at all during my near two-month sabbatical – which also doubles-up as the longest break that I’ve ever taken from this site during its now thirteen-year existence.
(I still haven’t lost my ability to word-salad paragraphs! Holy Kamala Harris Batman!)
I can also tell you, with full certainty, that after these past two seasons of Rangers hockey – and I desperately needed that vacation.
That said, and as I repeated a few times last season too – I don’t know how much longer I’ll still do this – but hey – I’m here now!
Simply put, it’s just getting repetitive, boring, sickening and painful to watch this wretched franchise.
It’s even a billion times worse whenever writing daily manifestos about it too!
It also hurts when you make all of these predictions – and they all come true – and where sadly – these are all negative predictions about your favorite hockey team.
There are just better things to do in life – and where after the Knicks NBA championship victory – and I also fear that team owner, James Dolan, who finally got that ring that had eluded him throughout his lifetime – will now rest easy – and in turn – he can now go to the grave as a winner.
And with what the Florida Panthers recently pulled off?
Then I just don’t see any light at the end of this Blueshirt tunnel – and it’s going to be a long time before they are relevant/Cup contending again.
What a welcome back monologue – nothing but pure and unadulterated negativity – aka – “THE RANGERS WAY!”
That all out of my system?
Then with the past two months away from this site – and there’s plenty to discuss.
I know that I shouldn’t have let the news pile-up for as long as I did – but I just felt that there was no right time to post something without it becoming immediately dated.
And come July 1st, the date when the NHL Free Agency period opens – then all of this will sadly be dated!
Egads!
Let’s roll, and where I apologize in advance – I’m going to be in-and-out all over the place when trying to hit everything – but I will try my best to keep everything in some sort of a chronological fashion!
Before we proceed into the Knicks, the Stanley Cup Playoffs (and Final), the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, Chris Drury, Pavel Dorofeyev, the league, the UFC, the great U.S.A and everything else under the sun – then here’s where I last left off – the day when it was revealed that the Rangers had fell behind two spots in the Draft Lottery:
NHL Cartel Boss Señor Gary Bettman Rigs 2026 NHL Draft Lottery on Cinco De Mayo For Toronto; Chris Drury Remains a Burro, Rangers’ Pizza Man ZOOM ZOOM GM Pisses on Tradition; Ignores The Steven McDonald Good Luck Badge, Conspiracy Theories Galore; Why Dolan’s Knicks Aren’t Good For Blueshirt Backers Either, Hartford Wolf Pack (And Jed Ortmeyer Too) Pays For Drury’s Sins, Stanley Cup Playoffs (Let’s Go Ducks!), Looking Ahead to The Draft & More
I’m sure that someone is already writing a book or producing a TV series/movie/documentary about the 2026 U.S. National Hockey Team.
I’m also sure that whoever backs such a potential project will do a good job of it.
That said?
Then, and like any other historical event, then some passage of time will have to go by in order to present the entire story.
The (positive) ramifications of USA Hockey competing in two thrilling international tournaments in back-to-back years (Four Nations and the Olympics) has produced a butterfly effect in the NHL.
For over a year’s time now, and this program has united bonds between these men, including blood brothers (the Tkachuk’s and Hughes’), while creating everlasting life friendships too.
It also produced what is now being remembered as “THE GROUP CHAT” – a text chain among like-minded men, who all love America, hockey, and of course, WINNING, as well.
And like it or not – and none of these players are against Donald Trump – and as the limp-wristed liberal fake news media would like them to be.
For what it’s worth?
Then I also believe that even if some communist schmuck like the current NYC mayor was in the White House – and I still think that this entire group would’ve accepted an invite from him.
What these young players know, and it’s a shame that everyone else doesn’t know this too, is that the Olympics is all about loving and representing your country.
It doesn’t matter what side of the aisle that you’re on.
And while I’ll get into this in a little bit – then I’m also happy to hear that Dolan’s Knicks have accepted Trump’s White House invite too.
While yeah, this is all politics – but celebrating a major win with the sitting U.S. POTUS doesn’t have to be political too.
It’s just an honor – nothing more, nothing less.
I mean, how can you turn down an invite to meet the POTUS – and get a free tour of the White House to boot?
However, liberal fans, and most certainly Canadians too, have once again complained so much about something that has nothing to do with their wacky and extreme political beliefs, that in turn, it had a reverse effect.
(Keep in mind, these are also the same morons who will cry about the Giants’ quarterback, Jaxson Dart, hanging out with Trump – while ignoring every other National Felony League athlete that’s out-and-about murdering, kidnapping, beating women, selling drugs, killing dogs, etc. These are also the same demented individuals who will say “Free Palestine” while walking around naked at a LGBTQLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ?PI=3.14 parade.)
When the Americans took home Olympic gold, red-white-and-blue players in Canadian NHL markets received jeers and boos – and then were derided even harder following a grand celebration at the White House – including being invited to a Trump State of the Union address – a first-time and historical event for any athlete.
Quinn Hughes was already out of Vancouver and into Minnesota by the time Brother Jack Hughes scored his golden goal.
Following suit and Brady Tkachuk made it known – he wanted out of Ottawa – and that’s what happened.
It’s also being rumored that the man who was promised a Presidential Medal of Freedom by Trump, Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck, may soon join the Brothers Tkachuk in Sunrise too.
The Canadian hatred for American hockey success has created a ripple effect where even the only insider in the game today, SportsNet’s Elliotte Friedman, is reporting that the seven Canadian franchises are worried about drafting American players in the near-future.
With the NHLPA growing stronger, and with players having more freedom to move around than ever before in the salary cap system, then players can tell their respective teams that they won’t sign a new deal, and in turn, force a move to a more desirable location.
Two big reasons why this is the case?
The same two things that I first started bitching about ten-years ago on this site (and when everyone else was ignoring these subjects) – the never-ending amount of NMC’s – and the no state income tax teams.
As I’ve complaining about for over ten years now, the NHL has the worst salary structure in all of sports today.
All contracts are guaranteed – and where players trying to win can’t restructure their deals in order to get help – and as often is the case in both the NBA and NFL.
(We’ll get into this more in a bit – but thank you Jalen Brunson – one of the most selfless athletes of them all!)
And since hockey is the least profitable/watched sport among the four American leagues – then it’s also the least paying organization too – thus forcing players to get as much guarantees as possible.
The three other leagues fine/tax their teams for going over the cap, while also allowing restructuring.
The NHL bans all such activity – and where finally – everyone else is coming around to what I first brought up nearly a decade ago – the teams that play in no state income tax locales.
Funny enough?
Most of those cities are Republican states – such as Nevada, Florida, Texas, etc.
The NHL cities with the highest state income taxes you ask? The super liberal ones – such as New York, California and all of Canada.
Again, and I don’t know why it took everyone else so long to realize this, but it shouldn’t shock anyone that the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers have owned the East for most of this decade – and where only injuries in the Sunshine State perhaps allowed Carolina (a low income tax state, 3.99%), to win this year’s Cup.
The Vegas Golden Knights, where no such tax is found, has also represented the Western Conference in two of the past four Stanley Cup Finals.
Everything listed above – THE GROUP CHAT, NMC’s, state income taxes and the will to win, has changed the NHL landscape.
No NHL team wants a John Tavares 2.0 situation on their hands – as ever since Tavares spurned the Islanders for the Maple Leafs – and every team with a pending free agent, and whether it be a player even two-years away from his contract’s expiration date, has been traded away.
These American players, and unlike accepting-to-lose-as-long-as-I-get-paid players from other countries such as the half-and-half Swedish-Iranian Mika Zibanejad, and because of their expiring contracts with NMC’s attached, are now dictating terms – which has been a commonplace practice in the NBA for years.
While there were already some Stanley Cup winners on the 2026 gold medal hockey team (Jack Eichel, Jake Guentzel and Matt Tkachuk); the taste of international gold has created an undying hunger for NHL silver.
Jaccob Slavin, who just won the Stanley Cup on June 14th, will not be leaving his present location anytime soon – and for all of the obvious reasons.
We’ve already seen Brady Tkachuk join the Panthers – and as noted – we all know about the Hellebuyck rumors too.
Elsewhere, and Detroit’s Dylan Larkin wants out – and surprise, surprise – he’s only interested in going to Carolina, Florida, Vegas and the very Team USA friendly Minnesota Wild too (GM Bill Guerin and teammates Matt Boldy, Quinn Hughes & Brock Faber are all in the Land of 10,000 Lakes).
Guess what?
It’s also being reported that the current reigning-and-defending Norris Trophy winner, Zach Werenski, wants out of the losing culture in Columbus.
It should come as no shock that Werenski wants to be traded to a team that’s in WIN NOW mode – and preferably in a state with no income taxes too!
Of course, the biggest fish of the lot, Captain USA himself, Auston Matthews, is drawing the most talk – as perhaps outside of Brady Tkachuk – he’s drawn the most negative reactions since returning to his NHL team north of the border.
And with the Leafs in a state of a pure overhaul – then how long does AM34 want to remain in rebuilding Toronto?
His current deal runs through the end of the 2027-28 season – two years from now – and where Toronto knows what they did with John Tavares some summers ago.
How long before Matthews goes on and tries to chase a Cup in an American city with one of his golden teammates on the roster?
And if there was ever a hockey god, then Matthews for Mika would happen tomorrow!
However you feel about Trump, then this much is true:
American sports have never been better.
During my two-months away from this site, then coupled-in with Team USA’s hockey gold medal win from February, and we’ve seen the Knicks win the NBA title, a hell of a UFC show on the White House lawn, the 33rd consecutive year where a Canadian franchise didn’t win the Stanley Cup – and oh yeah – the excitement around soccer’s World Cup, hosted in this grand land of ours, to boot!
(The recent UFC White House show, while not the best that I’ve ever seen despite the seven knockouts on the card (UFC 100 and 200 immediately jump to mind when trying to figure out what the best UFC show ever was – and where I’m leaning towards the former – and for reference, I’ve been watching MMA since 1997), was one of the best TV spectacles that I’ve ever seen – and perhaps the best produced sporting broadcast that I’ve ever watched too.)
Similar to the Knicks, then I can’t tell you the last time that I’ve watched as much soccer as I’m presently watching right now.
Perhaps in 1994, akin to the Knicks, during the height of Tony Meola Mania!
While I do need a world map to find where some of these countries are (I kid, I kid – or am I), I just love the whole presentation and the rabid fan bases that attend these matches.
I also understand that the American team, much like the two other hosting countries, Canada and Mexico, were put in a group featuring lesser competition, but even so – it’s just nice to have something to root for – as I haven’t had much of that with the Rangers in recent times!
And while I don’t live-and-die with the Knicks like I do with Dolan’s other team – what I just saw this past Spring with the basketball team is something that I’ll never forget – and especially since their playoff run was historic – as they set records in both blowout and comeback victories.
The Knickerbockers also did this against two teams at the same time too – the Spurs and the Refs!
These past two months were easy to enjoy with all of this great action going on, including another successful Stanley Cup Final.
I know that many people hate Gary Bettman’s current format and would rather a traditional 1-8 seeding system – but not me.
While there are upsets in the more orthodox 1-8 system; but what’s so dramatic and entertaining about the NHL playoffs under this format are how many upsets that you’ll see throughout the course of the sixteen-team tournament.
And without question – because of the unorthodox seeding system – and you get the best first-round of playoffs in all sports.
Throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs (and this is a good time to remind you that you can get my real-time thoughts over on my Tweeter/X account, https://x.com/NYCTheMiC ) and I watched every game.
Outside of rooting for members of the alumni (and for Canadian teams to lose too – as my patriotism level has never been higher after the Team USA win), then I had no true rooting interest.
At times I was pulling for Minnesota (Mats Zuccarello), Tampa Bay (Captain Mac), Anaheim (Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba – and where yet again I was proven correct – Coach Q. is building another winner), Buffalo (their fan base deserved it – and I like Tage Thompson too), and of course, Vegas as well (Brett Howden and one of my favorite coaches of all-time, John Tortorella).
One team that I wasn’t rooting for at all were the eventual champions – the Carolina Hurricanes.
And of course, it wasn’t lost on me how the Rangers have had a lot of success against the Canes during recent playoff runs (the 2020 Covid Bubble be damned) – yet with both New York and Florida out of the picture – and it allowed the Canes to waltz their way to the Cup – somewhat akin to what Washington did in 2018.
But I am not a hater either – nor am I suggesting that an asterisk to be placed by their name.
They EARNED it.
Carolina, and like Tampa Bay before them, had been knocking at the door for a loooooooong time.
Needless to say – and this didn’t happen overnight.
Perhaps no head coach in the league deserved a Cup more than Rod Brind-Amour, who following the June 14th victory, now joins both Frank Boucher and Lester Patrick (even if he only played in one game), among a short-list selection of others, to win a championship with the same franchise as both a player and as a head coach.
When it comes to the Golden Knights’ loss, then I thought that they just ran out of gas.
But not to take anything away from Carolina – then they were just better too.
That said, and of course, Brett Howden, the league-leader in playoff goals this year, made the overpaid Mika Zibanejad look like shit.
And there was the late replacement John Tortorella, who almost won a Stanley Cup from two different conferences.
There was also K’Andre Miller – and where it didn’t surprise me for one second that he emerged victorious in his first year away from New York.
One more time – I’ve been doing these daily manifestos/blogs for over thirteen years – and where in that time – I’ve also authored ten books.
In other words, then everything I’ve previously said can easily be found.
(And that’s why I prefer writing over podcasting – it’s easier to find archives.)
I don’t want to do the whole toot-my-horn, pat-myself-on-the-back stuff; but yeah – I do feel like my prediction track record has a high success rate.
I bring this up after several conversations with other people, both fans, bloggers and podcasters alike, who all agree – the social media world has entered a new generation – and for yours truly – I think this is the third generation of Ranger fans that are around today.
While there are still some old-heads and boomers like me still out there – it’s a younger person’s game – and where this new generation has the attention span of a flea.
And oh yeah – I’m getting old too – so old that I now need cheaters/peepers to read books – and another reason why I print my books in 14-pt font (I know my audience)!
As noted above, I was the first person to bring up the alarming number of NMC deals being handed about throughout the league (and where this is common practice with the Rangers), the state income tax stuff, how the Henrik Lundqvist contract wouldn’t produce a winner (I got a lot of hate for that prediction that was proven correct with time), how CZAR IGOR would be a stud (I first said this in 2017), and about a million other things that I don’t want to bore you with.
(And to be fair – I did have predictions that didn’t hit too – like 2024 Stanley Cup Champions, The New York Rangers. How Drury messed up that deadline still haunts me at night.)
However, I must also remind you, and for the sake of what I’m about to say next, is that I also said that K’Andre Miller would flourish in Carolina under Brind’Amour.
Miller, sans one bad game (everyone has them), was an absolute stud for the Canes.
He was also their leader in playoff ice time too.
Miller now joins a long list of Ranger alumni to have won a Cup within 1-3 years of leaving New York, including recent honorees such as Ryan McDonagh, Kevin Shattenkirk, Carl Hagelin, Brad Richards, Brett Howden, Vladimir Tarasenko, Dan Carcillo, etc.
Granted, while perhaps it was Miller’s time to go – but why did I, and like many of you guys & gals too, know that he’d do well in Carolina?
Why couldn’t New York get the best out of him?
Miller, now through with the first year of an eight-year pact that pays him $60M in total ($7.5M AAV), could never play hockey again – and he’ll still go down in history as both a rich man and as a winner.
For many of the Rangers, then they’ll only go down as financially set for life.
Before getting into the Knicks, some other rapid-fire thoughts about the Stanley Cup Final and the NHL in general:
— For as much as I can’t stand the Carolina Hurricanes, then you must respect and appreciate what they did. And how about Miko Raantanen, now in Dallas, who wanted no part of them? Fortunately for him, and he’s already won a Cup in the past (2022, Colorado).
— I’m sure that Logan Stankoven is a very happy man these days too!
— Who celebrated Carolina’s win/Vegas’ loss more – Cane fans or Leaf fans?
— Had Mitch Marner won a Cup in his first year in Sin City – and where he could’ve perhaps won the Conn Smythe Trophy too – then you would’ve never heard the end of it in Toronto.
— And imagine if Brett Howden won both the Cup & Smythe this year? Say what you want about Zibanejad – but he never has even come close to having a playoff run like the former Ranger had this year. Plus, Howden has already had his day with the silver chalice. DJ Mika just spins bad records.
— Kudos to long-time Cane, Jordan Staal, who did win the Conn Smythe Trophy. Marc’s brother, Captain in Carolina, put on an epic showing for the ages.
— Taylor Hall, a former first-overall pick, and who has been in-and-out of many NHL cities, including New Jersey where he robbed Connor McDavid out of a Hart Trophy (2018), did something that no other former Oiler first-overall pick, including #97, has ever done – and as he did when he hoisted the Stanley Cup over his head.
— I am hearing that Adam Hermtrans reported that Tony DeAngelo, now re-signed on Long Island for two more years ($9M overall/$4.5M-per), stole K’Andre Miller’s Stanley Cup puck.
— John Tortorella, not re-signed in Vegas after the loss, should get an NHL job elsewhere. However, if he doesn’t, then will ESPN take him back after refusing to do interviews with them after the VGK WCF series win against Anaheim?
— There’s a reason why the old guard is still around – they can win – and as both Coach Q. & Torts showed us. However, I’m not so sure about the Mike Babcock hiring in Edmonton – and where I can see McDavid, on a two-year deal, bolting if things don’t go according to plans.
— Another member of the old guard, Peter Laviolette, a regular of the Metro Division (previous stops with the Rangers, Islanders, Washington, Philadelphia and Carolina), is now in Los Angeles with “old friend” NDA Panarin. The Kings look messy right now and I don’t see L.A.violette getting them over the hump – and especially not so with a pissed-off Oiler team, an on-the-rise Duck squad and a surging Sharks’ franchise all in the division.
— And you know that Vegas will be right back in the thick of things, now with new head coach Ryan Craig spearheading the charge too.
— Congratulations to one of my favorite players, Vinni Lettieri, on winning the 2026 AHL Calder Cup Trophy. Lettieri, who never got a fair shot with the Rangers, led the entire 2026 American League postseason in scoring with 26 points. He also scored the game winning goal of the AHL final too.
— Similar to NDA Panarin, who rejected an astronomical deal from the Seattle Kraken ($42M/three years) – and Dallas’ Jason Robertson, who seemingly won’t re-sign with the Stars, turned down a multi-year offer that would’ve paid him $15M+ a season.
— The Kraken have tried – but no star wants to go there. This goes back to what I said earlier – these players want no part of these ultra-liberal cities and the high-tax rates that come with it. While Washington state doesn’t presently have a state income tax, a millionaire tax will go into effect in 2028 – which will feature a 9.9% tax rate.
— For somebody that’s black-and-white/eye-test – then yes – it does sicken me that we’re always talking about state taxes. But hey – at least these are real numbers – and unlike the fake ANALytical shit that Sieve Vagistat barfs on you!
Two last NHL stories before getting into the Knicks, the Pavel Dorofeyev trade, the NHL Draft and everything else.
Of course, we must fully discuss Brother Brady joining Brother Matt in Cat Land.
I said everything that I wanted to say about this trade on my Tweeter account (https://x.com/NYCTheMiC ), but yeah – following the news of Brady Tkachuk going to Florida – then who is beating the Panthers this season?
While injuries, which took Florida, the now former three-time reigning-and-defending Eastern Conference champions, out of the mix in 2025-26 – but will such a thing happen two years in a row?
And this time around – Florida has the depth to cover up multiple ailments.
No joke?
The most NHL bets placed on sportsbooks following the trade were future bets on the Panthers winning the 2027 Stanley Cup.
Not only does Florida have the winning culture, a team full of shit-kickers, clutch players and former champions – but you know that under GM Bill Zito – the Cats will only add come the trade deadline.
Seriously:
It feels like the only way that the Panthers don’t win the Stanley Cup next season is if they have a plane crash – or if the Canadian silver medalists copy-cat what their golden peers did – and try to form super-teams north of the border.
For fans of the Great White North – the former is more likely than the latter!
I mean, just take a look at this line-up – but don’t pay much attention to the goalies either:
As you can see – and this line-up screams “THREE TIME STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS, THE FLORIDA PANTHERS!”
And yep – there’s no state tax in MAGA Florida either – and where if you don’t know this by now, then here you go:
Most NHLers, perhaps as high as 98% of them, don’t vote for looney liberals.
The Panthers having a winning culture only enhances the club’s chances of landing WIN-NOW veterans.
As of right now, and this will change soon enough, perhaps as soon as July 1st, and the Panthers are without a starting goalie.
Incumbent Sergei Bobrovsky, a two-time Cup winner in Sunrise, wants to be paid.
Bob, who will turn 38-years-old, wants a multi-year deal – but as we saw in the Stanley Cup Final, one that featured the previous out-of-the-league Carter Hart (VGK) vs. former AHL lifer Brandon Bussi (CAR) – then you don’t need to pay a goalie in order to win.
Gee, I wonder who first said that in 2014?
As noted above, it’s being reported that Team USA and Winless in Winnipeg goalie, Connor Hellebuyck, is looking to get the hell out of liberal Canada.
Hellebuyck is presently in the middle of a seven-year/$59.5M deal that runs through the 2030-31 season.
Granted, had this deal featured an expiration date next season or the year beyond – then there would be much more pressure on the Jets to get a return for him.
But we’re talking five years right now.
While the Panthers do have some cap space to play around with, they’d also have to remove someone from their roster (Evan Rodrigues is the player that comes up the most during such hypothetical situations), while also having to part with some draft picks in order to get Winnipeg to assume some of Hellebucyck’s cap hit.
It should also be mentioned that Hellebuyck, the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, is 33-years-old.
In other words – he’s no spring chicken.
While I was the first to say, and where I’ve said it many times over too (archives don’t lie) – “the Rangers’ 2024 Eastern Conference loss will go down as the peak of this core – and they must rebuild now” – but I hold no ill-will for the Cats.
What I mean here is that I’m hoping that Florida finds a way to land Hellebuyck – while telling Bobrovsky “thanks for the memories” too.
As a full-blooded American – and since the Rangers have no shot either – then I just want something to root for – akin to how I felt about the Knicks this year.
And while I know there are people who just hate the Tkachuk’s – I adore them – and most especially so following their antics at the Four Nations tournament (three fights in nine seconds – NEVER FORGET).
Whether it’s Bob, The Hucklebuck or someone else as Florida’s starting backstop for the 2026-27 Stanley Cup Championship season; another roster spot that remains to be filled is the back-up goaltender position.
Another thing that would get me on the Florida bandwagon?
One of my favorite goalies of all-time – Cam “THE GOALBUSTER” Talbot – and where should he play next season – he’ll be the oldest goalie in the league.
(Where does the time go? And once again – yeah – I’m an old fart now too!)
Talbot, who turns 39-years-old on July 5th, is still serviceable.
And since he’s never won a Stanley Cup – then why not Cup chase as a back-up in a tax-friendly location?
Another aging veteran, another one of my favorites and an ex-Ranger too, Patrick Kane, turns 38-years-old on November 19th.
He’s done everything there is to do – and he’s an automatic future Hall of Famer too.
But should he desire a fourth Stanley Cup – then why not join Florida on a one-year veteran minimum deal?
After all, it’s not like he needs the money!
And yep – should Kane, Talbot and Hellebuyck all go to Florida – then I’m going to be unbearable with my “GO CATS GO” shit!
Seriously – Kane, the greatest American player of all-time, on a team featuring many gold medal Olympians, would make my day.
USA! USA! USA!
While my country will always come first – I also love my state – but we’ll get into the Knicks right after we quickly blow through another horrendous performance out of the cloak-and-dagger Hockey Hall of Fame secret society committee.
Nothing against the six people who will be enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame later this year – Patrice Bergeron, Keith Tkachuk, Brian Burke, Cindy Curley, Pekka Rinne and Carey Price – but really?
In my opinion, then only Bergeron is a slam-dunk Hall of Famer – while the rest of this class are in the Hall of Very Good.
And let’s say what it is – Curley is this year’s token female inductee – and at the expense of men who truly deserve to be there.
(It’s my contention that if the HHOF needs to induct a woman for the woke crowd, then why not just have a bigger class, rather than omitting one rightful male candidate?)
Seriously, does Curley belong in the Hall of Fame more than the likes of routine snubs such as Rod Brind’Amour, Patrik Elias, Henrik Zetterberg, etc?
And for FUCK’S SAKE (I don’t use the f-word lightly on this site) – how is Rinne or Price more deserving than this guy:
Really, Rinne?
The Price is Right?
Get the eff outta here.
If anything, then these two inductions from the realm of “Very Good” have not only opened the floodgates for Mike Richter fans like myself – but also for the likes of Ryan Miller, Lorne Chabot, Curtis Joseph, Chris Osgood, Dave Kerr and about a zillion other goalies.
And what else does my buddy, the now 94-year-old, Stan Fischler have to do?
If only “The Maven,” now living in a kibbutz in Israel, was Canadian.
Granted, while I’m a fan of all things Tkachuk-related – but Big Walt retired sixteen-years ago and wasn’t a Hall of Famer at the time.
What, his sons are kicking ass, so he gets in now?
While I really have no issue with the patriarch of the Tkachuk family getting his day; but if we’re doing comparisons, which is what we all do whenever a HOF class is announced – then there is no way that Keith Tkachuk belongs in the HOF more than Rod Brind’Amour.
What does truly peeve me is seeing a token woman inductee, two goalies who never won shit and Brian Burke getting in over Mike Richter and Stan Fischler.
But since this is hockey, where everything is ran ass-backwards – then there is no public reveal on who the committee voted for
Needless to say, and these days, the Hockey Hall of Fame has as much prestige as the randomly-selected WWE HOF.
The HHOF is also nowhere close to the most prestigious HOF in all of sports today – the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
Knicks time.
As noted earlier, then all over the internet, including from diehard Ranger fans who don’t really follow the Knicks on a daily basis (including Howie Rose and M$GN’s Dave Starman), then I too was like many of these people – as I’ve never watched more basketball during these past two months as I did during the last twenty or thirty years of my life.
Over the course of this site’s history, I may have mentioned once or a thousand times before that I enjoyed the NBA when growing up.
Like many, time passes and whatever took place in your generation is viewed as the best thing ever in your eyes – and this goes for sports, music, movies, everything alike.
After all, that’s why nostalgia is also big business.
A lot of things turned me off on basketball.
For starters, and while I did just say that I was invested in whatever the Florida Panthers do next season, and I missed how all the NBA rivalries eroded due to the mega superstar players being able to dictate where they wanted to win.
The intensity in the rivalries between Celtics/Lakers, Bulls/Knicks, Knicks/Heat and all of the other feuds either faded or were just flat-out lost.
And if it wasn’t for last year, and another epic Knicks rivalry, their feud with the Indiana Pacers, was pretty much forgotten about too.
However, this just wasn’t it for me, as here’s just a short list of what else made me give up on basketball and/or the Knicks in general:
— How the NBA game became a 5 x 5 three-point contest – and with no fundamentals such as boxing out to be seen.
— The non-stop gambling and rigged referees. This has been a major problem in the NBA, even as most recent of last year when multi-millionaires such as Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones were all busted/arrested for shaving points and throwing games.
— Keep in mind – I also lost some coin on the 2002 Western Conference Final (I bet the Kings over Lakers) – only for it to be revealed some years later that the entire series was rigged by NBA official Tim Donaghy.
— The Knicks weren’t very good. Sure, I jumped in-and-out when Linsansity (20 points, 10 assists and your choice of soup, soda or egg roll) got hot and I did enjoy other players too (I always thought David Lee was good), but much like the Rangers – and Dolan’s NBA team had a long drought too.
— I hated former Knicks’ executive Isiah Thomas. I never liked him as a player and when it was revealed that he was involved in all of these sex scandals and where all Dolan did was pay off people & protect his executive – then I was just sour on the whole ordeal – akin to how I feel about NDA Panarin.
I recently brought up on this site that there is someone that I work with that’s a big NBA fan.
During the past three-years (new job site), and I’ve been watching Knick games with him from time-to-time, including that silly NBA Cup thing.
All of my old man BOOMER complaints to this 29-year-old co-worker were at least understood – but very often debated.
As I was whining about “all they do is shoot threes,” then his counterpoint was also accurate – these players have evolved from the time when I was an avid fan.
What, they aren’t supposed to hit threes because some guy thinks his generation was better?
Today, you have these alien monsters, such as the 7’5″ villain known as Wemby, draining three’s like it’s nobody’s business. The Knicks’ center, Karl Anthony Towns (my favorite Knickerbocker), can hit three-pointers with his eyes closed.
The days of Shaq, Hakeem, Ewing, D-Rob and others like them, just pounding the paint are gone.
Like anything else, including technology, and the NBA has evolved.
Either jump on or jump off.
If there was one thing that my co-worker, fifteen years my junior, could fully agree with me on, then it was the officiating.
It remains as terrible as ever.
It is faker than pro wrestling.
The Knicks ultimately got the outcome that all of their fans desired – but let’s face it – they were playing two teams throughout the final round – the Spurs & the refs.
In hockey, we are aware that the officials protect stars, and whether it be a Sidney Crosby, a Connor McDavid or a Wayne Gretzky.
But I have never seen such one-sided officiating as I did throughout this year’s NBA Final – so bad that it should be investigated.
I don’t want to gripe and moan on-and-on about this – but yeah – what constitutes a flagrant foul is anyone’s guess – but I just know that Wemby can murder someone and that’s okay.
While watching the Knicks’ playoff run, then, and similar to my patriotism for all things USA, including the soccer and hockey teams, and I had another feeling rise up in me – being proud to be a New Yorker.
Granted, while the politicians are just vile and evil creatures, then, and at the same time – nothing unifies us more than professional sports.
The Knicks certainly proved that – and since they dominate their market (nobody cares about the Nets, while the Rangers/Islanders split hockey, the Giants/Jets split football and the Yankees/Mets split baseball) – and they just absolutely owned the Big Apple.
The two million plus at their parade sure proved that – and when you have people making six-figures stealing garbage cans during it – then that shows you how crazy this city got over the whole thing:
In my four-volume set, “One Game At a Time,” I wrote about every game that the Rangers played in their 2021-22 season.
Despite a finish that featured an Eastern Conference Final loss – and much like the 2014 Stanley Cup Finalist team too – and I was proud of them.
They were just so damn likable.
Throughout this Knicks’ run – and I felt the same exact way about them as I did with these two previous Ranger teams.
You could see that they all believed. You could see that they were all there for each other. There was no selfishness. There was no finger-pointing when things got bad. They all played for each other and their positivity was contagious.
Granted, while I would’ve much preferred a Rangers’ parade over a Knicks’ parade – but I was just happy to see a likable team from New York go all the way.
Jalen Brunson, MVP of the final and now living at the top of the mountain with other recent heroes such as Mark Messier, Mike Richter, Brian Leetch, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Eli Manning and Michael Strahan in NYC, left $100M on the table when signing his most recent deal.
Why?
Because he wanted to win – and he wanted to win here.
With ample cap space available due to Brunson settling for less and Knicks’ GM Leon Rose was able to bring in all of the pieces, including Towns, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado, etc.
Brunson left $100M on the table – but after what happened on June 13th, 2026 – and he’ll be ten-times richer as the years go on.
Hell, just think about all the money saved moving forward on food/restaurants – as like many other NYC elite championship athletes – and he’ll never have to go into his wallet again.
Heck, right now, and Fanatics, for their upcoming July convention, are charging nearly $1,000 in order to take a picture with him. JUST A PICTURE – NO AUTOGRAPH INCLUDED!
This Knicks’ win will be everlasting – and after Anunoby’s “The Tip,” a play that will now be remembered more fondly than John Starks’ “The Dunk” – and I wonder how many babies will be named “O.G.” come March of 2027!
Speaking of Starks – and it was a treat seeing how all of the Knicks’ alumni, all from different generations, attended every game, including but not limited to, Walt Frazier, Patrick Ewing, Starks, Latrell Sprewell, Larry Johnson, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudamire and a bevy of others.
Charles Oakley, still embroiled with a feud with Dolan, made the road games, as his M$G ban is still in effect.
I was just hoping that prior to Game 3 of the NBA Final and with Donald Trump in the house, that the POTUS would be able to broker peace between one of my favorite Knicks and the owner.
It wasn’t meant to be – but had Oakley and Dolan buried the hatchet – then that would’ve been bigger than hopeful peace in the Middle East!
I know that this is a hockey blog/site, but bear with me – as we do have to talk about Dolan a bit before moving on.
Dolan, with over sixty seasons as professional owner (Rangers and Knicks), finally got his championship.
For everything ever written and said about Dolan, 99% of it negative – and that all goes away.
Need an example?
Then just take a look at how George Steinbrenner was remembered after the last Yankees run – a run that produced four World Series victories in five years – then one more right before he passed away.
For all of the venom, feuds with Billy Martin and scandals – and Steinbrenner became a grandfatherly figure after the Jeter/Rivera Yankees came to prominence.
Once known as a meddling owner, he was now beloved.
And doesn’t that sum up Dolan these days too?
There’s an old saying, “winners write history.”
And Dolan is just that – a winner.
Crazier than that?
Then, and for the first time in my 44-years – and Dolan today is now the best owner in all of New York!
Who would’ve thought?!?!?!
This Knicks’ championship has completely lionized Dolan, and for people who are politically aligned with me – then he’s really become a blue-eyed babyface.
Between his alliance with Trump and telling the commie scum mayor to eff off – and Dolan has become a hero in New York.
And I don’t say any of that lightly.
Without the victory, and had Dolan died tomorrow, then all of his obituaries would talk about how he never won, how he interfered too much and how he was just a silver-spooned nepo-baby.
Should Dolan die before the time you read these very words – and now every obituary will paint him out as a hero amongst men – and the man who delivered a championship to New York.
While Dolan rarely interferes with the Rangers, and in my opinion, that has hurt them (twenty years of Glen Sather was nineteen years too much – and allowing Drury to do his thing for this long too has become painful); conversely and the Knicks, from management to the players, all love him.
After all, then you don’t see any of the alumni, including current employees Ewing and Starks, championing in the media for Dolan to end his feud with their former teammate and close friend, Charles Oakley, at all.
There are two things that tell you how much these Knicks love Dolan these days – and this was long true before they hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy over their heads.
One, and by now, you must’ve heard about his “no sex” speech that he delivered to his team.
If not, then here it is:
Of course, I saw liberal fans complaining about this the second this video was released – and where since this is a younger and dumber generation, more idiotic than ever before – and none of them knew that this was common practice in sports for a long time, most notably in boxing.
For those who don’t know, then the belief is that all of the pent up testosterone gives you, the athlete, an edge over your opponent.
While we’ve never heard of a pro sports owner make such a mandate before (it wasn’t really a demand, but more of a stern suggestion); but privately, and this is why many teams, including NHL squads, prefer to stay at hotels for home games prior to big playoff games.
Yeah this may be all “GRUNT GRUNT GRUNT” caveman stuff to the least intelligent people out there; but there is a proven science behind this.
There’s also no distractions.
The fact that these players – and all of their wives & girlfriends (who are also all getting championship rings from Dolan for their “sacrifice”) – all decided to abide by their owner speaks volumes.
I mean, could Shawn Kemp do this?
Another thing that spoke to the strong bond between Dolan and his players was that the Knicks, and unlike every other NBA championship team with Trump in office – DID accept their White House invite.
Again, Dolan is a big Trump guy (even allowing DJT to use M$G for free during one of his 2024 rallies) – and where I also suspect that most of his players, who have now seen the light and/or what their taxes are under liberal politicians, are also MAGA.
Publicly, and we’ve seen Brunson shun the mayor while also hearing KAT speak out in support of both Trump and his owner.
What a far cry from the days when the spokesman of China, Lebron James, implied that Dolan was a “racist” for using the word “posse” when talking about NBA players forming super-teams in the league.
And it wasn’t that long ago when players didn’t want to play for Dolan either.
As I said above – winning changes everything – and the Knicks won’t have any trouble (sans cap issues) when trying to recruit new hires.
To tie this all in with the Rangers, then what I said last year, when the Knicks were in the middle of the Eastern Conference Final, remains truer than ever before:
I just don’t think Dolan will care that much about the Rangers.
He got his championship.
The long wait is over.
As long as his hockey team remains profitable – and despite everything – it will – then he won’t care.
While perhaps a Knicks’ victory hurts the Rangers – then as New York sports fans – that’s a Chris Drury problem – and not a James Dolan problem.
But, and as you’d expect – you’ll see a lot more Knicks’ gear on the street than you will with Rangers’ apparel.
While basketball has always been bigger than hockey; I can also remember a time, the summer of 1994, where that wasn’t the case.
What also amused me about the Knicks’ win was that in 1994, I was 12-years-old – so I wasn’t a long suffering Rangers fan just yet – and as I am now today!
My eldest niece, ten-years-old, got to see the Knicks win a championship.
I just hope that she, now in all of her Knicks’ glory and swag, won’t become a long suffering fan of the team like I became with my favorite team!
There have been many memorable moments at the Garden – but where this one will take the cake for some time:
Real quick, as I know that I’ve been going on long enough (but hey – this is my first time back in two months – and who knows when the next one will be – so in turn, you have plenty of time to get through this), but I’ve seen a lot of talk about the four people who should be on a proverbial New York sports Mount Rushmore.
Derek Jeter, Mark Messier, Eli Manning and Jalen Brunson are the four top names, as you have to use one player from each sport – and where let’s face it – nobody cares about the Mets, Jets, Nets and Islanders either!
All of this Mount Rushmore stuff is used to drive debate because let’s face it – if we’re doing an all-time N.Y. sports Mount Rushmore – then it starts and ends with Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle.
If we are just to use athletes from the past 32-years (so this way, Mark Messier can be included – as you don’t want a King without a crown representing the Rangers here), then what’s funny about Brunson, and just like his fellow #11, Messier himself, is that the only reason why both of them are included is because they finally ended a fifty plus year losing drought.
If we are to be honest with ourselves here, then Mariano Rivera belongs on any Mount Rushmore.
Brunson and/or Messier should be bumped for Rivera, the greatest closer in all of baseball.
You just can’t bump Captain Clutch, #2, Derek Jeter at all!
Eli Manning won two championships, which is how many Brunson and Messier won (in N.Y.) combined.
That said, and Brunson has plenty of time to win another one – and another one – and perhaps a few more after that!
Of course, all of this is just internet and bar room debate and none of this matters.
What does matter is that Jeter, Manning, Messier and now Brunson, are ICONS – and they’ll always be remembered in a positive fashion.
Something not remembered in a positive fashion?
The 2025-26 Rangers’ season – and as I predicted two years ago – I don’t see them turning the corner anytime soon either.
Instead, I just feel they are in a perpetual half-rebuild/half-pregnant state – and that’s not a compliment.
That said, I’m loyal, I’ll still be watching, and in turn, let’s cover all of the Ranger news that I missed during the past two months.
As the rumors still continue to swirl about Vincent Trocheck and his future (more below), then in a move that went under the radar on June 21st and the Rangers re-upped CZAR IGOR’s assumed back-up goaltender for the 2026-27 season, Dylan Garand.
Garand agreed to a two-year pact worth $1.75M overall ($875K AAV).
As we all know, and with Jonathan Quick now retired, and this will be a big year for Garand, as he’ll get a chance to play once a week.
And should he be successful?
Then, and due to CZAR IGOR’s monster contract – and Garand may seek employment elsewhere at the end of this deal – a starter’s job.
Hey, it happened before under CZAR IGOR’s predecessor, as three of Henrik Lundqvist’s back-ups, Cam Talbot, Antti Raanta and Alexandar Georgiev, all got life-changing money and starter jobs at the end of their back-up tenures in the Empire State.
The following comes from https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-acquire-william-trudeau-in-exchange-for-brett-berard :
New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has acquired defenseman William Trudeau from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Brett Berard.
Trudeau, 23, appeared in 62 games for the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL) during the 2025-26 season. He matched his career high of eight goals and tallied 12 assists for 20 points. Among all Rocket defensemen, Trudeau ranked third in goals and fourth in assists and points. He also appeared in five postseason contests.
The Varennes, Quebec native has skated in 260 games across four AHL seasons, all with Laval, and has registered 28 goals and 62 assists for 90 points. He has also appeared in 15 postseason contests and recorded three assists. During the 2024-25 season, he tied for second among all Laval defensemen in goals (5) and ranked fourth in points (19). He established career highs in assists (16) and points (24) during the 2023-24 season. Prior to playing professionally, the 6-1, 205-pound defenseman spent three seasons skating with the Charlottetown Islanders of the QMJHL. He recorded 20 goals and 70 assists for 90 points in 166 games.
Trudeau was originally selected by the Canadiens in the fourth round, 113th overall, of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Berard had plenty of chances to make his case under Mike Sullivan and it just never happened.
I know that very often, fans tend to fall in love with their prospects, but to be mad about parting ways with Berard is silly.
He had his opportunities and it just never worked out.
As far as the Canadian import, Trudeau, goes, then I don’t know a thing about him, outside of the fact that he’s a defenseman – and where loading up on blue-liners seemed like Drury’s top priority at the draft.
Drury’s biggest move of this off-season yet took place just minutes before he made his fifth-overall selection at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
The following comes from https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-acquire-pavel-dorofeyev-in-exchange-for-2026-first-round-draft-pick-2026-third-round-draft-pick-and-2028-conditional-first-round-draft-pick :
New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has acquired forward Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick (26th overall), a 2026 third-round pick (92nd overall) and a 2028 conditional first-round pick.
Dorofeyev, 25, appeared in all 82 games for the Golden Knights, one of only four Vegas skaters to do so, for the second-consecutive season in 2025-26. He established career highs of 37 goals and 27 assists for 64 points, 20 power play goals and 30 power play points. His 20 power play goals ranked second in the NHL. He led the Golden Knights in goals, power play goals and power play points (30), ranked second in shots (230), fourth in points and seventh in assists. He skated in 22 postseason games with Vegas in their run to the Stanley Cup Final, recording 12 goals and four assists for 16 points.
Across five NHL seasons, the Nizhny Tagil, Russia native has recorded 92 goals and 57 assists for 149 points in 231 career NHL games, all with Vegas. Since the 2022-23 season, Dorofeyev ranks second among all Golden Knights skaters in goals (92) and tied for fifth in points (149). During the 2024-25 season, he notched a career high of seven game-winning goals and 254 shots, leading the team in both categories. He has appeared in 31 postseason contests and tallied 13 goals and five assists for 18 points.
The 6-1, 194-pound forward appeared in 87 games for the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League (AHL) across three seasons and collected 45 goals and 37 assists for 82 points. He skated in seven postseason contests with the Silver Knights and scored three goals. Prior to playing North American professional hockey, Dorofeyev spent parts of three seasons in the KHL between Metallurg Magnitogorsk and Traktor Chelyabinsk, recording nine points (5G-4A) in 71 games.
Dorofeyev was originally selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the third round, 17th overall, of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
I’ve watched a lot of Vegas hockey since their inception, an expansion team that’s made three SCF in their first nine years.
I found the Rangers’ press release about the Dorofeyev trade to be telling:
“Dorofeyev was originally selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the third round, 17th overall, of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.”
The Rangers gave up two first-round picks (one conditional) and a second-rounder for him – then overpaid him (they have the cap money to do so, so I’m fine with it).
Why bring this up?
Easy – the Rangers once had another Pavel, one that they drafted in the third-round too, Buchnevich.
In one of Drury’s first moves as GM, he traded Buchnevich for Sammy Blais (not his fault that P.K. Slewban maimed him) and a second-rounder.
The Rangers then spent their most recent contending years trying to replace Buchnevich – but it’s not like anyone besides me knew that Kakko and Kravtsov were going to be busts.
Isn’t that amazing Suzyn? (RIP John Sterling.)
The 25-year-old Russian, who was making $1,835,000 per season, was up for a new deal, hence why WIN NOW Vegas made this deal.
The Rangers, following the trade, quickly inked the new favorite son of Brighton Beach to a seven-year deal worth $77M overall ($11M AAV).
When the trade was first announced, I was surprised – because, and as noted – Vegas has always been WIN NOW!
While I understand the salary cap ramifications; Vegas has always been able to wiggle around them.
For them to acquire draft capital is unheard of, but as their GM, Kelly McCrimmon, said – they just couldn’t afford to give Dorofeyev a ten-million dollar raise.
And of course, since Vegas is more star struck than New York these days – then the money saved on Dorofeyev here may lead them to landing either Dylan Larkin and/or Zach Wereneski in the off-season.
As said, I’ve watched a lot of Vegas. Dorofeyev, in my eyes, seems to be the real deal.
I saw some naysayers complain about how the Russian fell off as the playoffs went along, but what also wasn’t mentioned, that outside of Brett Howden – and the entire VGK squad fell off once the first puck was dropped during the Stanley Cup Final.
By Game 3 – and it was like Vegas just had no more left to give.
For all intents and purposes, then Dorofeyev is a younger version of NDA Panarin.
While Dorofeyev isn’t as dynamic as Panarin was at that age; at least he’s more defensively reliable.
We found out a few months ago that Drury wasn’t going to renew Panarin.
The money saved on Panarin was used for this deal – and of course – Drury had to part with three picks to get this model that’s nearly ten-years newer.
It should also be mentioned that prior to his departure from New York and NDA Panarin was the team’s best scorer.
When Panarin forced himself to Los Angeles, the Rangers, and as they ultimately finished, were worst in the East.
This is all to say – can Dorofeyev alone change things?
I don’t think so.
The Rangers need much more than this – and especially with all of the other moves made around the league.
And if they do go through with trading Trocheck, then what’s the point?
As far as the $11M-per salary goes, then while it’s an overpay – the salary cap will continue to rise, and should Dorofeyev deliver in New York as he did in Vegas (and don’t be so quick to assume that either – and do I need to give you all of the examples, including Drury himself?), then this deal will reach market value – if not exceed it.
I still feel what I’ve been saying for the last two years applies.
The Rangers are still ignoring the biggest problem in the room.
But you don’t need the 7986786798679867986798th rant about why Mika Zibanejad has to go – and how to do it too – from me.
The following comes from https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-acquire-2026-fifth-round-draft-pick-and-massimo-rizzo-in-exchange-for-adam-edstrom :
New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has acquired a 2026 fifth-round pick (148th overall) and forward Massimo Rizzo from the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Adam Edstrom.
Rizzo, 25, appeared in 14 games between the Providence Bruins and Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL) last season, tallying two goals and three assists for five points. He also skated in 29 games for the Reading Royals of the ECHL, recording six goals and 16 assists for 22 points.
The Burnaby, British Columbia native has skated in 60 career AHL games across two seasons between the Bruins, Admirals and Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He established career AHL highs in goals (6), assists (12) and points (18) in 2024-25 with the Phantoms. Prior to playing professionally, the 5-10, 175-pound forward played three years of hockey at the University of Denver. In 107 collegiate games, Rizzo collected 39 goals and 87 assists for 126 points and served as an alternate captain in 2023-24. He led all Denver skaters in assists (29) and points (46) during the 2022-23 season.
Rizzo was originally selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the seventh round, 216th overall, of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
It’s already being reported that Massimo Rizzo, “No relations to Frank, Jerky Joe,” a pending RFA, won’t be qualified.
In turn, then all Drury did here was shed Edstrom’s cap hit for a fifth-round pick.
I know that Sullivan has all the hardware, including that lovely gold medal, but I just wish that Edstrom could’ve got a chance – and even if he was just sent to Hartford this season. I don’t ever see him being much more than a third-liner, but his defense could help a winner.
From the Rangers’ perspective, and even with the knowledge that a lot of his injuries were freak accidents (and not concussion related, as say Filip CTEhytil) and Edstrom was injury-prone.
The Blueshirts also have a ton of prospects, draft kids and veteran fourth-liners.
And despite his relative newness in New York – and Edstrom will turn 26-years-old in October – so it’s easy to see why Drury & Sullivan found him to be expendable.
One last major segment left to hit!
Of course, we must now turn our attention to the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Originally, I intended to do a live ongoing 2026 NHL Entry Draft report, and as I have done in the past.
I tried to do one this year – but since ESPN had the broadcast rights to the event, and not the far superior TNT – and this broadcast was a bore to watch.
By the tenth pick and I opted to watch two soccer teams that I knew nothing about instead.
I so opted for a repeat episode of “Grounded For Life” too.
The ESPN panel was brutal.
While I do like Kevin Weekes, Leah Hextall and Emily Kaplan, they were a chore on Friday night.
Half the time, Kaplan was on her phone and not paying attention to what was going on in front of her, while Weekes just spoke in cliches, you know, “He has a good motor!” “He has a nose for the puck.” “He will grow!”
Hextall was forced to ask some silly questions, where at one point, she was able to find out that cold weather doesn’t only exist in Winnipeg, but in Sweden too.
Riveting.
John Buccigross, Mr. College Hockey, is just someone I never got into.
Meghan Chayka, hired because of her last name, is a typical DEI hire and who only focuses on her own WOMYN POWER ANALytics company – and just like Sieve Vagistat does on M$GN.
The only thing that gives Chayka a one-up on Vagistat is that she never played in the NHL, so in turn, she can’t bore us with made-up war stories from a legendary 39 game career.
It would’ve been nice to have a former GM and/or some scouts on, but so much for that.
Also hurting the broadcast was something out of ESPN’s control – the decentralized draft.
Since none of the teams were there, we didn’t see a floor full of tables with 32 NHL logos on them.
In the past, I enjoyed watching Bob McKenzie, and others of that ilk, report on what teams were leaving their tables for other tables for a chat.
With the Rangers having the #5th overall pick, and with plenty of trade rumors out there, I made it about an hour in.
What you’re about to read next were my live thoughts before eventually tapping out.
— When did Justin Beiber become a Temu Eminem? And when did Beiber embrace being a “wigga?” There’s no way he grew up talking and acting like the way he does today. I guess P. Diddy did a number on him.
— Gavin McKenna will never forget the day when some goof ball celebrity pretending to be ghetto drafted him to Toronto.
— I’m hoping that Auston Matthews never plays with McKenna – come back home to the USA!
— Interviewer: “Gavin, you’re sitting next to some white trash Canadian guy. Are you living your dream?”
I’m sure that McKenna has had better dreams than sitting next to Beiber – and that he would have rather sit next to Toronto fan/WWE HOFer Trish Stratus too!
— Why was Buffalo so empty? It looked like an AEW show.
— After the Sharks’ pick of Ivan Stenberg – and this team is going to be a force to be reckoned with soon.
— Again, why is the analytical girl on this panel? Nobody cares about her made-up stats of players she never watched.
— Wow, they got Robin from How I Met Your Mother there. Caleb Malholtra will play for his dad in Vancouver so we have a How I Met Your Father situation with the Canucks. At the time of this third-overall pick and this draft remained as all on-board picks.
— While this has to be a dream for Mrs. Maholtra, what happens if son Caleb plays bad under daddy Manny? Will the ex-Ranger with-hold Caleb’s salary and allowance?
— On the Rangers pick of Alberts Smits, then what I was told by many was that he was the safest defenseman on the board – but there is much more upside with Chase Reid, who fell to seven with Seattle.
— The talk from the people who watch these kids is that Smits is more NHL ready than Reid, but that he won’t ever pop off like Reid, and perhaps like Carson Carels (#6th overall, Calgary) may also do.
— There was another trade at this time with JJ Peterka leaving Utah for Boston. The ex-Sabre only lasted one year in Mormon Land.
— There was a lot of back-and-forth debate if the Rangers played their pick too conservative, as it seemed like they drafted the guy who was most ready to go rather than a player who may not be able to help them until 2-3 years have gone by. Of course, this made me think of Kaapo Kakko and all of the silly shit Sieve Vagistat said about him in 2019.
— Viggo Bjorck went to Winnipeg, I know that many Ranger fans wanted him too, more so than Smits – but hey “SMITS HAPPENS!” (I’m going to kill that joke.)
— The Sharks took Keaton Verhoff – as much like the Rangers – and this was a heavy draft full of d-men.
— As far as anything else, then it seems like Matthew Schaefer has a future in TV once his career wraps up. He was making picks for the Islanders, interviewing kids one year younger than him and just seemed to be a natural – and just like Ryan Strome was during SN’s Stanley Cup Playoff broadcasts.
Again, once the Rangers’ pick was in, once the Dorofeyev trade was made, and since there was no way that Trocheck was going to be traded for a late pick, that was it for me.
As always, history, and not watching teenagers play hockey, is my forte.
Following Friday’s first-round, rounds two-through-seven commenced on Saturday.
There was no way that I was wasting a day off from work watching five hours of this.
Again, and I fully admit it, I’m not your guy for a draft analysis – that is – until 3-5 years once complete – as that’s the only way that you can judge any NHL Draft.
Here’s the Rangers’ complete Class of 2026:
Round 1 (5) Alberts Šmits, D, Jukurit (Liiga)
Round 2 (64) Benjamin MacBeath, D, Calgary Hitman (WHL)
Round 3 (67) Danai Shaiikov, G, Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Round 3 (77) Charlie Morrison, D, Quebec Ramparts (QMJHL)
Round 3 (81) Tomas Chrenko, C, HK Nitra (Slovak Extraliga)
Round 4 (102) Spencer Bowes, LW, Ottawa 67s (OHL)
Round 6 (162) Andre Mondoux, D, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Round 6 (163) Darian Anderson, RW, Flint Firebirds (OHL)
Round 7 (193) Ivan Patrikhayev, D, CSKA Moscow (KHL)
As you can see – and Drury went very heavy with defensemen.
He also kind of went out of pocket with Danai Shaiikov, a goalie, with his third-round pick.
From the people who actually watch these kids (which means none of the Blueshirts’ Bird Brain Beat), and Drury’s selection of center Tomas Chrenko received heavy praise.
I talked to a few people who have actually seen Chrenko play before and they all said that not only did this player fall right into Drury’s lap, but obviously, he has the potential to fill a major roster need in the future too (center).
The Rangers, as is customary, shared interviews with all of their draft picks – and where keep in mind – the odds are that half of them will never play an NHL game too.
Here’s what Smits had to say for himself on Friday night:
Here’s what the picks from Saturday had to say:
As we get to the end here, two minor things to discuss.
The “Will They or Won’t They” saga of Vincent Trocheck continues.
After being witheld from a few games prior to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline for “roster management purposes,” and Trocheck still remains as a Ranger.
I don’t want to relitagate all of this again (check the archives for all of it) – but yeah – I hope Trocheck stays – and I also hope that Mika goes too!
As said many times before – I still feel that the Rangers need to rebuild – and not retool.
However, that’s not what Drury, whose seat is probably safe after the Knicks win, desires.
It should be noted that right after the season ended, Trocheck hired NHL super-agent, Pat Brisson (CAA), to represent him moving forward.
He also has a 12-team no trade list, which turns into a 10-team no trade list come 7/1.
If we are playing the odds here, then it does feel like Trocheck will stay – but obviously – a heart-to-heart with Drury needs to take place.
After all, why go land Dorofeyev if you’re just going to weaken the team at the center position?
It’s imperative that if Trocheck stays, then Drury makes him feel as comfortable as possible, as you don’t want a whole other Trouba, Goodrow and Kreider 2.0 situation to go down.
Since Drury won’t admit fault in his decision in waiting too long to trade for J.T. Miller (should’ve been done in 2023 or 2024 – and not in 2025), while also rushing him to the captaincy once acquiring him, then it’s also probably best to retain Trocheck, as Miller is his best friend.
The draft is over so there is no chance that Drury can get a 2026 first-round pick for Trocheck.
While nearly all of the big names are now off of the board; Drury also has to monitor what happens next with Larkin and Werenski.
But if his plan is to retool and contend, which both the Dorofeyev and Smits acquisitions imply; then simply put – and Trocheck has to stay.
While again, a clear discussion between Trocheck and Drury needs to go down; but once that talk takes place then it should also be made clear that Drury may dangle Trocheck at the 2027 NHL Trade Deadline.
This is the business that these men have chosen.
While it’s perhaps not fair to Trocheck’s wife and kids – it is what it is.
I know that I brought it up at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline and I also know that the good guys over at “The Blueshirt Underground Show” recently brought this up again on their podcast about a month ago or so too – but now – and with reports coming out of Minnesota that Zuccarello, soon-to-be forty-years-old, wants to get paid – then yeah – I’m still down on Broadway return on #36.
Bringing back Zucc makes all the sense in the world for a RETOOLING Rangers team.
We know that he can thrive in New York, he can mentor the younger kids, he can play with the veterans and since he’s in his swansong years (again – where does the time go?), then it’s not like an overpay on two-year deal will hurt a Rangers team that has plenty of cap space to play around with.
But if you’re Zucc, then does a return to New York make sense?
After all, he doesn’t have a Stanley Cup on his resume – which is probably why he’s hurt that Minnesota, a franchise that’s on the rise and that he has had success with – won’t show him the moolah.
For Zucc, he needs to decide what his priority is – cash or Cup.
Selfishly, I’d love to see that Norwegian hobbit back on Garden ice.
But for the sake of his own career, then I hope he winds up with Florida or Vegas.
And yep – as I said in February of 2019 and as I’m saying again here – he should’ve never been traded in the first place.
Funny enough, the person who was benefitted the most by Zuccarello’s decision to sign with the Wild was Kirill Kaprizov.
Why is this funny?
Because it’s Kaprizov’s new deal, eight-years/$136M overall ($17M-per), that’s making it impossible for Guerin to give Zuccarello what he wants.
And yep – Kaprizov’s deal is also one of the NMC variety!
Up Next For the Rangers: A meaningless prospect camp for the fans, but it’s a big few days for the teenagers and young twenty-somethings.
After that?
What is projected to be the weakest opening day in NHL Free Agency history.
The free agency period will open on Wednesday, July 1st, and as noted all year on this site – the pickings are slim since all of the big stars either re-signed with their teams or have already been traded away.
My plan is to return sometime before the July 4th holiday and recap whatever the Rangers may do.
Perhaps we’ll also get a definitive statement on Trocheck’s future as well.
I’m still (slowly) working on my other writing projects, but I’m not sure if I’ll have a new book released ahead of the 2026-27 season.
But you can always buy my previous ten titles, which hey, what a perfect segueway to our final segment, your favorite and mine, you know…
PLUGS TIME! (Buy a book and support my Rangers’ induced therapy bills. After all, I don’t run ads on this site!)
My fourth title and tenth book is now available!
“The Top 100 Villains of New York Rangers History,” is now available for sale!
For complete information, please visit: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/rangerkillers/
My second plug of tonight’s blog – the mandatory plug for my book, “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden.”
As mentioned previously, the book is now available in hardcover, in paperback and in Kindle formats. To purchase a copy of the book, visit this link:
https://www.amazon.com/Rangers-Rafters-Madison-Square-Garden-ebook/dp/B09CM5N2WD
For those still looking for signed paperback versions of the book, I have re-ordered more copies. I now have a few signed copies for sale at $25 a pop (includes shipping price) through me directly. Here is all the information on that:
Order “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden” Book Today
My four-volume set of books, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is a game-by-game recount of the Rangers 2021-22 campaign.
My second title as an author, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is now available in eBook, paperback and hardcover formats.
To obtain signed copies, visit: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/onegamebook/
To purchase all four volumes on Amazon, visit: Amazon.com – “One Game at a Time.”
The greatest volume-set of books on Rangers’ history today!
“Tricks of the Trade – A Century-Long Journey Through Every Trade Made In New York Rangers’ History,” a four-volume set of books that meticulously covers every trade made in franchise history, is now on sale.
All four volumes of the title can be purchased on Amazon.com and are presented in three different formats – eBook, paperback and hardcover.
To purchase Volume I: Conn Smythe (1926) – Craig Patrick (1986), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume II: Phil Esposito (1986) – Neil Smith (2000), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume III: Glen Sather (2000-2015), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume IV: Jeff Gorton (2015) – Chris Drury (2022), visit Amazon.com
To purchase signed copies of all four volumes, visit https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
If you haven’t already, subscribe to this blog for the next update:
Don’t forget to order my four-volume set of books, “Tricks of the Trade!”
If you don’t order through me, all four volumes are now available on Amazon.com
For more details, check out: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
Thanks for reading.
LET’S GO RANGERS!
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
Should be some mechanism for teams signing players they drafted or have had as part of their franchise long term (5 years?) should be in whole or in part excluded from the cap. Now you’re penalizing teams that find talent.
Best playoff format; line them up 1 to 16. Crazy unexpected matchups, but unfailingly fair. If not, then 1 to 8 in each conference.
Man, oh man, do you ever shut up? Your articles are 20 times longer than they need to be and I certainly do not need any part of your reactionary political beliefs. Spare me. Please spare me.