Although they’ve taken us on a wild ride the last several seasons, the 2015-16 version of the New York Rangers is the best we’ve seen.
By Robby Sabo
If you don’t think so, look no further than their nine playoff appearances over the last 10 years. 10 Stanley Cup Playoff series have been won by the Blueshirts. There have been three Eastern Conference Finals, and one enthusiastic Eastern Conference Championship and Presidents’ Trophy season (2014).
Only one thing is missing. We all know what it is.
These Rangers might possess the highest level of championship quality of any team who hasn’t won a championship. We’ve seen it time and again. These guys never give up, nor do they ever feel they’re not worthy.
In 2014 they responded to a 3-1 series deficit against two of the greatest active NHL players (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin) and the Pittsburgh Penguins by reeling off three straight wins. Last spring, they did it again against a very rugged Washington Capitals team.
The core of this team – the guys with names of Mats Zuccarello, Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi, Marc Staal, and Henrik Lundqvist – are fully equipped with the championship-like fiber a Stanley Cup championship team needs to show off every spring.
Despite these incredible characteristics, this franchise has painfully come up short the last several seasons – 2014 and 2015 exemplifying the most tortured campaigns for fans.
Coming into a challenging offseason, all of Rangerstown had one eye closed. Their anxiety about what Glen Sather and Jeff Gorton would do with such a tight salary cap kept them up at nights.
A few moves and 13 games later, this organization has never been healthier.
Related: Mats Zuccarello The Rangers MVP This Season?
Could it be true though, that this version of the Blueshirts is the best we’ve seen since the 1990s? Have they finally hit that very special season in which a Stanley Cup Championship is in their future?
Here are several reasons why the 2015-16 version of the New York Rangers is the best we’ve seen in a long time:
5. Henrik Lundqvist Is On A Mission
There is no understating the following idea: Henrik Lundqvist is an absolute madman right now. The 33-year old future Hall of Fame goaltender has not only played as his usually stellar-self, he’s surpassed it to a level we quite haven’t seen yet.
His stat line consists of seven wins, two losses, a 1.80 GAA, and an absurd .945 SV%. The seven wins and .945 SV% both currently lead the NHL.
He headed into the fresh campaign with new, lighter goalie pads. It’s seemed to work with flying colors thus far. Some of his early season saves have already entered the discussion as “save of the year.”
While the long 82-game regular season feels very irrelevant for the Rangers at times – as only the playoffs matter at this stage – it’s a very solid sign to see Lundqvist not losing any steam as he enters his mid-30s.
4. The Development Continues
Where did Oscar Lindberg come from?
Heading into the new season, the question of “who would replace Carl Hagelin and Martin St. Louis” raged on. We knew the candidates, we just didn’t know the answer.
13 games deep, and we feel pretty confident that Lindberg is the guy.
The Swedish-born, 24-year old center leads all NHL rookies with seven goals. He’s also collected three assists and put up an incredible +9 rating.
It doesn’t matter who Alain Vigneault throws on the third line with him. Whoever it is, that line remains the most consistent trio in the entire lineup.
How about this ridiculous shot from the kid in last night’s 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche? Talk about a pure, wicked shot which shows the talent oozing out of his 6-0, 187 lbs. frame.
For the Rangers, the development continues and remains the single most important aspect to this club finding success late in the season and beyond.
3. Familiarity
In a world of salary cap restraints and free agency madness, Sather and Gorton have done a tremendous job of keeping the core intact. Think about the young group of Rangers who’ve played together for several years now.
Not only have they played in New York together, but a few of them even played together in Hartford prior to making the big show.
Rangers Core:
- Henrik Lundqvist
- Ryan McDonagh
- Dan Girardi
- Marc Staal
- Derek Stepan
- Mats Zuccarello
- Chris Kreider
J.T. Miller, Jesper Fast and Oscar Lindberg are also all primed to join this group as young, homegrown Blueshirts.
The names and faces have changed around them, but the group in the middle is as solid as it gets. This is a rare occurrence in the NHL to witness.
2. Incredible Depth
One of the major push-backs as it concerns this Rangers personnel comes when discussing star ability, or presence. Aside from the goalie, who is that stud superstar playing on Broadway?
At a certain point we thought Ryan McDonagh was going to be that guy. Injuries playing a major role or not, the captain simply hasn’t elevated his game to that Duncan Keith-like level.
Still though, he’s one hell of a defenseman, and we know this.
What we also know, however, is this squad is as deep, if not deeper than it’s ever been. One of the key signings in having the ability to claim that came when Gorton inked veteran Jarrett Stoll.
Both guys can play center; both guys can kill penalties; both guys can take critical faceoffs; and both guys are championship players who get it done when it matters most.
From pairing one to three, line one to four, this Rangers team could be the deepest in the league.
They’re so deep that they actually improve as a squad when they sit the struggling, two-time All Star Dan Boyle in favor of youngster Dylan McIlrath.
1. Championship Qualities
As touched on in the opening, there isn’t a team in all the land who possesses more championship-like qualities, without winning it all, more than the New York Rangers.
We recently saw a fierce example of these so-called championship qualities during the MLB Postseason. As good as the New York Mets were, the Kansas City Royals refused to lose. The Royals would never die, despite the situation or the odds.
Just think about some of the drama-worthy moments they’ve created. From coming back on the Penguins in 2014 while St. Louis was dealing with his mother’s passing, to Derek Stepan’s thrilling game-winning overtime goal to cement the Caps series, the Rangers will continually fight through it all.
This season’s version of the Rangers will be the best, simply due to adding the new talent ingredients to this “will to win.”
Stay tuned folks, only time will tell if this positive sentiment comes to fruition. The Rangers think it will.