Nobody watches the Rangers more closely than Sean Avery. Nobody cares more about the Rangers than Sean Avery.
So, when the ex-Blueshirt has something to say, Blueshirt-wise, it pays to listen.
In a recent X post, Martin Brodeur’s Not Friend stated: “Adam Edstrom getting a seat in the press box – meanwhile Conor Sheary still remains in the lineup – is why none of us should be taking this team seriously.”
Harsh words but there’s juice to them and here’s why.
1. The Rangers have enough getting-older-quickly vets on the team and fringe man Sheary is one of them; sore thumb, if you will.
2. What this team needs is the energy of a big 24-year-old stud named Edstrom, who paid his dues as a fourth-liner last season and has the giddyap you like in a motivated young guy.
3. Sheary – hockey-small at 5-9 – was dumped by the Lightning, went through waivers and is on the other side of the hill. Would you rather have him in your lineup than Edstrom? Not I, Sir!
Please give me – and Sean Avery – one good reason why young Edstrom should be beat out by Sheary.
While we’re thinking about that, how about the Blueshirts tonight in Detroit?
Motor City fans are wondering if this will be the Red Wings’ tenth straight season missing the playoffs.
The Hockey News Yearbook pegs Detroit for sixth place in the Atlantic Division which is better than being seventh or eighth, but not terribly encouraging either.
That means once highly regarded GM Steve Yzerman is oh-for-six years since promising to build a winner.
Who knows? This might be his year, and if his club’s 9-5-0 record so far is any barometer, there’s hope at Little Caesar’s Arena.
That said, The Maven predicts a Rangers victory for the pure and simple reason that it’s not a New York home game and we all know that the Blueshirts still have not found an anti-MSG allergy pill to cure their Garden malaise.
We’ll also get a better idea tonight whether Sean Avery’s critique has substance. The Maven thinks so!
