The New York Rangers fell short in the second round of the playoffs, but the two teams still alive are uniquely situated to establish the new benchmark in the NHL. It is, after all, a copycat league, the Penguins and Predators have many aspects that teams should be copying.
And there’s hope that the Rangers will, in fact, learn something this year. Last year, the Rangers got steamrolled by a faster, deeper, more skilled Pittsburgh team. General Manager Jeff Gorton turned around and filled out the Rangers’ forward ranks with skilled players. The likes of Michael Grabner, Jimmy Vesey, Nathan Gerbe, Josh Jooris, Brandon Pirri, and Matt Puempel saw time this season.