Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images"The Rangers are the worst-run team in the league."
Toronto Sun columnist Steve Simmons wrote this yesterday after interviewing several hockey agents.
The Maven decided to take this a step further by interviewing the most reliable former NHL scout who I know who offers as detailed an examination of the fading Blueshirts as has appeared to this day.
You'll find it below in three parts: Listen up and bear in mind that not a word of the following has been edited.
During my minor pro coaching/AGM days and during my 11 years in NHL hockey ops as a scout I saw many trades made where the player we traded had success after leaving. In the minors, I made them myself. Never easy to do.
Generally, the reason a player was moved to another team was because it was a better fit to his skill set or the way we wanted to play than we were.
To be honest we could have cared less if he went on to a Hall of Fame career elsewhere; at that time in that place it was not the place for that player to have success or give our team a chance for better success.
I could do a 30-minute video session showing why Breadman Panarin was not a fit in NY, why – despite the Kings playoff loss – he is a fit in LA.
Also, I'll explain why two players specifically, – J.T. Miller and Alexis Lafrenière – have thrived with Panarin gone. (It might become a summer coaching symposium presentation).
Panarin's mindset didn't work with the current personnel. Miller – in a 2C or 3C role, depending on the night – was very effective late in the season in many areas. Minus Panarin, things slotted better. Mika Zibanejad thrived.
If you watch the Zibanejad line the last 20 games with Laf on it, and you watch Laf try to play with Bread early you can see where Laf struggled to read off of Bread.
Bread is predictable in some ways but that doesn't mean his vision and freelance capability was a good thing for a player like Lafrenière. Laf is skilled but he is also simple.
He plays a good north south game, has hands, can create, and can score. He's a dancer with some grit in him, big and strong, and can protect pucks. His best quality is his ability to jump into open spaces and read off of predictable offense.
When Artemi is playing in triangle formations with his L.A. linemates he is very effective. Simple hockey with two options. That is 100% the opposite way Bread, the Ranger, played.
Now add Gabe Perreault, a simple, cerebral, complimentary player with passing skills and who can be a scoring threat.