Disappointment — perhaps even heartbreak — is on tap for some teams in this final week of the regular season, as a handful of clubs kick and scratch for the final three playoff seeds still available to the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But for two high-profile organizations that began the year with big aspirations, the soul-searching is already well underway.
The New York Rangers lost 7-3 to the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh on Saturday to officially end any hope of a post-season appearance. The loss marked the second time in three outings that New York allowed seven or more goals to an opponent.
Meanwhile, the Vancouver Canucks’ playoff fate was already sealed heading into the weekend. Still, a 3-2 overtime loss to the…