1. Zac Jones gets around. In one season he's gone from part of the defensive core to the doghouse and now Hartford. Eventually this talent will find a home and it won't be on Seventh Avenue.
2. Team USA lost its overtime to the Canadians on terrible defensive zone coverage by Auston Matthews. That's the same flaw that has dogged the Rangers all season.
3. The two words I do not want to hear tonight about the Blueshirts – Lacklustre Effort.
4. If you're wondering why Chris Drury has not made another trade, imagine that you're another NHL GM. Then answer this question: Who would I want that the Rangers are willing to trade?
5. I believe that lifetime Rangers fan Harvey (Hutch) Cohen was right when he told me, "The Jacob Trouba Fiasco will follow the Rangers and Chris Drury for as long as he's GM of the team."
6. Wanna know what this season is all about for the MSGers? Peter Laviolette has the answer: "It's how we finish!"
7. If The Garden Brass decides to sack Chris Drury, who'd you pick for a successor? My walking Ouija Board, Jess Rubenstein, suggests Paul Fenton who's done wonders with the Panthers.
8. How about possible replacements for Peter Laviolette? Rubenstein's choices: Jeff Daniels with the Canes or Jamie Kompon in Florida.
9. I don't know about you but if I were designating a forgotten – or perhaps stealth – Ranger, it would be Reilly Smith. (There's something UN-Ranger about this guy!)
10. It is an indisputable fact that people who never watch hockey tuned in to the 4 Nations Faceoff. (Can you believe 16,000,000 viewers!!)
11. For many reasons – and for many decades – Rhode Island hockey has been dear to my heart. With that in mind, it's my pleasure to reveal that the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame has unveiled its Class of 2025. The inductees are: BILL ARMY: He stared at Boston College and turned pro with the AHL Rochester Americans; later to become an outstanding prep school coach.
ROSS BROOKS: A terrific goalie with the AHL RI Reds, Brooks played solid seasons in the AHL and made his debut with the Boston Bruins at age 36. He later became a RI high school coach and then a Providence Bruins coach.
BUSTER CLEGG: A high school star, he later became p.r. director and GM of the AHL Reds. He later co-found youth hockey organizations and the RI Reds Heritage Society.
BOB O'CONNOR: He was Lou Lamoriello's linemate at Providence College. He later became a winning high school coach in Minnesota and a director of USA Hockey and finally USA Hockey's National Coach in Chief.
TOM WOODCOCK: Those of us on the NHL beat knew Tom via his 40-year career and more than 3,000 games as head trainer of the Blues, Whalers and San Jose Sharks.