It is possible that someday, Connor McDavid could become a member of the New York Rangers. It's all based on a simple theory. If Edmonton heroes Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier eventually could wind up wearing the Blueshirt, then King Connor could as well.
Please! Please!! Don't go running to a shrink on this because it's merely a fan's "Thought-Twister."
And whatever you do, don't send an email to Chris Drury because he's got enough problems, starting with Alex Lafreniere. What I present you with -- at no charge at all -- is logic.
It is possible that someday Connor McDavid could become a member of the New York Rangers. It's all based on a simple theory. If Edmonton heroes Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier eventually could wind up wearing the Blueshirt, then King Connor could as well.
Or, to put it another logical way, for the good of himself -- and for the greater good of the National Hockey League -- the world's best player belongs in the world's media capital. Not today. Not tomorrow and not next year. But it didn't take Mess nor Gretz a lifetime to set up acreage in The Apple.. If -- for any number of reasons -- The Great One and Moose could skip Alberta, it shouldn't be impossible for McD.
WHY MCDAVID NEVER COULD BECOME A RANGER
While the vision of the World's Greatest Hockey player calling the World's Most Famous Arena his home makes for a Ranger fans' daydream, here's where the dream ends.
For starters, the Salary Cap and No-Move clauses say, "Nay, nay, a thousand times NAY!"
Back in the Gretzky-Messier century, the Rangers could pay the Wonder Boys whatever they wanted. Today? Nix on top of Nix. Plus, the Blueshirts simply could not come up with enough quality players to satisfy the Oilers were a deal ever to be made; which it won't.
Whatever McDavid's faults -- and I don't know that he has a single one except making goalies look silly -- he's become the ideal Face Of The NHL. And Mac easily could win the election as Alberta's premier.
But there is another point worth mentioning. Moose and The Great One carried a large enough ego that eventually needed a move to The Great White Way. As one of my closest "advisors" so aptly puts it, "I don't see #97 clamoring for even more spotlight than he already has."
Rapid's Response: The Oilers did the right thing locking McDavid up through 2026, but competitors like McDavid want to win. And if the Oilers continue to come up short of a Stanley Cup Final over the next few years, it wouldn't be shocking to see McDavid demand a trade of some sort, especially with the salary cap expected to rise exponentially, meaning McDavid's $12.5 million cap hit won't be as detrimental to the books.
ATLANTA BACK IN THE NHL. WHY NOT? WHY YES?
A feature of every single owners' meeting is the question of expansion. And so it was raised by Commissioner Bettman, who also made it clear it's not something being considered by the governors at the moment.
But moments come and go, as folks in Vegas and Seattle will attest, and, yeah, there is such a thing as the "future." This is why in the past month or so, the Jewel Of The Southland has emerged as a potential NHL site for a third time, and for good reason.
Georgia's gem is a city growing out of its past image and with enough corporate power to have NHL owners take another look; a future glance. What's given this thought traction is an arena-village plan in Alpharetta, just outside the city.
If current plans jell, it would include an 18,000-seat arena available for another expansion team or, if necessary, a relocation option. Granted that the league is "not in an expansion mode" now, but time and things change.
The prime reason for Atlanta's second failure was incredibly bad ownership.
The only thing is certain, the league has the most formidable ownership group it's ever had. Bettman would never let a bummer occur if the league tries a third time down South.
MAVEN'S OPINION. Atlanta makes a good story, but another expansion move into Georgia won't happen.
What matters most in this regard is whether the Coyotes make a deal to build an arena near Phoenix. The search must end one way or the other in the next few months.
Meanwhile, the usual suspects are mentioned in the bullpen if Arizona blows it -- Houston, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, and the way-way-underdog favorite, Quebec City.
Rapid's Response: If you at first you don't succeed, try, try again? Third time's a charm? I just don't understand how a city that's had two NHL franchises, all eventually failing and leading to relocation, thinks that trying a third time is going to have different long-term results. Yes, you feel for the fans in Atlanta, who want hockey back, but it just seems redundant to force something to work in a location where it just does not.
HOW TO FIGURE LAFRENIERE
Forgive the Rangers general staff if GM Chris Drury and aides wring their hands in frustration over Alex Lafreniere's pre-season failures. Reminder: We're talking about a Number One
Draft Pick, who at one point was garnering as much publicity as current wunderkind Connor Bedard.
With or without analytics, Big Al so far has crumbled. The result has inspired all sorts of theories which ultimately wind up at a dead end.
In fact, the most veteran Rangers beatman, Larry Brooks of The New York Post, simply stated, "There's no logical explanation" for LaLa's mastery of mediocrity. That could be. And then again, perhaps there is an explanation.
Without getting too complicated, it could very well be that while LaLa may have dominated his Major Junior opponents and become the hottest of the hotshot draftees, it could be that center stage simply is not for him; especially in The Big Apple.
Perhaps that IS the explanation, and a short course in drafting history gives us an answer.
Some guys can't handle the heat, and that's that. Try Exhibit A.
In 1993 Alexander Daigle was drafted first overall by Ottawa with a Lafreniere type build-up.
The result was that Daigle goes down in NHL history as Baron of the Bumblers.
Want another? In 1999 the Atlanta Thrashers thought they had Heaven's gift to hockey in Patrik Stefan. He faded almost as fast as a Glen Sather cigar smoke ring.
It simply could be that Lafreniere is doing another Daigle-Stefan.
Then again, he might not, but that remains to be seen. Which also means that a disgusted Drury may be forced to do what he does not now want to do; trade the not-so-poor fellow and, once and for all, get it over with.
Rapid's Response: Alex Lafreniere was considered a franchise-altering player by scouts heading into his draft year, but either all the scouts had it wrong, or Lafreniere has just struggled to live up to the hype. It's getting ugly for Lafreniere on Broadway, and I agree with The Maven that a trade may be coming. He's got two years left on his deal, but the concern for Drury is that the 21-year-old goes somewhere else and figures things out.
WHO'S THE BEST AVAILABLE GOALIE?
Marc-Andre Fleury should be good for one more NHL team before retiring. Yeah, he has a "No Movement Clause," but NMCs can be ripped up faster than you can say Tampa Bay. And wouldn't the future Hall of Famer like to conclude his career in the sunny South as backup-- maybe even starter-- with the still competitive Lightning?
If The Maven was Monsieur Fleury, I'd love a puff on one of those Tampa cigars on my off day!
Rapid's Response: What will the Lightning do? There have been a few goaltenders who seemed available, most recently Martin Jones, who was placed on waivers. But if they think entering the season with Jonas Johansson and Matt Tomkins as their goaltending tandem is going to work, they may have a hard time treading water with Vasilevsky on the shelf.
IS JOHN TAVARES AN 'UNTOUCHABLE?
I wouldn't say that Toronto critics are running out of patience with John Tavares, but for what affection remains, a just-average JT season and a Leaf playoff flop could once and for all make him expendable.
And this despite The Pyjama Boy seemingly being locked to Canada's Queen City.
Kyle Dubas expected BIG things out of JT. What he got was some good things. Brad Treliving has no chains on Johnny.
Rapid's Response: There's no denying that Tavares has been a strong player for Toronto, especially in 2022-23, with 36 goals and 44 assists. But the problem with Tavares is that $11 million a year through 2024-25, in this salary-cap world, may have blocked the ability for Toronto to improve their roster in certain areas. The salary cap increase coming next season should help, but this is a group that has failed to get over the hump due to too much money to their top guys and not enough spent on depth and goaltending. We shall see how Toronto does this season, as they went for grittiness this summer, a major need.
WHERE, OH WHERE, WILL PATRICK KANE LAND?
The "insiders' will be guessing until the cows come home about the refugee from the United Center.
I trust Sportsnet's Emily Sadler, who figures Buffalo, Detroit (reunion with buddy Alex DeBrincat), New Jersey, and Vegas are in the mix. Sadler figures that Florida is the "wild card."
In Newark, I can see GM Tom Fitzgerald pulling another one out of his hat and further loading up New Jersey's offense with Kane.
Rapid's Response: Buffalo seems to make a lot of sense for Kane, him being from there but just where that team is at. The Sabres should be playoff-bound, and Kane knows a thing or two about winning.
FISCHING LURES:
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HOT PLAYER WATCH: PANTHERS MACKIE SAMOSKEVICH
Listed as Florida's "Top Prospect" and fifth on the Cats right wing depth chart, the native of Newtown, Connecticut -- and U of Michigan product -- had a brief cup of coffee last season. He may need more pro-basic training, but all signs indicate that GM Bill Zito did right by drafting him 24th overall in 2021.