...despite the Rangers handling the Flyers fairly easily these last two years and Philly not likely playoff bound, the Blueshirts better be ready for an intense game in the City of Brotherly Love. Assuming the Flyers would love nothing better than to do their part to keep the Rangers out of the playoffs. This is basically their Super Bowl.

Here's the players on the Flyers...

Bruce Garrioch at the Ottawa Sun reports that while former Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke keeps surfacing as a possible replacement with the Dallas Stars, he's also been linked to the Rangers if Glen Sather steps aside.

...not a big fan of this at all. While Burke had success in Vancouver and Anaheim, his time in Toronto was a disaster.

We New Yorkers normally don't root for Bostonians, but after yesterday's horrific events at the Boston Marathon, I think it's safe to say that we're all praying for Bean Town right now.

In what could have been another tragedy for the New York Rangers organization, Dylan McIlrath was in Boston to checkout the race...

Wow scary moment. Was walking towards Boston marathon finish line. 10mins away from where bomb went off

— Dylan McIlrath (@dylan_mcilrath) April 15, 2013

McIlrath discussed the eerie scene with Pat Leonard at the Daily News.

...frightening. Crazy to think that if he left 10 minutes earlier his life could have been altered permanently.

...after dealing with the recent deaths of Cherepanov and Boogaard, another tragedy to the Rangers family would have been unfair.

Massachusetts native Brian Boyle had this message for all of us...

Bergen Record - Gross: Rangers have pieces in place for postseason run

New York Post - Resting Henrik may not be winning move

Daily News - More playing time awaits Rangers' Brassard

New York Times - Rangers Pin Hopes on Goalie Henrik Lundqvist

Newsday - Rangers' Brassard has high expectations for himself

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Andrew Gross at the Bergen Record reports on two lines changes at practice today...

Nash-Stepan-Callahan
Hagelin-Richards-Boyle
Clowe-Brassard-Zuccarello
Pyatt-Powe-Asham

...can cannot for the life of me figure out why Torts likes Richards and Boyle on a line together. Hagelin is going to enter the opponent's zone with the puck and neither of these two will have gained the red line yet.

...having said that, the Brassard line is interesting. Good mix of speed, creativity and physicality.

This morning I posted that Derek Dorsett was going to begin skating this week and I guess this week meant today as he skated for the first time since joining the Rangers.

After practice, John Tortorella discussed his goaltending plan for the final seven games...

For the second straight day Dylan McIlrath threw down with an opposing player. Last night it was against Dalton Smith of Springfield...

...don't get me wrong, I love me some McIlrath poundings and can't wait to see him bring the pain in the NHL, but after everything we know and witnessed with Boogaard at what point is it too much? I feel like everytime I look at a CT Whale box score I see a fighting major for McIlrath.

...now, I don't know how much of this is his fault. He's a rookie in the AHL with a reputation of being a brawler. So I'm assuming every AHL enforcer is testing him out. And there's no way he's backing down. But I would really hate to see his career declining before it even starts because of the constant punches to the head he's taking.

Steve Zipay at Newsday reports that the one guy from the Marian Gaborik trade we haven't seen, Derek Dorsett, will begin skating this week.

Zipay adds that x-rays on Dorsett's broken clavicle indicate that it's healing well.

Here's Dorsett...

"I've got all this built-up energy and not being able to make an impact here is tough. I missed a few weeks with a concussion my first year and had some broken hands, but I've never been out this long."

Zipay adds that Dorsett is a cross between Brandon Prust and Sean Avery, with a reputation for never taking a shift off.

Dorsett is signed till 2015 at $1.5 million per and set career-highs in goals with 12.

...a cross between Avery & Prust? I love this guy already. If he can come even close to that comparison, I think we'll be seeing a ton of Dorsett jerseys walking around MSG real soon.

I have posted numerous videos of Dylan McIlrath going toe-to-toe with an opponent, but last night's tilt vs. Zack Fitzgerald during the Whale's 4-3 loss to the Adirondack Phantoms (Flyers AHL affiliate) might have topped them all...

...now that was a heavyweight battle. Absolute bombs being thrown by both of those guys. I cannot wait till McIlrath is doing that against real Flyer players at the NHL level.

...and how about the typical dirty Flyer move by Fitzgerald cheap shotting McIlrath when the fight was over. Philadelphia typical.

And apparently Stu Bickel didn't want to be outdone because later in the game he did this...

On paper, the Rangers remaining schedule sets up real nice for them to pick up a bunch of points in the final two weeks of the regular season as they won't face a playoff team in their final seven games...

4/16 - @ Flyers

4/18 - vs. Panthers

4/19 - @ Sabres

4/21 - vs. Devils

4/23 - @ Panthers

4/25 - @ Hurricanes

4/27 - vs. Devils

The combined record of these five opponents are 79-100-27.

The Rangers are a combined 7-4-0 vs. their remaining opponents.

...i'm not foolish enough to declare the Rangers a lock for the playoffs based on their remaining schedule. Especially with two games against the Devils, who need to beat the Rangers both times to have any chance of making the playoffs, as well as two against a Panthers team that took it to the Rangers last month and one against the rival Flyers who would love to ruin the Blueshirts season.

Not only did Derick Brassard have a ridiculous saucer pass to Dan Girardi to setup the overtime winner, he almost jumped over the boards when he celebrated...

Here's Brassard after the game (via Blueshirts United)...