So yes, with another 15 games and a tournament still within reach if you believe in divine intervention, the Rangers hierarchy obviously sees the value of qualifying for the national season.
But not to the extent that you accept a Playoff or Bust mentality by Monday’s deadline. Not to the extent that you are entitled to a potential piece of the future in exchange for an immediate solution. Not to the extent that it deviates from the plan that the organization adopted three years ago.
There was enough short-term pain through three consecutive playoffs – probably four – not to put the blueprint to shreds in hopes of a short-term gain.
“I see that most of the trade was in the rental market and that the focus was not really on rent,” said Jeff Gorton, general manager, whose team played its first of four games Tuesday night in New Jersey. “I was really not interested in hiring players.
‘I feel like a lot of good things happen when you look at our team, a lot of people get ice time and do well with it. I did not want to bring in players to get out of it.
“Our focus is on constantly trying to improve. “We try to play as many sensible games as possible, take it one day at a time and drop the chips where possible,” said the GM. ‘We’re in a very difficult division and we hung in there pretty well.
‘We have 15 more games, and there’s a big week coming up, so we’ll focus on that, but I’m glad our games are meaningful, that our guys are developing, that you’ve seen these young kids get better and i feel like our team is playing like [well] as we may have all year. ”
Disappointing efforts have largely obscured the most encouraging, but the fact is that the Rangers advanced 9-4-3 over 16 games to March 13 for a .656 winning percentage that is tied for seventh overall in the NHL over that team. They are four points behind Boston, with the Taylor Hall-supplemented B’s (we’ll see about that) holding a few games in hand for the final invitation.
The Rangers were good, though not perfect, with three points in two weekend games against the Islanders, who were level with the Caps at the top of the East. The Blueshirts have a combined 6-4-1 record against fellow leaders.
“Based on the two games against the Islanders, I’m very happy with the way things are going,” Gorton said. ‘Like I said, young kids, you see the progress they’re making and the opportunities they’re getting, and it’s hard not to feel good about the future of the Rangers and where we’re headed.
“I really believe our team is moving in the right direction and there is a lot to be excited about.”
Gorton said there have been no recent actions regarding Tony DeAngelo, who will expose the Rangers to Seattle in the expansion draft and then buy out next season (at $ 383,333 and the dead space $ 883,333) if the Kraken bites. Apparently there was not much action regarding Brendan Smith anyway, which the Rangers did not really want to move.
So they will go the rest of the way pretty much with the group that brought them here, except with supplements coming from the university. Zac Jones, the 20-year-old second defender of national champion UMass, is about to leave school to sign a contract with the Blueshirts, and is expected to play at some point. Morgan Barron, the 22-year-old center who spent his first pro season with the Wolf Pack, should also get a few NHL games.
Gorton postponed comments on Jones, a third-place finisher of 2019 in 68th place, until he signed. As for Barron, the GM said: ‘I think Morgan has played exceptionally well and we will be hopeful of getting him an opportunity or someone there who deserves it.
“We’ll keep him there for now, see how he does it, but he definitely opened our eyes to what he did, so we’ll look into it.”
The Rangers have yet to get out of here. But they are not looking for any Rosie Ruiz shortcuts to the finish line. The letter of March 2018 was not signed with disappearing ink.
“We’re moving in the right direction,” Gorton said. “There is a lot to be thankful for and to be excited about the future.”