Rangers Rap

My Cousin Vinny

Fuhgeddabout reeling in Boston University forward "My Cousin" Vinny Saponari.

Got kicked off the team, along with his brother, for breaking BU rules.

Rangers OHL pick but can't come to Kitchener because he would be an overager.

OHL rule dating back to Mike Van Ryn case years ago, won't allow the Georgia Peach and Atlanta NHL pick to hop to junior and speed up potential free agency by leaving college.

NHL clubs hold college kids rights for 4 years, junior kids for two, after drafting them.

Rangers have checked with the OHL office. Not allowed.

Guess they'll have to concentrate on signing some "yoots" like defender Jesse Young, inked off the Detroit Hunnybakeds today.

So what

Jeff Skinner was not among the leaders in any of the physical testing at the NHL combine (glorified meat market, go-ahead-squeeze-the-Charmin prospect pinching exhibition) in Toronto.

The only thing No. 53 excels at is playing tons of minutes and scoring tons of goals.

Like 70 goals over the regular season and playoffs.

May not be the same as riding an exercise bike with a tube in your mouth, but it must count for something.

Greco Roman Wrestling?

We hear Piero Greco is the new Rangers goalie coach.

Former Sudbury, Belleville, Toronto Marlie.

Played in Europe. Signed yesterday.

Has been Colts goalie coach in the Marty era now ended.

Guess the "Torch" has been passed.

No bling for ex-Ranger

Mike Hoffman, a two-game Ranger four seasons back, got shut out at the CHL awards in Brandon.

The 20-year-old Kitchener native and Quebec league MVP for the Saint John Sea Dogs was up for player of the year and sportsman of the year.

Of course, Hoffman was never going to get a fair shake against Regina's Jordan Eberle and Plymouth's Tyler Seguin for player of the year.

He's just a late-bloomer and oft-traded OHL castoff.

Seguin will go No. 2 overall in the NHL draft. Eberle is a world junior guy and was just airlifted into the men's worlds. He won the award.

But Hoff, just back from a vacation in Punta Cana, may pass them both  by in the end.

That is his style.

The Ottawa Senators are getting serious about signing their 2009 pick.

Hoff is a scoring machine with 130 goals in his last 158 games.

That includes 32 goals in 40 playoff games.

Look for Hoffman sign with the Sens before the NHL draft.

Happy B-Day, Captain Kelly

Dan Kelly turns 21 today.

What can you say about a guy that young who has the good taste to listen to Springsteen and add "Hungry Heart" to the team's post-game music mix?

Obviously, he's got it all together.

Soon, the New York Stater will have a pro contract too.

His agent, Pat Morris, tells me Kelly will sign by week's end at the latest.

He would not confirm New Jersey as the destination.

But The Boss, patron rock and roll saint of the Garden State, would approve.

Better add "A Night with the Jersey Devil" to the music mix.

Slip it in between "I'm Going Down" and "Party in the USA."

Yes, they had Miley Cyrus on there too.

And, as C-Mac noted, it's actually a pretty good tune from Hannah M.'s alter ego.

Remember the first line from Jungleland:

"The Rangers had a homecoming..."

The new Petes coach is...

...Mike Pelino.

To be announced today. Former NY Rangers assistant and Brock U coach.

Luckily for him and new GM Dave Reid, the fired Jeff Twohey has set up the team to be darn good the next few seasons.

It'll be three years before anyone realizes the new guys are in over their heads.

Give 'em Hull, Jody

Hearing Cambridge's Jody Hull will have an assistant spot with the Petes.

Former NHLer won an OHL title with Peterpatch in 1989.

Little Missy Sunshine

Mississauga gets the 2011 Mem Cup.

Details tomorrow from Mayor Hazel's office. Naturally, Mister B -- Branch, not Baxter -- will be there.

Memo to Rychs: Start tearing apart the Spits after Brandon.

Rangers in the clear as Western Conf. faves next season.

He's Jacob Two-Two, Folks

Two years. Not one.

That's how long the commitment is for US national team development program players like Rangers draft pick Jacob Trouba.

That hasn't changed, my contacts at the program assure me.

Two years. Not one.

Two. Two. Two.

Just like Jacob Two-Two. Just like Jacob Two-Two.

I guess that's Trouba. Jacob Two-Two. Call him in two years.

YOU can BE the Rangers

EA Sports is working on adding CHL teams to it's NHL '11 video game.

All the OHL clubs, including the Rangers, were asked to submit images for the game a while back.

Quite a marketing coup for the OHL and CHL.

One more reason why Dave Branch's leadership of major junior hockey is simply brilliant, always ahead of the curve.

Meanwhile, US college hockey is working on a marketing deal with Mrs. Pac Man . . . just kidding. We think.