Winslow Townson-Imagn ImagesAs a service to my followers – and as a public service to Rangerville at large - here are the individuals responsible for the club's demise.
1. MATT REMPE: The Skating Giraffe could have – should have – been in the lineup on Monday night but he keeps repeating dumb-and-dumber moves He fought, broke his thumb and still can't play because management rushed him back too soon. Rempe as a goalie-screener is terrific. (Trouble is he can't do a thing because his fight-broken thumb won't allow it.)
2. WILL CUYLLE: He finished last season with 20 goals and 25 assists. He figured to better those figures this season. Some say he "tries hard." The Maven says he is a major reason why the Rangers popgun offense can't even "pop" let alone be seen. Cuylle has less than half a season to wake up but his nothing contributions disabled the club, badly.
3. ALEXIS LAFRENIERE: Alexis Lafrenière plays as if his mind wandered off to the thick forests of Northern Quebec. Once in a very blue moon, he awakens on the power play and then disappears. LA-LA is so bad that his reluctant dragon of a coach finally pointed a finger at the guy and to show how serious he was/is. Lafrenière responded by doing zilch.
4. SCOTT MORROW: The top-flight Carolina Hurricanes played him in the playoffs and he had shown flashes of brilliance in the AHL. He should have been the perfect power play quarterback replacing injured Adam Fox. So far he's been Mister Useless on or out of the power play.
5. YOUTH HAS NOT SERVED: With the possible exception of Noah Laba, the younger players such as Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard have failed the offense; especially Berard who looked like a find last season. He's now in the franchise's Lost and Found Department. A lost cause!
6. THE COACH: Mike Sullivan has failed to develop the young core into a formidable group. Cuylle has turned into a has-been in a year. Coach has gotten 0 from Lafrenière. Plus he should have ordered Rempe never to fight and now his broken thumb has him gone again. What a waste.
The pity of it all is that the two top bananas, Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox, have turned fragile. Iggy is suffering from overwork. As for Fox, his wounds leave us wondering whether he's simply suffering from battle fatigue – or what?
An Ottawa team that has trouble winning is at The Garden tonight. The Senators are ready for a Rangers' TKO.
Mave vows: If the Blueshirts should lose to the Senators, I'll have directions for Drury, Inc., to the NHL Burial Grounds!