Rangers, Islanders Getting Ready For Unique Playoff Experience
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Rangers and Islanders are getting set for a unique playoff experience.
The Rangers are one of the teams that will play in the NHL's 24-team Stanley Cup playoff when play resumes, but their prized 19-year-old rookie Kaapo Kakko may not be able to participate because he has type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, which could make him more vulnerable to serious illness during the coronavirus pandemic.
"If he can play, he's going to play, and I'm sure he's going to want to play. But we listen to the science, we listen to the medical people, they're going to tell us what to do," said Rangers President John Davidson.
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The Islanders will be the seventh seed in the east and will face Florida.
There are plenty of other teams that are upset that the regular season was cancelled and only 24 teams qualified.
CBS2's Otis Livingston spoke to the Islanders' Anders Lee about how the final playoff format came about.
"Based on teams that are close to making the playoffs that had an opportunity in the last 13, 15 games, and you know, not everyone's gonna be happy, but there's a lot of give and take here," Lee said, "and I think it really offers the most opportunity for everyone involved to make a run at this and do it in the best way possible while keeping the integrity of handing out the Stanley Cup."