Rink Rap | A New York Rangers Podcast from Forever Blueshirts

Russ Cohen of NHL Network Radio joins Rink Rap to break down the Rangers' prospect pipeline — his specialty — and doesn't hold back. Cohen explains why he thinks the Rangers "compromised down the middle" in the Vincent Trocheck trade, why he's not sold on Noah Laba as a third-line center replacement, and why center prospect Cole Beaudoin might be the best piece of the return package, even with Sean Durzi in the mix. He also digs into Alexis Lafreniere's evolution into a "different player," caps his ceiling at 60 points, makes the case for tempering expectations on Gabe Perreault despite his top-6 upside as a line driver and line builder, and previews top prospects Liam Greentree and Alberts Smits. Russ closes with his Metropolitan Division predictions for 2026-27.

Chapters:

00:00 — Intro
 00:15 — Welcome & guest intro: Russ Cohen (Sportsology/NHL Network Radio
 1:22 — Mets talk (off-topic tangent)
 2:39 — Into the NHL offseason
 2:52 — Jason Robertson's one-year deal with Dallas
 7:03 — Flyers' offer sheet for Carlson & rising agent power
 8:42 — Vincent Trocheck trade: Rangers "compromised down the middle"
 10:51 — Can Noah Laba replace Trocheck at 3rd-line center?
 12:35 — Trocheck return package: Sean Durzi & Cole Beaudoin
 16:09 — Alexis Lafreniere's evolution & point ceiling
 18:03 — The Gabe Perreault debate (Pronman vs. Wheeler)
 31:18 — Rangers' prospect philosophy: character over skill
 32:11 — Liam Greentree breakdown
 33:27 — Alberts Smits breakdown
 34:59 — Should Smits start in Hartford or the NHL?
 39:05 — Metro Division parity & playoff picture
 48:05 — Final Metro Division predictions
 52:49 — Wrap-up & where to find Russ Cohen

Rink Rap goes on location to Troy, NY, for the 2026 New York State Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where Rangers legends took center stage. Host Jim Cerny recaps a night honoring Don Maloney, Neil Smith, and Nick Fotiu — then Fotiu himself drops by the mic for stories about throwing pucks into the MSG crowd, being feared vs. loved, and his advice for Matt Rempe.

Then Hall of Fame broadcaster Sam Rosen joins to break down the Rangers' offseason: the Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson additions, Joonas Korpisalo settling the backup goalie spot behind Igor Shesterkin, and why Pavel Dorofeyev could transform the power play. Allan Kreda of the Associated Press closes the show with the Leo Carlsson offer sheet fallout, JT Miller and the captaincy question, Braden Schneider trade rumors, and where the Rangers stack up in a loaded Metro Division.

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro from Troy, NY – NYS Hockey Hall of Fame induction night 

00:36 Inductees: Don Maloney, Neil Smith, Nick Fotiu 

02:04 Nick Fotiu surprise interview 

03:00 Throwing pucks into the MSG crowd (and almost hitting Jim) 

08:38 Fotiu's advice for Matt Rempe: feared vs. loved 

10:25 Neil Smith's induction speech & the Maloney brothers' moment 

16:38 Sam Rosen interview begins 

19:53 Rosen on the Rangers' offseason: "a team that can compete" 

21:16 Sean Durzi & Marcus Pettersson: filling the Fox insurance gap 

24:24 Korpisalo, Dylan Garand & the goalie depth chart 

27:42 Pavel Dorofeyev and a more dangerous power play 

32:08 Allan Kreda (AP) joins the show 

33:04 Leo Carlsson's $18M offer sheet fallout 

38:00 Is Dorofeyev a younger Panarin? 

40:29 JT Miller, the captaincy & pressure in New York 

43:45 Braden Schneider trade talk 

47:54 Metro Division pecking order: where do the Rangers land? 

51:31 Wrap-up: PR McGuire and more guests coming this summer

Former Rangers captain and MSG broadcaster Dave Maloney joins Jim Cerny to break down a busy start to the Rangers' offseason. They discuss the real impact of trading Vincent Trocheck, both on the ice and in the locker room, and what it means for a retooling roster. Dave and Jim dig into the remade second defense pairing with Pederson and Jersey, and why Braden Schneider's next contract might be the most important storyline of the summer.

They also cover Pavel Dorofeyev's seven-year, $77 million commitment and what it says about the direction of the franchise, the surprising money behind the Yaroslav Korpisalo goaltending trade, and how the crease shakes out behind Igor Shesterkin. Plus, a look at how Toronto and Ottawa's own offseason drama, from Gavin McKenna to Brady Tkachuk, compares to the Rangers' path forward.

A candid conversation about roster turnover, player loyalty, and what it takes to rebuild a contender.

Chapters:

00:00 Cold open — Trocek trade risk teaser
 00:56 Intro — Rink Rap podcast open, Jim Cerny welcomes Dave Maloney
 02:16 Catching up — Dave's grandkids, life update, offseason mood
 02:53 Toronto and Ottawa fan reactions — Gavin McKenna, Brady Tkachuk
 05:08 Trade talk begins — Vincent Trocek's impact on and off the ice
 09:36 Comparing Trocek's exit to the Jacob Trouba situation
 11:52 Remade second defense pair — Pederson and Jersey
 13:57 Braden Schneider's fit and future with the Rangers
 19:00 Schneider's contract situation and arbitration outlook
 26:50 Goaltending — Dylan Garand, Yaroslav Korpisalo trade
 32:10 Draft picks and prospect pipeline — Greenway, Beaudoin, Petaglia
 34:59 Draft-day trade-up for the fifth pick
 37:42 Season review — what went wrong the year before
 41:24 Losing Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin the same night
 44:05 Upcoming events — New York State Hockey Hall of Fame weekend
 44:56 Growing Shoulder Check campaign and July 30th charity event
 52:00 Sign-off

Jim Cerny is back on Rink Rap to break down an absolutely wild 24-hour stretch for the New York Rangers. After missing the instant reaction show following a chaotic July 1st, Jim dives deep into everything Chris Drury did to reshape this roster: the blockbuster trade for Pavel Dorofeyev, the surprising fifth-overall pick of Alberts Šmits over fan-favorite Chase Reid, the Marcus Pettersson and Vincent Trocheck trades, and a goaltending shakeup that's got Rangers fans split on Dylan Garand vs. Joonas Korpisalo.

Jim also gets into why the Rangers are deliberately buying time for their prospects, breaks down Cole Beaudoin's fit as a two-way center, and wraps with thoughts from Rangers development camp.

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#NYRangers #Rangers #NHL #NHLDraft #PavelDorofeyev #RinkRap #ForeverBlueshirts #NHLTrade #NYR #HockeyPodcast

Chapters:

00:00 Intro & Cold Open 

00:15 Jim's Insane 24 Hours: The Hot Mess Wednesday Story 

04:29 Programming Notes: NY State Hockey Hall of Fame (July 12) 

09:08 BREAKING: Rangers Acquire Pavel Dorofeyev From Vegas 

09:19 Why Dorofeyev Is Such a Perfect Fit 

10:12 The Age Factor: Why 25 Changes Everything 

12:36 Replacing Panarin, Not Trocheck 

13:05 Power Play Weapon: Elite Numbers 

13:58 The Defensive Upside Nobody's Talking About 

14:53 Rangers Draft Alberts Šmits No. 5 Overall 

15:21 Mixed Reaction: Why Fans Wanted Chase Reid 

20:00 Reid vs. Šmits: Breaking Down the Debate 

22:54 The Gabrielov Succession Plan 

25:04 Grading the Draft Class (C-Minus Reviews) 

26:13 Backfilling the Prospect Pool 

27:13 Drew Fortescue's Path Forward 

29:07 Segment 2 Begins 

29:40 The Real Strategy: Buying Time for Prospects 

32:11 Case Study: Drew Fortescue's Opportunity 

33:50 Breaking Down the Marcus Pettersson Trade 

43:42 Grading the Trocheck Trade 

43:58 Vincent Trocheck's Rangers Legacy 

45:57 Sean Durzi Replaces Will Borgen 

48:55 Braden Schneider's New Reality 

50:41 Are the Rangers Actually Better Than Game 82? 

55:57 Segment 3 Begins: The Goalie Controversy 

57:53 Igor Shesterkin's Backup Problem 

59:29 Dylan Garand's Case for the No. 2 Job 

1:01:14 The Joonas Korpisalo Trade Breakdown 

1:03:40 Is Garand Getting a Fair Shot? 

1:04:39 Cole Beaudoin: The Trocheck Trade's Hidden Gem 

1:08:17 Cole Beaudoin's Injury Concern 

1:08:24 Development Camp Wrap-Up 

1:09:21 Closing Thoughts & What's Next

Jim breaks down why Pavel Dorofeyev is the perfect fit up front, then unpacks the Rangers' surprise pick of Alberts Šmits over fan-favorite Chase Reid at No. 5.

The Marcus Pettersson trade, the Vincent Trocheck deal for Sean Durzi, and why the Rangers are deliberately buying time for their prospects instead of rushing them.

Dylan Garand vs. Joonas Korpisalo splits the fanbase, plus a closer look at what the Rangers are getting in Cole Beaudoin.

The New York Rangers head into the 2026 NHL Draft holding 11 picks — including No. 5 overall and two in the first round — and the stakes couldn't be higher. Jim Cerny sits down with FloHockey's Chris Peters, one of the most respected NHL draft analysts in the game, to break down exactly what the Rangers should expect at No. 5 and why this class is deeper than you might think at the top of the blue line.

Peters explains why five is actually a favorable spot this year, discusses the prospects most likely to be available and digs into why player development decisions after the draft may matter even more than the pick itself. He also weighs in on EJ Emery's progress and the Rangers' thin prospect pool heading into a massive offseason.

Then Jim goes solo for segment two — reacting to the Dylan Garand signing, breaking down the Brady Tkachuk trade and what it means for New York, making the case for a Patrick Laine flier in free agency, and previewing what the Rangers need to do before training camp.

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Chapters:

0:00 - Intro: Rangers & Draft Week Context
0:57 - Chris Peters Joins: FloHockey Draft Expert
1:20 - Rangers' History of Blown Top Picks (Lafreniere, Kaco, Sanderson)
3:48 - Why Pick No. 5 Is Actually a Good Spot This Year
5:54 - Development Decisions Matter as Much as the Draft Pick
8:04 - Carson Carlson: Should He Turn Pro or Go to North Dakota?
10:00 - College Path vs. AHL: The New Development Landscape
11:33 - Who's Likely Gone Before No. 5? (Stenberg, Reed, McKenna)
13:08 - Malhotra, Carlson, Smiths & Who Falls to the Rangers
15:11 - Ronan Smiths: Most NHL-Ready Prospect in the Class?
16:34 - Smiths' Personality & Pro Maturity
17:53 - Carlson vs. Reed: Breaking Down the Two Top D-Men
20:44 - EJ Emery: Where Is His Development at Right Now?
24:28 - Does Emery's Status Factor Into the No. 5 Decision?
26:33 - Rangers' 11 Picks: Trade Up, Package Thirds, or Hold?
29:47 - What Chris Peters Will Be Doing During Draft Weekend 
31:02 - Liam Greentree & Nathan Aspinall: Prospect Spotlight
33:58 - Goodbye to Chris Peters; Teaser for Segment 2
35:54 - Segment 2: Jim Solo — Dylan Granlund Re-Signed
38:34 - Should Rangers Sign a Veteran Backup Goalie in Free Agency?
42:00 - Brady Kachuk Trade: How It Affects New York
45:18 - The Case for Patrick Laine on a Prove-It Deal
51:13 - Why Anthony Mantha Is a Hard Pass for the Rangers
52:53 - Florida Panthers With Both Kachuks & Barkov: A Scary Team
1:01:44 - Kevin Stanlec: A Sleeper Free Agent Target for the Rangers
1:06:00 - Lava–Carter–Cooley Third Line Vision
1:07:00 - NHL Notes: Babcock Cleared, Darren Raddysh to Toronto
1:08:14 - Closing: Live Draft Reaction Show Coming This Weekend

FloHockey's top draft analyst breaks down who's realistically available at fifth overall, why this blue line class is elite, and what EJ Emery's development actually looks like right now.

Jim reacts to the Dylan Garand re-signing, the Brady Kachuk blockbuster, why the Rangers should take a flier on Patrick Laine, and which free agents could fit the rebuild.