New York Rangers: Time for Brady Skjei to become elite

Using his size

At 6′ 3″ and weighing in at 214 lb, Brady Skjei is the perfect size for the modern day NHL game.

But he needs to use it more.

The NHL season is a grueling war of attrition and you need brute force at times to help navigate all 82 games successfully. Adding a deep playoff run makes it even more essential.

Rangers Head Coach David Quinn has at times bemoaned the lack of physical edge on his roster, but there are players at his disposal who are more than capable of getting right in the thick of it.

Count Skjei firmly amongst that number.

Skjei boasts a big and powerful frame and he has the ability to hit like a train when the time calls for it.

Dishing out brutal, hard hits can be a useful tool to help energize team mates and the crowd and Skjei certainly has the physical attributes to be able to send a message on behalf of his team.

One positive to note is that Skjei has actually achieved a career high in hits this year with 167, far eclipsing the 127 he dished out last year and the most on the team.

With a plethora of young studs and rookies set to emerge on the blueline in the coming months and years and with Marc Staal nearing the end of his career, Skjei must carry the heavy load when it comes to the physical side of hockey, especially given his size.

If he can combine brute force with the array of skills he possesses then the Rangers could have a real dynamic two-way defenseman on their hands going forward.