from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

As a rule, losing is never its own reward. But there might be an exception to that rule, even when it does not involve tanking, and that exception just might apply to the Rangers. Because just the proper amount of losing between now and the finish line likely would benefit the Blueshirts if that lands them the first wild-card spot in the playoffs and thus moves them into the Atlantic Division bracket and away from the Capitals for the first two rounds.

This is nothing that can be planned or even finessed. The difference between the conference’s seventh- and eighth-ranked teams is a point or two. Sliding to eighth, and therefore the second wild-card spot, would mean facing Washington in the first round.

Several teams are bunched just below the Rangers, who not only have to play well enough to lock down a spot, but who play nine of their next 12 games on the road. Four of those games are against teams they trail in the overall standings, starting with the Blues on Thursday and the Stars on Saturday, with four more against teams well within range of New York.

So the Rangers will have to play well in order to win enough to qualify. If that lands them in second or third place in the Metropolitan Division, with (most likely) the Islanders or Penguins up first and the Capitals next, so be it. But if they play well enough to qualify, but slide to fourth in the division while landing in that sweet spot and thus face the task of getting through a combination of Florida/Tampa Bay/Detroit/Boston before facing Washington in round three, well, that wouldn’t be so bad, either.

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