Pucks on Broadway: Analysis, Discussion, and Musings on the New York Rangers

While the Rangers continue to wait upon their Semi-Finals opponent, there is a major debate rumbling. Are the Rangers better served with all of this time off or not?

There are two schools of thought to this:
1. The time off is good because after such a physical series, players can heal and rest.
2. The time off is bad because they lose their rhythm and momentum after a nice first round victory.

I think both have elements of truth. In fact, I'd venture to say that time off is a bad thing in the playoffs. You have a tendency to think too much, to over analyze, to think of your opponent too much. However, anytime you play the New Jersey Devils in the first round, you're bound to be beaten and bruised.

So in this case, I am leaning toward this layoff as a good thing. I'd venture to say that the Rangers are the most physical team remaining in the Eastern Conference, with Philadelphia a close second. With that in mind, they're going to need to keep up their physical play if they hope to slow down the speedy and offensive Penguins and Canadians.

In case you haven't heard, Henrik Lundqvist was again a Vezina finalist. Interestingly enough, I didn't see this one coming. He was stellar in the first part of the season, struggled in the middle, but had a decent last 20 or so games. I still don't think he's a lock, but it's a nice honor nonetheless.

More in a bit...