Sizzling Playoff action has delayed Ask The Maven by a day but the question is as fresh as they come. Here it is from Murray Motlin of Ferndale, New York. Take it away, Murray:
WHAT EFFECT WILL NEW COACH MIKE SULLIVAN HAVE ON THE RANGERS? The Maven Answers: Let's start with the positives.
1. FRESH VOICE: Sullivan isn't David Quinn, Gerard Gallant nor Peter Laviolette. His message has to be fresh if only because he isn't any of his immediate predecessors. But that will only be worth a few weeks and then his other assets take over.
Will Anybody Hire Peter Laviolette Anymore?
There are four NHL teams on the lookout for head coaches and four ex-<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers" target="_blank">Rangers</a> bench bosses available for hire.
2. EXPERIENCE: This is a seasoned veteran who has been around the NHL block so many times, he won't be taken by surprise when it comes to handling wins and losses; not to mention the opposition.
3. ATTITUDE: As an assistant Rangers coach, Sully worked under the martinet baton of John Tortorella. Figure Mike to be tougher than either Laviolette and Quinn but on a par with Gallant. The country club ambience that was prevalent under Lavvy will be gone.
4. RELATIONSHIPS: Sullivan has what best can be called "a pleasant personality" to sweeten his hard side. Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere – in particular – might straighten up and fly right under the new ruler. But this is a big MIGHT. As for the negatives, take a gander:
1. GONE STALE: The man missed the playoffs for the last three seasons in Pittsburgh. Over a six-year period he has not won a single playoff round despite having a few future Hall of Famers in his lineup.
2. WHERE'S SIDNEY?: Throughout his Pittsburgh stewardship, Sully has leaned on Sidney Crosby to help him carry the Penguins; and, to a lesser extent, Gino Malkin and Kris Letang. There's not even a facsimile of Crosby's leadership on the Rangers. Now who can Sullivan lean on?
3. OLD IDEAS: No matter how you shake it, Sullivan is yet another coaching retread in the Laviolette category. What can he bring to the table but same-old, same-old?
4. THE ROTTEN CORE: Thanks to his buddy, Chris Drury, Sullivan is inheriting a no-good nucleus of Fat Cats with no-trade contracts. Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad would have been traded yesterday had contracts permitted a deal.
Sullivan arrives with the same enthusiasm that Quinn, Gallant and Lavvy displayed but that wears off and only time will tell whether Sully will be an improvement over Drury's three previous failures.
The New York Post headlines the new guy as an "Elite Leader."
Until we learn otherwise, The Maven's version goes like this: ELITE LEADER, OR LOSER? We'll know better in April.