All About Seeding for the Blueshirts

While the New Jersey Devils might not look at this afternoon's game as a meaningful one, it will be the opposite for the New York Rangers.

The Blueshirts might have clinched a playoff spot in their 4-3 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night but what is still to be decided is what spot the team will finish in. It is said that come playoff hockey time, the regular season does not matter but for the Rangers, they should do everything they can to get a higher seed.

As of this writing, the Rangers find themselves in the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. That would mean that they would play the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round, which should be something the team should try and avoid given the Penguins' dangerous offensive arsenal and the way they have played the Blueshirts this season.

Should the Rangers beat the Devils, however, it will make things very interesting in terms of seeding. With a win, the Rangers would have 56 points,  which would give them one more point than the New York Islanders and possibly two more points than the Ottawa Senators, who take on the Philadelphia Flyers tonight and the Boston Bruins tomorrow.

If the Rangers manage to take the sixth spot, they will end up facing the Washington Capitals. The Rangers have met the Capitals in each and every postseason they have been in since 2009, with the Rangers winning one of their three series against the Caps.

Should the Rangers finish in seventh, it could mean a series with an Original Six franchise in the Boston Bruins or Montreal Canadiens. Coming into tonight's slate of games, the Bruins and Habs are tied with 61 points but the Bruins have a game in hand.

This is what is so great about this time of year for NHL fans. There are so many interesting scenarios in terms of first round match-ups and there is also a feeling of hope because of the parity that is ever present in the league.

What exactly does all of this mean for the Blueshirts in terms of this afternoon's tilt with their Hudson River rivals? It means that the team must do something they have done a lot this month and that is win a hockey game.

Now is the time for the team to finish strong and go into the playoffs feeling confident and being a tough team to play against. The Rangers may be one of the lower seeds in the East but they have a lot more to offer and a lot more potential that has yet to be reached.

What better time to reach your potential by doing so during hockey's most important time of the season.