New York Rangers: Five players who could become the next superstars
The New York Rangers have a lot of young talent on their roster. However, they also have prospects with superstar ability and potential players from other rosters that would fit in well with them.
Such New York Rangers’ prospects include Filip Chytil, Igor Shestyorkin, and Adam Huska. Players from other NHL rosters include the Islanders’ John Tavares and the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon.
Each of these players possess unique talent that makes them capable of reaching the level of “elite.” Although some players such as Tavares are already considered “elite,” their potential with the Rangers is yet unwritten.
Here’s a look at these players and why they can become the new faces of a future Rangers’ roster.
Filip Chytil
The talented Czech center is only 17 years old and is playing professional hockey in his home country at the present time. That means he’s playing against players that are much older (and most likely bigger) than him.
His potential lies in his size, which, if the Rangers were to eventually get him on their roster, would be good for them. That’s an angle a lot of analysts say they’re missing, and Chytil could be the missing key to that problem.
His numbers speak for themselves, as he has been rather consistent in all of his major seasons playing with the Czech Republic. In 2015-2016, he played in 30 games and recorded an outstanding 28 goals and 22 assists for 50 points. The year prior, he scored 48 points in 25 games.
He was a bit behind in point production in his league. However, he has done better in international junior tournaments as of late.
In five games played in this past season, he scored three goals and added an assist for the Czech Republic team. And in three games played in a final tournament back in 2015, he played in three games, scoring a total of four points with two goals and two assists.
This is definitely someone the Rangers were smart to keep their eyes on. In a few years, his size and talent could take him to the big stage and lead him places he has only dreamed of.
Igor Shestyorkin
Shestyorkin is a 21 year old Russian goaltender who is currently playing in the KHL. He has been playing there for the last 3 seasons. This past season, he helped his team to win the league with some solid stats.
He ranked rather high among goaltenders in the KHL and with good reason. However, it’s important to remember that he played behind a good team.
Shestyorkin managed an impressive 1.19 GAA and .954 SV% in the 2015-2016 season. In 2017, he played his longest season yet (39 games) and kept his GAA at a low 1.64 and his SV% at .937.
Tournament-wise, he has only improved with time. In 2014-2015, in five games played, he had a GAA of 1.58 per game and a .949 SV% to boast.
Eventually, after he is seasoned enough in the KHL and there is a spot open in the NHL, he will be able to show his potential. As of now, he’s playing with one of the top teams in his league, and that shows that he’s able to hold his own with competitors.
He is locked into the KHL until the 18-19 season. However, if he keeps up his good play, he definitely has a chance to become a superstar. He seems mature enough to handle himself in a bigger role, which is always a good sign for a prospect.
Adam Huska
The last Rangers’ prospect on this list is goaltender Adam Huska. This 20 year old Slovak is currently playing for UConn.
The best selling point for him is his size and his experience in the USA. His resumé is quite impressive, too. He’s played Juniors in the USA and will be playing college for at least another season.
His solid performance in the USA is something that the Rangers are hoping can translate into the big leagues. It’s hard to find superstars with gold star potential, but Huska lives up to the expectations and exceeds them.
How can we be sure of that? His stats, of course. Huska played in 37 games, which is his longest season yet, with the Green Bay Gamblers in 2015-16. In those games, he recorded a 1.82 GAA and a .931 SV%.
The next season, he started playing with UConn. In 21 games in the 2016-17 season, he posted a .916 SV%. Huska is also highly awarded, receiving awards consistently in every season since 2014-15, including USHL Best GAA and SV% in 2015-2016.
But as the Rangers have seen, a goaltender can only be as good as the players in front of him. If he keeps up the good work, he definitely has the ability to become the next superstar if the right positions open up for him.
John Tavares
A lot of eyes have been fixated on the story of the potential for Rangers to acquire coveted New York Islanders’ forward John Tavares. While with the cap salary space they have now (or lack thereof) this is currently unreasonable, there is always room for change. And maybe next offseason, they will go all out trying to get him on their roster.
It goes without saying that Tavares is one of the best players in the league. That’s not to say he’s on the same level as Sidney Crosby, but he is definitely considered elite by most.
He consistently puts up points for his team and was great in the playoffs for them back in 2015. They hadn’t won a playoff series in over a decade, and he was a big reason for their first step up in a while.
His speed and skill would fit in perfectly on the Rangers’ roster. It would be great if they could acquire him sooner than later when he is still in his prime.
Nathan MacKinnon
After the Kevin Shattenkirk deal was finalized, all the talk of the Rangers’ offseason seemed to shift to finding a center. While the main potential center talked about is Matt Duchene of the same Avalanche, MacKinnon might actually be a better option.
The 21 year old center shows much potential due to his consistency and skill. Last season, he put up 16 goals and 37 assists for a total of 53 points.
What must be remembered is that the Avalanche are the worst team in the league. So any amount of potential that he’s showing now can only prosper more on a better roster. With the changes the Rangers made this offseason, he would definitely be a great fit.
Next: New York Rangers: Top five forwards since Mark Messier
The word “superstar” can’t be thrown around lightly. That’s why it’s impressive to attach that title to any player. MacKinnon fits the description quite well, and the Rangers would be wise to take advantage of his talent.