New York Rangers: Six Questions With ESPN’s Linda Cohn

The Blue Line Station team recently had the opportunity to interview New York Rangers fan and ESPN personality Linda Cohn. Check out the questions and answers below!

Blue Line Station: How did you become a hockey player and a fan?

Linda Cohn: First and foremost the fan came before the hockey player, but it wasn’t a big gap between the two.

My Dad was a huge New York Rangers fan and growing up on Long Island, I loved sports, especially hockey. Although basketball was my first favorite, there was something about watching Rangers hockey with my Dad. It was such an exciting game and it gave me an opportunity to bond with my Dad.

The Rangers I found fascinating, they were in the playoffs, and at the time I was growing up the Islanders were awful. I thought it was great and was hooked, I started playing street hockey with the boys. I was about 13-14 years old and I realized I was good at being goalie, which was funny because I was near-sighted. So I eventually got contacts and was able to master that craft. Street hockey wasn’t enough for me, my Mother found a league that accepted girls in addition to boys.

Turned out I was the only girl in this league, and I basically learned to skate with goalie equipment on. It filled a void for me, it really helped me have something to look forward to.

BLS: We know you play goalie, where do you feel Lundqvist’s struggles have stemmed from this year?

Linda Cohn: I’m convinced he’s fine. He was very un-Henrik Lundqvist-like when he went through that rough stretch. He looked rather mediocre. But he’s a competitor and knew he could be better and got to the bottom of it.

He keeps it simple, he talks about doing that all the time. he got back to basics, challenging shooters and cutting down the angles. He’s following the puck better. During that slump looking at the way he played he lost sight of the puck so often, and you can’t do that as a goalie.

That’s been cured so he’s fine, and Rangers fans can take a deep breath and know Henrik Lundqvist is back to being Henrik Lundqvist.

BLS: How much do you think the Rangers defense contributes to Lundqvist’s struggles?

Linda Cohn: I think it’s been a combination of the Rangers defense struggling, the forwards failing to get back, and Lundqvist struggling. If you look at the Rangers as they make a run here, every team looking to get into the postseason is looking to add depth to their core.

Nick Holden has overachieved in my book, Ryan McDonagh has picked up his game, the way he’s played the past few weeks has coincided with Lundqvist’s improvement. Marc Staal is really coming into his own after tough times previously.

Listen, Rangers fans like to get on Dan Girardi, I love Dan Girardi. For a guy that was undrafted, he gives his all every night, blocks so many shots. I think the Rangers defense is in great shape, I think this team’s ready, and I think they’ve figured the defense out.

That being said, I love Keith Yandle, I think letting him go was a huge mistake after giving up so much to get him.

BLS: Speak to how difficult it is for a backup to succeed in limited playing time?

Linda Cohn: It takes a special mentality to be a backup goalie especially when you’re backing up Henrik Lundqvist and you know you won’t play too much.

Antti Raanta has such a great demeanor. I love how effortlessly he plays goalie. There’s not a lot of movement there with Raanta, it’s so calming for the remainder of the team when the goaltender is not exuding a lot of energy to make the simple saves.

Raanta is also fabulous at handling the puck, that’s one area where Lundqvist struggles. Raanta is able to help out the defense through his puck-moving abilities.

BLS: Who is your favorite Ranger currently?

Linda Cohn: I like the kind of players on the Rangers that never seem to get the credit they deserve. For instance, sure they might be getting paid a high salary to score goals, but to real hockey aficionados, they know who I mean.

For example, Rick Nash. He does so many things to help the team, people have no idea. Sure he makes nearly $8 Million, but he does so much to contribute to the team. He’s the kind of guy I stick up for because he has been a consistent force throughout the season.

BLS: Is there any team you want the Rangers to avoid in the playoffs at all costs?

Linda Cohn: Be careful what you wish for. Obviously, Rangers fans and the team (though they’d never admit it) want to stay in the Wild Card spot.

The Atlantic Division, though not as great as the Metropolitan, is having such a heated race for the top of the division. You can bet those teams will be red-hot going into the post-season. So you might not want to face those teams because of how hot they’ll be going into the post-season.

If the Rangers do climb out of that wild-card spot, I think they do not want to face the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s not going to be easy no matter who the Rangers do face. It doesn’t matter. The Rangers have to concentrate on their own game and if they can do so they can beat anyone thanks to having Henrik Lundqvist in goal.

It’s going to come down to if the Rangers can play their own game. As we know the kind of game that excels in the post-season, is the gritty, heavy, physical game. Not the tic-tac-toe passing, it’s all about the dirty goals and the sandpaper type players in front of the net. That’s what the Rangers will have to do to be successful.

Next: Rangers Round-Table: Biggest Postseason Threats

*Interview conducted by George Ruggiero*