Here are today’s news and links:

Rangers News:

• Larry Brooks offers his thoughts on the Marc Staal trade and how it affects the Rangers’ offseason plans (NY Post)
• Brooks also confirms that as has been heavily speculated, the Blueshirts will buy out the final year of Henrik Lundqvist’s contract today (NY Post)
• Dave Blezow breaks down the numbers behind Lundqvist’s career (NY Post)
• Vincent Mercogliano gives us a sneak preview of likely #1 overall selection Alexis Lafreniere (LoHud)
• Brendan Azoff makes some suggestions on how the team can fix their abhorrent team defense from this past season (The Hockey Writers)
• Steve Paulus writes that even though Lundqvist’s time on Broadway is over, Alexander Georgiev is here for the long haul (Blue Line Station)
• Paulus also discusses how the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Stanley Cup victory is yet another reminder that the Rangers were on the losing end of the Ryan McDonagh trade (Blue Line Station)
• Scott Esposito reminisces on the brief Blueshirts’ career of Dan Blackburn (Blue Line Station)
• Rick Carpiniello believe$ that in $pite of the le$$ than ideal parting of way$ with the team, Henrik Lundqvi$t’$ legacy ha$ been secured (The Athletic)/

Around the NHL:

• Justin Bourne lists five things to take away from the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs (Sportsnet)
• Frank Seravalli relays word that the league has discussed the possibility of using hub cities with limited in-person attendance at the onset of the 2020-21 regular season (TSN)
• Adam Gretz details why the Lightning are well positioned to continue their run of dominance that has been ongoing since the mid-2010’s (NBC Sports)/