What the Rangers playoff roster could look like

Who else might go?

The Rangers would shock the hockey world if they didn’t bolster their defense corps with a couple of call ups from AHL Hartford.

Defense, as defined here by fulfilling responsibilities in your own end, isn’t among the Blueshirts’ strong suits.  Moving the puck from end to end? Yes. Taking it away and preventing quality chances in their own end? Uh, not so much.

Whatever they decide, here are some options, in no particular order.

Libor Hajek, defense

The now 22-year-old made the Rangers out of training camp and played 27 games before spraining his knee in Columbus in early December. After missing over a month, he returned for one match with the Blueshirts before being sent to Hartford.

The only blueliner in the system with NHL experience, Hajek had five assists in 28 games with the Rangers. He reportedly has a supporter head coach David Quinn, who praised the defenseman’s ability to close gaps and move the puck out of trouble.

Darren Raddysh, defense

Acquired in February 2019 for Peter Holland, the 24-year-old undrafted Raddysh had 28 points (22 assists) and 33 penalty minutes in 62 games for Hartford this season.

The 2017 recipient of the Ontario Hockey League’s Most Outstanding Defenseman award isn’t particularly big (listed at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds) but he’d give the Rangers some depth and another righty at the point.

Yegor Rykov, defense

The 23-year-old has good size (6-2, 209) but is not particularly edgy; he had six PIMs to go with 11 points in 27 matches for Hartford.

Tim Gettinger, forward

Has six games with the Rangers already under his belt, including two this season in which he recorded an assist. The 22-year-old also has a massive frame (he’s listed at 6-6, 220 pounds) and had 27 points (16 goals) and 14 PIMs in 53 contests for Hartford.

Vinni Lettieri, forward

The 25-year-old led Hartford in goals (25) and points (47). In 46 games for the Rangers (split between 2017-18 and 2018-19), he had two goals and six assists for eight points along with 14 PIMs.

Cristoval “Boo” Nieves, forward

The 26-year-old Syracuse native had 27 points (22 assists) in 43 matches for Hartford, and no points and four PIMs in four with the Rangers. The 6-3, 210-pound center has 19 points (14 assists) and 24 PIMs in 76 games over four seasons for the Blueshirts.

Danny O’Regan, forward

Led Hartford with 27 assists, and had 38 points and 24 PIMs. The 26-year-old has five points and two PIMs in 25 NHL games, all with the Buffalo Sabres.

Matt Beleskey, forward

The winger turns 32 on June 7 but he did put up 26 points (16 goals) and 55 PIMs in 56 matches for Hartford. He also plays with an edge and brings 477 games of NHL experience (in which he posted 158 points and 440 PIMs).

Vitali Kravtsov, forward

The 20-year-old winger didn’t make the Rangers out of training camp and opted to use the European Assignment Clause in his contract to return to Russia and play for KHL Traktor Chelyabinsk (his previous team).

The No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 Entry Draft made more money than he would’ve by staying in Hartford. After finishing in Russia, Kravtsov returned to the Wolf Pack and had 15 points (six goals) in 39 games.

The college kids

Although they’ve all been signed by the Rangers and might be eligible for the NHL playoffs this summer depending on the outcome of talks between the NHL and NHLPA, it’s unlikely forwards Patrick Khodorenko, Austin Rueschhoff, or Justin Richards will make the team’s roster.

However, they could very well be invited to training camp and at least be given a shot at making an impression, if not the trip to the hub city.

But then, who knows? In 2012, Chris Kreider was signed out of Boston College and played 18 playoff games for the Rangers before playing a single AHL game.

Khodorenko (a 22-year-old center) made the most of his senior season at Michigan State by leading the Spartans in goals (17) and points (33).

Rueschhoff (a 6-foot-7, 228-pound winger) recorded 26 points (12 goals) as a junior for Western Michigan.

Richards (a 5-foot-11, 190-pound center) is the two-time reigning NCAA Defensive Forward of the Year. He had 14 goals, 25 points and won 59 percent of his faceoffs as a junior for Minnesota-Duluth.

Interestingly, Richards is the son of former NHL player and head coach, Todd, who skated for the Hartford Whalers and was bench boss of the Minnesota Wild (2009-11) and Columbus Blue Jackets (2011-16).

As for 6-foot-5 defenseman K’Andre Miller, the Rangers are on record having said they positively will not rush the young blueliner to Broadway.

The 20-year-old regressed a bit last season as a sophomore at Wisconsin, but is still highly regarded by the Rangers, who plan to have him start his pro career next season at Hartford.

Meanwhile, defenseman Nils Lundkvist has not signed a contract and is not eligible for the playoff roster. Set to turn 20 in July, he had 31 points (11 goals) and 30 PIMs in 45 games for Lulea in the Swedish Hockey League, that country’s highest level.