When the New York Rangers limped off the ice after being whacked by the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games in the first round of the playoffs last spring, it was hard not to imagine that it likely marked the end of an era. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist had been yanked twice and looked beaten down. The Rangers' defense that had backchecked the team to the Stanley Cup finals in 2014 and conference final appearances in 2012 and 2015 looked broken. Rick Nash was a nonfactor.
In short, it was hard not to imagine the future as anything but bleak for the Broadway Blueshirts.