Colin Stephenson on the Rangers' Offseason: Top Six Holes, Panarin Trade Fallout & What Comes Next

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.

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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