Veteran defenseman Nick Holden and rookie forward Pavel Buchnevich arrived on far different paths to this critical juncture in the Rangers season.
Holden, 29, an Alberta native, played 214 games for the Avalanche, and won the admiration of four-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie and Colorado general manager Patrick Roy.
Buchnevich, who turned 22 on Monday, came to North America last summer, stayed with a family in Connecticut, made the club out of training camp, and had 13 points in 13 games. But he developed back problems in November that sidelined him for 26 games. The young Russian has yet to appear in an NHL playoff game.