1. NEXT MANAGER: John Davidson won't come back, nor be welcomed back so I asked my personal "Insider," Jess Rubenstein, who he'd recommend as a replacement for Chris Drury. (Not that they'd get him, but I'd have loved to convince Kevin Cheveday of to leave Winnipeg for The Big Apple.)

2. SURPRISE NAME: Insider Rubenstein went outside my realm and chose Paul Fenton. "He's had experience as assistant GM in Nashville," says Jess, "and was GM in Minnesota. He's got more than 20 years of front office experience in every key role."

3. ADVISOR TO THE CHAMPS: Rubenstein adds: "Fenton is currently senior advisor to Panthers GM Bill Zito and the Cats are what the Rangers someday would like to be – Stanley Cup champions."

4. WHAT THE RANGERS NEED MOST: Many hockey executives study the Blueshirts demise and come to one conclusion: the franchise needs a complete makeover. That includes thecurrent roster as well as the quality of the prospects they have drafted.

5. THE DOUBLE MISTAKE: The twin firings of John Davidson and Jeff Gorton forever will be remembered as one of the dumbest moves any NHL team ever made. And that extends from every angle including logic, public relations and results.

6. WHO'S GOT THE LAST LAUGH? As the Canadiens executive vice-president of hockey operations, Jeff Gorton has turned the Habs into a sure playoff team – and at the expense of the bumbling, blundering Blueshirts.

7. P.S. FROM JESS: "Paul Fenton, who is respected all over the NHL, has the one key quality that Jim Dolan most values – a Stanley Cup ring earned as a front office leader."