Dan Girardi
Girardi was the hockey equivalent of a beaten war hero who has returned from a great battle, only to be sent right back to the front lines.
If you have been a New York Rangers fan for a while, then you can respect what Girardi has given for his team.
I would go as far to say that you would be hard-pressed finding a player that has more guts and has sacrificed more for his team than Dan Girardi has throughout his career.
Listen, Girardi was horrible this season. He had the worst possession numbers on the team and was a complete tire fire whenever he was on the ice.
It was sad watching the un-doing of the once proud Ranger warrior this season.
Grade: F
Ryan McDonagh
When McDonagh was sitting out with an injury prior to the playoffs, many analysts were saying how the Rangers “wouldn’t go anywhere in the playoffs without Ryan McDonagh”.
To be honest, I think McDonagh’s value is very overrated.
For whatever reason, be it the bright lights or media pressure, McDonagh just hasn’t been the same ever since that “C” was stitched onto his jersey.
While you can certainly blame some of his lack of ferocity on injuries, he just isn’t the same player that he was during that 2013-14 run.
For a player that is often considered an “elite”, his defending abilities were atrocious this season.
I would need a few more hands to count the number of times that McDonagh failed to cover his assignment in the defensive zone.
While many blamed the uninspired play that became a staple of the Rangers’ game on AV, some of that load must be carried by the captain.
Not good enough Mr. McDonagh.
