ALL FOR NOTHIN’
First meaningless game for Rangers since 2004
WASHINGTON — Alain Vigneault was put in the difficult position on Feb. 8, before the franchise released a letter and held a press conference announcing a rebuild, of having to tell his players of the organization’s intentions to plan for the future even if it meant sacrificing playoff contention this season. At that time the Rangers were three points out of a playoff spot.
The Devils’ win Tuesday mathematically eliminated the Blueshirts from postseason qualification. Their game here Wednesday marked the club’s first meaningless match since April 3, 2004, their final game before the Henrik Lundqvist era began following the 2004-05 lockout. Vigneault understood management’s plan, but he maintains the pre-purge version of this year’s team could’ve made the playoffs.
“I believe — and I know I’m not the only one that believes this — everybody said we were a bubble team going in, and I believe and some other people also believe that we would’ve gotten in,” Vigneault said before the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Capitals. “But a tough decision was made for the longterm future of this organization, and you have to respect it and you have to do your jobs.”
That certainly could’ve been the case considering the mediocrity in the middle of the Eastern Conference. But the Rangers struggled mightily and had a handful of significant injuries in the weeks before the announcement, and another early playoff exit would’ve represented running in place. Thus the organization did well to acquire prospects and early-round picks at the deadline.
Management knew trading players like Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller, Rick Nash and Michael Grabner for long-term gain would mean short-term pain, leaving the remaining players and Vigneault — whom Jeff Gorton didn’t commit to as his coach next season when the team’s letter was released — to play out the final 19 games with a strippeddown roster.
Coming to terms with the organization’s decision was the biggest challenge for Henrik Lundqvist, who was set to return Wednesday from a three-game injury absence for his 802nd regular-season game, the first irrelevant one of his 13-year NHL career; his only other playoff miss came down to a Game 82 shootout in 2009-10 in Philadelphia, where this Rangers season will end a week from Saturday.
Even going back to his five pro seasons in Sweden, he’s never been in a similar situation. But the 36-year-old is “on board” with the team’s direction.
“That’s where you have your inner conflict. As a competitor you want to win,” Lundqvist said. “That was the toughest part to deal with. But part of me kind of understood where we were at and the situation we were in.”
Lundqvist allowed himself to believe the team still had a chance at the playoffs when its sweep through Western Canada after the deadline brought them back to within three points of a wild-card spot. Reality then set in with three straight losses, and a playoff miss became a fait accompli before becoming official Tuesday.
“As much as you want to believe you can get in, you’ve got to be realistic too,” Lundqvist said.
These games still mean everything to Lundqvist. He was disconsolate after Washington tied it with 1:05 left in regulation on an easy goal in front and then scored 38 seconds into overtime.
“We all have something to play for, something to prove,” he said. “You want to win games. You want to sit in here and feel good about a win. … It bothers me.”
RUFFED UP: Assistant coach Lindy Ruff was not with the team after suffering a concussion and a gash on the back of his head when his head hit the ice on a fall as he came out for Tuesday’s practice.
“We’re not sure if he stepped on a puck or a puck hit him, but he hit his head on the ice,” Alain Vigneault said. “We had to take him off the ice. He went to the hospital. He’s got a pretty big gash with some stitches in the back of his head.”