The Rangers’ prize for winning the Metropolitan Division, Eastern Conference and Presidents’ Trophy on Monday night is a playoff date with the East’s second wild-card qualifier in the 2024 NHL playoffs.
While there are still four teams in contention for that spot, each with one game to play, this could all be settled as soon as Tuesday night.
Entering Tuesday, the Capitals held that position with 89 points based on the regulation wins tiebreaker over the Red Wings, who also have 89 points.
The Penguins have 88 points and the Flyers 87.
Here are the scenarios for how the Rangers would face each of the teams in the first round:
Washington has the simplest path. A win Tuesday against the Flyers in Philadelphia and the Capitals would be in. The Capitals also would gain the spot with an overtime or shootout loss to the Flyers and any kind of loss by both the Red Wings (at Montreal Tuesday) and Penguins (at the Islanders Wednesday).
Detroit needs to earn one more point than Washington does on Tuesday. If the Red Wings win, they’d need the Capitals to lose in regulation, overtime or shootout. If the Red Wings gain one point, they would need the Capitals to lose in regulation.
Pittsburgh would be eliminated Tuesday night if either the Capitals or Red Wings clinch qualification. However, the Penguins would break any tie due to having the most regulation wins, so if Washington and Detroit each collects one point or fewer Tuesday, Pittsburgh would win the spot by beating the Islanders on Wednesday at UBS Arena.
John Tortorella’s team has the toughest road to the Garden, needing to beat Washington Tuesday in regulation combined with regulation losses by Detroit Tuesday and Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
This season, the Rangers went 2-2 vs. the Capitals with each team scoring nine goals. They were 3-0 against the Red Wings, outscoring them 12-8. The Blueshirts were 2-1 vs. the Penguins with a 10-9 edge in goals, and they went 3-1 against the Flyers, leading 12-11 in goals.