March 12, 2022; Dallas, TX, USA; New York Rangers left wing Dryden Hunt (29) and center Ryan Strome (16) and left wing Artemi Panarin (10) and defenseman Jacob Trouba (8) and defenseman K’Andre Miller (79) celebrate Strome’s empty goal against the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jérôme Miron – USA TODAY Sports
The New York Rangers enter next season with high expectations after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
Despite losing all of their unrestricted free agents, the team signed Vincent Trocheck as an upgrade to his second-line center position. One potential storyline that could develop at the start of next season will be his chemistry with Artemi Panarin, for now that’s not a big concern.
Here’s an updated look at some of the main storylines surrounding the team heading into the 2022-23 campaign.
Captain Jacob Trouba
After four seasons, the New York Rangers have finally named their 28th captain in franchise history.
Jacob Trouba, 28, will wear the VS on his chest for the coming season. The captaincy was last awarded to Ryan McDonagh in 2018, which was left vacant after his trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“I’m not going to change who I am,” Trouba said. “The reason all of this happened is because I was myself and true to myself. I intend to be the same person.
Now that Rangers have a captain, the question arises whether there will be any changes with the leadership group. Currently, the A’s are Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin and Barclay Goodrow.
If the team retains all four as alternate captains, they could nominate two for home games and the other two for road competitions. This was made popular by the Rangers in their Stanley Cup winning season in 1994.
Will Jimmy Vesey make the final six?
According to Larry Brooks, in his latest Slap Shots column, he states that the Rangers and Jimmy Vesey could soon get along.
Vesey, 29, had 8 goals and 15 points in 68 games for the New Jersey Devils last season.
Vesey just signed a one-year contract with the Devils for $800,000 and is expected to sign for a league minimum of $750,000. If Rangers complete the signing, he will be used as a potential 4th line winger. His entire shot can be buried in the AHL with the Wolf Pack.
If Vesey is signed, he likely poses a big threat to Dryden Hunt’s spot in the roster as the 13th forward. The two play a similar style, with Vesey having a bit more experience and scoring ability.
Alexis Lafrenière on the right wing
Alexis Lafrenière has set a big goal for next season with the New York Rangers: to play in the top six.
The 20-year-old admitted that with Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin occupying the top two spots on the left wing, it won’t be easy. His best chance is to switch to the right wing, which he is ready to do.
“I want to play in the top six eventually, that’s my goal,” Lafrenière said on the day of the break. “I want to watch them and learn from them, but hopefully next year I can play in the top six.”
There’s still a lot to shake up in the roster when training camp opens in September, but it’s highly likely that Lafrenière will get a long glimpse of the top line’s right wing. Worst-case scenario Artemi Panarin can step up to the front row and move Chris Kreider down the right wing to allow Laffy to play his natural second-row position with Trocheck.
Can Vitali Kravtsov finally stay with Rangers?
Vitali Kravtsov is in New York to continue his training for the camp. After a tumultuous few years, is he ready to make his mark with Rangers?
“I don’t think we’ve ever changed our minds, he’s a global talent. He does a lot of things on the ice that a lot of people can’t do,” said general manager Chris Drury. the world, your game dictates where you end up. But we’re certainly happy to have him back in the mix.
Rangers signed Vitali Kravtsov to a one-year, $875,000 contract on June 13. It was important for Kravtsov and his agent to secure this one-sided deal to ensure a better chance at playing in the NHL. He is expected to go through waivers to be fired next season.
Kravtsov, 22, had a solid campaign in the KHL. In 19 regular season games, he registered 6 goals and 7 assists for 13 points. During the playoffs, he added 7 goals and a total of 10 points in 15 games.
A partner for Braden Schneider
The Rangers were able to offload Patrik Nemeth and his two remaining years at $2.5 million to the Arizona Coyotes for the cost of a second-round pick. The team will now be looking for a left-back to partner Braden Schneider.
Zac Jones is patiently biding his time to be a regular on the New York Rangers defense.
Jones, 21, is in the final year of his entry-level contract which comes with a low cap of $925,000. He has demonstrated he has the ability to play in the NHL by using his high hockey IQ to compensate for his size at 5-11, 185 pounds.
“We know what Jonesy is,” said Gerard Gallant. “He moves the puck – he skates. He’s not a big guy but he defends pretty hard.
Another possible option is Matthew Robertson.
The 21-year-old left-handed defenseman was selected by the Blueshirts in the second round of the 2019 draft. At 6-foot-4 and 201 pounds, he already has the size to play in the NHL, but it took him a little longer to build. develop than some of the other blue line hopefuls.
“My target next year is to make Rangers,” Robertson said. “It’s a big offseason for me and I learned a lot last year in Hartford. Having that experience, knowing a little more about what to expect at camp, the urgency definitely increases.
There is also an outside chance that Nils Lundkvist, who normally plays on the right side, could make a change to the left.
Lundkvist may be small at 5-11 and 187 pounds, but makes a great outing pass coupled with sniping. The former first-round pick had 4 points in 25 games before being sent to the Wolf Pack last season.
