NHL Playoffs: New York Rangers Clinch Playoff Berth, Next Up Atlantic Division

The New York Rangers may have clinched a playoff spot when they defeated the New Jersey Devils on Monday but the Blueshirts still have some serious work to do over the final 10 games of the season. The Rangers currently hold a three-point lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins and a five-point lead over the Philadelphia Flyers. This is a lead they need to continually build upon if they hope to win the Atlantic Division.

The three Atlantic powerhouse teams will fight and claw their way towards the top of the division and the Eastern Conference because the team that secures the top spot will have a sizable advantage in the first round. Therefore, locking up the top spot should be a priority for the Rangers as they prepare for the final stretch of the 2011-12 campaign.

While clinching a playoff spot is nice, clinching the division and the No. 1 seed overall would be a huge accomplishment for the Broadway Blueshirts. The past two playoff appearances have seen the Rangers enter the postseason as the No. 8 seed overall. Jumping seven total spots in the standings is quite the accomplishment.

For the Rangers, clinching a spot in the postseason before the final day of the season is something that should help the team's overall confidence but clinching the top spot in the East could be a huge game changer come playoff time. Momentum is so crucial for teams as they make the final playoff push but in the past the Rangers have rode the momentum of desperation.

When a team is entering the playoffs because they relied on another team to lose its final game, it really isn't a moment that can be used to inspire a team. That was the case when the Rangers eagerly watched the Tampa Bay Lightning dispatch of the Carolina Hurricanes during the final game of the season.

By going into the final games with a playoff spot in hand, the Rangers will not feel the pressure they encountered against the New Jersey Devils last April. If the Rangers lost, they would have been eliminated. It was also this desperation that led to the downfall of Ryan Callahan when he broke his ankle against the Bruins.

Now the Rangers hold the upper hand as they have their destiny in their hands. This momentum instead will be fueled by the sense of accomplishment for a team that has worked hard all year.

The Rangers are a team that won't run the scoreboard up against their opponents, but they will outwork, out-grind and will out-defend most of their opponents. This style of hockey would benefit the Rangers in the first round against a team like the Washington Capitals.

If the Rangers had to face the Flyers or Penguins in the first round, their Stanley Cup chances would dramatically drop. While the Rangers may be a very talented team they can't match up with the Penguins offensively. In the playoffs where scoring is lower, if the Rangers fall behind early, their lack of scoring could doom them.

Likewise, facing off against a very physical team like the Flyers could wear the Rangers down for later rounds. The Rangers have had the Flyers' number all year but it would be utterly devastating if a player like Marian Gaborik or Brad Richards was injured during a tough series against a bitter rival.

So while the Rangers may have punched their playoff ticket, the journey is not over yet. The Rangers should try to win as many of their remaining 10 games. If the Rangers can collect seven victories or an additional 14 points, they should be able to wrap up the division.

It won't be easy but if the Rangers can motor on through the rest of the way, they should have an easier road to the later rounds of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Tom Urtz is an NHL Featured Columnist.

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