The trend is pretty good for the Rangers, 3-1-3 in their last seven coming into the Garden for tonight’s opener of a home-and-home against the Maple Leafs that concludes on Tuesday.

They’re the fifth and sixth games of 15 straight the Blueshirts play within the East, with every single one between now and Boxing Day against competitors for a playoff berth. By the time the Rangers get to Phoenix on Dec. 29, we’ll all know a whole lot more about this team’s prospects.

By that time, we might even know what the Rangers plan for Eric Lindros, who has been utilized as a utility player in the week since his return from the eye injury that sidelined him for four games, plugging holes wherever they might arise. The left wing with whom he originally was supposed to play, Martin Rucinsky, is now ensconced on Bobby Holik’s line. And the right-wing position on that unit Lindros manned for three games prior to suffering the Nov. 12 scratched cornea now belongs to Alex Kovalev.

Lindros last week played three games centering the fourth line in the place of Jamie Lundmark, who was relegated to the stands. He played the one in Pittsburgh on Friday as Petr Nedved’s right wing in place of Anson Carter, who was out with a wrist injury. Carter took part in yesterday’s optional; if he plays, Lindros is likely to move back to the middle of the fourth line. With the Mark Messier-Chris Simon-Matt Barnaby combination firmly entrenched as the team’s third line, is that to be No. 88’s fate for the foreseeable future – to bounce around the lineup? It surely seems that way.

And what in the world becomes of Lindros once Jaromir Jagr is added to the mix? No doubt that when – OK, until it’s actually done, if – Jagr gets to Broadway, No. 68 will immediately assume the position on Nedved’s right. No doubt that Kovalev and Jagr will eat right wing minutes in super-sized portions. What would this hold for Carter? What would this mean for Lindros? You can be sure that this subject matter will be covered comprehensively when Glen Sather chairs a meeting of the organization’s hockey department tomorrow and Tuesday in Toronto.

It always takes Lindros a while to discover his hands and timing upon returning from injuries. It’s a more arduous challenge this time around, given the way he’s been moved around, given the relatively low minutes he’s received, averaging 13:30 a game since his return. Lindros, who has scored two goals going to the net, is getting reasonable first power-play time, but he likely needs more ice time than that to function anywhere close to the max. At the moment, barring surprises or injuries, it’s difficult to conceive of an immediate scenario under which he’ll get additional minutes, especially since he isn’t used to kill penalties.

Lindros hasn’t complained or questioned his role. This isn’t the time or place – if it ever is – for whining in the room from anyone, not with the team making progress, not with the run of four-pointers at hand. Indeed, Lindros has said he’d play whatever role he’s assigned by Sather, who has not yet articulated what he perceives as Lindros’ ultimate assignment.

It sure is an interesting subplot to what is becoming an interesting season.