The Rangers Scenario Is Crazier Than Looney Tunes

If The Maven wrote a screenplay about the current Rangers upheavals, MGM, Warners and 20th Century Fox would have thrown it out in two second.

Too unrealistic. Are you trying to be funny? N.G. as in no good.

"This couldn't happen," the story editor would tell me, "This is beyond belief."

That would leave me with one other try: Looney Tunes and Merry-Melodies. I knew they'd love the Rangers comedy hour.

Between carrot-munching, Bugs Bunny would play Chris Drury and Elmer Fudd would be the illustrious – but fumbling – coach Peter Laviolette.

No question but Wile E. Coyote, Roadrunner and the rest of the cartoonish gang all would have key Ranger parts.

Meanwhile, the real Rangers have been making cartoons of themselves on the ice. The only issue is that their fans aren't amused.

"Some fans want Laviolette fired," says The Old Scout, "and others want Drury gone. And, believe it or not, there's another bloc that wants them both gone."

Drury will manage, Laviolette will coach and – for the foreseeable future – that's that.

With Igor Shesterkin on injury sabbatical, Jonathan Quick will be in goal tonight with much-travelled Louis Domingue playing part-time backup whenever Quick decides to rest.

"They'll likely bring goalie prospect Dylan Garand up from Hartford," says my super scout Jess Rubenstein. "The earliest Igor could be back is next Thursday against the Devils."

There's been unnecessary hand-wringing over Igor's injury. Actually it's part of the Shesterkin calendar.

Rubenstein: "There's always a five to seven game time when Igor gets injured and time off. It's perfect timing too since the veteran backups are UFA after this season."

Meanwhile, the Blueshirts have to figure out who they (the Rangers team) are and where they're going. Put it another way: Is this a playoff team or a comedy act that isn't very funny?

Personally, The Maven has no idea, but I do know someone who does, and he likes carrots for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The guy's initials are B.B., and it's not Bruce Boudreau. It IS Bugs Bunny!