New York Rangers: Claesson fits into long-term vision on defense

The New York Rangers signed just one unrestricted free agent this summer: defenseman Fredrik Claesson. The Swedish blueliner looks to fill a role in a defense corps full of question marks.

Entering the 2018-19 season, the New York Rangers have a bevy of options on defense, ranging from veterans like Marc Staal and Kevin Shattenkirk to unproven youth like Libor Hajek and Neal Pionk. Ex-Ottawa Senator Fredrik Claesson figures to be right in the mix, and he has the NHL experience to gain the inside track.

Claesson has over 100 NHL games under his belt, over parts of the past three seasons with the Senators. Going into training camp, that gives him a serious edge over youngsters like Pionk, John Gilmour, and Hajek.

But more importantly, Claesson performed fairly well in those games. While his offensive numbers are limited (20 points in 113 games), his greatest impact is in the defensive and neutral zones.

A responsible defenseman

Claesson’s value to the Ottawa Senators should be more or less why the New York Rangers saw fit to sign him this summer.

Over the past three seasons, Claesson saw his duties steadily increase in Ottawa. He was often paired with Erik Karlsson, and indeed performed well in that role. Maybe more importantly, Karlsson himself played better with Claesson than most of his other partners.

According to Corsica Hockey, Claesson and Karlsson had a better shot attempts percentage relative to their teammates than any other pairing, with the exception of Karlsson and Thomas Chabot. Additionally, they maintained an expected goals for percentage north of 52% in over 447 minutes together.

On a frankly bad Senators team, Claesson and Karlsson managed a 48.57 goals-for percentage, nearly breaking even in on-ice scoring.

Claesson’s chemistry with Karlsson (a notoriously offensive defenseman) could bode well for a pairing with Kevin Shattenkirk. Like Karlsson, Shattenkirk’s bread-and-butter is in the offensive zone, and he can be most effective when paired with a responsible partner.

A future with the Rangers?

Claesson was only signed to a one-year deal this summer, as the Rangers clearly seek roster flexibility. Only Shattenkirk and Skjei are sure parts of the long-term vision, but Claesson can make a strong case to be extended next year.

Claesson is 25 years old, so while he’s in his prime, he can still figure into future plans and shouldn’t be on the decline for several more years.

Additionally, Claesson’s skill set seems well-matched with some of the Rangers’ prospects on defense. Among them are several offensively-inclined right-shooting players, like Pionk and Anthony DeAngelo.

Claesson’s attributes could mesh well with those players, as he’s one of the best in the league at preventing zone entries. Indeed, he looks startlingly well-balanced on a potential pair with DeAngelo.

Given time to acclimate to a new team, under a new coach, Claesson looks to be a sneaky good add for the Rangers. He won’t light up any score sheets, but he’ll do the little things in the defensive zone that allow other plays to fill the opponent’s net.