Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/f690dc90-6942-411e-a024-4a85bc228e34.jpeg] Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images 1. Minus Jake (The Rake) Trouba, Chris (Stop Crying He's Gone) Kreider and D'Andre (Not Captain) Miller around, the Rangers room is as peaceful as a churchyard. Also boring! 2. I can't wait for Captain J.T. (The Golfer) Miller's first address to the troops. Prediction: Something like "If you guys don't hustle, I'll kick your butt!" 3. Okay, fair enough; but who's gonna kick the captain's toosh when he doesn't backcheck? (Will Sully have the nerve to do that? Doubt it.) 4. Speaking of butt kicking, isn't that what Connor McDavid is doing to the fair village of Edmonton by not getting it over with and putting pen down on an Oilers contract? (Sure is.) 5. Writing in The Hockey News Yearbook about the Rangers, Steve Zipay asks, "Can Mike Sullivan galvanize the defense and core forwards and develop some youngsters with a new voice and style?" (Answers below.) 6. A. To galvanize the defense, get Cale Makar; trade Slava Gavrkov; B. To galvanize the core forwards, get Auston Matthews and William Nylander; trade Breadman and meek Mika; C. To develop youngsters with a new voice and style, promote and keep Gabe Perreault, Brett Berard and Scott Morrow. (Make sure you let them talk to the media daily.) 7. Sportsnet's Emily Sadler produced a list of "Players Under The Most Pressure." Vegas' Mitch Marner tops the list and his ex-Leafs buddy Auston Matthews is runner-up. No Rangers made the list. 8. Maven's List of Rangers Under Most Pressure; A. Fats Lafreniere; earn the dough or get traded; B. Breadman Panarin; reach the 100-point mark or get traded: C. Igor Shesterkin; either carry the team or get booed; D. Mika Zibanejad; Either reach a 70-point season or live in the press box; E. Slava Gabrikov: Either carry Adam Fox or Will Borgen will. 9. If rookie Matthew Schaefer makes the Islanders varsity and plays better than Gavrikov: OY VAY! 10. If nothing else, the Rangers – thanks to MSG Networks – will be blessed by the twin voices of Kenny Albert and Dave Maloney on the Blueshirts' telecasts.
