New York Rangers Stanley Cup Playoffs Vibe Check
Checking in on how I'm feeling about the Blueshirts heading into what could be a special postseason...
Okay, so I wanted to get this done a lot earlier but that didn’t happen obviously, so now will have to do.
For those of you who don’t know, I am a huge New York sports fan and I’m living in an alternate universe right now where two of my teams - the Rangers and the Knicks - look equipped to go on deep postseason runs.
As fellow New York sports fans will attest, that doesn’t happen all that often.
So, I thought it would be a good idea to check in with a vibe check on both the Rangers and the Knicks.
Now, again, I’m slightly late to the party on this given that the Knicks are 2-0 up in their First Round series against the 76ers, while the Rangers play Game 2 of their First Round matchup against the Capitals on Tuesday night.
But just go with me here.
Without further ado, then, let’s dive right into how I’m feeling about the Rangers and their chances of winning a first Stanley Cup since 1994…
How Confident Am I About The Rangers’ Chances Of Going Deep This Year?
I’ll leadoff with this - I don’t think the New York Rangers are winning a Stanley Cup this year. And I’ve been pretty consistent with that all year.
It is my opinion that Lord Stanley will stay in the west with one of the Colorado Avalanche / Vegas Golden Knights / Dallas Stars coming out on top.
If an Eastern Conference team does prevail and wins the greatest prize in all of sports, then I strongly believe that the Tampa Bay Lightning / Florida Panthers / Carolina Hurricanes are all better equipped than the Rangers to win this year.
The Lightning have the championship pedigree and knowhow. The Panthers have the hard-nosed toughness you need to win this time of year. And the Canes have the talent and the depth.
However, that isn’t to say the Rangers won’t make a deep run, because I think they are more than capable of that. I just don’t see them making it past the Eastern Conference Finals.
I’d love to be proved wrong on that, obviously.
They certainly have the talent and the goaltending needed to be a major player in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, and that was proven out in Game 1 against the Capitals on Sunday.
Matt Rempe, who has become a fun story to follow because of his size and willingness to drop the gloves at will, offers more than just pure brawn. He helps to give this team a legit fourth line, which you need in order to succeed this time of year, and his second period goal proved that he has some hockey smarts too. Jimmy Vesey also lit the lamp to continue what was a good night for the fourth line.
Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves and the penalty kill went a perfect 4-for-4. But, more importantly, Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider both scored big goals.
And therein lies the rub.
Forget everything else; unless the Rangers get big-time performances from its biggest stars, then it is game over.
We saw what happened in last year’s postseason when the likes of Panarin and Mika Zibanejad didn’t turn up - the Rangers were bounced in the First Round by the upstart Devils.
For another bitterly disappointing playoff fate to be avoided this year, Panarin, Zibanejad, Kreider, Adam Fox and Shesterkin all need to bring their A game every single night. No excuses.
The Blueshirts will go as far as their big hitters carry them. Period.
And, although just one game, so far so good.
Panarin, who recorded a career-high 120 points (49 G, 71 A) as the Rangers enjoyed its best season in franchise history, looked more engaged in Game 1 on Sunday than he did for the majority of the First Round series against New Jersey last year. He finished with a goal on seven shots on goal in 17:37 of ice time, and you just get the sense that Panarin is on a one-man mission to banish his postseason demons with the Blueshirts this year.
If that proves to the case, then that will only lead to good things for New York.
Panarin was one of the best players in the NHL during the regular season, and he carried this team to incredible new heights. He was at the very peak of his powers, so too were the Rangers as a direct result. So, if Panarin can carry his regular season into the Playoffs, then maybe a run to the Stanley Cup Final could be possible.
Kreider and Zibanejad both had an impact in Game 1, registering a point each, with all four of the goals the Rangers scored coming at five-on-five. That is significant because New York ranked 21st in the NHL in expected goals percentage at five-on-five during the regular season (49.27 percent). The Rangers’ 167 even-strength goals ranked 19th in the league.
As important a role as special teams play in the postseason - and they do - you can’t be successful if you aren’t productive at 5-on-5. So, the fact that Kreider, Zibanejad and Panarin were all effective at even-strength in Game 1, not to mention the fourth line, then that certainly breeds a lot of hope for the remainder of the series.
Overall, there were a lot of encouraging trends to emerge from Game 1, but I do think the Rangers need to make light work of the Capitals and end this series quickly if they are to at least make a run to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Continued production from the bottom six will be key, as will Shesterkin being vintage Shesterkin. However, the key for me at least will be the likes of Panarin, Kreider, Zibanejad and Fox playing like the stars they are, particularly Panarin. If that happens, and Panarin can really take control throughout the Playoffs just as he did during the regular season, then I’ll feel a lot more confident about this team making a deep run.
All in all, I’m excited. While I have talked myself into a slew of other teams being better equipped to make a real push for the Stanley Cup this year, why not the Rangers?
After all, they set franchise records for wins (55) and points (114) in the regular season, and they have the star power, the goaltending and the pieces needed to get to the top of the mountain.
This year was probably the most fun I’ve had as a Rangers fan and, although I still think the Stanley Cup will remain in the west, I’m ready to embrace whatever comes our way over the next couple of months.
It should be one hell of a ride.
Here’s to Game 2.
And let’s go Rangers!