Today was break up day for the 2017-18 New York Rangers, and the players spoke to the media one last time before going their separate ways.

Chris Kreider – After what was an injury-shortened season for the speedy winger, Kreider said that he was excited for the things to come for the organization. Kreider also confirmed that he would be representing team USA at the World Championships in May. Kreider explained that he is focused on rehabbing his shoulder and getting ready for the Worlds, adding that he “is getting that butterfly excited feeling” as the team heads in this new direction.

Mika Zibanejad – Another player that used the term excited in discussing what is to come next season. Zibanejad also made a somewhat bold prediction that the Rangers will be back in the playoffs next season. On having a larger role with the team on the ice, Zibanejad answered that he “learned to embrace it (playing against better matchups).” Finally, Mika confirmed he will be playing at the World Championships for Sweden, and hopes to play against Kreider in the medal round of the tournament.

#Repost @zibanejad93 ・・・ Don’t know where to begin, but it hasn’t been the year we all hoped and wished for. To see your support through this time has been amazing! Looking forward to what the future holds for us! Thanks to all the teammates and fans! #lgr #rangers

A post shared by New York Rangers (@nyrangers) on Apr 10, 2018 at 11:57am PDT

Kevin Shattenkirk – Shattenkirk said that he didn’t have a season that “represented the player that I am or want to be for this team.” Shattenkirk also had his season affected by injury, and he is looking to improve his game for next season.

Shattenkirk will not be participating in the World Championships next month so that he can continue his recovery and be at full-strength for training camp in September.

Mats Zuccarello – Zuccarello talked about the difficulty in losing friends to the business side of hockey but added that there was nothing he could do about it and has to focus on his game. When asked about the “highlights” of his year, he couldn’t really name one other than the Winter Classic, adding “it’s been a tough season…mixed feelings this whole season.” Zuccarello continued to say that he is excited about the future with the young talent in the pipeline. Finally, Zuccarello revealed that he was dealing with a knee injury and will take some time to rest before beginning his training for next season.

Henrik Lundqvist – The Rangers netminder said he is “excited for what’s ahead.” He added that when the team sent out the letter regarding the rebuild, the veteran guys really started to look out for and help the young guys improve as much as possible. Lundqvist also revealed that he too was dealing with a nagging knee injury throughout the season, though he claims it didn’t have any effect on his play.

“There’s definitely some excitement to come back here and do it better and see how far we can push it already next season.”

Watch @HLundqvist30‘s full press conference from #NYR‘s last media availability: https://t.co/zuPm7VIgJQpic.twitter.com/NA3Y6AX5x2

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) April 10, 2018

News and Notes – Other Rangers players took to social media to say thank you to the fans for this season.

#Repost @bucha89 ・・・ Sometimes you have to take one step back before moving forward. Thanks #NYR fans for the support. See you next year.

A post shared by New York Rangers (@nyrangers) on Apr 10, 2018 at 11:58am PDT

Wasn’t the season we all hoped for. Looking forward to getting healthy and coming back stronger for next year!

A post shared by Steven Kampfer (@stevenkampfer3) on Apr 10, 2018 at 11:34am PDT

Had a blast end of the season! Thanks Rangers fans for all the support #xoxo ?

A post shared by Ryan Spooner (@rspooner51) on Apr 10, 2018 at 10:56am PDT

In player transaction news, the Rangers put defenseman Alexei Bereglazov on unconditional waivers for contract termination. Bereglazov played just 13 games in Hartford where he had four points (G, 3A) before being loaned back to Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL.

For full video coverage of today’s breakup day, click here

Chris Kreider should be the next captain of the New York Rangers. There, I said it. Yes, I am a huge Chris Kreider fan. I absolutely love his game, even if it is somewhat inconsistent at times (I could go on a LONG rant at how AV has limited his impact). However, I do not believe that my personal bias gets in the way of seeing this objectively.

OTHER CONTENDERS

As Justin mentioned in his article, the Rangers have a number of solid options for the next man to wear the “C” in New York. As such, I will not go into too much detail on their merits or lack thereof. If you would like a more in-depth analysis of the other candidates, you can read Justin’s article here.

MATS ZUCCARELLO

Zuccarello is an obvious candidate for the captaincy. Zucc has been with the Rangers since 2010, however, Zucc became a mainstay on the Rangers in 2013-2014 when he helped the Rangers reach the Stanley Cup Finals. During his time with the Rangers, Zucc has shown the fire, passion, and leadership attributes that a captain needs to have. Despite his small stature, Zucc is a heart and soul player that has enamored himself to The Garden Faithful.

The only issue is that I do not believe Zucc will be around much longer. I believe that Zucc will be actively shopped along with picks and prospects for the Rangers to try to move into the top five in the draft if they do not get a good lottery pick. Even if Zucc is not traded at the draft, I cannot see the Rangers being competitive enough to hold onto him longer than the trade deadline. Unless the Rangers believe that Zucc is worth re-signing at an increased price tag for four to five years during a rebuild, Zucc will be gone by this time next year.

BRADY SKJEI

Brady Skjei has the potential to be an impact defenseman for the Rangers for years to come. Last season, Skjei broke out and exceeded all expectations and scored nearly 40 points in a third pairing and second PP unit role. His smooth skating, solid stick, and great vision will allow Skjei to succeed in today’s NHL. I also believe that Skjei will become a member of the leadership corps for the future. That being said, I do not think that Brady Skjei is ready for the “C” as he is still finding his own game.

Skjei took a bit of a step back this season. Part of this can be attributed to Brendan Smith’s fall from grace and inconsistent partners. For Skjei to wear the “C”, he needs to be an established performer that can consistently lead by example night in and night out. In one or two years, Skjei will be there. If the Rangers choose to go without a captain next year and the year after, Skjei will be a serious candidate if he lives up to expectations.

JOHN TAVARES

Wait, what? Yes, I said John Tavares. No, I do not think that Tavares will sign with the Rangers this off-season, however, there are some compelling reasons for Tavares to sign with the Rangers.

If Tavares does sign with the Rangers, he should be the captain. He will be the only elite skater for the Rangers. Tavares has shown he can rise to the moment, even if those moments happen only once every 20 or so years.

CK20

Chris Kreider should be and will be the next captain of the New York Rangers. Kreider has been with the Rangers since he signed his ELC just before the 2012 playoffs began. Kreider is now one of the longest-tenured Rangers and has been wearing an “A’ for the Rangers since Ryan McDonagh was traded. This is official recognition that Kreider is a member of the leadership group for the current Rangers. However, just because he has the “A”, does not mean he will be given the “C”. Marc Staal, Mats Zuccarello, Brady Skjei, and others all have legitimate arguments for wearing the “C”. However, Kreider has the best argument based on the following.

LONGEVITY

As I mentioned, Kreider is among the longest-tenured Rangers, only trailing the King, Staal, and Zuccarello. However, Lundqvist cannot wear the “C” due to NHL rules and regulations pertaining to goaltenders. Staal and Zuccarello are both candidates to be traded, bought out, or moved in the next year or even this off-season. Currently, Kreider is signed for three more years at a very fair contract and is in the prime of his career. Unless the Rangers are overwhelmed by an offer for him, Kreider is staying put and will continue to be a force, especially if the Rangers hire a coach that does not criticize or attempt to reel in aggressiveness and edgy play.

COMMUNICATION

A leader does not need to be a loud person to be a good leader. In fact, the best leaders that I have worked with in the Army have always maintained a calm and even-keeled presence, even in extreme circumstances. However, these leaders still have a way of making people understand exactly what is necessary and are able to influence their followers to do the things necessary to get the job done. I have very little idea what goes on in the locker room of the New York Rangers. That being said, Kreider seems to be the type of player that is not afraid to speak his mind and tell teammates what needs to happen and then go back it up with his own actions.

Of note is the fact that Kreider can speak Russian to some degree, depending on who you ask. This is no small matter considering the fact that Pavel Buchnevich, Igor Shestyorkin, Vladislav Namestikov, Alexandar Georgiev, Marek Mazanec, Filip Chytil, Alexei Bereglazov, Yegor Rykov, and potentially more from this coming draft are either from Russia or speak some Russian. While not a deal breaker when it comes to being the team’s captain, the ability to easily communicate with these young players will go a long way towards building a cohesive team.

TEAMMATE FIRST

In order to be a leader, the leader must have the backing and support of their teammates. The Rangers do not have many guys that fight or play with an edge to their game, or maybe they do but we will never know because of AV’s criticism of players who stand up for their teammates. However, Chris Kreider is one of those guys. Kreider is not afraid to stand up for his teammates and do the dirty work when necessary. Just take a look at these fights. Each one was in response to a dirty hit or play that needed to be answered. Regardless of your opinion on the effectiveness of fighting, fighting is here now and a team needs a player who can fight AND be an effective contributor.

RISING TO THE OCCASION

While being a good teammate and being able to communicate what needs to be done is extremely important for a leader, it is not good enough if they do not back up their words with actions. Nearly every person that I have spoken to in the Army and outside the Army has mentioned leading by example as a pre-requisite for being a leader. You need to look no further than former Ranger Captain Mark Messier for the definition of what this means.

Leading by example plays itself out both on and off the ice. However, on ice performance is what gets weighed most heavily for an NHL player. In this regard, there is no current Rangers skater who has done more when it mattered most than Chris Kreider. Time and again Kreider has stepped up in the biggest of moments and delivered.

Just after winning the National Championship with BC*, Kreider suited up for the Rangers in game three of the Conference Quarter Finals. In game six of that series, Kreider scored the game-winner to beat the Ottawa Senators and keep the Rangers from being eliminated.

Kreider then continued his clutch play by scoring the game-winning goal against Washington in Game one of the Conference Semi-Final.

Since then Kreider has continued to step up in the biggest moments scoring more huge goals for the Rangers than any other player. In 2013, Kreider only scored one goal in eight games. However, that goal, like the majority of his playoff goals came in the biggest moments. With the Rangers down 3-0, Kreider deflected a pass from Rick Nash to give the Rangers their only win of the series.

In the 2014 playoffs, Kreider continued to live up to his big game reputation. With the Rangers down 3-1 against the Penguins, Kreider opened the scoring ten minutes into the game. After Kreider scored, the Rangers did not trail again in the series. They ended up winning the series 4-3 and moved on to face the Canadiens in the Conference Finals. Kreider scored three goals in the series, including a game-tying goal during game three at MSG to send the game to OT. In the Finals, with the Rangers staring down elimination, Kreider tied game five shortly after the Kings took an early lead. Although we know the ending, that does not take away from Kreider’s contributions.

In 2015, Kreider was at the height of his clutch performance. The Rangers once again trailed the Capitals in a series that they seemed destined to lose. Trailing 3-1, and losing 1-0 late in the third period, the Rangers pulled Lundqvist. Before Hank got to the bench, Kreider did this.

In game six, Kreider got the Rangers going early with a vintage Kreider move. Kreider used his speed and power to drive hard to the net before beating Holtby with a backhand shot. Then, at the end of the first, Kreider went hard to the net after a faceoff and scored on a rebound with less than a second remaining in the period. The Rangers did not look back and forced a game seven. You know the story there, at least most of the story. What you may not realize is that on the shot by Girardi, Kreider was providing a full screen that allowed for the rebound to Stepan. Had Kreider not been doing what he does best, the rebound to Stepan does not happen. Holtby saves the shot cleanly and forces another faceoff.

To be fair and impartial, 2016 and 2017 were not the greatest playoffs for Kreider. However, that goes for just about any member of the Rangers. However, Kreider did score two goals in five games against the Penguins in 2016, including the goal that sealed the Rangers only win. In 2017, Kreider was criticized for not bringing the same level of compete and energy against the Canadiens and Senators (don’t get me started on how the Kreider/Price incident may have been a factor in limiting Kreider’s game). However, in the Rangers final game against the Senators, Kreider nearly single-handedly staved off elimination, but it was too little, too late.

CAPTAIN KREIDER

Since coming back from injury this season, Kreider has gone on a tear scoring 14 points (4G, 10A) in 16 games and 10 points (3G, 7A) in his last six games. Once again, Kreider is giving us a glimpse of just how dominant he can be, even with the added responsibility of being one of the alternate captains. Kreider has the longevity, he has the communication skills, he is a great teammate, and most of all, Kreider shows up when it matters most. Chris Kreider is my pick to be the 28^th captain of the New York Rangers.

*Correction: Chris Kreider went to BC not BU

The Rangers kicked off their 2017 Training Camp with Media Day, where the players and coaches meet with the media masses to discuss the upcoming season.

The players seemed to have a lot of fun, getting together again for the first time as a team (officially) since the Rangers were eliminated by the Ottawa Senators in May. And while the players were off doing their photoshoot, head coach Alain Vigneault was making some minor headlines of his own. Here are some of the things the bench boss discussed. You can listen to the full press conference here.

Miller in the Middle

One of the first things Alain Vigneault told the media was that JT Miller was going to be playing center to start the season. This isn’t much of a surprise, considering that the team was unable to find a trade for a third line center, as was mentioned previously. Miller does have experience playing center. He is a career 45% on faceoffs and is going to be counted on to step up and round out his game. This decision by the Rangers’ brass means a few things.

This decision by the Rangers’ brass means a few things. First, it means that 2017 draft pick Lias Andersson won’t be rushed into the NHL. The only chance the 18-year-old Swede had of sticking with this team was being the fourth line center; and with Jeff Gorton having brought in David Desharnais, Andrew Desjardins (PTO) and the rest of the more experienced prospects in Hartford, there simply wasn’t going to be room for Andersson on the roster.

 “This is a good chance for us to get him some work in the middle. At some point, whether it be early on in the season, he’s probably going to play a little bit of center. It happened last year, it happened the year before, so giving him that experience right off the bat is a good thing… He’s not a young player anymore. He’s a veteran player. I want to see that experience and I want to see what he can do at that position.” – Alain Vigneault

Second, this opens up a spot on the wing. Rick Nash, Mats Zuccarello, Michael Grabner, Jimmy Vesey, Pavel Buchnevich, Jesper Fast and Chris Kreider are all locks to be regulars for the Blueshirts. Fast won’t be ready to go until the end of October as he continues to recover from his offseason hip surgery. So that leaves two spots open for players to come in and compete. One would have to assume that Matt Puempel gets a long look in camp, given his time with the Blueshirts last season. That still leaves a single vacancy, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Ryan Gropp, Ryan Kovacs or Ty Ronning to get long looks as well.

Deciding the Defense

Another revelation from the Rangers head coach was that Marc Staal and Nick Holden would be competing for ice time this year. Take this statement however you want, but the fact of the matter is that Marc Staal will be on the ice when the season starts in a few weeks. The veteran defenseman will be making $5.7 million next year and barring some disastrous playing from Staal, he won’t be seeing much of the press box.

Holden, on the other hand, should be competing for a spot. Head coach Alain Vigneault was quick to point out that Holden was one of the team’s better defensemen for 55 games (maybe that’s why he’s wearing the number now). But if Holden is to stick in the lineup, he’s going to have to be good for 82 games, not just 55. And Holden will have some serious competition coming into camp. The Rangers have a ton of young defensemen, all eager to break into the NHL. Anthony DeAngelo, Steven Kampfer Sean Day, Sergei Zborovsky and Alexei Bereglazov will all be getting looked at to make the opening night roster. Factor in NCAA free agent signings Vince Pedrie and Neal Pionk, and the Rangers depth on the blue line is something that will be exciting to watch over the next few years.

The King and His Crease

Heading into his age 36 season, Henrik Lundqvist is coming off one of his worst seasons as a professional. He recorded 31 wins, the eleventh time he’s recorded 30 or more victories in his career, but his season did not go smoothly. When asked about whether or not Henrik will have a games limit, Vigneault said: “after discussing with Benoit [Allaire] and Hank, I’m not giving him a number of games this year.” AV went on to explain that it will be based on how Henrik is feeling physically and mentally and that he will go from there. One little wrinkle here is that Henrik’s backup, Ondrej Pavelec, is a former starting goaltender himself. And with the help of Benoit Allaire, he can regain his previous form.

Media Day Fun

The Rangers players weren’t just being spoken about; they got to have some fun of their own on media day.

What to Watch For

Filling the Hole in the Middle

One thing the Rangers will be looking for during this camp is another bottom six center. The top two lines will be centered by Mika Zibanejad and Kevin Hayes, but the third and fourth line roles are up for grabs. Jeff Gorton brought in David Desharnais on a one year deal, but the 31-year-old center is not a third line center by any stretch of the imagination. The Rangers are bringing in Andrew Desjardins on a PTO, and like Desharnais, he wouldn’t be the first choice for a third line center on most teams either.

So that leaves room for the Rangers prospects to step in and try and make a big enough impression on Alain Vigneault and the Rangers’ brass to make the roster. Players like Steven Fogarty and Cristoval “Boo” Nieves, who have spent the last two seasons in Hartford, should be getting a long look from the big club. Factor in 2017 first round draft pick Lias Andersson as well, and the Rangers have a few guys who may be serious competitors for a roster spot on opening night.

Determining the Defense

Another thing to look for is how the Rangers will fill out their defense. The Rangers top four is pretty much set in stone with Ryan McDonagh playing alongside free agent signing Kevin Shattenkirk, and youngster Brady Skjei playing next to veteran Brendan Smith. That leaves the bottom pair. Marc Staal will be on one side of the blue line, and the question remains as to who his partner will be. While it is most likely going to be his partner from last season Nick Holden, the Rangers have a bevy of options to choose from. They have 2017 Memorial Cup champion Sean Day, an offensive defenseman with great skating ability who they can bring in, but Day still has plenty of work to do on the defensive side of the puck. They have two Russian defensemen, Sergei Zborovsky and Alexei Bereglazov, both of whom are 6’4″ and are good in their own zone. The one caveat is that Bereglazov has a clause in his contract, much like former KHL teammate Pavel Buchnevich, that allows him to return to the KHL if he doesn’t make the Rangers roster.

Leading the charge is newly acquired Anthony DeAngelo, who the Rangers got from Arizona in the Derek Stepan/Antti Raanta trade. DeAngelo is an offensive defenseman with great skating ability but is lacking in his own zone. And speaking of offensive defensemen, they have 2017 Memorial Cup champion Sean Day, an offensive defenseman with great skating ability who they can bring in, but Day still has plenty of work to do on the defensive side of the puck. They have two Russian defensemen, Sergei Zborovsky and Alexei Bereglazov, both of whom are 6’4″ and are good in their own zone. The one caveat is that Bereglazov has a clause in his contract, much like former KHL teammate Pavel Buchnevich, that allows him to return to the KHL if he doesn’t make the Rangers roster.

Jeff Gorton and Alain Vigneault also have a group of NCAA signings to look at as well. Vince Pedrie and Neal Pionk were both signed out of college by the Blueshirts, and they will be looking to make a good impression as well. And let’s not forget about Steven Kampfer, who played a few games with the Rangers last season and had a little bit of success. Kampfer picked up a goal and an assist in ten games on Broadway and did a solid job in his own zone.

The Rangers have all of these guys competing for the sixth and seventh defenseman roles and hopefully, that pushes everyone to play at their best. The better these guys play, the harder it is for the coaches and general manager, but the players will be getting better trying to outperform the next guy.

These are just a couple of storylines to watch as the Rangers embark on the 2017-18 season. All of these questions will be answered in the coming weeks, and it will be a lot of fun to watch.

This time last year, there was plenty of reason for optimism amongst Rangers fans. They brought their most highly regarded prospect, Pavel Buchnevich over, from Russia. They defied all of the hockey insiders by signing Jimmy Vesey to add to an already talented group of forwards. Trade acquisitions Mika Zibanejad and Nick Holden, along with a full season of another rookie, Brady Skjei, added to the intrigue of a fairly complete, and well-rounded squad. But this year feels different to me.

Too Many Defenseman?

Kevin Shattenkirk is a great addition as a free agent. He has his defensive deficiencies, but his power play prowess, fine skating, and passing abilities should make the Rangers stronger. Trade deadline pickup Brendan Smith was a nice re-sign, considering his solid chemistry to the very important Brady Skjei. I would like to look forward to Anthony DeAngelo’s skill set, along with Neal Pionk’s play. A long look at the more mature Sean Day would be very interesting. But, there are still too many veteran defensemen ahead of those three youngsters.

Marc Staal and Nick Holden were a very good second pairing last year, and then saw a considerable drop in their play. Some whisper that the concussion that Staal suffered hampered his play as the year went along. Either way, bringing back both of those players impedes the possibility of DeAngelo (provided he has grown a whole lot), Pionk, Day, or Russian import Alexei Bereglazov of making a significant impact. While Bereglazov should make the team’s top seven, the other three have the option of playing in Hartford. From an armchair, it’s real easy to say Staal and Holden shouldn’t play if our Russian import and DeAngelo can outplay them. But, NHL general managers aren’t going to just lose their depth on the blue line for the price of nothing. Staal cannot be waived or traded, with his No Movement Clause having one year left. So, much to the chagrin of many, his spot is secure, unless he is somehow traded.

As for Holden, he doesn’t make enough for me to worry about his feelings if he sits in the press box for most of the season. But by the same token, if he were waived, he would surely get snatched up, with his fairly low cap hit at $1.65 million, and ability to play both sides at a decent level. It is also well known that Bereglazov has an out in his contract to return to the KHL if he is sent down to the AHL.

Broken Promises at Center?

Now we return to the position that is truly maddening, center. We all know that the team has lost Oscar Lindberg and Derek Stepan this offseason, and only signed the very marginal David Desharnais to be a 4th line pivot. Incumbents Kevin Hayes and Mika Zibanejad both missed time due to injury last year, as did Desharnais. This position is on thin ice (pun intended) before the puck is even dropped on the 2017-18 season. GM Jeff Gorton very publicly stated that there would be trades and that “his phone rings more now with his team having cap space.” Well, we are still waiting for that center.

But it didn’t end there. In an interview with Dan Rosen, head coach Alain Vigneault says that acquiring a third line center is “definitely a possibility, and could be in the cards.” Again, teasing the media and the fans that a gaping hole could be filled, as well as possibly clearing up a logjam on defense.

The problem with all of this is that when the people that run the team are stating a need to go outside the organization, it puts the team at the mercy of the rest of the NHL. It also sets up the fans and media to jump all over the team if injuries occur to centers or even if there is a losing skid. People will point right to the unfulfilled intentions stated by the GM and head coach.

Bottom Line

The center position is so important in today’s NHL. Without a Crosby, Malkin, or McDavid, a team needs depth down the middle to compete. The Rangers haven’t had a superstar first line center in many years. The team’s success has been attributed to depth rather than the big, go-to guy. Now, they don’t have that depth. Lias Andersson (2017 first round pick, 18 years old) and the oft-injured Cristoval Nieves, are battling for the vacant center spot, with the “loser” providing the only depth. Sorry, that does not inspire confidence. Also, rather than hoping that Hayes and Zibanejad have better years and progress, the team needs them to do just that.

The rumors out of New York and Toronto of Tyler Bozak coming to the Big Apple in a trade have amounted to nothing so far. The Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Matt Duchene talk have been just that. If management can’t fill the obvious glaring need at center, the season could be doomed before it starts. Two years ago, Derek Stepan broke his leg the first time he touched the ice in training camp. Zibanejad missed 26 games last year. Desharnais missed 33. So you see how this can go real bad in a real quick. And if there are no injuries, that third line center spot is not in sure hands by any means.

Trades in September and October have become very rare in the NHL. That’s not to say it’s impossible. But team management faces an uphill battle to clear up some excess at one position and fill a huge hole at another. Until then, be optimistic, but be forewarned.

Earlier this week, we published a story on Neal Pionk and his potential impact for the Rangers next season. Today we’re going to look at a different kind of defenseman. One who is bigger, more of a shutdown type player and has played professionally in Russia for the last three seasons. His name is Alexei Bereglazov and he already has a professional championship under his belt, winning the Gagarin Cup with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in 2016. Just who is he and what are his chances at a roster spot next season? Let’s get into it.

Bereglazov, 23, who stands 6’4” and weighs roughly 200 pounds, is no slouch. If we compare that to the Rangers current defensive corps, he’s the third largest in terms of size and weight behind Marc Staal and Nick Holden. Having a big body never hurt, especially on defense, even if the trend in the NHL is now to have a bit smaller of a defense that can skate and rush the puck.

What teams look for in a potential signee is if they see some form of progression in their play. Bereglazov increased his points totals year after year, and solidified his defensive play on the ice, evidenced by his plus/minus trending towards the plus side more and more each year. Bereglazov was signed this past season after showing immense growth from his first few seasons in the KHL. In his first three seasons playing for Metallurg Magnitogorsk, he registered only 14 combined points, but his breakout started during the 2016 Gagarin Cup playoffs. That year, when he won the Gagarin Cup, he scored two goals and six assists for eight points in 22 playoff games. He played 58 regular season games that season and only had eight points.

His breakout continued this past season when he scored 19 points with one goal and 18 assists in the regular season. If we look at his playoff stats as well, things begin to look even better, as Bereglazov earned six assists in 13 games during Magnitogorsk’s run to the Gagarin Cup Finals this past spring.

Contract wise, Bereglazov has a $925,000 cap hit with a European assignment clause in his contract; the same as Pavel Buchnevich. For those unfamiliar with that, it basically means that if Bereglazov is assigned to Hartford during the season, he has the option to return to the KHL at the end of the season. This is a good thing for the Rangers because if Bereglazov happens to not work out how they hope and he happens to spend a lot of time in Hartford he can leave.

So does Bereglazov have a legit shot to make the team? Just like Pionk, it depends on just how radically the Rangers defense changes this summer. It’s almost guaranteed that one of Dan Girardi, Marc Staal, Nick Holden, and Kevin Klein will be gone this summer with possibly another of them leaving or (unlikely but possible) three or four of them. If one spot is all that is open it is going to be a dogfight between Pionk, Bereglazov, Ryan Graves, possibly even Sean Day and others to see who can fill that spot. One of the things possibly helping Bereglazov though is that he is a left-handed shot who plays the right side of the ice. The Rangers need help on the right side of the ice and if he can make an impression during training camp and the preseason… who knows?
One last point I’d like to make about Bereglazov is that unlike Pionk, Graves, Day and other Rangers defense prospects is that he has played primarily on European ice surfaces. European ice surfaces are larger than their North American cousins and players usually have to go through a period of transition if they’re coming from overseas. Forwards and defensemen both have to learn how to adjust their play style and address issues such as gap control.

The New York Rangers are hoping that Bereglazov will translate his game to the NHL rather quickly and if he plays well it only helps GM Jeff Gorton as he makes the decision on how to revamp his team’s defensive corps.

The Rangers have come to terms with 23 year old defenseman, Alexei Bereglazov.

Listed at 6’4″ and 215 lbs, the lefty blue-liner scored 19 points in 60 games while adding 6 more in the KHL playoffs. The scouting report on Bereglazov is that he is a heady player that plays a physical game.

I just want to highlight this defensive play by #NYR target Bereglazov. Great use of his reach to strip Barabanov without taking a penalty. pic.twitter.com/OQAIdoMMBW

— Alex Nunn (@aj_ranger) April 14, 2017

In addition, Pavel Buchnevich has some familiarity with as they were teammates in the WJC. So this move could speak to helping Buchnevich feel more and more comfortable as he blossoms in NY.

Buchnevich and Bereglazov played together on the 2014 WJC team, so 89 will be happy with this addition.

— Alex Nunn (@aj_ranger) April 21, 2017