Dan Grassa (4:54)

I was talking to Anthony before the show, and you think about what they still have left on this home stand with Toronto coming up on Thursday, Vancouver on Saturday. There's a legit chance after what we've seen from the last two games against the Alberta clubs, they might go over this homestand. And then you go out to the west coast. And I know that those teams in California, with the exception of the Kings, are no good. But what kind of road trip then are you banking on? That's why, I mean, like, I know you've been beating that drum for pretty much the majority of the season that, yeah, I think they'll make the playoffs because all those other teams in contention stink. But what are the Rangers right now? You know, like you said, you hit it right on the head. I mean, last night, if you had a different goaltender mining the net for you, that might have been like a 5 to 1 loss last night.

Don Legreca (5:34)

Right? And I'm not. Right.

Dan Grassa (5:37)

I mean, it was, there was nothing doing last night and. But you thought, right, they score a goal a minute into the game and you're like, oh, they're gonna, they're gonna take care of business like you should against a team that just traveled to Toronto or that was in Toronto the night before, didn't get in until 3 o'clock in the morning or whatever it was. You thought the Flames would be the ones going through the motions, and then it was completely the opposite.

Don Legreca (5:57)

No. So I, I can understand a Ranger fan being red hot and want to hear from you at 1-800-919-3776. Like, that's how disturbing that was. Now, you know, who do you blame? You want to blame the coach? Okay, I mean, I'll, I'll listen to that. I mean, I don't think Peter Laviolette is beyond reproach. I like him as a coach. I advocated for him to be the coach. He's had success pretty much everywhere he's been. He was the coach of a team last year that went to a conference final. But you know what? So is Gerard Gallant, and he didn't last more than one year after that third round appearance. So it's not crazy to criticize the coach. You know, it seems to be the same. The same guys out there for the power play. They only got one, but they failed on it. So they're two for the last 32 on the power play yet. I don't see too many changes there. You know, Brennan Othman, who's a good young player now, he hasn't scored, but he's a healthy scratch. Why? You know, I just, I don't know what's going on with this team. And I still think they're better than those teams. I mean, like, who's on Montreal? Listen, I'm a die hard hockey fan, so are you, you know, but they get beat by the Calgary Flames, they've got injuries, they're not the, you know, they're not the 89 flames. You know, Lanny McDonald and Joel Otto didn't go skating out there. Joe Newendyke and Theo Fleury, you know, it was Jonathan Huberdeaux and Nazem Kadri. Blake Coleman, you know Blake Coleman?

Dan Grassa (7:21)

No, Jerome McGinla last night he was a healthy scratch.

Don Legreca (7:24)

You know, it was. And 13 shots on goal. It just, it's, it's just mind numbing. It really is. So, you know, Chris Jury's trying to make changes and at times they look like they're great, but that was just a disturbing loss there. They've lost more games than they've won at home. So I. They still might make the playoffs, but they're not going anywhere. And there's just a lot of work to be done with this team because that was flat out disturbing. And I can understand a Ranger fan just being red hot about, you know, where is this? And I. J.T. miller's new to it and he's been an inspiration since he came here, but come on, man. Chris Kreider, I know he's got the bad back, but he's got to be more noticeable. Trocheck all of them last night. I mean, Panarin, I think, came to play. He got the, you know, he got the goal early on, but it's kind of the same. Enter the zone, move to the wing. Not playing north, south, like, what's the way to be able to get it done? Spending tons of time in the zone. You're passing up great chances, Dan. You've been around hockey long enough to know that, you know, it's not the pretty two on ones, the breakaways, the gorgeous between the legs, passes to the slot that score goals. It's just throwing pucks to the net at bouncing off of somebody's pants, bouncing off a skate, deflected in front where sometimes you don't know who scored the goal, sometimes till the next day because they had to sort out what body it went off of. That's the way goals are scored. You know, everybody would love to be able to make it look like it's the 1994 All Star Game when you score. That's not the way it works in the NHL anymore. Not with. Not with this group. How do you pass up a shot? And even last night, they're down a goal and the goaltenders pulled and pass Pat, just shoot the puck. Yeah, I know it's such a lame thing that shouted from the rafters at arenas around the National Hockey League, but just shoot the damn puck. You're waiting for the perfect outlet, the perfect beautiful screen, something that makes it out just.

Dan Grassa (9:19)

What?

Don Legreca (9:19)

Just throw the puck at the net and see what happens.

Dan Grassa (9:22)

That's what happened on the Kadri goal, right? That was one that bounced off the boards and then came right out to the front of the net and he got a stick on it and put it past Igor. And I think, like, this. This, like, malaise that they've been in, too, like, even the way the game ended, like when he had the Blake Coleman, like, empty net goal, which you thought, okay, effectively end of the game, then it was like some sort of symbolism and the fact that, no, they made you kind of just like delay the inevitable even further, and the situation had to get involved and review it, and you could see that it was a blatant offside. So it's still 2:1. So technically you have that pulse, even though it's not a great chance and obviously nothing came of it. But they're just in a bad way right now.

Don Legreca (9:59)

And even they've played well defensively recently. You take a look at the number of shots on goal they've allowed, which is down. But. But even last night, two defensemen caught behind the net, guys wide open in the slot. You know, you can kill Igor Ranger fans, and I know some of them have. That was a bad goal he gave up to Arvitz in the other game where they lost to Edmonton. But you know what? He's. He's saving your bacon. Like Dan said against anybody else, you probably lose that game six one. That was one of the worst games I ever saw them play. And it was a 2:1 game. That would be because of Igor Shusturkin.

Dan Grassa (10:35)

You know what that would have been? That would have been the Sunday night game against Columbus when he lost 73 with Jonathan Quick.

Don Legreca (10:42)

Right, but that's your backup goaltender. And it was a competitive game early on. You scored three goals. You scored two shorthanded goals. It just got away from you in the fourth, in the fourth and in the third period with those four goals. But that wasn't nearly as bad as what we saw last night. They were going to get crushed if not for Igor and if it was anybody else. If they play that way tomorrow against Toronto, they'll lose 101 totally. Because everybody and their mother that I talked to at the Garden, when I got to the Garden after doing the show yesterday, talking to all the people around the Calgary Flames, they said, we can't score. We don't score. You know, so that's the team that you allow two goals to. So don't, you know, don't pat yourself on the back saying, well, only allowed two goals. Yeah, because Igor stood on his head and Calgary can't score. But yet still it was enough to score to win the game last night.

Dan Grassa (11:34)

32. They're 32nd in the NHL in goals per game. Two and a half.

Don Legreca (11:38)

And you got out, shot 35 to 12. How many times in your mind's eye, Susan, have you ever thought of the Rangers or any team that you watch get tripled in shots, not doubled in shots, tripled in shots to a team that's one of the worst offensive teams in hockey in your building? You need the game they played the night before. Inexcusable. Inexcusable. But it's not as easy as just, oh, fire the coach, fire Drury. They just. Drew's doing what he can with this team, with this unit. It's just not enough, man. It's just not enough that you can't have that happen. You just can't.

Dan Grassa (12:17)

So you know, you know what it would have been, I'm sorry to interrupt. You know what it would have been, you know, if you were playing, let's say, a more formidable opponent. That game right before Christmas against the Devils when they only had 12 shots on goal and they lost five nothing that day when the Devils were like really clicking and probably playing the best hockey they have all year right before the holiday. Like, that's what that game would have been if you were playing a team that was better than a Calgary team on the back end, right. Of a back to back.

Don Legreca (12:44)

And if you remember that game, that was the last game before the holiday break, they lost five nothing. As Dan said, they only had 12 shots on goal. That was against a hot New Jersey team way better than they are now. That game was in the Prudential center and it was the last game before a long break. And the Rangers were at rock bottom at that point. At rock bottom now. They're starting to play better hockey. They've climbed back into the playoff race, their home, going up against a very average hockey team, and you put up the same effort. That is just. It's again, inexcusable. Inexcusable. And. And if you tell me, well, they'll win against Toronto, I think it makes it worse, Dan, because then you did look past the Flames. And how do you do that? How are you a team in the midst of a race to try to get into the playoffs to salvage your season? Who are you to look past anybody?

Dan Grassa (13:34)

Right.

Don Legreca (13:34)

So you tell me that the effort was there, you just didn't think you needed to do it. And if there was a sense of urgency after, you know, squandering the lead in the first period and only having five shots on goal, you ended up following it up with two shots on goal in the second period. So if you're saying you were looking past the Flames, Dan, well, then you would think in the first intermission you would have woken up and said, we better play better because obviously our efforts not going to be enough. And then you followed up with what, two shots on goal in the second period.

Dan Grassa (14:05)

Yeah.

Don Legreca (14:06)

And then you wake up in the third. You finally had some opportunities in the third, but not really. And you can play well, only got one power play. If you don't have the puck and you're not taking shots, why do you think you're going to get any power plays?

Dan Grassa (14:19)

That would have been tough to digest if this was like a Wednesday, just like a random Wednesday night in January, that type of a performance. But the fact that it comes with, you know, 15 games or so left in the season, when you finally. Right, as bad as you played the first half of the season, you finally dug yourself back into playoff positioning, even though those other teams had games in hand and all that stuff. But you finally woke up in wild card position and you had a chance to maybe build on a little bit, give yourself a little bit of a cushion, and that's the type of performance that you give to your fans.

Don Legreca (14:51)

No, it's that that's rough. I mean, they were booed off the ice last night, deservedly so. They got two more games left on this home stand. Toronto tomorrow, Saturday afternoon, Sam Rosen day against the Vancouver team. That's. That's like Calgary, not very good, but they just came off of beating up the Winnipeg jets, who are the best team in the National Hockey League. And oh, by the way, A, with 11 games left in the season, having to go out west for three Games against the Kings, the Ducks and the Sharks. So it's not getting any easier for the Rangers. Let's hear from you at 1-800-919-3776. I'm sure there's a lot of fans very disappointed in what happened last night. And let's start it off with Joe. He's in West Harrison. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Joe? Hey, guys, how are you? Hope you're having a great day. All your points are very valid. I've never seen. I know Panarin yet had a pretty good game and his offense makes over his defense. If I have to see another winger give the puck away on the blue line and the offensive zone with the guys going away and then I've never seen such horrible coverage in front of the net in my life. Leaving guys wide open. They're soft as heck.

Peter Rosenberg (16:01)

It just.

Don Legreca (16:01)

I don't know what the answer. Maybe there's too many new faces. But if it wasn't for Igor, like you guys just said, no telling what the score is going to be. They're soft.

Peter Rosenberg (16:09)

They don't dump and chase well, because.

Don Legreca (16:11)

They don't have those kind of players. They're like the Ice Capades. I hate to say it. They all can skate, but they all can't score me. Your best scoring line is the third line. The fourth line, I mean that is the hard working bees with.

Peter Rosenberg (16:22)

With some talent.

Don Legreca (16:23)

This is, I don't know, like you said, it's very depressing. A loss like that.

Peter Rosenberg (16:27)

We would just.

Don Legreca (16:27)

I wasn't there, but the Garden must have been a, you know, a library. Must have been quiet as heck. You know, it's rough because it's the simple things, you know, we could talk about a team, their softness and all that. And Joe, thank you for the phone call. I don't even want to go there. All right? Because I don't think they're soft because it's not really about. They weren't out physical last night. It was just the fact they can't complete a pass. First pass out of the zone, you know, it's in somebody's skates, it goes just beyond them. They're just that little bit off. You don't have to be the fastest team in hockey, Dan. You complete your passes, you move the puck up ice that first pass for your defenseman out of your zone, through the neutral zone, you're in the zone. Three, four passes, bang. A shot on goal. All right? Nobody's asking you to go coast to coast anymore. It's not the 80s, but just trying to get a pass through the neutral zone, trying to get into the zone without an offside. It's. It's disjointed. It's just. Yeah, there are new faces, I get it. But you know, you've got guys, you know, Trocheck has been around a long time. He played with lafreniere and Panarin. That for whatever reason, that line all year just hasn't worked. You know, they tried Zabanajad, Cooley and Miller. That worked for a little while, but then that got broken up because they just couldn't get any goals, you know, so. But there's enough veteran leadership and there's enough talent that that should not be an issue. So I'm not going to blame it on some new faces here who are the big time new faces. What you saw Parson in, he was a healthy scratch until last night. A lot of these guys that they traded for Dan aren't playing. They went and traded for Carson Susi. He was a scratch Parson. And it's been a scratch for like the last four games before playing yesterday. Went out and get Calvin DeHaan. They won the two games that he played and he hasn't played since.

Dan Grassa (18:11)

And the J.T. miller thing, let's face it, you know, he had this unbelievable impact when he first got here, but that's kind of leveled off a little bit now. I give him credit. Last night he got those, you know, that the matching penalty with Anderson, when he tried to start something with him, that was just as, I think, in an attempt to try to start something and spark something within that group, you know, get him motivated a little bit. It didn't have any effect. And the other thing about it too, and it's kind of like, well, damned if you do, damned if you don't. You know, you're not even skating hard enough to be able to create miscues from the opposition, like generating penalties and power play chances. Right? Like they had one chance last night, you know, that anytime now they go on the power play. It's not like they could take advantage of it because the power play has been so anemic the last 1112 games.

Don Legreca (18:49)

Yeah, awful two for its last 32. And then not getting really many power play opportunities because it's like basketball. If you're not driving the net, if you're not creating offensive opportunities, you're not going to draw fouls. Same thing in the NHL. If you're not spending time in the zone, if you're not, you know, peppering the goaltender and really forcing the issue offensively, you're not going to draw any penalty. You're not going to draw any penalties in your own zone. You know you're going to draw penalties when you're spending time in the other team zone. And they hardly did that that first period. After that Panarin goal, they spent zero time in the offensive zone. And then what ends up happening? You're, you're, you're up against it, you're defending, you commit a penalty and then you give up a power play goal, which they've been doing. And by the way, I don't, I. Rempe did throw the elbow last night. That was a legit penalty. But that's the third penalty he's taken in the last few games and the Rangers have given up a goal. So this, this penalty kill has been good, but now it's dipped to seventh. But you know what? When you're not scoring any goals, any power play, you give up the penalty kill ended up costing them in Edmonton because they gave up a power play goal and didn't score one. Like so your, your kill's got to be amazing. If your power play is not doing anything and if you're losing the special teams battle and we know this is not a great five on five team, then you're dead. Let's go to Anthony in North Salem. You're on ESPN New York.

Peter Rosenberg (20:11)

Thanks for starting off the show with the Rangers. I saw the best Ranger game of the year and the worst Ranger game of the year in the same week. I don't know what that four nation thing, I mean, it seems like Fox and Trocheck, neither one of them are playing at. Well, you know, since that. Especially Trocheck, I mean, he. Everybody just seems so lost. And I'm not like fiery mad. I'm just so. As a lifelong Ranger fan, I just feel depleted watching that game last night. That was the worst game I think I've ever seen him play. I don't know.

Don Legreca (20:51)

And you brought up a good point, Anthony, because that game you're talking about against Columbus on Saturday, it was like they like put on a clinic in that game. They didn't anything defensively. But you know what, look at Columbus. Columbus has lost like four or five in a row now. Like, so did you, did you beat a great team in Columbus or did you catch a team at the right time and then take advantage of it? And it wasn't like, you know, they won that game four nothing. But you know, that was a, that was a tight, close game for most of it, and they were able to finally put it away. But, you know, the Blue Jackets have really been struggling. They've got a ton of injuries. That's what I'm saying. They're still alive, Anthony. By default, because Columbus is struggling. Detroit's been average. Montreal's hopping. I don't think they're as talented as the Rangers. Somebody is going to have to take this last playoff spot, and it still might be the Rangers, but I don't think it's going to be anything they're going to take. It's probably going to be something that's given to them because I don't know who's going to be able to take advantage of this. Ottawa, I think, is clearly better, and I think they will get the first wild card. But down for the rest of those teams, it's really just a bunch of mediocre teams batting the bunny, and eventually somebody's going to get the seed. Dan, But. And it might be the Rangers, but the way they played last night, it's not guaranteed at all.

Dan Grassa (22:00)

Well, think about it. I mean, like, if you look at the remaining schedule after they get back from the west coast, they really only have like one more game the rest of the way against a team that is not in any sort of playoff consideration.

Don Legreca (22:11)

The Philly game, right?

Dan Grassa (22:13)

Yeah, that's.

Don Legreca (22:14)

They got two games against Tampa. When they come back, they got to play Carolina. I don't have the same front of me, just off the top of my head. And they got the Devils again, you know, a team. They finally did.

Dan Grassa (22:27)

Florida, Minnesota.

Don Legreca (22:31)

Oh, it's tough.

Dan Grassa (22:32)

They're fighting for their life. I mean, the Islanders. Who knows where the Islanders are going to be when they play them on April 10th.

Don Legreca (22:37)

I mean, whatever the Islanders are, you know, the Islanders are going to be completely engaged to do damage to the Rangers chances of making the playoffs. So even if the, Even if they're mathematically eliminated, they're going to bring it that day. Yeah, those are. The Islanders and Flyers are the two games where they're. Well, they'll. They'll be significantly ahead, maybe significantly. The Islanders are only two points back of the Rangers. Islanders actually played well since trading Nelson. Not good, Bob. Not good.

Dan Grassa (23:07)

I don't know how you could be confident even about the remainder of this. This home stand.

Don Legreca (23:10)

Like I said, again, the reason we opened with it is that that's how disturbing it was. I mean, that it was real. And I said it before I left the air yesterday. I said, this team, this is A must win. Looking at what, the scale, the landscape of the schedule, the fact they were home, Calgary playing the night before. All the things that I outlined, I said, Dan, before I left the air. This is a must win, and I've got to back it up when you don't win. And I can't just say, oh, just one of those games. So what, they'll get it back next game? No, it's, that's a bad, bad loss. And there's been a couple of them, but not nearly as bad as this.

Dan Grassa (23:45)

You could lose, but there's losing and then there's what you displayed last night. That's what's unacceptable.

Don Legreca (23:51)

Yeah. And in your building, you know, that's the thing too. The Garden, it's electric. I mean, it's a, it's a fun atmosphere to play in and, and they've lost more games, they've won there. It's really, it's really disconcerting. 1-800-9193776 we'll get into the football, some rule changes. We've got Knicks to talk about. They got a game coming up with the Spurs. What's the latest with Aaron Rodgers? We got a list, Dan. We've got a list today and I didn't bring it up during the meeting. I did bring up lists during the meeting, but the one we're going to do completely out of the blue, it came to me like a vision. What? So the casualties connected from the meeting came to me. You ready for it?

Dan Grassa (24:34)

So the Kazmatsui idea got shot down.

Don Legreca (24:36)

What you're saying one of the things we batted around, I want to give a lot of detail, but it had something to do with Kazmatsui. And if you know the sense of humor of Don Lagreca and Dan Grasse, go to the Wikipedia page of Kazmatsui and you'll find out what we found. Funny. Okay. I'm sure you'll discover it somewhere on the Internet. We just couldn't cultivate more than two people that we knew that had this. So we, we wanted at least come up with five. So we couldn't make a list out of it.

Dan Grassa (25:06)

But right guys, guys who have hit home runs in their first games with new teams.

Don Legreca (25:11)

Yeah, that's what it was. That's exactly what it was. 1-800-919-3776. It's Don Legreca. It's Dan Grassa, it's Don Hahn and Rosenberg on ESPN. But friends, go see Dr. Jay Shaw. He's a double board certified Ivy League Trained Specialist. Don't let your neck, back, sciatica or nerve pain slow you down at work or from all the things you love. It is time to reclaim your active lifestyle. Call our friend Dr. Jay Shah today at samwellpain. Dr. Jay Shah treats joint, neck, back, sciatica and nerve pain. Dr. Shah is also a migraine and headache specialist. Procedures involve no cuts, scars, incisions or downtime. Call Dr. Jay Shah to take a non surgical approach with precise image guided procedures without pain medications. Enjoy life pain free. Same day and next day appointments available. Go to Samwell to book online. Put an end to your pain and suffering today. Why wait any longer? Make your appointment with Dr. Jay Shaw. Go to samwellpain.com now. Regain your active lifestyle and enjoy all of your favorite activities pain free. Samuel Payne now has three convenient locations in Woodbridge, Livingston and a brand new office in Englewood to serve Bergen County. Visit samwellpain.com to text or book online. You wish you met Dr. Shah sooner. Most major insurance are accepted. Some people just know they could save.

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Don Legreca (26:35)

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Dan Grassa (28:52)

I like I said yesterday, I was just afraid of being in like the contagion zone because. Because Peter and I crossed paths yesterday and I just got. I was just getting over something myself. So I didn't want to have to then like get reinfected. God forbid, you know, except it's a damper on things.

Don Legreca (29:06)

Yeah. Especially when you're needed to fill in for all the people that are sick. 1-800-919-3776 Talking about the disappointment with the Rangers and you know, and just, just to slide it over to the Knicks for a second. You gotta go, Nick. Fans frustrated that they can't get over the top. They need to be careful too. All right. Because if we rewind to last year, Rangers are winning the President's Trophy. They end up going to the third round of the playoffs. See how quickly it can turn if you're not careful. Like Dan and I will tell you trapdoor and verse that it seemed like when we were kids there was a progression to a championship, you know, where like the Mets, they were in contention in 84, contention in 85. If they had been wild cards back then, they would have made the playoffs, but you had to win the division. And then finally they broke through in 86. Giants. Right. They may, you know, make the playoffs in 84, win around, make the playoffs in 85, win around, then they finally win the Super Bowl. You know, there's that progression that you go through. I don't know if that exists anymore. You know, you could take that step, but you could very easily take a huge step back the following Year we've seen it with the Rangers before. Conference final against Tampa a couple of years ago and then they get bounced in the first round conference final. Last year they might not make the playoffs. This year we saw it with the Mets. They won 101 games in 22. You'll miss the playoffs the very next year. So it's no guarantee that oh, we're the Knicks, so we would have gone to the conference final and we not getting hurt against the Pacers, you know, oh, and this year, you know, you're disappointed that they might not get out of the second round again. Maybe they do, maybe they don't. But it's not a fait accompli that you'll progress to that point and take a look at. What's happened to the Rangers, I think is a cue of how it can go the other way. Just because you're banging on the door doesn't automatically mean you knock it down. Jets, right? Dan, You're a Jet fan. 092010 Championship game and that's it. That's the last time you ever saw it. You know, it's like, you know, back in the day, next year you win the Super Bowl. Now you go, you know, a decade and a half without making the playoffs. So, you know, Nick, fans just pump the brakes, all right? Enjoy what you got. But they better pay attention because it's just not automatic that this team's going to progress in the right direction. You hope they will, but the Rangers are certainly a tail that where it can completely go sideways on you.

Dan Grassa (31:35)

All these other teams are trying to get better too. You know, they're getting, they're getting paid to win and you worry about your own business. But you know, other things can happen along the way, like a Cleveland Cavaliers team, which takes a gargantuan leap from where they were last year. And nobody in a million years thought that they would be improved that much where now they've gone ahead of you. Like we're talking about getting past the second round for the Knicks, okay? You get past the second round, you're in the conference finals. That's two teams. Cleveland and Boston are the two best teams in the east. So it wouldn't even be an upset if the Knicks don't get to the conference finals this year. They're not supposed to.

Don Legreca (32:05)

Right, right. But you're going to have to continue to progress. Like you said, Cleveland comes out of nowhere in the NHL. It's like Washington last year. Rangers win the President's trophy, they take on Washington in the first round that barely made the playoffs and the Rangers swept him in four. One year later, it's the Rangers trying to barely make the playoffs and Washington might win the President's trophy like it can turn on a dime. Because back when Dan and I were growing up, there wasn't free agency, there wasn't instantaneous ways to improve yourself. You know, you didn't change coaches like you change underwear anymore. Like so you can, you know, Washington makes some subtle changes. Next thing you know, they're one of the best teams. Cleveland makes the huge jump from can they ever get out of the first round to now. They might finish with one of the best records we've seen in a long time where they lost 11 games this year. I mean, they might flirt with 70 wins this year like crazy, you know, so be careful because Dan nailed it. Other teams around you, they're trying to get better too, and they might figure it out faster than you. And so there might be somebody we're not thinking of in the NBA that might run past the Knicks if they're not careful. And hopefully Leon Rose is paying attention to this because I thought the Rangers only had to worry about the Florida Panthers. I weren't, I wasn't thinking that Washington would be better than them. I wasn't gonna think that Ottawa was gonna be better than them.

Dan Grassa (33:23)

What's funny about the whole thing with the NBA is we were talking all summer about the Knicks and what was the refrain that we all kept saying when they made the trade for Bridges, then when they made the trade with Minnesota and brought Kat here, it was closing the gap on the Celtics, right? That's all everybody was concerned with, closing the gap on the Celtics. Well, nobody thought that Cleveland was also then going to leapfrog you along the way. So it became kind of now a double edged sword that you're dealing with. You're trying to get closer to Boston and all of a sudden this Cleveland team, Cleveland might have leapfrogged both teams.

Don Legreca (33:52)

We don't know.

Dan Grassa (33:52)

We'll find out in the playoffs, right?

Don Legreca (33:54)

Cleveland jumped them with the Rangers. Like almost the entire conference jumped them. It was just Washington, you know, Carolina stay where they are. Devils are better than they were last year because they went out and got a goal and, you know, made the moves to improve the defense. Columbus, they survived the tragedy of Johnny Goudreau and now they've all of a sudden become a contender. Teams you're not even thinking about now are all of a sudden teams that blow by you. So you're always gotta Be working. You always gotta try to get better.

Dan Grassa (34:20)

And remember, the team that most pundits thought would be like that third team in the Eastern Conference this year, basketball wise, was Philadelphia, because they went and they made the Paul George trade. And I never bought it for a second because when you have Paul George and Joel Embiid, who are always injury prone, sure, you know, to team with Maxi I, it was going to fire. And then look what happens. It's become a spectacular disaster to where they're now tanking so they can keep control of their own draft pick, for crying out loud.

Don Legreca (34:46)

Right. And Milwaukee's never been the same after they won. And we're waiting for them to kind of pop back and they make the coaching change. It almost did nothing. Crazy, crazy stuff.

Dan Grassa (34:56)

Detroit team is. Has. Has started to progress a lot faster than people thought.

Don Legreca (35:00)

So who knows what. What. What they'll end up becoming by the time we get all said and done. All right, let's get back to the busy phones. Let's go to Rob on Long Island. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Rob?

Peter Rosenberg (35:09)

You know, Donnie, I wasn't planning on calling you today after we spoke yesterday, but after watching that trek in person last night, I need to get some stuff off my chest.

Don Legreca (35:17)

All right.

Peter Rosenberg (35:17)

You know, I'm a Rancher fan. You know, my family's had season tickets for over 35 years for this team. We put our heart and soul until we spend a lot of money. So I hope management is listening, because if they're not listening, they didn't have a problem not only with me, but a lot of other fans. What I saw last night was a total embarrassment. And yes, you got to blame the players because they have to produce. But you know what? I also blame. And Don, you are going to battle on this. I blame the coach. I'm sorry. I know you've said many times in the air this year that you can't fire the coach. He's only been here two years, blah, blah, blah. But you know what? The Rangers survived last year on two things. Power play. Three things. Power play, a good second line and goaltending. Well, guess what? This year, none of those things are happening. The problem is these players are not getting up for games that they're trying to get up in the playoffs. That's a coaching problem. And in addition, Chris Drury destroyed the chemistry of this team in the off season when he tried to publicly trade Jacob Truba. I was begging this team to trade lafreniere and Keandra Miller at the deadline. Lafreniere is a bust. I'm sorry. You got to get him out. Keandre Miller is never going to get it to his potential. You got to make changes. And you know what, Don? I know he's controversial figure, but we hired Mike Keenan in 94 and we won a cup. He was a controversial coach. He held players accountable, which Laviolette does not do. I want Drury out. I want Laviolette out. I want changes made and I want Quenville brought in as a coach. I'm sorry. Enough is enough. That was a joke last night. I have never seen a game like that when you're trying to make the playoffs in my life and you can see how pissed off I am. And I hope the Rangers realize that there's a lot of elite people out there that are like me.

Don Legreca (36:52)

Rob, listen, I can't disagree with your anger about this team, but here's what I'll say about Laviolette. How many coaches you're going to go through? Well, Gallant wasn't good enough. Quinn wasn't good enough. You go back to, you know, Elaine Vigneault when things ran out. I mean, this core has gone through a lot of coaches, a lot of general managers, a lot of presidents. At some point you got to look at the players and say, when are they going to be held accountable for what's going on here? Can't always be changing the coach. Now, is Peter Laviolette perfect? You say Joel Quinville. Now, obviously there's a whole nother kettle of fish with him because of what happened in Chicago. One day he will coach again. I don't know if it's going to be in New York.

Dan Grassa (37:33)

But Peter Laviolet though, right? He got the okay from the league.

Don Legreca (37:36)

He's gotten the okay. But still, you know, that first team is going to get a lot of PR problems because of that. Right? So. And I don't know, New York makes it, I think a smaller market, maybe a non traditional hockey market might be the best place for Joel Quinnville to land. And I. Joel won three championships in Chicago. Okay. But you know, you don't think Peter Laviolettes accomplished anything. He got the Islanders off the mat in his first job. Wins a cup in Carolina, goes to the Stanley cup final in Philadelphia, goes to the Stanley cup in Nashville. Nashville. And then he gets Washington to the playoffs. So I could sit here and compare resumes with Joel Quinnville and I think you can. That's a tough face off. Yeah. Joel's got three cups to. To one for Laviolette but we're not talking about some no name coach, Peter Laviolette. He's accomplished a lot in a lot of different places. So yeah, you could fire the coach, but how many coaches you going to go through before you realize that this core just maybe isn't good enough? And that's why Drury's trying to change it. But yet Kreider with a bad back, you had Mika Zabaneja with a no movement clause and let's face it, a lot of guys you're not going to get value for because you don't want him. You think everybody else is going to line up for him. You think everybody in the mother wants Alexei Lafreniere right now who's got a big contract and is doing nothing. You think that's an easy thing to move? It's not. So you've simplified it. Fire the coach? Yeah, it's easy and I'm sure it would go over well with the fan base. Will it work? I don't know.

Dan Grassa (39:09)

Remember Quinnville won his first Stanley Cup, Remember against Laviolette in the Flyers? We were there, remember, on the ice in Philadelphia.

Don Legreca (39:15)

We didn't, we didn't know they scored when they scored.

Dan Grassa (39:18)

Oh, that was, that was great.

Don Legreca (39:19)

That was one of the craziest moments. We got to hang out on the ice. That was fun. That was a.

Peter Rosenberg (39:22)

Fun.

Don Legreca (39:23)

I was thinking about that the other day.

Dan Grassa (39:24)

I still have, I still have champagne cork from that night.

Don Legreca (39:28)

No, that was a. That was, that was a lot of fun, you know, for not having a dog in the fight between the Blackhawks and the Flyers. To be able to be there to see a Stanley cup one was pretty cool. But listen, I feel Rob's pain. I do. I understand how frustrating it is, but everybody's. It's so easy to fix, right? Yankee fan, just fire Boone and we'll. And the championships will start to flow. You know, it's always easy to change coaches. They've done that, they've changed coaches. Now it's time to start changing the players. But that's really hard to do too, especially with a salary cap and no movement clauses and no trade clauses. Believe me, there's a lot of guy. Dan, I'm telling you, there's players on this team. Drury was hot to move and either couldn't move them because of their contracts or couldn't move them because nobody else wanted them either.

Dan Grassa (40:16)

I still go back to the players. Like, I still put this on the players. Like, he's like, I know that, you know, the previous caller, Rob or Whatever. He brought up the Jacob Truba thing and whether it was the Truba thing and before that, the Barkley Goudreau. It just seems like, you know, these locker room lawyers all throughout the season, way too overly sensitive with this. You know, you're a professional. You're getting paid a lot of money. I know that. Things happen and guys get traded, guys get moved. Your buddies, your captains, whatever. It's professional sports, man. You have an obligation to go out there and put all that stuff aside and just go out there and play. Stop. Stop being overly sensitive and brought down by who's not here anymore.

Don Legreca (40:51)

You got a job to do. He mentioned destroying the chemistry. Okay. And it probably could have been handled better that everything was public with the Truba deal and obviously the Cadreau had to be waived. But you're right. These players got to get over it. It's a business. You haven't done anything. If you got a bunch of rings, then I guess you could be on your high horse and start dictating policy. But. And I'm not. And I think all these players are good guys and they all give their all. I get it. But you know what I mean. I know you love being a Ranger. A lot of players would love to be a New York Ranger and you don't want to leave. But wearing that jersey comes with a lot of responsibility to go out there and perform. And if you don't perform or they think they can do better with somebody else, then that has to happen. That's the way for special professional sports work. That's, you know, that's tough. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I didn't listen to anything you just said. Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Steve Miller band is coming Northwell at Jones Beach Theater on Aug. 24 and PNC Bank Arts center on Aug. 26, 2025. ESPN New York has your chance to score tickets to the venue of your choice at ESPN New York's app. Just find the contest tile and submit your entry. Brought to you by Live Nation. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10am@ticketmaster.com Don Legreco with you here. Don Han Rosenberg, Dan Grassa filling in for Allen and Peter. Peter's gonna be out the rest of the week as he's feeling under the weather, but we are gonna have Alan Han back on Friday as his march from hell continues. The Knicks schedule has been brutal for Allen and for the Knicks. Dan. I mean, they went on a West coast trip, come home for one game against Miami and then back to back games in San Antonio and Charlotte. That's a tough schedule, man. That's not right.

Dan Grassa (42:52)

No, but the Knicks are in a position though, like as far as like this slate of games. I mean, even starting the other night with Miami, you know, these are all games that they should pocket their next handful of games, you know, before they go into that final 10. I mean these are all winnable games, very much so. And I expect them to take care of business. It's not often the Knicks have stinkers along the way. So I mean, tonight's one of those games. You know, the spurs are, I mean, they've been through a lot this year, obviously Popovich, you know, stepping away five games into the season. But I mean, this was a Spurs team. It was actually like okay by the turn of the new year, but then Wembayama had the blood clot issue and so I think they've lost 10 out of 15 since his season ended. They traded for De'Aaron Fox. Now he's down, he needs finger surgery. So this is a Spurs team playing out the string, but it's still a game you should win.

Don Legreca (43:38)

Yeah, well, second of back to backs are always tough, but if you're going to get a second of back to backs, you know, in Charlotte, that's. It's not like you're going to have to, you know, you're playing in Golden State in a second and back to back, but.

Dan Grassa (43:48)

Or the Knicks, when they went to Charlotte this year on Black Friday, it was one of those like miserable. It might have even been a 12 o'clock tip off on Black Friday. They were losing for like 46 and a half of the 48 minutes in that game. And then somehow they pulled it out. But too much turkey.

Don Legreca (44:07)

Like I said about the Knicks, there's nothing that they're going to do, good or bad, that's going to change anybody's mind about what they are. You know, they're, they're a team that I think are destined to lose to Boston in the second round. Now I hope I'm wrong and maybe I can be proven wrong, but nothing over these next 15 games is going to change that. They're not going to fall to four to avoid Boston and they're not going to climb and catch Boston. So it's just a matter of trying to stay healthy. But I don't think anything that happens over the next 15 games is going to change hearts and minds here. And just trying to navigate through it be as healthy as possible, get Brunson back and just try to move forward. It's a little early. I'm sorry, Dan, Go ahead.

Dan Grassa (44:48)

No, I was going to, I was going to say like, remember when Brunson got hurt? That was like the mystery when we thought, okay, we don't know how long he's going to be out for. Is there a chance, I think when he went down, the Knicks, when they only had like a four game lead on the team immediately behind them, so you didn't know like if they were just going to go in the tank completely, there was a chance that they could drop down to four, which then means Cleveland in round number two, which still I don't think is the end of the world because I still would rather take my shot at Cleveland than Boston. But now the way everything has kind of transpired, they're too far behind the Celtics. They now have a five game cushion on the fourth place team. They're, they're stuck at three. They're going to be three, right.

Don Legreca (45:26)

And they can win, you know, the rest of their games. I don't know if it's going to change people's opinions about, you know, how they're going to do against Boston and Cleveland once they, you know, they get to the playoffs, obviously Boston in round two and if they're hopeful enough to get through that, you still got to go through Cleveland, which I still think Boston is the better team, but maybe it's the recency bias of the fact that they just won a championship and Cleveland, this is kind of new as far as them being this dominant, but you just can't ignore a team that, you know, here we are in the second half of March and They've lost just 11 games and pretty incredible. Richard and Manhattan, you're on. Don Hahn and Rosenberg, how are you, sir?

D (46:03)

I Don. Hi, Dan. Fellas. You know, the Rangers started this year, I think they were like nine, one and two.

Don Legreca (46:11)

There were 12. That was before it collapsed. But anybody, Richard will tell you when they were 12, 4 and 1, they weren't playing very well, but their record still was very, very good.

D (46:22)

Don. I think they had the most goals at the NHL and the fewest allowed. That's how great they were playing though. I mean, statistically, that's what I meant. But you know, yesterday, I mean, Dave was really down on the Rangers from the very beginning after they scored the first goal. And when Adam Fox gave up that goal to tie the game, he really killed Fox. I never heard him that critical of a Ranger like that. And he really sounded like he was really disgust. But you can tell just listening to the game. When Reppe got that penalty at the end of the first period, that was it. They scored. Right. I was shocked. They didn't score in the beginning of the second period after the Rangers got the penalty. So that's when I thought maybe. Maybe we had a chance. But, yeah, that's bad news. Bad news. You know, you mentioned North Carolina, Don. Wouldn't be funny. Wouldn't it be great they beat Mississippi and then win another game in the tournament. That's what makes the NCAA Tournament so great. This is a team supposedly didn't actually deserve to be in. They were up by 35 or 40 yesterday. They could have won by that.

Dan Grassa (47:25)

Yeah, but Rich, I thought they'd win that game. See, one has nothing to do with the other. I still think they had no business being in the tournament. But once you're in, you're in. And it's a whole season.

D (47:34)

Because now if they beat Mississippi, you say, wow, that's why I watched the ncaa.

Dan Grassa (47:41)

Remember, we've had two teams. We've had two teams from the first four make it to the Final Four in the past.

D (47:47)

Right. Which is great. And hopefully it keeps going. This makes the tournament unbelievable. So let's just watch the games and enjoy them. Just. And one last thing, fellas. With the Knicks, you know, everybody keeps saying who we're going to beat, who we're going to play. We can't beat Cleveland, we can't beat Boston. Yes, we couldn't beat them, those guys without Mitchell Robinson. Now, if Robinson gets healthy in the last 10 games, you guys know this. At the end of the season, it's how you're playing, how the rotation is going. Let Tibbs get comfortable with. He brings in his role players. Everyone's got to be healthy. If somebody's not healthy, they're not going to win. But everything else, if everything else is good, I'll take my shot with anybody. I don't know.

Don Legreca (48:29)

You're not wrong, Richard, and thank you for the phone call. But a couple of things here. You have to beat him four out of seven, and you're going to have to win on the road. And you were completely dismantled every time you played Cleveland or Boston without Mitchell. So it wasn't like you were down to the. You got blown off the court. So is Mitchell Robinson going to be enough? And as far as Dan, what he said about the NCAA tournament, both can be right. They don't belong there, but they could still win. I mean, they were a favorite going into. It's not a surprise they won yesterday. And maybe they do make a run, but that doesn't make it right. Like, if they make a run, the NCAA shouldn't thump their chest to go. See, we told you they belong. No, they didn't belong. It's one and done. And so I don't think a run justifies them being there in the first place. They didn't belong in there, period.

Dan Grassa (49:17)

And I just don't. And I'm shocked it hasn't gotten more play. Like, look, I understand college basketball has its place. I love it. I watch all year. I know not everybody does, and that's no fault of their own. But you're sitting there watching that game last night and sitting, you know, two feet behind the court is Bubba Cunningham, who's the chair of the committee, also the North Carolina athletic director. And word got outdone that by North Carolina making the tournament. Bubba Cunningham and his contract. He got a $100,000 bonus.

Don Legreca (49:45)

Unbelievable.

Dan Grassa (49:45)

Now, you tell me if that doesn't stink like a fish.

Don Legreca (49:48)

And I love the fact, oh, well, he left the room, but his presence is still there.

Dan Grassa (49:52)

And they. You don't think they knew that? Oh, you don't think he like, oh, oops, hey, by the way, you know, I'm going to step out of the room, but just, just in case, you know, I got. I got six figures coming to me if maybe you vote unc. What do you think about that?

Don Legreca (50:05)

Really? It really is. Is a joke. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

Dan Grassa (50:13)

I don't want to know how the.

Don Legreca (50:14)

Sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter, weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8.

Dan Grassa (50:20)

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