Ranking the New York Rangers' Potential First Round Matchups, Worst to Best
The New York Rangers could end up winning the Presidents Trophy yet, they may end up with a tough round one draw
The Rangers have just two games remaining in their regular season sitting at 53-23-4 with 110 points. The only things remaining for the New York Rangers are seeing where they end up at the top of the Eastern Conference and who their first postseason opponent will be.
Despite potentially grabbing the top spot in the East there are several tough draws that could lie ahead.
5. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins seemed all but dead at the trade deadline trading away Stanley Cup winner Jake Guentzel. Instead, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins have surged improving their record to 36-30-12 with 84 points sitting just one point out of the final playoff spot in the East with four games left in the season.
The Rangers in all likelihood would love to avoid the Penguins of all the potential wild card teams in the first round. The Rangers have had their playoff battles versus Sidney Crosby five times winning three of the series including the 2022 series. In the regular season series, the Rangers won two of three meetings, dropping the latest matchup.
Facing Crosby in round one is a daunting task especially as the Penguins begin to find their groove. The Penguins also have a goalie that's heating up at the right time in Alex Nedeljkovic who just held the Rangers to two goals on thirty shots. The Penguins have the top-end talent that could carry the team to a first-round victory in Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Michael Bunting, Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, and Reilly Smith among others.