The Big Problem With The Rangers

The critics are carping – fans, reporters, everyone it seems has a beef but the Penguins at the Coney Island Aquarium. 

These are serious fans who live and die for the Blueshirts yet they find it hard to do any kind of rah-rahing these days, even though Peter Laviolette's skaters are within striking distance of a playoff berth.

Listen up; see if you agree.

"This Rangers team is uninspired and disinterested," writes Bernie Rohde of Queens. "It doesn't deserve to make the playoffs. I know it's impossible but I would trade or buy out everyone except Will Cuylle, Igor and J.T.Miller.

"Bring up the boys from the minors. I blame Peter Laviolette for not having this team ready to start on time."

Patrick Hoffman, who has been writing hockey for decades and writing it well, is as flabbergasted – not to mention disappointed – as anyone. 

"It appears that Igor Shesterkin is the only one who wants his team to make the playoffs," writes Hoffman. "They are not playing with any kind of urgency.

"They are careless with the puck and leave Shesterkin out to dry and not doing little things that help win hockey games."

The Post's headline over a Larry Brooks' column says it all: THIS RANGER TEAM DOESN'T HAVE IT IN THEM.

There's more dead wood on the roster than you'd find in a fire-ravaged lumber yard. And speaking of rotten timber, check the following:

Mika Zibanejad is a minus-20 so far this season. Big Al Lafrenière is minus-13. These guys are getting humongous bucks while playing like penny-pinchers.

It's hard to figure K'Andre Miller, who once had the  promise to be an All-Star. Hutch Cohen in New Jersey calls K a liability.

"K'Andre is NOT a good defenseman," adds Hoffman. "He gives up the puck too much, gets lost in his own zone, does not do a good job covering in front of the net and does not play with confidence."

My very expert consultant Jess Rubenstein offered these observations after the loss in Los Angeles: "Trocheck was AWOL as was Fox. And if they keep K'Andre Miller, that alone should cost Drury his job!"

Others have commented to me that even broadcasters Sam Rosen and Joltin' Joe M. have been critical. 

Ditto for the tweets: 

"Chuck" writes: "Put a fork in them." Ryan: "I watch the Rangers as a hobby and to relax. I am an idiot."

"Rarely has Sam Rosen criticized the team this year," concluded Jess Rubenstein after the last loss, "but he called them out for their effort – especially in the first period. He was really disappointed."

Join the club. However The Maven still believes that they'll gain a playoff berth and then, look out!

We shall see soon enough who's right. But as long as the team has not been eliminated, The Maven is right.

Right? Or wrong?