At the quarter-season mark, a few things are going on in the NHL universe. One, we’re starting to find out who the contenders are and the NY Rangers look like they’re one of them. We’re also hearing some early rumblings regarding trade rumors, and it’s something you can count on to keep hearing from now until, well, the NHL trade deadline.
But we’re also aware of who some of each team’s good and not-so-good surprises are this season, and the Rangers have a few of them in both categories. In fact, you may look at this list and say, “There could have been more than five so far,” and you’d be more than correct. That said, let’s look at the five players who caught my eye for all the right and wrong reasons.
William Cuylle - Good Surprise
Wow, 17 points and nine goals in 20 games is certainly a way to get yourself noticed following an 85-game stint that saw just 21 points and 13 goals. It’s clear not only that William Cuylle will shatter his previous personal bests, but he might wind up ending the regular season as a point-per-game player.
Oh, and if you think this offensive outburst is taking away his physical nature, think again. With 85 hits, Cuylle is on pace for between 348 and 349 this season. This is someone who theoretically would be playing fourth-line minutes, but with 17 points, he’s left the Rangers with no choice but to give him even more ice time.
Jacob Trouba - Bad Surprise
Through 20 games, Jacob Trouba has given the Blueshirts six assists and nothing more. Yeah, that’s pretty bad for a player the team was shopping over the summer, and his trade value could be on the downturn if he doesn’t pick it up.
But points are just one part of the equation, and Trouba is at least performing well in landing body checks and blocking shots, so I guess there’s that. Plus, his on-ice shooting percentage of 11.7 indicates he’s at least on the ice for a few goals, but a with 90.5 on-ice save percentage and most of his starts coming in the defensive zone right now, it’s almost like Trouba’s becoming a third-pairing blueliner playing top-four minutes.
Kaapo Kakko - Good Surprise
Do you want some good news, Rangers fans? It doesn’t seem like Kaapo Kakko is going anywhere amidst this breakout campaign. And really, who cares if it’s taken him this long? With 12 points and three goals in 20 games, if Kakko increases his production to something around 0.75 points per game, then the Blueshirts have another offensive weapon.
A plus-minus rating may not apply to some of you, but Kakko’s plus-13 is something to be proud of, and it’s leading the team right now. He’s morphed from someone who looked as though he’d be playing in another uniform to a player who could be a pivotal part of the team’s core this season, and that says a lot about his development.
Chris Kreider - Bad Surprise
I can’t get over the fact that I’m listing someone who has nine goals this season as a ‘bad surprise,’ but Chris Kreider has done little other than find the net regularly. While that’s great and all, it doesn’t look like he’s impressing Rangers brass, and why would he?
There are a lot of players on this team who can score goals, but he’s doing hardly anything to help his teammates score, as his on-ice shooting percentage at even strength remains in the single digits. Chances are, he may not even stay in New York by the time the regular season ends, and he’ll likely catch on as a depth scorer somewhere in a blockbuster move.
Braden Schneider - Good Surprise
Braden Schneider has just seven points and two goals in 20 games, and while he hasn’t lit up the stat sheet recently, another burst or two in points production is all he’ll need to set a new career high. For a player who’s primarily on the ice to block shots and land body checks for between 15 and 17 minutes per game, Schneider’s points output made me do a double take.
His numbers at even strength also caught my eye, with an 11.4 on-ice shooting percentage and an incredible 94.1 on-ice save percentage, which shows Schneider is pitching in all over the ice. That’s something you can’t help but like to see from someone who will likely continue playing third-pairing minutes.