Exclusive: Neil Smith's Inside Scoop on 2024 NHL Trade Deadline

[@robbrown4621]

Great interview. I still watch the 94 Cup game once every year and love seeing Neil at the end celebrating! So much joy! :)

[@4everBlueshirts]

This is Jim -- Thank you! I was there, as a young reporter, that night. Was so happy for Neil. He is among the nicest people I've dealt with in hockey. He deserved that Cup.

[@robbrown4621]

Thank you Jim for your reply. You were part of history! I was nearby in my apartment on West 28th Street and Eighth Avenue. It was a warm night and my windows were open. I recall hearing the enormous cheer from MSG in my apartment at the moment the Rangers won that game. I went down to the Garden and people were crowd surfing in the street, diving off the top of the taxi stand on Seventh Avenue in front of the Garden. What a night to remember! :)@@4everBlueshirts

[@thethomasj1795]

What a great interview! Lots of great info. It's good to see Smitty do more interviews. This was also the most comfortable I have ever seen Neil during an interview. Jimmy makes it easy

[@4everBlueshirts]

This is Jim -- I know I'm late replying, but thank you so much for sharing that! I really appreciate it. Neil and I have known each other more than 30 years so, yes, there's a real comfort level there. He'll be back as a guest, promise!

[@thethomasj1795]

@@4everBlueshirts I'm looking forward to the next sit down with Neil. Thanks for the reply!

[@mariovaccarella6854]

Great Video. I'm both a fan of Chicago Blackhawks & New York Rangers, so, it's so good to see Neil Smith wearing the 2 Logos. I'm in agreement with you The Chicago Blackhawks Logo is the Best Logo. I hope that they're allowed to keep it, especially since Chicago has A Warrior as The Logo, which, I think is A Proud Logo Of The Native American Tribes (I'm not trying to speak for Native American Nations, but, only giving my opinion).

[@Stevedrums741]

I can easily explain the Rangers drought in two words: Glen Sather. Sather has long proven to be a one-trick pony who without Messier & Gretzky's shoulders to ride on has proven to be not that a poor NHL Executive, but I wonder if he should even be able or qualified to run a lemonade stand. He still has a key to the building and from what I can see (& hear) that nothing still happens in NY without Sather's okay. And I'll debate anyone on the topic. 24 years with them and one Finals appearance. One. Let that sink in.

[@4everBlueshirts]

This is Jim -- thanks Steve. How about one Cup championship in 83 years (and we'll see this spring)???

[@Stevedrums741]

@@4everBlueshirts : Poor management obviously. But tell me of any Executive in any major sport who has lasted as long with one team with results as pathetic as Sather's? Neil Smith had 10-11 years in the organization and was able to bring one Cup home. We can discuss the Esposito era and the Francis era some other time if you like, but I am focused on the present.

[@johncummings5350]

Please.... buddy..... you're the GM of a team that broke a 50 year curse and you're sitting there with Chicago gear..... not a good look

[@4everBlueshirts]

This is Jim! Ha!! He wanted to rile people up a bit and a buddy just sent him the Hawks gear, so he wore it. In these parts, that dude can do whatever he wants after delivering the Cup!

[@johncummings5350]

​@@4everBlueshirts Id rather keep him in Broadway Blue....😂

[@dionysis84]

Colorado needs a real 2C and a backup goalie that can win games (not a rookie). If Landeskog comes back and Nishuskin gets back to form before he went out, they really just need a playmaker type 2C and a goalie. I don’t think Henrique is the answer there but someone like Casey Mittelstadt would put them over the top. The goalie on the trade block from Montreal would be the other piece they could use. A straight up trade with Bo Byram for Mittelstadt would work great for both the Avs and Sabres and we would likely have to give picks for the Montreal goalie (wish we could get Calgarys goalie but definitely to pricey).

[@juans3728]

Introduce Neil Smith as the former 1993-1994 GM of the New York Rangers.

[@VinMacri]

Interesting comment about Henrique not being in the playoffs since 2012 Love the Zeppelin II print behind Cerny. LGR!!!

[@robertvizard4030]

His last playoff was 2018 with ANA.

[@4everBlueshirts]

This is Jim! -- Yeah, my Zep II print and my guitar in background lol Massive Zep Head, I am. Oh and Henrique was in playoffs once with Ducks, I had forgotten until I looked it up

[@humanbeing2420]

I've never really understood why Neil basically left the NHL after the Rangers.

[@4everBlueshirts]

This is Jim -- he scouted for the Sharks for a bit and then was GM of the Islanders for a hot minute before he was let go after roughly 6-8 weeks on the job. A lot to unpack there

[@humanbeing2420]

@@4everBlueshirts Thanks, Jim. Yes - I remember when he was hired as Islanders GM for a few days. Seems like he practically fell off the face of the earth after that. He was as much of a part of the 1994 season as Messier, Leetch, Keenan or anyone else, but he's been sort of forgotten. I've always thought his story might make a neat newspaper piece some day.

[@juans3728]

I feel the organization should stick with it's prospects before going ahead and spend all their cap space on a thirty year old player or close to thirty and i say this because one player is not a team as a whole and if that player gets hurts you are back to square one. Montreal being one of the original 6 have lifted the cup 14 times a record that will not be ever surpassed.

[@juans3728]

No brod or Remp are needed , Rempe is our our go to protector besides his play in front of the net and Brod i watch that guy and he hustles, he's fast and he can score and the Rangers always depend on Kreider and Mika but they should continue to include everyone else because if either gets hurt the team will be in trouble and i believe that i never use the phrase ' i THINK' because if that's the case I will never open my mouth. The organization getting into salary cap issues hiring high salary players could have still had Vatrano on the team when he went to the Ducks and they played the Rangers he showed the Rangers it was a big mistake and as for his salary i felt he was consistent more than other players on his team with higher salaries.

[@moosejawventure]

Morgan Riely heading to Vancouver for Pedersen and a draft choice 😮

[@joee6349]

This guy.. Kane had ties to Panarin... they competed in Stanley cup playoffs together.. How was he "completely from the outside" how was he not exactly what you are describing. Panarin is literally an important player, the best player on team and he played with kane. Lol. What other player out there could have even possibly better fit what you are describing aside from Kane?? Tarasenko fit well and there was no ties. Kane was just hurt man. That's all. Kane was hurt and the rest of those guys couldn't step up.

[@4everBlueshirts]

This is Jim -- yes, very valid points. and Kane was hurt, no doubt that was a blow. I think Neil was saying incorporating star players is more difficult than role players and that it typically doesn't lead to championships doing so right before deadline. But listen it's never 100 percent one way or the other, always exceptions.