After losing their last six out of ten matchups and dropping the last two at home to the Blue Jackets and Islanders, the New York Rangers got a much needed break for their very young team. Coming out of the break they will be facing an even bigger challenge than before.
The Rangers play 13 games between January 31 and February 24, the trade deadline. This gives Jeff Gorton plenty of time to evaluate if his team is capable of making a push for the playoffs.
Although they are not playing the best teams in the NHL, the Rangers have some tough opponents to play during this 13 game stretch including the Stars, Maple Leafs, Bruins, Hurricanes, and several other teams.