The fight to make the playoffs was valiant, and the experience for their young players has been priceless.
But reality set in for the Rangers in the aftermath of Thursday’s loss to the Islanders at the Garden. The time has come to focus on next year and beyond.
Forward Morgan Barron and defenseman Tarmo Reunanan got called up from the farm system on Friday, and Barron got to make his NHL debut Saturday night at Nassau Coliseum in the back end of the home-and-home set with the Islanders. Veterans Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba, and second-year man Ryan Lindgren did not play Saturday, which allowed the Rangers to give the two call-ups a headstart on their 2021-22 seasons.