Rangers Veteran Reflects on Playoff Push: ‘No One Wanted to Be in This Spot’
Jonny Brodzinski stands out on a struggling New York Rangers roster. At 31, the forward has carved out a consistent spot in the lineup by exceeding expectations — a rare feat this season among a team riddled with underperformance.
After a tough 5-1 home loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Brodzinski didn’t mince words when discussing the final stretch of the regular season.
“We need to win the rest of our games,” Brodzinski said bluntly. “We’re past the point of waiting to see what Montreal does. We’ve got to handle our business and still need help. It’s tough to be in this position. None of us wanted this. It sucks.”
The defeat kept the Rangers (36-34-7) six points behind the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference’s wild-card race. Both teams have five games left, with Montreal facing Detroit next while the Rangers prepare to host Philadelphia before a crucial matchup against the Islanders.
To even have a chance at a postseason berth, the Rangers would need to win all five remaining games and hope Montreal falters. The Canadiens’ magic number is five — any combo of five points gained by Montreal or dropped by New York ends the Rangers’ playoff hopes.
It’s a stark contrast to a year ago, when the Rangers clinched 55 wins and 114 points — the best in franchise history — on the way to the playoffs. That team was resilient, often erasing deficits and refusing to back down.
“This year’s different,” Brodzinski admitted. “Last season, we’d be trailing by two or three and still pull out wins. That’s not happening now. At the end of the day, it’s about finishing our chances.”
But the issues go beyond scoring. The team has regressed offensively, ranking 17th in goals per game (2.97) compared to seventh last year (3.39). The power play, once a major weapon, has collapsed — dropping from third in the NHL (26.4%) to 27th (17.4%).
More troubling is the team’s inability to weather momentum swings. Against Tampa, they allowed three goals in under two minutes. A similar breakdown occurred against New Jersey, where the Rangers gave up two quick goals. They’ve now allowed multi-goal bursts in under two minutes 23 times, the sixth-most in the league — and the other five teams aren’t playoff contenders either.
Even worse, the Rangers remain the only NHL team this season not to rally from a multiple-goal deficit to win a single game.
Forward Will Cuylle tried to stay positive postgame. “We have to win. That’s the mindset,” the 23-year-old said. “We’re not out of it yet. Crazy things can happen in the standings.”
Artemi Panarin, the team’s scoring leader, echoed the frustration. “It’s hard. This year, everything is harder for us — offensively and defensively,” he admitted.
While players continue to insist they haven’t given up, their play tells a different story. Coach Peter Laviolette, who once had answers during last season’s highs, appears to be running out of them.
“We needed to win tonight, and we didn’t,” Laviolette said flatly. “That’s been a theme all year.”
And unfortunately for the Rangers, the theme hasn’t changed.
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