Jim Cerny is back in the home office for a jam-packed solo episode of Rink Rap. He opens with a firsthand account of the historic first-ever PWHL game at Madison Square Garden — Sirens vs. Torrent, 18,000+ fans, Billie Jean King dropping the puck — before pivoting to a deep dive on the Rangers' closing stretch of the 2025–26 season.

Jim breaks down what's working (a top-3 power play, Adam Fox healthy and dominant, Igor Shesterkin back in form) and what went wrong — pinpointing the January 5th Utah game as the season's turning point when both Fox and Shesterkin went down the same night. He makes the case that those two are the team's most irreplaceable players, and the numbers prove it.

Then it's on to the offseason: Is Vincent Trocheck getting traded? What about Brayden Schneider? Jim weighs in on the JT Miller lightning rod debate — injuries, captaincy pressure, Mika Zibanejad's defense of him — and discusses free agency options including Alex Tuch and UFA defenseman Darren Raddysh. Plus, Rangers prospects EJ Emery and Malcolm Spence in the NCAA Frozen Four, and what 11 draft picks could mean for the rebuild.

Chapters:

0:00 — Welcome back + live at Mustang Harry's recap with Johnny Lazarus & Sweet Lou Orlando

3:25 — PWHL history at MSG: Sirens vs. Torrent, 18K fans, Billie Jean King, and the electric atmosphere

7:40 — Rangers close out their home schedule: from 0-6-1 start to finishing strong

12:00 — Special teams breakdown: power play ranked 3rd in NHL, Adam Fox's impact

16:45 — Shesterkin and Fox return from injury — the January 5th turning point that defined the season

22:45 — Offseason outlook: Trocek and Schneider trade odds, under-the-radar roster moves

25:30 — Free agency: Should the Rangers pursue Alex Tuck? The case for and against

30:00 — Prospects: Liam Greentree, Gabe Perrault, and the rebuild path

31:00 — JT Miller debate: lightning rod, captain pressure, Mika's defense of him 38:30 — Darren Raddysh UFA watch: keeping him vs. paying up at 30

41:00 — Final road games, Frozen Four watch (EJ Emery, Malcolm Spence), and offseason preview

#NYRangers #NewYorkRangers #NHL #NHLPodcast

Jim Cerny was there for the historic first PWHL game ever played at MSG — 18,000+ fans, Billie Jean King dropping the puck, and a Sirens win in the shootout. He breaks down what made the night unforgettable.

Jim breaks down the Fox and Shesterkin injury turning point, the JT Miller debate, special teams performance, and what the offseason holds — trades, free agency, and a loaded draft cupboard.