The New York Rangers are nothing short of a mess. They have three regulation wins in their last 19 games, are currently out of a playoff spot, and the team is flat out unwatchable. But fear not, downtrodden Ranger fans. With a few savvy moves and decisions, this team can be right back in contention.
It is the end of an era for the New York Rangers. After six years of playoff runs, including three Conference Finals appearances and a Stanley Cup Final appearance, it is time to blow it up. The team has grown stale, as has the message of the coaching staff.
It is time to rebuild. The Rangers will almost assuredly be sellers at the trade deadline, and rightfully so. They need to recoup draft picks and prospects that they have traded away in past years, in an effort to bring home a Stanley Cup.
Now that Henrik Lundqvist has given his blessing to a rebuild, the focus of the front office needs to be acquiring as many draft picks and prospects as possible. But, this miserable season could prove to be a blessing in disguise. Rather than making another ill-advised “kick at the can”, management is almost being forced to approach the deadline with an eye on the future.
If Jeff Gorton and Co. do this right, this team could become a contender again, and soon. If they follow the eight steps included here, they could find themselves on the path to contention sooner rather than later.