Rangers report cards: Grading New York’s Centers
Curious to know how New York’s centers fared this season? Dive into our Rangers report cards as we grade their performances and impact on the ice.
Happy Summer Blue Line Station readers. The hope is that you’re enjoying your offseason after a wild winter. When the New York Rangers acquired Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko at the trade deadline, Stanley Cup dreams were practically within reach until they weren’t.
Against the New Jersey Devils, our Rangers went from a promising 2-0 lead to a gut-wrenching crash in the first round of the playoffs. The Devils, led by a third-string goalie named Akira Schmid, handed us a reality check by shutting us out in games 5 and 7. It was a tough pill, and the pain didn’t stop there. The Carolina Hurricanes quickly eliminated Schmid and his crew in the next round.
As if that weren’t enough, my Devils-fan friends have had a field day rubbing salt in the wound. Talk about a rough summer, right? Yet there’s hope on the horizon. The unexpected nosedive prompted some changes behind the scenes, with Gerard Gallant stepping aside and Peter Laviolette taking the reins.
Money matters threw us a curveball, though. We couldn’t hold onto Tarasenko and Kane due to cap constraints, so we had to do creative maneuvering in the free agency pool. October can’t come soon enough for us as we aim to erase the memory of how last season left us hanging.
It’s not all doom and gloom. Amid the chaos, some standout performances shone through. So, buckle up as I break down each player’s journey through the 2022-23 season. For those who recall, I did one at the season’s midpoint and will reference those grades in parentheses. Today, the men down the middle will be the “centers” of attention. Don’t worry – we’ll cover the wingers, defenseman, coaching squad, and front office in the coming days. Please stick around, and let’s relive the highs and lows of Rangers hockey!
Rangers report cards: Mika Zibanejad: A- (B)
What a fantastic season it was for the Rangers’ top center. He achieved a career-high in points and established himself as one of the NHL’s most formidable goal-scorers. It was a crucial year for Zibanejad in his prime years, to demonstrate his elite talent, and he went above and beyond to prove just that.
He played in all 82 regular season games, scoring an impressive 39 goals and a career-best of 91 points. However, Zibanejad finished one point behind Panarin for the team lead and secured fourth place in the league with an impressive 20 power-play goals. His impact was undeniable.
Unfortunately, Mika couldn’t bring his magic into the playoffs. Zibanejad netted a goal and tallied four points in the seven games against New Jersey. Yet, he didn’t wake up until game six of the series, where he scored, earning a two-point night.
The 30-year-old Zibanejad seems poised to remain a dominant force for years. Despite his poor playoff performance, it’s important to note that many of the Rangers’ stars also faced challenges in the postseason.
Considering everything, he still deserves an A- for his efforts.
Rangers report cards: Vincent Trocheck: B(A-
Trocheck’s debut season on Broadway was a success. He bolstered the inconsistent second line as the critical free-agent signing for the Rangers during the summer. The Rangers’ previous second-line center Ryan Strome faced challenges and only performed well when paired with Artemi Panarin. The Rangers were eager to develop a productive second line, and Trocheck stepped up as the middle man, meeting expectations.
His 22 goals and 64 points placed him fourth on the team’s roster for both points and goals. Trocheck’s contributions meant that the Rangers could secure victories even when the opposing team’s first line was present, or the team was not performing at its best. He used his tenacity to get under opponents’ skin and proved immensely valuable in the playoffs.
During the postseason, Trocheck showcased his fiery spirit, and a standout moment occurred in game four. His game-tying goal in the third period injected life into a seemingly subdued Madison Square Garden.
VINCENT TROCHECK TIES GAME 4 AT 1-1!
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 25, 2023
(via @RangersMSGN)pic.twitter.com/VOlS22SqWF
That pivotal goal encapsulated Trocheck’s essence as a player. Unfortunately, despite his efforts, the Rangers succumbed to a 3- 1 loss, leveling the series at two games apiece.
Looking at the bigger picture, his first year as part of the massive seven-year, $ 39.38 million deal was undeniably a success. The Rangers made a smart move by signing him, and he proved an asset to the team as he moves into his 30s.
Rangers report cards: Filip Chytil: A(B+)
What a massive year for the 23-year-old. He broke out and made his mark. It was the kind of season fans have been dreaming of since the Rangers picked him 21st overall back in the 2017 NHL Entry draft.
In 74 games this season, Chytil scored a whopping 22 goals and dished out 23 assists, making it a total of 45 points. That’s a huge deal, especially for a 23-year-old. He landed in the sixth spot for team production. It was expected that the Rangers would need their young guns to step it up, and boy, did Chytil ever deliver on that front.
Even if he didn’t put a single puck in the net this season and only tallied his 23 assists, he would’ve still matched his career-high in points. He doubled his contribution to the Blueshirts and was later paid handsomely. He inked a sweet 4.4375 x 4 extension with the team earlier this season, so you better believe the Czech forward is here to stay for a good while.
During the playoffs, Chytil may have only scored once. Yet he helped keep pressure in the offensive zone when the kid line was on and even managed to draw penalties. It gave the Blueshirts’ top players quite a few chances to score, even though they couldn’t quite capitalize on them.
The road to the top six might be crowded, with Zibanejad and Trocheck above him.
However, that hasn’t stopped the Rangers from letting Chytil know they’ve got complete confidence in his skills.
He’s a key player in the grand schemes of Chris Drury and will be in Peter Laviolette’s coaching plans.
The next step is for Chytil to keep building on this success, taking modest steps forward. He may not become a superstar, but he can make a long career out of being a reliable middle-six player, and what’s wrong with that?
Who knows, he could very well become a vital piece of a future Stanley Cup championship team – fingers crossed!
Rangers report cards: Tyler Motte: B+(Wasn’t on the team)
The Rangers didn’t re-sign forward Tyler Motte last summer due to cap constraints, and he was dearly missed. The Blueshirts were without a consistent fourth-line grinder for the first part of the season. Yet as fate would have it, Motte would return to Broadway when the Rangers acquired him from the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline.
After returning to New York, Motte scored five goals and provided five assists. However, it’s never been a numbers game with him.
His role is to handle those fourth-line responsibilities. You know, killing penalties, blocking shots, dishing out hits left and right. He did a fantastic job of that in the postseason. He marinated the flow of play and paved the way for the Blueshirts stars to make an impact when they returned to the ice.
That said, there’s a limit to how much impact a fourth-liner like Motte can make, which is why he went unsigned this offseason.
He’s become a victim of the league taking skill over toughness, even though Vegas’s championship run showed the old guard and the importance of big bodies still exists. Of course, the Rangers couldn’t take Motte back again due to cap casualties, but there’s always the deadline, right?