1. Gut feelings count. My gut tells me that Mitch Marner will be a Ranger when training camp opens.
2. So far there's no new news about what zany, off-season hobby Matt Rempe is pursuing – and that's very good news.
Who Will Be The First Rangers Player To Be Traded?
It's Friday – that time again – and here we go with another chapter of ASK THE MAVEN. Today's question comes via Fred Pearl of Hunter, N.Y. (Take it away, Fred:)
3. The Maven can fearlessly predict that Sean Avery's upcoming romance novel "Summer Skate" will not be approved by Good Housekeeping magazine.
4. Reading Mike Sullivan's lips and looking ahead, I'm betting that when the new coach picks a captain it will be Adam Fox.
5. At one point it appeared as if Dylan Garand would be Igor Shesterkin's backup, especially after DG's AHL all-star season. Now the question is all about Garand's next team and if it's in Hartford.
6. I can't wait to read Steve Albert's new book "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Broadcast Booth." It's now available on Amazon.com. (Good Ranger stuff in there and more about it here later.)
7. One more about Steve's new work, from Albert: "It's about my ups, downs and unforeseen mishaps that occurred throughout my lifelong journey on the air." (The Maven will shortly deliver a review here.)
8. Regarding a possible Chris Kreider deal, my trade ace Jess Rubenstein reports: "Due to Kreider's cap number of $6.5 million over the next two seasons, Chris Drury will have to retain between 25% and 50% of his cap hit."
9. Reminder: Both Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad have said that they have no intention of waiving their no-movement clause. They want to remain Rangers. Period!
10. Back to Kreider – and I get this from Jess Rubenstein – who has a 15-team no trade clause: The Bruins, once a possible landing strip for Bostonian Chris, are committed to rebuilding and have no interest in Kreider. (P.S. You have to wonder whether Drury will use the same strategy he used with Barclay Goodrow and Jacob Trouba to force Kreider to accept a trade.)