Jacob Trouba's Rocky Divorce With Rangers And More Blueshirts Thoughts

1. Once upon a time the Rangers had a captain. His name was Jacob Trouba. He hit foes hard; provided leadership and talked to the media post-game candidly and realistically. 

2. The good news is that Jake The Rake is alive and well. The bad news is that he was kicked off the Rangers by GM Chris Drury. On Friday night he'll meet his former mates in Anaheim.

3. What we don't know – and won't know until Friday night – is whether Jake will go head-hunting. Surely there must be Blueshirts who were not his buddies in the fractured dressing room. (Good Health Note: Keep your head up, Mika!)

4. Compounding his club's problems, Peter Laviolette never got around to naming a new captain. Conceivably, he never will. Which means that this team essentially is leaderless.

5. Quick Quiz: What's both amazing and depressing about the Rangers at the same time? Answer: That Mika Zibanejad is quoted after every game, as if he's the captain. Happens all the time.

6. The amazing part is that the mainstream – now just a creek – media can't find someone better than Z. The depressing thing is that  Z has become a talking cliche!

7. Matt Rempe's magic has evolved into deep purple platitudes. The Hockey News columnist Ken Campbell's shots at Un-marvelous Matt are tougher than Tanner Jeanot's KO of Rempe last night.

8. "The Kid is a danger to himself (when he fights) and others when he hits," wrote Campbell. "He can't fight, can't hit and can't play."

9. Speaking of critics, Blue Collar Blueshirts' publisher Sean McCaffrey offered these descriptions of his favorite  team: A. Overpaid country-clubbers; B. They don't show up!; C. They're not inspired. D. In the third period, they were lifeless.

10. You have to believe that there's something seriously wrong with the Blueshirts when MSG voices Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti criticize the team. 

11. A few games ago, Slingin' Sam uttered these priceless words: "The power play stinks." It was not odorless last night in L.A. nor for the past dozen or so games.

12. Rosen's imminent retirement leaves the door open – not very wide, if open at all – for a replacement. No question but it has to be the best there is, Kenny Albert.

13. The next question surrounds Sam's sidekick Joe Micheletti and whether he continues in the analyst role, or simply follows Sam into retirement.

14. Should Kenny need a replacement for an IF-exiting Joe, the obvious choice would be super-competent and ever-candid Dave Maloney.

15. And if Dave moves up, who fills that opening? A wise longshot would be Hockey News' whiz writer Stefen (Rapid) Rosner who hugely impressed listeners with his tv analysis during the double-Israeli game at UBS. Rosner has all the goods. All he needs now is an MSG audition invite.