Rink Rap | A New York Rangers Podcast from Forever Blueshirts

Jim Cerny sits down with Newsday Rangers beat writer Colin Stephenson to break down a difficult season and look ahead to what could be a defining offseason for New York. The two dig into the gaping hole in the top six left by the Artemi Panarin trade, whether the Rangers have the pieces — or the assets — to fix it, and why the free agent market this summer won't bail them out. They also assess Mike Sullivan's first year behind the bench, the encouraging post-Olympic stretch from Alexis Lafreniere and Gabe Perreault, what to realistically expect from the prospect pipeline, the Mika Zibanejad bounce-back season, the injury toll on Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox, and what a Chris Drury retool actually looks like. Plus — should Vincent Trocheck be moved, and is Alex Tuch a realistic free agent target?🎙️ Rink Rap is the New York Rangers podcast from Forever Blueshirts.🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode.Chapters:0:00 — Intro & welcome to Colin Stephenson 3:56 — Rangers' top six problem: who replaces Panarin's production? 6:29 — Was trading Panarin always the plan — and why? 8:02 — JT Miller & the shift toward a grittier identity 26:14 — Lafreniere's breakout: sustainable or situational? 29:24 — Gabe Perreault: encouraging signs, but pump the brakes 30:00 — Sakura, Kamilash and keeping youth expectations in check 32:06 — Mike Sullivan's first season: the good, the bad, the verdict 43:57 — Vincent Trocheck: keep him or trade him? 48:17 — The Florida Panthers model and why skill still wins 50:51 — Chris Drury's roster-building philosophy: overcorrected on grit? 57:30 — Adam Fox injury concerns and the Igor Shesterkin health factor 01:01:46 — Cap space, free agency outlook and the Tuch/Radish UFA market 01:02:28 — Trade vs. free agency: the smarter path to upgrading the Rangers

im Cerny breaks down two of the biggest storylines heading into the Rangers offseason. First, he pays tribute to Jonathan Quick, who announced his retirement after 18 NHL seasons — reflecting on the iconic send-off the Florida Panthers gave him after his final game, his legacy as a three-time Stanley Cup champion and probable Hall of Famer, and what his three years in New York meant to the organization on and off the ice. Jim also digs into what comes next between the pipes: the Dylan Gran question, the free agent backup market and how the Rangers' approach will signal exactly how much they trust their prospect.Then after the break, Jim turns to Vincent Trocheck — the elephant in the room. With a failed trade deadline move behind them, Jim examines Trocheck's body language, his reduced media presence, and why moving him this offseason is the right call for both sides. The Trocheck decision, Jim argues, is the linchpin of the entire Rangers retool.#NewYorkRangers #RinkRap #ForeverBlueshirts #JonathanQuick #VincentTrocheck #DylanGran #NHLOffseasonChapters:0:00 — Jim opens the show, previews a two-topic episode and teases full offseason coverage ahead 1:35 — Jonathan Quick retirement announced; Jim reacts to Quick's final game and the Panthers' ice tribute 4:40 — Bobrovsky orchestrates the on-ice farewell; Jim on what "great appreciates great" really means 6:00 — Quick's legacy: 410 wins, three Cups, and a case for the Hockey Hall of Fame 7:37 — The 2023-24 season revisited — Quick at his best as a Ranger, and the role he played in Igor's mid-year reset 12:00 — This season's collapse; what Quick's decline exposed about the Rangers' backup situation 17:00 — Dylan Gran's playoff track record and the big question: is he ready to be the No. 2? 18:43 — Jim argues the Rangers must sign a veteran backup this offseason — Spencer Martin is not the answer 20:55 — Break preview: goaltender free agent options and the Trocheck situation coming up 23:02 — Back from break; Jim runs through the veteran backup market and no-name-but-solid options 25:15 — Kevin Maxwell returns to the Rangers as Director of Pro Scouting — congratulations and context 26:16 — Cam Talbot, Daniel Tarasov and the two-category framework for evaluating backup candidates 28:00 — The AHL route: Brandon Halverson, Caden Primo, Phoenix Copley and the training camp battle idea 32:40 — What signing a Rittich or Comrie over Gran would actually signal about the organization's plans 35:08 — The Matt Murray wildcard: the Sully factor, the injury history, and whether it's worth a camp invite 39:11 — Pivoting to Trocheck: Jim on the body language, the media absence and the failed trade deadline deal 41:27 — Why trading Trocheck this offseason is the right move — for the Rangers and for Vinnie himself 43:31 — Closing thoughts; Rangers wrap up Wednesday in Tampa, draft lottery odds, and what's ahead on Rink Rap

Jonathan Quick retires after 18 seasons; Jim reacts to the Panthers' on-ice tribute and reflects on what made Quick one of the most respected players in the league.

Dylan Gran's path to the NHL backup job is real, but Jim argues the Rangers can't hand it to him — they need competition, and the free agent market has options at every price point. Trocheck wasn't traded at the deadline, but all signs point to an offseason move. Jim breaks down the body language, the ice time, and why this is the most important decision of the Rangers' retool.

Jim Cerny is back in the home office for a jam-packed solo episode of Rink Rap. He opens with a firsthand account of the historic first-ever PWHL game at Madison Square Garden — Sirens vs. Torrent, 18,000+ fans, Billie Jean King dropping the puck — before pivoting to a deep dive on the Rangers' closing stretch of the 2025–26 season.Jim breaks down what's working (a top-3 power play, Adam Fox healthy and dominant, Igor Shesterkin back in form) and what went wrong — pinpointing the January 5th Utah game as the season's turning point when both Fox and Shesterkin went down the same night. He makes the case that those two are the team's most irreplaceable players, and the numbers prove it.Then it's on to the offseason: Is Vincent Trocheck getting traded? What about Brayden Schneider? Jim weighs in on the JT Miller lightning rod debate — injuries, captaincy pressure, Mika Zibanejad's defense of him — and discusses free agency options including Alex Tuch and UFA defenseman Darren Raddysh. Plus, Rangers prospects EJ Emery and Malcolm Spence in the NCAA Frozen Four, and what 11 draft picks could mean for the rebuild.Chapters:0:00 — Welcome back + live at Mustang Harry's recap with Johnny Lazarus & Sweet Lou Orlando 3:25 — PWHL history at MSG: Sirens vs. Torrent, 18K fans, Billie Jean King, and the electric atmosphere 7:40 — Rangers close out their home schedule: from 0-6-1 start to finishing strong 12:00 — Special teams breakdown: power play ranked 3rd in NHL, Adam Fox's impact 16:45 — Shesterkin and Fox return from injury — the January 5th turning point that defined the season 22:45 — Offseason outlook: Trocek and Schneider trade odds, under-the-radar roster moves 25:30 — Free agency: Should the Rangers pursue Alex Tuck? The case for and against 30:00 — Prospects: Liam Greentree, Gabe Perrault, and the rebuild path 31:00 — JT Miller debate: lightning rod, captain pressure, Mika's defense of him 38:30 — Darren Raddysh UFA watch: keeping him vs. paying up at 30 41:00 — Final road games, Frozen Four watch (EJ Emery, Malcolm Spence), and offseason preview#NYRangers #NewYorkRangers #NHL #NHLPodcast