Sam Navarro-Imagn ImagesEditor's Note: Every so often – for a wise and different view of the enigmatic Rangers – the Maven will import an outside-the-box observer with fresh views of his or her autopsy of the Blueshirt corpse. Take it away Hannah Beam.
New York City has seen it all. The bright lights, the comebacks, the characters.The Apple does not do mediocre, except, apparently, when it comes to its hockey team.
Even a novice knows that getting shut out in your first three home games – as the Rangers did in October – is not a good look for the city that never sleeps. New York deserved a show and, instead, got a blackout.
Then January 5th happened, and whatever was left of the season went dark too. New York's best goalie Igor Shesterkin and best defenseman, Adam Fox got hurt in the same game.
Which is like the Jets losing their quarterback and best lineman on the same play and here's the kicker. Over the next 13 games, the woefully awful Rangers went 2-11-0 in the following games and relinquished nearly five goals a game.The Garden, home to the loudest crowds in sports, had nothing to cheer about.
At that point the Rangers' high command surrendered. WHITE FLAG, WE GIVE UP.
The actual surrender document included the club's biggest star, Artemi Panarin, being dealt to Los Angeles for a prospect and some draft picks. The city that has everything except but a winning hockey team, watched its best player get packed up and sent to the West Coast.
That (negative) said, there were precious few silver linings; really one in fact.
Gabe Perreault, a right wing out of Boston College, had been touted as a future star more times than the Statue of Liberty has lights, looked promising on a few occasions and, already, those crazy, hopefully loyal New York fans began worshipping the lad.
If nothing else, New York fans are loyal. They'll be back; they always are – despite the sickest of seasons.
In a city that moves at a million miles an hour, this one dragged on long enough.New York deserves better.
But each season, they get worse!