After acquiring Vladimir Tarasenko, the New York Rangers now boast one of the most balanced attacks in the NHL. They have high-end players capable of taking over games on the offensive side of the puck and depth-scoring and dangerous forwards on lines one through four.
There is no shortage of goals for the red-hot Rangers, who have scored six goals in three straight games amidst their current six-game win streak. Not only have they been lighting the lamp at an absurd pace, but their big guns, Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, seem to be kicking their game into another gear as the stretch run approaches.
The addition of Tarsenko balances the Rangers’ attack, adding a true right wing to the first line. Jimmy Vesey has fit in well on the second line with Vincent Trocheck and Panarin, tallying three points in his two games alongside them. Gerard Gallant has kept the trio of Filip Chytil, Alexis Lafreniere, and Kaapo Kakko together as they continue to be one of the most effective two-way lines up front.
The fourth line, which many believe will have a fresh face come the NHL’s trade deadline, has been solid, limiting opposing chances during their time on the ice. It is truly a talented forward group with the elite talent that was missing from the Rangers’ playoff runs of the past.
With Panarin starting to find his groove (six goals in the past two games), the Rangers’ offense is beginning to scare teams and potential playoff foes throughout the league.
Rangers’ Elite Since January 1
When you look at the NHL standings since the start of the New Year, you won’t have to search to find the Rangers. Since January 1, they sit first in point percentage at .824 and tied for first in points with the Seattle Kraken at 28, although the Rangers have played four fewer games.
They own a 13-2-2 record over that timespan and have scored 3.88 goals per game, the third most over that span. They also rank third in goals allowed per game with 2.53, dominating both sides of the puck. Their special teams’ play has also picked up, ranking fourth on the power play at 25.5% over that same time frame.
Those offensive numbers are due to a complete team effort on both sides of the ice, which has led to the Rangers shedding their mediocre start and rising to the sixth-best point total in the league. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Rangers own the second-best Goals For percentage since Jan. 1 at 60.55%.
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The Blueshirts have the highest High-Danger Goals For (HDGF%) over that span at 65.31%, despite having given up more high-danger chances than they have produced. In other words, the Rangers have returned to the elite finishing production they saw last season and are capitalizing on their opportunities at a tremendous clip.
With all their talent, the Rangers do not need many chances to make teams pay, and they are demonstrating that right now. Since the acquisition of Tarasenko and Miko Mikkola from the St. Louis Blues, the Rangers are 3-0-0 and averaging six goals per game.
Balanced Attack Leading Rangers
Teams have yet to figure out the best way to defend the rejuvenated Rangers. If you match your top-pairing against the Rangers’ top line, then your second and third defensive pairs must try and defend the ‘Kid’s Line’ and the Panarin-Trocheck-Vesey combination.
All three lines can score, and all three lines can hem you in your own zone. The Rangers are led on the backend by Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller, both of whom can jumpstart the rush and pitch in consistently on offense. It is as balanced and lethal an attack as the Rangers have had since the early 1990s.
Before we get too excited, it is important to remember that six goals per game are not a sustainable pace. This offensive barrage will slow down, and when it does, the Rangers will need their defense and goaltending to start and pick up the slack. But it is hard to imagine the Rangers’ offense would be halted, even if it is less than the current output they are posting.
For the Rangers, their target has to be to score four goals per game. This season, when scoring four goals or more, the Rangers have an amazing record of 23-0-0. Essentially, the Rangers are unbeatable if they hit that magic number of four, a combination of the team’s defensive play, goaltending, and ability to continue offensive pressure even when winning.
Adding Tarasenko, who has a goal and an assist in his first three games as a Ranger has truly reformed the Rangers’ attack. It confuses other team’s defensive strategies against the Blueshirts, which has opened the ice up for the Rangers’ star players to shine on a nightly basis.
It is truly Stanley Cup or bust this season for Chris Drury and Gerard Gallant, as the Rangers continue to show just how dangerous their balanced attack can be.
