Maybe it would be the same.

Maybe the Rangers would be preparing for the second round of the playoffs if John Davidson was still in place as team president and Jeff Gorton was still the general manager.

Maybe the hierarchy would have addressed the issues of toughness and mental fortitude that hung over last season’s squad. Maybe they would have made it a priority to correct the homogeneous nature of the roster.

We did not get the chance to find out whether David Quinn would have returned behind the bench, but the guess here is no. To avoid lame-duck status entering the final year of his contract, Quinn would have needed an extension. It seems unlikely that would have been forthcoming.