New York Rangers: Lottery standings and home ice focus of season finale

Just like that, the 2018-19 season is almost over for the New York Rangers who will bring the curtain down on their first full rebuilding year on the road versus the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight.

It has been another year full of growing pains for this youthful version of the New York Rangers who, for large chunks of the season, have been the youngest team in the NHL.

However, things are looking up for the Blueshirts who have found the perfect head coach for this rebuild in David Quinn.

And, with an array of talent in the system and star forward Mika Zibanejad on the roster, coupled with the fact that they will enter the off-season with a boatload of draft picks and around $20 million in cap space, then 2019-20 could be a major turning point for this franchise.

Let’s turn our focus back on to this season for just a moment, though.

After slugging it out with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the final home game at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, in a game that saw the visitors clinch a playoff spot, the Rangers have one final assignment before clearing out their lockers for the summer.

And it will be a tough one.

Although the 16 teams that will be involved in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs are set, there are still some logistical matters to be determined heading into tonight’s bumper schedule where 30 of the 31 teams will be in action.

One positioning matter still to be wrapped up involves the Penguins, who enter tonight’s matchup at PPG Paints Arena not yet knowing who their first-round opponent will be.

To put it in simple terms, Pittsburgh need to beat the Rangers in any fashion and hope the New York Islanders lose in Washington in order to lock up the No. 2 seed in the Metro Division and home ice advantage against the Islanders in the First Round of the playoffs.

If the Islanders gain one point then Pittsburgh will earn the third seed and play in New York first. no matter what the outcome of the Penguins’ game.

Or, Pittsburgh could end up facing their old nemesis the Washington Capitals if they lose in regulation and the Carolina Hurricanes beats the Philadelphia Flyers in regulation, overtime or in the shootout.

So don’t expect the Penguins to rest too many key players tonight, you would think that they would prefer a round one match-up against the Islanders rather than the Capitals.

For the Rangers, the outcome of tonight’s game will have implications on where they finish in the lottery standings, where a win could drop them down as low as sixth or seventh.

Head coach David Quinn would no doubt have been impressed by the comeback by his youthful roster last night against Columbus, and he will be demanding the same grit and determination against the Penguins.

Rangers fans, however, will be hoping for one final loss in order to wrap up fifth place in the lottery standings.

Either way, this season is all but over and it is now all about 2019-20 for the New York Rangers.