Well the season as you know is over, following yesterday’s 3-2 OT defeat by the Penguins in Game 5. Marcel Hossa scored two goals in the game, including the OT winner to send the Penguins onto the Eastern Conference Finals.
It was a game effort by the Rangers, who fought back from a 2-0 third period deficit and killed off a late double minor to Chris Drury.
The loss stunned Henrik Lundqvist and left many Rangers wondering what went wrong…and perhaps where the team is heading now. In the words of Larry Brooks, last year’s Round 2 loss felt like a beginning, with this loss and the potential departure of several post lockout Rangers, it feels more like an end.
As mentioned in our rumor mill yesterday, Jaromir Jagr indicated yesterday that he doesn’t want to retire and that he wanted to continue to play hockey. It remains unclear whether that means he wants to come back with the Rangers, whether it’ll be for another NHL team or whether he’ll return to Russia to play for Omsk as some rumors have suggested.
Whatever his future, Jagr did tell those listening, that he wasn’t prepared to make a decision immediately, and that it would take a “long time”.
It’d certainly be disappointing to think that he left the game with boos from the partisan crowd ringing in his ears.
Whether Brendan Shanahan will return with the Rangers is also unclear. Shanahan appeared to struggle late in the season, and was even used on the fourth line at times by Tom Renney, though he continued to kill penalties.
At least one reporter (Arthur Staple) thinks it’s time for the old guard to move on and the youth to inherit the team. A fine sentiment, though there’s certainly some question as to where the scoring would come from in that scenario.
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