Even though I’m rooting for one of the teams, this has been the worst final to watch in recent memory. Most teams at least show up for the majority of games. The Panthers haven’t done that at all. It’s like they forgot everything they did in the layoff between series.
The worst part of it is that it REALLY reminds me of the Rangers play in the first round and that makes it doubly crappy. It’s like watching their losses all over again.
Old Ranger Fan
Staples put up an article that is essentially about trading LAF to a bunch of people. None of it made much sense.
St Pete Eli
I have a proposal, trade Drury.
ilb2001
Good morning, Boneheads!
Might be the last game of the season on Tuesday. With Tkachuk playing with one hand only, Florida looks done.
TYM
What do we make of Quenneville pictured at the Belmont Stakes? Meeting with Bettman and then hired by Drury?
Bdl
TYM,
Until I hear otherwise, that’s what I think is going to happen. Quennville is the next Rangers coach.
St Pete Eli
ilb
The Cats look declawed!
Old Ranger Fan
So Hynes is plan B? It might also pave the way for Drury to try to bring Kane back. I don’t think it’s a good idea, but I can see the pieces falling together that way. It would be very Satheresque.(Bure, Lindros, Jagr) Next season becomes months of waiting for Patrick just like the two weeks before the deadline were. It derailed the team then and it would do it again next season. Move on.
Beezle
EV Hank is pretty no matter which way you view him 😉
Old Ranger Fan
Hank made it to the finals again. He has also gone to Summer suits as the weather warmed up.
Old Ranger Fan
Brooksie’s article mention the owners wanting the players to kick in to make the escrow go away so maybe there’s a deal in the works and Bettman is just negotiating in public with his $1MM increase statements. It would be nice to get it done by 7/1 so the teams know how much money they have to sign FAs.
Old Ranger Fan
If the Rangers are interested in Q, Bettman won’t let him back in this year. The NHL good ole boys hate Dolan and will do spiteful things to him just for pure enjoyment. Better have Plan B teed up.
richinhagerstownbywayofbrooklyn
Knoblauch
Messier????
Federov????
NORM….. it’s gotta be Norm.
Bdl
Waiting is the best option right now. If Quennville is reinstated, it would make sense for Toronto to be interested as well. Quennville to Toronto, Keefe to Rangers. Quennville to Toronto, Keefe to Pitt, Sullivan to rangers. Or just Quennville to the Rangers. All of these scenarios are better than Laviolette, or Hynes. Just wait it out.
Jeff
Amazing how close Fla came to tying game. Serious problem with classy fans throwing garbage at the end of the game. Oh well;at least we can keep guessing who are next coach will be. Even though it wont matter.
Old Ranger Fan
I assume our moderators will deal with this poster.
St Pete Eli
ORF
The moderators certainly will. Because no man can rise above his worldview.
bobbyo2019
Why would we want Keefe ..another players coach this failed with Stars in Toronto
Corporal Clegg
Is sather going back behind the bench for one last hurrah?
Maybe with Barry Melrose as assistant
cooscoos
The Genius and the Mullet.
CraigFormerWeatherNowPR
Anyone else feel like we’re prime to miss the playoffs next season, which will have made this rebuild a complete disaster? I just don’t see how we right the ship. We have way too many perimeter players because of poor roster construction. And we can’t get out from under those contracts! We’re stuck with fancy boy IHL hockey and that will never get it done when it counts most. What good is making the post-season if you’re just going to flame out when you get there? So frustrated with this team.
As I’ve said… Unless Kakko, Laffy, Cuylle and Othman actually pan out over the next few years, we’re in big trouble.
This will be 1998-2005 all over again.
The price of eating a late lunch is puking a late lunch:
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
·
13m
There is word this afternoon the NYR and Peter Laviolette are gaining momentum. Nothing is done until it’s done, but, barring a swerve, looking like Laviolette as next Rangers head coach.
Beezle
Norm, there is still a chance if you lower your contract demands!
Corporal Clegg
Once a ranger always a ranger
ilb2001
If true, Laviolette will have coached five out of eight Metro Division teams
CCCP
Peter Laviolette, eh? So uninspiring…
Bdl
Very 3CP. Not worth firing Gallant for.
ilb2001
I don’t think any of them was…Hynes especially. The only one I was really OK with was Sullivan. Coach Q comes with three SCs and a truck load of baggage. And, no it’s not the media I was worried about. If he really knew and covered, or didn’t do anything about this jackwagon in Chicago, he shouldn’t be coaching young kids in NY. Or any other place.
Corporal Clegg
I can’t believe gallant only got 2 years
The problem was the roster I believe.
But I guess the lack of adjustments made against the Debbie’s was the mail in the coffin
St Pete Eli
How do you make adjustments with Bread, the DJ, and Kreider?
CCCP
If indeed official, it’s a blah hire…saving my own azz type of hire for Drury. Probably his last onr if this doesn’t work. So much for developing the young kids. My close friend in Washington is a Caps fan and he says Laviolette doesn’t play the kids. Laf is gonna be a bust. Maybe not Kakko tho… but who fugging knows?
bobbyo2019
Gallant coundn’t or wouldn’t make adjustments and his team despite the stats his teams didn’t like playing 60 minutes
St Pete Eli
I really don’t care anymore who Drury hires, it won’t change a thing. The core runs the show. Good luck getting the kids more ice time.
Alex
the kids weren’t very good. individually or as a group
meaning forwards
Old Ranger Fan
I am thinking more and more that GG was po’d about the rumors and wanted Drury to put them to rest. When he wouldn’t GG forced his hand. Drury seems to have been completely unprepared to hire another coach. No way Laviolette is an upgrade. The relationship must have just become untenable.
Alex
this s/b drurys last hire for head coach. he’s on clock.
Laviolette? Really? What’s the point of that?
I’m 59……so I am quite sure barring an absolute miracle that I will not see another Ranger Stanley Cup Championship. It is lasting a lifetime. Sadly.
Laviolette one of the few available with a lot of playoff experience as a coach
Quenville experienced but his recent history would make him a distraction
Sure. You could say anyone with 20 years as a nhl coach is a “retread” but I think with the win now build they need a known commodity not a David Quinn
cooscoos
I play golf in the low eighties. Gets any hotter than that, I just go directly to the bar.
cooscoos
Pizza Boy is definitely waiting on someone. No way is he so long befuddled.
bobbyo2019
Maybe he’s waiting on assistant coaches in finals ….Stevens or Lefevbre?
Pete
likely Trouba, Panarin, Drury and this new blasé coach have at most 3 more years as Rangers
Bdl
Pete,
I think if they don’t win the cup in 2 years they are both gone.
Bdl
I’m going to wait till Brooks confirms Laviolette though. Until then I’m holding out hope it’s someone else.
CCCP
Post Sports+ – Inside The Rangers
Why hiring his second coach may ratchet up the pressure on Rangers GM Chris Drury.
by Mollie Walker
You know that almost-rhetorical childhood riddle: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Well, in hockey, we should say: How many coaches does a general manager get if a general manager could win a Stanley Cup?
The second head coach of Chris Drury’s tenure as president and general manager of the Rangers is about to be named. Having already moved on to head coach No. 2 as he’s about to embark on just his third season in this managerial role sounds a lot worse than it actually is — especially if head coach No. 1 was clearly no longer the man for the job.
Still, it begs the question: Is there a certain number of coaches a GM has to go through before the blame should shift?
There isn’t a concrete answer to that question. It should be on a case by case basis, taking into account what has — or has not — been accomplished, as well as the trajectory of the club at that moment in time.
If we’re analyzing Drury, who has two playoff appearances and one conference final finish on his front-office résumé thus far, the former Rangers captain should still be in his grace period.
But grace is not the word that comes to mind when you think of Rangers owner Jim Dolan, who dismissed the former managerial duo, Jeff Gorton and John Davidson, and promoted Drury in the name of changing the organization’s culture two years ago.
Drury is the right guy to lead the team forward, Dolan said at the time of the hire, so forward is the only acceptable direction.
A lot has changed in front offices around the NHL over the years. For a long time, it was normal for a general manager to double as head coach. The last person to do double duty for the Rangers was Glen Sather, who was GM from June 1, 2000 to July 1, 2015, and coached from Jan. 30, 2003 to Feb. 23, 2004.
Among the nine Blueshirts GMs who also served as bench boss at one point or another during their tenures, four of them had at least four other coaches work under them.
There were also the likes of Muzz Patrick (2x), Emile Francis (3x), Craig Patrick (2x) and Phil Esposito (5x), who each took on head coaching responsibilities more than once during their reigns. What a time that must’ve been, when you could take all of the credit or all of the blame.
Looking back at the three previous Rangers general managers — Neil Smith, Sather and Gorton — the range of patience has been wide.
Smith had five different head coaches under him, including 1994 Stanley Cup winner Mike Keenan, whose messy exit immediately after the club’s most recent championship still makes for one of the biggest what-ifs in the franchise’s history.
Sather had six, including himself and, technically, two stints from John Tortorella. On the other hand, Gorton inherited Alain Vigneault and then hired David Quinn, who was shown the door at the same time Gorton was after the infamous Tom Wilson incident of 2021.
The NHL and front-office dynamics have changed drastically over the years, as has the timeline expectations for a championship.
Patience runs thin nowadays, especially if you work for Madison Square Garden.
The Henrik Lundqvist you don’t know
Henrik Lundqvist is well into the second act of his life as a studio analyst for MSG Network and a member of TNT’s panel for the network’s first Stanley Cup Final broadcast, but the legendary Rangers goaltender is about to hit an even bigger screen.
“Open Heart,” an intimate profile of Lundqvist and his heart condition that ended his NHL career, is set to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday.
The film, which is directed by Jonathan Hock, gives an inside look into Lundqvist’s fight to return to hockey after undergoing heart surgery.
“So much happened in my life over 12 months. Moving on from the New York Rangers, heart surgery, setbacks, retiring from hockey,” Lundqvist tweeted. “All things led me to dig deep and think about my mindset/life. That’s what this film is about. Finding happiness became my goal.”
The documentary is approximately 75 minutes long and can be seen at select theaters.
Movin’ on up
Brennan Othmann and the Peterborough Petes are the 2023 Ontario Hockey League Champions thanks in large part to the play of the Rangers’ No. 16 overall draft pick in 2021.
Othmann led the club in playoff scoring with 25 points (8-17) in 23 games.
The likelihood of Othmann beginning the 2023-24 season in the American Hockey League with the Hartford Wolf Pack should be high, especially after the past couple of OHL seasons the 20-year-old winger has had.
After posting 97 points in 66 games in 2021-22, Othmann registered 67 in 56 contests split between two clubs this season.
The time for Othmann to begin transitioning to the professional game is now, though it’s safe to say the Rangers likely want him to get some AHL reps before making the leap to the NHL.
Plus, at the moment, the left side of the Rangers lineup is already jam-packed.
The return of DJ Mika
The resurgence of Mika Zibanejad’s DJ career may be because he isn’t playing hockey right now.
If given the choice, we all know the Rangers’ No. 1 center would rather be in the Stanley Cup Final.
But, boy, am I excited to ask Zibanejad about performing a set at Lollapalooza Stockholm.
Old Ranger Fan
Laviolette’s name seems to be leaking from multiple sources unless they are all just repeating each other. I’d be shocked if it’s someone else. This is as loud as the Kane stories that were ultimately true.
Bdl
Another hard hitting article from Mollie.
Old Ranger Fan
So the Times overpaid for the Athletic and there has been another round of layoffs there. I don’t see Staples’ name among those who got wacked. The only local guy was someone who covered the Nets. There are a few guys there I read. If any of them get wacked I’ll cancel. The concept was high quality local coverage and they seem to be abandoning it.
Beezle
Drury can’t escape these two facts: either NYR are a lot closer to the cup based on conf finals appearance now two seasons back or they are not, meaning a failure of draft and roster construction.
If case one, Drury just used his “keep your job, do collect a big paycheck” card by canning GG. But the deadline is at most an additional two seasons and only if the one coming up sees a return to conf finals at a minimum.
If the second, blame lies with front office. True, not all were contracts directly signed by Drury but I do recall him also being Asst. GM. I can envision a situation where NYR underperform again, Drury gets canned and new GM is asked to keep whomever the new coach is for at least another season so Dolan doesn’t waste more money.
bobbyo2019
Canning Dury would be a mistake and setback ..he inherited alot problem contracts ..he’s had good deadlines and drafts
Alex
disagree bobby
canning jd was the mistake as that allowed sather to get in dolans ear. now the impatience will keep showing. heck even fired the trainer. how many coaches is drury going to fire because you know the next one gets 2 years max. and drury will keep trying to appease dolan and sather so the deadline deals will keep happening
Beezle
The deadline two years ago was good. This year? Not so much beyond the defender. Drury gave Fox $9M when he did not have to. Isn’t the Mika contract his as well? Kid K’s contract is far from the biggest cap issue. So really only have Bread and Trouba as big ticket contracts he was not in on. Trouba is an overpay but not huge, maybe $1M.
Sather has become a parasite. Obviously I have zero proof, but if it sounds, looks, and walks like a duck, it’s a duck.
Corporal Clegg
Tarasenko was a very good deadline acquisition
Don’t like that the forwards we’re not tougher to play against
Corporal Clegg
Reaves Blais Vatrano Hunt are the types of role players still required
I like mottes tenacity but he is too undersized given the roster construction and need for that spot to be one of snarl
Bdl
Yes, firing JD was the mistake🤦♂️
SN
Not fully committing to the kids by signing or resigning big ticket contracts to point compilers who sell jerseys.
Overpaying for a slow character Dman who can’t hit the net with his slap shot.
Dropping their drawers for Fox deal too early.
Wasting draft picks on Eurotrash
Mishandling player development
Signing over the hill injured PP specialist at deadline
Losing to rival in round 1 playoffs after winning first 2 on the road
…this better by Dreary’s last hire
St Pete Eli
Laviolette 37th NYR head coach.
CCCP
And it’s officially Laviolette. Let the ledge collapse!
Headzo
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss…
cooscoos
Mollie irritates me beaucoup. Shotgun approach when she needs only a .45. And unabashed silliness and uninformed history with sweeping untutored solipsism.
SN
Eddie Munster to the rescue!
St Pete Eli
Panarin shaved his head. He is now a bad azz sidewinding, perimeter player.
ilb2001
Eurotrash? Three of their top five players are Eurotrash. Almost half of the league top 50 are Eurotrash. But keep using demeaning language if that’s what makes you feel powerful.
bobbyo2019
What has Columbus done since JD joined? They just overpaid for Severson
bobbyo2019
Fox won a Norris …did you guys want to sign him for 4.5?
CCCP
One thing I would say about Laviolette, the guy can coach in-game. He adjusts on the fly. I could not say that about Gallant. He could not even adjust after the game , forget about in-game coaching
richinhagerstownbywayofbrooklyn
Laviolette is hired. Hooray 🎊.
Not really. This is organization is a joke.
The only difference really between the recently fired and recently hired is their employment status.
Corporal Clegg
I’m hoping Laviolette possesses a nice mix of tough old school mentality but with the experience to know how to push the right buttons
If there are those who hate this hire would love to hear the names of those that should have gotten this job at this time that are available
Corporal Clegg
Cccp mentions something that could be a big difference between them. Also, I think he will be a little more involved in the locker room than Gerard but not overly involved like Quinn
Also, he and Drury probably see eye to eye on a lot of things
CCCP
Corporal Clegg
That clip sounds way different than Turk
More like Torts
Alex
sorry bobby
but your boy drury is now on the clock. 2 years. tops.
Corporal Clegg
Crazy they have switched teams with each other from that video
bobbyo2019
Drury is on the clock because thier top 6 mailed it in…not sure what he can do about that other than change coaches……guess thats up to Laviollette now
cooscoos
Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder saw eye to eye on many issues.
Corporal Clegg
Don’t think Drury should be on the clock yet
It’s been two years of relative success compared to where we were when he took over. First year we overachieved
If he was canned, you need to have a good idea of a replacement that is better. Not just say….”oh we lost, fire everyone and traid everyone.” That’s a lazy take
Alex
the kid line was terrible individually and as a group.
you really think kreider mailed it in in either playoff year.
like it or not drury is now on the clock. i defended him as a player. hate him as a sather/dolan puppet.
Alex
how many coaches does drury get to fire.
they opened pandoras box in bringing sather back. he and dolan have drury as a puppet. guaranteed they’ll keep trying to try the quick fix at each deadline.
Norm Merton
I just got off the phone, congratulating Peter for his winning campaign. It wasn’t the money with me, but I probably did ask Chris for a little more control over player recruitment than he was comfortable with. I wanted NYR to ice the first female player, for instance, and thought the new captain should have a better sense of irony. Ah, well, best of luck.
Corporal Clegg
I believe most contending teams try to bring in pieces at the deadline
106 responses to “It’s Go Time!”
FIRST!!
Just located Hank and Wayne and the crew but I forgot how to post pics here. It’s the back of their heads anyway. Lol
Let’s Go Rang…
Eh, Never mind.
The best part of tonight will be when I leave the arena.
Ev
You should have sold
Could have made a small fortune
I left Vegas with a small fortune. I started with a large fortune.
I went to Vegas in a 20 thousand dollar car and came back in a 100 thousand dollar bus.
Some ending by both teams
Fans who threw stuff should be banned in Future
We tried to sell them but nobody bit.
Panthers took a page out of the Rangers playbook…. They only showed up for the third period.
Even though I’m rooting for one of the teams, this has been the worst final to watch in recent memory. Most teams at least show up for the majority of games. The Panthers haven’t done that at all. It’s like they forgot everything they did in the layoff between series.
The worst part of it is that it REALLY reminds me of the Rangers play in the first round and that makes it doubly crappy. It’s like watching their losses all over again.
Staples put up an article that is essentially about trading LAF to a bunch of people. None of it made much sense.
I have a proposal, trade Drury.
Good morning, Boneheads!
Might be the last game of the season on Tuesday. With Tkachuk playing with one hand only, Florida looks done.
What do we make of Quenneville pictured at the Belmont Stakes? Meeting with Bettman and then hired by Drury?
TYM,
Until I hear otherwise, that’s what I think is going to happen. Quennville is the next Rangers coach.
ilb
The Cats look declawed!
So Hynes is plan B? It might also pave the way for Drury to try to bring Kane back. I don’t think it’s a good idea, but I can see the pieces falling together that way. It would be very Satheresque.(Bure, Lindros, Jagr) Next season becomes months of waiting for Patrick just like the two weeks before the deadline were. It derailed the team then and it would do it again next season. Move on.
EV Hank is pretty no matter which way you view him 😉
Hank made it to the finals again. He has also gone to Summer suits as the weather warmed up.
Brooksie’s article mention the owners wanting the players to kick in to make the escrow go away so maybe there’s a deal in the works and Bettman is just negotiating in public with his $1MM increase statements. It would be nice to get it done by 7/1 so the teams know how much money they have to sign FAs.
If the Rangers are interested in Q, Bettman won’t let him back in this year. The NHL good ole boys hate Dolan and will do spiteful things to him just for pure enjoyment. Better have Plan B teed up.
Knoblauch
Messier????
Federov????
NORM….. it’s gotta be Norm.
Waiting is the best option right now. If Quennville is reinstated, it would make sense for Toronto to be interested as well. Quennville to Toronto, Keefe to Rangers. Quennville to Toronto, Keefe to Pitt, Sullivan to rangers. Or just Quennville to the Rangers. All of these scenarios are better than Laviolette, or Hynes. Just wait it out.
Amazing how close Fla came to tying game. Serious problem with classy fans throwing garbage at the end of the game. Oh well;at least we can keep guessing who are next coach will be. Even though it wont matter.
I assume our moderators will deal with this poster.
ORF
The moderators certainly will. Because no man can rise above his worldview.
Why would we want Keefe ..another players coach this failed with Stars in Toronto
Is sather going back behind the bench for one last hurrah?
Maybe with Barry Melrose as assistant
The Genius and the Mullet.
Anyone else feel like we’re prime to miss the playoffs next season, which will have made this rebuild a complete disaster? I just don’t see how we right the ship. We have way too many perimeter players because of poor roster construction. And we can’t get out from under those contracts! We’re stuck with fancy boy IHL hockey and that will never get it done when it counts most. What good is making the post-season if you’re just going to flame out when you get there? So frustrated with this team.
As I’ve said… Unless Kakko, Laffy, Cuylle and Othman actually pan out over the next few years, we’re in big trouble.
This will be 1998-2005 all over again.
I don’t feel that way.
From the Breadman to the Eggman
https://i.ibb.co/qN6TTJ2/IMG-20230612-WA0000.jpg
Article about the new Eggman
https://athletistic.com/hockey/297164.html
Craig
you make EV look like a cockeyed optimist
Why was GG let go?
EV, the optimistic pessimist!
GG had to catch a cab
cabernet?
Higashoka had to catch a Cole.
The price of eating a late lunch is puking a late lunch:
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
·
13m
There is word this afternoon the NYR and Peter Laviolette are gaining momentum. Nothing is done until it’s done, but, barring a swerve, looking like Laviolette as next Rangers head coach.
Norm, there is still a chance if you lower your contract demands!
Once a ranger always a ranger
If true, Laviolette will have coached five out of eight Metro Division teams
Peter Laviolette, eh? So uninspiring…
Very 3CP. Not worth firing Gallant for.
I don’t think any of them was…Hynes especially. The only one I was really OK with was Sullivan. Coach Q comes with three SCs and a truck load of baggage. And, no it’s not the media I was worried about. If he really knew and covered, or didn’t do anything about this jackwagon in Chicago, he shouldn’t be coaching young kids in NY. Or any other place.
I can’t believe gallant only got 2 years
The problem was the roster I believe.
But I guess the lack of adjustments made against the Debbie’s was the mail in the coffin
How do you make adjustments with Bread, the DJ, and Kreider?
If indeed official, it’s a blah hire…saving my own azz type of hire for Drury. Probably his last onr if this doesn’t work. So much for developing the young kids. My close friend in Washington is a Caps fan and he says Laviolette doesn’t play the kids. Laf is gonna be a bust. Maybe not Kakko tho… but who fugging knows?
Gallant coundn’t or wouldn’t make adjustments and his team despite the stats his teams didn’t like playing 60 minutes
I really don’t care anymore who Drury hires, it won’t change a thing. The core runs the show. Good luck getting the kids more ice time.
the kids weren’t very good. individually or as a group
meaning forwards
I am thinking more and more that GG was po’d about the rumors and wanted Drury to put them to rest. When he wouldn’t GG forced his hand. Drury seems to have been completely unprepared to hire another coach. No way Laviolette is an upgrade. The relationship must have just become untenable.
this s/b drurys last hire for head coach. he’s on clock.
Ugh. Yawn.
https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/peter-laviolette-expected-rangers-coach/
The more things change blah blah blah.
Laviolette? Really? What’s the point of that?
I’m 59……so I am quite sure barring an absolute miracle that I will not see another Ranger Stanley Cup Championship. It is lasting a lifetime. Sadly.
Rich
maybe in your late 90s
59, rich? I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m 26.
At least, I will be in late September.
Laviolette one of the few available with a lot of playoff experience as a coach
Quenville experienced but his recent history would make him a distraction
Sure. You could say anyone with 20 years as a nhl coach is a “retread” but I think with the win now build they need a known commodity not a David Quinn
I play golf in the low eighties. Gets any hotter than that, I just go directly to the bar.
Pizza Boy is definitely waiting on someone. No way is he so long befuddled.
Maybe he’s waiting on assistant coaches in finals ….Stevens or Lefevbre?
likely Trouba, Panarin, Drury and this new blasé coach have at most 3 more years as Rangers
Pete,
I think if they don’t win the cup in 2 years they are both gone.
I’m going to wait till Brooks confirms Laviolette though. Until then I’m holding out hope it’s someone else.
Post Sports+ – Inside The Rangers
Why hiring his second coach may ratchet up the pressure on Rangers GM Chris Drury.
by Mollie Walker
You know that almost-rhetorical childhood riddle: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Well, in hockey, we should say: How many coaches does a general manager get if a general manager could win a Stanley Cup?
The second head coach of Chris Drury’s tenure as president and general manager of the Rangers is about to be named. Having already moved on to head coach No. 2 as he’s about to embark on just his third season in this managerial role sounds a lot worse than it actually is — especially if head coach No. 1 was clearly no longer the man for the job.
Still, it begs the question: Is there a certain number of coaches a GM has to go through before the blame should shift?
There isn’t a concrete answer to that question. It should be on a case by case basis, taking into account what has — or has not — been accomplished, as well as the trajectory of the club at that moment in time.
If we’re analyzing Drury, who has two playoff appearances and one conference final finish on his front-office résumé thus far, the former Rangers captain should still be in his grace period.
But grace is not the word that comes to mind when you think of Rangers owner Jim Dolan, who dismissed the former managerial duo, Jeff Gorton and John Davidson, and promoted Drury in the name of changing the organization’s culture two years ago.
Drury is the right guy to lead the team forward, Dolan said at the time of the hire, so forward is the only acceptable direction.
A lot has changed in front offices around the NHL over the years. For a long time, it was normal for a general manager to double as head coach. The last person to do double duty for the Rangers was Glen Sather, who was GM from June 1, 2000 to July 1, 2015, and coached from Jan. 30, 2003 to Feb. 23, 2004.
Among the nine Blueshirts GMs who also served as bench boss at one point or another during their tenures, four of them had at least four other coaches work under them.
There were also the likes of Muzz Patrick (2x), Emile Francis (3x), Craig Patrick (2x) and Phil Esposito (5x), who each took on head coaching responsibilities more than once during their reigns. What a time that must’ve been, when you could take all of the credit or all of the blame.
Looking back at the three previous Rangers general managers — Neil Smith, Sather and Gorton — the range of patience has been wide.
Smith had five different head coaches under him, including 1994 Stanley Cup winner Mike Keenan, whose messy exit immediately after the club’s most recent championship still makes for one of the biggest what-ifs in the franchise’s history.
Sather had six, including himself and, technically, two stints from John Tortorella. On the other hand, Gorton inherited Alain Vigneault and then hired David Quinn, who was shown the door at the same time Gorton was after the infamous Tom Wilson incident of 2021.
The NHL and front-office dynamics have changed drastically over the years, as has the timeline expectations for a championship.
Patience runs thin nowadays, especially if you work for Madison Square Garden.
The Henrik Lundqvist you don’t know
Henrik Lundqvist is well into the second act of his life as a studio analyst for MSG Network and a member of TNT’s panel for the network’s first Stanley Cup Final broadcast, but the legendary Rangers goaltender is about to hit an even bigger screen.
“Open Heart,” an intimate profile of Lundqvist and his heart condition that ended his NHL career, is set to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday.
The film, which is directed by Jonathan Hock, gives an inside look into Lundqvist’s fight to return to hockey after undergoing heart surgery.
“So much happened in my life over 12 months. Moving on from the New York Rangers, heart surgery, setbacks, retiring from hockey,” Lundqvist tweeted. “All things led me to dig deep and think about my mindset/life. That’s what this film is about. Finding happiness became my goal.”
The documentary is approximately 75 minutes long and can be seen at select theaters.
Movin’ on up
Brennan Othmann and the Peterborough Petes are the 2023 Ontario Hockey League Champions thanks in large part to the play of the Rangers’ No. 16 overall draft pick in 2021.
Othmann led the club in playoff scoring with 25 points (8-17) in 23 games.
The likelihood of Othmann beginning the 2023-24 season in the American Hockey League with the Hartford Wolf Pack should be high, especially after the past couple of OHL seasons the 20-year-old winger has had.
After posting 97 points in 66 games in 2021-22, Othmann registered 67 in 56 contests split between two clubs this season.
The time for Othmann to begin transitioning to the professional game is now, though it’s safe to say the Rangers likely want him to get some AHL reps before making the leap to the NHL.
Plus, at the moment, the left side of the Rangers lineup is already jam-packed.
The return of DJ Mika
The resurgence of Mika Zibanejad’s DJ career may be because he isn’t playing hockey right now.
If given the choice, we all know the Rangers’ No. 1 center would rather be in the Stanley Cup Final.
But, boy, am I excited to ask Zibanejad about performing a set at Lollapalooza Stockholm.
Laviolette’s name seems to be leaking from multiple sources unless they are all just repeating each other. I’d be shocked if it’s someone else. This is as loud as the Kane stories that were ultimately true.
Another hard hitting article from Mollie.
So the Times overpaid for the Athletic and there has been another round of layoffs there. I don’t see Staples’ name among those who got wacked. The only local guy was someone who covered the Nets. There are a few guys there I read. If any of them get wacked I’ll cancel. The concept was high quality local coverage and they seem to be abandoning it.
Drury can’t escape these two facts: either NYR are a lot closer to the cup based on conf finals appearance now two seasons back or they are not, meaning a failure of draft and roster construction.
If case one, Drury just used his “keep your job, do collect a big paycheck” card by canning GG. But the deadline is at most an additional two seasons and only if the one coming up sees a return to conf finals at a minimum.
If the second, blame lies with front office. True, not all were contracts directly signed by Drury but I do recall him also being Asst. GM. I can envision a situation where NYR underperform again, Drury gets canned and new GM is asked to keep whomever the new coach is for at least another season so Dolan doesn’t waste more money.
Canning Dury would be a mistake and setback ..he inherited alot problem contracts ..he’s had good deadlines and drafts
disagree bobby
canning jd was the mistake as that allowed sather to get in dolans ear. now the impatience will keep showing. heck even fired the trainer. how many coaches is drury going to fire because you know the next one gets 2 years max. and drury will keep trying to appease dolan and sather so the deadline deals will keep happening
The deadline two years ago was good. This year? Not so much beyond the defender. Drury gave Fox $9M when he did not have to. Isn’t the Mika contract his as well? Kid K’s contract is far from the biggest cap issue. So really only have Bread and Trouba as big ticket contracts he was not in on. Trouba is an overpay but not huge, maybe $1M.
Waiting to see the draft results.
Not sure how this can be allowed:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-senators-sale-price-owner-michael-andlauer-1.6849098
Guy is a minority owner in Les Habs?
Sather has become a parasite. Obviously I have zero proof, but if it sounds, looks, and walks like a duck, it’s a duck.
Tarasenko was a very good deadline acquisition
Don’t like that the forwards we’re not tougher to play against
Reaves Blais Vatrano Hunt are the types of role players still required
I like mottes tenacity but he is too undersized given the roster construction and need for that spot to be one of snarl
Yes, firing JD was the mistake🤦♂️
Not fully committing to the kids by signing or resigning big ticket contracts to point compilers who sell jerseys.
Overpaying for a slow character Dman who can’t hit the net with his slap shot.
Dropping their drawers for Fox deal too early.
Wasting draft picks on Eurotrash
Mishandling player development
Signing over the hill injured PP specialist at deadline
Losing to rival in round 1 playoffs after winning first 2 on the road
…this better by Dreary’s last hire
Laviolette 37th NYR head coach.
And it’s officially Laviolette. Let the ledge collapse!
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss…
Mollie irritates me beaucoup. Shotgun approach when she needs only a .45. And unabashed silliness and uninformed history with sweeping untutored solipsism.
Eddie Munster to the rescue!
Panarin shaved his head. He is now a bad azz sidewinding, perimeter player.
Eurotrash? Three of their top five players are Eurotrash. Almost half of the league top 50 are Eurotrash. But keep using demeaning language if that’s what makes you feel powerful.
What has Columbus done since JD joined? They just overpaid for Severson
Fox won a Norris …did you guys want to sign him for 4.5?
One thing I would say about Laviolette, the guy can coach in-game. He adjusts on the fly. I could not say that about Gallant. He could not even adjust after the game , forget about in-game coaching
Laviolette is hired. Hooray 🎊.
Not really. This is organization is a joke.
The only difference really between the recently fired and recently hired is their employment status.
I’m hoping Laviolette possesses a nice mix of tough old school mentality but with the experience to know how to push the right buttons
If there are those who hate this hire would love to hear the names of those that should have gotten this job at this time that are available
Cccp mentions something that could be a big difference between them. Also, I think he will be a little more involved in the locker room than Gerard but not overly involved like Quinn
Also, he and Drury probably see eye to eye on a lot of things
That clip sounds way different than Turk
More like Torts
sorry bobby
but your boy drury is now on the clock. 2 years. tops.
Crazy they have switched teams with each other from that video
Drury is on the clock because thier top 6 mailed it in…not sure what he can do about that other than change coaches……guess thats up to Laviollette now
Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder saw eye to eye on many issues.
Don’t think Drury should be on the clock yet
It’s been two years of relative success compared to where we were when he took over. First year we overachieved
If he was canned, you need to have a good idea of a replacement that is better. Not just say….”oh we lost, fire everyone and traid everyone.” That’s a lazy take
the kid line was terrible individually and as a group.
you really think kreider mailed it in in either playoff year.
like it or not drury is now on the clock. i defended him as a player. hate him as a sather/dolan puppet.
how many coaches does drury get to fire.
they opened pandoras box in bringing sather back. he and dolan have drury as a puppet. guaranteed they’ll keep trying to try the quick fix at each deadline.
I just got off the phone, congratulating Peter for his winning campaign. It wasn’t the money with me, but I probably did ask Chris for a little more control over player recruitment than he was comfortable with. I wanted NYR to ice the first female player, for instance, and thought the new captain should have a better sense of irony. Ah, well, best of luck.
I believe most contending teams try to bring in pieces at the deadline
I don’t believe he is just a puppet
Alex, try some optimism. It’s fun, I promise.
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