Perhaps one day this current stretch, or this season, will represent a changing of the guard within the Rangers.

Underneath all the talk of championship windows, underperforming star players with no-move clauses and no-trade lists and a Stanley Cup drought into its fourth decade, the young core of players has quietly been marinating in supporting roles that are now begging to be expanded.

Not just out of a want for the pool of organizationally grown talent to take the next step, but a need amid a stretch of play that has indicated a shake-up may be overdue.

The way the Rangers are constructed, however, can make the distribution of ice time difficult to navigate.