Training camps in the NHL to prepare for the 2021/22 season will begin in mid-September. Beginning August 16, NHL.com takes a closer look at every team in the league in the 32 in 32 series. The inventory includes the most important personnel changes, the key players, the strengths and weaknesses and the play-off chances of the clubs.
In this issue: New York Rangers.
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Last season, the New York Rangers (27-23-6) narrowly missed out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs in fifth place in the strong MassMutual East Division. What remained, however, was confidence that the upheaval in Manhattan had been successfully completed and that a return to the playoffs could be imminent.
The key players
playmaker Mika Zibanejad and sniper Artemi Panarin remain the poster child in the Rangers storm. The duo ensures high quality at the top. But New York doesn’t have to hide behind that either: First overall pick Alexis Lafreniere goes into his second, second overall pick Kaapo Kakko into his third NHL season. Both top talents are likely to take their game to a new level and spearhead a young core of high performers (see extra story).
[Ähnliches: Rangers: Viel Talent und neue Härte]
is in defense Adam Fox the ultimate superstar. The 23-year-old American is a highly dangerous blueliner, but he was also able to raise his defensive game to a new level and is now one of the most complete and best defenders in the NHL: After the 2020/21 season, the right-hand shooter was awarded the Norris Trophy as Best Defender in the League. Jacob Trouba does not play quite as spectacularly as Fox, but bears a lot of responsibility on the blue line of the New Yorker and is therefore also one of the key players in the Big Apple.
In goal, the Rangers have the Russian team of goalkeepers Igor Shesterkin (25) and Alexandar Georgiev (25) about young and quality goalkeepers.
Video: Artemi Panarins Top-10-Tore der Saison 2021
Players from D/CH/A
In the 2021/22 season there are no players from Germany, Switzerland and Austria under contract. The last time that happened was in 2017/18 when Austria’s Michael Grabner played for Rangers. Before he was traded to local rivals New Jersey Devils before the trade deadline, the Villach-born powerhouse was responsible for 31 points (25 goals, six assists) in 59 games.
Brennan Othman, who was selected in 16th place in the 1st round of the 2021 draft, has both a Canadian and a Swiss passport, but is likely to start for the Flint Firebirds in the OHL in the coming season.
Promising Talents
The Rangers have an enormous wealth of top-class talent: Since the 2018 draft, New York has been able to draw seven (!) players in the first round. Among them with Lafreniere (19) a first overall pick and with Kakko (20) a second overall pick. Zac Jones (20), Vitali Kravtsov (21), K’Andre Miller (21), Nils Lundkvist (21), Filip Chytil (21) and Julien Gauthier (23) eight U-23 players should have a permanent place in the squad. New York is correspondingly young this season with an average age of 25.7 years.
Video: BUF@NYR: Lafrenière uses Strome’s pass
Strengthen
The mix at the Broadway Blueshirts is very interesting, contains a lot of talent, speed and thanks to the signing of the forwards Barclay Goodrow and Ryan Reaves also a lot of physique and experience. With Gerard Gallant, the Rangers also signed a coach who could harmonize perfectly with the existing player types and bring a handy system to the ice. Strong offensive players plus a stable defensive system sounds promising.
development potential
Of course, the many young talents have to deliver. This applies in particular to secondary scoring, i.e. rows three and four. It should also be interesting to see how well the existing leaders will carry the young team and how the Rangers will react to setbacks. Incidentally, the captain’s question has been unresolved for two and a half years. It is quite possible that New York will again send three assistant captains onto the ice.
Playoff Chances
After four difficult years, the Rangers appear poised to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The squad reads promising and well balanced. The transition appears to have been successful. New York could take on the role of secret favourite.
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