The New York Rangers are entering another season where the expectations are that they will make the playoffs and make a deep run to end their 29-year Stanley Cup drought. They came close two seasons ago when they made it to the Eastern Conference Final, but they were bounced in round one last season by the New Jersey Devils. After some lackluster playoff performances by some of their core players in the past two playoffs, questions have arisen as to whether this team has the core pieces in place to win it all. We know what they can do during the regular season, but when the games are more important, do the Rangers have the pieces in place to win a Stanley Cup?
Rangers’ Four Key Forwards
The Rangers have one of the most talented groups of forwards in the entire NHL. This unit is led by Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin. Both of these players have been the key offensive contributors for the Rangers since arriving to New York in 2016 and 2019, respectively. Zibanejad has blossomed into an elite number-one center in the NHL over the last few seasons and has also quietly become one of the NHL’s best goal scorers during that process.
Meanwhile, Panarin has been one of the best free-agent signings in the past few years. He has been a dominant player since day one for the Rangers, and his offensive skills are some of the top in the league. Both of these players are under contract for the foreseeable future and are tasked with leading the offense going forward for the Rangers.
The Rangers also have other forwards signed long-term that will complement both Zibanejad and Panarin for years to come, those being Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck. Kreider is the longest-tenured Ranger, and his game has picked up over the past few seasons. Two seasons ago, he scored 52 goals, something nobody expected from him, given his career high at that point was 28. While Kreider didn’t reach 50 goals again last season, he did score over 30 goals. He has truly become one of the best power-forwards and net-front presences in the NHL.
Trocheck was signed to a seven-year deal last summer and had a good first season with the team. He’s been a better player than Ryan Strome and is the Rangers’ best faceoff taker. The four forwards mentioned are the core players now, and they will be relied on to carry the majority of the offense this season.
Rangers’ Key Number One Defenseman
The Rangers have one of, if not the best, defenseman in the NHL with Adam Fox. He has been a superstar ever since his rookie season in 2019. Ever since then, he has grown into one of the best defensemen in the entire league, and the Rangers are lucky enough to say they have him under contract for the next six years.
While Fox puts up good offensive numbers, his defense is truly his best attribute. His ability to hold on to the puck and make plays is special to watch. He is arguably the most patient player in the league and will always make the smart play. With one Norris Trophy under his belt, the sky’s the limit for Fox, and he is the best choice to lead the Rangers on the back end in their quest for the Stanley Cup.
Fox is surrounded by other talented defensemen like K’Andre Miller, Ryan Lindgren and Jacob Trouba. These four players have been the top-four defensemen for the Rangers for the past three seasons, and going into this season, they will need to play better than they were last season. Even though Miller had a career season last year, his defensive game fell off during the second half of the season. They need Lindgren to remain healthy as the defense falls apart when he’s out of the lineup. Trouba was okay in 2022-23, but he needs to step up his game besides the hitting he provides. The Rangers’ top-four defensemen have the potential to be one of the top groups in the NHL. They just need to play up to that potential.
The Elite Starting Goalie
There is no doubt that the best player on the Rangers is their goaltender, Igor Shesterkin. After taking over for Henrik Lundqvist, Shesterkin has been one of the best goalies, if not the best, goalie in the entire NHL. He won the Vezina Trophy two seasons ago, and although his numbers weren’t as good last season, he was the only reason why the Rangers went to Game 7 against the Devils.
Shesterkin has carried the team for the past two seasons while having to play behind a mediocre defensive structure. With a new coach and new systems in place, this good another great season in the making for Shesterkin. There is no question that he is good enough to lead the Rangers to the Stanley Cup. If the team in front of him can to play up to their potential, the Rangers have a great chance of winning it all.
The Rangers have all the pieces in place to win the Stanley Cup. They just need to show up more in the playoffs. These past two postseasons have left more to be desired from some of the star players. If they can play at an elite level during the playoffs, the Rangers will be a tough team to beat in the spring.
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