A look back and a look forward. Larry Brooks in his
column Friday takes a look at the good, bad and the ugly so far for the Rangers in the 2014-15 season with a look forward as well. This is an article I was considering doing in about a week, but will list what Brooks wrote in quotes and my view on it.
First, I hope everyone who celebrated had a great Xmas. The three-day NHL holiday break ends Saturday but we get to watch the World Juniors Championships starting today. Anthony Duclair and Pavel Buchnevich will play prominent roles for Canada and Russia, respectively, while it remains to be seen if Brandon Halverson will get between the pipes for Team USA. The Rangers resume action Saturday against the Devils looking to extend their season-long seven-game winning streak.
Best Moment:
The Rangers had just blown their third straight third-period lead and were in overtime at the Garden against the Penguins on Dec. 8 when Kevin Klein’s 50-footer at 3:45 lifted the Blueshirts to a 4-3 victory — a game in which Klein had lost a piece of his ear on a high stick — that stands as the first in this current seven-game spree.
This one is a no-doubter. The Rangers entered the game having lost two in a row after winning four of five. With another two-goal lead blown, we all were expecting the next shoe to fall in the shootout. Klein's marker washed away a lot of those bad thoughts and propelled the team forward.
Worst Moment:
There were much worse performances and much worse losses, such as the Nov. 9, 3-1 defeat to the Oilers at the Garden off an embarrassingly listless performance against the Maple Leafs 24 hours ago, and the three times within 15 days the Rangers were rolled by the Lightning by an aggregate 15-7 score. But the worst moment came in Pittsburgh on Nov. 15 when the Blueshirts were called back onto the ice from their locker room after they thought they’d won 3-2 in a shootout on a Boyle tuck only to learn the “goal” had been correctly disallowed on a double-hit, and only to lose moments later when a discombobulated Lundqvist was beaten immediately by Brandon Sutter before Nash was stopped by Marc-Andre Fleury.
The loss to Pittsburgh was off, but unsure I would call it the "worst" moment since all who saw the replay figured the goal was going to be reversed. I think you can put a lot of the early season-struggles in the worst category, but the lost weekend and any or all of the three blowouts by TB to me far out way that loss to the Penguins.
Best Player:
In his 12th game as a Ranger, Rick Nash was concussed by the Bruins’ Milan Lucic. In his third game of his second season as a Ranger, Nash was concussed by the Sharks’ Brad Stuart. In his third season in New York, Nash has been healthy since the first day of training camp. In the best shape perhaps of his career, healthy and motivated to wash out the taste of last season’s playoffs in which he scored only three goals (all against Montreal) despite playing a 200-foot game, Nash is playing the best hockey of his career, dominating with and without the puck, while putting on a show on his way to 23 goals, second in the NHL, and establishing himself as a contender for the Hart Trophy.
Another no-brainer. The best way to think of this is where would the Rangers be without Nash.? Of course, to fully sell the story, Nash will have to do it in the post-season. If he plays like he does last year, this time, the results should also be there. I think an honorable mention has to go to Derick Brassard, who is more than living up to his new contract. Same to for Klein, who seemingly has rescued the Rangers over and over so far this season.
Most disappointing player
Henrik Lundqvist and Ryan McDonagh, the team’s two most valuable players, both had average (at best) starts to the season. McDonagh, the lead defenseman and new captain, has his season interrupted for 11 matches by a shoulder injury. Dan Boyle has been a shell of himself, slowed by injury and illness. But still, Chris Kreider stands out as the biggest disappointment thus far, the winger having been unable to figure out how to use harness his uncommon combination of size, strength and speed to consistent effect. Still only in his third pro season and second full season in the NHL, Kreider hasn’t been able to identify the forceful edge on which he needs to play without crossing it and picking up major penalties and goaltender-interference-by-unearned-reputation calls. Kreider should be on his way to becoming one of the NHL’s most feared power forwards. He isn’t. Not yet, at least.
Big things were expected of Kreider and so far, he has come up small. Maybe it is the fear of getting called for penalties, as he was against Jonas Brodin, but that can't be the whole story. For a bit, Kreider lost his top-six role but has it back. If he can play at even a semblance of what we and the team expect from him, New York should be in good shape moving forward. If not, then as noted below, a deal may need to be made to add another piece. To a certain extent, you could include St. Louis here, only because we were hoping for bit more. His goal Tuesday was his first since Dec. 1 and while the assists are nice, the team will need MSL to score to take some of the burden off the Nash and the top line.
Most Surprising Player:
Klein, a career-long defensive defenseman who entered the year with 17 goals in 433 games and who never had scored more than four goals in a season, has seven goals in 32 games, tied for 10th in the NHL among defenseman. His seven even-strength goals are tied for first among defensemen with Mark Giordano and Brett Burns. Klein, who came to the Rangers last winter in exchange for Michael Del Zotto, hasn’t sacrificed effectiveness on the defensive side of the puck, shuttling between the third and second pairs as match-ups dictate.
Just like with Nash, where would New York be without Klein. He is better suited for the third-pairing, but has shown he can move up a notch. If anyone says New York can't afford a $2.9 mil per season third-line, d-man, I say lost at Klein and say the Rangers can't afford to be without him. Two honorable mentions are Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller. Hayes, because even though he needs work - substantial work on face-offs - he has provided the team a solid third center, filling a major gap. Miller has not looked out place since getting called back up, putting to rest some of the criticisms and doubts we had of him. He has gone hard to the net, showed he can be relatively responsible defensively and bounced between the second and third lines.
Reasons for Worry:
A whole host of important players, including Kreider, McDonagh, Boyle and Mats Zuccarello, haven’t yet hit their stride, and what if they never do? Hayes is progressing in his first pro season, but it’s hard to believe the Rangers can succeed deep in the playoffs with a Hayes-Carl Hagelin-Miller third line that lacks identity or consistency. Also this: that uncertainty regarding the contracts for pending free agents Marc Staal, St. Louis and Zuccarello will spill onto the ice as the March 2 trade deadline approaches.
Hard to argue with any of the above, though I am less concerned with the third line than Brooks. However, if Hayes hits a rookie wall or Miller regresses, then the Rangers will be in a bit of trouble, forcing Glen Sather to try and work some deadline magic. On the last point, we saw what happened with Lundqvist, Dan Girardi and Ryan Callahan with their negotiations last season. Unfortunately, we are going through that again, though there has been less talk and focus on this year's three main free agents as compared to last year's. But if nothing is resolved by the All-Star break, expect the focus on all three to kick back up again, focusing mainly on Staal and Zucc.
Reasons for Hope:
A whole host of important players, including Kreider, McDonagh, Boyle and Zuccarello, haven’t hit their stride, so imagine how good the Rangers will be when they do? Hayes is progressing, Miller seems to be finding himself as an NHLer, Lundqvist traditionally saves his best for the second half and the homestretch and Vigneault seems to have arrived at four-line stability.
That list is starkly similar to reasons for worry and right on point. Those area of concern are always why hope is high. If all or even just some rebound to even close to what was expected, if Nash hits a bobble, the depth can carry the team forward. If not, then changes might be forthcoming, though the minimal cap space will make that difficult.
Crystal Ball:
Anthony Duclair will return to the QMJHL Remparts following the World Juniors.
Sather will sign Staal to the contract extension that is critical in the short- and long-term to maintaining the Rangers’ viability as a Stanley Cup contender.
The Rangers will acquire a top-nine forward at the deadline to add more of a physical element for the Cup run, and a sixth defenseman if one is available at a price that fits into the cap.
There are 50 games and a trade deadline to go, an entire season, really, and a playoff berth is hardly assured. But Vigneault, Lundqvist and the Rangers are moving into lockdown mode, sending signals that last season’s run to the Stanley Cup final was no fluke...meaning yes, there will be another Cup run.
I think Duclair's status depends on how well he plays at the WJC and where New York is after it ends. If Duke goes crazy at the tourney, dominating action and regaining his confidence, it will be hard to send him back. In addition, if the Rangers hit a mild rough patch when the tourney ends or shortly thereafter, the argument for Duke sticking will be easier. If either Duke struggles or NY is still hot with Kreider, Hayes and/or Miller playing well, sending him to juniors will be an easier call.
Staal signing will depend on the cost. If he is willing to sign for Girardi money, $5.5 per, then even at six years, it gets done. If way above that, the Rangers may have no choice but to play it out and see what happens.
Acquiring a top-nine forward will depend of what Kreider or Miller does the next two months are so. If CK20 has rounded into form, he can be that physical winger. Similar to a lesser extent with Miller. If one or both fail, then Sather will have to make a deal. But you let me know where that cap space is coming from, unless someone is dealt. Sather could send down Miller or try and pass Lee Stempniak through waivers, but even so, that clears $900k for room, leaving somewhere in the $1.1 mil range, which doesn't give the Rangers a ton of flexibility.
John Moore and Matt Hunwick are fine sixth defensemen. Right now, Boyle, especially in his own end, is a bigger concern. But he is here to stay. I would love a physical, crease clearing defenseman, but see the prior paragraph as to the major impediment to acquire one. In addition, they don't grow on trees and trading for one won't be easy.
Sign me up for another Cup run...just one with a better end result than last season's/
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