So yes, with 15 games to go and a tournament berth still in the realm of possibility, if you believe in divine intervention, of course the Rangers hierarchy sees the value of qualifying for the postseason.
But not to the extent of adopting a Playoffs or Bust mentality at the trading deadline of Monday. Not to the extent of sacrificing a potential piece of the future in exchange for an immediate solution. Not to the extent of deviating from the plan that the organization adopted three years ago.
There was enough short-term pain through three consecutive playoff misses – probably four – not to put the plan in the shredder in hopes of short-term gains.
“I see that most of the transactions were in the rental market and that the focus wasn’t really on rentals,” said CEO Jeff Gorton, whose team plays its first of four in a row against the Devils on Tuesday night in New Jersey. “I was not really interested in hiring players.
“I feel that if you look at our team right now, a lot of good things happen, a lot of people get extra ice time and they do well with it. I didn’t want to bring players in from this.
“Our focus was to try to improve all the time. We try to play as many meaningful games as possible, take them one day at a time and then let the chips fall where they can, ”said GM. “We are in a very difficult division and we hung out quite well there.
“We have 15 more games, we have a great week, so we will focus on that, but I am happy that our games are significant, our boys are developing, you have seen these young children improve and feel that our team is playing [well] as we have maybe all year. ”
The disappointing efforts have largely hidden the most encouraging, but the fact is that the Rangers have gone 9-4-3 over 16 games dating back to March 13 for a win percentage of 0.656 which is tied for seventh most good in the NHL over that range. They are four points behind Boston, and the raised Taylor Hall Bs (we’ll see about that) hold a handful of game pairs for the final playoff invitation.
The Rangers were good, though not perfect, in getting three points in two weekend games against the Islands, who are tied on the eastern tip with Caps. Blueshirts have a total 6-4-1 record against co-division leaders.
“Based on the two games against the islands, I’m very happy with the way things are going,” Gorton said. “As I said, young children, you see the steps they take and the opportunities they receive and it’s hard not to feel good about the future of the Rangers and where we’re headed.
“Overall, I really believe that our team is heading in the right direction and there is a lot to be excited about.”
Gorton said there has been no recent action on Tony DeAngelo, which Rangers will exhibit in Seattle in the expansion project and then buy (at a cost of $ 383,333 in dead space next season and $ 883,333 in space). dead in 2022-23) if the Kraken does not bite. Looks like there wasn’t much action on Brendan Smith, which the Rangers didn’t want to move in a particular way.
So they’ll go through almost everything else with the team that brought them here, except for the supplements that come from college or downstairs. Zac Jones, the 20-year-old defender of the national champion UMass, is about to leave school to sign a contract with Blueshirts and would be expected to play at some point. Morgan Barron, the 22-year-old center who spent his first professional season with Wolf Pack, should also get a few NHL games.
Gorton postponed his comment on Jones, the third tournament of 2019, to 68th place overall, until he signs. But as for Barron, GM said: “I think Morgan has played extremely well and we would hope to give him or her a chance there.
“We’ll keep him there for now, let’s see how he does it, but he definitely opened our eyes to what he did, so we’re looking at that.”
The rangers still have to get there from here. But Rosie Ruiz is not looking for a shortcut to the finish line. The March 2018 letter was not signed with disappearing ink.
“We’re going in the right direction,” Gorton said. “There are many things to be recognized and excited to move forward.”