The road for the Rangers to make the playoffs will be difficult and some people have there doubts.
Everybody has a right to be wrong about the Rangers.
When some savant insists that this club cannot make the playoffs, The Maven says they did it last year and can do it again.
But everybody also has a right to be pessimistic about the Blueshirts. My Chief Scout and Roving Pessimisti Jess Rubenstein does not buy my optimism.
"Nobody wants the Rangers to win The Cup more than I do," Jess tells me for openers. "But when I look ahead – I'm sorry – this roster can't afford to play win one, lose one after Four Nations."
Since the Rangers have not played well against the elite teams so far, the fact that they'll face some of the better squads ahead would appear to be daunting but that doesn't mean they can't beat them.
Rubenstein: "Check out the rest of the month; they're on the road against the Sabres, Penguins and Islanders before returning home to face Toronto. Anything less than six points here is a problem.
"In March they have 15 games in 28 days and ten games against playoff contending teams. March alone is what sets the Rangers up for failure – asking them to play this kind of schedule."
Schedule-wise, April is no bargain. The Rangers have eight games with six against playoff contenders. The last three games of the season include Canes, Panthers and Tampa."
Thank you, Jess, for your candor. Here's mine: Sure it looks tough on paper but if this Rangers core can compete the way it did last fall – or even last season – They could beat the toughies.
That said, Rubenstein offers the perfect squelch.
"That's a total of 17 games out of 27 against playoff contenders." Then, a pause: "The Rangers will need other teams to play themselves out of the playoff race for New York to get in!"
Excuse me while I return to my crystal ball and Ouija Board!