This could be the second year in a row that the New York Rangers have had a collapse of epic proportions in the postseason.
It is hard to imagine that major changes to the club would not result from that.
For another year in which this Rangers group has taken a 2-0 series lead only to abandon all concepts of structured and focused hockey is unacceptable.
The club dropped all 4 games after taking a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals last season against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and now sit 1 loss away from dropping their first-round matchup with the New Jersey Devils after winning the first 2 games.
Only two other teams in the history of the NHL have lost consecutive best-of-7 playoff series after winning the first two games of the series: The Quebec Nordiques of 1987 and 1993, and the St. Louis Blues of 2013 and 2014).
The Blues are the only other team to botch both of those series in consecutive seasons.
This is a leaderboard no team would want to find themselves on, and certainly not this star-studded cast on Broadway.
The fallout
If Game 6 against New Jersey is to be the last contest of the 2023 postseason for this Rangers group, expect the chopping block to get rolled out after the club has scored just 2 goals in their last 3 games.
Head Coach Gerard Gallant would be hard-pressed to keep his position behind the Rangers bench, but the blame should hardly fall solely on his shoulders.
This is the second year in a row now that Artemi Panarin has ghosted his team comes playoff time.
In 2022, Panarin had 6 goals and 16 points in 20 games, but 9 of those points came via the power play.
Through 5 games this postseason, Panarin has 2 assists.
Again in 2022, Mika Zibanejad had no goals through the first 5 games against Pittsburgh in round 1. He then went on a stretch of 10 goals in the next 12 games.
In Games 4, 5, and 6 against Tampa Bay, Zibanejad was held completely off the scoresheet.
When the Rangers have needed their best players the most, they have let the team down.
It is hard to imagine that configuration and personnel of the top 6 will remain for the 2023-24 campaign.
Mika Zibanejad is locked in. This season is the first of an 8-year deal, paying him $8.5 million average annual value (AAV).
Panarin will have 3 years remaining on his current 7-year contract, paying him $11.6 million AAV.
Both players have contracts that make them unlikely to be casualties, despite their concerning performances.
Could Chris Kreider get the boot? He has 4 years left after this season but makes a more modest $6.5 million AAV.
However, Kreider is the Rangers leading goal scorer this postseason, with 5 goals through the first 5 games.
Furthermore, the departures of Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane are almost guaranteed. Neither player will likely want to stick around after the team’s pathetic showing.
But what else is on the table? Will a member of the Kid Line (Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko) be a casualty?
The club clearly needs a restructuring of the top six forward groups, and one of those players will yield the best return.
But they have arguably been the best line for this Rangers group against the Devils, though that is a limbo bar you could walk under.
Last postseason, the trio outscored opponents 10-5 at 5-on-5 and outshot opponents 82-66.
Between this postseason and last, among players to play at least 20 playoff games for the Rangers, Filip Chytil ranks 2nd in goals scored per 60 minutes (1.19) at 5-on-5.
Kaapo Kakko ranks 4th at .64, while Alexis Lafreniere ranks 8th with .38 goals per 60 (among 14 qualified players).
So how will moving one of your most effective forwards at 5-on-5 play fix the issue at hand?
It won’t, to answer the rhetorical question.
The “revenge tour” that was so widely expected by Rangers fans after last season’s disappointing end seems increasingly more like a pipe dream.
Should the club fall on its face for a second year in a row, there would almost certainly be major changes.
Some familiar faces could be on the move if their first-round series is to end in such a fashion.