Jonathan Quick's New Contract, Rangers Chase for Playoffs and More Rangers News

1. The re-signing of Jonathan Quick may be a good thing for Quickie, not necessarily good for next season and terrible for Hartford's Dylan Garand???????? who wants the backup gig.

2. The Maven still insists that the Rangers will make the playoffs Pal Sean McCaffreuy nixes that. He likes Ottawa and Columbus. Three out of 14 NHL.com staffers have the Blueshirts making it.

3. The man who publishes Blue Collar Blueshirts gives us all food for thought will this line: "I wonder whether Adam Fox ever fully recovered from his two knee injuries last year."

4. Forget analytics, do an eye test and tell me which Rangers – if any are dead wood tonight in Minnesota; or will they ALL pull together for what The Maven expects will be an at last win.

5. Until Glen Sather retired, he was MSG owner Jimmy Dolan's chief advisor. One wonders whether Dolan leans on Sather anymore. My chief advisor, Jess Rubenstein says no. "Slats would rather play golf." (And smoke big cigars!)

6. Not to be outdone, Jess also believes that – despite the whole, ugly Blueshirt mess – that Peter Laviolette will return next season behind the Rangers bench, "because Chris Drury does not want to fire yet another coach."

7. Colorado is today's Maven favorite to win the Stanley Cup. Wouldn't it be the all-time hisseroo if former rivals Brock Nelson and Lindgren sip champagne, one after the other. (Thanks, Sean.)

8. If – after the next loss – a Ranger calls it "a moral victory," I know 14,290 Blueshirts fans who'll scream, IT IS NOT!  (Enough with moral victories that only bring Brownie points, not the NHL kind.) 

9. Meanwhile, Will Borgen is talking about the team "developing chemistry." Somebody ought to show him a calendar and suggest developing chemistry is not a particularly handsome idea with the season almost over.

10. Frank Sinatra never would have this Rangers' season in mind when warbling his amazing hit, "My Way."

11.  Blueshirt suggestion for next season since now is too late. Hire a guy who can teach them how to win 5-on-5 hockey.

12. Nothing against Slingin' Sam Carrick but he'll never be as  potent a locker room guy as Barclay Goodrow; not even close.

13. Take a good look at the standings and tell me if this isn't the zany-est Wild Card run since Hector was a pup.

14. This from Eager Al Greenberg in Florida: "Brad Marchand going to the Panthers is like when Phil (Kicking And Screaming) Esposito went to the Rangers."

15. Something else for the Blueshirts to worry about: the Canadiens don't like losing anymore.

16. We shall see but wouldn't it be wonderful tonight if we find no FAT CATS in the entire Rangers lineup. (I Can Dream, Can't I?)

17. Of course, that would have to mean Big Al Lafrenière has done something useful, doesn't it?