Artemi Panarin

The New York Rangers remain undecided about Ryan Strome

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New York Rangers, Ryan Strome

The New York Rangers have already made qualifying offers to restricted free agents Tony DeAngelo, Alexandar Georgiev, and Brendan Lemieux. However, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, the Rangers have yet to make an offer to Ryan Strome.

Strome had a career year in 2019-20 and finished third on the team in scoring. The 27-year-old posted new highs in assists (41) and points (59) and showed strong chemistry with Artemi Panarin.

So with those improved numbers, why would the Blueshirts not give Strome a qualifying offer?

According to Brooks, arbitration eligibility is a major issue regarding the qualifying offer. Those numbers would likely elevate Strome, who had a cap hit of $3.1 million last season, into the realm of the $4.75 million neighborhood. If you add in the fact that he is just a year away from unrestricted free-agency, this may give the Rangers a situation that they are unwilling to pay for.

The Blueshirts brass has worked really hard in clearing up cap space, as evidenced by the deadline trade of Brady Skjei to Carolina, the offloading of Marc Staal to Detroit, and the buyout of franchise legend Henrik Lundqvist. Even so, with several others needing contracts they are not in a spot where they can just spend the extra money and hope everything turns out fine in the end.

The other issue could be whether the Rangers think that this might be a one-year thing for Strome and/or that his production was more Panarin related.

Before 2019-20, Strome was coming off of five straight seasons between 28 and 35 points. Those numbers were just satisfactory as he was viewed as a frequent underachiever during his time with the Islanders and Oilers before joining the Rangers. His record would be something the Rangers would mention in an arbitration case but his performance this season would factor in heavily in a hearing.

There is still the possibility that the Rangers might be trying to see if they can find a more cap-friendly replacement on the free-agent market. However, between cap hits and age, an already thin free-agent crop at the center position makes this task more difficult.

The Rangers have until 5:00 PM on Tuesday to make a Qualifying Offer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who will be the next king of hockey in New York?

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Yesterday marked the end of an era.

Henrik Lundqvist, the goalie for the New York Rangers for the last 15 years and a surefire Hall of Famer, was bought out by the organization with one year left on his seven-year, $59-million contract he signed in 2014.

The decision to buyout the 38-year-old was almost written on the wall ever since the arrival of Igor Shesterkin — the organization’s highly-touted Russian goalie — towards the middle of the season, and the rise of 24-year-old Alexander Georgiev the past two seasons. Still, it was a painful day not just for Rangers fans, but for all hockey fans in the metropolitan area who watched Lundqvist’s reign to becoming one of the greatest goalies ever.

Lundqvist truly was a King. And New York was his kingdom, especially from the hockey portion of the sports landscape in the area. He was the best player — other than the short stint of Jaromir Jagr — at his position of any of the three Metro teams from the moment he made his debut.

But that time has come to an end. A new king shall arise.

The question now is, who will be the next to take the throne? There’s plenty of worthy candidates who all have a case.

Igor Shesterkin

The youngster who was being groomed to be the heir-apparent to Lundqvist. He’s now the Blueshirts’ starting goaltender and will be for the foreseeable future. Shesterkin showed the fans and his teammates all the hype was real about him — and that he could very well be a dominant force moving forward — when he went 10–2-0 in his 12 starts before the coronavirus pandemic took hold of the hockey season.

The future looks bright for Shesterkin and the Rangers. And he has all the capabilities of being the ruler of the sport in this town if all things play out.

Ilya Sorokin

Shesterkin isn’t the only new name on the scene that might help lead to New York’s next great era of hockey. His Russian counterpart, Ilya Sorokin, is now officially with the Islanders, and he is positioned to be the franchise goaltender on Long Island for hopefully the next decade.

The 25-year-old Sorokin was a king in his own right back in his native homeland and oozes winning and star power. He could very much take this market by storm with those traits and if he’s backstopping the Isles back to the glory days they once had back in the early 80s.

Artemi Panarin

Panarin has only called New York home for one year, but it’s already proven that he’s become one of the best athletes in any of the four major sports. We know he was already a household name before he arrived last summer, now though, the 28-year-old has a strong chance of being the next one to take the thrown around here. The guy is a superstar — he was a Hart Trophy candidate this past season — and he’s got that infectious personality which makes him a joy to watch play (the Rockette goal celebration is also very Broadway).

Panarin is going to be here for a while, another six years to be exact. In that time, the Rangers have the makings of being a powerhouse and he as the face of it all.

Mathew Barzal

As the Islanders continue to build toward a perennial winner, it’s Barzal who has become the face of the franchise and who the entire league recognizes when the franchise is mentioned.

Only 23, Barzal has already accomplished some great things in his career, including a Calder Trophy back in 2017-18. And he’s not even close to being the star everyone knows he’s capable of being. Beyond that, Barzal — most likely being an Islander for the next decade and more — has the off the ice qualifications too.

He’s got his own style. His flow has made him an internet sensation. And he’s got the look of someone who you’d put on a billboard.

All of that resonates around these parts.

Jack Hughes

Look everyone can discredit New Jersey as not being a part of the NY hockey landscape, but they still are very much a part of the fabric and its history. That’s why Jack Hughes gets a nod on this list.

The number one pick overall in 2019, Hughes is just at the beginning of his career. He was a superstar during his time at the U.S. National Development Program, and the hope is it will be the same for his time over the next number of years with the Devils. The franchise is leaning on him to bring back those years of consistent winning and championships.

Hughes is just 19, so he’s still raw. But he could very much own this town if he can help turn the Devs around and live up to his top pick status.

Kaapo Kakko

The kid picked right after Hughes at last summer’s draft, Kaapo Kakko is also just starting what hopes to be an excellent career on Broadway. Kakko definitely showed his warts as a freshman this past year, but the greatness which made him a top-2 pick flashed on a number of occasions. Being from Finland, he’s another European export who is expected to be one of the major pieces to the puzzle for the Rangers.

Kakko said when he first landed in New York, “it’s a nice city”. Well, the city has the chance to be his very much down the road.

Nico Hischier

Hischier, who also plays on the Jersey side of the Hudson, has quietly become one of the best players in the area. Another former top overall pick, he’s trying to bring the Devils back to respectability; and he has in some ways. He also is only getting better.

Just 21, he might be the best player in the area down the line.

Mika Zibanejad

The Blueshirts are loaded for the future as said above. Zibanejad is on that list. He’s become one of the synonymous names on Broadway and had the best season of his career in 2019-20.

Zibanejad is also the kind of star who can shine big in the city.

The guy is a DJ in his own right and has released his own music. That’s a total win-win if you’re looking for the next guy to be the face of the sport in the city. Add in winning, and Zibanejad is a sneaky contender for the crown.

Alexis LaFreniere

The soon-to-be number one pick, next Tuesday to be exact. LaFreniere has been compared to some of the greats playing in the game right now, and he will have the Worlds Most Famous Arena — Madison Square Garden — as his playground. The 18-year-old phenom has already expressed his love for the city and the chance to play with another star at the top of this list, Panarin.

He’s going to get his chance. Aside from that, he’s got all the hype of being Broadway’s next big hit, pardon the pun.

That itself could make him the next in line to wear the crown.

Who do you think will be the next king of hockey in New York?

New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin shut out of NHL awards

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New York Rangers, Artemi Panarin

Back in July, the NHL announced that the New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin had been named a finalist for the Hart Memorial and Ted Lindsay trophies.

On Monday night, the NHL announced that Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers won the Ted Lindsay and Hart Memorial trophies.

The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, is awarded annually to the “player judged most valuable to his team”.

The Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League’s most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players’ Association.

Panarin was more than deserving of both of these awards, especially the Hart Trophy. It is always difficult to judge who is the most outstanding in a group of excellent players. However, there was a strong case to be made that Panarin was easily the most valuable of the nominees to his team.

After signing a seven-year contract with the Blueshirts on July 1, 2019, and helped the Rangers go 37-28-5 (.564 points percentage) in the regular season, after finishing 32-36-14 in 2018-19. He tied David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins for third in the league with 95 points (32 goals, 63 assists) in 69 games. The 28-year-old forward ranked first in the league in even-strength points (71) and first among forwards in plus/minus (plus-36). He had at least one point in 54 games, including 28 multipoint games.

In 2019-20, Panarin became the fourth Ranger in franchise history to record 95 or more points and a plus-35 rating or better in the same season.

Panarin posted a plus-40 on-ice even-strength goal differential, leading the NHL. His plus-40 on-ice even-strength goal differential was also tied for the sixth-best an NHL player has recorded since the league began to track the statistic in 2009-10.

Along with Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks, Panarin is one of two NHL players who have tallied 70 or more points in each of the last five seasons. He is one of three undrafted players in NHL history who have tallied 70 or more points in each of his first five seasons (Wayne Gretzky and Peter Stastny).

Gauging Interest in the New York Rangers Trading their First Pick

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Alexis Lafrenière

The New York Rangers may be curious to see which teams channel its Don Vito Corleone and tempt the Rangers by “making them an offer they can’t refuse”, and what that offer might look like in order for the Rangers to trade what is expected to be one of the future stars of the NHL, Alexis Lafreniere.

It is not like the Ranges should not listen to offers. If someone comes in with a really great offer, then the Rangers should at least consider it. Also, GM Jeff Gorton did make a cryptic quote about the pick when he said “If I just went on this call and told you all the things we’re going to do, it probably doesn’t help me on the market when I make calls. We have to have more meetings and I like to play a little closer to the vest than announcing we’re going to go get centers or do something else.”

Then there was President John Davidson’s quote when he said “You know, we just got the pick. The dust hasn’t even settled. I know people are excited here in New York. They’ve got a lot of calls downtown about getting season tickets. It’s been very good, that part of the business.”

Soon after the ping-pong ball popped out in favor of the Blueshirts, speculation began as who would have the necessary capital to make this trade.

One of the more credible reports came from Lisa Dillman of the Athletic and Brian Burke from Sportsnet, who have reported that the Ottawa Senators will propose a trade that will see the Senators send their third and fifth pick in the upcoming draft for the Rangers first pick.

This does give the Rangers something to think about. They could end up with the third, fifth, and no worst than 24th pick (from Carolina) in this year’s draft.

It also gives the Rangers the option of saying “Does anybody have any offers that can top this?”

One of the factors that play into this is whether a potential third pick could at least come close to what Lafreniere is expected to bring to his new team. The next two ranked players in most scouting services after Lafreniere are Quinten Byfield, a 6’4″ Center from Sudbury of the OHL, and German-born LW/Center Tim Stützle. In their corner, they have Bob McKenzie of TSN who stated that “Byfield and Stützle both have a chance to impact the NHL at the same level as Lafreniére, if not go by him at some point.”

If this is to be believed, why would the Senators, who are in need of a lot of talent, be willing to trade two of the top five picks for the number one? It does not seem likely.

One of the biggest reasons why is that Byfield is a year younger than Lafreniere, who is generally considered NHL ready, while Byfield may need another year in Juniors to aid his progression. Stutzle is a little bit of an unknown as it is difficult to compare his numbers from his German League (DEL), although scouts rave about his talent.

However, the possibility could exist because teams, as does the Rangers, know that Lafreniere is a left-winger, and the Rangers already have two decent LW’s in Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider. Playing on the third line is an option, which may not be a bad thing for an 18-year-old rookie.

Another possibility is that Gorton and Davidson may want to add to that package, so they can alleviate some of the cap issues that face them this year. In the “killing two birds with one stone chapter”, that package could include restricted free-agent Alexandar Georgiev, which would also rid the Blueshirts of that pesky three goaltender issue they have dealt with for a while, and allow Henrik Lundqvist to finish out his career as a New York Ranger without buying out his contract.

In the end, a Rangers future with Lafrenière, Panarin, Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Kaapo Kakko, Igor Shesterkin, Adam Fox, and Jacob Trouba will make it very hard for any team to make the Rangers an offer that they can absolutely refuse.

 

 

 

Takeaways From the New York Rangers Playoff Loss to Carolina

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New York Rangers, Artemi Panarin

Nobody really likes the phrase “a good loss” or something related to that and most in the New York Ranger organization probably subscribes to that. But there are lessons to be learned that can be used moving forward, for a team that is very young and talented.

Another thing that the Blueshirts and their fans will also realize is that despite beating the Hurricanes all four times in the regular season, Carolina is a really good hockey team. The team that made the conference finals last season is mostly intact. The Canes did a great job of being good with the lead, and who made it really difficult for the Blueshirts to get any kind of offense going.

Head coach David Quinn even said “The better team won the series. Let’s call a spade a spade. You played three games and the best team won.”

The top players on the New York Rangers needed to play better

The Rangers only scored four goals in three playoff games. One each by Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Marc Staal. Team leaders need to step in the playoffs, especially with a roster that has so much youth and inexperience on it.

Kreider knows this and at least stepped up and admitted as much. In his post-game comments, he said: “We thought the playoffs were a blood sport and we were out there running around looking to hit instead of playing the puck possession style that we play. A big part of that is on me obviously. We needed to snap out of that sooner. We needed to acknowledge that. I should have done whatever I could to get us on the right track there.”

Even as tough as the Hurricanes played, the Rangers only scored one goal on the power-play, and that was on a two man-down situation for Carolina. They were completely shut out on the 5-on-4 power plays, not to mention being completely smothered in 5-on-5 situations.

This lack of production from top players led a Rangers team that did not play smart or efficiently, and did not play the way they played before the season was paused.

The New York Rangers should be happy with the improved play of Kaapo Kakko

The 19-year-old made a nice impression as soon as he stepped on the ice when summer camp began.

“I feel like he feels much more comfortable coming back,’’ said teammate Jesper Fast. “You see he’s smiling, he’s happy — I mean, like it’s a new energy for him. The way he’s been looking so far this camp . . . he’s looking real sharp. He looks strong on the puck, and [he] had a good scrimmage, so after that giving him more confidence going forward.’’

That confidence carried forward into the three playoff games. Kakko played the most five-on-five minutes of any Rangers forward in Saturday’s 3-2, Game 1 defeat to the Hurricanes, his 12:51 clocking in at 65 seconds more than  Panarin. He appeared to have more “hop in his step” then he had during the regular season.

The expectations were high for Kakko, and somewhat unrealistic, after he was chosen second overall in the NHL Draft last summer. The 6-3, 199-pounder led Finland to the gold medal in the World Junior Championships in 2019, scored 22 goals in 45 games as a 17-year-old in Finland’s professional league, and helped Finland win the World Championship tournament.

The pause seemed to refresh Kakko, who just turned 19 in February. While much of the world was on lockdown in April and May, he was able to work out and skate back home in Finland. The benefits have been obvious and hopefully continues into next season.

But for now, the Rangers will step back and evaluate their team in preparation for next season, whenever that takes place.

 

 

 

 

 

Rangers disappointing playoffs cannot take away the success of 2019-2020

by
New York Rangers

With the 2019-2020 New York Rangers season ending with a 4-1 series loss to the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday night in Toronto, there is still plenty to be excited for in Rangerstown.

This hockey club, who was not even supposed to see playoff hockey this season, was the hottest team in the NHL until the league was forced to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From Jan. 7 until the end of the regular season, the Rangers ranked fourth in the NHL in wins (18), ranked fifth in the NHL in points (37), were tied for third in the NHL in regulation wins (15), ranked second in the NHL in goals per game (3.45) and power-play efficiency (28.4%), and ranked fifth in the NHL in shots on goal per game (32.8).

Wins came on the road as much as at Madison Square Garden. The Blueshirts won 10 of its final 12 regular-season road games in 2019-20 (10-1-1 record), which included a franchise-record nine-game road winning streak from Jan. 16 to Feb. 27. The Rangers’ nine-game road winning streak was tied for the eighth-longest road winning streak in NHL history. From Jan. 16 until the end of the regular season, the Blueshirts led the NHL in points (21), tied for first in the NHL in wins (10) and points percentage (.875), ranked third in the NHL in goals against per game (2.25), and ranked fifth in the NHL in goals per game (3.50) on the road.

The club was two points away from a wild card playoff position when the NHL pulled the plug and a lot of credit for that success should be given to the younger players on the team. The Blueshirts were the only NHL team that had eight players 21 years old or younger play at least one game this season. In addition, the Rangers were one of three NHL teams that had two goaltenders, Alexandar Georgiev and Igor Shestrkin, 24- years -old or younger appear in at least one game this season (along with New Jersey and Vancouver).

A shortened season that exceeded past seasons

In 12 fewer regular-season games in 2019-20 compared to 2018-19, the Blueshirts earned five more wins and one more point (.564 points percentage in 2019-20; .476 points percentage in 2018-19). In addition, the Rangers earned 31 regulation wins in 2019-20 after registering 23 regulation wins in 2018-19. The Rangers’ 31 regulation wins this season were tied for the fifth-most in the NHL, tied for the third-most among Eastern Conference teams, and tied for the most among teams in the Metropolitan Division.

Led by Hart Finalist Artemi Panarin who led the team in points with 95 in his first season in New York, the Rangers began to gel as a hockey team in January.  The Breadman lived up to every expectation in his first season. His contagious smile, hard work on the ice, and an incredible knack at making everyone a better player around him is a main reason the team found success in the second half of the season.

Not to be undone Mika Zibanejad led the team in goals with 41. The Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner for this year ( his second win) was the unnamed captain of the squad. He took charge of a club in need of veteran leadership whether it was on the ice, in between shifts on the bench, or during practice sessions.

Seven different Rangers registered 40 or more points this season (Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Ryan Strome, Tony DeAngelo, Pavel Buchnevich, Chris Kreider, and Adam Fox). The Blueshirts were one of only three NHL teams that had seven players tally 40 or more points in 2019-20 (along with Tampa Bay and Washington). The Rangers had six players who registered at least 30 assists this season (Panarin, Strome, DeAngelo, Fox, Zibanejad, and Buchnevich), and the Blueshirts were one of only three NHL teams that had six players who recorded 30 or more assists in 2019-20 (along with St. Louis and Winnipeg). The Rangers also had nine players register 10 or more goals this season (Zibanejad, Panarin, Kreider, Strome, Buchnevich, DeAngelo, Filip Chytil, Jesper Fast, and Kaapo Kakko).

Promising Defenseman

The Rangers found a diamond in the ruff with defenseman Adam Fox. The rookie had an outstanding first season in New York played in all 70 regular-season games and the three playoff contests.  Along with his partner, fellow rookie Ryan Lindgren, the duo became the team’s most reliable tandem playing against the opposition’s top lines.  Fox netted 8 goals while recording 42 points. He was mention in the Calder Trophy conversation though he was not named a finalist. The team’s future lies in the success of the Jericho, N.Y. native.

There was also drama in the area of goaltending.

The 3 headed monsters took its toll

The season began with Henrik Lundqvist as the number one goaltender and Georgiev serving as the back-up. That rotation changed dramatically when Igor Shesterkin was called up from Hartford. He was eventually named the number one goaltender replacing Henrik in that role. The writing on the all became more evident that this would probably be the last season fans would see number 30 in a Rangers sweater.

Hank Served as a back-up for most of February and March until the league shut down. Fans did get to see Hank lead the team on the ice in the Qualifying Round for games 1 and 2 but he was unable to find the magic he once had in previous playoff seasons.

The back page of the New York Post on Thursday summed up what most have anticipated for most of this season. The end of an era is upon us.

Long live the King. His 459 wins in 887 games through his 15 seasons with the Blueshirts verified his determination in carrying the team all of these years.

A failed playoff

The Rangers were swept by the Hurricanes because of one simple fact. The ‘Canes were the better team in all areas. Their top players outperformed the Blueshirts top players.

It is hard to win a best -of -five series when your club scores four goals in three games. The power-play was horrid, managing just one goal in 14 opportunities.

The team only had a lead once, game three, and found themselves playing from behind against a team that made it to the eastern conference finals last season. The defense struggled mightily against the faster, skilled forwards the Hurricanes had on the ice.

The season ended on a bad note, but that shouldn’t take away from what the team achieved this season. The experienced players like Chytil, Kakko, Shestrkin, and Fox took away from this series will make them and the team better when they are in the same position next season.

It is now time to evaluate the club and prepare for the NHL Draft. There is plenty to improve on, but the foundation laid down this season is something the club will build on for seasons to come.

 

New York Rangers Qualifying Round pregame notes – Game 1 vs. Carolina

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New York Rangers

NYR

Game 1

New York Rangers: 37-28-5 (79 pts.)
Carolina Hurricanes: 38-25-5 (81 pts.)
Venue: Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON
Television: MSG, NBCSN, NHL.TV

New York Rangers hockey returns with the Blueshirts participating in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since losing to the Ottawa Senators in Game 6 of the second round in 2017. Only seven players currently on the Rangers roster were also on the team’s roster during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Pavel Buchnevich, Jesper Fast, Chris Kreider, Henrik Lundqvist, Brendan Smith, Marc Staal, and Mika Zibanejad.

The Rangers were one of the hottest teams in the NHL prior to the NHL’s shutdown die to the COVID-19 virus in late March. From Jan. 7 until the end of the regular season, the Rangers ranked fourth in the NHL in wins (18), ranked fifth in the NHL in points (37), were tied for third in the NHL in regulation wins (15), ranked second in the NHL in goals per game (3.45) and power-play efficiency (28.4%), and ranked fifth in the NHL in shots on goal per game (32.8).

The Rangers’ 31 regulation wins this season were tied for the fifth-most in the NHL, tied for the third-most among Eastern Conference teams, and tied for the most among teams in the Metropolitan Division.

Finding the back of the net

The Rangers tallied 234 goals this season (including one team goal awarded for a shootout win) and averaged 3.33 goals per game. The Blueshirts ranked fifth in the NHL in goals per game in 2019-20. In addition, the Rangers averaged at least 3.33 goals per game in a season for the first time since 1993-94 (3.56) and recorded at least 234 goals through the first 70 games of a season for the first time since 1995-96 (242). Rangers players recorded 635 points this season (233 goals and 402 assists). The Rangers’ 402 assists were the second-most in the NHL and their 635 points were tied for the second-most in the NHL in 2019-20. The Blueshirts were one of two NHL teams that were not shut out in any game in 2019-20 (along with Tampa Bay).

Artemi Panarin (a Hart Trophy Finalist) led the team with 95 points. Mika Zibanejad was the teams leading goals scorer recording with 41 goals. Zibanejad was the only NHL player who recorded 15 or more power-play goals and three or more shorthanded goals in 2019-20.

Seven different Rangers registered 40 or more points this season (Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Ryan Strome, Tony DeAngelo, Pavel Buchnevich, Chris Kreider, and Adam Fox). The Blueshirts were one of only three NHL teams that had seven players tally 40 or more points in 2019-20 (along with Tampa Bay and Washington).

In addition, the Rangers had at least two defensemen (Tony DeAngelo and Adam Fox) register 40 or more points in a season for the 20th time in franchise history and for the first time since 1993-94 (Brian Leetch and Sergei Zubov).

An Impressive rookie campaign

Defenseman Adam Fox had an outstanding rookie season for the club recording 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) and posting a plus-22 rating while skating in each of the Rangers’ 70 games in his rookie season in 2019-20. He was the first rookie who skated in each of the Rangers’ games in one season since Derek Stepan in 2010-11, as well as the first Rangers rookie defenseman who skated in each of the team’s games in one season since Tom Laidlaw in 1980-81. Fox’s 42 points this season were the fifth-most by a rookie defenseman in one season in Rangers history, trailing only Brian Leetch (71 in 1988-89), Reijo Ruotsalainen (56 in 1981-82), Ron Greschner (45 in 1974-75), and Mike McEwen (43 in 1976-77). In addition, his 34 assists were tied for the fourth-most by a Rangers rookie defenseman in one season in franchise history.

Standing tall in goal

The Rangers had three solid goaltenders throughout the season and were led by rookie Igor Shesterkin throughout the team’s rise in the standings in the second half of the season. Shesterkin ended the regular season with a 10-2 record, along with a 2.52 GAA and a .932 SV% in 12 appearances with the Rangers this season. Shesterkin’s .932 SV% during the season was the second-best among NHL goaltenders who made at least 10 appearances in 2019-20.

Henrik Lundqvist is the Rangers’ all-time leader in several categories, including playoff appearances (128), playoff wins (61), and playoff shutouts (10). Lundqvist has appeared/started in each of the Blueshirts’ last 127 playoff games, dating back to Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against New Jersey in 2006.

This season he posted a 10-12-3 record and was the Rangers’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy this season, and he is also the Blueshirts’ nominee for the King Clancy Trophy in 2019-20.

Alexandar Georgiev Alexandar Georgiev established career-highs in several categories in 2019-20, including wins (17), appearances (34), and games started (32), and he led Rangers goaltenders in all three categories. He posted a 13-5-1 record and a .921 SV% in 19 road appearances/starts this season, and he tied for fifth in the NHL in road wins in 2019-20. In addition, Georgiev won 13 games this season in which he made 30 or more saves, and his 13 30-save wins were tied for the sixth-most in the NHL during the season.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Rangers either outscored their opponent on special teams or tied their opponent in special teams scoring in 46 of 70 games this season and earned at least one point in 33 of those 46 games (30-13-3 record).

Power Play:

  • The Rangers ranked seventh in the NHL in power-play efficiency (22.9%) and ranked fourth in the NHL in power-play goals (52) this season.
  • The Blueshirts had a power-play efficiency of 22.9% or better in a season for the first time since 1993-94 (23.0%).
  • The Blueshirts recorded at least 52 power-play goals in a season for the first time since 2009-10 (55).
  • The Rangers ranked fifth or higher in the NHL in power-play goals for the first time since 1998-99.
  • From the NHL’s Holiday Break (Dec. 27) until the end of the season, the Rangers had the best power play efficiency in the NHL (29.3%) and tallied the most power-play goals in the NHL (29).
  • New York posted a 24-11-2 record when tallying at least one power-play goal in a game in 2019-20.

Penalty Kill:

  • The Blueshirts tied for sixth in the NHL in shorthanded goals this season (eight).
  • From Nov. 23 through Feb. 19, the Rangers’ 84.8% penalty kill efficiency was the third-best in the NHL.
  • The Rangers posted a 25-9-1 record when not allowing a power-play goal against in a game in 2019-20.

Projected Lines

Offense

Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Paval Buchnevich

Artemi Panarin-Ryan Strome- Jesper Fast

Philip Di Giuseppe- Filip Chytil-Kaapo Kakko

Brett Howden- Greg McKegg-Julien Gauthier

Brendan Lemieux will be suspended for the first two games of the Qualifying Round.

Extras – Steven Fogarty, Tim Gettinger, Vitali Kravtsov, Vinni Lettieri, and Danny O’Regan.

Defense

Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox

Brendan Smith and Jacob Trouba

 Marc Staal and *Tony DeAngelo

Extras – Brandon Crawley, Libor Hájek, and Darren Raddysh.

Friday afternoon NHL.Com’s Dan Rosen tweeted

Libor Hajek will step In for DeAngelo should he be unable to play in game 1.

Goalie

Igor Shesterkin

Henrik Lundqvist

Extra– Alexandar Georgiev

Three Takeaways From the New York Rangers Loss to the Islanders

by
New York Rangers, Kaapo Kakko

The New York Rangers really needed to kick off the rust last night in their 2-1 loss to their cross-town rival Islanders. The lack of game of real game sharpness and the style the Islanders play made for a very frustrating night for the Blueshirts. However, there are some positives that came out of this contest.

The New York Rangers know that Carolina and the Isles play very different styles

The clogging, suffocating defensive style that the Islanders play has always given the Rangers some issues. The Blueshirts usually play better against faster teams and even the tougher teams. But teams that are good at clogging the neutral zone make it tough for the Rangers to get their transition game going.

Post-game, head coach David Quinn thought they got frustrated as the game went on, that their transition game stalled and they got bottled up a little bit in the neutral zone.

Another thing that makes it tough is when a team has to spend a lot of time killing off penalties. In the first period, the Rangers spent three and a half consecutive minutes of the first period killing penalties, including 33 seconds of five-on-three. They did a really good job of killing penalties, but it means that you spend less time getting your offense going, against the team that excels at stifling offensive production. This is was really the main reason why Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad did not look good, something that Quinn is not expecting on Saturday.

Kaapo Kakko looks much improved coming off the break

One of the more pleasant surprises in last night’s game was the play of forward Kaapo Kakko. For many games during the season, Kakko was criticized for hesitating, or passing the puck, instead of shooting it. Not last night. Kakko was aggressive with his shots including the time when he came out of the penalty box, made a little move against an Islander defender, and got off a good shot that was stopped.  Kakko also got a few shifts on the Artemi Panarin-Ryan Strome line in place of Jesper Fast.

Quinn told the media after the game that Kakko won’t start in the top six on Saturday, but it is a possibility if he’s trying to get some different looks.

The New York Rangers defense looked a little different

Many in Rangers nation celebrated the fact that former defensive assistant Lindy Ruff took a head coaching job in New Jersey, as Ruff was the brunt of much frustration when the Rangers defense broke down in the season.

In his post-game media availability, Jacob Trouba talked about the effect that Gord Murphy has had on the defense. “Obviously, Gord’s here now and Lindy moved on so that’s a little bit of a different voice. PK is something we went over a lot the last week or so.” Trouba said. “A little bit of a different feel. It was nice to get some practice in today because there are a couple of changes with a different voice leading the way.”

Speaking of the defense, Marc Staal had a minor injury but was held out due to precautionary measures. Quinn expects him to play Saturday in game one against the Hurricanes.

The New York Rangers Announce Team Awards for 2019-20

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New York Rangers, Artemi Panarin

In a press release, the New York Rangers announced their team awards for the 2019-20 season. The three awards handed out are the team MVP, the Players’ Player award, and the John Halligan Good Guy Award

Artemi Panarin named MVP of the New York Rangers

Panarin has won the award for the first time since joining the Rangers. He is the first player who has won the award in his first season with the Rangers since Mark Messier in 1991-92. Panarin is also a finalist for the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award.

According to the Rangers, The Most Valuable Player Award was voted on by members of the New York Rangers media and has been given annually since the conclusion of the 1941-42 season.

While Mika Zibanejad did receive some first-place votes, Panarin’s season was truly one worthy of being the MVP.

Panarin ranked second in the NHL (and led NHL forwards) in plus/minus rating, tied for second in the NHL in assists, tied for third in the NHL in points, tied for 13th in the NHL in goals, and ranked 16th in the NHL in takeaways (56) in 2019-20. He tallied a point in 54 of the 69 games he played during the 2019-20 season (including 28 multi-point games), and he also registered a point in 34 of the Rangers’ 37 wins during the season.

With 95 points this season. this ranked Panarin 12th-most  in one season by a Ranger in franchise history, and his 63 assists were tied for the 12th-most by a Ranger in one season in franchise history. Panarin’s 63 assists were also the most by a left-winger in one season in franchise history.

Jesper Fast selected as the recipient of Players’ Player Award

This makes the fifth consecutive season that Fast has won this award.

The Players’ Player Award has been given annually since the conclusion of the 1958-59 season and recognizes the Ranger who, as selected by his teammates, “best exemplifies what it means to be a team player.”

Fast skated in 69 games with the Rangers this season, registering 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points, along with a plus-16 rating and 20 penalty minutes. He established career-highs in plus/minus rating and average ice time (16:36) in 2019-20. Fast ranked 21st among NHL forwards (and led Rangers forwards) in shorthanded ice time (162:35) this season

Chris Kreider named winner of John Halligan Good Guy Award

The John Halligan Good Guy Award recognizes a player for their cooperation with the media throughout the season. The award has been presented annually since the 1974-75 season and was renamed in 2009-10 to honor the team’s late public relations director. The award recipient is chosen by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association who cover the Rangers throughout the season.

The 2019-20 season was Kreider’s second full season as one of the Rangers’ alternate captains; he was named an alternate captain at the start of the 2018-19 season and had worn an “A” for several games during the final month of the 2017-18 season.

Current Rangers who previously received the John Halligan Good Guy Award are Henrik Lundqvist (2007-08), Marc Staal (2013-14), and Mika Zibanejad (2018-19).

 

 

 

Rangers head to Toronto with an exhibition games against the Isles on Wednesday

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The time has come for the New York Rangers to head north to Toronto with Phase 4 set to begin on Saturday, Aug. 1.

Hockey has been an afterthought since the league shut down in late March, but now the Blueshirts will pack their bags, so goodbye to their families and head out to their hub city for their Qualifying Round contest against the Carolina Hurricanes. The team will be in their own bubble where they hope to avoid the COVID-19 virus when the playoffs begin next Saturday.

This year’s battle for the Stanley Cup will take 19 wins to see a team hoist the cup around the ice of an empty arena. The 24 teams to participate in the playoffs will do so in front of empty arenas.

Make no mistake about it, the New York Rangers are determined to go far in these playoffs. The young team is determined to “win it all” as they look ahead to playing against a tough Hurricanes team in the best of five-game series.

Roster set for the Playoffs

David Quinn and his team had their final practice on Sunday morning. The projected team 30 players who will travel to Toronto for this year’s playoffs are;

Forwards

Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Ryan Strome, Pavel Buchnevich, Chris Kreider, Phillip Di Giuseppe, Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, Jullien Gauthier, Jesper Fast, Brett Howden, Gregg Mckegg, Steve Fogarty, Tim Gettinger, Vitali Kravtsov, Vinni Lettieri, Danny O’Regan.

Brendan Lemieux will travel with the team but will sit out the first two games against Carolina to serve his suspension.

Defense

Jacob Trouba, Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren, Anthony DeAngelo, Brendan Smith, Marc Staal, Brandon Crawley, Libor Hajek, Darren Raddysh.

Goalies

Henrik Lundqvist, Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Geaorgiev.

Coach Quinn has stated that he will not name a starting goalie until Friday at the earliest. The goaltender battle has been a tough one though it appears that Shesterkin has had an early edge with the King pressing hard to get the start in what may be his last run with the Rangers.

Rangers beat writer Vince Z. Mercogliano tweeted that Georgiev did not practice on Sunday with the coaching staff going with Henrik and Shesterkin.

MSGN Programming

Madison Square Garden Network will be ramping up the new programming this week with some new shows to get the Rangers fans brought up to speed prior to the start of the Qualifying Round.

MSG Networks will be airing a new preview show for the Rangers with the broadcast team breaking down the Blueshirts qualifying matchups. Sam Rosen, Joe Micheletti, John Giannone, and Steve Valiquette will preview the Rangers/Hurricanes series on MSG at 6:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 28th, and Thursday, July 30th.

The network will also premiere an NHL-themed trivia show, “MSG Hockey IQ,” on MSG at 5:30 p.m. ET on Monday, July 27th, featuring Sam Rosen, Joe Micheletti, John Giannone, Steve Valiquette, Brendan Burke, Butch Goring, and Shannon Hogan. During the show, the Rangers and Islanders broadcasters will go over all the upcoming action, while answering select trivia questions to get viewers up to date on the league’s return to play.

The upcoming week’s schedule is as follows;

MSG Hockey IQ
Return to hockey trivia show featuring Sam Rosen, Joe Micheletti, John Giannone, Steve Valiquette, Brendan Burke, Butch Goring, and Shannon Hogan
Debuts on Monday (7/27) at 5:30 p.m. ET on MSG and 6:00 p.m. ET on MSG+

Around the NHL, presented by Chase
Michelle Gingras and Anson Carter with a daily look around the league
Airing weeknights at 6:00 p.m. ET on MSG and 6:30 p.m. ET on MSG+ premieres on Monday (7/27).

Rangers Return to Play Preview
Sam Rosen, Joe Micheletti, John Giannone and Steve Valiquette preview the Rangers/Hurricanes series
Airing on Tuesday (7/28) and Thursday (7/30) at 6:30 p.m. ET on MSG.

GAMEDAY

The Rangers will have their only pre-Qualifying Round game on Wednesday, July 29 against the New York Islanders. The game can be seen on the MSG Network at 8 p.m. with Sam, Joe, and the entire broadcast team calling the game from the MSG Studios in New York City.