Johnny Lazarus, Arthur Staple and Mike Rupp are back together for Episode 52 of the Tri-State Hockey Podcast to assess where the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers and New York Islanders stand following their offseason moves.
The guys begin with the Devils and debate whether New Jersey has the strongest roster of the three teams. They break down where Anthony Mantha could fit alongside Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, the improved versatility of the forward group, concerns surrounding the defence and whether Jake Allen, Nico Daws and David Rittich can provide enough stability in goal.
The conversation then shifts to the Rangers following an active offseason. Arthur explains why he liked Chris Drury’s moves, while the group discusses the Vincent Trocheck trade, Pavel Dorofeyev, the Rangers’ lack of depth down the middle and the pressure facing J.T. Miller, Alexis Lafrenière, Gabe Perreault and head coach Mike Sullivan.
Finally, the guys examine the Islanders’ quiet summer, Anthony Duclair’s future, whether veteran players could block opportunities for younger talent and what Peter DeBoer can get out of the current roster. They also discuss the Islanders’ struggling power play, Matthew Schaefer’s role and whether the team did enough to improve. The show closes with a Tri-State trivia challenge featuring every Rangers, Islanders and Devils player to record a 30-goal season since 2003-04.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro and which Tri-State team is best positioned?
2:20 Ranking the best forwards across the three teams
4:53 Anthony Mantha and the Devils’ top six
11:30 Finding balance throughout New Jersey’s lineup
14:23 Concerns about the Devils’ defence
19:52 Can New Jersey’s goaltending hold up?
24:42 Breaking down the Rangers’ offseason
30:04 Are the Rangers stuck in the middle?
34:30 Which Rangers players must step up?
39:03 Pressure on Mike Sullivan and Gabe Perreault’s role
44:32 Anthony Duclair and the Islanders’ offseason
48:09 Are veterans blocking the Islanders’ young players?
51:25 Could Maxim Tsyplakov take another step?
55:47 Kyle Palmieri and the Islanders’ changing core
58:29 Can the Islanders fix their power play?
1:01:46 Rangers, Islanders and Devils 30-goal trivia
1:10:24 Playoff odds and final thoughts
Presented by bet365
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