For the first time in too long, the New York Rangers took their first step back towards championship contention in the 2021-22 season. With a young goalie stepping up to a Vezina level, a powerplay clicking like it hasn’t clicked in a long time, and some solid offense from the blue line, your Rangers were able to challenge for the Metropolitan Division title.
With the rebuild finally over, this Rangers team is still very young. There are a lot of players on the roster that are primed and ready to break out that haven’t established themselves at the NHL level already. New York’s farm system over the last few seasons has been one of the more effective in the draft so it is fair to expect the Rangers to have a few of the young players start to break through.
I’m using the term “breakthrough” player loosely. This could apply to anyone that has a higher ceiling than they have shown so far. Whether that is someone in their prime, or a young gun trying to break down the door to stardom, it just has to be someone that has the potential to be a lot better than they have shown over the course of their career to this point.
If you think that there are a few members of the New York Rangers that fit that description, you’re reading my mind. There are multiple players that fit that terminology. These are all players who could blast through the glass ceilings that they have established for themselves. When the season starts, this group is going to be the crop you want to keep your eyes on.
When I think about breakout candidates in the Big Apple, three come to mind. Whether the names that come to mind are the same as the ones you will read here, I guess you’ll just need to let me know.