A make or break season for 5 New York Rangers

#3 Brendan Lemieux

Brendan Lemieux will be going into his third year in the NHL and his second full season with the Rangers. He signed a reasonable two-year deal with the Rangers, avoiding arbitration and while the pressure on him to succeed isn’t as fierce as the pressure on his fellow RFA’s, it’s time for Lemieux to show some real growth and maturity.

In his second season, Lemieux’s goal totalled dropped from 12 to six though he improved from five to 12 assists.  He led the team with 111 penalty minutes, his second season exceeding the 100 mark. He was a physical presence, lending grit to a soft Rangers lineup.  He also showed a glaring lack of judgment by taking some dumb penalties, including a suspension that kept him out of the the first two Stanley Cup Qualifier games.

This season, Lemieux needs to show maturity and stop taking those penalties.  He needs to recognize that he is a target of NHL referees and that has to stop.  He isn’t expected to be a goal scorer, but he needs to build on his physical play. He is the one Ranger on the roster who automatically makes the team harder to play against and he needs to build on that.

If Lemieux can do that, the team won’t hesitate to extend him and he will make more than the $1.5 million he signed for last month.   He is well liked and a positive factor in the locker room.

Lemieux will have some competition this season and how he responds will dictate what the team does with him.  He can solidify his position as a top nine forward, but if he is relegated to the fourth line or as the 13th forward, he may find himself a deadline trade candidate again.  The ball is in his court. He just needs to continue to do what he does best, agitate and play physically.