The Rangers return to action tonight at home against the Jets. Winnipeg is one of the two surprising teams out West, along with Las Vegas, sitting second in the Central. Connor Hellebuyck has solidified their play between the pipes, which made a huge difference for a team with tremendous offensive weapons and just added Paul Stastny at the trade deadline.
Yesterday’s Rangers news consisted of New York finally signing Ty Ronning to an ELC and further indications that’s Filip Chytil and Liss Andersson will be in Rangers’ red, white and blue before the end of the season.
Rangers sign Ty Ronning to an ELC:
OFFICIAL: #NYR have agreed to terms with forward Ty Ronning on an entry-level contract. pic.twitter.com/qKiXtgpD4W
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 5, 2018
Thank you to my family, teammates, coaches, and friends for always pushing me to be a better player — and person. Thank you all for believing in me and supporting my career! Hard work pays off but this is just the beginning. Can’t wait to take a bite out of the big apple! 🎠pic.twitter.com/XPXfURq9sq
— Ty Ronning (@TyRonning7) March 5, 2018
Ronning, the team’s seventh-round pick (No. 201 overall) in 2016, is in the midst of a monster season for Vancouver of the WHL, his fifth with the squad, tallying 55 goals and 77 points in 64 games. Last year, the 5-foot-9, 172-pound Ronning skated in 12 games with AHL Hartford, amassing two goals and five points. His dad, Cliff, tallied 306 goals and added 563 assists in 1137 games, playing for seven teams; 366 of those contests were spent with Vancouver, as he was a part of the Canucks team that face the Rangers in 1994 Stanley Cup Finals.
Ronning has been playing with Vancouver since the 2013-2014 season, assuming the role of assistant captain last season. His production (goals, assists, and points) are WHL career highs for Ronning, whose previous highs came in 2015-16, when he notched 31 goals along with 28 assists for 59 points in 67 games. His size, 5’9…³ and 165 lbs, is what’s first noticeable about him. But he has never shied away from going into the dirty areas and plays bigger than his physical stature.
Ronning is a skilled skater, and as seen by his production, has good hands. As this is his fifth year at this level, some of his output must be discounted. In addition, as an overage player in the league, that chips a bit further away at what he has produced this season. Despite that, Ronning appears to have the makeup and desire to succeed at the next levels. As noted above, he has a pretty good role model to follow in his father. Plus, look for the Rangers to have Martin St. Louis, another undersized player, work with Ronning in an effort to maximize his skills and future.
The NY Post today reiterated what GM Jeff Gorton said last week; expect Andersson and Chytil by the end of the season. The timing of when each player joins New York largely depends on when Hartford’s season ends. In addition, Andersson will likely play before Chytil, as Liss can play nine games to avoid triggering year one of his ELC while Chytil can only suit up seven times, since he played two games earlier this season for the Blueshirts.
Chytil has 10 goals and 28 points in 39 games with the Wolf Pack, and he’s first in the league in points per game (0.72) for players under 20 years old. His offensive instincts are undeniable, but the organization is trying to get him to be a more well-rounded player“I think like any young player, he’s still learning, especially at center, to play a solid 200-foot game,… assistant GM and Hartford GM Chris Drury said. “The offensive instincts and his raw talent and ability is obviously very exciting to us, and now it’s just a matter of making sure he understands how to play in his own zone.…
Andersson has five goals and 12 points in his first 18 games, including 10 points in the past 13 games. He stayed in New York after injuring his shoulder while captaining Team Sweden, and after he was healthy, both he and the team thought this is where his development was best served. Andersson also has started killing penalties, and the unending competitiveness — remember him throwing his silver medal into the stands at the World Juniors? — has made him a standout.
“With his character and his work ethic and how competitive he is, it’s hard not to notice him every single game,… Drury said. “He’s very goal-orientated and he wants to be a Ranger as fast as he can for as long as he can.…
Two different players. Two different skill sets. Yet each are expected to play key roles in the future for New York. Finding out, at least in a small sample size, what each player can accomplish at the highest level will benefit both the team and the player. This allows both centers to see what’s required to succeed in the NHL and enables the Rangers to determine on what each one needs to work. In addition, promoting both continues the team goal on building for the future, rewarding Andersson and Chytil for their play in Hartford and setting a path forward for others.
New York sits eighth in the Metro, five points from the second Wild Card spot and eight from the first spot. Florida with three games in hand and four points up on the Rangers has a much better chance to earn that second berth. As I wrote Sunday, New York beat three teams they either are struggling lately or playing out the string, each of whom are dealing with their own issues. The upcoming schedule fortells a more difficult task at hand starting tonight.
Winnipeg, Tampa, Florida, Carolina and Pittsburgh are the next five on the docket; a much more daunting gauntlet than the three Canadian contests that just passed. Following those five games, contests versus St. Louis, Columbus and Pittsburgh follow, after which it's Washington (home-and-road), Tampa (last home game) and Carolina (road) to close out March. In April, New York faces the Devils, Islanders and Flyers, all on the road. The goal is still to have the young kids get more experience, allowing for further evaluation, the same with the new blood, with the playoffs a much lower focus.
Enjoy seeing what the kids can bring, and once Chytil and Andersson are up, what the two first round picks this past year add to the equation. Expect the squad to give 100% when on the ice and whatever happens, happens. To me, the playoffs are not the goal. Not that I root for losses, far from it, but I realize what the target is and should be, and that’s building a team to contend for years. Hopefully getting a good pick, and that may not depend on finishing in the top-five at the end of the year. Playing the right way and then having the ping pong balls or frozen envelope go your way is the way forward, not tanking and hoping to fall low enough to get the right pick, because as we saw last year, finishing at the bottom of the league is no guarantee as to which pick you get.