Five huge questions for the Rangers this off-season

Now that the season is finally over for the New York Rangers, here are five  important questions

Every time a  season ends, it’s time to reflect on what just happened.  The New York Rangers were barely competitive in a three game sweep, but they might have been in over their heads.  While it was fun while it lasted, here are five questions that face the Rangers’ front office.

#1: How good are they?

Most observers did not expect the Rangers to be as good as they were this season.  But as good as they were, they are still a flawed team with some glaring holes.  While they boast two of the best players in the game in Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin, their corps of forwards is incredibly thin.   When they lost Jesper Fast and with Brendan Lemieux suspended, they had to use Steve Fogarty, a player who is a UFA after this season and may not even be offered a new contract.

Their fourth line was outplayed throughout this series.  In Game Three, the line of Greg McKegg, Phil Di Giuseppe and Julien Gauthier was made up of three players not good enough to play for the Hurricanes.  That was the line that was on the ice when Carolina tied the game in the second period, stuck in their zone for a two minute eight second shift.  That was the line that didn’t think of giving Marc Staal a stick so he could defend.

Brendan Smith played well in this series, aside from the occasional bonehead play or dumb penalty.  But he was playing on the top defensive pairing with Jacob Trouba and any team with Brendan Smith on the top defensive pair is not going to go far.  They have one prospect who has played one minute in the NHL, Libor Hajek.   Their defensive depth was Brandon Crawley and Darren Raddysh, not household names.

The only position that they are in great shape is in goal with Igor Shesterkin ready to take over.

Depth is an issue and the biggest reason why the team is simply not that good…yet.

#2: How do they improve?

Coming in the third year of a total overhaul, this tantalizing taste of the playoffs  could be dangerous.  An impatient fan base will be looking for improvement and if they don’t do better next season, look out. At the same time, management must resist the temptation for a quick fix, something they succumbed to when they re-signed Chris Kreider instead of trading him at the deadline.

They have some difficult roster decisions to make and they must have a plan. The question is when it comes to their Restricted Free Agents, does the plan include them?  Ryan Strome is their number two center, but will he stand in the way of FIlip Chytil, Morgan Barron or Brett Howden?   How badly do they need Tony DeAngelo with Nils Lundkvist waiting in the wings?  Do they keep Alexandar Georgiev or trade him?  Will Brendan Lemieux be willing to sign for a bargain price again?

The Georgiev decision will depend on the team’s decision regarding Henrik Lundqvist, a road we’ve been down before.  A buyout or retirement are the only real options for him and when it happens, the effect will ripple through the entire roster.

The biggest contractual issue facing the Blueshirts is their need to re-sign Mika Zibanejad after next season.  If he continues to improve, he will command Panarin-like money and term. He will also be 29 years old.

#3: Is this the right coaching staff?

Is David Quinn the right coach for this team?  John Davidson has been effusive in his praise for Quinn, but Quinn has to bear some responsibility for the team’s quick exit.  He’s had two years and the team has shown improvement, but he has also been given the tools to work with.   The jury is out.

Speaking of coaching, they have a glaring vacancy on the bench with the departure of Lindy Ruff.  Is Gord Murphy the answer?   Molding this young defense is the most important task facing the Rangers coaching staff and the results so far have been mixed.

Brady Skjei regressed in New York.  If he excels in Carolina, they will have some explaining to do. Tony DeAngelo has been a resounding success story while Libor Hajek has been a disappointment.  How do they make sure that Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren, DeAngelo, Hajek and K’Andre Miller take the next step?

#4: Where do they find leadership?

There was never a more glaring need for a team captain than in this series, but the answer may be that the right guy is not on the roster. The Rangers have a lot of leaders, but not a lot of candidates to be captain.

Kreider should have stood up, but he didn’t and openly acknowledged it.   Mika Zibanejad is a team leader, but by example and not with words.  The players’ choice is Jesper Fast, but he is like Zibanejad, a leader by example.  There is no Justin Williams on this roster.

Can they wait and hope that an Adam Fox or Ryan Lindgren grows into that role?  Or should they dip into the trade or free agency pool to find a veteran who can take this team under his wing?

Another question on the leadership front is should they re-sign Jesper Fast?  Based on what we just saw, he is much more important to this team than anyone realized.  Can they afford him?  Or can they afford not to?