Every single hockey season starts with a mixed bag of hope, expectations and reality.
This year is no different for the New York Rangers, although the weight of each of those three components has changed dramatically. Two years ago — after the 2014 Stanley Cup Final run — there was a lot of hope, even more expectations and the reality that the first two ingredients were well within the team’s grasp. That’s true pressure, when the expectations and hope are on a level playing field with the reality of the situation. It’s rare, intoxicating and stressful.
As always, hockey is an evolving existence.