A few of the New York Rangers’ top players have slumped early this season but other players have come through and they have a 10-4-1 record. Jonathan Quick has won all three of his starts, allowing just four goals in four appearances, their third defense pair of Braden Schneider and Zac Jones has played very well, and their bottom six forwards have played well including Kaapo Kakko and Jimmy Vesey, who have both stepped up.
Kakko’s Play This Season
In 2022-23, Kakko had his best season, finishing with 18 goals and 22 assists while playing in all 82 games. Last season, he missed extended time with a lower-body injury and finished with 13 goals and six assists in 61 games.
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This season Kakko is playing on the Rangers’ third line with Filip Chytil and Will Cuylle. The line has been by far the team’s most effective through the first 15 games as they are the one line that has consistently forechecked and sustained pressure in the offensive zone. Kakko is winning one-on-one battles along the boards and is strong on the puck which has helped his line keep possession of the puck.
The Rangers’ third line has also played well defensively and all three players backcheck and are rarely caught out of position. While Kakko has gone through some extended slumps offensively in his career, he is steady and reliable defensively. He is active with his stick and uses his reach to get into passing and shooting lanes.
Kakko had a big game in a 7-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 22, scoring a goal on a quick wrist shot and adding two assists. Though he has struggled to put away his scoring chances, he has played well and continues to create opportunities. He drove to the net and scored a goal in a 6-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Nov. 12. He has two goals and six assists and is plus-9 in 15 games.
Vesey’s Play This Season
Last season, Vesey was a reliable bottom-six forward and penalty killer, finishing with 13 goals and 13 assists in 80 games. However, he began this season on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury and missed the Rangers’ first 10 games.
Since returning, Vesey has played in five games and picked up where he left off last season. He is reliable defensively but continues to give the Rangers secondary scoring even though he is playing on the fourth line and only averaging just over 10 minutes of ice time per game.
Vesey is playing with Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom, who are both gritty defensive-minded forwards. The line has played fairly well together and they have had a few extended shifts in the offensive zone. They are all willing to play with physicality and they had a couple of strong shifts that helped the Rangers gain momentum in their 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 14.
During the Rangers’ 4-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 9, Vesey scored after a nice pass from Carrick behind the net to give the team a 2-0 lead late in the second period. He also scored in the victory over the Sharks as his own pass deflected back to him and he scored on a smooth backhand to give the team a 2-1 lead in the second period. His line also got ice time late in the game and they did their job defensively.
For the Rangers Moving Forward
The Rangers’ role players have made a difference early this season and helped them get off to a strong start even with key players slumping. Kakko and Vesey have both done a nice job in a bottom-six role. Unfortunately, Chytil exited the game against the Sharks early with an upper-body injury and the team will need their role players to continue to step up if he misses time.
