Rink Rap | A New York Rangers Podcast from Forever Blueshirts

Former New York Ranger, four-time 30-goal scorer, and U.S. Olympic player and coach Tony Granato joins Rink Rap for an in-depth conversation recorded during the Milan Olympics.

Tony breaks down the dramatic overtime quarterfinals, why he believes Team USA has the edge over Canada heading into the gold medal game, and what it was like coaching the 2018 Olympic squad with no NHL players. He also revisits his electric rookie season with the Rangers, the Calder Trophy debate with Brian Leetch, and what it felt like being part of the blockbuster trade that sent him to L.A. — where he got to skate alongside Gretzky.

Tony also opens up about his cancer battle, his work with The Ranch — a Minnesota-based mental health and recovery facility for the hockey community founded in honor of Mark Pavelich — and why he believes no one, not even a professional athlete, is immune from life's hardest moments.

This one covers a lot of ground. Don't miss it.

🏒 Topics covered:

• 2026 Milan Olympics hockey quarterfinal breakdown
• USA vs. Canada gold medal preview
• Three-on-three overtime in Olympic play: Tony's honest take
• Coaching Team USA at the 2018 Olympics without NHL players
• Tony's Rangers rookie year and the Calder Trophy race with Brian Leetch
• The Bernie Nichols trade — what it felt like from the inside
• Playing with Gretzky in L.A. and nearly winning the Cup in '93
• His sister Cammi Granato and the growth of women's hockey
• Tony's cancer survivorship and the Masterton Trophy
• The Ranch: mental health and recovery support for the hockey community

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Chapters:

0:00 – Welcome & intro: Tony Granato's resume 

0:33 – Olympic quarterfinals reaction: USA & Canada advance 

3:00 – Three-on-three OT in the Olympics: Tony's honest take 

4:00 – Sweden, Finland, Slovakia — don't sleep on the field 

6:40 – USA vs. Canada gold medal game prediction 

8:05 – Tony's experience as a 1988 Olympian vs. coaching in 2018 

11:05 – Coaching the no-NHL-players 2018 U.S. team 

13:20 – USA-Canada women's rivalry: the greatest in sports? 

15:30 – What separates Team USA women heading into the gold medal game

16:20 – Mark Johnson and the growth of college women's hockey 

19:00 – Rangers fan question: Should Tony have won the Calder Trophy over Leetch? 

21:00 – Tony's Rangers rookie record and what college prepared him for 

24:55 – The Bernie Nichols trade: how Tony found out and what he felt 

26:40 – Playing with Gretzky in L.A. and nearly winning the Cup 

28:38 – Cancer survivorship and the Masterton Trophy 

29:30 – The Ranch: mental health & recovery for the hockey community 

33:00 – Mark Pavelich's legacy and why The Ranch exists 

35:00 – Final thoughts on the Rangers' season ahead

#TonyGranato #RinkRap #NYRangers #MilanOlympics2026 #TeamUSAHockey #USAvsCanada #OlympicHockey #ForeverBlueShirts #NHLHockey #HockeyPodcast #WomensHockey #MarkPavelich #TheRanch #HockeyMentalHealth #NewYorkRangers #Granato #USAHockey #NHLNetwork #HockeyHistory #BrianLeetch

Rink Rap goes LIVE from Mustang Harry's in NYC — just steps from Madison Square Garden! Jim Cerny breaks down the Artemi Panarin trade to LA, why Chris Drury was painted into a corner, and what comes next for the Rangers retool. Ted Kalamaras of NYRFans.com joins to debate the rebuild vs. retool, the Trocheck trade market, and whether Sullivan gets the green light to reshape this roster. Then NY Sirens head coach Greg Fargo stops by to talk about the PWHL's explosive growth, building through youth, the Sirens' push for their first-ever playoff berth, and their historic upcoming game at MSG.

#NYR #Rangers #NYRangers #Panarin #RinkRap #ForeverBlueShirts #PWHL #NYSirens #MustangHarrys #NHL #Hockey

Chapters:

0:00 – Live from Mustang Harry's in NYC 

2:12 – Rangers at the Olympics: Trocheck, Miller, Mika & Sullivan 

5:44 – Mika's bounce-back season & Igor's MVP case 

12:17 – The Panarin trade: Jim's unpopular take on why Drury was cornered

16:38 – Trocheck trade market & restocking the prospect pipeline

25:55 – Ted joins: The 22-29-6 record and another retool letter 

31:33 – Rebuild or retool? Ted says 50/50 

33:06 – The stunning two-year freefall from 115 points & ECF 37:02 – Fox & Igor injuries sealed the season 

41:06 – Is Drury the right guy? Dolan's all in — but is Sullivan?

45:58 – Greg Fargo joins: Sirens playing at MSG on April 4th 

48:22 – PWHL's explosive growth: 17,500 in DC, 20,000 in Toronto 

55:09 – From Colgate to the pros — coaching the players he recruited 

1:05:53 – Kaylee Osbourne's breakout as the Sirens' #1 goalie 

1:13:06 – What it'll take to make the playoffs for the first time

Jim opens live from Mustang Harry's with Olympics updates, Mika's bounce-back season, Igor's MVP case, and a deep dive into why the Panarin trade played out the way it did. 

Ted joins to hash out the Panarin return, the potential Trocheck trade, Sullivan's role going forward, and whether this is a true rebuild or something in between.

The Sirens' head coach talks building the youngest roster in the league, the PWHL's rapid growth, chasing their first playoff spot, and their historic upcoming game at Madison Square Garden.

Former 1980 US Olympic "Miracle on Ice" hero and NY Rangers forward Rob McClanahan joins Rink Rrap to discuss the new Netflix documentary, his memories from Lake Placid, and his time playing at Madison Square Garden. Don't miss the US Olympic Hockey insight and memories of a Ranger star!

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction & Olympic memories
3:00 - Netflix "Miracle: The Boys of '80" documentary reaction
6:45 - Herb Brooks' coaching style & team preparation
11:20 - Playing college hockey at Minnesota
15:43 - Transition to NY Rangers & NHL career
20:15 - Playing with Don Maloney & Rangers teammates
27:50 - Locker room stories & team characters
30:00 - Olympic brotherhood & life lessons

980 Olympic gold medalist Rob McClanahan joins Jim to discuss the new Netflix documentary "Miracle: The Boys of '80," shares memories from Lake Placid, talks about Herb Brooks' intense coaching style, and reflects on what made that team special 46 years later.

Rob McClanahan opens up about his transition from Olympic hero to NY Rangers forward, playing alongside Don Maloney and Doug Soetaert, locker room pranks with Tommy Laidlaw, and the lasting brotherhood of both his Olympic teammates and NHL career.

Less than 24 hours before their Olympic opener, Team USA Women's Hockey General Manager Katie Million joins us from Milan to discuss the journey to the 2026 Winter Olympics. Katie shares insights on building a championship roster that blends veterans like Hillary Knight with seven current NCAA players, the impact of the PWHL on international competition, and why this tight-knit group has her feeling more confident than ever.

We discuss the evolution of women's hockey beyond the traditional USA-Canada rivalry, the challenges of competing against rising powers like Czechia and Finland, and what makes this Olympic team's chemistry so special. Katie also opens up about the four-year journey since Beijing, the advantage of having rivalry series for roster evaluation, and why she believes they have "a team full of MVPs."

Perfect for hockey fans and anyone interested in Olympic team building and the growing landscape of professional women's hockey.

#TeamUSA #WomensHockey #Olympics #Milan2026 #HockeyPodcast #PWHL #HillaryKnight #KatieMillions

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro & Welcome 

0:18 - Less Than 24 Hours to Opening Game: Managing Emotions 

1:46 - Building Confidence Through the Rivalry Series 

2:52 - Target on Their Back: Facing Canada and Rising Teams 3:25 - Czechia's Young Talent and the Klautin Kova Factor 

3:48 - Women's Hockey Beyond USA vs Canada 

4:22 - How the PWHL Changed International Competition 

5:05 - Roster Decisions: Who Gets Cut and Why 

6:35 - Team Chemistry and What Makes This Group Special 

7:50 - Role of Veterans: Hillary Knight's Legacy 

8:40 - Coaching Staff and Their Olympic Experience 

10:08 - Game Plan Strategy for Milan 

11:15 - Physical vs Finesse: Team USA's Playing Style 

13:05 - Mixing Veterans with College Players 

14:57 - "We Have a Team Full of MVPs"

 15:23 - Comparing Roster Building with Men's Team (Billy Guerin) 

16:24 - Final Thoughts and Hillary Knight's Last Olympics

Former New York Rangers captain Derek Stepan joins Rink Rap for an incredible conversation about his hockey journey. From his legendary NHL debut hat trick to becoming a player development coach with the Minnesota Wild, Derek shares stories Rangers fans have been waiting to hear.

In this episode, Derek discusses:

• How he landed his role with the Wild after retiring
• Life as a player development coach and what he looks for in prospects
• The 2014 Sochi Olympics experience and adopting a Russian stray dog
• His time as Rangers captain during the 2014 season
• Playing alongside Henrik Lundqvist and the leadership lessons learned
• Why he decided to retire and transition away from playing
• The funny side of the Rangers locker room 

Derek also discusses knowing when it was time to hang up the skates, adapting to life after hockey, and his gratitude to Bill Guerin for the opportunity in Minnesota. Whether you're a die-hard Rangers fan or just love hockey stories, this conversation with one of New York's most beloved players is a must-watch.

#DerekStepan #NYRangers #NewYorkRangers #MinnesotaWild #NHL #HockeyPodcast #ForeverBlueshirt

Chapters:

0:00 - Welcome & Introduction
 1:00 - How Derek landed with the Minnesota Wild
 4:00 - Living in Minnesota & working with Bill Guerin
 8:30 - Transition from playing to player development
 12:45 - What Derek looks for in prospects
 18:20 - Evaluating young players vs. his playing days
 23:15 - The business side of hockey post-retirement
 28:40 - Rangers memories & the 2014 season
 35:50 - Days of being Rangers star
 42:10 - Leadership lessons from Henrik Lundqvist
 48:25 - The 2014 Sochi Olympics experience
 54:30 - Meeting Russian fans & adopting a stray dog
 1:02:15 - Favorite Olympic moments beyond hockey
 1:08:45 - The Sochi dog story continues
 1:12:00 - Funniest teammates: Staal, Boyle, Yandle & Zuccarello
 1:16:00 - Wrap up & future episode plans