Advertise on podcast: Rink Rap | A New York Rangers Podcast from Forever Blueshirts

The Rangers beat the Blues 3-1 on Tuesday and are back in third place in the Metropolitan Division. That matters because teams in a playoff spot on U.S. Thanksgiving have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs about 75 percent of the time in the salary cap era.  Jim Cerny explains why he sees the Rangers as a little better than .500 but not a Cup contender, especially without Igor Shesterkin. He covers how the Devils changed the Metro race by landing Connor Hellebuyck, and why the Rangers still can't win a game after allowing the first goal. He also breaks down Mike Sullivan's decision to move Will Cuylle to center, the young fourth line of Noah Laba, Matt Rempe and Jaroslav Chmelar, and Scott Morrow's return to the lineup.  Also in this episode: why J.T. Miller is playing well but fits best as a third-line center on a contender, Connor McDavid's pace toward 200 points, Nikita Kucherov's trade request, and the schedule ahead. That means the Flyers on Thursday, then a four-game western trip through Seattle, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. Joonas Korpisalo is close to returning, which sets up a goalie question with Dylan Garand.  Chapters: 0:00 Welcome 0:37 The Thanksgiving rule 1:27 Where the Rangers stand in the Metro 4:15 Carolina and the path to a top-three finish 6:58 How Connor Hellebuyck changes the Devils 9:29 Washington, the Islanders, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia 11:27 No wins after allowing the first goal 15:23 Flyers preview and the must-win case 19:22 Why the Blues win mattered 21:19 Sullivan puts Will Cuylle at center 27:35 The young fourth line 30:07 Scott Morrow 31:54 J.T. Miller: two things can be true 38:00 Connor McDavid and the 200-point question 41:45 Nikita Kucherov's trade request 42:44 The week ahead and the western road trip 45:55 Korpisalo's return and the goalie picture 46:24 Closing thoughts and next week  Rink Rap is the New York Rangers podcast from Forever Blueshirts. More Rangers coverage: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com Forever Blueshirts on X: https://x.com/4EverBlueshirts Jim Cerny on X: https://x.com/Jim_Cerny Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jim Cerny sits down with Marty Biron, the former NHL goalie and broadcaster, during the Rangers’ five-day break. The Rangers are without Igor Shesterkin for the rest of the season, so the conversation covers whether Dylan Garand and Joonas Korpisalo can keep the team afloat, what a goalie trade could look like around the holidays and why Biron wasn’t thrilled with the James Reimer start. Biron and Jim also get into the bigger picture: the Rangers’ expected goals numbers, the finishing problem, and what the team needs from its power play and top forwards. Biron makes the case that Connor Hellebuyck joining the New Jersey Devils shifts the Metropolitan Division more than Shesterkin’s injury does. Along the way, Biron tells the Henrik Lundqvist story from Sweden, rants about the league taking his double-zero number, and talks Devin Cooley, Jacob Fowler and the best goalies on Canadian teams. Key talking points Rangers’ playoff outlook without ShesterkinGarand’s workload and Korpisalo’s returnPossible trade targets, including MontembeaultWhy the Reimer start was a head-scratcherExpected goals against, finishing and the power playHellebuyck and the DevilsCooley, Fowler and the top goalies on Canadian teamsChapters: 00:00 Rangers hit a five-day break 00:50 Marty Biron joins as the “king of goaltending” 01:05 Two kings in Sweden: the Lundqvist bus tour story 01:54 Jim’s Stockholm lunch run-in with Hank’s fans 03:47 Why Marty could never be an EBUG 05:51 Marty’s double-zero rant 07:28 John Davidson’s year in double zero 08:40 How Marty ended up wearing No. 43 11:19 Rangers fans split on life after Shesterkin 12:20 Can the Rangers make the playoffs without Igor? 12:48 Lucky they didn’t lose Garand on waivers 14:07 Why this is an opportunity for Garand 14:44 Rangers could shop for a goalie by the holidays 15:23 Trade options: Gibson, Bennington, Montembeault 16:21 Montreal’s goalie logjam 17:07 Garand’s small sample size and the waiver risk 18:42 Garand’s long-term upside 19:35 Everything hinges on Korpisalo 21:12 Nine straight starts: the mental toll on Garand 22:16 Marty on stepping in for an injured Hasek 23:52 Why pulling Reimer after one period made no sense 27:49 Chicken or egg: the goalies or the defense? 29:55 Rangers rank 26th in expected goals against 31:45 The top-15 standard they need to hit 32:12 Should the Rangers worry about trailing after one period? 33:00 Plenty of chances, not enough finishing 33:42 Miller, Dorofeyev and Zibanejad need to deliver 34:29 The perfect storm 35:28 The power play as the X factor 36:32 Shesterkin’s knee and next season’s outlook 38:38 Hellebuyck or Shesterkin: what moves the Metro more? 40:30 Devils defend well but couldn’t stop the puck going in 41:39 Marty on the Devils as contenders 41:58 Devin Cooley and the Flames’ goalie turnaround 43:30 Marty’s top five goalies on Canadian teams 45:12 The Maple Leafs and the defensive concept problem 46:20 Marty on Mike Babcock and the Oilers 47:41 Rangers host Oilers Sunday, plus Jets banter 48:15 Wrap-up Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rangers prospects and the Hartford Wolf Pack take center stage as AHL.com’s Patrick Williams joins Jim Cerny on Rink Rap. In this episode: • Hartford’s new head coach Jay Leach and the early-season direction • Which Rangers prospects are standing out in the AHL (and who still has work to do) • The goaltending situation, including Callum Tung and the James Reimer PTO • How the Wolf Pack is handling an early 0-5 stretch after a 3-0 start • Whether this Hartford group is more resilient than past Wolf Pack teams • Quick Rangers update covering the response after the Devils loss, the Columbus game, and the Ducks win at MSG Patrick Williams is a longtime AHL reporter who also contributes to NHL.com. He gives an honest look at development, roster decisions, and the push-and-pull between the Rangers and their AHL affiliate. Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro & Rangers update 15:00 – Patrick Williams joins 20:00 – Jay Leach and the coaching staff 28:00 – Prospects spotlight 45:00 – Goaltending situation 55:00 – Closing thoughts & what’s next Subscribe to Rink Rap from Forever Blueshirts for more New York Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack coverage. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Podcast number two this week. Jim Cerny breaks down the Rangers’ 7-1 loss in New Jersey, a night that looked a lot like the last two seasons after a 6-2 start. He covers the roster moves first: Taylor Raddysh is up from Hartford, Jaroslav Chmelar goes back down, and the Wolf Pack signed veteran goalie James Reimer to a PTO. Then he walks through the game: J.T. Miller’s late first-period turnover, the second-period collapse, Dylan Garand getting pulled, and why chasing games is a problem for this team without Igor Shesterkin. The Rangers visit Columbus on Saturday. Chapters 00:00 Intro: a second Rink Rap this week03:11 Raddysh up, Chmelar down03:57 Why Sullivan doesn’t trust the fourth line10:19 What Raddysh brings13:53 James Reimer PTO and goalie depth20:50 The Devils game: Miller’s turnover24:47 Second-period collapse31:00 Why one game shouldn’t cause panic35:00 Wrap-up and what’s next Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Igor Shesterkin is out for the season, and the New York Rangers are still 6-2-0. Jim Cerny opens with why the show missed last week and then digs into what the injury really costs this team, and why these Rangers look nothing like the soft group from two seasons ago. He explains how Mike Sullivan has built a five-man defensive structure, how Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson stabilized the second pair, and why 18-year-old Alberts Šmits is already a real part of the third pair. He also covers Alexis Lafrenière’s league-leading seven goals and Pavel Dorofeyev’s slow start, and he makes the case for why he isn’t giving up on Dorofeyev. Then comes the news of the day: Cole Beaudoin goes back to Hartford and Justin Dowling is recalled. Jim also lays out the goalie market with Jordan Binnington, Philipp Grubauer and Darcy Kuemper, explains why Connor Hellebuyck isn’t coming, and makes the case for letting Garand run with the job while Joonas Korpisalo recovers. The show closes with the Devils and Blue Jackets this week and a preview of live shows coming to the city. In this episode: Shesterkin’s season-ending injury and what it means beyond this yearWhy the Rangers have bought in defensively under SullivanDurzi, Pettersson, Schneider and Šmits on the back endLafrenière’s hot streak and the Kartye-Miller lineDorofeyev’s struggles and the third line of Cuylle, Laba and TolvanenBeaudoin, Dowling and the fourth-line center questionGarand’s case as the starter and the goalie trade marketSubscribe to Rink Rap wherever you listen, and read more at ForeverBlueshirts.com. Follow Jim on X at @JimCerny. #Rangers #NYR #NewYorkRangers #RinkRap #ForeverBlueshirts #IgorShesterkin #DylanGarand #NHL #RangersPodcast #LetsGoRangers Chapters 0:00 Welcome to Rink Rap 0:52 Why there was no extra show last week 2:44 Covering the Igor news from a library 3:11 Igor Shesterkin is out for the season 4:34 The injuries are starting to add up 5:15 A wasted year for a goalie in his prime 5:51 No excuses: the Mike Sullivan Rangers 7:16 These are not the soft Rangers 9:11 So what’s actually different this year? 9:19 Durzi and Pettersson fix the second pair 11:31 6-2-0 and a total defensive buy-in 13:09 Garand’s first two starts without Igor 15:10 Tampa: Garand’s biggest test yet 16:00 Schneider and the improved third pair 16:17 Alberts Šmits is a revelation 19:12 Five-man units and fewer breakdowns 21:40 You no longer expect something bad to happen 22:41 Lafrenière leads the league with seven goals 26:00 Winning without Dorofeyev, Miller or Zibanejad scoring 27:36 Pavel Dorofeyev is frustrated and frustrating 29:51 Why Jim isn’t giving up on him 33:18 Cuylle, Laba and Tolvanen: the third line works 39:25 Carolina, Philadelphia and the Metro mush 42:57 Banking points and reclaiming the Garden 44:01 Beaudoin goes down, Dowling comes up 47:40 Do the Rangers need a fourth-line center? 49:25 Goalie depth: Korpisalo, Martin and Tung 50:12 Binnington, Grubauer, Kuemper: realistic targets? 55:29 Why Hellebuyck isn’t coming 56:15 Why Garand rises in big games 1:00:23 Devils and Blue Jackets this week 1:02:54 Live shows coming to the city Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jim Cerny and Newsday's Colin Stephenson break down the Rangers' four-game winning streak and the buzz back at Madison Square Garden. They cover Chris Drury's offseason, why the fast start looks sustainable, how Mike Sullivan turned Alexis Lafrenière into a complete player, Cole Beaudoin's NHL debut, Braden Schneider's prove-it season, J.T. Miller's leadership and whether the Rangers' new depth can hold up to injuries. Chapters: 0:00 Rangers Start Hot 4:30 Drury's summer 8:20 Is it sustainable 16:53 Lafrenière's growth 24:15 Beaudoin's debut 29:36 Schneider's prove-it year 31:35 J.T. Miller 37:50 Rangers depth Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dylan Garand cleared waivers Monday and is headed back to the Hartford Wolfpack for a fifth season. Jim Cerny explains why the decision was made the day Chris Drury traded for Joonas Korpisalo on July 1, and why losing Garand would have left Spencer Martin as the next goalie up behind Igor Shesterkin. Also in this episode: - The three goalies who did get claimed: Clay Stevenson (Winnipeg), Levi Merilainen (Vancouver) and Poirier (New Jersey) - How Garand handles going back to Hartford after saying he didn't plan to - Albert Schmitz makes the team and debuts Tuesday - Scott Morrow vs. Matthew Robertson for the extra defenseman spot - Taylor Raddysh clears waivers, and Matt Rempe is in the lineup on opening night The Rangers open the 2026-27 season Tuesday night in Boston against the Bruins on ESPN. Read the full season preview and staff predictions at Forever Blueshirts. Chapters: 00:00 Opening night is here 00:17 Garand and Raddysh clear waivers (01:41) Why the Korpisalo trade decided it (02:50) Drury and the veteran backup pattern (04:01) Sullivan's "difficult decision" (05:42) The goalies who got claimed (08:11) Why losing Garand would have hurt (09:19) Is Korpisalo the right No. 2? (11:01) Best-case scenario for the Rangers (12:15) How does Garand respond? (16:41) Albert Schmitz makes the team (18:02) Morrow, Robertson and the extra D (19:39) Rempe in, opening night lineup (20:17) Wrap and season preview Follow Rink Rap so you don't miss an episode. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Rangers are two preseason games into a short camp. Opening night against Boston is next Tuesday, and Jim Cerny runs through who's up and who's down. Adam Sykora will miss 4-5 months with a lower-body injury from Monday's game against the Devils. Jim didn't see a path for Sykora to the opening-night roster, but his energy and leadership will be missed in Hartford. The upside is depth. Eeli Tolvanen joins the bottom six, and Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin are pushing from the AHL. Alberts Smits is the story of camp. The No. 5 overall pick has skated with the NHL group and alongside Braden Schneider every day. After his poised preseason debut against the Islanders, Jim thinks he has the inside track. Jim also covers: Where Smits' arrival leaves Matthew Robertson, Drew Fortescue and Scott MorrowWhat Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson change on the second pairThe last fourth-line spot, between Taylor Raddysh, Matt Rempe and Jaroslav ChmelarWhether the Rangers carry three goalies to protect Dylan GarandWhy Pavel Dorofeyev might be the Rangers' first true sniper since Marian Gaborik, and a J.T. Miller who looks energizedPlus updates on former Rangers Brennan Othmann, Jonny Brodzinski, Carson Soucy and Cam Talbot. Coming up: Rink Rap is recording at Mustang Harry's near Madison Square Garden to kick off the season. Watch Forever Blueshirts on X for details, and read more at ForeverBlueshirts.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jim Cerny is joined by Russ Cohen of Sportsology and NHL Prospects Radio to break down the Rangers' rookie series against the Philadelphia Flyers. They cover Alberts Smits' two-game showing as the Rangers' No. 5 overall pick, Drew Fortescue playing his off side on defense, Dylan Roobroeck's physical bounce-back performance, and the development of Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin. They also dig into the goaltending, with both Danai Shaiikov and Callum Tung standing out, plus the chemistry between Adam Sykora and Tomas Chrenko. The guys wrap with a look ahead to what to watch at Rangers training camp. Chapters: 0:00 Intro and Rangers-Flyers rookie series recap 0:55 Russ Cohen joins the show 5:39 Big-picture overview of the rookie series 7:21 Alberts Smits breakdown 13:52 Drew Fortescue playing his off side 17:14 Dylan Roobroeck's bounce-back game 19:44 Cole Beaudoin update and injury note 24:00 Rangers' need for top-six skill 26:49 Liam Greentree's two-way game 29:51 Adam Sykora and Tomas Chrenko chemistry 33:56 2026 draft class overview 39:36 Goaltending: Danai Shaiikov and Callum Tung 43:34 Looking ahead to Rangers training camp Follow more Rangers coverage at foreverblueshirts.com and follow Russ Cohen's work at Sportsology and NHL Prospects Radio. This is the Rink Rap podcast, part of the Forever Blueshirts network. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hockey is back, and Jim Cerny is rolling into rookie camp week on Rink Rap from Forever Blueshirts. The Rangers rookies play the Flyers on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. at PPL Center in Allentown. Cerny previews the first look at No. 5 pick Alberts Smits, Tomas Chrenko’s next step, Liam Greentree’s first Rangers sweater, and whether Cole Beaudoin can pull a Noah Laba and crash opening night. Then it’s the roster questions that will follow this team into training camp: Eeli Tolvanen’s one-year fit next to Laba and Will Cuylle, why some fans want Cuylle in the top six with J.T. Miller and Pavel Dorofeyev, where Oliver Bjorkstrand lands, and why a Mika Zibanejad slump would be New York’s worst-case scenario after Vincent Trocheck’s departure. Read the latest at ForeverBlueshirts.com Jim on X: @JimCerny Forever Blueshirts on X: @ForeverBluShirt Chapters 0:00 Welcome to Rink Rap 0:47 More on Eeli Tolvanen 1:33 Rookie camp and Allentown schedule 2:29 First look at Alberts Smits 4:01 Ivy League polo and ESPN+ 6:04 Johnny Lazarus and the Ranger tie 6:56 Why the Rangers delayed the rookie roster 9:15 Tomas Chrenko watch 11:58 Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin 12:40 Can Beaudoin pull a Noah Laba? 16:18 Nathan Aspinall and the next wave 17:32 Tolvanen deep dive with Rob Simpson 23:20 Cuylle, Laba and Tolvanen on the third line 23:41 Should Will Cuylle play in the top six? 25:52 Cuylle with J.T. Miller and Pavel Dorofeyev 27:00 Keeping Zibanejad, Lafrenière and Perreault together 28:08 Oliver Bjorkstrand’s role 32:54 Mika Zibanejad worst-case scenario 38:37 Weekend games, training camp and the Boston opener Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

September hockey is finally here. On this edition of the Rink Rap Podcast, Jim Cerny digs into the Rangers' latest offseason move: the one-year, $1.5 million signing of winger Eeli Tolvanen. Jim explains why Chris Drury waiting out a market that never developed for Tolvanen worked in the Rangers' favor, and why a rough underlying-numbers season in Seattle shouldn't scare fans off a player who's scored 23 goals and 41 points in a single season before. Jim breaks down how Tolvanen slots into a projected third line with Will Cujo and Noah Laba, how the signing pushes Ty Cartier down to a much-improved fourth line, and why these short, affordable one-year deals (Tolvanen, Bjorkstrand, Veleno) are smart, low-risk business for a Rangers team still searching for top-end firepower. He also responds to fan criticism from both sides — those who think he's "drinking the Kool-Aid" and those who call him a "hater" — and lays out where he really stands on the Rangers' chances this season. Plus: a preview of rookie camp and the Rangers-Flyers rookie games kicking off next week, the first-year prospects to watch (Liam Greentree, Nathan Aspinall, Cole Beaudoin, Malcolm Spence), and why only four preseason games this year means fewer chances to evaluate the kids. Jim wraps with a Labor Day sign-off and a look ahead to training camp. Subscribe and follow along all season at ForeverBlueShirts.com, and follow Jim Cerny on X and Facebook @ForeverBlueShirts. Timecodes 0:00 – Intro: hockey is back in September 1:59 – Housekeeping: shorter show, thanks for the support 4:57 – Rangers sign Eeli Tolvanen (1 year, $1.5M) 7:07 – Why Tolvanen's market never developed 9:23 – Tarasenko comparison and why he's not the right fit 9:52 – Projected third line: Cooley, Laba, Tolvanen 11:31 – Tolvanen's rough 2025-26 analytics explained 15:36 – Why one-year "bounce-back" deals make sense 19:16 – Addressing fan pushback: "Kool-Aid" vs. "hater" criticism 25:11 – Where the Rangers stack up in the Metro/Atlantic 28:22 – Rookie camp and prospects to watch next week 34:11 – Preseason format change: only 4 games this year 39:04 – Labor Day sign-off and what's coming next week Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jim Cerny is back from a week off and welcomes Dan D'Uva, the radio voice of the Vegas Golden Knights, for an in-depth look at the Pavel Dorofeyev trade. D'Uva breaks down why Vegas moved on from their leading goal scorer, what he brings to a Rangers lineup starved for scoring, how he compares to guys like Nikita Kucherov in adjusting to a new language and market, and whether he can produce without setups from Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner. Along the way, Jim and Dan swap stories about broadcast booths and arenas around the league (catwalks, gondolas, and the infamous Johnstown press box), and Dan reflects on growing up a Devils fan in Jersey, chasing Doc Emrick and Mike Miller with a tape recorder, and how the 1994 Rangers-Devils series shaped his hockey fandom. Chapters: 00:00 – Cold open / intro 00:15 – Jim welcomes listeners back from vacation, brings on Dan Duva 00:48 – Dan Duva introduced, voice of the Vegas Golden Knights 01:02 – Jim's Canadian Rockies trip and the new Calgary arena 01:45 – Catwalk vs. no-catwalk broadcast booths 02:35 – Ranking arenas by broadcast position (Islanders, old vs. new buildings) 04:16 – Edmonton's gondola/press bridge that never got built 04:56 – T-Mobile Arena vs. Little Caesars Arena, hopes for new Calgary arena 04:57 (5:00ish) – Saddledome and the gondola view of warmups 05:31 – Johnstown, PA and the Slap Shot broadcast booth story 06:59 – Wrapping up the arena talk, back to hockey 07:12 – Dan's Jersey/Devils roots growing up in Nutley 08:22 – The 1994 Rangers-Devils series and Stefan Matteau/Seinfeld reference 09:11 – The '95 lockout and Devils' Stanley Cup win 09:39 – Broadcasting practice tapes as a teenager, Ridgewood high school hockey 10:22 – Pestering Devils broadcasters (Mike Miller, Randy Velischek, Chico Resch) 14:52 – Transition into the Pavel Dorofeyev trade discussion 15:36 – Did Duva see the trade coming / draft-day reaction 17:01 – Salary cap situation and why Vegas moved on from Dorofeyev 19:22 – Dorofeyev's power play production and Viktor Olofsson's arrival 21:16 – Playoff scoring surge and comparison to Brett Howden 23:33 – White House visit story and Dorofeyevs drive to be a champion 26:00 – Comparing Dorofeyev to Nikita Kucherov's English/language journey 30:00 – Ivan Barbashev's influence and personality contrast 33:00 – Igor Shesterkin comparison and "I don't speak English" bit 34:33 – What Dorofeyev brings on the power play and even strength 36:35 – Can Dorofeyev be trusted in all situations (Mike Sullivan's demands) 42:39 – John Tortorella's role in Dorofeev's late-season push 47:54 – Whether Dorofeyev needs elite setup men (Eichel/Marner) to produce 52:17 – Reily Smith's "buy stock in Dorofeyev" story 56:17 – Handling the pressure of a big Rangers contract and market 1:00:20 – Comparing Dorofeyev's stage experience to Jack Eichel's Vegas arrival 1:03:23 – Ryan Craig named new Golden Knights head coach, background 1:05:10 – John Tortorella's arrival in Vegas, building early rapport 1:07:00 – The Cape Cod/Maine connection that broke the ice with Tortorella 1:11:16 – What Tortorella hates: the "non-question question" 1:16:33 – How Tortorella made Duva a better interviewer, contrast with Bruce Cassidy 1:20:33 – Tortorella's return to MSG and the "family" story with Jim's son 1:23:24 – Carter Hart's relationship with Tortorella from Philadelphia 1:25:57 – Closing thanks and sign-off Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's the dog days of August, but Jim Cerny isn't taking a week off. Flying solo this week (with a Banff vacation on the horizon), Cerny opens with a personal story from his early broadcasting days with the Islanders before diving into the meat of the show: a full breakdown of the Rangers' training camp roster crunch. With only four preseason games this year, Cerny explains why fans shouldn't panic if top prospects don't make the opening night roster. Using Noah Laba's 2024 breakthrough as a blueprint, he walks through the cases of Liam Greentree, EJ Emery, Albert Schmidt, and Adam Sykora, and explains how waiver exemptions and one-year "placeholder" veteran signings like Oliver Bjorkstrand and Joey Velleno give the organization flexibility to develop young players on their own timeline rather than forcing them onto the NHL roster too early. He also digs into Matt Rempe's path back after a season disrupted by a hand injury, why Rempe (not being waiver-exempt) has an edge in the fourth-line battle, and how the bottom six could shake out among Rempe, Sykora, Tychonick, and Taylor Raddish. The show closes with a look at the growing fan chatter around "tanking" for a shot at Connor McDavid in 2028 free agency, why Cerny thinks that's a flawed long-term strategy, but also why the dream isn't entirely unrealistic given McDavid's age, cap trajectory, and history of taking less money to stay competitive. Chapters: 0:00 — Intro, solo show, Michael Del Zotto teaser for a future episode 3:00 — Banff trip teaser and a throwback Calgary story from Cerny's Islanders broadcasting days 13:45 — Training camp overview: four preseason games, September 29 opener 14:20 — Why it's OK if Greentree, Bodwin, or Schmidt don't make the opening roster 15:00 — The Noah Laba blueprint: how he earned his spot last year 19:00 — Fewer preseason games means tougher, faster decisions this year 22:00 — Oliver Bjorkstrand signing as a "placeholder" veteran option 27:30 — The Matt Rempe question: fourth-line spot, waiver status, and his under-the-radar offseason 38:30 — Battle for the final bottom-six/13th forward spot: Sykora, Tychonick, Rempe 41:00 — Albert Schmidt and the case for patience with 18-year-old prospects 46:15 — Fan chatter: should the Rangers "tread water" for Connor McDavid in 2028? 52:00 — Cap math on what a McDavid contract could look like in 2028 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hart Levine, founder of PuckPedia, joins Jim Cerny on the Rink Rap podcast to break down the rapidly rising NHL salary cap, the evolving free-agency market, the real impact of offer sheets, and the New York Rangers’ critical upcoming decisions on Gabe Perreault, Will Cuylle, and Braden Schneider. They also dig into the Pavel Dorofeyev contract, why teams are shifting toward shorter deals, how the end of the flat-cap era is changing player leverage, and the danger of the “mushy middle” for the Rangers as they try to retool. If you care about Rangers cap strategy, NHL contracts, offer sheets, or the future of free agency, this is essential listening. Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro 0:48 – Hart Levine joins 1:39 – Origin story of PuckPedia (2018) 3:16 – How the site exploded after the competition folded 5:38 – “Welcome to the league” moments & recognition from teams/agents 11:22 – Wild offseason & free-agency trends with the rising cap 16:41 – Offer sheets: Carlsson, Hayton, threats vs. actual deals 21:00 – Rangers’ big decisions: Perreault, Cuylle, Schneider 32:04 – Pavel Dorofeyev’s 7-year, $11M deal analyzed 36:00 – Avoiding the mushy middle & Rangers’ path forward Subscribe for more New York Rangers analysis, NHL cap talk, and interviews. Follow PuckPedia for the latest contract data and tools. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jim Cerny sits down with Dan Kingerski (Pittsburgh Hockey Now) to talk through the Rangers' trade for Marcus Pettersson and why he could be the steadiest, most poised defenseman the team has had in years. They swap old Rangers-Penguins war stories, unpack Mike Sullivan's complicated reputation with young players, and talk about how new Penguins coach Dan Muse turned the room around last year — including getting the best out of Erik Karlsson. They close with a Metro Division preview and early playoff predictions ahead of training camp. Chapters: 0:57 – Meet Dan Kingerski 1:18 – Old Rangers-Penguins rivalry stories 6:16 – The Marcus Pettersson trade, explained 11:04 – Why the Rangers needed this defensive pairing 16:47 – Rangers' speed and identity issues 20:14 – Sullivan and young players 23:00 – Dan Muse's culture reset in Pittsburgh 27:08 – Metro Division predictions 33:16 – Florida's playoff pressure 35:30 – Wrap-up and a Toronto pronunciation bit Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.