Rangers Are Playing Up to Their Potential Early This Season

One of the biggest surprises so far this season has been the New York Rangers‘ start. One of the worst teams of the past two seasons has a 4-1-0 record and is currently on a four-game winning streak. While it is still very early, it seems all of the moves general manager Chris Drury made this offseason have worked out. This team looked better on paper, and so far, they have been playing up to their potential.

Top Players Are Playing at a High Level

One of the areas that has changed the most for the Rangers over the past two seasons has been their top six forward group. Gone are players like Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Vincent Trocheck; to replace them, the Rangers acquired J.T. Miller two seasons ago and Pavel Dorofeyev this offseason. They have also had their younger players like Alexis Lafreniere and Gabe Perreault step into consistent top-six roles, and they have thrived so far on a line with Mika Zibanejad. That line especially has been good for them, and that began at the end of last season when they were put together after the Panarin trade.

On defense, Adam Fox remains one of the best defensemen in the league, even if he doesn’t get enough credit for what he does. In goal, Igor Shesterkin has been electric so far, winning his last three starts and even scoring the first-ever goalie goal in franchise history. If these two players can remain playing at a high level and stay healthy all season, the Rangers should be back competing for a playoff spot. The top players are playing like they should be and could be playing even better, and that could make them an even more dangerous team moving forward.

The Offseason Moves Are Paying Off Early

Drury made many different moves in the offseason as he tried to keep the team competitive while also taking them in a younger direction. Up front, the big addition was 25-year-old Dorofeyev, who was brought in as the sniper this team has been lacking for years. He also signed Oliver Bjorkstrand, Eeli Tolvanen, and Joe Veleno as free agents to help fill out the middle and bottom six. These three players have been great additions so far, as Tolvanen and Bjorkstrand have provided some much-needed depth scoring, and Veleno has brought speed and great penalty-killing ability before he went down with an injury.

Two of the bigger moves Drury made came on defense. He acquired Sean Durzi from the Utah Mammoth as part of the return for Trocheck, and Marcus Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks for a conditional first-round pick in 2030. These two players have become the new second defense pair, and they have played great so far. Their puck-moving ability from the back end is something this team has lacked outside of Fox, and they have also defended well to start the season. All of the moves Drury made in the offseason have worked out so far, and it has led to a team that is younger and looks better than it has over the past two seasons.

This Season Is Far From Over

While it has been surprising to see the Rangers play so well to start the season, this is the NHL, and bad things can happen at any time to any team. In a few weeks, they could be one of the worst in the league again, and it would not shock anyone after their performance over the past two seasons. They are also the youngest team in the league based on average age, so there will be some hiccups along the way.

Some areas could use some improvement, like the power play only going 3-for-14 to start the season, with one goal coming from the top unit. They need more than three goals combined from Miller, Zibanejad, and Dorofeyev if they want to keep up this success.

While things could get worse, they could also stay as they are right now. The Rangers were one of, if not the most improved teams after the moves they made in the offseason, and right now, they are playing like they should be based on the players they have. While most things look good for the Rangers right now, teams will learn to adjust to them, and that is where the real challenge will come. Can they overcome the adversity when it arrives, as it does for every team at some point in the season?

No one was expecting the Rangers to lead the league in points early on in the season. They were looked at as a team that could compete for a wild card spot if all went right, and right now, everything has been going their way. This team is young, fast, and exciting, which is not how you would have described them even just six months ago. They are playing up to their potential, and it has been fun to watch so far.