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New York Rangers: Predicting the 18-19 season month by month

By Jack Milewski

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 07: Ryan Spooner #23 of the New York Rangers skates the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 7, 2018 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 07: Ryan Spooner #23 of the New York Rangers skates the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 7, 2018 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 07: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers skates with the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 7, 2018 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Flyers went on to defeat the Rangers 5-0. With today’s win, the Flyers clinched a spot in the 2018 NHL playoffs. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 07: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers skates with the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 7, 2018 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Flyers went on to defeat the Rangers 5-0. With today’s win, the Flyers clinched a spot in the 2018 NHL playoffs. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Month: November

Number of Games: 14

Record: 6-6-2

Highlights: The Rangers won’t be favored in many games this season and they certainly won’t be favored to blow teams out, so fans should savor the end of November.

The Rangers play a home and home with the Ottawa Senators, one of the few teams predicted to be worse than New York this season. Expect the Rangers to end the month on a high note with a close win and a drubbing of the Senators.

The level of competition New York will face this month is particularly stellar, but the inexperience will play a factor in the record. The Rangers will also win an afternoon matinee against the Flyers on Black Friday in what will be a high emotion contest.

Player of the Month: Playing with Buchnevich and Kreider, Mika Zibanejad should have a solid year if he can stay healthy. Expect him to kick it in to gear by early November. Zibanejad will have a profound effect on how the Rangers power play performs this season.

How about seven goals in the month of November for Zibanejad? With 14 games it can be done and with teams like the Islanders and Senators on the card twice, it isn’t as if the defensive competition will be stellar.

Bold Prediction: Brady Skjei will record his first four point game with the Rangers against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday the 12th. After a sophomore slump Skjei should rebound nicely behind a six-year security blanket.

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