Blog parameters:
Each person covered will be given a rating. Factoring into that rating will of course be his performance but another input is going to be performance versus expectation coming into the season. Much of the background I likely covered in my tear down blogs, so don't expect massive chapter and verse but possibly some quick hitting information if not already covered in those blogs. In addition, to create some parameters, a player will have had to play 20 games to get a grade. Anything less means there isn't a representative sample for which to make a decision, so Brady Skjei and Marek Hrivik, to name two, will not get grades.
Here is where it gets really funky and interactive. I want you the reader to comment on the blog as to the rating. But not just hey I think you are right on or you are crazy but to provide your own rating and rationale for it. So if you agree with what I wrote, great, say that. But if the belief is the rating should be higher or lower, then you have to provide the rationale accordingly. Plus and minus grades are allowed to enable a broader opinion. Before the next blog, we will see if the blog comments consensus rating mirrors mine.
In addition, to shake it up, I will jump around a bit, so not all the players of the same rating are listed in a row, same with positions. So in the immortal words of Forrest Gump, you never know what you're going to get.
Covered in this blog:
Derek Stepan
This is what I wrote on Part IV of my Rangers tear down and post-mortem blogs.
Derek Stepan is slated to be paid $6.5 mil for five more seasons. He closed the season on a roll, tallying 15 points his last 10 games to finish with 22 goals and 31 assists in 72 games. Stepan's season might have brought even higher production but he missed 10 games with broken ribs in late-November into December and struggled upon his return with just one assists in six games. at one point, he had 19 points in 36 games but posted 34 his next 36 games. Stepan tallied both of New York's goals in the game 1 loss to Pittsburgh but was shutout the rest of the series.
Stepan is the team's most defensively responsible center and one of their best passers. But his lack of foot speed is very apparent and questions remain if he is a 1a or 1b or #2 center. Stepan has tallied at least 44 points each of his first six seasons but at times, you are left wanting and expecting more. Plus, while he normally is excellent on the PK, this year he struggled. To me, Stepan should be safe, based upon his age, his two-way play and right-handed shot. But creating cap room may trump all, which could mean that he ends up on the block for a sniper, especially if Nash goes, and he might be the most coveted in a deal. If not Stepan, then it could be Derick Brassard.
Overall Grade:
C+ (Carp had a great breakdown of the pros and cons of Stepan.
Does he have shortcomings? Certainly. He remains inadequate on faceoffs (44.6 percent career, after a 46.6 season), and his speed is lacking, although A) he makes up for some of that with terrific hockey instincts, and B) he sure showed some hop when he had all those short-handed breakaways this season, tallying all three shorthanded goals the Rangers scored, though the PK stunk this year. In addition, the Rangers went 43-22-7 in the games he played this year and 3-5-2 in the 10 games he missed with a broken jaw suffered on Matt Beleskey's hit on Black Friday.
As noted above, Stepan could be one to go in a trade. His $6.5 million salary is $1.5 million more than Brassard but his play in all three zones - when he is going well - makes him more well-rounded and possibly more desirable than Brass in the trade market. There are rumors or suggestions of Stepan to Minnesota for Alex Tuch and Matt Dumba or one of the two and Minnesota's first round pick. If a deal like this occurred, who is your second line center, Kevin Hayes? Are you really comfortable with that? Maybe if Nash and/or one of Marc Staal or Dan Girardi is moved creating cap room for a run at Steven Stamkos, a deal like that would make more sense. Tuch is a top prospect and I am big Dumba fan, but obtaining one without getting a center for Stepan would create another hole in the lineup.
In addition, the news that Colorado might want to shake things up which could mean big names moving has resulted in speculation that Matt Duchene could be in play with a possible Duchene-Stepan swap solving issues for both teams. To me, Duchene is a more talented but player of a similar nature to Brassard. Duchene is a sniper and would give the Rangers more speed, but it would come at the cost of the team's best all-around and defensively responsible center. Given all the issues that the Rangers had on the PK and also with Zucc and Kreider defensively, who picks up the slack in both cases of Stepan does go for Duchene?
It's quite possible one of these deals or a trade not even rumored with Stepan occurs. But, dealing him without the ability to replace and even better augment his skill set creates another hole. GM Jeff Gorton has his work cut off for him with the decision on Stepan or one of those mentioned above just one of the offseason subplots).
Players covered in prior blogs,
My grade,
Consensus Grade
Eric Staal D/D
Antti Raanta B+/B+
Kevin Hayes D/D
Viktor Stalberg C+/B-
Chris Kreider C+/C
Mats Zuccarello B+/B+
Kevin Klein C+/C+
Tanner Glass C/D
Rick Nash C-/C
Assistant Coaches C/C
Dan Girardi D+/C or C-
Derick Brassard, B/ B+
Update: Still working through some stuff at work, which may impact my ability to write here. Doing my best to resolve the situation and will keep you on the loop as to how it progresses.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»