New York Rangers: Top Five Rookie Seasons Since 2004

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There have been many great rookie seasons for the New York Rangers in the past 15 years. A few stand out in particular.

Usually there aren’t many high expectations for rookies in the NHL. The New York Rangers have had a couple of great rookies in the past decade or so. Let’s take a look at the top five rookie seasons in the Henrik Lundqvist era.

Dec 20, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei (76) moves the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at the PPG PAINTS Arena. The Penguins won 7-2.Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

#5- Brady Skjei

Brady Skjei has broken onto the scene this year for the New York Rangers and has played a huge role thus far.

His NHL debut came last season in seven regular season games and the five playoff games for the Rangers. This year, Skjei has moved up to play full time at the NHL level.

Skjei’s numbers tell the story of his excellent rookie season. He has been a force on offense through assists. He has just three goals, but makes up for it with 29 assists.

The plus/minus for Skjei has also been very promising. This statistic should always pique the interest of general managers and coaches with defensemen. Skjei has registered a +15 rating and has been very reliable in close games.

The best part of Skjei’s efforts could be that his rookie season isn’t done yet. He could still improve his numbers in the remaining 12 regular season games.

Mar 9, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider (20) celebrates his first period goal against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /

#4 – Chris Kreider

Chris Kreider made his NHL debut in 2012 and played through the NHL Playoffs that spring.

His hustle and dedication to the game have really shown in his first few years in the NHL. It was especially visible in his rookie year. His statistics weren’t half bad either.

Kreider logged 17 goals and 20 assists in his first full season in the NHL. He has seen steady improvement over the years, but his rookie year really set the bar for the rest of his production.

The thing that really stands out about Kreider is his hustle. Throughout his rookie year he could be seen skating hard and risking his own health for the play. That kind of work ethic is exactly what any team wants.

Dec 31, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New York Rangers center Kevin Hayes (13) controls the puck in the third period against the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center. The Rangers defeated the Avalanche 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

#3 – Kevin Hayes

The American-born Boston College alumni has been an excellent forward for the New York Rangers.

His rookie season came in 2014-2015 where he played 79 games and through the playoffs. He had 17 goals and 28 assists and he added seven points in the playoffs.

Hayes established himself as a reliable scoring forward in his first season. Despite a slight sophomore slump, Hayes has consistently added another element to the New York Rangers’ offensive presence.

During his rookie year, Hayes was very present on both ends of the ice. He was a +15 in goal differential. He did a great job holding his own on both ends of the ice.

Hayes has done a great job keeping up his rookie success into his third professional season this year.

Feb 7, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers center Derek Stepan (21) takes a shot against the Anaheim Ducks during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

#2 – Derek Stepan

Derek Stepan really made a statement in his rookie year. It started with his first NHL game.

The Rangers opened the 2010-2011 season in Buffalo against the Sabres. That game was Stepan’s first NHL game; it was also his first career NHL hat trick.

Stepan logged three goals that night on the way to a New York Rangers 6-3 win. He immediately made his presence felt with the Rangers and that continued all the way through the season.

Stepan wouldn’t miss a regular season game that year. He played all 82 games while logging 21 goals and 24 assists on his way to 45 points. He finished 13th in the league in Calder Trophy voting. His defense was solid too; putting up a +8 goal differential.

Stepan has become a staple in the New York Rangers’ roster. It was visible through his leadership and scoring his rookie year.

Feb 23, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) in action against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. The Rangers beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 in the shootout. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

#1 – Ryan McDonagh

The New York Rangers captain also had a very good rookie year. McDonagh debuted in 2010-2011, but played less than half a season in the NHL. For an adequate sample size, Blue Line Station will be looking at the next season where he played all 82 games.

McDonagh was almost an instant force to be reckoned with in the NHL in his first full season. He put up a whopping +25 rating and added 32 points to his resumé.

One of the most visually stunning parts of McDonagh’s rookie year was his transition from AHL play to NHL play. He started out as the shaky defenseman that you didn’t want to see on the ice when the game mattered, to the go-to defenseman in less than a year.

That quick adjustment caught the attention of the coaches during his tenure. He was a leader on the roster soon after his debut.

Next: Top Rangers Lineup for Playoff Success

He became the captain of the team in the fall of 2014 and he has stayed that way since. He seemingly has only gotten better since his stellar rookie year.

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