derick brassard
Photo: Michael Ivins, USA TODAY Sports

The clamour for top line centers is league wide and certainly nothing new. Every team wants one but not every team has one. The Rangers are in a fortunate position where they have two excellent (and comparatively young) top six centers in Derek Stepan and Derick Brassard but neither would be compared to the Crosby’s, Getzlaf’s and Seguin’s of the league, although both certainly have room for growth.

Long term, people assume the Rangers greatest needs are on defense, addressing a lack of size on the roster and down the middle. You can argue the Rangers lost the Stanley Cup finals because the Kings dominated the center position. Looking at those needs, the Rangers may have answers for their defense and the issue of size coming through the system but do they have a potential top line center in their ranks? Not likely. Which brings us back to Derick Brassard.

Brassard may have become the most critical Ranger with regard to the future. Brassard was a high draft pick and is blessed with excellent skill and playmaking ability and has certainly started to realise his talent as a Rangers. His development could save the Rangers millions of dollars and a painful, long search for the unicorn of hockey players – an elite, point producing, top line center. This is without mentioning how Brassard’s development could help the franchise avoid giving up a stack of assets to acquire a top line center.

With a rising cap and locked into an already reasonable 5m per year, Brassard could potentially become a steal for the Rangers. If Brassard can take his game up yet another level, find that elite consistency (at both ends of the rink) and become a 70 point center the Rangers would have two 60-70 point centers in their midst. That is without even considering the potential growth of Stepan. Yes, the Rangers do not boast the size of the Kings at center but that’s where Kevin Hayes’ development becomes a focal point for the future (a topic for another day).

Brassard has four more years on his contract and is well on course for his first 60 point season. At 27 years old, Brassard should only just be entering his best years and has already proven he can cope with the demands of the playoffs – twice. There are plenty of point producing centers in the league many of whom haven’t had a sniff of playoff success, most of whom make or will make more than Brassard’s 5m salary. So have the Rangers already found the answer to their problem? Could the apparent lack of a top line center be a case of the fan base thinking ‘ the grass is always greener’?…

The Rangers have done a good job in rebuilding the franchise from within and when necessary, going outside of the organisation to find talent in key positions (Brassard, McDonagh, Hayes and Zuccarello etc). Brassard has been a fine addition and has the upside for more.

Eventually veterans such as Martin St Louis and Dan Boyle will retire. Marc Staal’s stay is tenuous while both Rick Nash and Henrik Lundqvist are in their thirties. The Rangers are blessed with Ryan McDonagh patrolling their blueline for the long term. If Brassard can continue his current rate of progression and develop to the same level McDonagh has, the Rangers search for a top line center may be over. A top line center is the Rangers’ biggest question mark which may make Brassard the most important piece of Rangers puzzle.

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