New York Rangers: Getting Things Done Without an Elite Forward
Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Auston Matthews are just a few examples of the superstars in the NHL today; players that a franchise could build around. The New York Rangers have never drafted a franchise changing forward, but they are still winning regardless.
The New York Rangers are a franchise that has always had success when drafting goaltenders. Look at the success Mike Richter had and the success Henrik Lundqvist is having. Nonetheless, it is harder to build a team around the goalie.
Jaromir Jagr, Brandon Shannahan, Marion Gaborik, Rick Nash, and even Mark Messier are all players that the Rangers traded for or signed in free agency. They were, at one point, star players to build a team around. However, even with these players, the Rangers have always had players with lesser skill step up to the plate, players who weren’t household names.
Jed Ortmeyer, Ryan Callahan, Dom Moore, or kids from today’s team J.T. Miller, Michael Grabner,
and Jimmy Vesey.
Ortmeyer, who had a serious health condition, risked dying on the ice, would still go out on the penalty kill and block shots. It is players like him that make a team a contender.
You could have the biggest star in the league on the ice, but none of that matters if you don’t have players who fit the role to support the All-Star. Whether that is a grinder who will defend the All-Star or a playmaker who could get him the puck.
Even when the Rangers had Messier on the team, Messier said his number one goal was to bring the Cup back to New York. Something he did, but wouldn’t have been able to do without the likes of Brain Leetch, Adam Graves, and the star netminder Richter.
It’s is nice to have that All-Star player to build your team around. Yet, if you don’t, you work with what you have. Once you do that, the biggest thing is getting participation from everyone on the team. Starting with the back end, your goalie up through the forwards.
What has worked for the Rangers the last few years, each player has played to the strength.
Starting with Mika Zibanejad, before his injury, winning the faceoffs. An area of the game where the Rangers struggled throughout the years.
It isn’t just one individual that chips in for this team. The special team units are very important as well. The penalty kill is back to what it was a few years ago. The power play has also been improving since last year. The main reason for these things is the fact that everyone is chipping in to make the team better.
Next: New York Rangers Five Questions
Would it be nice to have a star player on the team? Of course it would be. Look how well it has worked for Pittsburgh with Crosby, or now in Edmonton with McDavid. Regardless, star player or not, the team is only successful when everyone chips in.