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Who Ranger fans should root for in the Qualifiers

By Steve Paulus |
TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 05: Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins stand during the National Anthem in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 05, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 05: Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins stand during the National Anthem in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 05, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images)

Now that the New York Rangers have been eliminated, there are teams Blueshirt fans should root for

Now, it’s all about the NHL Entry Draft.  Sure, the New York Rangers have a one in eight shot at the number one overall pick, but they also have a second first round pick and if they don’t win the lottery, they could move up as a the result of the Qualifier Series.

The Rangers own first round pick

If the Rangers don’t win the lottery on Monday, they will pick in an order based on points percentage in the truncated regular season.  If all of the teams below the Rangers in the standings lose and a team above them in the standings wins the lottery, the Blueshirts will pick 14th overall.

However, if Montreal, Chicago, Arizona, Minnesota or Winnipeg can advance, the Rangers will move up one slot per team.  Look at it this way, if all of those teams win and advance, and the lottery is won by a team with a better percentage than New York, the Rangers will pick ninth.

So, depending on the outcome of the Qualifier series, the Rangers could come out of it with the first overall pick or picks between ninth and 14th.

The Carolina pick

The Rangers get the worse of the two picks Carolina owns in the first round.  The Hurricanes own Toronto’s first round pick as well as their own.    If Toronto loses to Columbus in this round, the Rangers will get the Hurricanes’ pick and that will be determined by how well they do in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  If they win the Cup, the Rangers will get the 31st pick.  Lose before that, the pick can range from #21 to #30.

If Toronto makes it past Columbus, we won’t know whose pick the Rangers get until either Carolina or Toronto loses.  Carolina keeps the pick of the first team ousted and the Blueshirts get the other pick.

Later picks

If the teams below the Rangers in the points percentage race make it to the Playoffs, the Rangers picks will move up in every round.  They don’t own a second round pick, traded to Carolina for Adam Fox, but they have two third round picks, single picks in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds and three picks in the seventh round.  Anything would help.

There are some other considerations when it comes to rooting for teams in this round.   The most horrifying scenario is that the Penguins lose to the Canadiens and then win the top pick in the draft.  The image of Lafreniere on Sidney Crosby’s wing is nausea-inducing. For that reason, you may want to root for the Habs.

Another nightmare would be if the Panthers eliminate the Islanders and the Fishsticks win the top pick.  We’ve already got Jack Hughes in New Jersey, we don’ t need Lafreniere on the Island.  So, to be safe, you may want to root for the Islanders as repugnant as that may be.

The bottom line? While you may not care now that the Blueshirts are out of it, you should.  Here are the series that matter with the teams to root for in CAPS with the results as of Wednesday night.

The good:

ARIZONA-Nashville:  The Coyotes are up 2-1

CHICAGO -Edmonton: Blackhawks lead 2-1

ISLANDERS-Florida: Isles lead 2-1

The bad:

WINNIPEG-Calgary: Flames lead 2-1

The unknown:

MINNESOTA-Vancouver: series  tied 1-1

The toss up:

MONTREAL – Pittsburgh: The Canadiens are up 2-1

The second phase of the NHL Entry Draft Lottery will take place on Monday,August 10, when the Qualifying Round has concluded.

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