New York Rangers: No matter what happens, things are going well

While David Quinn has repeatedly stated his goal is to have the team win, even if they don’t it’s all okay.

In a typical NHL season, the team is trying to win as many games as possible. This may sound obvious, but for several teams around the league, this is a secondary objective. When an organization is fundamentally dedicated to rebuilding the team for the long haul, it will come at the expense of winning in the present.

While the lottery system is designed to limit the ability of teams to tank, it does have its limits. If a team is truly dedicated to bottoming out and securing a top-five pick, it can increase its odds by losing. The Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs all engaged in this practice and intentionally stunk in hopes of securing a generational talent.

This is where the New York Rangers’ situation comes into play. While the organization has adopted the rebuilding stance, the roster already had a solid amount of pieces to form a baseline. While the defense is absolutely an issue, the forwards and Henrik Lundqvist in net make the team better than most other candidates for a high draft pick.

The overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings is a textbook example of how this season can work out and give the team the best of both worlds. While no player or coach is going to ever want to lose, they can still play hard and end up with a fruitful result.

Talent wise, the Rangers are on the lower end of the spectrum in the league. This does not mean the team can’t compete as evidenced by its four-game winning streak. With the right mindset and culture, this team can find a way to hang around in most of its games.

Ultimately, it means that win or lose, the Rangers as an organization is progressing along. The young guys are getting to cut their teeth against NHL talent and learn in a practical low-pressure situation. If they win, the players get the euphoric rush of winning and if they lose, they inch closer to a better draft pick.

This is about as ideal a situation as possible from a building standpoint. The rookie head coach that the front office picked to develop the young players is playing every single night with house money. If his future Hall of Famer in net steals games and leads the team to the fringe of the postseason, the young players get to learn from the best.

If the bottom falls out again and the Rangers begin to struggle, they inch closer to adding another high-end prospect to the team’s future. So no matter what happens, the team is in a good position. Which path is better is an argument for another day, but both have positives for the future.

Fixing the Rangers for the future is going to require a multiprong approach including both acquiring more talent and teaching the existing group. So, win or lose, the team is moving towards both of these objectives.