New York Rangers: Factors for a run at a Metropolitan Division title

Since it’s inception in 2013, the Metropolitan Division has become one of the most competitive divisions in the NHL. 

In 2016-17, four Metropolitan Division teams were among the top 10 teams in the league. Four of the eight teams in the division broke the 100 point mark. In fact, the average Metropolitan Division team averaged 97.2 points last season, a number that is nearly seven points higher than any other division. 

The New York Rangers placed fourth in the Metro this past season and finished 10th overall in points and were very reliant on their offensive power throughout the regular season.

With the moves they have made thus far in 2017, it seems they have solved many of their problems on paper. In order to be competitive in the Metropolitan Division again this season, the Rangers have to focus on the strengths that they have and look for key players to step up.

A new-and-improved roster

Last year, the Rangers started off their regular season as a strong offensive force. It is near impossible to maintain production like they saw early on and eventually they began to struggle. Defensive woes became more and more apparent, as no pairings seemed as successful as they could be.

Picking up Brendan Smith at the trade deadline (whom they re-signed to a four-year deal this offseason) effectively solidified a second pairing that performed great in the 2017 postseason.

A story with much more press this offseason was the signing of free agent Kevin Shattenkirk to a four-year deal. The arrival of a player like Shattenkirk impacts both offensive and defensive players throughout the roster.

All in all, the Rangers made moves this offseason to create a much more balanced roster. While there is definitely still room to improve (I would argue they will be relying on their defense a great deal this year) they are in a good position entering the 2017-18 season —  despite losing some big name players.

Mika Zibanejad has to be brilliant

There is pressure on Zibanejad, who has to step up and fill the top center position on the roster with the departure of Derek Stepan. With the proper support and guidance, he can fill this role perfectly.

Zibanejad is young, comfortable with the puck, has good vision, and can move up ice, all of which bode well for him. He is one of the best two-way forwards on the team. He not only takes pucks away in the defensive end but can generate offense coming out of the zone as well.

There are also some negatives attached to him as well. Zibanejad is young (yes mentioning this twice is intentional) and is sometimes to willing to pass the puck.

One of the most important jobs for a center is to generate opportunity both when you have the puck as well as when you don’t. Sometimes it feels like Zibanejad tries to do too much with the puck.

Here is how Zibanejad will be most successful…

Generally speaking, in the games where Zibanejad played with Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider (who will likely be his linemates this season) Kreider was posted in front of the net. Kreider is big, can screen, and has good hands.

I love the idea of Zuccarello and Zibanejad leading the rush in a settled offense. Both have such good sense and can determine what the other is going to do when they have possession.

The key is for them take shots on net!  As the great Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

That is a message that every player on the Rangers roster needs to hear, but one that number one center Mika Zibanejad needs to live by.

A solid blueline

One of the biggest strengths the New York Rangers is their blueline, which is now filled with offensive upsides.

Captain Ryan McDonagh plays such reliable hockey that it is hard to get past him on the defensive end. However, he is also completely willing to step up and play the line and do so responsibly.

Puck possession is a super important part of the game. Players, and more importantly, teams, that are able to keep the puck in the offensive zone are more likely to score more goals.

On top of McDonagh’s contributions, the pairing of Brady Skjei and Brendan Smith exhibited dominance in keeping pucks in the zone as well. Though this is not a statistic that is measured by the league (I feel I could make a compelling argument it should) these are three great examples of defensive players who can vastly impact the Rangers offense.

Shattenkirk and Anthony DeAngelo, who were both added to the roster this offseason, have been used in offensive roles before as well. Their implementation into the Rangers’ lineup is key.

Shot suppression

It seems that in this category the New York Rangers will be much better off in 2017-18.

The addition of Shattenkirk to the roster gives Ryan McDonagh a chance to perform on an even higher level than in the past. HERO charts compare the performance of the top players in the NHL. McDonagh recorded a six in the shot suppression category, despite playing with Dan Girardi, who had almost recorded a zero.

McDonagh and Shattenkirk posted similar numbers last year. One would expect they could be the Rangers best source of shutdown defense.

As mentioned before, Skjei and Smith were one of the Rangers’ best combinations in the 2017 playoffs despite their lack of playing time (see their numbers here). In addition to the aforementioned offensive upside, their shot suppression numbers are the top two from last year’s roster (Smith with nine and Skjei with seven).

Some might argue their numbers look better because they didn’t play “important minutes.” Anyone who watched the playoffs knows how good they were. 

The scariest chart is the Rangers potential third pair. While DeAngelo’s offensive game is nice, his shot suppression numbers are nonexistent and his defense as a whole is suspect. If the Rangers were to pair him with Marc Staal — who has struggled to stop pucks in front of the net for the past few years — it could negate the positives the other two pairings can give off.

To be successful, the Rangers need to stop pucks in front of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. Though he struggled last year, the poor defensive play in front of him was definitely a factor. With additional resources, the Rangers can take responsibility on the defensive end again.

Final thoughts

The Blueshirts have always found a way to be competitive in the Metropolitan Division. This is in spite of having varying hiccups and roster issues throughout the regular season from year-to-year.

The key for them will be to build on the foundation they created in the last two offseasons. The offensive overhaul last year impacted the Rangers’ performance and it’s likely that this years’ defensive overhaul will do the same.

Due to the Rangers’ dump-and-chase style of play and the fact that they often generate opportunity out of the defensive end, they need to make sure their pairings are solid.

Additionally, there is still a good deal of depth on the offensive end. While there are question marks with how they will deploy their centers, if they focus on the strengths that they currently have on their roster, they will be successful.  

Next: Comparing center depth to recent champions

By putting their faith in what works, they can figure out where their greatest need lies and determine how to best to neutralize the flaws on the roster.

Regardless, the New York Rangers are set to be one of the most competitive teams in the division.