from Justin Tasch of the NY Daily News,

The way things have turned out, perhaps the Rangers are better off with Brendan Smith instead of Kevin Shattenkirk, the apple of contenders' eyes at the trade deadline. And that is not a slight against Shattenkirk, rather a recognition that Smith in these playoffs has been everything the Rangers hoped, a sharp blue-liner with plenty of bite, and some bark to go along with it.

Both players enter unrestricted free agency this summer, and the longer Smith plays this effectively the higher a priority he should be becoming for the Rangers' offseason plans. Smith says he's not thinking beyond the playoffs, but he did allow that he could see himself sticking around New York.

"Yeah, for sure. I enjoy it here," Smith told the Daily News. "I like the guys, I think the team is really good, and we're only gonna get better with all the young players."

continued