A young Leafs voice sees reason to believe in the Rangers, but he’s not blind to the work ahead.
Mark Nussbaum, who describes himself as “The Biggest Leafs Fan” while also trying to build a future as a player agent, thinks New York has enough to matter in the Metro. He’s also clear-eyed about the holes. The Rangers, he says, have talent, but they also have “plenty of questions.”
“The Rangers have enough talent to be competitive,” says The World's Biggest Leafs fan, “but they have plenty of questions. Granted, they have a couple of stars, experienced vets and some young talent but can they put it all together? That is the question.”
One of the biggest factors, in his view, is Adam Fox. Nussbaum believes the defenseman has to stay healthier than a Nagasaki Sumo wrestler, and he says New York needs him at his peak more than ever.
“New York needs Fox at his very best,” he asserts, “and - most important - on a CONSISTENT basis.”
He also likes the addition of former Golden Knight Doc Dorofeyev, who landed on a $77 million seven-year deal. But he doesn’t mention one major complication: there isn’t a certified No. 1 center to get Dorofeyev the kind of feed Mitch Marner used to supply in Vegas.
Nussbaum still sees a workable fit if J.T. Miller ends up alongside Dorofeyev.
“I like the idea of J.T. Miller playing with Dorofeyev.
"The captain can create space and bring a physical presence. I see Miller and Dorofeye -- plus a wing -- combining on a first line that will be both tough to play against while also capable of scoring."
He doesn’t sugarcoat the division, either. With Cup-winning Carolina leading the way, he thinks the Metro will be a grind from top to bottom.
“There isn't a single Metro team that can be taken lightly,” Mark goes on, “but I believe that New York has enough talent to make things interesting, stay in the conversation all season and be a playoff team.”
That’s the part that stands out: a Leafs guy calling the Rangers “a playoff team.”
Now the question is whether that belief survives until April.
In Other News...
Rangers Still Have One Lineup Debate That Could Shape Everything
The Rangers forward puzzle is starting to come into focus as the new season approaches, with the conversation centering on how the top six should be arranged and which combinations can give the team a cleaner offensive identity. J.T. Miller figures to be one of the most important pieces in that discussion, and the staff is weighing him alongside names like Doc Dorofeyev, Bud Bjorkstrand and Will Cuylle as it tries to balance skill, speed and the kind of chemistry that can hold up over a long season.
What makes the debate worth watching is that the answer could ripple through the whole lineup, especially if the Rangers are looking for a line that can do more than just survive shifts. There is also the question of how the team wants to use its heavier forwards, with Matt Rempes return part of the larger picture if he is healthy, and that sort of size-driven element could alter the feel of the roster in a hurry depending on how the rest of the pieces settle. [Read more 🡒]
Jaroslav Chmela Is Giving The Rangers A Real Bottom-Six Decision
Jaroslav Chmela has turned a straightforward training camp question into a real roster conversation for the Rangers. The young forward has steadily improved, and his recent NHL call-up only strengthened the sense that he is more than a depth name on the page. The organization sees him as a developing player with upside, and his progress has put him in position to force the staff to think hard about where he belongs when the season opens.
The decision now feels less about whether Chmela is part of the Rangers future and more about when the team wants to make that commitment. He could stick in the NHL and claim a bottom-six role, or he could head to Hartford to keep building his game with the Wolf Pack. Either way, the coaching changes in the AHL are designed to help prospects like him keep moving forward, which only makes his camp battle more interesting for the Rangers. [Read more 🡒]
Adam Fox Puts Real Pressure On This Rangers Retool
Adam Fox sits at the center of whatever comes next for the Rangers, because the blue line is still built around their top defenseman and his contract runs three more years at $9.5 million annually. After finishing last in the Eastern Conference, Chris Drurys signal that a roster retool is coming only sharpened the questions around a team that has to get back on track quickly and figure out which core pieces are part of the next version.
Fox has not exactly shut the door on that conversation, but he has also not rushed to answer it. During the season, he was noncommittal about his long-term future, making it clear the focus was on the games in front of him, and only after the schedule ended did he sound more open to the idea that the Rangers could still work, even if the bigger issue is where the organization is headed. For a club trying to reset without losing its best players, that is the pressure point worth watching. [Read more 🡒]