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Why the Rangers Will Finish 30th..Stepan Close? |
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By Rangerdanger94
Update: 12:20pm...Outlets reporting Stepan's two year deal may be imminent...
Most Ranger fans have the audacity to believe that their team is almost a lock to make the playoffs. More disgustingly surprising is the fact that some of these fans believe their team might even contend for the cup if things go the way they potentially could! Clearly, these fans are beyond biased and have no ability to be objective of their team.
From the new coaching staff, to the players on the team, to the new system, this Rangers team is destined to finish at the bottom of the league, and any non-Ranger fan can clearly see that.
Why exactly are the Rangers destined to finish 30th? Find out below:
Rick Nash
The Rangers are home to the most overrated forward in the entire league: Rick Nash. The former 1st overall pick of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft is already on the downside of his career at the age of 29. While playing on Columbus during his prime, he was unanimously seen as one of the top 5 forwards in the league putting up 7 30+ goal seasons, including 2 40+ goal seasons and winning the Rocket Richard Trophy, with close to zero talent by his side, but not anymore. Taking away his rookie season where he scored 17 goals, he scored a career-low 21 goals last season and only scored at a .95 PPG pace. Not even 1.0! It’s fair to assume that that goal total will only go down over the course of an 82 game season and that his .95 PPG pace will be noticeably lower now that he’s more familiar with the city, team, and players. If he ends up being centered by Derek Stepan (assuming he doesn’t end up getting that New York Islanders offer sheet he has been praying for all season long which has caused him to holdout), then he will end up being centered by the worst center of his career who only put up 44 points in 48 games as a 23 year old.
Henrik “King Sieve” Lundqvist
The only reason the self-proclaimed King of New York ever won the Vezina Trophy and put up reasonable numbers is because he was constantly screened by 5 teammates in front of him. Henrik can only stop what Henrik can’t see. Now that he will be able to see the shot all the way, and his teammates aren’t causing a bunch of traffic for the puck to deflect off of, he is simply doomed. I would expect his save percentage to plummet into the .8-.85 rage and his GAA to double now that his goalie pads are like 1 inch shorter as well despite the fact that he has arguably the best instincts out of any goalie in the world and arguably the best work ethic out of any player in the league. It’s clear to any non-Ranger fan that once he hits unrestricted free agency, he will bolt to a team with a rock-solid defense like the Philadelphia Flyers or New York Islanders.
Brad Richards
Brad Richards is just another example of an overrated player the Rangers locked up to a long-term deal. Clearly, the way Richards played in this past lockout-shortened season is the norm and the other 12 seasons he played in the NHL were the anomalies and flukes. The chances that Richards rebounds are close to zero. The Rangers would have been much better off buying him out and signing someone like David Clarkson or Vinny Lecavalier to a 5-7 year deal worth $5- to $6-million dollars AAV.
No Youth
Boasting one of the oldest rosters in the league, the Rangers are ripe with overpriced free agents that are close to retiring. Captained by the old 4th line grinder Ryan Callahan at the nursing-home age of 28, the Rangers core of Brian Boyle (28), Derek Dorsett (26), Carl Hagelin (25), Chris Kreider (22), Rick Nash (29), Benoit Pouliot (26), Derick Brassard (26), Derek Stepan (23), Mats Zuccarello (26), Michael Del Zotto (23), Dan Girardi (29), Ryan McDonagh (24), John Moore (22), Marc Staal (26), Anton Stralman (27) are poised to retire within the next 2 to 3 seasons – tops.
No Prospects
The Rangers only have 5 prospects that are close to being NHL-ready battling for roster spots this year, with only a few more that should be ready by next season. Danny Kristo, JT Miller, Jesper Fast, Oscar Lindberg, and Marek Hrivik are the only ones competing for roster spots which is just outrageous compared to every other team in the league. While Fast and Lindberg have already been playing against men for a few years in the Swedish Elite League, neither of them boast any high-end skill (regardless of Lindberg winning the playoff MVP in the SEL last season). The total lack of prospect depth, combined with no youth on the squad, is a severe disadvantage. Unfortunately, with so many old players locked into deals, some of these prospects will be able to develop at their own pace in the AHL instead of being thrown into the NHL before they’re ready like so many other NHL teams do. With the likes of Boo Nieves, Pavel Buchnevich, Dylan McIlrath, Brady Skjei, Michael St. Croix, Anthony Duclair, and others on the horizon, the future doesn’t look too bright in New York.
New Coaching Staff
Alain Vigneault won a fluke Jack Adams reward in 2011 with the Vancouver Canucks but has seemingly forgot how to coach since then. Getting rid of the gritty John Tortorella who emphasized a system based on a roster that can’t pass the puck or skate will haunt the Rangers for a lifetime. The Rangers, who have a defense that is incapable of skating with Staal, McDonagh, MDZ, Moore, and Stralman, are doomed now that AV will open up the offense and actually implement a breakout. Additionally, the forwards like Nash, Hagelin, Stepan, Kreider, Brassard, etc. will suffer and score less goals now that they are going to be forced to actually shoot the puck from in front of the net. It’s only fair to assume that the Rangers, who have only been in the top 15 in Goal For the past 3 seasons, will score even less now that they don’t just cycle the puck behind the net any time they’re in the offensive zone.
Lack of Leadership
Anyone that knows hockey knows that experienced veterans are necessary to go deep in the playoffs. These are the guys that keep the young guys on the team focused and prepare the rest of the players for what it takes to go deep in the playoffs. The Rangers lack any leadership or veteran presence with guys like Richards and Callahan being totally inept at leading the team. Richards is known for winning a Conn Smythe trophy with Tampa Bay, but let’s be real here, that was a total fluke, much like his other 12 seasons in the league. Taking away the 13+ players who have played 32 playoff games in the past 2 seasons, the Rangers have no experience whatsoever.
If it wasn’t clear to Ranger fans before why they are doomed to finish 30th in the league, it should be clear now.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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