Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORKNeil Smith knows more than a little bit about hockey. Much more. In fact the native Torontonian knows tons about the ice game.
He belongs in the Hall of Fame for a number of reasons, not the least of which is his general managing the New York Rangers to the club's last Stanley Cup in 1994.
Smith – along with colleague Vic Morren – is co-host of one of the most insightful hockey podcasts on the continent, NHL Wraparound.
On a recent podcast in which The Athletic's Vince Mercogliano was a guest, the Rangers' plight was their subject and Smith delivered cogent comments about the Blueshirts and their woes.
Listen up because Neil's observations always are on target:
Not surprisingly the current stewardship of Blueshirt GM Chris Drury was a meaty target. Neil pointed out that Drury's modus operandi was open for examination.
"Drury was a player in the league for a long time," said Smith, "a Stanley Cup-winning player, a captain and a captain of the Rangers. Yet he has probably been the worst I have ever seen as to the way he treats his players."
Smith named the usual suspects – Trouba, Goodrow and Kreider. "I never treated a player like
that," Neil asserted. It confuses me as to how an ex-player can be so numb to the feelings of the players?"
As for Artemi Panarin's future, Smith got some giggles with this one: "Obviously, if you're walking around with jeans on – and a tattered coat, there's no sense having a five-carat diamond on your hands!"