Are The New York Rangers Actually Good?

Few could have expected the Rangers to be this close to contender status after 30 games. After a dreadful year last year for the club, changes were made during the offseason to rock the foundation to its very core. Team president John Davidson, general manager Jeff Gorton, and head coach David Quinn, were all relieved of their duties after the season, with the Rangers promoting Chris Drury to the GM role, and hiring Gerard Gallant as the franchises 36th head coach. 

Coming into the year, some would have argued that the team on paper may have actually been worse than it was last year. The team had traded Pavel Buchnevich to the St. Louis Blues for unproven, yet talented, Sammy Blais. Buchnevich served as the primary right winger on the Rangers first line last year, with Mika Zibanejad in the middle and Chris Kreider on his opposite wing. Buchnevich was a cap casualty, as he was a restricted free agent and was due a hefty raise given his 48 points in 54 games last season. 

The Rangers notably made moves during the offseason to get bigger and more difficult to play against. Looking at teams that have won Stanley Cups in years past, these teams rolled all four offensive lines and all three defensive pairings. The Rangers needed to improve in their bottom six, no matter the cost. Chris Drury saw this, and splashed the cash to get Barclay Goodrow locked in on a six year contract, traded for Gallant favorite Ryan Reaves, and took a stab on Dryden Hunt who was acquired from the Coyotes. The return on these is mixed thus far, with some still wondering how Goodrow landed a six year contract given his lackluster skillset. 

The story of the Rangers season thus far comes down to the team winning the games they have needed to win, and getting points out of losses. The Rangers currently sit in 3rd place in the loaded Metropolitan Division with a record of 19-7-4. Out of 30 games played, the Rangers have managed to take points from 77% of their total games. But how have the Rangers managed this? Are there any trends that could be worrying? Or is this Rangers team destined for the top? 

When studying advanced stats, there are some worrying signs. The Rangers are 25th in the NHL in 5-on-5 play, with the Rangers needing help from in between the sticks at times. And they are getting it with the play of Igor Shesterkin, who is making a strong case to win the Vezina trophy this year as the NHL’s top goaltender. Shesterkin rocks a 13-3 record, with a 2.05 goals against average, and a very solid .937 save percentage. Shesterkin has proven to be otherworldly for the Rangers. However, the trend of needing a superstar goalie to bail the Rangers out of games can be traced back to the Henrik Lundqvist days, when he too was doing it routinely. 

When the Rangers sent the now infamous letter out to fans in 2018 about the direction of the team moving forward, not many expected the Rangers to be back nearly three years after that letter’s release. How did the Rangers get to this stage in their rebuild so quickly? Through smart movement, via the draft, through trades, and through free agency. 

The Rangers, admittedly, did get lucky with two jackpot lottery picks in 2019 and in 2020. In 2019, the Rangers got the second overall pick in a two man draft, taking Kappo Kaako after the New Jersey Devils selected Jack Hughes first overall. Then in 2020, the Rangers were blessed with a number one overall pick in which they used the selection on Alexis Lafreniere, one of the most hyped draft prospects since Connor McDavid back in 2015. The return on each has been solid bordering on good, with Kaako starting to really come into his own in year three playing alongside Kreider and Zibanejad on the Rangers top pair. Lafreniere is working his way there, routinely the man sitting in Gallant’s doghouse due to Gallant’s high demands, yet not unreasonable. This is not to say panic on Lafreniere, who just turned 20 years old back in October. He finds himself on a line with other young players with something to prove in Filip Chytil and Julien Gauthier, which has been a solid third line for the Rangers this year. 

No trade has been bigger for the New York Rangers and their franchise, perhaps since the Rangers acquired Mark Messier after the 1990-91 season, than the Rangers shelling out two second round picks for defenseman Adam Fox. A Jericho, New York native and boyhood Rangers fan, Fox paved his way back to Madison Square Garden and to the Rangers with the results having been stellar. Fox won the Norris Trophy last year as the NHL’s best defenseman, and looks like a contender to potentially repeat for the award this season, once again leading all defenseman in points. Fox also ranks top 40 in all defenseman for total ice time, clocking in roughly 19 minutes a night for the Rangers. He is the focal point of what the Rangers do, and if the Rangers are going to chase for the Cup this year Fox will be one of the reasons why. 

Perhaps the biggest addition of them all for this new look New York Rangers since the letter came on July 1st, 2019, when Artemi Panarin signed with the Rangers from Columbus. Panarin reportedly turned down more money from the Florida Panthers and the New York Islanders to come to the Rangers, and he has been worth every single penny to this team. Since joining the Rangers, Panarin has registered 186 points in 140 games with the club. Panarin has regularly played on a line with Ryan Strome, and their connection is impeccable. The Rangers do have a looming decision to make when it comes to Strome, as he becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season. 
The Rangers so far in 2021-2022 have proven they are a legitimate team to be reckoned with this year, yet they still have some holes to fill. The most glaring of holes is at right wing, with the team needing a pure goal scorer at the spot. According to sources the Rangers have checked in on wingers that should be available at the deadline. These wingers include Phil Kessel of the Arizona Coyotes, Tomas Hertl of the San Jose Sharks, and Reilly Smith of the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The need at wing is obvious, and expect the Rangers brass to address this issue as the March 21st trade deadline becomes closer as the team looks to push on and solidify itself as legitimate threats in the National Hockey League.

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