Stanley Cup champion blasts Rangers coaches, management for ‘bull—- surrounding the team’
Mike Rupp made it perfectly clear Tuesday who he blames for the New York Rangers’ downward spiral this season. The former Rangers forward and Stanley Cup champion with the New Jersey Devils who’s now an analyst with NHL Network, roasted management and coaches for creating a bad environment for the players.
Referencing how Chris Kreider’s name was leaked in trade rumors and the manner in which general manager Chris Drury treated respected veterans Jacob Trouba and Barclay Goodrow on the way out the door, Rupp was emphatic that there’s a direct correlation between those things and the Rangers’ freefall, which now stands at 10 losses in their past 13 games.
“First and foremost, this isn’t just a former player sticking up for the players and giving them a free pass. Every single player needs to be better, individually and as a group. But I believe in my experience to be able to do that you’ve got to have the right environment surrounding the team,” Rupp explained in a video posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account. “And I don’t believe that’s been cultivated. … It almost feels like games have been played (by Rangers management and coaches). And the players have been manipulated in different ways.”
But that was just the warmup from Rupp, who played 60 games for the Rangers in 2011-12 and another eight before he was traded the following season.
“I think there becomes this distrust,” he stated. “You come to the rink and it’s not about working to get out of this. You have to want to come to the rink, roll up your sleeves, put on your work boots … and get to work to get out of this. But now you’re coming to the rink and there’s bullshit surrounding the team. It’s unnecessary stuff that you don’t want to deal with and it makes coming to the rink a drag because you’re looking over your shoulder every second.”
As Rupp knows, having played here, that’s a serious take because the Rangers pride themselves on treating their players better than other teams in the League. There’s always been an arrogance around the organization that no one in the NHL does it better than the Rangers. But clearly Rupp believes that’s been fractured this season.
Related: Kaapo Kakko furious at Rangers for scratching him: ‘I have not been the worst guy’
Mike Rupp puts blame for Rangers freefall on management, coaches
The Kreider trade rumors, which began when his name was specifically mentioned in a memo to the other 31 teams that the Rangers were open for business a couple weeks ago, really irked Rupp, who played with the long-time Blueshirts forward when Kreider first entered the NHL.
“Chris Kreider’s name getting out there — I don’t believe there’s been any intention on the New York Rangers trading Chris Kreider,” Rupp said. “I do believe … his name was intentionally leaked out there in order to get a response from the team. That’s a slippery slope, especially from what’s already happened here.”
Kaapo Kakko being scratched against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday to get “fresh legs” in the lineup, fired up Rupp as well.
“That’s a garbage response (by coach Peter Laviolette),” he said. “It’s just another thing. You’re dealing with bullshit as opposed to dealing with the problem you have at hand.”
As for actual issues on the ice, Rupp pointed to New York’s increasingly terrible play in its own end, terming it “some of the worst defensive hockey I’ve seen.” He acknowledged it was a problem last season which got covered up, but this season has spread.
Again, Rupp turned his attention to the coaching staff for either not addressing these defensive issues or for allowing the players to disregard their instruction and game plans.
“That is your job as a coach, to connect with the players, be able to relate with the players, and get the best out of the players,” Rupp said.
Currently 10th in the Eastern Conference after finishing the 2024 playoffs just two wins shy of reaching the Stanley Cup Final, the Rangers have four more games before the Christmas Holiday break and are just three days shy of the NHL holiday roster freeze. They visit the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.
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