" Desperate to make the playoffs, the New York Rangers are beating the bushes trying to find a top-six forward.

While the Rangers would prefer to bring in a centre, league sources told Sun Media yesterday that general manager Glen Sather is so desperate to find help up front, the club has investigated the possibility of acquiring injured Vancouver Canucks winger Pavol Demitra once he gets healthy.

Recovering from shoulder surgery he had in the off-season, Demitra, who can be explosive, might look good on a line with winger Marian Gaborik.

The Rangers started off the season strong, but they've looked so-so lately and the indications are Sather wants to ignite the team.

Gaborik and Demitra are best friends and played together in Minnesota. It just so happens that Demitra, who has a cap hit of $4 million US, will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season .

"They want to do something," a league executive said. "They are talking to everybody right now." "