The New York Rangers have always been a team with high expectations. The fact that they’re a wealthy Original Six franchise playing in arguably the biggest city in the world and in one of the most historic arenas in sports has everything to do with it. Blue shirt fans constantly go to the extremes after a loss, but this season has been over the top. I’ve seen fans call for Alain Vigneault’s head, to cut our losses and trade Henrik Lundqvist, or to tank for a draft pick. In this time of hysteria, it’s important to look at the facts.
COMPARISONS
Last year, through October and November, the Rangers posted a 14-13-0 record with 28 points. They were able to finish at 45-31-6 with 88 points and make a memorable run to the Stanley Cup Finals. Lundqvist struggled mightily in the early part of the 2013-2014 campaign as well as the team as a whole in adjusting to Alain’s Vigneault’s radically different, up-tempo system compared to former coach John Tortorella’s. This year, if you include Monday’s let down against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Rangers sit at 11-9-4 with 26 points in 3 less games played. Furthermore, if the season ended today, the Rangers would be IN the playoffs as the third team in the Metropolitan Division. This has also all been with captain Ryan McDonagh, Dan Boyle, and Derek Stepan sidelined for the better part of the opening two months. Yet another interesting tidbit is seen in Alain Vigneault’s coaching careerto begin regular seasons. In 2009-2010 his Vancouver Canucks achieved 28 points through October and November, then 27 in 2010-2011, and 29 in 2011-2012. Now, his Rangers have recorded 28 points in 2013-2014 and 26 this year. These numbers hold even more weight when you consider “AV’s” all-time coaching record: (478-328-71), and the fact that the Canucks won back-to-back President’s trophies in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.
Eyes On Isles
New Faces
You cannot expect any professional sports team to dominate after losing the amount of key performers in the offseason as the Rangers did. Big time pieces to the runner-up Stanley Cup team bolted, Anton Stralman and Brian Boyle to Tampa Bay, Brad Richards to Chicago, Benoit Pouliot to Edmonton, and Derek Dorsett to Vancouver. In response, Lee Stempniak and Tanner Glass were brought in from Pittsburgh, Dan Boyle from San Jose, and young guns like Kevin Hayes, Anthony Duclair, Matt Hunwick, J.T. Miller, Jesper Fast and Michael Kostka were relied upon as the team looked to tread water in the wake of their various injuries to impact players. All things considered, it would be irrational to expect the Rangers to be running away with the Metro this early. When you look at the bigger picture, fans should be at least satisfied with the fact their team is currently in a postseason spot. Then again, we are talking about impatient, unrealistic New York sports fans here so I’m not surprised.
New Competition
A lot of the delirium also has to do with the new found success of the rival New York Islanders. You wouldn’t be wrong if you said the Islanders are having a fantastic season and are possibly turning a corner. In the same token, the Islanders are off to a franchise best start at 18-7-0 and the Rangers are playing mediocre hockey yet they’re both in playoff spots. What remains to be seen is if the Islanders can sustain their stellar play. The year they made the playoffs, 2012-2013, was the shortened, lockout season. This league has not seen the Islanders put together a solid regular season (in the last decade) over the course of 82 games. Regardless, Rangers fans should stop worrying about their arch rivals, at least if they keep winning through April. The bottom line is that the Islanders are playing the best they’ve played since the glory days in 1980’s, but are bound to cool off. Take it from the 2013-2014 Rangers, it’s better to reach your team’s potential in June rather than November.
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So far, this season has not been the complete train wreck some are making it out to be. In fact, there are definite bright spots when you look across the roster. For starters,
Rick Nashlooks like the young stud we saw in Columbus. He has 16 goals thus far, behind the Dallas Stars’
Tyler Seguinfor the league lead. He has done a great job of crashing the net and finding different ways to score rather than just weak wristers from the beyond the dots. Since entering the lineup, Derek Stepan has been noticeable. Stepan has 13 points in 12 games, with seemingly every assist being the primary one. His right handed presence on the power play was sorely missed, as well. Speaking of the power play, it seems as if Dan Boyle is going to be a revelation for the Rangers man advantage. He has shown impressive facilitating skills and has power play goals in consecutive games, prior to Monday night’s game. Not to mention the Rangers power play has picked up the slack, scoring a power play goal in each of their last four games and eight out of the last twelve. Other notables include Lee Stempniak who is being coined by some as “this year’s Pouliot”, Jesper Fast who is playing sound defensive hockey behind the scenes, Matt Hunwick stepping up in a big way on the bottom d-pairing,
Cam Talbotproving last year wasn’t a fluke, and
Martin St. Louisestablishing a consistency with scoring.
It is certainly not time to enter panic mode in New York at the moment. If the Rangers start to give way to the Washington Capitals in the standings and the gap between the Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins becomes insurmountable, then freak out all you want. For now, it is important to remember that it is a long, 82 game season and the standings are subject to change. While last year’s success should not be used as an excuse, it is definitely a good measuring stick.