The New York Rangers playoff hopes ride on this six-game stretch

With yesterday’s roller-coaster trade deadline behind them, the New York Rangers will return to the ice against a familiar foe Tuesday night, starting a stretch of games that will determine their playoff chances.

When fans saw a John Davidson scheduled a press conference for Monday morning, immediately our heads started to swirl. Is Lundqvist gone? Did they re-sign Kreider? Did they move Georgiev?

Instead, Rangerstown was hit with the terrible news of a car accident that fractured Igor Shesterkins ribs and shook up fellow teammate Pavel Buchnevich. But then, on his next breath, President Davidson announced that Kreider would be returning for another seven years, keeping the veteran forward’s bromance with Mika Zibanejad alive for the foreseeable future.

Just as it appeared the Rangers had stood pat at the deadline, it was announced that Brady Skjei was sent to Carolina for a first-round pick, once again sending shockwaves through the Rangers lineup.

Now, the Rangers hit the ice Tuesday night against the New York Islanders, a rival who sits just six points ahead of the Blueshirts in the playoff race. With Skjei gone, Buchnevich and Shesterkin injuries, and Kreider listed as a game-time decision due to illness, a victory against the Islanders will not come easily.

Yet, if the Rangers have any hope at finishing off this wild playoff push, they not only have to get past the Islanders but beat the five opponents after them as well. The Rangers are about to start a six-game stretch in which they play five teams, four of whom have more than 76 points on the season. The lone team on this stretch that falls below the 76 point plateau is the Montreal Canadiens, but traveling into Montreal is never an easy task for any team.