Tristate hockey fans are in for an early transition to baseball this summer.
For the first time in NHL history, the Rangers, Islanders and Devils have all failed to qualify for the playoffs in the same year. Since the Devils entered the league in 1982, at least one of the three local teams has participated in each postseason.
The Rangers were not just the first of the three to be eliminated, but they were the second team in the NHL to be mathematically ruled out. It came swiftly with a 4-3 loss to the Maple Leafs on March 25.
Though the Blueshirts season has essentially been over since even before president and general manager Chris Drury announced his retooling plans Jan. 16.
Last week, the Devils followed suit and were eliminated following a 5-1 loss to the Flyers.
New Jersey’s 8-1 start to the season quickly fizzled out. The oft-injured Jack Hughes missed significant time, during which his team could not overcome the loss. That included a freak injury at a team dinner, where Hughes sliced his hand and required surgery.
Injuries to other key players prevented the lineup from ever reaching full strength.
Goaltending continues to hold the organization back. Among NHL goalies who made at least 40 starts this season, Jacob Markstrom’s .883 save percentage is the fourth worst.
Like the Rangers, the Devils also struggled in their own building for whatever reason. Prudential Center saw the team go 21-17-3.
Still, neither of their collapses was as egregious as that of the Islanders.
The Islanders were the last of the three teams to be eliminated, on Sunday, when a 4-1 loss to the Canadiens capped a 4-9 limp through their most pivotal stretch of the season.
Head coach Patrick Roy was fired with four games left. New head coach Pete DeBoer couldn’t save the sinking ship.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
