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Youth should inherit the Rangers

Rangers coach Tom Renney, center rear, stands behind the Rangers bench and react to a 3-2 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, ending the Rangers season. (AP Photo / May 4, 2008)

Arthur Staple

9:39 AM EDT, May 5, 2008

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It's over for the Rangers -- a few of them more than others. The 3-2 overtime loss to the Penguins on Sunday afternoon closed out the 2007-08 season with modest success, but only lateral movement from the previous year, when the Rangers were also knocked out in the conference semifinal.

On the surface, this one may sting more. Jaromir Jagr, who played like the superstar he still can be for the first nine games of the playoffs but spent Sunday in one big fit of frustration, is free to do what he likes now, a soon-to-be unrestricted free agent.

He was quick to remind everyone in the wake of Sunday's loss that his destiny is in his hands now. For a player that has a streak of individuality wider than the Long Island Expressway, you can be sure that Jagr will wait until the last possible moment to decide whether he will play in Russia, the Czech Republic or in the NHL -- and whether that would be with the Rangers or another team.

Brendan Shanahan, who brought plenty of calm and savvy to the locker room, won't play anywhere if he's not a Ranger. Martin Straka, Jagr's wingman and a smart player, is unrestricted. Michal Rozsival is, too. He had a woeful game Sunday, if it is his last with the team.

Sean Avery, who left the hospital on Sunday morning, is also free to sign elsewhere, but his spleen injury may change his lofty contract goals.

So, changes are afoot. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and you only need look at Game 5 on Sunday to see why.

Lauri Korpikoski, 21, played his first playoff game and scored the goal that started the Rangers rally. Nigel Dawes, on a line with fellow 23-year-old Ryan Callahan for most of the playoffs, scored the tying goal 82 seconds later. Chris Drury and Scott Gomez, the big-ticket free agent pickups from July, set up the goals. The Rangers have youth, some speed and some grit up front. It's easy to see their core group of young forwards maturing into a group like that of the Canadiens, who rose to the top of the conference this season.

In goal, Henrik Lundqvist nearly stole Sunday's game, and he's the cornerstone. Marc Staal matured into a future captain in his rookie season, with a few expected bumps. Dan Girardi and Fedor Tyutin struggled in the playoffs, but both were forced to play out of their element at times, especially on the power play.

If Glen Sather can focus on finding a couple of defensemen in this summer's free agency -- Wade Redden will be free, and he can move and shoot the puck pretty well -- the Rangers will be in better shape than they were entering this season, despite possibly losing some of their leaders.

I'm betting Jagr goes elsewhere, but I don't think it'll be Russia. The Pens will lose a ton in free agency, and wouldn't it be interesting if Mario Lemieux extended a one-year offer to his old buddy Jagr to play with the Penguins' young stars?

Even if the Rangers lose their captain, along with both alternate captains (Shanahan and Straka), they are in decent shape. Watching their young players flying around in the third period of Game 5 on Sunday should have been inspiring to Rangers fans, despite the sadness of a playoff run that ended too soon.