This is it. All the wins and points the Rangers racked up during a record-breaking season come down to the playoffs. They won the President’s Trophy to warn home ice for as long as they play this spring.

The 55 victories and league-leading 114 points are outstanding achievements earned over the 82-game schedule. Now, it’s all about the postseason. It’s been nine years since they had the best record. That was in 2014-15.

The names have changed. Gone are Lundqvist, Staal, Girardi, McDonagh, Stepan, Brassard, Nash, St. Louis, Zuccarello, Hagelin, Hayes, Miller, and Moore. They’ve been replaced by Shesterkin, Panarin, Fox, Lindgren, Miller Trouba, Schneider, Kreider, Zibanejad, Trocheck, Lafreniere, Kakko, Wennberg, Cuylle, Goodrow, and Vesey.

It’s a different cast of Blueshirts. Unlike a decade ago, when that team came off a Stanley Cup Final during a great era, this roster is a mix of experience and youth. Most of the core were part of the run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022. Following last year’s disappointment, they showed plenty of mental fortitude under the direction of coach Peter Laviolette. Are they motivated enough to make 2024 one for the memory books?

It’s been 30 years since the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. That is the goal. The greatest leader in NHL history will be keeping a close eye on his former team while giving his insights in the studio on ESPN/ABC. You better believe Mark Messier has a rooting interest in seeing the Rangers win the franchise’s fifth championship.

How will this chapter end? In recent years, they’ve been close. Four Conference Finals and one Stanley Cup Finals. Is this the year they erase another long drought? The city is hoping so. Maybe it can be a trip down the Canyon of Heroes.

First up is the Capitals. A familiar opponent who still features the game’s greatest goalscorer. Alexander Ovechkin is the best finisher that’s ever existed. Look at the era he’s done it in. Pretty soon, he’ll pass Gretzky and own a once thought unbreakable record. He’s been through the playoff grind, leading the Caps to their only Cup. Similar to the past, they’ll have to go through the Great 8. An all-time great should never be underestimated.

Here’s how they match up.

(W2) Washington Capitals vs. (1) New York Rangers

FORWARDS: The Capitals feature Ovechkin (31 goals), Dylan Strome, Tom Wilson, T.J. Oshie, Sonny Milano, Max Pacioretty, and Nic Dowd. With the exception of leading scorer Strome (27-40-67) and Milano, those are the experienced vets who will look to make it a meat and potato style that coach Spencer Carberry prefers. Wilson can cause chaos with his tenacity. Oshie has scored in the clutch before. Pacioretty is the wildcard. He only played in 47 games and had four goals. Dowd is a solid checking forward who gets his nose dirty.

The younger Caps to watch include 18-goal man Connor McMichael, who became a favorite under Carberry. Hendrix Lapierre, Aliaksei Protas, and Beck Malenstyn are part of the next wave.

After trading Anthony Mantha, Washington had only two players score over 20 goals.

The Rangers are led by Artemi Panarin (49 goals, 71 assists, 120 points). In a perfect world, he’d be in the Hart conversation. You could make the case that nobody was more valuable to their team than the Bread Man. His line with Vincent Trocheck (career best 77 points) and Alexis Lafreniere (career high 28 goals) has been the focal point. They’ll need support from Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider (39 goals, including 18 power-play goals). Jack Roslovic is being counted on to provide some offense on the Zibanejad line.

The bottom six has some more grind to it. Alex Wennberg has been a good addition, providing a capable two-way pivot who’s effective on the forecheck with Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko. They’re gonna be a key to the team’s chances. It looks like Laviolette will start Game 1 on Sunday with a checking line of Barclay Goodrow, Jimmy Vesey, and Matt Rempe. If Rempe’s in, he must stay disciplined. Wilson will try to get under his skin.

Jonny Brodzinski is a better skater who can add more offense to the Goodrow unit. Depending on how things go, Laviolette will adjust accordingly.

Filip Chytil has been practicing with the team. Nobody knows what his status is. The Rangers have been very quiet about when he could return. Do they want to risk bringing him back too soon? The Caps might be the wrong opponent.

Edge: Rangers

DEFENSEMEN: The Capitals are anchored by John Carlson. A staple for over a decade on the blue line, Carlson remains a consistent force. He averaged nearly 26 minutes a game while pacing the Caps with 52 points (10-42-52). He quarterbacks the power play. Carlson has an accurate shot that must be paid attention to.

Rasmus Sandin has become a key player on the back end. Acquired last year for Erik Gustafsson, he’s counted on to play important minutes. Both Sandin and Nick Jensen practiced in no-contact jerseys earlier this morning. That probably indicates that they should be ready for Game 1.

Martin Fehervary is another young defenseman who the Caps count on. A rugged player who likes to finish checks, he isn’t shy about mixing it up.

Trevor van Riemsdyk is a veteran presence. Alexander Alexeyev is a former 2018 first round pick who played a bit more down the stretch. Depending on the statuses of Jensen and Sandin, Vincent Iorio and Dylan McIlrath are options.

The Rangers are led by Adam Fox. One of the game’s best defensemen, he posted a career best 17 goals to go with 56 assists and 73 points in 72 games. An outstanding player who can impact the game at both even strength and the power play, Fox is the focal point of the blue line. He drives play.

Partner Ryan Lindgren is a warrior who will do anything to win games. If they need a big hit or block, Lindgren provides it. He is crucial to the team’s success.

With captain Jacob Trouba struggling after returning from an injury, Laviolette rearranged his second and third defensive pairs. Trouba will start the series with Gustafsson on the third pair while K’Andre Miller partners with Braden Schneider on the second pair. If Miller and Schneider can carry over their strong play into the postseason, that should bode well.

Trouba likes to throw his weight around. He plays an honest game that hinges on physicality. He paced all Rangers’ defensemen in hits (191) and blocks (183). He must pick his spots. He’ll also need to make good reads in his zone. An area he had issues with.

Gustafsson is a good skating defenseman who can contribute offensively. He’ll look to pinch when the opportunity is there. He also plays on the second power play. If there’s a concern, it’s his penchant for turnovers and blown coverages.

Zac Jones proved he could fill in admirably without the glaring mistakes. If Gustafsson struggles, Jones could replace him.

Edge: Rangers

GOALIES: The Capitals will go with Charlie Lindgren. Once an afterthought, he’s become a good starter. He tied for the league lead with six shutouts.

An unorthodox goalie who catches with the opposite hand, Lindgren makes it tough on shooters. He posted a 2-1 record, 1.35 goals-against-average (GAA), and .955 save percentage in three starts versus the Rangers this season. Lindgren will be facing younger brother Ryan in the series.

Darcy Kuemper is the backup. No stranger to the postseason, he won a Cup with the Avalanche.

The Rangers will go as far as Igor Shesterkin takes them. One of the game’s premier goalies, the 28-year-old had a great second half to finish the season with 36 wins, a 2.58 GAA, .911 save percentage, and four shutouts.

Shesterkin went 2-1 with a 2.00 GAA and .926 save percentage versus the Caps during the season. After the All-Star break, he won 17 games while posting a 2.20 GAA and .929 save percentage. All of his shutouts came during that three month stretch.

Jonathan Quick is the proven backup with a championship pedigree. He had a great season finishing with 18 wins, including passing Ryan Miller to become the all-time winningest American-born netminder in NHL history.

Edge: Rangers

COACHES: The Capitals are coached by Spencer Carberry. He’s done a good job in his first year behind the bench. Despite the Caps subtracting Mantha, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Joel Edmundson, he managed to guide them to the playoffs.

Carberry hasn’t been hesitant to give his younger players key roles. That’s allowed them to grow. It’ll be an interesting matchup against former Capitals coach Peter Laviolette.

Laviolette’s done a tremendous job in his first season behind the Rangers bench. Nobody could’ve predicted that they’d finish first overall with the best record.

A proven coach who won the Cup with the Hurricanes, he’s taken three different teams to the Stanley Cup Finals. Can he do it again in the Big Apple? The pressure will be immense.

Laviolette has pushed all the right buttons so far. He allowed Panarin to be himself and double shifted him when it was necessary. Panarin’s played with more determination. Laviolette likes to use the Goodrow line to match up against opponents’ top scoring lines. It’ll be interesting to see which defensive pair draws the assignment against Ovechkin. Perhaps Miller and Schneider will take turns with Lindgren and Fox.

Edge: Rangers

SPECIAL TEAMS: If there’s a big difference between the Capitals and Rangers, it’s on special teams. The Rangers had the third ranked power play (26.4) while the Caps ranked 18th (20.6).

It’s been the Rangers’ top unit that’s made a difference by scoring huge goals. With the exception of Kreider, who is masterful at tipping in shots, the rest of it is all right-handed. Fox, Panarin, and Zibanejad all move the puck with precision. Trocheck can set up in the slot. Panarin’s been more of a shooter, making it tough on opponents. Zibanejad can load up his one-timer in the left circle.

The Caps still feature Ovechkin in his office. Carlson is at the top. It doesn’t take an expert to figure out who the primary shooters are. Wilson cleans up in front. Oshie had seven of his dozen goals on the power play. Strome can set up and score on it.

The Rangers also placed third on the penalty kill with an 84.5 success rate. They’re aggressive and apply pressure. With dangerous forwards Zibanejad and Kreider, who can quickly transition in the opposite direction, they scored eight shorthanded goals. Zibanejad and Kreider each had a pair to lead the team.

The Capitals were 19th on the penalty kill at 79.0 percent. They scored three shorthanded goals. Wilson led them with two. They’ll need to block a lot of shots and take away the Rangers’ time and space.

Edge: Rangers

INTANGIBLES: The Rangers are a confident team that believes in each other. They had 28 comeback wins, which led the league. Getting off to better starts should be a point of emphasis. They’ll certainly be under the spotlight.

The Capitals defied the odds to make it here. They had a minus-37 goal differential. It didn’t matter. They won when it counted. They’re playing with house money. There’s enough experience in the room for the younger players to lean on.

Edge: Even

Analysis: The Rangers are the faster team with more skill and better depth. They’ll look to exploit that edge by using their speed to attack the Capitals. The Caps want to slow things down. They’ll look to clog the neutral zone and make it tough on the Rangers. It’s a contrast in styles.

The Rangers should get tested at five-on-five. If they want to have success, they’re going to need to be better at scoring goals at full strength. In the playoffs, things tighten up. They’ll have to be patient and make smart decisions with the puck.

Although the Capitals are battle tested, it’s hard to see them being able to keep up.

PREDICTION: Rangers in 5