They are the "Lose Busters" or "Gloom Dodgers." Take your pick.
Call them what you will because there are plenty of optimistic loyalists out there who refuse to believe that the Blueshirts past of 2024-25 will be the Rangers future of 2025-26.
They refute super-realist-publisher of Blue Collar Blue Shirt, Sean McCaffrey, who claims that the "Isles and Devils will finish ahead of the Rangers."
Al Greenberg and George Grimm disagree. These optimists have been around since the Original Six era. They study the Rangers like Mr. Hagen Daz studies ice cream.
"In hockey," says two-book-author Greenberg, "things can change on a dime. Yesterday's hero is today's fall guy; and the other way around."
Exhibit A could – I said COULD – be Mika Zibanejad, last season's fall guy. He could be next season's hero.
"Chris Drury made some bold moves," Greenberg goes on, "and for that, I give him credit. Ditto for firing Lavvy and bringing in Sullivan. The Rangers desperately needed a new voice and a restoration of confidence.
"Let's hope Sullivan uses his personnel better than Laviolette. Will Cuylle is a budding star. Slava Gavrikov is a significant upgrade over K'Andre Miller. Scott Morrow has great potential based on his college career."
On a casual look, the Rangers appear – I said APPEAR – to have the necessary depth to compete.
Greenberg: "The keys might be how well Sullivan uses youngsters like Adam Edström, Matt Rempe, Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann. Granted that Jonny Brodzinski is
not a youngster but he has earned a regular spot."
The Maven and Big Al agree that Sully's real challenges will be restoring "The Core" to Presidents' Trophy form. Mighty Mika and Moneybags Lafreniere must be better. I don't worry about Breadman.
As for the onetime Vezina Trophy-winning Igor (I'm Getting More Dough Than Any Other Stopper) Shesterkin, he's on his own. (Make that Iggy and his goalie coach.) J.T. Miller and Vinny Trocheck are in the "Not To Worry" hustlers class.
"I believe that last season was an aberration," Greenberg concludes. "The team will be
much improved because the talent is there!"
George Grimm, who authored "We Did Everything But Win," also takes a hopeful tack and speaks for loyalists who date back to the 1950's.
"We've all gone through countless disappointing seasons and yet we're still here," Grimm proudly proclaims. "We still watch, cheer, groan and care. We're all still hoping for another 1994 Miracle.
"As down on the team as we all were last spring, there's a new season coming with a new coach and new hope. Hang in there, better days are coming!"
I believe George and Big Al. Sean McCaffrey certainly does not.
"Kenny Albert " says McCaffrey, "and Dave Maloney (the new MSG Networks broadcasters) will make a bad season bearable!"
S.O.S. "Gloom Dodgers." Hang in there!
