Bantering Points: 4/8/25

Here are today's news and links:

From Blueshirt Banter:

Chris Feldman reports that Jonathan Quick was named as the winner of the Mr. Ranger award in honor of the late Rod Gilbert (BSB)

Feldman also recapped New York's latest backbreaking defeat, a disheartening loss against against the Tampa Bay Lightning that may have sealed the fate of the Blueshirts' season (BSB)

Rangers News:

Highlights: TBL 5, NYR 1 (5:04 video via NHL.com)

Game Recap: It was a standard-fare loss for the 2024-25 Rangers, one where defensive lapses were common place, the special teams were abysmal (in spite of finally scoring a power play goal), and what little hope the team had a mustering a last-second playoff push all but disappeared on Monday (CBS Sports)

Mollie Walker examines the dubious history the Blueshirts have all but assured for themselves as becoming the fourth team in NHL history to follow a Presidents Trophy-winning season by missing the playoffs entirely the next season (NY Post)

Walker also notes that for what little playoff hopes still remained prior to Monday night's game, those hopes have gone the way of the dodo following New York's latest defeat (NY Post)

Colin Stephenson wonders whether or not Carson Soucy is the best option to skate alongside Adam Fox on the team's top defensive pair (Newsday)

Vincent Mercogliano offers his takeaways from the Rangers' 5-1 drubbing against the Lightning (LoHud)

Remy Mastey heard from Peter Laviolette regarding the disappointment that the season has been (The Hockey News)

Peter Baugh $ee$ the team'$ fir$t-period collap$e, a $equence featuring three goal$ again$t in le$$ than two minute$, a$ a microco$om of the 2024-25 campaign (The Athletic)

Around the NHL:

Former NHL goaltender and broadcaster Greg Millen passed away at age 67 (TSN)

Ryan Dixon breaks down the Hart Trophy race that is yet to see a clear-cut favorite emerge as the league's most valuable player (Sportsnet)