Tonight, the Rangers take on the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden to conclude their home-and-home series. The two teams met at the Wachovia Center on Saturday, the Rangers emerging victorious in a scintillating 13-round shootout on a goal by Marcel Hossa. Just as was the case last season, the two teams are quite close in ability, but while the Rangers are moving in a positive direction, the Flyers appear to be going through a liminal period, caught in limbo between their unfulfilling past and their promising future.

Last year at this time, the Flyers were considered a bona fide Cup contender, in no small part due to the free agent acquisitions of Peter Forsberg, Derian Hatcher, and to a lesser extent, Mike Knuble. But the veterans were only part of the story for the Flyers, who were also integrating a number of heralded prospects into their lineup. Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Joni Pitkanen, and Antero Niittymaki were (and are still) expected to develop into excellent NHLers, and the Flyers appeared to be a team well constructed for both the present and the future.

The Rangers, on the other hand, were considered a “work in progress,” finally engaging in a long overdue rebuilding effort and not expected to emerge as contenders for at least another season or two. Their lineup boasted one of the NHL’s foremost offensive talents in Jaromir Jagr, but the supporting cast — a hodge-podge of youngsters and second-tier veterans — did not give reason for any hope that the Rangers’ playoffless streak would come to an end.

But as it turned out, Rangers GM Glen Sather constructed a team that was at least as well suited to the NHL’s new rules as was the Flyers. The Blueshirts were one of the best teams in the NHL for most of the 2005–06 season, before a rash of injuries and a redhot Devils team eliminated them from Cup contention.

While that first round ouster was certainly disappointing, it was clear that the Rangers had finally emerged from the doldrums that had plagued them for almost a decade. Meanwhile, the Flyers were bounced from the playoffs in the first round as well, with much bigger hopes dashed in the process.

When looking for a reason as to why the Rangers appear to have a much brighter future, one need look no further than the teams’ handling of their young goaltenders.

While Jaromir Jagr was certainly the most recognizable face on last year’s Rangers team, it could fairly be argued that their turnaround was as attributable to the stellar play of rookie goaltender Henrik Lundqvist as it was to Jagr. The young Swede, a finalist for the Vezina Trophy (best goaltender), put together an absolutely spectacular season.

To their credit, the Rangers never rushed Lundqvist. It took nearly half the season before he was anointed the official starter, and when he went down with a hip injury following the Olympic break, netminding duties were delegated to backup Kevin Weekes without reservation. While last season’s playoff appearance was a pleasant surprise for a team still in the early stages of rebuilding, it was clear the Rangers weren’t going to bet the house and risk the long-term health of their franchise netminder.

Meanwhile, the Flyers find themselves again in the midst of a goaltending controversy, this one surrounding the treatment — or non-treatment — of netminder Antero Niittymaki’s hip injury. Just over one week before the Flyers’ season opener, Niittymaki suffered a torn labrum, an injury that will require surgery for full recovery.

Rather than send Niittymaki in for surgery immediately, with a return in the second half a distinct possibility, the Flyers chose instead to prolong the inevitable. Their franchise netminder was given a cortisone shot, in the hopes that he might be able to battle through the injury and wait until the off-season for the needed surgery.

By choosing this course of action, the Flyers, who have seemingly had a different starting goaltender every season, are doing both Niittymaki and back-up netminder Robert Esche a huge disservice. Niittymaki will have the injury in the back of his mind all season long, knowing that he might not make it through the season, and Esche now knows that the Flyers have little or no confidence in his ability to carry them through Niittymaki’s injury.

While the new NHL certainly prioritizes offense, there is no doubt that topnotch goalies are still going to be difference-makers. Judging from his strong performances for the Calder Cup-winning Philadelphia Phantoms (2005 AHL Champions), the silver medal-winning Finnish Olympic Team (2006) and for the Flyers last season, Niittymaki has the potential to be the best goalie to strap on the pads in Philadelphia since Pelle Lindbergh.

It’s understandable why the Flyers have been tempted to employ a “win now” attitude. Forsberg is still one of the NHL’s finest players, and their window of opportunity to take advantage of his skills may close when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next spring.But with Forsberg’s worrisome injury history, there is little justification for the Flyers to depend upon him — and build around him — as they are currently doing.

The Flyers’ poorly chosen course of action is also having an impact elsewhere in the lineup. Carter, one of the team’s most promising youngsters, is a natural center, projected to develop into a Mats Sundin-like player. But rather than moving Forsberg or fellow veteran Petr Nedved to the wing — both have been quite effective doing so in the past, Nedved in fact having his best season as a left wing with Pittsburgh — the Flyers have instead relocated Carter, a maneuver that will only serve to stunt his development.

In sharp contrast, the Rangers have decided to take a long view with regard to top prospect Marc Staal. Rather than rush the young defenseman to the NHL, where he could certainly be a valuable contributor on the third defense unit, they have instead reassigned him to his junior team (the Sudbury Wolves) for another year of seasoning.

In the long term, the Blueshirts will have done themselves a great service. The current CBA grants players unrestricted free agency at age 27 or after seven years’ NHL service, whichever comes first.By delaying Staal’s NHL debut until next season — when he’ll be 20 years old — the Rangers have ensured that they’ll be able to maintain his rights until he turns 27. There’s little doubt whatsoever that Staal will be far better at age 27 than he would have been this season, at 19.

The subtleties of the CBA — and the strategic decision-making needed with regard to talented youngsters — will ultimately play a huge role in a teams’ success in the salary cap-driven NHL. Thus far, it appears that the Rangers are doing a much better job than the Flyers, both with respect to cap management and prospect development.

Mr.Greenstein is the editor in chief of InsideHockey.com.