lindy ruff

The playoffs are officially underway. Seems weird because the Rangers not only aren’t in them, but missed them by a wide margin. It wasn’t even close. They swan dived off a cliff. But that doesn’t mean the week has been slow. Alain Vigneault, Daryl Williams, and Scott Arniel were all shown the door. Ilya Kovalchuk appears to be on his way to New York. Alexei Bereglazov is having his contract terminated. As usual, I have some thoughts.

1. First the new news, as Bereglazov was placed on unconditional waivers to have his contract terminated. I’m not surprised by this, and neither should you. When he didn’t make the team out of camp, he eventually went back to Russia. This was the logical next step, as it’s clear he’s nowhere near the top of the depth chart, even with a new coach.

2. Bereglazov is the newest news, but not the most impactful news. The rumor that Kovalchuk is coming to New York has significantly more impact. The rumor is that the deal is 2-3 years at around $6 million. When the rumor broke on Monday, I was a little surprised. The Rangers are rebuilding, so signing Kovalchuk seems odd. But now that I’ve had time to digest and read some takes on it, I’m not overly concerned.

3. First and foremost, this isn’t a risky signing. The Rangers need someone to put pucks in the net, and Kovalchuk can do that. But more importantly, they need someone to teach Filip Chyil, Pavel Buchnevich, and the next wave of potentially elite players how to do the same. If he signs (he can’t until July 1), then he would be the only player on the team who can do that.

4. Another thing with Kovalchuk is the trade value. Assuming he can still score, and assuming the Rangers remain outside of the playoffs next year, then there could be teams willing to pony up a decent amount for him. The Devils did the same with Jaromir Jagr, eventually trading him for a pair of picks at the deadline. They used those picks o grab Kyle Palmieri. It’s just a route the Rangers can take.

5. Of course the Blueshirts could go the complete opposite direction and sign him and John Tavares and say screw it on the rebuild. But I don’t think that’s where they are headed. Just had to mention it so you don’t think I’m wearing rose colored glasses.

6. For the life of me, I don’t understand why Lindy Ruff is still with the Rangers. He’s just a less friendly Alain Vigneault. His thought process is antiquated, his systems are the same, and he’s just another spoke on the wheel of recycled coaches. I wish I could predict what Jeff Gorton had on his mind regarding Ruff, but I honestly have no idea. If he’s in line to be the next coach, I’m starting a mutiny.

7. One last thought here: I think the next coach needs to be off the wheel of coaches. It needs to be someone new, someone who has a history of developing players. We will have more on that coming up, but another “good ole hockey guy” is not the answer.

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