After the 2021 expansion draft, the NHL draft, the opening of the free agent market and several staff movements during the offseason, LNH.com paints a portrait of the different teams. Today, the New York Rangers.
New general manager Chris Drury quickly put his mark on the Rangers during the offseason.
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Taking office on May 5 following the dismissal of President John Davidson and GM Jeff Gorton, Drury thanked coach David Quinn a few days later before replacing him with Gerard Gallant on June 16.
UPDATE : Montreal Canadiens | Kings de Los Angeles | Devils du New Jersey | Wild du Minnesota | Islanders of New York | Predators de Nashville
Drury then went to great lengths to add character, experience, and a bit of sandpaper to his training. Rangers acquired the striker Barclay Goodrow of the Tampa Bay Lightning, before signing him on a new six-year contract. The next day, the attacker Pavel Buchnevich moved to the St. Louis Blues in return for forward Samuel Blais. New York also got its hands on the scabby Ryan Reaves, July 29.
The Rangers have assembled a fine core of players since they announced with great fanfare that they were embarking on a rebuild in February 2018, and the plan is obviously to continue to build on them. Hopefully now the team’s acquisitions will be the missing ingredient to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs. New York finished fifth in the MassMutual East Section last season and has not made the spring tournament in three of the most recent four campaigns.
“My goal is for us to be in the playoffs next year,” Drury said when hiring Gallant. “Is it compulsory? I do not believe. But I want everyone to come back here knowing that this is our goal. With all the talent that there is in this team, this is where we should be. “
Here is the updated team portrait:
Sheet 2020-21: 27-23-6
Best striker : Mika Zibanejad (24)
Best passer: Adam Fox (42)
Best pointer: Artemi Panarin (58)
The arrivals
• Barclay Goodrow (A)
• Samuel Blais (A)
• Ryan Reaves (A)
• Patrik Nemeth (D)
• Jarred Tinordi (D)
Goodrow, Blais and Reaves will bring a good dose of toughness and energy, in addition to having a winning experience. The former has just won the Stanley Cup twice in a row with the Lightning, while Blais was champion in 2019 with St. Louis. Reaves has played 48 playoff games with the Vegas Golden Knights in the past four years. The three should evolve on one of the last two lines of New York.
“He’s very versatile,” Drury said of Goodrow. “I see him doing different things for Gerard, whether it’s down the middle, or faceoffs in defensive territory. It is very comprehensive. He will be able to help us in different facets of the game. […] He is a winner. He’ll be able to walk into our locker room and talk about what it’s like to play in the playoffs and win the Cup. “
The Rangers already had plenty of offensive weapons at their disposal and they made sure to be even harder to tackle with their acquisitions.
Departures
• Pavel Buchnevich (A)
• Colin Blackwell (A)
• Brett Howden (A)
• Jack Johnson (D)
• Tony DeAngelo (D)
• Brendan Smith (D)
• Phillip Di Giuseppe (A)
Buchnevich has just had the best season of his career with 48 points, including 20 goals, in just 54 games. The good news is that New York has some promising right-wing players, like Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kravtsov, who should take the opportunity to gain traction. Blackwell has also set career highs, playing long portions of the season with Artemi Panarin, and was the Seattle Kraken’s pick for the Rangers. The others who have left are depth players who should be easily replaced. Nemeth and Tinordi notably fill the departures of Johnson and Smith.
They knock on the door
• Vitali Kravtsov (A)
• Nils Lundkvist (D)
• Zac Jones (D)
• Tarmo Reunanen (D)
Kravtsov played his first 20 NHL games last season after recording 24 points, including 16 goals, with Chelyabinsk in the Continental Hockey League (KHL). A regular spot in New York awaits the 21-year-old this season, possibly even in the top-6, if he manages to overtake Kakko in the squad pecking order. Lundkvist, 21, is one of New York’s top prospects thanks to his attacking potential. The 28th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft recorded 32 and 31 points in his last two seasons in the Elite League of Sweden (SHL), then signed a three-year rookie contract on June 3. He is not guaranteed a place in the defensive squad, but we will certainly give him a few games in the NHL. Jones, 20, played his first 10 career games last season, and he too will have the chance to show off.
Video: NYR @ BOS: Kravtsov increases Rangers lead
Needs
Rangers have high hopes for the progress of young players such as Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere and Kravtsov, but a little depth on the attack wouldn’t hurt, in the event that these three players – all aged 21 or under – struggled. New York is also expected to feature a rather young defense, led by the most recent Norris Trophy winner, Adam Fox, and Jacob Trouba. An experienced defender to support them could be of great service to the team.
Planned training 2021-22
Artemi Panarin – Ryan Strome – Kaapo Kakko
Alexis Lafrenière – Mika Zibanejad – Chris Kreider
Barclay Goodrow — Filip Chytil – Vitali Kravtsov
Samuel Blais – Kevin Rooney — Ryan Reaves
Ryan Lindgren — Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller – Jacob Oven
Patrik Nemeth – Nils Lundkvist
Igor Shesterkin
Alexandar Georgiev
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