1. There actually is a bright side to the Rangers doing nothing in the First Draft Round. Over the years the Blueshirts have scored big in the lower rounds.
2. Past "finds" include Henrik Lundqvist, Igor Shesterkin and Will Cuylle.
3. The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that Cuylle should be the next Blueshirt captain. (And please don't annoy The Maven about Willing Willie being "too young.")
4. Come to think of it, there may be a couple of Rangers who still haven't grown up.
5. And speaking about "up," MSGers are getting taller by the season; and I don't mean The Twin Giraffes, Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom.
6. My V.P. Of Hidden Information, Jess Rubenstein, reports that the Blueshirts farm system tops off with 6-7 Dylan Roobroeck at a mere 6-7. Ditto, Nathan Aspinal. Then there's "Lowly" Jaroslav Chmelar at a mere 6-5.
7. No question but that the Islanders hit the jackpot with a hat trick of first round Draft picks – No. 1, defenseman Matthew Schaefer, a huge winner, as well as a couple of other gems – forward Victor Eklund plus blue liner Kashawn Aitcheson.
8. New Isles hockey boss Mathieu Darche also did a near Reverse Pot Of Gold by unloading overrated Noah Dobson.
9. NHL Wraparound's Vic Morren on Schaefer: "His maturity level is advanced well beyond his peers."
10. That the Canadiens are now paying Dobber for eight years and at an average of $9.5 million proves something about the Habs' scouting failures. When it comes to the ex-Islander, the Montreal bird dogs must have stars in their eyes – but not on the ice! Bluntly put, Dobson is just NOT THAT GOOD!
11. Hauppauge's pride and joy James Hagens, rates the P.R. medal for talking up his desire to be picked by the Islanders. But as NHL Roundabout's Neil Smith puts it: "You absolutely DO NOT draft a player so high up because he's local."
12. Some of the VERY BEST news has been overshadowed by the Draft – the NHL's and NHLPA's new pact that will assure labor peace for five more years.
13. Kudos to Gary Bettman, Bill Daly and union leader Marty Walsh for making this happen. NHL labor relations never looked better; nor do The Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner.
14. Until there's a bulletin telling us otherwise, the Rangers remain stuck with K'Andre Miller. The question: can GM Chris Drury ever make a…