1. Every Rangers foe on the four-game road trip is beatable starting Sunday night in Calgary.
2. The Canucks – Vancouver is second on the road trip – Tuesday, are in the same mess as last season, with Elias Pettersson as the core of the problem.
3. The final two road trip foes – Edmonton and Seattle – will be challenges, but the Rangers traditionally rebound well after starting a road trip west after a bad loss at home. We shall see whether that former form holds.
4. Just-promoted Brennan Othmann had an assist in four Wolf Pack games. It seems to almost every hockey seer that he's being showcased for a trade – the sooner the better.
5. Otherwise, it made more sense to promote either Gabe Perreault or Brett Berard.
Is The Rangers' Start To The Season Surprising?
The calendar tells us that this is Friday and that tells me it's time for Ask The Maven. Today's question is from Moe Demling of Rochester.
6. NHL surprises: A. Slow start for Connor McDavid; B. Slower start for the Mitch Marner-less Maple Leafs; C. Improved Blackhawks.
7. Lindy Ruff gets rewarded as the Sabres are finally looking like good competition.