The New York Rangers sit only 3 points behind the Detroit Red Wings in the Eastern Conference standings, but the Hockey News’s Adam Proteau suggests that the Red Wings are better-prepared to make the playoffs this season:
If only one of these two teams could make the post-season, the Red Wings look more ready to do that this season.
For one thing, Detroit will likely add talent by the league’s March 7 trade deadline. The Wings have about $8.29 million in salary cap space, and GM Steve Yzerman is under tremendous pressure to get his team back into the playoffs. This is not to say Rangers GM Chris Drury doesn’t have serious pressure on him to avoid missing the playoffs, but Yzerman needs his team to jump the hurdle and avoid getting stuck in the mushy middle.
There’s still a lot of solid talent on the Rangers’ roster, such as Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox, Igor Shesterkin and newly acquired J.T. Miller. But there’s a reason they’re three points out of a playoff spot instead of battling for the conference lead. Simply put, they’re too inconsistent to rise through the Eastern ranks and claim a playoff spot.
Since Nov. 21, the Rangers haven’t won more than two games in a row. In that same span, the Rangers have had a five-game losing streak, a four-game losing skid and two three-game losing streaks, the most recent occurring from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1. This team has been a regular disappointment, and nothing we’ve seen of late is changing our mind about the Rangers.
The Red Wings, on the other hand, have been on an impressive tear since they changed coaches on Dec. 26. Put aside their first loss under new bench boss Todd McLellan, and the Red Wings have had two seven-game winning streaks. That’s why the Wings are now in a wild-card spot and why we’re confident Detroit will outlast the rest of the field and squeeze into the playoffs.
The Rangers must know they’re not getting into the top three of the Metropolitan Division. They’re 10 points back of the New Jersey Devils for third place in the Metro and 12 points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for second place.
Continued; right now, the Red Wings have at least half-a-dozen rivals as they attempt to wrest a Wild Card spot from the rest of the pack.
