Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due To Chris Drury

To those who have been criticizing, knocking, whipping and otherwise giving Rangers GM Chris Drury a stiff, verbal whacking over the last year, I have two words for you – SHUT UP!

"In all fairness"  as a fair lady named Johanna once said, "you – meaning YOU – should be first to give credit where credit is due."

The Maven has by picking the Blueshirts to make the playoffs before the season even started. Then, I put my money where my prediction was and now we have some followers like my pal Lloyd MacKay from the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

"Drury," says MacKay, "has gone from the outhouse to the penthouse."

I knocked the beehoozis out of Drury when he deserved the knocking, BUT I also pointed out that HE DESERVED ONE MORE CHANCE. Better still, he's making the best of it.

He drafted Alberts Smits with his first pick; which seemed perfectly all right. But who figured that the 18-year-old would be a tall round peg fitting into the long round hole? The kid is playing with a plum – not a pear, not an apple – and he's already proving to be a peach of a D-man.

Drury's confidence in the oft-kicked around Alexis Lafrenière was well rewarded not only with the bargain basement – two empty-net hat tricks – goal night but with solid D work as well.

"I use Laffy on five-on-six situations," says coach Mike Sullivan, "because he's very capable at it."

If there was a weak spot last night, I'm obliged to say so. Igor in goal got himself neither a goal nor an assist.

The poor fella is in a slump!