Jan Levine: Rangers flop in Game 7, lose 4-0, drop series to the Devils A long and possibly tumultuous offseason awaits

Jan Levine: Rangers flop in Game 7, lose 4-0, drop series to the Devils
A long and possibly tumultuous offseason awaits
- airjan23

Great write up as usual, always top quality

Would you like to blog for the devils for the playoffs?

Woo is no where to be seen

Should have made a friendly wager before the series haha

Thanks Jan.
You summed it up with this:
I have said a lot during the year that effort beats talent when the talent lacks effort. On the same coin is Will beats skill when the skill has no will.

Thanks for another season of great coverage, Jan. I wish the team could emulate your work ethic and passion for the game and franchise.
I am completely hollow today. I entered yesterday lacking any real faith the team I pour my passion and time into would represent themselves the way they needed to. From there, received the news that my mother has inoperable cancer, which lead to losing my mind on the internet for all to see. Then cap it off with a performance to drive home just how truly inconsequential cheering for this team is. So many better things I can spend my time and energy on. So, I think I will.
Best of luck to you all.

Jan Levine: Rangers flop in Game 7, lose 4-0, drop series to the Devils
A long and possibly tumultuous offseason awaits
- airjan23

As a life long Rangers I’m neither shocked or surprised by the effort, really at a loss for words though, this team had far too much talent to be shut out twice, I don’t know how this team gets over the hump and I’m skeptical it ever happens, Shesterkin looks like the next Lundqvist, Panarin is soft as bread and can get the hell out but we’re stuck with him and that’s how it feels right now, we’re stuck with this core that doesn’t have the heart or effort to win

Further to the comment made by Dreger re: Joel Quennevile
https://twitter.com/wyshy...&t=TjVF8knYfhOudT98NT3GtQ

Thanks for another season of great coverage, Jan. I wish the team could emulate your work ethic and passion for the game and franchise.
I am completely hollow today. I entered yesterday lacking any real faith the team I pour my passion and time into would represent themselves the way they needed to. From there, received the news that my mother has inoperable cancer, which lead to losing my mind on the internet for all to see. Then cap it off with a performance to drive home just how truly inconsequential cheering for this team is. So many better things I can spend my time and energy on. So, I think I will.
Best of luck to you all.
- Tonybere

Sorry Tony, hoping for the best with your mom

As a life long Rangers I’m neither shocked or surprised by the effort, really at a loss for words though, this team had far too much talent to be shut out twice, I don’t know how this team gets over the hump and I’m skeptical it ever happens, Shesterkin looks like the next Lundqvist, Panarin is soft as bread and can get the hell out but we’re stuck with him and that’s how it feels right now, we’re stuck with this core that doesn’t have the heart or effort to win
- KreiderBomb

I don’t think it ever will for this core. Just have to wait till some of these contracts expire and they can make some changes

Further to the comment made by Dreger re: Joel Quennevile
https://twitter.com/wyshy...&t=TjVF8knYfhOudT98NT3GtQ
- airjan23

oh wow

Thanks for another season of great coverage, Jan. I wish the team could emulate your work ethic and passion for the game and franchise.
I am completely hollow today. I entered yesterday lacking any real faith the team I pour my passion and time into would represent themselves the way they needed to. From there, received the news that my mother has inoperable cancer, which lead to losing my mind on the internet for all to see. Then cap it off with a performance to drive home just how truly inconsequential cheering for this team is. So many better things I can spend my time and energy on. So, I think I will.
Best of luck to you all.
- Tonybere

Thanks for the kind words and prayers to your mom Tony.

After putting my crying 8yr old son to bed last night, I tried to convince myself that something as silly as NHL hockey shouldn't mean so much to me, but here i am..lol Rangers have skill..no doubt, but that shouldn't be confused with playing with speed. NYR is too one dimensional. The personnel on this team only know how to play East/West tic tac toe hockey, and when they don't get the time/space to do that, they become very easy to defend. They are week on the boards, inept on the offense to defense transition game, and seem to overthink everything. The Devils played hard, fast, and didn't hesitate after game 2. Simply put, they played hockey and they controlled 90% (being generous to NYR) of games 3-7.

I don't care what Panarin does in regular season..he is a selfish/turn over machine in the playoffs.Nobody should be safe this offseason except Shesty/Fox/Schneider...unfortunately, some contracts will be tough/impossible to move. The youngsters, ie. Laf, Kakko, Chytil are what they are, and they will NOT become consistent top 6 players. Losing to the Devils in the first round isn't the issue. Devils are a good team, and it wouldn't surprise me if the go deep this year. I just can't stomach how they won, or better yet, how NYR lost. It is just unforgivable.

Thanks for another season of great coverage, Jan. I wish the team could emulate your work ethic and passion for the game and franchise.
I am completely hollow today. I entered yesterday lacking any real faith the team I pour my passion and time into would represent themselves the way they needed to. From there, received the news that my mother has inoperable cancer, which lead to losing my mind on the internet for all to see. Then cap it off with a performance to drive home just how truly inconsequential cheering for this team is. So many better things I can spend my time and energy on. So, I think I will.
Best of luck to you all.
- Tonybere

Sorry to hear that 🙏

This year was to be the year. No one knows what the future holds. We saw what happened after 2015. With Buffalo expects to be better, Ottawa improving and New Jersey already there, the Eastern Conference is already deeper. Plus, as seen this year, not just in New York, being built for the regular season means little come the post-season


The rangers will make the playoffs especially with igor in net and the devils struggled to get things past him at the best of times, sure the devils PP wasn't great

It seemed the rangers at least from my perspective came out strong against an inexperienced team but once the devils got their legs and adjusted it seemed the rangers thought ok won 2 on the road they will roll over at MSG and didn't have any real pushback

The rangers do have some strong playoff performers such as Igor and kreider

But if the rangers could muster up some offense they could do well in the playoffs, the devil's speed was an issue

While bratt, Nico tatar Meier didn't produce for the devils Nico and Meier did have impacts, with nicos 200ft game shutting down zib and Meier creating havoc with hits and getting the rangers to take penalties

After putting my crying 8yr old son to bed last night, I tried to convince myself that something as silly as NHL hockey shouldn't mean so much to me, but here i am..lol Rangers have skill..no doubt, but that shouldn't be confused with playing with speed. NYR is too one dimensional. The personnel on this team only know how to play East/West tic tac toe hockey, and when they don't get the time/space to do that, they become very easy to defend. They are week on the boards, inept on the offense to defense transition game, and seem to overthink everything. The Devils played hard, fast, and didn't hesitate after game 2. Simply put, they played hockey and they controlled 90% (being generous to NYR) of games 3-7.

I don't care what Panarin does in regular season..he is a selfish/turn over machine in the playoffs.Nobody should be safe this offseason except Shesty/Fox/Schneider...unfortunately, some contracts will be tough/impossible to move. The youngsters, ie. Laf, Kakko, Chytil are what they are, and they will NOT become consistent top 6 players. Losing to the Devils in the first round isn't the issue. Devils are a good team, and it wouldn't surprise me if the go deep this year. I just can't stomach how they won, or better yet, how NYR lost. It is just unforgivable.
- rrentz

I think there's definitely a feeling of feeling suckered that we believed so much in this team and we got duped

The Kane acquisition changed this team for the worse. The hoops they had to go through, playing short handed, putting Kane above the team to get it done, I don’t care what they said publicly, the players in the locker room couldn’t have liked that. Chemistry is more important than anything and his acquisition changed this teams chemistry.

Thanks for another season of great coverage, Jan. I wish the team could emulate your work ethic and passion for the game and franchise.
I am completely hollow today. I entered yesterday lacking any real faith the team I pour my passion and time into would represent themselves the way they needed to. From there, received the news that my mother has inoperable cancer, which lead to losing my mind on the internet for all to see. Then cap it off with a performance to drive home just how truly inconsequential cheering for this team is. So many better things I can spend my time and energy on. So, I think I will.
Best of luck to you all.
- Tonybere

Sorry to hear that Tony, prayers for your mom and family.

And I hear you on that, wonder why I waste my time and lose sleep over a team that always disappoints us in the end. And losing happens but not showing up is inexcusable.

The Kane acquisition changed this team for the worse. The hoops they had to go through, playing short handed, putting Kane above the team to get it done, I don’t care what they said publicly, the players in the locker room couldn’t have liked that. Chemistry is more important than anything and his acquisition changed this teams chemistry.
- nyrangers9479

since it's being said that Drury and Gallant had issues, I wonder if they saw eye to eye on Kane's acquisition, I'd love to hear more on that

The Kane acquisition changed this team for the worse. The hoops they had to go through, playing short handed, putting Kane above the team to get it done, I don’t care what they said publicly, the players in the locker room couldn’t have liked that. Chemistry is more important than anything and his acquisition changed this teams chemistry.
- nyrangers9479

Can't remember if a situation like the Kane acquisition has ever occurred in the NHL.

This year was to be the year. No one knows what the future holds. We saw what happened after 2015. With Buffalo expects to be better, Ottawa improving and New Jersey already there, the Eastern Conference is already deeper. Plus, as seen this year, not just in New York, being built for the regular season means little come the post-season


The rangers will make the playoffs especially with igor in net and the devils struggled to get things past him at the best of times, sure the devils PP wasn't great

It seemed the rangers at least from my perspective came out strong against an inexperienced team but once the devils got their legs and adjusted it seemed the rangers thought ok won 2 on the road they will roll over at MSG and didn't have any real pushback

The rangers do have some strong playoff performers such as Igor and kreider

But if the rangers could muster up some offense they could do well in the playoffs, the devil's speed was an issue

While bratt, Nico tatar Meier didn't produce for the devils Nico and Meier did have impacts, with nicos 200ft game shutting down zib and Meier creating havoc with hits and getting the rangers to take penalties
- dmarsden2988

The rangers are a 1st round exit team at best with the way they are built. Perimeter players, east west play style. They have to add speed, puck moving defenseman and defenseman that can defend.

If there wasn’t any nmc trouba and panarin would be gone. Mika might even be dangled as well. Rangers will stay the same or worse. As you mentioned a lot of teams going to get better

Can't remember if a situation like the Kane acquisition has ever occurred in the NHL.
- rrentz

I think it's pretty unprecedented, salary cap has been around since 2005, I don't recall the cap gymnastics to get him in occurring in any other example, other than the stuff Tampa did

Great year of blogs Jan. Your reliability and performance outmatch this team.

That was the absolute worst, flattest, low energy game 7 performance I've ever seen from this team. I feel bad for Kreider and Shesterkin who gave it their all. Mika had flashes but was essentially shut down. Fox picked a hell of a time to have his worst games as a Ranger.

Bring back Tarasenko, Mikkola.

Send Laf, Kane and possibly Panarin on a fiery canoe down the Hudson.

Thanks for another season of great coverage, Jan. I wish the team could emulate your work ethic and passion for the game and franchise.
I am completely hollow today. I entered yesterday lacking any real faith the team I pour my passion and time into would represent themselves the way they needed to. From there, received the news that my mother has inoperable cancer, which lead to losing my mind on the internet for all to see. Then cap it off with a performance to drive home just how truly inconsequential cheering for this team is. So many better things I can spend my time and energy on. So, I think I will.
Best of luck to you all.
- Tonybere

I know we don't know each other and support rival teams but that doesn't matter when it comes to this,

I wish you and your family all the best and so sorry to hear that, never easy

Great write up as usual, always top quality

Would you like to blog for the devils for the playoffs?

Woo is no where to be seen

Should have made a friendly wager before the series haha
- dmarsden2988

I second that vote. Jan your hockey knowledge and fairness make you a great blog writer and boy could we use one. This was a great up-and-down series and I agree that NY seemed to lay back after taking 2 in our barn, as good as Scmid was Shesterkin really was the best player on the ice for both teams. Thank you Jan for the great write-ups.

The rangers are a 1st round exit team at best with the way they are built. Perimeter players, east west play style. They have to add speed, puck moving defenseman and defenseman that can defend.

If there wasn’t any nmc trouba and panarin would be gone. Mika might even be dangled as well. Rangers will stay the same or worse. As you mentioned a lot of teams going to get better
- nyrangers2

That ranger power play even when they didn't score looked impressive until game 7, zib has a great one timer but didn't seem to connect it and that's a key why the devils went through. Gave too many stupid penalties and after game 2 they found ways to adjust and kill. The devils controlled 5v5 but the special teams is what the rangers almost used to get through

Great year of blogs Jan. Your reliability and performance outmatch this team.

That was the absolute worst, flattest, low energy game 7 performance I've ever seen from this team. I feel bad for Kreider and Shesterkin who gave it their all. Mika had flashes but was essentially shut down. Fox picked a hell of a time to have his worst games as a Ranger.

Bring back Tarasenko, Mikkola.

Send Laf, Kane and possibly Panarin on a fiery canoe down the Hudson.
- fourtrax23

realistically I think if Panarin can be traded looking to Anaheim may be the place, they have the cap space, they have Strome, and they may end up getting Bedard

Panarin and Bedard could be something if they wanna make a big splash