The offseason is no different. There are a lot of things to look forward to including the draft and free agency, and we will be here covering all of it.

In the coming days, we will be writing our final reviews of the players for this season. Following that, we will review the free agency status of players on the roster, review potential draft targets, and cover the draft and free agency from start to finish. There are other ideas we have up our sleeves, but you will have to keep coming back to find out what they are.

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So here we are. It’s late May, and the Rangers playoff run has come to an end. No matter how much a bitter fan wants to spin it, this was a miraculous season. The Rangers simply were not supposed to be this good so early. I had them penciled in to make this run next year, after a full year of Chris Kreider, and after kids like Michael Del Zotto and Derek Stepan got some years under their belts. But this year? Total shock, and a great ride.

But with that great ride came expectations. Ottawa was a tough draw, but if the Rangers can get past them, then the rest should be a breeze. After all, the Bruins were gone and the Penguins were gone. Those were the only two teams that had a realistic shot at beating the Rangers, right? Even the Caps were a tough draw, but the Rangers were just better.

Peter Deboer made the difference for the Devils. He didn’t necessarily out-coach John Tortorella, but he made the correct adjustments and utilized his club’s outstanding depth to exploit the Rangers’ weaknesses. That was something Ottawa and Washington could not do. The Devils were the deeper team, and the Devils came out on top.

Even still, this is like dealing with the five stages of grief. So let’s walk through my emotions over the past few days.

Denial: The Rangers didn’t just lose to the sixth seeded Devils. That’s impossible. The Rangers are the better team. They even beat them down in fights all year long. Marty is 40 years old. This one is just a bad dream, and I’ll wake up tomorrow knowing it didn’t happen.

Anger: My TV remote might still be embedded into the dry wall.

Bargaining: I’ll do anything to have the opening 10 minutes of Games Five and Six back. All I want is the Rangers to replay those 10 minutes of each game. I’ll give you anything.

Depression: I don’t want to talk about the game. Leave me alone. Go away. It hurts too much.

Acceptance: I’m ready to admit I got to this step fairly quickly, but maybe that’s because I rationalize things way too much in my own head. It’s both a strength and a weakness. But in the end, if you told me in September the Rangers would lose in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals, I would have taken it. This team has flaws, and only a year or two of development can really fill those gaps. This team was supposed to be a bottom-four team in the playoffs, and they were the top seed. That is progress folks.

But here we are in late May, and the loss is still stinging a good portion of the fan base. It happens, and it is what it is. You cannot lead before you follow, and you cannot win before you understand the pain of losing. Sick as it may sound, this loss probably fuels the Rangers for years to come. Too many players who are a part of the long term future of this club experienced this painful defeat. It’s like the 1995 New York Yankees. They exceeded expectations, and lost in heart breaking fashion.

After that, they won four World Series titles in five years, and were two Mariano Rivera blown saves away from possibly six titles in a row.

I’m not saying this will happen for the Rangers. After all, the Yankees had multiple Hall of Fame players on those rosters, one of which is the greatest relief pitcher who has ever and will ever live. The Rangers right now have one player of that magnitude in Henrik Lundqvist.

But the pieces are there. Only small roster changes need to be made to tinker with this lineup. Chris Kreider will be in New York for a full year. Dylan McIlrath and J.T. Miller will get long looks at camp. And maybe, just maybe, the Rangers recognized that they need flexibility in their lineup. There is a need for size and speed in the bottom six.

This season showed us that the Rangers are on the rise. The Rangers have finally built a winner from within. Some saw this coming a few years ago, others did not. But everyone was pleasantly surprised for this season. This is far from a lost season. The future is here.

***Update: This is now being denied by MZA’s agent.

 Before people go crazy with this rumor, people have to realize that MZA is a restricted free agent, therefore Glen can’t work something out with him until after the draft. It would be a pretty dumb move on MZA’s part to defect to the KHL without waiting for an offer from the Rangers. You can’t have the KHL and the Rangers negotiate against each other if one party isn’t even allowed to negotiate yet.

The Rangers were victimized by matchups in the playoffs. Ottawa and Washington were the toughest draws the Rangers could get in the first round, and they wound up facing both of them. Ottawa victimized the Rangers with skill and speed, and the Rangers escaped because they were the better team. Washington, a team like the Rangers, made life difficult with great goaltending and team defense. A Joel Ward double minor helped the Rangers escape that series.

But perhaps the team that the Rangers didn’t match up against at all were the Devils. It was something no one could see coming. It’s simple really. The Devils during the regular season generally played a 1-2-2 hybrid trap. They forechecked when needed, but generally just clogged the neutral zone. They changed their style in April. As Suit mentioned in the series preview, the Devils started employing the tactic the Rangers use: the 2-1-2 aggressive forecheck. The switch worked.

The Devils beat the Rangers at their own game. They did it because they have more skill than the Rangers. While the Rangers were struggling to shut down the Ilya Kovalchuk, Zach Parise, Adam Henrique, and Travis Zajac, the fourth line speed and skill of Ryan Carter, Steve Bernier, and Stephen Gionta killed the Rangers.

The depth of the Devils beat the Rangers. Not once did Eric Boulton, Tim Sestito or Cam Janssen dress in this series like they did in the regular season. The Devils adjusted to their opponent, and dressed speed and skill to counter the Rangers toughness. That fourth line depth is what beat the Rangers. That lack of skill is what doomed the Rangers. It shows they are still an incomplete team.

This season was a magical ride. If you told me in September that this team would lose in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals, I would have been thrilled. Perhaps we were spoiled by being on top of the Eastern Conference all season. Perhaps we expected more in the playoffs. But if this season taught us anything, it’s that this team is on the rise. The New York Rangers are here to stay.

Actually. I have a “thank you.” I have a thank you to the New York Rangers. It’s been a long time since I’ve believed. This season ended with a less than desirable result, but I believe. I believe this team is destined for great things. I believe this team is built for the next 2-5 years. I believe. I thank you, New York Rangers, it’s been a while since I’ve believed.

Here’s the breakdown:

1-0   NJD, Devils 4th line does it again

This goal is on Marc Staal. First, Staal cant control the blue line, and that leads to a 3 on 1 for the Devils fourth line. Eventually, Stephen Gionta winds up with semi break. Hank makes the save but Staal, slow on the back check after his turnover, can’t pick up the trailer in Ryan Carter (two mistakes by Staal) and it’s a tap in goal on the rebound. People incorrectly blame Michael Del Zotto on this, but he was the lone man back on the 3 on 1, and he did what he could, he covered the initial shooter (Gionta) and one wing (Bernier). The trailer (Carter) was Staal’s job.

2-0   NJD, Devils powerplay makes it a two goal lead

Not much to say on this goal, it was Ilya Kovalchuk on the back door. It was a great passing play, and they caught the Rangers running around.  Eventualy MDZ wanders too a bit high, leaving the passing lane to the back door open. While people incorrectly blame MDZ for the first goal, the goal is on him. He drifted too high, allowing that passing lane to Kovi to open.

2-1- NJD, Fedotenko comes through

A failed clear by Kovi leads to this goal. Ryan McDonagh pinches when he needs to and steals the puck from Kovi at the mid-boards.  McD  keeps it deep and wraps it behind the net, drawing three Devils to him. That leaves Ruslan Fedotenko wide open in front of the net for a tap in goal. McD made the goal happen from the pinch, drawing people to him, and a perfect pass to Feds for the goal.

2-2 Face off win leads to the tying goal

This is a set play off the face off. Brandon Dubinsky wins the face off with help from Artem Anisimov. The puck winds up at the point on McDonagh’s stick, who moves the puck to the far boards and Dan Girardi.  A simple wrist shot from Girardi into traffic –the Rangers finally put traffic in front—deflects off Ryan Callahan’s knee pad, goal. That’s what happens when you win face offs.

3-2 Devils send the Rangers packing

This one hurts. It was just a scramble. I don’t want to break this down. No one’s at fault. Scrambles happen. Dirty goals happen. This happens.

NYR Leading Scorer: Brad Richards (6-8-14)
NJD Leading Scorer: Ilya Kovalchuk (6-10-16)

NYR Goaltender: Henrik Lundqvist (19 GS, 1.77 GAA, .930 SV%)
NJD Goaltender: Martin Brodeur (17 GS, 2.04 GAA, .920 SV%)

Rangers Projected Lines:

Carl Hagelin-Brad Richards-Chris Kreider
Brandon Dubinsky-Artem Anisimov-Ryan Callahan
Ruslan Fedotenko-Derek Stepan-Marian Gaborik
Mike Rupp-Brian Boyle-Brandon Prust

Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi
Marc Staal-Anton Stralman
Michael Del Zotto-Steve Eminger

Henrik Lundqvist gets the start.

Probable Scratches/Injuries: Mike Sauer (concussion), Mats Zuccarello (wrist), John Mitchell (healthy), Jeff Woywitka (healthy), John Scott (healthy), Stu Bickel (healthy)

Preview: Do or die.

Crazy Thought: Four goals in one game.

But it’s not history. Fast forward five months and we have the playoffs, where Bickel is still dressing in almost every game for the Rangers. But the problem is that he rarely cracks five minutes of ice time per game, even when games head into overtime or triple overtime. For all intents and purposes, the Rangers are playing with five defensemen.

When Bickel does get on the ice, he is often caught out of position, his inexperience and lack of foot speed exploited by more experienced and skilled playoff competitors. Stephen Gionta’s goal on Wednesday night was evidence of a player that is still developing and learning the position at the NHL level. Thus, coach John Tortorella is forced to play his more experienced players and sit Bickel. It’s a vicious cycle that leaves the Rangers with five defensemen.

In the playoffs, depth becomes the most important factor. Players grow tired –both physically and mentally– and need more time to recover. With just five defensemen, the Rangers don’t have that luxury. And it makes you wonder: Would they be in this position if Mike Sauer was in the lineup?

Sauer’s absence is taking it’s toll on the Rangers. First and foremost, it would be Sauer in the lineup and not Bickel, a huge upgrade at the position. The pairing of Sauer and Michael Del Zotto was a solid pairing during the regular season, so it slides Anton Stralman back a notch to the “bottom” pairing. Bottom is in quotes there because Staal would likely wind up as his partner.

So instead of rotating five defensemen, the Rangers would wind up with three solid pairs of defensemen. But the benefit doesn’t stop there.

Remember that triple overtime game when Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh played about 4,000 minutes? With Sauer in the lineup, Torts likely doesn’t roll his top defensive pairing every other shift like he did in that game. Nor does he roll that pairing 25-30 minutes per game thereafter. It is a safe assumption that the minutes played by McDonagh and Girardi reduce significantly. Less ice time means less fatigue, and it is evident that the Rangers are fatigued.

Bickel’s play during the regular season masked the need for a sixth defenseman that is now being exploited. The Rangers are playing shorthanded, and it’s because they can’t trust Bickel on the ice at all times. It’s no slight against Bickel, but Sauer is the better player and gives the Rangers more flexibility within the lineup.  The Rangers miss Sauer, and the playoffs have proven this fact.

Revisiting a Rick Nash acquisition this summer is likely but acquiring the Blue Jacket should only be a serious consideration if the package is reasonable and cap space goes back to Columbus. That would make Dubinsky (once again) a leading contender for a move. At the very least, should Zach Parise decide he wants to explore free agency in July you can bet your house that Glen Sather will be inquiring about and enticing Parise to join the Blueshirts.

If either premier talent becomes a Ranger over the summer there will need to be casualties in either (or both) assets or financial space. This keeps bringing us back to Dubinsky and whether his use to the franchise going forward would best be served as a player or as a trade chip.

Keeping Dubinsky makes sense on many levels. He knows the Rangers way and the franchise inside out. He plays the system and fits the system. He’s young, physical and talented but it’s his maddening consistency that divides opinion. His cap hit is anything but ideal for what he produced this year.

With the emergence of Chris Kreider the Rangers possess a potential All Star forward with better physical attributes than Dubinsky and more offensive upside. Dubinsky’s presence on the roster would be better for the development of Kreider (and Hagelin for that matter) than the presence of either Nash or Parise. Dubinsky can be moved around the roster easier and after all, you don’t acquire a guy like Parise to play third line minutes.

The future of Dubinsky effects so much more than just the player himself and that’s what the Rangers need to consider very carefully before July comes around. What scenario is best for the current roster and the talent on it? What scenario is best for a potential repeat playoff charge? What scenario is indeed best for Dubinsky himself? There are plenty of questions this summer that begin and end with the name Brandon Dubinsky.