Blog Archives
What is the most important area for the Rangers to improve in the offseason?
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Over the course of the regular season and the brief playoff run, one thing was clear with the Rangers; changes needed to be made. They were outmatched against top teams, threw away games they should have won, and went “all in” on a trade for Eric Staal that didn’t pay off.
That leaves the team in a weird spot, not ready to rebuild and not ready to win a Cup. Jeff Gorton is stuck making some really tough decisions that could shape the franchise for the rest of the Henrik Lundqvist era and beyond.
Gorton will look to make improvements, but there are quite a few areas that they need to tweak and work on before moving forward and trying to capture that elusive Stanley Cup. But which one is most important? Read the rest of this entry
Ranking the Rangers—The Top 12
John Dundon
This is the final part of a three-article series ranking the best performers on the Rangers this season. If you want to read the earlier parts of the series, click here for part one, and click here for part two.
Without further ado, let’s get to the top 12.
BONUS: The Fans
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
The Blueshirt faithful.
Although the crowds at Madison Square Garden lacked the volume they’ve displayed in the past, the Rangers had the second highest winning percentage on home ice this season. They came in behind the President’s Trophy winning Washington Capitals—an accomplishment that we, the fans, should take solace in. Read the rest of this entry
Buchnevich’s arrival will benefit Kevin Hayes’ play and development
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
So far in the brief Rangers’ offseason, the biggest news has been Pavel Buchnevich signing his entry level contract. Buchnevich is a highly touted Russian prospect with similar KHL stats to Vladimir Tarasenko and Evgeny Kuznetsov at the same age, and he’s coming to North America for next season.
Buchnevich has speed, an excellent shot, fantastic offensive instincts, and can also be a playmaker if needed. His ability to both set up chances and create them for himself make it tough for defensemen to commit to him either way.
If Buch develops the way that the team is expecting him to, he could wind up being an impact player and an important one for years to come. Signing him to an ELC means that the Rangers are going to have a cheap depth forward for at least three years, which is a huge help for a team that’s pressed up against the cap. But he will also help someone else on the team; Kevin Hayes. Read the rest of this entry
Ranking the Rangers—Part Two: 13-19
John Dundon
Ranking all players who suited up in at least 10 games (regular season/playoffs) in 2015-16. Part two:
19) Dominic Moore:
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Soon to be former Ranger, Dom Moore, comes in at #19 on my list.
The New York Post has reported that the Rangers are not expected to re-sign the 35-year-old journeyman after a what Alain Vigneault described as a tough year for the fourth-line centermen. Whether or not this is how things really unfolded for Moore in 2015-16 is somewhat subjective. It’s difficult to reflect on the season Moore had without taking note of his line mates for the majority of the season. Moore was wedged between a carousal of really bad players for the bulk of the year. He played significant minutes with Jarret Stoll, Tanner Glass, Danny Paille and Jayson Megna. Read the rest of this entry
Mailbag – Offseason predictions, the potential of trading Lundqvist, and a lack of heart?
Bobby Bevilacqua
Welcome back to another mailbag article, where I answer reader questions and give my honest opinion on the topic. With the Rangers being knocked out of the playoffs much earlier than usual, I might be doing more of these to fill the gap between now and the start of the season.
Check on Facebook and Twitter for an announcement for the next edition, and ask me questions about anything Rangers or NHL.
With that in mind, let’s get started!
What are your predictions for Staal, Girardi and Nash in 2016? Will they be kept and will they improve? Or will they be dealt and if so, what do you see coming in return? – Kevin Kelly
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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