New York Rangers: Who would win the Iron throne?

With the final season of HBO’s drama Game of Thrones set to kickoff tonight, what would happen if the New York Rangers embarked on a struggle to capture the Iron Throne?

So, before we embark on this journey, let’s throw out a brief synopsis of Game of Thrones for those who aren’t loyal to a house. In the mythical land of Westeros, families from different regions are engaged in a struggle with each other to capture the Iron Throne, the physical and figurative seat of power within the realm.

To avoid spoilers, we’ll leave character arch related to the New York Rangers for a separate post. This is our hypothetical Westeros in which each player on the team represents a different house and is seeking to capture the crown of our mythical realm.

In this realm, it’s more about who you know and can influence as opposed to who you can stab with a sword. So just because someone is physically larger, it does not necessarily mean they’re a lock to win. In fact, the person with the most compelling personality and is able to inspire others is most likely to win.

So, with all of that said and everything on the table, let’s plunge the Rangers (including their prospects) into combat.

The Pretenders

Brett Howden, Tony DeAngelo, Jimmy Vesey, Brendan Smith

Now, we come to those who think they could actually sit on the iron throne but don’t have a real chance. For whatever reason, they fail to check all of the boxes required to become leaders of legend.

Starting off with Brendan Smith who once upon a time may have been the leader the realm needed, the defenseman no longer can get around the battlefield the way he used to. Every now and then he can fight off a competent swordsman but ultimately, Smith would fall to a skilled fighter.

Next, we come to both Tony DeAngelo and Brett Howden. Both players are still on the upswing and getting better through the use of raw skills. However, to truly have a chance of winning the throne, it would take a minor miracle. Maybe someday either could grow into a threat to the king or queen of the realm. But for now, they just wouldn’t be good enough.

Lastly, we come to Jimmy Vesey, a young warrior who may have at one point had a chance of capturing the throne, but his window of opportunity never came to fruition. As someone with more of a claim to of blood right than genuine leadership, Vesey no longer can inspire the necessary numbers to become a king.

The too smart

Henrik Lundqvist, Kevin Shattenkirk, Chris Kreider

When it comes to the Game of Thrones world, there are some characters who realize that chasing the iron throne is a one-way ticket to an early grave. Instead of trying to take the realm for themselves, they work their influence to be part of someone else’s leadership group. These are the people that make the world go round and make things happen for those seeking the throne.

In our hypothetical Westeros, Henrik Lundqvist, Kevin Shattenkirk and Chris Kreider would serve as the influence peddlers. Need an army, some ships a loan to buy equipment, these are the men who could find it for you. As veterans of the game that see how power chasing goes, they avoid the drama and stay alive.

In the case of Kreider in particular, he’d fall into the category of someone not even realizing they could capture the throne like Samwell Tarly from the show. Instead, Tarly uses his knowledge to better the lives of others and be a genuinely good person. This is similar to how Kreider never makes things happen for himself and instead fails to live up to the expectations.

The boisterous

Brendan Lemieux and Filip Chytil

Now, we get into the world of those who could actually win over the required houses and capture the realm. Both Brendan Lemieux and Filip Chytil are young and inspiring talents that play bigger than their physical size.

Starting with Lemieux who never met a battle he didn’t like, the forward has the gumption to lead. His gallantry in battle would inspire those around him to follow and keep building upwards. Whether or not Lemieux could capture the throne would fall to his ability to keep his emotions in check enough to think rationally.

In the case of Chytil, the 20-year-old is a player of myth. Someone from a faraway land that’s traveled a great distance to stake his claim to the throne. Chytil could win the throne with the right stroke of luck and some help. As we go forward, Chytil’s claim to the throne will only grow larger and give him a bigger following.

The real contenders

Brady Skjei and Mika Zibanejad

The final two and those with the greatest chance of winning the iron throne are exactly who you thought. There’s a reason that the Rangers’ front office saw fit to build around Brady Skjei and Mika Zibanejad as long-term building blocks for the future. Both players are young and talented enough to be the leaders of an entire realm.

Skjei is the consummate all-American boy who grew up in suburban Minnesota. The defenseman played football all through high school as a quarterback and his leadership skills have transcended sport. Now with the Rangers, Skjei is one of the fundamental building blocks for the Rangers in the decade to come.

As for Zibanjead, it’s pretty obvious. The Swede is the best talent the Rangers have had in more than a decade and would likely be the winner for a variety of reasons. First, his fun personality makes him a good teammate and an even better leader. No one wants to deal with a king they hate, someone that inspires hope would be ideal.

Throw in the whole DJ in his spare time and it’s not hard to imagine Zibanejad psyching his troops up for battle from behind a turntable.

Game of Thrones returns at 9 PM on HBO tonight, keep twitter handy for the playoff hockey and buckle up.