Over the weekend, Pierre LeBrun noted that the NHL is inching towards an agreement on restarting the season. While the timing is still undetermined, the 24-team playoff format is still on the table and the most popular choice. Details are scarce, but the original idea had the top-six in each division making the playoffs, which of course leaves the Rangers on the outside looking in.
Making matters potentially worse is that the draft order likely wouldn’t be updated to account for this playoff format. That means the Rangers would not only miss the playoffs, but would not move up to the top-7 in the draft.