Let me say this: there could not be a funnier (or more fitting) way for the New York Rangers’ season to end than with Olli Jokinen failing. Jokinen is a symbol of all that is wrong with the team. Sure, I actually liked the idea of Glen Sather trading for Jokinen for a simple reason: his contract is expiring after this season and - if there’s any logic to the Rangers front office - he won’t be back any time soon. Then again, this is the team that gave Bobby Holik a superstar contract. They’re Murphy’s Law with money.
Instead of handing the responsibility to Marian Gaborik (far and away the team’s best offensive player), John Tortorella decided to go with the playoff-deprived Jokinen. To be fair, Gaborik is only 2 for 18 or 11 percent in his career while Jokinen is an impressive 14 for 35 for 40 percent (according to NHL Shootouts.com) so Torts was actually going with the numbers. But sometimes you have to put a big game in the hands of your most talented player. It’s why Sidney Crosby was chosen twice in Team Canada’s shootout and Alex Ovechkin was given three tries in Russia’s.
We can debate the move all day, but I howled with laughter when I saw that Jokinen was the third choice. (Then again, I laughed when P.A. Parentau skated out and he went on to score a funky awesome goal.) Just about all the playoff matches are set but the Flyers still have to await the result of the Buffalo-New Jersey skirmish to find out who their first round opponent will be.
Neither team really impressed me with their efforts, but I think the right teams made the playoffs. Boston and Philadelphia have a better chance of doing damage - or at least putting up a fight - than the Rangers could do. At least that’s how I see it.