I've watched the Rangers a lot this season, and at times they look like a top-10 team in the League. They have speed and a Hall of Fame goalie. But on Wednesday, they didn't look desperate at all in a 6-1 loss to the Boston Bruins. They just didn't have any energy after the early part of the first period. The Bruins were playing like the team that needed points.
On Thursday, general manager Jeff Gorton had a press conference and the Rangers released a statement saying they were prepared to get rid of players leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 26. Mind you, they are only three points out of a playoff spot, but they're in last place in the Metropolitan Division and have lost four in a row. Ryan McDonagh is their No. 1 defenseman and Michael Grabner and Rick Nash are two of their top scorers. If any or all of those three are traded, they'll will be tough to replace, this season and beyond. It's not very often that we see a team's general manager make this kind of statement; if I'm in that locker room, I don't like that feeling that ownership thinks it's a lost season.