Skip to content

Rangers Season Preview: The window's still wide open

Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Rangers have played a lot of hockey in the past four years, their elusive chase for the Stanley Cup coming up empty. But great teams play the most games, and the Rangers are one of hockey's best since 2011.

Nineteen playoff games this year; 25 in 2014, on their run to the finals; 12 in 2013; and 20 in 2012. They're hoping for another 20-plus game run next spring, and have the team to do it, thanks to Henrik Lundqvist, arguably the greatest goalie on earth. The King's a remarkable 6-1 in Game 7s over New York's past four playoff runs.

New York was the league's best regular-season team last season, finishing with a franchise-record 113 points, and they'll be competitive again this season, as the club is coming back mostly intact. In fact, the team's core - Rick Nash, Derek Stepan, Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello, Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, captain Ryan McDonagh, Kevin Klein, and Lundqvist - are all signed through at least 2017-18.

Stepan is 25 years old, Brassard will be 28 on Sept. 22, McDonagh is 26, and Staal is 28. Throw in some grizzled veterans on the blue line like Keith Yandle and Dan Boyle, and it's clear that this is the group the Rangers are counting on to get the job done.

Projected Depth Chart

LW C RW
Rick Nash Derek Stepan Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider Derick Brassard Kevin Hayes
Viktor Stalberg Dominic Moore Emerson Etem
J.T. Miller Jarret Stoll Jesper Fast
LD RD
Ryan McDonagh Dan Girardi
Marc Staal Keith Yandle
Dan Boyle Kevin Klein
G
Henrik Lundqvist
Antti Raanta

X-Factor

As Lundqvist goes, so go the Rangers.

The goalie will be 34 come the spring, and was relatively fresh for last season's playoff run, after he played only 46 regular-season games due to injury, his fewest in a non-lockout season. New York had a very capable backup in Cam Talbot, but traded him to the Edmonton Oilers before the draft, knowing they could get some draft picks for him as he will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Backing up Lundqvist now is Antti Raanta, and he's going to have to be relied upon, because Lundqvist's workload must be monitored closely as he ages. Lundqvist shouldn't start more than 60 games, because come April, he's going every other night. Consider the backup job in Manhattan a little more important than in other cities.

In New York, the X-factor's in the crease, whether it's Lundqvist or Raanta.

Player to Watch

Derick Brassard has found a home in New York.

Drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2006, he never lived up to the hype in Columbus, his best season coming in 2010-11, when he scored 17 goals and added 30 assists in 74 games. He had 45 points in his first full season with the Rangers, in 81 games, but exploded last season.

Brassard scored 19 goals and added 41 assists, giving him 60 points in 80 games. All three were career highs. He averaged 17:24 a night, the most of his career.

Playing with Nash helps - the left winger was third in the league in goals in 2014-15 - and Brassard should find himself back on the top line in New York, flanked by Nash, where he will be expected to produce like a top-line player.

Martin St. Louis and Carl Hagelin are no longer Rangers and gone are their combined 38 goals and 87 points. Brassard and Stepan will have to step up, and if Brassard's a late bloomer, the Rangers will be sitting pretty down the middle for the foreseeable future.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox