TARRYTOWN, NY — There have been two prevailing feelings for the New York Rangers as they packed up their lockers on Tuesday: painful disappointment after dropping within the Japanese Convention remaining to the Florida Panthers and unwavering confidence that this group will win a Stanley Cup collectively.
It was the second journey to the convention remaining in three seasons, with a seven-game first-round loss to New Jersey final season. Captain Jacob Trouba mentioned the longer runs are extra painful endings than an opening-round defeat.
“It hurts extra. The nearer you get, the extra it stings, the extra there’s that pit in your abdomen,” he mentioned Tuesday on the Rangers’ observe facility. “The idea was there. It wasn’t hope. We weren’t going to the playoffs hoping to compete or be good. There is a perception that we are able to win. When you’ve that perception, it makes it damage extra.”
Coach Peter Laviolette mentioned there was a way across the group that the Rangers have been going to win their first Stanley Cup since 1994.
“If I am being trustworthy, I believe there was a perception constructed throughout the course of the season. Not simply with our gamers, however with the group and the fan base. We really believed we have been going to win the Stanley Cup,” Laviolette mentioned. “And so with that comes a variety of disappointment. Plenty of damage. We did not accomplish what we wished to perform.”
The Rangers gained the Presidents’ Trophy with the NHL’s finest regular-season document, swept the Washington Capitals and eradicated the Carolina Hurricanes in six video games. However they could not resolve the Panthers, who superior to their second straight Stanley Cup Closing, dealing with the Edmonton Oilers.
“I believe everyone seems to be upset. Everybody is unhappy, mad, offended,” middle Mika Zibanejad mentioned. “I believe that needs to be the case. I believe try to be allowed to really feel nonetheless you are feeling. However fortunately there is a subsequent 12 months, there is a subsequent season.”
New York’s offense sputtered towards Florida, scoring two targets or fewer in 5 of the six video games. They scored greater than two targets in 9 of their earlier 10 playoff video games earlier than dealing with Florida.
A number of gamers talked about how the Panthers’ aggressive checking made the Rangers play extra conservatively on offensive, lest a mistake get shortly become a Florida aim. Winger Artemi Panarin, who had one aim and three assists within the convention remaining, mentioned his staff’s offense struggled as a result of it did not take sufficient possibilities towards Florida.
“In my view we didn’t take a bit bit further threat, which it’s a must to do as a result of we have now the abilities. You form of acquired to belief your instincts, which we don’t do sufficient,” he mentioned. “They’re a fantastic staff. Laborious to play towards and I really feel we nonetheless can beat them.”
That was the prevailing thought among the many Rangers: that the convention remaining was a collection of tightly performed video games, with a one-goal margin of victory in 5 of the six contests. “I believe that convention remaining was probably not a large margin. It was two superb groups. Muddy hockey. Razor-thin distinction, sport to sport,” ahead Chris Kreider mentioned.
He mentioned the Rangers have to get to a spot that his faculty hockey coach known as “a no-doubter,” the place it would not matter if they are not getting penalty calls or bounces. “You place your self able to succeed and win the sport. So I believe for us it is, that further 5-10% enchancment in all areas. Be higher as people and higher as a staff,'” Kreider mentioned.
One place the Rangers do not want enchancment is with beginning goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who was extensively credited as the rationale New York pushed the Panthers to 6 video games.
“He was our greatest participant by a major margin within the playoffs,” mentioned middle Vincent Trocheck, who mentioned he sought out Shesterkin after their Recreation 6 defeat. “If there was one man that I believed wanted to listen to that proper after the loss, to form of preserve his spirits up, it was him. I simply advised him he is our greatest participant. Perhaps the very best goaltender on this planet. He deserved higher.”
However even Shesterkin mentioned he might have completed extra. “I simply know I might make one other save and that most likely we might rating after that,” mentioned the goaltender, who declined to debate a possible contract extension within the offseason. Shesterkin has one 12 months left on a four-year, $22,666,667 contract.
As normal within the playoffs, there have been harm revelations for the Rangers. Star defenseman Adam Fox reinjured his knee throughout the Washington collection and that impacted his postseason. Fox had eight assists in 16 video games. Defenseman Ryan Lindgren cracked a rib throughout the Carolina collection. Whereas he claimed it did not impression him within the playoffs, Trouba mentioned “a kidney bean measurement chunk of my ankle got here off” throughout the common season, placing him on the shelf in March.
Now it is time for the Rangers to heal up, bodily and mentally. Trocheck mentioned they’ve a optimistic mindset regardless of the playoff loss.
“I believe that is the beginning of changing into our identification, if that is smart. This 12 months was we have began to mildew our identification and the extra we proceed at what we’re doing now, I believe it will proceed to get higher,” he mentioned.
Kreider was defiant about speak that the Rangers’ Stanley Cup championship window is closing.
“That is not one thing that we contemplate. We’ve got a variety of key core guys which are very younger. We’ve got a extremely good mix, which I believe is actually essential to have success on the NHL degree,” he mentioned. We’ve got a chance this summer season to get higher, come again and construct on what we simply did.”