Not to worry about Artemi Panarin; he’ll get his bundle and become a $uper Breadman. (It ain’t worth a paywall penny.)
There are two questions which must be decided now that training camp is open and Mika Zibanejad’s plus-minus still is hovering at zero.
BIG QUESTION ONE: Should the season’s theme be STANLEY CUP OR BUST?
BIG QUESTION TWO: Or, should the season’s theme be PLAYOFFS OR BUST?
Let’s start at the start since that seems logical.
According to The Maven’s ice bible, The Hockey News Yearbook, the Rangers’ Cup odds go at 23-1. For the Devils it’s 15-1 and the Islanders – Yikes! – 57-1. (In case you’re wondering, for the Champ Panthers it’s 9-1 and favored Vegas, 6-1
THN has Vegas – not the Cats – winning the mug.
As for the Beloved Blueshirts, say go for it; at 23-1 it’s as doable as Fats Lafreniere getting back in shape.
Then again, to win The Cup you have to first make the playoffs. And to make the playoffs, you’ve got to beat out Pitt, Philly, Buffalo, Detroit, Montreal, Columbus and Boston.
Realists in the crowd just wanna get in, right? Once Sully’s skaters get in, let Iggy Shesterkin take over and show his worth. (Don’t laugh, this may be his year.)
“I consider J.T. Miller the decisive factor in terms of how far the Rangers can go,” says The Old Scout. “Miller is capable of reviving the offense and power play. The defense should tighten up under Mike Sullivan’s box-and-one system.”
How J.T. Miller Sizes Up With Past Blueshirts’ Cup-Winning Captains
Newly-minted Rangers captain J.T. Miller has big skates to fill. No, not those belonging to booted out Jake Trouba, good captain that he was.
Hey, we’re talking about a core that had a 114-point season – still visible thought fading – in the rearview mirror.
It’s the 100th anniversary season. That happens only once a century. Right? Which is why The Maven insists – go for it:
The Centennial theme must be: STANLEY CUP OR BUST!
