1. The record shows that Peter Laviolette's second years as an NHL coach always have been downers. (Check his Capitals disaster.) So why should this one be different?
2. In his pre-training camp media scrum Chris Drury made nicey-nice upon addressing the Jacob Trouba soap opera; not that the GM had any choice.
3. Trouba remains a lame duck captain until the general staff can dump him. Or, until Mrs. Trouba finishes her medical studies. (Pray that she passes all exams.)
4. Drury poured honey on Kaapo Kakko's sour (last) season. The Boss called it "a fluke" and expects a stirring – as in stirring the trade pot – comeback from Double K. (Accidents do happen.)
5. The New York Post's Mollie Walker posted a few key Rangers questions. I liked this one: "How Many 'Close But No Cigars' Will Be Too Many?"
6. The Maven's Answer: The Rangers will enjoy an endless number of "No Cigars" because: 1. MSG sells out every game; and always will. 2. MSG will sell out every game even if the Blueshirts are as bad as the Sharks; 3. The Rangers are the second richest NHL team, right behind the Leafs; 4. Blueshirt fans are loyal no matter what. 5. They live off this mantra: "Wait 'Til Next Year!"
7. If coach Peter Laviolette still likes his job, he'll start the season with Alexis Lafreniere on the power play. And he'll finish the season with Big Al on the PP.
8. Pal Mollie believes that training camp and exhibitions will be Matt Rempe's audition for making the Big Team. NAY! says The Maven. He made the team last spring; it's just that Lavvy hasn't figured the right way to use the Skating Giraffe.
9. No doubt about it, this is another CUP OR BUST campaign. Only this year the other side of the BUST will be Lavvy's job.
10. Matt Martin a Ranger? If he flunks his Islanders' audition, Drury might be tempted to woo the free agent who never stops trying; never stops hitting.
11. Here's a hint that MSG will give Igor Shesterkin the keys to the Garden vault. When Drury discussed the fact that Lafreniere's contract expires at the end of the season, the GM said, "Lafreniere is an exciting young piece (his word, not mine) for us and, just like Igor, is here for a long time."
12. By my definition, "long time" means eight years.
13. I guess we all can agree on one thing: Jack Roslovic is NOT the missing piece of the incomplete puzzle.
14. In response to my "Could Cal Clutterbuck Become A Ranger?" question, reader David Perlmutter of New Rochelle obviously had trouble sleeping last night. Perlmutter writes: "If Cal Clutterbuck plays for the Rangers will he be CCNY?"
15. When I worked for the Rangers in publicity during the 1954-55 season I always wondered how come defenseman Jack Evans was nicknamed "Tex" since he was born in faraway Wales.
16. A good 70 years later I got the answer from ubiquitous author George Grimm. "Jack's family emigrated to Drumheller, Alberta when Evans was a kid. He spoke no English until he started school and then he spoke English with an elongated drawl. It sounded like an American Southern accent; and that led to 'Tex.'"
17. As for the impending Shesterkin contract, reader Bernie Rhode writes: "These multi-millionaires don't need a Collective Bargaining Agreement."
18. That goes for you, too, Jake Trouba!
