The New York Rangers surely would tell you that what matters most in their quest to end a two-year playoff drought is how they play, which is all they can control. But as we near the quarter-mark of the 2026-27 season, it’s worthwhile to see what other teams in their division and conference are doing, and how the Rangers stack up.

Set to play for the 21st time Friday in an expanded 84-game schedule, the Rangers (11-8-1) are third in the Metropolitan Division with 23 points. They’ve been super impressive by remaining relevant even with star goaltender Igor Shesterkin lost for the season following knee surgery. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Rangers have the look of a team that’s capable of sticking in the playoff race for the long haul.

That said, there’s a good chance that the two wild-card teams in the Eastern Conference will come from the stacked Atlantic Division, meaning only the top three teams in the Metro would qualify for the postseason. Considering that the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes appear to be a lock again atop the Metro, and the second-place New Jersey Devils are thriving following the franchise-altering trade for for stud goalie Connor Hellebuyck, that leaves the Rangers in absolute mosh pit of a fight to finish third in the division.

Keep in mind, too, that the Washington Capitals, despite an underwhelming start, are just three points behind the Rangers. Then factor this in: the Capitals have three games in hand, and their points percentage (.588) is already better than that of the Rangers (.575). So, technically, Washington is in a better spot than New York.

Then there are the Islanders, also three points in arrears of the Rangers, with two games in hand. Few, if any, had the Islanders pegged as serious playoff contenders this season, but they’re right there and that’s without a single game played by star forward Mat Barzal, who’s closing in on making his season debut.

Where the Rangers catch a break is that the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins, each a playoff team last season, are pretty much playing themselves out of the postseason picture with miserable starts in 2026-27. The Columbus Blue Jackets? Well, they remain the Columbus Blue Jackets. Some potential, and a lot of holes on the roster.

Also benefitting the Blueshirts are the embarrassing early-season showings of their Original 6 rivals in Toronto and Detroit. Each of those teams carries a five-game losing streak into its next contest, and falling behind in the wild-card chase.

All of this is to say that the Rangers must take care of their own business, of course, and catch a break or two — or more — along the way. It behooves them to win games against inferior opponents, like the Vancouver Canucks on Friday, and to win more often than not within their division and conference.

The Rangers are 2-2-1 against Metro opponents and 5-5-1 within the conference. They host the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night at Madison Square Garden, and the Hurricanes pay a couple visits to the World’s Most Famous Arena later this month. Those are massive challenges for the Rangers, who are 3-5-0 against teams currently in a playoff spot so far this season.

It should be an exciting race to the very end.

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