Inside The Penalty Box 04.03.08: Rangers Poised For Long Playoff Run
Posted by Neil Borenstein on 04.03.2008
These aren’t your pre-lockout New York Rangers anymore. Three years after the NHL lost a season, they have improved successfully from a non-contender with a big ego and big money roster to a solid, all-around team. In this edition of Inside The Penalty Box, Neil Borenstein takes a look at the Eastern Conference’s current fifth and what factors could get them their longest playoff run of the new NHL era.
Rangers Poised For Long Playoff Run
Photo Credit: Yahoo! Sports/Getty Images
The Rangers will rely heavily on the clutch play of Chris Drury this postseason.
The New York Rangers have gone through a progression ever since the NHL returned from the lockout. Before the missed 2004-05 campaign, the Rangers were merely a roster of huge egos and high salaries that couldn't collectively contribute to getting the team into the playoffs. Three years into the new NHL, New York is well on its way to what could be the longest run in their third straight season making the playoffs.
The Rangers definitely won't enter the playoffs as a favorite. Though I think the conference really lacks a majority favorite, I think that the New Jersey Devils and Ottawa Senators would probably be the top two teams favored to at least make the Stanley Cup Finals as the Eastern Conference representative, if not go all the way. That hope is dwindling with each passing day for Ottawa. But the Rangers are hardly a team to sleep on.
They possess essentially every tool a team could possibly need for a successful postseason drive. Scoring, defense, goaltending, toughness, leadership, play with an edge – it's all in The Big Apple.
Everybody knows that in order for a team to have any kind of success in the playoffs, they need to have top-notch, A+ goaltending. Sometimes a goalie will unexpectedly catch fire. But it's definitely more comforting to know you have that talent before the playoffs even begin. And in Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers have just the man for the job.
Photo Credit: Yahoo! Sports/Getty Images
Henrik Lundqvist has won at least 30 games in each of his three seasons in the NHL.
Lundqvist's success almost parallels that of the Rangers. During his rookie season in 2005-06, he snatched the starting job away from Kevin Weekes and instantly became the Rangers' long-term No. 1 netminder they had been searching for since the retirement of Mike Richter. A dazzling regular season couldn't prevent him from flopping a bit in the first round of the playoffs, however, as the Rangers took an early first round exit via a sweep to the rival Devils. The next year, Lundqvist played well once again with a year under his belt. And now a bit more seasoned, he was able to backstop the Rangers another round before being eliminated by the Buffalo Sabres. Now, the Rangers seemed primed to go deeper in the playoffs and Lundqvist has been playing like a goalie that can get them there. If the Rangers are able to move further in the playoffs, Lundqvist won't be the only reason. But chances are, he's going to be one of, if not the biggest.
Two other players stand out for the Rangers going into the postseason. Sean Avery and Chris Drury are going to be very integral parts of any success the team has.
Anybody who has read this column before probably knows that if the Rangers could lock Avery down for the rest of his playing career, I'd be one happy fan. More than any other player on the team, Avery is able to deliver a style of play that sets the tone in a winning direction. He's a pest that takes the opposition off its game. But he can also be an offensive force, capable of working the puck to setup plays or find an open area to land a goal or two of his own. He's an "in your face" player who is very productive offensively. That's pretty dangerous. And the Rangers win with him in the lineup.
To work to their advantage, though, Avery has to be a presence for the Rangers in every single series. Last year, he played well in the first round and the Rangers managed to bounce the Atlanta Thrashers in four games. He made himself known and got into peoples' faces. He even took Ilya Kovalchuk off his game, which was probably the final nail in the coffin for Atlanta. Against Buffalo, Avery was hardly noticeable. And the Rangers lost. Granted, I don't think the Rangers lost solely because Avery wasn't a presence. But I'd be hard-pressed to believe it wasn't a factor.
Photo Credit: Yahoo! Sports
Sean Avery's ability to pester opponents and put up some scoring makes him a dangerous threat for the Rangers.
Chris Drury was a factor in that series last year. It was just for the other team. The man known for coming up in the clutch is doing so at the right for the Rangers. He leads the team in goals (24) and, surprisingly, game-winners (seven). He might be playing for a different organization, but Drury still knows how to be in the right place at the right time to net the puck when the Rangers need it the most. In the playoffs, that's a talent every team would love to have.
The tempo for New York is immediately set if those three previously mentioned players are on their games.
New York has shown throughout the season, though, that it's an effective team – not group of individuals. That's the kind of makeup that caused the Rangers to miss the playoffs for so many seasons prior to the lockout.
On offense, the Rangers are fairly deep. It would help to assess them if I knew what kind of Jaromir Jagr we were going to get when the puck drops on the postseason. Will he be the guy that has fallen way off the mark for most of this season? Or will he be able to find the score sheet like he's been doing somewhat dependably since late February? If Jagr can score like we all know he's capable of, the Rangers become that much more dangerous. If he's not able to be an offensive force, it will hurt.
It may not kill the Rangers, though. They've had to make up for Jagr's deficiencies before over the course of the regular season. And there are enough weapons to step up if Jagr comes up a bit lame when it matters the most. Of course, there's Drury, who is as basically as clutch as they come. Brendan Shanahan might not be getting any younger, but he certainly hasn't forgotten how to score goals and is a grizzled veteran in the playoffs. Scott Gomez knows what it's like to play for and win the Stanley Cup. He's also been known to come up with a clutch goal or two in the playoffs. And lets not forget the likes of Martin Straka, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Nigel Dawes and, of course, Avery. Fredrik Sjostrom is going to be a nice compliment forward on the third line. And a little hard work could get the fourth liners of Blair Betts, Ryan Hollweg and Colton Orr a point or two (one of these three will probably sit in every game unless an injury occurs. Since Betts is a great penalty killer, it probably won't be him in any game.)
Photo Credit: Yahoo! Sports
Will Jagr show up with his A-game during the playoffs?
On defense, the Rangers might not have the flashiest group of players. And Marek Malik still worries me (flashbacks of him sending the puck right across the middle of the ice against Buffalo – IN HIS OWN ZONE!) But the Rangers have been surprisingly efficient on defense this season as the league's fourth best defensive club. I see no reason why that can't carry over into the playoffs.
The player to watch on defense is definitely Marc Staal. As a rookie, how will this kid handle a pretty big defensive load at a time when defense is a crucial factor to moving on? He's had some pressure-filled experiences, so I think he'll be fine. But it will be interesting to keep an eye on the rookie.
The rest of the defense shapes out pretty nicely. Malik will need to cut down on his defensive zone turnovers and play some smart hockey. It might be asking for a lot, but he's had some flashes of brilliance this season. Michal Rozsival will provide some solid D along with a few points on the other end of the ice in an offensive role. Fedor Tyutin is a physical guy that will definitely watch out for his own zone and hit the boards for a big check when necessary. Dan Girardi is good in his own zone, too, with some good shot blocking ability to boot. If Paul Mara sees some time, he'll mostly be used for his offensive talents. And I think he'll see action in more games than Jason Strudwick, who should probably get some game time as well in an alternating role with Mara until one of them really sticks.
Again, it's not the flashiest group of defenders. But they've done a nice job to this point playing in front of Lundqvist. And I don't expect that to change.
Besides goaltending, offense and defense, you just need some toughness and leadership. The latter is plentiful on the Rangers. Shanahan, Gomez and Drury are just three players capable of getting the Rangers going for every game. For toughness, when Avery brings his A-game to the table and makes his presence known, he really sets the tempo for some physical action. Along with him is Hollweg and/or Orr to carry some of the physical load. There is no lack of edge to this organization.
How far can the Rangers go? Well, that partly depends on matchups, as it would for assessing any team.
If the playoffs ended today and they drew New Jersey, it would undoubtedly be a tough series. Regardless of the fact that the Rangers sport a 7-0 record against the Devils this year, the playoffs are a different monster. And it would be a pretty tight series. But the Rangers could skate away with it based on confidence gained from the regular season and the fact that the Rangers match up pretty well against New Jersey. If it really is a first round matchup between the Rangers and Devils, for as hard as the Devils are to beat in first rounds, I think New York could take a six- or seven-game series.
From there the matchups become a bit more unknown. But I don't think there are any teams in the conference that the Rangers can't stand toe-to-toe with. Nobody is going to flat-out dominate New York. And, though a wild card, I think the Rangers can make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Actually being the ones to raise the Cup is another deal altogether, as I think that honor will belong to the team coming from the West. But to at least make the Stanley Cup Finals, which is certainly within the realm of possibility for this team, would be just another indication of how different this team is from what it used to be.
Feedback …
The Coyotes aren't building through acquisition, Neil. It's a youth movement. The real story here isn't Bryz...that was pure luck. We're thrilled, obviously, but we weren't looking for that piece yet.
I don't mean to be rude, but it's obvious you know ZIP about the Phoenix Coyotes. They're not shooting for the cup next year...they're building for the future. How can you write about this year's Coyotes without mentioning Peter Mueller, and the rest of their outstanding rookies?
And man...do you honestly believe the Yotes defensive depth chart ends after Jovo? I've got news for you...Keith Carney wouldn't make this team. Have you really not heard of Keith Ballard? Have you somehow missed the outstanding play of Derek Morris? Jovo says Michalek is the most solid D-man he's ever played with, and Boynton has added toughness, and been outstanding as mentor to rookies Yandle and Jones. Carney might make stick-boy on this team, but that's about it.
Bryz has been an awesome addition, no doubt, but our defense is the real deal.
And just wait...it's gonna get better. Our top four D-men have been paired up without a break for two years now. Get that? Jovo/Michalek and Morris/Ballard played every shift TOGETHER for the past two years. Bryz absolutely turned this franchise around, but he fell into place behind one heck of great, highly-underrated defense.
As far as all of your suggested moves...do you have any idea how many failed free agent "offensive talents" we've seen here? We're sick of the prima-donnas coming here to play golf and work on their tans...guys like Tony Amonte, Chris Gratton, Brett Hull, Peter Nedved, and so many more came in here with big fanfare and then did NOTHING. You know who's coming here next? Blake Wheeler. Kyle Turris. And a bunch of other young guys, most of whom I bet neither of us have ever heard of.
So, next time you decide to write a story about the Coyotes, start with the rookies. The story this year is Martin Hanzal. He's a six-five, twenty-year-old first year Sami Pahlsson. A six-five center, shuts down the other team's top lines, and he's a rookie. Scored an OT game-winner last night, too. The story here is two unknowns, Weller and Winnik, not expected to make the team, and under Gretzky they're turning heads around the league. You've heard of Carcillo and his 300+ PIM...bet you didn't see some of his highlight goals this year. Bet you didn't know he scored 21 goals in 52 AHL games last year. And...he's a rookie. We've got Enver Lisin. We've got Joel Perrault.
And did I mention Mueller?
The Coyotes won't make the playoffs this year, and they might not make it next year...but I've been watching NHL hockey for 30 years now, and this is the hardest-working, most entertaining team to watch I've ever seen
- phxphan
Wow, tell me how you really feel, phxphan.
But for all that talk, unless anybody in this youth movement is named Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin or Evgeni Malkin, good luck with ever being competitors. In no way, shape or form was I trying to demean the decent play of your "outstanding" rookies. Granted, only Peter Mueller has really been a big factor on offense. But I realize the guys are there. The column, however, was based on Bryzgalov's impact on the team and his move leading to more acquisitions, which are necessary.
I'm not saying this team needs a complete overhaul. And I'm also not saying the Coyotes are going to grab all the players I mentioned. Knowing them, they won't take any. But even with your up-and-coming rookies, there are still areas of need that current stars are better at fixing. There's no shame in going through free agency for the immediate pickup. That's how many teams get over the hump.
And trust me, Bryzgalov turning out the way that he did wasn't luck. Had David Aebischer, Alexander Auld or even Mikael Tellqvist turned out to be a bona fide stud No. 1 netminder, that would have been luck. But Don Maloney saw Bryzgalov for the true talent he is when he landed on waivers. Bryzgalov has always been a No. 1 caliber goalie that's been stuck for years in the shadow of Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Everybody knew Bryzgalov could make it as a starter. He just needed to be given the opportunity. And without Bryzgalov, your boys would have never even come close to reaching the playoffs. He's not just a factor. Bryzgalov is the reason the Coyotes made anything out of this season.
And yes, I do believe behind Ed Jovanovski and Zybnek Michalek (who, ya know, I did mention) the team could use the help of somebody else. I'll give you Keith Ballard as a good defender for the Coyotes. But don't even try to play up Derek Morris and Nick Boynton. And there really should be some sort of fine for using the word "outstanding" in the same sentence as Morris. I'm pretty sure Keith Carney wouldn't have a problem cracking this lineup. I don't think he's the best option of the players I mentioned – Marek Malik and Brooks Orpik, which is why I find it odd, err … convenient that he's the player you bring up. But even on one of the lower units, Carney would greatly improve the team's defensive game. That's what he does.
The fact is, no matter how well you draft and how good you think your young players are going to be, you cannot rely solely on prospects. It's nice to know they exist and that there are players sitting in your system that can potentially make an impact in a few years. But I've been hearing about Blake Wheeler for years. How much longer are we going to wait for this kid to actually come to the NHL?
With the way you want this team to run, you're going to be waiting forever to sniff playoff action, let alone be legitimate contenders for the Stanley Cup. While all the names I brought up aren't going to be picked up by the Coyotes, there needs to be some sort of free agent pickup outside of Mike York to lift this team to the next level. I mean, while he was probably overpaid, Ed Jovanovski didn't turn out too bad, did he? What year did you guys draft him in?
It takes a mix of solid drafting, minor league conditioning and smart free agent (sometimes trade) activity to build Stanley Cup Champions. Not waiting for the "future" to come along.
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