I’ve been meaning to get back to this and what do you know, two months blow buy. I wanted to write about the Rangers the most and with each wild week there’s a lot to talk about. I’ll keep it simple as the trade deadline just passed and there’s some considerations that I need to think about first. But, here’s the current record.

31-26-5 (67 points)

That puts them right on the edge of the playoffs. With 20 games left, they could make it. A lot has to go their way. The 5-14 massacre of a record was devastating and still is. They’re playing better since the trades started (with Trouba and Kakko, the list is big now), but the flaws are still there. Too many big players aren’t making big plays. There’s some actual fight in their game now but is it enough? Adversity seemed to scare them half to death and I don’t know if that professional attitude is back yet. They went toe to toe with Washington in the last game and lost in OT. While every win is desperately needed, getting one point against the #2 team in the league is an accomplishment.

But if they do squeak into the playoffs, it’s likely a Carolina or Washington match up. The odds of getting swept are real and I’d rather avoid that. I mean, the number of early goals against us is insulting. Staring up a hill all the time is exhausting.