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Blue Seat
On the passing of Matt and Johnny Gaudreau
Live From the Blue Seats is back, though not as originally planned. JL had a solo pod recorded that was set to publish yesterday. But with the passing of Matt and Johnny Gaudreau yesterday, we didn’t feel it was appropriate. Instead JL discussed Gaudreau’s legacy, and the senselessness that is drinking and driving.
2024 Braden Schneider report card
Our 2024 Braden Schneider report card enters an even larger realm of subjectivity than our other report cards. Schneider was finally given a steady defense partner for the entire season, something he just didn’t have in years past. He was also given a very clear role as a third pairing defenseman, getting mostly neutral zone shift starts against depth opposing players.
2024 Erik Gustafsson report card
The 2023 offseason was underwhelming, with Chris Drury throwing the proverbial stuff at the wall–in terms of league minimum contracts–and seeing what sticks. As we dive into our 2024 Erik Gustafsson report card, it’s clear Drury hit on one of those bargains, with Gustafsson being one of the top bargains in the entire NHL last season. Sometimes, not all heroes wear capes.
2024 K’Andre Miller report card
Perhaps one of the more divisive grades from the 2023-2024 season will be from the 2024 K’Andre Miller report card. No Ranger has seen as much unwarranted hate since Chris Kreider, with many calling for Miller to be traded for…reasons? The kid has been fine at worst and solid if unspectacular at best, and this is with Jacob Trouba stapled to him for most of the season.
A new goalie coach; plus can the Rangers take the next step this season?
Live From the Blue Seats is back as producer JL reacts to Jeff Malcolm being named the new goalie coach for the New York Rangers. It’s truly the end of an era for the Blueshirts, as long time goalie wizard Benoit Allaire has passed the reins to his handpicked successor. JL also talks about the current state of the Rangers and if this is a team that can take the next step as currently constructed.
Jeff Malcolm named new Rangers goalie coach
It’s the end of an era for the New York Rangers. After 20 years as an assistant/goalie coach, Benoit Allaire is taking a step back. Jeff Malcolm is the new Rangers goalie coach, after spending the last three seasons in the same role with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Malcolm will resume the day to day responsibilities, with Allaire still hanging around in a lesser role.
2024 Adam Fox report card
It’s time to shift our offseason reviews to the defensemen, starting with our 2024 Adam Fox report card. Fox is usually the easiest defenseman to grade, mostly because he’s simply that good. Fox set a career high in goals last season with 17, adding 56 assists for 73 points on the year. This was despite missing 10 games due to what looked like a pretty rough knee injury.
Can the Rangers capitalize on the Oilers misfortune?
The Edmonton Oilers are in a bit of a pickle. The St. Louis Blues signed two of their key RFAs to offer sheets late last week, putting the Oilers into a panic to try to re-sign them. Philip Broberg (2 years, $4.58 million) and Dylan Holloway (2 years, $2.9 million) were both inked by the Blues, and now the Oilers are trying to clear cap space to match both offer sheets. This is an interesting time where the Rangers can capitalize on the Oilers misfortune.
2024 Rangers depth forward report cards: Rempe, Bonino, Roslovic, Wennberg, Pitlick, and others
Wrapping up our forward report cards, there were 7 forwards that played at least 10 games for the Rangers but were not major factors in the regular season. Nick Bonino and Tyler Pitlick played the most games at 45 and 34, respectively, with Alex Wennberg (19), Jack Roslovic (19), Matt Rempe (17), Adam Edstrom (11), and Filip Chytil (10) filling out the rest of the injuries, trade deadline acquisitions, or midseason call up ranks.
On ode to Sam Rosen
Live From the Blue Seats is back as producer JL reacts to the news of longtime Rangers play by play man Sam Rosen announcing his retirement from broadcasting after 45 years with New York. Sam is a legend and is truly the voice of the New York Rangers, and he will be sorely missed when he retires.
2024-2025 will be Sam Rosen’s final season
Not every bit of news in August is important or newsworthy, but the Rangers dropped a bombshell on the fans yesterday. Sam Rosen’s final season will be the 2024-2025 season, as he will be retiring after 45 years of calling the New York Rangers. Rosen began calling Rangers games in 1977, and will retire at the age of 77. Rather fitting.
What If: Rangers offer sheet Joe Sakic in 1997?
In a story fit for Hollywood, the Rangers nearly signed superstar Joe Sakic away from the Colorado Avalanche. Still, the Avalanche’s parent company matched the offer, thanks to the unexpected blockbuster success of the film “Air Force One.” We can’t help but what wonder what if the Rangers offer sheet Joe Sakic wound up being successful?
2024 Jonny Brodzinski report card
Who thought that I’d be doing a 2024 Jonny Brodzinski report card when last season started? If your hand is raised, feel free to put it back down. Many things needed to happen for Brodzinski to become a regular in the lineup, and almost none of it had to do with his play in the AHL. Brodzinski became a full time Ranger thanks to multiple injuries to Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko, plus Nick Bonino falling off a cliff. It wasn’t until it was clear Bonino wasn’t an answer that Brodzinski became a regular.
Erik Christensen: Missed Potential
As many know, I often find myself reflecting on former Rangers players, and certain names stand out, even if they were only decent or average. Matt Gilroy and Chris Higgins come to mind, but one player in particular always makes me think about missed potential: Erik Christensen. In researching this...
2024 Blake Wheeler report card
The title alone will surely bring some level of distaste for Chris Drury’s “highlight” of the 2023 offseason. But to be fair in our 2024 Blake Wheeler report card, we have to again take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Wheeler, signed to be a third line player, played most of the season miscast in the top-six. Yet in 54 games, he still put up a respectable 9-12-21 before a leg injury cost him the rest of the season, and perhaps the rest of his career.
How catering to Mark Messier impacted the post-94 Rangers
Live From the Blue Seats is back as producer JL talks about how the post-1994 Rangers saw their window close prematurely, perhaps by catering to Mark Messier a bit too much. The 1994 Cup will never be forgotten, and it is hard to argue against the moves made at the trade deadline given the end results. But afterwards, the Sergei Zubov/Petr Nedved trade in particular, made at the request of Messier, is the big one.
2024 Jimmy Vesey report card
One of the more underappreciated Rangers, Jimmy Vesey has been one of the best bargains in the NHL. Signed to a PTO in 2022 as an afterthought, Vesey earned a contract for the 2022-2023 season. Just 4 months later, he signed a two year extension. Diving into our 2024 Jimmy Vesey report card, the Rangers have demonstrated a willingness to find cheap value on the fourth line, with Vesey as Exhibit A.
2024 Will Cuylle report card
Grading the Rangers depth last year is a tough task, as role in the lineup is a much larger factor than the stars, who have specific expectations. The 2024 Will Cuylle report card, for example, will have to take into account not just his role in the lineup, but the fact he was a rookie and only played at 5v5. Cuylle was most certainly a pleasant surprise for the Blueshirts, and he put to bed the concerns that he was just another Ryan Gropp. That is a win on its own.
Thoughts on the 1 year Ryan Lindgren contract
The Rangers finalized their offseason, at least appeared to finalize their offseason, with the 1 year Ryan Lindgren contract. JL spoke on what this means for the Rangers in the upcoming season, and while this may have overlapping thoughts, there are some pieces that JL did not cover on Live From the Blue Seats that I felt necessary to dive into.
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