New York Rangers: What if the standings were in the traditional divisions?

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