The Rangers could have been in the Stanley Cup Final right now if it weren't for a couple poor front office decisions that allowed the Panthers to rise to power.
Imagine if the Rangers had Evan Rodrigues, Niko Mikkola and Vladimir Tarasenko instead of them skating for the Florida Panthers.
You know what? The New Yorkers would be in the Cup Finals knocking off the Edmonton Oilers.
Rodrigues got a pair of goals last night in Florida's 4-1 win over the Oilers, including the winner.
When the Panthers were trailing 1-0 to Edmonton, it was defenseman Mikkola who tied the game.
Meanwhile, Tarasenko merely has been one of the reasons why the Cats are up two games to none in the series while the Stanley Cup is smelling a lot like sweet catnip to the challengers from Sunrise.
But here's the nagging kicker. Rodrigues, Tarasenko and Mikkola all could have been helping the Blueshirts to the bauble.
All major domo Chris Drury needed to do was think in or out of the box or think anywhere for that matter.
In June 2023 the gifted Rodrigues was a free agent waiting to be signed. Sorry, but Panthers' GM Bill Zito got him.
But that's not even as bad as Drury's two swings and two misses. He HAD both Tarasenko and Mikkola.
Instead of figuring out a way – that's what ace general managers are supposed to do – to keep them the two big fish got away and went swimming with Zito.
And just in case, Rangers fans, you're weeping for what is not, Rodgrigues not only potted a pair last night but he also potted top Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse out of the game with a not-so-cheesy check.
Speaking of Rangers fans, my buddy Al (Got To Love The Rangers As A Brooklynite) Greenberg was at the game last night. Just for the heck of it, I asked Big Al to send me his Rangers fan view of the team that beat the Blueshirts.
"The Cats played Edmonton the way they played the Rangers," Big Al explains. "They stifled and strangled the Rangers and did the same to Edmonton. They were the better team just as they were against the Rangers."
Strangulation was achieved in many ways and I'll let Greenberg point them out.
"The Oilers didn't get a shot until 11:17 of the first and scored on it. But Florida stopped all four of the power plays and allowed only one shot all night on all four. Then, a pause: "The Panthers are the strongest and deepest team in the playoffs."
They wouldn't have been had the Rangers nabbed Rodrigues, Mikkola and Tarasenko!