The NHL is a copycat league so if the Rangers want to win The Stanley Cup, the instructions are easy for Chris Drury – COPY THE CATS!
RULE NO. 1: GET TOUGHER: Do what the Panthers did; get rid of the Weaklings. The Maven's Man in Florida, Al Greenberg, saw it before his very eyes. Here's what Big Al says:
"Manager Bill Zito gave up (lighthorse) Jonathan HJmberdeau to bring in Matthew Tkachuk," says Greenberg, "And Tkachuk became the cornerstone of the rebuild."
Zito already had traded for 'Playoff Sam' Bennett and capped it off with this year's amazing add, Brad Marchand. They may not have intimidated Connor McDavid, Inc. but they sure had the Oilers whizzer talking to himself at the end."
RULE NO. 2: BLEND THE ROSTER: "The oldsters were a great influence on the young ones," Sir Greenberg insists. "Anton Lundell is home grown. Eetu Luiostarinen came as a throw-in in the Vincent Trocheck trade and developed in Florida. Carter Verhaeghe was a youngster who couldn't find a place on the Lightning roster and blossomed in Florida."
RULE NO. 3: FIND THE BEST GOALIE: Greenberg: "Goaltending is everything and Bobrovsky turned out to be everything. Edmonton's Skinner and Pickard both had sub. 900 save percentages. Not good enough for a championship."
RULE NO. 4: LOAD UP WITH TWO POWER FORWARDS: "Start with Bennett and Tkachuk and say no more. They are the ultimate power forwards."
RULE NO. 5: SIGN A GENIUS MANAGER AND COACH: Zito arrived in 2020-21 and Paul Maurice two years later. Maurice knew how to build a winning culture. He emphasizes how everyone contributed to the effort. He has no problem mixing lines or moving a fourth-liner to the first line as an injury replacement. "And," adds Greenberg, "he always credits the fourth line for their importance."
Why The Rangers Aren't The Panthers
"Why not us?"
RULE NO. 6. ADD KEY ADDITIONS: "Obtaining Seth Jones and Brad Marchand was a stroke of genius," Greenberg concludes, "Marchand has to be the best deadline acquisition since Butch Goring helped the Islanders to four straight Stanley Cups."
(EDITOR'S NOTE: To see how the Rangers match up in these departments, see adjoining column.)