This weekend was special for the Rangers as the organization honored their legendary play-by-play announcer, Sam Rosen, before Saturday’s game against Vancover. Rosen has been the voice of the Rangers for 40 years, and he plans to retire at the end of this season.

The Rangers honored Rosen with a special on-ice pregame ceremony, MC’d by current broadcast partner Joe Micheletti, with some cameo appearances by former broadcast partners John Davidson and Phil Esposito.

“I’m trying to drag this team into the playoffs with me,” Rosen told the media before Saturday’s game. “I walk around the locker room at practice giving them encouragement, ‘Come on guys! You can do it!’ They’re not listening to me.” Rosen told Henrik Lundqvist on his Club 30 podcast that he wants to retire while he is still at the top of his game. He wouldn’t want to be remembered any other way.

If I told you on Thursday night that the Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the NHL’s best odd-man rush teams and the New York Rangers give up some of the most odd-man rushes in the league, then how would you recommend the Rangers prepare for a game against Toronto?

If you said by focusing on defending odd-man rushes, then – ding ding ding! – you’re correct. But are you?

Arthur Staple wrote a fantastic article in the Athletic yesterday that includes intriguing Rangers stats from Clear Sight Analytics. This season, the Blueshirts rank 29th in the NHL in expected goals against off the 5v5 rush. During their 12-4-1 stretch, their rush defense ranked 19th in the league. When they went 4-15-0, it ranked 32nd. Since January 1st, their rush defense ranks 18th in the NHL.

Physicality is more than just a philosophy; it’s a commitment. It’s an umbrella term used to describe a hockey team that forechecks heavily and allows few high-quality scoring chances. Such teams also rank among the league’s best in wins and scoring chances. Carolina finishes atop the Eastern Conference every season because they are committed to forechecking. As a result, they get the most out of each of their players and lead the NHL in offensive zone time per game. Meanwhile, the Rangers consistently over-pass the puck around the offensive zone. They check too much with their sticks instead of their bodies. And they take too many penalties because their pace of play is broken. Artemi Panarin is only productive in the regular season because in the playoffs, opposing defensive units shut him down while the rest of the Rangers’ core wilts in distress. Throughout the last two decades, the Rangers have been generally successful in the postseason because of their goaltending, not their skaters.

This is why the Rangers’ future of physicality lies in JT Miller’s hands. And Will Cuylle’s. And Matt Rempe’s. And Gabe Perreault’s. If the 2024-25 Rangers fail to make the playoffs – after quitting on their franchise, their fans, and each other – big changes will be made on Broadway. And they begin with the head coach.

The time is now. The time is now for the Rangers to prove they deserve the final Eastern Conference Wild Card spot.

Over the weekend, the Rangers shut out Columbus on Saturday and lost to Edmonton on Sunday. Igor Shesterkin started both games for the Rangers, who fell just short of winning three straight.

Against Columbus, the Rangers struggled to execute in the first period, but in the second period, they cleaned up their game, and in the first period, they shut Columbus down. The Rangers blocked 17 shots and defended their blue line beautifully in the third period. Dave Maloney on ESPN 880 compared the Rangers’ style of play to the Vegas Golden Knights, pointing out that they felt they deserved to lead 2-0 entering the final frame.

Braden Schneider won it in overtime for the Rangers on Thursday night in Minnesota. The Rangers bested the Wild 3-2 thanks to his sharp backhand shot. The Rangers and Blue Jackets now have 70 points, so this win sets up a Saturday night showdown in Columbus (MSG). The Rangers will also host the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night (MSG).

Despite Schneider’s clutch game-winner, my favorite moment of this game was Jonny Brodzinski’s second period goal. The Rangers’ fourth line, centered by Jonny Brodzinski, has been finding plenty open ice in recent games, thanks to Matt Rempe’s defense at the red line. Jonny Brodzinski has a sharp wrist shot that can fool goaltenders. It slipped past Filip Gustavsson on Thursday night.

I don’t care how many minutes Mikal Bridges plays, as long as he can come up clutch in overtime.

On Wednesday night in Portland, with four seconds remaining in overtime, the Knicks led the Trail Blazers 111-110 as Deni Avdija darted through the paint. Mitchell Robinson stuck his right hand in the air to block his shot, but Avdija collected the rebound. Josh Hart threw his right hand over Avdija’s arms to cover his second attempt, but to no avail as the shot was successful and Avdija drew a foul. Avdija completed the three-point play to give Portland a 113-111 lead. The crowd was on its feet with 3.4 seconds remaining in overtime.

The Knicks now have Jalen CLUTCHson and MiCLUTCH Bridges!

On Monday, the Yankees announced some heartbreaking news that Gerrit Cole will miss the entire 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery to repair a torn UCL. I wish him the best and look forward to seeing him next season.

Luckily, the Yankees have Max Fried. I speculate that Cole didn’t seek a contract opt-out during the offseason because he and the Yankees knew his health was compromised. While they couldn’t have predicted he would tear his UCL, his elbow injury last season concerned the Yankees. As a result, it became even more important for the team to sign a star pitcher in the offseason, regardless of whether they resigned Juan Soto.

Happy NHL Trade Deadline Day! The NHL trade deadline is approaching at 3 PM ET this afternoon, and the Rangers have already made some moves.

Yesterday, the Rangers traded Reilly Smith to Vegas for forward Brendan Brisson and a third-round pick. Brendan Brisson is a 23-year-old forward who has scored two goals and registered six assists in 24 career NHL games. Reilly Smith was acquired from Pittsburgh last offseason to play left wing alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. However, the Rangers have experimented with countless line combinations this season and have decided not to retain Smith. He will return to Vegas and contend for another Stanley Cup.

Tonight at 7 PM (6 PM CST), the Rangers will host the Toronto Maple Leafs in an Original Six matchup at Madison Square Garden (MSGSN, NHLN). The Rangers will also host Nashville on Sunday night at 7 PM (6 PM CST) (MSG2).

The Rangers currently hold a two-game win streak and they have won five of their last seven games and three of their last four. Tonight’s game will kick off a four-game homestand that extends through Wednesday with games against Long Island and Washington.

I’m scared.

I’m scared that Giancarlo Stanton is considering retirement.

When a Yankees player gets injured and returns to New York during Spring Training, the immediate concern is typically that he is seeing a doctor. According to Jon Heyman, Stanton went back to New York earlier this week to undergo tests for dual-elbow tendinitis.

I understand that Stanton has struggled with injuries throughout his career. But then, Aaron Boone mentioned that Stanton returned to New York to address a personal issue.

All season long, the Knicks have struggled defensively. They currently rank 20th in the NBA in defensive rating and allow a 38.1% three-point field goal percentage, the highest in the league. Last season, the Knicks had the ninth-best defensive rating in the NBA and even recorded the league’s top defensive rating in January. While the team has made impressive offensive improvements this season, their defense has worsened considerably.

It’s surprising that a basketball team coached by Tom Thibodeau can rank so poorly defensively. Over the last five years, the Knicks organization has been building a championship-caliber team, and after acquiring OG Anunoby last season, they looked like contenders for the first time in decades. With Josh Hart, Julius Randle, and Jalen Brunson at the core, the 2023-24 Knicks became known for their grittiness and defensive mindset.

Start spreading the HAIR!

The New York Yankees have updated their facial hair policy to allow “well-groomed beards moving forward,” according to Hal Steinbrenner. This change is seen as long overdue, as beards were permitted before 1976 but banned under George Steinbrenner's tenure.

Aaron Boone mentioned that losing even one free agent due to the facial hair policy would be “too many,” acknowledging that some players have declined to join the Yankees because of it. Hal Steinbrenner spoke with many current and former Yankees before making this decision. He learned that CC Sabathia hesitated to sign with the Yankees in 2009 primarily because of their facial hair restrictions. Additionally, he recognized the significance of beards to the identities of several current players.

“It’s the same game I’ve been doing for a long time; it’s just been a little more difficult for me,” DJ LeMahieu told Yankees beat writers on Wednesday. The two-time batting champion is healthy for the first time in years and finds himself in a fierce battle to start at third base. The looming question surrounding LeMahieu, who is owed $30 million over the next two seasons, is how close he is to hanging up his cleats.

Aaron Boone expressed confidence in a healthy LeMahieu, saying he won't “put anything past” him. However, DJ cautioned, “It’s easy to feel good in January.”

It's disheartening to think about. Four years ago, the idea that DJ LeMachine could break down seemed unthinkable. The reality set in the following season, and the next two years were fraught with challenges for David John. Now, he has returned to Tampa after not swinging a bat for two months – the longest break he’s ever taken in his career. It’s been a difficult journey for him to regain his health.

The notorious Yankees killer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., sought to reach an agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays on a contract extension earlier this week, but the two sides could not come to terms. He is now expected to be a key player in MLB’s next free-agent class.

Carlos Correa, the shortstop for the Minnesota Twins, has also been mentioned in trade rumors involving the Yankees.

Could the Yankees trade for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or Carlos Correa? I don’t think so, and here’s why…

Despite a mostly uneventful week in New York sports, the Yankees are making headlines with some noteworthy developments.

First, Giancarlo Stanton reported to Yankees camp on Sunday with tendinitis in both elbows. He said he dealt with “tears in [his] tendon” throughout last season, including the playoffs, and he has not swung a bat in “three or four weeks.” According to Aaron Boone, Stanton's availability for Opening Day is uncertain.

“We want to make sure we’re giving [Stanton’s injury] as much time as it needs, so we’ll probably slow-play him a little bit,” Boone said. “I’m expecting him to be okay.” Last offseason, after the Yankees finished with an 82-80 record, one of the contributing factors was Stanton's health issues. Following the 2023 disaster, general manager Brian Cashman publicly acknowledged Stanton’s fragility, saying that injuries are part of his game. In response, Stanton lost weight, and despite consistent break throughout the regular season, he had a historic postseason performance.

It seems that the media may have over-analyzed Marcus Stroman’s absence from Spring Training. Stroman was simply spending extra time with his son, whom Stroman didn’t get to see much during the offseason after his house in Los Angeles burned down. “I’m so grounded at this point," said Stroman. "Nothing can really faze me.” He returned to Spring Training this morning.

Brian Cashman met with the media today, and Greg Joyce reported that Cashman was never worried about Stroman’s absence or the pitcher’s future with the team. He said this despite reports suggesting that for luxury tax purposes, the Yankees have been unwilling to sign more players unless they trade Stroman’s $18 million contract. Cashman didn't comment on this today, though. “That’s vintage Stro,” Cashman said, before adding that Stroman has not requested a trade. The Yankees plan to train Stroman as a starting pitcher, and while their starting rotation is quite deep, Stroman could serve as a reliable sixth man.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

John Mara saw the banners flying over MetLife Stadium during two of the Giants’ home games in 2024 as the team battled through a challenging 3-14 record in their centennial season. “I’ve just about run out of patience,” Mara told reporters after the Giants finished one of their worst seasons in franchise history. Now, Mara and Steve Tisch have enlisted Moelis & Company to potentially secure a “minority, non-controlling stake” in the New York Football Giants.

However, there’s a catch. The Giants organization's decision may not be a direct reaction to the airplanes that flew over the stadium this season. Instead, it aligns with a new NFL rule passed last August that allows private equity firms to buy up to a 10% stake in franchises. While this could benefit the Giants financially, it has no other significant implications.

Last night in Indianapolis, the Knicks beat the Pacers 128-115 as they recovered from a tough loss to Boston.

Because he got into foul trouble, Jalen Brunson only played for 22 minutes, but Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart filled in for him on the score sheet as the Knicks collected their fourth straight win on the road. Towns scored 40 points and added 12 rebounds to record his 40th double-double of the season. Josh Hart added a season-high 30 points to go with 10 rebounds and five assists. He went 12-for-16 from the field in the second half.

Welcome back, baseball! We’re so glad to see you again!

All Yankees pitchers and catchers reported to Tampa this morning as scheduled, and Aaron Boone met with the media.

This season, the expectation for the Yankees, more than usual, is to win the World Series. Of course, they must play a full season first, and championships aren’t won in February. However, establishing a championship-caliber clubhouse begins immediately, starting with the pitchers and catchers.

It’s going to be a long two weeks. The NFL season has fully concluded, the NHL regular season is on hold for two weeks because of the Four Nations Face-Off, and the NBA breaks for the All-Star Game on Wednesday. At least pitchers and catchers report soon.

Wait, is it that time already? Could it be?

Yes, it is! Pitchers and catchers report TOMORROW!