The New York Rangers have two clear goals this season: to keep improving and return to the playoffs after a two-year absence.

The addition of forwards Artemi Panarin and Kaapo Kakko, and defenseman Jacob Trouba this summer helped accelerate the team's rebuild, and now the Rangers believe they are ready to take the next step in the second year under coach David Quinn.

"We want to make the playoffs," Quinn said Friday at the team's practice facility in Greenburgh, New York, `Obviously it's something we want to accomplish. The moves we made over the summer are just a continuation of what we've been doing over the last 16, 17 months. Within the walls of our locker room and the walls of this building, we feel good about the direction we're going in and we're going to continue to get better daily."