New York Rangers: The opportunity that awaits Brendan Lemieux
The trade deadline deal that brought Brendan Lemieux to the New York Rangers presents the player with a real opportunity to endear himself to The Garden Faithful.
Let’s get one thing clear. No one who bleeds blue could ever be a fan of Claude Lemieux. But fate is fickle as they say. Now the son of the once despised New Jersey Devil has a chance to erase the sins of the father and become a New York Rangers fan favorite.
Brendan Lemieux came to the Rangers in a deadline deal that sent Kevin Hayes to the Winnipeg Jets. But he was not the only piece of that deal. The real haul for the Rangers was the Jets number one pick in the 2019 draft and a conditional fourth round pick in 2022. At first glance, you could almost consider Lemieux to be just a throw in.
Lemieux was getting very little ice time on a stacked team in the Western Conference. He played a total of 53 games with the Jets, averaging just over seven minutes per game while scoring 10 goals and 2 assists. He did however, manage to rack up 85 penalty minutes in those 53 games, which is a pretty clear indication that he likes to get involved.
It’s also a pretty clear indication that he may be the type of player David Quinn likes to have on his bench. A player with grit and an edge to his game. So perhaps there was more to him being included in the trade than what is clearly apparent. Regardless he came to the Rangers with very little pressure on him to be a difference maker on the score sheet.
But this is New York, where difference makers come in all shapes, sizes and variations. One form of difference maker that Rangers fan are particularly fond of is the “Character Guy”. There is a long history of Rangers fans admiring the hard-working player who sticks up for his teammates and demands accountability from opposing players.
This is the energy guy, the spark plug, the player who decides it’s time to change the tide of a game when it is going the wrong way. He can be an irritant and draw a penalty. He can throw a big hit to get the crowd engaged. He will drop the gloves. Whatever it takes.
Some of the players Rangers fans have embraced over the years include Nick Fotiu, Joe Kocur, Sean Avery, Tanner Glass and of course Brandon Prust.
Is there any doubt that one reason the Rangers beat the Ottawa Senators in the opening round of the 2012 playoffs was Prust’s willingness to step on the ice and take on a relentless Chris Neil? Trailing in the series three games to two and down 1-0 in Game Six, that fight was a key moment and helped swing the momentum in the Rangers’ favor.
Here’s a link to video of that fight.
Just watch John Tortorella on the bench after the fight and you can see what a player like Prust means to a team. That type of player means a lot to Rangers fans as well.
Brendan Lemieux can be that player, he can be the next fan favorite, but he can also be so much more.
Lemieux was considered a high-end talent when was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres. As the first selection of the second round of the 2014 entry draft, he was a virtual first round pick
In the nineteen games he played with the Rangers this season he showed some of that talent, tallying three goals and three assists while also getting playing time in the top six. He showed his willingness to be the energy and accountability guy, and fans took notice. He also gave candid and frank post game interviews, something every fan can appreciate.
David Quinn addressed Lemieux’s conditioning several times over the final weeks of the season, thoughtfully referencing his lack of playing time while with Winnipeg as the reason for his apparent fatigue. This is surely a form of subtle motivation from the coach.
If Brendan Lemieux dedicates himself to a rigorous off-season program and returns in the fall in top shape, there is a great opportunity awaiting him. Not only just being the all-around player that his pedigree foreshadows, but he has the chance to be the fan favorite at The Garden as well. It’s an opportunity he should embrace.
A motivated Brendan Lemieux will be a valuable part of this Rangers team, and undoubtedly continue to win over the fans. Thus, the sins of thy father shall not be held against the son.