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This Rangers’ rookie season makes or breaks 2021

By Alex Csedrik

SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 06: With the first pick of the 2020 NHL Draft, Alexis Lafreniere from Rimouski of the QMJHL is selected by the New York Rangers at the NHL Network Studio on October 06, 2020 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 06: With the first pick of the 2020 NHL Draft, Alexis Lafreniere from Rimouski of the QMJHL is selected by the New York Rangers at the NHL Network Studio on October 06, 2020 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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The first pick of the 2020 NHL Draft, Alexis Lafreniere is selected by the New York Rangers (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

One rookie’s performance may be more important to the 2021 New  York Rangers than any others’

New York Rangers’ fans are buzzing with anticipation for the season to start Thursday. With a young, exciting team, the present and the future are both reasons for optimism on Broadway. Right now, four of these young players are projected to play their rookie seasons in the NHL. However, one rookie in particular may be positioned to have a bigger team impact than others–and it’s not who you think.

These rookies are important for different reasons

Igor Shesterkin is the Rangers’ number-one goalie, and his position is one of the most involved in the game. By default, his season will make–or break–the Rangers. However, there are fewer questions surrounding the transition from The King to the Czar than the questions about his counterparts given his tremendous track record of success throughout his career–specifically in the KHL–and the small sample size from 2020. While some questions about his durability may exist, Shesterkin is expected to take the starting goalie job and run with it.

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K’Andre Miller winning a job out of camp and slotted to start on the first pair is a tremendous development. This shows how much stock the Rangers’ organization has in Miller, and the amazing strides he’s made since they drafted him as a raw forward-turned-defenseman. He may be the true lockdown defenseman the team hasn’t had since Ryan McDonagh (especially before McDonagh was named captain). A strong case can be made that his first NHL season can be the biggest rookie storyline.

Alexis Lafrenière has all the eyes of Rangers’ faithful and the hockey world on him. Will his play justify him being drafted first overall and being dubbed by some as a generational talent? While those questions are important ones, Lafreniere does join a strong Rangers forward group highlighted by Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Mika Zibanejad. Lafrenière will be expected to produce, but he’s not being asked to shoulder the offensive burden as a rookie.

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