It’s an exercise full of holes with an unbalanced scheduled and COVID issues, but it would be interesting to take a look at where the New York Rangers would be if the standings were determined under the old divisional structure. Are they further away from a playoff spot due to the new set up?
Today, with the new structure, the Rangers are in sixth place in the East, four points out of the final playoff spot occupied by the Boston Bruins. Boston has games in hand and a somewhat easier schedule. How would it be under the old system?
Here is what the standings would look if they were determined under the traditional structure.
Atlantic Division
1-Florida 39 26-9-4 56
2-Tampa 38 26-10-2 54
3-Toronto 38 25-10-3 53
4-Boston 34 19-10-5 43
5-Montreal 34 16-9-9 41
6-Detroit 40 13-22-5 31
7-Ottawa 38 13-21-4 30
8-Buffalo 37 8-23-6 22
Metropolitan Division
1-Washington 38 25-9-4 54
2-Carolina 37 25-9-3 53
3-Islanders 38 24-10-4 52
4-Pittsburgh 38 24-12-2 50
5-Philadelphia 36 17-14-5 39
6-Rangers 37 17-15-5 39
7-New Jersey 36 13-17-6 32
8-Columbus 40 14-18-8 32
Wild card race
1-Pittsburgh 38 24-12-2 50
2-Boston 34 19-10-5 43
3-Montreal 34 16-9-9 41
4-Philadelphia 36 17-14-5 39
5-Rangers 37 17-15-5 39
So, there would be hardly any change. The top four teams in the Metropolitan Division would be a “lock” for a playoff spot as would the top three teams in the Atlantic Division. That would leave the last wild card spot open for Boston, Montreal, Philadelphia and the Rangers with Boston holding the same advantages when it comes to games in hand and schedule.
There would be a four-way struggle for the final playoff spot. Add the Canadiens to the Bruins and Flyers as the teams the Rangers would be competing with.
Of course, the standings wouldn’t look like this if we were in a “normal” situation. You can say that East Division teams are hampered by tougher competition, though there are arguments to be made against that. The bottom line is there are no “pushovers” in the NHL as evidenced by the last two games played by the Blueshirts.
So, Ranger fans can take some comfort from the fact that if the NHL was in their traditional divisional format, they would be in the same boat, fighting for a wild card spot with the odds against them of making it. They would not be unfairly punished by ending up in the East.
The real standings
So, now that we’ve looked at the “what if” scenario, it’s back to reality. The Capitals beat the Devils Sunday and pulled ahead of the Islanders. There is only one game in the East Division on Monday, a game all Ranger fans will want the Flyers to win.
Monday’s game
Flyers @ Bruins
Sunday’s game
Capitals 5, Devils 4
Standings
1- Washington 38 25-9-4 54 points
2- Islanders 38 24-10-4 52 points
3- Pittsburgh 38 24-12-2 50 points
4- Boston 34 19-10-5 43 points
5- Philadelphia 36 17-14-5 39 points
6- Rangers 37 17-15-5 39 points
7- New Jersey 36 13-17-6 32 points
8- Buffalo 37 8-23-6 22 points