Whenever an organization is willing to adopt the white flag for a calendar year in the form of a rebuilding season, it forces everyone to focus heavily on the future. The New York Rangers have spent the 2018-2019 season as cannon fodder for the better teams in the league but managed to play at a respectable level for a majority of the season.
Yet, for all of the progress that players like defenseman Tony DeAngelo and forward Filip Chytil have made this season, there’s little in the way of tangible results. Player development is the most important thing when it comes to rebuilding, but the Rangers are a few pieces away from legitimately being ready to compete again.