Want to know who the Rangers pressure is on? Try coach Peter Laviolette; he's the guy.
I don't for one second believe the stories going around about "Pressure" on New York Rangers players as the opening game against Washington is one day away.
You wanna know who the pressure is on? Try coach Peter Laviolette; he's the guy.
He's got to prove two things:
1. His last non-playoff gig was a fluke.
Lavvy guided the Capitals last year and they had a ginger-peachy exhibition season.
After that the Capitals missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14. Under Peter's watch. Not your's; not mine.
2. Laviolette has to win the Stanley Cup NOW!
This June, not when the cow jumps over the moon. That's why he's getting the big bucks; and for nothing less.
His boss Chris Drury has presented him with a championship team; just as he did last year for Gerard Gallant but Double G screwed it up with a lot of help from Igor (What Happened To Him Against New Jersey?) Shesterkin.
Let's face it, this Blueshirt sextet is loaded to the gills and Matt Rempe has made it even stronger and more winnable without needing a single KO. Rempe is for real.
This Rangers team is so loaded that if Adam Fox was playing at the start of the season as he is now, he'd win another Norris Trophy.
You get The Maven's point; there isn't a weak link in the lineup even when The Great Jonny Brodzinski is given ice time.
New York's power play is so -- well -- powerful that it gives me goose pimples just thinking about it.
As for the penalty-killers, they're so aggressive that the opposition is lucky if the Blueshirts themselves don't get a shorthander. (If you don't believe me, just ask the Islanders. )
Not to worry.
The Breadman will be The Perfect Panarin and Mika Zibanejad will score so many goals you'll be able spell his name right within ten seconds.
Suffice to conclude -- almost conclude, that is -- that Drury, Inc. has done such a superior job that nobody even remembers a right wing named Blake Wheeler.
As for Lavvy, we shall see.
At his Friday press grilling he was asked about last spring's egregious failure.
"That's last year," the head coach shot back, "and not for me to speak about."
Did he mean his abject Washington non-playoff failure or the Rangers first round elimination?
Really, it doesn't matter. But just for the sake of argument let's talk about Blueshirts, Spring 2023. By the way, why won't Lavvy talk about it since it wasn't his fault that Breadman turned into dry toast?
Maybe he didn't want to talk about it because the pressure is on HIM, just as it was on Gallant who so egregiously failed after leading the first round against Jersey.
Mind you, I'm not talking about the pressure to beat the -- ahem -- well-coached Caps. The Blueshirts should -- and will -- rout them in a New York minute.
This very experienced Laviolette is under pressure to do one -- and only one -- thing; win the darn Stanley Cup.
The Maven vaguely remembers that Mike Keenan did it 30 years ago.
Your time has come Prince Peter and if I'm putting too much pressure on you just look at the numbers on your paycheck.
Then, take a deep breath, look in the mirror and warble a chorus of "This Is My Lucky Day!"