IT’S OVER

BY MIKE RIFKIN

On Wednesday night the New York Rangers were defeated by the Ottawa Senators 8-4. The loss makes it New York’s fourth consecutive defeat, and they are 2-6-2 in their last 10 games. To make things even worse the Rangers sit dead last in the Eastern Conference. Yes, because the Eastern Conference is jumbled together the Rangers are eight points out of a playoff spot, and yes I am usually a glass half full kind of person, but not in this case. This team is not the 2019 St. Louis Blues and they’re not making a run. 

For the second consecutive game at Madison Square Garden Ranger fans chanted “fire Drury” as a shot at the Rangers General Manager. This comes about a week after Owner James Dolan gave Drury a vote of confidence on radio. But, let’s be honest the Rangers GM has to go, his fingerprints are all over this team that has quit. Drury inherited a fairly good roster from Jeff Gorton and John Davidson and has failed to push the Rangers to the promised land. Drury saw one of his assistants Mike Grier take over the Sharks and now they’re one of the most interesting and fun teams to watch. Last season there was distractions from Drury himself when he wanted to offset Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider. Trouba was eventually traded to Anaheim, and Kreider finished the season with the Rangers. Kreider, was also moved to Anaheim this past summer, but it’s the same thing as last season with the Rangers. A question that should not be asked of any sports team, is who is the heart and soul of a team? With this team the answer is simple I don’t know. Drury, has hand selected four head coaches ( David Quinn, Gerard Gallant, Peter Laviolette, and now Mike Sullivan). Each of the first three were fired after their second season, this is Sullivan’s first and I can’t blame him for everything that’s wrong. This is on Drury’s hands and right now with the March 6th trade deadline approaching, I’m unsure if I would want Drury running things, because of what this team has looked like it has to sell, I’m unsure if Drury would.