You can guess all you want; that doesn't bother The Maven. But nobody – and I say NOBODY – can produce a definitive answer to the following:

1. DOC DOROFEYEV: I'm excited about Chris Drury nabbing the ex-Vegas sniper. But where is the Rangers outstanding No. 1 center – asks Pal Jess Rubenstein – who will deliver the juicy passes to create Doc's goals. I don't see one, do you??

MAVEN SAYS: Drury's gotta go for the Blockbuster's Blockbuster and trade Igor Shesterkin for the missing No. 1 pivot.

2. BRADEN SCHNEIDER: Based on his "EH" overall performance  in the 2025 -26 disaster of a season, the Crown Prince of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan now can be considered part of the THIRD PAIR, until Drury somehow can unload him.

MAVEN SAYS: Gotta pray that the princely one finds his game in a hurry. The good news; he got at least a one-year deal.

Speaking of Schneider, dear boy Braden was a first-rounder just like – remember him? – Brennan Othmann! 

Or, as buddy John Kreiser notes: "The current Rangers miseries are fueled by the draft misses from 2017-21. They had four top-nine picks from 2017-20. Three are gone and Alexis Lafrenière is a useful player, but not the kind of star you hope to get picking first overall.

"You're hoping for a Connor Bedard-Macklin Celebrini-Matthew Schaefer-type of player. 

Lafrenière has shown no signs of becoming one!"