New York Rangers: Five silver linings after elimination
There’s no doubt that the New York Rangers’ season wasn’t expected to end Tuesday night. There was supposed to be a more enthusiastic, perhaps desperate, performance in game six. However, wishing for a different ending unfortunately can’t fix the situation now. What we can do, though, is see the silver lining in this postseason run.
What happened to the New York Rangers was inexcusable insofar as the lackluster performance. Another thing that was inexcusable was blowing those late leads early in the series, and even in game two against Montreal.
Some things, though, some plays in particular, stood out. Some players stood out, specifically young ones. All of this experience makes for a future to have faith in. There is an enormous amount of positives to take from this postseason, and a bad end shouldn’t spoil all the good that got this team to the second round.
5.) Brady Skjei got Playoff Experience
For a player of only 23 years, Skjei proved to be a strong force for the Rangers night in and night out. Of course, he had a great regular season, as well. However, the playoffs are when everybody needs to elevate their play, and that is exactly what he did without exception.
Despite one off game in game one against the Senators, he played amazing throughout the postseason. He raised his level of intensity, provided scoring, wasn’t afraid to take hits, and was overall a force to be reckoned with. This experience has shaped him as a player and will make him more knowledgeable of what it takes to win for next season and many more to come.
Although it was a difficult loss to swallow, Skjei was able to prove his worth on this roster. He was easily the second or third best defenseman for the Rangers in this playoff run, and he should be playing with confidence come next season because of it.
4.) Henrik Lundqvist is Still Henrik Lundqvist
There is an argument that Lundqvist, who is normally a stud in elimination games really isn’t the same as he once was after the team’s 4-2 loss. However, there were quite a few saves that he made that kept the Rangers alive, even in the Montreal series.
In game six, just before Derek Stepan sealed the victory with 17.3 seconds left with an empty-net goal, Lundqvist made a spectacular save to keep the game in his team’s favor. Game One of the second round featured a goal that wouldn’t have gone in 99% of the time. Luck was on the Senators’ side in that one.
As seen in the image above, Lundqvist puts everything he has out of the ice. The first and third goals were ones that we’re all sure Lundqvist would most likely like to have back. But this doesn’t take away from the fact that he is a world-class goaltender. If the defense was better, he would have been better. It’s as simple as that.
3.) Chris Kreider and Michael Grabner Have Confidence
Kreider walked into the playoffs in his sleep, and it was obvious for the first few games. His play picked up at points, but overall, he wasn’t as noticeable as possible. He had a great regular season, but something was definitely off in the postseason.
The thing about Kreider is that he is, in fact, a talented player. He has speed, he has skill, he just doesn’t know how to use them. Or maybe it’s simply that he doesn’t know how to use them all the time, especially in vital times. However, he woke up in the third period, and he scored that goal 53 seconds in. It gave him confidence because, personally, he went out on a good note.
Grabner, with an empty-net goal in game one of the 2017 Playoffs against the Canadiens, got his game going fast. He came out like a beast every night and never stopped. He was perhaps the best Ranger on the ice at any given time.
In his first season with the Rangers, he had his up moments and his down moments, but he played his best when it mattered most. The confidence he takes from this postseason has to spill into next season.
2.) Changes Will Be Made
A lot of times, this isn’t what people want to hear. People don’t like change. It could be because of attachment to certain players. (Ahem, Brassard.)
But sometimes, it’s simply because the unknown is scary, and that makes sense. The thing to remember about the Rangers is that the organization has a wonderful reputation for being in the playoffs the majority of over the past decade. In fact, it’s been eleven of the last twelve seasons that the Rangers have seen postseason action.
Despite the reputation, though, Alain Vigneault has to know that changes will be made. He will have to realize who to put out in crunch time situations. Most importantly, he has to use the strengths of his fast players to his specific style’s advantage.
There will most likely be a few acquisitions that help the defensive situation. The forwards don’t need any help except the right ones seeing more ice time.
1.) This New York Rangers’ Team has a Large Window
It’s not just a large window. It’s an incredibly open window! This team has seen playoff loss after playoff loss. However, as the saying goes, “You must first lose before you can win.”
The depth that this team has makes it such that their skill level is unmatched by most teams in the entire NHL. Their speed helps them match up against other Eastern Conference teams such as the Capitals (who again failed to make it to the Conference Finals) and the Pittsburgh Penguins…once the defense gets better, that is.
The Rangers also possess a style of play that is similar to “Western Conference” hockey, as the term has been coined. If the Rangers are able to get to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2018, they can definitely win it all. After all, they matched up well against the Western Conference this past season, as well.
Next: New York Rangers: Why 2018 will end with a Stanley Cup victory
As always, there is hope for this team. Next year could definitely be the year for the Rangers.