The question touched a Maven's Roundtable nerve and the reactions have been intense. So I repeat: HOW TOUGH ARE THE RANGERS?
"That remains to be seen the kind of toughness the blueline additions will bring," ponders Guardians Of The Goal author George Grimm. "During the season, Cuylle, Rempe, Trocheck and Carrick should provide enough regular season toughness to get by.
"For the playoffs, however, the Rangers will need more muscle if they hope to advance past the opening round. (NOTE: FIRST THEY HAVE TO GET IN!) The club still needs that smart, tough player that the opposition fears."
New Roundtable voice Larry Hirsch knows toughness from covering the Tampa Bay Lightning's double-Cup run.
"In today's game," says Hirsch, "toughness is better gauged by how a player plays. Is he tough enough to go to the front of the net, or block shots or give a tough check or fight to get his team going. Are the Rangers tough enough? NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! Frankly, I fear that they are not close to being relevant, no matter who's behind the bench.
"But, wait;, let's see how Mike Sullivan coaches. The best teams are those that can adjust to play the other teams on the way they can play. Florida and Tampa Bay showed exactly that. Result: Back to back Stanley Cups."
Charter Roundtable member Alan Greenberg has covered the Panthers for decades. Now writing good stuff for Florida Hockey Now, Big Al grew up a Rangers' fan in Brooklyn. Thus, he has dual hockey citizenship.
"The Rangers lost toughness with Lindgren and Trouba gone, despite the criticism of their play," Greenberg asserts. "Rempe, Edstrom and Cuylle are holdovers, so nothing added. Rempe and Edstrom need more minutes to prove themselves.
"The only one added is Miller – and we'll see how that works. Sitting here in Florida, one has to admire the combo of Tkachuk, Bennett and Marchand. Nasty, intimidating and effective." Then, a pause: "That's why they have back-to-back Cups!"
This from veteran – eminent, I might add – NHL columnist-plus Patrick Hoffman: "The Blueshirts have players who can play tough; such as Vincent Trocheck, Matt Rempe, Will Cuylle, Sam Carrick. J.T. Miller and Braden Schneider; that's a lot of physical hockey.
The Gory Aftereffects Of The Rangers Greatest BrawlThe greatest mass fight in history between the Canadiens and Rangers in Old Madison Square Garden (March 16, 1947) had major – and very nasty – repercussions.
"But the real question is this: can they play that way consistently enough to…