You could be a Leafs fan; Finding consistency; NYR vs Flyers preview; McDonagh about two weeks away; Hot Take Alert

Everything's going to be ok. Everything's going to be ok.

*rocks back and forth*

I mean clearly if we just can get back McDonaugh and be healthy and just play better as a team and OH MY GOD HERE HE COMES AGAIN. NOOOOOO!!!! NNOOOOOO STOP STAMKOS SNDIFIDOAKSKWL%{£\\£{Wiwsnnn309284#@(URnjckwve

Ok. Look. I know things look bad and now we play Philly and we have to turn it around right now but we are starting Talbot and Tanner Glass is still going to play no matter what. But it isn't as bad as Toronto, right? Seriously, put aside the fact that we lost to them twice, put yourself in a Leafs fan's shoes for a moment. That is one tortured group of souls. Watch this and spit your coffee. A man unhinged. [Steve Dangle LFR Season 8 -Nashville 9 Toronto 2]

AV recognizes that the schedule ahead is a tough one. Talbot needs some burn to keep Hank on a fair workload and this team needs to find consistency. In its lines and its effort. AV still defended this team in yesterday's practice media scrum, and noted that this is a team with an identity crisis of sorts. [North Jersey] [NY Daily News] [NY Daily News]

Let's see if one Ranger we haven't seen in a bit has turned his own corner. Cam Talbot. [NY Daily News] [NY Post]

Flyers tonight. No Claude Giroux, who will miss at least two games with an injury. So we aren't the only banged up team. Surprise! Lee Stempniak took a maintenance day from practice yesterday and may or may not take a game off to heal up bumps and bruises, meaning Jesper Fast would draw in. [Mercury] [NHL] [NHL Game Preview] [TSN] [Broad Street Hockey]

MDZ is making his triumphant return to MSG. I somehow doubt he will get a scoreboard tribute. He is focused on two points and his new team. [Philly.com] [NHL] [Broad Street Buzz]

Ryan McDonagh is on skates, and probably about two weeks away, give or take. Shoulders are tough to predict because they take impact so often in hockey. Patience. Patience. [NHL]

WHITE HOT TAKE ALERT!!! Read at your own peril: This guy, from this news "source," who writes something called "NHL Rumors" and then basically makes stuff up, claims that Martin St. Louis made a mistake coming to New York. And that he knows it. You know, the guy who helped lead this team to a Stanley Cup Final last season, a few months after arriving, and who is in the twilight of his career and chose specifically to come here, near where his family lives in Connecticut. The guy who by all accounts, absolutely loves being a Ranger. Why did he screw the pooch? I guess because the Tampa Bay Lightning came in and beat up on NYR a few nights ago, and are pretty darn good. Ignore the fact that he asked that same team if they even wanted him anymore, and the GM, who snubbed him for team Canada, was all too willing to ship him out as he was not a part of their future plans. Weeeee cliff jumping conclusions!!!! [HNGN]

Sorry for the delay in getting you your morning notes, folks! I had to gather them from my iPhone and write this entire article from it. In an airport. I love work zzzzzzzzz. Happy hump day, y'all!