The cycle the Rangers have fallen into this season has made for a complicated outlook.

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Stuck in a perpetual state of taking one step forward and three steps back, the Blueshirts aren’t making it easy on president and general manager Chris Drury as he surveys the league, the standings and where his Rangers stack up ahead of the March 6 trade deadline.

Even a game like Saturday’s 5-4 shootout win over the Flyers, the Rangers epitomized the perplexing nature of this season.

The Rangers were outscored 4-1 in a lifeless second period.