New York Rangers: The playoff picture and draft lottery look
As we near the NHL Trade Deadline, the New York Rangers are still in the playoff picture. While the odds are greater that the Blueshirts will be contending for a lottery pick it’s time to start tracking both scenarios.
Last season we featured “The Playoff Picture” and “The Lottery Look” as daily features on Blueline Station. Eventually, when the playoffs became impossible, the lottery became for the focus for the New York Rangers. The good news is it is too early for that.
The playoff picture
The mountain the Rangers have to climb to make the playoffs is a steep one and many would consider it a pipe dream. However, in the modern NHL, anything can happen. With their win over Toronto, the Rangers are now nine points out of the wild card with a game in hand.
The Rangers have 23 regulation wins, the new tiebreaker instead of wins in regulation or overtime. That’s fifth most in the East and second most in the Metropolitan Division. A lot is made of the fact that the Rangers have to pass four teams to get into the wild card, but they have games in hand on all of the teams including three on Montreal. Of course, games in hand mean nothing unless you win them, but that is always possible.
Another positive for New York is that they have a 19-12-2 record against Eastern Conference rivals with 19 of their remaining 30 games are against Eastern foes. If they can keep that up, those “four point games” could propel them into a better position. It won’t be easy.
The standings
Atlantic Div. GP W-L-OTL PTS RW
Boston 55 33-10-12 78 29
Tampa 53 33-15-5 71 28
Florida 52 29-17-6 64 24
Met Div. GP W-L-OTL PTS RW
Washington 54 36-13-5 77 27
Pittsburgh 52 33-14-5 71 22
Columbus 54 29-16-9 67 22
Wild Card GP W-L-OTL PTS RW
Islanders 51 30-15-6 66 19
Philadelphia 53 29-17-7 65 20
Contenders GP W-L-OTL PTS RW
Carolina 53 30-20-3 63 21
Toronto 54 28-19-7 63 22
Montreal 55 25-23-7 57 17
Rangers 52 26-22-4 56 23
Buffalo 53 23-23-7 53 17
Ottawa 53 18-24-11 47 14
New Jersey 52 18-24-10 46 13
Detroit 54 12-38-4 28 10
The key games tonight
It’s a busy night in the NHL with 12 games on the schedule. There are none of the proverbial four point games so rooting choices are simple.
Red Wings at Sabres – The Wings stink, but root for an upset and a tough game for Buffalo who comes to New York tomorrow. The Sabres have been in a death spiral and their fans are ready to revolt. A loss to Detroit at home could be devastating. Go Wings!
Ducks at Canadiens – Anaheim has won two in a row, but Montreal has been hot. Root for the Ducks. Montreal is the only contender in the East with a losing record at home.
Golden Knights at Panthers – Vegas is slumping badly while the Panthers are hot so hope the Knights rebound. Florida has one of the best home records in the NHL so it won’t be easy.
Kings at Islanders – Root for an unlikely upset by Los Angeles. The Kings have already started their sell off with the trade of Jack Campbell and Kyle Clifford to Toronto.
Devils at Flyers – Philly has won seven of ten while the Devils have been stumbling. An upset is needed.
Hurricanes at Coyotes – Two desperate teams fighting for playoff spots…a tough game, but root for the home team. Keep your eyes on the Hurricanes goaltending situation in case there is any truth to the Lundqvist to Carolina rumors.
The lottery look
Parity is the operative word in the NHL these days. In looking at the teams that could make the playoffs, there are no sure things. In the East, only four teams have put enough distance for them to believe that the playoffs are probable. Those teams are Washington, Boston, Tampa and Pittsburgh. That leaves eight teams including the Rangers still in the playoff hunt.
In the West it’s even closer. St. Louis appears to be the closest to a sure thing with a seven point cushion. Only eight points separate the next ten teams. There is no way of knowing how the Pacific Division will end up where five points separate the top five teams. It’s a dogfight and it means that 26 teams are lottery possibilities.
Although still hopeful for the postseason, the Rangers sit ninth from the bottom, within striking distance of finishing third, fourth or fifth worst. A lot will depend on what kind of sell-off the team does at the deadline. Stay tuned.
The standings (Worst is first)
Teams GR W-L-OTL PT RW
1. Detroit 54 12-38-4 28 10
2. Los Angeles 54 19-30-5 43 13
3. New Jersey 52 18-24-10 46 13
4. Ottawa 53 18-24-11 47 14
5. Anaheim 53 29-16-5 49 15
6. San Jose 54 23-27-4 50 17
7. Buffalo 53 23-23-7 53 17
8. Minnesota 52 24-22-6 54 21
9. Rangers 52 26-22-4 56 23
10. Winnipeg 54 26-23-5 57 19
11. Montreal 55 25-23-7 57 17
12. Nashville 52 25-20-7 57 20
13. Chicago 54 25-21-8 58 18
14. Calgary 54 27-21-6 60 17
15. Arizona 55 27-21-7 61 19
16. Vegas 55 27-21-7 61 21
17. Edmonton 53 28-19-6 62 24
18. Carolina 53 30-20-3 63 21
19. Toronto 54 28-19-7 63 22
20. Florida 52 29-17-6 64 24
21. Colorado 50 29-16-6 64 26
22. Vancouver 54 30-19-5 65 23
23. Dallas 53 30-18-5 65 21
24. Philadelphia 53 29-17-7 65 20
25. Islanders 51 30-15-6 66 19
26. Columbus 54 29-16-9 67 22
Second East Wild Card Cut Line: 65 points
Second West Wild Card Cut Line: 60 points
We won’t be making any rooting recommendations until the Rangers give up on this season (which could be at the deadline). Let’s just say that it’s obvious which teams Ranger fans should be following. In the event that the lottery race becomes the reality, just keep hoping for Ottawa, New Jersey, Los Angeles, San Jose and Anaheim to win. As for Detroit, they are probably a lock for the worst record this season.
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