Blue Line Station
Fansided

A playoff rooting guide for Ranger fans

By Steve Paulus

DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 27: Mats Zuccarello #36 of the Minnesota Wild brings the puck off the boards against Ian Cole #28 of the Colorado Avalanche in the first period at the Pepsi Center on December 27, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 27: Mats Zuccarello #36 of the Minnesota Wild brings the puck off the boards against Ian Cole #28 of the Colorado Avalanche in the first period at the Pepsi Center on December 27, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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Travis Dermott #23 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Travis Dermott #23 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The one team you don’t want to see win the Cup

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the one team that any Ranger fan should be rooting against.  If the Leafs can go one more season without a Stanley Cup championship, they will tie an ignominious record held by the New York Rangers.  That is the record of 54 years without a Cup victory

The Rangers drought extended from 1940 to 1994, 54 years and 53 seasons.   The last time the Leafs won the Cup was in 1967 and this year they will tie the Blueshirts and next season they can own the record.

While Ranger fans had to endure the “1940” chants for years, the Maple Leafs deserve a special place in the hall of shame as they have not even made it to to the Final once in the last 52 seasons.

Other teams to root against

The Tampa Bay Lightning got the glory last season so we were able to enjoy seeing Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Shattenkirk hoist the Cup.  Now, they’ve had their fun and it’s time to think negative thoughts about the team that buried the Rangers’ hopes in 2015.

It’s bad enough that the rumor mill has the Rangers going after pending free agent Alec Martinez as a veteran blueliner next season, but the man who scored the Cup winning goal against the Rangers in 2014 has a very good chance of winning another with the Vegas Golden Knights.  So, just for the fact that we don’t want Alec Martinez to get another Stanley Cup ring, root against Vegas.

There’s no need to even talk about the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins or the Washington Capitals.  Ranger fans should hate them all with special venom reserved for the Islanders and the Tom Wilson led Capitals.

Going into the playoffs the oddsmakers have the top four teams as the Avalanche, Toronto, Tampa and Vegas.    We really want the Maple Leafs to own that record of futility so, go Canadiens!

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