Media Bytes: Doomer Detox, Lafrenière, PTOs, Tarasenko, Miller

Welcome back to Media Bytes, a weekly column from Blueshirt Banter. Every Sunday, we’ll help you start the week right with a quick catch-up on the latest stories and developments around the New York Rangers and the broader NHL media landscape.

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Doomer Detox

1. Ryan Mead interviewed Katie Baker of The Ringer on Blueshirts Breakaway this week, with much of the conversation focused on Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter, who has been selling stakes in sports franchises in recent weeks, and the broader future of sports ownership.

Baker was also asked about her expectations for the Rangers heading into the coming season and offered a surprisingly optimistic outlook. That feels like something of a sea change in a Rangers world where most pundits have been decidedly bearish on the team's short- and long-term prospects.

"I think partly because I'm riding the high of the Knicks, I'm not going into the season with a bad attitude," Baker said. "I'm hoping that there will be things that will be fun to root for like the new look defensive pairings and Gabe Perreault."

Baker understands why so many people are down on the Rangers, but has taken almost the opposite approach in light of the overwhelmingly negative perception surrounding the team.

"I'm [kind of] amused by them being ranked last in The Athletic's organizational survey," she continued. "I almost think it's a good thing. They should use that [as a] shield to quietly do your thing early in the season."

Baker also believes the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division are both weak enough that the Rangers would have to lose out to several teams she considers eminently beatable in order to miss the playoffs entirely.