As the end of the regular season approaches, all attention has shifted to the 2023 Playoffs. It has been nearly a decade since expectations for the New York Rangers have been this high, but their road to a potential Stanley Cup victory is formidable. If they want to live up to their expectations this season and capitalize on what is likely their most talented roster of the 21st century, they will have to be at the top of their game at all times, especially focusing on goaltending, special teams, and depth production.
Elite Goaltending
No matter how well the rest of the team plays, nobody’s performance will be more impactful than that of goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Shesterkin on his A-game is any opponent’s worst nightmare, but Shesterkin on an off-night can expose the Rangers’ biggest weaknesses.
Even though he is not having the season he had last year, Shesterkin is still the backbone of the Rangers. After a short slump in February, he is back to living up to his Vezina-winning standard. In the last ten games, he has recorded a 1.80 goals-against average (GAA) and a .943 save percentage (SV%). Even if he can’t keep up this pace in the playoffs, a performance even close to what he has been able to achieve lately can absolutely propel the Rangers to the second round and beyond.
The Rangers are a team with a lot of offensive firepower, but their defense has been inconsistent at times, allowing opponents to take too many quality shots, making goaltending all the more important. Shesterkin is no stranger to facing a lot of shots in the postseason. In his playoff debut last year, he faced a team record-breaking 79 shots, and though the Rangers eventually lost that game, Shesterkin still showed he is able to deliver remarkable results in a high-pressure environment.
Effective Special Teams
Special teams can make or break a playoff run. When playoff opponents don’t give up even-strength scoring chances, power plays offer an even more pronounced opportunity for teams to finally break through and score. After all, it was Artemi Panarin’s overtime power play goal in Game 7 of the first series of the 2022 Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins that sent the Rangers through to the second round.
The Rangers’ power play has experienced ups and downs throughout the season, but seems to be getting into a more consistent rhythm lately as trade deadline acquisitions Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane grow more comfortable in their new environment. The team has five power play goals in their last five games. Maintaining this momentum will be imperative once the playoffs begin.
The Rangers’ penalty kill will also play a huge role in their ability to move beyond the first round. Teams without effective penalty killing put themselves in difficult positions to succeed, as it gives strong opponents the opportunity to take control of the momentum of games.
The Rangers’ penalty kill might not be the best in the league, but it seems to be functioning well as of late, as the team has only allowed one power play goal in the last five games. The penalty kill should also keep improving with the return of Ryan Lindgren.
Consistent Depth Production
There is no doubt that much of the excitement of the playoffs comes from the opportunity to watch star-studded teams compete against each other, but the performance of a team’s bottom-six can also be something to watch out for. When a tough matchup occasionally neutralizes a team’s best line, the responsibility often falls to the rest of the lineup to produce quality scoring chances. Additionally, a defensively responsible and offensively capable bottom-six can take some pressure off the top two lines, preventing them from burning out too early.
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The Rangers currently have an exciting bottom-six comprised of the “Kid Line” of Alexis Lafrenière, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko as well as a strong fourth line of Jimmy Vesey, Barclay Goodrow, and Tyler Motte. Both lines are capable of maintaining possession of the puck, and the Kid Line especially can create moments of sustained offensive pressure that result in quality scoring chances.
Looking Ahead
The Rangers have a lot to be optimistic about, and it is easy to get carried away thinking about how much this team has going for them. However, it is important to keep in mind just how talented this year’s Eastern Conference is. Even with Shesterkin’s phenomenal goaltending, elite weapons on special teams, and a game-changing bottom-six, they could still lose in the first round. The reasonable possibility of either a Stanley Cup win or a first round loss is what will make the Rangers one of the more exciting teams to keep an eye on as the playoffs approach.
