Rink Rap | A New York Rangers Podcast from Forever Blueshirts

Former Rangers GM Neil Smith joins Jim Cerny on the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 Stanley Cup championship to share what winning in New York truly feels like — and what the Knicks are about to experience. Neil weighs in on Carolina's Cup run, the goalie switch that may have flipped the series, and why he's skeptical of the Rangers' current direction, including the Trocheck trade talk. Then Jim goes solo on K'Andre Miller's championship moment, why the Rangers made that trade in the first place, and what to expect from New York at No. 5 in the upcoming NHL Draft.

#RinkRap #NewYorkRangers #NYRangers #NHLDraft #KAndreMiller #NeilSmith #CarolinaHurricanes

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro & 32nd Anniversary of the '94 Rangers Cup 

1:27 - Neil Smith joins Jim Cerny 

3:35 - Neil on the Raleigh atmosphere & Carolina winning the Cup 

5:00 - What winning in New York means — and what the Knicks are about to feel 

5:20 - Neil: "I was overwhelmed" at the '94 parade 

10:57 - Rangers/Knicks parallels: No. 11, team effort, Jalen Brunson vs. Messier 

19:06 - Jordan Staal's Conn Smythe run & Brandon Buscemi's clutch performance 

21:28 - The goalie switch: why Buscemi may have been Carolina's secret weapon 

27:44 - Rangers' offseason: restocking the shelves, 11 draft picks 

28:33 - Trocheck trade talk: Neil questions the move 

29:50 - "This can't be retooled" — Neil on the Rangers' rebuild semantics 

33:45 - JT Miller, Mike Sullivan & "I don't understand what they're doing" 

40:00 - The pressure of being Rangers GM in New York 

42:50 - The weight of winning: post-Cup pressure and expectations 

47:57 - Jim solo: K'Andre Miller wins the Cup, Rangers ties everywhere 

50:30 - Why the Rangers traded Miller — and can we judge that trade yet? 

55:30 - Gavrikov disillusionment reports: what Jim is hearing 

59:18 - NHL Draft preview: No. 5 pick options for the Rangers 

1:01:25 - Jim's pick: Carson Carls as the most complete option at No. 5 

1:03:14 - Outro

The '94 Cup-winning GM praises the Knicks' run, shares what overwhelmed him at the '94 parade, breaks down Carolina's Cup-clinching goalie change, and questions whether the Rangers' retool is really a plan at all.

Jim breaks down why the Rangers made the Miller trade, what it means now that he's a champion, and who New York should be eyeing with the fifth overall pick in next week's draft.

Former Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi joins Jim Cerny to look back on the most beloved Blueshirts team of the modern era. Danny gets into the 2014 Stanley Cup run, what John Tortorella did for his career (plus a couple of classic Torts stories), the emotional Ryan Callahan–Martin St. Louis trade, and his run in Tampa with Jon Cooper. He also weighs in on the city going bonkers for the Knicks, Tortorella's job in Vegas, and what made that close-knit Rangers core so good. A fun, candid conversation with one of the genuinely good guys.

#NYR #Rangers #NHL #DanGirardi #RinkRap #Tortorella #StanleyCup

Chapters: 

0:00 — Welcome in: free agency, the draft, Larkin rumors, and a city overrun by the Knicks 0:49 — Bringing in former Ranger Dan Girardi 1:15 — Watching from across the border as NYC goes bonkers for the Knicks 4:46 — Could Girardi see himself on a broadcast panel someday? 7:30 — Why that Tortorella-era group is remembered so fondly 9:52 — "Not one bad guy in that room" — chemistry as the reason for the winning 12:10 — The moments that come flooding back: Marty's OT, Stepan's winner, Henrik 15:01 — The 2012 Washington game: nine seconds, Stepan, and the Stoll OT winner 16:38 — What Torts did for his career, plus the puck-toss story 20:56 — The perfect storm for Tortorella in Vegas 22:50 — Game 1, 2014 Cup Final: the turnover, and owning it the next day 28:30 — Trades, leaving friends behind, and the Callahan–St. Louis swing 31:18 — The buyout, getting that call from Tampa, and playing for Coop 36:02 — The funniest guy in the room — and why it's impossible to pick one 39:11 — Wrapping up; a quick word and the vet appointment 39:26 — Segment 2: thanks to Danny G, looking ahead to the offseason 42:53 — Knicks drop Game 3 at the Garden; the stakes of Game 4 42:59 — Rangers in the building: Fox, Trocheck, Quick, and Henrik backing the Knicks 43:08 — The Rangers' offseason and the Trocheck trade debate 44:32 — Centers coming off the board and how Larkin's request shifts the market 56:51 — Laviolette to LA, reuniting with Panarin — does it open a lane for Trocheck? 49:23 — Draft outlook: pick five, Carson Carls, and eleven picks to restock 53:14 — Wrap and thanks to Dan Girardi

Ex-Rangers D-man Dan Girardi joins Jim Cerny on the 2014 Cup run, John Tortorella, the Callahan–St. Louis trade, and his years in Tampa.

#NYR #Rangers #DanGirardi #RinkRap #NHL

The closing segment of today's show!

Jim Cerny breaks down the Rangers' offseason crossroads and the Stanley Cup Final on this episode of Rink Rap from Forever Blueshirts.

First, the big question hanging over the Cup Final: should Rangers fans root for K'Andre Miller and Carolina, or John Tortorella and Vegas? Plus full Stanley Cup Final predictions.

Then Keith Kavanaugh of PuckPedia joins the show to dig into the decisions facing Chris Drury. Before Drury entertains signing Alex Tuch or any of the remaining top free agents, he has to define the Rangers' competitive window. We weigh the merits of trading or keeping both Vincent Trocheck and Braden Schneider, and analyze why K'Andre Miller has thrived with the Hurricanes since leaving New York.

The show closes with a look at how Rangers players and prospects performed at the IIHF World Championship.

Keep up with New York Rangers news: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com

Chapters:

0:00 — Rangers faithful, welcome back to the offseason grind

1:53 — Why Keith Kavanaugh of PuckPedia is the perfect guest this week

5:00 — Carolina vs. Vegas: do Rangers fans even have a horse in this race?

5:45 — The perfect storm brewing for John Tortorella in Vegas

9:44 — K'Andre Miller's massive role in the Final—and his Rangers baggage

12:00 — Are you rooting for Miller? For or against Torts?

12:39 — Keith Kavanaugh joins the show

13:24 — A barren free agent class and what it means for Drury

18:46 — Defining the Rangers' real competitive window before chasing Tuch

20:05 — Breaking down why K'Andre Miller exploded in Carolina

24:20 — Is Braden Schneider part of the future or a trade chip?

27:06 — The No. 5 pick and where the retool actually starts

28:31 — Draft prospects and the case for a prospect swap

32:05 — The bigger trade ship: what does Vincent Trocheck command?

38:10 — Do the Rangers really need to move Trocheck at all?

41:13 — Stanley Cup Final predictions

47:50 — Wrapping with Keith, back for the final segment

49:20 — Rangers at the IIHF World Championship: Finland gold and Blueshirt takeaways

53:13 — Closing it out

Jim's back with the news you need on latest with the New York Rangers

Keith Kavanaugh of PuckPedia joins the show to dig into the decisions facing Chris Drury. Before Drury entertains signing Alex Tuch or any of the remaining top free agents, he has to define the Rangers' competitive window. We weigh the merits of trading or keeping both Vincent Trocheck and Braden Schneider, and analyze why K'Andre Miller has thrived with the Hurricanes since leaving New York.

We close out this edition of Rink Rap with some closing thoughts from Jim and the future of the New York Rangers this offseason.