New York Rangers 2K10

Happy New Year everybody!  Hope everyone rang in the new decade in style.

The Rangers finished off 2009 with a bang, picking up 11 points in their last seven games.  Obviously that stretch included a post-Christmas massacre at the hands of the Flyers, but they came back to close out the year with a win against Carolina.  The Blueshirts begin 2010 in eighth place with 42 points.

Now, while I’ve been excited with the recent winning, I’m still tentative.  I’m sure you are too.  Going 5-1-1 against the Islanders, Flyers and Hurricanes, doesn’t scream Stanley Cup.  On a recent episode I said that a prolonged winning streak was necessary to keep this team alive for the second half of the season.  Well, we are in the midst of said streak and the Rangers are still barely treading water.  A whopping 5 points separates the #8 Rangers and the #14 Maple Leafs.  Imagine where the Rangers would be had they not beaten up on these lesser teams.

I’m not faulting the Rangers by any means.  They did what they were supposed to do, beat the teams on their schedule.  However, I’m not ready to declare this team “back in it” — not by a long shot.  I don’t think asking this team to beat a couple clubs that are ahead of them in the standing is asking too much.  Staying afloat and beating the teams that are trying to drag you under is one thing.  Grabbing the paddle from the guys in the boat is something completely different.

So, as nice as it’s been to watch this team win for a change (and trust me it has been great), my New Years wish for the Rangers is to start 2010 much like they started this season, 7-1-0.  Games against the Bruins, Devils and Stars will be tough for sure.  But if the Rangers want to prove to me they belong in the top 8, they need to start the year off with a bang and not look back.  Rangers fans love to cheer for a winner.  But fans also understand that to be able to cheer in the postseason, this team is going to have to beat some of the top dogs in 2010.

And besides, this team’s made up of Olympians…how could they fail?