Are the Rangers Better Today?

The dust of free agency is beginning to settle, and the 2017-2018 edition of the New York Rangers is beginning to take shape.  The Blueshirts did what they historically do and landed the biggest fish in the free agency pond, though this time they didn’t overpay.  The prize was Kevin Shattenkirk, who joins his favorite boyhood team at the perfect moment for both parties.

The upgrade from a top pairing of Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi to Ryan McDonagh-Kevin Shattenkirk is almost laughable in nature.  Shattenkirk is one of the most complete defensemen in the NHL, capable of playing big minutes in all situations, and a lock to deliver consistent power play production.  He’s a fluid skater, a right-handed shot, and if his July 1st interviews are any indication, he couldn’t be more excited to be joining the Rangers.  This was the perfect signing in practically every way.

However, as is always the case – especially in the hard-cap NHL – the Rangers had to give in order to get. In this case, they gave up Derek Stepan.  Couple that with the loss of Oscar Lindberg in the expansion draft, and the Rangers vaunted forward depth took a significant hit, particularly at the center position.  As the roster is currently constructed, Matt Puempel is the Rangers’s 12th forward and will start on opening night.  Nick Holden and/or Marc Staal will most likely feature on the third pairing.

Given that the season doesn’t start for another 92 days, it’s fair to assume that Jeff Gorton has more in his plans.  This isn’t the opening night roster, and it’s likely nowhere close to the team that will dress for Game 82 and (hopefully) Game 1 of a first round playoff series.  But it is fair to ask as we wait out the long summer: are the Rangers a better team now than they were on May 9th?

The short and simple answer is yes, and that’s entirely because of Shattenkirk.  Having him on McDonagh’s right side will not only unlock the Ranger captain’s full potential, but the inverse will also be true: the presence of McDonagh will elevate Shattenkirk.  The next pairing over the boards will be Brady Skjei and Brendan Smith, no slouches themselves.  As Dave noted a few days ago: the Rangers’ top 4 is probably the best in the Metropolitan Division, and probably among the top 5 in the entire league.  A defense that exceptional is a pretty solid foundation to build on (see: Predators, Nashville).

But there are certainly enough question marks to keep Ranger fans up at night.  The top six is more of a jumble than it has been at any point since 2013.  The Rangers are banking on some young players – namely Pavel Buchnevich, Jimmy Vesey and Kevin Hayes – to perform consistently.  They are going to have to find a center, either internally or via trade, that can handle tough assignments against the opponent’s top players.  Let’s not discount that Ondrej Pavelec is a reclamation project and that in recent seasons, the Rangers have relied upon stellar play from both of their goaltenders in order to simply make the playoffs.

If you look at some of the most recent Stanley Cup champions, the talent has been concentrated up front.  The Penguins just repeated as champions with a defense that featured Ron Hainsey and Trevor Daley playing big minutes.  The Chicago Blackhawks of 2015 essentially ran Duncan Keith out there by himself and lifted the ultimate prize.  Obviously, those teams’ weaknesses are offset by elite talent, and hockey has been proven to be a “strong link” game.

So, the question really boils down to this (at least today, on July 6): does Kevin Shattenkirk alone put the Rangers over the top?  Probably not, but his presence certainly has them moving in the right direction.