Chris Drury, the general manager of the New York Rangers, made a few big movies at the trade deadline last season, acquiring star forwards Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko, as well as defensive-minded players Niko Mikkola and Tyler Motte. All four were unrestricted free agents this offseason, and the team had very little cap room. They ended up losing all four players in free agency.
Without much money to spend this offseason, Drury made some very important signings on team-friendly deals. Those deals are now paying off in a big way for the Rangers, who are off to an impressive 18-5-1 start despite dealing with injuries to key players.
Forwards: Jimmy Vesey, Nick Bonino, and Tyler Pitlick
While most of Drury’s recent bargain signings have exceeded expectations, one key player who has slumped offensively is Blake Wheeler. The veteran winger has over 900 points but just two goals and four assists this season despite getting an opportunity on the Rangers’ first line. Though he is struggling, many of the team’s gritty forwards have stepped up. This offseason, Drury signed Tyler Pitlick and Nick Bonino to one-year deals, each with a cap hit under $1 million.
Pitlick began the season as a healthy scratch, but with Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil both on long-term injured reserve, he has become a steady bottom-six forward. He has added some speed to their lineup, is noticeable on the forecheck, and has proven to be trustworthy defensively. He has one goal, two assists, and 30 hits in 16 games while averaging under 10 minutes per game.
While Bonino has not produced much offensively, he has become an irreplaceable penalty-killer and fourth-liner. He has one goal and two assists in 24 games while leading all forwards with 53 blocked shots. He has also won 53.8 percent of his faceoffs, and though his line does not produce much offensively, they rarely give up goals and have earned ice time late in close games. The team’s penalty kill percentage is 84.8, which is ninth best in the NHL in large part due to the strong play of their fourth-line center.
Jimmy Vesey has also come through for the Rangers defensively and on the penalty kill while giving the team a boost offensively. Drury signed him to a one-year contract ahead of the 2022-23 season, then signed him to a two-year $1.6 million extension. Despite being a healthy scratch early this season, he has earned increased playing time as he has consistently driven to the net and come through with some important goals while playing well defensively. He has five goals and three assists in 22 games, including two goals in a 5-3 win over the rival New Jersey Devils on Nov. 18, as well as a goal and an assist in a 7-4 win over the Boston Bruins on Nov. 25.
Erik Gustafsson and Jonathan Quick
Drury also made a couple of key signings in Erik Gustafsson and Jonathan Quick, each for one year with a cap hit under $1 million. Both players immediately became more important after star players Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin missed time with injuries.
Gustafsson became a top-four defenseman with Fox out and also moved up to the Rangers’ top power-play unit. He generated a lot of scoring chances, made smart pinches in the offensive zone, and showed off his excellent playmaking ability, especially on the man advantage. Though he is not known for his defensive play, for the most part, he has made smart decisions with and without the puck. He has three goals and 12 assists in 24 games and helped the team go 7-2-1 with Fox out of the lineup.
While Gustafsson stepped up with Fox out, Quick stepped up when Shesterkin missed a couple of weeks with an injury. His play has been steady, with very few soft goals, and he has given the Rangers a chance to win every one of his starts. He is 7-0-1 with a .918 save percentage and a 2.34 goals-against average. He made 29 saves in a 3-0 shutout win over the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 26 and made 32 saves in a 1-0 shutout win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 22.
For the Rangers Moving Forward
The Rangers’ role players, most of whom are on team-friendly deals, have all played a big role in their excellent start to the season. Drury deserves credit for finding good value even though he had very little cap space to work with entering this season, and now those additions have helped the team build a lead in first place in the Metropolitan Division.
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