In the spirit of the holiday season, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season passes the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the New York Rangers.
What are the Rangers thankful for?
Youth.
The Rangers are a legitimate playoff contender this season, sitting in third place in the Metropolitan Division but just one point behind the two teams ahead of them. They may not be considered a Stanley Cup favorite by many, but given how young their core still is that could change quickly. On defense, 27-year-old Jacob Trouba is the old hand, leading a group that includes Adam Fox (23), Ryan Lindgren (23), K’Andre Miller (21), and Nils Lundkvist (21). Even Patrik Nemeth, considered a grandfather by Rangers standards, is only 29.
Upfront, the ancient Chris Kreider will turn 31 in April and Artemi Panarin will do the same a few months after that. Otherwise, the only other regular who has crossed the 30-year-old threshold is Ryan Reaves, a player who averages only barely over 10 minutes a night anyway.
While not every player develops at the same rate, there’s a good chance that this group will be even better in a year or two without making any substantial changes. The rebuild that was committed to by management with that infamous 2018 letter seems to be coming together quite nicely.
Who are the Rangers thankful for?
Even though there are great signs of development all throughout the roster, there’s been one player more responsible than any other for the Rangers’ current success. The 25-year-old Shesterkin has an eye-popping .937 save percentage through 18 games this season, which is tied with Jack Campbell for the league lead. It puts him squarely in the Vezina Trophy race and makes that four-year, $22.67MM contract extension–one that was the largest second contract ever signed by a goaltender–look like a bargain at this point.
This shouldn’t be that surprising, given his history. In each of his three full KHL seasons, Shesterkin posted a save percentage of at least .933. In his final year, he went 24-4 with a .953, allowing just 31 goals in 28 games. When he arrived in North America, things barely changed, as Shesterkin put up a .934 in 25 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack. In fact, among goaltenders with at least 50 appearances at the NHL level, his .925 career save percentage is the best in history.
What would the Rangers be even more thankful for?
The emergence of Kaapo Kakko or Alexis Lafreniere.
There have been flashes, including a stretch of solid play earlier this month by the former, but Kakko and Lafreniere have still not lived up to their draft status. The fact that Barclay Goodrow, an undrafted depth player with a career-high of 24 points has outscored both young players this season is a problem, regardless of the difference in ice time or linemates. Lafreniere and Kakko have combined for only 11 goals and 18 points in 56 appearances, numbers that aren’t indicative of the first and second overall picks that the team used on them.
These are two 20-year-old players, meaning it’s far from time to label them a bust or give up on their development, but if the Rangers want to take the next step from playoff team to Stanley Cup favorite, this is where it will come from. In fact, the Rangers being as good as they are without Kakko or Lafreniere developing into star players is a testament to how successful the rest of the build has gone.
What should be on the Rangers’ Holiday Wish list?
A Ryan Strome extension (or trade).
Trading a top-six center that has obvious chemistry with your best forward is certainly not what any contending team is usually considering, but if the Rangers can’t get close to an extension with Strome they will have to. The 28-year-old is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and it is still too early in the rebuild for the team to watch him walk for nothing. An extension should be first on the to-do list, but if it looks like it will be impossible to complete before the deadline or too cost-prohibitive moving forward, trading him for other assets would be prudent.
Strome has developed into a heck of a player in New York after some early-career inconsistency. Over his last three seasons he has 129 points in 152 games while averaging nearly 19 minutes a night. That’s a player a lot of teams would want to add, especially if they’re trying to contend for a Stanley Cup this spring, and it could result in even more talent that can grow with the young New York core.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
They’ll need to move on from Strome and if they add a couple of D prospects and Georgiev, they could probably land a solid #2 center.
So…. trade a 2C, some prospects and a backup caliber goalie for what exactly? Another 2C that they wont be able to re-up? I’m thinking probably not. If they are forced to trade Strome, they will be smart and do it for future picks and prospects. Which is, as Gavin pointed out, a big reason that Kakko/Laf need to step up.
Why should they move Strome? Panarin is averaging more than a point per game with him as his center. What second line center do you have in mind? Will his salary be higher than Stromes? Will there be chemistry? These are all unknowns. What we do know is that they play well together. If isn’t broke, don’t fix it.
Panarin did that before Strome and Strome’s production is a product of Panarin. Strome is weak on face-offs and is questionable at best on D. Kakko has been looking good the last several games and LaF will hopefully pull in some consistency – soon.
Georgiev is going to require $$$ and we’re deep as hell at D. Players, for example like Couturier and Larkin would be great as second line C’s, providing the same scoring along with solid two way play. I don’t think Strome is bad, he’s just not the player needed to get the cup.
Panarin’s PPG in his worst year for the Rangers is better than for his best year playing for other teams.
Because he’s on a line with Zibs, Kreider, Fox, and Kakko, getting to play back with Fox or to the left on ice shifts.
Panarin played with Patrick Kane in Chicago.
Regarding your choices of Larkin and Couturier. Larkin while not a bad choice, doesn’t play on the penalty kill and has a cap it over 6m. That plus the cost in a trade doesn’t really improve the team. The fact that he plays on a bad team shows he doesn’t make those around him better. Couturier isn’t going anywhere. He signed an 8 yr 62m contract that starts at age 30. With Giroux a UFA this year, I don’t see the Flyers trading him.
Replacing Strome is not as easy as people think. Be careful what you ask for.
He did have Kane, but that’s where it really began and ended. Keith isn’t Fox, and Panarin has multiple options around him that require just as much attention defensively as he does. Didn’t exist in Chicago.
Granted the salary of Larkin may be a bit steep, but it’s going to be an issue anyway with all the others that would be part of a deal. Wouldn’t need Larkin to kill penalties – that’s where you get your Jan Erickson‘s of the world to kill those off. And considering his numbers aren’t bad, on a bad team, and attracting the oppositions top defender, I’d say he may be able to step up his production playing with a more talented team. We’re talking second line center, not the second coming of Messier.
Wrong on the Chicago Team! He had Kane & Toews, both 27 & 28. Seabrook , Keith & HOF Hossa. The team won 103 & 109 points in those two years. I am a BIG Ranger fan, while I love Kreider & Zibanejad, they are not as good as the Chicago players.
So you want to trade for Larkin and 6m salary for two years. Then have to resign at a higher rate 8m plus per. Then look for a Jan Erixon type player. At what cost? Jesper Fast 2m plus. Colton Sissions 3.6, Brandon Sutter 1.125m, Sean Kuraly 5.5M, JG Pageau 5M. Nic Dowd is signed for the next 3 years. Your suggestion is NOT cap Friendly.
You are correct, we are not looking for the next coming of Messier, but replacing Strome is not going to be easy.