New York Rangers: Why we’re lucky they are not in the Western Conference
The New York Rangers continue to play their hearts out and talk about playoff contention. The reality of life is they are seven points behind Columbus for the last wild card spot and in the modern NHL, seven points are a lot to make up.
Parity is the goal for Gary Bettman and the folks who run the National Hockey League. Parity means that any team can win on any given night and in a salary cap driven league, no team can be dominant for long. Add in the bonus point for overtime wins and every team is over .500 and contending for the playoffs. This season is no different, with 26 out of 31 teams legitimately in the post-season hunt. However, there are big differences between the East and West Conferences.
The Eastern Conference
At times it seems like no one wants to solidify their hold on a playoff spot in the East. Although Tampa and Toronto have done their best to lock down a post-season slot, the other six teams currently in a playoff position are separated by only five points. Those teams have taken turns moving up and down the standings for weeks. Today, it’s Columbus in the last wild card spot with 61 points.
Four teams, including the Rangers, are within striking distance of a playoff spot. The Flyers have won eight games in a row and they are tied with the Rangers at 54 points. Carolina and Buffalo both have 58 points and are three points behind Columbus. While the Hurricanes and Sabres can stake a legitimate claim to playoff contention, it’s much less certain for New York and Philadelphia.
The Western Conference
As tight as the playoff race in the East is, the West borders on the absurd. Four teams are solidly in position to make the post-season. Winnipeg, Nashville, Calgary and San Jose all have enough points that, barring a total collapse, they will make the playoffs.
Vegas and Dallas are both in secure positions and if they keep winning a majority of their games, they are a lock for the playoffs. It’s the race for the two wild card spots that is crazy.
Minnesota occupies the top wild card slot with 57 points. Vancouver is next with 54 points. The next six team are all knocking on the door, out of the wild card by one point (St. Louis), two points (Colorado) or three points (Arizona, Edmonton, Chicago and Anaheim).
The Anaheim Ducks have won two out of their last 19 games and are just three points out of the wild card. Unbelievable.
Did you notice something as it relates to the Rangers? Remember, by beating Boston, the Rangers now have 54 points. Yes, if the New York Rangers were in the Western Conference, they would have the same number of points as the Vancouver Canucks who occupy the last wild card slot. In fact, both Buffalo and Carolina have more points than both Western Conference wild card teams and the Flyers have the same number of points as New York.
Why it’s better to be in the East
Suppose the Rangers were in the last wild card slot. How would the organization approach the impending trade deadline? How eager would they be to trade Mats Zuccarello if he was the linchpin of the one of the best lines in the NHL? Considering the return for an Adam McQuaid, would they want to hold on to him for the playoff run?
It’s a situation that the Philadelphia Flyers find themselves in. They’ve won eight in a row and the playoffs seem like a real possiblity. Do they keep Wayne Simmonds and lose him at the end of the season for nothing or do they maximize the return on a coveted power forward and risk missing the post-season?
That’s the conundrum facing the eight teams battling for the two wild card slots in the West. Only two teams will make it, but all eight teams think they can. Are they buyers or sellers?
Strategies for the Rangers
With only 18 days until the trade deadline, it’s clear that the Rangers will be sellers. It started with the minor trade of Cody McLeod and will continue with much bigger deals involving Kevin Hayes, Mats Zuccarello and Adam McQuaid. There are few untouchables on the roster and you can be sure that Jeff Gorton is working the phones right now.
That’s where the benefit of being in the Eastern Conference comes in, big time. The Rangers know they are sellers and will be ready to make deals at any time over the next two and a half weeks. If Gorton is smart, he will not wait until the last minute to make his trades, but make his moves while his competition still thinks they are in playoff position. It’s better to have 14 Western Conference teams competing for your talent than only six.
The extra added advantage is if you can acquire drafts picks from a team that doesn’t ultimately make the playoffs. A great example would be the Colorado Avalanche. They spent the first two months in a playoff position, but a 5-15-3 record since early December has dropped them two points out of the wild card. They have long been rumored to be interested in Kevin Hayes. Already owning Ottawa’s first round pick in the draft they may be more than willing to include a potential first round lottery pick in a Hayes deal.
It’s obvious that acquiring the first round pick of a team that misses the playoffs is much more valuable than a playoff qualifier. With all of these teams still contending it is much more expedient to deal with a playoff contender rather than a playoff favorite, or at least Gorton can use the leverage to increase the return.
Using Zuccarello as an example, what would serve the Rangers better? Would they be better trading him to a team like Calgary for a first round pick that will end up in the high 20’s or dealing him to a team like St. Louis for a potential first round lottery pick. That opportunity alone will allow Gorton to up the ante and force a Calgary to include a top prospect.
With the season ending injury to Saku Koivu, the Minnesota Wild become a player at the deadline. They are in the first wild card position, but have only a four point cushion. Does a Kevin Hayes become a much more attractive option for the Wild as a result? Would Jeff Gorton prefer to deal with the Wild considering there is no guarantee that they will make the playoffs?
Trade speculation will be rampant the closer we get to the deadline and we’ve already seen some transactions. David Poile of the Predators is one of the most respected executives in the game. He made his deal for Brian Boyle early to get a jump on he trade market, before Boyle was priced too high.
Next. How does the Brian Boyle trade affect the Rangers. dark
It’s a game of chicken and last season the McDonagh trade wasn’t done until minutes before the deadline. It remains to be seen how Jeff Gorton will play his cards, but this season it may a mistake to wait. The consequences are huge for the future of the Rangers.