The Rangers’ season ended more than a week ago and the regular season was extended for a few teams to make up for missed games due to covid stops. The Playoffs started this past Saturday with Capitals v Bruins while some Canadian teams were still finishing their season.

I didn’t write anything until now because the end of the Rangers’ season hit a brick wall and I waited for the fallout from that to happen to get a better perspective of what’s possible going forward.

With a week to go in the season, the owner of the team, Jim Dolan, fired GM Jeff Gorton and team president John Davidson. It was a shock to everyone. It also put a direct target on coach Quinn. After the season ended with the Rangers beating Boston, stopping a brutal 5-game losing streak, Quinn was let go too. Not surprising. Along with him was the release of all coaching staff except for the goalie coach, Benoit Allaire.

It was a weird and strenuous season, and that goes for every team. The Metro division is the most stacked so the odds of making it into the playoffs was a reasonable goal, but still a long shot. There are still depth issues on the team and there are a lot of rookies that are still finding their game. There’s a lot of potential we got to see this year and a lot still left to be wrung out. And that’s what the new GM. Chris Drury will be focused on this off-season. Getting the right staff and moving the right pieces to find the missing players to get to the playoffs. Drury is an accomplished former NHL player and he’s been with the organization for many years. I think everyone feels positive that these decisions are in the hands of a capable person. He also has to deal with major looming cap issues, so money is going to be an issue for the foreseeable future. A lot of smart moves need to be made or the rebuild is going to go from a wavering point to a full stop.

The most damning thing about Coach Quinn this year was the lack of adjustment during games. The same plays, the same problems, no adaptations to fix them. Just different line ups that didn’t really work.

So now Gerard Gallant is the current front runner for a head coach. It’s public that he’s going to be interviewed. Landing a new, appropriate head coach is the first step (anyone who thinks Torts is coming back is nuts. He’d be an awful fit.) Then he gets to pick his staff. He did wonders with Vegas so it’s easy to see why he’s the favorite. We really need a face-off coach. I’ll leave it at that.

The playoffs end in July, which leads us right to the Seattle expansion draft. Nothing can really be done roster-wise until Seattle’s selections are finalized. Then everyone knows what pieces they have to work with. Then the regular draft. The Rangers need a fantastic veteran center and defenseman. That’s the minimum. I think there will be an aggressive play for both.

So, all of that is months away. I always observe this level of stuff from afar as I have no idea what the right choices are to make. Time will tell. I engage with the team when the team comes back together for training season (Sept).

That leaves the playoffs. The safe front runners to get to the Finals: Vegas, Colorado, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Capitals.

Florida could upset Tampa Bay. Islanders could make a serious run this year. Bruins look fiesty. Pittsburg had a tremendous end of the season but they almost always look good going into the playoffs and the past few seasons they got obliterated in the first round. The decade-old core of that team is still together and they are fantastic. But they aren’t as good as they used to be. And competition has caught up with them. When the screws are turned to kick in the Playoff Push Thrusters by the competition, Pittsburg struggles to hold their opponents off.

Edmonton has basically slapped around everyone in the North. The question is, do they have the depth to make it past the 3rd round? Two amazing players can’t fend off an entire team for a series.

It’s going to be an excellent and hard fought two months.