Giving Thanks: Rangers have a lot to be thankful for despite rough start

Dear Rangers fans,

Time flies when you’re having fun, right? We’re already at the 2022-23 season’s quarter mark,  and the opening night feels as if it was yesterday.

Well, at least until Saturday’s 2-1 win in San Jose, it was the “blueprint” for the coaching staff on how they should win games.
As you know, it’s been a slow start to the season for the Blueshirts, who carry a 10-6-4 record into their Thanksgiving eve clash against the Anaheim Ducks. One may look at the 17-4-3 start from last season and claim the team is regressing, yet things are trending upward.

Something I  heard Steve Valiquette say last year on MSG network was that the mindset of an NHL Team throughout a long season should be to earn six points every five games, and with Tuesday’s come-from-behind 5-3 win at the Los Angeles Kings, the Rangers concluded another five-game segment; going 3-1-1 in this one. As of this writing, the Rangers’ 24 points in 20 games are on par with Steve’s algorithm even though they haven’t been at their best for most of it.

The victory on Tuesday solidified New York being above the playoff line entering Thanksgiving, meaning you can enjoy your Turkey knowing this year’s Rangers are a likely playoff team.
Historically, NHL teams that are in playoff position by Thanksgiving have gone on to make the playoffs 76% of the time (172 out of 226) in the salary cap era.

So since we’re all in a mood of gratitude as Thursday’s holiday approaches, this serves as a chance to reflect on what we’re thankful for regarding our favorite team through the first benchmark of the season.

I’m thankful we’ve maintained our exceptional special teams’ play, as our power play and penalty kill are operating at a top-10 clip.

I’m thankful our reigning Vezina winner has recently found his form again in recent weeks, and our Norris trophy winner is putting together a campaign thus far worthy of another one.

I’m thankful for the fourth line reinventing itself and serving as a spark plug for our top players.

The physicality they bring to the table has constantly terrorized opponents, in addition to their speed and skill allowing them to apply sustained offensive pressure.
Among the bunch is a player who we picked up on a professional tryout and one that was recently on the waivers, up for taking by the entire league.

I’m thankful that this Summer, the organization embraced their Stanley Cup window, by appointing a captain and signing an elite center, who have both been instrumental to the team’s rebound.
Nevertheless, the X-factor this year was always going to be how the “Kids” performed, and they’ve been solid, with the fans’ favorite young trio combined for 27 points so far, despite spending numerous game nights apart on different lines.

If anything, the first 20 games have shown nothing is guaranteed, and being a final-four team the year before means you’ll get the opponent’s best every night. Despite not having as many 93-20 victory hugs as we would like or deserve with the way the team has played,  it’ll only make the players, coaches, management, and fans hungrier to match their record with their talent in the months ahead.

The team has preached to us fans patience, echoing the sentiment the organization conveyed during the rebuilding period, saying that the process will soon turn into results if they continue to play the right way.

Indeed the Rangers had a better start to last season. Still, even the coaches agreed we looked nowhere near a team capable of a deep playoff run because as the underlying stats showed at the time, the group contained an abundance of flaws.

But as the season wore on, everyone began to embrace their roles, and the spots that management deemed “lacking” were taken care of at the trade deadline, laying the groundwork for the postseason.
This year isn’t an exception with the latest transaction being the team agreeing to free up cap space by dealing our top agitator to Minnesota for a 2025 fifth-round pick.

While each campaign is different and brings on a variety of challenges for each team, including the reigning champions, it’s important to remember that hockey season is a marathon, not a sprint.

Meanwhile, on a personal note, I’m thankful for this opportunity to contribute to the Blue line Station, which has given me a platform to express my passion for New York Rangers hockey. Whether it’s been my game recaps, checking out prospects, or even letters like these, You wonderful readers have made me a better writer and fan, and I’ve enjoyed our playful interactions down below in the comments.

I tip my helmet to my fellow Rangerstown members, and wish you a happy thanksgiving, hoping we come out on the other side of it ready to watch our Blueshirts surge toward greatness.