Is It Time for the Rangers to Panic? The Eastern Conference Might Force Them To
Dec 2, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 28: The New York Rangers leave the ice following a 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden on November 28, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The New York Rangers had every reason for optimism heading into the 2022-23 NHL season. They were coming off a run to the Eastern Conference Final, took a massive step forward in their rebuild, and boast a roster that has at least one elite player at forward, defense, and in net.
But now that we are a quarter of the way through the season the Rangers have not yet looked like the Stanley Cup contender they were supposed to be, and it might be time to start wondering if it is panic time. Not only because the Rangers are demonstrating some of the same flaws that held them back at times a year ago, but also because the rest of the Eastern Conference might cause some problems for them in their playoff pursuit.
The Rangers enter play on Friday just barely on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and even though there is still a lot of hockey to be played this is not a position that anybody expected them to be in at any point in the season. While the Rangers seem to have stagnated in the first quarter, teams like the New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, and Detroit Red Wings have all taken big leaps forward. That makes an already top-heavy Eastern Conference that much tougher.
The Islanders have their own superstar goalie in Ilya Sorokin (who is playing at an absurd level) and have benefitted from a start that was not interrupted by a massive road trip and COVID complications like last year.
The Devils have suddenly transformed into an absolute machine and have been one of the league's best teams through the first two months, and have put themselves into a position where even if they regress in the second half they have a built-in cushion to soften the blow.
The Devils have put the Rangers in their rearview mirror for the time being.
And even the Red Wings are starting to look like a potential playoff team after a big offseason. Add in the usual suspects at the top like Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Pittsburgh, and Carolina, as well as a Florida team that is still trying to find its way, and suddenly you have 10 viable playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. Somebody is going to miss out.
Last year's Eastern Conference playoff race was unique in the sense that there was a pretty definitive gap between the eight playoff teams and the non-playoff teams. The closest non-playoff team finished 16 points out of a playoff spot, while only one other was within even 25 points of a playoff spot. From December on there was virtually no playoff race and the teams at the top had relatively little pressure.
That is not going to be the case this season, and the later into the season it gets, the more difficult it becomes to make up points.
But it's not just the fact there are so many more good teams in the Eastern Conference this season that has to be concerning for the Rangers.
It's that they still have some very concerning flaws of their own.
For starters, they do not generate anywhere near enough offense during 5-on-5 play. A lot of the Rangers' offensive success last year was generated by its power play. And while that can still be very impactful, you do not want to have to rely on that to carry all of your offense.
When it came to 5-on-5 goal scoring, the Rangers averaged just 2.35 goals per 60 minutes (via Natural Stat Trick) a year ago, a mark that placed them 21st in the NHL and 14th among the 16 playoff teams (ahead of only Los Angeles and Dallas). For much of the season, they had major depth issues with their bottom-six forwards, and it was not until they added Frank Vatrano, Andrew Copp, and Tyler Motte at the trade deadline that they started to get more dangerous at even strength.
A sometimes overlooked storyline this offseason was that Vatrano, Copp, and Ryan Strome (last year's No. 2 center) all left in free agency, while only Vincent Trocheck was brought in to replace them.
That was a lot of scoring depth going out the door. The Rangers were banking on Trocheck being an upgrade over Strome, and their collection of young forwards (Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, Vitali Kravtsov) all taking steps forward and playing like the top picks that they were.
All eyes are on Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko for the Rangers this season.
While Trocheck has been fine, he has not scored at the same pace that Strome did, while the young players are not really progressing with their production. If players like Lafreniere and Kakko do not become stars, it will really hold back the Rangers' ability to reach the next level.
Entering play on Friday the Rangers are still only 19th in the league (again via Natural Stat Trick) in terms of 5-on-5 goals per 60 minutes. That is not where they want to be.
They do have around $2 million in salary cap space to play with and could use another significant tweak at the deadline like last year.
The other issue for the Rangers is that starting goalie Igor Shesterkin has been human this season, instead of unbeatable. Shesterkin's 2021-22 season was one of the best individual goaltending seasons in recent memory and helped mask an awful lot of Rangers' flaws, both offensively (allowing them to win low-scoring games) and defensively (covering up their shortcomings in their own end). As he went, the Rangers went.
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin guards the goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Edmonton Oilers, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, in New York. The Oilers won 4-3. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
As good as Shesterkin is, it was always going to be unrealistic to expect him to maintain a .935 save percentage over a full season every year. The Rangers had to be ready for regression there and have enough support to make up for that. It has not really happened.
Shesterkin can be better, and he very well might. But there is no guarantee he is as dominant as he was a year in what was a special year. If he is not, and if the Rangers do not get more even-strength scoring, they could suddenly find themselves in a real—and unexpected—scramble for a playoff spot in a dramatically improved Eastern Conference.
NHL Style Rankings: Rangers D-Man Steals the Show From Patrik Laine
Nov 2, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 11: K'Andre Miller #79 and Jacob Trouba #8 of the New York Rangers walk the blue carpet prior to the home opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden on October 11, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
If I had to describe the NHL fashion scene through the first month of the 2022-23 season in one cliche phrase, "good not great" comes to mind.
We've got Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine cornering the market on the bangers. Meanwhile, inaugural style rankings King David Pastrnak is nowhere to be found off the ice (on the ice is a completely different story).
So far, I'm left wanting a lot more innovation. But at the same time, it feels like the style of the whole league is trending up on average.
I guess I'll take it.
As a quick reminder, you can find the original NHL style rankings right here on Bleacher Report every other Wednesday. Now let's get into Round 2.
I have a well-documented love/hate relationship with hats—I love them when they actually complement an outfit, I hate them when they look like a prop. Jets forward Adam Lowry has a well-documented collection of hats. This has led to a hit-or-miss history with Lowry and the style rankings, but his 2022-23 debut is a hit.
Everything about this fit, including the hat, is seamless right down to the greyscale. And, honestly, if you're going to do a hat, your best bet is the hat/pinstripe combo.
As a bonus, Lowry paid homage to the Jets' Heritage Blues with a dash of red. Social media managers, please take note: We need more shoe pictures!
Somehow, this is not only Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson's season debut, but his first-ever appearance in the style rankings since their inception last season. But the notoriously stylish Swede has finally made it with this tweed number. This shade of blue looks great on him, and in all, it's a cohesive and trendy finish.
He also rolled up to the rink in that second look Tuesday and scored his first career hat trick. Look good, play good, things of that nature. What a start to the season for Karlsson!
The more I learn about Sabres forward Tage Thompson, the more I like the guy. The Sabres got to pick individual goal songs this year, and he went with a classic: "Fishin' In The Dark" by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Then he scored a hat trick at home and let the people listen to it three times.
He's got six goals and 12 points in nine games, and I don't know if it's correlation or causation, but his looks have been reflecting his play recently. He gets extra points for the tailoring considering he's 6'6".
Your favorite style icon's favorite style icon, Senators forward Mathieu Joseph, makes his season debut at No. 7.
Where do we even begin with this one? Joseph is simply crushing the double breast. And when you're going double-breast, you can get a little dramatic with the hat. Well done.
Loving the pattern range here with Panthers forward Patric Hörnqvist's first looks of the season--he's giving the people a little bit of everything. I also absolutely love the color scheme of the second look, between the shades of green and the brown shoes. Earthy tones for the win.
To be completely honest with you, he's been on my radar for a while—he's made the rankings a few times in the past! But as they say, it's a "what have you done for me lately?" league, and his tailoring was holding him back earlier this season.
I know tailoring is hard for the big boys, and Zadorov's 6'5" stature isn't doing him any favors in that aspect, but he's figured it out with his most recent looks, and it's fantastic. I'm sorry I ever doubted you!
Sometimes, I get legitimately sad thinking about all the outfits we've missed out on just because there aren't photos. That's not all on social teams—one time Mikhail Sergachev told me Andrei Vasilevskiy arrives at the rink too early for the paparazzi.
And contrary to our style rankings wants and needs, the priority here is playing hockey. I'll bet that's why we haven't seen Pastrnak's look in a while—the man is on a heater, and we have to let him cook.
Anyways, shout out to Twitter user @9kempe for showing us Maple Leafs forward William Nylander's look here, because otherwise, I would've totally missed it. Nylander's known around the league for his style, and I'm so glad we're getting a taste of it now.
I will always love Laine for taking his risks, especially when it feels like no one else is. I'm loving the outer-space theme he's been showcasing through the first month of the season, and here we have his latest installment of astronaut chic.
We all hold him to a high standard around here, so we need to remember there's absolutely no shame in not being No. 1 every single week. This look (and one of my favorite recurring suits of his in the second photo) keeps Laine in the top three.
Is there a new Bruins-style icon in town? No shade, no tea to Pastrnak, who just hasn't been in many photos for whatever reason. But goalie Linus Ullmark's looks have been as impressive as they've been consistent lately--and you get extra points for consistency.
If you're gonna do the three-piece suit thing, you might as well do it big. This has been Ullmark's M.O. through the first month of the season, and I am here for it.
The outrage was palpable when Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller didn't make the first round of style rankings this season, and I loved the passion from Blueshirt nation. Frankly, Miller deserves the hype.
I didn't hate the two suits I saw from him ahead of the first rankings, but I didn't love them, either. Part of that is because I hold him to such a high standard. I felt validated when I saw him in this masterpiece on Oct. 20, and although I gave everyone else a fair look, I sort of knew he'd be debuting at No. 1.
At only 22-years-old, Miller's making a name for himself on and off the ice with his potential as part of this young Rangers core and his style that oozes New York City class. His looks are rarely the loudest in the room, but they don't have to be.
Take this look for example. I've seen a few iterations of this pink and red color scheme recently in the NHL, and they've looked nice, but the texture of the red suit and tie and the juxtaposition of the pink shirt take Miller to another level, here. Add the peace sign pose, the glasses and the matching phone case, and he doesn't need some wild pattern or hat.
He's just got it, and everyone knows it.
Dare I say Miller's subtle-yet-strong swagger is reminiscent of King Henrik Lundqvist himself?
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James Dolan Says He Has 'No Plans' to Sell Knicks, Rangers Despite Speculation
Aug 19, 2022
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 4: James L. Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO, The Madison Square Garden Company & NBA Governor, watches an NBA basketball game between the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks on February 4, 2018 at Madison Square Garden Center in New York City. Hawks won 99-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)
James Dolan is shutting down any speculation that he's looking to sell the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.
Speaking to TMZ Sports about the rumors, Dolan laughed them off and said "no" about selling the two sports franchises.
The rumors began earlier this week when MSG sports analyst Jonathan Boyar said on CNBC's Closing Time that it's "likely" Dolan would sell the teams after the construction of MSG Sphere, a music and entertainment arena being built in Las Vegas, is completed in 2023.
There have been rumblings in the past that Dolan was looking to sell the iconic New York franchises.
Aaron Elstein of Crain's New York reported in June 2018 that Dolan "may be laying the groundwork" to sell the clubs after announcing he "was exploring a spin-off that would separate the Knicks and the Rangers from the rest of Madison Square Garden."
One analyst told Elstein that Dolan wanted to "be more Elon Musk than George Steinbrenner."
MSG released a statement denying there was any interest in selling:
Madison Square Garden Company releases statement: “There are no plans to sell the Knicks or the Rangers.”
Dolan is the executive chairman of Madison Square Garden Sports and Madison Square Garden Entertainment. He is also the executive chairman of MSG Networks, which is the main broadcast home for Knicks and Rangers games.
After Cablevision, which Dolan was CEO of from 1995-2016, bought out ITT Corp. in 1997, the Dolan family gained full control of the Knicks. Dolan was named MSG chairman in 1999 after taking over for his father, Charles.
Dolan has been running the Knicks and Rangers since 1999. Madison Square Garden Company also used to be the governor of the WNBA's New York Liberty from 1999 until Jan. 2019 when the franchise was sold to Joseph Tsai.
Per Mike Ozanian of Forbes, the Knicks' $5.8 billion franchise valuation is the highest among all NBA teams. The Rangers are currently the only NHL team with a franchise value of at least $2 billion.
The Knicks have made eight playoff appearances under Dolan's leadership, including an appearance in the 1999 NBA Finals. The franchise's two worst seasons by winning percentage have come in the past eight seasons (.207 in 2014-15 and 2018-19).
The Rangers have made 13 playoff appearances since the 1999-2000 season. They have also won two division titles and reached the Stanley Cup Final after the 2013-14 season, losing to the Los Angeles Kings in five games.
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Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews Wins Hart Trophy as 2021-22 NHL MVP
Jun 22, 2022
TORONTO, ON - MAY 2: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on against the Seattle Kraken during the first period in Game One of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on May 2, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews has won the 2021-22 Hart Trophy as the player viewed to be the most valuable to his team, it was announced Tuesday. He beat out Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid and New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin for the honor.
This marks Matthews' first Hart Trophy victory, and he is the first Maple Leaf to win the award since Ted Kennedy in 1954-55. He was also nominated for the award during the 2020-21 campaign but came in second behind McDavid.
Matthews had a dominant season for the Maple Leafs, scoring a career-high 60 goals and 46 assists for 106 points in 73 games. It was his third consecutive season with at least 40 goals, and he has never scored less than 34 goals in each of his six seasons.
The 24-year-old's efforts helped Toronto finish second in the Atlantic Division with a 54-21-7 record. The team's 54 wins and 115 points were the most in franchise history.
The Maple Leafs selected Matthews first overall in the 2016 NHL draft, and he has been one of the best forwards in the league since. He has tallied 259 goals and 198 assists for 457 points in 407 games.
In addition to winning the Hart Trophy, he won the 2021-22 Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's top goal scorer and the Ted Lindsay Award. He also won the Rocket Richard during the 2020-21 season and won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie during the 2016-17 season.
Matthews signed a five-year, $58.2 million deal with the Maple Leafs in 2019 and will be a free agent after the 2023-24 season. Based on the way he's been playing, he'll be in for a massive extension worth more than the $11.6 million annually he makes now.
Rangers' Igor Shesterkin Wins 2021-22 Vezina Trophy
Jun 21, 2022
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 03: Goaltender Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers waves to the fans following a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on June 3, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
New York Rangers star Igor Shesterkin has won the 2021-22 Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender, beating out Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators) and Jacob Markstrom (Calgary Flames) for the honor.
The 26-year-old becomes the third goaltender in Rangers history to win the award, joining Henrik Lundqvist and John Vanbiesbrouck. Lundqvist was last to win the award for the franchise in 2012.
The news comes as little surprise as the third-year netminder dominated play and led the Rangers to a second place finish in the Metropolitan Division.
Shesterkin won 36 of his 52 starts, going 36-13-4 with six shutouts and a 2.07 goals-against average and .935 save percentage. He led the NHL in even strength save percentage (.934) and goals saved above average (26.38), per Natural Stat Trick.
In addition, the Russian recorded a .866 high-danger save percentage at even strength, which ranked second behind New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin.
The Rangers selected Shesterkin in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL draft. He spent the 2019-20 season as a backup and emerged as the team's starter during the 2020-21 season, posting a 16-14-3 record in 35 games (31 starts).
With a Vezina Trophy to his name, Shesterkin will be due for a significant extension after the 2024-25 season. He's currently on a four-year, $22.6 million deal that he signed before the 2021-22 season, making $5.6 million per year.
