Would you rather finish bottom-5 this season or fight for the playoffs?

[FoxyClean]

Would you guys prefer if the Rangers slipped in the last part of the season and end up with a top-5 draft pick, or if we went on a decent run here and fought for a Wild Card spot, even though actually making the playoffs is improbable?

Personally, with how strong the top part of the first round is this year, I would love getting a top-five pick. Getting one of Lafreniere/Byfield/Stutzle/Rossi/Perfetti/Raymond/Holtz/etc. would be incredible for our Cup chances this decade.

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[Elliman]

A top 5 pick would really set us up for the next decade.

 

[Kupo]

Duuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhh.

Why the actual **** would anyone pick otherwise?

 

[FoxyClean]

Duuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhh.

Why the actual **** would anyone pick otherwise?

I see tons of people cheering about our wins in postgame threads... if it's general consensus that we should tank, why are people happy about winning every other game?

 

[mike14]

I see tons of people cheering about our wins in postgame threads... if it's general consensus that we should tank, why are people happy about winning every other game?

It's not really that hard to understand; while most people realise that we'd be better off getting a pick at the pointy end of the draft you generally want to see your team win on the day, that's why we watch and follow teams that otherwise have nothing to do with us.
Ignoring the whole 'sports fandom doesn't make sense' thing, it's not surprising that people are happy and content immediately after their team wins.

 

[eco's bones]

Can't see the Rangers dropping enough to catch Ottawa, New Jersey, Detroit, San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles. That's 6 teams there and there's about another 5 clustered around exactly where we are---so where the Rangers will land right now looks like anywhere between 7 and 12 though there is a chance depending how they finish they could go 13 or 14. So their chances of being a top 5 depends pretty much on their once again winning the lottery and being in the top 3. Keeping in mind that the ethic they have is to win every game and their line when they did win the lottery last year was that their luck was somewhat due to 'doing things the right and they were rewarded for last seasons late wins and particularly the final game OT win over Pittsburgh.

......and you can't just go into the locker room and say--'Blow it up boys--we need to lose games to get a higher draft pick'. The smile would come right off Panarin's face. And what about the young goalies Georgiev and Shesterkin? Zibanejad? DeAngelo? It would have a negative effect throughout the locker room and the NHL's league offices better not get wind of it.

I would suggest we take things as they come. Whoever we move at the deadline we get the right value back for them. As fans we can hope for whatever but a long time ago I came to the conclusion that hoping for and getting don't always go hand in hand.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

A top 5 pick would really set us up for the next decade.

I'd contest that that alone wouldn't and we actually are worse than we all perceive it. We have a loooong ass way to go still.

But yes tank tank tank!

 

[Vitto79]

Bottom 5 for sure

The G and D depth is going to improve next year on experience alone

A top F pick will help a lot

 

[nyr2k2]

I will root for us to win every night, like I have done every season, regardless of where we stand.

That said, I recognize the benefit of a high pick.

So, I can't choose either option. Just let the season play out. That's the fun part of watching the young team develop.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

When we started the year, i was hoping for more from Kakko, Kravtsov, and Anderson, if they had been better I'd be all aboard the playoff train but as it is we are bounced in round one unless Shesterkin wins the round. I still think the team needs to see progress so for me I'd still want them in the hunt all season so there is something to strive for next year, that all the hard work they are putting in means something, unfortunately our top 6 has holes in it, our 4th line doesnt exist and Staal is still overall a blackhole on d so it's tough to get there.
Having said that, we have seen improvement in our d, our kid line and hopefully some more savvy trades give way to a better year next year and beyond, but this team needs to make the playoffs next year or we become the Sabres/Oilers.
I voted valiant fight, but I don't think that's realistic so it will likely sort itself out.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

I'd contest that that alone wouldn't and we actually are worse than we all perceive it. We have a loooong ass way to go still.

But yes tank tank tank!

I agree, Strome basically filled Hayes spot and we needed Kakko to take Zucs spot this year to be similar to last year. Panarin made up the difference. If we trade Kreider we need another player to replace his points. Draft picks usually take time, unless we get some young players in our trades we will be in tough to be better than this year. The wild card is if Kravtsov is able to contribute and Kakko becomes what we already know he can be.

 

[GAGLine]

If you had asked a month ago, my answer would have been different. At this point, the playoffs don't seem like a real possibility, so I'll take the top 5 pick, thank you very much.

 

[Raspewtin]

bottom 5, no doubt.

 

[TominNC]

You can’t tank with all these young players, especially the goalies. You need to see continued improvement.

Try to win games and let the picks fall where they may.

 

[Larrybiv]

Lets face it, with more than 2/3 of the season gone, we have already overacheived. Many more games than NOT, have been exciting and enjoyable to watch. Getting Panarin has done EXACTLY what we thought might happen. He brought us beyond that "bottom 5" pick that we could have had. I suppose we still could land it, but would take some doing. Not in a good way.

It is what it is, Will continue to root nightly, but losing in this last 1/3 of the season is a very small price to pay for a shot of landing that potential top 6 player.

I now have little faith that Buch will become the player he could be. He still acts like an overgrown child, not getting his candy. Maybe one more off season will make him a man. Needs tough love. Or coddling? Uggh. Grow up already.
If we trade him, that might be quite the mistake. Not until we have someone better. Wont get good value for him.

 

[charliemurphy]

Would you guys prefer if the Rangers slipped in the last part of the season and end up with a top-5 draft pick, or if we went on a decent run here and fought for a Wild Card spot, even though actually making the playoffs is improbable?

Personally, with how strong the top part of the first round is this year, I would love getting a top-five pick. Getting one of Lafreniere/Byfield/Stutzle/Rossi/Perfetti/Raymond/Holtz/etc. would be incredible for our Cup chances this decade.

Is there anyone that thinks this team can go on decent run here and fight for a WC spot?
Stick to the plan... back up the truck, make some trades and head into another deep draft.

 

[Leonardo87]

At this point of the season Bottom 5 looks more realistic or at least a lottery pick, but I’m not going to root for them to tank and lose, if they end up there, so be it, if they end up in a playoff spot, awesome.

 

[Harbour Dog]

I will root for us to win every night, like I have done every season, regardless of where we stand.

That said, I recognize the benefit of a high pick.

So, I can't choose either option. Just let the season play out. That's the fun part of watching the young team develop.

Exactly this.

 

[Idlerlee]

Slowly becoming the New York Sabres

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

f*** the playoffs I’ll take the pick

Slowly becoming the New York Sabres

They’re not even close to looking like the Sabres and the fact you’re even suggesting it is laughable

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Of the 2, top 5 pick is the easy choice.

The Rangers have shown more in player development THIS year than the Sabres have in the last 10.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Not sure it is an either/or choice. If this team, as constructed, fights it’s way into the playoffs, so be it. But I don’t want them to go out of their way to squeeze in. That means being a buyer at the deadline or holding on to assets in order to make it (not dealing Kreider, AG, etc)

 

[Chytilmania]

I'm pushing for a WC spot. I know we'd have a tough draw first round but if Panarin and Mika have a ridiculous run and one of the goalies get hot we have a chance against anyone in the series. I think it would all come down to dumb defensive plays.
I can see also Fox and DeAngelo lighting it up. Would be great experience for all of these young guys. Obviously a top 5 pick is great but I think we're sitting 7-12 like someone else said and who knows when that prospect is ready.

 

[NYRFAN218]

I think considering where they are in the standings, you obviously want the top 5 pick.

But as a fan, I feel much differently this season. It’s a lot tougher for now to “root” for losses given how fun this team has been to watch, Panarin’s great season, and the amount of kids that are on the team that I want to see take strides and develop. So I still root for them to play well and win every night. Contrast that to last season where I viewed the team as a transition team with a lot of parts that I knew were gone or didn’t care about and I was legitimately rooting for them to lose every game minus games against the Islanders from like November on.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Losing games ≠ players not developing folks