This will be a big year for the New York Rangers.
Then again, we’ve all been saying that for roughly six seasons now.
The New York Rangers made it to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, but fell in six games to the Ottawa Senators. Expectations were high, and many picked them as favorites in the series. Their inability to hold onto leads and questionable defensive deployment proved to be their downfall.
Their response? Overhaul the defense, get faster, and come back ready to compete in what will be the toughest division in the National Hockey League.
Once more, the Rangers have their sights set on just one thing: the Stanley Cup.
Notable additions: Kevin Shattenkirk (free agent, Defense), Filip Chytil (Draft, 20th overall, Center), David Desharnais (FA, Center), Tony DeAngelo (trade with Arizona, Defense), Ondrej Pavelec (FA, Goaltender), Andrew Desjardins (PTO, Forward)
Notable subtractions: Derek Stepan (trade, Center), Antti Raanta (trade, Goaltender), Dan Girardi (buyout, Defense), Kevin Klein (retired, Defense), Oscar Lindberg (expansion draft, Center), Tanner Glass (FA, Winger)
Injuries: Jesper Fast (hip, estimated one month recovery)
Best-Case Scenario: The Rangers’ speed lifts them to home ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Washington’s roster has taken a hit, the Flyers and Islanders are not ready to compete yet, and the Blue Jackets do not go on a crazy long win streak. Kevin Shattenkirk is one of the best powerplay defensemen in the league. Henrik Lundqvist bounces back in a big way.
New York dodges Pittsburgh in the first round and gets prepped for a run at the Stanley Cup, one of their few remaining with Henrik Lundqvist.
The team somehow finds a way to part with Marc Staal.
Worst-Case Scenario: The team underperforms out of the gate. Floating on the outside of the playoff picture in December, Alain Vigneault is relieved of his coaching duties. Lindy Ruff grabs the helm. The team may go on a reactionary hot streak and barely stagger into the postseason as the second Wild Card spot where they are bounced quickly. An overhaul of the core is considered.
For some reason, Andrew Desjardins is kept around and robs Pavel Buchnevich, Filip Chytil and/or Jimmy Vesey of their proper playing time. Kevin Hayes struggles in a top six role, shrouding his future with the club in doubt.
The team squanders yet another year of Henrik Lundqvist.
What will probably happen: Kevin Shattenkirk will have a solid debut season playing for his hometown team. There will be a marked uptick in team speed especially on the blueline, which will help in the Metro Division where quite literally every team has gotten faster.
Henrik Lundqvist will bounce back. If you genuinely think last season showed Lundqvist’s true colors, there is not much to say to you. For those who complained he was dreadful in the regular season, what do you say of his postseason performance? The fact is Lundqvist is still elite. He has always been elite. And with a significantly better defensive core in front of him, he will post yet another 30-35 win season should he stay healthy.
With that being said, the Metro Division is going to be a bloodbath. So the Rangers will have to win a 5-4 game once in a while. Shocking, I know. So shut up about Antti Raanta and Cam Talbot and the 2015 extension and “should of kept.” He’s your goaltender. He’s the best you’ve ever had. Maybe the best you’ll ever have.
Be grateful for someone other than Derek Jeter, you spoiled New Yorkers.
Lundqvist will have to be his old self, because they sure as heck are not going to get much from their new backup, Ondrej Pavelec. Pavelec couldn’t even cut the Winnipeg Jets roster last year, starting just eight games at the end of the season and going 4-4-0 with a 3.55 goals-against average and .888 save percentage.
The Rangers have been spoiled by their backup goaltending in Antti Raanta, Cam Talbot, and Martin Biron. Pavelec is the worst backup they’ve had in nearly a decade.
Consider: Pavelec has never had a winning record. Not even as a rookie in 2007-08. He has had a goals-against average under 2.70 once in his career. His save percentage has risen above .910 twice.
Unless goaltender coach Benoit Allaire can work some kind of voodoo magic, Lundqvist better be able to start 60 games.
The youngsters will go through their rough patches, but they are ultimately the future of this club. Mika Zibanejad, when healthy, was as successful as any other second-line center last season. With Derek Stepan departing, he will need to take the next step.
Getting reunited with Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich will help him get back on track. Zibanejad is a lethal shooter. If he can spread the puck a bit better and maintain his aggressiveness behind the net, he will be a terrific center for this club for years to come.
One would assume Shattenkirk’s presence will make him even more dangerous on the powerplay as well.
Kevin Hayes will move out of his mostly-defensive third line role and into the top six. When asked to play defensive minutes, his production fell off a cliff. Hayes’ game is carrying the puck into the zone and using his body to shield the puck. He simply is not quick enough to play dump-and-chase.
Filip Chytil may steal the second-line center role away from Hayes if he lights it up in his first nine games. Chytil was centering Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello in practice the other day, and has looked very impressive in the preseason. As is the case with players of Chytil’s age, he gets a nine-game free trial with the Rangers before the team decides whether or not he should be sent back down to juniors for the remainder of the season. If, and only if, Chytil proves himself indispensable will he remain with the NHL club. A betting man would be wise to pick Chytil as the number one option to be sent down once Jesper Fast comes back from injury.
All the same. Chytil will be a fun player to get a glimpse at. Just hope he doesn’t get the Anthony Duclair treatment where he barely plays while he’s up.
Pavel Buchnevich was sidelined for much of last year with a back injury. When in the lineup, he is a wonder with the stick. He has looked dominant in the preseason. He may have played himself into a permanent top-six role after being relegated to AV’s arbitrary Youth Doghouse last season on the fourth line/press box.
J.T. Miller had a breakout year scoring-wise. He cannot afford to take a step back. Same goes for Chris Kreider. There is a great amount of expectation, and with Stepan gone, they need to shoulder a big load.
Rick Nash will score 20-plus goals in what is more than likely his last season in New York. The key for Nash, like Buchnevich, is staying healthy. Groin problems lingered all last season, and he has had various ailments keeping him on the shelf during his tenure. Groin pulls, bone bruises, concussions…
If he can play 70 or more games for the Rangers, count it as a win.
Other than Kevin Shattenkirk, the other new face on the blueline is Tony DeAngelo, acquired from the Arizona Coyotes in the Derek Stepan-Antti Raanta trade. The other trade piece, Lias Andersson, has been loaned to Frolunda, Sweden for the season.
DeAngelo is a smooth skater with a big shot. He is not the strongest in his own zone yet, which leads me to believe he will only play about 35 games this season. Vigneault has a short leash on young defensemen, regardless of how his older defensemen look.
Just look at how Brady Skjei was used last year in the playoffs against the likes of Marc Staal and Nick Holden.
Speaking of Staal and Holden, they are probably not going anywhere. Staal has a no-movement clause and a behemoth of a contract. Nick Holden is on a very team-friendly deal and is, for whatever reason, a favorite of Vigneaut’s. Unless a generous offer comes from a team desperate for a cheap defenseman, they are staying put.
Projected finish: 3rd in the Metropolitan Division, playoff berth.
Pittsburgh and Washington are still the two heavy hitters in the Metro. Even with all of the Capitals’ losses this offseason, it is hard to say they are not a playoff team and a potential contender for the division title. Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin had down years last season. Braden Holtby is arguably the best goaltender in the league. T.J. Oshie, Nick Backstrom and Andre Burakovsky make up one dominant second line.
Columbus, Washington and New York then will battle it out for the final divisional spot. Much like last year, it may be advantageous to hold out for the top Wild Card spot and take on whatever team comes out with the Atlantic Division title.
There are plenty of other teams that can put the pressure on the Rangers if they get hot. The Islanders have a flimsy defensive core, but added Jordan Eberle up front. The Flyers have second-overall pick Nolan Patrick, a new goaltender in Brian Elliott, and a strong young core of developing players surrounding Claude Giroux. The New Jersey Devils added first-overall pick Nico Hischier and Marcus Johansson from the Capitals. Carolina brought back Justin Williams and acquired Scott Darling to be their new backstop.
It’s going to be a bloodbath. But the Rangers are still a playoff-caliber roster.
How far will they make it? The Atlantic is so weak that anyone who makes it out of the Metro has a very good chance. But the Rangers will have to prove they can best the Penguins, first.
If nothing else, they can vibe to their top-line center’s sick beats in warmups.
