Blog Archives
The Rangers are being overlooked, and that makes them even more dangerous
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Despite finishing last season with 113 points, the Presidents’ Trophy, and coming within one win of returning to the Stanley Cup Finals, the New York Rangers have found a way to fly under the radar in a very competitive Metropolitan Division. And they’re all the better for it.
The Metropolitan Division is in contention for the strongest division in the entire league. Many people have predicted that they will send five of the eight teams to the playoffs. Teams like the Blue Jackets, Capitals and Penguins all improved their team, with a lot of fantastic scorers and defenders spread out amongst the eight teams.
The Metro really does have the talent to send five teams to the playoffs, with those teams being The Rangers, the Penguins, the Capitals, the Blue Jackets and the Islanders. All five of those teams are extremely good, and they all have potential to make a run in the playoffs. Read the rest of this entry
What to expect: Projecting the Rangers scoring for 2015-16
The Rangers were a strong offensive team last year. Can they score at the same pace in 2015-16? Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Last season, the Rangers were one of the highest scoring teams in the NHL, scoring a total of 248 goals, behind only the Dallas Stars (257) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (259). Carried by a prolific top line and some strong depth forwards, Alain Vigneault created a potent offensive team.
But like every other season, there is always change, this year coming mostly among the depth forwards Martin St. Louis, Carl Hagelin, James Sheppard and others. With all of the new faces coming into the lineup, that brings uncertainty.
It’s fair to expect that the remaining members of last year’s top six (Rick Nash, Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan) will post similar numbers. Players like Kreider and Stepan may even see some improvement. Read the rest of this entry
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
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