Rink Rap | A New York Rangers Podcast from Forever Blueshirts

Forever Blueshirts
  • 4.4 (46)
  • Hockey
  • Biweekly

Forever Blueshirts Radio and the Rink Rap podcast are where New York Rangers fans are ALL IN! Host Jim Cerny provides top-flight interviews, as well as seasoned insight from his 30 years covering the Rangers and NHL. Be sure to visit us online at www.foreverblueshirts.com or follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @4EverBlueshirts

  1. 4d ago

    Marty Biron on the Rangers Goalie Situation, Hellebuyck and the Metro

    Jim Cerny sits down with Marty Biron, the former NHL goalie and broadcaster, during the Rangers’ five-day break. The Rangers are without Igor Shesterkin for the rest of the season, so the conversation covers whether Dylan Garand and Joonas Korpisalo can keep the team afloat, what a goalie trade could look like around the holidays and why Biron wasn’t thrilled with the James Reimer start. Biron and Jim also get into the bigger picture: the Rangers’ expected goals numbers, the finishing problem, and what the team needs from its power play and top forwards. Biron makes the case that Connor Hellebuyck joining the New Jersey Devils shifts the Metropolitan Division more than Shesterkin’s injury does. Along the way, Biron tells the Henrik Lundqvist story from Sweden, rants about the league taking his double-zero number, and talks Devin Cooley, Jacob Fowler and the best goalies on Canadian teams. Key talking points Rangers’ playoff outlook without ShesterkinGarand’s workload and Korpisalo’s returnPossible trade targets, including MontembeaultWhy the Reimer start was a head-scratcherExpected goals against, finishing and the power playHellebuyck and the DevilsCooley, Fowler and the top goalies on Canadian teamsChapters: 00:00 Rangers hit a five-day break 00:50 Marty Biron joins as the “king of goaltending” 01:05 Two kings in Sweden: the Lundqvist bus tour story 01:54 Jim’s Stockholm lunch run-in with Hank’s fans 03:47 Why Marty could never be an EBUG 05:51 Marty’s double-zero rant 07:28 John Davidson’s year in double zero 08:40 How Marty ended up wearing No. 43 11:19 Rangers fans split on life after Shesterkin 12:20 Can the Rangers make the playoffs without Igor? 12:48 Lucky they didn’t lose Garand on waivers 14:07 Why this is an opportunity for Garand 14:44 Rangers could shop for a goalie by the holidays 15:23 Trade options: Gibson, Bennington, Montembeault 16:21 Montreal’s goalie logjam 17:07 Garand’s small sample size and the waiver risk 18:42 Garand’s long-term upside 19:35 Everything hinges on Korpisalo 21:12 Nine straight starts: the mental toll on Garand 22:16 Marty on stepping in for an injured Hasek 23:52 Why pulling Reimer after one period made no sense 27:49 Chicken or egg: the goalies or the defense? 29:55 Rangers rank 26th in expected goals against 31:45 The top-15 standard they need to hit 32:12 Should the Rangers worry about trailing after one period? 33:00 Plenty of chances, not enough finishing 33:42 Miller, Dorofeyev and Zibanejad need to deliver 34:29 The perfect storm 35:28 The power play as the X factor 36:32 Shesterkin’s knee and next season’s outlook 38:38 Hellebuyck or Shesterkin: what moves the Metro more? 40:30 Devils defend well but couldn’t stop the puck going in 41:39 Marty on the Devils as contenders 41:58 Devin Cooley and the Flames’ goalie turnaround 43:30 Marty’s top five goalies on Canadian teams 45:12 The Maple Leafs and the defensive concept problem 46:20 Marty on Mike Babcock and the Oilers 47:41 Rangers host Oilers Sunday, plus Jets banter 48:15 Wrap-up

  2. Oct 20

    Patrick Williams on the Hartford Wolf Pack: Prospects, Jay Leach & Early Season

    Rangers prospects and the Hartford Wolf Pack take center stage as AHL.com’s Patrick Williams joins Jim Cerny on Rink Rap. In this episode:• Hartford’s new head coach Jay Leach and the early-season direction• Which Rangers prospects are standing out in the AHL (and who still has work to do)• The goaltending situation, including Callum Tung and the James Reimer PTO• How the Wolf Pack is handling an early 0-5 stretch after a 3-0 start• Whether this Hartford group is more resilient than past Wolf Pack teams• Quick Rangers update covering the response after the Devils loss, the Columbus game, and the Ducks win at MSG Patrick Williams is a longtime AHL reporter who also contributes to NHL.com. He gives an honest look at development, roster decisions, and the push-and-pull between the Rangers and their AHL affiliate. Timestamps:0:00 – Intro & Rangers update15:00 – Patrick Williams joins20:00 – Jay Leach and the coaching staff28:00 – Prospects spotlight45:00 – Goaltending situation55:00 – Closing thoughts & what’s next Subscribe to Rink Rap from Forever Blueshirts for more New York Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack coverage.

  3. Oct 16

    Rangers Call Up Raddysh, Add James Reimer, and React to the 7-1 Loss in New Jersey

    Podcast number two this week. Jim Cerny breaks down the Rangers’ 7-1 loss in New Jersey, a night that looked a lot like the last two seasons after a 6-2 start. He covers the roster moves first: Taylor Raddysh is up from Hartford, Jaroslav Chmelar goes back down, and the Wolf Pack signed veteran goalie James Reimer to a PTO. Then he walks through the game: J.T. Miller’s late first-period turnover, the second-period collapse, Dylan Garand getting pulled, and why chasing games is a problem for this team without Igor Shesterkin. The Rangers visit Columbus on Saturday. Chapters 00:00 Intro: a second Rink Rap this week03:11 Raddysh up, Chmelar down03:57 Why Sullivan doesn’t trust the fourth line10:19 What Raddysh brings13:53 James Reimer PTO and goalie depth20:50 The Devils game: Miller’s turnover24:47 Second-period collapse31:00 Why one game shouldn’t cause panic35:00 Wrap-up and what’s next

  4. Oct 14

    Why the Rangers Aren’t Collapsing Without Igor Shesterkin

    Igor Shesterkin is out for the season, and the New York Rangers are still 6-2-0. Jim Cerny opens with why the show missed last week and then digs into what the injury really costs this team, and why these Rangers look nothing like the soft group from two seasons ago. He explains how Mike Sullivan has built a five-man defensive structure, how Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson stabilized the second pair, and why 18-year-old Alberts Šmits is already a real part of the third pair. He also covers Alexis Lafrenière’s league-leading seven goals and Pavel Dorofeyev’s slow start, and he makes the case for why he isn’t giving up on Dorofeyev. Then comes the news of the day: Cole Beaudoin goes back to Hartford and Justin Dowling is recalled. Jim also lays out the goalie market with Jordan Binnington, Philipp Grubauer and Darcy Kuemper, explains why Connor Hellebuyck isn’t coming, and makes the case for letting Garand run with the job while Joonas Korpisalo recovers. The show closes with the Devils and Blue Jackets this week and a preview of live shows coming to the city. In this episode: Shesterkin’s season-ending injury and what it means beyond this yearWhy the Rangers have bought in defensively under SullivanDurzi, Pettersson, Schneider and Šmits on the back endLafrenière’s hot streak and the Kartye-Miller lineDorofeyev’s struggles and the third line of Cuylle, Laba and TolvanenBeaudoin, Dowling and the fourth-line center questionGarand’s case as the starter and the goalie trade marketSubscribe to Rink Rap wherever you listen, and read more at ForeverBlueshirts.com. Follow Jim on X at @JimCerny. #Rangers #NYR #NewYorkRangers #RinkRap #ForeverBlueshirts #IgorShesterkin #DylanGarand #NHL #RangersPodcast #LetsGoRangers Chapters 0:00 Welcome to Rink Rap 0:52 Why there was no extra show last week 2:44 Covering the Igor news from a library 3:11 Igor Shesterkin is out for the season 4:34 The injuries are starting to add up 5:15 A wasted year for a goalie in his prime 5:51 No excuses: the Mike Sullivan Rangers 7:16 These are not the soft Rangers 9:11 So what’s actually different this year? 9:19 Durzi and Pettersson fix the second pair 11:31 6-2-0 and a total defensive buy-in 13:09 Garand’s first two starts without Igor 15:10 Tampa: Garand’s biggest test yet 16:00 Schneider and the improved third pair 16:17 Alberts Šmits is a revelation 19:12 Five-man units and fewer breakdowns 21:40 You no longer expect something bad to happen 22:41 Lafrenière leads the league with seven goals 26:00 Winning without Dorofeyev, Miller or Zibanejad scoring 27:36 Pavel Dorofeyev is frustrated and frustrating 29:51 Why Jim isn’t giving up on him 33:18 Cuylle, Laba and Tolvanen: the third line works 39:25 Carolina, Philadelphia and the Metro mush 42:57 Banking points and reclaiming the Garden 44:01 Beaudoin goes down, Dowling comes up 47:40 Do the Rangers need a fourth-line center? 49:25 Goalie depth: Korpisalo, Martin and Tung 50:12 Binnington, Grubauer, Kuemper: realistic targets? 55:29 Why Hellebuyck isn’t coming 56:15 Why Garand rises in big games 1:00:23 Devils and Blue Jackets this week 1:02:54 Live shows coming to the city

  5. Oct 7

    The Rangers Are Fun Again, and This Hot Start Might Be Real (with Colin Stephenson)

    Jim Cerny and Newsday's Colin Stephenson break down the Rangers' four-game winning streak and the buzz back at Madison Square Garden. They cover Chris Drury's offseason, why the fast start looks sustainable, how Mike Sullivan turned Alexis Lafrenière into a complete player, Cole Beaudoin's NHL debut, Braden Schneider's prove-it season, J.T. Miller's leadership and whether the Rangers' new depth can hold up to injuries. Chapters: 0:00 Rangers Start Hot 4:30 Drury's summer 8:20 Is it sustainable 16:53 Lafrenière's growth 24:15 Beaudoin's debut 29:36 Schneider's prove-it year 31:35 J.T. Miller 37:50 Rangers depth

  6. Sep 29

    Rangers Send Dylan Garand Back to Hartford: Opening Night Roster Set

    Dylan Garand cleared waivers Monday and is headed back to the Hartford Wolfpack for a fifth season. Jim Cerny explains why the decision was made the day Chris Drury traded for Joonas Korpisalo on July 1, and why losing Garand would have left Spencer Martin as the next goalie up behind Igor Shesterkin.Also in this episode:- The three goalies who did get claimed: Clay Stevenson (Winnipeg), Levi Merilainen (Vancouver) and Poirier (New Jersey)- How Garand handles going back to Hartford after saying he didn't plan to- Albert Schmitz makes the team and debuts Tuesday- Scott Morrow vs. Matthew Robertson for the extra defenseman spot- Taylor Raddysh clears waivers, and Matt Rempe is in the lineup on opening nightThe Rangers open the 2026-27 season Tuesday night in Boston against the Bruins on ESPN.Read the full season preview and staff predictions at Forever Blueshirts.Chapters:00:00 Opening night is here00:17 Garand and Raddysh clear waivers(01:41) Why the Korpisalo trade decided it(02:50) Drury and the veteran backup pattern(04:01) Sullivan's "difficult decision"(05:42) The goalies who got claimed(08:11) Why losing Garand would have hurt(09:19) Is Korpisalo the right No. 2?(11:01) Best-case scenario for the Rangers(12:15) How does Garand respond?(16:41) Albert Schmitz makes the team(18:02) Morrow, Robertson and the extra D(19:39) Rempe in, opening night lineup(20:17) Wrap and season previewFollow Rink Rap so you don't miss an episode.

  7. Sep 23

    Rangers Camp at the Halfway Point: Sykora Out Months, Smits Pushing for Opening Night

    The Rangers are two preseason games into a short camp. Opening night against Boston is next Tuesday, and Jim Cerny runs through who's up and who's down. Adam Sykora will miss 4-5 months with a lower-body injury from Monday's game against the Devils. Jim didn't see a path for Sykora to the opening-night roster, but his energy and leadership will be missed in Hartford. The upside is depth. Eeli Tolvanen joins the bottom six, and Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin are pushing from the AHL. Alberts Smits is the story of camp. The No. 5 overall pick has skated with the NHL group and alongside Braden Schneider every day. After his poised preseason debut against the Islanders, Jim thinks he has the inside track. Jim also covers: Where Smits' arrival leaves Matthew Robertson, Drew Fortescue and Scott MorrowWhat Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson change on the second pairThe last fourth-line spot, between Taylor Raddysh, Matt Rempe and Jaroslav ChmelarWhether the Rangers carry three goalies to protect Dylan GarandWhy Pavel Dorofeyev might be the Rangers' first true sniper since Marian Gaborik, and a J.T. Miller who looks energizedPlus updates on former Rangers Brennan Othmann, Jonny Brodzinski, Carson Soucy and Cam Talbot. Coming up: Rink Rap is recording at Mustang Harry's near Madison Square Garden to kick off the season. Watch Forever Blueshirts on X for details, and read more at ForeverBlueshirts.com.

  8. Sep 15

    Rangers Rookie Series Breakdown w/Russ Cohen

    Jim Cerny is joined by Russ Cohen of Sportsology and NHL Prospects Radio to break down the Rangers' rookie series against the Philadelphia Flyers. They cover Alberts Smits' two-game showing as the Rangers' No. 5 overall pick, Drew Fortescue playing his off side on defense, Dylan Roobroeck's physical bounce-back performance, and the development of Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin. They also dig into the goaltending, with both Danai Shaiikov and Callum Tung standing out, plus the chemistry between Adam Sykora and Tomas Chrenko. The guys wrap with a look ahead to what to watch at Rangers training camp. Chapters: 0:00 Intro and Rangers-Flyers rookie series recap 0:55 Russ Cohen joins the show 5:39 Big-picture overview of the rookie series 7:21 Alberts Smits breakdown 13:52 Drew Fortescue playing his off side 17:14 Dylan Roobroeck's bounce-back game 19:44 Cole Beaudoin update and injury note 24:00 Rangers' need for top-six skill 26:49 Liam Greentree's two-way game 29:51 Adam Sykora and Tomas Chrenko chemistry 33:56 2026 draft class overview 39:36 Goaltending: Danai Shaiikov and Callum Tung 43:34 Looking ahead to Rangers training camp Follow more Rangers coverage at foreverblueshirts.com and follow Russ Cohen's work at Sportsology and NHL Prospects Radio. This is the Rink Rap podcast, part of the Forever Blueshirts network.

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Forever Blueshirts Radio and the Rink Rap podcast are where New York Rangers fans are ALL IN! Host Jim Cerny provides top-flight interviews, as well as seasoned insight from his 30 years covering the Rangers and NHL. Be sure to visit us online at www.foreverblueshirts.com or follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @4EverBlueshirts

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