At 23-8-1, there has been a lot to like with the New York Rangers start to the season. Despite critical injuries, some inconsistent play from their elite players, and four sets of back-to-backs in December, the Rangers have cruised to the best point percentage in the NHL. Their 23 wins on the season are first in the league, as they rode high on the Christmas break.
Although the vibes are certainly jolly, there are still some things to ask Santa for. In Peter Laviolette’s first season with the club, the Rangers look hungry to avenge their early exit last postseason and prove they have what it takes to lift the Stanley Cup. To do that, they will have to clean up their imperfections and look to bolster the roster at the deadline.
So, despite their torrid pace this year, there are still things to wish for. And in true holiday spirit, the wishlist will be both attainable and extravagant things. If you’re not believing, then you’re not in the Christmas spirit, and the Rangers have some huge aspirations that require exorbitant wishes.
They have done a lot well, improving their faceoff play and overall defensive numbers while maintaining tremendous special teams play. Improvements are aplenty, but there is always room to get better. Some of what the Rangers need is external, and some of what they need is internal, but during the holiday season, we are wishing for it all.
Trading for a Right Winger
The Rangers have shuffled around right-wingers alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider for two seasons now. While Blake Wheeler has played significantly better this month, neither he nor the now-injured Kaapo Kakko has provided the punch needed for a top-line winger.
General Manager Chris Drury will have plenty of targets this trade deadline, including some familiar faces. In the past two seasons, the Rangers have acquired wingers at the deadline, adding Frank Vatrano in 2022 and Vladimir Tarasaenko during the 2023 season. Both look to be potential options come this deadline, with Tarasenko a pending free agent and Vatrano in year two of a three-year deal.
Two more familiar faces that could be on the move are Matts Zuccarello and Anthony Duclair. The latter is a free agent at the season’s end, while Zuccarello has a new two-year deal in place after this season and would be more than a year rental.
Outside of the familiar faces, Calgary’s Elias Lindholm is an intriguing option. He can play center and wing and is a reliable two-way forward. Steven Stamkos is the big fish being floated around, and despite always needing additional depth down the middle, he seems to be an expensive rental option.
The Rangers can undoubtedly use an additional scorer at five-on-five, and the need for one is atop the holiday wishlist.
Good Health for the Remainder of the Season
After two consecutive seasons of being arguably the healthiest team in the league regarding man games lost to injury, the Rangers have started 2023-24 with a boatload of injuries. Filip Chytil has been out for nearly six weeks with no timetable for a return due to a suspected concussion.
Kakko has resumed skating but remains out of the lineup after suffering a scary leg injury on November 27th (from ‘Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil back on ice skating, making progress: ‘Getting better,’ by NY Post – 12/22/23). Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin also missed significant time at points this season. The injury bug is in full effect, and the Rangers need it to stop.
Related Story: 3 Former Rangers Who Could Return To Fill The Top-Six Void
Right now, the Rangers’ fourth line has two players rocking cages due to facial lacerations/injuries: Jimmy Vesey and Barclay Goodrow. Health is arguably the most critical aspect of sports. It’s the one thing you cannot control, but more often than not, the healthiest team come playoff time goes the distance. The Blueshirts hope to avoid any more significant injuries this season.
Limiting Defensive Zone Miscues
At the start of the campaign, the Rangers’ defensive zone coverage was brilliant. Nothing was getting through the 1-3-1 forecheck, and the commitment to blocking shots limited opposing chances. In the last month or more, that defensive prowess has evaporated, and miscues with the puck, sloppy play, and poor coverage have rapidly crept back into the Rangers’ game.
Some people don’t believe the Rangers are contenders, primarily due to the defensive errors and the section, coming next, lackluster five-on-five offense. But we know the Blueshirts’ defensive game is stronger than the loose hockey we have seen recently. They were neck and neck with the Boston Bruins atop the league in goals allowed per game (GA/GP), but now they have dropped steadily to eighth at 2.75 GA/GP.
Per Natural Stat Trick, the Rangers have allowed 301 high-danger chances against compared to the 289 they have produced. That’s good for 48.98% high-danger chances for (HDCF%), which is 20th in the league. It’s been too sloppy.
Yes, Igor Shesterkin went through a cold spell, which didn’t help the defense much, but he and Jonathan Quick have been solid the majority of the season. The defense has got to be better, particularly Braden Schneider, whose leash is awfully short heading into the Christmas break.
More 5-on-5 Offense
New year, same story. A promising start has led to the same old story with the Rangers, whose Corsi-for (CF%) has dipped below the 50% mark on the season. They sit 16th in the league with a 49.62 CF% at five-on-five, which is an improvement from last year but still not good enough.
Staying with the trend at five-on-five, the Rangers rank 24th in goals for percentage (GF%) at 48.03%, a worse goal share at full strength than the basement-dwelling Columbus Blue Jackets. The offensive production has been a problem when it is not coming from the power play, and something needs to change.
Getting Chytil and Kakko back should help immensely, but their timetable is still very uncertain. A trade would also help, and I labeled several key targets just a section ago. But the most significant way the Rangers can improve those metrics is to get back to what they were doing early in the season.
Stop opening up the game and letting it become a transition-style blow-for-blow game. Tighten it up and stay structured defensively, and the offense will follow. It’s a stretch to ask a bad five-on-five team to turn it around, but it is necessary in a season with high aspirations.
Win a Stanley Cup
The ultimate wish is the pinnacle of hockey. And I think everyone is saying, “Dear Santa, I’d like to see the Rangers win the Stanley Cup!” They have not won since 1994, and despite the problems in their game I have alluded to in this piece, they still sit first in the NHL standings at the Christmas break.
What they have done through 32 games this season, accumulating 47 points and 23 wins, is incredible. You cannot argue with the success they have had, but you can see the flaws and want to correct them so that the Rangers become a well-oiled machine.
This core wants a Cup, the fans want a Cup, upper management wants a Cup, heck, everyone wants the Cup. There is a lot of season left and a lot that the Rangers need to do and improve to reach the pinnacle of the hockey world, but we are in the holiday spirit, and we are wishing big.
And in hockey, there is no bigger wish than winning the Stanley Cup! What are you asking Santa to give to the Rangers this Christmas? Drop your wishlist in the comments below!
