Malcolm, who has been part of the Rangers organization for six years, is a natural choice for the job. Despite being only 35 years old, his youth does not signify a lack of experience. Malcolm’s journey in professional hockey is deeply rooted in the Rangers organization.

Also Read:  5 alternate jerseys the New York Rangers should bring back

He spent four seasons playing within their system, splitting time between the AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack and the ECHL Greenville Road Warriors. In six years of coaching with the organization, he’s spent the last two as Goalie Coach for the Wolf Pack.

During that time, Malcolm worked closely with the Rangers’ departing goaltending coach, 60-year-old Benoit Allaire, who will now transition to the role of Goaltending Director. Brendan Burke is leaving his post as Goaltending Director for the Jr. Coyotes Youth Hockey Program and will take over as the Wolf Pack’s new goalie coach as a result of the move.

Rangers make Chris Kreider’s former Wolf Pack teammate new goalie coach

Malcolm is a good fit for the gig because he has plenty of experience with this group of players. He even played alongside Chris Kreider in the 2013-14 Wolf Pack season. Good chemistry will be important to create a seamless transition. 

The long-time coach also has first-hand experience with elite goaltending. Despite never scratching the Rangers’ NHL roster, Malcolm competed for ice time on the Wolf Pack with current Red Wings goalie and 2023-24 All-Star Cam Talbot.

Also Read: Former Rangers defenseman tells Hurricanes perspective of Kreider hat trick in Game 6

Despite these advantages, there is also a sense he is starting from scratch. After all, he didn’t become Goaltending Coach for the Wolf Pack until after Igor Shesterkin cemented his place on Broadway. Malcolm’s also never coached two-time Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Quick, which should be an interesting dynamic considering Quick is three years Malcolm’s senior.

Regardless, the Rangers hope that injecting a young (but seasoned) coach into the mix will help elevate their already spectacular goaltending tandem for the 2024-25 season.

Chris Kreider would bookend the scoring with his first two of the season. Sandwiched in between were goals by Adam Fox, Artemi Panarin, Filip Chytil, Vincent Trocheck, and Kaapo Kakko.

All and all, 10 Rangers skaters would pick up points in this game with Panarin leading the way with four (1G – 3A).

Recap: NY Rangers 7 vs Wild 3

1st Period

The Rangers and Wild came out with good pace. Minnesota got the first quality scoring chance of the game as Ryan Hartman shot a great feed from Mats Zuccarello wide of Igor Shesterkin. The Wild kept the pressure up but Zac Jones was able to break up the threat to clear the puck.

Chris Kreider opened the scoring with his first of the season on the power play. After Jacob Middleton was called for a trip on Ryan Carpenter, the Blueshirts top PP unit went to work and executed a perfect tic-tac-toe play. It all started with Artemi Panarin at the point finding Mika Zibanejad down low. He made a brilliant cross-crease pass for a Kreider tap-in past Marc-Andre Fleury just 4:06 into the game.

Minnesota responded with more aggressive shooting from everywhere, but Shesterkin was sharp early stopping all 15 shots he faced in the period.

The Rangers would increase the lead off another beautiful passing play. This time, Panarin threaded the puck to Alexis Lafrenière on the right wing near Fleury’s crease. He then found a sneaking Adam Fox for the goal with 3:57 remaining.

The Bread vision.
The Laf dish.
The Foxy finish.

You love to see it. pic.twitter.com/p3pibMhpHU

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 14, 2022

The duo of Laffy and Bread weren’t done either.

With 13 seconds left, Vincent Trocheck dumped the puck deep and Lafrenière picked it up behind the net. He quickly made a behind the back feed to Panarin sliding into the slot for the tally.

“I obviously play with two really good players,” Lafreniere explained. “So try to get open when they have the puck and I try to find them when I have it. Simple.”

2nd Period

The Blueshirts came out in the middle frame with the edge in play and earned an early power play. However, Minnesota was able to kill it and gain momentum.

Former Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello would get the Wild on the board with a power play tally 7:45 in with a rocket over Shesterkin’s shoulder. Zac Jones took the hooking penalty to open the door for Minnesota.

New York then proceeded to get into even more penalty trouble as Adam Fox was called for a questionable trip. On that power play, Joel Ericksson Ek was stoned by Shesterkin. On the follow through, Ek was jamming for a loose puck and Kreider took exception to it by coming up high with his stick for another penalty.

“The best penalty killer has always been our goalie and he stepped up,” Kreider said after the game.

I-GOR 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/emcte4YUOC

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 14, 2022

The Blueshirts PK came up big to erase the 2 man advantage and the remainder of Kreider’s penalty.

As the pendulum began to swing back in the Rangers favor, it was the third line that restored the three goal lead. Filip Chytil parked his large frame in front of the net and found Adam Fox’s rebound for his first of the year. Barclay Goodrow notched the other assist with 3:06 left in the period.

Battle + in. pic.twitter.com/jpyQ4rhxw1

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 14, 2022

3rd Period

I’m not sure what was in the Gatorade bottles to start the final stanza but four goals were scored in just a matter of 2:02.

First, it was Vincent Trocheck getting his first goal as a member of the New York Rangers off a sweet backhand feed from Panarin at the 4:18 mark.

Less than a minute later, Matt Boldy would take advantage of sloppy defense to get that one back. Kaapo Kakko followed that up by putting on a show of force to score a solo beauty 30 seconds later.

TRAVERSE 2.0.

REAL ONES KNOW. pic.twitter.com/pFu3whKK45

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 14, 2022

Unfortunately, a mistake by Jones at the offensive blue-line led to another Boldy score just 34 seconds after Kakko’s tally.

Things settle down from a goal scoring perspective by the physicality started to ramp up.

K’Andre Miller took a hard hit from Marcus Foligno that left him wobbly and with a cut near his eye. That caught the attention of Blueshirts tough guy Ryan Reaves. A few minutes later, Reaves and Foligno lined up for a draw opting to go.

No contest– a win for Reaves and reminder across the league that there will be no liberties taken on the Rangers without retribution.

Ryan Reaves gives Marcus Foligno the business and then points to his muscle after winning the fight pic.twitter.com/4BrNZ58JSB

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) October 14, 2022

Miller got some revenge of his own by recording an assist late in the third. Off a Zibanejad face-off win, Miller made a nice deke by the Wild defender and watched his wrist shot deflected by Kreider in front for his second of the contest.

TWO SPOT FOR KREIDS. pic.twitter.com/jrBmh2V9yJ

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 14, 2022

When it was all said and done, the Rangers had a few sloppy moments in the game yet steamrolled a very good Wild team.

“I feel good– the guys played a real good game tonight,” Gerard Gallant said. “It’s nice to see the scoring spread around our group. Kaapo and Fil scored big goals tonight going to the net. It’s nice to see for our team.”

Notable Rangers

• Igor Shesterkin stopped 33 of 36
• Artemi Panarin picked up a 4 point game
• Alexis Lafrenière notched his first multi-assist game
• Vincent Trocheck recorded his first point and goal as a NYR
• Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil scored their first goals of the year
• Chris Kreider scored twice, including a PP goal
• Adam Fox registered 2 points (1G – 1A)

Tomorrow (Friday, October 14): Gerard Gallant Availability (5:00 PM CT at Canada Life Centre)

Next Game: Friday, October 14 at Winnipeg Jets (7:00 PM CT – TV: MSG Sportsnet)

*Schedule subject to change

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Faceoffs continue to bug the New York Rangers

Faceoffs continue to be a concern for the Rangers. Ryan Strome described it as getting in their heads. The problem has been an ongoing sore spot and has not yet been remedied. They’ve attempted to address the issue but are still having difficulty. This offseason they even brought in a former linesman to help with draws, and they may need to call him back.

The Rangers were 19.6% on faceoffs against Toronto.. They rank 31st in the league at 45.6%. Losing faceoffs is bad for puck possession, and they’re not going to win as many games as they should if they continue to struggle in the dots.

With offseason changes made to the lineup, physicality has improved and the Rangers are more likely to stand up for each other in situations.

Unfortunately, Sammy Blais, who brings size and physical play, is out for the season after suffering an ACL tear on a trip from P.K. Subban. Some were questioning why Ryan Reaves didn’t go after Subban, but it was to smart move considering that it was a close game.

“It’s a close game and Subban’s not going to fight me,“ Reaves explained. “What’s gonna happen? I’m going to crosscheck him and take a penalty and put them on the power play. I think I’d rather try and catch him with his head down with a hit or something like that.”

Lack of effort was also a concern at times last season. While it cannot be said for certain, that may have been due to the eventual disconnect between the players and David Quinn.

The Rangers had too many slow starts and too many games where they just looked uninterested. This season, however, this has not been the case.

While they have given up some early goals, there is more of a sense of urgency to their game. Even losing to Toronto on Thursday, they put on heavy pressure in the third period. There are times where the Rangers show some real pace. If they can go into every game with speed and a sense of urgency, they will be better able to take control and come away with wins.

Lineup is balancing out

Alexis Lafrenière and Kaapo Kakko and starting to heat up. Mainly Kakko, who is riding a three game point streak heading into Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. As high draft picks, there are high expectations for these two. This is Kakko’s third NHL season, and clearly it has taken some time for him to adjust. However, after returning from injury this season, he began to pick up his game. His first goal evidently helped his confidence. He has been more noticeable since; skating well and going to the net.

Now that Kakko is stepping up his game, hopefully Lafrenière will as well. Lafrenière has five points on the season so far, which is more than Kakko’s three. But Kakko has been more noticeable on the ice of late.

Lafrenière likely still needs more time to adjust to the NHL. As young players, they both have to figure out the league, but now it appears that they are making measurable progress.

Kakko and Lafrenière’s continued improvement will be valuable for the Rangers. It will give them a more complete lineup. They won’t have to rely almost entirely on Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, and Chris Kreider for scoring from forwards.

The Rangers are off to a solid start this season avoiding most issues from last season and seeing the growth of young players. After four seasons of rebuild and missing the playoffs, the Rangers are demonstrating progress. They are working towards being a playoff contender.

Note: All stats come from nhl.com and hockeyreference.com

Now it’s time for the new and familiar faces to come together and navigate an NHL season. It’s only been four games, but there are already some obvious improvements in the Rangers’ play. There have also been some concerns.

Rangers are much more physical so far this season

Under former Head Coach David Quinn’s system, the Rangers often shied away from physicality. But that doesn’t work in the NHL. Plays can’t always be perfect and pretty; there needs to be an element of grit. It’s clear that under Gerard Gallant, the team is already adding a solid element of physicality.

Ryan Reaves and Sammy Blais have been talked about a lot since being acquired over the summer. As neither is a huge point producer and both play a physical style, they fit into Drury’s vision of everyone having a defined role.

Through the first four games, Reaves has recorded 17 hits. Blais has played three games and recorded nine hits. They’re already making a difference in the lineup. Their strong efforts are leading to opportunitites. The goal should be for the fourth line to become an identity line, and adding grit is a certainly a step in that direction. If they can be consistent with this type of play, they will establish a reputation in the league. The Rangers are trying to make the playoffs, so they can’t have teams taking advantage of them like last season. These additions are helping send that message early.

Aside from new grit, the changes seem to be affecting players that were already here. The most obvious case of this is Chris Kreider. He has been plenty noticeable through the first four games, recording three goals. But it’s not just the scoring that’s been drawing attention to him. Under Quinn, it couldn’t really be said that physicality was a key factor in Kreider’s style of play. But in these first few games under Gallant, Kreider is hitting more and willingly getting involved in scrums.

During the preseason he went after P.K. Subban for knocking Ryan Reaves out of the game, it was clear indication where his game was going. Larry Brooks argued that this behavior is consistent with Kreider’s identity as a player. It appears to be something that may have been suppressed under Quinn.

Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafrenière have an opportunity to establish themselves

Kaapo Kakko is in his third NHL season with the Rangers and Alexis Lafrenière is in his second. They were both high draft picks at second and first overall respectively. They now need to show why that was the case.

Kakko came into camp this season having worked hard, most notably in the gym, over the summer. He told Ilta Sanomat in August that he “felt that I am in better shape than in recent years. I expect more from myself heading into next season.”

Watching preseason games, Kakko immediately looked physically bigger. In the final preseason contest against the Islanders, he was a force on the ice. This carried into the first few games of the regular season with Kakko clearly appearing more confident with and away from the puck. He also looks stronger, appears to be adding an physicality to his game, and is better able to battle with opposing players. He was placed on injured reserve with an upper body injury, but hopefully won’t be any longer than 7 days.

Lafrenière spent too much time last season on the third line. But now he’s playing on the top line along with Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. Gallant is making the right decision in playing him there; he likely needs more ice time and to play with linemates with more experience to really flourish. This is only his second season, and his first full one, so he still has learning to do. But he already looks more confident this season, and he picked up an excellent game winning goal against his hometown Canadiens on Saturday.

Team must balance skill and physicality, play with consistent energy

Now that the Rangers have sufficient amounts of both skill and grit, they need to figure out how it all fits together.

Through the first four games, they have not always looked like a cohesive team. At times, they appeared confused or uncertain.

Simply put, the players are adjusting to a new system under a new coach, so this makes sense. But they will obviously need to put the physicality and skill together into a cohesive system. This needs to happen quickly so the Rangers don’t wind up chasing the division towards the end of the regular season and have a better chance of making the playoffs.

The Rangers are having trouble bringing consistent energy and pressure. They experience stretches where they’re unable to get significant zone time. An early trend that needs to be broken is speeding up play only after a goal is scored. The Rangers proved against Dallas and Montreal that they can play at a high place. But they need to get going from the beginning. Waiting until a goal is scored, either by the Rangers or the opponent, is too late.

Panarin and Zibanejad getting going and Shesterkin shining in net

Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad were relatively quiet through the first three games, but picked it up against Toronto on Monday night. Panarin seemed almost unsure of himself in the first few games and was making too many hope passes. He only has four shots in these first four games, but he scored the excellent overtime goal to beat Toronto. On that play, he looked like the Breadman. There’s no reason to worry; he’s starting to get going.

Zibanejad has played well through the first four games. The story line going into Monday’s game against Toronto was that he’d done everything except score. He’s been great in both zones, playing effective defense and getting scoring chances in the offensive zone. Going into Monday night, he’d hit too many posts. But he finally scored in the first period period against Toronto. It was a matter of time; the flood gates should open now.

Igor Shesterkin looked slightly shaky in his first game of the season against Dallas, but has been incredible since then. He’s kept the Rangers in both games since then, particularly against Toronto. He is now 9-0-0 when 36+ shots in a game after that win.

In general, Shesterkin seems to have some issues with rebound control, but he played a smart game against Toronto and didn’t allow rebounds in critical situations. It’s not ideal for him to stand on his head every game, so the Rangers have to be better in the defensive zone. But it’s still helpful to know that they are playing in front of a reliable goaltender.

Note: All stats come from hockeyreference.com

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The debate, as always, is over just who is right for the job.

The Rangers must make naming a captain a priority

“We can keep moving this thing forward, a big piece of that for me would be getting a captain. For me it’s a priority,” Drury said back in June. “At the end of the day, it has to be the right person. I’m not interested in giving it to someone to just say we have a captain. I think we have a lot of leaders in our room and leaders that have taken big steps, including the second half of last season.”

The new President and GM has made it clear that the goal for the Rangers this season is to make the playoffs. The organization needs to take steps to get there. Drury has already began the process by bringing in players like Barclay Goodrow, Sammy Blais, and Ryan Reaves who immediately make the Rangers harder to play against.

Those type of teams thrive in the post season. Every team in the playoffs last season had a captain. It’s hard to imagine a playoff team without a captain. So the organization has a decision to make.

Now that Drury has remodeled the bottom six, the priority must be choosing a captain. The narrative of wanting to wait a few years in order to name Alexis Lafreniere captain just doesn’t make sense. The timing isn’t right. Same can be said of Adam Fox even coming off a Norris Trophy season.

The three real options are Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Jacob Trouba. But which is most deserving?

Zibanejad leads mostly by example

While it’s not a bad thing, Mika Zibanejad does tend to lead heavily be example. Aside from his skill and talent that the younger players get to be around, there’s his work ethic. The team and hockey world as a whole watched him recover last season from a serious slump. He later revealed that COVID did play a role in his struggles, but his ability to overcome them undoubtedly sent a message to the younger players.

Additionally, his exceptional all around play makes him one of the top centers in the league. He is also the second senior most Ranger behind Chris Kreider. But these factors may not be enough to claim him the captaincy.

Zibanejad is a more consistent player than Kreider or Jacob Trouba, but he is not as vocal. An ideal leader leads both vocally and by example. All three of these veteran players mentor the younger ones, but this seems to apply more so to Kreider and Trouba.

Trouba took a step in the right direction

This past season, Trouba’s leadership qualities surfaced. In his second year with the Rangers, he seemed more comfortable and confident. While his play was still not quite as consistent as desired, he stepped up in other ways. Namely, there was the situation where then Coach David Quinn elected not to go into the locker room between periods and let Trouba speak to the team instead.

As fans, we don’t get to see everything that happens behind the scenes, but this anecdote is a good indication of his character. Trouba also played with K’Andre Miller most of the season and definitely seemed to take on a mentor role. If he can branch out and be consistently vocal, Trouba would make a proper captain.

Kreider seems best to fit the role

For years, Chris Kreider has been known to help young Rangers train and adjust to the NHL. He’s been described as a “beast in the gym.” It sounds like he could run his own camp if he wanted to. Like Zibanejad and Trouba, Kreider has the team’s respect. But he seems to forge relationships with individuals from the start. It’s helpful for a leader to know their people well individually, not just collectively. This is not to say that Zibanejad and Trouba don’t, just that Kreider obviously goes out of his way to make this happen.

Kreider’s work ethic both on and off the ice is admirable. He knows his role and when he’s on his game, he can be a very effective forward. The biggest concern is his tendency to disappear for stretches of games. Last season, he experienced this situation, but that’s really just the type of player that is. While it’s not ideal, Kreider also has the ability to step up when it matters most. When Artemi Panarin was out on a leave of absence last season, it was Kreider that shouldered the responsibility and compensated. Most importantly, he did it by being the player that he is rather than forcing himself to be someone else.

The 30 year-old also got a ringing endorsement from one of his old teammates. “He does everything right,” Brian Boyle said to NHL.com. “He’s been through everything on that team and now he’s the old guard, even though he’s not old. He’s still got wheels, he’s a high-character person, a smart individual and knows what it takes to win. I’ve been friends with him for a long time, so I’d love to see that.”

Drury has spoken about every player knowing their role. Kreider does. And soon that could include being the captain. He leads through a combination of vocal and demonstrative methods. Zibanejad and Trouba are legitimate candidates but neither does all of the things Kreider does. He could lead this team to the playoffs. The time is right to name a captain, and it should be Kreider.

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A successful offseason should ideally put the team in a position to compete for a playoff spot next season.

New York Rangers hiring the right head coach is top priority

Owner James Dolan has been direct in communicating his feelings about the Rangers’ culture. The culture created by the prior management group apparently just wasn’t what he had in mind. He selected Drury who will be looking for the next coach.

David Quinn seemed to have established a culture with a certain degree of stoicism. The coach rarely showed emotion behind the bench; it took something extreme to get a real reaction out of him. This bled into his players and led to a decrease in physicality and overall grit.

Yes, as the 2020-21 season progressed the Rangers were more willing to stand up for one another but that wasn’t always the case. The Rangers have been called “soft” and accused of having no sandpaper. While they will need to bring in additional players to resolve the issue, it is also going to have to become part of the Rangers overall game. They need a coach that will enforce this and instill a culture of physicality along with finesse.

While there are still plenty of young players on the roster, the focus is starting to shift away from player development and towards playoff contention. They need a coach with winning playoff experience. Gerard Gallant seems to have been the most popular name floating around of late and the Rangers already conducted an interview with him. However, he’s coaching Canada at the World Championships and so far they’re under performing. It should be interesting to see if this at all impacts the Rangers’ decision. It would be recency bias but still could be a factor.

Rangers’ need for grit is apparent

The Rangers’ system currently favors a finesse style of play that isn’t going to get them very far. Finesse can work in the regular season, but certainly not in the playoffs (i.e. Edmonton Oilers). They need to add another element to their game, and Dolan and Drury would like for that to be sandpaper. While it is up to the future coaching staff and the players on the current roster to find a willingness to play physically within the team that’s here, it would also be productive to bring in additional pieces.

Larry Brooks brought up Nazem Kadri as a possible target. While he may be serving an eight-game suspension for an illegal check to the head and is a repeat offender, the Rangers should still consider him. The right coach may be able to get him calm down and use his physicality in a more productive manner. He could center the third or fourth line.

Every successful team has at least one player that is known to be a nuisance for opponents; it makes them harder to play against. The Rangers don’t currently have someone who plays that role and are in turn not very difficult to play against. They do have Ryan Lindgren, but he isn’t quite on Kadri’s level when it comes to physicality and can’t shoulder this responsibility alone especially being the number two defenseman.

Is it time for the Rangers to name a captain?

During his end of season media availability, Mika Zibanejad expressed his confidence in the Rangers’ “leadership group.” Several Rangers throughout the season have spoken about the closeness of the team and how they’ve grown together this year. Does all of this imply that a captain isn’t necessary? It’s certainly possible that the Rangers feel perfectly secure without a labeled captain, but all successful teams in the NHL right now have one. Every team in the playoffs this year has one. If the Rangers are really looking to be a playoff team, they likely need a captain too.

Though the team was able to work through their on and off-ice drama this past season as a group, there were times when one player seemed to step up as a clear-cut leader. Whether that was Chris Kreider in the absence of Artemi Panarin or Jacob Trouba when the Rangers were struggling with effort, the team seemed to respond. This young team needs structure. A leadership group consisting of four alternate captains can work, but as a whole they may react better to a single captain. It’s not a matter of the others stepping down once a captain is named. It’s simply a matter of structure. A chain of command even.

So the question is: who should be the captain? Chris Kreider seems to be the obvious choice on the surface. He’s the senior-most Ranger who has proven he can be a leader both on and off the ice and who enjoys and values mentoring younger players. But the problem with that is Kreider can disappear for days or even weeks at a time. Towards the end of this season, for example, he experienced a major slump. Kreider has always been this kind of player, therefore it could pose a problem in his being captain.

Both Zibanejad and Trouba also have shown their leadership qualities. But neither to the same extent as Kreider. There’s also the option of waiting another few years for Alexis Lafrenière to mature. His leadership qualities have been at the forefront of the discussion about him since before the 2020 draft. It’s possible the Rangers organization would still prefer to wait for him to be ready for the job and delegate the alternate captain responsibilities to other younger players like Adam Fox.

Will there be significant changes at center or on defense?

The Jack Eichel rumors have been prominent since last offseason. But will the Rangers make a move for him this summer? A deal for Eichel could include younger players that not too long ago seemed like key assets. Filip Chytil and Vitali Kravtsov are some names that have been mentioned. One would have to believe the Rangers would be willing to trade both of them to acquire Eichel. They currently have Zibanejad and Ryan Strome lining up as one and two down the middle with Kevin Rooney, Filip Chytil, and Brett Howden moving in an out of the third and fourth center spots. If the Rangers can get Eichel and play him on the top line with Zibanejad on the second and Strome on the third, they would suddenly be a lot deeper.

Competition with other teams could get in the way of the Rangers’ landing Eichel. It’s possible that Buffalo would rather trade him to a team out west due to geographic rivalry within New York. Another team may also be able to put together a package that is more appealing to them. In this case, the organization should be considering other free agent center options as well.

After being promoted to President and General Manager, news came out that Drury plans to add a veteran defenseman to the roster. They could choose to re-sign Brendan Smith, but that wouldn’t be an addition. A veteran defenseman would ideally provide playoff experience. It would also be helpful if such a defenseman brought a physical presence. With three of the top four defensemen being just second and third year players, another veteran could be a helpful guide.

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Streaky Chris Kreider was there when the Rangers needed him

The Rangers had a very slow start to the season with their veterans struggling. That included Mika Zibanejad. During the first half of the season, Artemi Panarin also took a leave of absence due to a political hit job. Chris Kreider stepped up while Zibanejad was finding his game. He stepped up with Panarin out. Kreider voiced his concerns about the team’s effort and expressed the need for the Rangers to “hate losing.” He experienced an excellent stretch while Panarin was out, recording two hat tricks in just five games. He was setting an example for the young players and truly being a leader. The first half of the season seemed to be a sort of revelation for Kreider both on and off the ice.

When Zibanejad finally found his game and Panarin came back at full force, Kreider’s game started to dip. Throughout his career, it has always been clear that Kreider is a streaky scorer. Plenty of players are, but for Kreider this phenomenon seems to be augmented. Kreider periodically disappears altogether. During these slumps, he can be barely noticeable most nights. He’s not a fourth line player that plays eight minutes a game, he plays on the top line with Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich. Zibanejad has turned into a star in this league and Buchnevich has significantly elevated his game this season. The dynamic between the three of them is impacted by Kreider’s disappearing acts from time to time. With two goals in the last two games, it’s possible Kreider is coming out of his most recent slump. However, when it comes to being a captain, being streaky isn’t ideal.

Four games against Devils displayed Jacob Trouba’s leadership

Since being traded to the Rangers from the Winnipeg Jets, some have felt that Jacob Trouba’s play in New York has been underwhelming. But the last four games against the New Jersey Devils have been an opportunity for Trouba to lead. The Rangers were off to a slow start against the Devils last Tuesday. Despite being up 1-0 after the first period, they weren’t necessarily outplaying their opponent. They won the game 3-0, and after the game David Quinn revealed that he didn’t go into the locker room between the first and second periods. He let Trouba handle the situation instead. The Rangers did improve their game after this slightly unorthodox coaching decision. If Jacob Trouba can be a voice more often and more consistently, he should seriously be considered for captain next season.

On the ice, Trouba is at his best when he is hitting effectively. Across these four games, he recorded 14 hits including a big one on Andreas Johnsson on Sunday. Physicality has always been an element of Trouba’s game, but it needs to be there consistently. It just gives his game a boost. He’s also definitely more of a stay-at-home defenseman. Over this span, Trouba was reliable in his zone as he was mostly in position and effectively shutting down plays. He also had 10 blocks. This is Trouba’s true game that makes him the impressive player Rangers fans thought he would be when he came over from Winnipeg. These are the elements Trouba needs to bring every night. If he can do that, he could significantly pull ahead of the other alternates in the captain debate.

Note: All stats come from hockeyreference.com

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Watch Patrick Marleau pass Gordie Howe for most games played here.

Rangers continue to be resilient against Capitals

The Rangers lost 5-4 to the Capitals on Sunday. They were down 3-0 going into the third period and went down 4-0 before Colin Blackwell scored to make it 4-1. His goal seemed to spark the Ranger’s offense which had been struggling until then. They were outshot 11-6 in the first and 8-5 in the second. However, the Rangers outshot the Capitals 9-3 in the third. Blackwell scored a second time which just points to how good of a signing he was for the Rangers . He comes up big in crucial moments and seems to be able to play with anyone. The Rangers went down 5-3 on a goal from T.J. Oshie but they weren’t ready to quit yet. Alexis Lafreniere and Chris Kreider each scored to at least make things a bit interesting.

While the Rangers lost this game, the third period was a true show of character. They need to be playing a full sixty minutes of hockey every game; turning up the heat in third period alone isn’t a winning formula. However, it would have been worse for this team’s development if they had simply sat back and played defense for the final 20 minutes on Sunday. This young team needs to learn what it takes to win in the NHL. If the Rangers can play the way they did in the third period on Sunday more consistently, they will have success. Though the comeback fell short, it wasn’t for a lack of effort. That is encouraging as effort was somewhat of a concern earlier in the season.

Tuesday night, the Rangers found themselves down 1-0 early after allowing a power play goal just 2:23 in. They then gave up another goal 4:22 in. Going down 2-0 early in the first is certainly not an ideal start. However, Filip Chytil was able to get the Rangers on the board with a breakaway goal late in the period. Chytil made an aggressive play to obtain possession and used his speed from there. This play gave the Rangers some jump.

While they didn’t score in the second, they also did not allow another goal. In the third, the Rangers scored four more unanswered to win 5-2. This again goes back to the need to play a full sixty minutes, but it also speaks to their determination. The Rangers need to maintain the level of intensity they’ve displayed in the last couple of third periods they’ve played. Further, this was their first win of the season when trailing going into the third. They are now 1-10-0 in this situation.

Rangers proving they do have depth

The Rangers have been getting more consistent offensive production from all four lines lately. The top line has been playing at a higher level and as one unit. Mika Zibanejad has found his game and has been contributing significantly in all three zones. That definitely helps to fuel the line. Pavel Buchnevich has seriously elevated his game this season and has been mostly consistent. Chris Kreider has also played well, though he has cooled off slightly of late. But he has emerged as a true leader which is important for this young Rangers team.

Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome have excellent chemistry and the decision to add Kaapo Kakko to that line has been successful. While Panarin can sometimes be prone to a reckless pass, his overall playmaking ability is obviously elite. Strome has been able to feed off of that while improving his individual game as well. Strome is currently riding a nine game assist streak and a 10 game point streak. Kaapo Kakko has a goal-scorer’s shot and hadn’t been using it quite often enough. However, he now has three goals in his last five games including one Tuesday night against the Capitals. His confidence is clearly growing as he is holding onto the puck longer and making more plays. Not only is he going to the net to shoot, but also to create space. Tuesday night, Kakko was able to keep the defenseman busy and give Adam Fox room to score.

Alexis Lafreniere and Filip Chytil have been more noticeable lately. They’ve both looked unsure of themselves at times this season and are averaging under 15 minutes of ice time per game. But recently they’ve been more diligent in the defensive and neutral zones late and making every second of ice time count. They’ve both recorded two points in their last five games. Kevin Rooney, along with Blackwell, has shown that he was a worthwhile signing for the Rangers in the offseason. He is a solid fourth line center who can put up points. He is also not afraid to get physical if need be. Depth on the Rangers’ roster was a concern going into the season, but it seems the forwards are really starting to figure it out.

Related: Rangers unsung heroes are shrewd Gorton signings

Rangers must maintain urgency against Sabres

The Sabres had lost 18 games in a row before beating the Flyers. They will most definitely be looking to get a few wins here. The Rangers can expect them to bring some desperation to the game on tonight. The Rangers have shown determination, but they need to keep their foot on the gas. If they underestimate the Sabres, they run the risk of losing a game or two that they should win.

At this point in the season, they can’t afford to be losing these games. If the Rangers can carry the momentum from Tuesday’s third period and continue to play with intensity for sixty minutes, they will be set up for success. Continued production from all around the lineup is also necessary. These things combined will help the Rangers to establish their identity and prove that, despite their age, they can be a competitive team in the NHL.

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Sabres ended their skid but man are the Flyers bad. And Nathan MacKinnon ejected – see why here.

Defensive improvement key for Rangers

The Rangers have given up 41 goals against which is seven below the league average at 48. While seven is not many, this stat shows that they can compete with some of the tighter defensive teams in the league. The Islanders, for example, who have given 40 goals against which is only one less than the Rangers.

The penalty kill was strong again this week with the Rangers going five for five against Philadelphia on Thursday and four for four against Washington on Saturday. The Rangers currently rank sixth in the league in penalty kill percentage at 85.7%. They finished last season at 77.4%.

Rangers getting production from their top six

The top six were prominent on Thursday and Saturday this week quite possibly for the first time consistently this season. Pavel Buchnevich, Artemi Panarin, and Ryan Strome all picked up assists on goals by Colin Blackwell and Brendan Smith against the Flyers. Kaapo Kakko and Artemi Panarin both scored in the shootout to give the Rangers the win. While Blackwell and Smith may have been the only goal scorers in regulation, the assists by the Rangers top six forwards indicates play making and effective communication on the ice.

Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere, Ryan Strome, and Mika Zibanejad all scored against the Capitals on Saturday. Panarin and Buchnevich picked up two assists each. This is the kind of production the Rangers need from their top six and the main element that has been missing.

The goal Saturday was Lafreniere’s second career NHL goal. It appears Lafreniere is becoming more comfortable with the pace of the NHL game. Hopefully these things combined will spur more consistent production from him moving forward.

Zibanejad’s goal was only his second of the season. The team and fanbase alike breathed a collective sigh of relief as this broke his 13-game goal drought. While it was an empty netter, it could be a very significant turning point for Zibanejad individually. This could give him a confidence boost leading to the point production we’re used to seeing from him.

Overall, the 4-1 win over the Capitals showed the Ranger’s top six finding their game. If they can continue this kind of production, the Rangers will certainly be headed in the right direction.

Faceoff improvement and strong goaltending important factors this week

The Rangers had been struggling on faceoffs this season. However, this is another factor that has shown growth of late. Their faceoff percentage against the Flyers was 54.8% and 57.1% against the Capitals. Winning faceoffs to gain puck possession is an area where the Rangers were getting into some trouble as they would too often be left scrambling to get possession. The faceoff results this week helped a bit with this situation.

Alex Georgiev was solid against the Flyers on Thursday as he made several highlight reel saves. He only gave up two goals on 22 shots for a .909 save percentage. Additionally, he was excellent in the shootout allowing only Sean Couturier’s wrist shot to get past him. Other than his shutout against the Islanders in game two of the season, this was Georgiev’s best performance of the year.

Igor Shesterkin was a brick wall against the Capitals, only allowing one goal on 27 shots for a .963 save percentage. The one goal he did give up was one he probably wishes he could have back. Further, it appears Shesterkin is back to the form we saw when he arrived in New York late last season. Confidence never seems to be an issue for him and now he’s finding his game. His consistency as the number one goaltender is very exciting for this Rangers team.

Related: Rangers coming together more important than their record

Rangers finding their identity

With advancements in defense, production from the top six, and strong goaltending, the Rangers are starting to look like a more solid team. One of their biggest issues earlier in the season was communication and lack of cohesion, however these are less of a concern now.

Effort has not been an issue other than the game against the Devils on Tuesday. The Rangers have truly worked hard in nearly every game this season, they just haven’t necessarily gotten the results. Holding on in the game against the Flyers is a reflection of their hard work and getting rewarded for it.

Their performance against the Capitals was a display of what they can do when everyone comes to play and their best players are their best players. It is going to take some more times for this young Rangers team to truly find their identity and really compete, but these two games were definitely a step in the right direction. They need to ride this momentum into next week as these games could be significant turning point.

Note: All stats came from hockeyreference.com and nhl.com.

NHL Trade Targets

The Daily Goal’s Trade Target Series starts with the North Division.

His article on potential as a principle of leadership can be found here.

The main argument in a hockey context

In his post about potential, Smith makes the argument that someone with a title may be nothing more than that. A true leader requires substance to back up their title. He also argues that a leader must focus on the growing process of those around them as opposed to the current performance and final product. Finally, Smith proposes that a leader is someone who works with their people as opposed to judging them.

The Rangers currently have four alternate captains (Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Jacob Trouba), each an appropriate selection. However, with this young team, it may make more sense to name one of them captain to give the team a bit more structure. Putting Smith’s points into a hockey context can help to determine who would be most effective in the role. The first point deals with focusing on the growth of employees. In this scenario, it will be applied to the Rangers’ younger players.

David Quinn made it clear that this is exactly what they intend to do with Kaapo Kakko. Leadership stems from the coach and must be passed to the captain as well. In the Rangers’ case, alternate captains. While we as fans get little insight as to what happens in the locker room or what the relationships between players are like, it is most likely that none of the alternate captains are straying from this philosophy. The cliché of no one being harder on a player than himself is also probably holding true. The captains and coaching staff seem to be more focused on helping Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere and others get to where they could be instead of the fact that they’re not quite there yet.

According to Brad Smith, a true leader must put in the work to help their people improve instead of simply throwing out encouraging statements. When the rebuild was first announced, it was reported that Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad convened to discuss exactly what their plan was to accomplish this. Now they are both alternate captains, meaning the organization feels they have been successful in their efforts.

Participating in the growth of a young team

Kreider and Zibanejad, along with Jacob Trouba and Artemi Panarin are NHL veterans among a plethora of young and newer players. Even someone like Pavel Buchnevich who has been with the team for a few years may still require the guidance of more experienced players. It is undeniable that players such as Kakko, Lafreniere, and K’Andre Miller have plenty of potential. The question is, which of these Rangers mentors would do the best job bringing it out?

In his post, Smith says “greatness exists in all of us, and a leader’s job is to create an environment where that greatness can emerge.” Upon reading this, I immediately related it to Chris Kreider. It has become a well-known fact that rookies and other young players embrace the opportunity to work with Kreider. Particularly, they seek his advice for off-ice training and find it helpful to work out with him. Further, Kreider tends to regulate the mood of the team to a degree.

In his press conference on January 30th after an overtime loss to Pittsburgh, Kreider was visibly frustrated with losing yet another one-goal game. During Ryan Strome’s press conference on Thursday after a 4-2 win over Washington, Kreider kept the mood light by pranking Strome. The contrast between these actions demonstrates Kreider’s ability to be the soul of this team.

After that loss to the Penguins, Kreider spoke about the need for everyone to “hate losing.” This is something that must be instilled in every player in order to have a winning attitude. Preaching this kind of mindset while also creating an atmosphere for young players to thrive makes him a logical choice for captain.

RELATED: KREIDER A PERFECT BRIDGE TO FUTURE CAPTAIN

Veteran players must share their experiences

Another main point Smith makes is that it isn’t enough for a leader to stand on the sidelines and cheer for their people. They need to be actively involved. Smith argues that “sometimes the answer is not to simply offer constructive feedback or praise… Sometimes the answer is to stand shoulder to shoulder, work the issue together, role modeling, supporting and teaching along the way.” Kreider, Zibanejad, Trouba, and Panarin are seasoned players with a variety of experiences. The learning curve looks different for everyone, but it can only be useful for these four to share their stories with the younger players.

Different situations require different solutions. The four alternate captains must have a diverse set of strategies between them. They know at least part of what the young players are experiencing because they’ve already lived it. It is now necessary for them to employ their knowledge, pass it on, and work closely with these newer potential-filled players.