New York Rangers must ask themselves if not now, when?
The New York Rangers post season came to a close after an impressive run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Their exit from the playoffs is roughly two weeks sooner than many had hoped for and a month later than most expected. The Rangers cinderella run answered many questions about the team, yet this off-season will be full of new questions.
The New York Rangers grew from rebuild to contention this past season. In doing so, they have now entered into the tinkering stage. Finding a way to fit all of the puzzle pieces together into a championship mix. However, as General Manager, Chris Drury must also be cognizant of the future and ask himself the most important question.
If not now, when?
If not now, when? Is a loaded question for sure. Many variables exist that could change the dynamic of the question’s subject matter. It could represent when the team will finish first in the division, advance to the Stanley Cup Final or win the Cup. Who might be traded or which free agents will get their payday or be let to test the waters of unrestricted free agency. For this New York Rangers team the summer of 2022 the question is about youth.
The New York Rangers have an abundance of young talented players. Yet, like every other NHL team, they have a limited number of roster spots in which to deploy them. Add in the concerns of a hard salary cap that is rising only incrementally and being an organization filled with both established veterans and young, promising talent brings with it its own dilemma.
Where do the New York Rangers fit them all?
During the 2021-22 season it was seen how impactful the teams youth was on the blue line. Three of the Blueshirts top four defenseman, Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren and K’Andre Miller have just three years or less experience in the NHL. Jacob Trouba, being only true veteran among them with nine seasons, had more games played than the other three combined. Rookie Braden Schneider was added later in the year to the bottom pair, solidifying five of the six defensive spots. Add to this that Coach Gerard Gallant wanted a veteran to play with the rookie and all six spots were taken. This left no room for Nils Lundkvist, Zac Jones or Matthew Robertson to play on Broadway. Perhaps one spot will be available as Schneider will have a season under his belt. But that remains to be seen. If not now, when will these three prospects be given a fair shot to play with the Rangers?
The Kid Line has grown up
During the 2022 NHL Playoffs, the ‘Kid Line’ of Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko stood out. They were the teams most consistent line throughout the tournament. Yet, far too often they saw far too few minutes of ice time in difference to the established veterans of the top six. Chytil had a breakout tournament, scoring seven goals, including three game winners and lead the team in possession statistics with a 52.38% corsi rating. If not now, when will Chytil be given the opportunity at the second line center role? Now would seem the appropriate time after his playoff performance and the fact that the teams other center options are soon to be unrestricted free agents. But that decision has yet to be made, or at least made public.
Injuries and illnesses have not helped Kakko to meet the expectations of a second overall pick. Upon his return to the line-up just prior to this seasons playoffs, he found both right wing spots on the top two lines filled with deadline rental players. He was then a healthy scratch in favor of fourth liner Dryden Hunt and an injured Ryan Strome for the final game of Eastern Conference Finals. What the Rangers overall plans are for Kakko’s future with the team is a debated topic of late, but, if not now, when will Kakko ascend to be a permanent top six winger?
Lafreniere has a different challenge. As a left wing, he has both Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin ahead of him on the New York Rangers depth chart. The team experimented with him at right wing, but reeled that back quickly enough. Unless one of the three left wings learns to play on the right side, the question becomes, if not now, when will Lafreniere supplant either of the veterans ahead of him?
Too much of a good thing?
The brightness of the New York Rangers future is here and now, but it is also still ahead of them. Blocking the continued growth of these young talents now only pushes the question down the line to the next batch of young players. While the defense is already feeling the lack of available spots, the forward group is not far behind. Sammy Blais and Vitali Kravtsov recently signed one year deals. This adds to the Rangers depth for sure, but also puts in question where the likes of Brennan Othmann and Will Cuylle will fit into the mix once the are ready for NHL action. Holding onto, or bringing in established veterans now, in the hopes of maintaining this seasons momentum will only exacerbate the issue.
To be fair, not every prospect or young talent, regardless of draft position, will meet expectations. For some their greatest worth to the organization may be in their trade value. Others just need a chance to prove themselves. For the rest, the time for hand holding has passed. If these young players are not going to be utilized in more prominent roles now, we ask Mr. Drury, when?