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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NHL Free Agency is officially behind us, and it's time to break down what it all means for the Metro Division.

On Episode 51 of the Tri-State Hockey Podcast, Jonny Lazarus and Mike Rupp dive into the New Jersey Devils' aggressive offseason, the New York Rangers' biggest additions and remaining questions, and whether the New York Islanders have done enough to stay in the playoff picture.

The guys discuss Nico Hischier's extension, the Jacob Markstrom trade, the Devils' Barrett Hayton offer sheet, the Rangers' revamped roster, power play options, playoff expectations, the Islanders' quiet offseason, Anders Lee's departure, Patrick Laine as a potential fit, and much more.

Who had the best offseason in the Metro? Let us know in the comments!

Presented by bet365

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

0:47 First impressions of NHL Free Agency

1:47 Jacob Markstrom trade reaction

2:46 Devils offseason begins with Nico's extension

6:50 Barrett Hayton offer sheet discussion

11:30 Dawson Mercer & Devils' remaining moves

19:50 Farewell to Pavel Zacha.../Holtz discussion & Devils wrap-up

20:55 Rangers free agency overview

27:20 Rangers' biggest additions

32:50 Rebuilding the Rangers power play

37:30 Are the Rangers just a middle-of-the-pack team?

39:40 Is the Eastern Conference actually weak?

42:30 Metro Division playoff race predictions

44:25 Islanders offseason review

45:40 Should the Islanders target Patrick Laine?

46:30 Anders Lee's departure and youth movement

49:05 Islanders playoff outlook

50:40 Matthew Schaefer story from the Draft

52:05 Final Islanders thoughts

54:35 Stanley Cup odds & final predictions

55:45 Outro

Reach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Episode 50 of the Tri-State Hockey Podcast! Jonny Lazarus, Arthur Staple, and Stanley Cup Champion Mike Rupp reunite to tackle some of the biggest questions facing hockey in the New York market and across the NHL. The show kicks off with a thought-provoking voicemail from a concerned Rangers fan asking whether the New York Rangers are still viewed as a premier destination for star players and whether criticism surrounding Chris Drury is beginning to impact the organization's reputation. The crew dives deep into the changing landscape of player empowerment, discusses the Rangers' current direction, and examines what the future could hold for some of the NHL's biggest stars.

The conversation also explores the state of the New York Islanders, their front office changes, organizational direction, and whether they could be emerging as a more attractive destination than their rivals across town. Plus, the guys break down the outlook for the New Jersey Devils, discuss roster-building philosophies around the league, debate how teams stay competitive in today's NHL, and answer listener questions in a wide-ranging offseason edition of the podcast. If you're a Rangers, Islanders, Devils, or NHL fan, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

00:00 Intro

01:13 Rangers Fan Voicemail: Chris Drury Concerns

08:35 Are the Rangers Still a Destination Team?

17:45 Star Player Empowerment & NHL Destinations

27:10 Rangers Offseason Outlook

36:25 Islanders Direction & Expectations

45:30 Devils Discussion

53:15 Summer Plans for the Podcast

57:00 Final Thoughts

Presented by bet355

👍 Like, Comment & Subscribe for more Tri-State Hockey Podcast content!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.