New York Rangers: Top 10 Rangers Since the 2004 Lockout

#5: Derek Stepan, 2010-2011 – Present

Derek Stepan has blossomed into a true leader and the first line center of the New York Rangers. The Minnesota native was drafted in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in the second round from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His career started at the beginning of the 2010-2011 season and he has not looked back since.

Stepan truly has been a prize since the moment he stepped (no pun intended) onto an NHL rink. Flashback to his first ever NHL game: October 9th, 2010 in Buffalo. Stepan came out flying. He scored his first NHL goal at 10:53 in the first period. He would go on to add not one, but two more goals at the end of the second period to score a hat-trick in his first NHL game.

That game ended up being a sign of great things to come for Stepan. He had 21 goals and 24 assists that season and finished 13th in voting for the Calder Trophy.

Other than his rookie season, Stepan has only fallen under 50 points once; the lockout shortened season where Stepan played in all 48 games while notching a whopping 44 points.

Stepan’s consistency on offense combined with his excellent work in his own end adds up to a player to remember, giving him the #5 spot on our countdown.