This article is part of our Team Previews series.
Just one year ago at this time, the Rangers faced a plethora of questions and a sea of uncertainty. Headed into the 2013-14 campaign already dealing with restricted free agent holdout Derek Stepan, the team was harboring a bevy of pending unrestricted free agents that held together the seams of a team who had peaked under head coach John Tortorella with an Eastern Conference finals loss to New Jersey during the 2011-12 campaign.
By the trade deadline, both Dan Girardi and face-of-the-franchise keeper Henrik Lundqvist were signed to long-term deals, but a salary cap crunch was still in force. After parting ways with oft-injured but highly-respected captain Ryan Callahan in a deadline deal with Tampa Bay for winger Martin St. Louis and subsequently having used their second amnesty buy-out of Brad Richards, the Blue Shirts went 45-31-6 during the regular season and still managed to come within three wins of Lord Stanley's cup under first-year head coach Alain Vigneault. While the organization is seemingly more stable than it has been in previous seasons, that doesn't mean all the questions have been answered.
After allowing bounce-back forward Benoit Pouliot (Edmonton), stay-at-home defenseman Anton Stralman (Tampa Bay), and cagey fourth-liner Derek Dorsett (Vancouver) leave for greener pastures in the offseason, team president and GM Glen Sather then turned his attention to retaining the services of the team's key contributing restricted free agents. Chris Kreider (50 points in 81 total games) and Derick Brassard (57 points in 104 games) both signed
Just one year ago at this time, the Rangers faced a plethora of questions and a sea of uncertainty. Headed into the 2013-14 campaign already dealing with restricted free agent holdout Derek Stepan, the team was harboring a bevy of pending unrestricted free agents that held together the seams of a team who had peaked under head coach John Tortorella with an Eastern Conference finals loss to New Jersey during the 2011-12 campaign.
By the trade deadline, both Dan Girardi and face-of-the-franchise keeper Henrik Lundqvist were signed to long-term deals, but a salary cap crunch was still in force. After parting ways with oft-injured but highly-respected captain Ryan Callahan in a deadline deal with Tampa Bay for winger Martin St. Louis and subsequently having used their second amnesty buy-out of Brad Richards, the Blue Shirts went 45-31-6 during the regular season and still managed to come within three wins of Lord Stanley's cup under first-year head coach Alain Vigneault. While the organization is seemingly more stable than it has been in previous seasons, that doesn't mean all the questions have been answered.
After allowing bounce-back forward Benoit Pouliot (Edmonton), stay-at-home defenseman Anton Stralman (Tampa Bay), and cagey fourth-liner Derek Dorsett (Vancouver) leave for greener pastures in the offseason, team president and GM Glen Sather then turned his attention to retaining the services of the team's key contributing restricted free agents. Chris Kreider (50 points in 81 total games) and Derick Brassard (57 points in 104 games) both signed multi-year pacts, while breakout speedster Mats Zuccarello (72 points in 102 games) was re-signed to a one-year deal.
With their eyes on salary cap space and internal player development, the team roped in a low-key group of free-agent signings this offseason, headlined by one-year deals with Lee Stempniak and Matthew Lombardi and a three-year deal for Tanner Glass, who totaled career-highs in penalty minutes under Vigneault's watch in Vancouver a few seasons ago. Additionally, due to their lack of draft picks over the past few seasons, the Rangers have made a habit out of signing college free agents, such as last season's acquisition of Conor Allen and the team's well-publicized inking of Kevin Hayes this summer.
Considering the franchise's needs down the middle at the center spot, the team's training camp reports will become a frenzied focus for most fantasy owners preparing their draft plans this fall.
A more-seasoned J.T. Miller (first round pick in 2011) looks to make the team out of camp as a center, but promising Swedish pivot Oscar Lindberg could give him fits. And while the organization has lacked the dazzling, can't-miss prospect for quite some time, QMJHL standout Anthony Duclair (50 goals, 99 points in 57 games) could change that narrative if he cracks the opening night roster.
In addition, with last season's trade of Callahan creating a leadership void that prompted Vigneault to finish out the campaign with three assistant captains, the onus will be on newly-appointed captain Ryan McDonagh to continue to deliver on both ends of the ice while mentoring the team's younger players. And perhaps more importantly, there's the question of what the Rangers can expect from Rick Nash, who tied his rookie-season career-low in points (39) last season and followed it up with a dispiriting playoff performance. Finally, what might St. Louis have left in the tank in what looks like his final season in the NHL?
The Rangers will attempt to find conclusions to all of these uncertainties as they aim to become the first team to reach the Stanley Cup finals in consecutive campaigns since Pittsburgh and Detroit achieved the feat in 2008-09.
The Big Guns
Rick Nash, LW (RotoWire Position Rank*: #12): Despite his team-leading nine game-winning goals in 2013-14, Nash managed 39 points in 65 regular season games played last season, his worst offensive output since his rookie campaign. He didn't exactly eliminate concerns about his downturn in performance in the playoffs, as his two goals in 25 games amounted to a futile showing for a skater who has long been viewed as one of the league's preeminent goal scorers. With his hands and legs now entering their 30s, expectations for Nash have probably been lowered by his employer, and should be for fantasy owners in most formats as well. Even so, while it's entirely possible the former first-overall pick in the 2002 draft is beginning his decline, it's much more likely he shows up in camp with a chip on his shoulder and provides owners with good value in the middle rounds this year.
*RotoWire Position Ranks reflected for points-based leagues*
Martin St. Louis, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: #19): Despite a slow start (one goal in 19 regular season games) to his career in New York, St. Louis was an integral part of the team's chemistry, and a critical producer (15 points in 25 games) in the Rangers' run to the Stanley Cup Finals. That's all fine and well, but set aside the ties that bind, and you have a 39-year-old winger in the final year of a four-year deal. Whether or not St. Louis is considering retirement or vying for one last pay-day before he hangs them up, it's very likely you'll see the veteran empty the tank with all he's got left in 2014-15. Although his pre-draft status is that of an aging veteran with dwindling offensive production (although a 69-point campaign between the Rangers and Lightning last season is nothing to scoff at), the enormity of his campaign will surely depend on his likely linemates, Rick Nash and Derek Stepan.
Ryan McDonagh, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #6): By far the Rangers' most reliable blue line scorer last season (43 points in 77 games), McDonagh will reportedly take the reigns as the captain of this team in 2014-15, with veterans Ryan Callahan and Brad Richards no longer in the fold. Having already topped 30 points in a season twice in the last three campaigns (save for lockout season), the 25-year-old is seemingly just entering the prime of his career. Most importantly to fantasy owners, McDonagh has been very reliable, having missed just 10 regular-season tilts in his last three seasons combined, despite playing north of 27 minutes per game on a consistent basis. Be prepared, however -- for the first time in his career, McDonagh's expectations are at their highest, and in accordance, he'll very likely to be selected highly among the elite fantasy defensemen come draft day.
Henrik Lundqvist, G (RotoWire Position Rank: #5): One of hockey's most trustworthy goaltenders, Lundqvist is coming off a roller coaster of a campaign. Despite going 12-15-2 through the first three months of last season, the organization locked in King Henrik for the long haul in early December, inking the netminder to a seven-year, $59.5 million extension. With the weight of contract negotiations off his mind, Lundqvist turned over a new leaf with the new calendar year. The 32-year-old went on to lead Team Sweden to the silver medal in the 2014 Winter Olympics and posted a 21-9-3 record (1.96 GAA) in the final three months of the regular season en route to his first Stanley Cup Finals appearance. Despite an increase in GAA (2.35) and a slight dip in save percentage (.920) as well as shutouts (five) last season, it's fair to say Lundqvist's status as one of game's top-tier goalies remains highly secure.
On the Rise
Carl Hagelin, LW (RotoWire Position Rank: #29): Aside from his middling 33 points (17 goals) in 72 games last season, Hagelin finished second on the Rangers with five game-winning tallies. Now poised to claim a role on one of the team's top two lines, likely alongside Derick Brassard and Martin St. Louis, Hagelin may have a chance at breaking 50-point barrier this season if health permits. For now, the former University of Michigan star will likely remain a mid-to-late round pick in most standard leagues.
Derick Brassard, C (RotoWire Position Rank: #52): Entering last season, Brassard was widely viewed as a player on the cusp of a breakout season. Although his 45 points could be considered rather pedestrian from a third-line perspective, Columbus' former sixth overall pick (2006) still has a boatload of promise to fulfill. With the offseason amnesty buyout of Brad Richards, Brassard is slated to move up to the team's second line this season, when he could finally make good on the long-awaited expectations.
J.T. Miller, C (RotoWire Position Rank: NR): If any Rangers forward could fill the void left by summer departures Brad Richards and Benoit Pouliot, it's the team's first-round pick from 2011. Ever since Miller's two-goal performance in his second NHL game two seasons ago, the hype machine for the 21-year-old has been on overdrive. Since that time, Miller has traveled a familiar path back and forth between New York and AHL Hartford. Although Miller has managed just three goals in 58 NHL games since the aforementioned two-goal debut, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound forward has showed great maturation over time, responding to criticism from head coach Alain Vigneault by logging 43 points in 41 games with Harford last season. The window for dynasty owners has well passed, but annual re-drafters in deep formats should consider Miller as a possible late-round sleeper choice.
Players to Watch
Dominic Moore, C (RotoWire Position Rank: NR): Certainly one of the best stories of the Rangers' magical run to the Stanley Cup Finals, Moore, 33, had a knack for finding the back of the net when his team needed it the most. When the first-line offense looked to be on its final legs during the postseason, head coach Alain Vigneault entrusted Moore to step in and get things going again. No, he'll never be accused of being a wizard with the puck and his fantasy impact is severely limited by his fourth-line centering duties, but Moore seems to have found a spirited and balanced game that he didn't necessarily have before. We're not saying he's going to produce more than the meager 26 points he offered in 73 regular season games last season, but stranger things have occurred, especially on a team with such shallow depth down the middle.
John Moore, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #123): After being traded to New York in the Marian Gaborik deal two seasons ago, Moore has enjoyed a fresh start in the Rangers organization, alleviating some of the pressure placed on him as a former first-round draft pick. While the blueliner did manage to capitalize on consistent minutes on the team's third-line pairing in his second full NHL season, doubling his career-high in points (14) in the process, something tells us he's capable of a bit more. Moore, who already saw his share of chances on the team's second power-play unit last season, is likely one of head coach Alain Vigneault's first choices to fill out the team's top-four pairings should injury strike at some point during the upcoming campaign. Dynasty owners should have already decided their interest level on Moore, but owners in standard formats should monitor his early-season numbers before considering scooping him up.
Oscar Lindberg, C (RotoWire Position Rank: NR): This summer's departure of Brad Richards not only opens cap space for the Rangers, but it also provides the up-and-coming Lindberg a strong opportunity to begin contributing. After making a firm impression on head coach Alain Vigneault in last fall's training camp, Lindberg went back to AHL Hartford and put up decent numbers (44 points in 75 games). While the presence of J.T. Miller and signing of Matthew Lombardi certainly lessens the 22-year-old's chances of making the squad, at the very least, he should make last cut in camp and get a call-up at some point this season.
Don't Overrate
Dan Boyle, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #38): Although the 38-year-old Boyle has noticed progressively-worsening point-per-season production, it was more about his personal desire to play on Broadway that brought the veteran blueliner to New York at a relatively cheap price tag (two years, $9 million). Not only can Boyle fill in for the bought-out Brad Richards as the power-play quarterback, but he's fairly decent on both the wing and of course his natural position, defense, where he'll replace the now departed Anton Stralman.
Dan Girardi, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #102): Aside from his impending unrestricted free agency heading into last season, Girardi represented all that was dependable defensively on the Rangers' blue line, with just a splash of offensive output to boot. While we hesitate to blame the sizable contract extension (six years, $33 million) he would ultimately receive at the trade deadline, Girardi ended up closing the season on a low note, delivering one of the more tumultuous postseasons the eight-year veteran has experienced in his career. In addition to the possibility of his defensive struggles during last year's Stanley Cup Finals carrying over into the 2014-15 campaign and impacting his usually positive plus/minus rating, Girardi's so-so scoring production (he has a career-high of 31 points in a season) limits his fantasy upside to little more than that of a late-round backup plan on the blue line.
Marc Staal, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #124): What a difference a year made for Staal. While the veteran blueliner has never been considered a top offensive producer from the blue line, at this time last year, we were questioning whether his vision and balance issues stemming from an eye injury two seasons ago would derail his career entirely. Since then, the 27-year-old defenseman has cemented himself back into the team's mid-term future. All things considered, Staal only offers a meager left-handed shot from the point, and even if he can climb back up to 25-point-per-season production, he's not much use to any owners in 12-team leagues or less.
Top Prospects
Danny Kristo, RW (RotoWire Prospects Ranking: #32): Kristo, a 24-year-old forward, was acquired at the end of the 2012-13 campaign, with the Rangers sending Christian Thomas to Montreal in return. At 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, and blessed with speed and smooth hands, Kristo certainly fits the mold head coach Alain Vigneault is looking for in New York, and we wouldn't be surprised to see the winger make his NHL debut at least later this season. Whether or not the University of North Dakota alum comes out guns blazing will ultimately determine how long he remains with the Blue Shirts.
Brady Skjei, D (RotoWire Prospects Ranking: #54): One of the Rangers' most-prized prospects, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Skjei recorded a plus-15 rating to go along with 14 points for the University of Minnesota last season. Word around the blogosphere is that the team is trying to convince the 20-year-old to skip his final two years of eligibility at the college level and go pro, but any overtures by the Rangers have not been accepted to this point. Reports suggest Skjei is not exactly jumping at the chance to leave college, with the desire to compete for a national championship with his hometown Gophers proving to alluring. At the moment, it looks like Skjei will remain a promising young prospect for only dynasty owner's eyes.
Anthony Duclair, LW (RotoWire Prospects Ranking: #66): Considered one of the crown jewels of the Rangers' prospect stash, Duclair spent last season terrorizing the QMJHL. The 5-foot-11 forward logged 99 points (50 goals) in 59 games with the Quebec Remparts before his campaign was derailed by a concussion. In spite of the missed time, Duclair still showed real growth, burying 30 more pucks than the previous year in just four additional games. Although Rangers assistant GM Jeff Gorton has recently said that he won't rule out the possibility of the 19-year-old making the NHL team out of camp, he still retains one season of eligibility left in juniors. While it seems like a long shot that Duclair is this year's Nathan MacKinnon, the possibility still exists there. Dynasty owners should have already pounced on this one; deep league annual re-drafters should monitor his progress in camp, because it's entirely possible he gets at least a nine-game tryout before the Rangers send him back to juniors.
Pavel Buchnevich, LW (RotoWire Prospects Ranking: #67): Yet another score from the Rangers' trio of third-round draft picks in 2013, Buchnevich seems to be coming along quite nicely. The 19-year-old forward registered 18 points in 40 games with the KHL's Severstal Cherepovets last season, and will likely spend the 2014-15 campaign with the club again. While we don't see him trekking across the Atlantic for official NHL games this season, he certainly impressed at July's prospect camp and is a talent for dynasty owners to consider nabbing now.
Kevin Hayes, RW (RotoWire Prospects Ranking: #95): Easily one of the Rangers' most explosive signings of the summer, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound former Hobey Baker Award candidate is not your ordinary college free agent. While the Boston College forward managed just two points in eight games with Team USA at the World Junior Championships, he's coming off a solid four-year career with the Eagles, registering 67 points (28 goals) in 39 games as a senior. Formerly the property of the Blackhawks after they drafted him in 2010, Hayes has a "one man's trash is another man's treasure"-kind of vibe to him. We would certainly consider Hayes a dark horse to make the Rangers' opening-night roster.
