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New York Rangers: Lessons learned from the 2018-2019 season

By Nicholas Zararis

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 06: Brady Skjei #76 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal with teammates during the third period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on April 6, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 06: Brady Skjei #76 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal with teammates during the third period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on April 6, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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CALGARY, AB – JANUARY 15: Brendan Lemieux #21 of Team Orr skates with the puck against Anthony DeAngelo #7 of Team Cherry during the CHL Top Prospects game at Scotiabank Saddledome on January 15, 2014 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
CALGARY, AB – JANUARY 15: Brendan Lemieux #21 of Team Orr skates with the puck against Anthony DeAngelo #7 of Team Cherry during the CHL Top Prospects game at Scotiabank Saddledome on January 15, 2014 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images) /

Turn the other cheek is gone

For the entirety of Alain Vigneault’s tenure as head coach of the Rangers, the team was implored to not engage with the other team after the whistle. For a while, this method worked, New York was good enough to let their play do the talking and not feel the need to get into shenanigans.

However, when the team fell apart last season, the Rangers were losing on the scoreboard and getting bullied on the ice.

Now, under Quinn, players like Brendan Lemieux and Tony DeAngelo are encouraged to wear their hearts on their sleeve and protect their teammates. It’s not a coincidence that the Rangers had four fights in a chippy end of season game with the New Jersey Devils on April first. This team plays with intensity and energy.

Even in a meaningless game against another non-playoff team, Lemieux and DeAngelo were in the mix to stand up for their teammates. Even though fights only show up in the box score as five- minute majors, the emotional value to the rest of the team cannot be measured.

When the Rangers return to the postseason, they will not be an easy team to play against.

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