The Rangers are near contender status, but what will they look like in three years?
It’s been 640 days since “The Letter” was sent out by Jeff Gorton and Glen Sather notifying New York Rangers fans of the end of an unsuccessful era. “We ask you to remain by our side as we undertake this exciting new chapter filled with promise and change”. Now, how will the lineup pan out in the future years?
The pieces are nearly set, large in part to the commitment of the front office in realizing realize the New York Rangers of this past decade did not have what it takes to hoist Lord Stanley’s cup.
Players like Adam Fox, Nils Lundkvist, Zac Jones, and K’Andre Miller have been talked about to be the leaders of the blue line in the next decade, but we must take a deeper dive into the future of the attackers.
What is clear is that the Rangers have holes to fill up front, and because of that, do not expect the Blueshirts to be nearing the top until the 2022-2023 season.
The centers
Forward lines revolve around the centers, so let’s talk about them first.
Assuming Mika Zibanejad is given the mega extension he deserves, the Swedish superstar will be one of the cornerstones of these new Blueshirts. It’s also more than likely that Zibanejad will be named the 28th captain in New York’s history.
Here’s where things get interesting. After Zibanejad, the center depth is really unknown. I can only use my best judgement here so keep it light on the comments.
Ryan Strome is only 26 years old, right on the cusp of entering his prime. He is on pace to set career highs this season and his point production is comparable to Islanders superstar Matt Barzal so far this season. The main question is does Jeff Gorton and company feel he is part of the future, or should they sell him high and relieve some of the salary cap stress.
Filip Chytil is a special talent. It’s plain and simple. The 20-year-old Czech is key to the future of the Blueshirts. Similar to Strome, he’s having a great year for his age and has a real chance to eclipse the 20 goal mark in just his second season while playing on the second/third line. Chytil is a sure keeper.
Brett Howden is a giant question mark. Coming to New York in the blockbuster Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller trade, people became excited over Howden’s potential. Well, so far he hasn’t played up to expectations. He’s been really solid on the penalty kill of late, but his role as a bottom six forward has been an utter disaster. Advanced analytics put him at one of the least productive skaters in the NHL, but let’s not forgot that playing with the likes of a natural defenseman and a journeyman enforcer doesn’t really help your play. Due to his special teams effectiveness, I see him staying on the roster for a couple of years.
The wingers
Most of the promising talents for the Rangers are on the wings.
Look at Artemi Panarin’s numbers. I think its fair to say he’s the best Ranger since Jaromir Jagr and will carry the Blueshirts for the remainder of his $84 million contract. Not much else to say about him.
Panarin is already 28 years old, and besides from Chris Kreider, the other players on the wing are mostly in their early twenties.
But we do have to talk about the sad reality of Chris Kreider’s future. His offensive production had been essential for the success of the mid 2010’s playoff squad and he is now a leader for the baby Blueshirts. Unfortunately, we have to face the fact that as New York turns a corner, he IS being traded (possibly alongside Alexander Georgiev). Getting rid of a $4.5 million cap hit will help the cap space conundrum and it’s no secret that Jeff Gorton is going younger.
“How did you not finish that opportunity!?” Yep, that summarizes Pavel Buchnevich’s season so far. The 24-year-old Russian is going to be a Ranger for a very long time (sorry Rangers Twitter). He’s still young and all the glorious chances he is getting will go in…eventually. The skill, smarts, and overall effectiveness are there but we must wait until it all comes to fruition.
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Jesper Fast knows what his role is on this team. He is a leader, a mentor, and a hard-worker. There’s a reason he is a three time winner of the Players’ Player Award. He always goes hard on the forecheck and will not shy away from putting his body on the line. The stat line may not be incredibly impressive, but his importance to help develop the incoming youth is key. Although not likely, I believe it is important that the front office keeps him for at least the next two seasons.
Ladies and gentleman, Kaapo Kakko is really, really good. I don’t care what his numbers are this season, or his plus/minus, he is an 18-year-old who was put into the greatest hockey league in the world and expected to score 30 goals. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. HE IS THE FUTURE of this organization. There is no doubt that Kakko, Artemi Panarin, and Mika Zibanejad will become a top trio in this league in the coming years.
Brendan Lemieux was acquired for a reason-to be a gritty, hard working, and skilled middle of the lineup player. It’s no surprise he has become an instant fan favorite because of his toughness and resilience. How can this ultimate “hockey guy” not be part of the Rangers for years to come?
I don’t see Gregg Mckegg or the Swiss army knife Brendan Smith having any real impact in the long term on Broadway.
The prospects
In the words of team president John Davidson, “OH, baby!” The New York Rangers forward prospect school is something special.
There are four forwards who will be key pieces of the new era in the Big Apple: Vitali Kravtsov, Karl Henriksson, Lauri Pajuniemi, and Morgan Barron.
Vitali, Vitali, Vitali. Thank God Jeff Gorton came to rescue you from Russia. For those who don’t know, after failing to make the main roster out of camp, he returned back to Russia after being a healthy scratch in Hartford. Once back in the KHL, due to disciplinary reasons and poor play, the 2018 9th overall pick was demoted to the VHL. Now, back with Hartford, and already knotting a goal and an assist, he seems back on the right path-hopefully correcting the “non-negotiables” stated by coach Davin Quinn. The talent is there, and he will certainly be a huge piece of the Rangers for a very long time, but he needs to mature on and off the ice.
Taken 58th overall in this past year’s draft, Karl Henriksson is starting to open some eyes. Standing at only 5’9″ with a heavy focus on making plays in the offensive zone, Henriksson’s game is comparable to the likes of Jack Hughes. No, that does not mean the teenage Swede is as good as the #1 overall pick but he does have a ton of upside. So far this season, he has registered 23 points in 17 games for Frolunda HC’s junior team and is set to center Sweden’s second line in the upcoming World Junior Championship.
Alright, this next guy was a sixth round draft two years pick but he has been performing like a first round selection. Morgan Barron, who now captains Cornell, has averaged over a point per game with the Big Red the past two seasons. Even better, he is the ultimate two-way forward, being recognized as a top three defensive player last season and looks poised to do it again. His 6’2″ frame and ability to play both ends of the ice definitely makes him look like he has a future in the big leagues.
Speaking about coming out of nowhere, it’s time to talk about Kaapo Kakko’s former teammate Lauri Pajuniemi. Wow. That is the word I think I have to use to describe this kid’s season with Lukko in the Finnish Liiga. . Another late round draft pick, his current numbers are staggering. Of course, all the buzz surrounding him has been because of his goal scoring. He ranks second in the whole league in goals, first in players U20, and is on pace to set the U20 goals record. The 20-year-old is hitting the back of the net at a record pace. Hopefully, Pajuniemi’s goal scoring ability will translate to the NHL when he does arrive in North America.
It’s surely going to be a wild ride in the New York Rangers organization, but one that looks to have much promise. Now, I ask you to remain by the Rangers side as they undertake this exciting new chapter filled with promise and change.
All in all, there is a process to all of this. These kids need to be signed, developed, and then be successful NHL’ers. If this past year has shown anything, the next three years will bring upon rising stars in the Rangers organization.
Will it take some time for the New York Rangers to be contenders? For sure. But despite that fact, the future is bright, and the Blueshirts, in three to four years, will be a team to be reckon with.
More. A special teams win against Carolina. light