Let's get something straight about the Rangers team's most valuables at forward and defense.

If you're dealing with goals up front, Mika Zibanejad tops off at ?????? when it comes to plus-minus, he invariably fails; time with a minus-20.

On the good side, Z finished with a total of 78 points, a good eight more than The Hockey News Yearbook projected for 2025-26.

Had J.T. Miller played a full season, the Hockey News guessed that he'd deliver 81 points. Granted injuries prevented him from getting close to that.

But there was no excuse for Miller's team worst minus - 30.

Nor there room for alibis from Vin Trocheck who finished at 53 points a good 11 under the THN's 64.

All things considered -- and this is only The Maven's opinion -- the two biggest  disappointments were Alexis Lafrenière and Will Cuylle. They were mediocre through the midpoint of the season and got hot when it was too late.

Now the good news.All that arithmetic is ancient history. The time has come to look ahead.