Henrik Lundqvist
Associated Press/Getty Images

It’s a warm Saturday June evening here in New York. Somewhere else, they’re playing Game 5 of the Stanley Cup. I know what the series is at but it just doesn’t matter. I have no juice.

The Rangers should still be playing hockey. Instead, their season ended 13 days ago with a stinker that is hard to comprehend. I was reminded of that at the gym from a passionate Blueshirts fan who vented his frustration. Of course, I knew he’d mention trading Rick Nash to which I just sat there and shook my head. I understood.

I listened to him rant about how they didn’t show up for Game 7. Don’t tell that to any of the players who wear the jersey. They’re the ones who sacrificed. We aren’t professional athletes and shouldn’t pretend to be. A look at the injuries some of those players had and there’s not a doubt that they gave all they had. Even if it didn’t look like it. Getting shutout at home leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. How do you think they feel?

Let’s be perfectly honest. It sucks. Anyone still watching the Stanley Cup Final can’t say with a straight face that they’re enjoying it. I could care less. I refuse to talk about it. It’s just too hard. There’s only so much one can take. I’ve seen plenty of bitter fans on Twitter who don’t want to see our former players win the trophy. I can understand that to a point but those guys were good players here who were part of last year’s run. If they win, so be it. Good for them. It doesn’t matter.

I have a buddy who is a fan of the Lightning. So, he’s very excited and should be. I am friendly with a few Blackhawks fans on social media. For them, they can enjoy this. Their teams are still fighting for the greatest trophy in sports. No disrespect to any of the other major sports. But there’s only one Cup.

It wasn’t supposed to end this way. After a great run last year with the franchise’s first trip to the Stanley Cup Final since 1994, they had their eyes on the ultimate prize. A President’s Trophy gave them home ice. Nobody cared that they set franchise marks in wins and points. It still came down to the playoffs. They were expected to get it done. Even if they were pushed by the Penguins and had to dig deep against the Capitals just to make the Final Four. Their third appearance over the last four years.

Ultimately, they fell short. In what amounted to a Jekyll & Hyde Conference Final, the Rangers played better on the road winning the last two games of the series by outscoring the Lightning 10-4 including a wild and crazy 7-3 win in Game 6 sending it back to MSG for Game 7. A place they’d never lost. But for some reason, they didn’t play well at home dropping the final two games by identical 2-0 scores. It was Tampa that beat them with defense and opportunistic enough to bury their chances even if it came on Henrik Lundqvist in the third period.

It still hurts because it should. It is a empty feeling in June. Sure. We can put on brave faces and still flash that occasional smile letting our friends know everything is okay. We all have our lives to live and work or go to school and hangout. You have to put your best foot forward and move on. But here’s the thing. It still doesn’t take away the sting.

Losing sucks. As sports fans, this is what we signed up for. Especially if you bleed Rangers blue. I’m true blue and have sat in the famed Blue Seats for two decades. Even if it’s not the same due to the renovation, I wouldn’t trade our seats in 419 for anywhere else in the building. Nothing beats the atmosphere. Sitting in our section is like a classic episode of Cheers. “Where everybody knows your name… And they’re always glad you came.”

That’s what it means to be a fan of the Blueshirts. We can all identify with the extreme level of anxiety they give us. The excitement along with the heartache and anguish. One Stanley Cup over the last 75 years will do that. However, I can at least say I saw them win that Cup. There are many older generation who ‘died in peace’ following captain Mark Messier lifting the Cup and celebrating with Conn Smythe winner Brian Leetch, Mike Richter, Adam Graves, etc. In ’94, they partied like it was 1999.

We went to the parade. Still fresh are the “Let’s Go Rangers” chants the Staten Island Ferry. From walking around on a sticky hot 90 degree day just to cheer our heroes. We were the lucky ones. We just didn’t realize it. When your team wins, you always feel they can repeat and have more success like the Yankees. It never happened. Instead, Messier and Wayne Gretzky teamed up with Leetch, Graves and Richter for one more run before getting out-muscled literally by the Legion Of Doom. Who knew at that time that it would be the last taste of playoff hockey for almost a decade?

True enough, the last decade has treated us well. The Lundqvist Era has seen the rebirth of the franchise. The Rangers have made the postseason nine of the past 10 years. We’ve gone from being the underdogs supporting Hart snub Jaromir Jagr to becoming one of the NHL’s best teams. Mostly due to Lundqvist who continues to carry them. Unfortunately, even with improved skill level, he hasn’t gotten enough support. Getting blanked in Games 5 and 7 on home ice is about as despicable as it gets. There are a few expletives I’ll leave out.

Is the window closed? Something the frustrated guy at the gym seemed to think. I don’t know. It largely depends on how much Lundqvist and a core of Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal have left. Especially King Henrik, Danny G and Staal because they’re getting older. As we discovered, the top three defensemen all played through significant injuries. That is why it’s so difficult. You have to get lucky. The 2014 Blueshirts were.

The positive is Derek Stepan, Derick Brassard, Carl Hagelin, Chris Kreider, J.T. Miller, Kevin Hayes and Jesper Fast are all young enough with the latter four capable of improvement. Particularly Kreider who if he can untap his potential, 30 goals and 60 points are possible. I believe he can max out at 70. Miller and Hayes are breakout candidates with each in the top nine.

Mats Zuccarello is expected to make a full recovery. He’s even playing in a charity game in his home country Norway. Amazing. Hopefully, Zuccarello will still be a big part of the Rangers’ chances. They sorely missed his unique blend of skill and grit. Signed for four more years at a bargain $18 million, Zuccarello is irreplaceable. Keep your fingers crossed.

It’s hard to predict the future. I won’t. I don’t have anyone traded. I hate projecting ahead. Even if some want Nash gone. Do you actually believe they’re a better team without that production? He wasn’t consistent in the postseason but at least showed capable of some big games. The Rangers aren’t a juggernaut. It’s harder to score goals in the Spring. They could use another big body that crashes the net. Given the current state of the cap, it probably must come from Kreider and Miller.

As for Keith Yandle and Dan Boyle, both should return. Yandle a bargain with the troubled Coyotes picking up half the tab for the offensive defenseman, Boyle with a year left after performing better in the postseason despite the criticism. What about moving Kevin Klein? Unlikely. If the rumor about the Oilers considering trading their 16th overall pick for Cam Talbot has legs, it’s a deal they have to make. Even if I hate to worry about who the backup will be.

So many thoughts about the offseason and it’s not officially summer yet. In a perfect world, we would be at The Garden tonight rocking the house supporting our boys. Instead, it’s crickets. On the sad one-year anniversary of the Kings ending the Rangers’ run, it’s more melancholy. We wonder what could’ve been. Why us? Because if you root for this team, they break your heart.

I hope one day the younger generation who missed out on the ’94 fun can finally celebrate a Cup. It better come soon.