New York Rangers: What if the 2014 team was still together?

Imagine a world where there is no salary cap and no free agency. What would the current New York Rangers look like if the 2014 team was still intact?

This is pure fantasy. How good would the Rangers be if the 2014 team that made it to the Finals was still together? With all the talk about “Rangers South” playing in Tampa, it is worth a look. Some things to keep in mind. There have been no trades and no free agent signings.

Unsigned draft picks like Kevin Hayes and Jimmy Vesey are not on the team. The only additions are players who were drafted by the Rangers or were undrafted and signed.

Goaltending

Not much to talk about here. Henrik Lundqvist would still be the principal netminder for the Rangers, but his back up would be Cam Talbot. In Talbot, the team would have a worthy fill-in for the King, allowing Lundqvist enough down time to be well rested for the playoffs. At age 30, Talbot is still the heir apparent to Lundqvist.

Defense

Ryan McDonagh and Anton Stralman form the top tandem on defense. As formidable as any pair in hockey, they play huge minutes and McDonagh quarterbacks the power play. The second pair is made up of a new addition to the 2014 team, Brady Skjei who is paired with Dan Girardi. The third pair is Marc Staal and John Moore.

Gone from the 2014 team is Kevin Klein, but the Rangers have a pair of promising rookies in John Gilmour and Neal Pionk who were brought up late in 2018 and showed some promise in replacing Girardi and Staal who are starting to show their age.

Forwards

Some of the forwards from 2014 have retired, led by Marty St. Louis. Joining him on the sidelines are Brad Richards, Dan Carcillo and Derek Dorsett. The nucleus of the team remains together.

The first line is imposing. Derek Stepan is flanked by veteran Chris Kreider on the left wing and Pavel Buchnevich on the right side. Buchnevich has stepped in and replace veteran St. Louis.

The second line is the one line that in intact from 2014. Playing together for years, Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot are a well oiled machine. When Pouliot struggled a bit during the season, Anthony Duclair filled in.

The third line is centered by Brian Boyle with Rich Nash on the left wing and J.T. Miller playing the off wing on the right side. Dominic Moore stepped in and was an able replacement when Boyle was sidelined during  his battle with cancer.

Finally, the fourth line, known as the Swedish Connection, is centered by Oscar Lindberg between Carl Hagelin and Jesper Fast. One of the hardest working lines in hockey, they are an effective checking line that can chip in on offense.

Beside Duclair and Moore, In reserve the Rangers have Boo Nieves.

What team would you want?

The team that fell apart this past season would have been a different type of team than the hypothetical 2014 fantasy team. Would a defensive trio of Stralman, Girardi and John Moore have been an improvement over Kevin Shattenkirk, Nick Holden and Brendan Smith? Based on the season those three had, the answer would be yes.

As for forwards, would you take the quartet of centers (Stepan, Brassard, Boyle and Lindberg) over the current foursome of Zibanejad, Hayes, Desharnais and Nieves? That’s a tougher call. The 2014 team is deeper but Zibanejad and Hayes have real talent.

On the wing, the 2018 holdovers are Krieder, Nash, Zuccarello, Buchnevich, Fast and Miller. Would Pouliot, Duclair, Dominic Moore and Hagelin be an improvement over Jimmy Vesey, Michael Grabner and Paul Carey? Hmmm…another tough one.

So what?

Right now, the Rangers are on the golf course and only a handful of teams are still playing. For fans, there are a few more weeks before the draft and free agency so  it is fun and instructive to take a look back. And yes, there is one more important factor to look at when comparing the 2017-18 Rangers to the 2014 fantasy team and that is the coach.

With Alain Vigneault at the helm of both teams there is no guarantee that he would have made the best moves over time. Would he have paired McDonagh with Stralman or would he have kept him tied to Dan Girardi? His issues with the development of Buchnevich and Miller wouldn’t have gone away.

Next: Should the Rangers bring back Nash?

Despite the issues with Vigneault, there is no doubt that the 2014 team would be better defensively and in goal. Offensively, both teams are not goal scoring powerhouses. The 2014 team featured elite goaltending, a shut down defense and timely scoring. Three season later, that wouldn’t have changed.

So, which is the better team? Take your pick.