Whether the 'sophomore curse' in hockey is a form of fictional imagination or an actual disease that lingers into the games of second-year players, Derek Stepan was a victim of the curse in his 2011-12 campaign. It didn't hit him hard or substantially lower his value to the franchise by any means, but it was there and it had its effects. As just a 22-year-old, however, all of this surely is not a large concern after just two seasons at the National Hockey League level for Derek. He had his ups and downs this season, but then again, who on the Rangers didn't?
The Good: Despite falling short of the 20-goal mark this past year, which he exceeded in his freshman season, Stepan did manage to record ten more assists than he did in 2010-11, placing him fourth on the Blueshirts in scoring. Stepan showed just how great of a playmaker he can become many times this season, especially when playing alongside Ryan Callahan on the second line when that opportunity presented itsel...
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June 28, 2012
