2014-15 LEADING SCORERS
LW Rick Nash (42 G, 27 A, 69 P)
C Derick Brassard (19 G, 41 A, 60 P)
C Derek Stepan (16 G, 39 A, 55 P)
LAST SEASON
After narrowly losing in the Stanley Cup final the previous year, the New York Rangers had high hopes coming into this year. After bringing in veteran defenseman Dan Boyle and forwards Lee Stempniak and Tanner Glass, they were determined to do what they did the previous year, or even better. They also brought in forward Kevin Hayes on an ELC from Boston College to add a young, promising forward to the lineup.
They didn't make any moves during the first half of the regular season, but they made one blockbuster move to really prepare their team for the upcoming playoffs. They traded defenseman John Moore, prospect Anthony Duclair, a 1st round pick in 2016 and a 2nd round pick in 2015 in exchange for defenseman Keith Yandle, defenseman Chris Summers, and a 4th round pick in 2016. They also made some more depth moves by acquiring James Sheppard from the San Jose Sharks and Carl Klingberg from the Winnipeg Jets. These moves were a sign that the Rangers were ready for a deep playoff run.
Finally, it was time. After winning the President's Trophy and finishing with a breathtaking record of 53-22-7, the Rangers showed the rest of the league that the fun and games were over, and they meant business. They entered the playoffs with a first round matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins, to which they won 4-1. They then faced the Washington Capitals in the second round, and ended up winning in an exciting game seven, and finally, they faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Conference Final. They ended up losing in a heartbreaker in game seven, and would be eliminated while the Lightning moved on.
It was still a great season nonetheless for the Rangers, and they have tons to be optimistic about looking forward.
OFFSEASON
IN
Emerson Etem
Antti Raanta
Luke Adam
Brian Gibbons
Raphael Diaz
Jayson Megna
Matt Lindblad
Magnus Hellberg
Viktor Stalberg
Jarret Stoll
OUT
Carl Hagelin
Cam Talbot
Ryan Haggerty
Ryan Potulny
Carl Klingberg
Mike Kostka
Joey Crabb
Chris Bourque
Jason Missianen
Danny Kristo
Conor Allen
Pavel Valentenko
Martin St.Louis
James Sheppard
Chris Mueller
Matt Hunwick
Brendon Nash
Heading into the 2015 NHL Draft, the Rangers didn't have a first round pick, but this wasn't a problem given the depth in this particular class. They used their second round pick to select winger Ryan Gropp of the Seattle Thunderbirds, and then the following day, traded RFA Carl Hagelin to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Emerson Etem. They also acquired backup goaltender Antti Raanta from the Chicago Blackhawks after previously dealing Cam Talbot to the Edmonton Oilers. Free agent wise, they brought in a couple of depth players in Brian Gibbons, Luke Adam, and Raphael Diaz, and then signed forward Viktor Stalberg and brought in solid centre Jarret Stole to boost their offensive lineup. They said goodbye to league fan favourite Marty St Louis, as he retired after a lengthy NHL career, and also lost depth players in Mike Kostka, Matt Hunwick, and James Sheppard.
NEXT SEASON PT 1. OFFENSE
After inking young centre Derek Stepan to a lengthy six year contract extension, the Rangers will look to be lead offensively by Stepan, Rick Nash, and Derick Brassard. The young talents of Chris Kreider, J.T Miller, and Kevin Hayes will also play a role in the Rangers' scoring. Expect Emerson Etem to act as Carl Hagelin's replacement and put a few in the net for them.
NEXT SEASON PT 2. DEFENSE
The New York Rangers have arguably one of the best defensive cores in the league. With Ryan McDonagh and Keith Yandle at the top, and Dan Girardi, Marc Staal, Dan Boyle, Kevin Klein, Chris Summers, and Raphael Diaz among other options, they're hard to beat. Expect McDonagh and Yandle to lead the charge, with Girardi and Staal close behind.
NEXT SEASON PT 3. GOALTENDING
Another position the Rangers are very good at. Henrik Lundqvist will get most of the games between the pipes for the Blueshirts, with Antti Raanta also getting the nod for a few. Cedrick Desjardins will look to serve as a decent third goaltender behind the other two.
POSSIBLE 2015-16 OPENING NIGHT LINEUP
Rick Nash - Derek Stepan - Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider - Derick Brassard - Jesper Fast
Emerson Etem - J.T Miller - Kevin Hayes
Viktor Stalberg - Jarret Stoll - Dominic Moore
Ryan McDonagh - Keith Yandle
Dan Girardi - Marc Staal
Dan Boyle - Kevin Klein
Henrik Lundqvist
Antti Raanta
No comments:
Post a Comment