New York Rangers: Five steps that can be taken to be a playoff team in 18-19

Defense first

For seasons, the New York Rangers have struggled on the back-end. The Rangers have had players like Nick Holden, Dan Girardi, Dan Boyle, and Steve Kampfer in recent years. For every top pair back-end player the Rangers have had, they have had a pair of lower quality defensemen. Plaguing the Rangers for seasons, the defense has slashed the Rangers chances of winning constantly.

In order to rebuild the invaluable blueline, the Rangers should invest deeply in a strong, young puck moving defenseman. Some defensemen who come to mind taken in the recent draft are players like Timothy Liljegren, or Erik Brannstrom. Both of these defensemen were passed over by the Rangers in the 2017 draft.

The cost may be high, however, acquiring a highly talented puck-moving defensemen would benefit the Rangers offensively. A large portion of the Rangers defensive blunders come from extremely poor turnovers. A more talented two-way defender may assist in preventing those turnovers.