Henrik Lundqvist Issues Powerful and Emotional Warning to the Rangers Locker Room

The Rangers were expected to easily make the playoffs this year but they were never able to recover from a slow start to the season.

While the team is not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention just yet, their odds continue to get slimmer as they drop critical games.

Yesterday that trend continued when they lost 5-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

There is plenty of blame to go around in New York from team management to the players themselves, but head coach Peter Laviolette may end up facing the brunt of it.

Regardless of who is to blame though, one thing remains clear, making the playoffs this year is increasingly becoming a fantasy.

With the loss yesterday, the team moves to 36-34-7 with 79 points on the season, six points back of the Canadiens with just five games left on the schedule.

As a a result, not only would the team need to go on a serious heater to close out the season, but they would need Montreal to get cold in order to catch them.

Even if Montreal were only to win two of their remaining five games, the Rangers would have to win all five to tie them.

After yesterday's game Rangers legend turned analyst Henrik Lundqvist effectively called it quits, telling the players they should prioritize the time they have left together, because the team won't be the same going into next season.

Hopefully next year the Rangers can get back on track and back into a playoff position but for now it certainly feels like the players have already started preparing to hit the golf courses.