New York Rangers 2015-16 Season Primer

Looking at the New York Rangers heading into this season – outlook, potential lines, roster, top prospects, draft history, stats and season schedule.

New York Rangers

2014-15 Record: 53-22-7, 113 points (1st Place in Metropolitan Division, President’s Trophy Winner)

2014-15 Outcome: Lost in Eastern Conference Final to Tampa Bay

Total Cap Hit: $70,574,000
Total Salary: $81,054,556
Cap Space: $826,000

Source: General Fanager

In: Jarrett Stoll, C (FA-LA), Luke Adam, LW (FA – CBJ), Justin Vaive, LW (FA-Minors), Jeff Gorton, GM (Named), Magnus Hellberg, G (T – Nas), Brian Gibbons, W/C (FA – CBJ), Viktor Stalberg, RW/LW (FA – Nas), Jayson Megna, W/C (FA – Pit), Matt Lindblad, LW (FA – Bos), Raphael Diaz, D (FA – Cgy), Emerson Etem, LW/RW (T – Ana), Antti Raanta, G(T – Chi)

Out: Danny Kristo, RW (FA – StL), Conor Allen, D (FA – Nas), Martin St. Louis, RW/LW (Retired), Chris Bourque, LW (FA – Wsh), Glen Sather, GM (Resigned), Chris Mueller, C (FA – Ana), Michael Kostka, D (FA – Ott), Matt Hunwick, D (FA – Tor), carl Hagelin, LW (T – Ana), Cam Talbot, G (T – Edm), Ryan Haggerty, RW (T – Chi), Daniel Walcott, D (T – TB)

Source: Sports Forecaster

Offseason Changes:

After reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2014, the New York Rangers lost a number of key contributors, as defenseman Anton Stralman, forwards Brian Boyle and Benoit Pouliot departed via free agency and center Brad Richards was bought out.

The club brought in veteran blueliner Dan Boyle and college free agent Kevin Hayes, acquired defenseman Keith Yandle from Arizona for the stretch drive and won the President’s Trophy last season with 113 points, but could not reach the Final for a second straight year, losing to Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference Final.

The Rangers did not have as significant a roster changeover this summer, with Martin St. Louis retiring, depth defenseman Matt Hunwick departing for Toronto via free agency, moving backup goalie Cam Talbot to Edmonton and winger Carl Hagelin to Anaheim for cost cutting reasons.

GM Glen Sather swapped minor leaguer Ryan Haggerty to Chicago for goaltender Antti Raanta, brought back blueliner Raphael Diaz and signed free agent forward Viktor Stalberg before relinquishing his managing duties to Jeff Gorton, who took a chance with the signing of two-time Stanley Cup winner Jarret Stoll to a one-year deal.

Outlook for the 2015-16 Season:

The Rangers are a “win now” team going into next season. The departure of St. Louis’ nearly $6 Million salary allowed enough room to re-sign center Derek Stepan to a six-year, $39 Million contract extension.

Sather/Gorton were able to get RFA’s Jesper Fast, JT Miller and Emerson Etem re-signed for one year at less than $1 Million to just fit under the $71.4 Million salary cap. New York will have more contractual dilemmas next summer as Chris Kreider, Miller, Etem, Hayes, Yandle and Dominic Moore become either restricted or unrestricted free agents.

Henrik Lundqvist remains one of the league’s best goaltenders, but the Rangers will not have the luxury of Talbot (who will be the starting goalie in Edmonton) to fall back on. “King Henrik” missed two months with a neck injury, but benefited from the extended layoff when the playoff time arrived.

At 33 years old, it may be time for head coach Alain Vigneault to consider lessening Lundqvist’s workload to guarantee him being rested for another long playoff run.

Raanta was expendable in Chicago after the rise of backup Scott Darling and will be an adequate backup, but it is questionable whether he can handle more than a 20-25 game workload or play an extended period if Lundqvist is injured again.

The Rangers have a top echelon blueline with veterans Ryan McDonagh, Marc Staal, Dan Girardi and Kevin Klein eating up 20+ minutes of ice time most nights. Yandle has excellent offensive skills that usually make up for his defensive shortcomings, but the veteran Boyle has to be an area of concern after registering just 20 points last season.

Diaz will likely fill the extra defenseman role on the big club, while prospect Brady Skjei plays major minutes with Hartford, but if one of the top six get injured, the 2012 first rounder will get a long look.

The biggest questions entering training camp are the health status of winger Mats Zuccarello (who has been medically cleared) after missing the last two rounds of the post-season with a brain contusion and leading scorer Rick Nash being able to repeat his career-best 42 goal output last season. The addition of Stoll (barring a lengthy suspension from the league for an off-season drug arrest) gives the Rangers depth up the middle with Stepan, Derrick Brassard and Moore and the luxury of shifting Hayes to the wing.

Nash and Kreider have to carry more of the offensive burden if Zuccarello is unavailable to start the season, along with the improving Jesper Fast, Miller, Stalberg and Etem, who has failed to put up consistent numbers in three seasons with Anaheim.

Rookie Oscar Lindberg scored 28 goals for Hartford and could challenge for a roster spot at training camp, but projects to be a checking line center at the NHL level.

Trending Up:

Kreider had 21 goals in his second full season and the 23-year-old will be motivated to put up a big number going into free agency to get a long term deal as Stepan did this summer. Hayes tallied 17 goals and could move into a top six role if the addition of Stoll moves the former Hawks first rounder to the wing.

Trending Down:

Boyle is 39 years old and showed his age during the playoffs. Nash was a force in the regular season after disappointing during the club’s Cup run, but was again ineffective in the post-season. With the departure of St. Louis and questions about Zuccarello’s health, Nash will have to match his 2014-15 totals for New York to be successful.

Trade Deadline Outlook:

New York has less than $1 Million in available cap space, which does not give Gorton a lot of room to play with if additional help is needed late in the season. Yandle may be an asset that can bring back a healthy return with half his salary retained by the Coyotes, but short of that, the Rangers you see in October will be the club you see come playoff time.

Playoff Chances: High

Prediction: 1^st in Metro

Written by Michael Augello, who can be found on twitter @MikeInBuffalo

Rangers : Outlook | Lines and Roster | Top Prospects | Draft History | Stats | Schedule

Potential line combinations, defensive pairings, and goalies.

Rick Nash – Derick Brassard – Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider – Derek Stepan – J.T. Miller
Emerson Etem – Jarret Stoll – Kevin Hayes
Viktor Stalberg – Dominic Moore – Jesper Fast
Luke Adam – Tanner Glass

Ryan McDonagh – Dan Girardi
Marc Staal – Dan Boyle
Keith Yandle – Kevin Klein
Raphael Diaz

Henrik Lundqvist
Antti Raanta

Rangers : Outlook | Lines and Roster | Top Prospects | Draft History | Stats | Schedule

Some top New York Rangers prospect lists heading into the season.

* Different sites have different guidelines for who is a ‘prospect.’

A look at the New York Rangers drafting from 2010 to 2015.

Rangers : Outlook | Lines and Roster | Top Prospects | Draft History | Stats | Schedule

New York Rangers 2014-15 player stats.

Rangers : Outlook | Lines and Roster | Top Prospects | Draft History | Stats | Schedule

A look at the New York Rangers 2015-16 schedule.

Rangers : Outlook | Lines and Roster | Top Prospects | Draft History | Stats | Schedule