Analyzing the New York Rangers/ Hurricanes Regular Season Series
By Rachel Nones
A closer look at the New York Rangers games against the Carolina Hurricanes from this season.
When National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman recently announced the unusual 24-team playoff plan to continue this season, New York Rangers fans were ecstatic hearing their Blueshirts stole a spot to compete for the Stanley Cup. But what thrilled fans even more was that the Rangers would face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round.
Besides the fact the Rangers completed a 4-0 series against Carolina this season, they also have some recent history. Beloved rookie Ranger defenseman, Adam Fox, was essentially stolen from Carolina during the Rangers’ offseason last Spring. Fox was swapped for a second-round picks in the 2019 and 2020 NHL Drafts and he has turned out to be a wonderful asset for Broadway.
In mid-February, Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton once again struck a deal with Carolina trading defense prospect Joey Keane for forward Julien Gauthier. At the time, young Gautheir hadn’t seen much of the big leagues but that changed when he came to New York. Prior to the season pause, he was seeing ice time as a bottom six player, but is still in search of his first Ranger goal.
Gorton didn’t stop there either, negotiating with the Canes front office once more, he was able to unload defenseman Brady Skjei at the trade deadline. Skjei, a once ideal cornerstone for the Ranger with a bad contract was moved to Carolina for a 2020 first-round pick.
Both Metropolitan Division teams would go on to finish just two points apart in the standings when the season halted, which leads us to this point today. Carolina, who continued to the postseason last year, has been a solid group again this year. The Canes play with fast-paced style and see reliable scoring from all positions.
Despite everything Carolina has working for them, the Rangers were one hurdle they couldn’t get past. The Rangers were able to get 17 goals past the Hurricanes while the Canes were only able to find the net nine times this season. The biggest threats to the Hurricanes were Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. While Panarin and Zibanejad are top players for their team, Sebastian Aho, a top Carolina player, was a regular scorer against the Rangers.
Even though the start date for the season continuation is not finalized, the anticipation and excitement is overwhelming. But for now, let’s reflect on all the glory these previous match-ups give us.