Rangers Report Cards: Grading New York’s Left Wingers

Rangers Report Cards: Chris Kreider: A (A-)

If we’re talking about players who’ve had their ups and downs this season, look at Kreider. After scoring 52 goals in the 2021-22 season, the winger had a slow start to 2022-23. Yet, while Kreider didn’t reach 50 goals this time, he still managed a solid 36. Interestingly, those 36 goals were the most on the Rangers, but only eight came from power plays.

His 88 goals over the last two seasons are tops on the team. In 2021-22, half of his 52 goals were from power plays, but that dropped to just 22% this season. He was the team leader in 5v5 goals per 60 minutes with 1.14, and his 5v5 points per 60 minutes ranked 7th among skaters with at least 500 minutes on ice per Natural Stat Trick.

Going from an average of 25 goals to 50 in the previous year and then delivering 36 this year is quite a feat, even if he didn’t match his record of 50. In the playoffs against New Jersey, Kreider also stepped up, with six goals (four on power plays) and nine points. While other stars were quiet, Kreider did his part.

The unique part about his game is that most of his goals come off net-front deflections.

Kreider also consistently drives play on the ice. He’s solid in all zones and excels everywhere on both sides of the puck.

At age 31, it might affect Kreider’s top-end speed and acceleration before his strength or net-front skills. However, he’s shifted his game to rely more on his physicality, so he should age well as a player. Kreider is signed for four more years at $6.5 million per season and is expected to finish his career on Broadway. Should that happen, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say his No 20 should be lifted into Madison Square Garden.

Panarin led the Rangers in scoring this season with 92 points (29 goals), including nine goals and 27 assists on the power play. While the regular season totals matched his career high, Panarin’s 2023 will be remembered for disappearing in the playoffs.
He only managed zero goals and two assists in seven games against the Devils and was at the forefront of the criticism from the fans and media.

Since arriving on Broadway in 2020, the 31-year-old has been the driving force behind the Rangers’ offense. The hope is that he can perform in the 2023-24 playoffs, should the Blueshirts qualify. Interestingly, Panarin has even gone to the extent of changing his appearance. Earlier this Summer, he went bald to rid himself of the perceived negative energy from the Devils series.

Panarin sometimes tried feeding Mika Zibanejad and Patrick Kane to the point where it felt inevitable. His tendency to overpass on the power play became emblematic of the Rangers’ strategy.

There were few games this season where Panarin’s presence didn’t influence the outcome. When he performed well and applied offensive zone pressure, New York surged.
However, the team followed suit when he slumped, was neutralized, or overmatched. It was on display during the playoffs. While he wasn’t solely responsible for the team’s first-round exit, his role in the offense’s struggles in games 5 and 7 cannot be denied.

Panarin’s test will come during the playoffs, as the postseason matters for him. It’s precisely why players of his caliber command high salaries, correct? New York’s success next season hinges on their star players delivering when it counts the most. The responsibility for leading this effort falls on the Breadman, making him a key figure in the team’s ambitions of winning a Stanley Cup.

Rangers Report Cards: Alexis Lafreniere: C (D)

Digging into Lafreniere’s latest season feels like preparing to have a pizza with enticing and not-so-awesome toppings. The guy’s been swinging back and forth like a pendulum, going from games where he’s like a ninja in the shadows and not making an impact to suddenly channeling his inner superhero and claiming the title of “Best Player on Ice.”

Remember when the Rangers scooped up Lafreniere with the first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft like he was the last slice of pizza at a party? Back then, we all thought he’d be scoring goals left and right like they were free samples at the mall.

Yet alas, his stats say otherwise. Last season, Lafreniere had 16 goals and 39 points in 81 games. He has 47 goals and 91 points over his first three seasons, but the inconsistency and the skating issues have held him back from further production.

Lafreniere’s got some moments where he shines like a disco ball under the lights. However, under head coach Gerard Gallant he was shuffled around the Rangers’ lineup like a deck of cards at a poker night. And powerplay chances? Let’s say they were scarcer than finding a unicorn in your backyard.

About that “breakout season,” everyone’s waiting for? It’s been hiding like Waldo in a crowded stadium.
We’re all waiting for the 21-year-old to take the Rangers by storm. We know he has more potential than a seedling in a garden, so it’s about time he blossoms into the team’s go-to guy. And with new head coach Peter Laviolette taking the reins this season, here’s to Lafreniere and the kids receiving more power play and top-six chances than a lottery winner at a slot machine.

Remember when Lafreniere got scratched in January? That was the one game he missed all season. It was like a plot twist in a movie that left us all scratching our heads. However, there’s no reason to panic.

The Rangers are committed to keeping him around like a loyal sidekick in a superhero story. There’s been no talk of trading or letting him go. That said, we’ll have to wait and see what happens with his pending RFA status. The longer this goes, the more it feels like a bridge deal is coming. As for his upcoming season, we hope it all works out like a perfectly baked pizza!

Rangers Report Cards: Jimmy Vesey: A (A)

Jimmy Vesey signed a PTO and ran with it at the start of the 2022- 2023 season.

He became the Rangers’ golden boy and was nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy, the NHL’s comeback player of the Year award. He sealed his resurgent season with a 2X$800K contract extension. And while he’s no point-scoring wizard, those 11 goals and 25 points he wrangled up were like sprinkles on a cupcake – sweet and satisfying.

However, it’s not just the numbers that stand out; it’s how he scored them. Vesey was the jack-of-all-trades for the Rangers last season, and he did it with more grace than a figure skater. All for a measly $750k, he showed off his 51% puck possession prowess with a 54% xG share. That’s like being the guy with the best dance moves at the party.

Yet wait, there’s more! Vesey wasn’t just a one-trick pony. He was like a musical chair champion, dancing between different lineups like a pro. He teamed up with seven other forwards, and all seven defensemen did his little jig at 5v5. Talk about versatility.

And let’s give it up for the comeback king. From teetering on the edge of a hockey abyss to extending his stay with the Rangers, Vesey’s story is the stuff of Hollywood scripts. From bouncing around like a pinball, he’s displayed more determination than a bulldog with a bone.

Vesey nailed everything the Rangers asked for and then some. If this is the Vesey we’re getting for a mere $800k, it’s like hitting the jackpot in the bargain bin. And with a spot in the bottom six on the horizon and, hopefully, a more stable dance partner, who knows – maybe we’ll witness an even more magical Vesey performance next season.