from Larry Brooka of the New Yofk Post,

The good news is that the Rangers, and with seemingly very good reason, are unconcerned over the prospect of an offer sheet being presented to Kaapo Kakko as negotiations on a bridge extension with the restricted free agent proceed at a somewhat mystifyingly slow pace.

Ah, but here’s the rub.

Is it truly good news that no team in the league believes it is worth approximately $4 million a year to poach the 21-year-old Finn from a cap-constrained Blueshirts organization that would have essentially no way to match such an offer sheet?...

- If Lou Lamoriello’s insistence on keeping Semyon Varlamov as a $5 million backup to Ilya Sorokin is evidence that the Islanders GM thinks his team is going to have to play a season of 3-2 games, well, I’m rather skeptical that represents the route to success....

- David Quinn is one of the most compassionate, caring people I have met in my lifetime in this industry, and am delighted he has received a second chance in San Jose from recently hired GM Mike Grier, with whom he shares a BU bloodline.

There is every reason to believe that Quinn, who was not helped at all his final season in New York by a management that refused to address the 2020 bubble debacle, has recognized that his up-close-and-personal style does not necessarily translate across the board in the NHL and that he must allow his vets more breathing room … on the ice, on the bench, in the room.

One thing for sure, though. The young’uns on this Sharks team that is in a similar reset situation as were the Rangers when Quinn was hired — talk about type-casting — will receive an education and foundation in playing 200-foot hockey.

more on the first topic plus other notes...