Where do the Rangers stand going into a critical offseason and what went wrong for them in the playoffs?
FIFTEEN OF THE MAVEN'S ALWAYS FREE 'THOUGHT-TWISTERS'
1. The Rangers were kept on the perimeter for too much of their third round loss to Florida. It took four games for the Oilers to solve that roadblock. What did the Rangers miss?
2. By studying tapes of how Connor McDavid & Company penetrated Florida's relentless forechecking, the Blueshirts brass could learn a thing or three. In the future such insights would enhance the Blueshirts attacking formations.
3. All of a sudden the Kaapo Kakko supporters are coming out of the woodwork pushing Chris Drury to keep the enigmatic forward.
4. It's all very nice and should entice prospective bidders. The most likely scenario will follow Kaako's new contract. Most likely we'll see the end of the sign-and-trade sequence.
5. Rebound-ability was the Rangers forte until Game 5 of the Florida series. Tomorrow we'll find out about the Cats' "Rebound-ability" quotient. (I see another Oilers win.)
6. For The Maven's money, the most interesting quotes following Game 3 came from Rangers fan-journalist Al Greenberg: "Defeat won't kill Florida's chances, except in the media!"
7. I was there in 1975 when the Rangers stomped all over the Islanders, 8-3 in the second game of their best-of-three playoff. The onslaught didn't faze the Nassaumen who won Game 3 at MSG and the series in overtime.
8. In case you missed it, Ryan Reaves did this past year for the Maple Leafs what he previously did for the Rangers. NOTHING!
9. Not that I'm Barclay Goodrow's agent – which I'm not – but he was wasted and grossly misplaced on the fourth line.
10. Then again, Jumpin' Jack Roslovic was wasted on any line.
11. There's no doubt in The Maven's mind that the general staff will want to name a new captain. My candidate is Vincent Trocheck but I suspect management would prefer either Adam Fox or Chris Kreider, unless CK gets dealt.
12. And if you think it would be wrong to deal forever-Ranger-Kreider, remember what Drury said the other week: "Nothing is off the table!" (Except Shesterkin.)
13. Before heading to hospital for some make-things-better work, my faculty advisor George Grimm explained how the Rangers faked us out in the third playoff round.
14. "The Blueshirts previously had feasted on weaker teams and struggled against the better squads. They were never as good as they looked on paper."
15. Something to wonder about: Was Filip Chytil inserted into the Florida series because he was being "showcased" in the hopes of a potential summer time trade? (Or, as the late, great Fats Waller put it: "One never knows, do one?")