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Ranking the New York Rangers potential playoff opponents

By Steve Paulus

Jun 11, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; the Tampa Bay Lightning shake hands with New York Rangers after the Lightning victory in game six of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 11, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; the Tampa Bay Lightning shake hands with New York Rangers after the Lightning victory in game six of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ryan McDonagh is #27 of the Nashville Predators. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
Ryan McDonagh is #27 of the Nashville Predators. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) /

#19 Seattle Kraken

There is not a lot to be excited about in a series with the Seattle Kraken, except for the fact that it would have to be in the Stanley Cup Final.  No former Rangers are on the Kraken roster or in their management group.  The intangible here is the Blueshirts would want to avoid the ignominy of losing a Stanley Cup to a team only one season removed from the expansion.  Now that would be a disgrace.

#18 Vegas Golden Knights

There are some reasons to lose sleep over a Stanley Cup Final match-up against Vegas.  Such a meeting would have a lot of significance for Gerard Gallant who guided them to the Final in their inaugural season.  We don’t know if Jonathan Quick would get the starting job, but Ranger fans remember 2014.

Reasons to lose sleep?  The possibility that either Brett Howden or Alec Martinez could score the Cup-winning goal.

#17 Buffalo Sabres

It’s hard to get excited about playing a Buffalo Sabres team that has missed the playoffs for 11 straight years and has not won a playoff series in 16 seasons.  Ah, but there is something.  The last team the Sabres beat in the playoffs back in 2007?  The New York Rangers.  The Sabres were led by team captain Chris Drury, the reason for even more intrigue.

Oh yes, the two teams have met only twice in the playoffs and the Sabres have won both series in 1978 and 2007.  The Sabres and Lightning remain the only two teams that the Rangers have not won at least one series when facing in the playoffs.

#16 Nashville Predators

While there is no playoff history between these two teams it is one player who moves the Nashville Predators up to 16th place on the list. Already a winner of two Stanley Cups, do Ranger fans think that Ryan McDonagh should get another, this time with the Nashville Predators?   It broke our hearts when he was traded and it was compounded when the former heart and soul of the Broadway Blueshirts won in Tampa.  Ryan, not this year and not at the expense of your former team.

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