Blog Archives
Injured Rangers recovering well ahead of training camp
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
While every team certainly deals with injuries in the playoffs, the Rangers had quite a lot of significant health issues to some of their key players during their run to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The captain Ryan McDonagh broke his foot in Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dan Girardi and Marc Staal had procedures done on their ankles, and Derick Brassard had to undergo wrist surgery. And of course, Mats Zuccarello missed the last two rounds of the playoffs with the worst injury, after being struck on the side of the head by a puck.
The puck came off of the stick of Ryan McDonagh, as a slap shot went awry and hit Zuccarello upside the head during Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nobody officially knew the extent of the injuries until after the playoffs. Read the rest of this entry
The Rangers future is bright, and the Stanley Cup window is NOT yet closed
Bobby Bevilacqua
Despite falling short in recent playoff runs, the Rangers future is very bright, and their chances at winning a Cup are far from done. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Everyone mentions the “window” that the Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist have in order to raise another championship banner in MSG within the next few years. A lot of people claim that in order to win, the Rangers have only a year or two before it all falls apart.
This past season marked the fifth consecutive year that the Rangers have made the playoffs, with at least one series win in the last four years. They’ve made it to the Eastern Conference Finals three times since 2012, as well as advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 20 years in 2014. Read the rest of this entry
What the Rangers lineup should look like in 2015
Bobby Bevilacqua
Mats Zuccarello and Derick Brassard are two players that should remain together for the upcoming season. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Since the 2011-12 season, when the Rangers began to consistently make long runs in the playoffs, there has been a lot of roster turnover. Every year, different players are shown the door, whether it be through trades or free agency, and new people are brought in to replace them.
Despite the constant change, the Rangers have managed to stay competitive, consistent, and retain a very strong, young core group of guys. This year was no different, with the forward group set to almost completely change for the upcoming season.
If assembled right, and if some of the young talent pans out, then this year’s team has the chance to be even better than last year’s Eastern Conference Finalist team. With a great balance of veteran leadership, star power, and youth, we could see big things in New York for the 2015-16 NHL season. Read the rest of this entry
Fixing the Rangers fourth line problems
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers need to get creative and go with a different look on the fourth line. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
All of the glory and attention goes to the top lines in the NHL. On the Rangers, the likes of Rick Nash, Chris Kreider and Derick Brassard get the fans talking, because of their exciting ability to create offense and score goals.
The importance of the fourth line is often brushed aside, with many people not realize how important a team’s bottom six depth can be when making a long run in the playoffs. Having a great fourth line can be the difference between an early exit and a Stanley Cup Championship.
Looking back at the 2013-14 season, when the Rangers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1994, the bottom six was tremendous. Benoit Pouliot, Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello were probably the team’s best offensive line for large parts of the season and playoffs. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers Player Grades: Rick Nash, Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello
Bobby Bevilacqua
Mats Zuccarello and Rick Nash made up part of the Rangers top line, a great possession line that was also responsible on defense, and poured on the goals. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
When looking at every NHL team, each one features their top line, meant to contain the most skilled, best scoring forwards on the team that also play well together. Every line has its role, but the first line is where a lot of the scoring comes from.
Due to injury at the start of the season, and some new faces, Alain Vigneault struggled to find chemistry amongst the top three forwards. Rick Nash was always a top line staple, but Martin St. Louis started as the center in the first game of the season, because Derek Stepan was injured. Stepan was expected to be the team’s first center, but injury changed those plans.
At some point during the season, he decided to promote Derick Brassard to the top line, and soon after that, Mats Zuccarello on the right wing, due to how well him and Brass played last year. This line meshed perfectly together, and soon became the Rangers’ most productive line.
Nash, Brassard and Zuccarello could do it all. They play solid defense, maintain the majority of possession, and most importantly, score goals. Read the rest of this entry
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