Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
1. Chris Drury knows that his “Vanilla” team is viewed as “soft.” Thus, it figures that he’ll go after a Tom Wilson-type in the Free Agent Frenzy.
2. In the meantime, Drury is in a position to nail down his three most rugged non-oldtimers. That is, Will Cuylle, Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom.
3. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple guesses that Cuylle should get two years = $2.75 million; Rempe: two years = $1.25 mil, and Edstrom, a year = $1 million.
4. It’s not The Maven’s money – nor Staple’s – but I question how much a Rempe should be worth as a “player?”
5. Then again, we have to wonder whether new coach Mike Sullivan thinks as little of Rempe as Peter Laviolette did over two seasons.
6. Under Pistol Pete, Rempe was treated like a displaced person until the 2024-25 season was lost – along with the playoff berth.
7. If Sullivan is as smart as his boosters believe that he is, he’ll turn Cuylle, Rempe and Edstrom into a Rangers version of an Identity Line and KEEP THEM TOGETHER.
8. All of Toronto and other parts of Ontario have given up on the Maple Leafs. The Maven believes that somehow they’ll stun the Panthers tonight and win the series in Game Seven. (Caution: The Maven is just sayin’ – not betting on it!)
9. Speaking of GM’s lucky to still have their jobs, how about Steve Yzerman. The Red Wings have missed the playoffs for nine straight years and the “Yzerplan” still looks plan-less.
10. Frankly, I was disappointed that Washington lost to Carolina. But, really, the Caps had all their season-long fun during the Alex Ovechkin Follies. It was awfully hard to maintain playoff-type focus after that.
11. The goaltending story of the playoffs so far is Stu Skinner saving Edmonton’s hide with two shutouts in a row; And this, after previously looking like Alberta’s Sieve King.
12. Carolina is tough-tough-tough. The only issue in Raleigh is whether goalie Fred Andersen can avoid his annual mid-playoff collapse.
13. Easy To Forget Department: The Canes’ Jacob Slavin continues to be the best unheralded NHL defenseman since Toronto’s Garth Boesch, a three-time Cup-winner.
14. Can you please tell me why Lord Laviolette didn’t have the courtesy to hold a grand, good-bye press conference. (It might have been a bit revealing. No?)
15. Not that it really matters, but I wonder what the odds are that Taylor Swift shows up for the Final Playoff Round?