Predicting the New York Rangers Path to Stanley Cup Glory
Grant White
Host · Writer
Stanley Cup Final - Dallas Stars
This would be the first time the Rangers represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final since the 2013-14 season. They came up short in that series versus the Los Angeles Kings, but they could fare better against the Dallas Stars this season.
The Rangers can beat the Stars at their own game, besting them in depth scoring, defensive production, and goaltending. Panarin has put New York on his back throughout the season, but six players have recorded at least 57 points. With Vincent Trocheck, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafreniere riding shotgun, the Rangers will not stop.
As well-rounded as the Rangers are, it will take an exceptional performance from Shesterkin to limit the opposition's scoring throughout the playoffs. Consequently, he could be the long-shot candidate worth backing when the Conn Smythe futures board opens up.
They have all the pieces; now it's time for the Rangers to put it together and claim their first Stanley Cup in 30 years.
Playoff Position - 1st Metropolitan Division
It took all their might, but the New York Rangers have claimed their first President's Trophy in nearly a decade. The Rangers hung on by the slimmest of margins, edging out the Dallas Stars for the best record in hockey by a singular point. In doing so, they locked up the top spot in the Eastern Conference, assured themselves of home-ice advantage throughout the postseason, and set up the easiest potential path to the Stanley Cup Final.
Opening Round - Washington Capitals
Arguably the easiest matchup of the opening round, the Rangers get to take on whichever bottom-feeding club claimed the final postseason berth. Although there were five teams within seven points of the second wild-card spot, the Washington Capitals claimed the distinction on the strength of a tiebreaker over the Detroit Red Wings.
Analytically, the Caps were the worst team to make the playoffs. Their 47.4% expected goals-for rating was the eighth-worst benchmark in the NHL. Worse, they failed to translate those underwhelming metrics to substantive on-ice production, as Washington scored the fourth-fewest goals at five-on-five this season.
Don't call it a sweep, but New York's path to the second round is nothing more than a formality.
Second Round - Carolina Hurricanes
Things get more intense in the second round, but it's nothing the Rangers can't handle. As we saw throughout the regular seasons, the Broadway Blueshirts had the Carolina Hurricanes number all year. That bodes well for them in their inevitable second-round clash.
New York stymied the Hurricanes in two of three meetings this year. Granted, the other contest was a 6-1 thrashing, but the Rangers held Carolina to a combined one goal in the other two outings. Moreover, they thwarted a typically dangerous Canes attack, limiting the Metropolitan Division runner-ups to an average of 9.3 high-danger chances per game.
The Rangers' distinction as Metropolitan Division winners came thanks to their ability to knock off the Hurricanes. They'll have to wield that advantage again in Round 2.
Conference Final - Toronto Maple Leafs
Eventually, things will get a little easier for the Rangers. The Eastern Conference Final pits them against whoever triumphs over the Atlantic Division, inevitably a weaker opponent than the Hurricanes. Given the current state of the Atlantic and the unlikelihood of the Florida Panthers repeating their run, we expect the Toronto Maple Leafs to emerge from the other half of the bracket.
An Original Six matchup in the third round is the type of appointment viewing that hockey fans deserve. Led by Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox, and Igor Shesterkin, the Rangers possess skilled players at every level to neutralize the Leafs' attack and beat them at their own game.
They don't award series MVPs like in baseball, but if they did, Shesterkin would be the guy to bet.
Stanley Cup Final - Dallas Stars
This would be the first time the Rangers represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final since the 2013-14 season. They came up short in that series versus the Los Angeles Kings, but they could fare better against the Dallas Stars this season.
The Rangers can beat the Stars at their own game, besting them in depth scoring, defensive production, and goaltending. Panarin has put New York on his back throughout the season, but six players have recorded at least 57 points. With Vincent Trocheck, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafreniere riding shotgun, the Rangers will not stop.
As well-rounded as the Rangers are, it will take an exceptional performance from Shesterkin to limit the opposition's scoring throughout the playoffs. Consequently, he could be the long-shot candidate worth backing when the Conn Smythe futures board opens up.
They have all the pieces; now it's time for the Rangers to put it together and claim their first Stanley Cup in 30 years.
Playoff Position - 1st Metropolitan Division
It took all their might, but the New York Rangers have claimed their first President's Trophy in nearly a decade. The Rangers hung on by the slimmest of margins, edging out the Dallas Stars for the best record in hockey by a singular point. In doing so, they locked up the top spot in the Eastern Conference, assured themselves of home-ice advantage throughout the postseason, and set up the easiest potential path to the Stanley Cup Final.
