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Derick Brassard: Root against Rangers, we'll still win Cup

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Derick Brassard makes a bold proclamation on day of trade deadline.Claus Andersen/Getty Images

Derick Brassard makes a bold proclamation on day of trade deadline.

Sunday’s trade for Eric Staal did more for Derick Brassard than demonstrate GM Jeff Gorton believes the Rangers can win the Stanley Cup this spring. Management’s show of confidence prompted the center Brassard to issue a defiant guarantee Monday morning to the Blueshirts’ remaining detractors:

Don’t think we can win the Cup? Pick against us at your own peril.

“I don’t think it’s just Jeff that thinks we have a chance to win,” Brassard said prior to hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Garden. “I think it’s pretty much everyone in here, from the players, the coaches and management. I think we believe that we have another shot for it. We have the same team. All the younger players have one more year of experience in them. It’s basically the same team as last year minus Marty (St. Louis), and now we’ve added with Eric another elite player in this league.

“Eventually when (Rick) Nash is gonna be back and healthy, it’s another guy we’re gonna add to our lineup,” Brassard continued. “We’re already playing with all the best teams right now. So if everyone that follows hockey doesn’t want to put us to win the Stanley Cup, that’s fine like that. We’ll go into the playoffs as underdogs and we’ll make our way all the way there.”

Damn. Mark Messier only guaranteed the Rangers would win Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals in 1994. Brassard is daring doubters not to pick the Blueshirts to win the whole darn thing.

His brash sentiment would put a target on the Rangers’ backs except there was already one there to begin with, and he knows it. There is no acceptable result this year other than a Cup, since Henrik Lundqvist turns 34 Wednesday and the window seemingly is near closed on this core’s championship hopes.

Lundqvist, the star goalie whose prime years have driven Glen Sather and Gorton to make win-now trades the past three deadlines, was also ecstatic to see Staal join the Cup chase.

“Everybody feels really great about it,” Lundqvist told the Daily News before a night off as Antti Raanta’s backup. “It’s exciting to get a player with a routine, experience, also the way he plays the game. I really like the way he plays the game.

“He can play a tough game, he’s a smart player,” the King continued. “We’ve faced each other a lot over these 10-to-11 years. It’s fun for (brother) Marc (Staal) and him to play together, and he has size. As games get more physical and more important size is never a bad thing. He can use it at net front, around the boards.”

Coach Alain Vigneault even said he considered a response from Rangers management crucial after other contenders such as the Chicago Blackhawks loaded up prior to Monday’s 3 p.m. deadline.

“With what’s happened in the league, Chicago, etc., I think it was important to send a message to our group that we believe in them and that we have faith in them,” the coach said. “And I think that’s the message that management and the coaching staff are sending them.”

Brassard received the message. Loud and clear.

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